A/N:
So it's 2:08am, I have class tomorrow, I'm tired as the dickens, and I have yet to do my Chinese homework...isn't life great!*rolls eyes* anyway in my horrible tired state(so dramatic) I've written another chapter. I hope this explains some misunderstandings or what not...I hve no idea what I;m saying i'm really tired*yawn* anyway thankyou for all the great reviews and favorites! They make my heart happy! I'm glad you're enjoying...ateast I hope you are and aren't lying to me and trying to make me feel better about life...okay I've really lost my mind. Also Call Me Crazy .Di asked me about using EPov which I think I may do. (thanks for the suggestion!! your awesome!!) So I'm done..I'm goin to bed!! Read on folks!!
* I don't own twilight or its characters*
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It was black. All I could see was black. It was quiet except for the steady beat of my heart thumping in my ears.
"Bella…"
Someone was calling my name. It sounded so close yet so far. What's going on? I panicked, the thumps becoming loud and erratic.
"Bella… can you hear me?"
And there it was again. That unreachable voice willing a response.
"She just needs a minute."
I recognized that voice! It was Charlie. Who was he talking to?
My senses started to kick back in. the sound of the TV in the distance, the smell of Charlie's old man cologne I've asked him time and time again to stop wearing because it made my nose burn, the lavender mist of my plug in air freshener. I was in my room.
A sharp pain shot through my forehead. I groaned wishing the pain away.
"Oh, she'll be alright. Bella's tougher than most men I know." He chuckled. Someone else chucked too…a woman.
I slowly opened my eyes meeting my father's anxious gaze. He stroked my head and smiled.
"There you are. We were worried about you. Are you okay Bells?" his eyes moved quickly over my face.
"Yeah, I'm fine. My head just hurts."
"Well you took a nasty spill Bells. Do you remember what happened?"
What happened? What happened? Well I remember having this strange dream. It was like some horrible version of the Princess Diaries. I was told I was a princess and I had to marry that weirdo of a prince, Edward. I snorted and Charlie looked at me like I had lost my mind.
"Are you sure you're okay?" his voice was worried.
"Yeah I'm fine Dad."
"Well okay because the Queen wants a word with you." My breathing stopped and the feeling of nausea swelled in my body. So it wasn't a dream! It was real! I have to get married! I started to sob, covering my eyes tightly with my hands. This couldn't be happening.
"It's okay Mr. Swan. Would it be okay if I had a moment with Isabella?"
"Sure, you're Majesty." I heard my father's heavy footsteps exit the room and descend downstairs.
I heard a low scraping on the wood floors and it stopped as the old rocking chair creaked under the Queens weight. I was still sobbing. I didn't want to think about marriage until I had graduated college…college…am I even allowed to go now?
"Isabella?" her voice was soft, motherly, caring.
"What happened?" I asked in between sobs I didn't actually want a replay of this afternoon's conversation. I needed to know why my head hurt so badly.
"You fainted after I told you….you tried to get up and walk out but you fell and hit your head."
"Oh" I simply said.
"Isabella, I know this is hard for you. And believe me it breaks my heart to have to see you so upset about this situation."
I removed my hands from my face to look at her. Her eyes held nothing but sincerity.
"Why is this happening? Why is there even a treaty?"
She sighed, getting comfortable in the rocker.
"Long, long ago the Cullen and Swan households were extremely close. The Cullen's ruled forks and the Swan's ruled Angeles Port, a city that was located south of here. The families did everything together. Some of our family married theirs and some of their family married ours. Everything was great, until one day, the people of Angela's Port decided they didn't want to be ruled anymore. They overthrew the royal palace and changed the cities name to Port Angeles."
My eyes went wide.
"Port Angeles! That shabby rundown city with all the murders and gang violence?" she nodded her head with a look of disappointment.
"It wasn't always like that though. Angeles Port was beautiful. It was clean and housed the most wonderful of citizens." She sighed and stared into space like she was remembering an old childhood memory.
"Well anyway, in the midst of all the commotion, great, great, great grandfather Samuel Cullen and your great, great, great grandmother Marie Swan sat down and wrote up a treaty so our families could always continue to stay connected. The treaty was the same for Edward's father and grandfather. However, an arranged marriage never needed to take place." She smiled
"Edward was always a special one." She looked into my eyes grabbing my hands in hers.
"Isabella, I don't want this to be hard on you—"
"You're asking me to marry someone I barely know!" I said cutting her off "I'm only a kid. What do I know about marriage? Why should I have to go through with something I have no say in!" the tears started welling up in my eyes. I would have wiped them but she still held my hands.
"I understand your fears." She stayed cool, calm, and collected. The way a queen should be. "And for this reason I have talked to the council members. I made them realize that in this day and age, arranged marriages aren't common. I told them they couldn't just pluck a young girl up and expect her to get married without retaliation. So…you have a choice."
"A choice? I don't have to marry Edward?"
She looked hurt.
"We hope it doesn't come to that. The council has given you a year to decide on marriage. Edward can continue with his training and you two can get to know each other better."
Well, I've known couples who have gotten married with only knowing each other in shorter time; Charlie and Renee…maybe they weren't the best example though. All this is ridiculous! Why don't I just turn the offer down now!
"What if I don't want to marry him? What if I say no right here and everything gets dropped? "
She waited a moment before speaking.
"Isabella, the future of our family depends on you. If you say no, Edward cannot become King, something he desperately wants. His brother Jasper is simply not ready for such a huge responsibility and his sister Rose...well…she's just Rose."
What am I supposed to do? I wish my mom was here.
"So if I agree to the one year arrangement, what happens then?"
She clapped her hands together, smiling brightly.
"You'll move into the palace, of course. You will continue your studies at Forks Academy. There's really nothing to it. You'll just live somewhere different."
I sighed "How long do I have to decide?"
"A week…the council wouldn't extend the date for that."
So I had a week to decide my future.
I was lost in thought, when the Queen let go of my hands and stood up.
"I was once a normal girl too Isabella, Esme Anne Platt." She said it as if it was a distant memory, foreign to her.
"I know what it's like to have goals and ambitions. In no way am I trying to pressure you into changing your mind. But you have to realize, you have a great opportunity Isabella. You have a chance to be somebody great. You could do so many things." She stared at me for a minute. I think she was hoping I would agree with her plans. I still needed time to think. When I didn't say anything she smiled.
"It was nice meeting you Isabella. I hope to see you soon."
And with that she was gone. I was left in my room alone. What the hell was I supposed to do? I heard the front door close and Charlie's heavy footsteps up the stairs soon after. He stuck his head in.
"You okay Bells? What did the royals want?" He came into my room and walked over to the side of my bed. He patted my head.
"C'mon Bells it can't be that bad. What's wrong?"
I looked at him, fear, anger, and confusion all rolled into one.
"Dad" I said barely above a whisper. "I'm engaged"
