Chapter 16
'Traveling Through the Motions'
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"You ready to talk yet?" Steven asked after nearly a hundred feet of silence. Beside his horse was Emma's mare who was weighed down with nothing but bags.
Emma sat side saddle upon Trample—his steed. Normally Emma would have insisted she ride normally but she was too tired to ride on her own. She had missed the stirrup twice and had fallen before she'd been able to seat herself on the saddle properly. Steven hadn't needed to say a word to her. She knew what he was planning when he packed their belongings onto her mare. He'd tethered the two horses together before mounting Trample and pulling Emma up in front of him. She sat herself comfortably on the saddle in front of him and laid her head down onto his shoulder immediately.
The sound of nature around them and the horses shoes stepping down on the paved path meeting his question for too long. At first Steven thought that Emma had fallen asleep against him but when she shifted and sighed heavily in consideration he knew she was awake.
"No."
"You going to anyway?"
"I would much prefer to sleep."
"I know…"
For a few minutes Emma thought he was going to let her be, allow her the sleep she'd been deprived of for the last week. Spending all her free time learning laws and the history of another Kingdom wasn't an easy task. Especially when she always had other ideas on how to spend her time. Recently those ideas had made her blush and work that much harder in becoming well educated on Primrose laws.
"I'm waiting." Emma sighed. Snuggling more comfortably against Steven she attempted to ignore his continued inquiry. "Emma…"
"Why must you push me?"
"Who else but me would?"
Emma snorted; no one that knew her well would push her. Not for answers that stemmed from her volatile emotions. Those who were not acquainted with her asked at their own peril.
"I wish you would leave it be." She whined. Whined, if that didn't speak of how exhausted she was, Emma didn't know what would. Oh wait! That's not true. Tears, her tears from earlier were the soundest proof Emma could gather to prove her case of exhaustion.
She was irritable and beyond exasperated. For all the work she had been putting towards these peace treaties and the work she'd put in to training Regina she had gotten nothing in return. Nothing positive.
She'd been lied to.
Toyed with physically, emotionally and mentally.
Teased about her appearance, her interests and intellect.
Insulted about all of the above and more.
Been given promises that were broken.
Put down boundaries that were passed, redrawn and crossed over and over again.
And for what? What did she truly get out of this arraignment? More reason to feel lost and unsure?
All of that wasn't why she was upset. Not completely. It certainly played a role in her frustration, but was not the finished puzzle. Merely pieces of an incomplete one. Maleficent's continued distrust, disregard and animosity where the secondly layer to her exhaustion. At the center of the puzzle and her reasons for abandoning all hope for this mission, lay Regina. The Dark Queen and all she had done and said truly affected Emma far more than she had ever expected. There were days where she could go hours talking with the former Evil Queen. While Maleficent and Steven took their lunch together, often times spending countless hours apart from them Emma would sit at the table and speak with Regina. At first their discussions had been business, they spoke of how their training sessions went, what they planned to do next session. Or they spoke about how the treaties were coming along, what laws Emma had just read about the night before and how it would be best to circumvent certain principles each Kingdom upheld to better the relationships the treaties would bring about.
Soon those conversations became boring and silence filled the hall they sat in, waiting for Steven and Maleficent to return.
It wasn't until Emma invited Regina along for a stroll of the grounds that anything changed. Emma hated sitting around one of the many conference halls or ball rooms or dinner rooms that Maleficent would leave them in unattended. So after finishing another delicious meal Emma invited Regina to take a walk with her. It was upon this walk that their conversations became a bit more personal. Emma shared stories of her childhood, or when she'd begun showing interest in learning martial arts and swordsmanship. She laughed as she recalled stories of sneaking out of the Kingdom and the first time she had met Maleficent as a ten year old girl who'd gotten herself lost in the Forbidden Forest. She'd worn a toy sword and had been pretending to be a knight in shining armor off to save a damsel in distress. Only she became the damsel in distress when Maleficent's men found her and brought her back to the Fortress and her father had to be her knight and come and save her from Maleficent.
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"What did you do then?" Regina asked, seemingly enraptured by the recount.
Emma laughed as she leaned against the pillar. She looked away from Regina and out into the peristylium allowing the older woman to hide her smirk as she sat upon the stone bench. The courtyard was squared with a garden in the center. It smelled sweet, like oranges. The fruits hanging from the limbs of the trees must be oranges then Emma decided. Daring to look at her audience once more Emma smiled, crossing her arms gently over her chest as she told Regina how she'd escaped from Maleficent's grasp. "I stomped down on her foot and I swear the screech she let out was terrifying." Emma turned to Regina as she heard the woman cover her mouth in an attempt to stop her laughter. It only made her smile wider. "Though now, recalling it I can't help but laugh. She had been in so much pain. But she'd just threatened to eat me. What was I to do?"
