17 Attentions

The carriage came to a halt, and a moment later the carriage door opened. Emmett stood worried, "What is it?" he scanned the inside of the carriage but saw nothing that seemed alarming. He frowned, "What's wrong?"

"Garlin got officers," Vivian replied calmly, "They are going to check our carriage, and they won't be pleased to see us."

Emmett cursed again, "Is there another way?"

Vivian shook his head, "Unless you got another way to go, which I know there isn't, then we are stuck. It's a fix outcome that needs to be dealt with."

Emerelda frowned, "New officers? Are they patrolling the street?"

Emmett nods, "A new law. It's past curfew, and this carriage…" he trailed off, "This whole thing wouldn't be good. And we can't stop anywhere. They might be everywhere."

Emerelda removed her mask, "They won't be happy to see me, nor the condition Vivian is in."

They both looked at Vivian dressed only in a thin white oversized shirt.

"No, I supposed not." Emmett removed his coat throwing it at Vivian, "Do cover up, please."

Vivian rolled his eyes, "You do realize there isn't anything to do but that one option." Vivian said shrugging on the large coat.

Emerelda looked at Emmett, "What does he mean?"

Emmett didn't look at her and reached out for Esmeralda's masked that was next to her, "Nothing for you to worry about." He said putting on the mask.

"Why must I be kept in the dark?" she said upset, "I should at least know."

Emmett sighed, "It's not the end of the world if you don't know most stuff, Princess."

Emerelda huffed, "Why are you acting like this?"

Emmett glared at her through the mask, "Like what exactly?"

"As much as I enjoy watching you both snap at each other like children in primary school, we have to get going, or things would go the wrong way." Vivian announced sounding serious for once.

Emmett gave one last look at her and slammed the door. She growled, "Why is it that he think he have the rights to be so rude and disrespectful to a Princess!" she shouts.

"I heard that. And you're not a Princess anymore!" Emmett yelled from the outside.

The carriage sets off again, and Emerelda crossed her arms, "Unbelievably annoying, stubborn, dramatic…impolite man!"

"Oh my," Vivian remarks, he had Emmett's coat wrapped around him, "He sure knows how to get right under your skin doesn't he?"

She sighed and sat straight, "He probably most likely the only one who could."

Vivian laughs, "And yet you would stay right next to him because he has the key to get you to your goal."

Emerelda looked away, "As selfish as it sounds, I would stick with him just to get what I want. I'm sure he thinks the same as well."

"I'm sure he probably does. Although his taking his anger of me on you."

The made her look at him, "Really?"

He nods, "His upset. His past wasn't the best and I…I didn't make it any better. I'm sure he regrets meeting me and…much more." He frowns looking down at his hands, "I had to do what I must however. And it didn't please him. Now that everything is over, and he got though it…seeing me again opened up the wound I left him with."

"What…what have you done?" she inquires softly. It didn't sound too good the way Vivian sounded.

He looked up from his thick lashes, "That's for him to tell you himself."

"Oh...I see."

He leaned his head on the seat, "Do you really? Does anyone see a full picture or am I the only one?"

"You're probably the only one in the whole world."

He crossed his arms, "Yes…yes I am." He smirked, "And here they are."

The carriage came to a stop with murmuring outside. Emerelda peeked through the window and saw figures moving in the night. She looked at Vivian who sat serenely, "Should I hide?"

He shrugs, "I'm not sure, that's for you to decide." Though, when Emerelda looked into his eyes, she saw the real message.

'Have fun.'

"Would you look at that, it's raining." He giggles.

She got out of the carriage.

One foot on the carriage step, the other still on the inside, she stared at the scene ahead of her. Officers who most were gifted surrounded the carriage. She had her hood pulled, covering almost half of her face. The officers all stood and stared at her.

Emmett with his mask off had his hands in the air while an officer held a pistol on his head. He was smirking at first until he saw her. He gave her a look but she looked away.

One of the officers, probably the head of the group stepped forward, "And who is this? Another one of your 'burrowed' stuff?" he asked Emmett who was too busy trying to tell Emerelda to get back inside.

"Well girl? Who are you?" the officer demands.

Emerelda said nothing. She listened to each of their thoughts carefully. All of them gifted had the gift of strength. She grins, this would be entertaining indeed.

