Scene III
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING RELATED TO TWILIGHT. What I do own are a pair of Converse and possibly two more on the way.
Yes, she wanted it. She wanted it with all her soul.
She wanted the life of the man who killed her father.
As if the guards could sense her murderous emotion, they grabbed hold of her by the arms and pulled her off Burnside. Isabella didn't fight back which went against everything she knew; she let them take her with a smile on her face since she knew she would have the revenge she wanted soon.
Burnside whined and reared, protesting at the guard's snatching away his companion. A guard placed a blade at the horse's neck. "Calm your steed, or I'll kill it."
Isabella smirked; she loved her horse with a passion but nothing in the world could bring her down from the high she was feeling. "Stand down, Burnside. No need to antagonize the big man with the big sword." She leered at him.
The guard that held her left arm kicked the back of her knee, making her tumble to the ground. Someone snatched her visible weapons away; her bow and arrows, her heavy dagger and throwing knife. No one knew of the dirk in her boot, the poison leaves in her breast pocket or the small blade in her sleeve.
The King barely glanced in her direction. "Bring the kidnapper back to Castle Forks for a public burning and then have her head on a stake at Castle Forks." He commanded. "Scout the rest of the area. Make sure there are no others with her." The guards moved to oblige him. One placed his boot heavily into Isabella's back, air puffing out of her lungs painfully. He placed his sword above her neck, poised to kill.
Somewhere in her fits, the words registered in Vanessa's mind. "No!" She sprang up from the Queen's grasp and tripped over to Isabella's side, shielding her with her petite body from the guard's sword. "You cannot kill her!"
The King kept his cool air as he attempted to snatch the girl from Isabella's body, still sprawled on the ground. "We cannot let the woman live, Vanessa. She stole you away. We're lucky that we rescued you before she harmed you." The King said in a voice as if he were approaching a damaged animal.
These people are daft. Isabella thought with a slight roll of her eyes.
"She didn't steal me away!" Vanessa protested with conviction, tears sliding down her eyes. "You can't kill her!"
"Then why were you gone, Nessie, just to find you restrained by this crazy woman on her beast of a horse?" The Queen objected, grasping the princess's shoulder. "Come, Nessie, we must get you to the healer! There may be an unseen injury!"
"She didn't steal me! She saved me!" Vanessa cried, diving into Isabella's body. "Kirk and Wendell dared me to do something stupid and I did it! She saved me from the bad people at the bridge who wanted to take our money and clothes!"
Isabella smirked smugly as she lay on the dirt, the guard's boot pressed into her back and his sword steady over her neck, positioned perfectly to let her blood spill onto the earth. The thought about rolling away from his hold and lunging upwards with her dirk into his body, but resisted the urge to kill. She would get her moment; a moment away from the Princess. The bastard King and his wife always thought they were right, but not this time.
The Queen huffed. "What lies. The kidnapper obviously brainwashed our lovely niece to believe that stealing her away was a good thing." She knelt to Vanessa's level, cradling her face with a gentle hand. "Don't you want revenge, sweet girl?"
Revenge indeed, Isabella thought with wistfulness.
Vanessa shook her head violently. "No, Auntie! She's nice! Go to the bridge; there're bad people there that she killed to save me!"
To further the claim, a guard on his horse cantered close. "My Lord, there are about nine dead bodies at the bridge about a quarter mile south. Each bearing the insignia of Argrath, a known pillager of small towns, taking children for slaves and burning buildings." He announced. "They were likely patrolling the bridge to demand tribute for passage across. What do you wish to do?"
"Yes, yes! That's who she killed to save me!" The princess sobbed.
Isabella glanced up to see the King hold a thoughtful gaze on Isabella. The Queen had a pained face as she stared at her beloved niece who protected a well-known bandit that they didn't know was a brigand. They thought that their niece was holding some misguided affection for what they thought was her captor.
"Does my niece speak of the truth, woman?" He spoke softly, but there was still a hint of silent anger. "Or did you persuade her to believe the lies that spill out of her mouth?"
