Lovers End

Chapter Three: Part Two

Behind the bar counter, he located the empty barrels. Fortunately, the empty ones were easy to carry to the back of the stables, but the ale-filled barrels proved to be quite heavy. Despite the challenge, he grunted through the task, not allowing its difficulty to deter him. Franklin was sharpened his sword, while his old armor, gleaming like new after a night of meticulous polishing, hung from the rafters. Initially, he paid no attention to Emeric's entrance, but the sound of shifting barrels drew his gaze away from the blade.

Despite Emeric's persistent efforts over the past three weeks to win Franklin's favor, it had made little impact on his heart. However, Franklin couldn't deny that Emeric possessed a strength and determination worthy of a king, much like his father before him. Sheathing his sword and hanging it alongside the polished armor, Franklin gazed up at the display. He felt prepared for the upcoming hunt; Aurora's concerns notwithstanding. The prospect of a break from tavern life, appealed to him, even if the king had other plans for their discussions.

He replaced the empty barrels with full ones, ensuring each was in its proper place. Glancing over, he noticed Franklin observing him with a skeptical eye from the corner of the room. A moment of tense silence passed before Emeric spoke. "All this time, I thought you disliked me without reason, questioning if I had wronged you or mistreated your loved ones. I despised you for your judgment of me, but now I see. I see why you're so protective of her, more so than any other father," Emeric began to explain.

"Despised... hm?" Franklin looked away, contemplating that notion with a smirk. Emeric's courage in saying that intrigued him. "All of this... the assistance, your father conveniently inviting me on this hunt. It won't change my answer. Now you're just giving the girl false hope." Franklin returned his gaze to Emeric, his resolve unwavering as always. Emeric's eyes narrowed even more at Franklin's unyielding stance. He recognized Franklin as a humble, good man—respectful and honorable. However, when it concerned Aurora, Franklin's stubbornness knew no bounds.

"I'm not giving her false hope; I'm offering her the path to becoming the Queen she is meant to be," he declared, fixing his gaze on Franklin with fierce determination. "We share a love, and with a heart as golden as hers, she would excel as a Queen. I would be honored to call her my wife," he stated, moving closer. This time, Emeric wasn't going to retreat as he did before. "Why deny her the birthright she deserves?" he questioned sternly.

"I am not giving her false hope because, Sir Cooke, loving her is an undeniable certainty." Franklin refrained from interrupting, absorbing Emeric's words as he leaned against the bar. It appeared that Emeric might not be fully aware of the truth, or he skillfully concealed that knowledge. However, behind Emeric's eyes, Franklin discerned nothing but sincerity. Once Emeric concluded, Franklin shook his head.

"She doesn't understand what love is. She's still a child, whether either of you acknowledges it or not. She's not ready... surely you can see that," Franklin expressed, devoid of malice in his tone this time. He sighed, picking up a cloth he had left on the bar."Take your leave, Prince. She has no more tasks for you today." Emeric's gaze followed Franklin's hand as it lifted the cloth from the counter. "If she genuinely isn't prepared, I'll be patient, no matter how long it takes," he asserted with determination, snatching his gloves from the counter.

"I only discovered her royal lineage last week, and she remains unaware of mine. We have no other reason to be as in love as we are...maybe - just maybe there's some truth to it." Emeric said before exiting the tavern. Exhaling as the cold air brushed against his skin, Emeric held a sincere hope that his father would somehow reach out to him. Franklin observed as Emeric departed, an uneasy sensation gnawed at his stomach. Aurora was of royal blood, and he feared that duty might consume her if faced with it, robbing her of the dreams she harbored for a life beyond castle walls.

Meanwhile, Aurora completed her tasks with the horses, securing them in their stalls and locking everything up. The creak of the tavern door drew her attention, and peering out from the stables, she saw Emeric looking a bit stressed. Bending down Aurora scooped up snow into her hands, molding it into a ball. Franklin, had moved to the taverns window, contemplating calling her inside but opted instead to silently observe as she would playfully hurl a snowball out of sight. Emeric pulled on his gloves to fight the winter chill.

Emerics mind couldn't help but wander, he knew that being Queen was a burden, as was being a King but there wasn't anything that him and Aurora couldn't face together right? Still, Franklin put a doubt into his mind. What if Aurora didn't want to be Queen? As these thoughts swirled in his head, a sudden impact against the back of his head shattered his contemplation. "Ow!" he yelped, rubbing the spot where the cold projectile had struck. Glancing back, he could tell it was Aurora by the sound of her laughter as she darted away. Revenge sparked in Emeric's mind, and he warned her playfully, "You're asking for it, darling."

Aurora, knowing Emeric was exaggerating with his big 'Ow' called out "You big baby!" She laughed as she dodged his throw. Zigzagging her movements, she challenged him, "If you can catch me!" With a swift motion of her hand, a gust of wind gathered snow, creating a titlewave wall of it behind her. Hiding, she formed more snowballs. Emeric, undeterred, chased after her. However, when a gust of wind blew against him, he collided with the snow wall, nearly stumbling.

"Ah!" he groaned "You used magic! That's not fair!" He called out unfazed, he turned the wall into a fortress, crafting more snowballs to retaliate. Watching the playful scene from the window, Franklin couldn't help but laugh, a crack appearing in his stern demeanor. Emeric's ability to bring joy to Aurora was undeniable. Franklin sighed, turning away as more patrons entered the tavern.

By the end of their snowfight, a lively group had formed, with both children and adults aligning themselves with either Emeric or Aurora. It marked a delightful conclusion to the day, leaving Aurora's body chilled but her heart warmed with joy. Emeric hadn't anticipated a crowd to join their playful snow battle, but it didn't bother him.. Amidst the chaos of the early winter, they found something enjoyable to do, a lovely change to the solemn faces the villagers had most days. Covered in snow by the end of it, Emeric spotted Aurora in the crowd of laughing people. He resisted the urge to use his magic against her. Instead, he tackled her from behind, savoring her heavenly giggle as he held her in his arms. He whispered, "Tomorrow... by the lake...."

Later that night, Emeric roamed around the castles library while maids made last adjustment for Jorahs armor. Emerics fingers traced the spines of books along the shelves. "I'll wear him down, son, don't you worry," Jorah assured with a smile. Emeric approached his father as he was standing still for the maid, "I'm sure you will, Father," he replied gently. "I hope you know how grateful I am for this... for your support."

Jorah looked at him with a small smile "Your happiness means a lot to me, son. You're going to make a great king one day, and you'll need a great queen. Whether Sir Cooke gives his blessing or not, you are worthy of her, I'm proud of the man you've become," Jorah spoke softly meaning every word. Touched by his father's words, Emeric embraced Jorah tightly disrupting the maids work"Thank you, Father." Jorah hugged his son back not caring that the maid had to wait, it wasn't often he had these moments with his son so he treasured it completely.

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