I want to thank everyone again who read my story and reviewed. I especially want to thank serenity uchiha for the great story ideas that I will try to be incorporating into the story. Thanks again for everyone's suggestions, I really appreciate them. Hopefully I will be updating more often now but I can't promise anything. My life gets a little crazy sometimes but I'll try to update when I can.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse.
Bella's POV:
It was late afternoon when Bella donned her only riding outfit. A deep ride dress that was a little bit tight around her middle and breast. The last time she had worn the outfit had been too long ago to remember. Suddenly, she was glad for the trip to the dress shop the day before.
Bella would never admit it but she was excited for her ride with Edward; so excited that she had even ridden her chocolate brown mare around the grounds to practice. She tried to push back these thoughts and feelings about Edward, claiming that she did not want to embarrass herself and her father in front of the king and the entire court. That was the excuse she used to disguise her thoughts.
Angela helped her pin up her hair so it would not fly about has she cantered through the grass. Bella bit her lips to bring color to them, and then scolded herself for such foolishness. She rode in the carriage on the way to the palace. Her mare was being led just a ways behind. Bella felt more comfortable on her own horse, rather then some poor old palace one. She watched out her window as the country side slid past.
Her stone house slipped from her view and she saw rolling fields and in the distance dense forest. At places the forest would move up, as if to almost envelope the track, but the road cut through the woods like a hot knife; allowing the usually cloudy grey skies to break through.
Tonight though, the tables were turned. The sky was a startling shade of a bright, crisp, aquamarine blue with the sun shining high above. A lone star in a vast sea of sky, before the green leaves blocked it out altogether.
Bella averted her eyes has they cut through the palace wall but inside she gazed out once more, taking in the neat gardens and lawns stretching for far longer then expect. The carriage banged its way up the road and stopped just outside the great steps leading up to the palace door. Farther along the side of the palace Bella could see the terrace outside the ball room she was in only a few nights before.
A helpful servant handed her down from the carriage and led her inside to a room where she could freshen up before greeting the court. Bella had refused to bring a maid along with her, which she had declared entirely unnecessary for she could straighten her own skirts, and her father had been too tired to argue. To her utter dismay, a girl helped her straighten her dress, unaware of Bella's glares.
Finally she was brought to the back of the palace to the terrace where much of the court, all of whom lived at the palace, had gathered. Bella gulped as she was led before the Prince Emmett and his new wife. The king and queen were no where to be seen.
Emmett was well muscled and many heads taller then Bella but up close there was some hidden sweetness to his face, almost like that of a child's, which offset his fierceness. He grinned as Bella curtsied, never taking his eyes off her as he bowed politely in return.
Bella felt ridicules next to Emmett who toward over her small frame. He must have thought the same for his eyes showed the poorly concealed laughter that he was holding in.
He tried to keep a straight face, failed, chuckled a few times, and then composed his expression enough to greet her. By which time Bella's cheeks were red with embarrassment.
"Lady Isabella Swan," he choked out in a deep voice. "It is a pleasure to meet you and I am most grateful that you could come." His lines seemed rehearsed. "Can I introduce you to my beautiful, exquisite wife, Lady Rosalie." Here his eyes lit up.
He grasped his wife's hand firmly and she turned towards Bella, her eyes raking over her, sizing her up. Apparently Rosalie found nothing at all interesting about her because she gave a curt nod, then turned backed to her friends she had been chatting with, still keeping her hand in her husbands.
A slight frown came over Emmett's face but he shook it off and turned his attention back to Bella.
Edwards POV:
Edward had been standing on the other side of the room when Bella had entered but looked up immediately and followed her progress towards Emmett and Rosalie. She looked beautiful in her dark red riding outfit. Her eyes were cast down from shyness as she finally reached Emmett.
Edward grinned as he took in Emmett and Bella standing only a couple of feet apart. They were too opposites if ever two were seen and both of them seemed to realize it. Edward saw Emmett's mouth form into a wide grin and Bella's cheeks flush with embarrassment.
He started towards the two of them as Bella curtsied, and was still pushing threw the crowed as hurt flashed across her face from Rosalie's cold behavior. He finally reached her.
Her glossy brown hair was piled on the top of her head and Edward could smell the fragrance of sweet flowers emanating from her. Her pale skin emphasized her full red lips and her eyes sparkled with hundreds of hidden thoughts. Edward wished he knew what went on behind those mysterious brown eyes.
He stepped to the side of her to show her that he was there and watched her eyes widen in surprise at his sudden appearance.
"Good afternoon, Lady Isabella," he said, as he bowed and kissed her hand. "It is good to see you well."
She opened her mouth as if to say something, seemed to change her mind, and replied, "And you, Prince Edward."
Edward frowned at the title she had given him. Emmett excused himself and Edward continued talking.
"I am glad you could join me here. I am sure you'll love the sunset." He grimaced at his pathetic words and tried again. "Can I get you something to drink?"
"Yes, please," she said. "Thank you."
Edward led her over to a cute stone bench beneath a high window before he slipped back into the crowd to procure something to drink. He returned a few minutes later with a cup of water and lemon for Bella, as he handed over the glass his fingers brushed against hers, and his stomach fluttered with that small contact.
"Thank you," she said, after she took a sip. And she smiled and it seemed to light up her eyes.
Just then Emmett's booming voice rang out over the crowed. "Well, let's go riding then!" At once everyone stood up and scrambled for the door, trying to be the first ready to ride. Edward felt bad for the poor person Emmett just yelled out who was probably cowering in a corner somewhere by now. He turned to help Bella to her feet but she was already standing up. She tried to take a step but caught her foot on who knows what, and started falling to the hard, cold, stone ground.
Without stopping to think, Edward's hands shot out to grab her, he grasped her arm roughly and pulled her upright a split second before the ground would have collided with her head. She pushed herself away from Edward's hard chest, nodded a thank you, her face the color of her dress, and pushed through the crowed, stumbling in her mad escape to reach the door.
I was planning on writing more in this chapter, to finally make a longer one because all of mine are so short, but I ran out of time and I just had to update again for all of you. I wanted to apologize for my atrocious dialogue skills and then apologize in advance because I'm planning there to be a lot of dialogue in the next chapter. Once again I'm open to all types of comments and greatly welcome suggestions and critiques. Let me know if you think my writing is not detailed enough and I rush through the events. And please check out my poll. It's kind of boring but I'm really interested to know what you all think. I hope to update again as soon as I can. Please review.
