AN: So one day, I got this crazy idea about writing a story of Bella and Edward in the nineteenth century. You know, like the time where all the ladies were super ladylike in their poufy dresses and piled up hair and the gentlemen were actual gentlemen. Ah, how I miss the good days.

I've never written anything about the nineteenth century before, so it probably won't be totally historically accurate. But I'll try my best.

This is my also first fanfiction, so please go easy on me :) And remember, review review review!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own TWILIGHT or any of its characters. Stephenie Meyer does. But I wish I did. That would be cool.

-x-

Chapter One: Fearless

"Where are you going?" I asked my best friend Rosalie Hale. She had all her belongings with her as she waited on the front steps for the carriage. Rosalie didn't have much; just one brown suitcase. But she had more than half the girls at Humphrey Academy. Most of us just had one or two other dresses.

Rosalie came from a wealthy and loving family. But her parents died when she was eight, so she got sent here. Madame Humphrey took away most of her belongings, but let Rosalie keep four dresses. The dresses were beautiful, just like her. She had long blonde hair and kind blue eyes. Every time we went to the market, boys would offer her things like apples and beans in exchange for a kiss. But Rose always declined them and dragged me away before the boys could say anything else.

"Isabella, my sweet Isabella, Madame has chosen me to help the Royal Family." She looked at me with her blue eyes. They were filled with sadness.

"Why aren't you excited? You said that the Cullen family were powerful and rich. And that the Cullen boys were the most beautiful boys you've ever seen." I looked at her, confused.

"Yes, the Cullens are beautiful, powerful and rich. But they are not kind. I am not going there to be a part of their family, Isabella."

"Then why are you going, Rose?"

She looked away from me, but I caught a glimpse of pain and fear in her eyes.

I sighed. "Rosalie, why do you have to leave? Who will brush my hair and help me with my dresses?" Rosalie was ten years older than me. She was eighteen, and the oldest girl here. Madame Humphrey would release girls right when they turned sixteen. I never knew where they went. But she kept Rose and treated her as if she were her daughter. She taught her manners, how to sew and how to cook. She served Rose the most food and gave her the best bed.

Rosalie brushed a strand of my dark hair out of my face. "You know how you were always wondering why I received all the best things?"

I nodded.

"It was because Madame was getting me ready for the Royal Family. The Cullens." She said the name Cullen as if it were evil and disgusting.

I saw the carriage approaching. "I'll miss you, Rose."

"I'll sure miss you too. So much. You be good, okay?" I could see her eyes getting watery.

"I will be good, I promise. I'll be so good that Madame Humphrey will choose me to go to the Royal Family next. Then we can be together again."

Rosalie gave me a sad smile and pulled me into her arms. Her hugs were soft and warm. They made me feel like I was the most important person in the world to Rose. We held onto each other for what felt like forever, and I wouldn't really have minded. Rose was like a sister to me. She was there when I first arrived at Humphrey Academy. She helped me get over my parents' death. She took care of me and snuck me bites of her food when Madame wasn't looking.

Rose finally pulled away and kissed the top of my head. "I love you, my little Isabella. My little sister."

I looked up at her, my hot tears pouring down my cheeks. She wiped them away gently with her thumbs.

"I love you, too, Rose."

She gave me one last quick hug and a kiss on my cheek before she walked down the steps and into the carriage.

I waved to her until she was out of sight.

"I'll never forget you, Rose. I hope you come back soon." I whispered to myself.

But little did I know, Rosalie Hale was never coming back.

-x-

I sat in the carriage with five other girls. All of them were crying. I was the only one who wasn't. Crying showed weakness. Crying showed fear. I will not be weak and I will not be afraid. I was the oldest one in the carriage. I was eighteen, the rest of the girls were sixteen.

It was ten years ago when my best friend Rosalie Hale left in a carriage like this. At that time, I was young, a mere age of eight. All I knew was that she was going to help the Royal Family.