Regina let her hand fall away from her mouth and Emma was mesmerized by the smile upon her red painted lips. Emma felt her face flush as her heart stopped and started within that moment. Regina tilted her head to the side, watching after Emma as she looked away. "What indeed…"
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The following days they would finish their lunches and after Maleficent and Steven excused themselves for their own private coupling they would explore the Fortress at hand. Each day finding a new place to sit and chat the time away. After a few tales of her childhood and even some from her recent years Emma found she was no longer the sole storyteller. Regina began speaking of her life, of her childhood in the castle as Lily's student and of the trials and tribulations of learning magic. The stories were as brilliant as Regina's smiles were breathtaking. The Queen spoke of times where she had taken care of her mother before and after she had married her grandfather.
Emma was blessed with these regaled tales of her grandmother and mother while young having never heard any of them before. Each story was heartfelt and cherished, Emma could tell, even if Regina wished to make it appear otherwise after she had finished. It was in the softened looks, the way Regina's entire countenance could shift, relax in a way that Emma hadn't seen before. Regina would lose herself in these stories. It was as if watching the Dark Queen become someone else, a different person who wasn't as plagued and ridden as the woman before her.
It was often that those hours ended on sour notes. As if everything that Regina had just shared with her was too much, left her too bare, and she had to protect herself. From what, Emma wished to know. What could cause such distrust in a woman that she couldn't feel comfortable sharing in her stories of joy and happiness without feeling exposed?
It was always the same. The stories would end and the Dark Queen would immerge from beneath the smiles of a woman who looked far younger than her years when smiling.
The venom returned. A quick dismissal became the norm for Emma. It was heartbreaking to see such peace and calm evaporate before her very eyes. She did her best to avoid witnessing such a transformation. She would leave before Regina could turn back around to look at her. It was always when Regina turned back to stare at her after standing to look away that the mask of indifference would fall back into place.
Most of the time she escaped before Regina had time to pull herself together, to escape the memories of the past and the emotions that they brought with them. Other times she had to prepare for the ensuring battle as she wasn't quick enough. She wasn't willing to leave just yet, to relinquish her hold on 'that' Regina, the soft one. The woman who smiled and laughed and held her hand but dropped it just as quickly because she needed both of her hands to tell the story, to emphasize something of importance. That was the Regina Emma preferred.
The armor seemed to be whittled down after each 'game of wit', till there was nothing left. Today she'd stood and watched Regina flick away what little defenses she had left against the witch. Emma thought Regina could be different. She seemed like a woman Emma could enjoy speaking to plainly, that even as a Queen, a royal she knew what it meant to rough it in the woods, to do an honest day of hard labor. Regina had an interest in protecting herself, to learn from Emma. Surely there was a friendship being created between the two of them, wasn't there? Perhaps something more? The pull she felt for Regina, surely it wasn't one sided? The Queen seemed as enthralled as she did at times. Emma caught Regina staring at her just as often as Regina caught Emma staring.
After this afternoon, Emma wanted to scream. She wanted to tear out her hair and scream and cry because how could she be so stupid? She let herself be played. The Dark Queen was renowned for ability to seduce and ensnare. That was all it had been. She had been the willing fly moving close and closer to the spider as it beckoned her forth.
"After everything…after all you had to do to convince me to go along with your plan, to even attempt to create these damned treaties…you're the one to quit?" Steven shook his head, Emma could feel it as he did. "You're not one to quit on anything." Emma squeezed her eyes closed tighter, as if by doing so she could block out his words. He just didn't understand the heartache she felt. "Surely their name calling and lies haven't—"
"Name calling? Lies?" Emma laughed bitterly. "What did they say that was untrue? Hmm, Steven, what?" Emma pressed the heel of her palm against the bridge of her nose. "You're beautiful, that's what he said to me, Steven. When Derrick…"
"Derrick?"
Emma rolled her eyes, "Prince Derrick."
"Oh, Uberta's son."
"Yes. He asked for my hand of marriage."
"What? When!?"
Emma released a rough breath, the back of her eyes burned even with them closed. "The night before the conference ended. The night before I was to leave." Emma paused, remembering the fun she had with Derrick, the laughter, the jokes and adventures they'd shared.
Emma then remembered wearing her best dress, having her hair done so that it was like a golden sea, wavy but serene. Under the moonlight she'd stood as Derrick offered his hand to her. They danced right to the dais of the ballroom. He'd called for the musicians to stop playing; the hall had quieted. The hush that had fallen over the guests was thrilling, so unlike the hush that had fallen over the ballroom at her own birthday ball when Regina arrived with her entourage.
"He announced to the hall his undying love for me and asked for my hand."
Steven balked, as did two witches who continued to watch the two monarchs as they traveled home. "Why did you never…?"
"He proclaimed he loved me for my beauty. Just…my beauty."
"Surely he meant more than…"
"I asked him!" Emma exclaimed, her eyes opening as she shot her head to the side to stare at Steven. "I asked him, what else. What else did he love me for," Steven slowed Trample's gait to a steady trot. Emma blinked away her tears as she looked away from Steven and his pitying gaze. She stared out at the forest around them. It didn't judge her. Or pity her.
It was getting darker by the minute. Dusk bringing with it a chill that breezed across her arms causing her flesh to raise with goose bumps. "I asked him what else…and he asked me, while looking at his advisor and mother," Emma cleared her throat. "What else is there?" Emma's voice flattened.
