I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter Seven

A true Princess

"Good morning, sunshine." Alice called to me bright and early.

I peaked my head out from the covers I was currently warm and toasty under to see an annoyingly bright and cheerful pixie on my bed. "Go away." I mumbled back into my covers.

Before I had been so rudely woken up I was having a pretty nice dream about Edward. I still couldn't believe he had actually opened up to me like he did. I finally felt like we were making progress, he had even finally allowed me to see his eyes.

They were a beautiful emerald green that made my whole body melt. It was a little strange knowing that even though his eyes were looking right at me he couldn't see, but I didn't let that get in the way. I was just so thrilled that he was finally opening up to me.

"Edward asked me to get you ready. He has a surprise for you." She pulled the covers back and pulled me so that I was sitting up.

I forced one eye up, rubbing the other one. "A surprise?" It took a few minutes for my brain to catch up with what she was telling me.

"Yes. And before you ask, I don't know what it is. He refused to tell me." She flitted about my room for a few minutes and then returned with an outfit that she tossed on top of the bed. "Get dressed and I'll help you with your hair and makeup."

Groaning, I slid myself out of the bed. "Can't we just forgo the makeup thing for one day?" I begged her, sitting on the floor pathetically.

Alice stuck her head out from the bathroom. "No. Looking your best is extremely important. It's not only to show Edward how you feel, but to also present yourself in a positive light for Parliament and any skeptics that might be out there." She said all of that incredibly fast and my brain just wasn't functioning yet.

"Yeah I didn't catch a word of that, but I'm just going to pretend that I did and get dressed anyways." I stumbled up and looked at the outfit Alice had chosen for me. A comfortable looking pair of jeans and a concert tee of my favorite singer Regina Spektor. This kind of dressing up I could handle. I quickly changed clothes and reluctantly went to the bathroom to finish getting ready.

Thankfully Alice kept it relatively simple. She curled the ends of my hair and just let flow naturally around my face and she put a little bit of makeup on me. The final touch she put some lip gloss on me and had me look in the mirror.

I almost didn't recognize myself when I stood up.

"Now go." Alice hugged me tightly for a second and then released me. "Edward is waiting for you in the main foyer."

Happy with anticipation I rushed out of the room carefully and made my way through the castle and down the stairs to the main foyer. I couldn't stop the stupid grin that spread across my lips. What was this man doing to me?

Edward was leaning against the frame by the main doors in the foyer. He was dressed in a pair of khaki pants and a white button shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His sunglasses were securely in place and his crooked grin began to spread across his lips. "Good morning, Bella."

I blushed as I neared him. "Good morning." I kissed his cheek. "So, are you going to tell me why you sent your sister to wake up at this ungodly hour?"

He chuckled. "Well, I was thinking after last night we could use a day off. You've been here for quite awhile and haven't really had the chance to see much of London, so I thought we could go on a little tour, wherever you want to go."

After how he opened up to me last night, I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take. "Really?"

"Yes." He nodded in agreement and held his arm out to me. "And when we come back I thought we could open up the engagement presents and start on the thank you cards. I know it's not extremely stimulating, but I figured you'd like to go through them and see what we received." He waited for the doors to open and out front a limousine was waiting for us.

I stopped walking and turned to him. Before he could say anything I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. It felt so nice to have someone take my feelings into consideration for once, even if it was something as simple as opening our engagement presents.

When I pulled back he grinned. "What was that for?"

"For not being at all what I expected." I said so only he could hear as we climbed into the limo.

Guards were everywhere as the driver pulled out. There was one car in front and one behind as we left the castle. The royal guard wasn't taking any chances as we headed out.

"So, what you like to do today?" His arm rested securely around my waist.

It made me smile that he wanted to keep me close. Why did I care? Somewhere along the way I started falling for this man, hard. It wasn't just some silly infatuation either. I had unintentionally fallen in love with Edward Cullen. That thought terrified and excited me.

Edward waited for me to answer.

I bit my bottom lip, trying to remember what it was that I wanted to do that day. "I don't know. I'm not really sure exactly what there is to do here." I admitted sheepishly.

He smiled and released his hold on me for a second. He scooted his way to the front of the car and talked quietly with the driver. When he came back over to me I took one of his hands in both of mine, tracing patterns on the back of his hand.

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

"To one of my favorite spots in the world." He wouldn't say anymore than that.

