Chapter 23
Episode 23
The Emissary called My name but My Father kept telling Him I was not home I put my hand over my mouth so not to make a sound. I was honoured but frightened at the same time
The emissary’s voice, a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the floorboards, repeated my name. "Emily. His Royal Highness specifically requested to speak with Emily." My father's voice, strained but firm, cut through the tension. "I'm afraid she is not home. Perhaps another time." I pressed my hand tighter over my mouth, my breath catching in my throat. Every instinct screamed at me to stay hidden, to remain an unseen observer in this surreal drama unfolding below. I was honored, in a strange, terrifying way, that a prince would ask for me, but the sheer audacity of this man, the veiled threats, the palpable power radiating from him, all of it filled me with a primal fear. My father, my brave, stubborn father, was standing between me and whatever this man represented, and the weight of that realization settled heavily on my young shoulders. I could hear the emissary’s sharp intake of breath, the rustle of fabric as he shifted his weight. He was not accustomed to being denied.