But now that I am ten years older, I knew why Rose was so sad to leave. So hesitant to let me go. It was because she was going to the Cullen family as a personal maiden. Otherwise known as a sex-slave for one of the Cullen boys.

When I found out, I was devastated. I almost ran away and tried to save Rose. But at that time, Madame Humphrey was treating me so kindly, giving me personal lessons and feeding me the best food. It wasn't until she gave a me deep blue dress, the nicest dress I've ever seen, to put on for tonight, did I realize I was next. I was going to be a sex-slave for the Cullens. Just like my best friend Rosalie.

The dress that fit me so perfectly and made me look so beautiful suddenly felt like it was one fire. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak. My heart thudded against my ribs so hard it almost hurt. My ears started ringing and I felt my head throb. My stomach squeezed and twisted around while the carriage bounced up and down.

I gripped the side of the carriage, hoping for some support. I looked around to see the other five girls were sobbing quietly or sitting with blank expressions on their face. I inhaled a sharp breath, but it didn't do any good for my burning body. The air went down my throat like a giant lump. Then, it thudded in my lungs. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to look. So I closed my eyes and prayed that everything would be okay. That I would make it out alive, that Rosalie was still alive.

"Isabella?" A small timid voice asked from next to me. I forced my eyes opened and looked to see a girl with short brown hair and big green eyes looking worriedly at me. Her cheeks were stained with her tears.

I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. "Yeah?" I choked.

"Are you okay?"

I swallowed again. "I'm fine." I managed a weak smile.

"Oh. Okay. I was just wondering. You look really pale."

"No really. I'm fine. Just a little nervous to be meeting the Royal Family."

The girl nodded. "Yeah. I know. It just seems so nerve-racking to be working in their house as a maid. To clean their furniture and cook in their kitchen. It just feels a little off, don't you think?"

"Yeah." I nodded. At least she didn't have to be a personal maiden.

"The Cullens house will be the nicest house I've ever been inside. I'll see furniture and decorations I've never even heard of. Thinking about it just makes my brain hurt." The girl gripped her head.

I smiled weakly at her again. I didn't really know how to respond. I wasn't going to be cleaning, cooking or serving the Cullens like she was. I was going to serving them in a much, much worse way. A small shiver went down my spine as I thought about my future. A life in a bedroom, never seeing the sun or light again.

"My name is Aurie. Maybe we'll se each other around in the Cullen's mansion." The girl interrupted my inner thoughts. She gave me one last, long worried look and turned away from me.

Mansion. The Cullens lived in a mansion. A big house filled with expensive furniture that probably hasn't even been touched yet. I felt an immediate anger bubble in my stomach and inhaled another painful breath. How could they just waste all their money on unnecessary furniture while thousands of other people lived their lives in poverty?

"Calm down, Isabella. You're over-reacting." I whispered in a low voice to myself.

Suddenly, the carriage jolted to a halt and the girls all snapped up to attention. Some started wiping their tears, some were fixing their dresses. I just sat there.

A slow dread started to creep over me, sending shivers down my spine. We had arrived.

The driver jumped off of the front seat and opened the door for us. "Get out." He said in a rough voice.

We got out of the carriage and huddled next to each other in a big circle next to the light from the carriage. The sun had already set. The cold fall wind was blowing around us, swirling our hair and dresses.

The carriage had stopped in a dark meadow somewhere next to the Cullen's mansion. Tall trees blocked the house, but I could still see the lights coming from the giant home. There was a small, dark path leading to the house that was dimly lit with lanterns hanging off the trees. A shadow was moving towards us, her heels clacking against the stones of the path.

The girls immediately stopped shivering and looked up. I followed. Standing right before us, in the light of the carriage, was the woman that put us all through this torture. Madame Humphrey. Her plump figure was covered in a deep red dress that only made her look like a bruised tomato. Her face was caked with powder and blush, making her look meaner and scarier. Her mouth was turned up into an evil smile, revealing her stained teeth from years of drinking.

