Wonderstruck
Chapter 13
Author's Notes: I literally banged this out last night despite the fact that I'm sick and half dead from DragonCon this weekend. If you were there and saw me, I'd love to see photos. I was Jessica Rabbit all weekend. You can pop over to my Tumblr to see which Jessica I was as I think there was two or three running around. My Tumblr is Scarlette_Rayne. If you were there and just want to say hi please do! I'm going next year and I'd love to have more friends to run around with. As is, I believe the con crud has firm hold of me so hopefully I'll be rid of that soon and then I can get back to doing my school thing and my work thing. My business is called The Nerd Spa and if you want to check us out just pop over to Etsy and search for The Nerd Spa. Our nerd themed bath products should pop right up. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this next installment and I'll try to get the next one out soon! ~ Scarlette
My Darling Emma,
Each day that passes is longer than the next for me. My Mother has been screening my letters to you so these may be the only unabridged words I can get to you. She makes certain that I speak of only enough to answer your letters in a proper fashion. My Mother is waiting until the time is proper for our nuptials to take place for you see she wants the diamonds that come from the dwarf mines.
I tell you this with some hesitation as I think you can guess why she has allowed our engagement to stretch on for this time. I don't know that I will ever be your bride at this rate my darling. I find myself locked in the western tower with little to no freedom whatsoever. I can only assure you that should our nuptials come to fruition that I will be the perfect wife.
I am barely out of my childhood and the thought of stepping into the world as your bride does frighten me but not as much as I fear staying in SpringFall without you by my side. I feel as though you'll protect me even if I never grow to love you as you deserve to be loved. I am trying my darling but it is hard when I cannot even read your letters. My Father brought me your last and you must be careful with your remarks and the content of them. My Mother reads them all and I am not allowed to. She tells me what to write based on your letters.
Please Emma make no mention of any of this in your next letter and keep them simple. I do not wish to see you brought to harm should my Mother decide to turn you away from our engagement.
Yours,
Regina
Emma frowned as she read the letter. Grumpy eyed her from where he sat on the thick lounge in front of the roaring fireplace.
"What's wrong kid?"
"Queen Cora is keeping my fiancée hostage in a tower. She says she isn't allowed to read my letters and that Queen Cora tells her what to write."
The dwarf's eyebrows furrowed. "How do you know that this isn't something the Queen sent?"
"Regina's previous letters have been demure and filled with very little content. They aren't like her at all. She says things like I am honored you feel such things about me. Or I am counting down the days until I am your wife and ruling at your side. I thought those words were strange given Regina's properness and general stubbornness about well everything but I thought perhaps she was just trying to distance herself from something unpleasant."
"Your wedding?" Grumpy held out his calloused hand waiting for Emma to set the scroll into it. He scowled when she tucked it close. "How the hell do you expect me to respond to it if you won't even let me see the damn thing?" He grumbled.
"She says not to respond to her comments in the next letter I send her. She also says her Mother wants the diamonds in the mines and that's why our engagement has stretched on for so long."
"It is kinda funny that it's taken almost four moons for this to happen. And more battles are being fought in the northern peaks to the west of here."
"I'm sure Queen Cora is using that as an excuse to my Mother." Emma nodded with a glance at the dwarf who was waving his hand in a flip-flop motion. She rolled her eyes and held the letter out to him.
He shook his head and began to scan the contents. "Well this does sound more like her then the others." He muttered. Out of all of his brothers, he was the only one that could read and write. Doc could read quite well but the others couldn't. They were supposed to be simple creatures born to work the mines for the fairies despite the fact that they were dwindling in numbers. The harsh ogre wars were taking its toll on many creatures not just the humes.
"I don't like this kid." He muttered as he looked up over the scroll. Emma was pacing in front of the large stone fireplace. Her hands were weaving in and out of the air as she tried to work things out in her own way. It was a tactic he'd seen Snow's Charming employ before he'd been killed.
"I don't either." She said softly. "Mother has Lancelot following me around day and night. I can barely go anywhere."
"She's afraid you'll ride into SpringFall and get your fiancée yourself."
"Would that be such a bad thing?" She turned towards him and he frowned deeply.
"Are you suicidal?" He asked and released a small breath when she shook her head in the negative.
"The winter is coming quickly Grumpy. It's all ready colder, harsher conditions will come and if Regina isn't here soon…she won't be here until the summer moons finally allow the snow to melt enough that the horses can get through."
"Are you really that desperate for that girl?"
"She's mine."
Grumpy stood up and shook his head. "Then she's exchanging one cage for another. She's not a damn object to own Emma. She's a girl and she's your fiancée. You'd best start to respect that if you intend to…"
"That's not what I meant."
"I meant she's mine and I'm hers. Why shouldn't we be together, married and happy?"
"She's still a child Emma. By the accounts of you humes, she's barely out of her childhood but by dwarfian standards she's still a babe."
"She's old enough to have children and that by hume standards says something." Emma sighed. "I just want her here where I can protect her."
"What if she doesn't want your protection?"
"Do you think that's the case?"
