The Dark Tiara

1. A Princess as a Pawn

A hour had passed when her mother Helena woke at the castle, once she was dressed she made her way to Emily's room, having a servant follow behind her caring a bright red dress across her arms. Helena had received a letter that morning from a suitor she had invited the day before, the letter held the response that he excepted. Helena made her way into Emily's bedroom excited with the news only to be enraged when she found the bed empty. 

The servant walked into the room timidly looking around the empty room "Your Majesty, where is the Princess?"

"She's gone! You fool! Get out!" Helena snapped as she ripped the red dress from the servants hands throwing it on the edge of the bed and stormed out of the room yelling for the guards "Guards! Find the Princess now!" 

The captain of the guard sent out two groups, one group that was looking on the main road and the other through the forest surrounding the castle. The captain lead the party searching the forest, knowing this was another stunt of the Princess and she would be found where she normally was. Emily was writing in her book when she was pulled from her thought as she heard guards shouting and the hoofs of horses. As she looked up from the book she saw the captain of the guards heading her way as the rest of the guards with him rode up behind him and then encircled the clearing. Emily closed her book as she stood up dusting herself off as she knew the guards meant it was now time to go back to the castle.

"Princess Emily we've been looking everywhere for you." The captain of the guard spoke as he halted his horse and turned to another guard sending him to call off the search. Charles was an older man with ginger hair that looked like it had disappear at the sides of his head. While he had a mustache that curled at the ends, a slight beard that was cut so there was only a strip of hair on his chin and side burns that made up for the rest of the beard that was missing as the sideburns followed his jaw line but stopped right before his chin.

Emily rolled her eyes as she made her way over to Beauty "I think that's a bit of an exaggeration. I was here like all the other times." Corrected Emily as she placed the book in her satchel then mounted Beauty

"Your the Princess and the future Queen, you should have an escort with you at all time."

"I didn't even go that far from the castle. I don't need guards following me around all the time, let alone one." Emily defended as she tapped Beauty's side getting her to trot over to where Charles was waiting

"It doesn't matter, someone that wanted to end the royal family could easily get to you."

"Why do you worry so? I can handle myself and I'm not that worried about it when I'm this close to the castle." Emily reassured him as she started to ride back to the castle

"That's my job. The princess should have an escort at all times. You are a princess you shouldn't be thinking you can handle yourself, especially when you don't have a weapon with you." Insisted Charles as he started to ride back to the castle alongside Emily, annoyed at the situation that had almost become a daily occurrence

"And why can't I protect myself!? Hmm." Emily protested with a huff as she road ahead

"Because you are a Princess and the heir to the Kingdom. Think how your mother would feel if something happened to you and what the kingdom would feel."

"She doesn't care and I don't want to be the princess..." Emily mumbled to herself as she watched some guards heading back to the castle in front of them

"Why do you act so ungrateful? Anything she says it's because she's worried about you and she's trying to keep you safe. You should start acting like a princess." Insulted Charles as he stopped his horse in front of Emily blocking her from riding any further