"A pleasure, Princess Madeline. Wonderful to see you all again, though I could never imagine the grief you must feel at the Kings passing. My deepest condolences to the family and grieving country of Sevaviel. "
Emmaline wanted to cringe hearing the condolences from Luras, but knew he was only following protocol, it still made her feel sick to the stomach, she wanted to say there was no need for anymore sympathy, but decided as she knew Luras was doing that she also didn’t want to face the wrath of her mother and potentially the wrath of his parents, as she had witnessed it once before and had been careful ever since.
Taking a breath before she spoke to stop herself from crying which she knew she was close to, Emmaline mustered the best little smile she could. ”Thank you for your condolences” Was all Emmaline could manage to say, she silently wondered if she should have said more as Luras lead them into the castle.
Emmaline knew exactly where they were and where they were going, Luras called it the company room, which always made Emmaline laugh, but they would always sit in there and catch up whenever Emmaline would visit. She took up her usual seat beside Luras watching as the servants began working at Luras’ order for tea and cookies, though if Emmaline was being honest she wasn’t really in the mood for tea or cookies, she smoothed the fabric of her black gown, a nervous habit of hers, to stop herself from doing it again she held her hands firmly in her lap.
“Your Grace?” The servant asked for what must have been the fifth time. Emmaline looked at her. ”Yes? I’m sorry my mind was elsewhere.” Emmaline apologized with another smile this time very forced. The servant nodded understandingly and asked again. ”Would you like tea, Your Grace?” Emmaline debated whether to have it or not, deciding she didn’t want to raise eyebrows and get asked questions later on she took the Tea with a please and thank you but avoided eating anything to prevent herself from being sick later, another occurrence that seemed to be becoming normal since her Father's passing.
Emmaline turned slightly in her seat so that she could look at Luras, he looked the same, a little older perhaps, but the same rather boyish mess for hair and blue eyes. ”How have you been Luras?” Emmaline asked softly, low enough that only he would hear her; the smile on her face as she spoke to him a rather genuine one. Luras usually kept her up to date in his letters but she always enjoyed talking to him face to face more than writing letters.
Emmaline also thought that she wasn't able to express in a letter how stressed she had become with being tossed onto the throne without a lot of notice, she didn't think she was ready but she couldn't admit that to anyone, she wasn't even technically of age, she had just turned seventeen. She also knew she couldn't express in a letter how much pain she was in due to her Fathers passing, and she knew if anyone would see through the ever faltering mask that she was perfectly fine and handling her Fathers death well it would be Luras, he seemed to have learned all of her tricks and excuses over the years.
Though she tended to be happiest around Luras, the only person she was genuinely herself in front of was him, she trusted him, and over the years had truly fallen for him, something she knew was a rare occurrence with arranged marriages, but she hoped he had fallen for her as well. Emmaline still knew there was a chance for a Mistress, Luras was strikingly handsome, but Emmaline liked to believe he wasn't like that. Despite their engagement though, girls still flirted with him a few times in Emmaline's presence, she laughed after saying that they weren't as discreet as they thought they were being, while Luras was free to have a mistress if he chose to Emmaline was bound to him for life as soon as they were married, she didn't want anyone else anyways, nor would she take that chance, it could cost her the ultimate price, her life.
Emmaline shifted slightly pushing the thought away, they were going to be happy, she told herself like she did all the time to keep her hopes up that they would be.