The Corpse Prince

A/N: First of all, I would like to send every one of my reviewers and readers a late but WARM Merry Christmas and a future to come HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you enjoy your holidays as I much as I! AND I would like to thank gracefuldead56, Nina Hikari and griffin-queen-of-silver-skies for reviewing! THANK YOU SO MUCH! You have warmed me very much just with your brilliant reviews and encouraged me to writing more for this story! Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter very much because I LOVED writing it! -smiles very wide- Please review!

I would also like to thank my consultant and great friend very very very very VERY MUCH!, griffin-queen-of-silver-skies:D She is a GENIUS! Griffin-queen-of-silver-skies, YOU HAVE SAVED ME! From unconversational block! THANK YOUUUUUUUU!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the movie except my characters!

Strange Everything

Emily's jaw practicularly dropped open as she continued to stare at the figure holding the womanly form. The figure, who was holding the young woman, was a dead corpse. But she wasn't really suprised about him. Her eyes were gazed at the unconscious woman in the corpse's arms. She gave out a gasp of disbelief as her eyes became wide as rocks.

It was Valeska, Emily knew. Valeska looked like the spitting image of Victor, and yet in a more womanly, calm way she looked a bit like Victoria as well. She felt something slither up her bony shoulder but Emily didn't really care. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. What was more important was why Victor's daughter had come to the Land of the Dead, and unconscious at that.

"She's still breathing, that girl," a familiar voice spoke and Emily knew it was the Maggot. She nodded as Scraps started to bark at the familiar yet strange scent lingering in the air. Scraps recognized it as his previous owner's scent and he wagged his bony tail wildly. But something was wrong with the scent. He whined in confusion.

"I'm truly sorry I had to come here in such an abrupt way possible, but this lady must lie down!" shouted the corpse that held Valeska. Emily looked up from Valeska to the man and her eyes narrowed suspiciously at him. That voice was also familiar, but where did she hear it? A spark of recognition flew into her eyes as finally recognized that voice. It was Prince Vittorio, and he was free!

Emily smiled as her eyes looked up and down, accepting the Corpse Prince's appearance. He was much more handsome than she thought he would look and she couldn't help but blush. Perhaps, just maybe, he was single?

"Here, lay her there," someone spoke and pointed to one of the long coffin benches. The Corpse Prince lifted Valeska's unconscious form and set her on the bench gently, as if he was holding a feather that must not be harmed. Then after seeing that his savior was in a more comfortable position, he looked at the dead crowd and smiled, bowing low.

All the crowd's eyes were round with curiosity as they hurried towards the newcomer. Some of the bony soldiers bowed at the Prince, and he gave a nodd. Emily inclined her head a bit in a inquiring motion. The Prince looked at the crowd, and leaned back so he was standing straight. He opened his lips and his black hair fell near his eyes as he did so.

"I apologize for my discourteous appearance again. I shall introduce myself. My name is Prince Vittorio Valdemar, once ruler of Europe. I have been quite dead, you see, but a wicked sorceress had put a spell on me so I could not visit the Land of the Dead nor stay above in the Land of the Living. I am free now, thanks to Lady Valeska here, who saved me," the Prince explained and bowed to the crowd, though it was a quick, small one. Some of the dead ladies broke out in whispers and some of them chuckled. Clearly they looked like they were planning something.

Prince Vittorio was quickly ushered into the crowd to be introduced to the dead. Emily moved in to introduce herself but she quickly shied away, a burning blush fixed upon her blue cheeks. Maggot, who had been observing Emily's reactions for quite a while, had to grin secretly. Meanwhile, the curious crowd asked just about thousands of questions towards the Corpse Prince, who, of course, nodded his head politely and spoke a few words in return. But soon enough the crowd was losing interest and they were quickly departing to do whatever they were doing before.

Emily took this chance to grab at the Prince's bony hand, who looked at Emily, a flicker of confusion crossing his eyes. Emily smiled shyly and opened her mouth, raising a teasing eyebrow as she did so. "Remember me?"

"Lady Emily!" the Prince shouted in joy and before long, he had softly caught Emily's bony hand and kissed it, bowing in a gentlemanly manner. Emily giggled and she felt herself burning quite red in the again as the Prince got up, straightened himself and smiled back. But the smile on Emily's face started to disappear as the thought of Valeska came back to her.

"Vittorio..." she began and Prince Vittorio looked up, waiting for Emily to continue so he could answer back. Emily hesitated. Why exactly did Valeska come? was what she wanted to ask, but what got her thinking was how strange all of this was. She had wished to meet the Prince face to face but she didn't think she would be seeing him barging through with Victor's daughter. It seemed like a crazy coincidence.

"Yes, my dear lady?" Vittorio said and got up, sweeping his hair back so he could have a better look at Emily. Emily looked up at the Prince with what looked like concern. "I…I… H-How did Valeska come here?"

"You know her, Lady Emily?" Vittorio said and his eyes widened in shock. Emily nodded, a weak smile appearing on her face. It was hard, trying to forget that time she had when Victor had come to her. And still she couldn't forget Victoria and Victor, along with Barkis, who had killed her off for her money. But to see the past coming back to her in the form of Valeska, it was just too much to bear. But…. A small part of her was celebrating at the notion that because Valeska was there, Emily was able to see Prince Vittorio now in person.

"Yes, I do. She…umm…it's a very long story..." Emily replied dryly and she felt an odd feeling inside her chest, as if it was burning. But it was impossible, for her heart would never again skip a beat nor stop, for it was already snuffed out. But she liked that feeling as Vittorio took a step closer to her, as if noticing her look of distress.

"Oh. Very well then, milady, I shall find out later. I should probably tell my part," Vittorio began and his eyes sparkled as he continued to stare at Emily's eyes deeply. The odd warm feeling in her chest was rose furiously and Emily had to hide her face from the Prince.

"I had, as you already know, been waiting for someone to save me from that place where I was in the middle of both worlds when I had heard sobbing come closer towards my… grave. I know it had been Lady Valeska's, because that was when I felt something colder then ice touch my finger and slip through. Lady Valeska saved me from the spell. She looked terribly distressed before meeting me though..." Prince Vittorio said and this time he looked puzzled. And for the first time Emily had seen, he looked more like a boy then a Prince.

Emily smiled warmly towards the Prince and he returned her smile, his princeliness coming back to him again. Softly Vittorio stretched out and took Emily's hand, and caressed it with his other, touching it in the gentlest way anyone had done for her. Emily's gaze flickered towards his gentle touch and then slowly her eyes looked up at him with awe and something she hadn't felt for years. Vittorio smiled and this time Emily didn't hide the warmness of her feelings.

A/N: DON'T KILLLLLLLLLLLLLL MEEEE! AHHHHHHHHHH! -ducks a truck thrown towards her direction- I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it to finish it there! But I must, for it is a ending that must be stopped there! Ack, Emily is soooooo lucky! -sniffle- I want my Prince-in-Shining-Armour! -wahhhh!- Please, everybody review! Thank you so much for reading! OwO I will update as sooooooooooon as possible!