Hey guys! I was listening to the song above while writing part of this chapter, if it doesn't show up, it's the Glee cover of Somewhere Only We Know. If you're gonna listen to it, I put in bold where you can start and end it (if it doesn't already finish) if you want to kinda feel what I was feeling while writing that part :)

Emmaline hears a knock at her door, and she sits up on the bed. Her father still hadn't given her the key to her room back, so she was staying with Elizabeth. She assumes her father meant for her to stay with Emil, but she would rather spend as much time with her younger sister as she can before she was married off.

"Yes?" Emmaline answers, swinging her feet over the side of the bed and standing up to answer the door. She opens it to reveal her mother, hands clasped in front of her.

"You're required in the library for wedding plans." She instructs and Emmaline's heart sinks. She knew she would be getting married now, but she didn't think it would be so soon.

"I'll be there in a moment," she smiles fakely, not knowing if her mother knew of her father's threat or if she thought Emmaline was marrying Emil of her own doing. She hoped it was the latter, she didn't want to know her mother was okay with her being manipulated into this.

Emmaline closed the door and rubbed a hand down her face, grabbing a black dress from Elizabeth's closet. It reached the floor with a neckline ending just above her bust, lace covering the top of the dress, her arms, and skin on her chest that wasn't covered by the solid fabric. Although her sister was a few years younger than her, she had some bigger dresses that would fit Emmaline alright. Elizabeth had also managed to steal some of Emmaline's dresses back from her room, how, Emmaline had no idea.

Emmaline adjusted the neckline of the dress to make sure it sat right and left the room, walking to the library.

Emil was sitting in a chair at a table in the library, my mother across from him and an empty chair next to him.

He smiled as Emmaline took the seat next to him, and she managed to smile back. Emil was nice, and although she certainly did not and will not love him, he's alright to be around. It's not his fault she has to marry him, so it's not fair of Emmaline to blame him. He was probably the best man she could've been set up with, in terms of kindness.

"Good evening," Emmaline greets quickly, leaning forward to look at the pieces of parchent scattered on the table.

Flower arrangements, guest lists with names that Emmaline did not recognize at all, churches, and dress plans were all on the papers, some places scratched over and rewritten to the side. It was obvious that the two had already done a lot of planning before Emmaline arrived, the girl probably wouldn't get much say in the wedding anyway.

"I started plans," Emil points out obviously, grabbing the closest page and scooting closer to Emmaline's side, allowing her to read the handwriting better. "This is what the Queen and I think for flower arrangments, what do you think?"

Emmaline took the parchment from him, looking closer at the little drawings that she assumed were Emil's. There were about five little diagrams of differently arranged inked bouquets, little labels pointing to certain ones with the name of the flower shown.

"Are these for the tables?" Emmaline asks, glancing up at the prince, who shakes his head.

"No, it's for your bouquet." He corrects and Emmaline nods, heart sinking a bit. Now that she's actually looking at which bouquet she would be holding, everything felt so much more real.

"This one," Emmaline points at a drawing of roses, dahlias, and carnations. She really didn't care what flowers she had, none of them were particularly appealing to her. Emil smiles and takes the parchment back, marking the chosen bouquet and putting it to the side.

"Wonderful," he picks up another paper and hands it to Emmaline, smiling up at the girl's mother. "We'll be done quickly at this rate."

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*Start playing song now*

Emmaline was exhausted. She had been with her mother and "fiance" planning the wedding for hours, and she was completely drained.

She laid back on the bed she was sharing with Elizabeth, though the other girl was currently attempting to sneak extra food from the kitchen for the two of them.

An abrupt thump on the window made Emmaline jump, lifting her head slightly to look at the window. She brushed it off when she didn't see anything and relaxed back onto the pillows, only for it to happen again.

She huffed in annoyance and stood up, going to the window and looking out. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and looked down to see Anna standing in the garden waving at her.

Emmaline's jaw dropped, shocked and slightly concerned to see the girl on castle grounds. She would be in so much trouble if she got caught, Emmaline couldn't believe she'd risk it.

Emmaline pulled her shoes on and rushed out the room, quickly descending the stairs and pushing through the doors to the gardens.

Emmaline broke into a run, turning the corners to see her sitting behind a bush near Elizabeth's window. Anna beams when she sees her, patting the ground next to her. Emmaline sat down, dress pooling around her on the grass.

"Your dress is so pretty," Anna smiles, brushing her fingers over the soft skirt.

"Anna, what are you doing here?" Emmaline questions, eyebrows furrowed.

"You hadn't come to see me in a couple days, I was getting worried." She explained and leans her head on Emmaline's shoulder. Emmaline smiled slightly, pulling one of Anna's hands into her lap.

"What if you got caught? You'd be imprisoned." Emmaline said seriously.

"I didn't though," Anna smiles cheekily, making Emmaline roll her eyes.

"I'm serious, Anna." She whispers. "I can't let you risk throwing your life away for me."

"You don't have to 'let' me, I'm doing it anyway." Anna laughs and picks her head back up to look Emmaline in the eyes. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Emmaline smiled softly, but it quickly fades. "I have to tell you something."