She knew that she shouldn't, but she couldn't help the sly smile that crept up her lips. Perhaps it was from the high of being so close to her target, yet so far away. "Nothing but the truth is spoken by innocent lips, my Lord. I was travelling into the forest for a morning hunt – with permission, of course - when I found the young Princess hiding behind a large pine. She believed I was Muriel the Mad." She jested lightly, but the hard cast of the King's face did not change.
"Nessie, is this true?" Vanessa nodded with her head buried in Isabella's hair. "Why were you in the forest?"
The Princess's head snapped up, eyes rimmed red once again. "I told you, Auntie Esme! If you listened to me instead of the anger that boils in your blood, I would not have to repeat myself!" She yelled with impudent conviction.
"Vanessa Carlie Cullen!" The Queen scolded. "What has become of you?"
"The life of Royalty, Auntie! I went into the forest because Wendell and Kirk believed I was not the adventurous girl I was the year before! I wanted to prove that castle life did not change me!" She argued hotly. Isabella had the urge to applause her for her rebellion but it was difficult with the guard's boot and sword pinning her to the ground, along with the petite girl attempting to build a home out of her hair.
"Nessie, the adventurous fire in you will never be extinguished." The King placed a loving hand on her shoulder as he handed her a much more regal looking handkerchief to dry her face. "You need not to prove it to some silly farmer boys."
"Yes, I know that now! I understand, and I have learned! Now that you understand that it was not Marie's fault, will you make Sir James release her?" Vanessa demanded in a hurry.
The King stared into Isabella's eyes for a long while before looking to the guard, waving his hand. "Let her go, Sir James. I believe my niece." He announced.
The force pinning Isabella to the ground was lifted, air rushing into her lungs much easier. Isabella sat up, rubbing her chest as it throbbed sorely. Vanessa launched herself into Isabella's arms, breathing in the scent of her hair.
"Alright, it's time to go now, Nessie." The Queen proclaimed, prying the Princess from Isabella's arms. Isabella did not resist so Vanessa was taken away easily, even though she thrashed with the force of a stallion.
"Thank you for returning our niece to us, safe and sound." The King said, holding a hand out of Isabella to shake. Isabella smiled with no warmth, grasping his hand and shaking it firmly. "Compensation will be offered to you for your efforts." He snapped his fingers and another guard stepped forward, opening a small chest to reveal gold coins.
The King scooped a handful in his hands and slipped them into a purple purse, holding it out in offering. Isabella shook her head. "No compensation needed, Your Grace. Bringing the Princess back safely was an honour in itself."
The King raised his eyebrow. "You are certain?"
Isabella nodded. "I have no need for excessive coin."
The King returned the coins to the chest and smiled wryly for the first time that encounter. "You are an odd one, Miss…?"
"Marie Jones." Isabella prattled off with casual ease.
"Well, Marie Jones, we both thank you, Esme and I." The Queen smiled at her for the first time that day as well, sincerity in her face. All apprehension was void from either of them. "Not as the King and Queen, but as a worried aunt and uncle, we thank you for returning our beloved to us."
Isabella nodded. "It was a pleasure, my Lord." She curtsied, holding out the ends of her cloak as she did not wear a dress.
"Alright then, we shall be heading out! Sir James, let's go." The King instructed, helping the Queen onto her horse and heaving Vanessa up behind her. The king straddled his own horse. "Goodbye, Miss Jones."
Isabella curtsied in response even though she detested it in her mind. Paying respect to the man who she hated with a vengeance did not sit well with her.
Vanessa stiffened in the saddle as they began their ride back to Grace Ridge. "Is she not coming, Auntie?"
The Queen laughed, still in ear-shot of Isabella. "Why would she, Nessie? We have paid our gratitude, she has accepted it. We continue on with our lives from here on."
Apparently, that did not settle comfortably with Vanessa. "I will not return without her!" She demanded. The Queen protested as Vanessa slid off the saddle as the horse was in mid-trot, falling painfully to her knees. The Princess stumbled forward and ran with all her might to Isabella, who was beginning to mount her own horse.
