Emma was only partly surprised when Ignacious slipped into his room and closed the door before he proceeded to close the drapes as well. She had a feeling he had ordered her here since it was one of the very few places in the castle they had the smallest chance of being interrupted or have interference.

She closed her eyes for a brief second as he apologized softly for his harsh words. Emma looked at him and she knew he wasn't speaking out only to soothe her. She could see it had pained him to say them as it pained her to receive them.

"I know you didn't mean them." Emma assured him. She yearned to step forward and touch him. She had enjoyed their physical contact so much the day before that being so close to him was quite overwhelming. The desire was strong, but her fear for his life was even stronger. Emma had to make this a clean break and she had to do it quickly. She knew if she lingered long her will would crumble.

Ignacious looked so broken inside. She had a definite confirmation that he was pained by his actions no matter how necessary they were. She felt every part of her want to take away his guilt and pain.

"We can't do this," she said softly. She didn't want to be there having to face him. Emma wished that whatever god had an issue with her would smite her down where she was. She felt it would be better to die that way then to stand there and kill what good was left in Ignacious.

Emma knew that she was the last reason that was keeping Ignacious from slipping completely away into his posh lifestyle. Even though he had been back for a short time she had seen how he clung to her the day before. He was as much relieved to have her as an anchor as she was to have him.

The promise he gave her the day before crushed her. He promised he would never leave her alone again and here she was turning around to leave him.

The emotions that were rolling around in her caused her to cough. She could feel the tears fill her eyes. Emma steeled herself and cleared her throat. She looked at Ignacious with as much strength as she could and shook her head.

"This is a mistake Ignacious. We can't do this to ourselves." She spoke stiffly as though someone else were speaking the words for her.

Ignacious could only close his eyes at her words. He knew she was right, but his heart refused to believe her. His emotions were going bezerk, and his stomach churned at her voice. He refused to believe that their secret affair was a mistake, but would he sacrifice it all just for her?

He opened his eyes in order to look at her directly in the eye. He could see that she, too, was broken inside. He could hear the pain in her voice, and he wanted to make all of that pain vanish into thin air. However, it was impossible. He could fix many things, but perhaps in this situation - he could not fix it.

He walked over towards her, slowly at first. She was just in palm's reach, and he was urging to touch her. He delicately grabbed her hand and held it in his firm grip. He convinced himself that if he let go, she would easily slip away from him. At this point, he couldn't even imagine having a life without her.

"You think I'm making a mistake?" he asked her. "I chose you, Emma. I chose to be in this situation, and I chose to love you. If by me loving you is a mistake, then I'm willing to take that risk."

He could see the tears forming in her eyes. He couldn't lie though, seeing her dark eyes glossed up made her look beautiful than she already was. He half-smiled at her, hoping it would raise her spirits even by a tad.

"I'd already broken one promise to you, and I refuse to break another." He held both of her hands now, and they were softer than ever. "I will do anything it takes to keep that promise."

In that instand, Ignacious kissed her. It felt right to him as he proceeded with it. Being around her just made him feel welcome. It made him feel like he didn't have to be this bitter man like he once was.

Emma felt her breathing grow shallow as he approached her slowly. Her eyes didn't waver from him as he slowly and delicately took her hand in his. She could feel her resolve begin to shake and threaten to shatter into an impossible amount of shards. She began to feel a little faint as her breathing grew more erratic.

Ignacious's words were everything Emma had ever wanted to hear from someone. To have someone love her to effortlessly and defensively made her soul sing. She wanted to melt into his words and never find her way out of them. Even with the inevitability of the situation she found peace and solace in his words.

She began to shake as he took her other hand in hers. He held them tightly and close to his chest as he was telling her he would not break a second promise to her. She wanted to exclaim to the world that she had finally found something that was perfectly hers. Instead she felt like weeping and mourning for the fact.

The kiss was unexpected from him. Her breath was stolen straight from her and she selfishly allowed herself to get lost in the kiss. She felt a deep pain inside once the kiss ended. She knew if she was going to do it, it would have to be then. Ignacious was at his most vulnerable point.

"You don't know how much that means to me." Emma spoke softly. "But we can't do this." She tried to pull away but her effort wasn't there. She didn't want to move from him. "What happened yesterday between us, and what happened just now cannot happened again Ignacious." She told him with pained eyes.

Emma didn't realize how difficult this was going to be. Every word weighed heavily in her mouth and she felt sluggish as her own body was in denial. She had to do this! If she caved and gave in to her own selfish whims she would lose him.

"I do not want to be your secret affair. Even if you can't find love in Gabriella, you need to be faithful to her. She is your bride." Even as Emma said it she wanted to cut her tongue out. "You can't possibly realize how hard it would be for me," she closed her eyes in an attempt to stay the tears. "I refuse to be your whore." She kept her eyes closed. She was too scared to open them.

Emma finally found the will to pull away from him and open her devastated eyes. "This can't happen between us again. We have to go back to how things were before. I am merely a servant girl, just another faceless worker in this castle. The only thing you'll be to me is the crown prince of England." She said softly.

