The Uniform and the Aristocrat
Chapter Ten: Can you feel the tension?
A/N: Yay! We've reached chapter ten, double digits! I am so proud of myself, and thank you guys for all the support. Recently I had a pet very near and dear to me pass on and I just couldn't write, but I'm back! Enjoy.
The hazy sky hung above us with a mixture of vibrant oranges and reds. Little puffs of clouds drifted lazily across the vast air. It was this I focused on, instead of the rising tension the sitting in the seat beside Edward brought on. Oh how his eyes were memorizing...
We hit a sharp bump in the road and the carriage jerked around. I gripped the railing for support and Edward mumbled out an apology. His cold demeanor could be attributed to one thing alone: me. The vulnerability I'd seen earlier was gone and replaced by a cold hardly recognizable stranger. It was enough to make my heart ache.
I steadied and sat back down, brushing my skirts to a smooth non wrinkled state. Again I found myself biting my lip, oh what a bad habit, if Alice had seen me doing that she would have slapped me silly! Oh, Alice. My heart sunk and I rubbed my eyes to prevent the building tears. One of my one true friend and she'd been abducted, and it was my fault.
Edward noticed my sudden mood swing and his hand found its way in mine, and they entwined together. His warm skin sending shivers down my spine. I loved and hated the way he made me feel, loved but unsure, it felt wrong and right if that was even possible.
Emmett's carriage pulled beside mine and Edward jerked his hand away. I swayed a moment, a bit shocked and hurt before I realized why. I composed myself and sat straight. If Edward would play the part of cold stranger so could I.
"Hey Edward, which way do we head up here?" Emmett yelled, his voice strained to rise above the clattering of the horses hooves. Edward swung his head to the right and Emmett nodded before pulling to the side. He came to a stop and the horses let out a bellow.
Edward followed and we slowed before coming to a halt behind Emmett. Emmett waved Carlisle on by and he continued along the lazily winding path. Emmett jumped over the side of his wagon and jogged over, his eyes alight with amusement. He leaned confidently against the side of the carriage and gave a rooked grin, "Did I see what I think I just saw? Or maybe that was last night..."
Edward stiffened noticeably and faced Emmett, "What?"
He absentmindedly picked at his teeth, "I don't know, maybe I'll just talk to Carlisle about it--"
"No!" I blurted and slapped my hand over my mouth, my eyes widened and I huddled against the side. "I-i mean theres nothing to tell Carlisle, what could there be to tell him? If there was something to tell him wouldn't we have..." Edward shot me a sideways glance and I shut up.
"Emmett what the hell are you talking about?" Edward snarled, looking all too vicious for my comfort. Emmett looked out past him looking wistful.
"Oh just the steamy love affair between you and Bella."
Edward jerked back as though Emmett had physically attacked him. My eyes glazed and I let out a small gasp. I took a deep breath and stood, wobbly on my feet. I brought my gaze up and met Emmett's own.
"You're right."
Emmett, for a split second, looked astonished at my confirmation. But as quickly as he was stunned he recovered and put the smirk back on his cocky face.
More confident now I raised my head and whispered;"Emmett if you want to save your sister I suggest you focus less on the love lives of those around you an more on the fact that they are holding a knife to her neck."
I sat back down and watched him. Emmett's face was pained and the color had drained. He trudged back to his wagon slowly, gripping the reins tighter than before. After the verbal chastising he'd just gotten from the common maid.
The horses whinnied and took off. Edward was distant and deep in thought, his brow furrowed and mouth set in a hard line. The morning air was making me shiver uncontrollably and the wind was picking up every hour we traveled.
The tension had returned, more powerfully this time. I yearned to hold his chilled hand in my own, something I would never try. Come to think of it, Edward always made the first move. The two times I'd kissed him and the few times he'd come close; all him. The idea was disconcerting, I felt weak and too cautious.
With an effort the monstrous in size I managed the drape my hand across his, I thought I saw the corner of his mouth twitch and he entwined our fingers once again. My eyelids drooped from lack of sleep and I bent my head.
"Bella, go ahead and lean against me. You 'll be more comfortable."
Had the world just gone into a state of apocalyptic nature or was Edward offering to be affectionate when his family member was near? Then again said family member already knew what had happened...
The inner demons of guilt and wrongness still screamed against it, how wrong it was. But my heart was saying 'go for it'. What could it hurt?
I leaned my head gently against his warm pulsing shoulder, his muscles tensed momentarily but he relaxed and I felt the tension leave his body. I snuggled closer until my skin was ablaze and I fell lazily into a deep slumber right against Edward.
*-*-*
I woke to a gentle shaking, Edwards free hand pulling me to consciousness. The other, I noticed, was still holding mine. We were coming increasingly close to Carlisles caravan and it was no longer safe to lean on him.
The rain was splattering down in fat drops. Edward had laid his jacket on my shoulders and pulled the hood over my soggy brown hair.
My eyes fell onto the opening to a cave entrance, the cold lifeless gray rock. The opening was the size of half the wagon. I tore the small crinkled paper out of my pocket and looked at the shrewdly drawn map.
We were here.