About twenty minutes later the limo pulled to a stop. The door closest to me opened and I saw Ben, one of the guards on Edward's detail, holding his hand out. I took it and allowed him to help me out. As Edward got out I took in our surroundings and could hardly contain my gasp.

He had us taken to a pretty secluded part of London. A lake was out in front of us, with the sunlight reflecting off the beautiful ripples in the water, wildflowers everywhere that filled my nose with heavenly smells, and there were a few statues off in the distance that went to another part of this magnificent place.

Edward slipped his hand in mine and we began walking.

My mouth was still slightly open in shock from the beauty of this special place he was sharing with me.

He stopped a few feet from the water. "I used to come here a lot when I was younger, before I went blind. It was the only place I could come to be alone and feel like a normal person." He winced when I slid his sunglasses on top of his head, but didn't stop me.

I wanted to be able to see all of his beautiful face

"This is the one place I can clearly remember. The clear green of the grass, the way the light reflects off of the lake, I can still see it." His voice held an almost ancient sadness to it as he spoke. He had experienced things I could not imagine.

My heart broke at the pain in his voice and I wanted nothing more than to hold him and forget all of the hurt and anguish he had ever experienced. "It's beautiful, Edward. Thank you for sharing this with me."

He smiled that crooked smile that made me weak in the knees.

Off to the side a little ways there was a bench that we took rest on. Edward kept his arm protectively around my waist and we sat in a comfortable silence for what felt like hours. I had never experienced a more perfect moment.

I laid my head against his chest and listened to his heart beat, feeling more content than I had a right to.

When it started getting late we headed back into the city. He stopped to buy me some flowers, even though I insisted that he didn't have to, and then we went back to the castle.

For the rest of the afternoon we opened the engagement presents. Sometimes Edward would sniff the box or shake it, pretending to try and guess what was inside, and he'd wait until he heard me giggle before he'd stop. I described them for him as I filled out the thank you cards.

As that came to an end Alice appeared with Jasper by her side.

Edward must have heard her coming because he stiffened. "Whatever it is that you think is so important will have to wait. Today is my day with her."

She just shook her head, giggling at him. "Relax, Edward. I simply came to talk to Bella about our plans for the week. Have a little chat with Jasper and I'll bring her right back." Alice had me follow her to the opposite side of the room.

I leaned against the wall, holding back my groan at the sight of her giddiness. If she was smiling that big it could only mean more lessons and makeovers.

"You know that this week is going to be your coronation, so I thought we should discuss preparations." Her pixie features seemed to shine as she spoke.

"What preparations? Alice, it's just a simple ceremony." I was already uncomfortable with being put on display in front of so many people. The possibility of me falling and breaking a bone was very likely and having all of those people around just made all the more unbearable.

Alice just smiled sweetly. "Don't worry Bella. I'll try to make this as painless as possible." For such a tiny thing she knew just how to get her way.

"How much of a possibility is there that I can talk you out of this?" I shut my eyes, knowing the answer to my doomed question already.

"None. I'll come by your room in the morning and we'll get started." She kissed my cheek and went over to Jasper.

I let out a long sigh, steeling myself for whatever might come tomorrow. When I felt calm again I went back over to Edward and blushed when he brought his hand up to my face, running his long fingers along my cheek lightly.

"Do you want to finish with the cards?" He asked me softly.

Biting my lip, I shook my head, knowing he felt the movement. "There's only a few more, but I can finish them later."

He nodded his head. "Dinner should be ready soon." He stood up and held his arm out for me. "Shall we?"

I carefully stood up and linked my arm through his. I was quiet as we walked to the dining room, thinking about my earlier revelation. In such a short time I had fallen for this incredible man and it terrified me, not considering the fact that I was so aware of him and slightly obsessed with him.

Edward was smart, and perfect, and strong. He saw himself as a monster, but in reality I had never met a gentler and caring person. He was so beautiful and had managed to dazzle me on more than one occasion.

We ate dinner with the rest of the family. Rosalie shot death glares at me for most of the meal and Emmett did all that he could to make me blush. Carlisle and Esme wished us all a good night and hugged me before they left.

Like the gentleman that he was Edward walked me back to my room. He was going to leave and I invited him in for a few minutes. "Is there something you want to tell me, Bella? You've been awfully quiet." He was even more perceptive than I was.

I went to the closet to change my clothes. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking."

"A penny for your thoughts?" He was in the middle of my bed.

Telling him about my feelings seemed a little too soon. We had both decided that neither of us wanted this upcoming marriage, but would go along with it because our parents wanted it. I didn't think I could take it if I poured out my feelings to him and he said that he didn't feel the same way.

