Night
The days were ever growing darker and the suns light was ever growing weaker in the winter, as it looked upon the garden that I now pondered around. I perched myself on a small oak bench that was tucked in the corner of my parents small garden. As my eyes searched the grounds, I could feel the lavender rush through my throat, caressing my senses. I've always loved this lovely garden, ever since I was a little girl. But, back then I was aloud to jump into the bushes, and feel myself get lost in time as I imagined I was a princess, or pirate or what ever I wanted. But no one is aloud to do that anymore.
'Isabella...' My mother called me from the double glass conservatory doors. I looked a lot like my mother. With the long brown hair, the large brown eyes and fair skin. However, she was a lot prettier than me, I had too much of my father in me. My mother and father were very lucky that my dad had a job that the government needed. Most jobs, like my mothers either became illegal, or you became replaced by the governments army.
I pick up my skirt from the floor, and follow the path in the garden to the conservatory doors. My mother smiles for a minute before putting up her mask to hide her emotions from me. She always did this. It her way of dealing with this new life. Pushing everyone who loves her away, Ever since I was 8 years old. I remember it, like it was yesterday.
I remember my mother pushing me slowly on the swings at the local park. There were daffodils over growing through the parks bars. I was smiling, laughing with her. He eyes shone so bright, like nothing was going to change this moment, little did we both know what was to happen.
'Your father and me need to have a word with you privately.' She muttered, glaring at the unwanted attention of the staff that were near by. I looked around and saw them wearing all the same uniform. They all wear long green dresses with a apron posted on the outside. Their hair pulled back, tied with a small hair band , that was also green. Their shoes, covered by their long dress's.
My mother walked down the corridor quietly, with me a couple steps behind. She walked elegantly across the wooden flooring, and past the empty walls, that once held old canvas's my mother used to paint. She tended to paint the La Push cliffs and waves. But we never go to the beach anymore. My father never ahs the time.
We stopped outside my fathers office door patiently, listening to the shuffling around inside. My mother knocked lightly on the oak door. As she knocked I notice her eyes flicker to my face and back to the door.
"Come in." My fathers flustered voice said. He's always working, in these days people don't have the weekends off. But for most women, this doesn't effect us. All we are called is the wives, we'll I will after I am wedded away to a suitor. This is what I feared most.
I remember when I was planning my wedding at 6 years old, deciding on who would be my groom, and who would be my bridesmaid. The thought of having a large white dress was the only thing I wanted. The thought of love was stupid back then, as it is now in this society. I remember looking through my mothers photo books of her wedding day, the happy smiles, the loved up eyes that searched for each other. I never wanted that then, but I want that now.
I walked in behind my mother, raising my head to see my father and 2 other men that stood with their back straight, and chin high. They were both completely beautiful, both with fair skin and green eyes.
"Mr. Cullen, this is my daughter Isabella." My father smiled proudly as took my hand in his. I bowed my head at both men.
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Swan." The older men stepped forward, to take my other hand
that was rested upon my hip. His smile was genuine. So I let a real smile spread across my face. This
sort of thing happened a lot, my father would invite me to meet other important friends over for business, and invite me to greet them. As he let go off my palm, I saw that he had the lightest shade hair, almost white, with light green eyes. I then shifter my eyes to the younger man, who looked not that older than me. He had brownish/bronzy colour hair, that could easily math a penny. He pushed his hand through it, making the end flick into every direction, with the same beautiful eyes. Both of them seemed to be flawless. It made me feel insignificant standing by them. But I kept staring, I couldn't help myself.
"It's nice to finally meet you Isabella" The young man voice sounded perfect, not to rough. I felt a weird feeling through out my chest. A feeling that I have felt a few times, but this seemed more intense. I hadn't realised that I had opened my mouth but nothing came out. I quickly spoke up, blushing dramatically and unintentionally.
"It's nice to meet you to.." I froze, my father hadn't told me who this man was.
