Chapter Two

Emery

I open the door to see a familiar dark brown haired woman standing with a smile on her face and just like that, I know there has got to be something, ''Mother.'' I mutter, earning myself a push from her so that she can enter the house—I take a few steps back, seeing that she has brought two bodyguards along.

As I turn to look at her, I see her eyes wandering around the house; probably mocking this place in her mind. Without further ado, I close the door, stepping towards the middle of the living room, ''I know that's not yours, Emery.'' She points at a white loose blouse, clearly a women's clothing.

To my surprise, she stands up, heading straight towards my bedroom. I quickly follow behind her, ''What are you doing?'' I ask but she ignores me by pushing the door open, revealing a woman with dark blonde hair, still in her deep slumber—which causes my mother to glare at me immediately.

She closes the door, gently and starts to pull me by the wrist, ''This is what you've been doing in Melbourne? Living like a man with no purpose? Who is she? Is she your girlfriend?'' She questions, making me put both of my hands on her shoulders and slowly letting her sit down on one of the sofas.

Both of her hazel eyes won't stop glaring at me and I know that she's not satisfied with me. Ever since I was eighteen, I moved straight to Australia because I don't want to be involved with any duties back in England—I never wanted that kind of life. I want a free life where I can do whatever and however I want.

Apart from that, I furthered my studies here.

Even in Australia, I know she's been keeping track of me. I'm the only child and I'm next to the throne; it's clear why she takes really good care of me. Other than the motherly love, sometimes I can't even have my own privacy—I've caught a few people following me and it was all her idea. She thought to keep me safe.

''Is she a prostitute?'' She questions once more which causes my eyes to widen slightly.

''No, she's a friend.'' I answer, shaking my head in denial.

Honestly, I barely even know her and she's just a girl I met last night at a party. She kept on wanting my attention and maybe I was too drunk to think clearly which explains why she's here, in my bedroom, in my house; in bed. Clearly, something happened last night with her.

''Friends don't have sexual intercourses.'' She responds and I start to chuckle—realising that it has been a while since I've talked to her. I've missed her and her voice; I missed her nagging a bit more because she always does that on the phone.

''It's a bit creepy when you say it like that,''

She rubs onto her temples, ''Oh dear, Emery. At least she's not your girlfriend, that would have broken my heart. She's definitely not I imagined my daughter-in-law would be but now when I think about it, she's far from what I imagined. Too far,'' She says, stating the truth.

Some men would be finding a girlfriend or even settling down at my age but due to the fact of being royalty, I have a hard time trusting women. No one here knows who I am because I want them to see me as a normal person with a normal life; not someone who's royalty and should be highly respected.

''I don't plan on having a girlfriend, just so you know.'' I say, taking a sip of water in the kitchen.

I look up to see her walking towards me. Her eyes are hiding something—something that I can't figure out. Mother has always been good with secrets because she enjoys keeping them, for the sake of someone's happiness or sadness. She's really good at keeping other people's secrets too.

''Excellent because you are getting married,'' She says, clapping her hands and smiling widely at me, causing me to choke on my water.

''What do you mean?'' I put the glass in the sink before turning to look at her once more, trying to seek for answers in her eyes. The way her eyes shine with happiness; I know that she has known this for a long time and has been waiting for the right time to tell.

She walks closer towards me, ''Emery, your great-grandfather was very close to her great-grandfather and they made an agreement for the sake of their friendship. They want their friendship to last forever so that's why you have to marry her. She's the first daughter born ever since the agreement was made—in the agreement, it stated that the first daughter born shall marry the first son born. Do you get this?'' She grins.

''You mean, that I have to marry her no matter what?'' I raise an eyebrow.

''Don't look of it that way, it seems a bit heartless, don't you think? You two have been destined to marry each other—it's fate. People say that all the time because how can there not be a single first daughter born in their family? It's quite a mystery.'' She chuckles, patting onto my shoulder.

I immediately furrow my eyebrows, realising something. Yes, it's true that I never really think about settling down just yet but when it comes to marrying someone, I would like it to be someone that I love instead of marrying someone that I barely know—it seems ridiculous.

This is the twenty-first century, we all have the right to marry whoever we want but I guess that right isn't for royalties. Then again, I don't know when it comes to her; she's probably jumping up and down when she heard that she would be marrying me, a royalty.

