A/N: Everyone who has very kindly reviewed, followed and favourited: thank you so much. I can't tell you how much your support means to me, and I love to know which bits you liked/how you found the story!

I really should have got this out sooner, but I've been so busy! The reason for the long break? I was revising for my GCSE's, and decided to forgo ff until I had finished. (I did really well by the way, so it worked!)

Small Q: Should I keep the vampire theme or discard? I think the story could benefit either way, but I'd like to know what my readers think.

Thanks and enjoy~


Chapter 2

He looked down at her fondly, a small smile crossing his face.

'No, but there's someone I have my eye on.'

For some unknown reason that she refused to explore further, Bella felt her face heat up with his words. Thankfully, he had glanced away so she had a moment to battle it back down and try to respond normally.

He beat her to it.

'I see you still have that annoying tendency to ask annoying questions.' He teased, breaking the silence and lifting her up so her feet just left the floor, turning, and gracefully placing her down again as part of the dance. Bella laughed under her breath, trying to regain her sense of balance. 'Annoying questions for an annoying person.' She mumbled to the floor, a grin spreading across her face as she heard his mock gasp of outrage.

It was like with that insult she had broken the barrier that time had erected, and soon conversation was flowing freely. They continued their talking and dancing for the best part of an hour, time flying by as the two caught up on each other's lives.

Pretty soon, Bella was out of breath from the constant twirling/laughing and they retired to a nearby table to watch the other dancers.

Everyone seemed so refined and coordinated, especially the ladies – not one foot was out of line, or one person behind the violin tempo. Bella was slightly envious of the careless gracefulness in which all of the dancers exhibited. It had taken her months and months to wrestle with her inherent clumsiness and practice to a point where it no longer took her whole concentration not to trip over or tread on her partner's feet. Still, she was glad she had worked so hard; twirling and side-stepping was kind of fun when you weren't inflicting pain on someone with every move.

As she and Jacob continued their conversation about how they had found themselves to be there, Bella let her eyes cast lazily around the room. It took her a while to notice, but after a while it became apparent that most of the men were focusing in on one of the dancers – a stunning blonde in a sharply low cutting blue dress. It was easy to see why she was attracting so much attention. Not only was she probably the prettiest girl Bella had ever seen, but her dancing was completely fluid and flawless, her white teeth flashing mesmerizingly every time she smiled. She seemed to be attracting the same amount of attention from the ladies, if their painstakingly envious smiles were any indication, and their increasingly extravagant flourishes whilst dancing.

'Earth to Bella,' Jacob's warm hand encircled her fingertips and gave a light squeeze before dropping back down to his lap as society dictated. She gave a small jump, startled, before her face slid into a sheepish smile.

'Sorry I was distracted watching–'

'Lady Rosalie? Yeah, I noticed.' He cut in wryly, raising his eyebrows. 'Along with half the room.'

'You know her?' Bella asked, wondering how Jacob knew her name and if she was the one he 'had his eye on'.

'I know of her. She's pretty famous here in court, y'know.'

'Really? I've never heard of her before.' Bella wondered.

'You must have had your head in a bucket for the past two years,' He allowed a teasing grin at her mock offense. 'The Lady Rosalie is know very well for being the leader of the Edward groupies. She's aiming for Queen, according to reputable sources. Well, that's what she tells everyone, anyway.' With this he tapped the side of his nose and winked.

Bella turned back to watch Rosalie dance, a little bit confused about Jacob's way of talking about her. Maybe Jacob didn't want her after all…?

Usually, blatantly proclaiming that you were trying to seduce the King would result in gossips and snide whispers which would eventually reach high enough up so that you'd end up being politely snubbed and loose any chance of even greeting Edward. In Rosalie's case, though, it almost seemed daringly possible. Every movement of her eye-catching cerulean dress was designed to attract attention and keep it there. It wouldn't surprise Bella if the King had already chosen her – after all, he was due to find a wife before his 19th birthday which was only four or five months away.

Tearing her eyes away and back to Jacob, she opened her mouth to inquire, but before she could speak a word she was interrupted. The punches of trumpets blared out, signaling the King's arrival and instantly reducing the volume of the guests to quiet, eager murmurs and bringing the dancing to a halt. It wasn't exactly rare that the King participated in social events, but according to the older ladies back at Bella's home, every time people saw him it was like the first. A good quality to have in a King, she thought amusedly.

Honestly, Bella was a little bit excited to see him, even though she'd told herself time and time again that he was just a person, just like any of them.

Albeit with a lot richer with a lot more power over people's lives.

Inside her head she tittered nervously. Yeah, a lot like everyone else.

Who knew – he could just be a snotty, spoiled man who wasn't worth the fuss and liked to lord it over people as much as he could (which was a lot). On the other hand, he could live up to the stories Bella had heard of him her whole life…but it was hard to imagine a creature so perfect as the one she had been told about growing up. Almost like she'd positioned him as God in her head, and now she was afraid to dispel such an innocent thought which she'd brought over with her from childhood.

The trumpets finished their commendable solo, and the whole of the party waited with bated breath, staring up at the top of the stairs where the King and his group would make their entrance. Two figures appeared first - the royal guards filed in, smirking at each other, resplendent in the royal uniform, before the King himself strolled into view, pausing for a few moments at the top step.

Bella knew this was utterly cliché, but it felt like someone had just punched her in the stomach; for a second she couldn't breathe and she could feel a blush creeping onto her cheeks. Well, she'd head the rumours – she knew he was handsome…but not this perfect. Nobody could be this perfect. She watched, holding her breath as he lazily ran a slender hand through his tousled bronze hair, his bored amber eyes lazily scanning the room before resting on her.