"What else is there…about me to love? Just my beauty. Something I am not even responsible for. I, I thought. Steven, I thought he was different. We enjoyed so much together. I cared for him. Maybe even fell in love with him. But he didn't fall in love with me. He fell in love with my appearance." Emma shook her head as two tears fell from her eyes. "Is that all I'll be good for, Steven? Will I only be lovable for as long as I am beautiful? Is there nothing else to be seen about me that is loveable, attractive?" Emma quieted, her throat tight with her despair. For a long while there was just silence between them. "I thought he was different." Emma whispered. "I thought they were different." Regina and Maleficent who had seen her without the splendid gowns and form fitted attire. The women who had seen the scars that marred her stomach, back and chest and spoke of no man wanting her for them, speaking of how no woman would either. Especially one of them.
Steven pretended not to notice Emma wiping at her cheeks or hear her sniffles. He merely tightened his arms around Emma and directed them to their current home. The crack of a twig beyond the road worried the horses but with a soft coo from both Steven and Emma the horses calmed, their pace a step and a half faster.
It was nearly a half hour before Steven spoke up again. He knew Emma was awake, even as her cheek rested against his shoulder and she was still as if in slumber. She was humming softly. She'd started when her mare had whickered and bumped against her leg with her nose. It seemed to calm the horse and kept Emma calm as well.
Just over the trees the Primrose Palace could be seen. They were only a few dozen yards from the West end village that lay just outside the palace walls. It was a major trade center, and Steven wondered if Emma would be willing to shop with him for a present for Penelope's thirteenth birthday which was fast approaching.
"Derrick is a fool. Most us men are." Steven hoped to lighten Emma's spirit a least a bit more before they arrived at the palace.
"What's their excuse then?" Their, being Maleficent and Regina.
"They're evil witches with reputations for being heartless. I think their excuse is somewhere in the 'evil witches', or 'heartless' moniker."
Emma peeked an eye open to gaze up at Steven's grinning face. He winked playfully at her. She rolled her eyes and fought off a smile. "Don't let your lover hear you saying that. She might turn you into a toad."
"Frog. Frogs are more dashing than toads."
Emma laughed, she couldn't help it. Steven was ridiculous, but he was her ridiculous friend. He was her best friend really, excluding Jamie of course. "I hear the local women kiss frogs hoping to turn them into their very own Prince. She might just get jealous with all the women who'd flock to the swamps to find you."
"They do!?" Emma watched Steven cringe at the thought of hoards of women searching the swamps and kissing amphibians hoping to turn them into Prince-like-men.
"No…of course they don't. That would be absurd." Emma wondered if Steven had ever heard of the Princess and the Frog. It was a tale her mother often told her before she went to bed as a child. He seemed as clueless to the reference as he was to her tumultuous emotions.
He seemed overly relieved that she had only been pulling his leg.
After a few moments, "They don't know what they're saying."
Emma tilted her head to the side. "Who?"
"Any of them. All of them. There's more to love about you than just your beauty."
"Like what?" Emma huffed.
"You are strong…"
"Meaning masculine."
"…opinionated…"
"Conceited."
"…independent…"
"Crazy."
Steven ground his teeth together. "Stop that!"
"Stop what, Steven?"
"Twisting my words around."
"Your words are biased. Mine are realistic. Look, I'm not ashamed of who I am. Sure I cried over Derrick and…" Emma bit her tongue. "Whatever. I'm tired, hungry and emotional. I'm over it. I'd rather be myself and who I am today than be anyone different. I promise."
"Why?"
Emma blinked, "Why what?" Was he now asking her why she was happy to be who she knew she was inside rather than pretend to be someone she wasn't?
"Emotional. Why suddenly so emotional over all of this?"
"Did you not hear me say how tired I am?"
"Of course I did. I just…why now? Why pull away from this, from them now?"
Emma swallowed, her heart beginning to pick up its pace beneath her chest. "Because I'm tired."
"After you sleep then—"
"No. No. Not just that, kind of tired. I'm tired of it all. Of putting myself out there to be hurt. She's just…if you knew what I was…you would, ugh…" Emma pulled at her own hair. "I should hate them. I should hate them both. For what they've done to me, said to me, and to my family. I should hate them."
Steven stared, "I don't understand."
"Of course you don't." Emma shook her head, unsure if she understood this all herself. "Just give me time. Maybe I won't be so tired then."
Steven nodded twice. The conversation stemmed off as they entered the village streets. Emma kept her eyes open and kept her legs crossed but didn't move from Steven's arms. With her head on his shoulder she waved to the children that hid behind their parents legs or behind carts and wagons that were being packed up for the day. Some children were brave enough to step ahead of each of the other's hiding places and they giggled and smiled as she waved back to them.
Steven sighed wistfully as he saw the small smile the mere presence of the children had put on Emma's face. He leaned down and kissed the top of Emma's head, making several of the young women blush as they whispered to each other. The men around kept straight faces even while seeing their Prince so affectionate to his 'love'.
The 'couple' continued on to the West End gate. Once in sight several guards exited the palace to escort them the rest of the way. Instead of riding to the stables like they usually did Steven halted the horses at the steps to the main entrance. Once there he let the guards help Emma down from the saddle before he too dismounted.
