Forget Me Not

Emma felt a rush down her spine as he put his arm around her waist and took the lead in guiding them through the field. She listened to him as he spoke of France. "That sounds terrible, but I suppose if they let you out into fresh air once in a while then it wasn't too unbearable." She smiled. She had wondered what other places looked like. She had lived in England her whole life and it had mostly been centered around London. She didn't know how other places looked and felt a longing inside to see the world beyond England.

"Shortly after you left my parents died." She told him softly as they walked slowly through the soft grass. She hadn't mentioned her parents in a very long time. Before there had been no one she felt that she could tell because they wouldn't understand. Ignacious was apart of the past that held her parents and she felt like he deserved to know.

((so sorry for the short reply, but I'm heading off to my class...and I feel like we might need to skip))

(That's ok! If you'd like to skip, just let me know! (:)

Ignacious could still feel as if he was dreaming. There was absolutely no way he was standing there, with her, in the same meadow from their past. He pinched himself a few more times when Emma wasn't looking. The surreal moment turned into his reality; his reality had its uprising.

"France wasn't all too bad," he said. "If I ever get out of this mess, I'll take you along with me when I return."

He was serious. After seeing her so grim and depressed, he wanted to show her that he cared for her even though he finally knew who she was. He smiled at her a bit more as the wind started to pick up. Just above him, he could see dark storm clouds sliding their way into the sky. His smile morphed into a frown while he sensed the thunder was coming.

Then he knew why it was so saddening. The mentioning of the death of her parents caught him off guard. He looked at her, unable to find the right words to say. He could remember seeing her mother make conversation with his own mother all those years ago. He could still see her mother's warm face that had been stained with laugher and smiles.

"I'm so sorry," Ignacious said softly, "your parents were terrific people. Mother had always been fon of them."

Had he said the right thing to her? His brain now was mixed with worry and anxiety. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

Emma felt her heart speed up as he said that he would take her to France if he was ever going to manage to get away. She smiled at the thought even though she knew that there ever being a possibility for it was gone.

Thick clouds were gathering over the English countryside and it grieved Emma. Why did the elements have to come forward and ruin such a perfect day? She wanted to spend more time with Ignacious, just the two of them, but they couldn't stay for much longer without running the risk of becoming sick once the rain began.

"I miss them a lot, but the hardest part was when I was finally told the truth." She took a breath. It still hurt to speak of. "Apparently they found me when I was a baby. I was never truly theirs to begin with." She looked down at the ground. "It seems that all my life I've never had a place to call home. Not even my real parents wanted me." Her words were hitched as she spoke.

The emotions she felt were almost overwhelming her. She wanted to lament every terrible thing that had happened to her. It seemed that her life was always going to be stuck in the unfair side. It was hard to think of her parents death, but even worse than that was to think that no one had wanted her to begin with.

Emma coughed and cleared her throat before she turned a wavering smile to Ignacious. "We should get going. I don't know if you remember, but rain comes pretty fast here and I don't think we should be caught out in it." Her eyes were bright as she pushed the harrowing thoughts from the forefront of her mind.


Back at the castle Gabriella was sitting in a high back chair in her lavish room. She missed the fresh and warm air from Spain. England had thus far rained most of her journey and had decided to give her a warm welcome at the castle with a large downpour. She hated the rain. It was so damp, and cold.

For a while she relaxed and was relieving her poor muscles from the rather bumpy carriage ride she had to endure. She was glad to be inside the castle now. She was excited and thrilled at the prospect of her plans unfolding now. It wouldn't take much to win over the English court. At the couple glimpses she had caught she knew it would be easy.

No one would deny the beautiful and exotic princess her heart's desires. She was a rare jewel among pebbles in their eyes. The king was blinded by the contract to see much passed Gabriella other than her role in helping unite the two countries to stop the war. The prince could easily be charmed by her beauty, Gabriella had no doubt of that, and he had no real choice in the matter anyhow.

The only problem that might be posed would be the queen. Gabriella knew from experience that a mother should never be underestimated. Queen Lisbeth had lost her only daughter years ago. Then she had to watch her son be taken away from her and in a sense she lost him through the time he spent in France. She had just had her son returned to her. Gabriella knew that the queen was going to hold on more dearly to Ignacious because he was all she had left.

Gabriella stretched from her seat and walked from her room. She had since changed from her travel clothes and was now adorned in a dress that hugged her curves just right. She held a hidden smirk as heads turned as she walked passed the servants in the halls of the castle.

She moved about for a while trying to get a sense of the place until she came to a stop in a very grand hall way. Along both sides of the hall hung enormous portraits of past royals. She walked slowly and stared at them each until she came to the most recent portrait.

The portrait was done right before Princess Isabella had died. The family looked just as proper as the portraits that preceded them. The king was standing in the back with his wife next to him. In front stood Prince Ignacious with Princess Isabella next to him. The family was quite young back then.

Gabriella had left the hall shortly after inspecting the portrait. She had grown rather bored and stopped a servant rather quickly.

"Where is Prince Ignacious?" she demanded.

"No one knows, he seems to have disappeared hours ago." The poor servant boy stuttered.

"Disappeared?" Gabriella narrowed her eyes at the young boy.

"He took off on his horse with a young maiden. No one has seen them since." The boy nearly jumped from his skin as a loud clap of thunder cracked through the air.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes but dismissed the boy. Perhaps Prince Ignacious would be the hardest one to win over after all. If he was already stolen away by another woman it would be extremely difficult to pull on his heart.

The thought irritated Gabriella just beneath her skin. It was preposterous in her mind for him to be consorting with another woman. At the same time she knew that he was still just a man and had desires he needed satisfied. Even still it irked her that he was so blatantly going off with another woman.

Gabriella sniffed as she watched the rain fall just out the window. She was going to find out who this maiden was and make sure she was never allowed to the castle again. The prince could not fall in love with another, or things would get real sticky very fast. The easiest route to achieve her dream of ruling Europe in its entirety was to have Prince Ignacious melted in the palm of her hand.

If Prince Ignacious was going to be trouble, than she would have to arrange his dismissal from the crown.

A few claps of thunder errupted the sky. Ignacious slightly looked up to see the sky was completely covered in blackness. A few strokes of lightning electrocuted the clouds, and he could feel the rain ready to come down on them. He pulled her close to him, enough to where she would not be wet from the rain.

He was just about to dismiss themselves from the countryside before she brought up the truth about her past. He slowly turned to look at her with complete disbelief. Her whole life had been one big lie apparently. He suddenly felt so selfish towards his actions that he instantly regretted complaining to her like a child.

With her in his arm, he pulled her in for a soft hug. He wanted to take away her pain. He wanted to make her unhappiness vanish. Thoguh he was just loss for words. What could he say to something like that? He pulled out of the hug and gently planted a kiss on top of her head.

"Just know this," he whispered, "you don't have to be in the dark anymore. I'm here to guide you now."

Ignacious gently took her hand and guided her back to the roaming horse. He got on the saddle first and offered back his hand to her. Gently, he hoisted her up behind him. He made sure she was completely comfortable on the saddle before kicking the side of the stallion and speeding off back to the castle.