"What is it, darling?" Anna hums, making Emmaline's stomach erupt in butterflies.

"Emil proposed." she whispers, looking down at her lap. "My father said he would make Elizabeth marry a suitor if I didn't accept, I had to, I'm so sorry."

Anna brought her hands up to cup Emmaline's cheeks, the girl leaning into her touch. She lifted Emmaline's head to look at her, giving a reassuring look.

"You don't need to apologize, we knew it would happen eventually." She says sadly. "I'm just happy to have your heart for a short while."

"You'll have my heart forever, Annabel Lee." Emmaline responds sincerely, bringing her hands up to rest over Anna's.

The two stare for a second before Emmaline's expression turns serious.

"Run away with me."

"Emmy-"

"I'm serious," she cuts her off. "Please. We can go live somewhere else, somewhere no one else has ever been before, just us. Somewhere only we know."

"I can't let you risk throwing your life away for me," Anna repeats the princess's earlier words, a sad smile on her lips.

Emmaline stared into her eyes, desperation on her face before she pulled the girl in for a kiss, hands gripping her neck. The princess tried to pour as much of her emotions a she could into the kiss, desperate to convince Anna to leave with her.

Emmaline finally pulls away, laying her head in Anna's neck as she wraps her arms around her waist.

"I love you," Emmaline mumbles against Anna's neck, freezing in shock as she realizes what she just said. Oh no, Emmaline panics. It just slipped out, now Anna's gonna get scared and leave.

"Hmm?" Anna hums pulling back to look at the girl. "Did you say something?"

"No," Emmaline quickly shakes her head and lays her head in Anna's neck again, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks.

Anna rests her chin on Emmaline's head and hugs her closer, sitting in silence for a few seconds before ducking her head down a bit to whisper in the princess' ear.

"I love you too."

Emmaline jolts up, staring into Anna's eyes as she beams. She pulls her in for a kiss again, struggling not to smile into the kiss.

"I'll come back for you. I'll find a way." Emmaline breathes, pressing her forehead to Anna's.

"I'll be waiting," Anna smiles, closing her eyes to savour the contact. "I'll wait as long as I need to be with you."

"Promise?" Emmaline whispers, eyes fluttering closed.

"Promise."

*The song doesn't really apply to the rest of the chapter, so you don't have to keep listening to it after this*

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Emmaline opens the door to her and her sister's room, slipping back in. Her sister was sitting on the bed with two plates of food, one in her lap and one sitting on Emmaline's side of the bed.

"Oh, you got the food!" Emmaline smiles and sits down next to the younger girl, picking up the plate and biting into a tart.

"Did you go to the gardens again?" Elizabeth questions.

"Yeah," Emmaline nods.

"Who was that girl with you?"

Emmaline almost choked on her food and looked at her sister with wide eyes.

"You saw- What did you see?" Emmaline stutters, trying not to give away what they were actually doing, on the off chance that Elizabeth didn't see anything.

"You were very close..." She trails off, eyebrows furrows as she looked at Emmaline. "I know you don't really want to marry Emil, I'm not blind. Is she why?"

"Why would she be why?" Emmaline tries to play dumb, her stomach sinking further and further into the ground.

"I saw you kiss."

That knocks Emmaline's breath out of her chest. Elizabeth saw, and if her parents didn't already see, she might tell them.

"Elizabeth, you can't tell Mother and Father." Emmaline rushes desperately. "They'll put her to death if they find out, please."

"Do you love her? Is that why you hate Emil?"

"I don't hate Emil, he's nice. We might've been friends if things were different." Emmaline deflects.

"You didn't answer my question." Elizabeth deadpans. Emmaline can't tell what she's thinking. Is she disgusted? Curious? Happy for her? Confused?

"Yes," Emmaline says softly.

"What's her name?"

"I'm not telling you," Emmaline shakes her head. Anna would be long gone by now, if Elizabeth doesn't know her name, then she was safe.

"I won't tell anyone." Elizabeth shakes her head, but Emmaline is still wary.

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"Because you would be hurt as well if you get found out. You're my sister, I don't want to see you in pain." She defends.

Emmaline stares at her for a moment, contemplating every decision she could make here. She still can't tell if Elizabeth is okay with it or not, but she at least knows she won't tell their parents.

"Anna." Emmaline sighs and drops her gaze to her lap, fiddling with her hands.

Elizabeth is quiet for a few moments, and Emmaline doesn't dare look up. The food is left forgotten on the plate a couple feet away on the bed, Emmaline's appetite gone. She soon feels Elizabeth scoot closer to her, but not touching.

"She's very pretty."

Emmaline looks up in surprise, expecting her to say anything but that.

"Yeah," Emmaline finally laughs breathily. "She is. You'd like her."

"What are you going to do?" Elizabeth questions.

"Marry Emil." Emmaline says sadly. "I have no other choice."

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So just clarifying in case a ~certain line~ was interpreted wrong, no Elizabeth is not gay. I know it kinda sounds like it, but that's not what I intended lol

Love you all lots!