Chapter 7: Castle-bound
Saying goodbye to Granny and Red was quite emotional for all concerned. In the few days Liam and Killian had spent with the Lucas ladies they had experienced the most kindness and security they'd ever had in their young lives. Killian had never met his mother as she had died in childbirth. Had never felt a mother's love or pride. Never felt a soft maternal kiss or a gentle hand to soothe his hurts. Granny was not the softest of souls, but she had a soft spot for the Jones boys and with her, Killian had a glimpse of what he had missed. He threw his arms around the old woman's waist and clung like a limpet.
"Now, now, no need to be so upset. The Queen is the kindest woman you will ever meet and she is going to love you two," Granny said, rough emotion colouring her tone.
Killian was only six. He didn't know about tomorrows and what might come to him that was good. He had learned to live in the here and now, because that was all of which he could be certain. If he could touch it or see it, it was real. He learned that lesson when all his father's promises to never leave his sons had come to naught. He let go of Granny and schooled his features into neutrality. He nodded at Liam that he would be alright.
Liam swallowed hard to keep from crying. It broke his heart to see his little brother so distressed, but there was nothing for it. He felt he couldn't go against a King's wishes. Heedless of his own wants, he wouldn't throw a King's gratitude back in his face.
A few minutes later, David and Emma arrived to join Granny, Red and the boys for breakfast. Emma was so excited that they were taking the boys home with her that she couldn't stand still. She and her father were barely in the door before she was across the room and hugging and kissing the elder Jones. Liam didn't know where to look with a tiny princess pressing a sloppy kiss on his cheek. He had no experience at all with little girls kissing him and he wasn't entirely certain he liked it.
Emma let Liam go but before she could launch herself at Killian, Red grabbed her up and swung her in the air.
"Where's my hug, Duckling?" Red asked, blowing a raspberry against her god daughter's neck and making Emma squeal in delight.
"Tickles!" Emma said as she giggled.
Killian and Liam looked at each other nervously, both youngsters feeling very awkward and out of place. The ever watchful Granny noticed the boys' unease. "Well, breakfast won't serve itself. Liam, Killian, come help me lay out the food," Granny said. She kissed Emma on the forehead before heading to the kitchen.
Grateful for something useful to do, the boys helped set out the veritable feast that had been prepared. Not much was said as they all dove in and ate their fill; Emma mostly with her fingers. When the meal was over and after the boys helped to clear and clean up, there was no longer any excuse to delay the inevitable. After a round of hugs and promises to visit, Granny passed some packages that might have held cake into the boys' hands and she and Red waved them on their way.
Neither Liam nor Killian had ridden a horse before, so Liam rode behind Graham and Emma insisted Killian ride her pony with her. The sturdy mare had no trouble carrying the combined weight of the children. Killian felt quite disrespectful having his arms wrapped around the Princess, but he was afraid of falling off and making a fool of himself, so he held on tight.
"We'll get you both your own horses and you will learn to ride. We have one of the best horse masters in all the Kingdoms," David told the boys. "I poached him from King Thomas."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Liam said. He couldn't wait, he felt very useless stuck behind Graham.
"You can learn with me. I have lessons every other day," Emma told Killian. "And we can go swimming in the lake and running in the orchard and I can show you all the best spots to hide when Johanna wants to give you a bath and . . ."
"Emma, calm down. Give Killian a chance to settle in before you drag him from one end of the castle to the other," David said. He halted his horse to let Emma catch up to him and leaned over to whisper in her ear, "And you do not talk of baths in front of young gentlemen."
Emma giggled and blushed as she realised what she'd said. Facing forward, Emma couldn't see Killian's face was beet red as, he too, blushed.
"Yes, Papa. I'll be good," Emma assured her father. David popped a quick kiss on her forehead.
"That's my Duckling," David said.
Liam and Killian didn't say much on the trip to the castle. Emma rambled on almost incessantly, and Killian learned a lot about the Princess and the way in which she passed her days. They arrived in the castle forecourt at mid morning. The day before, David had sent a message to Snow to let her know about their delayed return. Evidently she had set someone to watch for her husband and child, as she had obviously been warned they had arrived. She was waiting for them on the steps near the entry hall.
Leaving the guards to take the horses and Emma's pony to the stables, David bounded up the steps intent on gathering up his wife for a passionate kiss. He was disappointed, however, as Snow, in addition to being queen, was also a sharp eyed mother. Her gaze had fallen unerringly on the bandages tied around her daughter's hands as Emma ran to her mother for a hug.
