A/N: I do not own anything Twilight related, SM owns. I do however own "Prophecy" storyline and a chocolate milk.
Chapter 1 Prologue
Threatening, dreary clouds rolled over the forest, chasing down the last rays of the sun and smothering them. Without its warmth, the day became as chill as death. Like wild beasts unleashed, the winds chased each other across the darkening sky and swirled around the castle. Night fell swiftly over the lands, and the storm closed in.
The night was unlike anything Forks had experienced in years. The clouds were dark and swollen with rain. They hung ominously over the land. Powerful rain battered the treetops, churning the grass of the outer bailey into mud. Shafts of lightning savagely tore at the sky, and the thunder echoed eerily in the candlelit chamber. At a window, high in the west tower of the castle a woman stood staring out into the stormy night. Renee Swan was tall and slender, her long blonde hair was pulled off her face in an elaborate bun; the rest falling in loose curls down to her waist. There was an air of foreboding about her and although she thought herself foolish, Renee couldn't shake the feeling that a something terrible was about to occur. It chilled her to the core and sent shivers down her spine. As she stared into the darkness, she could almost sense death standing in the room behind her. An unnatural feeling swept through her, a numbing, chilling certainty that her time had come. She knew it, and she knew she would not escape her fate. All that mattered was that her daughter survived.
"Survive what?" Renee pondered aloud. Her second sight, which had never failed her before, showed nothing, but a thick enveloping darkness, followed by a golden light so bright she forced to open her eyes and look no further. She had no way of knowing what was about to happen, and so she feared for her husband and her child. Shivering, frightened by these thoughts, Renee pulled her cloak tighter around her. Moving closer to the window she forced the wooden shutters home. She turned to the corner of the chamber pulling the plaited rope that hung there, which rung a bell deep in the castle.
Within minutes her maidservant entered. She was young, around sixteen, with long straight brown hair, a pleasant face and large, gentle brown eyes.
"Yes Milady." She said.
"Jessica," Renee said, choosing her words carefully, not wishing to frighten the girl.
"Listen carefully and follow my orders to the letter. Go and wake my daughter. Dress her in plain travelling clothes and bring her here. Have one of the men saddle her horse and prepare him for travel. Then have the servants flee the castle."
"Of course thy Highness." Jessica said, confused and just a bit frightened by her mistress' strange mood and requests.
"Milady, be there trouble? Why do thou wish the servants to leave?" She asked.
"I do not know if there will be trouble Jessica, yet I feel there may be. I do not wish thee to worry. Just follow my orders, and take care." Renee said, stressing her final words. She ushered the girl to the door. Before she left, Jessica impulsively turned and embraced her Empress, smiling.
"Do not worry thy Majesty, I shall see thee soon." Renee held the girl close, tears spilling from her blue eyes.
"I hope so Jessica." She said softly, and she had the feeling that the next time they would exchange words, would be under very different circumstances. After her moment of weakness, Renee composed herself.
"Now go." She pushed Jessica out the door.
Renee turned and wiped the tears from her cheeks with her finger. She began to pace. She thought of her sweet innocent daughter, just a child. How could she survive? No matter what happened Renee knew her daughter had to live. If she could get free of the citadel, she would be taken in and sheltered by one of the crown's allies. Angela, Queen of the Southern Tribes, would offer her safe haven, as would Eric, the wise one. Renee knew her daughter could ride; she had always had a rare gift with animals If only she could escape whatever was about to occur. Renee was not afraid of her fate, but her daughter was just a child, and Renee knew she was destined for great things. She had to survive.
So engrossed in her disturbing thoughts was she, that Renee barely heard the door slowly open behind her. She whirled around, her hand wrapping around the hilt of the dagger strapped to her hip. A tall powerfully built man, with thick black, hair, and deep golden-green eyes, strode in. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Renee my love, what is happening? The servants are fleeing the castle on thy orders." He asked, his eyes reflecting his concern and worry.
