Wonderstruck
Book 2: Why Is the Desert Beautiful? It Hides an Oasis
Chapter 25
Author's Notes: Man I am on a serious roll with this piece. I've also decided that when it's finished I'm going to turn it into an original piece with lots of added contents and such. I've got another two chapter written all ready to go up sometime in the near future so if I get crazy busy there will always be something to read. Things are starting to pick up and without me even realizing it this is turning into a monster. Emma and Regina have a long road ahead of them before we finish so i'm thinking there will probably be three books when I get done. I'll let everyone know about the splits before I do them so they're well recognizable. Also we're going to start to see a few characters that were merely mentioned and or glossed over in the first "book" more in this piece. I hope you enjoy and as always please let me know so I know I'm doing this piece justice. ~ Scarlette
"Emma, I didn't ask your opinion."
"You may not have asked it Mother but I'm apart of the war council now and as such I think it might be worth hearing what I have to say on the subject matter at hand."
Her Mother looked up from her desk and frowned as her daughter paced back and forth along the thick white fur rugs. Emma still wasn't able to sit or stand still for long, more of a doer than a thinker in all things but her mind was clearly clicking as she puzzled out this new bit of information.
"The Generals and other Lords that sit on the council think it's something worth considering my child. After having done my own research, I can say that I agree with them. The Knights of Fortune are worth looking at. They're strong, able bodied and as long as we supply them with the necessities and platinum from the mines, I think they'll agree to help us fight. We're losing this war Emma and we may not have a choice but to look to our allies at this venture."
"The other Kingdoms will…"
"No, Emma, they won't. They won't help us. We're alone and there is nothing that can be done. I've held out as long as I can but this isn't going to end well for anyone. Starsflow has allotted us all they're going to and Moonshollow will hardly consider lifting a hand unless their own borders are threatened."
"If Wintersend falls, they will be threatened."
"You see the logic in that yes but they do not. They like your bride's Kingdom will not fight a war that is not theirs to fight."
"Regina thinks…"
Snow shot her daughter a withering glare. "Your wife knows nothing of the things that go on outside these palace walls."
"If you'd just permit her to go with me…"
"I will not. She's proven that she can be a danger and I do not want her loose to wreak havoc."
"Mother please; she's my wife and she's good."
"Emma I consented to your marriage despite the hard position it's put me and our Kingdom in. I was selfish for you and didn't think too much about what was going to happen when it was all said and done. It put me in a bad position to do so but I saw how happy she made you and I thought that your happiness was worth the lives of this Kingdom. I was wrong but if I had all to do over again, I would do so without hesitating."
Emma frowned, laying her hand on the pommel of her sword that was strapped to her waist by a sturdy brown leather sword belt. "I was unaware Majesty that my happiness would be such a burden."
"The supplies have helped but if we don't have the men to fill the armor then there is no point." Snow conceded.
"So you would go across the sapphire sea to strangers and ask them to fight a war they don't believe in or have any stake in whatsoever in order to win?"
"I don't know why the ogres have decided to come down from the hills. My Father fought them and so did his Father but their numbers keep swelling and our people keep dying and nothing is changing. We need fresh blood Emma, we need able bodies that know warfare and know how to fight. We can't keep arming peasants and hope that they'll be able to swing a sword or fire a bow on the front lines. In times past, they even used children to fight. We're growing desperate and with desperation…."
"He'll come."
"Yes, exactly. He's all ready been here and I know he knows what we're struggling through right now. And I won't have him anywhere near our family or our people. His deals come with a terrible price and it's a price I'm unwilling to allow anyone to pay."
"How do you know?"
Snow looked up at her daughter who had resumed her pacing.
"How do I know what?"
"How do you know his deals come with a terrible price?"
Snow took a breath, "Did you know I was cursed as a young woman?"
"No, what happened?"
"Your Father made a great enemy in George, my Uncle. He thought to wrest the Kingdom from us when we were newly married. I was unaware of his plans and I accidentally ingested a curse that would doom me to be childless."
