The King's Lover Chapter 3: Emma

"I believe I caught a glimpse of the Crown Prince," Rose confided to Emma, their conversation unfolding beneath the luminous moon at the rear of Rose's home. The night sky was so bright, it rendered any sort of lamp unnecessary.

Emma, a year younger than Rose, had been her confidante since their earliest childhood days. Both hailing from Edenville, their close proximity had forged an unbreakable bond of friendship.

"What?" Emma exclaimed in surprise. "Where did you see him?"

"At the village entrance," Rose responded.

"And what were you doing there?"

"I had gone to fetch water from the well. My mother's cough has been quite severe lately, and I didn't wish to use the muddy water for cooking."

"And you saw him?" Emma inquired, her curiosity clearly piqued by the details of the Crown Prince sighting rather than any other matter.

"Yes, I think so."

"What do you mean, you think so? Did you not see him clearly?"

"Oh, I saw him," Rose said with a smirk. "He's remarkably handsome."

Emma gasped, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. "Don't let Ander hear you say that," she whispered, casting nervous glances around.

"Stop looking around like that. He's not hiding in the bushes, you know."

"Wow!" Emma beamed. "To think you actually saw him! Did he speak to you?"

"Certainly not, and he was surrounded by numerous knights. It was quite intimidating," Rose admitted, shaking her head.

"Still, to have been that close to the Crown Prince! I'm so envious."

"Don't be. I was terrified. He's still in Edenville, and you might encounter him too. You're quite a pretty lady, after all. Who knows what might happen?" Rose teased, wiggling her eyebrows and inching closer to tickle Emma.

"What are you doing?" Emma cried out, trying to evade Rose's playful assault. "I'm not like that. He is royalty, the Crown Prince! Besides, I could say the same about you."

Rose immediately ceased her tickling. "You know I'm engaged to Ander, Emma. We're getting married in just a week." Rose gazed into the distance, a wistful smile gracing her lips as she contemplated the upcoming ceremony.

Ander, also a childhood acquaintance of Rose, had always been destined to be her husband, a fact she had recognized since she was a little girl. Their wedding would have occurred sooner, but Rose had postponed it due to her mother's persistent illness. However, upon learning of her mother's distress, Rose had resolved to expedite the marriage to bring her happiness.

"A week away, that's so soon," Emma murmured, a trace of sadness clouding her features.

"Don't look so glum. I know I'll be moving into his father's house, but Ander has promised to build our own home shortly, and it will be situated near my parents' place. We'll still see each other often, even after I become a married woman. Mrs. Oliver!" Rose squealed with delight again.

"Congratulations," her friend offered warmly. "I can hardly wait for the wedding."

"Father has promised to hunt a large antelope for the feast," Rose grinned.

"My mother has already prepared the gifts she intends to give you," Emma shared.

"Oh, how kind of her. Your mother has always been so good to us. Please send her my deepest affections."

Emma nodded in agreement. "I will."

"I'm thinking of doing it tonight," Rose suddenly declared, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Rosie," Emma cried, her eyes widening in realization of Rose's intention. "You can't possibly be serious."

"I already told you I would," Rose replied, her smirk widening.

"Why not simply wait until your wedding night?" Emma inquired.

Rose shook her head. "I'm marrying Ander anyway. He's the only man I love," Rose stated proudly. "Besides, you know the reason why."

"Yes, you mentioned it before – so it won't hurt as much on your wedding night."

"It wasn't me who said that; it was Madame Razel."

Madame Razel was the merchant's wife and widely known as the most notorious gossip in all of Edenville. No piece of news escaped her notice. She was the go-to person for any assistance or information, the only drawback being that the entire town would likely have heard the news before any solutions could be implemented.

"You know better than to heed the words of a gossip."

"But she's right. If I can endure the initial pain, it will be smooth sailing afterward, and a week is more than enough time to recover. And the best part – even if I were to conceive, no one would ever know."

"You seem unusually excited about this."

"I can't help it. I bet you've always wanted to do it too."

"Absolutely not," Emma replied, blushing.

Rose shifted along the bench until she was pressed against Emma. "You're lying, aren't you?" she teased.

"Not everyone shares the same interests as you do."

"Then why are you blushing?" Rose asked, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.

"No! I'm not! But are you truly set on this?" Emma questioned, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Of course," Rose affirmed.

"When?" Emma pressed for more details.

"Tonight," she declared with evident glee.

"Does Ander know about this?"

Rose shook her head. "But I'm quite sure he'll be delighted."

Emma displayed a hint of hesitancy. "What are you planning to do? Sneak into his room?"

"Precisely!"

"You're insane!" Emma exclaimed, her eyes wide, though no ill intent laced her words.

"Don't worry, I'll share all the details in the morning," Rose playfully responded.

"I have no interest in what you do between the sheets."

"Aren't you even a tiny bit curious?" Rose prodded.

"I'm not," Emma insisted. "I really must be going; my mother will notice my absence soon, and you know how she gets."

"Yes, she dislikes you leaving the house at night."

"Exactly! Even though you live right next door."

Rose chuckled. "Give her my love," she said.

"Absolutely not. She'll know I visited you."

"I know, I was just teasing you."

Emma narrowed her eyes at Rose before slowly rising from the bench. "Give your mother my regards. I would have said hello myself, but I know she must be resting now."

"Yes," Rose replied, also standing. "I'll walk you to the fence."

"There's no need. You need to prepare," Emma said, unable to meet Rose's gaze.

"Prepare for what?"

Emma frowned. "Are you going to make me say it?"

"Would you?" Rose snickered.

"Goodnight. My own fault for caring."

Rose laughed and waved goodbye to her best friend, watching her stomp away before turning back towards her house. The interior was quiet as she entered. The hearth still held embers, but the fire had died down. She decided against adding more wood; the night wasn't particularly cold. Quietly, she made her way to her room, resolving to wait until a later hour before heading to Ander's residence.