Thank you again to everyone following along with this story.
The next few days passed by in a blur. I met Alice's father, Carlisle, and spent some more time with her mother. She was very nice and promised they would help me in whatever ways they could. Emmett helped Carlisle with any work that he could find, and he got a small salary that was better than nothing. Alice and I spent the days doing her chores, which took longer than you would think because she had to teach me what to do. Then I would train her with a sword in the afternoons. Emmett usually watched and would shout encouragement or tips for us.

As Jasper promised, we found guards moving in soon after to increase their patrols. Emmett and Alice decided to not take any chances, and we were to stay in the cabin throughout the night with the lights dimmed. To anyone else, we would be nothing more than a couple enjoying a night together. Emmett sat in the bedroom with me in case someone came to the door, for the guards were not known for their politeness. At some point, I fell asleep with Emmett awake to watch for anyone coming.

Some time during the night, I woke up to Emmett over me and shaking my arm. "Wake up. Wake up, Rose. They are coming down the path."

I blink the sleep from my eyes and pulled back the cover to allow Emmett to slip into bed beside me like any married couple. He blew out the small candle and wrapped me into his arms. I felt myself shaking slightly, and his hand drew small circles against my back. His lips were near my ear and he hushed me quietly. "You're going to be okay. I promise, it will be okay."

There was a banging on the door only moments before it was kicked open by the guards. They flooded the house, and we sat straight up, as if from sleep, as they came into the bedroom. I pulled the blankets up to my neck to hide my nightclothes from the men, and one of the guards smirked as he looked me over. Emmett stood up and nodded to the guards, "What is going on?"

The man who was clearly in charge stepped forward and saw me on the bed. "Routine checks. Out of bed, woman."

I looked up to Emmett the way any woman would look to her husband at the command, and he gave me a small nod. I slipped out of bed to stand beside him, and several of the men let their eyes slide over me. Emmett tensed at the stares, and I placed my hand on his arm. That's when the captain noticed that neither of us had a ring.

He chuckled and stepped closer, "Unmarried?"

Emmett put his arm in front of me protectively. "Married. Not enough money to buy a ring yet."

The guards laughed and one of them nodded to me, "Pretty lady like you should be with a man that can afford a damned ring."

The captain quieted his men and turned back to Emmett. "We're going to check the house. Better hope there's nothing here."

The men left the room and Emmett sat back down on the bed with me. I felt my hands shaking, and he pulled me against his chest. We didn't speak as we listened to the guards searching through the house. I knew what they were doing. They would find anything they could to take Emmett for some fake questioning, and the higher ranked men would stay here and take care of the frightened wife. I shivered at the thought and found Emmett looking down at me. "You're okay," he whispered quietly. Even after the men left, sleep didn't find me again.

XxXxX

The next few days passed by slowly with very little excitement. Alice said this was normal for a small town, especially when I was used to the fast pace of castle life. I continued to help Alice with her chores in the morning and then spent the afternoon alone while I tried to figure out how to go about reclaiming my throne. I had decided that I would need to quietly learn while lords and dukes would still support me and then make arrangements with them in private. Everything would have to be very carefully arranged. I continued teaching Alice how to use a sword on evenings that she wasn't with Jasper or could get away from her father, and I practiced on my own when she wasn't around.

Emmett left yesterday morning on a two-day trip with Alice's father. He would get a portion of the money earned at market for his help, and I knew Emmett was in desperate need of the money. I promised him that I would be okay and take precautions while he was gone, but the soldiers had seemed to move on from the small town after that first night.

I knew Emmett would be returning soon from the trip so I decided it would be fine for me to practice my dagger techniques in the back of the cabin. The sun was beginning to go down and most everyone was in the tavern, which meant I wouldn't have to worry about anyone seeing me and reporting it to someone. It would be very strange for a girl to be training by herself near the trees.

I practiced my movements, working on moving quickly and quietly. Little slashes lined the trunk of the tree as my arm shot out yet again in a fast motion. I got too lost in my own thoughts, and realized it as I heard a chuckle behind me. I turned around quickly and found two of the guards that raided the cabin the other night. The watched me closely with smirks on their faces. I tucked the dagger into my skirts and stepped back. "Can I help you?"

The larger one smiled broadly as he walked towards me. "You can tell us why a pretty little thing is out here throwing around a dagger."

"I just wanted to see how it was done, is all." I hoped the men would take my lie and go on about their business. I glanced up the road, hoping for Emmett to be back soon.

