Edward's POV
Swimming quickly and haphazardly, Bella, the most beautiful mermaid in the world, made her way towards the castle. The king, her father Charlie, had told me to summon her to him for a special meeting. I couldn't help the nervous feeling I had in my stomach when I was around her. I felt small and useless and unnoticable as we were swimming along.
As we approached the door, I noticed Emmett smiling brightly at the position that I happened to be in; escorting Bella, the princess, the only mermaid whom I happened to have eyes for. 'She could never even consider me because I'm just a servant, a guard.' As these thoughts went through my head, I looked over at her beautiful face and realized that I would never get her image right even in my wildest dreams. Even if I did manage to get her face right, it wouldn't do her natural grace and beauty justice. I kept stressing these points to myself as I stopped swimming and she continued on to the throne room.
Bella's POV
'I wonder why my father wants me?' I approached Charlie's throne, gradually slowing the speed of my swimming. Charlie smiled as I stopped, now facing him.
"Bella, my darling daughter," Charlie's voice echoed throughout the cavernous throne room. "I have called to me now because it is time we talk of marriage." I could feel my gut fall to the floor as I realized that he was probably going to say he had already arranged a suitable fianc'e for me. This talk was not going to end pretty because I already loved somebody. The fact that the man I loved didn't know it, was only a minor detail, but he would know in due time. He, my father, the king, continued to speak. "Bella, I have arranged for you to have a masquerade ball. You will be inviting all of the royal families. I also happen to have a rather splendid surprise for you..."
My heart began to beat wildly, the words my father was saying just weren't being comprehended. All was not going to well for me. Knowing my luck, the surprise my father had in store for me was just another outfit I wouldn't wear. Its fate was to become a dust catcher in my closet along with the other unfortunate gowns and regalia. I began to speak, with hopes of talking him out of both the surprise and the ball. Both were just death traps for me, due to my major state of clutziness. "Father," I paused, uncertain what to say next. "I would rather not have either the ball or the surprise." I watched his face carefully, trying to discern his forthcoming response. After several moments of a rather akward silence, he finally began to speak.
"Bella, I am your father. You will accept these gifts from me. Now, as for your surprise, you are allowed to pick your escort for the ball...It may be anyone." My head began pounding, my heart racing. The words were repeated in my head. 'It may be anyone.' Then, everything went black.