The Corpse Prince
A/N: Yay! Emily meets Valeska! Emily meets Valeska! OwO Now how would she react? lol Find out! Please review and thank you so much again for your fabulous reviews! O.O! Sorry it took quite a while, I was a bit stuck. And as for what happened to Vincent, well you shall find out soon enough... -grins- Please review and more will come come COME! lol xDDD
I would also like to thank my consultant and great friend, griffin-queen-of-silver-skies! x33333 -hugs-
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the movie except my characters!
Requiem: Part One
Valeska blinked in surprise, gaping at the Corpse Bride wearing a rigid looking smile on her face. To Valeska, Emily looked rather frightening in her blue tinted Wedding Dress. She smiled weakly in spite of herself and shivered. What if she had also died as a bride like Emily? This made her grimace secretly inside.
Emily, on the other hand, couldn't help but look towards Vittorio's right hand, which was clutching Valeska's and gave a silent pout at seeing it.
"Umm… Nice to meet you too," Valeska managed to answer, and her lips gaped with shock. She couldn't believe it! Emily had not gone to the farther side of life like her father had said, or thought. The Corpse Bride hadbeen here in the Land of the Dead the whole time! But why? Why was Emily still here, instead of moving on?
"It seems you are acquainted with each other, and I to you both, ladies!" Vittorio said, smiling, and then gave out a small laugh. He was happy to see the two fair ladies to finally being able to see each other. To him, they looked like they were having a nice conversation, which technically, they were.
"So… how is Victor?" Emily spoke solmnely, her eyes fixed on Valeska. Her lips sort of trembled when she said it. She was here, standing right in front of Victor's daughter at last... And yet, she didn't feel that happy to see her. Perhaps she was just a little bit jealous… jealous to see Valeska holding hands with Vittorio, instead of Emily.
Valeska jumped in surprise, but she caught herself quickly. She inhaled in a breath and answered. "He… He's fine."
"That's good to hear..." Emily trailed off, hiding back a hint of her tears. It was hard, seeing someone that looked like Victor, and yet like Victoria. She was happy for the couple, and yet her heart felt as bitter as coffee. Trembling, she looked away from Valeska for a minute, and then back again at Valeska's fair and youthful face.
Valeska and Emily seemed to stare at each other for a few minutes, oblivious of the commotion around them and more into in depth to their own thoughts. At last Vittorio broke the silence with a polite cough. Both of them looked up at him with blinks of bewilderment.
"Shall we... sit down? Perhaps we should hear how Lady Valeska happened to find my g...g…grave in the woods?" Vittorio suggested with a little bit of difficulty and they both nodded slowly. It was at that moment Valeska realized Emily was looking at her hand, the hand that Vittorio was grasping softly. Feeling rather guilty for some odd reason, she let go of Vittorio's grip. The Corpse Prince only inclined his head with his usual pleasant smile and pointed to the coffin bench near them. Seeing that Valeska's hand was away from Vittorio made Emily relax a little and she smiled apologetically at Valeska's back, wiping away the small sparkling tears that had finally found its way on the brim of her eyes.
They settled on the bench and suprisingly enough, Emily, Valeska and Vittorio all fit on that long coffin bench. Vittorio sat in the middle of the bench with Valeska and Emily sitting beside him on both ends. Vittorio glanced at Valeska's direction and looked at her approachfully.
Gulping nervously, Valeska could see Emily and Vittorio were both waiting for her to explain. She sighed softly and began her story with her engagement with Vincent, the time when she had bumped into seeing him with a woman and her running through the woods, crying in grief. When she finished, sympathetic looks was what she got as Valeska smiled weakly.
"Oh, you poor thing," Emily spoke, her eyes sadenned. The jealousy that had lingered inside her stomach had immediately vanished from hearing Valeska's distressing news as she tried to thought quickly for something reassuring to say. But she could find none. Then tears slowly started to sting her eyes again. This scenario reminded her exactly of that time when Victor had left her in the woods waiting, while he ran off to see Victoria. Emily sniffled quietly and pushed back her tears, afraid this will upset Valeska even more.
"So that was why you have been crying, milady. I am sorry to hear that you husband has turned away from you..." Vittorio spoke softly and took Valeska's hand reassuringly. Valeska smiled weakly and nodded slowly. Emily's eyes couldn't help but narrow towards the direction of Valeska and Vittorio's hands interwined with each other.
"You deserve better, milady..." Vittorio spoke and smiled, getting up onto his feet. His eyes were saddened then ever for some reason unknown to both Emily and Valeska as they watched him look up at the sky. The sky swirled with eerie clouds of purple and dark blue, along with a dark orange that looked like the color of the setting sun. But his eyes were directed towards the small and faint, yet beautifully lit stars sparkling through the clouds.
"What is it, Vittorio?" Emily inquired, eyes filling with confusion.
Vittorio glanced towards Emily and Valeska, who looked at him with perplexity in their eyes.
"Let me tell you how I became who I am now..."
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Flashback
Prince Vittorio Valdemar, Son of Diodorus Pierre Valdemar, who was currently the ruler of Europe, walked through the flourished streets of (A/N: I dunno exactly where the European village the movie Corpse Bride was set in so I'm going to skip a bit, ok?). He smiled as he nodded politely to the villagers around him. The Prince was wearing an aristocratic dark colored suit, with a bow around his neck, along with a small cane in his right hand and a bouquet of flowers in his other. His hair was swept back, but sometimes when he leaned forward, the front bangs of his dark brown hair fell near his eyes. His light brown eyes twinkled in the soft beam of sunlight. He was truly handsome in every way possible, and ladies of his ranks wanted him for their own. But the most important thing was that he was very much alive.