In the back of his mind, Ignacious already knew his fate. He knew that someone would have had to report this incident to his parents. Then again, maybe no one dared to meddle into his business? He'd been known in France to have a temper when it came to other people tampering with his privacy. However, he was no longer in France. England was a completely different atmosphere.

--------------------------------------------

King Francis and his wife were dining in breakfast in the comfortable room of their dining room. At first, they did not speak to one another. Queen Lisbeth kept her head down, sipping on her beverage every few seconds. Francis, on the other hand, gorged on the food that servants placed nervously on the table.

In all honesty, it disgusted Lisbeth. How could her husband be so careless? She felt like as if her husband did not care about his own son. Her face twisted in anger as she watched him devour everything that the servants prepared. She held her tongue a few times from blurting out something absurd to him.

However, biting her tongue would only make her more angry. Lisbeth took one last sip of her beverage before setting it down, making a loud clink on the table. The sound caught Francis's attention as he lifted his eyes to come in contact with his wife's. His chewing decreased as he saw the uncomfortable expression on her face.

"Something bothering you, dear?" he asked setting the silverware down onto the table. "You seem....distant."

"Francis, do you know where our son traveled off to?" she asked him suspiciously.

Francis shook his head. "He hasn't been around enough for me to even get a good glimpse at him, Lisbeth."

"Perhaps if you'd ma-"

Francis slammed his hand down onto the table. "Lisbeth!" he growled. "We have already discussed this. Ignacious is a grown man now who can make his own decisions regardless if they are for his own good or not. You cannot treat him like a child and constantly pester about being an absence in his life."

Lisbeth said nothing at first, but her blood began to boil. Her husband was talking irrationally, and she could not bear it any longer. "Francis," she growled at him, "he is our son. I do not care if he is a grown man, he is still my son! He is the only thing left that I can hold onto! You act as if he is just another decoration to this castle!"

Francis inhaled sharply. "I don't know what you want me to do, Lisbeth. Ignacious must figure life lessons on his own. You simply cannot meddle with it."

The king scooted his chair away from the table, throwing his napkin down on his plate. He wanted nothing more to do with his wife at this point. Ever since Ignacious's arrival, he had been hearing her complain about the way he had been acting. He tried to convince her that he was only maturing into a successful man. He tried to brand into her brain that he was no longer a child as she once knew. He knew she could not let go if the child she lost to France.

As Francis walked away from the dining room, he saw the rain crash around the castle. His eyes scanned the landscape and in the distance, he could see a horse racing back to the castle grounds. He saw the rider in clear vision, but he also saw who was behind the rider.

"God help us," Francis whispered.

The words Ignacious offered to Emma in comfort meant far more to Emma than Ignacious might ever realize. She had spent the years convincing herself that she was alone. Even with Chloe to offer up her own pieces of wisdom, Emma had never felt as safe as she did then when Ignacious promised her he was there for her now.

It did not matter that either had forgotten the other. It did not matter that they were both now stuck in two different worlds that should never cross. The thing that did matter was that they had each other despite the shadow in their past and the dark cloud hanging in the future.

Emma knew that she was going to lose him eventually. It would be foolish of her to think otherwise. What she knew for certain was that she wasn't going to lose him for a long while yet. It felt to her that nothing could stand between them now. Even with so much looming in the door way she felt safe with Ignacious. The future no longer terrified her.

The thick clouds began to dump their torrential rains upon them as the horse pushed forward with the rain at their backs. Emma held tightly to Ignacious, though it wasn't completely out of fear now. She held on to him because she could. She didn't want to let him go.

The horse splashed through the muddy puddles of the country as they entered into London once more. He raced through the streets until passing the vacant city and galloping up to the castle grounds. Emma closed her eyes so that she could hold on to the last moments she had alone with Ignacious. She feared that this would be the last time they would be truly alone together for a long while.

They approached the stable's and Emma slid down from the horse hurriedly. Even with the rain as a protective cover she was afraid of curious eyes. To be scene coming back with the prince after leaving with the prince would be bad for both her and Ignacious.

"Thank you Ignacious, I'll see you later!" even though they were parting ways there was a smile upon Emma's face. It was a smile that hadn't graced her lips for a very long time. It was the same innocent smile that had been lost in her childhood.

Emma took a couple steps back and kept her eyes on Ignacious before she let out a small laugh and ran back to the castle. After so many years her heart had returned to her. It was hard to explain but she knew that she was different.

Ignacious had taken her heart away with him when his parents shipped him off to France. Emma was too young to recognize that he had taken much more with him than their friendship. She felt alive, truly alive, for the first time. It felt like she had woken up from a never ending dream only to now come back to reality and realize how beautiful life truly was.

Emma entered through one of the servant's doors in the back of the castle while she clung to the necklace around her neck. She was complete smiles as she walked passed the other servants completely drenched from head to toe. She came back to her room and quickly stripped from her wet dress and into a dry one. She tied it around her waist before she wrung the water from her hair. There was color back in her cheeks and the light had returned to her eyes.


Gabriella had been lounging in one of the libraries by a fire when she heard a passing servant mutter about the prince's return. She had set the book in her hands down and rose to her feet quickly. The prince had returned? It was about time! She was tired of waiting around with hardly anything to do and no company.

The spanish princess moved through the castle halls as if she was already its queen. Everyone she passed dipped their head or curtsied out of respect. Gabriella didn't even glance at them.

She finally came to the entrance hall just as Prince Ignacious had come in. He was a complete and wet mess from head to toe. He was dripping water all over the entryway and his riding boots were tracking mud.

Gabriella raised her brow and her eyes darted about looking for the she-devil that Ignacious had taken with him. She was dissatisfied to find him alone.

"Prince Ignacious!" she greeted with a very elegant smile. "You are positively soaked, what on earth have you been doing?" her laugh was dainty and sounded as though it might break.

The race against the storm had ended in failure. As soon as the horse kicked off back to the city, the rain came pouring. Thunder and lightning startled the horse while they rode, so Ignacious had to carefully control the stallion back to the stalls. He also had to manage holding onto Emma, so she wouldn't fall and hurt herself. He knew if an accident happened like that, he would never forgive himself.

When the horse finally arrived in their destination, Ignacious pulled hard on the reigns. The horse happily trotted back to the horse stalls in which he could see the wrangler's irritated expression. He chuckled, ignoring the glares that the man was giving him. As he stepped off the horse, he held out a hand for Emma to take to help her down. He laughed as he watched her become so full of happiness.

Before Emma ran back to the castle, Ignacious quickly planted a kiss on her lips. He hadn't done it for more than two minutes before he realized that kissing her felt so right. He pulled away from her, hearing the wrangler cough in annoyance.

He watched Emma run back to the castle, chuckling as he did so. He still couldn't imagine that he would ever end up kissing her. All those times as children, he'd never think that he would wind up falling in love with her - even though he'd semi just met her...sort of.

Ignacious jogged back to the castle but kept a low profile. If anyone were to see him with Emma on the horse, he knew he would be in some deep trouble. He entered the castle swiftly and trying to not make a single sound. Inside, he felt a cold chill run down his spine once he heard the Spanish voice of the princess, Gabriella.