"Don't leave me!" Vanessa cried, slamming into Isabella's body. Isabella turned and picked her up.
"Princess, don't you wish to return to the castle? Clean up or whatever you Royals do?" Isabella jested.
"Not without you." The Princess stated simply, as if that were answer enough.
"Forgive me, Miss Jones." The Queen said, taking Vanessa from Isabella's grasp. Isabella obliged, but Vanessa held onto her cloak with a vice-like grip. "Nessie, you must let her go."
"No, I don't feel safe without her." Her voice was muffled in Isabella's hair.
"We have plenty of guards to make you feel safe, sweetheart! No one will ever touch you or ever harm you!" The Queen promised, stroking the Princess's hair with adoration. "Sir James is the best knight in the Kingdom and he's your personal guard!"
Vanessa shook her head. "Sir James gives me chills."
Isabella glanced at the blond-haired man with ice blue eyes. He stared back at her, leering with a quick sweep of his eyes about her body. His hair was slicked back and a scar ran down from his temple to his chin. That man was fit to belong with the other side of the law rather than with the Royal Guard.
"I agree." Isabella mumbled, although she hadn't meant for the Princess to hear.
"See! Even Marie believes so!" Vanessa gushed, clutching at Isabella's tunic. "He's obviously not a good guard if he let little me slip away at the crack of dawn!"
"Esme, what's the problem?" The King sauntered up, his armour clacking with each step.
The Queen eyed the pair with assessing eyes. Vanessa clung to the woman with such fondness and confidence she hadn't seen her niece show for anyone, not even her closest friends. She definitely did not feel as friendly with Sir James.
"It seems our little one has an attachment for her rescuer." The Queen noted with a smile. "She does not wish to leave without her as she does not feel safe with anyone else."
The King thought for a moment, which seemed to be a favourite pastime for him. His eyes bored into Isabella's as if his could extract her whole life story with a simple stare. Had she not been as tempered and trained as she was she would've buckled under his intense gaze. But Isabella stood straight without as much as a crooked grin on her face, holding the Princess to her body.
"How are you with the bow and dagger you carry with you, Miss Jones?" The King asked.
Sir James stepped forward. "My Lord, you cannot think to replace me with a simple commoner -"
"Silence, Sir James!" The King snapped, making Sir James stiffen. She doubted anyone could see the hatred blaze in the man's eyes as he stood rigidly. Interesting. "I was going to speak to you about this in private about the matter of letting our niece escape when it was your job to keep her safe, but it is obvious you cannot handle a ten-year-old! Now silence yourself before I have another do it for you!"
Though she hated the man with all of her soul, she could respect his ability to shut a vile man up with a simple word. She rather did not like Sir James already. His eyes blazed with animosity directed at Isabella and his fingers twitched over his hilt.
"Yes, my Lord." Sir James mumbled.
"Good!" He turned back to Isabella. "Now, Miss Jones, your ability with the bow and daggers?"
Isabella shrugged as well as she could with a child clinging onto her like a babe. "I believe I can handle myself well enough."
The King chuckled. "Better than you believe, I assume. You killed the bandits one your own, correct? Without any help from anyone? Quite impressive for a woman; to kill nine men at once."
Isabella nodded. "Yes, my Lord." She resented that at his disbelief of a woman taking care of herself.
"Can you demonstrate?" His eyes twinkled. "With the bow, first."
Isabella lowered Vanessa to the ground that backed away with a grin. The girl was excited to have the prospect of having a new friend at the castle to protect her, rather than slimy Sir James.
Isabella unslung her bow and plucked an arrow out of her quiver with ease, settling it on the string. She gazed around the horizon, looking for a suitable target to display her talents.
