You're all pretty anxious to see Bella come in . . .
IV
(Carlisle POV)
Last night, the declaration was made. Edward Cullen was exiled for plotting to steal the throne. Everyone in the city thought this was crazy. They all knew Edward. He wouldn't do something like this. However, we all knew we couldn't overthrow the King because of this. The French armies were mobilizing and he was the only strategist able to protect us from invasions.
I looked at my family as they went about mindless tasks. I had tried my best but nothing had lessened the pain; Esme cried at night; Alice barely said a word an hour; and Emmett was so angry I had to stop him from putting new horseshoes on the horses. He could break their legs with one of his anger-fueled strikes.
Rosalie and Jasper had been trying to help too but they couldn't do anything either. Even now, Jasper was helping Alice clean the house while whispering comforting words like; I'm sure he's fine and he's smart and he can survive out there. Rosalie sat on Emmet's lap (it was the only way to keep him from moving) and absently stroked his hand.
However, it was hard for them to comfort when they were distraught themselves. They had stayed over last night and Alice had had a vision. She woke up screaming Edward's name. Through her crying, we got that she saw Edward get ambushed by the King's archers and forest watch towers. She saw an arrow slice his side and him falling off his horse. She didn't see anything beyond that.
That was what set Emmett off. He would've marched up to the King and killed him if Rosalie, Esme, and I didn't stop him.
Speaking of Esme, I watched her go outside. Her eyes were red and she was shaking. I got out of my seat and followed her out. She was at the edge of the garden, collecting some herbs and vegetables.
She didn't hear me come up and jumped when I touched her shoulder, "Carlisle! You startled me."
"Sorry, dear. I just wanted to see how you were doing."
"I'm fine," she sighed and picked up the basket of plants and herbs she left out yesterday.
"No, you're not." I sighed heavily and took the basket from her. I placed it on the ground, "None of us are."
Her breath started coming in chokes, "Alice is never wrong! What if . . . i-if" She started crying and I rushed to comfort her.
She cried into my chest as I put my arms around her and gently rocked her back and forth, "We have to trust that Edward is safe. He's intelligent. He can survive. You know he can."
She hugged my waist painfully tight and tried to stifle her sobbing into my shirt.
I searched frantically to find something to calm her.
My memory found it, "Hey, remember when we first found him?"
She nodded and choked back her tears, "Yes. He-" Cough, "He was unconscious in the forest."
"Yes. Remember it was winter? It was so cold and he didn't have anything to keep himself warm. He must have been out there for hours and he was so sick. But we brought him home and he was helping you clean the house in three days!"
A breathless laugh left Esme, "I remember. He healed so fast."
I pulled back and tilted her chin up so I could look into her eyes, "And if he survived and healed from that, then he can live through an arrow wound. Trust him, Esme. Trust that he can get through this."
She smiled, "You're right. He'll be fine."
I hugged her again but my mind was troubled. Part of me believed my own words but there was that small voice of doubt. True, Edward had recovered nicely from the cold and sickness but that was partly because he had medical attention. From Alice's emotional breakdown, it didn't seem like she saw any kind of civilization near him when he fell.
I sighed silently, Please be alright.
(BPOV)
I woke up when I heard the clip clop of a horse's hooves. I thought it might be my horse, Brego, so I got up and slipped my shoes on. I left the house to find that the horse I was hearing wasn't Brego. It was another horse. Riderless but wearing a saddle, sword, bow, quiver, and some clothes in a rolled up blanket.
It stopped when it saw me. I walked up to it and looked at it's eyes. They were intelligent and . . . sad? No, not sad, worried. I reached up to pet it's neck. It backed and trotted away a little. Then, it stopped and turned to looked at me.
"Do you . . . Do you want me to follow you?" I asked.
It head swung in the direction it was going then back at me. I walked to it and followed as it lead me down the road.
I know, short chapter. Yell at me if you wish but the chapter serves it's purpose . . . you're still interested (evil smile).