*Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga. I'm just playing with Stephenie Meyer's characters.*
The morning of Bella's seventeenth birthday, she was outside doing laundry. She was drawing some water from a well when a dog came up to her and nudged her leg with his nose.
"Hey Jake," Bella said as she scratched his ears. Jake was a stray dog she had befriended. "Guess what?" Jake cocked his head to the side, as if to ask what. "Today is my seventeenth birthday," she told him.
Meanwhile, a young prince from a neighboring kingdom had just arrived for the princess's birthday ball. He wasn't all that thrilled to be there, but his parents made him go. He was walking around outside the castle walls, enjoying the fresh air, when he heard a girl's voice on the other side of the wall. He climbed up a nearby tree to see who it was. When he reached the top, he saw a beautiful maid doing laundry, and talking to herself or maybe the dog sitting next to her. He listened intently to see what she was saying.
"There will be a ball tonight for appearance sake," she said, "and I will make an appearance. The guests will bring gifts, of course. Not that I'll get any. Aro will take anything valuable and throw the rest away. I never wanted gifts, but I wish that the gifts wouldn't go to waste. If it were my choice, I would give them to needy kids. This party is the only time I ever get to be a princess anymore," she sighed. "I do miss my parents and my old life, but these days, I'd rather not have to get dressed up and attend a ball. I'd rather not pretend to be a princess just so Aro can please the people. You're such a good listener Jake," she said smiling.
Wow, so that's Princess Isabella, the prince thought. He was awed. Aro told the world that she was still mourning her parents and that public events put too much strain on the weak girl. But that was far from true. The girl the prince saw was strong and selfless. She still cared for the less fortunate even though she herself was forced to work as a maid. What a wonderful, gorgeous girl.
"Well Jake, I suppose since it is my birthday, I should make a wish," the princess said. She walked back to the well and looked down into it. "I wish," said softly, "that someday, I could get out of here and find someone to love me and care about me. Unlike Aro, who just uses me for his own personal gain," she scoffed.
She really is lovely, the prince thought. And she is not stuck up and snooty like all the princesses that father introduces me to. I cannot picture myself with any of them. But her, he sighed thinking about it. Princess Isabella is wonderful, caring, kind, selfless, strong, beautiful, everything I could ever want in a girl. Maybe I could introduce myself at her party tonight, he thought. Hopefully being around others will not affect her personality. I could just introduce myself now. He decided to climb over the wall and talk to her.
The prince climbed out onto a branch that hung over the wall and dropped down. Bella heard a thud and turned around to see a gorgeous boy smiling at her. He had bronze hair, deep green eyes like the forest, and a stunning crooked smile. Who is he and what is he doing here? She thought.
"Um, who are you, and why are you here?" Bella asked.
"Oh, I'm Edward," he said as he walked up to her, took her hand, and placed a kiss on her knuckles.
"I'm Bella," she mumbled blushing. "You never answered my second question, why are you here?"
"Well Bella," Edward said felling slightly giddy as he said her name, "I came for the princess's birthday party. I was walking around outside the castle walls when I heard your voice. I wanted to see who it was, so I climbed the wall. I sort of eavesdropped on your conversation with the dog," he muttered.
"So you know who I am?" Bella asked him, slightly shocked.
"Yes. I know that you are kind, caring, selfless, and strong. I know that you are not the person that King Aro portrays you to be. I also know that you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen," Edward told her honestly.
"I'm not," Bella said, blushing again.
"Not what? Because from what I heard, and I am sorry for listening in, but I can already tell all that about you."
"I'm not beautiful," she said staring at the ground.
Edward lifted her chin with his finger so that she would look him in the eyes. Whoa, her eyes are beautiful too, he thought. They were a deep chocolate brown that he could get lost in. "You are," he said sincerely. "You're absolutely breathtaking."
"I-I like your eyes," Bella said smiling slightly at Edward.
"I like yours too. They are lovely, just like the rest of you."
