Murphy's Law (Captain Swan AU)

Down By The Willow

Belle placed the burlap rags into the bucket on the floor and made the final touches on the princess's room. She made her way over to the chair by the fireplace and moved the cloak off the back of the chair to the hook on the wall. She jumped at the sound of metal hitting the wooden floorboards below her and looked down at what seemed to be a silver chain with a few charms hanging off. She laid the cloak on the bed, crouched down to grab the necklace, and cupped it in the palm of her hand. She placed the skull charm on her index finger and brushed her thumb along it. She knew what a skull meant, an illiterate peasant knew what it meant. A skull meant death, like the rotting horse in need of the blue medicine for survival. But he was robbed of that.

"This way your Highness."

Belle leaped to her feet and before she could come to her senses, she had stuffed the necklace into her blue apron pocket.

The large door slowly opened and Emma walked through the doors smiling at her feet.

"Your Highness." Belle bowed.

"Belle," Emma smiled. "Have you seen my dog?"

The brown-haired girl shook her head. "No your grace, I haven't."

"Emma." She corrected her.

"Emma," Belle repeated as her eyes fell to the floor trying to cover her embarrassment. She took in a breath to regain her composure and stepped towards the bed to grab the cloak and hung it on the hook on the wall. "The Willow Ceremony is tonight, your - Emma. Would you like to see the gowns her majesty the Queen had made for you?"

Emma's eyes dropped to the ground and she let out a soft sigh.

"Your highness?" Belle asked in a worried tone. "Is something wrong?"

The Princess forced a laugh. "No, I'm sorry. When I hear someone say the Queen I think they're talking about my mother." She thought to herself how her mother would react to the conversation she and Liam had in the garden. She thought of her smile and how happy she would be to know Emma started to grow fond of the Prince.

Belle gave her a weak smile. "I will make sure you have plenty of ink and parchment to write to your mother."

Emma let out a sign and smiled at Belle. "So the gowns?" she asked with a happier tone.

"Thank you for letting me know." David nodded towards Thomas and made his way to leave the study when he saw Ella come through the doorway.

"Am I interrupting something?" She asked, holding her head high.

David and Thomas both looked over at the Queen who stood in the doorway and then back at each other. "Thomas," he said as he nodded and turned to bow to Ella. The Queen watched him pass her and leave the room.

Ella looked over at her husband who was moving papers on his desk. "What was that about?" She asked, holding her hands together.

"I told David that the food would be tested after what happened with our son's horse. We can not risk anyone else receiving the same fate as that horse.

"If David believes he is in fear, then he should leave."

The King looked up at his wife. "Ella-"

"And he can bring his daughter home with him." She snapped.

"I-"

She walked over towards her husband and placed her hands on the desk. "Thomas we have been fine. No one has given us any reason to be afraid until that girl showed up."

"That girl," Thomas interrupted her. "That girl is a princess and she is our only hope."

"That girl...." Ella continued," that girl has brought us death."