Carlisle was just passed ten years old when his little sister came screaming into the world. She was tiny, pink, and a blessing from God; or so his mother told him. While he had straight blonde hair and steel blue eyes like his father, Isabella had deep brown eyes and mahogany hair that fell in ringlets just like their mother. The children differed so much in looks that the villagers had a hard time considering them siblings and whispers followed them almost from day one.
Isabella wasn't an easy baby, not even slightly, and cried at all hours of the day and night. That was the beginning of the elder Cullen's hatred of his daughter. He never wanted a second child, content with his son, but it was unplanned and nothing could be done to thwart the will of God.
"Mother has passed then?" Twelve year old Carlisle questioned his father when the man came home in a wicked mood one day. With a grunt as his only answer he couldn't help but wonder what would become of his sister. Since the day she had been born their father had little to no interaction with her. And now with their mother gone who was going to care for her? Well it didn't take him long to find out when the following day his father brought home a nurse and left the little girls care to her.
Fourteen year old Carlisle sat proudly in the pew as his father preached the word of God. The words washing over him and bringing him comfort. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Isabella fussing for her nurse and knew the punishment that would await the toddler at home. Father might not want anything to do with the girls upbringing but he seemed to enjoy taking his hand or even his belt to her.
By the time Carlisle was eighteen he knew his father had planned his entire life out for him. He was to follow in his footsteps and take over the preaching now that he was a man. But he didn't want that. He wanted to be a Doctor. A healer. Someone that took care of others. He had enough experience taking care of his sister. She seemed to injure herself without their fathers help quite frequently.
"Father was talking with old man Rhodes again today." Ten year old Isabella solemnly told her brother.
Carlisle closed the book that he had been reading and laid it on his lap. "You know you aren't suppose to be eavesdropping Bella." He told her quietly so that their father wouldn't hear his use of the nickname.
Isabella crossed her arms over her chest and kicked her feet against her chair legs. "It isn't eavesdropping if you are the subject of the conversation brother." She snapped.
"Harrold Rhodes is a very wealthy land owner Bella. Perhaps father was just being polite." Carlisle soothed.
"I am not stupid! I know exactly what they were speaking about. Me! Father is going to marry me off to old man Rhodes!" Isabella sniffled and wiped her nose across the back of her hand.
Carlisle cringed. He knew the old man was up to something he just didn't realize how serious it was. Harrold Charles Rhodes, while wealthy and well respected, had a temper about him that was legendary. Widowed for more than twenty years he had grown into a angry withered old man.
Isabella frowned. "I'll run away before I let it happen Carlie. I promise you!" With that said she darted out of the study and up the stairs to her room.
Being ten years Isabella's senior meant he could provide her with some protection but if their father was arranging this marriage then there wasn't anything he could do. Bella would be given away like a piece of furniture and he could only imagine the horror that would await her.
Sadly Carlisle was turned, three years later, before he found out what was to happen to Isabella. And once the burning stopped he couldn't go back and check. He just had to pray that God would be merciful on the little girl. He wouldn't find out until many years later that his prayer wasn't answered. Not even close.