From Knight to Night

Chapter 5: Only

Emma walked for over an hour, suddenly finding herself returned to the castle foyer by the large entrance doors. A new set of guards surrounded the doors than the one she had encountered earlier and helped her. With a smile to the guards now standing watch, she eventually made her way back to the door leading to the Knight's quarters, and found her way to her room, laying down upon her bed as soon as she walked in.

Emma stared up at the cracks and blemishes on the ceiling in her room, watching as the light from the candle by her bed danced across the slick stone surface. She had left her clothes on from the day and lay on top of the warm blankets covering her bed. Her hands were clasped together over her torso, letting her elbows and shoulders lie flat against the soft mattress.

Time passed, and it was late in the night now, though Emma paid no attention to the time. She had been laying there for hours, but sleep would not come for her thoughts would not cease racing. She continued to stare at the ceiling, finding if she focused on its hard textures, she could refrain from letting her emotions get the best of her.

Emma remained alone in her room in the Knight's quarters, her squad mate not yet having returned from his own duties. She had figured that Neal was still attending to the King in some manner.

But suddenly the door to her room swung open, and Neal walked through, looking rather agitated and terse. Emma's concentration was broken as he stormed in, and she looked up at him, sitting up straight and swinging her legs over the side to settle her feet on the floor. Neal walked over to his bedside and stared down at his own bed, ceasing any movement once her arrived at his bedside. But Emma watched as his shoulders rose up and down from his deep breathing. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but garnered from his behavior that, perhaps, it wasn't a good time. But thankfully, Neal prevented the need for her to ask him any questions by speaking first.

"Why was it you made me take the King away?" His voice was raspy and brusque, as if he had been screaming for hours prior to this. Emma became concerned.

After a few moments, Neal turned to her at her lack of a response, and Emma stared at him with wide eyes, unsure of what she could use for an answer. His brown eyes stared back at her, causing the moment to pulse with tension.

"Where did you go after?" Neal tried instead, turning his body to fully face Emma. She continued to stare at him, more and more uncertainty surrounding her as to how to respond. Neal didn't move, continuing to stare at her as she scrambled for something to say.

Then Neal raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, squinting his eyes shut as he massaged the pressure point there. He dropped from his stance and sat upon his own bed across from Emma, seeming to calm as he sat to her level and taking away a bit of the pressure surrounding them. When he dropped his hand, he turned his gaze to the candle flickering on the bedside table.

"I saw the physician leaving the Queen's chambers before I came back down here," Neal said, breaking the silence again. Emma was taken aback at this information, and her interest piqued as to what came next. "I saw the Queen," he said. Emma felt a rush of fear wash over her at those words. What did he know? Was he angry at her? Did he know what had transpired between her and the Queen? "I thought you would want to know..." Neal paused, and Emma began to feel her hands tremble. "The Queen is okay."

Emma looked at him with a puzzled expression. Granted, she was glad to hear the news, but it was not at all what she expected him to say.

"Look," Neal started again, raising his eyes to look at her. "I know you've discovered the...predicament between the King and Queen." He paused, allowing Emma to speak if she so wanted, but she had nothing to say. When she didn't speak, he continued. "It has been going on for years, and is not something that is discussed anywhere around the castle."