Emma pulled on her clothing, trying in vain to straighten out her outfit. It wouldn't do to walk into the palace a mess. Surely her face was still a bit puffy and her eyes swollen from her tears. She stops her fussing when Steven pulls her against his side. She's grateful that he doesn't try and pick her up, instead just lets her lean on him as they walk up the stairs and into the palace. She wouldn't want to drop him for being nice.
Steven smiled at her as she wrapped her arm around his waist and leaned against him without a fight. Once inside the palace she leans her head back down onto his shoulder and sighs. They're home.
"Emma! Steven!" Penelope exclaimed happily as she raced towards them. Upon seeing Emma's hooded and buffy eyes she slows her unsteady gate and stops just ahead of them. "Are you well Emma?" Her eyes move between Emma and Steven hesitantly.
Emma offered up a smile, but even while smiling she appeared exhausted. "Penny, I'm fine. Tired is all."
"Oh…well then you should sleep! Dinner will be ready soon. Cook says so. And mom and Dad wish to speak with you both then." Penelope took a hold of Emma's other hand leaving her sandwiched between two Primrose monarchs. "Come on." Penny walks with her brother and soon to be bride. Giggling at how her thought rhymed she started to talk about all she did that day and how excited she was to see her friends tomorrow. "I'm going into town, did you know? I get to see the other kids and play while Mom visits the healer and some of the other stores. The guards aren't even allowed to do anything unless I'm in danger or something. I was thinking that maybe I should go to sleep early. Should I do that do you think Emma? Sleep early? It is almost like waiting for Father Frost!" Penelope practically glowed with her energy and excitement. Steven and Emma shared a fond look before they focused back on Penelope's chatter.
"Never mind that, I am too excited to sleep!" She gushed as she bounced in place, unhappy with how slow Emma and Steven were moving towards Emma's bedchambers. She took a deep breath as if preparing to go on and on some more but instead simply said, "So, what did you two do today?" And the teasing tone and 'knowing' look spoke of a maturity Steven and Emma did not appreciate Penelope possessing. She was twelve! Nearly thirteen but surely she was not insinuating that her older brother and his current love interest had been intimate and that was why Emma was so tired, right?
Emma bawked as she turned to Steven, hoping the man would say something. It wasn't her place to comment on this. She had Jamie to deal with, this was Steven's sister and she was wondering whether she should let Penelope have at Steven all day or take the opportunity to beat him to a pulp when he answered: "Went skinny dipping in the pond by the waterfall."
"Steven!" Emma hissed under her breath but her exclamation was lost by Penelope's reaction.
The young Princess squealed and started jumping up and down as she clapped her hands together before she pulled on Emma's arm and started to walk them away from Emma's bedchambers but towards Penelope's. "You must tell me everything!" Emma mused that the girl probably had no idea what skinny dipping was but by the sounds of it and the way Steven tried to whisper it must mean it was something exciting.
Emma looked longingly at Steven, begging with her eyes to help her out of the situation that he had just placed her in. Steven just stood where he was, smiling. That was until she grabbed a hold of his shirt and dragged him along with them. If she had to 'suffer' then so did he.
"Penny, Penny…Penelope!" Emma cringed as she raised her voice to get the young girl to stop dragging her away towards the bed that was calling her name. She just wanted to be alone. To fall asleep and not wake up for the next two days. "Please, I am exhausted. I will be more than willing to share the stories of how your brother went mucking about in the swamp to catch Frogs for the local women to kiss another time." Ha, Emma thought seeing Steven cringe, let Penelope think that was what skinny dipping was.
Penelope's mouth dropped before it curled up in on itself in disgust. "Frogs!?"
"I did…" Steven huffed out all the air in his lungs at the punch Emma just delivered to his stomach. "na-ehhh…." He moaned in pain as he held his stomach while Emma smiled at Penelope.
"Yes, big green slimy frogs."
"Women kissed them?" Penelope's brow crinkled with thought and disgust. "Truly?"
"Mhmm…" Emma hummed while Steven stood up straight rubbing at his side trying to regain his breath and a bit of his dignity.
Penelope didn't seem as convinced; even with Emma smiling her best 'believe me' smile. "You should read the tale, it is in the library under The Princess and the Frog."
"In our library!?" Penelope was once again enthused, her show of energy making Emma more tired than she had been moments before.
"Yes, I'm sure that…" Emma looked around the hall and saw Dylan making his way down the hallway. Emma considered the man for a moment more before admitting that she still could not place where she knew the man from. He was a kind young guard climbing the ranks here at the Primrose palace. Perhaps that's all she needed to know about him. He must have been on duty while she visited the palace. "Captain Dylan…"
Hearing his name Dylan rushed over to the three royals. He saluted before lowering his arm away from his chest at Princess Emma's insistence. "Princess Penelope here needs assistance finding a book from the library. Would you…"
"Of course. The library is on my rounds." He smiled sweetly, and something about the smile made the hair on the back of Emma's neck rise.
Penelope smiled and linked her arm with the Captains already anxious to get to the library to see what nonsense women did to find Princes.
"Perhaps I'll join the two of you." Penelope and Dylan both seemed surprised by Emma's offer.
