Trial by fire

destiny

Emma dropped the letter like it was live coal, burning with the secrets it contained. Her mind filled with the implications of its words. The princess. She was the princess. Emma tried desperately to explain away the lies. Surely they meant another Emma. Right? But she was the only Emma in the palace they had to be talking about her. But that meant her mother wasn't, well, wasn't her mother. Her true mother, the queen, (Queen Graciana Ania Laurel-Leaf the third to be exact) had been lying in a coma for 10 years now. But why would mother try to hide that from her? Nothing about this made sense! Emma had never felt particularly, well, princess like... how could SHE of all people be the princess? Brain spinning madly Emma sunk to the floor limply, head in her hands.

"Emma! Come here immediately!" called the voice of her mother, or she was simply the baroness now wasn't she? Heart pounding Emma dashed out of the room, if the baroness found her there she might guess what Emma had discovered, and that would mean... Emma didn't even wanna think about what that might mean... tearing down the hall she raced down the servants stairs, crashing into several unsuspecting maids, and stumbled into the kitchen. Mother would never look for her here, Emma was fairly certain the baroness thought the kitchen was contaminated simply because servants frequented it's walls.

"what's wrong firefly? You look a bit frazzled" Emma glanced up into the concerned face of the cook, Gerta, and smiled weakly

"I'm fine Gerta. Really." Gerta didn't look convinced and promptly handed Emma a still warm blueberry pastry which Emma took with trembling hands

"now you just stay down here till your mother gets over her little spell. Why she's been raving for over an hour now hasn't she?" Emma nodded. Gerta's blue eyes softened sympathetically "I'm sorry about that firefly. It's not your fault she's like this" Emma shrugged, only half listening, and took another bite of the pastry.

"well I've gotta attend to my duties darlin but just call if you need anything" Gerta instructed, twanging one of Emma's red curls playfully as she stood up. "whatever it is It'll be alright firefly. I promise." Gerta whispered in Emma's ear as she left.

Emma smiled mirthlessly. if only she knew... Emma found herself watching Gerta as she bounced from place to place, ladle flying as she whisked various pots and bowls. Emma had known Gerta her entire life, in fact, Gerta had practically raised her. Gerta was always ready with a comforting word and a sugary treat whenever Emma felt down, and from the time she was a toddler Gerta had found small ways to bring Emma into the cooking, never caring that Emma's efforts usually led to a chaotic mess. Gerta and Emma talked about almost everything under the sun, but strangely enough Emma had never once heard her speak of her life outside of the kitchen. She knew from several servants that Gerta had three children of her own and several that hadn't lived past their first month because of lack of food. Emma could hardly imagine a place where someone would die of hunger. The idea was so far out of her range of experience that it was hardly plausible. She had gotten the impression that life outside her carefully monitored world wasn't pleasant but she'd never had reason to find out , after all, what could she do about it? The old Emma, Emma the baroness's daughter, never would have had the ability to change anything, but the new Emma, Emma the princess, Emma the future queen (Emma's heart nearly stopped at that thought) that Emma could do something. That Emma could make a real difference. For the first time in her life Emma knew exactly what she was meant to do. She was meant to change the world.