Wonderstruck
Book 2: What Makes the Desert Beautiful? It Hides an Oasis
Chapter 26
Author's Notes: Welp I'm a bit late on getting this one out today. Sorry about that. Got distracted this morning. Anyways, I have the next chapter ready but I'm putting some small edits on it before I post it then I'm ready to start the next chapter sometime this week. I'll be out of town next weekend but I'll do my best to get the next chapter up on Saturday. Please as always let me know what you think. ~ Scarlette
"We may encounter a problem your grace." Lord Roderick sat forward, impeccable as always but obviously drawn into what he believed to be his own self worth.
"And what is that?" Queen Snow asked sweetly, resisting the urge to order Lancelot to gut the man where he sat.
Granny's knitting needles continued to click but stopped at the pompous' Lord's tone of voice. The older woman glanced up, watching as Grumpy subtly moved the pickaxe into a better position to be grabbed and buried in the man's gut long before he could ever get another word out.
Lord Beaumont sat forward, studying the older man beside him with an arched brow. The Queen preferred the sandy haired man from Summerslanding. He unlike most lords she'd had the chance to encounter wasn't pompous and self-righteous. Instead, he was soft spoken but had the mind of a bear trap. Granny adored the man needless to say and Snow found the older woman's opinion meant more to her than anything. Her former nursemaid had been a fierce protector when she was young and even now she favored the woman's opinion on everything from war to crops finding that Granny was able to move amongst the common folks easily and with her softer looks and a put on gentle air she was able to get information quickly and efficiently.
"No one notices the elderly your Majesty." The old woman had stated with certainty. "Rarely will you encounter youth that is willing to hear the wisdom of the old."
She watched as Granny shifted, knitting needle turned out and ready to jab the Lord in his thick thigh should he prove himself out of line.
Graham sat forward, "As one of your Generals Majesty, though it pains me a great deal I must agree with Lord Roderick. There is a problem and it's not a small one."
"What problem would that be?" Emma asked, sitting forward to get in on the action. "These Knights of Fortune we don't know much about them admittedly but we do know that if they're paid enough they'll be loyal."
"Yes, but what happens if someone offers them double what we are? Then where will their loyalty be Highness?" Lord Roderick asked, his lip turning up.
Lord Beaumont sat forward, resting his gloved hands on the table. "Not only is there that to contend with but they require a face to face meeting with their leader and their potential employer. They won't accept anything less."
"Is that true?" Snow looked to Lancelot who dipped his head in slightly.
"Yes Majesty, it is true. It was ultimately what turned Arthur from employing them. He feared for his safety should the leader have received a payment for a royal assassination."
Snow frowned as Emma crossed her arms over her chest, "You gotta be kidding me." The Princess muttered low enough that she thought she wouldn't be heard but loud enough that her Mother clearly heard her.
Snow cut jade eyes at her daughter who had the audacity to look sheepish for her slight outburst.
"So you see Majesty the sell swords aren't even an option." Lord Roderick began with a smirk only to be cut off by the Queen.
"Actually I don't believe they aren't an option at all. Quite the contrary in fact; I believe they're our only viable option Lord Roderick. Unless you have another suggestion which I'm sure myself as well as others would be completely open to hearing."
The sucked lemon look the man shot her said all there was to be noted. Not to mention the way Lord Beaumont's thin pink lips tilted up at one corner. The spoiled Lord had been beaten back for a time.
"I'm sure her Majesty realizes she cannot travel abroad at this time…" Lord Roderick interrupted yet again only to be silenced by the Queen lifting a pale hand.
"But I can…I can leave my heir in charge of the Kingdom."
Emma's jaw dropped as silence rained at the table.
"Majesty, surely you realize if something were to happen to you…" Lord Beaumont began only for Granny to pipe up.
"As much as it pains to agree with any of these spoiled dandies I must side with the pompous asses. No offense."
"None taken Eugenia." Lord Beaumont lifted his hand in a small gesture of understanding.
"What else do you propose happen Granny?"
Before the elderly woman could open her mouth, Emma sat forward. "I could go."
"Emma,"
"Princess," Various cries went up around the table.
"It's actually the only move we have. Lord Roderick is right, mother, you can't leave. Our people need their Queen and our army won't answer to anyone but you. I could be of use by going abroad to meet with the leader of the Knights of Fortune not to mention we could make a stop off in Arrendale to see about pursuing an alliance with the banking capital of the known world. Eamira is large true but it maybe worth going to see about. It wouldn't be a bad thing for me to learn and by all accounts Queen Elsa is of the same inclinations as me. She might be more willing to pursue an alliance if she realizes we hold the same personal desires."
