A/N: I'm back! Thanks for the reviews! I'll let you read now. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight but if one of those sexy Cullen boys comes around, I will not hesitate to kidnap them and hide them in my closet.

Chapter 3: Cousins

(Edward's POV)

I was by the main gate, waiting for my cousins to arrive from their home fiefs of Quercetum, located in the northern forests of Glacies, and Malacia, located on the eastern coast of Glacies.

My blood-related cousins were Lord Emmett Cullen of Malacia and Lady Alice Cullen of Quercetum.

Emmett was Alice's older brother and the oldest of us all. He was also probably one of the kindest people you would ever meet but most people didn't know that. They were too intimidated by his size. He was about six feet four inches tall and very muscular. He had hazel-colored eyes and dark curly hair that was always in his eyes (his wife is constantly telling him to get it out of his face). He was always ready to have fun or pull a prank (we constantly got in trouble for his pranks when we were younger).

Alice was the exact opposite of her older brother (in size anyway). She was very small, only about four feet eleven inches, with shoulder-length black hair that was always spiked in every direction and bright green eyes like mine. She sort of resembled a pixie. She was always very energetic and very attached to her clothing. She was also the cousin that I was closest to. She's my age (Emmett is two years older) and we were always there for each other.

My cousins-in-law are Lord Jasper and Lady Rosalie Hale.

Rosalie is Emmett's wife. She is very stubborn but also very kind-hearted like her husband. Rosalie is one of those girls that everyone is jealous of. She's tall, blond hair that waves to the middle of her back, blue eyes, and beautiful. She's like a sister to me and we grew up together. That's how she and Emmett met. She has a twin brother Jasper.

Jasper is Alice's husband and like a brother to me. He's the exact opposite of Alice though. He's tall and blond like his sister with the same blue eyes. He's one of the quietest people you will ever meet and he's always trying to calm his wife down.

I was very excited to see my cousins but it was very warm today and I was wearing the full palace apparel of a royal blue tunic over a long sleeved white shirt, long black trousers, and shin-high boots. I was leaning against the gate with my arms crossed trying to stay in the shade but it wasn't helping.

I was trying to think about something else other than the heat, when the brown-eyed girl drifted through my thoughts. A small small tugged on my lips. I had thought of a plan to try to find her again. I was going to sneak out of the palace again when I wasn't entertaining my cousins and try to find her.

I was brought back from my plotting when I heard a loud soprano voice say, "Is this anyway to greet yours guests?"

I looked up to see Alice, who was wearing a long green dress (picture on profile), getting out of one of the two carriages that had pulled up in front of the palace. I smiled when I saw her. "My apologies, my dear little cousin, I didn't see you there," I said with a smirk.

"Very funny," she said as she came over to me and gave me a hug. My cousins and I didn't like to use formalities with each other. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "It's good to have you here. I've either been too bored to even think or trying to hide from certain people." Alice knew who I was talking about when I grimaced. She laughed.

"I'm sorry you've been chased by love-struck ladies but most boys your age like that type of thing," Alice said with a smirk. I grimaced again. She laughed.

"Alice, stop bothering him about that. Even if it is true." I heard another female voice say from behind Alice. Two male laughs could be heard as well. I looked up to see Rosalie, who was in a long red dress (picture on profile), Emmett, and Jasper standing there with grins on there faces.

"Very funny," I said, repeating Alice. They laughed again as they came over to Alice and I. I gave Rosalie a hug and shook hands with Emmett and Jasper.

"Let's get inside. I'm burning up," I said, looking down at the clothing I was wearing. I really wanted to change into my city clothes. They were much cooler. We headed into the palace and I looked at the girls. "I don't see how you could wear those things."

"It's a girl thing," they said together. They laughed as I looked at Emmett and Jasper. They just shrugged their shoulders, just as confused as I was.

I showed them to their rooms and said farewell to them until dinner.

I went back to my rooms, looking for something to do until dinner. There was no way I would be able to sneak out of the palace and back before dinner, so I couldn't go looking for the mystery girl. Just the thought of her made me smile. I didn't even know her name and I was already head over heels for her.

I was left with two options: wander the palace like I did every other day or wander the palace gardens. It was too hot to walk around the gardens, so I was stuck in the palace.

I changed my clothes and went out into the hallway and then went quickly back into my room. Down the hallway, talking loudly were about ten young ladies who happened to live in the palace.

"Great," I muttered. Now I couldn't even wander the palace without being chased by crazy women.

I was about to climb out the window when I heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?" I asked warily.

"Who do you think it is? Open the door," I heard Alice's voice on the other side of the door. I opened the door to let her in and I closed the door quickly behind her.

"I thought you were one of those girls. I swear. They never leave me alone," I grumbled.

She laughed. "You should know that they never will, Prince Charming," she said with an evil smirk.

"I do know that. I just wish they would," I said, defending myself.