"Charlie dear one," Renee said, knowing it would be useless to lie to him
"I know not, but I feel something evil is close." It took all her will not to break down where she stood. Sensing this he took a step towards her and opened his arms. She barely stifled a sob and rushed into his embrace. She wrapped her arms tight around his waist; as if afraid he would disappear. Her head rested on his muscular chest. The warmth of his embrace did little to undo the frozen, numb feeling that had seeped through her body. She suddenly had the strangest feeling that this would be the last time she would feel his strong arms around her.
"Oh, my dearest love," she confided, raising her eyes to his. "Thou must promise me. No matter what happens thee and our daughter must find away to escape it. I am so afraid for thee." Once again tears glistened in her eyes. He kissed her forehead
"Do not fear for me, my love, all shall be well." He said, but he had no way of foretelling the events that followed. "And what of our Isabella?" the woman said.
"No matter what happens, she must be kept safe." Charlie knew his wife had great magickal power. If she felt something was going to happen, he knew it would. What he couldn't understand was what could make his beautiful, strong independent wife could stand before him so fearful.
"Renee, what troubles thee so? What makes thee so afraid for our daughter?" He asked. Her eyes bored into his, filled with fear.
"Do thou not feel it, Charlie? I feel a great evil is bearing down upon us. All I see is darkness, sweeping over the land. And whilst I stand and face my fate with courage, my heart is full of fear for thee and our child."
"Do not fear, my love, our child shall be safe." Charlie pressed his cheek against hers. He kissed her softly, his hand stroking her back comfortingly. They stood there in silence drawing strength from each other.
Jessica slowly opened the chamber door. In front of her stood a tall, serious looking child, with long black hair and large blue-green eyes, still slightly glazed from sleep. She wore a soft white shirt, tanned leather boots, and soft dark breeches. Around her shoulders was a cloak of the same colour. By her feet, reaching almost to her shoulder, stood a large thick furred tan cat, and in her arms laid a ball of silver fluff. It was a tiny wolf cub. She put the cub on the floor, and pushed her hair out of her eyes.
"Mother, Father." She cried, racing towards them. They opened their arms and held her close. Jessica smiled at the tender scene. She softly closed the door behind her. No one said a word until the little girl said quietly,
"Mother, something evil is coming, is it not?" Her parents gently set her down.
"I know something is going to happen, I can feel it." She said, trying to be brave. Her parents knelt before her. Renee chose her words carefully.
"Listen my little one, I shall not lie to thee. Something comes. I do not know not what that be, only that it be of evil intent. When it does happen, thou must not get involved. Thou must escape. When thou find a chance, thou must take the secret passage to the base of the tower and go to the stables. Take Mason and Ty and leave this place. Do not tarry. Ride west until thou reach the shore of the Olympian Sea. Find Eric, the wise one. He knows thee, and shall protect thee. Never forget how much thy father and I love thee, my sweet little bairn." She broke off, looking sadly at her only daughter. Isabella drew herself up to her full height.
"I am not afraid to fight." She said. Renee smiled sadly.
"I know child, but it is more important that thou escape." She said. She walked over to a chest at the foot of the bed. She pulled out a large, ornately embroidered sword belt and sheathe, housing a great, double-edged broadsword
"This was a gift from thy grandsire's people, after the Great Wars, it was blessed by a priestess of Quileuteherself. It was mine, now it belongs to thee." The girl shook her head as she took the heavy sword, her eyes wide with awe and reverence.
"I cannot Mother, this be thy sword." She said. Renee shook her head.
"Nay dear one, I feel I shall not be needing it again." Her heart broke as the colour drained from her little girl's face. Charlie handed her a long glittering dagger, a golden dragon worked on the sheath.
"Take this. It was my father's, and I would take comfort in knowing thou carry it." The girl took the gifts silently, her eyes expressing her fear, and the love she felt for her parents.
"Now Isabella my sweet child, thou must hide." Renee said. Isabella didn't move. Instead she wrapped her fingers around her father's hand and with her other she wiped away her mother's tears. She closed to tears herself, longing to take comfort in the embrace of her parents, but she knew that she had to be brave, and she vowed she would not shed a tear.