"You've never left the North girl." Granny pointed out.
"Exactly, so it could be good for me to learn more about the world I live in and how the Kingdom I'm to inherit fits into it."
Snow narrowed her eyes, "You're my only heir Emma. The Kredian and Yorian Empires are at war on Eamira and they're about to swallow up whatever is in the way in their need to devour one another. If you were to be taken hostage by either..."
"I won't be. Lancelot will be at my side and I will take a strong contingent of guards with me. Not to mention I can defend myself pretty well. I grew up with the sword and bow. I can do this Mother please let me."
"I could go with her." Grumpy offered. "I'm not of much use to you here unless I were in the mines and my brothers could pick up the slack of me being gone."
The Queen studied the surly dwarf who eyed her with the same burning need to protect their precious girl. She dipped her head, "If anyone could keep Emma safe it would be you and Lancelot." She agreed.
"Then it's settled." Emma shrugged. "I'll leave in a moon's time."
"Did I hear this correctly? You're to go abroad?" Regina asked as soon as Emma stepped into their private apartments. The fire was once again built up in the hearth and she was sitting on a pillow near it, allowing the warmth to soak into her bones.
Emma flinched at her wife's accusing tone; "I was going to speak to you about that tonight in fact."
"Why didn't you tell me as soon as you knew?"
"I only found out just today that I was to leave dear wife."
Regina narrowed her eyes, "Don't patronize me. Why wouldn't you tell me as soon as you found out? Don't I as your wife deserve the courtesy of knowing you are leaving?"
"Of course you do, I would never deny you that but this is the first time I've been able to get away long enough to speak to you."
"You should've come and found me as soon as your meeting was concluded."
"And I know this for the future as is to answer your question I am to go abroad. My Mother has it in her head to hire the sell swords we spoke of. Since they will not agree to accepting a proposal without the two parties meeting face to face I have no choice but to go."
Regina frowned, "Does no one realize how dangerous that is? Emma you're the heir of Wintersend…the only heir."
Emma undid the heavy sword belt and set it by the door. Her cloak and gloves soon followed. It was much too warm to keep them on. Yet again her wife was trying to cook her in the oven she'd made of their rooms.
"I know all of this Regina but what choice is there?"
"Why couldn't one of the Generals or Lords go? What about the werewolf? She'd be safer than anyone in a den of vipers."
"Red isn't invincible Regina. Besides that she's not their employer the crown is." Emma shook her head, blonde curls flying around her head before settling, framing her pretty face like a halo.
Regina frowned, "I'm aware that she isn't but all I'm saying is she'd be able to protect herself far better than you could if you were outnumbered."
"You don't seem to be." Emma moved towards her wife, holding out her arms. Regina studied her, dark eyes flashing, before she slipped to her bare feet and crossed the warm stones. She slid easily into Emma's embrace.
"I don't want you to go. It's dangerous and you could be killed."
"I'm aware of the consequences of my decision should things go awry." Emma sighed, taking in a deep breath and enjoying the play of apples and jasmine that tickled her senses.
"Do you know how long you'll be gone?"
"A few moons at least. The journey is a long one. I have to cross our Kingdom and into Sunfaire via Moonshollow; the capital city of Sunfaire, Il Mira rests on the coast of the sapphire sea. In order to get where I need to go I'll have to start from there."
"You're really going to the Abyss?"
"I don't think I have a choice. It's me or no one."
Regina nodded, "Well we both figured you'd be dragged along…I didn't realize you'd be the one leading the expedition but I cannot say I'm all that shocked."
"Why do you say that?"
"If it wasn't you, it would be your Mother and I doubted she would allow herself to be taken away from her Kingdom with a threat so close to home."
"Regina," Emma started only to be cut off by a slender finger being pressed to her thin pink lips. Unable to resist, she pressed a tender kiss to the digit, which earned her a soft smile from the small woman in her arms.
"Let me finish please. I know we keep darting around the issue but the fact remains that your Mother doesn't want me to know a lot of what's taking place. It would be dangerous for her to leave me here unsupervised. This way if you're gone, I'm totally cut off from any information source."
"I'm not leaving you here."
"You may not have a choice."
