Mum sat me down on her sofa and brought me a tea. I was still slightly sobbing as I calmed down with Luke sitting beside me gently rubbing my back. I was leaning against him, my head in the crook of his neck and my brother comforted me. Neither of them knew what was going on, but they knew it wasn't good if I was home from the palace. Nothing was a good sign if that happened. I was worried if they would begin to think differently of me. That they would force me out of the house, but somehow I knew they wouldn't. Family sticks together no matter what happens and this is no exception.
"Emerald, sweetheart what is going on?" Mum asked sitting on the opposite side of me with a warm cup of tea in her hands.
I sat up straight, wiped the underneath of my eyes and told her. I told her everything that happened. I told her how I lost my virginity and the whole while, I stared at the damn cup of tea resting safely in my hands. The funny thing was—I don't even regret doing what I did. I don't regret showing Harry just how much he truly means to me. I fell in love with a prince. He fell in love with me. Why does our society have to judge us for falling in love? It's not fair.
"Emerald," Mum said running her hands over her face once I finished telling the story. Her face told me she was upset with what Harry and I had done. But there was no fixing this, this was impossible to fix. I was destined to be a lonely maiden for the rest of my life.
"Mum, I can't say I'm sorry because I'm not. The only thing I'm sorry for is getting caught," I whispered to her. "I wish I would have done a better job of hiding it."
"You both knew it was illegal, why do it?" she asked me standing up and crossing her arms. "He knew this better than you did and you didn't think to tell the prince no?"
"We fell in love, Mum!" I yelled putting my hands to my chest. "In the life we shared at the palace, we both knew there was more than afternoon chats and walks through the garden. You can't know you love someone until they make you feel loved."
"When did this start Emerald?"
"What?"
"You heard me, Emerald Marie," she said giving me a stern look. I knew I was in trouble with her, she never gave me that look before.
"That week we stayed in the old village. The night dad died," I breathed covering my mouth.
I watched as my mother's eyes widened as she took in this new information. I was embarrassed that it was the day of my father's death when the sexual aspect of Harry's and my relationship began. It was before the attack, but the fact it happened that day wouldn't change anything.
"The day your father died?" she asked.
"Before he died," I whispered hoping it would help anything.
My mother held up her hands and excused herself dismissing herself upstairs into her bedroom. Luke wrapped his arms tightly around my body letting me snuggle into his side. The front door opened and I saw Mikey walk in, he looked at me and his smile dropped from his face as he looked me over. I probably looked like hell.
"They found out didn't they?" Mikey asked coming up to me and wrapping me in a hug. "They were stupid for letting you go, Emmy. They lost one hell of a good contender for queen."
"He didn't want me to leave Mikey," I cried. "You didn't see him. He was sobbing and I couldn't even do anything about it," I cried looking at my brother. "I couldn't kiss it away because I was forced to leave my home because of our own stupidity. I'm not even allowed to get married because of it."
"Emerald," Mikey sighed. "Everything will work out in the end. It has to."
"You knew about this," Lucas said to Mikey. "How come you didn't tell anyone of us? It would have maybe lessened the blow on mum."
"It wasn't my secret to tell," Mikey said. "I promised Emerald I wouldn't reveal it."
I was thankful for having a brother like Mikey right now. Lucas didn't fully understand my situation and I think because of that, he became the back burner. Mikey only knew about it because he guessed. I was thankful he knew because he knew how to reassure me. Lucas would take my mother's side, which I was sure of. However, I knew that my mum would come around. It might possibly take her a few days, but she will.
"How about I show you your bedroom, huh? We'll get you settled in," he smiled lifting up one of my suitcases. I nodded trailing behind him a few feet back.
The house they lived in still felt like a house that I didn't know. It didn't feel like home to me. I felt as if I was living in a stranger's home. I recognized a few things from our old house, but everything here felt as if it were a different family living here. I just hoped we would never have to go back to our old home. I never wanted to go back there.
Mikey opened a door and stepped in flicking on the light. The inside was a light shade of pink with white furniture. It was beautiful, but I already missed the room I had been staying in the past months. Mikey placed the suitcase flat on the floor unzipping it. He opened it and I saw that it was neatly packed. He picked up a few letters that were on top and handed them to me. I furrowed my brow as I took the letters in my hand.
