A/N: Originally, this was a part of chapter two, but then chapter two would be over six pages, and that was just too much.
Edward's POV:
I got back to my room and pushed opened the door gently.
"Bella," I said softly, mostly to myself, when I saw her sleeping on my couch. I leaned over by her head to move a stray lock of hair out of her face. She was so peaceful. I knew that my mother would think the worse if she came in the morning to find Bella in my room, but I couldn't bring myself to wake her up.
Instead, I picked her up and carried her over to where my bed was—just in case she fell off of the couch in her sleep.
I held her, for just a second, in only one arm and moved the comforter away so I could put her down.
As I was about to put her down, though, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her eyelids flicker open for a moment before closing again.
"What's happening?" she asked, her voice muffled by sleep.
"Shh, Bella," I said, stroking her hair gently and sitting down on the edge of my bed, holding her in my arms. "Go back to sleep."
"Prince Edward?" she asked disoriented. She blinked her eyes a couple times and stared up at me before really realizing where she was.
Once she did, really realize where she was, though, she jumped up away from me, her face turning bright red.
"I am so sorry, Your Highness," she apologized.
"There is no need to say sorry, Miss Bella," I said, speaking in formal terms again.
"There is every need to," she replied. "I did not mean to fall asleep here, honestly, I did not. I will go to my quarters, if you no longer need me here."
"Miss Bella, would you please stay?" I asked, almost begged.
Bella seemed torn in an internal battle between what she wanted, and what she thought was expected of her.
"But we have to wake up at sunrise tomorrow," she reasoned. "You need to be well rested, sire."
"Please, could we stop with this stupid formality?" I asked. "I will just call you Bella, instead of Miss Bella, and you will stop calling me 'sire' or 'Your Highness' or 'Your Majesty' or 'Prince Edward'. Just call me Edward."
Bella looked taken aback at my comment.
"Um, sure P– Edward," Bella said awkwardly. "But still, I should go to my quarters. I shall see you in the morning."
"No," I said, before she even had time to turn around to leave. "I still desire your presence here, with me."
She hesitated before responding again.
"Your mother, the Queen, will be expecting me there in the morning. If I am not, she will think the worse. Especially if she finds me in your room," Bella said. "I shall see you in the morning, Your Highness." This time, she didn't give me time to speak before she turned around and went out of the room.
I waited on my bed for a few minutes to see if she would come back, but she didn't.
I went turned my back to my bedroom door and started getting ready for bed. Isabella was right—I had an early day tomorrow.
I had only just started getting undressed when I heard a very strange noise. It sounded like someone yelling, but it was muffled, almost so no one would be able to hear.
I glanced at the clock in the hallway outside my room before swearing under my breath to find the source of the noise I had heard. I would have a hard time in the morning, after staying up until three in the morning.
As I passed by a broom-closet, I heard the noise again—more distinct this time.
"Prince Edward!" I heard a scream—muffled, as if by someone's hand—and the worst part was, I recognized that voice.
"Shut up," I heard another, darker voice—that I also recognized. "He can't hear you from here, I made sure of that. We don't want him to interrupt us."
"Get off!" she yelled again, right before another scream. "Help! Prince Edward! Edward, help!!"
I tried opening the door, but it was locked. I pushed against the door to try again, but the door held firm. I put all my weight against the closet door and nearly broke the door off its hinges.
"Edward!" Bella cried. I could see, in the scant light from the hallway, two, thick, shining lines on either side of her face. Whether the lines were tears or blood, I couldn't tell.
"Jacob," I said slowly. "After my direct order not to go near her, you dare try to do this, not even ten feet away from my own room?"
"Yes, I do dare," Jacob said defiantly. "It's not like she loves anyone, so no one should love her in return. But I do, so I decided to take her for myself."
"But did she want you to?" I asked, as I picked Bella up and held her in my arms.
"No," Bella answered for him weakly from my arms. She started struggling to get up and stand on her own, but her legs let out beneath her. "Every word he just said was a lie."
"Jacob, I do not want to see you again—ever, do you understand?" I said. I could almost feel how venomous my voice sounded. Jacob nodded hastily. "Now get out of my sight."
And I have never seen anyone run faster. At that moment, I would almost bet that Jacob could out-run my horse.
I turned my attention back to Bella.
"Are you alright?" I asked softly, laying her gently on the floor.
"Yes, I am fine," Bella said, struggling to get up without my help. She managed to get to her knees before falling into my arms again.
"Bella, would you stay with me tonight?" I asked—ok, begged her. "I do not think I could bear it if I found you in the morning, hurt by some other goon like Jacob."
"As long as you do not try anything with me tonight," she said.
"Do not worry, my Bella," I said as I stroked her hair gently. "I will not let anything hurt you. Not now, not ever."
I felt Bella fully relax, and looked down to see she had fallen asleep in my arms. I smiled, stood up, and carried her back to my room. She could have my bed—I would sleep on my couch.
A/N: Ok, next chapter will be in mostly Edward's POV, again, but I'll add in some Bella, maybe, if I feel like it. Remember: REVIEW!!