"Do not cry mother, we must be brave." She said softly. "I love thee Mother, I love thee Father." The little girl crawled under the huge-four poster bed, pulling the sword and dagger after her. The cat and the wolf pup crawled after her. There was a small trapdoor under the bed and Isabella pushed the stone aside before lowering herself into the small dark hole.
"I love thee." She said, her voice sounding small and frightened. At that moment Renee would have given anything to take her daughter in her arms and chase away her fears, but she knew she could not. She and Charlie wrapped their arms around each other and awaited their fate.
They did not have to wait long. The thick, oaken door was thrown open and it crashed loudly against the stone, echoing like thunder in the silent chamber. In its wake stood a tall, beautiful woman with long brown hair, and dark, cold, brown eyes. In her hand she held an ornate, shining dagger, and beside her, pinioned by her hair, cowered Jessica. With an effortless slice she slit Jessica's throat and dumped her body on the floor. With horror reflected in her eyes, Jessica gurgled and gasped, pressing her hands against the wound. She lay still, her blood seeping down, staining her hair, clothes, and the stone floor a deep crimson.
Under the bed, Isabella cringed and barely choked back a sob; she truly loved the kind, loving maid. Her face was turned towards the bed, her brown eyes now frozen over in death. The woman stepped over the body and smiled wickedly at the couple.
"How touching my dear sister," She said mockingly "Seize them, take them downstairs."
A dozen armed soldiers swarmed past her, seizing Renee and Charlie and forcing them roughly apart. Both resisted but were overpowered and dragged towards the door. It took four strong soldiers to pull Charlie out of the chamber, with him fighting them all the way. As three solders dragged Renee, fighting and struggling, towards the door, the woman held up her hand and halted the men. They pinioned Renee's arms and she struggled to free herself. The woman grasped Renee's chin cruelly, forcing her head up to meet her gaze. Renee stared unwaveringly at the woman.
"Renee, kinswoman, does that look mean thou are not pleased to see me, thy own dear sister?" The woman said coldly.
"What do thou think thou are doing here Victoria?" Renee asked. Victoria ignored the question.
"Where is thy daughter, the little Princess?" She asked. Renee shook off Victoria's hand.
"I know not." She lied smoothly, looking directly into her sister's hate filled eyes.
"Now, now sister," The woman admonished, "that is hardly motherly. Search the room." She ordered the soldiers. Silently Isabella slid the stone over the hole and crouched in the hole, listening in fear as the soldiers search for her.
"She is not here." A rough voice called out finally. Isabella slowly slid the stone door back and peeped out.
"The little brat must be in the castle somewhere. No matter, I am patient." She said half to herself.
"Victoria, what are thou doing here? How did thee get an army through the citadel?" Renee asked. Victoria smirked.
"Thou are in no position to be demanding answers dearest sister, and yet I shall give them to thee. Thou should never have become Empress of Forks. I should be the Empress. Yet our dear whore of a mother, had to become with child before she met and married thy father. Aye, I am a princess, a bastard princess, but I can never lay claim to the throne of Forks unless… thee and thy daughter no longer stand in my way. If I were thee I would not spare another thought on the fates of the people in thy citadel. The storm I created covered the sound of my army sending them to Port Angeles." She said, gesturing to the window.
"They are burning it to the ground as we speak." Renee stared at her sister in a mixture of shock and rage.
"Thou, thou killed them." She spluttered with rage. "Thou are insane, mad. Murdering thousands of innocents. Thee . . ."
"Silence." Victoria said harshly, slapping Renee with the back of her hand with such force, that she staggered.
"Take her away." Renee was forcibly dragged downstairs fighting with the same desperation as her husband. Seeking comfort, Isabella wrapped her fingers around the pale violet crystal she had owned since birth, which hung from a leather thong around her neck.