"Do you see the faun, about one hundred metres down there?" Isabella asked, pointing towards a patch of flat land were a babe deer was grazing without its mother. "Permission to hunt it?" Typically, hunting higher class game such as deer was poaching and punishable with her hand's being cut off. Isabella didn't care any other time; she was a criminal after all. Poaching was the least of her problems. She was in the presence of the King though, and was forced to put up the charade of a well-mannered peasant.
The King nodded. In a smooth, quick sequence, Isabella pulled back the arrow to full-draw and let the arrow whistle through the air. In a few moments, the faun tumbled into the grass with a groan.
"Fetch the faun, Sir James!" The King demanded and the suspicious man obliged, dragging the deer back by the ears. The King placed a hand on the animal, assessing the shot. "Clean into the right eye from one hundred metres. Impressive, Miss Jones, I am very much impressed. This would be lovely treat for Mrs. Cope. Good meat."
Isabella grinned. She loathed the man but swelled at compliments like any other woman. "Thank you, my Lord."
The King smiled in return. "Follow us to Grace Ridge. Perhaps you can take Sir James' position as Vanessa's personal guard."
Isabella thought the offer over. She would be forced to follow and entertain the young Princess if she so desired. She wasn't sure if she could handle the excess energy and enthusiasm that children usually had, along with growing up, mood swings and rebellion. She was the rottenest of them all; she didn't want to spoil a good egg.
But she couldn't find it in herself to care.
Besides, having full access to the Castle Forks would be the best asset she could have. Living in the castle would have its disadvantages of being tied to one place and obligated to certain duties, but she could plan her murder with much more detail. Places to hide, more private areas, schedules of the servants would be at her fingertips and avoiding costly situations would come much easier.
Yes, it could work.
Isabella smirked, the King not knowing her devious thoughts. "Why not, my Lord?"
BRIGAND
Isabella stood at the doorway as the King situated himself in his seat in his office, the guards effectively blocking the doorway to the room.
She smirked inwardly and found that she had been doing that a lot lately. She hardened herself, void of emotion. It was difficult, though, as she had plenty to be giddy about.
The ride into the castle grounds was magnificent. Every detail was burned into her mind; the hard training of the knights and archers, stable-hands tending the steeds, servants going about their daily business. Even from to outer grounds of the castle, the smells of the morning meal was evident in the air.
There was so much to be taken in consideration.
The King coughed, snapping Isabella out of her reverie. "Miss Jones, tell me about yourself." As he spoke, a scribe began readying his quill to scrawl on the paper. Isabella assumed there would be a scribe to copy records of her life, so she had prepared a false life story beforehand.
"Such as?" Isabella asked.
"Family, origin, daily routine…" The king prompted. "Who are your parents?"
Isabella cleared her throat. "I did not know my mother, as she died from the plague when I was just a babe. My father was a simple farmer but died from the flu some years back. I have no family." She lied humbly. It was not all lies; at one point, her father was a mere farmer instead of a high ranking knight.
The King softened. "I apologize for your loss."
Isabella shrugged. "I'm indifferent now, it was been a long while." Again, she fibbed. The fire of revenge blazed hot in her core, reminding her of her life goal constantly.
"Who raised you?" The scribe's quill scratching against the paper was loud in the room.
"My father's friend, my Lord. He was a gracious man who cared dearly for me and my father. He was a farmer as well, so I am no stranger to hard work on the fields." She explained. It was not a complete lie; to the knowledge at the time, William was a farmer. The King did not seem to notice the large gaps in her explanation, but accepted it.
He hummed. "Are you educated?"
Isabella nodded. "I'm quite fortunate. I can read and write. I speak a little bit of French as well. All with the permission of our Lord."
The King's eyes popped in astonishment. "Qui vous a appris français?" He asked who taught her French.
"La femme de William, l'ami de mon père, était française et anglaise. Elle enseignais le français à tous de ses enfants." Isabella responded, explaining that William's wife was both French and English and that she taught French to all of her children.
The King smirked. "That's a very useful asset. Again, I'm enthralled." He looked through his papers. "How old are you?"
"Eighteen summers, my Lord." Isabella answered.
