My deepest apologies to those who are following this story for taking so long to update, I promise I will try to update more frequently. Thank you for sticking around, any comments are welcome in the review section.
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me; I do this just for fun. The story belongs to M.N. Tellez and the characters are of S. Meyer.
CHAPTER III
And meanwhile Isabella was speaking with Jasper, Marcus, who had gone out also to the field, walked stirring in his imagination ambitious projects. He walked hurriedly, heaving deep sighs and even said some words that indicated his haughty desires. He, then guarded silence and remained thoughtful, but he was brought out from his reverie by an awful noise coming from the neighboring forest. He directed his sight to this place and trembled with fright; a horrible monster, a serpent of seven heads appeared before his eyes. This one said to him: «—Hear me, Marcus, hear me, I have listened to you and I am ready to fulfill your ambition. Imagine the greatest honors, think about what you want and don't hesitate to ask, because I can do all things in your favor. But heed my words, and knows what I demand I return from you: you have in your power a precious jewel that belongs to me, Isabella. Her parents gave her to me when she was but a newborn, and the proof of this is that she bears my mark. I am a great king and a powerful genius, and have destined Isabella to be the wife of the Prince of Black Shadows whom I protect. If you deliver me to your pupil, you will be one of the greatest in my court and you will enjoy all my favor; but if you do not yield to my desires, fear the worst from my wrath ».
Marcus replied: «—Oh, mighty genius! I am willing to obey, I shall talk to my pupil and she will be the wife of the Prince whom you protect». The monster told him with haughty accent: «—You will be rewarded! » and giving horrible hiss disappeared.
Marcus was very happy thinking that he had found a means to make himself greater. He remained for a short time there, and later with hasty steps returned to his castle.
Isabella had retired to her chamber without having spoken a word with anybody; she was repeating the words that Jasper had said to her, it seemed like a dream, but a wonderful dream. Sitting by a window, entertained with her sweet thoughts, she let the hours fly by and thus she would have stayed the whole night. But suddenly, the door was noisily opened, and she heard a hoarse voice that was calling her. Isabella, waking up from her daydream, turned her head and saw her tutor who said to her: «—Beloved Isabella, you know already that I have seen you and loved you always as my own daughter and I have always wished what is best for you ». The beautiful young woman was looking at him and did not know to where that was going. Marcus continued this way: «—Well then, one brilliant suitor has come forward for you: a prince, do you hear it? A prince seeks you for wife». Isabella trembled with happiness, she thought that her tutor wanted to speak about the Prince of Lights; but she trembled with fright when he added: «—Yes, my daughter, the Prince of Black Shadows seeks you for wife; and as you know, dear girl, you may not hope for nobler or richer husband ». Isabella did not know that to say and remained silent.
Marcus waited for a moment; but seeing that she was not answering, said to her: «—What are you thinking, Isabella? Do you not answer? ». Isabella lifted her beautiful face, bathed in tears, and answered sobbing, that she did not want for the moment to treat of marriage: «—Dear tutor —she added—, do not force me, I beg you, if it is true that you love me like your daughter ». Her tutor caressed her and said to her that she should not be distressed. «— But, dear girl —he continued—, think about it, I beseech you, do not belittle the occasion of becoming the wife of a prince ». And saying these words he left the room leaving Isabella alone. The poor girl was crying, she was resolved not to marry the Prince of Black Shadows; but it she did not know how to oppose to the will of her tutor.
Marcus, leaving his pupil, called Victoria, and said to her: «—The Prince of Black Shadows seeks Isabella for wife and she refuses: but you know very well that a poor orphan could not hope for such happiness. Persuade her with your caresses to accept, and if necessary, command her, because she must obey you ». Victoria replied that she would do everything in her power to force Isabella, that she was sure of her docility, since she had never resisted to obey her orders.
