Chapter 5 Bittersweet Dream
A week passed, and I still have not spoken to her.
On the eighth day, I crossed paths with Isabella's room as usual from the training halls back down to my room. A man was walking to her corridors. I paused, confused. The man was dressed properly and Bella welcomed him as usual. Jacob was at her side, but Irene wasn't present.
My eyes narrowed as I watched the man drop a small brown bag to the tea tray near the doorway. There were three more on the tray. A tiny rodent scurried out and chewed on it. Within seconds, it dropped like a rock, not moving.
Poison.
I watched in horror as the man smiled a devil's grin and walked off. I would kill him. Bella was just sprinkling a same colored bag into her cup. I opened my mouth to call out to her, to do something, but my throat was closed tight in fear.
She took a sip. I burst into the room, ignoring everyone around me, desperate to save her.
I took her chin in my hands and forcefully kissed her. Her mouth opened and I sucked the liquid out from her mouth. I separated my lips to spit it out on the floor and continued. I ignored the bitter taste and made sure to remove all traces of the foul medicine. Jacob gripped my arm with great potency, and wrenched me away, threatening to yank my arm from my shoulder, pressing a dagger to my throat.
"You kissed her!" He snarled. I could feel the piercing edge choke me.
"She was drinking poison!" I growled back. "I am sure you wouldn't like your future wife dead. Kill me then if I am wrong! Isabella, go rinse your mouth immediately!" I hastily tossed my water skin to her and she drank it obediently, coughing the water out.
I did the same as Jacob loosened his grip on me.
He glared at me with night eyes. "And why do you suppose this?" Was he suspecting me?
"Irene was nowhere to be see. A rat ate some and dropped dead. You think I am ignominious enough to kiss a betrothed woman?"
Jacob frowned, but snatched the bag up, taking a pinch of the powder out to place on his tongue before spitting it out.
"Yes, it's poison," he told Bella after washing him mouth out. I could feel Bella's stare burning holes on my face, but I refused to look, ducking out of the room before anyone could accuse me of anything else.
Turning down the stone hallway a week later, I almost turned right back around; Jacob Black was coming the opposite direction, right towards me.
"Wait," he called after me. I gritted my teeth but stopped and waited. "You must join me in my battle in six months. A week before my marriage ceremony," Jacob told me grudgingly. "You could help with our battling skills. Carlisle said you were a fair fighter, and I would like to test your abilities... Of course, unless you would like to spar with me."
"I would be honored to join you in your troop. We can go for it now if you want. I am burning with boredom." I accepted coolly.
"Then let us go." Jacob lead me to the training grounds upstairs. "Do you want to use staffs, clubs, swords…?"
"Staffs are fine. Swords will kill you," I challenged. He grunted but said nothing as I followed him outside, passing a weaponry closet to grab the weaponry. I immediately ducked my head when we passed Isabella on our way. Naturally she followed in curiosity, questioning our actions. I acted as if nothing had changed by her presence when Jaocb took her hand and explained.
"Would you like to help, my fiancé?" he asked her, deriding me. I watched from the corner of my eye as she nodded, staring out into space, the crease between her eyes taking notice. I tried not to care.
- - -
"Ready…Begin!" Isabella waved her hand. Jacob, with his polished stick in hand, sprang like a coiled serpent. I met him in mid-leap, his large body towered over me by five inches; I matched his strength with my speed. He gasped as I swung my weapon low to avoid his blow and to strike his leg. He kicked off the ground.
His nimble feet were soft as they hit the floor. We kept the sparring going until he was too tired to take a step. He slumped a little and I whipped my stick with tremendous velocity to his neck. He gasped as the air pressure hit him and the thought that I was actually going to hit him.
He chuckled weakly. "You win…this time."
"Ha! I could take you on anywhere, anytime." My arms were open to anytime we wanted to fight. Other than my brothers, Jacob was the only one who came so close into beating me with my right hand. "You're the only one who's been so close into beating me. I was using my right hand with you!"
His breathing stopped abruptly. "You mean you were giving me a handicap?"
"In a way. I'm at my strongest with two weapons in hand. I don't exactly favor shields… I had to learn to use my left hand when I busted my wrist with a razor." I shrugged. "In a way, I was better off on my left any way."
"That was…" Jacob tilted his head, so I could not see his expression. "Isabella, come we must go meet your father." He took her hand and escorted her out the door, and Isabella was nibbling on her lip like she was on pins and needles.
- - -
In my room, I sank down on the ground as the door closed and breathed a breath of relief. I was still in shock from when the man I had yet to kill had tried to harm Isabella. But she was alright. I touched my lips, remembering how soft hers were. Too bad they were tainted from poison or else I would have really enjoyed it… So worth Jacob's wrath; I would have pummeled him. New adrenalin pounded through my veins as my target became clear.
Now to hunt that man down.
I brushed the dust off my pants as I readied to slay the man who attempted to kill Bella. I rushed around the perimeter of the castle, looking for him. I remembered every detail about him perfectly.
