Author's Note: Hey, fans! This is my new story I've been talking about. Gardenia. It's a bit different than all my other stories, and I'm giving this a try. I hope you'll like it. Thanks so much, and read on!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 13

Author's Point of View

The moonlight shone the way to brightly around the huge mansion. The courtyards were empty and quiet, as it was the middle of the night.

It was spring, here in the kingdom of Gardenia. The air was filled with the thick smell of the flower symbol of the kingdom – gardenia – and night air was blowing slightly.

Although the streets were empty and quiet, and most lights inside the small houses of commoners were extinguished, there was someone in one of the larger courtyards of the mansion.

She was a young girl in clothes that disguised her gender. Being the daughter of the finest and richest noble in all of Gardenia, the clothing that she wore was silky and light, with simple yet complex decorations.

The blue clothing rustled in the wind as she twirled and hacked at an innocent bamboo stick with two knives that she held in either hands.

She slashed with the knife on her right hand, and a piece of bamboo flew off and landed three feet away from its origin. She twirled and used her left knife to cause another piece to fly away.

She seemed to be flying as she gracefully maneuvered around the stick. She jumped high in the air, slashed at the bamboo, then landed so that she was kneeling on one knee. Her knives were planted to the stone ground of the courtyard for support.

There was a glint in her beautiful brown eyes as she looked up. She paused, panting slightly, then straightened slowly and rather dramatically. She turned around and looked toward the outside corridors that led to the main part of the house, as though someone had called her name.

It was silent, then a tall, good-looking teenaged boy came into view. He was about seventeen, with a lean, muscular body. He, too, was wearing clothes of a noble, though his was green. He was carrying a sheathed sword in his left hand, and he walked silently and gracefully, much like the girl. His eyes roamed restlessly around the courtyard, as though he was looking for any sign of danger.

"Where have you been, Seth?" the girl asked in a musical voice. "I've been looking for you since this afternoon. Is it okay to abandon me like this? Your job, after all, is to protect me from danger."

Seth Clearwater smiled and bowed his head. "I'm sorry, my lady. I had some errands to run for the lords."

"Errands?" the girl asked flatly. She raised her eyebrow. "Not for the Crown Prince, I hope."

Seth didn't answer, and her scowl deepened. "Tell Father that he shouldn't use my bodyguard to his own advantage."

"Bella," Seth said, abandoning all formality now as he spoke quietly. "Your father took me in. He cared for me like an adopted second son, and he taught me many things. I choose to obey him, and it is the least I can do to repay my debts."

Bella snorted as she twirled around her right knife like it wasn't a dangerous weapon. "Debts. You don't have any. What did he tell you to do?"

Seth shook his head. "I promised I wouldn't tell."

Bella sighed, exasperated. "No doubt Father would want to include me soon. I do all the dirty work, after all."

Seth regarded her. "Why do you call it so? You enjoy martial arts and sword-fighting. You excel at it. Yet, you are unhappy to be doing favors for your father and brother."

"That is because it is my father and brother who are asking for the favors," Bella said disgustedly. "But I don't like it because I'm actually serving the Crown Prince. The Prince…who has risked so many lives to survive his own, including my own father and brother. Is that not a reasonable answer, Seth?"

Seth studied her rather curiously. Even after he had been with her for nearly all fourteen years of her life, even after watching her as they trained and learned together, even though he was able to claim that no one else knew her better than he did, he could never figure her out completely.

Bella's lips pursed as she thought of all the times she and Seth had gone on secret missions for the Crown Prince.

"I don't see the point," she muttered. "The kingdom doesn't even know…the country doesn't even know who saves the Crown Prince every time. What's the point? He's probably not even interested in who saves his sorry life each time."

"My lady," Seth warned. "Be careful with your words. I understand that you do not particularly like the Prince, but he is still the Crown Prince of Gardenia. He is our future king. You must not speak ill of him."

Her expression soured further. "Future king," she said with contempt.

Seth smiled suddenly. "I believe it is because you have never met him. You do not know what he is like, which explains your annoyance. You assume he is an arrogant young man? If you truly got to know him, then you would be able to see that he is an intelligent young man with excellent skills and wit."

"Have you met him, then?" Bella asked sarcastically.

His lips twitched. "I have watched him from afar when the lords took me into the Palace before. He is quite excellent with a sword, and clever. He is a capable young man."

"Well, that explains it," Bella snorted. "I've always wondered how he'd survived this far in the Palace, when he has enemies both outside and within. Outside, we cover him. Inside, I suppose he does it himself?"

Her tone was obviously mocking, but Seth took her words seriously. "Yes, indeed, my lady."

He glanced at the now abandoned bamboo stick. His eyes twinkled. "Do you never get tired of it? The sword, I mean."

"Sword, spear, knife, bow," Bella shrugged. "Same thing."

"But do you never tire of holding them?" Seth asked. "You have never left your sword's side since the age of two. It's quite…disturbing…in a way."

Bella raised her eyebrow. "Are you going to start that again?"

"If I were you, my lady… I would get tired of living in secrecy."

Bella smirked as she looked up at the huge mansion of her family. "You would think so, wouldn't you?"

Seth cocked his head. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She twirled her knife again, looking thoughtful. "I'm the secret daughter, the secret second child of the Swans. No one knows of my existence because I took up sword-fighting. Father and Brother weren't sure if a woman would be allowed to fight in this kingdom, and to keep me safe from the law, they kept my existence a secret.

"But honestly…" She grinned mischievously. "There are many advantages to it. I can't do everything using my title because then people would call me a liar. That's how I learn. I learn how to fend for myself, and I gain responsibility. Look at me, Seth. I'm quite mature for my age, aren't I? And a bit too sarcastic for a girl of nobility." She winked. "I don't do dresses or ornaments for my hair. Not my thing."

