The Princess of Misthaven drummed her fingers impatiently against her desk, wishing that she didn't have to go to the stupid ball her parents had organised for her 18th birthday. She didn't care for all of the lavish clothing and expensive jewellery. All she wanted to do was to put on her favourite black pants and deep blue leather vest and go exploring the grounds and forest beyond.
Emma just wanted to be normal for the day and see what it was like to not be recognised everywhere she went and being treated differently. She remember all of the times that she had snuck out when she was little but her guards always found her and brought her straight back home.
She looked at the bright crimson dress on her bed, wishing that she could just poof it into thin air. Yes, it was pretty and that colour always looked beautiful on her but she just wanted more, as if something was missing from her life and she couldn't place what that was.
It was only 7:30am and she had been up for an hour but she longed for the day to be over already. Before she could even processed what was going on, her door was burst open and an over excited Snow came bouncing in.
"Happy Birthday, my darling." Snow pulled Emma up from her desk into a massive bear hug.
Emma resisting rolling her eyes and couldn't help but smile and pulled her Mom in closer. She could smell her sweet floral perfume and she knew that she was always safe around her. Maybe, today wouldn't be too bad.
Her father wasn't for behind and swept them both up off their feet, twirling them around before placing them down and cupping Emma's chin.
"We know that you aren't too excited for the ball tonight so we decided to let you have some freedom for the day but you must be back for the ball. You are old enough now to be able to do what you want." Emma couldn't believe that her father was saying this. "Within reason. You are still my little girl and I will always protect you and be there for you. I couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt,"
"Dad -" Emma started to protest but her father carried on. "Anyway, what I am trying to say is that there is a surprise for you in my study."
Emma grinned up at her father who was already beaming down at her. He knew her so well and she would always be a daddy's girl.
"Thanks, Mom, Dad. I promise I will be back in time for the ball."
With that Emma gave both of her parents a quick kiss on the cheek and bounded out of the door towards the study, her earlier annoyance forgotten.
"Be careful, sweetie." She just about heard her Mom shout out.
She hurried along the corridor and up a winding staircase to get to her father's study. All the time thinking what on earth they could have gotten her.
Emma placed her hand on the ornate doorknob and slowly opened the door and walked in. The room looked exactly the same as normal. Nothing was added, moved or anything.
Suddenly a pair of cold hands pressed over her eyes and she jumped and squealed at the unexpected gesture.
"Surprise!"
Emma turned round to see her two best friends standing there with a cake and lots of gift bags.
"Elsa! Graham! What are you doing here? I didn't expect to see you until this evening." Emma was practically in tears as she launched herself into her friends' arms.
"Hey, careful of the cake! Anna spent all day yesterday making this for you. I don't think she would be too happy if it was splattered all over the floor." Elsa faked annoyance but chuckled anyway.
The cake was a beautiful three tiered chocolate masterpiece. The main part was a milky chocolate fudge cake with dark and white chocolate Arendelle crocuses cascading down the right side and butterflies on the left. Each tier was tied with a small icy blue ribbon with swans on it. Emma felt like she had died and gone to chocolate heaven.
She was about to stick her finger into it to sample a tiny bit of the frosting but Graham quickly snatched the cake back just in time.
"Oh, no you don't. This is has to be saved until this evening."
Emma pouted and gave them her best puppy dog eyes.
"Here maybe these will help take your mind off it." Graham chuckled and brought over a couple of her presents over to her. One was a massive glittery fuchsia bag and the other was a tiny emerald one.
Emma knew that she wasn't meant to open anything until this evening after the ball but she just couldn't resist. Two gifts wouldn't hurt.
Naturally she went for the big fuchsia one first and peak inside. The parcel was perfectly wrapped in matching paper to the bag and an icy blue ribbon was wrapped around it. Elsa. Emma could notice that little quirk from a mile off. Elsa was the ice queen after all.
Emma wasted no time in ripping the paper to shred and the smell hit her instantly causing her eyes to shoot open.
"You know these are my all-time favourites and my ultimate weakness. Are you trying to make me fat?" Emma squealed as she held the biggest box ever of Arendelle's finest chocolates.
"Of course not, but we would love you know matter how you looked. Plus, it's a very special day for you and you deserve nothing but the best."
Elsa's warmth never failed to amazing Emma. Ever since they first met 8 years ago Elsa had always treated her like a sister.
"Thank you from everything, Elsa." Emma hugged her best friend tightly and she could feel herself being all mushy but she couldn't help it, she had missed her friends so much.
"Mine next." Graham pulled out a little emerald green parcel with a yellow bow attached to it and handed it to Emma. She smiled and gave it a little shake and heard it rattle.
Graham blushing slightly but tired his best to hide it but of course Emma noticed. They had been friends since forever so they knew each other so well and nothing slipped past the other. He was basically her older brother and just like her father was super protect over her.
Emma tore off the paper and was left with a little velvet box. She traced her fingers over it slowly, loving the feel of the material under her skin, then lifted the lid to reveal a necklace.
"Graham," She gasped. "It's beautiful."
She pulled out a delicate silver chain with a circular pendant engraved with a swan, dangling at the bottom.