He had a red and black striped shirt in addition to his brown leather pants. His hair was bound behind his neck with a brittle rope. Long white socks hugged his legs, and the front of his shoes had a mark...
The symbol of the other side.
How was I so blind? My fury came as a swelling tsunami. I neared the back of the kitchen to see no other than the very man himself, flipping a midnight black cloak over his shoulders, exactly the same as the other men.
"You," I hissed. His head swiveled around lazily. "You tried to kill her."
"Ah, yes. The young lady, very pretty. I had to what I was bound to do. I poisoned her." A gleam came from inside the hood. A small barbed knife glanced my shirt as I dodged reflexively from it. He cackled like he was not afraid to die. "You are fast, but not fast enough!"
"Swift enough to murder you."
"Oh?" Another gnarled piece of metal flew by my head. I bounced to the side. He tutted mockingly. "Careful, these are coated with more venom." Another head poked out from the shadow of the hood. The cobra's tongue flicked around menacingly, its patterned leathery veil stretched as it hissed dangerously.
A snake charmer!
I drew my sword and knocked another missile away with my blade. I bolted toward him, avoiding the blows as the sharp utensils were hurled at me. He backed away, finally showing some fear. I got cocky as I saw my chance and vaulted myself to him.
He spoke something and the snake's head snapped out, all but invisible with speed. I couldn't comprehend as jagged fangs dug in my skin. For a mere, merciful second, I did not feel pain, only rage as I thrusted the sword into his heart. Blood oozed out of the wound. I jerked my sword out, now soaked in crimson. He crashed down, motionless with his slithery companion still latched onto me.
I was only vaguely aware of the pain as I cleaved the cobra in half. Ebony circles glassed my eyes and it was my turn to meet the floor, surrendering to the poison. The tip of my blade narrowly missing my temple.
The last thing I heard was a scream and someone calling my name.
"EDWARD!"
I felt as if a million red-hot needles were pinning me to their un-merciless nature. My breathing range was limited; each strain caused my heart to ache and sore. My senses were working up. My voice came out slurred, and my head was sweating like a hot summer day in the desert. I tried to stay as still as possible under the stiff sheets, praying my pain would just end.
Her words are on the brink of becoming illegible as I cocked my head to see a blurry figure. "Is he alright?" I felt fingers searching my head, and I shied away from them.
"He shouldn't be." The voice seemed far away. "He was bitten by a cobra." Fingers shifted my head as the speaker dribbled water into my parched mouth. I could not taste it. My taste buds were also subjecting to the hectic fluid.
"What can we do?" The same sorrowful voice rang out.
"We can only give him water, shelter, mixtures, warmth, and faith. The rest is up to him."
"Edward, Edward! You can't die. I need you to be there for me! I need protection and you managed to save my life twice. Twice! Oh, Edward!" Isabella pleaded for me to survive this disaster. But how?
"Isabella, we must leave." Jacob's cold, toneless voice called for her presence.
"But…"
Despite my excruciating pain, I feebly lifted a hand and brushed her toffee hair out of her face, knowing exactly where it would be. My cracked lips seemed to form a tiny smile. "Go, I will be fine," I whispered. Her hands clutched mine tightly. They felt heavenly warm.
"Your Highness, go with Jacob. I will be at his side at all times. His brothers are also here." I saw the silhouettes of what seemed to be my elder siblings.
Bella's hand disappeared from mine as I restrained to urge to yell for her to come back to me.
"Edward, you managed to get bitten by a serpent? I thought you were so much smarter than me!" Emmett chuckled; he did not seem to be affected by my current status on the outside.
"Shut up Emmett," Jasper silenced him; no one could defy Jasper. He kneeled beside me.
"Edward, I must thank you for saving my daughter's life once again." Queen Esme's soft voice was filled to the brim with gratitude.
"It was my pleasure, Your Highness," I mumbled.
"I heard from Carlisle. You love her?"
"To this extent, yes." I tried to laugh, but it caught in my swollen throat. "I should have seen that coming."
"Yes, you should have. Why did you even think of it? A snake charmer?" Jasper questioned my sanity. "Here you are now, my brother, my blood lying here, possibly dead by tomorrow."
"If Isabella was being poisoned, Alice would have fallen to same fate or the royal family. He was a threat and it is my duty to eliminate him before any other harm could be done." I winced as the venom was attacking my body. "I won't die, not now at least."
"Leave, Alice and Rosalie are waiting for you outside. Edward must rest if he is to recover." Esme dismissed my talkative kin.
"Thank you," I rasped. My eyelids drooped down on their own account, and I drifted to sleep with the pain shredding my body internally.
My empty dreams became nightmares.
AUTHOR:This is where it's getting good. I have Chapter 6 right here. –Waves printed-paper in the air- Sorry, peoples if you want it then R&R 'course.
Again and again and again…THANKS IMC3214~~ Oh and we both, quote BOTH, (and my beta so that makes THREE) WANT YOU TO REVIEW. Please?
AND also…HAPPY HALLOWEEN MWAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHHAHAHAHA! Boo.
BETA: -shakes head- Well, happy early hallow's eve.