He snapped his head to her direction, seeing her eyeing him suspiciously. He could no doubt deny that she was beautiful, but something about her just did not work well with him. She approached him so carelessly that he was a little off guard. He turned to face her, slightly bowing at her presence.

"Princess Gabriella," he said. "I'm dreadfully sorry to disappoint you with my attire, but today had been such a nice day to take one of the horses out for a ride. Unfortnately, the rain caught me at a bad time."

He tried to smile, but it just wouldn't happen. Being in the presence of Gabriella just made him feel like he did when he first arrived back into England. He stood there stiffly while he avoided direct eye contact from Gabriella.

Gabriella offered Ignacious a smile as he apologized for his appearance. "I doubt I can be irritated with you for being soaked when neither of us have control over the rain." She laughed. She wanted to know who Ignacious's mystery girl was but for now she had to act as though she knew nothing of the secret girl.

"I think it would be best if we tried to get to know one another. Perhaps once you've become dry once more you can show me your home?" she asked quite innocently. Gabriella wanted to try and make things work between her and Ignacious. It would be a terribly messy business trying to get rid of him. It would be much better to have him wrapped around her finger. She dearly hoped that he wasn't too smitten with this other woman.


Emma was brushing through her hair when Chloe barged into their small shared room. Emma turned from the window to look at Chloe who looked as though she were going to explode. Before Chloe had a chance to say a word Emma held her hand up.

"Take a deep breath Chloe, or I fear you'll lose your head." The corners of her mouth held tender smiles.

The kiss Ignacious had left her with in the rain sent a chill down her spine every time she thought over it. It seemed so unlikely that things had turned over on such a quick note, and she doubted it very much, but every time she pinched herself she was only left with a red mark. This was no dream.

"A stable hand said he saw the prince kissing in the rain." Chloe hissed in a low tone on the off chance someone was listening in on the conversation.

"Oh?" Emma tried to play innocent.

"Oh? Oh! Emma you know better than that!" Chloe placed her hands on her hips. "I hate to be the rain on your parade, but consorting with the prince will get you nowhere. As beautiful as he is, you need to let him go." She scolded.

"Chloe, calm down." Emma could feel reality prying through her clasped hands. She could feel the dream slipping through her fingers as it was replaced by the cold rush of reality. "I know it's not the wisest thing. You just don't know the background we have together." She said.

"Background? That doesn't matter Emma. He's getting married in seven days. He's the heir to the English crown. You can't insist on this silly affair." Chloe whispered.

Emma's eyes flashed a bit at this. She knew Ignacious was getting married in seven days and that she had no right to his side. That didn't matter to her. For the first time in a very long time she was happy, she felt safe, and everything felt right. There was plenty of uncertainty laid out before her. That didn't bother her so much when Ignacious came to her mind.

"This is none of your business." Emma snapped at Chloe.

"None of my business? Well when you get your heart broken don't come to me for comfort." Chloe glared. It hurt her to have Emma snap at her when all she was trying to do was to protect her. Emma was far too delicate in Chloe's opinion and she didn't want to see her in pain.

"If that was all you had to say to me, than you can leave me be." Emma said coldly.

Chloe bit her tongue from giving her a snarky retort and turned her back. She left Emma alone and the moment Chloe's presence was absent Emma regretted her quick words. She knew Chloe was only trying to help her.

At Garbiella's remark, Ignacious nerviously chuckled. His eyes narrowed to the floor, seeing his poor expression in the marble flooring. He felt as if Gabriella could feed off of his negative behavior, but he tried his best to not let it show. He lifted his face to show a fake smile. Perhaps if he pretended to act normal, then perhaps she would drop the suspicion.

He was about to head for his bed chamber until he heard her suggest that he show her around. His mind blew with fury. Didn't the servants have to show guests around? Isn't that what they were paid for? He shook his head in bitterness. He turned to face her again, still forcing on that smile.

"I would be absolutely delighted to show you around," he said to her. "I shall fetch you just as soon as I am properly dressed."

He held the fake smile until he completely walked away from her. Once he knew he was out of her sight, his face fell flat. What was once a moment of compassion and warmth had turned into the same feeling just one day before. Once again, he was beginning to dislike living in England. If it weren't for Emma, he would have already decided to return to France with Jerard and screwing the marriage contract completely.

However, Ignacious would never leave Emma alone. Especially not here.

He entered his bed chamber quietly. He was in no hurry to return back to Gabriella in any way possible. He sat himself on the side of his bed, kicking his boots off from his feet. His eyes followed the mud-stained tracks, and he knew his mother would have an absolute fit once she found out about her marble floor being ruined.

He kept his head low. His thoughts were grinding deep into his brain, and he didn't know what to do at that point. He knew Gabriella was picking at him because of the supposed 'rumor' about him kissing a maiden. So far, Emma's identity had been disclosed in which he felt thrilled. If anyone were to be blamed, it may as well be him.

Though he knew he could not hide in his bed chamber forever. He stood up from the bed, gathering himself and some of his fine evening clothes from his closet. He wandered into the wash room in order to relax himself with yet another hot bath.

Ignacious dried himself off and transformed into the clean gentlemen he was before the rain storm's wrath. He looked into his mirror once more and sighed at the reflection. Sure, he did have a handsome face, but the personality behind it was what he hated most. He hated himself for even putting up with it.

"You better not keep Gabriella waiting," he said to his reflection.

With another sigh, he exited his bed chamber. He could already see the maids cleaning up the dirty tracks from which he made. He chuckled to himself at the maids who gave him glares of hatred. He could hear his mother screaming at them, telling them to hurry it up before her floors became stained. He shook his head, returning back to Gabriella.

It didn't take much effort to find her. She was still in the exact place from before, and it seemed that she hadn't moved. He arched an eyebrow a bit before pushing it out of his head. He walked over to her, offering his arm in order to be polite.

"Come," he said to her, "I shall show you around my abode."

Gabriella was extremely pleased as Ignacious agreed to show her once he was more presentable. "I await your return then." She smiled and watched him excuse himself. As soon as he had turned away from her the sweet expression she had was washed away. It irritated her to no end to think that this would take more effort than she had originally planned for.

Gabriella wandered a short distance from the hall to amuse herself while she waited. She had returned to a calm state when she heard the rumors whispered on the servant's tongue that when Ignacious had returned in the rain with his mystery maiden he had left the girl with a lingering kiss.

That information had ruined her light mood. She wanted to find the girl and rip her heart out. When Gabriella attempted to ask who the girl was, no one seemed to know. Even though she had been seen, it appeared that the rain had acted as a shield to her identity and no one had a clue as to who she was.

Gabriella was stewing inside as she continued to wander around. Somehow she had made it back to the entrance hall and stood idly for a moment only to be surprised when the prince showed up.

Ignacious looked clean and well dressed. Gabriella instantly smiled his way as he approached her and when he offered his arm she glanced away almost shyly. She accepted his arm and soon they moved forward.

"Thank you for taking this time to show me your home, though I suppose it's my home now too." She laughed. "It certainly is pleasant here." Gabriella lied. She hated it quite a bit already and was feeling the urge to leave straight away. "I wish I could say I knew much about you, but I fear I do not." She looked at him from the corner of her eye. She was trying to gauge his reaction and feelings toward her.