Seth looked amused. "Do you even know how to braid your hair, my lady?"

"Braiding my hair," she scoffed. "Of course I know that much."

"But for a girl your age, you should be doing needlework and doing the cooking and cleaning," he pointed out. "You should be learning how to be a good wife to your future husband from your mother. You should not be twirling a sword. It's unladylike."

She laughed quietly. "Father and Brother should've thought of that before they handed me a knife to play with. If you want someone to blame for my non-ladylike ways, blame them. I'm just an innocent girl who obsesses over how sharp my sword should be."

Bella twirled the two knives once each before sheathing them. She headed toward the outside corridors that would lead her to the main part of the house, and eventually, to her own room. Seth followed quietly, no longer speaking, and becoming his usual self.

Seth was like Bella's shadow. He followed her everywhere to protect her, and he was also there to console her during difficult times. In many ways, he filled up the gaps that her own brother Jasper could not fill because of his duties.

"Are Father and Jasper in yet?" Bella asked softly as they walked silently and gracefully through the corridors.

"Not yet," Seth answered. "They must have gotten held back at the Palace."

"Doing more dirty work for the Prince, no doubt," Bella murmured.

They reached the main part of house, where the bedrooms for the Swans were located. The two teenagers became one with the shadows of the trees, moving so silently that it was hard to believe they were walking, not gliding.

Bella paused as they were about to go in, having heard something. Her hand rested lightly on the hilt of her knife, and she glanced back. Seth, too, having heard the noise, tensed, ready to protect his mistress at any sign of danger.

But soon, they relaxed, as two very familiar figures wearing elegant robes of red and blue came into view. They straightened and bowed as they approached.

"Bella," the older of the men said. "Seth. What are you still doing out here? It's the middle of the night."

"Father," Bella responded.

Charlie Swan was the Minister of War and Defense, and a strong ally of the royal family. He assisted the Crown Prince in trying to capture all his enemies and prevent them from trying to harm him. He was the head of the Swans, and thus, was very influential and powerful in the government. He was the most trusted minister of the king and his family.

Next to him, donning blue robes that symbolized second-in-command, stood his eldest son, Jasper. He was a tall, lanky and muscular young man of eighteen. Being intelligent and skilled in the martial arts, he had taken a government martial arts test, passed with top grades in his class, and had been promoted immediately to assistant minister of war and defense. He helped his father with the royal family, and he was a trusted confidant and friend of the Crown Prince, something that Bella disapproved of.

"Bella." Jasper nodded, his lips breaking into an affectionate smile. He adored and cared for his younger sister so protectively that other younger sisters of other families would have been jealous of her. He always had time to listen to what she had to say and valued her opinions.

"Jasper," Bella replied. "Why were you so late?"

"We got held up at the Palace," Charlie said. "The Prince had an excellent idea on the current case, and we were discussing it. We might need you to step in again, Bella. I hope you don't mind."

Bella tried not to show her annoyance. "What is it this time?"

Jasper, who knew his sister just as well as Seth did, eyed her rather amusedly. "It's simple, actually. Nothing too hard or as dangerous as the others. But why don't we discuss it later? Father and I are both tired, and we must head back to the Palace in the morning."

"That's a good idea," Charlie said. He did look weary. A streak of white hair was appearing rather neatly on one side of his head as his age progressed. He stifled a yawn. "Good night, you three." He waved half-heartedly before heading inside into he and his wife's bed chambers.

"Good night, Father," Jasper called before turning to Bella and Seth. His shoulders sagged slightly. "I'm so tired." His voice, which had been mature and rather formal before, was now changed. He spoke as though he spoke to a close friend.

"You look tired," Seth said, smiling sympathetically. He and Jasper were extremely close as well, having grown up and trained together. Though Jasper was a year older, Seth was quite mature for his age, and they got along well together. They were brothers, friends, and comrades. They were loyal to one another.

Bella nodded stiffly. "You should go in, Jasper." She turned and disappeared inside her own bed chambers.

Jasper sensed that something was wrong. "What's bothering her?"

"She's worried," Seth said quietly. "About both of you."

"But that's silly!" Jasper said, chuckling. "We could handle ourselves. We know how to fight. We know what we're up against."

"And I think…" Seth hesitated. "She tries to pretend otherwise, but I think she's getting worried about…what would happen if she were to be discovered. She's no longer a carefree child. She actually cares."

Jasper's smile disappeared. "She's worried, huh?" He sighed deeply. "Maybe it was the wrong choice to make when we decided to keep her a secret. But then again…" He looked thoughtful, then shrugged. "It's okay. We can't hide her forever, and I expect the secret to be brought out very soon. Father and I will take responsibility." He patted Seth's shoulder. "You just take good care of her, alright?"

Seth nodded. "Don't worry about that."

Jasper felt reassured that Seth would always be there for their younger sister. "I love you, man."

Seth grimaced, then gestured toward Jasper's room. "Go on in. I'll see you tomorrow."

Jasper smiled, then disappeared inside as well.

Seth made sure that there was no one in the front yard except him, then headed toward his own room as well, which was located right next to Bella's, in case of an emergency.

He thought about all the years he had served the Swans, and all those years he had fought and protected Bella. He was very loyal to the girl, and considered her to be his mistress. In truth, he was a servant, not a friend or a brother, and he lived in debt to the Swans by protecting her with his life.

But if her existence was to be discovered, and her life became in danger… Seth knew that he would do everything in his power to protect the girl he loved like a sister…the girl he'd pledged himself to.

AN: What did you think? Different, I know. Like I said, I'm just trying this out. The entire story is going to be in third-person (author's POV), one of the many differences and experiments that I'm trying out. I'm curious about your reactions. Will you favorite, follow, and review?