Emerald,
You didn't deserve to be released from the palace. You are one of the kindest girls I've seen walk through the palace doors in recent years. You brought smiles to the children's faces and I can't thank you enough for making them happy. Since they were born, it was my dream to make them happy. As their mother, it warms my heart to see smiles on my kids' faces.
Harry will miss you and I can't bear to think of what will be running through his mind when you part from the palace. It's the early hours of the morning as I write this and no one is awake. Harry and you share a love I can't even begin to describe. The thought of my husband releasing you from here breaks my heart for my baby. He has changed so much since you walked into his life. He willingly does work and it is all because of you, Emerald. Thank you for bringing him a reason to work. He works to be with you and now that you're gone, everything he has done will be for nothing.
Gemma will miss you as well. She never had many friends her age and the fact you were kind to her rude behavior made her feel special. My daughter has always been too loud to make friends with the "normal" princesses. The fact that you became one of her best friends puts a smile on my face. You made my children happy, that's more than I can care to ask for.
When my husband told me what you and Harry had done, I was shocked. The more I thought of it, the less surprised I became. The love you two had achieved in such a short period of time was only possible by showing it. You both showed your love the only way your instincts allowed. I personally think the rule of making love before marriage is preposterous. True love brings us to do things we normally wouldn't do and I knew from the moment Harry's eyes met yours that you would marry him.
I also know that you and Harry will find your way back to each other. I don't know how as of right now, but I do know you are each other's destiny. The love you both share is too great to let go of. It's too big for me to begin to understand.
I can't wait until you come home,
~Anne .xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tears streamed down my face as I read Queen Anne's letter. Her words always meant the most to me and I often wondered what she truly thought of me. This letter confirms she did like me. This letter also explains why she wasn't in her husband's office this morning. She would have fought him getting rid of me. I wish she did. I could have stayed at the place my heart called home.
"Who is it from?" Mikey asked looking up at me.
"Queen Anne," I smiled gently placing it next to me taking the next letter and looking over the neat handwriting.
My dear Emerald,
It has been the greatest honor working for you these past several months. When Queen Anne told me what happened I was saddened by this news. I considered you as one of my daughters and it broke my heart that I wouldn't be seeing you around the palace with a bright smile on your face anymore. I also want you to know it wasn't me who revealed your secret to the king. It was Priscilla.
She had her suspicions about the both of you. Unfortunately for you, she checks the king's wing every night to see if the doors are locked. When the marriage quarters for Prince Harry were open, she allowed herself in and looked around and found the used condom in there. She knew the prince was the only one with a key to the room and immediately went to His Royal Majesty. I am so sorry about her. As we have discussed this many times, she is not my favorite person on staff. Though she is now the most trusted.
I would love to see you again, Emerald. In or out of the palace. If you ever need someone to talk to, I will leave my address on the bottom of the page. I get home with the girls around six-thirty. Though I suspect we shall be home earlier since you're no longer there.
I hope to see you soon Emerald,
~Trish Malik
I looked at the address and immediately decided I would go see her this afternoon. I needed some normalcy in my life and she was that. She saw girls come and go over the years, she also knew the palace me the best. My family will always be my family, but nothing ever compares to those who I shared an experience with.
"Let's unpack," I said sitting on the floor next to my brother. I slowly pulled my things out of the case one by one. At the bottom of everything were two envelopes.
I carefully opened these envelopes one at a time. They were photos from both of the balls. I felt a tear slip from my eye as I looked at the photos from the Christmas ball. I ran my hand over the glossy photo of Harry and me sharing a kiss on the dance floor. We were in focus and no one else was. The girl in the photo looked strikingly like me, but it seems like it was ages ago since she was me. It's hard to believe that the girl in the photo was me just one night ago. The makeup was still lightly stuck to my face from lack of washing. I could feel the stickiness of the cream of the foundation.
Mikey pulled me into a side hug and kissed the top of my head. I sniffled as I looked through the photos of Harry and me. The memories of the balls would never die. I wouldn't let them because they were in essence a part of my soul. I didn't belong anywhere else but there.
My home was with Harry.