"Edward Cullen" The man said, with curiosity leaking through his eyes.
"We'll me and my son must leave now, and leave you to discuss" Mr Cullen said, with a smile.
Both me and my mother bowed our head as the walked out the door.
"It was nice to see you again Mr. Swan." All the men bowed their head in unison.
After the men left, I looked back to see my dad brushing the back hand across his forehead. He seemed to be more nervous than before. My mother walked towards my dads side, and laced her hand through his. They looked a lot like their wedding photos, with a few added lines by their eyes, and the few grey strands that grew on my dads head. They held the love for each other in their eyes still, but it has worn down a bit. I..I loved them.
"Isabella, I have special news for you. We'll for us as a family." My father murmured to me, smiling brightly. I waited for an answer, patiently. We, as a women are not aloud to speak to the men unless spoken to. It wasn't always like this.
I remember when my mother and father used to row in the kitchen about the town, her life and mine. My mother hated that she 'couldn't spread her wings' in Forks. The fact that she had a voice back then proves that she did have freedom at the time. How times have changed.
I nod, staring into my fathers eyes with curiosity. I hear him swallow the remaining saliva in him throat, while nodding to my mother.
"Isabella, Mr. Edward Cullen has asked me for your hand in marriage." My fathers smile spreads along his face, with guilt in his eyes. I knew what he was thinking, I never wished for you to have an arranged marriage. But we all know that there was nothing anybody could do to change this, unless I became apart of the lost civilians. They were the mistreated, uncared for people. They had no need for arranged marriages, but they had no home either. The government took away their houses for no obeying the new laws set for our new society. They were called many names by many people.
"What do you say Isabella?" My father pounded, watching me.
"I say, I accept father." I do not say much more. I felt my last hope on the past ripped from fingertips. But there was nothing more to say about it. What was done, was done. I felt my mother press her fingertips to my cheek and give me a sympathy look and kissed my cheek.
"Good night Bella" My mother whispered into my ear, my old nickname. I missed being called that.
"Night mum" I whispered back, feeling slightly numb. It felt weird calling her mum, even though I used to call her that all the time.
I remember the times that I called her mum.
'Mamma I wanna go higher, push me higher' I shouted flying through the air on the red swings.
'Mum, are you ready yet? I'm going to be late for school.'
' I love you mum."
I watched her walk outside the door, and looked back to my father. I bowed my head before reaching for the handle of the door.
"Isabella, Edward is a honest man, who will treat you well. I'm sorry I cant let you have the choice, like me and your mother had, but I'm giving you the nearest thing. I picked Edward for a reason. I hope you understand.'
"I understand father. Thank you" I never thought I'd have to say that. I turned around and walked through the door, pulling my long blue dress up, preventing my feet from ruining the bottoms.
I walked slower than usual back to my room.
New life
A chair, holding my long white dress mocked me as I sat on my bed. My eyes followed the patterns as my fingers traced the stitching lines. It was a gorgeous dress, a little over the top for me, but completely beautiful.
I heard a light knock on my door, most likely one of the staff.
"Come in." I murmured, not really concerned who it was.
"I apologise, but I have been told to wake you up to meet your soon to be in laws. I have run you a bath" A pretty girl with black hair said. I never knew the staff's names because they never lasted long. They were moved around a lot, to prevent relationships between them and us. It wasn't right.
"Thank you." I smiled at her, which seemed to surprise her. She seemed more nervous. She turned to walk out, and shut the door.
I remember the times when we didn't have staff who took care of the house work. I remember when the wife was genuinely in charge of that, with help from their husbands. It worked.
I pulled myself up from my dress and bed, and walk to my bathroom. The water is freshly boiled, and I can feel the steam wrap itself around the room. This was my favourite part of the day, it was me time. I would see the flesh that has always has to be put away. Men were seen as a weakness, because they lusted. So us, as women, had to hide yourself away, to preserve ourselves from the prying eyes. We are told our husbands are and should be the only ones that should have that privilege.