One of the guards caught my glance and looked back toward the small cabin, "Where's your husband? We need to speak with him."

My mouth went dry at the question. They just wanted to know if I was out here alone. I cursed at myself, knowing I should've listened to Emmett's warning to stay safe while he was away. "He just went to the tavern. He will be back momentarily."

The large guard smirked at the other and took a few steps closer. "We just came from the tavern and didn't see him. It would be hard to miss a bulking man that he is. We'll keep you company until he gets back."

The other guard laughed quietly and looked me up and down. "Yes, it would be dangerous for you to be out here alone. I'm Laurent and this is James."

I nodded my head slightly, feeling nerves creeping up in me. "Nice to meet you both. But really, I am just fine here."

The larger man, James, walked closer to me. I took a step back from him, but his hand came out to grab arm and hold me in place. I froze and looked up into his laughing eyes. "You definitely are just fine, aren't you?"

Laurent laughed along with him and nodded to the cabin. "Get her in there, James, before someone hears her."

His grip on my arm tightened and his other hand clamped over my mouth as I started to scream. "Be a good girl and shut your mouth. We will be much nicer to you if you play along."

I felt the tears in my eyes, realizing what they would do to me. My fingers on my other hand inched closer to the dagger they must have forgotten was in my skirt. I grabbed it and quickly lashed out, slicing through the sleeve of James' shirt. He let out a curse and I took off running in his shock. I didn't make it far before his arms were around my waist and he had me pulled back against his chest. I fought against his hold, but he laughed and forcefully took the dagger from my hand.

He lifted it against my neck and I froze with his arm still around my waist. He chuckled and I felt his lips at my ear. "Good girl. Now lift your skirts."

Tears fell down my cheeks and I felt the dagger dig into my skin when I didn't do as he asked. He snarled in my ear and I felt his hand leave my waist and move down to my skirts as he tugged them up. I heard footsteps running the other way and assumed Laurent was leaving James behind for whatever reason, but I couldn't find it in me to care. I cried out as the dagger stayed at my throat and his hand touched my bare thigh. He chuckled and moved his fingers closer toward his goal between my legs.

I closed my eyes as tears fell, but then the dagger was gone and his hands were torn from my body. I ran and backed into a nearby tree, finding Emmett there beating James on the ground. His face held nothing but rage as his fist connected with James again and again. The dagger laid forgotten in the grass. Emmett finally stopped punching and pulled James up by his collar. "You are done here. You won't be coming back this house or looking at her again, ever. And you won't tell anyone who did this to you. It was a drunken fight at the tavern. If you tell anyone I did this, I'll kill you. Now go." Emmett released James and the guard took off running out of the trees and down the road.

I shrunk back against the tree as Emmett looked at me. His face softened as he came closer and reached a hand out to touch the skin of my neck. "We need to get back to the house," he whispered. "You're bleeding and I don't want it to get infected."

I nodded, taking the hand he offered to me. His arm wrapped around my waist, and I curled closer against his side. When we got inside the house, I sat down at the table and watched him wet a cloth and press it to my neck. I hissed at the contact and he reached up to wipe a tear from my eye. "What the hell were you thinking being out there, Rose?"

I looked down at floor. "I thought they were gone. I just wanted to practice."

Emmett set the cloth on the table and looked over me carefully, "Are you okay?"

I shook my head and let Emmett pull me into a hug. I took his hand and led him into my room, laying down on the bed. "Will you just stay here with me for a little while?"

Emmett nodded, laying down beside me and letting me rest my head on his chest. His fingers drew lazy patterns on my back. I sighed and closed my eyes. "I don't know if I can do this, Emmett. I don't know if I can take the throne back."

"Why do you say that?"

"My parents are dead, Emmett. It's just me, and I don't know what to do. I was supposed to be marrying some lord and living my life without any of these worries. Now I can't even ask for guidance from my parents. And look at me, Emmett. I'm a complete fool. Who knows what they would have done to me." I shivered and Emmett pulled me tight against him. I felt his lips on my hair softly.

"I'm going to stick with you, Rosalie. You are the rightful person to be sitting on that throne. And we will get you back there."

I laid my arm over his waist and closed my eyes. I could feel sleep dragging me down and I thought I heard a deep whisper right before falling into the darkness. "No matter how much I want to keep you, I'll get you back where you belong."

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