Emily

King Leifae Arkson is staring out the window from his study. He observes his servants, hard at work at maintaining his mansion. He peered down at his hand and pinching between his fingers was a torn photo of a beautiful woman, resembling Sereen. The left side of the picture was ripped off. He flipped the picture to its back. Written in fine print the name and title, 'The Duchess Emily C.S. J~' the lettering after "J" was ripped off with the missing piece.

"Emily…" King Leifae whispered her name. It was the one name he had promised himself to never utter again after leaving London to pursue his title nephew to King Exodus III and heir to the throne. It has been many many years since he had even thought about her, yet she is staring right into him from the picture in his hand. "Oh, how I miss you so…" he spoke to the picture as if she were present. "Emily, she looks so very much like you. I am most appreciative that you brought her to me. I will be sure to love her as much as I once loved you."

*

It was a little over 20 years ago when Leifae Arkson traveled the sea to London from Iceland to learn the ways of trade. Alongside him was his cousin and best friend, Ansel Loveworths Joreston. The two cousins grew up together and were inseparable. People who saw them would say that they were practically brothers. It was through Ansel that Leifae met Emily.

<< 30 Years ago, the two 10-year-olds carelessly ran around the streets of London >>

"Come, Leifae, I would like you to meet one of my dear friends," Ansel led the way as Leifae trailed along behind him.

"I didn't know you had friends over here." Leifae stated the obvious.

Ansel was leading Leifae through narrow corridors of London, where one can easily lose their way into all the different twists and turns. They were running around for what seemed like forever, until they reached a tall stone fence.

"Whoa, where is this place?" Leifae asked.

"This is my friend Emily's house. She is the funniest and coolest person I've ever met. Her mind is quite brilliant and I've never seen anyone who can do what she can do." Ansel searched around, examining the stone wall.

"Ahhah! This way." He pointed the way and started marching. Leifae quickly followed him. They walked along the wall until they reached a corner where a wooden pallet was leaning against the wall. "Alright, I'm going to climb up first, just to make sure that the coast is clear."

"Wait, if she is really TRULY your friend, why are you sneaking in."

"We aren't! Now shut up before we get caught."

Leifae rolled his eyes as Ansel struggled his way up. "Well, what do you see up there, Ansel?"

"No dogs. Coast is clear, so climb on up." Ansel jumped down onto the other side and Leifae quickly made his way up the wooden pallets. Leifae was always more athletic than Ansel because Ansel was always running around and goofing off instead of focusing on fencing or horsemanship. They were both very privileged children with silver spoons in their mouths, however, Ansel's parents were humble people and they would give to the poor, allowing Ansel a different perspective of life.

They ran towards the big house and entered through the servant's delivery door.

"Where are you taking me?" Leifae whispered angrily to Ansel.

"Shh, just follow me." Ansel whispered in response.

They finally stopped at a black wooden door. The name Emily is carved into gold on the door. Ansel did three knocks followed by a meow sound. The door opened swiftly and two hands reached out to grab them both, pulling them into the room.

"Ansel!" the voice said, "Oh, you're here! I missed you dearly. Why did it take you so long to come back?" she asked.

"Well, Emily, that's the thing. I've brought Leifae along with me and he dragged on a little."

"You brought…" she gasped, "NO WAY! You brought Leifae, your best friend and cousin? The one you always talk about? That awesome person?" she asked in so much excitement, Ansel had to calm her down.

"Yes. Him." he answered.

"Ansel, why is the room so dark? Can't we open the curtains a little?" Leifae questioned.

"NO! Please don't open the curtains. Please, please, please…"Emily begged. "You can't do that here, no… it will… I will… I can't let you do that."

"Alright, alright." Leifae answered, backing off. "I'm not arguing with no one. Just wondering why it's so dark in here.

"Leifae, it's dark because Emily is… she is special. And…you see there is this stigma about their family and everyone believes she is cursed."

"What kind of curse?" Leifae asked.

"Maybe if it weren't our first time meeting, I would tell you." Emily said to Leifae. "But I hardly know you at all, except through Ansel's stories.

"Ansel, I think we should go. I don't like dark places and this whole curse thing is making me a little nervous." Leifae backs away towards the door and bumps into an end table tipping it over slightly. He tried his best to hold it still, but it was dark and his reflexes only made it worse. A oiless glass lamp falls over and Leifae tries to catch it, but it is too late.

The glass lamp is shattered on the floor and the Leifae's hands lands on top of it.

"Ahh!" he yelled.

"Oh, no. Are you okay?" Emily shrieked and ran to his side.

"I think I cut my hand."

"Open the curtains, Ansel. Open them so we can see his injuries." Emily ordered. Ansel contemplates whether or not to do as she said.

"But your family curse…" Ansel said, hesitantly.

"I don't care about the curse right now. We need to address the issue first and that is Lea's injury to hand. Now open the curtains!"

Ansel quickly pulls the curtains releasing all the years of collected dust that had rested on them. The dust scattered around as the sunlight beamed in, lighting up the entire room. Emily uses her handkerchief to pressure on Leifae's bleeding hand.