"Thank you," she said softly, her smile growing.
"May I please get to know you better," Edward asked.
"Yes," Bella consented taking a step closer to him. "I will show you a place where we can talk. Follow me," she said taking his hand. Bella led him into the woods. They walked in companionable silence until they reached an opening in the trees that led into a gorgeous meadow full of wild flowers. Edward gasped as he saw it. "It's beautiful, isn't it," she said turning towards him.
"Yes, but not as beautiful as you," Edward said taking a step towards Bella and kissing her softly on the cheek. She gasped and touched her fingers to the place his lips had been a moment ago. "I'm sorry. I should not have done that without your consent," he apologized.
"No, don't apologize. It was fine with me," Bella said smiling at him and leading him to sit down. They walked to the center of the meadow, and sat down facing each other. Edward took Bella's small hands in his own and looked her in the eyes.
"Now tell me about you," he instructed.
"Alright," Bella said smiling. Her heart soared as he sat there with her hands in his.
Meanwhile, King Aro walked up to his magic mirror.
"Felix, Felix, on the wall, who is the coolest of them all?" Aro asked, just like he did every other day.
"King Aro, while the coolest you may have been, that is no longer true. Bella Swan is far cooler and a better person than you," Felix responded.
"What? How dare you say so? Show me the princess now!"
"Yes Master," Felix complied, showing Aro Bella and Edward sitting in the meadow.
What is going on? Why is she with Prince Edward and not doing her chores? Where is that ungrateful girl? Aro, furious at whoever Bella her get away, called for Jane.
"Jane!" he called.
"Yes, your majesty," Jane said as she came into the king's chamber.
"Go and make sure the princess is doing her chores," Aro instructed. "And then please have her dressed in some appropriate going out attire for a princess."
"Yes, your majesty, right away," Jane complied and headed off to check on the princess.
"Alec!" Aro called.
"Yes your majesty," the king's huntsman said.
"I have a job for you. Are you prepared to do whatever I ask?"
"Yes, my king," Alec responded as he kneeled down.
"I need you to take the princess into the forest and arrange a tragic accident. You will take her into a secluded area and kill her. Then you shall bring me her heart as proof that you have completed the deed. We shall tell the kingdom that she was in a tragic accident in the forest and killed by a bear," Aro instructed.
"Of course King Aro, I shall fulfill your request and complete the deed."
"Jane is having the princess prepared to go out, so be ready when I call you."
"Yes your majesty."
"Edward, I really have to go. Aro will realize that I'm not doing my chores at the castle and come after me. I don't want to get you in trouble. You have to go too," Bella told him, standing up.
"Bella, will I see you again?" Edward asked standing up as well and taking her hands again.
"Yes, tonight at my party I will make an appearance. Aro will have me mingle for a little while so that the kingdom does not get suspicious. Come find me, please."
"I'll always find you," Edward said and then placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Bella wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug.
"Thank you. I'll miss you, Edward."
"I'll miss you too, Bella, always. May I at least walk you back to the courtyard?"
"Alright, but not all the way, Jane might be looking for me. We need to go back."
"Okay Bella, I suppose we should go back," Edward said, taking Bella's hand and leading her through the forest, back to the castle. When the courtyard came into view, Bella saw Jane stepping outside.
"Edward, I have to go, now. That's Jane looking for me. Find me tonight," she said and then dashed out into the courtyard to finish folding the laundry she had been doing.
"I will Bella," Edward whispered, and went back into the forest to find a secluded place to climb over the wall.
"Good, you are done," Jane said harshly as she walked up to Bella. "Now come, King Aro has requested I prepare you in something suitable to go out in."
"Yes Jane," Bella mumbled as Jane led her inside to get dressed.
So far, Bella thought, today has been the best birthday ever. Edward is so sweet, and amazing. He really seems to care about me. Maybe wishes do come true.
A/N: I'm out of school for the summer! So, I will be writing and updating more often. Please review!