Emilie of the Royal Heart

Chapter 2: The Countess Is Down to Cuck

"You've come back!" the Countess explained, grabbing unladylike fistfuls of her dress as she leapt from her seat to the door that Emilie clung to in her daze.

Emilie feared she might tackle her, but Countess Analeigh slowed before her. Her brows drew in above her long, narrow nose. She gently placed a hand on Emilie's shoulder. Even Emilie thought she might shatter.

"I thought for a moment that he might take you away," the Countess breathed. She assessed Emilie's visage and general demeanor. "Are you well? Has he hurt you? What transpired while you were gone?"

Emilie swallowed, pressing her hand to her abdomen as if this could stop her whole world from rocking like the bow of a ship fighting the sea.

"I have to sit," she whispered.

The Countess offered her hand and Emilie took it. Together, they walked over to the couch. Once Emilie sat down, Countess Analeigh came to sit next to her. She removed her lace gloves and set them on the table. She turned to Emilie and brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"He..." Emilie began, but then she could not get the rest off her tongue. She glanced over at Countess Analeigh with an apology on her lips, but couldn't speak it either.

The Countess smiled tenderly at her, a pink glow warming her tawny white face. She patted Emilie's hand and a piece of blonde hair escaped from her coiffure.

"We..."

"Take your time," she assured her.

Emilie gave a small nod. Her eyes roamed the pretty tea room with its panels of pinned butterflies on the walls next to the lustrous greenery draped about the windows.

The voice that came out of her mouth did not quite feel like hers, but it got the job done because Emilie heard herself say, "I am to be married."

Countess Analeigh pursed her lips like she had kissed a lemon. She cleared her throat and leaned in closer to Emilie. Emilie's heart leapt at her proximity and she turned her face to fan away the blush she felt coursing under her skin.

"The Prince has arranged a marriage for you?" Countess Analeigh breathed, "for what reason? You're living under my house!"

"It's not..." she didn't know how to go about believing the truth herself, let alone telling the Countess that they would have to be parted.

"What kind of garish lord has he placed you with?" Countess Analeigh hissed, surely preparing to burst through the Prince's doors herself to dispute his actions, "he so likes to take my joys away from me, but I shall not have it this time. There's no reason you can't reside with me, if we have to be bond under law, then-"

"I am to marry Prince Aurora."

The Countess looked like she'd seen a bird of prey swipe a baby goat from the grounds in front of her home. She turned her shoulders square to Emilie and rested her hands on her skirts.

"You're engaged to the Prince? He asked you to marry him and you..." her bosom rose and fell with heavy breaths unable to support the words she could not seem to add at the end.

"He didn't exactly ask."

The Countess scowled, "he's such a horrid man. I will have a word with him. He can't simply take the hand of a virtuous lady such as yourself without receiving your answer to his proposal!"

She rose from the sofa and Emilie squealed, reached out and grabbing onto Countess Analeigh's arm and tugging her back.

"Please don't make a fuss, Countess. I would feel much worse if your reputation and standing was ruined to talk him out of something he won't relent on anyway."