A/N Hey guys, took awhile but here it is. Hope you all had a great new year! Anyway this chapter is shorter but I think you'll like it. Don't forget to review, favorite and follow. Enjoy!
Emma couldn't fall asleep that night. Not entirely because of their conversation as a whole, or really anything that Killian said at all. It wasn't that what he said didn't hurt her, it did and quite a lot. But what really bothered her was something she said. Something she hadn't meant to say, something that just came out in the heat of the moment.
"If you want me to go with him, to be a queen, then I will. Because I love you, and I would do anything you ask of me." Emma replayed the moment in her mind and shook her head. Why would she say that? "I love you." She hadn't meant to say it... But she did mean it. And now he knew and she was still left not having any true knowledge on how he felt.
Yes they kissed and they talked and they flirted but that didn't mean anything, not really. Especially not after their latest conversation, because according to that he didn't want anything to do with her... not romantically anyway. Which made no sense, how could he just change his mind like that? One day he wanted to kiss her, the next she should forget it. One day they flirt, the next he's upset with her. One day he does kiss her, the next he tells her to marry someone else!
But none the less she couldn't deny how she felt. It was an odd realization for Emma, that she even possessed the ability to love someone the way she loved Killian. He had done nothing really to deserve her love, he wasn't like her suitors who wished to acquire her affection through gifts. He was just Killian and somehow that was enough for her.
...
After that odd meal a few days earlier the palace had been strangely calm. Kingsley had gone off on some sort of hunting trip with his friends, so that got rid of one person's input. Abigail seemed to have indulged herself in making sure all of the arrangements for the festival were perfect. And as was usually, Frederick seemed oblivious to any possible problem.
Snow had noticed all these things throughout the past few days, but most of all she noticed a change in her husband. David himself appeared to care much less about the situation ever since his meeting with Frederick and the advisor. He never actually revealed to Snow what had gone on in the meeting, only that "everything was under control".
That was all he said on the matter, Snow noted, but only when asked specifically about the meeting. You see if she were to ask him if he was worried about Emma he would go into detail about just how worried he was. And if she asked his opinion on the idea of the festival then he would explain his opinions on that. But whenever she asked how the meeting went the response was always just about the same; "everything is under control, dear," or "don't worry about it darling, things will be taken care of."
It made no sense time Snow, it was as though he was deliberately hiding something from her. Something must've gone wrong at the meeting that he didn't want her to know about. Or perhaps he had made a decision at the meeting that he knew she wouldn't like. Whatever the case was, Snow was intent on figuring out just what was going on.
...
Just before she drifted off to sleep the night before Emma made a decision. She was going to keep to what she said to Killian, she would marry Edric if that was what he truly wanted. But she also decided that she would do more than that.
You see Emma had a feeling that something wasn't quite right with Killians wanting her to marry Edric. It was all too sudden, and just after his arguments with Edric days earlier. Something changed, Edric and Killian were both keeping something from her and Emma was going to find out what. And she knew just how to do it.
...
Snow walked down the hallway in search of this mysterious advisor. After thinking on her predicament Snow had come to the conclusion that if she wanted some answers then the advisor was the one to go to. She had yet to meet the man, but it seemed that whenever a situation came up about Emma his name was mentioned.
"Excuse me," Snow said when she came up to a couple of maids who were talking in a hallway. They both quieted down and curtsied before Snow went on, "Sir Dennis, have you any idea where I might find him?"
"I believe he's in his office just down the hall and to the right, your majesty, but he may be busy." One of the maids replied.
"Thank you," Snow said with a nod then started off towards where she hoped she would find the man.
As she walked away she could hear the make a whispering something about the advisor and how "odd" he was. Snow brushed their quiet words off as nothing more than gossip and continued on her search. Though, once she turned the corner she got a bit of a strange feeling. None the less Snow went on until she came to the door of his office which was just barely cracked open. He seemed to be having a conversation with someone but it was hard to understand, slowly Snow leaned closer to the door to hear what he was saying.