I guess she just got lucky.

''I can't just marry someone. I don't want to,'' I mutter under my breath before sighing deeply, walking towards the other side, not really wanting to face my mother at the moment.

She follows me from behind, ''There's nothing that we can do. The agreement has always been sealed to fulfil when your great-grandfather died—he made your grandfather promise and your grandfather made your father promise. I guess you won't be making that promise because you'll be fulfilling it.''

''I won't even be making that promise if I'm not in place to fulfil it. Everyone has a choice, mother especially when it comes to marrying someone. Just cancel the agreement, no one will question. You have the power to do that,'' I say, running my fingers through my hair, not quite believing that my mother came all the way to Melbourne just to tell me that I'll be getting married to a stranger.

''It can't be cancelled, my dear. I don't have the power to that, it has been written in the law until it is fulfilled—which will be cancelled on its own.'' She replies, sighing before sitting right next to me, soothingly rubbing my back.

My eyes immediately meet hers, ''She could be older than me—''

She cuts me off, ''She's twenty-five this year.''

I let out another sigh, somehow realising that there's not other way for me to run away from this kind of things. Agreements are taken seriously with royalties because it is something that rarely happens unless necessary. For some reason, I feel a bit curious about the girl; maybe she's attractive.

No, don't think about it right now. I thought. I don't marry someone just because she's attractive, I'll marry someone for her heart—for herself.

''Have you met her before?'' I ask, trying to know a bit more if I'm stuck with her. I might as well know something about her and not filled with blanks when we meet.

Mother looks at me, ''I've never met her before but I've seen pictures of her. Of course, I would want the best for you, Emery. She's a very beautiful girl, you don't have to worry about how she looks. I know how it bothers you with your curiosity but try to push that thought away for a moment.'' She replies.

I squint my eyes, trying to take a better look in her eyes before trying to joke around, ''I don't trust you.'' I say, jokingly and she starts to slap onto my arm; making me laugh once more.

With a smile, I wrap my arm around her shoulder which earns me a sigh. I look down at her, seeing that she has a heartwarming smile that can cheer anyone up—that explains why father fell in love with her; anyone would, ''If she's not what as you described, I'll be screaming bloody Mary.'' I joke once more.

She rolls her eyes, ''Never underestimate the queen, Emery France Van Allan.''

I cringe after hearing her say my full name because I rarely hear anyone say it. It would always be Emery or Prince Emery of Cambridge. Then, we both turn to see the woman with dark blonde hair standing near the bedroom door as she watches my mother and I with confusion, ''I'm late, I should go.'' She says, walking towards the front door after pecking onto my cheek.

My mother watches the whole thing with glares but as soon as she's out, I peck onto mother's cheek, ''You must've learned something after years of staying by yourself.'' She says.

''I've learned to cook, if you must know.'' I reply with a grin.

''Fascinating, prove it.'' She stands up, looking at me. From the look on her face, I can tell that she doesn't seem to trust me but I walk straight towards the kitchen with her trailing behind me, waiting for me to cook her a meal that I've come to know by heart.

''You'll see how lucky you are to have me as your son,'' I say, taking the ingredients before putting it on the kitchen counter as she sits on one of the stools, watching my every movement.

As I turn around to wash the vegetables, I can't seem to remove the thought of marrying someone I don't know. Of course, we all start with being strangers but it takes time to know each other before actually moving to a stage where marriage is an option—unlike me, it'll come straight and forward.

''Mother, may I at least know her name?'' I glance towards her direction for a few seconds as I see her taking a bite of an apple.

''Emma,'' She replies.

I look down at the vegetables in the sink before thinking of the name Emma. How would an Emma be? Funny? Outgoing? Boring? Caring? I just feel like knowing something about her; so that I can actually decide whether it's a right choice to make or not—I've been fooling around and never thinking on being serious with someone.

Even if we may marry soon, I might come to like her or I might also come to dislike her. If we are going to marry, we'll be spending the rest of our lives together and mother will expect us to have children or at least a child; which I can confirm, will not be soon.

''Has she already filled your mind?'' I hear mother asks from behind, causing me to chuckle lightly.

Surprisingly, yes even though I don't even have a single clue of how she looks like or how she is—I'll try my best to imagine her as someone I'd want to spend my life with; putting away any negative thoughts.

Emma, that's a pretty name.