Again, the King was astounded. "You look much younger." He noted, scratching the scruff that began to grow in his chiselled chin.
Isabella smirked. "I've been told that I look to be about sixteen summers."
"That is to be expected." He said. "What were you doing?"
She frowned. "My Lord, what do you mean?"
"Where were you coming from and where were you heading?" He clarified.
"Oh, I was travelling. I don't stay in one place; it's not a part of me. I guess I travel to find some place to really settle down and be happy. Perhaps the castle and protecting the Princess is my calling. I was heading to Grace Ridge to perhaps find an odd job of some sort. I do that often so I've become familiar with many domestic and non-domestic tasks." She said.
The King paused as he let the scribe write furiously on the page, trying to catch up with Isabella's words. After a few moments, the boy looked up expectantly. Instead of studying his notes, the King glanced to the knights at the doors.
"Is my son here yet?" The King asked one of the guards.
The man nodded. "Shall I let him in, my Lord?"
The King waved his hand. "Yes, thank you."
The guard heaved the heavy door open, revealing a mean dressed in shining armour. He stepped into the room, copper hair in wild disarray and his green eyes piercing into Isabella's, alert and slightly frustrated. He strode into the room with confident and quiet purpose, bowing to the King.
The man was handsome, but no one could ever affect Isabella.
"Father, what is the meaning of this? I was in the middle of training my men." The man huffed. "Who is this? What do I hear of Vanessa being without a personal guard?"
The King rolled his eyes, which was something quite un-royal of him. He smirked at Isabella knowingly. "This is my son and heir, Edward." The King said. "Don't be rude in front of a lady, Edward."
Edward took notice of the girl sitting in the chair, taking in her cloak draped over her shoulders and un-lady-like clothing. She was not dressed in the typical garb of a lady; a suitable dress, hair pinned elegantly and pampered complexion. Instead, he saw the tunic, leggings and the unmistakable holders for daggers. Her face was smudged with a slight dusting of dirty and little scars ran down her chin to her neck.
He scowled. "I see no lady. I see a girl dressed like an unrefined woman who is pretending to be a man."
Isabella wished she had her daggers at that moment so she could plunge them into where his prize possessions were. "Awfully crude words for a supposed 'regal and dignified man'." She noted lazily.
Edward did not expect a statement like that. He stared at her in astonishment and then anger. "What did you say, wench?" His hand grazed the hilt of his sword. "You dare offend my honour?"
She glared at him and his hand. "What honour is there? Your silly toy weapons do not scare me, you barbarian-excuse of a man."
His eyes blazed. "I'll have you hung in front of the entire kingdom if you do not shut your filthy mouth." He threatened, unsheathing his sword with a hiss and hanging it centimeters away from her nose. The scribe and guards tensed but the King watched with rapt attention, smirking.
Isabella pushed his blade away from her face with the tip of her finger, looking highly unaffected. "I'll have your balls in my hand if you do not remove yourself from my person, Your Highness." She spat.
Edward was not against killing a woman had she stepped out of his place. With a roar, he swung back his blade and swung downwards, attempting to cut her in half. Isabella swayed to the side so Edward's blade cut the seat in half. She somersaulted off the chair to the side and the guards made a move to capture her, but the King held up a hand.
"Guards, please restrain my son and relieve him of his weapon." He instructed. The guards were shocked but held the Prince back, taking his sword away from his grasp.
Edward struggled in their grasp. "What is this, father?" He growled. "Release me at once!" He demanded, but the guards did not loosen their hold on the Prince.
The King stood and the scribe followed as well. "I wish to see this battle outside." He turned to Isabella. "I want to see your skill with the blade, as the bow will not save a life from close-distance. If you can beat Edward, my most skilled knight, or last at least one minute against him, you get the position."
Edward bristled and stared at Isabella with anger. His father interrupts his morning training, finds a commoner woman in his chair and is insulted by common trash! He wrestled out of the guard's grasp and took up his sword, throwing the door open and stomping out to the outer grounds.