She was quiet for a second. That was never a good sign. Alice was only quiet when she was planning something or when she's noticed something that you wish she hadn't. "So... what was with the dreamy smile earlier today?"

I grimaced to myself. "What dreamy smile?" I asked, trying to play innocent. She had seen me thinking about the mystery girl.

"You know what smile. Don't play innocent with me," she said.

I sighed. She would get it out of me eventually, so I just decided to tell her. "I... I met this girl," I paused, watching her reaction.

Her eyes lit up and she smiled. "Really?" she screeched.

"Yes. Well, actually, I didn't actually meet her. I saw her," I said. Alice's face fell a little. "I sort of snuck out of the palace and went down to the city yesterday and I saw her. I was planning on trying to sneak out again to find her," I said, looking down and rubbing my neck. I only did this when I was nervous.

"Oh," was all she said. After a minute she said, "Well, do you know her name?"

"Uh, no," I said, looking down again.

"Well, how do you expect to find her if you don't know her name, you dolt?" she asked as she hit the back of my head.

"Ow, that hurt," I said, rubbing my head. "I was planning on finding her to ask her what her name was but that would require sneaking out which I can't do right now because we have to be at dinner in an hour."

She gasped. "An hour? I've got to go get ready but I'm not done with you yet. I want to know everything you know about his girl," she said as she walked to the door. "I'll talk to you after dinner."

I sighed and fell down on my bed. That girl could drive anyone insane. I laid in my bed with a pillow over my face for a while until I heard another knock on the door. "Who is it?" I asked, too lazy to get up.

"It's almost time for dinner, Prince Edward. Your mother wants you to get dressed," a small voice said from behind the door. I groaned and got up to get the door. Behind it was the same girls from yesterday, they came in and "helped" me get dressed. Sometimes I think they only do this so they can touch me because of the way they slowly move their hands across me. I feel very violated sometimes. When they were done, I dismissed them quickly and left for the dining hall.

I was announced as usual and walked into the dining hall to find my cousins already there. I went to my seat across from my mother. Alice, who was sitting next to her, gave me a I've-got-something-on-you look. I gave her a don't-even-think-about-it back.

Thankfully, no one else saw them and dinner was peaceful. We spent the time catching up with each other. Everyone had dropped the formalities, so we were all laughing together about past times.

When we were all finished with our dinner, we all excused ourselves and departed to our separate rooms. I saw Alice whisper something in Jasper's ear and he gave a small nod and whispered something back and then headed towards his and Alice's rooms. But Alice didn't follow Jasper, she followed me back to my rooms just like she said she would.

When we got to my rooms, I asked, "What did you tell Jasper?"

"I just told him that I needed to talk to you," she said simply.

"Oh," was all I said.

"Start talking now," she commanded.

"Yes, ma'am," I said with a small chuckle. Alice could be very demanding sometimes. "Well you know that I snuck out of the palace and went down to the city." She nodded, so I continued. "I was walking through the marketplace just looking around and then I saw her. She looked like an angel. The way her brown hair shone in the sunlight, her smooth white skin that seemed to shimmer in the light, and her eyes. Her chocolate brown eyes just seemed to look into my soul. Everything about her was perfect."

As I was describing this girl, I was in my own world. Just trying to figure out how someone so perfect could actually exist was unfathomable. Apparently I was a little too wrapped up in my description. I heard Alice giggle once and I snapped out of my thoughts.

She giggled again. "It seems that our prince has finally fallen in love."

"I, I, I'm not in love. I don't even know the girl's name," I stammered, trying to convince her and myself of that fact but I knew it wasn't working.

"Yes you are and don't argue with me because I know it's true. And you said yourself that you were going to find her and meet her and I'll help you if you want me to," she said.

"Alright. I might take you up on that offer," I said. "Do you think you could keep everyone busy tomorrow. This could take all day."

"I think I could handle that," she said with small smile.

I gave her a look. "I'm sure you can."

"Now go to bed," Alice said as she got up from her seat and walked to the door. "You've got a busy day ahead of you tomorrow." She gave me a wink and left quietly.

I chuckled and shook my head. That girl was crazy but you couldn't help but love her.

I climbed into bed and thought through my plans again. I was glad Alice was willing to help me with this. I really wanted to meet this girl and Alice was just making it a lot easier for me to do so. I was thankful for family members who understood me and who were willing to help me with anything, even if it consisted of sneaking out of the palace, fooling my parents, and wandering through the lower city to find the girl of my dreams.

And hopefully it wouldn't all be for nothing.

A/N: There you go! Hope you liked it! In case you were wondering, Quercetum means oak forest in Latin and Malacia means calm sea in Latin as well.

Anyways, please review. I really need to know if this story is good. Please review if you want this story to continue. All you have to do is push the small purple button at the bottom of your screen and type a few simple words. Please, I beg of thee, REVIEW!!

Asta til next time I guess,

Kitty & Freesia :)