"So if you and Father were killed without an heir…"
"My Father's younger brother would be next in line yes. Your Father and I were desperate for a cure but we had no idea where to even begin to look. It was suggested by Queen Morganna, James' brother's wife, that we go across the sapphire sea to seek out a cure in Ishapore."
"The great healers could've broken it?"
"Ishapore has one of the greatest schools of medicine ever known, Ravenknoll, but Ishapore is extremely closed minded to those not from Ishapore. They don't tend to agree to help foreigners especially foreign monarchs. They don't trust people that come into their city but if you find a healer outside of the city, they may feel inclined to help you. They are compassionate after all but the chances of finding one outside Ravenknoll is almost impossible."
"So the chances were slim and even if you found a healer they may not have known how to break the curse."
"Exactly, we couldn't take any chances and so we called on him."
"Did he help you?"
"Yes, he told us how to lift the curse of course he didn't lift a finger to help which left us in quite a conundrum. To face a Siren meant certain death, but your Father was willing to try. He barely succeeded but the water of the lake it brought back my ability to bear children. We had you and things were wonderful…but I can't help but think that your Father's death came from that deal. You see he has a way of collecting what needs to do as he will."
Emma bit her bottom lip, looking down as she scuffed her foot into the thick rug. "So these Knights of Fortune? How do we get to them?"
"You seem troubled." Regina said softly as she ran the platinum brush through her thick hair. Typically she wouldn't sit at her vanity to do this, she'd curl up under the blankets of their bed but the fire had been built up and Emma had several warming bricks close to the grate to warm their bed. The doors were closed, trapping the heat and giving it a deliciously warm feel that Regina indulged in happily though it didn't escape her notice that Emma's pale cheeks were pink and sweat was beginning to prickle along her hairline. The older girl didn't complain and she was loathe to ask if she should open the doors to allow the precious warmth to escape. The glass of the mirrored surface provided her with a wonderful vantage point to watch her pacing spouse who had yet to change into her typical loose cotton breeches and long over shirt to sleep in. Her own thick gown fell to her feet and sported long sleeves that held what little warmth her small body generated in. Emma walked up the marble steps standing on the thick fur rug that their four poster bed rested atop of before she twisted and moved back, like a stalking panther she moved around the large poster, stepping up fiddling with the tassled silver ropes that held back the white velvet curtains before returning to pace in front of the foot of the raised platform.
Regina set her brush aside and twisted on the vanity stool to watch. "You're making me dizzy by pacing so much. What has you so worked up tonight?"
"My Mother brought up something at the council meeting earlier. Apparently she's been thinking and researching about it for a few weeks now. She's learned all she can but now she thinks it's a good idea to use the services."
Regina's brow furrowed, "Use the services of whom?"
"A group of mercenaries, sell swords if you will, from a place across the sapphire sea. They call themselves the Knights of Fortune."
"And your Mother wishes to employ them?" She fiddled with her platinum bracelet, feeling the familiar weight tugging at her tiny wrist.
"I don't know why but she's got it in her head that they may be the answer to turning the tide of this war and I don't know that I can stop her."
"Did she explain to you why?"
"She's right, we are losing this war and the Ogres keep on coming with no sign of stopping." Emma reached up tugging on a curl before releasing it. "What do you think Regina? You know I trust your opinion on everything."
Regina took a breath and nodded, "Yes, and I am grateful for it. As far as these Knights of Fortune go if the Kingdom has enough to hire them without putting a strain on it's own resources, I can't imagine they'll be cheap, it is worth considering. Resources aren't growing thin but the bodies we need to fight are. The sheer numbers aren't there to win this war. If we allow the Ogres to take Wintersend they'll spread like a disease to the other Kingdoms. Moonshollow and Starsflow will fall next and with it our strongest allies."
"They're unwilling to help us so are they really that strong?"