"Let him go." She said out loud.

That made the whole group burst into laughter. The one in charge, Michel, shook his head, "What an amusing person indeed. Do you realize it's now a crime to go out after curfew? Not only that, riding in a carriage that is certainly not from Garlin is suspicious, and your lover wearing a mask. Another thing to add on the list is you, covering yourself with a hood, I suggest you to pull it down."

"No." she said.

"No?" he looked back at one of the men, "Bring her along as well. Confiscate this whole carriage, see what their hiding within it."

Emerelda pulled her twins swords from her belt. They all paused, and the leader took out his pistol, "Now don't make me-" he crumbled to the ground.

Emmett had his long sword in his hand; the back of the sword pointed down. He was smirking.

Emmett looked down at the officer, "Oops."

They all came to him and Emerelda yells, "Let me have my fun!"

Emmett turned to grin and bowed, "I'll take the other half." And he blurred into the rain.

Emerelda jumped from the carriage and went to those who were gifted. They had their fists raised and she smiled. She raised her swords and Emmet's voice materializes in her head.

She was at the secret room, her swords raised. He had his own long sword raised towards her. He nods, "Remember, their one with you, the swords. And use your gift as an advantage. Read my thoughts, dance with the swords, and move with them. Listen to nothing but your breathing and my thoughts to use against you."

She blinks the rain from her eyes and moved. She listened to each of their thoughts, and deflects them all. She didn't want to hurt them as they were still officers doing their jobs, so she'll use the end of her sword and hit them hard on the side of their head, watching each of them fall one by one.

She stood admiring the fallen officers, Emmett standing at the center with arms rose, "Now that was thrilling!" he gasped happily.

She laughed. They were both soaked, rain pouring hard down. His hair curled at the end as they laid flat on his head. His white shirt tight on his skin exposed all his lean muscles and hard chest. He raised a hand to push his hair away, exposing his gold eyes, his lashes carrying droplets of rain.

For a moment it seemed as if time stilled. They both look intently at one another, ignoring the cold of the rain. It was dark; the only light was the one candle from the lamp of the carriage. She could smell the freshness of the rain, the smell of Garlin filling the air. It smelt of flowers and fresh dirt. The sound of rain falling was loud in her ears.

Lighting flashed at the distance and Emmett smiled; a genuine smile that for once touched his eyes. He stepped forward and Emerelda did right at the same time. Something draws her to him. Was it the way the rain slid on his smooth skin, the droplets of rain racing down his hard jaw? Or was it the way he stood immortal, tall, handsome, and proud? His body structured as if he was carved out with stone to perfection.

"Is it over?"Vivian asked from within.

Something between them snapped. Suddenly Emerelda's eyes focused and Emmett wasn't smiling anymore. She stepped back turning around. Ignoring whatever had just happen, whatever she felt. She ignored the hard beating of her chest, and ignored the fact her fingers tingled with a long of something to touch other than her swords.

Before she got into the carriage she sheaths her swords. She paused before getting up, hesitating to turn around. And she did, though only the officers laid unconscious were there. She got in without a second thought.

When she sat closing the carriage door that went through a lot tonight, Vivian was wigging his eyebrows at her. She scowls, "What?"

He grins, "Oh nothing, just the fact that both of you stared into each other eyes lovingly in the rain."

"That's-that's not true!" she sputters.

He shrugs and the carriage started moving, "Whatever you say your highness."

Emerelda promised herself to never think of what has just happened.

She took off the leather clothing and her cloak, and bathed. Once she was done she stared at the mirror for a long while. She tilts her head staring at the girl in front of her. She knew the girl in front of her was a different girl from the past.

She was in one of the nightgowns Emmett got her today. It was a light blue, long sleeve with lace designs. As she looked at herself, she didn't see Princess Emerelda, but just Emerelda.

"I am Emerelda…" she trailed off from her whispering. She was Emerelda, but what? Emerelda who? She was Emerelda Garlin, Princess of Garlin Gold State, daughter of Diem Garlin, heir to the throne. Was she still that person?

"You're not a princess anymore." Emmett's voice echoed in her head.

"Who am I?" she whispers, though no one could answer that question but herself. Until she finds herself, she'll answer that question.

