I'M NOT DEAD AND I DO NOT PLAN ON DROPPING MY OTHER STORY!! I've been battling some serious problems lately including my computer not being able to upload stories. It's broken and has been for over a month now. I'm using the computer at my step-dad's office right now. I baby-sit here and the six-year-old has decided to take a nap. Times like this and my lunch break are the only opportunities for me to update so future warning, I will not be able to update regularly or quickly. With my other story I am suffering with a serious case of writer's block. I cannot stand everything being too cliché and I've discovered that is exactly where my thoughts were headed. I can't seem to get it right. I have probably re-written the next chapter over three times. If you've read the story and have any ideas PLEASE PM me?? A special shout out to Manda-Panda and Culleniscious (by the way that's not how you spell it, dumb ass.) I love you guys!! And a particular 'OHMYGOD I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING AT ALL' and 'THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS YOU GET A COOKIE AND A HUG' To my #1 reviewer of my other story Rogue12158! Now without further ado...Chapter ONE!!
Don't own anything. At all. Except the plot.
Her eyes flickered open as the morning bell chimed down the hall. Bella noticed the soft light streaming in through her window in appreciation. She loved the sun, and it was a rare occasion that the bright star would be come out from it's hiding place behind the clouds.It was about seven o'clock in the morning and it was time for the help to start the day.
Sitting up from her warm bed, she stretched out with her hands above her head and sighed. Bella's feet touched the floor and she shivered. Although the sun was out, it was early and it had not the time needed to warm the ground on which she stood.
She walked over to her small trunk, in which she kept all of her meager and few belongings, and pulled out a brush and her outfit for the day. She gently combed through her chocolate-brown hair and pulled the dress on.Her clothing was a simple pale yellow dress-the dress designated for her mistress's workers.
Dressed and ready, Bella was now fit to start her day. She walked out of her small bed chamber and down a narrow hallway that lead to a staircase. From there she walked down another hallway, and another, and another along with four other staircases, all on her way to the estate's kitchen where her Monday work schedule began. Today she was to help chef with preparing dinner, for her mistress was having a large ball later that evening. All the most famous and most important and influential members of society would be present. It was vital for her mistress to make a good impression and she was taking every precaution in order to do so.
Bella finally reached the door to the kitchen and entered. "Dear Isabella!" The plump old woman called to her the second young Bella came through the doorway. "I have been waiting for you for so long, what was the wait?" All around her pots were bubbling and ingredients were strewn across the counters along with multiple types of spices and cooking utencils. The old chef was in a frenzy trying to prepare everything for the meal later on. Over one hundred guests were expected at tonight's ball and they only had a few hours to make the arrangements.
"Dear Cook, you know as well as I how far my room is from the kitchen!"
"Do not call me Cook! My name is Ms. Barnett, you know how it gets to me! I am seen only as a chef and not as a lady!"
"If you wish for me to call you by your chosen name then you know you must call me by mine. I will only answer to Bella from now on." Bella hated to be called Isabella. She had not been called by her full name since...long ago. She did not want to remember long ago. There had been many unhappy memories from long ago...
"Fine." The old bat brought her back from the path her thoughts were leading her on.
"Good. Now what may I do to help?"
"I need those vegetables chopped for the stew over there." The older woman pointed to a cutting board surrounded by tomatoes, onions, carrots, and multiple other vegetables.
"Yes, Ms. Barnett." She gave the cook a mischievous glance to which the old woman replied with a warning glare, and headed toward the vegetables.
Just as she had picked up the knife and began to slice a particularly ripe tomato, a young girl of about the age of fifteen burst through the door.
"Miss Swan! The mistress has been looking all over for you, she wishes your presence in the garden." The girl seemed to be out of breath as if she had run to find her. Bella took in the girl's state and became instantly alarmed. She had no possible idea why she seemed to be so rushed. What could be so important as to have her run to find the lowly slave?
"What could the mistress possibly need for me that has caused such anxiety?"
"I have no idea. I am simply the messenger. But, Miss Swan, she wants you there immediately." replied the young girl.
"Well then. Cook, I am sorry but I must take leave. I will return as soon as the Mistress allows it of me."
"That's fine, I will manage as well as I can. But, please, do hurry her along!" The frenzied cook had been so surprised as to why young Bella had been called away that she had not taken notice in what the girl referred to her as.
"Oh! It's Ms. Barnett, Isabella!" The last part had to be shouted out as Bella was already out the door and making her way down yet another winding, narrow hallway.
Bella followed the young girl out into the courtyard where her Mistress was to be found. She was worried and scared. Had she done something wrong? In previous homes she would have been beaten for the smallest of mistakes, but she thought she had left that all behind when she arrived here.
"She's in the circle. She asked for you to come alone."
At this statement became even more alarmed. What was to become of her?
"That is fine. Please tell the Cook that I may be longer than expected."
"Yes Miss." With that the young maid turned and exited the courtyard's walls and entered the building.
Bella looked at the cobbled stone in front of her and began to make her way to the center of it all. All around her flowers of every sort were in full bloom. She wondered briefly how the gardeners managed to make everything blossom so fully with the limited amount of sunlight they received, but those thoughts were quickly extinguished as her anxieties over the meeting with her owner loomed ever closer.
The garden was enormous. It stretched over two miles in both directions. Her destination was the large cobblestone circle in the exact center of the entire garden. Here a large fountain was placed along with multiple benches so observers could sit and study the horticulture surrounding them, but no one ever observed it other than the Mistress. Only she came here now, by her own orders. Bella had only been there once before, when she had first arrived and was sneaking around to try and learn more about the estate that she had been placed at. She had been caught by the Mistress herself and told never to enter the garden again by threat of being beaten. Bella took it to heart. It was not a place for slaves to meander about. It was the Mistress's private garden.
Bella was snapped out of her thought's as she neared the circle. As promised, the Mistress was there waiting for her. Bella could not yet see her face as her back was to her, but the Mistress looked upset and anxious.
Bella's hands were sweating now and her pulse was rushing. Had she done something wrong? Was she to be punished? Or worse, was she to be sold? She searched through her mind to no avail. She had no idea what had happened.
Finally reaching her Mistress, Bella turned down her head and positioned herself slightly behind and to the side of her owner. It was the position a slave takes when next to it's owner. She was still in eyesight but it was clear that she was of no importance and need not to be spared any attention to those around the owner. It was mostly only used when company was around, but Bella felt it was proper in this situation.
"Dear Isabella." Her mistress was lovely and her voice was soft and hushed, but Bella could hear the soft hint of anxiety behind the sweetness.
It was not as she expected. What she thought she would find was her owner in a fury over some small mishap that Bella had made. She had convinced herself that this home would be like every other she had been in before she could clearly see now that it was not. Her owner had not had one single slave punished the entire time she had been here, and amongst her worries, Bella had forgotten that. She realized now that she was not in any trouble, her Mistress simply needed her help. Her breathing slowed along with her heart, but she was still troubled for her Mistress seemed to be bothered by something immensely.
"I have recently been informed that...that..." Much to her surprise her Mistress suddenly broke down in tears...
So...that's chapter one...what'd ya' think? In the next chapter I'll introduce Edward and possibly the garden...? Review please! I know every writer says this but it really does make us want to update faster...