I strip the layers off my skin and lay my self into the hot water.
"Isabella, finally." My mother calls, hurrying me along the corridor to the living room. I checked myself out one more time before walking into the room. I was wearing a dark blue dress, that feel below my feet, tied up with ribbon on the front. It was one of my favourite dresses. While my mother wore her beautiful dark blue dress, that held white ribbon across the ridge. My father bought it for her when she was at her lowest.
"Isabella, it's a pleasure to meet you again, this is my wife Esme," Holding the 35 year old women's hand. She was beautiful, with caramel hair, with golden eyes.
"And this is my first son. Emmett." Mr. Cullen smiled.
"It's nice to meet my new sister in law." Emmett grinned like a buffoon. He looked friendly, I could tell I would get along with him.
'And last of all, Isabella I would have the pleasure in introducing you to your fiancé Edward Cullen.' He seemed proud to announce this, under these circumstances it angered me, but I wasn't permitted to show it. Women's strongest trait was ripped from her fingertips. By that I mean that our caring emotional side was torn from us, we aren't aloud to show it, unless we want to be punished. Punishment meant taken away without a trace of evidence. No one knew what happens to the people, but its nto hard to guess.
I smiled weakly at him, and looked to find Edward standing awkwardly by the chairs set for the discussion. I wondered what he thought about the whole arrangement. I wondered if he hated the fact that he wouldn't be marrying anyone as near as beautiful as him. Or if he enjoyed the fact that he would have power of him wife, in a way which was now legal. Men are now given the right to use, only there hand, to punish there wives or staff, if they are out of place.
'Thank you for your consideration' I replied, my eyes trying to hide my true feelings. Mr. Carlisle Cullen walked forward, taking mine in his and placing it into the cold fingers of his second son, Edward Cullen, he took this chance to bring his body closer to me. But, as he did this, my blush crept along my cheeks down to my jaw line. I heard Emmett's booming laughter shake the room like a earthquake.
"We're defiantly gunner get along, little sis." I heard Emmett's feet pound the floor, like a loud bear would, scary. I looked up to see a man with short brown curly hair, like a small child's would have, with a grin to match it.
"..T-thanks" I stuttered back, deepening in colour. I wanted to push Edward in front of me, to hide me from all the watching eyes. I never like too much attention.
"Lets talk business now that we have introduced everyone." My father cheered. As I watched him and the family discussing the wedding, I noticed guilt lying in his eyes as he nodded to my new living arrangement. I let myself leave my body, I imagined what real love was, even if it was for only a moment.
I remember the time where I learnt about love in old fairy tales. Beauty and the beast was my favourite, it taught me that love came in all shapes and sizes. The beast was a prince on the inside, and Bella found love in this. I wanted to be that Bella that found love in a man I would know and cherish.
"We'll that's all sorted. When shall we meet to go over and schedule? Saturday?" He wanted to meet up in 3 days to sort out this wedding already. My palms began to sweat as I listened.
"That sounds perfect, your or mine?" Charlie asked politely. I wanted to say his, so I wouldn't be obligated to go.
"We'll I'm sure Rosalie will want to be a part of the plans, so ours?" YES. I was mentally picturing my father saying to me now, don't worry Isabella, we will make sure the plans are perfect. If you want, you can go shopping with the staff for celebratory food. Well that's what I was hoping anyway. But I wondered who Rosalie was.
"Sounds great, We'll all attend." I was hoping Father just meant himself and my mother.
"See you soon Mr. Swan, Mrs. Swan and Ms, Swan." Mr. Cullen replied, smiling gently. His wife followed behind, hugging me and my mother.
Emmett pulled himself of one of the chairs and gave me a large bear hug, something which wasn't meant to happen in this society. Men were meant to keep their distance, but he seemed different.
Edward was next, reaching for palm, to lay a soft but fluttering kiss. It was short, but to me it felt like forever.