As Victoria closed the chamber door, she smiled at what she thought was an empty room. Isabella listened, scarcely daring to breathe as the footsteps faded away. When she could no longer hear any noise from behind the door she scrambled out from her hiding place and ran to the window. Pushing open the shutters she looked down at the inner bailey, which was illuminated by flaming torches placed in brackets along the walls.
The firelight flickered off the soldiers' faces, warping their features. She stood and watched helplessly as her father was dragged out to the centre of the inner bailey. Her mother was dragged out soon after. Charlie's arms were cruelly raked behind his back, but Renee was thrown roughly to the cobbled ground. Victoria strode over and pulled Renee to her knees, clamping her hair and forcing her head back. With one long sweep she tore the front of Renee's gown exposing her chest. Victoria spoke mockingly to Renee as she swung her dagger, still red with Jessica's blood, in front of Renee's eyes.
"Do thou recognize this dagger, dear sister? It is the dagger thou gave me as a gift when I turned one and twenty. Made of the finest metal. I am sure thou are glad that it is being put to use." She laughed evilly.
"Before thou dies, sister dear, I so wish to hear thee call me 'Thy Majesty', just once." She cackled. Renee stared at her with icy contempt.
"Never." She replied calmly. Victoria's expression changed to one of insane rage.
"Say it!" She shrieked.
"Never." Renee spat. Once again Victoria's expression changed and she smiled a cold smile.
"No matter, having thee call me Majesty would be but a small victory. Thou are going to die anyway. Farewell…sister". Victoria said, lifting the dagger high above her head. Isabella bit her lip to keep from crying out. She clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms, cutting the tender flesh, her blood seeping through her fingers.
The dagger flashed red with the blood it had already spilt as it sped down with lethal accuracy. A harsh cry tore itself from Renee's body as the dagger was buried to the hilt in her chest. Victoria struck again and again in an almost frenzied rage. As suddenly as her attack began she stopped, releasing Renee's hair. Her body fell into a thick dark pool of blood. Miraculously she was still clinging to life by a thread, her chest fluttering as she desperately tried to draw breath into her battered body. Her head rolled to one side, her beautiful blonde hair stained with blood.
"M-my be-lov-ed hus-band," She gasped.
"My love, be al-ways, with, thee." With those final words, her chest ceased it's fluttering, and her eyes closed. Isabella dropped her head onto her arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Her mind reeled from what she had seen. 'Mother, my mother, slain NO' her mind screamed as hot tears flowed. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the ground near Renee's body and thunder crashed. Isabella's head jerked up, a sob catching in her throat.
A wild icy wind whipped through the inner bailey. All who were present looked on in shock as Renee's body was surrounded by a steady blue glow. Her bloodied form rose above the ground, her eyelids opened. Her eyes were filled with the same glow that surrounded her. She began to speak in a strange, deep, ageless voice.
"Many years ago," she said, her voice carrying to the far corners of the inner bailey.
"A wise woman made a prophecy. This night a great evil was committed that signalled the time of the prophecy has come. Thou," she said, turning her glowing eyes on Victoria and raising a hand to point at her.
"Shall pay with thy own blood. Ten years from now, a Promised One, born of this realm, but raised in another shall be returned to us, and shall aid the true Empress destroy thee and undo all of thy evil." She turned her gaze on Charlie.
"Fear not good King, thy gentle wife's soul be with thee always. And do not fear for thy daughter, she shall grow strong and wise." She paused, before saying.
"The Quileute have heard and is bound to comply." With that she raised her hands and eyes to the sky. The glow dispersed and Charlie broke violently away from his captors and caught the body of his beloved wife as it fell. He cried once a long, pain-filled keening that burned itself into Isabella's memory.
Quickly disguising her fear, Victoria threw the dagger from her. It spun, landing in the shadows with a dull metallic sound. She lifted Renee's hand and slipped the royal ring from her finger and placed it on her own.
A/N2: Please read and review.
I am also looking for a beta, so if you are interested please PM me.
Thanks
Isobel