Emerelda was pacing back and forth waiting for Emmett. She refuses to head towards the carriage that sat ahead of her lonely. She kept glancing waiting for him to step out of the large double doors. She also was feeling uneasy like the fear o
Alas, after waiting for five minutes she thought to give up when a hooded person came out of the doors. At first she thought it was Emmett as they walk with their head high, and carry pride, until the person neared and their step were light, their height way shorter then Emmett.
They were looking down, hurriedly walking away from the manor. Emerelda frowns. She never had seen this person in the meeting. Did they live here? They walked out of the gates and towards her. Emerelda stood tense. They walked past her, the side profile shown. One grey eye looked over at her and looked away uninterested. Emerelda wasn't sure how to react. She didn't even have time to listen to their thoughts as they walked farther away. She watched as they walked alone at the center of the empty road.
"Princess," Emmett calls behind her.
She turns and Emmett was wearing the clothing he had before he changed into the butler's suit and tie. She wondered how he had a chance to change but didn't say anything to it. He was here, and that was what mattered.
Something was wrong. It felt as if Emerelda's world shifted. Where the moon was day and the sun was night. The air felt heavy, and Emmet's presence didn't make anything better. He had increased the uneasiness.
"Shall we?" Emmett questions with a smile.
It was the feeling when watching a glass fall to death and shards. Sometimes you can save it, sometimes you wouldn't, all in that; you never know the outcome of it.
"What took you too long?" Emerelda heard herself asking.
"I was looking for you." He lied.
He was with someone. More specifically he was with the hooded man who walked past her.
"Oh."
Emmett took her hand and they walked towards the carriage, the black stallions obediently waiting. Emmett opened the carriage door, looked down at her and frowned, "Is something the matter?"
Emerelda shook her head and didn't say a word. She got in the carriage, and Emmett closed the door behind her.
What on earth was Emmett Jackson thinking?
Days After
"No." He replied.
Emerelda glares at him, "No? Now you can't act as if you're in charge of me. I wasn't asking permission Emmett, I was informing you."
Emmett drops the paper on the table, "And I was responding back to you. I would not be working with Luther Thomas. Not at all." He said with a cold glare.
Emerelda rolled her eyes, "Quit acting dramatic, Emmet. And start thinking critically. We must take every given opportunity to-"
"Stop it!" He yelled. Emerelda flinched, and he saw it. His hard golden eyes soften for a brief moment, a brief moment until he blinked and Emerelda thought perhaps she was seeing things.
"Don't act as if everything is alright Emerelda, please stop." He said, almost exhausted. His accent was now stronger, pouring even deeper that he was indeed an origin from great England.
Emerelda frowns, "I don't…" she didn't finish, she knew exactly what he meant.
"A whole week of silent, you can't look at me at my eyes, all you want to do is read through the books in the room, avoiding me. I see you, in your eyes. You're trying to find a way out of here. Trying to-"
"Emmett, stop." She whispers looking away from him, "Not now."
"I had to-"
"I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!" She yells. She was looking at him, really looking. And underneath all the shock she saw a real Emmett. Emmett who had no choice of his own, but is tied and told what to do with no way out.
He raised his eyebrows, "Why not? You hate me. You seem disgusted to even sit next to me."
She wasn't able to look at his eyes, "I don't want to know because if you want to keep it from me at important matters, then so be it. If you're toying me, then so be it, if you don't trust me…then so be it."
"I trust you, understand everything I do is in order for this whole thing to go correctly. For you to be safe. For us to get to your goal."
Emerelda stood up, the chair scrapping behind her. "So you say. You could at least have mentioned you were going to wipe the whole group members."
Emmett looks out the window, his reflection solemn. "It goes deeper…why I have done it that is."
"I see." She turns, "I'll be off."
Before she got to open the door, Emmett asks behind, "I can't stop you, can I?"
"Don't ask me that ridiculous question when you know the answer, Emmett." She said. She opened the door and let it slam shut behind her. The early morning breeze fans her face with a soft flowery smell mix with the sweet musky smell of the forest.
The meadow was slowly moving with the breeze back and forth gently. Almost lazily. The sun was high, causing the whole scene in front of her to glow. The soft trail that led from the doorstep ended a few steps ahead. The grass was long, wild flowers of all kind stretched high and tall. Almost proudly. Her hand that was dropped by her side was able to touch the soft petals, and she touched them. She stops walking. Right in front of her was a marigold. She was almost close on stepping on it. She stared at as it was open wide, it's angle almost trying to reach for the sun, the single flower was large, petals stretching outwards. The color was in between a yellow and orange, not settling between the two. Like gold and a burning red set together with no choice.
