Bella sat down the next day to lunch, still wondering what had happened last night. Edward was definetly an enigma, she decided. At one second he was angry enough to yell at her in the middle of a ball, and the next...well, she didn't know what he was feeling then. But, through out her thoughts, if there was one thing she kept decided, it was that she was going to talk to Prince Edward today. And she would pester him until he told her what it was that seemed to be tearing him apart. Luck was on her side today for as she started to eat the sumptous meal before her, she heard a chair scrape back.
"Princess?"
"Oh! Ed-I mean, Prince Edward! What a surprise!" Bella cried, pleased that he decided to start the conversation.
"Well, Princess, I came down to ask if you would like to go for a ride with me, but..." He trailed off.
"Oh!" Bella immediatly stood up, ready to go.
"Hmm." Edward said suprised.
They walked down to the stables together both silent, wondering on how to approach the subject each was trying to say. They chose two horses and started on down the trail.
"Prince? I-I-have something to ask you." Bella stuttered.
"Please. Call me Edward." Bella blushed, but continued bravely on.
"Well. Um. About last night." Edward was suddenly grim, his face looking foreboding. "Well, uh what happened last night? Why were you so angry?"
Edward flicked the reins before answering."You were about to be...hurt by those men Bella. How do you not expect me to be angry?"
"I am very sorry." Bella muttered, mortified, wishing she had not brought up the subject.
"Well, what is done is done." Edward sighed.
"But that wasn't all. What did you mean by worth more than your life than let me get hurt? I understand that since I am a princess it matters you greatly but...your life?" Bella asked.
"That is nothing you need to be concerned about." Edward said sharply, dissmissing the subject. "And the reason I called upon you today...I have come to say, with absolute finality that there is no way in heaven that wecan be friends." He finished with a slightly ironic tone in his voice.
"Wha-what?" Bella asked shocked.
Edward said nothing. Bella suddenly found herself angry. More than angry, furious.
"You think that you can tell me this and let it be?" Bella shouted. "You think that after last night, I can't be remotely interested in what happened to you? You think I can't be interested in who you are? In what you are?" Bella clamped a hand shut over her mouth; that last question had slipped out with out her knowing. It was true that she wondered if he really was Prince Edward, the way he behaved, it wasn't Princely. If that was a word. But until that very moment she had never wondered if he wasn't...well, human.
Edward's face gave away that she had hit right on mark. "What?" Bella gasped. "You're not...I mean...not...human?" she squeaked.
Edward turned his horse and started trotting. Bella stood there for a moment and started on after him. "Edward?" she asked tentitavly.
"I never imagined that someone would guess." He muttered, looking lost in thought. Then his face changed again, after seeing Bella following him. "Bella? What are you doing?"
"I want my answer. What are you?"
Edward looked at her. "Human."
"No. You are not. What, and I repeat, what are you?" when she recieved no response, she casually started listing off creatures. " Demon, werewolf, angel, vampire..."
At this last one Edward's face changed once more and Bella gasped again. "Vampire?"
Edward turned away, apparently in agony. For some odd reason, Bella couldn't bear to see him in pain.
"It doesn't matter."
"What?" Edward asked incredulously.
"It doesn't matter."
"It doesn't matter that I'm a...vampire? That I kill inoccent people and drink their blood?"
Bella looked at him. "No. I don't believe you do that." she said slowly. "You are too...kind"
He laughed, a sharp, bitter laugh with no humor in it. " Aren't you going to faint anytime soon?" he asked. "I'm a vampire. A vampire Bella."
"But you are not bad. No, I dont believe that you are bad." Bella murmured lost again in his golden eyes.
"You really are a remarkable creature..." Edward trailed off, looking intensely into her eyes. Bella forgot how to breathe.
"Arggh!" Edward suddenly groaned. "No. This is wrong. Go Bella. Go now."
"No I won't." Bella resisted the urge to stick her tounge out at him. "So, since you don't drink human blood, what do you drink?" Bella asked.
"Animals."
Bella was shocked, but kept her face still. "Hmm...how does it taste?"
"Bella..." Edward said warningly. "Isn't finding out I'm a vampire enough for a day?" Suddenly he had a thought. " Do you plan on telling anyone?"
"What?" asked Bella, shocked. "No, of course not!"
"Hmm..." Edward said, looking at her. " Well, let us head back. Your mother is looking for you."
"Huh? How do you know that?"
"I have my ways." Edward said grinning. "It's...amazing. Now that you know, a huge burden has been lifted off of me. Just...amazing. Now, come along. It's tea time."
Bella followed him slowly, her mind in a whirlwind, processing what she had just heard.
Soo...how was it? didja like? I know they are a bit ooc but I'm trying my
best!