"I thought you wanted to sleep…?" Penelope questioned, confused.
"You spend far too much time in the library already, Dylan will be happy to help Penelope." Steven insisted, placing both of his hands on Emma's shoulders and offering the Captain a smile over his 'sweethearts' shoulder.
"Right," Emma shook away her concern when she saw the curious gazes coming from all three others. "You're right…" Emma patted Steven's hand before she set off towards her bedchambers, Steven keeping in stride with her. Once at her door she stared back down the hallway where she could see Penelope explaining something to Captain Dylan. The Captain turned to look back as if feeling Emma's eyes on him. He offered a weak smile before looking back to Princess Penelope.
"Come along Emma. Best to get some rest before dinner this evening with my parents." Emma followed Steven into her bedchambers silently, the door closing behind her before she realized that Steven intended to sleep in her rooms. "Looking forward to the couch are you?"
Steven laughed, as if he found the idea of him sleeping on the couch the funniest joke she'd ever made. "Hardly." He took off his riding cloak, his belt and sword before he lay down on her bed and stretched out languidly, grinning at her cheekily. "Coming to bed darling?" He teased, wiggling his eyebrows as he fluffed the pillow next to him.
"If I weren't so tired I'd consider pushing you off the bed." Emma warned as Steven grinned a wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"Not even going to make me promise to be a good lad?"
"Why? When you and I both know that whatever I come up with will be ten times kinder than whatever Maleficent could concoct should she know you played footsie with me in my bedchambers, in my bed."
Steven's smile faded as he gulped. Emma snickered as she took off her riding cloak and untied the braces she wore on her arms and legs before she hopped up onto the bed and snuggled up alongside Steven. "Now be a good man and let me snuggle with you." Her head found his shoulder once more. Let the palace enjoy a good run of the rumor mill. She could use someone to snuggle up to right about now. Especially since she couldn't steal away Jamie to snuggle up with him as the two siblings often did when they were feeling blue.
Within moments of Steven's fingers slowly threading through her hair she was fast asleep.
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Emma and Steven sat across the table from each other as dinner was served. Desmond sat next to Steven to his right while Penelope sat beside Emma's left. At the heads of the table were Aurora and Phillip. The chatter in the room had begun to fade away as Penelope finished talking about the day she had in the castle, the disturbing story she had read in the library about a woman pretending to be a Princess kissing a frog who was really a prince cursed by an evil witch.
No one else seemed willing to offer any retellings of their day. Emma was hoping if everyone continued on as they were she could escape back to her bedchambers to sleep. She and Steven had slept for what felt like minutes before they were woken up by a maid. Across from her Steven looked as exhausted as she felt.
Desmond and Aurora kept sending Steven and Emma inquisitive looks, each hoping to be told about the adventure they had today. Usually Emma and Steven traded nights on explaining away their further absence from the palace grounds. Often times finishing the other's sentences, each story a bit more adventurous or ridiculous than the last.
"You two seem a bit worse for wear…" Desmond finally commented what everyone else at the table was thinking.
"Long day." Emma offered, sans a smile as she took a sip from her goblet of sweet wine.
"Oh, what did you two do today?" Aurora asked, kindly as she spared a glance at both Emma and Steven.
"They went skinny dipping in the pond by the waterfall where Steven caught frogs for village women to kiss." Penelope offered as she cut into a piece of her meat.
Phillip choked on food while Desmond spit up some of the wine he'd just sipped from his cup. Aurora simply stared at the couple, watching a flush appear on Emma's cheeks while a smirk formed across Steven's face. Penelope looked around the table, confused. "Have I said something wrong?"
"No, no, nothing at all, Penny." Steven assured with a fond look.
"Well, that's…" Aurora attempted to contain her giggles by clearing her throat, "…sounds like a pleasant day."
"Yes…" Desmond smirked, "…very pleasant." He bumped his shoulder against Steven's, wiping away the Prince's smirk.
Aurora looked as displeased with Desmond's assumptions as Steven was. "Desmond!" She hissed, glaring at her 'eldest' son who continued to smile as he shrugged off her irritation.
Emma looked up from cutting her potato to glare at Steven. He just had to open his mouth about skinny dipping. Penelope was none the wiser about what that activity called for, unlike the rest of the royal family who knew exactly what it meant to go skinny dipping. Steven merely smirked at her before hiding it behind his drink.
"I have finished, may I be excused?" Penelope asked as she placed her cutlery down on the table, folded her hands on her lap and asked the question to her father.
"Where exactly are you off too, my little spitfire?" Aurora asked curiously. It was often times impossible to get Penelope to leave the table so that the rest of those present could have an adult conversation without curious ears listening in.
"I just must finish the book before tomorrow mother. I wish to tell my friends about it in town tomorrow."
Aurora smiled at Penelope's eagerness to go into town with her tomorrow and to read. One of those two things was unlike the other. Aurora turned to Phillip so that he might offer his opinion on the matter.
"Yes, you may." Phillip took careful note of how much Penelope had eaten while Aurora did the same.
"Thanks Daddy, Mother." Penelope rushed to kiss her father's cheek and then her mother's. "Goodnight Emma." Penelope called out as she raced from the hall back to her room where the book awaited her.