"Tell me about yourself." Gabriella demanded once silence had passed between them. She was rather put out that he wasn't giving her as much returned effort as she was offering up.

They had such little time to get to know one another before they were to be married. She hoped, for his sake, that he would be more inclined to meet her half way.

The feeling of her around him only made Ignacious more uncomfortable. He tried not to rub off his vibe onto the princess, but it was kind of difficult on himself. He could do nothing but deal with showing her around even if he greatly disliked it.

Gabriella's grip on his arm felt wrong. Her touch did not seem inviting as Emma's had been. In fact, he felt very uneasy being around her. Why did he feel like this though? It was as if he wanted to squirm out of her grip, but he had to contain himself. He had to make sure that nothing would spoil his time with his soon-to-be-wife.

The thought gave him a chill.

Ignacious could feel Gabriella's eyes burn into him. He knew her tricks well enough to call them out, but he knew he had to remain silent. If anything upset her, he would be facing the wrath of his parents along with the possible chance for war. If he ruined the satisfaction with Gabriella, Spain would cut off all contact with England and post them as targets - something Ignacious did not need.

He looked toward her with a smile. "Yes, this is your home now," he said. "Please treat it as you would like."

A lie to start off their already rocky relationship? That only amused him. He could tell throughout this whole marriage that both of their lives would be an eternity full of deceit. However, the marriage only brought him down. He thought about Emma's part in this marriage. He thought of her unhappiness and it just pained him.

It was then she demanded he spoke about himself. He narrowed his eyes and slightly shook his head. He hated to boast about himself because, well, there was really nothing to boast about. "Unnecessary, Princess," he said to her. "You will see soon enough."

Ignacious then said nothing about himself after that. He guided her throughout the halls of the castle, explaining everything that stood around them. His explanations were short while they toured. He tried his best to hide the monotone in his voice, but it seemed to be failing. He just did not want to be there.

Two servants passed by them. Ignacious saw both of their heads bowed, and they spoke in what seemed low whispers. However, Ignacious could somewhat make out some of the words that lingered as they passed them.

Ignacious came to a hault and whipped his head around to stare into the servants' backs. "You two!" he called out.

Both of the servants stopped in ther tracks. They both slowly turned around, their faces frozen and white with fear. Their eyes were widened with surprise as they saw their prince glare at them.

One servant pushed the other servant out in front of him. The one who was pushed out glared at the other, who backed away slowly.

Ignacious easily let go of Gabriella's arm before walking toward the fear-stricken servant. "Did I just hear you correctly?" he asked him.

"H-Hear wh-what, sir?" the servant studdered.

"Someting along the lines of 'the prince kissing a maiden.'"

Ignacious saw the servant gulped, and the prince automatically became irriated. "Let me inform you with something, you inconsiderable fools," he said with through grit teeth, "I am getting married in exactly seven days to a lovely woman. There is no absolute way I would be caught dead with a maiden!"

The servant yelped. "I-I'm sorry, s-sir."

"If I ever hear anything of this again, I will personally escort you to your execution myself!"

"YESSIR!" the servant cried.

Ignacious watched the two servants hurry themselves away from the prince. He stood up straight, straightening his poise so that it looked like he didn't flinch any emotion. He slowly turned to Gabriella, giving an apologetic smile.

He took her by the hand and placed his other hand on top of hers. "I'm terribly sorry, m'lady," he said. "Please excuse my rudness, but there is nothing that drives me insane such as false information. Shall we continue?"

Prince Ignacious's words pleased Gabriella as he told her this was her home and that she should treat it as such. She walked closer to him thinking his words as an invitation to do so. She frowned when he refused to tell her anything of himself and informed her she would find out all she needed all in due time.

That irked Gabriella as he pointed out different architectural pieces of the castle as well as the artwork. Both Ignacious and Gabriella socialized in a very high circle. The best defense is an offense, and the best offense is boasting of one's accomplishments. Humility was for the weak and peasant people. Gabriella couldn't see why Ignacious wasn't jumping at the opportunity to flaunt his knowledge and accomplishments.

Back in Spain Gabriella had had many suitors call on her despite the marriage contract. Each of them had fluffed his feathers in an attempt to impress her. She didn't understand why when nothing could be done to stop the wedding. Either way she was amused by the men and didn't refuse their doting and worshipping of her.

It simply made no sense to Gabriella that Ignacious wouldn't try to impress her. She realized that perhaps since they were already to be joined in marriage he didn't feel the need to brag over his achievements. Yet still Gabriella found she missed that as he had refused to say anything about himself.

Perhaps the simplest reason was that he had nothing that merited a bragging right. Gabriella knew that was quite silly considering just who Ignacious was. She had heard plenty about his travels and studies. Ignacious hadn't had much experience on the field of battle, though he had plenty of sparring practice, but he was a very learned man. In that day and time information and knowledge was more valuable than even gold.

The two continued their tour through the castle until they passed by two servants who were whispering in low tones and walking at a brisk pace. Gabriella felt the hair on the back of her neck curl as she heard their words. They were discussing the latest rumor that was spreading like wild fire through the castle.

Ignacious released Gabriella and approached the servants. She raised a brow but stood quietly to watch. In simple terms, Gabriella was quite impressed. She was relieved to know she wasn't going to be marrying a spineless fool. She just hoped that his spine would break underneath her power.

The poor servants looked terrified. Gabriella took great satisfaction as she watched Ignacious threaten them. She was pleased to see this side of him and merely smiled politely as he apologized for his rude behavior in front of her.

"Nonsense, such obscene and grotesque rumors should be stamped out." She said as they began to walk again.

For a short distance Gabriella thought. All rumors stem from a speck of truth. Not only that, but Ignacious had been extremely abrupt and authoritative. While she admired his actions, she doubted him.

"I wonder where such an awful lie started. I can only imagine that one of the servants started it for their own amusement. The poor creatures have such a simple life and can only look through a window into our lives. They could never understand the strain it is for us. They truly don't realize how blessed they are to not have such burdens." Gabriella's tone was very airy as though her life was quite the burden and servants had no real comprehension.

Gabriella tilted her head and flashed Ignacious a perfectly set smile. She couldn't help but feel extremely proud of herself. Everything was going well, even with the malicious rumors that could hold true despite Ignacious's denial.

"My family will be arriving the day after tomorrow for the wedding. Do you think we will see each other much before the wedding? I hate the idea of saying 'I do' to a complete stranger." She looked at him beseeching in effort for him to take the hint.

If Ignacious was spending his extra time with her than it left no room for him to go off in the shadows with his little harlot.

Deep within himself, Ignacious felt utterly terrible for verbally attacking those two servants. They were not the ones who deserved hateful words thrown at them. He was the one who was guilty for falling for his childhood friend, and he should be the one to pay for it. Though he knew he had to keep his stats low with Emma even if it meant rejection.

For the rest of the walk, Ignacious grew quiet. He was lost in his thoughts. They were mostly conissted of the dreaded wedding, Gabriella's nerve-wracking presence, and of course, Emma. He could see her beautiful face suddenly turn into sadness because of their forbidden love towards each other. The thought pained him, and he wasn't so sure how to think his way through it.