They parted, Victoria entered Isabella's chamber, and holding her tightly in her arms, said: «— What's going on with you, my child? ... Why have you cried? ... Tell me, tell me, what ails you? ... Am I not your mother? ... Don't you know that I love you? ... Don't you love me, too? ... Don't you always entrust to me your secrets? ... ». Victoria paused, but seeing that Isabella was not answering, continue saying: «—Listen to me: why do you not want to be the wife of the Prince of the Black Shadows? You would undoubtedly be happy by his side. What greater happiness could you expect? But not, you will yield, and to please me, you are going to answer that you accept the honor that is offered to you. —No —said Isabella vehemently—, I do not want to speak of marriage, leave me alone. —But, my daughter, this bond offers all of us incredible advantages. — I renounce all them. —Marcus wants it. —I will not please Marcus. —Well then, Isabella, listen to me, I want it, and it will be. —I do not want it, and it will not be. —To my orders do you dare resist? —As you can see it. —You always have obeyed my most slight insinuations. —It will not be so hereafter. Leave me alone ». Victoria left and went to look for Marcus, and told him how the beautiful orphan seemed to be resolved not to accept the Prince of Black Shadows as husband, and was manifesting a determination that she had never seen in her. «—I suspect —she said—, that probably another love that we do not know of gives her this sudden resolution. —Well, well —answered Marcus—, we will try to persuade her ». And he gave orders to call Jessica, and asked her to speak to Isabella. «—She is your friend —he said—, and she will give in to your insinuations. I am going to put you up to date about everything ». And immediately proceeded to tell her all about his encounter with the serpent, what had happened to him with this horrible monster, Victoria's suspicion that Isabella could have another lover, and ended his speech saying: —Well you see, my daughter, how convenient for us is that this young woman yields to the desires of the serpent. You are cunning and vivacious, and very capable of making her reveal to you the reason of her resistance. Go now, dear daughter, go and do what I ask of you ». Jessica assured him that very soon she would know what was happening in the heart of her friend.
Just the next day began to dawn, Jessica entered the room of Isabella, the poor girl had passed bad night, and had already risen, and was walking agitated. Jessica fell into her arms, stamped a kiss on her white forehead and smiled with her. «— What's going on with you, my dear? —she asked her—. Are you perhaps ill with pleasure? And here I came to congratulate you. Yes, beloved Isabella, I am crazy with joy. How you are going to be the wife of the Prince of Black Shadows, and do not jump of happiness? —Keep quiet, quiet,
Jessica, and do not speak, I beg you, of happiness —Isabella interrupted. —You surprise me, my friend —said Jessica—. You are going to be a great princess, and do not want me to speak to you of happiness? But —she added— you must have your reasons to be sad, and I, who am your friend, I will be sad also. But tell me, dear, what is the cause of your disgust at this union? Let's go out to the field, there you will cheer up, come let's go, Isabella », and saying this she grabbed her hand and lead her out.
Poor Isabella let herself be lead away; Jessica caressed her and talked incessantly, and finally said: «—Well, Isabella, my friend, now I can guess the cause of your disgust; you have another love, come on! Confess up; what do you have to lose by telling me? Look, I won't tell anyone, I will be on your side and together we will resist all». The poor girl let herself overcome by the praise from Jessica, and discovered her all that had happened with Jasper. Jessica listened carefully, and when she had finished, she told her: «—Well, Isabella, that's fine, you want to marry the Prince of Lights better than the Prince of Black Shadows, well I do approve; both are princes, and the Prince of Lights has loved you for a longest time. I'm going to help you, console yourself ». Isabella was consoled indeed, because she believed that Jessica was her real true friend and that Jasper deluded himself when he told her that this friendship was false.
Isabella returned to her room more cheerful, although she had some regrets for having disobeyed Jasper. «—But —said to herself—, if Jasper knew Jessica, undoubtedly he would not advise me that I should distrust her».
On the afternoon of that day she started to weave a ribbon from her hair, and when she had finished, Jessica came in and told her: «—Isabella, we are going to a beautiful country house. —I can't go, Jessica —answered Isabella—, have you forgotten my engagement? —No, I have not forgotten —replied Jessica—, I remember very well, but everything is possible. Look, we go to the country house, which is near by the site of the appointment, we stroll around, we have fun, and when the time comes, I will remember you». The simple Isabella believed what her friend told her, and went to the estate with her and Marcus, who already knew his pupil's secret by the mouth of Jessica.