She came out of the bathroom and found Vivian already washed up and into one of Emerelda's night gowns that was white. (He had insisted other than the clean shirts of Emmett's. He said he rather wore a nightgown than dress into one of Emmett's clothing. Emmett looked relived.) Sleeping soundlessly like a Prince made from snow.

She smiled sadly and went to the bed. She reached under her pillow and took the heavy book from underneath. She stared at it for a while and finally placed it on the desk, crawling into the soft covers of the bed. She pulled the blanket to her chin and turned to face Vivian. She wanted to badly reach out and push his hair away; he ought to have a haircut soon. Instead she held her hands together tight and took a deep breath. She felt safe, something she hasn't felt for a long while.

Emmett sat glaring at the fire. He took one puff from his pipe and the bedroom door opened up. He didn't need to know exactly who it was.

"Have you been playing the piano or do you let it sit under the sheet?"

He sighed, "Vivian."

Vivian came over and took the pipe from his hands, Emmett didn't stop him. He sat on the couch next to him and sighed into the smoke.

Emmett leaned his head back, "Is she asleep?" he asked.

"So you fancy her."

He gave him a look, "Please, don't bother me with such nonsense comments and answer me."

He waved a hand with the pipe, "She's practically almost dead if that's what you want to hear."

Emmett nods looking right back the fire crackling, "You must have told her everything?"

"Oh no, that is for you only to do so. I have no right to mention your past. Besides, that is why you don't want me here. From living in such a comfort life, to living in a small cottage…well that is what you want the Princess to think. Making it seem as if you sleep in the living room, leave for breakfast, and come back to train her. When in reality you leave the night back into your comfortable real bed leaving her alone." He smiles sweetly, "You don't want me to inform that to her."

Emmett glared at him, "The less she knows the better it is. She doesn't tell me anything herself. Besides, this is strictly for business. We are both working together for our own reasons."

"That is what you both say, and yet deep within it all there is desire for one another."

Emerelda's green bright eyes stared at him in front of the carriage. They were innocent, large, and confused a little. Her freckles splatter on the bridge of her nose, her cape fell revealing her red strawberry hair that was wet and pasted on her face.

She didn't seem to bother or realized that she was clenching on the swords he gave her a little too hard, her knuckles white. She was so small and yet, she stood tall and straight like a warrior. She carried royalty in just the way she stood. Rain slid off her cheeks and her full pink lips that were slightly parted.

Emmett wanted to reach out to her…

He blinked and frowned looking away from Vivian, "I haven't have any clue on what the bloody hell you are trying to say."

Vivian laughs softly, "I admire the fact both of you deny your own feelings. It's almost pathetic."

"This is it," Emmett said angry turning to him, "This is all just an amusing game to you? You'll sit and watch, speak without one drop of decorum and leave in a blink of an eye."

Vivian's eyes narrowed down at him, "Are you saying your past events was my entire fault? Need you to remind you? I was simply trying to ensure you won't get hurt."

"You should have at least said something." He growls.

Vivian scowls, "I thought I was doing you a favour then to experience... what you saw."

"I told you to tell me anything important, and yet still you kept things from me."

Vivian sighed, "I apologize. I'm sorry that happened to you, and I'm sorry for not telling you. I just…I thought I was doing you a favor. I left because I felt guilty. And it was also what I had to do."

Emmett said nothing for a while. Finally he stood up and looked down at Vivian, "Where does it hurt?"

Vivian hesitates but placed the finished pipe on the couch next to him. He lifts up Emerelda's nightgown that was a little big on him. He was exposed, showing the scars and cuts on himself. Emmett went to the cabinets and took gauze, cotton balls, and a bowl of water.

He set everything on a chair and was faced to Vivian's back. He starts on one wound and Vivian hiss, "If this is your way on getting me back, I rather much sleep with pain instead."

Emmet smirked, "Please. I got better ideas."

"How exhilarating,"

Emmet stopping smirking, "I'm sorry…for …whatever had happened with you and Mr. Chester."

Vivian shrugs carefully, still in pain, "The things you do for the future to go straight and perfect."

"When would you stop sacrificing yourself for the world?"

"Until the world becomes a better place,"