The necklace weighed heavily upon her neck in that moment. With great difficulty she reached up and undid the clasp. She held it out to him. "I cannot keep this. It is your mother's, and at my station I have no use for it." Her voice had grown hollow and empty just as she felt inside.

When the kiss had ended for Ignacious, it felt hollow. It felt as if there was nothing left. The passion had completely been broken. Why did he feel this way? Why did his thoughts linger into his sinking stomach? What on earth had she done to him? He went from a hateful man to a fool in hopeless love.

Her words stabbed him. He could feel her verbal knife cutting into his chest. His heart ached at everything she said. What made her do this? Just the day before, he could see her warming nature lighten him up. Now she was just so cold and rejected, what was going on?

At one point, Ignacious felt angry. He felt rage burn at the bottom of his stomach, but he knew he could not show it to her. Revealing his anger out on her would solve nothing, and she would most likely never speak to him again. If he showed his fury, their relationship would definitely end...if it hadn't already.

"Emeline," his voice was cracking, "you do not have to be my secret affair."

His mind was going crazy, and he felt that he himself was going crazy. His emotions were spinning out of control and he felt at any moment - he would snap. The only thing keeping him sane was the hot tears that burned his eyes. It honestly surprised him. He hadn't cried since the death of his younger sister.

At the sight of her removing the necklace, Ignacious could have sworn he literally felt his heart shatter into pieces. He did not take the necklace but only stared at it dangling from her palm. He turned away from her for a brief pause, unknowing what to say to her. He was sniffling, and it was all because of this girl!

In fury, he turned back to face her. Only this time, his face was not stained with sadness. It was full of anger and hatred. He knew that she would say this to him, but he was refusing to hear it. He could not lose her again no matter what she said.

He placed his hands firmly on the side of her arms. Staring at her directly in her brown eyes, he sighed. He had then decided what he should do.

"Come to France," he begged. "Remember how I told you I would take you there? Well, now is my offering. You don't want to be my secret affair? You don't have to. You can be my bride."

Ignacious let loose of his grip. Any more tighter, and he was sure her arms would pop right off. He took a step back from her, but he continued to stare.

"Marry me."

Emma could see what she was doing to him and she hated herself for it. Never before had she loathed herself with such a scornful passion. She had changed him and had seen the better side of him start to come out of his shell. Now she was standing there forcing him back in and throwing the key away.

Everything inside of her wanted to take her words back or inform him it was some cruel joke and that she wasn't being serious. She wanted to tell him that she truly wanted him and that she couldn't see anyone else in her life. How could there be anyone else? Ignacious had always been the only man in her life other than her father. She had never known other boys, and she had never talked to male servants of the castle. She had never had a reason to.

She felt the tears shift dangerously in her eyes and threaten to fall as he told her almost brokenly that she didn't have to be his secret affair. Emma knew that he didn't think of her that way. She could see the pain he felt from her even suggesting that that was how he viewed her.

The anger she saw in his face as he turned back to face her was expected. Emma was surprised he had restrained it up until that point. She knew that giving the necklace back had been the last straw for him. She could see the anger in his eyes and the blind desperation to save what was between them before it was brutally killed in front of him.

Ignacious took her arms and held her tightly in place. Emma stared at him with wide eyes as she knew that whatever came forth from his mouth next was going to be the most honest thing he had ever said to her before. She could see the passion, pain, anger, and love battling inside of him as he spoke.

Just as soon as he told her to come to France with him she felt the air leave her body in a rush. She had no control over her body for a good minute as he released her and stepped back from her.

"Marry me." He had said the two words she had never thought to hear from any man.

The moment he had spoken the two words and they landed on her ears she felt her trembling resolve crumble to dust. Everything that she had been holding back came forward all at once and she broke down in front of him. She covered her face to hide the tears only to look at him quickly with pained eyes.

"You can't possibly know how much I want to say yes." She wanted to smile but it came out as a grimace. "I love you Ignacious, much more than I did five minutes ago." She sobbed. "I just can't-" she stopped and looked at him with terrified eyes.

"She'll kill you. She promised if I stopped this between us you wouldn't die." She held back her sobs so he would understand her. "If we leave she'll hunt us down and make me watch you die. I can't do that, I just can't." She finally let everything loose and sobbed her heart out. "You'll die if we leave," she struggled to say through her tears.

Emma was in hysterics at that point as Gabriella was staring down at her in her mind's eye. She knew that Gabriella wouldn't rest without getting revenge. Emma knew she wasn't the type to let things go. Gabriella would hold a grudge and do all in her power to make Emma and Ignacious pay if they disappeared.

Seeing her so emotionally unstable only pained Ignacious even more. He wanted to stop the world and just cling onto her in that moment, but he knew that it was just too impossible. Everything she said made perfect sense, but he was challenging himself. He dared himself to fall in love with her and now that he was - there was no turning back.

He was about to protest her decision until she spoke of Gabriella. His anger boiled hotter than before. He literally saw red at the very mention of the Spanish princess's name. His fingers dug into palms while his knuckles turned pure white.

So, she is the cause of all this unhappiness? I should have known.

Ignacious glared at Emma's face for a while until his anger cooled. Seeing her so saddened only made him pained. He was not about to express how angry he was to her, for he didn't want to scare her off with his brute of a temper. All he could do was sigh and groan. Anything else, and he would lose his love.

