When The Light Seeks The Dark

Chapter 8

Ruby was sure Snow's eyebrows were going to disappear forever with how far they had gone into her hairline. If the situation were different, she may even laugh at how comical the Queen looked as her and her husband sat stunned by the admission. Instead, Ruby sat perfectly still, calculating body language and scenting the air as the Royal couple processed her words.

Emma wasn't supposed to have claimed a beta. Emma was the Princess. She was to be sitting prim and proper next to Snow in a royal gown, with her hair styled to perfection until the King and Queen paired her off with some fancy male wolf who had climbed the ranks in the kingdom. If Snow had her way... that would be exactly how Emma would behave.

However, Emma was somewhat of a rogue soul. Ever since Ruby could remember, Emma had always shown a strong distaste for the Royal way of life. She would tear dresses, pull bows out of her hair, and run through the mud in her fancy shoes. It didn't take long before David stepped in, and started showing Emma the more adventurous side of the castle. There, Emma thrived.

She grew up a strong leader, an incredible fighter, and everything about her sent shivers down Ruby's spine as she reached out psychologically and felt for the thread that now tied them together the their new bond. Emma was... nervous?

Breaking her eye contact with Snow, respectively, she turned her head to Emma and eyed her carefully just in time to see the blonde sit back in a relaxed pose. She appeared to almost be bored with the conversation. Ruby was impressed at her Alpha's ability to conceal her emotions, obviously she didn't know the blonde as well as she thought. This new bond was going to prove highly informative.

David was the first to speak. "You... you are Cardinal Beta to the Princess?"

Ruby's eyes glanced back at the King, who sat in his seat in a careful pose, as if worried if he moved an inch he'd no longer be able to grasp the information he'd been given. Ruby nodded in response. They sat in silence for another moment before Snow found her voice.

"Emma how could you?!" Snow snapped, "You are the Princess of the White Kingdom! You cannot go around making Beta bonds with random girls you bed - you have a Kingdom to look out for! What kind of message do you think this sends to your people? Hmm? One of noteworthy leadership or one of scandal? How irresponsible!"

Emma looked liked she was about to leap out of her chair and lunge at her mother, and David noticed, immediately intervening. "Snow." David interrupted his wife's rant, placing a hand on her forearm. "Stop."

The White Queen rounded on him, narrowing her eyes, "You accept this? You approve of your daughter's carelessness, David?"

David shook his head slowly, speaking firmly yet calmly. "Of course not, but there is little we can do about it now, and we have other matters that are more important. Emma and Ruby's bond will break once Emma finds her True Mate, we'll just have to have faith that she'll find him soon."

Emma's preference to women wasn't new knowledge, but neither Snow nor David had ever truly been accepting of it. Ruby always thought it was a little unfair, for same-sex relationships were quite common among the civilians in the kingdom - in fact the King and Queen had overseen several marriages. It only became a problem when their own daughter decided she didn't like men. Apparently it interfered with their plans for the slew of grandchildren they wanted.

Ruby bit the inside of her cheek to keep from blurting out something inappropriate as she watched the Royal pair. This was complete bullshit. Emma was her own person, and she was free to make her own decisions. The brunette hadn't expected this to happen, but she was glad that it did.

At last, Emma couldn't keep silent any longer. The pulsating anger coming through the bond were incredible for Ruby, who leaned just a bit closer to the Princess in case she had to jump in and prevent the blonde from murdering the Queen. "What makes you think I will ever find my True Mate? Would it be so horrible if I ruled with Ruby at my side?"

Snow sighed and placed her hands back on the table, continuing her breakfast ritual of fruit on toast as she said her most predictable saying when Emma brought the topic up. "Honey, you are the product of True Mate love, it has been fated, as I have told you more times than I can count, that you shall find yours. And together, you will rule the whole realm in a unified country and-"

"Produce a magical heir, yeah yeah yeah." Emma dismissed the statement as if it were no more important than the size of her mother's shoe. "Bibbity and Boppity-Boo sprinkled some magic glitter over my head as an infant and now you ignorantly believe that what they said is true. Well, I don't. I need someone by my side that I can trust and confide in, someone who has always been there for me no matter what, and I found that with Ruby. Now, can we please talk about this mission you want to give to Ruby even though I have the perfect window of opportunity to get inside the Black Castle?

David refocused on his daughter, placing his hands on the table and entwining his fingers in a business manner. "What makes you think you could get into the Black Castle as the Princess of the White Kingdom?" He challenged.

Ruby looked at Emma expectantly. They hadn't talked about the details of Emma's idea, so she was naturally curious as to what the Princess had cooked up in that big, ridiculous brain of hers.

"My little outburst yesterday provided us with the perfect excuse. Release the spies. I will stage an argument between us and renounce my claim to the throne. I will do this in front of the spies as they are leaving the castle. From there, I will get on my horse and I will leave the White Kingdom - seemingly, for good. No one outside of this room will know it is all a ruse. The spies will go back to where they came from, and when I come strolling into the Black Castle to pledge my allegiance to the Evil Queen, they will have been witness to the circumstances of my departure." Emma leaned forward, taking a sip of mead before continuing, "Once I feel I have enough to bring the Evil Queen to her knees, I will return."

Snow snorted, "And what makes you think you won't immediately be killed on site for who you are?"

Emma shrugged, "I am the Princess to the White Kingdom... that has to be worth something, doesn't it? Killing me would result in a outright war... one I am certain the Black Kingdom is not ready for."

"It's too dangerous." Snow insisted, shaking her head. "Absolutely not. I will not take a chance on losing my only daughter to that... that.. witch."

"Mom - I am the daughter of the greatest warrior in our kingdom," Emma looked over at her father who seemed deep in thought but whose eyes shone proudly at the compliment . "I am the greatest fighter in our armies second to him. I will not be killed."

Ruby noted the shift of emotions within the blonde, relaxing as she felt the anger eb and excitement replace it. "I'll check in on her." She offered, trying to somehow seal the deal for her Alpha. "And I'll make sure she has her wolf fully in check before she leaves." The brunette added, smiling at the annoyed expression that crossed Emma's face at the prospect of being forced into shifting. "Awe, c'mon Em, it could be worse." she quipped. Emma rolled her eyes at the comment, but not unkindly. Ruby took that as a win.

Snow and David shared a look that said they were speaking telepathically as True Mate's were known to do, and when they broke eye contact several moments later, Snow seemed rather displeased with the outcome of their conversation. Emma brightened at the expression.

"You will go, but only after you have made peace with your wolf." David announced. "You need to be in full control if this is to have any chance at working."

Emma smiled despite her tense emotions at having to shift, and Ruby reached out and squeezed a well-muscled thigh under the table in reassurance. "Deal. When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow." Snow finished for the King, letting her disapproval slide off of her face and replacing it with a stoic mask.

The bond between them exploded with Emma's anxiety as she stared at her parents blankly. Ruby spoke for her, "Tomorrow is perfect, c'mon Em.. time to go have a word with that gorgeous white beastie of yours. If you're good, I may even give you a treat." She waggled her eyebrows comically and earned a strained smile from the blonde.

Together, they stood, no longer hungry with the amount of work that was ahead of them, and left the dining hall.

Ruby had her work cut out for her if she was to convince Emma to shift willingly into her wolf form and let it run tonight. She looked forward to the challenge.