Apollo

Chapter Nine

A/N Eep—hey everyone! I'm so sorry that this is so late!! Either way, I hope you enjoy whatever's left with the weekend with this chapter of Apollo!

EMMELINE'S TROUBLED EXPRESSION HAD NOT LEFT HER FACE FOR DAYS now. Alexander had asked about it several times in private, but she had only shaken her head softly and offered a sad smile with an unconvincing promise that she was just fine. Queen Sarah, on the other hand, had also noticed her uncharacteristic gloom, but had elected not to make enquiries until her daughter-in-law was ready to speak of it on her own accord.

On one Wednesday afternoon, however, she could take it no longer, and, with a frown upon her face, finally asked, "Is something the matter, dearest? You know you can tell us if anything at all is wrong."

"Oh, no, nothing is wrong," she lied, mustering a half-hearted smile as an attempt at providing some kind of evidence. "You—You must be mistaken, Sarah. I... I am only tired – there is nothing else. I apologise if it seemed otherwise."

But Queen Sarah saw through this immediately, and a sceptical raise of the monarch's eyebrows was all it took for the truth to come tumbling out of her mouth.

"It's my brother," she confessed. "He has his heart set on marrying this atrocious woman – Lady Victoria Arden of Westchester. She is the most terrible creature I have ever met: she is rude, she is arrogant, and she hungers for my brother's money and fame. She seems not to understand what love is, or value it very much at all, and thinks of her match as naught but a possibility for herself!"

"Oh, I know her kind," the queen replied with a knowing smile. "I am not quite fond of them myself."

"What should I do, Sarah?—Emmett refuses to listen," she said. "I was unkind to the lass when I met her, and now he wants me to issue a public apology so that he can win her favour again."

"Oh, dear." The older woman sighed. "Would you like me to retract the Ardens' invitation to the boys' welcome party?"

Her smile was resigned as she dismissed the offer with a gentle shake of her head. "No, no. That would probably be unwise. I do not wish to incur...unnecessary political ramifications over a family affair."

"You are being very sensible, my dear, thank you for being so considerate." Sarah paused for a brief moment, before a sly smile crept onto her face, an impish light coming into her aged eyes. "Very well, Emmeline, listen closely. This is what we will do..."

***

THE WEEKS WHIZZED BY, AND SOIRÉE PREPARATIONS SIGNIFIED THAT ST James' Palace, along with the rest of the capital and the homes of the noble and royal-blooded across the land, was a flurry of activity, every pair of hands busy making things perfect for the welcoming home of the three princes to the capital. Maids and servants of the palace were cleaning and decorating, and seamstresses were drowning in fabrics as they wove dress after dress and jacket after jacket for all the partygoers in the land. Attendees spent their time at fittings and primping themselves for the event, all eager to put their best faces forward in the presence of the complete noble family – now equipped with a recently throne-ready Crown Prince and his new wife.

The Queen and her daughter-in-law were no exception. They experimented with various creams and serums, Sarah enjoying the fulfilment of having a daughter to fuss over and Emmeline delighting in the experience of feeling the love of a mother once again. The royal tailors had designed them fine dresses for the evening, and they spent hours each day standing for fittings. The five men of the palace, of course, were not spared from Sarah's wrath, and were constantly in appointments with the tailors as well, having new jackets, shirts and pants prepared for the ball.