He took a step towards her, still continuing to stare at her. "Emma," he said, "I'm asking you to be my wife. Gabriella's warnings do not phase me because she cannot and will not kill me under any circumstances. I will make sure no harm will come in our way."

Ignacious tried to sound as convincing as possible. He was for certain that he was untouchable. After all, that was what he was moslty known for in France.

"I'm only going to ask this one more time. If you deny me, then I shall leave you alone for good and never speak of this again. Emma, will you marry me?"

Emma cried it all out as Ignacious was boiling in anger. She made no move to stop his anger as he had let her cry. She was grateful that he didn't try to soothe her. She needed this as much as he needed to get angry. Their source of unhappiness and sorrow was all brought back to one person. Without Gabriella, the two would not be having such talk.

When he finally spoke she could hear the restraint in his voice. She knew he was angry with Gabriella and she still couldn't believe she had even told him the truth. It felt better for him to know the truth even with its terribly heavy weight.

Ignacious asked her a second time. The fact that he posed the question to her caused her tears to stop as she stared at him in surprise. He was willing to risk it all and willing to abandon it all for her. Never before had someone shown her such devotion and love. It was odd for her and for a moment she stood there speechless. He wasn't going to ask her a third time.

It was very difficult for Emma to put what she felt into words. It wasn't that she didn't want to marry him. She just didn't know how to speak. So she stared at Ignacious to gauge his sincerity. A part of her was afraid that he was proposing to her because he was afraid in the moment to lose her. That part of her was afraid that some distance down this path he would realize his mistake and leave her.

The larger part of her, the part that was desperate to say yes, knew that Ignacious would never do that to her. He was truly in this for her and wasn't proposing out of the heat of the moment.

There were several words that were trying to bubble out of her mouth at the same time. She stammered for a moment and stared at him as though she were seeing him for the first time. After what had seemed like an incredible time where nothing was said between either of them, Emma offered him a smile.

"Yes." As much as she had so many thing to say there was only one way to tell him what she wanted. All she had truly needed was one word to convey to him that come Hell or high water she did want to marry him.

Emma clutched the necklace in her hand tightly and felt warmth spread from the top of her head all through her body. She felt like she was in a dream. It was difficult to understand that this was real.

Without giving it a second thought Emma sprung forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him as she kissed him. The kiss, from just a short while before, had been empty and full of pain. This kiss was far different as it truly expressed the sudden happiness that Emma couldn't contain.

For a moment, all Ignacious could do was stare at her. She was undeniably beautiful, and the anticipation was killing him. The tension between the two was overpowering him, and he didn't know how much longer he could take. The room then began to spin as he waited for her answer.

Then again, he had a feeling why it took so long for her to answer him. She would be undergoing pressure, and he couldn't blame her for hesitating. He couldn't blame her for the things she said to him before. Gabriella was the cause of all of the pain in both of their lives, and he refused to let that spoiled bitch ruin their happiness.

His heart fluttered when she finally answered him. He felt like his heart would leap out of his chest. Hearing her accept his proposal could almost made him die and be happy with it. He smiled from ear to ear as he brought her in for a large hug. Feeling her on him seemed so right.

He kissed her passionately as he wrapped his large arms around her small body. The emptiness had completely vanished. He no longer felt hollow and angry. The only thing he felt was happiness and ease. He did not want to pull away from her; the kiss felt like it'd never end.

Emma laughed against his lips as he wrapped his strong arms around her and held her tight. She could feel his relief and joy in her acceptance of him. It made her want nothing more than to stay forever with him there in that moment. In that moment no one could touch them and ruin their happiness.

It was just her and Ignacious in the entire world. There was no one to tell them that they couldn't be together or to threaten their lives. Emma and Ignacious were going to be married. She didn't know when it would happen or where. All she knew was that it was going to happen now. Emma knew that Ignacious would do everything in his power to make it happen.

The kiss couldn't last forever, and the moment couldn't last forever. Emma sighed once her feet had finally touched upon the ground again. She looked up at Ignacious with a loving smile. It was almost like a fairy tale, except the lover's in a fairytale weren't having to run.

"We can't stay in here forever." Emma said softly as she brushed the tips of her fingers against the back of his neck. The pain and fear was lost from her eyes and they only beamed with happiness. "What are we going to do now?" she asked him in a soft and serious tone.

France sounded amazing and going with Ignacious was a dream. Emma wished to leave for France at that very moment. Even though they were prepared to run with each other there were still things that had to be done. It felt wrong to Emma to go when England was relying upon this tie with Spain to stop a war.

"How can we be this selfish?" she asked softly. Did her happiness really matter more than the lives that would be saved by preventing war through a horrendous marriage?

Ignacious could feel her smile against his lips. The warm feeling only made him smile with her as their moment flourished. When she pulled away, a pang of disappointment broke through his heart. He didn't want the kiss nor the moment to end, but he knew that they'd be risking everything if some other servant were to barge in his room.

He smiled back down at her. He examined every aspect of her face's feature, and it only made him want her more. Even with the drapes pulled closed, she was still beautiful in the darkness. Her natural beauty just outstanded him to a huge degree. He convinced himself that she was just beyond perfect.