He hadn't paid much attention to Gabriella before she questioned the supposed rumor. He turned to look at her with blissful eyes. He sighed, shaking his head as if he felt pity for the foolishness of the servants.

"These servants do like to gossip," he admitted. "Anything that seems scandelous to them is ultimately the grand topic of the day. However, I assure you - no maiden was with me during my ride. The only maiden that I encountered was one of our own servants. I was only helping the poor girl learn how to saddle stallions properly for my next ride out."

Ignacious then actually felt the grin appear on her face. He half-smiled at her because of the exhaustion of faking one of his own. However, it quickly faded when she brought up the news about her Spanish family coming from Spain. During his times in France, he'd heard Jerard's father talk cruel about them. He always went on to say that England should have never allied with them over the war, but Ignacious never really understood why. Perhaps Gabriella was proven evidence.

Though he shook the thought out of his head. There was no need to bash on the Spanish. After all, they had provided England with enough guidance throughout the years. Englad obviously offered that back to them, so it would be incredibly rude to even think those thoughts. Gabriella, however, was not making it easy for him.

"I suppose we can spend time together," he sighed. "Though I do warn you, Princess, I am a busy man now that I am back in England. Things have to be done through me, but I am positive that you of all would understand."

It was a tactic to get her to take the hint that he would prefer if they did not spend much time together, but Ignacious knew better. He wanted more alone time with Emma. He wanted to discuss their future together if they were to make this love last. Though creating a plan for themselves would be increasingly difficult and stressing.

Then again, Ignacious knew he would somehow pull it all off. The only problem is how...?

Gabriella was greatly disturbed as he assured her he had been alone in his ride. She knew that was an absolute lie, though she didn't bridge the topic as it wasn't the right time nor the right circumstance to bring it up. As much as she wanted to discover the truth right away only to banish the girl who dared to ruin her plans, Gabriella had to be patient.

"Of course I understand. I merely hoped that we could find at least a little time together before we are married. I do not expect you to free up your entire schedule. My only wish is for a little time with you." She said sweetly. Gabriella could see that he wanted very little to do with her. If she had to insist on time together, than she would. So much had been put together and she wasn't going to lose it now.

There wasn't much said between the two after that. Gabriella felt that she had exhausted the topics between them that wouldn't cause any friction or possible confrontation. When they came to the end of one of the halls she turned to face him. It was late in the day and she was tired.

"Thank you Prince Ignacious for guiding me around. It was very pleasant and I enjoyed it very much. However I will insist on my retirement to my bed chambers as I am positively exhausted from my journey and this tour. I bid you good night." Gabriella was rather bossy as she wasn't leaving much room for Ignacious's opinion.

"Tomorrow then?" she smiled. Before she had even allowed him to answer her she turned away from him and walked out of his sight and headed to her bed chambers.

Once she had returned to her room she summoned a servant and informed them that she would be staying in her room for the evening to recoup her strength. Gabriella wouldn't be joining the dinner feast as she insisted on her delicate health after such a long and tiring day.


Emma had spent her afternoon alone with her chores. She was bothered that Chloe was being persistent on ignoring her. Emma didn't really blame Chloe and she rather missed the company. When she had finished her chores it was nearly time for the dinner feast. She decided to steer clear of the kitchen after her prior experience.

The day was coming to an end and Emma made her way up to one of the castle towers. It was rarely occupied and she knew she'd find solace there. On her way she overheard a conversation. She was startled by the information and felt hurt inside.

Prince Ignacious had called out one of the servants on the rumors that were floating on the air about him kissing a girl that wasn't his betrothed. Ignacious had denied it and even threatened the servant's life.

Emma knew that Ignacious was going to deny it in front of others. That part didn't bother her. She would even deny if it ever came to her that she was the one who had been seen with him. The part that pricked her heart was that he had become so angry and even threatened the servant's life. The poor servant had done nothing to deserve the threat. Why would Ignacious come about so cruel?

Once in the tower Emma rested her arms on the window sill and looked up into the night sky. The clouds had dispersed and the first star was starting to shine through the clean sky. She took in a breath and smiled at the fresh rain washed scent.

Her mind drifted back to the fact that Ignacious had spent his afternoon guiding Gabriella around the castle. Emma knew that it was to be expected of him. She was desperately wanting to find a path that would guide her to a point where she would be able to meet Ignacious at the end without grief trailing behind her.

Emma wanted to be with Ignacious more than ever. She had recovered her lost childhood friend and had even discovered a lover in him. She didn't want to let him go and knew that she was going to go down with a fight. She wasn't about to stand by without having her say. There was more between her and Ignacious than she could understand in the moment. All she knew was that she had to make things work between them somehow.

Ignacious didn't say anything back to her. He only bowed to her departure and watched her leave. He stood there for a moment, making sure she was completely gone before returning back to his own bed chambers. As he walked the halls, he spotted the two servants from before. He sent them a menacing glare, and the servants scurried away from the destination. He had been satisifed with himself to scare them, for if he didn't, he could only imagine what would happen.

He finally managed to reach to the door that lead into his bed chamber. With this upcoming feast approaching, Ignacious wanted to relieve himself from any stress that Gabriella may have put on him. From their time together, he could already tell that she did not enjoy his company. He could also sense that she didn't buy any excuse that he gave her, but he was not quick to judge.

Before he could turn the knob, he felt a strong hand grip his shoulder. Ignacious instantly turned around to come face-to-face with Jerard. He sighed, bringing his head to plant with his hand. He rubbed his eyes befoer lifting his head back up to stare at Jerard. "Do you have some sick thrill into putting fear in me?" Ignacious asked his friend.

However, Jerard did not laugh. He didn't even crack a smile. "Ignacious, we have to talk immediately."

"Over what, my good companion?"

Jerard lowered his eyes. "You know what, Ignacious."

Ignacious was taken back. Out of all the years he knew the French man, Jerard never used his full name unless he was positively angry. He saw Jerard's face harden as Ignacous sucked a small amount of air. He let Jerard drag him into a corner before checking to see if anyone was coming or not.

After everything was clear and he was sure no one would hear them, Jerard turned to face his friend. "What is all this nonsense that I hear about you with some maide?"

Ignacious groaned. "What maiden?"

"Damn it, Ignacious, I am in no mood to play any mind games with you." Ignacious could see Jerard's jaw clench. "Some of the servants were whispering that they saw you climb onto a horse with a mysterious girl. Afterwards, they saw you kiss the girl!"

"Jerard," Ignacious mentioned. He was about to tell the same story he told to the servants, but with just one look at his friend, he knew he couldn't lie to him. He had never lied to Jerard before, and he wasn't about to start now. No girl, princes or maiden, was worth it. "I admit it."

Jerard's eyes widened. "Ignacious! What the hell has gotten into you?!"

Ignacious placed his hand over Jerard's mouth. He poked his head out to see if anyone had been walking by, but the muffles of Jerard cursing in French was causing him to lose focus. He pulled his hand away from Jerard's mouth. "Quiet, Jerard, quiet!"

"Why, Ignacious, why?" Jerard spoke in a harsh, low whisper.

