Emilie of the Royal Heart

Chapter 40: The Princess-to-Be and the Small Talk

 "Good morning, Sir Tobberty, Sir Tiago, Sir Pinpot Sweebellum!" Emilie chirped, plunging herself into the midst of danger and hoping it was the best way through.

"I say, I say, good morning, Lady Emilie," Sir Tobberty narrowed his beedy little eyes at her as he slowed to a stop, the entire entourage of Keepers coming to a standstill behind him. He licked his lips and lifted his cane to jab at the air as he pointed to the dress crumbled up in Emilie's arms, "what's that there, my lady?"

Emilie sucked in a breath and hid the dress behind her back, "oh, nothing! It's a... it's an underlayer from my personal wardrobe. I was visiting the Tailor to take it back, since he was using it as a reference."

"Such interesting fabric for something that will never be seen," Tiago mused.

Emilie was about to slap him when Pinpot Sweebellum spoke up in her airy, dizzying voice, "Lady Emilie, how do you fair with your fiance? The Prince has been very busy. We don't get to see you two together anymore."

"Really? We're together frequently, I should say," Emilie shrugged, "I believe it was two nights ago that we actually..." she looked down and drew as much sheepishness as would fit into her features, "we fell asleep together in his study. We were reading together and I suppose we drifted off. I told Rory later, if we had been reading Fellen Law, I would've stayed awake!"

To her immense relief, that got a few chuckles from the Keepers in the back.

"If you enjoy the law so much, I must ask you what you think of obligation?" Tiago postulated, "some countries allow their rulers to have many lingering obligations outside of their duty. Do you know what Fellen says about it?"

"Of course," Emilie returned without missing a beat, "Fellen says the sovereign can only be compelled to fulfill the obligation of their station. They can have no loyalties to other institutions, they must be above persuasion by code of any other group or collection of ideals other than that of Fellen itself."

"I believe that was verbatim from the Constitution of the Throne and Office!" Pinpot Sweebellum gushed.

"I do read the law, Sir Pinpot Sweebellum," Emilie squinted at the middle-aged woman.

"We are glad to hear you have a full understanding of the rules in Fellen," Tiago spoke up, making Emilie sick. It was all she could do to keep the disgust off her face. "that being said, we know you come from a different land... but you have no lingering obligations there, do you? Of course not, my lady, isn't that so? Because you have demonstrated a clear knowledge of the codes regarding the Throne and Office, which means you must understand that if you have a persisting connection with any institution from your homeland, you will be penalized for attempting to ascend to the office of Princess. But, I suppose, as a formality... for the record..." he snapped his fingers and someone from the back raced up by his side, pen and paper at the ready as Tiago posed to her, "do you have any lingering connections in Zuhia?"

Emilie didn't know yet what Tiago was setting up, but she knew it was a trap. There was no way out of this one, however. The entirety of the Keepers of Tradition were hanging upon her answer.

She didn't have any lingering obligations. She didn't. Did she?

No, of course not. Her family were all dead now and any land and real estate they owned was burned down by the nomads. Emilie had no debt to her father's logging employers. When the fires and the nomads came, she was living in the Temple of Nolais outside of the forest. And that temple was burned down. Everything she knew was gone, so how could she possibly have any attachments or lingering obligations in Zuhia?

"No, I have no lingering connections in Zuhia," she answered at last, unable to figure out a response that would evade the statement Tiago was drawing from her.

"You are aware of our Prince's condition?" Sir Tobberty huffed off-topic.

"Huh?" Emilie breathed, then sparked herself back to life, "oh, yes. I know a little of it. The Prince himself told me some and the Emperor graciously explained other parts of it."

"Are you very close with the Emperor?" Pinpot Sweebellum pondered.

"We're becoming close," Emilie offered in a stilted voice, "he is going to be family, after all."

"How strange that our good and noble Emperor has remained unmarried this long," Tiago threw into the conversation like cannonball, "don't you think, Lady Emilie? He is rather handsome - and younger than your dearest. Perhaps one of your courtiers friends will make a fine match for him someday. What about the Countess Analeigh? You are quite close with her, are you not? Wouldn't she and the Emperor make a splendid couple? You could set them up!"

Emilie's blood boiled and the worst part is that she didn't know on whose behalf. She hated the way Tiago was parading Elias around to mock her, to goad her into anger. She hated the way he talked about her past relationship with Analeigh, as if he knew anything about the sincerity in which they made their home together. In all honesty, Elias and Analeigh might make a good couple, but Emilie would rather gouge her eyes out than imagine personally introducing them, watching them get along famously, and then sit on the sidelines as they said their vows to one another. She might be able to do it one day, but certainly not before she saw either of them again.

"Perhaps," she managed without vomiting. She was rather proud of herself for keeping the revulsion inside. It was quite the accomplishment. "In any case... I think his imperial majesty has his eye on someone."

"Does he!?" Pinpot Sweebellum gasped.

"Who do you think that might be?" Tiago smirked at her, "come now, won't you tell us a secret? We're the Keepers of Tradition. We're very good at keeping secrets."

"I couldn't, of course. And it -it was just a feeling. It may be completely false," Emilie aggressively backed away from her statement.

"You should avoid telling such falsehoods if you intend to become our Princess," Tobberty grumbled at her.

"Of course. I will do my best to become everything Fellen requires!"

"She seems a little too eager to me for someone marrying into the Throne for love," Pinpot Sweebellum scrunched up her nose and folded her arms across her chest.

"Y-you misunderst-st-stand me," Emilie faltered, "I'm only so eager to do what must be done because I am Rory's perfect match!" she swore, sucking in another breath to plead her case, "I am the Princess who reads just as much as your Prince and whose favorite spot to meet is his favorite spot to meet - in the study or the library. I am eager to know the law and such other important things because that's the kind of woman your Prince would fall in love with."

"She does have a way with words," Pinpot Sweebellum muttered into one of Tobberty's comical large ears.

"That may be for the worse," Tiago asserted.

Oh, how she wished to strangle him with the priestess uniform he planted in her wardrobe. Emilie was far more poised than this, however. She stood tall and did not attack him even once. What a feat!

"We must attend to more important matters than conversing with Princesses-to-Be's in the hallway," Sir Tobberty announced.

Emilie wanted to agree that she had much more important matters to attend to than conversing with Keepers-of-Tradition, but didn't feel it would go over well, so she kept it to herself.

She curtsied to them, "good day, Sir Tobberty, Sir Tiago, Sir Pinpot Sweebellum, and Keepers."

"Good day, Lady Emilie," Tobberty bowed his head as he passed, his congregation trailing behind him. Tiago lagged behind to look Emilie in the eyes.

"If I were in your position, I would spend a little less time at the Tailor's and a little more time trying to beg for the Prince's forgiveness when I reveal who you truly are."

"Sir Tiago..." her voice withered.

She wanted to threaten him back or to pretend like his plotting and his comments didn't affect her, but she couldn't cough out a single word in retaliation. Tiago laughed smugly to himself. He gave her a half-bow.

"Good day, my lady."