A/N – My first fanfic! This is a cross over with many other series. Thus, a disclaimer that would hold true for all the chapters is this – I do not own any recognizable plot threads.

Prologue

Bella

There were drills humming in the background as Isabella Swan read the newspapers. Looking out of her window, she saw a construction site a stone's throw away where there was a big billboard hanging at its entrance. The billboard was painted haphazardly with the words "Parc Vista, freehold apartments brought to you by Cullen Enterprises". A picture of this luxurious apartment building could be seen in the newspapers that Isabella was holding.

She gritted her teeth as the doorbell rang and her mother Renee answered the door. She knew without looking that it was those people from Cullen Enterprises chasing them away from their house again. "Ma'am", she heard the man address Renee in a mockingly polite tone that hardly hid his contempt for this family, "We would like your family to move away by the end of this week. All the families have moved away except for yours. After all, your family has taken the compensation money." Isabella saw the barely-concealed sneer even if Renee didn't. Renee looked embarrassed and tried to reassure the man, "Of course, we will move away soon. Please give us more time. How about another week?" she pleaded. The man's face changed and he said in a harsh tone, "There will be no extra time given. Leave or the bulldozers will make you leave." And he turned on his heels, leaving without a backward glance. Renee collapsed into tears in front of the floor and Isabella could hear her mumbling, "All the 'compensation money' gone to pay Charlie's debts. How can we find the money to rent a house to live in?" Isabella went forward to hug her mother and comfort her with soothing words, "Don't worry Renee, I am sure that was just an empty threat." But they both knew that it was a lie. Isabella thought about how her family was going to sleep on the streets and blamed her father Charlie for dabbling in shares when he did not have the money (if their three-room apartment in the most dilapidated part of the city was anything to judge by) and was angry that her brother Seth who was only ten years old was going to become a street tramp at such a tender age. But most of all, she cursed the Cullens – Damn the royal family.

Edward

Crown Prince Edward Cullen was lazing on his couch listening to "Clair De Lune" by Debussy, a soothing and calm piece of music. Yet his mood was anything but calm, if anything, he was annoyed. His junior year at Twilight High School was beginning tomorrow – more useless lessons to sit through – but that was not what annoyed him. His father Carlisle had been cursed by a Vampire Hunter (all because of his honor that led him to have a one-to-one battle with the Vampire Hunter when the palace guards could have easily dispatched him), the cheating bastard who plunged a cursed dagger into Carlisle's heart when Carlisle thought that the Vampire Hunter was mortally wounded. Carlisle had immediately snapped the man's neck, but it was too late and the damage was done. Things that could even remotely harm a vampire were rare (items reinforced by ancient magic that no one knew today and fire) and for the vampires in the royal family who were immune to fire and to most ancient artifacts, there was practically nothing that could harm them. Yet that man had somehow managed to get hold of a one-of-the-kind dagger with a powerful curse that was slowly killing Carlisle day by day. The King probably had five years to live, most likely less. Edward grimaced, thinking of his father's painful fate, when he could have lived forever, yet now the Queen Mother (Edward's grandmother) and the Queen (Edward's mother Esme) told him, no, ordered him, to get married immediately, either with a girl of his choice or get an arranged marriage. He was only 17, for god's sake! Edward shook his head as he stared once again at the five-carat diamond ring that he had bought, which twinkled on its velvet cushion.

He would just have to hope that Tanya would accept tomorrow.

And yet, which girl in the right mind – a human girl of all people – would deny the Crown Prince's proposal?

Please review!!!