When he felt her fingertips on his neck, a single chill ran through his spine. He loved it when she touched him; it made him feel alive. After being broken inside for so long, he was astonished that this one single girl could make him feel whole again.

Ignaicous's mind searched for thoughts when she asked him what they were going to do. "In all honesty," he whispered back to her, "I have not the slightest clue yet. It will take me some time, but I will find a way."

He removed her hands from being around him and sat on the edge of the bed thay lay behind him. He then grabbed her hands and kissed them. Looking into her dark eyes, he just couldn't help but smile.

Though his eyebrow arched up. "Selfish? Who here is being selfish?"

He chuckled to let her know he wasn't serious. Then again, he knew he had to get serious - fast. If they were going to make their departure from England, it would have to be done swiftly. If they were to escape to France, he knew that he couldn't do it alone. As he was thinking, his brain finally struck an idea.

Jerard.

"I think...I may have an idea."

Emma could feel the love pour out from Ignacious as he studied her face. She could feel it growing between them and it made her heart soar to high heights she had never been aware of until that point. She kept her gaze steady on him as he pulled back from her and sat on the edge of his bed before taking her hands into his once more.

She didn't doubt that he would find a way to get them out of England. She was grateful that they weren't reliant upon her mind to discover their escape route. Emma had never been anywhere before. She had lived at the heart of England her whole life. If they were to get away from the castle and his impending marriage with Gabriella, then Ignacious would have to find the way.

"We are Ignacious." She said with a gentle smile. She didn't want to address the subject any more than he did. That was why she decided to not press the matter when he looked at her with an idea sparked in his eyes.

If Emma allowed herself to think about the consequence of their escape it would do well to convince her to stay. To take a secretive departure with Ignacious would be leaving England completely open and vulnerable. Ignacious was the only one who could step forward in place of his father.

Stop it Emma! Emma reprimanded herself as she had unconsciously followed down that line of thought.

"What is it?" Emma asked softly as she stepped closer to him and looked down upon him as he was still seated on the edge of the bed.

Emma circled her thumb on his hand and relished in the feeling. Having such a bright hope laid out before her was making it rather addicting to have physical contact with Ignacious. For a long time she had been so distant from other people, including Chloe at times. The sudden change was quite welcoming and she couldn't get enough. If she had it her way she would never let Ignacious go.

Ignacious pondered in his mind before he answered her. His thoughts were racing, and he didn't have the ability to control them at this point. Everything he'd ever been taught about ruling England was all finally coming to a hault, and it was thanks to a servant girl whom he'd forgotten all about. Coming into this country, not once did he expect any sudden surprises which would lead him into the wrong marriage.

Though he knew he could not hesitate any further. Looking at her, he studied her eyes carefully. If this plan were to work, he had to make sure that she was trustable. Not once did he doubt her ability to keep quiet, but he knew the chances of it slipping may occur, especially when someone like Gabriella was lurking the castle grounds.

Nevertheless, he smiled back at her when the thought came to his brain. "It's very risky," he said while tightening her hands. "You cannot tell a single soul, not even Chloe of what is to happen, is that clear?"

He took a slight pause, listening to see if anyone had been walking past his bed chamber's door. When he heard no sudden movement, he went on:

"In order to escape to France, we cannot just pack up our belongings and just walk out. If I play my cards right and work my way around it, then our only hope is Jerard. If there is anyone we can count on, it would be him. Poor fool has never let me down before, so I'm hoping he won't disappoint me now."

He didn't have time to await her reaction. Just as he finished explaining to her, there was a firm knock on the door. The prince's eyes widened as his head whipped to the doorframe. "Prince Ignacious?" It was a servant.

Ignacious snapped his head back to meet Emma's eyes. "In the closet!" he harshly whispered to her.

He didn't exactly help her in his closet. It was more of a push, and when he was sure she was surely hidden from sight, he closed the door. He struggled to get himself to the door without looking as if he'd just seen a ghoul roaming around in the castle. Quickly shrugging it off, he opened the door with a firm face and forceful stance. "Yes?"

The servant narrow his eyes. "King Fernando and his queen are coming into view, sir. Your parents have asked me to inform you to be ready at once."

Ignacious nodded, dismissing the servant. Closing the door, he let out a long and deep sigh. He quickly went back to the closet, opening the door and pulling Emma out of the space. "I'm terribly sorry," he said apologetically. "Drastic measures."

Emma felt relief at his smile as he looked up at her. The thought of not telling Chloe what was happening was hard to stomach. Chloe was close to Emma like a sister. The fact that they were in a fight meant that Chloe wouldn't listen to her in the first place. Emma knew that if she disappeared without a word to Chloe it would destroy her friend.

Emma gazed down at Ignacious and felt a warmth swell in her heart. It was painful to think of hurting Chloe, though on the flip side, Emma knew that Ignacious was worth every moment of stress and pain they were about to go through. She knew it was going to take a lot to get out of England. It was far too risky to speak aloud of it. If anyone were to discover their plans it would be very dangerous for them both.