"I just saw it when I was visiting a far off town a few months ago and I thought it was perfect, what with your last name being Swan." Graham was smiling proudly. "You know swans symbolise grace and beauty. However I think they got the grace part wrong in your case." He smirked and ruffled her hair.
"Hey!" Emma shoved him back. "At least I can walk down a flight of stairs without falling flat on my face and in heels I might at."
Elsa came back before Graham could say another words and helped Emma put the necklace on. It was gorgeous.
"So are we ready for an adventure?" Emma could see the glimmer of excitement in the Queens eyes.
"Just give me five minutes so I can go and change." Emma plucked one of the chocolates out from the box then started to walk towards the door and Graham added quickly, "Ok, we will meet you by the gates in fifteen. We know what your five minutes are like".
Emma raced back up to her room narrowly avoiding crashing into a maid that was starting to prepare the decorations for the ball. A princess shouldn't run but she didn't care at the moment she was too excited to be leaving the castle.
She pulled out the outfit she had been daydreaming about this morning. She couldn't believe she would actually be able to wear it.
Emma quickly peeled of her current outfit and pulled on her favourite white floral blouse, wrapped a deep navy blue vest over it and then squeezed into a pair of skin tight black pants. To finish the outfit of she grabbed a pair of calf high brown boots with matching elbow gloves and a chucky brown belt. Nobody would be able to recognise the princess like this, they were used to seeing her in all of the fancy clothes and never in common ones.
She was just about to walk through the door when she caught her reflect in the mirror. Her hair. People would still be able to recognise her with her long golden hair flowing loosely down her back. Emma decided to tie a braid down the one side and then tie it all up into a high ponytail with a piece brown leather that she found on her dresser and just to be on the safe side she picked up her old royal blue cloak so she would be able to cover her face in case anyone started to look too closely at her.
Finally happy with how she looked she went down to meet Elsa and Graham by the gates and of course they were already there and she noticed that they had changed too. Elsa was no longer in her icy blue gown which was a clear indication of her nobility, but in a short sleeved white blouse with a light blue knee length dress that had little flowered embroidered around the bottom, finished off with black flats. Graham was just wearing a simple slate grey shirt teamed with black leather pants and black boots.
"Finally, we thought we were never going to leave." Emma just rolled her eyes at Graham's comment and linked arms with them both and headed out of the back gates of the castle as fewer people would be around there.
"So where to first?" Elsa paused and looked at Emma. "We can either go around the town to look at the market, grab some food or wonder about the forest and other grounds. It is up to you though, Emma, as today is your day and we just want to make it special for you."
"I think it would be best to go to the forest first. It's safer in morning and in the daylight and you have only just eaten and you can't be hungry yet." Graham spoke up before Emma could even reply. He had always been the voice of reason and thought through things logically.
"Forest it is then." Emma wanted to go to the forest first anyway and bounded off in that direct.
They mustn't have left one part of the forest unturned. They had followed the river right up to the source, from just outside the castles grounds, past violent rapids and the most beautiful waterfalls and the freshest tasting water Emma had ever had. Along the path that found some hidden bat caves which luckily the bat had all be roosting and they were quiet enough not to disturb them. They had even had a fleeting glance at the elusive unicorn that no one had actually seen before and believe it was only a myth.
Emma had always know that Misthaven was tucked away in a little valley but she had never seen it from this perspective before; right at the top of the mountains looking down at her kingdom. It wasn't exactly small, in fact she couldn't even see the mountains at the other side. It was truly breath taking.
"I never realised this before but Misthaven looks so much like Arendelle, the only difference being is that my kingdom is surrounded by the fjord." Elsa marvelled.
Emma always enjoyed spending time with her two best friends, she could be herself around them and trust them with her life.
They sat looking out over the scenery for quite a long time just catching up on old times and see what each other had been up to since they were last together until they were interrupted my Emma's stomach growling.
The three of them headed back into the town to grab some food before they wondered around looking at all of the quaint little stalls.
Emma was in her element. All of the vibrant colours, exotic smells, cheerful people, it was just like she imagined it would be.
Despite having just eaten they tasted all of the foods that were on offer but of course Elsa and Emma were drawn to the chocolate stalls the most. Everything was so delicious.
"This almost tastes as good as your chocolates." Emma marvelled over a creamy orange truffle.
"Nothing will come close to our chocolates. Ever." Elsa took a bit of the truffle. "But, this is pretty good." The girls burst out chuckling, even Graham couldn't keep it in.
Graham and Elsa went away to give Emma some alone time and they stated that they had some important business to attend to.
So Emma stayed around the stalls looking at all of the beautiful fabric absentmindedly feeling all of the textures, the smell of the chocolates still invading her senses.
Emma felt a shoulder knock into her back and she tried so hard to maintain her balance but she was taken by surprise and landed face down on the cold pavement.
"Oh lass, I am terribly sorry." Emma heard a man's voice with a distinct accent call out to her.
She turned herself over and the man had knelt down next to her and extended his hand out to her. She allowed him to help her up and was met but the most breathtakingly beautiful lapis blue eyes she had ever seen.
A/N: This was only meant to be a small one shot but I got a little carried away and didn't have the heart to take any detail out. I really hope you all like it. Don't worry the next chapter is all about Emma and Killian. This is unbeta'd so I am sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes. Kat x