The King looked at Isabella with a smile. "Come, Miss Jones. I wish to see you put my son in his place."
Isabella was surprised at where his expectations lay, though she could not blame him now that she has seen his son's short-temper, bad enough to rival her own. She followed him out the door, the guards trailing behind them closely. The exited the castle and emerged to the training grounds where men were scuffling against each other and practicing.
Edward stood ready, arms crossed and staring intently at Isabella. She ignored him and focused on the King, who took up a seat as a young boy scrambled to provide him with luxuries her waved away.
"Sword?" He offered, a page running up with a clean blade, sharpened and ready for use.
Isabella shook her head. "I would prefer my daggers, my Lord. I work better with them."
The King's eye twinkled in excitement and he sent the young boy to fetch her blades. He sprinted back with the two blades on a pillow, serving it to her. Isabella held both in her hands.
Edward laughed. "You really think you can face me with a silly dagger?"
Isabella raised her eyebrow. "Don't get such a big head. It's unflattering." She said as her hand went to her throwing knife and whipped it at him with a cobra-like speed. She sent it whirling in the direction of his face and he dodged his easily.
"Is that it - ?" He did not get to finish his sentence as Isabella somersaulted in between his legs and pushed him hard from behind. Edward's armour weighted heavily enough upon him to slow him from dodging her next attack and caused him to tumble to the ground, his sword scattering.
As he sprawled on the ground, Isabella smirked down upon him. Edward could have noticed the way her hair flowed like an angel in the wind or how the sunlight cast a halo-like shadow over her, but the rage at being temporarily-bested by a woman flared red-hot in his chest.
"You make it simple to best you, Your Highness." Isabella mocked with a bow.
Edward grunted as he raised himself from the ground, picking up his weapon. "Fight me, woman. Do not play these games." He growled, readying his weapon.
Isabella shrugged. "It is simply how I fight, Your Highness. You cannot teach a horse to jump with the click of the fingers as I cannot learn to battle the way you wish by your decree." She smirked. "But I can try."
Isabella stepped forward, bracing herself. She breathed once before stepping into a twirl, her top coat whirling with her. Edward brought up his sword to block her shot, parrying her off. Isabella went on the offensive; lunging, stabbing and slashing in a steady pace. Edward was forced to parry and block all of her attacks, gritting his jaw.
As Isabella lunged forward, Edward dodged to the side and grabbed her arm. He elbowed her hard on her wrist while grasping on the hilt of her dagger, prying it out of her hand as she gasped. He shoved his shoulder into her own, making her stumble onto the ground. He tossed the dagger far behind him, well out of her reach.
Edward smirked down to her as she glared up at him. "Fire gone out of you, woman?"
Isabella glared. "My Lord, is the minute up?" She asked the King without straying from Edward's face. His smirk matched his father's in that same irritating way that clawed at Isabella's innards.
The King glanced at the young boy who held an hourglass on a tray. Just as he scanned the timer, the last grain of sand fell into the bottom half. He nodded. "Yes, the minute is up."
Isabella smirked. "Good."
Like a cobra, Isabella rolled forward quickly, a blur to even Edward's perceptive eyes. She withdrew her dirk out of her boot as she somersaulted and slashed as she sprang up. Edward staggered back as he touched his hand to his cheek, feeling the blood drip from where the dirk had cut his face.
Isabella expected the Prince to roar in outrage or try to demean her, but he simply smirked and jabbed forward. Isabella parried his strokes until she found an opening as his arm whirled upwards from her deflection. Isabella slashed again, the sharp and specially tempered blade slicing through his chainmail and cutting thinly into his skin.
He did not stop, though. Edward slashed and stabbed, eventually cutting Isabella on the forearm on one of his blows. On his next swing, Isabella crossed blades with him. Instead of fighting for dominance, Isabella rapidly grasped the hilt of his sword under his hand and pushed it until the blade faced the dirt with the point, his arm twisting, and scooped it deftly from his hands, effectively disarming him.
Something he did not expect to happen.