"You're sure he would be willing to help us?" she asked skeptically. Emma didn't doubt Ignacious's judge of character. It was not knowing Jerard and who he was that made her uneasy. Her happiness and life would be dependent upon the frenchman who she had yet to properly meet. How would he even accept Emma being with Ignacious?

There was a sharp rap on the door and Emma felt her body turn cold. Her mind was instantly drawn to the thought of discovery and she could feel the panic build up inside of her. She stumbled forward as Ignacious quickly moved her into his closet. She bumped her elbow as she was pushed in and had to bite her tongue as she heard him open the door.

The voice was familiar to Emma but she couldn't place a face with it. She held her breath and waited as she heard that the Spanish royal family was in sight and approaching fast. She could feel the guilt start to gnaw at her insides. She was going to runaway with Ignacious and leave an incredible mass of disappointed people behind in their wake.

She waited patiently until the wardrobe door was opened and Ignacious let her out. She rubbed her elbow and took in heavy breaths as she had begun to feel light headed.

"Very drastic, though I'm grateful I wasn't tossed under your bed." Emma attempted mild humor. She sighed and looked towards the ground briefly before she returned her gaze to Ignacious.

"I better leave you to get ready." She said regretfully. Emma didn't want to leave him just yet. She wanted more time with him. She contented herself in knowing that they would have much more time together soon and she only needed to be patient for a short while longer.

At the sight of her emerging from the closet, Ignacious could not help but to let out a small chuckle. It was quite the sight to see such a delicate girl being put in such a situation where he had to throw and pull her out of closets. He was certainly glad that he would not have to act that way much further.

Emma's concerns about Jerard made the prince feel a little uneasy. He knew that the French man was a good man and would not put their lives in jeopardy. Then again, he also knew that Jerard was the type to not hold pressure on his shoulders that well. Ignacious could only hope that his friend was able to take the heat.

"Jerard would not deceive us," he told her firmly. "Just trust me when I tell you that we will get out of this."

He leaned in and gently kissed her. He knew that she would have to leave him at that moment, but he just wanted to be with her for the rest of the night. Perhaps if the Spanish royals wouldn't have came today, he would have asked her to spend the night with him in his bed. The idea just excited him.

He walked her to his door and kissed her again. He hated watching her leave, but he knew it was for the best. "Watch for any other servant. If anyone asks, you were cleaning my area."

Ignacious shut the door behind him. His body leaned against the door and a large sigh escaped from his lips. Emma was doing something to him that he thought no other soul could do - make him feel complete. He hadn't felt so warming since Isabella was still alive. Though he shook his head; Isabella's death only depressed him.

After ridding his negative thoughts, Ignacious took off his morning clothes and replaced them with his finest evening clothes. He could hear his mother now complain that he didn't dress well enough to meet with the Spanish royalty. Rolling his eyes, he took a deep breath and exited his bed chambers.

His stomach was actually churning. Not because he was nervous about meeting the king and queen of Spain, but he knew Gabriella was on the war path. However, if she wanted to play this nasty game with him, then he would play fair. Then again, he was known as a champion for games in France.

"We'll play it your way, you could hearted bitch," he growled to himself. "But I always get first place."

To hear Ignacious tell her they would get out comforted her a great deal. She closed her eyes as he gave her a gentle kiss and sighed when he pulled away. She didn't want to depart from him yet. She wanted to spend as much time as she could. It felt to her that if she left then he would slip away from her and she would lose him for good. It was a terrible feeling and it left her sick to her stomach.

"Good luck with tonight," she spoke softly before slipping from his room. She walked down the quiet halls and was very much pleased to not meet anyone on her way. The host of the castle had gathered to the front to greet and catch a glimpse of the foreign spaniards.

Emma had no desire to see the family that had spawned such a horrible daughter. She felt completely exhausted from the events of the day. When she had risen that morning she hadn't expected so much to happen. The day felt like a different lifetime that she had merely gazed at from the side.

When she reached her small room that she shared with Chloe, the reality finally hit her full force. She was truly running away and escaping the castle. For a moment she couldn't breathe. Everything was suddenly changing and twisting out of her control.

The concept of new changes was difficult for her to grasp and she felt a small headache pulse in her head. Since there was no other task for her she decided to lay down and get rest. She hoped that the pain would go away.

---

King Fernando and his wife arrived at the castle in the early evening. They had their three sons with them and they attempted to hold smiles on their faces. The whole affair was a strain to them. The king and queen were still cautious after so many years that the truth would be uncovered.

What they had done was very deceitful. When they lost their baby girl they had replaced her quickly before anyone could question. Only those closest to the royal family knew the truth. Princess Gabriella was not their daughter and had no right to either crown. Even with the danger of discovery it was easier to replace their daughter than find an alternative to stop the wars.

They were greeted by King Francis and Queen Lisbeth. There were easy pleasantries exchanged before they were brought into the castle out of prying eyes. Gabriella greeted her family and the tension was felt on the air.

"I trust your stay has been well?" King Fernando asked Gabriella with a concerned eye.

"It has been dear father, and I assure you they have catered to my every need. I am pleased to say that I do look forward to the union that will take place in four days time." Gabriella glanced around and smiled once her eyes were laid upon Ignacious.