Yes we had taken a huge step last night, but that didn't mean he felt for me the way I did for him.

I changed into a pair of pajama bottoms that Alice had picked out for me and a tank top before stepping back out into my room. "Oh, um, I was just thinking about that meadow you took me to today. It was so beautiful and peaceful." I smiled, sitting next to him on the bed.

That made him smile, the one he only ever did for me. "I'm glad that you liked it."

We sat silently for an immeasurable time; the air charged with electricity that I could hardly stand. It was like his body was calling out to me, begging me to come to him. The thought of that made me blush.

Edward eventually lowered his face to mine, his nose grazing along my jaw. He pressed his lips to the hollow just below my ear and I shuddered involuntarily. He chuckled, his breath blowing against my skin and causing me to shiver.

Forming any kind of coherent thought was completely lost as his lips brushed along my skin and his arms pulled me closer.

My heart rate sped up and my breathing was getting somewhat ragged. Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore he placed one final kiss on my ear lobe, grinning against my skin.

"Goodnight," he whispered the amusement clear in his voice.

I bit my lip to hold back my groan and pulled him back to me when I felt start to slide off of the bed. "Can't you stay? At least until I fall asleep?"

He pressed his lips delicately to my forehead. "Of course I will," and he pulled back the covers of the bed for me, waiting until I was settled in and pulled me close to him.

Closing my eyes, I tried to relax as I laid my head down on his chest. How had things changed between us so dramatically? Not that I was complaining. I really enjoyed him actually touching me, but I couldn't control my stupid heart whenever he did. My pulse always seemed to pick up whenever he came into contact with me.

As I felt unconsciousness about to take me, Edward kissed my forehead again and whispered a goodnight to me.

I woke up early the next morning. Being woken up by Alice was not an experience that I wanted to relive any time soon. So I showered and got dressed and was just stepping out of the bathroom when Alice came in.

"Good morning," she said in her usual perky manner.

Fighting back a yawn, I nodded. "Good morning."

What felt like for hours, Alice went over what I should expect at the coronation, how I would need to present myself, and the everyday demands of being royal. It felt like the lessons she was giving me before my birthday party all over again.

She seemed to enjoy showing me how to stand and sit properly, how to curtsy, even how to bow. Her energy never tired.

Eventually I had enough and slouched into a nearby chair. "Maybe I just shouldn't go through with the coronation. I don't have what it takes to be a real princess, Alice."

"Bella," Alice admonished. She pulled me up from my chair and led me over to one of the full length mirrors in my room. "Look at yourself, Bella. You are a beautiful woman."

I just rolled my eyes

She ignored me. "Not only that, you also have one of the most endearing personalities of anyone I have ever met. My parents adore you, Emmett and I already consider you a sister, and Edward. Well, Edward is happier than I think I have ever seen him." She turned me so that I was now facing her.

"In such a short time you have managed to turn my brother's world upside down. He has changed so much and it is all thanks to you." Her face lit up with a genuine smile that reached her eyes.

Her words made me blush.

"Bella, it doesn't matter if you have all of the grace of a prima ballerina. That doesn't make a true princess. Having a selfless heart, caring about others, showing a broken man that he is worthy; those things make a true princess." She hugged me.

I hadn't even realized that I had been crying until Alice pulled back and wiped the tears from under my eyes. "Thank you. No one has ever said anything like that to me before." I blushed at myself for showing such emotion, but I couldn't help it.

"You are welcome. I meant every word of it." She looked down at her watch and jumped. "Oh, we better hurry. Dinner should be ready soon and Carlisle said that he had some news for us."

And with that we left my room and went down to the dining room. My thoughts wandered as I considered what Carlisle would be telling us. If he was making an announcement chances are it probably wasn't something good, but I didn't want to automatically assume bad news when I had no proof.

Edward was waiting at the entrance to the dining room and grinned when I slipped my hand into his. "Let's go."

I quietly went with him and sat next to him at the grand table. Everyone was served not to long afterwards and we ate in silence. Edward every once in awhile would squeeze my knee or rubbing the back of my hand.

Jasper and Alice couldn't stop smiling at each other and when he thought no one was watching he'd place a kiss on her forehead. It was so adorable.

When the dishes were finally cleared away and everyone had been served their coffee Carlisle cleared his throat. All eyes turned to the head of the table, my body stiffening as I noticed the stress on Carlisle's face.

So it was bad news.