"I take it that book and kissing frogs is your doing then?" Aurora asked, her question directed at the table although it was Emma she was asking.
"Guilty as charged." Emma smiled up the table at the regal queen, "I was surprised to note that Steven had not heard of the tale and assumed Penelope had not heard it either. I saw the book in the library during my many hours there and thought she might enjoy the read."
"What was that about going to see her friends?" Desmond asked cutting off any further discussion Emma and Aurora might have shared over the story that the men at the table had not read.
Phillip huffed through his nose at the question, pulling the attention of the table to him. When he said nothing all eyes moved back to Aurora. "I am taking Penelope to the Centre village tomorrow morning. There are things that I need to do there while…"
"Can't you have a servant do those things for you?"
"Desmond you know that if I am capable of doing something myself I will do so. She has not been to the village in nearly a year. With her birthday in the next few weeks I thought she would enjoy the trip. Fauna has told me that the children of the village miss our visits."
"Of course they miss your visits. When you visit you bring coin with you that the village would not normally see."
"That is not true." Aurora hated how cold her son could be in regards to villagers and what they 'really wanted' from them. The negative ulterior motives of anyone below them in status and class. It was deplorable. Aurora had been raised as a commoner with her three aunts. She had been one of those villagers that Desmond thought so callously about. "If you came with us you would see that."
"Father, surely you are not…"
Phillip looked down the length of the table, his eyes clearly saying, 'I told you so' as he held his wife's gaze.
"Father? Do you agree with them leaving the grounds to go to such a place?"
"This is not up for a discussion!" Aurora slammed her hand down on the table making Desmond startle. "Nor does your father have a say in what I do with my daughter on our day together. There is no danger waiting for us in the village. There are people who will welcome us with open arms. Not for our money but simply for our company." Aurora seethed as Desmond contritely turned to look at her. Aurora took a calming breath before she continued. "You have made your opinion clear. I just hope you would base them on fact, not assumptions."
"Everyone wants something from us, mother. If we were commoners someone would still always want something from us. It is the way of the world." Desmond defended his opinion as calmly as he could, his hand fisted at his side.
Emma kept her eyes on the mahogany of the table as the 'discussion' continued for several minutes. It wasn't until Phillip told Desmond that it was enough, they had company, and it could be discussed at another time, did the Prince stop. Emma wondered how long the argument would have continued on for if she were not here.
"There is a matter that Aurora and I would like to discuss with you, Emma, Steven." Emma locked eyes with Steven for a moment, their panic and confusion upon their faces for only a moment before they turned to the Primrose King.
"What about, father?"
"It has come to our attention that," Phillip looked imploringly across the table at Aurora. His discomfort apparent in the way he shifted in his seat and was unable to finish his thought.
"We have heard that the two of you have becoming increasingly intimate with each other."
Emma's eyes widened as she stared at the good queen, her jaw slightly low at the announcement. Surely they did not wish to speak with Steven and herself about their sexual…
"It is with these reports, not solely including Penelope's outburst this evening that we wish to discuss just how serious this…courtship has become. Before there are…extenuating circumstances." Aurora glanced briefly down at Emma's stomach, which was as flat as it had been when she arrived, but one could not be too careful.
Emma felt faint. She leaned back in her chair and was unsure who to look at. Steven, Aurora of Phillip. She counted Desmond out immediately since his shit eating grin was far too disturbing to focus on. "Our…extenuating circumstances?" Emma squeaked, deciding to focus in on Steven. Since in the case of extenuating circumstances she would place the blame on him. Not that that sort of circumstance was expected or even possible. Emma swallowed, what would Maleficent do to her if she even thought too kindly on the idea of having children with Steven? She had joked of Steven being turned into a toad by Maleficent for being too liberal with his name calling of the woman and his willingness to flirt with her while lying in her bed. But in reality being turned into a toad was kind in comparison to what Maleficent could turn her into if she idolized the idea of having Steven's children.
Desmond looked too proud of Steven to really consider what it would mean for Emma to be pregnant with Steven's child before they were married. While Phillip looked as ill as Emma did on the matter. "I am not with child!" Emma exclaimed, her hands covering her stomach as if assuring herself that she was not carrying a child beneath the skin and muscle.
"No one was assuming that you were. We just wished to make sure that…"
"That what mother? That I did not impregnate Emma before we set a date for the wedding?" Steven asked, finally looking up from where he'd hidden behind his hands. His face was slowly regaining the color that it had lost at the start of the conversation.
"Wedding?" Phillip asked, snapping his attention to Steven.
"You've proposed?" Aurora continued in the questioning while Desmond spit out his wine all over himself and the table across from him. Thankfully Penelope was no longer sitting in that seat; otherwise the good Prince would have had to deal with pre-teen wrath.
Emma quickly grabbed up her own glass of wine and finished the entire goblet. She needed something much stronger to handle the rest of this conversation. She glared at Steven, daring him to refute what his parents now thought. He was stumbling over his words, caught in his attempt to save them both the humiliation of the prior conversation. Not that this current one was any better.