Gabriella smiled encouragingly at him before looking back to her family. Her three brothers had never been fond of her and they stood indifferently to the side. The youngest of the three had faint recollections of his baby sister and had grown up despising his supposed younger sister. Gabriella was a devious snake and they disliked her for it.

King Fernando had been blind to his daughter's ambitions through the years. He was so desperate for this union to seal away the talk of war that he had allowed himself to ignore the signs from Gabriella. The queen had been more perceptive and had kept a distance from Gabriella for several years.

Gabriella didn't mind that her family had been so indifferent towards her. The fear of her true identity being discovered had kept their mouths shut through the years. They had put up with her knowing she was their saving grace. No one wanted a war. Little did they know that leaving Gabriella in her position was only going to create a war far worse than they were trying to avoid.

She was smart and had a mind for plots and games of intrigue. To marry Ignacious was the first step in her grand scheme. All that was left was to make sure that the servant girl who had so quickly stolen away the prince's heart was snuffed out.

Ignacious had arrived just a tad bit late. He felt the annoyance eyes of his parents burning into him. He quickly glanced at Jerard, who had been standing off to the side, admiring the Spaniards and their royal grace upon the castle. He could also see the Frenchman's smirk that was frozen on his face. He knew that the prince had been associating with his servant lover, and he did not hesitate to let Ignacious know that he had the feeling.

All the prince could do was quench his eyebrows at his companion. It meant that Jerard had better wipe the look off his face before things got ugly. Though in all reality, Ignacious would never intentionally hurt his friend for any reason at all.

The king and queen of England later stood by their son's side. However, he could sense that both of them were not pleased of his expected late arrival. "Where were you?" his mother hissed.

Ignacious did not dare to look at her. He kept his eyes forward, watching as the Spanish king and queen rolled in to view. "I was just making sure those servants were preparing for the union," he lied. "

France's son's answer made him uneasy. He knew perfectly well that his son was busy romancing off some maiden, and the thought absolutely made his stomach turn. He could remember seeing Ignacious fancy a girl just the day before from the window. However, he did not say a word about it. It would only upset his wife, which could result in her frantic nature.

The three of them stood idly as they watched the Spanish emerge from their carriage. Out of all of them, Ignacious's eyes fell onto the the three men who entered behind the king and queen. It was then that he felt their tension when they entered into the grand hall. Something about their stance was not working right with the prince, and he was curious as to why they were acting the way they were. But it was pretty obvious - Gabriella made her presence known.

An eyebrow arched up as he watched the Spanish family. He considered them to be odd Spaniards since his French mentors would have drunken rants on how they were good-for-nothing. Perhaps drunken old French bats were actually correct? It seemed so to Ignacious as he watched their stiff movements.

It was quite obvious that his father did not seem to nice. Either he did, or he just didn't care. He could see Francis put on a warm smile and welcoming his old friend with open arms. Lisbeth, on the other hand, only stayed a distance behind Francis. She even took a quick side-glance at her son, letting him know that she felt it, too. Then again, Ignacious figured she was blaming it on him for the unmoving tension.

"Fernando!" Francis's booming voice errupted. "My old friend, welcome to England!"

Ignacious could practically feel the shaking in his father's voice. What his father was so nervous about, he would possibly never know. Unless his father had heard about the horse incident...or perhaps he knew.

Stop it, Ignacious, you'll only make yourself paranoid.

Lisbeth curtsied at their arrival. She looked towards her son, inviting him down to meet his future fiance's family. "My son, if you will," she beckoned.

Ignacious stiffly walked to stand by his mother, bowing at the Spanish royals. His eyes never once laid upon Gabriella, and he was determined to not associate. After all, it was bad luck to show affection in front of the other's family. It only meant that one had no morals or was completely blind to the union.

"Yes!" Francis placed his large hand on his son's shoulder. "In honor of your Spanish royalty, I give you my son, Ignacious. In four days time, Princess Gabriella will soon unite with England's heir!"

Every noble in the room all had smiles - except Ignacious. A thin line was pressed with his lips, but he would try his best to look pleasant for his "new" family.

King Fernando smiled as King Francis greeted them. "It is good to see you again after so many years." He said with confidence. England and Spain had been on good terms for many years. It was why they had written up a political contract to unite them. There was no bad blood between them. King Fernando kept an ever constant prayer in his mind that everything would go smoothly.

Four days. All it took was four days and then King Fernando would be able to relax. The stress of trying to keep Spain from drowning and stomping out wars was an exhausting business. The past eighteen years had been nothing but an emotional ocean. There were several high points for Fernando and Maria. They had also been accompanied with a well balance of low points as.

Ignacious was presented forward and King Fernando was pleased. Prince Ignacious was a well looking man. It was well that the English prince was not a spineless sap. King Fernando saw that Ignacious had a strong jaw. Queen Maria noticed the look kept secret behind his eyes. She could see that he detested Gabriella.

There was also something else about Ignacious that Queen Maria had caught. Queen Maria had long since lost affection for Gabriella as her daughter. She still ached in her heart for the child she had lost. She didn't blame Ignacious for not taking a liking towards Gabriella.