They finally arrived to the estate, and Jessica entertained Isabella in such a way, that time passed unnoticed to her, and so the hour of the appointment came and went, and after a long while the same Jessica said to her: «—Isabella, it is already very late and you have not remembered the appointment that Jasper gave you ». Isabella, all startled, replied: «—Now you see, Jessica, what will the Prince say? What will Jasper say? Undoubtedly the Prince will say that I love him very little, since I have forgotten to go where Jasper was expecting me. And you had said that you would remind it to me ». On having said this, the sad young woman was crying without consolation. Jessica replied: «—what do you want? I forgot about it also. And now there is no remedy. Jasper will have gone to the appointment, and angered of your lateness he will have left, and by this hour he must be travelling to the Kingdom of Lights; he will tell the Prince of your infidelity, this one will get very angry and he will not think any more about you. But console yourself; if the Prince of Lights forgets you, here you have another prince that loves you with delirium, and he will believe himself very happily if you correspond his affection: you will be a great princess, will have innumerable vassals who will be prompt to obey your smallest whims, and you will dazzle all with your magnificence and your splendor ». Isabella did not consoled herself, the brilliant picture that her friend was putting before her eyes was far from mitigating her pain. Her affliction increased when on having come back home Marcus told her: «—I have received an invitation from the Prince of Black Shadows, to go for a few days with the family to a beautiful villa that has in the Desert ». Isabella began to cry, and begged with instance to her tutor to allow her to remain at home with her nurse, but it was useless. Marcus insisted that she had to accompany him and order her to be ready to leave. Then Jessica consoled her somewhat, saying: «—The Prince of Black Shadows is not now in his villa, because serious business will detain him for a long time in the capital of his Kingdom. That is what he told to my father, so therefore what do you fear? We will be there as in any other place ». Isabella locked herself in her room and spent a very eventful night. «—Ah! —said the unfortunate girl—. How unhappy am I! The Prince of Lights, the kind, the beautiful, the handsome Prince of Lights... does not love me anymore... and he is quite right. Yes, I'm very guilty... and very wretched... but if it is true that I've lost his love, I will be very unhappy without a doubt; but never, I swear, I will never be the wife of the Prince of Black Shadows, nor ever love anyone else»; and saying these words she fell silent. Sitting sadly she let time go by. Finally, a ray of joy lit her up. «—Perhaps —she said, perhaps Jasper will not be gone; tomorrow as soon as dawn breaks, I will leave here and go to the site designated for the appointment. Maybe he will come again to look for me and I will find him, I will confess my fault to him and he will forgive me in the name of the Prince ». Saying this, she was more at ease and rested a little.
The next day, after it began to dawn, Isabella got up and left the house without being noticed, and hastily approached the place designated. The morning was still dark, the soil was uneven, and her anxiety had made her walk very quickly, suddenly she stumbled, lost her balance and took a painful fall. The ground was sown with thorns, and when she stood up, she found that she had stuck herself with a thorn from of the Tree of Perfumes, which are very sturdy and sharp. She took the thorn bathed in her blood and came up with the idea of sending it to the Prince as a proof of her love and as compensation for her fault. She saved it as such; continuing her walk and finally arrived at the place of the appointment. Her heart was beating between fear and hope, when she saw Jasper he was sitting waiting for her. Isabella approached him embarrassed and said lowering her eyes: «—What must you have said of my ingratitude? Ah! Would the Prince forgive this fault? I went out with Jessica for a walk and I forgot the time». Jasper replied, looking at her sad and affectionately: «—Isabella, the Prince loves you too much to not forgive you; but as you can see, I told you that Jessica will ruin you; you have not wanted to believe me and you've undoubtedly told her everything. Distrust her, I beg you. —Ah! Jasper — interrupted Isabella—, you do not know Jessica, she is my true friend. —Dear girl —replied her wise counselor—, be very cautious and fear much of that friendship. —Jasper — said the young woman, don't be afraid, I will always love the Prince of Lights, to whom I beg you take on my behalf this woven ribbon of my hair, and this thorn wet in my blood. Hear me now, I'll tell you what has happened to me »; and then she told Jasper how his tutor had proposed as husband the Prince of Black Shadows, and at the same time assured him that she was determined to never be the wife of this Prince or of any other, but only of her beloved Prince of Lights; she also told him that Marcus had announced that he was going to take her to the castle of Black Shadows; but that the Prince was not at that time in his castle, and added: «—I'm frightened. What should I do? You have to condescend with Marcus —answered Jasper—, but if you want to follow my councils, I think that you'll come out well from this danger. Three warnings I give for now, dear girl: do not drink the wines, do not take the flowers and do not use the jewelry that there they will offer you, because in all that there is a fatal charm that will make you fall in the traps of your enemies. I will never forsake you, rather, I will watch diligently over you. If you are faithful, be afraid of nothing, as when it is necessary I will come promptly to save you. I'm leaving, then, dear Isabella, I am going to take your response to the Prince, which will make him very happy ». And saying these words he gave her his hand and said goodbye. Isabella repeated him that she would always love the Prince of Lights.
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