Emma ran out through the greenhouse, towards the woods, yelling "Stop! Stop!" At the young girl she was trying to keep up with.
Eventually she caught up with the young who couldn't be more than eight years old. "I've never seen you around before. Do you live in the château?" Emma asked her.
"No." The girl said.
That is when Emma noticed the girl was trying to hide a small wheel of cheese in her cloak. "You've stolen something haven't you." Emma accused her.
"No." Said the little girl again.
Emma let go of her arm and tried to be calm with her. "Where are you from?" She asked.
"No." The little girl said yet again.
"Will you stop saying, 'No.'" Emma told her.
"Will you stop asking questions?" The little girl asked.
Emma decided to try a different route with her, "I'll make you a deal. If you tell me who you are and, where you are from, I'll let you keep the cheese." Emma said, waiting for a response.
"My name is Lucy." The young girl said.
"Very good." Emma said, "Now where are you from?" She asked
"Follow me. I'll show you." Lucy said.
Lucy grabbed Emma's hand and started leading her towards her home. Eventually they came upon a small village.
"Where are we?" Emma asked her, not knowing that the village had been here before.
"This is Hyperion. This is where I am from." Lucy said.
The village was severely run down. It seemed there was a beggar on every corner asking for even the smallest bit of charity. Emma couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Eventually they came upon what looked like an old stable.
"This where me and my parents live." Lucy said as she walked inside with Emma right behind her.
It was a large, spacious room the only pieces of furniture in the whole place was a table, some chairs, and two beds on opposite sides of the room.
"Who is this?" A man with short dark hair asked. Emma wasn't sure if he was talking to her or Lucy.
"She's a friend of Lord Killian." Lucy said.
Emma quickly corrected her, "No, I'm just a servant."
"Why did you bring her here?" He asked.
"She let me keep this." Lucy said pulling out the wheel of cheese she kept under her cloak.
The man took it, and said, "At least today we'll be able to food in our stomach."
"Is the village that poor?" Emma asked.
"A few years ago this village was one of the richest in all the realms, with bountiful fields." Lucy's father, Henry, said.
"What happened?" Emma asked.
"The Lord changed. He raised the taxes, sold the cattle, and turn the fields into a hunting preserve. Soon this entire village will be dead." Henry said, then he went to the table to have the small meal with his wife and daughter.
Emma couldn't help but feel sorry for them. She felt that there was something she could do for them.
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Back at the château Emma tried to get help from the other servants.
"Yes, it's very sad, but there is nothing we can do." Regina had said as she cut the vegetables.
YOU ARE READING
The Heart's Desire
FanfictionWhen Emma's father is unable to pay his debt back to the Lord Killian Jones, Emma offers to work in his château until her father can pay off his debt. Lord Killian Jones has been a cruel man, ever since he was scarred on part of his face years ago...
