Due to some computer difficulties, I decided to post these two chapters today. That way, we'll avoid any problems.

VI

(EPOV)

Bella lead me to her stable. I immediately saw (or rather heard) my horse inside. She whinnied with glee as I approached. I also saw another horse beside her. A beige one with a black mane and hard eyes.

"Is that your horse?" I asked.

"Yes, that's Brego. He can be nasty at times and he's utterly unsociable to most living things but his family has lived on this farm for generations." Brego clapped his teeth near her arm. She didn't even flinch. She just patted his neck, "You brute."

I smiled and watched as Bella calmed the horse, "He is a brute, isn't he?"

She laughed, "Elizabeth is the first horse he has been nice to. I kept them in separate pens, just to be safe."

I chuckled and smoothed Elizabeth's neck with my hand. She rubbed her large head against my shoulder affectionately. I smiled and scratched her ears. Then, I noticed a pair of eyes on me. Bella was watching me with a soft expression. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her lean against Brego's pen and gaze at me with her beautiful brown eyes. Then, she realized what she was doing and turned away, blushing.

I smiled, liking the blush, but I didn't say anything. I decided, instead, to change the subject, "Do you live alone, Bella?"

She nodded sadly, "Yes. My mother died when I was young and some of the rebels killed my father about a year ago."

I realized I hit a painful spot, "I'm sorry."

She forced a smile, "It's alright, Edward. You didn't know. Plus, I've gotten over it . . . a little."

I tried to give her a comforting smile, "I lost my parents too, when I was young . . . Would you like to know?"

She nodded, curiosity in her eyes.

"Well, we were in the woods gathering firewood in the winter and French soldiers attacked us. My father managed to hold them off while my mother and I escaped but they must have killed him because they came after us quickly. My mother knew we weren't going to make it so she stopped and turned to me. She told me to run as fast as I could and don't look back no matter what . . . I didn't want to leave her." I paused, remembering.

Bella came up to me and took one my hands in her own. Her eyes were silently asking me to go on but she remained silent; trying to spare my feelings in case I didn't want to continue.

I did, "I didn't get far before I heard her screams." I started to shake at the memory, "I knew instantly what they were doing. They were raping her. Her screams were so loud." I shook even more.

Bella noticed and pulled me into a hug. My arms automatically wrapped around her as she did and I held onto her tightly. I had never opened up about my past. All I ever told anyone was that my parents were killed. I never went into details. I just found it too painful.

My eyes stung but the tears didn't come, instead, my shaking racked both of us. I had stifled a lot of emotion with this memory and now it was all coming out like a storm out of the mountains. I felt so weak. I took a deep breath and found myself breathing in Bella's scent. It relaxed me and the tension eased out of me. I slowly stopped shaking and relaxed in her arms.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly.

I sighed, "I'm fine. It's just . . . I've never gone back to the memory. I've tried to keep it in the furthest parts of my mind."

She hugged me and I felt soothed by the gesture. However, I couldn't stop now. It all had to come out, if Bella was willing to listen.

"Do you want to hear the rest?" I asked.

"If you want to tell it," she answered quietly and sincerely.

"I continued to run, obeying my mother. Soon, her screams faded into the distance and I was left alone. I slowed to a walk and continued on. I knew I couldn't go back home so the only choice was to go forward. I walked until I was dead on my feet. Exhaustion and hunger made me faint after a day. Before I passed out, I thought for sure I was going to die. I was tired, hungry, and the winter chill had made me sick."

"Were you wearing any winter clothing?"

I shook my head, "I had stupidly left it in our house because we weren't planning to be out for long."

"Oh . . ."

"Anyway, I was soon found by my foster parents; Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Carlisle is a doctor and he was able to nurse me back to health. When I was better, I stayed with them and Carlisle adopted me as his own."

"You found a new home, at least."

I smiled, "Yes. Carlisle is a good father and Esme is a loving mother." A sigh left me, "I hope they're not carrying my exile hard."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"A sister and a brother. Emmett came first. Esme found him being sold as a slave and bought him. He was shy at first, but we brought him around."

"And your sister?"

"I found Alice wondering around, alone and frightened. She was beat up pretty badly and didn't remember anything of her past. Not even who she was. I took her home and she stayed with us . . ." I sighed, "I miss them."

Bella hugged me a second time and lay her head on my shoulder.

(BPOV)

I couldn't believe my audacity. First, I was gazing at him longingly while he examined his horse, and, now, I'm leaning my head on his shoulder.

I'm doing it out of comfort, I reminded myself, trying to ignore how good it felt to be in his arms. He had told me a painful part of his life to lift my pain, but he had saddened himself in the process.

He seemed beat up about leaving his family in distress but it wasn't his fault. It was the King's. He was the one who exiled him.

Another sigh left Edward, "I hope they're alright."

I know some people who suppress things like Edward did . . . It's not good for you . . .