Ignacious narrowed his eyes. He took a large breath and crossed his arms. He knew he looked like a child who had not gotten their way, but he didn't know what to do. He looked up at Jerard with a stern expression. "It's quite the story," he told him.

"You need to explain yourself," Jerard demanded.

And so he did. Ignacious told the story of his childhood to Jerard. He mentioned about the countryside trips, the flowers, and the little girl who revealed herself to be Emma. He went on to explain that he had forgotten the promise that he made to Emma. He didn't leave out a single detail, and Jerard listened with open ears.

When he was done, Ignacious sighed once more. Jerard blinked, unable to grasp the information that his long-time friend had just told. "That sounds like some type of fairytale!" Jerard hyped.

Ignacious slightly rolled his eyes. "Don't make this harder on me that it already is, Jerard."

"Why did you not say anything, Iggstad?"

Hearing his nickname, Ignacioud was relieved. He now knew that Jerard was not so upset with him as he was before. "Like I said, I forgot," he said to him. "I'm making up for it now. Promise me, Jerard, that you won't mention any of this to a single soul."

Jerard sighed. "Fine, Iggstad," he said. "I shall not say one word, but you need to be careful. Any slip, and England will fall for it."

Ignacious responded with a firm nod. Jerard then pulled him out of the conrner while the two guided themselves to the lounging hall. The feast would be starting up soon, and Igancious's stomach fought a battle to remain sane. Over the while, he thought about Emma. Where exactly was she at this time of day?

The morning came swiftly for the occupants of the castle. Gabriella had spent her evening thinking about Ignacious's mystery woman and Emma had fallen asleep in the tower. Somehow Gabriella had uncovered the truth as to who the girl was. When she learned that the harlot was merely a servant it perplexed her. It made no sense in her mind that Ignacious would consort himself with someone so completely below him.

There were two things that mattered in the world, or at least the world Gabriella cared about. Money and power. This servant girl, Emma, had neither of them. She wondered if the girl was some great beauty to have tempted the prince, but upon calling the girl she saw nothing special about her.

When Emma had been called to Princess Gabriella's chambers, she was quite confused. Why would Gabriella call for her? Emma entered into the bedroom and curtsied. She felt extremely uncomfortable as Gabriella stood and circled her like a hawk honing in on its prey. Emma felt as though she were a piece of display and Gabriella was thinking of the best way to take her apart.

"Milady?" Emma craned her neck as Gabriella continued to circle.

Gabriella had Emma come to her so that she could squelch out the nonsense and notions of love Emma believed she might have. What she didn't expect was to find the mark of a princess of the girl.

The moment Gabriella's eyes laid upon the birth mark that was low on her neck, she felt a deep chill run through her body. The servant girl obviously had a Spanish heritage even though her English was perfect. The birthmark on her neck was the same as the lost princess's.

When Princess Rosa was born, her parents had been worried about the mark on her neck. They consulted several physicians about it. There was nothing wrong with Rosa. They were told that it was good luck and a gift from god. The mark had the faintest inclination of a small bird in flight.

An old witch doctor told the king and queen of Spain that it meant their daughter was destined to do more with her life than they would ever have thought. The doctor had also said that the baby girl's spirit was fiercely independent and they shouldn't expect to hold onto her as she yearned to fly.

The birth mark was unmistakable. Gabriella narrowed her eyes and felt her toes curl in anger. This servant girl was completely ignorant as to who she was. She also had to gall to steal away the heart of the prince who would have been hers in the first place.

Gabriella couldn't stand the thought of everything falling apart when the end result was almost on her tongue. She had spent her life plotting and planning with her father. She had the chance and fortune to become a great queen. She wasn't about to give that up because this silly servant had unknowingly stumbled upon her birthright.

"I'm going to say this once, so listen carefully." Gabriella stood in front of Emma and looked her directly in the eye. Emma looked extremely unnerved to see such an angry princess. She didn't understand what she might have done to get on the ill side of Princess Gabriella.

"I don't know what lies you spun in Prince Ignacious's head, nor do I know why he's even bothered himself with you." She took a menacing step towards Emma. "You are going to stop whatever foolishness there is between you."

"Princess, I'm not sure-" Emma began in an attempt to explain herself.

"Don't you dare play dumb with me girl." Gabriella hissed. "He took you out to the country yesterday, and he left you with a lingering kiss. He's a fool to do so, and so I'm stopping this now. I'm marrying him in a few short days, and you will be scarce." Gabriella threatened.

"And what gives you the right?" Emma forgot her place as she defended herself.

"The right? Perhaps the fact that war will be the result if there is no marriage between us. Do you not realize this? Europe is fraying at the seams and our union will reinforce the threading. If you're in the way, then Ignacious might be tempted to find an alternative to neutralize the union and take you instead." Gabriella narrowed her eyes.

"But you are nothing more than a spoiled pig." Emma had lost all respect for Gabriella at this point and felt no need to show submission to her. "Why should I even listen to you when you hold no power over me." Emma said.

"Because if you don't destroy all the hope Ignacious holds in his heart for you and any silly notion of the nonexistent future between you, I'll make sure you lose something close to you." Gabriella's voice dropped as her words dripped with ice.

Emma glared at Gabriella and straightened to her full height which was still not quite tall enough to meet Gabriella in the eye.

"How could you possibly threaten to take away what I hold dear when I have been left with nothing in this world?" for once Emma was grateful to the meager and unfair life she had had. This grateful attitude about her was crushed by Gabriella's final threat.

"Not even Ignacious? You underestimated me servant girl," Gabriella stood closely to Emma and whispered in her ear. "While you may love the prince, I do not, and it won't break my heart to see his death unfold before me." She stepped back. "If you do not push him away, than I'll take him away from you. I've done worse, and you best remember that." Gabriella took in a breath before giving Emma a sickly sweet smile. "Now go away, I need to get ready as I will be meeting my betrothed later today and I must look my best for him."

Emma was motionless as though the wind had been knocked out of her. She was struggling to wrap her mind around Gabriella's words. She wanted to doubt the sincerity, but she had seen the honesty in her eyes. Gabriella's threat would hold true if Emma didn't rise up to the demands.

The castle seemed eerily quiet as Emma had walked away from Gabriella's quarters. The task that had been left to her was weighing heavily on her heart. She had finally had Ignacious returned to her only to lose him again. The worst part of the situation was that she was going to have to push him much further away than he had been before.

The tears had risen to her eyes and her throat felt tight. The day before was blissful and had left her truly happy. She had snatched a glimmer of a future where she didn't die an old spinster as Beth had. The future that had passed through her fingers was a happy one.

All her life she had felt the injustice's of the world. Now that she was losing her long lost love so recently discovered, the pain was nothing in comparison. She hadn't known that she had loved Ignacious ever since their time in the country until he had returned to her. Even when she didn't remember how she had known him she had known he was important in some way to her.

To have to give that up was to murder a part of her. She was killing the part inside of her that still held onto a small shred of hope that the world wasn't a completely terrible place.

Emma hadn't realized how quickly the morning had walked right passed her until a passing servant reminded her that everyone was to receive their assignments for the wedding preparations. Emma wiped away the unshed tears in her eyes and quickly ran off to find her superior.

