I promised another update and I'm giving you another update!

Chapter 6

A breeze passed threw the destroyed courtyard. It had been a week since the attack. My family was getting better especially Grace who had been shoot by an arrow on her shoulder. Arthur had arrived four days ago, Edmund and Peter came back yesterday. It turned out the emergency in the countryside was trap to keep them away.

I tried my best to ignored all of them and stayed mostly in my room. I couldn't leave it not after hearing the truth behind Charlotte's attack.

The only reason Charlotte had been raped was because they thought it was me all along. It made sense King Peters wife and King Edmunds soon-to-be bride. I felt a tear fall down my face.

Edmund had tired to talk to me since yesterday. He had visited to my room and sat on my bed. He tried so hard to talk to me but I just ignored him. When he tried to touch my hand I pulled away from him. He notice, he left my room after kissing my forehead.

I felt so terrible doing this to him but I just couldn't take it. I knew that if he hadn't gone to my house sixteen days ago; Charlotte wouldn't have been raped and Grace would have been fine. I blamed it all on him since I couldn't take all the blame. It was more his fault because he was the one that made that forsaken agreement with Archeland, it was he's fault that they had attacked us.

Peter also tried to talk to me but unlike Edmund I couldn't even look at Peter. After finding out about he's affair I haven't seen him the same way. I understood why he arrested the man about the horse, but I couldn't understand how he could do that to Beatrice.

The only person I have spoken to is Helen. She understood why I felt the way I felt. She had found Charlotte and Beatrice with me. I could hear her cry every night. I would go to her room and comfort her. Helen has always been the most delicate out of all five of us. She had an excuse to cry. I didn't.

I heard leaves being crushed by someone's foot. I didn't turn around, I hoped whoever it was would go away.

"The ball has been set off." I heard Arthur's voice say. I hadn't talk to Arthur since we left the hut. I felt another pang of guilt and pain hit my heart. He sat down next to me and slowly took my hand. I look at him and saw he's large blue eyes. I noticed that he wasn't the twelve year old boy I knew sixteen days ago.

I saw something in his eyes: doubt. I noticed that I also felt doubt. I didn't know what was going to happen now.

"What now?" I asked him. He looked at me curiously and held my hand tighter.

"I thought you would tell me." He responded.

He was excepting me to tell him? What would I know? I wasn't in charge here.

"I don't know." I answered him looking at the floor.

"That's a new one." He commented, I almost smiled.

I looked up at the rumbles of the courtyard. What would happen from now on? I mean I could go on and marry Edmund but that would but my family endanger. I couldn't send them away like Beatrice did to her family. That would hurt me to much, I couldn't live without them. But maybe Edmund didn't even want to marry me after all of this.

"You can choose." Arthur said turning my attention to him. "It's you're life Emma."

It is my life. I'm going to do what I feel is right.

"Where going home." I told Arthur, I saw him smile. I put my arm around his shoulder. I tried telling myself that this was for the best but I still felt my heart break as I saw Edmund walk across one of the hallways. Knowing I'd have to tell him.

I stood outside the door to Edmunds office; I could hear his steps and mumbling behind the door. I knocked on it. I heard some more walking until the door opened.

"Emma?" Edmund asked. I could tell he was surprised that I was there.

"I need to ask something from you." I said quietly. I saw his face fall he already knew what I was going to say.

"What would that be?" He asked in a low voice. I looked down feeling tears coming.

"To allow me and my family to go home." I answered him my voice quivering. I saw he shifted his feet.

"I don't think you need my permission. If you want to go." He stopped as he notices a tear fall from my nose. He picked my face up; slowly he wiped away my tears.

"If you want to go. I'll prepare a carriage for the morning." He told me. I nodded my head and looked away. I started walking away but he grabbed my arm.

"Why?" He asked.

"Being with you is too dangerous for my family." I answered, he shook he's head.

"I can protect them." He protested. I knew he could, I really did. They only reason why Archeland cause so much destruction was because our army was away. But there were other reasons, I looked up at him. He really had no clue.

"I'm no good." I told him. He looked confuse and soften his grip on my arm.

"What do you mean?" He asked. I should just tell him now.

"I can't have kids Edmund." I told him slowly. His eyes widen for a moment realizing what it meant. If he married me he wouldn't have kids and that meant no heir to his throne. No one to follow his footsteps or take over after his gone.

I looked at him and thought he might let me go. That this was it he didn't love me anymore. But he's eyes soften after a moment and he shook his head.

"That doesn't matter." He whispered.

"It doesn't matter? Of course it matter's. The only reason you're getting married is for that simple reason. Kids. To have someone to take over after you're gone." I told him.

"No that's Peter's reason not mine's." He said.

I was taken aback. I knew Edmund didn't want to get married and that it was all Peters' idea. But this was the first time Edmund admitted that Peter ruled him. It was also the first time I saw him trying to disobey Peters rules.

"Emma I-" I heard him say, I shook my head.

"Love me?"I ended his sentence. He became quite and let his arm fall from my arm.

"I know you do Edmund. I love you too. But it doesn't matter. We're too different." I protested. I thought about everything that had happened.

"And all of this is kind of crazy." I ended my sentence. I looked up at him, I saw the tears and I felt my own tears falling again.

"Please just let me go home." I pleaded him.

He stood there looking at me; I knew he was thinking of everything that had happened to. He nodded slowly.

"Okay. I'll set a carriage for tomorrow."