Marigold.
How ironic.
Luther Thomas was reading his favorite book once again in the garden. He spent the morning indoors, trying to understand everything that had happened a week ago. It seemed as if that Wednesday evening was a blur. No one suspected the outcomes, and no one thought bloodshed would have been the end once the sun fell and the moon rose. Of course, only one knew what was to come in the Manor of his Father.
Above it all however, he wouldn't stop thinking of her. She wasn't a maid that was for sure. He would have remembered a beautiful face as hers. When he had met her, she was bold, daring, and quick with her thinking. She was also petite. She looked as if she could break if one didn't touch her softly. She had the pride of a noble, and an attitude of modesty. Her hair was a fiery color and her eyes were soft dark emeralds.
Who was she? Why was she there? Did she work with the one who slay the whole Judas Group? Why her hair was cut short, cut in a way it was almost in a hurry? Would she come back to him?
She seemed convinced that she would be the one to come to him. He wouldn't lie he waited, until a week past and he thought it was ridiculous. She was gone, and that was that. And even if she ever did come back, she would come for her needs. Luther saw it on her face; a set goal, determined to accomplish it. He saw in her large eyes that if Luther was going to be an object in her way, she would not hesitate to remove him.
It was almost fearful and yet admiring.
Luther was probably barmy.
As if heaven was listening, Mr. Smith bent down, murmured the words he waited for a whole week, and turned on his back when Luther nodded confounded. He sat on the bench staring at the forest trees ahead; the small pond, a shimmering blue, with reflections of the trees. He didn't dare turn even when he felt the presences of them, and didn't dare let himself look as if he was in total dismay.
When she arrived, he looked up. Her radiant dress was what he saw first. It was blue, made from a shiny silk fabric, hugging on her waist. The skirt was huge, with sliver trim, little bows and ruffs, lining the dress from the waist down. The sleeves of the gown were long, tighten at the forearm, lose and breezy at where her wrist were shown. She had her red hair hanging lose above her shoulders, her eyes nearly identical to green grass around them. She smiles warmly.
Luther's heart fluttered a beat.
"Hello." She greets, and with the same accent everyone in Garlin carries. It was a mix of British and Scottish together. Not a too thick accent, but somewhat there making the people of Garlin sound older than the outside world.
"Hullo." He greets back. And whatever had possessed him at that moment, he almost didn't regret it, he stood up, took her hand and kissed the top of it, "You came." He whispers.
When he looked up she was looking down with a small smile, "Indeed I did."
Luther waved an arm to the bench, "Have a sit."
She went around him and gracefully sat on the bench, every single move of hers soft and steady. Luther, at the end of the bench, sat down. And it wasn't long until the silence washed over them. None of them said a word not looked at each other, until she said staring ahead; "Lovely day." She comments, as if they were old friends trying to find a way to start the unspoken topic none of them wanted to proceed on.
"Perfect day for a picnic," Luther replies back with the same light tone.
"Were you reading something? Your book fell." Luther forgot all about his book, he looked down and right between their feet was his book, the spine of it facing upwards and the delicate pages crushed against the grass. He picked it up with an "Oh." and checked for any damage.
"What were you reading?" She questions gently, her eyes went to the title and she smiled, "Ah, Oliver Twist."
Luther smiles, "Oh, one of my favorites."
Her smiles grew, and something sparked in her eyes, "Mine as well."
"The story, it means a lot to me. I find the words of Charles Dickson very captivating." Luther said.
She nods, a little excited in fact, "The story is beautiful, might have read this book more than an ordinary person!"
"This is my tenth time! I carry it almost wherever I go."
She stuck out a hand, and Luther gently gave her the book. She flipped through it, her eyes moving back and forth while reading some parts as she flipped through. The sun was shining bright, at the distance the birds were chirping, the wild life insects sang, and the breeze lazily blew past them. Some strands of hers lifted. Her full pink lips parted as she was stuck in the world of Oliver Twist.
"It's been awhile since I read." She whispers. Then, after coming out of a suppose dream, she close the book shut and gave it back to Luther, "Perhaps in the future, we might have time to indulge ourselves in a conversation of books we read throughout our life."
Luther smiles, "That would be wonderful."
She gave one last smile before turning back to the scene ahead and suddenly everything around them went quiet. A cloud went over the sun, the birds stopped chirping, the insects went into a silent mute, and the breeze suddenly got colder.
