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The palace's flowers are beautiful. Emerald itches to hold on in her hands. She's spent too long peering through the wrought iron gates, trying to sneak her fingers through.
She's watched them bloom, year after year, petals in every color of the rainbow. Most beautiful of all, though, are the roses, red and white and yellow, massive and delicate, their odor infusing the air every spring.
The palace will burn soon, pretty red flames reaching up into the night like grasping fingers. For now, dusk lingers, and Emerald stands alone among the green.
She breathes in, the scent of flowers all around her. Emerald has never tended to a plant, but she knows instinctively that the smoke will choke these living things, even if they escape the fire's touch.
"Hello?" someone says, and Emerald whirls to face the voice. It's another girl, pale-skinned with dark hair and wearing a fine red dress, and Emerald blinks before she recognizes her. The delicate fabric roses sewn onto the dress make it obvious, even if Emerald hadn't seen her from a distance before — she's Princess Ruby Rose.
Emerald's breath catches in her throat. This is going to ruin everything. The princess will alert the whole castle and Cinder's plan will fail. She'll be so mad.
"Helloooo?" Princess Ruby says. Emerald blinks, takes a breath, tries to compose herself.
"Um. Hi." Emerald tries to hold eye contact, but she can't keep herself from glancing away.
The flowers are almost glowing in the evening light, the sunset gently illuminating each petal in orange light. The red roses are the same color as Princess Ruby's dress.
How long did it take to make? Does she know how many hands went into the clothes she wears, picking the perfect fabric and thread, measuring and cutting and carefully sewing each piece into place?
Princess Ruby holds out a hand. Her mouth is moving, but Emerald can't hear the words she's saying. Reflexively, she takes the hand with one of hers. The princess smiles and shakes it.
"It's nice to meet you! I'm Ruby!"
Emerald's hand feels clammy against Princess Ruby's soft, warm skin.
Brain scrambled, Emerald drops the hand and tries clumsily to curtsy. She's never curtsied before, not for real.
"Your majesty," she says, "I'm... sorry for trespassing?"
Princess Ruby laughs. The life and energy in her voice makes jealousy bloom in Emerald's heart. Only someone raised in the lap of luxury could be so carefree.
"It's okay," Princess Ruby says, "I've always wanted to show someone these flowers!"
Emerald can hardly stop herself from asking, What the hell are you talking about?
This garden has always been locked away. No lowly commoner could ever enter the palace's lofty grounds just to walk and smell the flowers, let alone be with the princess unsupervised.
Princess Ruby holds her hand out again. "What's your name?"
Emerald takes a deep breath. If the princess is too stupid to tell that there's something wrong, then she won't push her luck. She'll play along and be the new friend this spoiled brat wants her to be, at least until the sun slips below the horizon.
"I'm Emerald," she says, and she takes Princess Ruby's hand.