*clears throat* I'm not even going to make any excuses. But anyway, chapter 13 is here. LacytheRomanWerewolf, aww you know you have nothing to apologize for! Thank you for reviewing! My thanks as well to Rugbygirrl & Guest for leaving reviews as well. On a side note -you'll forgive me here for this fangirl moment- Paget Brewster tweeted me! Gods, I am so sorry for bragging, but I'm happy! Anyway, read and review! I'd love to hear from you!
Alas, all good things must come to an end. As the final dance between the Prince and our feisty heroine slows to a close, the castle's clock tower chimes, and the bells toll mournfully to signal the coming of midnight.
Emily started at the first tolling of the heavy bells, and her head snapped up to catch a glimpse of the clock hand striking decisively at 12. A shrill hoot reminded her of the fairy godmothers' warning, and the brunette let out a frustrated cry as she tore herself out from her love's embrace.
Aaron was confused; he knew not what had elicited such drastic change from the woman who before, seemed content to be in his arms. He reached out for her, catching her fleeting fingers in a strong grip and turning her to face him, a questioning look on his face. "Emily, what is going on? Where are you going?"
Emily's brow furrowed; she really did not have time for this. She gripped Aaron's face in her hands, "Aaron, listen to me. I have to go, now." She placed a kiss on his lips to silence him, "I have no time to explain, but please, trust me. I must go." Running her hand along the panes and angles of his face, she kissed his lips chastely once more. "Promise me, you will find me Aaron." The Prince took in a deep breath; he did not want to let Emily go, but she asked him to trust her and he did, even if it meant letting her go. For now.
He pulled her in for one last embrace, crushing her against him. He breathed into her dark hair, taking in the scent of honeysuckle, "Go. Wait for me, Emily, no matter what." Pulling back, he brushed her hair away from her large, doe-like eyes, "Can you do that for me, love?" She shot him a brilliant, if harried, smile, "I will wait for you even when the sun turns cold and the earth burns with flame. I love you, Aaron." Without waiting for a reply, she took off; the train of her red dress flew up behind her as her dark hair streamed free from its earlier elaborate chignon.
Aaron thought she looked beautiful; the flight of a swallow to escape the cold of winter. He yelled out at her back, behaviour he knew would be reprimanded by his etiquette master, had the old man witnessed Aaron's lack of decorum. But as his father always said, "screw it". "I love you, Emily!"
Emily's lips curved up into a smile involuntarily, when she caught her Prince's declaration. She cursed the time limit placed on her, but knew that magic always had its price. In this case, it was time. She only hoped that Aaron would come for her, and soon. She rolled her eyes even as she ran down the marble steps to the carriage awaiting her; she would go mad from her stepfamily's daily whining.
She saw Spencer waving frantically at her, and Derek was already holding the door open for her. Elle was nervous too, snorting and tossing her head as she pawed the ground anxiously, eager to be home by the time the enchantment ended. Emily, focused as she was on getting to the carriage, strangely did not notice that a glass slipper had slipped off her feet, and it lay there, lonely and laying on its side on the step. Perhaps she felt that it was strange how one feet felt the coldness of the marble and the roughness of the ground, while the other felt the smooth cool glass of the remaining slipper. But Emily spared no thought for the anomaly; leaping into the carriage, the little entourage speeded away from the castle, praying that they could reach home in time.
Jason, who swooped into the carriage mid-journey, settled himself on a plush red cushion. "I assume things went as they should, Emily?" Still breathing heavily, the dark haired woman smiled wanly at him, "As well as time would allow me, dear one." The owl cocked his head to the side, "Did things not go the way you wanted it to?" She shrugged, "No, it did. I just…" She sighed, looking out to the moonlit sky, barely taking in the flashes of trees and dirt roads as they sped past, "I just wish I had more time, Jason. Being in Aaron's arms tonight, I felt the happiest I have been in such a long time. And yet, we are parted yet again."
He hooted gently and hopped next to her, spreading a wing to brush against her arm, "Fret not, child. If your Aaron has some sense, he will find you and the two of you will be reunited." He flexed his wings in pleasure when Emily smiled and combed his feathers gently with her fingers, "If you really are meant for one another, Emily, Fate shall decree it to be so, regardless of that which may seem impossible." She chuckled and settled back to the seat, then straightened again. The mansion was in sight, and she needed to hurry to remove all signs of her ever attending the ball. "Would it that we were meant to be, Jason. I only pray that the Lapdog would not have latched herself onto him, just yet." Jason's beak twisted into an owlish smile, "I doubt that insipid woman would be a hindrance to you, Emily. I should think she would be licking her wounds after tonight."
The carriage rattled to a stop before the mansion, and she glanced curiously at the owl before squealing and leaping out of the shrinking carriage. She watched in wonder as the magnificent carriage disappeared and a pumpkin plopped down to the ground in its place. The horses and men were gone as well; instead she could see the gray silhouette of Ian Doyle slinking away into the shadows, and three mice stood at her feet, grinning up at her. Emily shook her head and laughed, "Well, I suppose it has been a somewhat satisfactory night, has it not?" The mice squeaked in excitement, little heads bobbing up and down in agreement.
Emily pushed open the door and the animals trooped in behind her. Turning to shoot a smile over her shoulder, she called out to them even as she ascended the stairs, "Look out for the Dragon Lady and her Lapdog, my darlings. I need to get changed. And the shoes, I- Oh!" She let out a moan of dismay and shock, and Jason swooped up to rest on the banister. "Emily, what is the matter?"
Emily looked up at him and the other animals, panic clear in her warm chocolate eyes, "My left slipper! It is gone!"