Queen Maria could see that Ignacious's mind was not upon Gabriella. More importantly than that fact Queen Maria could see that his heart was held by another. She felt the guilt burn in her chest as she realized that this union was unfair. There was a chance for Prince Ignacious to be happy with another and it was being stolen from him for politic's sake. Gabriella wasn't even the princess Ignacious was supposed to marry.

It caused great mourning in Queen Maria's heart as she watched Ignacious interact stiffly. She glanced over to her own sons who kept their bodies turned stiffly aside from Gabriella. The only truly happy person in the room was Gabriella who was absorbing everything around her like a leech.

"I trust that all has been going well in preparation for the wedding?" King Fernando asked no one in particular.

---

"Emma?" a distant voice called out. "Emma? Emma!"

Emma twitched slightly before she sat up quickly. She was rather surprised to see Chloe standing in front of her. Emma rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes before she looked to Chloe again.

"What is it?" Emma asked quietly. She was afraid to make Chloe any more angry than she already was.

"I'm sorry about what I said." Chloe sat down next to Emma and took her hands. "I'm also sorry I refused to talk to you earlier. I didn't mean to be so cruel to you. I'm worried for you." Chloe offered a hopeful smile.

"I'm sorry too, I should have listened to you." Emma smiled in relief. She was glad that her fight with Chloe was over.

"So we're good?" Chloe asked.

"Yes, we are." Emma grinned.

The two friends began to laugh as they felt silly for their actions. Emma laughed for a short while until she recalled that afternoon with Ignacious. She opened her mouth to tell Chloe and hurriedly shut it when she remembered her promise. As much as she wanted to tell Chloe she couldn't.

"What is it?" Chloe knew something was bothering Emma.

"It's nothing." Emma tried to brush it off.

"Are you sure? I'm hear if you need to talk." Chloe vowed.

"I know, and I thank you for it. I heard that the princess's family was due to arrival. Did you see them yet?"

"How clever you are to change the subject." Chloe narrowed her eyes with a smile. "I did, but only a glimpse. The queen is positively perfect. I do not think I have ever seen a more beautiful woman." Chloe's eyes looked glazed over as she spoke. "Actually, she kind of reminds me of you." Chloe's eyes cleared and she looked at Emma confused.

"Oh?"

"Yes, and the three princes look as though they could be your brothers. It was all very strange. Then again it was only a glimpse." Chloe shrugged her shoulders before she continued on to describe every bare detail she had of the family.

As Emma listened she was startled to find that they sounded nothing like Gabriella. Even with only a quick look, Chloe was always very acute in gauging people. It seemed that Gabriella was truly her own and completely separate from her family. How could such a horrid person come from such seemingly grand parents?

There was a hint of doubt in Fernando's voice, and Ignacious caught it on guard. After glancing over at the three boys who stood idly, he eyed his father with aspection. As far as he could could guess, Francis was totally oblivious of doubt that hinted at each of the Spaniards. Ignacious could only roll his eyes at his father's enthusiasm that errupted between Fernando and he.

"Perparations are being fullfilled as we speak," Francis smiled. "In four days time, everything will be perfect for this majestic union."

Ignacious groaned. His mother looked towards him with eyes that read menacing. She directed them back to Maria, who also stood there idly. Lisbeth then tried to figure out why every single one of them were acting like they were. It wasn't like the Spaniards to be so quiet and dimmed, and it was beginning to worry her. Instantly, the blame pointed to her son. Was he the reason they were acting this way? Was he not presentable as they'd hoped? A simple sigh escaped from her lips.

"Come, come!" Francis ignited. "There is a feast being perpared for us contrire to your arrival."

Francis lead them out of the hall and into the dining room. Ignacious, however, did not move an inch. He stood there, following all of them with his eyes. With brows buried, his head began to pound from the incident. He shut his eyes while bringing his hands to rub them from their ache.

But it was then that it dawned on him.

Bringing his hand down from his face, he began to analyze Maria's facial structures. An eyebrow went up as he could see her face plain as day in his mind, and it kind of reminded him of Em-.

"Iggstad!" Jerard called. "Iggstad, come on, you fool."

Ignacious turned to face his friend and instantly shook the thought away from his mind. There was absolutely no way on this earth that the royal Spaniards had anything to do with Emma. Resemblence did not mean a thing.

At least he'd hoped.

The night had been a long one for Emma. She could hear the festivities echo through the castle. She knew that the window to escape was getting smaller and smaller. There was four days to the wedding, and in the morning there would be three.

Emma knew at this point she couldn't lose Ignacious and she knew he didn't want to lose her. There had been something terribly off with Gabriella. Everyone had seen it but no one had done anything about it.

When morning had finally come, Emma was wide awake. She had spent most of her night laying wide awake in her small straw bed. She was running away with the crown prince of England. She felt a little bit like a criminal. Because of her, Ignacious was abandoning his duties and willing to leave his father completely alone to handle things between them and the other European countries.

Even with that reality gnawing away at her insides, she knew that she wasn't going to go back. She had lived her life by the rules of others, now it was her turn to take charge and not listen to what others had to say.

It said a lot that Ignacious was willing to run away with her. She had never had anyone willing to sacrifice so much for her.