She had come to realize something that morning as she walked around rather dazed. If she didn't come face to face with Ignacious then she wouldn't have to hurt them both. It seemed like a smart plan. All she had to do was avoid him and he would be safe from both the sting of her words and the prick of Gabriella's blade.

Emma's eyes lit up as she spotted Chloe who was helping to weave flowers together into a garland. She needed Chloe more than ever but as she approached, Chloe deliberately turned away from her. An icy hand gripped her stomach and she felt the full force of Chloe's cold shoulder.

"Chloe, can I please speak with you?" Emma felt her voice waver.

"No Emma, I'm busy, so please leave me to my work." Chloe refused to look her in the eye.

"This is important," Emma whispered.

"Then why don't you go tell your new companion?" the look that Chloe shot Emma stopped her to stone.

Emma knew that she wouldn't get anything from Chloe other than her abrasive manner. It broke her heart and she turned away quickly only to receive her assignment. Emma was to report to the head gardener to help clean up the grounds. At least outside she wouldn't have to worry about being bothered by others.

The evening from the day before came and went in a flash. Just outside his bed chamber's window, birds were happily chirping as if the rain didn't disturb them. Sunlight poked through the glass, hitting the prince's face. His brows quenched together while his eyes flickered open. His vision was a bit blurry and his head ached a little. Slowly, he pushed himself up from his bed and leaned against his head-post. He examined the room carefully, unwilling to even determine why his vision was so poor and why his head was semi-pounding.

Ignacious squinted from the sunlight. He shielded his eyes from the rays as he stood up from the bed. He groggily walked over to pull the curtains before his foot came in contact with something hard on his floor. He jumped back, analyzing what appeared to be a large lump that was covered by a royal purple blanket. He carefully squatted to get a better view of what exactly was laying in his floor. He hesitated for a moment or two before quickly pulling the blanket off this mysterious object.

However, it wasn't an object. It was a passed out Jerard.

Ignacious jumped back, falling onto his rear. His heart was beating rapidly, and his breath was shortening. What in God's name was Jerard doing in his room? Is the poor man dead? Though one of his questions had been answered whenever he saw the French man stir. He scooted away from him, never taking his eyes off the man.

Jerard slowly rolled over onto his back, and Ignacious could see his eyes flutter open. Jerard then lifted his head from the floor to glance around the room. When he was satisfied, his head hit the floorboard. Ignacious could hear him chuckle, which then followed by a loud cackle.

"Jerard," Ignacious hissed, "what the hell are you doing in here?"

Grunting and groaning, Jerard managed to stand. He stretched while multiple loud cracks and pops could be heard. "I do believe that a little too much brandy last night, Iggstad," Jerard responded with a yawn. "Ma tête me fait mal..."

"...and why did we end up in my bed chamber?"

Jerard shrugged. "You tell me, monsieur. "

Ignacious shook his head from the ache that the liquor gave him. "Well, you need to leave. Otherwise, those servants are going to go on to say that I'm fancying you now."

Jerard chuckled. "Why, Iggstad, to have you as a suitor would be a pleasure."

The prince grimaced as he pointed at the door. "Out, you ballistic French man!"

He watched Jerard leave and heard the man chuckling more. He shut the door after him, trying to regain the memories from the night before. Bringing his hands to his eyes, he remembered his drunken furies in France. Most of them would lead to being in the company of French whores, but he knew that would just defy him. He had to remain the man that Emma knew. There was absolutely no way she would find out of his experienced past.

No more liquor for you.

After stripping from his clothing, Ignacious threw on a morning outfit and exited his bed chamber. He kept quiet just incase the Spanish princess would be lurking the halls. He prayed that no servant was roaming about, and it seemd as if his prayers were answered. As he walked down the halls, not a single soul could be hear besides the slight pounding of his boots.

His headache didn't clear. He brought his head down to his hand a couple of more times before finally entering the grand hall. It clicked when he saw most of the servants working there.

It truly disgusted him.

He could see them weaving flowers and creating costure backdrops. He slightly sighed, shaking his head at everything he saw. His eyes scanned the room, and he was satisfied he didn't see Gabriella nor his parents. However, his eyes did fall on Chloe, and the look on her face told him not to meddle. It was none of his buisness.

The grand hall was far too much. Watching things unfold only made his headache grow worse. He hurried out of the room, exiting the castle entirely. From the front of the castle, he crained his neck to check if anyone in particular had been working out there (or if Gabriella had been roaming about the garden).

When he didn't see anyone, he walked out unto the garden. He saw many more servants and serfs doing their earthly assignments, and it disgusted him even more. Sighing heavily, he managed to walk passed them. Keeping his hands behind his back, he inspected each and every one of them.

"Prince Ignacious," one of servant girls bowed. "It's such a pleasure for you to grace this garden this morning!"

Ignacious turned toward the girl. She had blonde hair that was slightly up with a few strands hanging down to her shoulders. Her face was a bit narrow with busted blue eyes. For other men, they would have thought the girl attractive, but Ignacious had seen better-looking women in French whore houses.

He smirked, bowing at her words. "The pleasure is actually all mine."

At the sound of his soothing, deep voice, the girl curtsied and walked away from him. As he turned back the other way, he could hear her squeal with more female servants. He groaned as he walked away from the girls. He thought them immature and made a mental note to never attract such a group of females again...if he could that is.

He roamed the gardens for a while, nodding at the gardeners who did their job. It wasn't until a dark-haired beauty caught his eye. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his face when he saw her face. He was about to run up and hug her before he remembered his strict warning from Jerard. He had to keep this professional and unsuspectable as possible, or it would be in the grave for England.

Ignacious slowly strolled to where Emma was standing. He stopped in front of her, stiffly bowing at her presence. "Em-...miss," he said to her, "would you mind describing what your assignment is for me?"

He stared directly into her eyes, his face was flat and cold. It pained him to show such bitterness, but what else could he do? There would be no affection whatsoever towards her, but he did get satisfaction when he could feel the blonde-haired girl stare at Emma in envy.

The mid morning sun was warm and gentle as it kissed upon the castle grounds. Emma had been outside for only a short time when she heard some of the other servant girl's giggling. She ignored them as she didn't want to hear any more about Ignacious and his mystery lover.

It sickened Emma deep in her stomach as her mind went over Gabriella's words over and over. She had to crush Ignacious in order to save his life. The Spanish princess was truly and monster and it grieved Emma her sudden plight.

Being so lost in her thoughts she hadn't noticed the considerable change in the atmosphere nor was she paying any mind to her task until she had pricked her finger on a rose. She gasped and watched as the blood oozed from her finger and dripped onto one of the petals.

Emma lifted her finger to her mouth and sucked on the wound in an attempt to stop the pain from the prick. She hissed and shook her hand a little until she sighed and stared at her finger. It was hardly noticeable as the bleeding had stopped but she was still very much aware of the pain.

Having been so occupied with her pricked finger and the red roses she was supposed to be picking for the floral arrangements; Emma had not noticed when Ignacious had approached her. When his voice stiffly broke the air Emma dropped her basket of roses and the shears she had been using to cut them.

