A/N: Hi again. So I think the last Chap. was okay but not great. Here's chap.2. Hopefully a few more things will make sense now.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I wish I did though...that would be pretty cool.
Chapter 2
The meeting was… exciting, I suppose. Mother made sure that everything was perfect. The food, the music, my clothes, all down to the last detail. Karina accompanied me into the dining room, well not really 'accompanied' more like dragged. I was nervous, not because I was meeting my future husband but because Edward would be there. How could I hope to impress this new man if the one I currently dreaming of every night was going to be in the same room? When we stepped inside, I saw my parents speaking to a man whose back was turned to me. Edward was already there…standing in the corner of the room waiting for Karina to appear with me. When he approached us, I felt my cheeks flush with color. Why did he still have that effect on me? "I've been waiting for you two for almost an hour now, where have you been?" he asked us, his musical voice laced with concern.
"Sorry love, Esperanza was too scared." She smiled at him and he smiled back, lovingly. Why can't I have him look at me that way? He turned to me and I almost couldn't breathe.
"Come, let's meet your new husband-to-be, he's been waiting for you, he's excited to meet you. He can't wait to take you to his country and his palace."
"Wait, I'm leaving Castile?" I was shocked. I'm leaving here? My home, my family, even Edward?
"Where else would you go Esperanza?"
"I thought he was going to stay here, like how you're staying here!"
He shook his head.
"This isn't his land yet. I have to stay here because my situation is a lot more complicated. You'll like it in Aragon."
"Aragon? Those people are barbarians!" I looked at Karina, she did not mention any of this, and how could she betray me like this? "How could you fail to give me this information?"
"Sorry, it slipped my mind, I didn't think it would matter, you know that where you are going isn't going to change anything. Regardless, you'll like him; you would never want to come back."
"But I don't know him! You've known Edward you're whole life. I've only met this man twice in my entire life! What if he's awful? Or what if I miss home too much? I can't go, I won't!"
"You have no choice Esperanza, this is part of our job, we were born into this, we're princesses, heiresses to the empire that is Spain, we have to marry whoever mother tells us to in order to strengthen our country. If I didn't like Edward it wouldn't matter because I have to do my duty, as queen to strengthen the country."
"But you're the one who's going to be queen, not me. Why does it matter?" I had to go. I wasn't going to let this happen. Would it be too childish if I tried to run away? How far could I go? I was the sister of the princess; someone would be bound to recognize me. I'm sure it wouldn't be so difficult. Or perhaps I could dress myself up as a maid, cut my hair, change my name and just keep living here…with Edward.
"It matters because your father said it does." Edward replied, "Your only job is to have children with him. It's not that bad, Creature. You can always come to visit and you could write to Karina every month. You'd be a queen… I honestly thought you'd be excited."
I felt myself grow weak, he was right. I had no say in the matter… I wasn't even the princess. I had no say in my future; Karina had more control over it than I did. If I spoke out against my betrothal I could be imprisoned, my chance at the throne taken away… or worse. I dropped my head in defeat, "Fine then. Take me to him." Edward smiled as Karina took his hand and then mine. We walk towards this man, this prince, slowly because of my nerves. Even from behind he looked handsome. He was quite tall, with black hair that reached his shoulders, his skin an olive complexion. My father looked past the prince's shoulder and gestured to me. The prince then turned to me and I saw his face. He looked… perfect, almost sinfully handsome. He smirked as I came closer, "Well, well, well… you certainly weren't exaggerating, she is absolutely stunning."
I blushed deeply. "Ah," he sighed, "she's still so modest…" he grabbed my chin and forced me to look into his eyes. A sharp gasp escaped his lips when he saw my eyes,
"Those eyes…breathtaking…your name, child?"
"Aurora. But I prefer to be called by my middle name, Esperanza."
"Esperanza you say? Absolutely beautiful… I think I'm a very lucky man to have such a beautiful wife-to-be.", he laughed. Something about that laugh made me uneasy, it seemed almost evil. He was good-looking, shockingly so. His eyes seemed to have every color imaginable in them, they were deep. I could almost feel myself sinking deeper into them. Edward spoke just then, breaking the awkward silence that had come over the room. "So when exactly can you take her from here so that I never have to see her again?" "Well I suppose that we could be married by the end of the month "
"That's not soon enough, can't it be done by oh, I don't know…tomorrow?" Karina laughed and playfully pushed Edward's arm. "Darling, be nice. You may not get along very well but she is still my sister." He snorted, "Why on Earth would I be nice now? She's leaving in a few weeks and then I'll never have to see her again. My life is complete."
I looked at him, smiled, and bit my thumb. The prince burst out laughing, "Ha ha, a feisty little one! I always like my women a little lively. It makes for a more entertaining wedding night." My mother came across the room towards us. "So Emmanuel, do you accept my daughter Aurora as your bride?" "I believe I do. She's lovely; I can't wait to take her back with me." My father spoke then, his voice as clear as summer's thunder. "Then it's agreed. Aurora will marry Emmanuel before the end of the month and go to Aragon with him after the wedding night. God bless you both and now, to the feast!"
And just like that it was settled. I was to marry this strange man and join him in the Barbarian Lands by the end of the month. I would have to leave Castile, my home, my family, my Edward all for my crown. But he wasn't my Edward I thought as he smiled at Karina. Edward was hers. Karina was my sister; she was such a good person… so pure.
She deserved someone as perfect as Edward. There was no place in his heart for me and I needed to accept that before I got married. He's not my husband and he never would be. My unfulfilled wish, my perfect Edward, the only thing I wanted was to be his. To have some place in his world, even as his mistress. Yes, I would even settle to be his whore. It would be enough to let me die happily but now I needed to settle for my dreams. The dreams where I was his, the dreams that would never come true.