The thought of Paris had her in a whirlwind of emotions. She was mostly excited, but part of her was nervous. She hadn't been outside of England for her entire life. She would be relying solely and completely upon Ignacious to take care of her. It was a strange thought to know that she would be trusting him completely.

Ignacious had sent word to her that their only chance to leave was early that morning. If they waited any longer they would lose their window. This union was extremely important and to lose it would cost a very high price.

Emma snuck out of her room quietly with the only belonging that mattered to her; Ignacious' necklace.

As she slipped through the halls she tried to move as discreetly as possible. Unfortunately she was stopped by a man, one she didn't recognize. By his appearance, she knew he must've been with the Spanish party that had arrived the day before.

"Excuse me?" he called out to her.

Emma stopped and turned around slowly. She was struck with a deep sense of familiarity as she looked up at him.

"I seem to have lost my way to my quarters, could you show me the way?" he asked gently.

Something about the servant girl sent his mind whirling about. He followed after her about a foot behind. As they came near to his room, he caught sight of something printed against her neck.

"What is that?" he asked gesturing to the birth mark.

"I'm not sure, I've had it as long as I could remember." She bowed her head and turned to leave.

"Who were your parents?" he asked quickly which caused her to stop in her tracks. She didn't know why he was asking her all of these odd questions.

"I do not know," she said before bowing respectfully and turning to leave once more.

Emma hadn't realized that she had stumbled upon one of her brothers, but he had a suspicious feeling that he might have perhaps stumbled upon their long lost sister. There was little evidence to confirm her identity, but she was the only one who seemed the most likeliest candidate out of all their searchings for her.

If it was Princess Rosa, then it was surely ironic that she had grown up in the very castle she had originally been supposed to marry into.

Emma rushed quickly through the dark halls after that. She hoped that she wasn't late or that Ignacious thought she had changed her mind. When she finally reached the stables, she looked around quickly before ducking into a shadow. Ignacious wasn't there yet. She hoped he was able to get away.

The feast seemed to fly by. During the dinner, Francis would continously ask Fernando questions about his travels and the royal service received in Spain. To Ignacious, he found it rather annoying. It was understandable that his father had not seen his friend in such a period of time, but did he really have to hound him with so many questions? What the prince couldn't help to notice was the way Fernando would respond. His voice seemed a bit shaky and nervous but as always, Francis nor anyone else at that table besides him seemed to notice - except Jerard.

Over the dinner coarse, Jerard exchanged a few words with Ignacious about the Spanish royals' behaviors. Ignacious could wipe the sweat off his forehead, glad to know that he wasn't the only one who thought them suspicious. As far as Jerard's thoughts went, well, none of that mattered.

It was at the dinner where Ignacious secretly dropped the bombshell on his friend. At first, Jerard said nothing but would give his English companion grim eye-looks. He even refused. However, when the dessert had been served, it seemed that Jerard had become a bit easier to persuae. Fortunately, (and with enough begging and bribing), Jerard accepted Ignacious's offer of being his French aid.

When the dinner had ended, Francis barked at him to get well rested, but he could feel Jerard's eyes burning into the back of his skull. His heart ached with sorrow when he thought about leaving his country, but in all reality, that was all he was upset about. Truth be told, Ignacious did not think about missing his parents. Their affection did not matter to him in any way, shape, or form. All he cared about was getting out of the marriage and running off with Emma.

That whole night, Ignacious and Jerard compromised in the prince's bed chambers. Occasionally, Jerard would try and reach around the idea, making him skeptical of his friend's plan. Though at each stab, Ignacious would happily reassure him into making the escape secure and safe.

"Your name will not even be mentioned," Ignacious promised, "I'll make sure of it."

Though Jerard did not believe him. It was not that he didn't trust his friend, it was that he didn't trust the idea itself. If there was one thing he knew about Ignacious, it was that he was prone to trouble. In France, Ignacious was known to be a rebellious figure, and that was something Emma was completely oblivious to. Jerard would only hope and pray none of Ignacious's mistakes would come back to haunt him once he was back in France.

Nevertheless, early morning approached. The two completely stripped from their evening wear and manifested into traveler's clothing. After that, they perched on dark, black robes with hoods that hung to the tips of their noses. With their stats, they would need all the disguise in order to make this escape work. The two men packed up their bags and made their way out of the bedchamber - possibly for good.

The castle halls were black and very, very quiet. Any wrong step, and their guard would instantly be down. Each step they took was cautious, and Ignacious strictly made sure of that. Each corner they would cross, the two men would instantly hesitate. Hell would raise if his mother or even worse - Gabriella - would catch them roaming around at this time of morning.

However, the two men made it carefully to the stables. After many twists and turns, they could force a little bit of weight off their shoulders. Ignacious ordered Jerard to prepare two horses well enough for travel, and Jerard did not hesitate. The faster they were out of there, the better.

It was then that Ignacious saw a spec of life that was hidden away in the shadows. He chuckled to himself, secretly finding amusement of Emma's paranoia. Slowly, he crept up to her, grabbing her by the wrist and bringing her into a hug. He decided not to lift his hood up, for he wanted to see her dark eyes light up the morning.

"Where do you think you're going, girl?" he asked her with the best huskish voice he could.