"Secrets, Lies, and Blessings" (A SwanFire FanFic)

Chapter XII

~Thirteen and a half months ago~

Today was Emma's birthday and she was now officially a seventeen-year-old young lady and because of the events and castle festivities of the day, she was exhausted. She didn't know why her parents always threw her a party each year; interacting with the royals and nobles from the surrounding kingdoms while putting on a polite and happy smile was not really her idea of fun. However, out of respect for her parents, (more so her mother... she was pretty sure her father secretly felt the same as she did about royal festivities - he was just better at doing the whole concealment thing than she was) she pretended that she loved it. Regardless of her emotional masquerade though, the event always left her feeling both physically and mentally drained. To think that she'd be the next queen someday! And if she couldn't handle this, then... she quickly shook the terrifying thought from her mind. However, as exhausted as she felt, she was not going to let that ruin this night's special plan, one which she was genuinely looking forward to, for it meant seeing Baelfire again.

Emma's waiting lady entered her room that night expecting to help her ready for bed but instead, there was Emma standing in front of her mirror looking like she was getting herself all freshened up. Emma knew that she wasn't fooled and knew that she disapproved immediately.

Emma ignored her waiting lady's disapproving stare. "Ah! Eleanor! Help me straighten up my hair, would you?" She was trying (and failing) to gather her hair into an elegant but also casual half-up do -- poor Emma... she was good at many things but sadly, doing her own hair wasn't one of them and she needed help with it every time -- even with the simplest of dos like this one. Eleanor ambled over to Emma and fixed her hair to how she wanted it -- rather effortlessly Emma noticed, feeling a twinge of envy. "And to answer your unspoken question," she answered impatiently, "yes, I am going somewhere." She glanced in the mirror to see if Eleanor would react with a face. She didn't, much to Emma's surprise. Instead, she uttered a quiet sigh as she finished the last details in her mistress' hair. "Going to see Baelfire I presume?"

"Yes!" Emma smiled happily as she spun around. "We're due to meet any minute now." She paused briefly to smooth out her dress. "Do I look okay?"

Eleanor did a once-over with her eyes. "You look very pretty..." she assured.

Emma blushed and smiled. "Thanks..."

"You're going to be careful, right?"

Emma gave her a side-long glance of disdain as she went for her cloak. "I always am, aren't I?"

Eleanor shot her a sort of motherly look of skepticism. "You know what I mean."

"Oh," Emma rolled her eyes. "You're not my mother and you don't have to worry about me, Eleanor."

**********

As she reached the forest, she was surprised to see Baelfire waiting for her so close to the castle grounds -- she hoped that he'd stay just inside the forest to lessen his chances of being seen. "Bae!" she wrapped her arms around his neck as she greeted him. "What are you doing this close to the castle?"

"Waiting for you of course! Happy birthday, Em!" He bent to kiss her but she gently pushed him away.

"Well, I know that, but practically on the grounds?!" she brushed an imaginary object off of his tunic before she looked back up at him. "One of Daddy's guards could have seen you..."

"But they didn't..." he leaned in to kiss her again and this time, Emma let him.

"Alright," she said as she returned his kiss. "I'll let it go I guess, as long as you're more careful next time."