From Knight to Night

Chapter 6: Cold

PART TWO

Three Weeks Later

Emma sat on the edge of her bed in her room, staring at the ground, her arms resting on her knees with her hands clasped together. She was in the room that she shared with Neal. Well, had shared with Neal. All of her belongings were missing, having been transported up to her new chambers close to the Queen. But Emma was sitting in this location because had just returned from a particular situation, one that immediately required her need to retreat back to the safety and quiet of the Knight's quarters in order to give her the chance to calm down and refrain from acting on her emotions.

Emma had just met with the King in a formal introduction regarding her new role. She had been summoned early that morning by Granny, notifying her that the King had heard of her new appointment to the Queen's personal guard, and wanted a private meeting. Emma had felt a chill run down her spine when Granny had specified "private", and the older woman took notice.

"You'll be meeting in the King's library," Granny had said pointedly. "Not his chambers." Emma's eyes rose to the woman behind the desk at this statement, and saw a bit of communication embedded in her gaze. She knew immediately that Granny was attempting to alleviate any uncertainties, and instead specify the true environment to expect.

"And the Queen?" Emma asked.

"Has stepped out for the morning."

When Emma realized that was all the information she was going to receive from Granny, she bowed her head to the kind woman and took her leave, walking to the west wing of the castle where the King had his apartments. Each step she took caused her barriers to build a wall around her, her defenses taking extra care to protect her from the uncertain interaction that was about to take place.

When Emma arrived at the King's library door, she raised her hand to knock, but then hesitated. Staring into the wood with her hand held frozen mere centimeters from the surface, she felt her breathing increase, and attempted to regain control. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and knocked.

"You may enter," came the voice of the King from inside. Emma grasped the latch and pushed the door open, several jets of bright light streaking across the room from the window. Emma widened her gaze at how large the room was before her. Nearly triple the size of the Queen's chamber, the King had taken extreme measures to turn his library into a spectacle all its own. Letting her gaze wander around the room, she saw each wall covered in bookcases 20 feet tall with volumes of every size, shape, and color laid on their shelves. A grand fireplace with a hearth taller than Emma took up the entire center of the left wall, and so many tables and cabinets were placed throughout the space, covered in trinkets and maps, globes and scrolls across each surface. Emma's eyes finally fell on the King in a large velveteen chaise, his feet resting on the edge closest to the fire.

"Ah, Miss Swan," the King stated as Emma watched his face lift to meet hers. Emma bowed her head gently.

"Your majesty."

"Please, come in," the King continued, rising from the chaise to meet her as she approached. It was in this moment that Emma was able to take her first true look at the King. She had never had the chance to see him up close this way prior to today, having only seen him those few times from the wedding ceremony, the ball, and...

Emma's thoughts trailed off as the memory of the Queen in her arms flooded her mind once again. She had started to get used to this memory finding its way into her thoughts, but facing the King right now with it running through her head only caused a fury to begin to burn deep within her. She made every attempt to remain calm.