"Good morrow, good sir," Vittorio spoke, inclining his head towards a man holding a bunch of materials in his hands. The man nodded back with a grin, also nodding at the young Prince as his eyes blazed with happiness and pride. His father had worked so hard to achieve this peace, and for the first time, there was no war and death lingering in the air. Prince Vittorio was very pleased also with his life. It was perfect. He was to be married to a lovely woman, one of the daughters of the Herald family, tomorrow morning. He had met the lady personally and loved her for who she was.
However, one troublesome fact still lingered and swam uncomfortably in his gut like a bunch of butterflies. His father was old, and very tired. He had used up all of his power on bringing peace to Europe. Vittorio's smile started to sink lower. It meant he would have to be the next ruler of Europe, replacing his father. Would he be as sucessful and skilled to be a King as his father? Doubt clutched at his heart at the thought as he headed towards his fiancé's house.
I hope Althea will like these... Vittorio thought with a smile as he looked towards the flowers in his hand. They were a beautiful assortment of flowers, colored in white, light blue and light pink. Vittorio couldn't wait to see her as he walked up the small stairs of the Herald's house and knocked softly on the door.
He heard a soft echo inside the house and footsteps along with it. The door creaked open to reveal a beautiful tall woman, wearing a growing smile now on her face at seeing Vittorio. The woman wore a dress colored light purple and her hair was tied back, although a few strands were left astray near her eyes. She smiled and gasped in delight at seeing the bouquet of flowers in Vittorio's hand.
"Good morrow, fair lady!" Vittorio spoke, holding the bouquet carefully as he bowed. Then, lifting himself up, he walked towards his fiance and smiled brightly.
Althea Herald grinned back and then kissed Vittorio softly on the cheek. "Good morrow to you too, Vittorio!"
Vittorio's smile widened as the two went inside the Herald mansion, their footsteps echoing on the white marble below their feet. Vittorio gave the bouquet to Althea and she joyfully accepted it.
"Oh Vittorio, it is so wonderful to see you! I was afraid you will be busy at with some of your Father's appointments!" Althea spoke and kissed him on his cheek before putting the bouquet of flowers on a table. The House of the Heralds was large, and the entrance to the place was filled with antiques and old clocks that continued show its time.
"No, not today! Not when we have so much to talk about!" Vittorio said and laughing, he picked Althea's waists and softly lifted her into the air. Althea gave a shocked and almost frightened gasp, but it disappeared just as easily as she laughed along. When she was set down, the two couple was laughing together.
"Yes, yes, our wedding! I am so excited, Vittorio! It will be wonderful!" Althea spoke and giggling, she opened her lips to speak again. But echoing footsteps stopped her and both Vittorio and Althea looked towards the person who was coming.
It was Althea's sister, Alaerda Herald. She was dressed in a simple dark blue dress, and her hair fell in soft wavy locks of dark brown. She blushed furiously, and looked a bit guilty to have interrupted them, her head bowed slightly. Vittorio smiled and bowed courteously, but Althea looked a bit annoyed that she was interrupted, clutching her fiance's arm around her own. She gave her little sister a stern look that made Alaerda flinch. Alaerda quickly curtsied and smiling weakly, she came up the two couple and opened her lips.
"Father requests for your company, Althea. Sir, it is nice to see you again." Vittorio tilted his head in agreement, and Althea only grumbled irritably. She looked at her little sister pleadingly.
"Can it not wait?"
Alaerda shook her head and Althea pursued her lips. Giving Vittorio a small peck on his cheek, she walked away from him. Vittorio looked at her back with a look of disappointment and sadness lingering in his eyes. Alaerda, who had been standing there in the room, looked sympathetically at Vittorio.
"She'll come back soon, you'll be able to meet her tomorrow again. She's not going anywhere without you, sir," Alaerda spoke and giving him a small smile, she headed back up the steps of the big and grand staircase.
Vittorio sighed and looked at the bouquet of flowers resting on the table. You'll see her again later... a voice in the back of his head spoke, although not to comfortingly and Vittorio nodded slowly to himself. He opened the door of the House of the Heralds with a gentle creak, and then slid through the small space, glancing back his shoulder again in an attempt maybe to see Althea again. His eyes only returned the vision of the grand hall of the Herald house as the door shut in front of him with a echoing slam.
End of Flashback
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Vittorio stops abruptly to see Emily and Valeska with a trembling smile, his eyes starting to brim with thin tears. Emily gaped at him, and Valeska gave a sigh, a romantic sigh that clutched at her heart, making her ache, but at the same time, feel loved.
"What happened, Vittorio? W-Why are you crying? Your story seems to sound happy and peaceful!" Emily spoke, perplexed to see Vittorio wipe away a tear quickly away from his eyes. Vittorio gave her a sadenned expression.
"Yes... that is why it makes it so hard, milady. The feeling of being betrayed will always linger, even when you thought you pushed it aside in your mind..."
Valeska nodded in spite of herself, understanding the words Vittorio had spoken. Emily only gasped and sypathetically looked towards Vittorio.
"Vittorio, if this is hard for you-" Emily began, putting a bony hand on his shoulder. Vittorio only touched the hand softly and his fingers still trembling, he answered. "No, milady. This... you must know. You have spoken your part, now it is my turn to do the same." With this, he kissed Emily's hand gently as he continued with his story.
"All went wrong..." Vittorio stopped, inhaling a deep breath, "...after Althea and I got married..."
A/N: Ok, I'm going to stop it there! I hope you liked it, and I will update real soon after I get all my thoughts for the next chapter into place! (: So wish me good luck and please review!