"That's wonderful news, when should we expect the date to be picked?" Phillip asked smiling as he clapped Steven on the shoulder, looking across the table to his wife with as broad a smile as any of them had seen on him in ages. "News must be sent to Snow and James. Oh they'll be so pleased. An intertwining Kingdom marriage."
Aurora did not seem as thrilled as her husband, in fact she looked devastated at the news. For not the first time Emma wondered how much Aurora knew of Steven's relationship with Maleficent.
"He hasn't asked me to marry him." Emma spoke up, seeing how stuck Steven was on disappointing his father.
Desmond broke out into rambunctious laughter. "Oh Steven…you didn't make the lady ask for your hand did you!?" The Prince that looked so much like his brother laughed heartily at the idea of Emma proposing to Steven instead of Steven proposing to her.
"What if I had?" Emma challenged, bristling at the insinuated insult.
Desmond's laughter calmed as he noticed the brimstone like glare Emma focused on him. He swallowed nervously as Emma waited for his response. "Uh, uhm, well that is, uhh…" Desmond turned to his mother for rescuing but was turned away. Probably as payback for insulting her precious villagers. "It's just that…"
"That what?" Emma pushed.
"Now, now, there is no need to be angry. Even if it is…odd…for a woman to ask for the hand of a man it is still joyous news." Phillip stated, attempting to save Desmond and Steven some face in the matter. Though he did make a note to ask his son why he had not asked for Emma's hand first. Was he dragging his feet for one particular reason? Or…Phillip looked at Emma more thoroughly, were there several reasons why Steven was slow to marry himself to the White Princess?
Emma rolled her eyes, "I have not proposed to Steven. Nor has Steven proposed to me. We are merely…finding if our relationship is fitting for the both of us."
Aurora seemed to sag with relief while Phillip bristled with frustration. "If the relationship fits?"
Emma turned to Phillip. "Yes, your majesty. We both wish to see if our personalities co-exist happily and healthily. Surely you understand that. As you yourself find my perceived behavior to be odd. I am not your everyday ordinary woman or Princess. Would you not be happier for your son if he found he wanted to be with me because he truly cared for me rather than appease you or the Kingdom? A marriage for love not convenience?" Emma challenged.
Phillip's smile disappeared as his hands clenched at his sides. "How dar…"
"Your Majesty, your Majesties…!" The door to the dining room was thrown open as a messenger raced into the room out of breath and red faced. "Your majesties, urgent news!"
Phillip stood from his seat and accepted the sealed message. The messenger stood off to the side, bent over trying to regain his breath. Steven and Emma looked at each other wondering if the other knew what could be within the note before they turned back to King Phillip.
"Why that no good sniveling conniving slimy dragon breath witch!" Phillip cursed, the anger, hatred, and repulsion under his words making Emma shiver.
"Phillip?" Aurora asked softly as she made her way over to her husband. She placed her hand on his shoulder and tried to read the message he gripped with shaking white knuckled fingers. "Phillip, darling, let me…" Aurora tugged at the message, thankful when he released it into her hands while he stormed over to the table where a goblet of liquor and wine sat. He threw the entire table over in his anger and need to vent his frustration.
At the crash, Emma jumped up from her seat. Steven and Desmond did as well. Desmond moved across the room to try and calm his father while Steven stood between Aurora and Emma. He was torn between the two women he cared for, but Emma made it easier for him. She moved to stand on the other side of Aurora, curious to see what had caused this outburst from the previously calm King.
Aurora's eyes scanned the message once and then again. She blinked several times as she stared at the words on the parchment. They were in a language she spoke, read, and wrote fluently and yet the meaning seemed to be lost to her.
"Mother?" Steven asked tentatively reaching out to touch the parchment.
"It is a plea…" Aurora swallowed and cleared her throat. "It is a plea for an, for there to be an established peace between the Forbidden Forest Kingdom and ours." Aurora met Steven's eyes scrutinizing her son carefully as she watched shock, surprise and then curiosity fill his eyes. There was more there, but she could not dwell on what her son was not saying. His surprise was genuine. So he was not behind this then.
"May I see?" Emma asked gently, meeting Steven's eyes over his mother's head. This…was unexpected. They had not finished drafting the treaties yet.
Aurora nodded as she handed the parchment off to Emma.
There were still three more sub categories that needed to be refined before…Emma blinked thrice. They had added the subsequent categories just as Emma and Steven had wanted them.
'Huh…'
"She should not be reading that! It has nothing to do with the White Kingdom, this is Primrose business and she is not of this Kingdom. At least not yet." Desmond pointed at Emma as she held the parchment. Oh, if only he knew that she had been responsible for drafting most of this treaty.
"A copy has been sent to each of the following Kingdoms; the White Kingdom, Enchanted Kingdom, Red's Wood and Primrose Kingdom." Emma read off, daring Desmond to say she should not be reading the treaty now that he was aware it pertained to her as well.
"She has not asked for a peace treaty since…since before Penelope was born. We, we refused her last attempt." Aurora admitted to Steven as she looked at her son. Hoping he would understand the shock she and Phillip felt over the issue.