"I see that my ladies have arrived safely." She said, her high, tinkling voice was no match for her appearance.

The driver nodded and went to take care of the horses.

"The Royal Family is waiting for you girls. Please walk in a straight line down the path to the side entrance." Madame Humphrey directed us. We lined up in a straight line, me at the end, and started walking towards the path. Suddenly, a plump hand grabbed my arm. I stopped abruptly and turned to see Madame looking at me with inspecting eyes.

"Wipe that grim look off your face, it makes you look uglier." She snarled at me. Then, she forcefully dropped my arm and plastered a fake smile to her face. Out of nowhere, she gave me a little hug. I grimaced. She smelled like alcohol and cheap perfume. "I am so proud of you. Now, don't embarrass me."

She released me from her torturous hug and I trudged after the other girls.

-x-

The dark path lead to the side of the Cullen's house. I looked up to see three stories of giant glass windows. I sighed. Another waste of money. This family must be swimming in money. Well of course they are, they're royalty.

Madame Humphrey ushered us into the house and made up stop in a long hallway. She lined us up from tallest to shortest and began inspecting us closely. Madame pinched our cheeks, pulled our hair, checked out faces, inspected our dresses and made sure everyone was perfect. She especially fussed over me, straightening my shoulders, making me suck in my stomach, it all made me want to lose my dinner.

"Alright girls. I am so proud that we made it this far." Madame Humphrey said.

A few girls grumbled but most of us remained silent. The tension, fear and nervousness in the room was slightly over-powering and I began to feel lightheaded. I clutched my stomach and managed to put a blank expression on my face. Madame looked at me with her mousy, suspicious eyes.

"You girls," she said, pointing to the five other girls, "will be the maids. Go down the hallway until you see a small wooden door. Go inside. There will be a few empty beds for you girls and on top of the beds are your new uniforms. Change into them immediately and an experienced maid will lead you to the kitchen where you will begin serving the Royal Family immediately."

Aurie looked at me with sad eyes before following the other girls down the hallway which lead to the maid quarters. I stayed with Madame Humphrey.

"And now, for you, my dearest Isabella."

I looked blankly at her.

"Now, now. Don't act like this. I did not teach you to stare rudely at people, now did I? I hope that all my precious time spent teaching you will now go to waste. Make sure that it does not got to waste."

I nodded slowly, the weight of my head felt too heavy on my shoulders. "I will not waste your time."

"Good, this is your chance to show the youngest Cullen what you are made of. You are his first ever personal maiden. Do what he wants. Do not argue, do not resist. You are only there for Prince Edward's pleasure."

I felt my unshed tears form in my dry eyes. "Yes ma'am."

"If you try to run away, I will find you. And send someone to kill you. You will not disobey me and you will most definitely not disobey Prince Edward, are we clear?"

I nodded again and swallowed.

Madame Humphrey sighed. "You have made me good money, my dear. Now show me you are worth what they paid me for you."

She took my hand and led my down the dark hallway, making sharp turns every so often. I could not even remember where we were going I just let her lead me. My mind was clouded with fear, anger and sadness.

We were walking up the grand staircase when I finally broke. My wall of toughness, of resistance, crumbled to reveal what I really felt. My unshed tears that I've been holding in for so long came crumbling down my face. Years of pain. Years of sorrow. Years of loneliness. Everything I've endured came washing out of me at that moment. I didn't are if I wasn't presentable to Prince Edward. I didn't care if I sounded like a wreck.

I cried silent sobs as Madame Humphrey reached the top of the stairs.

I screamed silent screams as we reached the double doors to Prince Edward's room.

I prayed silent prayers as the door opened.

I felt nothing as my dress was untied and dropped to the floor, leaving me cold and shivering.

I couldn't feel anything anymore.