"Missed you, Mama," Emma said, as Snow picked up her daughter.
"Well, now, I missed you, too, Sweetheart," Snow said, and peppered her daughter's face with kisses. The Queen's smile disappeared in an instant when she locked eyes with her husband over her daughter's shoulder. "David? Explain why my daughter looks like she's been in battle." She put Emma down and started to undo the dressings on her the little girl's hands.
"Ah, yes, that's a long story and one for the telling in private," David said, apprehensively.
"Killian saved me, Mama," Emma announced, having no care for how such news should be delivered to a doting mother. "He was so brave. He saved my life! And Liam helped. You have to give them a medal like you do for the other knights," Emma said. She smiled brightly at Killian, who shuffled his feet nervously.
"We'll have to see about that," Snow told her daughter, her heart beginning to hammer in her chest. She tried to hide her horror from Emma at the many cuts she found underneath the bandages. "Once you're Papa tells me everything that happened," and she fixed her husband with a stare that could melt metal, "Right down to the last detail."
Liam and Killian wanted to sink into the ground. They felt very uncomfortable witnessing such a discussion between husband and wife, let alone a king and queen.
"My hands hurt, Mama, but I didn't cry. Not once," Emma said, proudly. "Even though I could have died."
David scratched his scalp nervously. "Snow, she is exaggerating just a bit, and you can see she is perfectly well." Apparently that was not the best thing he could have said.
"Could have died? What happened? Look at her hands, David. This is not perfectly well," Snow fought to keep her voice relatively calm.
"Killian got hurt, too. Don't you want to look at his hands?" Emma's question distracted her mother just enough and Snow's attention finally fell on the two boys. She managed a smile for the two newcomers.
"I am so pleased to meet you both," Snow said. "I know Emma is very excited that you have come to live here with us."
Liam and Killian bowed. "It is a great honour to be here, Your Highness," Liam said.
"Granny said you have lovely manners, but she didn't say how handsome you both are. I am so looking forward to learning all about you, but first, wounds need to be attended." Snow pointed to the bandages that Killian sported. "Are your hands better or worse than Emma's, Killian?"
"His are much worser than mine. He hurt his knees, too," Emma answered before Killian could open his mouth. "Will you kiss him better like you do me?"
Killian went bright red and scratched behind his right ear. Liam and David both laughed out loud, although David's had a slightly anxious edge to it as he knew Snow would be getting the tale of Emma's misadventure in full, very shortly.
"Don't laugh," Emma scolded, waggling her finger at her father like a displeased schoolmistress. She frowned before walking over to Killian. "Mama's kisses are magical. They make the hurt go 'way. If Mama won't kiss you, I will," She said, quietly, and as had happened several times, Emma and Killian just looked at each other, smiling shyly. Observing the two, Snow felt her breath catch. She was loathe to interrupt the moment, sensing something special growing between the two children; however, her daughter and one of her new charges were injured and that had to be dealt with.
"Emma, I promise we will get Killian's injuries properly looked after." Snow signalled to one of the footman standing by the door, who immediately approached to receive instructions. "Johanna went to the laundry, can you ask her to get her healing kit and meet us in the receiving room, please." The footman bowed and headed off on his errand.
The small party moved inside into the entry hall. Liam and Killian were all eyes. They had never seen anything half so grand as they followed the King and Queen obediently. Emma skipped back from her mother and grabbed Killian's sleeve and tugged him along with her.
"C'mon, Killian, it's at the end," Emma said. She pulled him through the doorway into a quite large room that was furnished with several large sofas and many chairs. There was a desk under one of the two windows and rich tapestries lined the wall giving the room a comfy feel. This was where the Queen held informal private audiences with ambassadors and other important visitors. Johanna, who was Emma's much harried governess, answered the summons very quickly as she had already been on her way up from the laundry.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Johanna curtseyed. She frowned when she saw what Emma was wearing.
"Johanna, these are the boys I told you about. Liam and Killian," Snow paused as the boys bowed to the governess. Johanna gave them a very warm smile in greeting. "Both Emma and Killian have hurt their hands and I believe Killian also has injured his knees. Please can you check all of their wounds and redress them."
"Right away, Your Highness," Johanna said. She placed her kit on one of the sofas and began to remove small vials and lengths of clean cloth.
