before it all

04

THE guardsmen spent the whole night searching the castle, attempting to find the person that had broken into Emilia's room.

Antony had taken the shaken princess to her sister's chambers, where she was finally able to fall asleep.

Emilia's eyelids fluttered, allowing the bright light from outside to awaken her. Her hair was all over the place, lines from the sheets imprinted on her arms and face.
"Good morning, dear sister," Mary smiled. She was always the morning person of the two. "How are you feeling?" She'd been sitting at the bay window, sipping out of a porcelain cup painted with flowers. At the sight of her sister, she stood and moved closer.

Emilia sat up slowly, her tangled hair falling over her shoulders. "Better, although I'm beginning to think neither of us should sleep alone, ever again. It seems to be one thing after another these days. So much for protection from the French Crown," She blew hair from her face.

"You're cross I can see, is it too early for you?" Mary quipped at her sister, pouring her a cup of tea, stirring three teaspoons of sugar in, and bringing it over to the bed.

The Princess sat with her arms crossed, adjusting so her legs folded beneath her. "Yes, I am. We've hardly been here a week and already both of our chambers have been broken into? You were nearly raped, Mary, and my entire room was destroyed. I feel that we are not safe here," Emilia reluctantly took the tea, sipping it slowly. "And yes, it is also too early for me."

"Better that you wake on your own rather than at Greer's hand, you know she has no patience for your morning personality." The sisters giggled.

"Oh, Emmy! Your hair looks absolutely dreadful! If anyone at French Court saw you like this, it'd be the end of us all!" Emilia imitated their friend playfully, and they both burst out into fits of laughter.

The doors of Mary's chamber swung open and Greer entered quickly, Aylee, Kenna, and Lola close behind.

"What are you two laughing about?" Greer inquired, looking at the princess with an expression that seemed as though she'd smelt something terrible. "Emmy, your hair looks terrible!"

The pair of sisters laughed again, desperately trying to contain their giggles when Greer's eyes narrowed at them. "I'm serious, you two! Especially you, Emilia, don't think I haven't seen you wandering around barefoot again. This is French Court! We must look presentable,"

Emilia rose from the bed and approached Mary's vanity, setting down her teacup and picking up a hairbrush. The youngest Stuart handed Greer the brush, and it made her day.

The girls chatted and ate their breakfast together, Greer finishing up on Emilia's hair, Kenna starting on her makeup. A servant brought the princess a gown from her chambers, seeing as she was still too afraid to enter them.

The doors of Mary's chambers swung open once again, and Queen Catherine and her husband entered with grave expressions painted across their faces. Each of the girls looked at one another with confusion, and they all came to sit on the bench in Mary's room.

"Oh, my sweet Emilia." Catherine approached the princess, cupping her face with her hands. "How are you feeling, amore?"

The Princess pressed her lips into a thin line, her delicate hands resting over the Queen's. "Better, now I'm only confused, have you found out what happened?"

"Well, not quite. We do have news though, which might be related to the intrusion in your chambers, as well as your sister's. Colin is alive." Catherine's hands lowered, and she moved to stand next to her husband.

"Colin's alive?" Mary gasped, standing next to her sister. A breath of relief blew past her lips, she brought a fisted hand to her heart.

Henry folded his hands behind his back. "Alive and escaped, I'm afraid," The king spoke, his voice echoing through the room.