The Cursed Throne

Emmeline took a deep breath and glanced to her side. It'd been years since she and her brother had been separated. Other than when they slept, they were hardly ever apart. To be out in town without him almost seemed like a betrayal, but she had promised Henry she'd go into town and buy him a special pastry from the bakery. Henry had been forced to stay in for his lesson, however, her tutor, a young woman she called Miss Rose, had decided to let the young girl have a break seeing as she worked fairly hard during most days. It was the first day in weeks that it hadn't rained, which directly correlated to the number of people in the town square-- a lot. Emmy kept her head down, trying to go unseen. Strictly speaking, she was allowed to be in the town, as long as she didn't leave the kingdom. But the one thing she wasn't allowed to do was go to town without protection, and that was precisely the adventure Emmy had picked for the day.

Her dress dragged along the cobblestone. She would have picked it up so as not to ruin it, however she had her basket with her, not to mention she was trying to cover her face with her shawl.

Upon entering the bakery, the baker's son Louis looked up, immediately recognizing the young princess. She'd never tell anyone, but Emmeline had an incredibly deep rooted crush on Louis Handler. She knew it was crazy however, so she seldom thought about it except for when she went to the bakery, and on the rare occasion that she was left on her own for too long.

Louis smiled, wiping his flour covered hands on his apron. "Good day Princess." He bowed, not a low bow --Louis knew Emmy wouldn't like it if he bowed too low-- but a bow that showed respect. Emmy smiled, shaking her head.

"Good day Louis. Have you any hot cross buns?" Louis nodded, turning around and preparing a bag.

"How many would you like, Miss?"

"I'll take five, please." Emmy glanced around the bakery, desperately hoping that one of her siblings could be near to alleviate the horrible feeling she felt in her stomach. She supposed it was just a feeling given when you were around someone you liked quite a bit seeing as she only got it around Louis. Never the less, she wanted it gone. It didn't sit right with her. Louis handed her her buns, and with a smile and a wave, Emmeline left, the ring of the bell above head sounding in her ears.

Upon exiting the shop, Emmeline was met with a whole flustered crowd of people. Angry looking people-- frightened looking people. She wished she could speak up to calm everyone down, but her father would be much too angry with her if she was found in town without a guard on her side. Feeling useless, Emmy tried to hurry on her way. She was almost out of town square; almost away from all the shouting people, when she saw a small child. She was covered in rags, curled in a ball, sobbing loudly. No one payed a single mind to her, too caught up in the commotion happening in front of them. Emmy glanced up the path, trying to guess how long it would take her to get home if she stopped. There was a dinner she absolutely had to attend later that night, but it wasn't until the end of the day.

From the moment she saw the child, her mind had been made up. She rushed over to the crying girl, kneeling next to her.

"Hello," Emmy greeted, showing off a soft smile. The little girl didn't reply. Emmy started over. "What is your name?"

"Niathina," she mumbled quietly.

"After the queen." Emmeline nodded. "My name is... Emmeline. After the princess." The child didn't respond. "Why are you crying?"

"I am hungry!" Niathina sobbed. Emmy sighed, placing her hand on the child's shoulder, and then pulling her into a hug. She focused on a warm home, a smiling mother and a kitten curled up on the windowsill. The mother handed out a piece of bread. Instinctively, Niathina moved away from Emmeline, holding out her hand for the bread. Emmy watched as a calm look over took Niathina's face-- something of her own doing. Emmy handed her a bun, smiling as the child ran off. Until she bit into it, she would think it was bread given to her by a kind mother. Emmy liked things that way.

As soon as she arrived back at the castle, she immediately was met with a flurry of excitement. Maids cleaning, cooks running around, castle personnel bustling about. Emmeline hurried to her room where Henry sat and waited.

"Look what I've brought!" Emmy exclaimed, grinning as she flung herself onto the bed in a carefree manner.

"Watch yourself!" laughed Henry, patting down his sister's dress. Emmy watched as her brother scarfed down his bun. She could feel his beam of happiness, which in turn, made her happy. "When are you going to get ready for the feast?" Henry wondered.

"A few moments. I was just going to get the others their buns before they aren't so... cold." Emmeline and Henry grinned at each other.

"Sounds like a good plan. I'll get to my room." With a smile, Henry rolled off the bed and walked to his room, which was only across the hall from Emmy's.

Emmy started off with walking down the hall to Ada's room, peeking her head through the slightly open door. She watched as her sister hastily shoved a glove onto one of her hands before she decided to knock.

"Adaline! I've brought you a bun from the bakery!" Emmy exclaimed with enthusiasm. She always felt as though it was her duty to bring joy to her younger sister, considering the fact that she was burdened with seeing the most unhappiest of events from a person's life. Ada held out a newly covered hand, and in it Emmeline dropped a still warm bun.

"Thank you Emmy," Ada spoke quietly, but her tone conveyed gratitude.

"Always." Emmy smiled, and turned from the bedroom door, but stopped a moment and looked back at her sister. "Ada, whatever happened, you can tell me, if you want." Ada nodded, which Emmy took as her sign to leave.

When she got to Genevieve's room, Emmeline saw her sister trying to decide which dress to wear.
"I think that one." Emmy nodded at the dress on the right. Genevieve looked back, smiling.

"That's what I was thinking." She draped the dresses over a chair and walked over to the door where Emmy stood patiently. "What brings you here?" she asked.

"I've brought you a bun from the bakery. It's still warm." Genevieve smiled and thanked her sister. "It wasn't a problem. I think I'll leave you to getting ready now. I just have to fine Theodore, then I can get ready myself!"

Finding Theodore was no easy task. Emmeline looked in every nook and cranny she could think of. She went to his room, the library, the kitchen. Her eldest brother was no where to be seen. She was almost going to just eat his bun and get ready when she walked by the war chamber and heard the hearty voice of her father. Pausing, she put her ear close to the door, trying to hear what was being said.

"--We must strike preemptively. War is imminent. It's all about who strikes first. They will attack us if we don't attack them first." Emmy's eyes widened at the information she heard.

"Yes, yes," agreed her father, making the young princess gasp in surprise. The mere thought of war terrified her. Without waiting to hear anything more, Emmeline ran as fast as her legs would carry her. About half way back to her room, Emmy slammed into another body. She scooped up her skirt and went into a deep curtsy, apologizing profusely. Two hands steadied her, pulling her up from her bow to a straight standing position.

"Oh! Theodore!" Emmeline joyfully threw her arms around her elder brother, letting him feel all the stress and fear she felt about what she had just learned.

"Emmeline. What's happened?" Theodore asked, looking down at his trembling sister.

"It's father! I overheard him talking to the generals. We're going to war, Theodore," Emmy murmured, pulling back.

"I see." At once Emmy knew that Theodore was going to talk to the king. Looking down, she handed her brother the last bun.

"Got this for you. Please don't do anything... dangerous." With one more glance at her brother, Emmeline fled to her room to prepare for the dinner.