"Now, Duckling, you behave for Johanna and don't get in the way when she is working on Killian," Snow said to Emma. "Johanna, when you are finished can you take the boys up and show them their chambers. Then please dress Emma in something more suitable."
"But, Mama, I want to show Liam and Killian the castle and the market and the animals and everything," Emma said, barely noticing when Johanna began inspecting her cuts.
"I know you do, Sweetheart, but you need to let Johanna do what she needs to do first." Snow bent over to cup Emma's cheek. "Liam and Killian are here to stay, at least, your father and I hope they are," her gaze flicked to each boy in turn as she smiled at them. "There'll be plenty of time for you to show them all of the castle. Every last room. But for today, after Johanna gets you and Killian all patched up, we will all have lunch and then you can take them for a walk through the market place. There are all sorts of unusual animals and stalls to celebrate the end of summer. How about that?"
"Yes, Mama," Emma said.
"That's my good girl." Snow kissed Emma's forehead. "We'll see you at lunch," Snow said to Liam and Killian. The boys nodded, not sure if they should bow.
"David, you have a story to tell me." She took her husband's arm and squeezed it in an iron grip while she smiled rather too sweetly. David winced as he let me himself be guided from the room.
Once Emma and Killian had been freshly bandaged, Johanna showed the boys where they were to live and left them there to settle in while she carried out the rest of Snow's instructions.
The Jones boys couldn't quite believe the opulence of their chambers. They each had their own large bed, complete with thick warm blankets and a proper bedspread. Killian looked at the pillows with open mouthed awe as he gingerly poked one with his index finger. He thought it too fine for one such as he.
"Do you think Miss Johanna made a mistake and put us in the wrong place?" Killian asked.
"I don't think Miss Johanna would ever make such an error, do you? This is ours, little brother. I don't know how long this will last, so we should make the most of it. Eat as much as we can, be as useful as we can and try not to get under foot," Liam said, in his best authoritative big brother voice.
Then he let out a whoop of joy and dived head first into the soft pillows.
Killian bit his bottom lip as he watched his brother wallow in the luxurious bed. It had been a long time since he had seen Liam so carefree and joyous. He only hoped that he didn't do anything to mess this chance up for his older brother.
"Killian, will you stop looking at your bed as if it will grow feathers and fly away. Sit down and rest those knees. It won't be long before we have lunch and Princess Emma seems determined to lead us everywhere at once. I doubt we will get much rest this afternoon. Certainly, you won't," Liam teased.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Killian asked as he finally allowed himself to sit on his bed. He felt like he was sitting on the softest of clouds.
"The Princess likes you, Killian. Do you not see how she looks at you? I think perhaps that she has been quite lonely here. You'll not get a moment's rest. She'll have you hopping after her everywhere she goes."
"She is very kind," Killian said, guardedly. "She offered me cake the first time we met."
Liam immediately sat up to look at his brother. "When was this?"
Killian described how he met Emma and the Queen.
"And you said nothing!" Liam couldn't believe his little brother had kept this information from him.
"I didn't think you'd believe me," Killian said. "I thought you'd call me a liar."
"You would never lie to me, little brother. I know this to be a fact. But keeping things from me? That's not good form, Killian. I expect better of you," Liam said. He frowned for a moment, then let it go so he could tease his brother. "I'll let it go this time. I expect you are acting out of character because the Princess has turned your head with her admiration for your 'pretty eyes'. What was it? Ah, yes . . . "
"Liam, don't," Killian blushed, knowing his warning would not stop his brother.
"Bluer than the Blue Fairy's dress." Liam exploded into a fit of laugher that left him struggling for his breath as tears rolled down his cheeks. Killian just hung his head and tried to ignore him.
The rest of the day passed fairly quietly, and the boys returned to their chambers after dinner thoroughly exhausted. Emma had kept them busy all afternoon, showing them every nook and cranny of the market place and the extensive family gardens. Despite the strangeness of their surroundings, the utter bliss they experienced at getting under the covers of their wonderfully comfortable beds, their stomachs full to bursting with the good meal they'd been given for dinner, sent them both into the deepest, most relaxed sleep they'd had since they were babies. They were so completely out of it that they never knew Snow had crept in to check up on them. Snow kissed each boy's forehead and tucked the blankets around them. They looked so young and vulnerable in sleep, she just wanted to hug them and never let them go.
"Thank you for saving my daughter," she whispered, then left as quietly as she had entered.