"No, I understand... I'll take care of it, your majesty... You have nothing to worry about, everything will go as planned." Snow heard him say but she didn't hear him talking to anyone else. Just then she heard him stand and begin to walk towards the door. Quickly Snow rushed around the corner and hid behind a pillar, watching as sir Dennis and he alone exited the room.
...
Emma glanced over at Killian bitterly as she walked by before taking a seat next to Edric. Killian sighed and continued to fill his canteen with the river water, trying not to watch as she deliberately flirted with Edric in front of him. They stopped at the base of the mountain now taking a rest so that they could gain strength for the hike.
It had only been a day since their argument but it felt like long agonizing years to Killian. For one thing he hated that they even had that conversation in the first place. Secondly he could've sworn that he heard her say something during her little outburst that meant quite a lot to him, the only problem was that after what happened there was no way he would be able to talk to her about it. But most of all he hated seeing her with Edric, which was where she was constantly ever since that morning.
To be fair Edric was being rather civil about it. He tried his best to ignore most of Emma's advances for Killians sake. Edric could tell that she was doing it for the most part to bother Killian, but he could also tell that not all of her kindness was simply out of spite. Killian could see this too, and it was this kindness, the genuine kindness, that bothered him the most.
Killian put the cork back in the top of his canteen and regretfully glanced over at the two royals. It was one of those dreaded moments where Emma was being completely true as she let her hand rest gently on Edric's. Killian clenched his jaw and tried to fight the urging that he felt deep inside but it as impossible. He dropped the canteen on the ground and walked over to where they sat.
"Edric I need to talk to you, alone." He said sternly.
"If you couldn't tell, we're a bit busy." Emma said with a poisonous tone.
"And if you couldn't tell, I wasn't talking to you, your highness." Killian shot back, adding a slight bow just to upset her more. Then he turned to Edric and raised his eyebrows, "it really can't wait."
Edric could tell that whatever it was that Killian wanted to talk about it must've been important. He nodded to Killian then turned to Emma who was glaring at the ground.
"I'll be back in a moment," Edric reassured her kindly, but to Killians relief without a hint of romance in his voice. With that Edric got up and walked off with Killian.
"I can't go on with this." Killian said once they were out of earshot from Emma. Edric stiffened a bit and seemed to take a moment before responding.
"Killian, you know how important this is-"
"I also know how important she is to me," Killian interrupted quickly before pausing, "I understand that this is important, I understand how important... But look at her, she hates me for what I said."
"She doesn't hate you... at most she despises you." Edric said then winced, knowing how awful that must've sounded.
"All the same I can't stand it... I want to tell her-"
"Killian you can't!" Edric was steadfast in that and Killian could tell that it would take a lot to change his mind.
"I know it's a risk-" Killian began calmly but once again Edric was quick to cut him off.
"A risk! A risk is an understatement, Jones. Telling her could mean the end of any chances she has at becoming queen. It could mean the end of her country. She might be unhappy with you now but I can almost bet that if you tell her the truth she will hate you."
"And I'd be willing to bet my soul that if I don't tell her the truth she'll hate me forever... that's one risk I'm just not willing to take." Killian replied as he stared back at Edric, in that moment he knew he had won. Edric didn't even bother to try and stop him when he turned to go back to Emma. The Prince did however gulp in fear and worry, because as he had said, this could mean the end to everything that so baby people had worked so hard for.
...
"What do you want, bandit?" Emma asked looking up at Killian from where she sat.
"I request an audience with the princess," he replied, deciding to play along with her bitter game.
"Request denied, now leave me alone."
"I suppose if I were someone else that would put me off, but lucky for you I'm a no good bandit who has no care for any of the royal wishes." Killian said taking a seat next to her. "I have something to tell you."
"Well, I don't want to hear it." Emma said beginning to stand but Killian pulled her back down.
"You'll want to hear this."