Her dark eyes widened in surprise and for a moment her heart skipped a beat as she saw him. She began to smile only to have it turn upside down as Gabriella's words echoed in the forefront of her mind.

"Your highness," she mumbled and curtsied rather awkwardly. She bent down to pick up the basket and the scattered roses. She straightened and looked at Ignacious. Emma didn't even attempt to mask the pain that was lodged deeply in her eyes. She didn't want to be there with him because it meant she had to lie to him. She also was aware that there were more then one pair of eyes upon her.

"I am cutting roses for your wedding, your highness, and forgive me for being curt but I must deliver them now." She curtsied again before turning and walking quickly away from him. If she could keep herself from him, or at least in a public eye there would be no opportunity for them to interact.

Emma had been a little stung with his cold and indifferent manner even though she knew it was crucial. Ignacious had to hold his image and needed to deny the accusations that had fallen his way. She understood this, and knowing what she had to do she had no claim to be hurt, but she feared greatly the outcome if something went wrong.

Gabriella was a monster and had left Ignacious's fate in her hands. It terrified Emma as she had never been so responsible for another's life before. She was nearly petrified by the thought of taking the accidental wrong turn and making Ignacious pay for it.

Emma's reaction was to be expected, but something didn't feel right. He knew she had to be the poor servant who was addressed, but something did not settle well. In the corner of his eye, he saw most of the servants busy with flower-picking. He felt a small sense of relief when no one was watching - except for the flirtacious servant girl and her giggling companions.

However, he felt a pang of sadness whenever he watched her leave. His eyes followed her, but they darted away ocne he remembered that the public eye could be watching. He turned toward her backside and and coughed.

"Miss," his stern voice growled, "why haven't you tended to my room? The sheets are an absolute mess. Instead of picking roses and admiring about your prince charming, why don't you do your job?"

A few servants heard Ignacious barking and snapped their heads to watch the event unfold. The flirty girl's mouth went slack, and her friends immediately stopped giggling. He could not see the others' faces, but he could feel their sympathy eyes burn into his back.

That was when he turned to see them staring back at him. His face ultimately went firm. "What are you all staring at?" he barked once more.

The rest of them scurried back to what they were doing. He glared at the girls with brows clenched together. They ran off, pulling each other for support. He turned back to face Emma once more. He could already see her stiffening, and if she wasn't, then he was surely surprised.

"I expect my room to be spotless when I check, miss," he growled.

Inside, Ignacious was cursing at himself. His anger was something he did not intend to be put on her, but it was the only way for the rumors to stop. It was the only way for Gabriella to ignore the pestering of his "mysterious lover." If hurting Emma's feelings meant both of their safety, then he would cause her more pain.

Even if it killed him.

Emma had wanted to escape from Ignacious as quickly as she could manage without looking too strange. The only difficulty was that he had signaled her to stop by a ridiculous cough before he berated her for not attending to his room. Emma stood stiffly and clenched the handle of the basket in her hand.

She knew it had to be done, but she hadn't imagined him to sound so superior and cruel. She turned slowly and bowed her head apologetically. Hearing him sounding so harsh to the other servants caused her heart to sink lowly. She had expected him to bark at her and was prepared to accept it. Emma hadn't expected him to turn so harshly on the innocent bystanders.

It was a crushing feeling inside to see him lash out. She knew that wasn't who he was and she felt her heart bleed for him. Gabriella was the plague that was causing this nastiness in the air. Emma didn't doubt that, if given the chance, Ignacious would rise to the occasion and become a great and just king. Letting Gabriella swoop in to marry him was securing that Ignacious would never reach his full potential.

"I'm sorry your highness, forgive me for my laziness," her words were stiff and she refused to look him in the eye. Despite knowing the necessity that required them to be indifferent, Emma was unable to stop the anger from kindling inside of her.

"I assure you that I will tend to your room immediately and I shall not let it slip by unnoticed again." She didn't mask her emotions from him in the split second she caught his eye.

Emma could still feel the prying eyes even though they had concealed themselves at this point. They were quite afraid of Ignacious and Emma wished they weren't. She knew Ignacious to be a kind and gentle man. Even though he was an older version of the young prince she had once known, Emma still knew him. The day before was proof that his heart was as large as it had been when they were kids. The only difference was that this more matured heart had faint scars.

The whispers that followed Emma went unheeded by her as she moved back to the castle. Even though seeing Ignacious had been less than pleasant she was grateful for the stiff interaction. She hadn't hurt him yet and even though there had been pain in the air it wasn't caused by her. Emma relished in that thought as she delivered the roses to Chloe and the other servants tasked with the garlands and arrangements.

Emma spoke to no one as she went to Ignacious's room. Once there she immediately went about airing the covers and making up the bed so there wasn't a wrinkle upon them. The tips of her fingers lingered over his pillow as the pain gripped at her stomach once more.

"Do you hate me? Is that it?" Emma looked up at the ceiling of the large room. "What did I ever do to deserve so much grief at every turn?" she spat bitterly into the air before she turned to open up the drapes and the windows of his room. It was a beautiful day and she felt that the fresh air would be good in the room.

Emma stopped as she spotted his desk and the vase of forget-me-nots. It hadn't been moved since she had placed it there a few days prior. The flowers were drooping and some had fallen. She felt like those flowers were just as her relationship with Ignacious. A beautiful thing, but dying.

For a moment she stood there and fingered the fragile flowers as they broke in her hand. It was unfair, and Emma hated Gabriella for what she would have to do. No matter how much Emma was prepared to avoid Ignacious, she knew it wouldn't last forever. His appearance in the gardens was proof of that.

As she walked away, Ignacious had full intentions of following her, but he knew he had to lay low. He inspected those same servants while they worked. He had to stall time but not too much time. The sevants that were working all went stiff whenever he would walk by. In his mind, he replayed what just occured.

He thought words could never hurt, but he felt Emma's pain sting. He didn't know what came over him. Why had he gotten so angry? The bitterness in his voice came off so harsh, why did he direct it towards Emma and the rest of the bystanders?

Then he thought of Gabriella. He thought of his social status. He made sure he'd stick with the pact of being this cruel prince. It cured everyone's minds of the rumors, and it also got him out of the public eye watch. Perhaps the gossipers would talk about how cruel he acted. Maybe then the mysterious lover topic would disappear.

After he was done inspecting the servants for the sixth time, Ignacious dismissed himself. He hurried himself into the castle, hoping Emma would still be in his room. When he entered the grand hall, he slowed his pace. A few servants eyed him when he walked in, but he ignored their eyes.

He gave a firm nod to all of them, and they went back to their work. He made his exit out of the hall into the main hallways. He kept a close eye incase Gabriella came roaming about, but he was confident.

He reached his door, which had been slightly opened. He barged inside, quickly shutting the door behind him. His heart was beating so fast, he felt that it would thrust out of his chest. His heart almost broke when he saw Emma standing there over the dying flowers. His face fell soft as he pushed himself from the door.

Slowly, he walked to the windows, pulling the drapes closed. Darkness then filled the room. It was a depressing enviornment, but what more could he do? He turned to look at her with sadness in his eyes.

"I never meant to hurt you," he whispered. "Being so cruel to you, to the rest of them."