"There is none, you're coming with me to this place. I won't leave you here where I cannot be certain of your safety."
"Your Mother wouldn't harm me; it'd start a war she cannot hope to win if she did. Even with a group of sell swords she couldn't fight the ogres and my Kingdom at the same time. Wintersend would be overwhelmed in a moon, two at most."
"I'm aware of our precarious position should something tip the balance one way or another. That's not the point; you're my wife and I want you at my side no matter what."
"Don't you think I'll be more of a liability than an asset?"
"You have a quick mind and I have a quick hand. Together I think we can see our way out of any situation don't you?"
Regina smiled softly and nodded, "Yes, I do."
"My wife will ride beside me. There will be no putting her in a carriage for the duration of the trip. She's a more capable rider than I am. If we encounter bandits or the like, my wife knows how to get herself out of there quickly and efficiently." Emma argued with the former Leviathan who frowned and crossed is broad arms over his black armor clad chest.
"While I agree Princess, her Highness is more than capable of riding…she is unfamiliar with the roads and paths not to mention the snow has been falling heavily in some places. Until we reach the border of Moonshollow at least, the carriage is the safest place for her. I will not see her harmed Princess."
Regina frowned, listening to the two argue as she grew colder. "Emma, back down. It's enough. I will ride in the carriage until we reach Moonshollow and then I can ride since the snow isn't as deep there."
"In the Northern parts it is deep Highness but the further Southwest that we go the lighter it will get." Lancelot argued.
Grumpy rolled his eyes before glancing at his goddaughter's wife. "You're good on a horse no one can deny that…but Lancelot is right…if your horse were to slip on the ice…"
"It would land back on me and kill me." Regina agreed softly with the surly dwarf's assessment.
He nodded before pulling out his flask and taking a sip. He tucked it back in his belt. "Look while I'm all for standing around until you humes freeze to death…why don't we get this thing a moving while there's still daylight? Or are you two gonna keep arguing about who has the bigger sword?" He grinned, lifting his eyebrows a few times at the other two while Regina covered her mouth with a gloved hand to hide her smile.
Emma rolled her eyes before she took a step towards her wife, "Are you really okay with riding in a carriage?"
"It'll be far warmer than riding a horse though I prefer the horse I will take warmth and Lancelot is right if I were to be killed because my horse fell back on me from slipping should we be attacked…well it wouldn't bode well for anyone. As is, we're crossing a fine line with your Mother. I'd prefer we take as little chances as possible before she decides that the fit you threw at breakfast this morning wasn't enough to convince her that I needed to be brought along." She paused, glancing around before she took a step forward. "Will you allow one indulgence though?"
"Of course, name it and you know it's yours."
"There's a servant…he's been helping me learn the ways of the North…he's an elderly man…odd but useful in his knowledge…would you permit me to bring him along?"
Emma blinked, "I was unaware we employed any elderly servants…"
"I think he mostly keeps to himself but he's been an asset to me since I arrived."
The blonde frowned and looked at Lancelot who shrugged.
"Will he slow us down?"
"Venar can ride in the carriage with me. I wanted to ask him about some of the customs I was reading about yesterday…something about the hunters honoring their kills?"
The white princess blinked and cocked her head, "You mean they don't honor what they kill in SpringFall?"
"I'm unaware of such a custom but it's possible."
"Huh…well all right…I guess…" Emma looked to Grumpy who shot her an odd look but then shrugged and took a sip of his flask.
"Perfect." Regina smiled softly before twisting. "He's right there." She pointed, to the man standing close to the southern wall of the ice palace.
The blonde's mouth dropped open as the man strode forward on creaking joints in a shuffling sort of stiff legged walk. His robes were tattered and brown, his hair was as white as the snow that fell heavy and thick this time of year but it was his eyes that were the most shocking feature his elderly face possessed. Electric, icy blue that held no trace of warmth whatsoever.
"Him?" She muttered to her wife who cocked her head to one side.
"Yes him. Is there going to be a problem?"
Emma shook her head, "Of course not…Venar was it?"
"Yes your highness." He dipped his old head, bones cracking in his neck making the blonde cringe in sympathy.
"Right, well you'll ride with my wife in the carriage then." She looked at Regina who offered her a warm smile.
Thank you, the smaller girl mouthed and causing the blonde to break out into a wide grin. Anything for you, she mouthed back.
Even dealing with this creepy guy, she thought to herself shaking her head. "Right so…shall we?"