"I think she wants away from her Mother but I don't think she's ready for you to become her jailer."
"I'd never jail her. I'd never keep her locked away in a tower." Emma exploded as her hands went to her hair and began to tug.
Grumpy rolled his eyes and jumped to his feet, the scroll clattered from his lap and landed with a harsh thud on the floor where it rolled out completely on the white bearskin rug. He grabbed Emma's elbows and tugged, lowering them from their previous position.
"Will you stop that? I don't know why you insist on doing that when you get worked up." He wanted to slap her but knew from experience that only made things worse. He took a breath and released it through his nose with a small wheeze. "Look Red is coming tomorrow. You can talk to her. You know she can maybe get across the borders and see your fiancée."
"If she's locked up…I doubt there's much Red can do."
"But at least you'll know she's safe and not being harmed. Even being locked up at least she's safe."
Emma frowned but nodded, "You're right. Red could see if she was all right. That would take some of my worry away."
"What's wrong Ems?" Red cocked her head as she watched her best friend's daughter flop down on the bed beside her. She'd just arrived at the palace and was looking forward to supper and a warm bed. She'd been on the front lines for weeks and the taste of ogre still lingered in her jowls as she moved to sit down beside the younger girl.
Emma frowned, "I haven't heard from my fiancée in two weeks and I'm starting to worry."
"Your Mother told me you were engaged but that her parents were dragging their feet."
"It's only her Mother really."
"What Kingdom is she from?"
"She's the heir of SpringFall."
"Springfall?" Red's hazel eyes widened as she brought her arms up to wrap around her middle. A small shiver worked it's way down her spine. She knew all about SpringFall, from their isolation from the other Kingdoms to their powerful but cruel Queen.
"And your Mother thought it wise to marry you to them?"
"No," Emma answered truthfully as she rolled onto her side and propped her head up with her elbow. "But I begged her to do it and she agreed. She went to the King and he agreed to marry his daughter Regina to me."
Red nodded with a small sigh. She knew about the girl's proclivities and didn't begrudge her them. In fact she well understood them finding she preferred her own sex as well since she'd eaten the man she'd loved. There were more of them out there than Emma often realized. But she was also the age where she thought everything revolved around her. She was growing out of it of course but there were still moments.
"But you're concerned for her…why? If she's the heir surely no true harm will come to her."
"Her last letter said she was locked away in a tower and her Mother has been screening her correspondence." Emma looked so miserable, Red felt a pang through her heart.
"And what would you like me to do to ease the pain in your heart Emma?"
"Can you go to her? Just to check, make sure she's all right."
Red took a breath through her nose and released it through her mouth. "Wolves are outlawed in SpringFall Emma. They're not very progressive in the western realms as they are here in the North. It'd be safer for me to go to Starsflow or MoonsHollow. At least there I wouldn't be captured and gutted for being a werewolf."
"Right." The princess sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. "I just want her here." She confessed softly. "Have you ever felt like that Red?"
"Yes," she laid her hand on the girl's forearm, stroking her gloved hands up and down the soft skin. "Twice now. I've been very fortunate in that regard but the boy I loved when I was your age…died because of me…and the girl I loved…she belonged to another and wasn't ready to give up on him to be with me."
"I'm sorry Red. I didn't know."
"It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong and wanting to be with someone you care for is nothing out of the ordinary. Why do you think your parents were always so obsessed with finding each other?"
Emma snorted out a small giggle at that. She'd heard the stories of her parents fearsome fights to get back to one another when they were younger. Most of which involved battles they'd been in. If they were ever separated they had to "find" each other. It was their way and one she found entirely too amusing.
"This girl, Regina, I've heard of her in passing but mostly it's about her mother Queen Cora."
"She's as bad as the rumors make her out to be if she has locked Regina up."
"Do you think they're true? You've always been a rather good judge of character."
"They're true." Emma was resolute in that. "Regina wouldn't lie to me."
"How can you be so sure? You barely got to know her when she was here for your birthday."
"I can't explain it, I just know she wouldn't." She took a breath and released it before dropping her knees. They bounced slightly on the downy mattress before she looked plainly at Red.
"Despite the danger, will you go and see to her?"
Red looked away, her eyes finding the icy stones that made up the bedroom she often stayed in when she consented to come to the Winter Palace.
"I cannot promise you that I will do this for you Emma but I will try. I came to visit with you and your Mother. If you'll allow me that, then I will go to SpringFall to check on your fiancée."
Emma's smile was radiant. "Thank you Red. I'll make it up to you." She promised. "Anything you desire, I'll make sure you have."
"There is nothing I want or need Emma." Red smiled softly at her. "What is your fiancée like?"
"She is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."
"I thought you felt that way about Caroline."
"She is beautiful like her Mother oh but she cannot hold a candle to Regina's beauty. She glows Red. She's so beautiful. She has this beautiful dark hair and these eyes that burn with a fire I've never seen." As Emma rattled on about the girl she was obviously so taken with, Red wondered if she'd live to actually meet the girl. Or rather the cruel Queen would have her head separated from her body.