"Why would she do so now? What is her game? First she and that Evil bitch start collaborating and the villages start swearing fealty to them over us, taking down the Primrose banner and that of the White Kingdom and Enchanted Kingdom. They must be building an army. I warned you, Aurora. There is always something that witch wants. Always a plan, a ploy, a game she is playing! I warned you all!" Phillip announced as he strode over and grabbed the parchment from Emma's hands. He attempted to tear it in two but found he could not muster up the appropriate strength to do so. Groaning with the effort her growled and stalked to the fireplace.
"Father, should we at least discuss what is mentioned in the call for peace. It is peace she is offering!" Steven failed in his attempt to stop his father from throwing the parchment into the fireplace.
They all stared as it sank into the flames and disappeared into them. Emma and Steven each sighed in defeat, wondering if it would seem too coincidental if another treaty was sent to the palace. They had worked to hard on that and he hadn't even read it!
Emma's hand clenched at her sides as she stared at Phillip's back. He seemed pleased with himself. Steven stepped up beside her and took hold of her fisted hands, making her relax them. Meeting his eyes she knew he felt as irked as she was at this turn of events. All of that work and for what? He hadn't even looked closely at it to see the benefits of agreeing to it would bring his Kingdom!
"Now where were we?" He asked as he walked back to the table. "What in the…" Emma spun around to stare at the table where upon the surface the parchment the treaty was on appeared. Emma breathed out a soft laugh, leave it to two witches to enchant the parchments to make them indestructible by hands and fire.
"It would seem like the witches want you to consider your options closely." Emma announced, smiling as she looked to Phillip's scowling face. "Perhaps it would be wise to at least read what it says. From what I skimmed, it seems reasonable and if it stops the war you have been preparing for, isn't that worth a few hours' time discussing the benefits of it?"
Phillip turned to Emma with harmful intent. His step forward was stopped by Steven placing himself between them while Aurora grabbed onto his shoulder, keeping him still. "She is right. The least we can do is read it. It seems it will be impossible to get rid of it until we have done so."
Phillip took a cleansing breath, his shoulders sagging beneath his wife's touch. "Very well." He grabbed the parchment off the table and stalked out of the room. "Desmond, Steven, with me. Messenger, call for the Generals. In the morning we will decide whether or not to bother the Dukes."
Steven waited a moment, sparing a glance to his mother and Emma. Both nodded to him. Emma sent him a wink that made him smile brightly. This was what they had been preparing for. Steven would be the perfect ear in that conference room. The perfect person to fight for signing this treaty than anyone other than Emma herself. With one last look to each woman, and a bow to them in respect he followed his father and Desmond from the hall.
Once the doors had closed Emma sat down on the arm of her chair, laughing as she hid her face in her hands and shook her head. Aurora watched the show of joyful excitement curiously. "Somehow I don't think you were as surprised as the rest of us." Aurora announced, startling Emma, who for a moment had thought she was alone. "Care to share why that is?"
Emma bit into her bottom lip to keep her from smiling too brightly. "A dream of mine." Emma truthfully explained. It had been in a dream that she had originally seen that treaty pass across the desk of her father's office. However it was only now with a passage of time that she realized just how crucial her role in making that treaty appear at all had been.
"Prophetic dreams? I thought your mother said they had stopped?" Aurora questioned gently. Knowing the topic was one hardly spoken about outside of a select few. Not even the Blue Fairy was aware of Emma's dreams. Snow had wished to keep it to herself but had confided in Aurora and Red only after Emma was haunted by a death of a child.
"I haven't had many in the last few years. Nothing to get excited about. I haven't spoken of it aloud to anyone until now. I don't know why I'm evening speaking about it to be honest." Emma admitted. She had stopped telling people about her dreams after her mother had fretted over the dream she'd had of Pinocchio's wife dying in childbirth. "I did have a dream of a peace treaty arriving to my father in his office from the Forbidden Forest Kingdom and that of the Dark Kingdom as well the night after my birthday ball."
"Is that all?" Aurora questioned, keeping a close eye on Emma's reaction.
"All there is to share." Emma stood from her perch quickly. "Thank you for dinner, your majesty. Good evening." She bowed her head before she left the hall as well. Leaving Aurora behind to wonder just how much Emma knew and wasn't sharing. Perhaps it was time to write Snow and share her own theories about how Emma and Steven were spending their time.
"No…" Aurora shook her head.
Until she feared their secret was causing more harm than good she would let them keep it. But the moment she smelled trouble she would not be responsible for the hell she rose to defend her son and Snow's beloved daughter.
Aurora hoped Maleficent knew that she would not sit by and let her hurt Emma or especially Steven. The regal queen also hopes that Maleficent would be a true friend and be wise enough to share that knowledge with Regina. Come hell or high water Aurora would protect her own and she would win.
End Chapter Sixteen
Author's Note: As you readers are all aware this chapter came far later than I wanted it to. That I can truthfully say was not at my own will. I live in one of the many areas that was devestated by Hurricane Sandy. I've had to move into a new home for an undetermined duration so updates will be as sporadic as they have been before.
I will NOT forget about this story. it is one of my favorites and it is not even to what I see as the halfway point. So be assured it'll continue. I'm just unsure when updates will be posted. Thank you for your patience. I hope that you'll stick around for the ride and that you've enjoyed this update.