Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Information on Grace Elliot and 18th Century France came from Wikipedia…because who uses encyclopedias and reference books anymore…? (lol) All other thoughts/ideas = mine.

Pairing: Bella/Edward, eventually some Alice/Jasper, Esme/Carlisle, Rosalie/Emmett

Rating: M

Summary:Isabella Swan, ward of Aro has finally grown up (and made herself useful). How will her life as a modern-day courtesan play out? Who will fall victim to her charms and what on earth did Aro's childhood bargain with a friend entail? We shall see...

Isabella Grace

Prologue

"My dear, are you familiar with Grace Elliot?" He posed the question over the rims of his glasses, drawing his eyes away from the text in front of him.

"N-no," I stuttered out, surprised by the seemingly random question and wracking my brain for anything on the current topic. Admitting defeat, "I've never heard of her before."

He closed the book in front of him, placed it on the desk, and whipped his reading glasses off—all in one movement, an achingly graceful display. But Aro was never anything less than perfection.

"Come sit, sweet Bella." His thin lips stretched in what I assumed was meant to be a smile. He gestured to the expensive wooden chair in front of his desk, beckoning me forth into his office. I came forward and sat rather warily, never before had I been allowed this. He said nothing about my clothes.

"Now…" he settled himself back into a relaxed position and began to explain. "Grace Elliot lived in the late 1700's. Her parents were separated, like yours, and she grew up away from home as well. Known for her intelligence, beauty, and…social prowess, she rose to a quite elevated position in society. During the French Revolution, despite her ties to the monarchy she managed to evade death for several years, dying rich, old, and happy on a very large estate in Ville d'Avray."

His pause set me on my immediate guard. Aro did not mince his words, he never misspoke, and accordingly, all pauses could be nothing but deliberate. "Social prowess?"

I read a lot, chores permitting. Much of my free time was spent in the library, two levels floor to ceiling. I wasn't a French history professor but I knew enough. Social prowess in women meant very few things…

"Like a mistress…?" I shot him an incredulous look, but quickly reigned in for fear of reprimand. One does not live in Aro's household without learning the ways of harmonic existence—or rather how to exist as painlessly as possible. But Aro seemed unaffected by my cheek. In fact, his eyes held the gleam of perverse genius. Very few were capable of deriving such pleasures but Aro was a mastermind.

Too much money, too much time, too many resources. He was bored by 13 and every year after pursued entertainments more expensive and more immoral than the last.

"Ah, ha, ha, my dear! Every day you get more and more brilliant. And more beautiful, just exactly what I had in mind for this task. You've always been able to rise to the occasion my dear Bella." Another calculating look from Aro, who appeared to be simultaneously undressing and redressing me with his eyes.

"Yes, yes. I promise you only the best, should you prove up to the task. A gentleman's word…" Aro's idea of reassurance—somehow completely unreassuring. But after years as his ward, some insane and sentimental part of me appreciated his attempt. I'll never understand what prompted him to take me under his charge so benignly (well, for Aro).

I was a toddler, born to two people of small importance in relation to Aro's scheming. He agreed to provide shelter, education, food, age-appropriate entertainment—all of which to be administered with parental approval. The 'kicker', as one might say, I was not to be employed under any of his 'enterprises' in any capacity.

Charlie and Renee were hesitant to say the least, despite their shared disappointment in the unaccounted for result of their brief union (a.k.a. – me), to just hand me over to Aro, whose reputation had proceeded him long before then.

They said it was the favor…some favor Aro owed to a friend. Some old discreet agreement between childhood friends had resulted in Aro's adoption of a ward. I was not to inherit any of his businesses, nor guaranteed funds beyond my basic needs in the event of his untimely demise, yet I was here and cared-for. My parents met the man briefly, anonymously he explained some part of the pact to my parents in some well-enough-worded way to persuade them to sign me over hands, head, and feet to Aro.

And now my time was coming to an end. Destination? Hell if I knew. But if Aro was bold enough to suggest it, I knew he was well within his rights. The man probably had a law degree 12 times over from every important university in the world.

I glanced in the mirror on the edge of his desk, my farewell glance to the uncorrupted youth I'd managed to become despite my surroundings—uncorrupted, but not naïve. If I followed his instructions I'd be wealthy, intelligent, and beautiful.

"Wait until you see the men, Bella. To be cherished, like the characters in your silly romantic novels. That is exactly what I am giving you—love. Only you'll have a better chance at it than those floundering fools. Strike with precision, get exactly what you want. Sex is the ultimate act of love. What could be more desirable…?"

What, indeed…? Aro's eyes held mine a moment longer, before picking up a snow globe I'd gotten last year from my mother. She'd been in Germany at the time, skiing and boozing it up. Broke a leg and ended up in a hospital and, confined to bed rest anyway, decided to finally write another letter. That would make 4 since year one. I'd thrown the thing in the trash as soon as it arrived, not wanting her gifts or false affection.

"Surely you want someone to love you, Bella…? I can make you irresistible. These women were loved—for years and years, sometimes by several men."

Something must've shown in my face, as he set down the snow globe with crooked grin before vaulting out of the room. I could hear his maniacal laughter as he moved down the hall, stopping to shout back at me.

"Monday, Bella! So starts the rest of your fabulous life..."

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