"There isn't a Kingdom in the Enchanted Forest that isn't related to one another by blood or marriage. We don't have many options left and a group of sell swords from across the sapphire sea isn't a bad thing to look at."
"What happens if we bring them here and they won't fight?"
"They'll have to fight if they intend to get paid." Regina pointed out slipping to her feet, "Bring those warming bricks?" She asked as she lifted the thick fur blankets from the bottom of their bed to allow them to be placed into the sheets to keep the bed warm.
"Of course." Emma agreed willingly doing as her wife asked.
"Where are they from? These Knights of Fortune? Perhaps an alliance not only with them but with the city they're apart of might benefit us?"
"I don't know if we would want an alliance with such a place Regina." She winced as she grabbed a brick to close to the flames. Jerking her hand back, she shook it to try to dissipate the burning before reaching more carefully this time, for the next.
"What is the place called?"
"The Abyss."
Regina dropped the blankets she was holding, "Did you say the Abyss?"
"Yes, why? Have you heard of it before?" Emma's sharp green eyes turned to her wife's blank face noting that her mask had slammed firmly shut on her features. Only her eyes sparkled with something akin to excitement.
"I have actually."
"What do you know of it?"
"Not much beyond the fact that a large library is present within the city walls. It's a place I'd like to visit should we go there."
"If we go and even then I doubt my Mother would let us go."
"You mean me?"
"I wouldn't let her leave you behind. If I go, you go. That's how this works."
"I'd be more of a danger here than at your side."
"You're not a danger Regina." Emma rolled her eyes.
"I am in your Mother's eyes Emma. And I understand why and I don't fault her for it. She's only doing what she thinks is best and I can't hold that against her."
"I can."
She shot her muttering wife a withering look. At least Emma had the audacity to look contrite. She couldn't help the small smile that tilted up her full red lips.
"I would like to get out more but I understand why that makes your Mother uncomfortable too. If I were to be hurt or killed, SpringFall would go to war with Wintersend over it. And neither of us wants that."
"You have a right to be out Regina. Amongst the people, that's where a monarch should be. Getting to know our citizens, hearing their problems, helping them as much as possible."
"Surely you're not that innocent my darling."
"You wouldn't want to go out there?"
"I would love nothing more but you have to understand the dangers it presents for us to be out there. Our enemies could very easily assassinate us in the public square and in the process hurt innocent people."
"Yes but should our people not see us because we're afraid of being killed for merely being good rulers?"
"I didn't say that. Carefully planned trips I consider safe and I think that's what your Mother is going for too."
"No I think it's because she doesn't trust you." Emma finally sat down on the bed and pulled her tall boots off. Carefully she undid her sword belt and set it beside the bed, leaning up against the thick post close to the head of the bed. "Would you really only consider carefully planned trips? Nothing spontaneous?"
"I would love to spontaneously meet the common folk but only as one of them and not a royal. Maybe lower nobility? I think it would be impossible for me to hide that part of myself. It's so ingrained in me."
Regina moved and slipped under the blankets waiting patiently, with her back resting against the elaborately carved wood until her wife joined her. When the taller girl finally climbed into their bed, she tugged and positioned until she was resting with her head on Emma's toned shoulder, feeling the weight of her arms settle around her shoulders and waist. She closed her eyes, inhaling the familiar smell of warm cinnamon and cold snow.
"You smell good." She murmured sleepily.
"So do you. Like apples and flowers."
"Jasmine. It's in my soap."
"From your Kingdom? Jasmine doesn't grow here."
"Yes it's rather prominent in SpringFall." She closed her eyes for a moment before snapping them open. "Emma,"
"What's wrong?"
"I'd like to go out and visit some of the war orphanages but I won't ask that any time soon."
"I don't know that I can make it happen any time soon with my Mother."
"I know but eventually…I'd like to help them in some way."
"They'd like that…seeing their monarchs I think."
Regina smiled pressing a kiss to Emma's clothed shoulder. "Good night my wife."
"Good night Princess."