~It's a Girl Thing~
In the absence of the eldest three, the people around the table began to talk amongst themselves.
"Remember when you told me you would arm yourself with knowledge?" Belle nodded, allowing Emma to continue. "I found a book in my room this morning. I was wondering if you would look at it sometime today?"
"Of course. That's not even a favor, I love reading. But why?"
"I don't remember ever seeing the thing, let alone reading it. I must have picked it up, well… Yesterday, I suppose. It was open to a chapter… nevermind, I'll just show you."
Belle nodded, then changed the subject. "Are you hoping the ball will be canceled?"
Emma sighed. "If this doesn't do it, nothing will. However, I highly doubt anything can cancel that dreaded thing." Emma looked up to smile at Belle. "Perhaps now I can stop dreading it, since I can count you an ally."
"Speaking of… I have nothing to wear. I don't think I can be much of an ally in forest rags. Do you think you could lend me something of yours?"
"Don't worry about that, I already spoke to my mother, and she is having something made for you."
"You didn't have to-"
"It's already done. Seriously. I asked her this morning, she asked the seamstress, and the seamstress had a gown almost finished with no memory of doing it. Apparently she keeps meticulous notes because she knew it was for you. She kept your measurements, preferences, and a note on your physical looks."
Belle gave her an odd look. "I can't remember going to see her. Must have been the lost day."
For a moment, they giggled like schoolgirls, forgetting the seriousness they were surrounded in. They somehow managed to talk about the available men currently present at the table. Belle thought Roland was the quiet type, seeing as he was preoccupied with some drawing or other. Not one to bring her any adventures. Neither were particularly fond of Smee.
Emma looked across the table at Smee, who was talking to Hook. She mildly wondered what that was about. "I bet you'd find all the adventure you could handle, and then some, in the good Captain over there."
"Oh, no, I couldn't. We've met. I just…" She shook her head adamantly.
Emma looked at her sharply. "Tell me."
"He, ehm. It was so long ago." The girls locked eyes for a moment, before Belle looked down at her hands in her lap. "Well, he tried to trick me for information when Regina had me locked up. When he didn't get what he wanted, he knocked me out. I honestly thought he would kill me."
Emma knew she spoke the truth. She looked over at the Captain, unsure what to think of him now. She knew he had aggressive tendencies, he must have, being a pirate. But to hurt a woman?
"How long ago was that?"
"Must have been… Gods, thirty?" She paused a moment, thinking. "Yes, thirty years ago."
Emma's eyebrows shot up. If that was thirty years ago, how old was the Captain? And who here, other than herself, was actually as old as they looked? Emma just wanted to collapse into her chair, but was painfully aware of the position she was in. If she moved, even slightly, she risked agitating the bruise further.
"Okay, not the pirate. Baelfire? Or rather, Neal?"
Belle chanced a peek behind her to the solemn man. "He looks petrified."
Emma looked at the end of the table. Neal seemed completely unnerved by all this, as if he had just learned he was dying. "Yeah, this is definitely not the right time to talk about boys."
"Is there such a thing?"
"Don't worry Neal." Emma called out, she couldn't help but try to calm him. "I'm sure this will all blow over soon, and you can be on your way." He nodded, absentmindedly. She felt sorry for the man.
"Well, he is rather handsome if you ignore the brooding."
"We're so very bad."
"Simply terrible."
It wasn't long before the table was back to its significant number. The King waited for Regina and Snow to sit before he spoke, remaining upright at the head of the table.
"Regina has cleared this man of his accusations." Emma looked to Neal, relief flooding his face. "However, he could be dangerous even if he isn't the cause of the danger. Neal, if you agree, Regina will work with you to remove any ties linking you to the sorcerer who used you for their evil." Emma was surprised at the look her father gave her when he said that last word. Almost as if she were a victim, too, and it pained him to see her that way.
"I agree!" Neal said in full volume, practically leaping from his seat. "When do we start?"
David motioned for a maid, asking if the kitchen would bring an extra plate.
"Let us eat first, Neal. Then we can hammer away at all this."
Once the last plate arrived, they all, finally, started to eat.
