Becoming Royalty

Chapter Two

    I  was overjoyed when another Lord- I'm not sure which- captured his attention. But even as His Majesty looked away his hand found mine that was sitting in my lap. His strong fingers stroked mine  and when I didn't return the gesture he simply curled his hand tightly around mine.

    Luci and I danced a few times, but no more then necessary, because I could always feel King Braxton's eyes on me.

    "Head up sister," Myles murmured. Myles was not like Gabriel, Myles was ambitious. He would do anything to have an honest place here at court.

    "But everyone is staring. You can hear their whispers already."

    "Yes, and they will continue whispering. They will call you a whore and much worse, but you must always remember that if roles were reversed they would throw her daughter- or sister into the fire. You as a women are a pawn sister. nothing more then something to be bargained with." He said. Myles wasn't cruel, not really. He was honest and forward. My youngest brother never sugar-coated anything.

    "And that is what you're doing to me? Throwing me into the fire? You're my brother. My protector. You always kept me safe before-"

    "The King of England wants you. Why can you not be happy for that like any other woman?"

    "You forget, brother, I may be a virgin, but I've never been naive." The song ended, perfectly allowing me to walk away from my brother with my head held high- or at least I should have been.

    "The family ambition comes first. Above everything, even above your own reputation."

   "When did you become so cold, Myles? When did you become like our uncle?" Myles flinched at that as if I'd slapped him.

    "I became like this when I realized what the world is really like, when I realized that as the youngest son I have to make my own way. I will not have anything handed to me the way Gabriel will. What I want, I will have to fight for."

    "What about what I want?" I asked quietly.

    "You're a woman. What more could you want then a husband and when the time comes children?"

    I shook my head in disbelief, "I want so much more!" I hadn't realized that my voice raised and I'd once again captured every ones attention. I jerked my wrists from my brother's hold and turned away. Needing to cry and refusing to allow my self to have an audience while I did so.

***

    In my room I allowed myself to break down. I only had a few moments until I heard a nock on my door, I pressed my face into the pillows, silencing my crying. Not wanting to see my father, or god forbid, my uncle... and for the first time in my life, I also found myself praying it wasn't Myles.

    "Emily?" Gabriel's voice came through the door. "Emily, I'm coming in, all right?" He must have taken my silence as an answer because he pulled me up into his arms like he'd done so many years before when I'd cried for being scolded, or hit.

    "Don't change Gabriel. Don't become like Myles." I begged, my sobs hiccuping.

    "I won't ever change, Em." He promised, kissing the top of my head. "We'll always be this." He tightened his hold around me. "And Myles still loves you." I shook my head.

    "No, not like he used to. I saw it in his eyes. Nothing matters more to him then besting you. Nothing."

    Gabriel never replied to that, and I felt the bitter painful realization that my brothers may become enemies. That the alliance, Gabriel, Myles, Luci and I formed as children, was one less short now. I wondered if eventually we would all lose one another.

    "Braxton was upset that you'd left so suddenly." Gabriel murmured. "He worried you were hurt." My brother never called the King anything but his name. They were close friends and not because my brother was like all the other men. But he truley loved the king dearly.

    "Why has he singled me out?" I asked, quietly, wondering if he'd spoken to my brother about me.

    "He's been... mentioning you more and more since you and Luci came to court. You just always seem to be around where ever we are. It's not like he singling you out- it's only that you are always there... He asked me once if we were trying to taunt him with you."

    "And you told him no. That it was merely coincedence."

    "Of course. And if we had been taunting him with you I would have told him so. Braxton... hmm, He's more then a King to me. He's one of my most loyal friends. I would honestly die for him. I would protect him just as I would protect you or Luci... or even Myles."

    "You truly care for him... Brother... have you ever well... felt attracted to him?"

    My brother gave me a look that caused me to laugh. "No. Believe me. I like women." Gabriel laughed with me.

    Once our laughter fell away, I asked if anyone had caught his eyes here at court. "No more then usual," He smiled at me.

    "You know father is going to be pressuring you to marry soon." I told him.

    "I have it all worked out sister. Don't worry about me." It was so Gabriel not wanting to worry anyone. It made me happy to know my brother was not being poisoned by the court as Myles had been. "What shall I tell Braxton?" He asked me quietly, hoping I would not tell him to lie.

    "The truth, that Myles and I simply had a sibling falling out. And that I was embarrassed by it." I explained.

    Gabriel pushed a lock of hair from my face. "Would you like me to send Luci up to you?"

    "No. Don't ruin her good time. You know she loves the balls." Gabriel nodded, looking saddened by something, but I didn't ask. I knew he didn't want me to notice. Gabriel kissed my forehead and walked to the door, then paused. "Would you like me to untie the corset? You never liked those."

    "No one likes them." I smiled and turned so he could unlace the bitingly tight strings.

    "I also brought your novel back to you." He handed it to me.

    "Good night, Gabriel." He left my room allowing me to undress privately.