"I'm here for a reason, Luther. You haven't recognized me, most likely because you were raised in England."
"How do you know my name?" Luther asked, ""How do you know me?"
"I don't know you," she said almost coldly, "I only know what you think. I am Princess Emerelda, heir to the Garlin throne, and gifted with the gift of Hearing Thoughts."
She might as well have slapped him.
Luther was a fool, how could he have not realized?
"You... are Princess Emerelda?" he heard himself murmuring.
He was told that the Princess was a beautiful thing, gifted with a rare gift. The papers of Garlin said she ran away, but the rumors broke when the king announced that she was out of Garlin. Clearly, the King lied. Or…she did run off.
"Yes, I am. I left my humble comfort living in order to find the Midnight Assassin. However…I now realize that finding the Midnight Assassin shouldn't be my top priorities." Luther looks at her, she glared at the pond with hate, "I realize there is much more then my brother getting killed."
"You want to end everything." Luther said.
She nods, "I thought I was selfish, but I see now I care too deeply for those around me." She looks at him, "Besides, my brother wouldn't want this. He wouldn't want me to focus what is in my circle, but to expand."
Luther shifted on the bench, "The midnight assassin is in fact working under the Judas Group, they have no idea who their prey is and they do what they must. Father says they are kids who were given a second chance in life, and this is their second chance. Killing them won't end anything. You would kill the most skillful assassin's yes, but there would be others sent after if they fall."
Emerelda's green eyes looked unsurprised by the information he gave, "That is correct. I'm sure you also know the reason why I am here."
"You need an ally within the source. Even though I play no part, my father and I know more than anyone else."
"No." Emerelda replied.
"No?" Luther frowns.
"No. The reason I am here is because of the truth I have discovered."
Luther raised his eyebrows, "What truth?"
"Emmett Jackson, I'm sure you have heard of him."
Luther nods, "His now quite popular."
"I didn't tell him, but I found out more in his current thoughts. He made a partnership with Mr. Leonard, the one who seems like the head of the Judas group. What makes no sense however is why Mr. Leonard sent Emmett to kill them all. He could have sent the Midnight Assassins; there wouldn't be anyone to tell the truth as they all died. I figured, there was much more to it, a compromise between them."
Luther was starting to understand, "Emmett and Mr. Leonard had a deal…although my father and Niko are alive."
"Niko's father wasn't able to attend the meeting. I'm not sure how he isn't involve in the mass murders, but that is an important fact. It seems as if Mr. Leonard kept Mr. Thomas, and Niko's father for a reason. It seems as if he was cleaning the group."
Luther was wondering how an outsider had figured this much while Luther, whose Father talks greatly about everything to him, was now finding this information out. Emerelda was far from a Princess, she was far more than intelligent, and she didn't even realized.
"How do you know about Emmett?" he asks.
She looks away, "Emmett and I were working with one another to find the Midnight Assassin."
"Were?"
"He broke the requirements of working with one another, I see now Emmett is doing this for his own favor and doing this for his own good. It's hard to understand what Emmet is thinking and what he intends. He is…as much as I don't want to admit, he is too smart. His mind is far and beyond then what is happening right now."
Luther crossed his arms, "Emmett was a silent one, always observing and thinking and understanding. When he sprang into action, well, that scared everyone and made many people concerned. After his Parents death, it is believed that he want to seek revenge. He might, he would, but how is the real question."
"Emmett has his own agenda, something I don't know and would never understand. There is more to this all then the Midnight Assassin." She looked back at him, her eyes unreadable, "What is it that makes you hate the Midnight Assassins?"
He made a face, "I have no hate towards the Midnight Assassin, its Mr. Leonard that I despise. He killed many people in the name of Garlin's future."
"Garlin's future is in the hands of my Father. I don't think even he knows what to do next with this city." She said.
Something clicked in Luther's mind, and he soon understood her main reason, "Why are you really here?"
"The future of Garlin is in the wrong hands. Emmett is having his own agenda. All the Judas members are dead except for two. The Midnight Assassin's are nothing more but a figure name over two young adults trying to survive. Deaths have risen in the city this past month, and it is not the way the Midnight Assassin usually kills. Something wrong is going on, something that needs to be answered. And the only people who would know is Mr. Leonard and Emmett."
Luther felt a chill down his back, "They are working together, however Emmett won't say anything because of Mr. Leonard. That is why you are here, you want me to take you to him."