Then Isabella began. She released her anger at being laughed upon by the Prince that thought he was much better than her. Edward had forgone his shield believing that he could best her with a flick of the wrist, but he found to regret that decision as the avenging angel before him slashed her way through his chainmail and into his skin.
"Enough, Miss Jones," The King commanded. Isabella could not ignore his command, even though the red haze that enveloped her was thick. Her hand with the dirk stilled, but she clenched her hand over it multiple times in an attempt to calm herself.
The King stepped down from his chair, smiling. He held his hand out to her. "You have sufficiently overwhelmed me, Marie. I would be a fool to not hire you to protect my niece if you can best my son like that in but two minutes."
Isabella plastered a false smile on her face and gritted her teeth as she took the King's hand, struggling not to plunge her dirk that she still held into his hand and end him that second. There were too many of his men, along with his son, to do any damage. She had no escape plan, either.
So she settled for clenching her jaw and shaking his hand much forcefully than need be.
The King withdrew and placed a hand on his son's shoulder, grinning. "Son, I may need to think about your position more if you've been beaten by a mere girl!" Isabella was about to take offense at that, but he turned and winked at her.
Edward's eyes blazed as he faced Isabella. "This is not over."
Isabella smirked. "I thought not, Your Highness." She mocked with a curtsy, holding the ends of her coat out. Edward stomped off in the other direction, shouting angered demands at a young boy by his side.
The King coughed, drawing Isabella's attention to him. "Why don't we get your living arrangements set up?" The King suggested.
Isabella was about to answer before a blur of copper flew into her arms. Isabella grunted with the impact and pulled back to see the little Princess in her arms, grinning up at her. Her heart warmed in a way that differed from everything else and could not be compared and Isabella, frankly, was quite surprised by it.
"You're staying, right? Uncle Carlisle said you guys are going to prepare your chambers, right?" Vanessa gushed.
Isabella looked at the little girl in her arms and in the direction of a fuming Prince, shouting instructions at some knights practicing against each other. The King look at her expectantly, a slight grin on his face.
A smirk she wanted to wipe off.
Isabella smiled down at the Princess for reasons that Vanessa thought otherwise. "Yes, I believe I will."
A/N: Is it just me, or is Daddy C kind of suspicious? :3
So we've met Edward! How about a round of applause? *clapping* Oh, thank you, thank you. *bows* Mister Hunky Hunk will be a bit of a hot-headed stud-muffin (I can't believe I just said that), but I love a clashing Bella and Edward. They'll both soften like a god chocolate chip cookie. Yum.
BTW, I know the dirk wasn't around at the 15th century but I warned you of historical inaccuracies.
To Christiana: I know that you love to read fanfic, but it doesn't mean that you should read mine. I don't need you quoting my shit in class.
To Abigail: You need to start reading fanfic again, little girl. Some of this shit is yummy. Ed Sheeran fanfic? Yup, gimme a plate of that.
To Pia: I continue to fail to see how fanfic is a waste of time. Frankly, I believe that not reading fanfic is practically a sin. Shame on you. Go confess to the Fanfiction clergy.
To my anon guest #2: Thanks for the "dun dun DUN"! Here's to not waiting! *clink*
To Genevieve: I'm glad you loved the last two chapters! It's slow going right now, but things will be picking up pretty soon. I'm itching to keep writing, but school is on the front burner at the moment. Thank you so much for the support!
To frostedglaze: Yes, young grasshopper, there will be the little lemonades. As of Carlisle... you'll just have to wait and see! Bahaha, I've always hated when authors said that, it totally pissed me off. But really, you'll have to wait a bit for some answers. Thank you for supporting me through all of the two chapters I've posted! It's nice to have the faithful reviewers. :)
To everyone else: Thank you for reading! I'm almost as three hundred views; can you believe it? Please review, favourite and follow, it makes my day so much better since it snowed again in Canada not too long ago. :( WHY ARE YOU LYING TO ME SPRING?
To all my sweet buns,
-A