before it all

02

"YOU must be careful, Emilia. He has an absolutely horrid reputation with women." Greer warned Emilia as they entered the ballroom. The young princess had told her friends of her encounter with the famous Lord, and Greer was very quick to remind her to remain cautious.

"Greer, I know what l'm doing. I promise I won't let it go too far. He found Scotty for me. Besides, he's nice to look at," Emilia smiled, nodding at some of the other guests at the wedding.

"Alright, just take care." The older girl smiled, patting her friend's shoulder. "Did you hear? Lola's boy from Aberdeen followed her here."

"Oh, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for her." Emilia walked towards her curly-haired friend, Greer following in suit.

Greer and Lola spent a moment talking about Colin, while Emilia locked eyes with Antony from across the room.

She looked away quickly when her sister came over, suggesting they all take off their shoes and dance. They all agreed, removing their heels and forming a circle in the middle of the room.

Emilia and her sister linked arms twirling and laughing.

Then she danced with Aylee, teasing her friend about her lack of skill.

For a moment Emilia was the center of attention, her skirts flowing around her ankles as she spun around the room.

She paused for an instant, meeting eyes with a pair of gorgeous blue eyes, belonging to the Lord Antony.

She was distracted when feathers fell from the air, situating themselves on her hair and dress. It looked like it was snowing, and the scene reminded her of the pillow fights she would have with Mary, Francis, and his sister Claude when they were young.

"Look," Kenna caught the attention of her friends.

"Elisabeth and Philip are leaving. It's time for the consummation. The ritual, the ceremony, the mystery. Let's go!" Kenna dragged Mary away, and Emilia dragged Aylee while Lola and Greer followed closely.

They went into a back room, and just by moving some curtains, they were able to watch the ceremony. First the maids removed Elisabeth's dress, then Philip moved her to the bed. Aylee couldn't bear to watch it, and frankly neither could Emilia, it felt too intrusive.

She was terrified of what the consummation at her own wedding would be like, old strange men watching her as she became intimate with whoever her new husband would be.

Emilia wanted it to be special, but as a royal, her happiest moments belonged to the rest of the world.

Emilia chose to rush up a staircase, pausing to remove her heels. As she turned another corner, she ran into someone, falling on top of them and landing on the carpeted palace floor.

"This is the second time today that something like this has happened to me," Emilia sighed as her eyes fell upon her victim's face. His hands were wrapped around her waist, his face inches from hers. She gasped when she realized who she was laying on top of. "Francis!"

Emilia quickly stood up, backing away from her sister's fiance awkwardly.

"It's quite alright, Emmy. I had been thinking that we hadn't greeted one another properly earlier, perhaps this gives us a chance to try again." He used the nickname he'd given her as a child. He smiled, bending down and picking up Emilia's shoes. "You still don't like wearing shoes?"

"No, Francis, I do not. Believe me, I think they are very beautiful, and I do like to look at them and shop for them, but it's the part where I have to wear them all day that I can't seem to manage."