"Ansel, grab the pitcher of water over there. I need to rinse away the blood to see how deep the wound is." Emily urged Ansel. Dumbfounded, Ansel doesn't argue and does as she asked. Both boys stare at Emily as she tends to Leifae's wounded hand.

Emily removes her handkerchief and pours the pitcher of water over the bloody hands. "Oh, good!" she said, "It's not that deep."

After wrapping Leifae's hands, she finally realizes the odd silence in the room. She looks up at Leifae and he is staring at her. She then turned her attention to Ansel and he is doing the same thing Leifae is doing. They are both just staring at her.

"What?!?" She shouted. The boys jumped and Ansel turned his gaze away, but Leifae was still staring at Emily.

Never has he ever seen anyone so different in complexity and so beautiful. Emily's hair was pitch black, her eyes the darkest of brown, her skin smooth and tan.

"You don't look English at all." Leifae said.

"Am too!" Emily sneered back.

"Well, you kinda look like those traders from Ming… you know the ones that are bringing in the black death." Leifae stated naively.

"I am of English descent in one of the most prominent noble families. My curse made me look different, but I am no different from anyone else." she said angrily.

"You are different in that you are the most beautiful people I've ever seen." Ansel said. "You were beautiful in the darkness and quite funny too. But in the light, you are breathtakingly stunning. I'm so glad you are my friends."

Leifae nodded in agreement, wishing it were him who had said those words, for he too, felt the same way.

"What the devil is happening in there?" a voice shouted from outside Emily's door. "Open up my lady."

"It's my maid, you two should hide under my bed. Quickly now." she shooed them to hide as she slowly made her way to the door. "Clarian, I dropped my lamp and it shattered on the floor. Could you please fetch me the broom?"

"Are you hurt, my lady? Why don't you open up so I can assist you properly?" Clarian asked.

Emily grabs a piece of glass and pricks her left hand, making it bleed a little. "Clarian, why don't you grab bandages and ointment too. I may have cut myself a little."

"Oh dear, right away my lady."

It was their first meeting, Emily and Leifae, and she called him Lei. From that day forward, the three were inseparable. They'd snuck in to stay with Emily and they'd teach each other the amazing things about life.

Leifae was in love, but his love was one of unrequited love. Years go by and Emily becomes more and more of a woman each day.

At age 23, before Leifae was summoned by King Exodus III, who didn't bear any children and needed an heir for the throne, Leifae confessed his love to his dear Emily.

It was late at night and Leifae had climbed the walls up to Emily's window.

"They are sending me to Iceland and I am to forgo many trials before possibly becoming king. I am to compete with my cousins for the throne. But I can't go without telling you."

"You're leaving? But we are the trios. You are one of my best friends. You can't leave Ansel and I." Emily remarked.

"Listen, I know you probably don't feel the same way about me, but Emily… I have always loved you… ALWAYS. From the first day we met, I knew I loved you. And I know you don't feel the same for me, but I needed you to know that. I see the way you look at Ansel, it's the same way I look at you. Full of love and perfection. I love you, Emily, with all my heart and I can not bear the thought of leaving you. Ansel is my bestfriend and you are my only love. I will cherish you both to the end of my days."

Emily gazes into Leifae's eyes and leans in to give him a long kiss on his lips. Then she pulled back and said, "Lei, I've always known how much you loved me. But my heart was already Ansel's way before you. I kiss you, now, to remind you that I love you too, and that you need to come back to us, to me. Don't give up in this competition for the throne or you will die. You compete to come back to me. You are my beloved friend after all. I love you." She gave him one last kiss before saying her farewell. "There is never really a goodbye, Lei. We will see each other again."

Leifae was summoned the next morning to Iceland and never saw his two friends again. Least he heard they got married and had a child, but Ansel's untimely death left his duchess widowed and heartbroken. From there, he had lost track of his beloved Emily and her whereabouts.

Fast forward a little over 20 years to the present day. Leifae is staring at the picture in his hand of his beloved Emily which came to him that night he found out the little one was a girl.

He swears he saw Emily's face in that room. After that little incident on the boat, with Leifae and the Sereen, Leifae had Yuqin look around her belongings to figure out her background and that is when he received this picture of Emily. This indicates to Leifae, now almost 40 years in age, that this child was sent to him by his beloved Emily. That fate was on his side to finally love again.

"I will find her." Leifae said to Emily's picture, "and I will give her all the love that you never received from me, my dear Emily. I promise you that." Tears well up in his eyes. He is not one to cry, but his heart wouldn't let him off this time. "I will bring her home, Emily. You have no idea how wonderful she is. She's got your amazing intuition and she will be my perfect bride."

*

Bjork and a ship of men dock at Riveryway and are greeted by Czechvi and the people there.

"Bjork, what are you doing here when King Arkson strictly said for you to stay back?"

Bjork steps forward into Czechvi's face. "Well, he changed his plans. He sent us here, because you feckers are taking way too long. I am one of the best hunters and everyone here can vouch for me. I will find the lady and you and your men will stay the hell out of my way." Bjork pushes Czechvi to the side.

"This is MY mission now."