FR CH11

AN: Sorry for the delay guys. Harvesting is almost over and this year is a bust. It is a very bad year for pecans. By now I should have the money for my land taxes and Christmas in the bank. This year my pecans are molded and rotten in the shell. I have maybe a quarter that's good enough to sell. Disgusting! So I really haven't been in the correct frame of mind to write. I promise that I haven't lost interest in the story. I have copious notes everywhere; scraps of paper, voice notes, notes on my computer, and a couple of napkins in my purse with scribbles on them. I will finish this just be patient.

I'm tired of the spiel so for the final time I don't own it. Wish I did then maybe I would have a savings account that wasn't laughable.

This chapter is dedicated to Gran. Lady, I miss you so much. You brought history to life. I walked with you through your memories (learned from her Gran) of the Civil War (TWONA), the great depression years she went through as a child, and wild nights in Biloxi during WWII when she was in her 20's. Gran was an amazing story teller and she really lived life. Funny thing is the woman could never sit still long enough to read a book to its finish or watch TV longer than a few minutes at a time. I think she had a massive case of adult ADD. It's funny how she pops up in every multi chapter fic I write.

Chapter 11

She walks through the pine forest quietly; the noise muffled by sand and the longleaf pine needles on the forest floor. Occasionally her hand will outstretch to run a finger down the blade of a saw palmetto frond. Above her, the sunlight is muted by the tall pines and glistens down to her in sparkling beams. The noise of the birds is the only sound intruding on her quiet walk. There are no outside noises, no planes above, no ATV's, no cars; nothing to disturb the calm walk through the forest.

Her feet are bare and she is careful to only step on pine needles and sand. The occasional briar is stepped over or dodged. Her dress is a flowing white sundress and she is thankful that the heat is not yet oppressive. The heat of the deep summer is only manageable by taking breaks in over conditioned air. This day however is perfect, perfect sunshine, perfect temperature, and perfect serenity.

Up ahead she can see a break in the trees. A moment more and she is there covering her eyes from the glare of the sun. The clearing is a precise circle as if God put his bow compass down and drew an exact circle. Within the clearing the grass is green and lush with wildflowers beckoning her closer in the gentle breeze. There are black eyed Susan's with their eye popping yellow and dark black center. She sees clumps of dotted horse mint with small dense packed pinkish flowers and green speckles. She tries to remember the other plant names and can only identify Gayfeather, Ironweed, and Tickseed. There are more, but they don't come to her.

She walks toward the center of the clearing picking a few black eyed Susan's as she goes. Every girl needs daises to pull petals from and ask if he loves you or loves you not. Who is the one she will be pulling petals for? She can see him in her mind's eye and he is supposed to be here also. Where is he? She reaches the center of the circle and upon the grass neatly laid out is a picnic blanket, but it's not the traditional picnic blanket, this one is an eggshell white with a ring pattern sewn into it. There is a brownish red stain in the middle of this quilt. And she thinks, 'Oh my, Gran will be shocked that I am using a stained quilt for our picnic, how embarrassing.'

"Bella, my dear, help me with this basket,' her Gran calls from behind her. She turns and there is her Gran smiling in a blue gingham dress. She is carrying a large basket, heavy with food, and Gran strains to hold it in her arthritic hands.

"Here, let me take that Gran, I'm sorry my head seems to be so far in the clouds I'm losing my manners." She hurriedly takes it from her Gran and places it atop the stain on the quilt. 'Out of site out of mind,' she thinks to herself.

"Quickly lay it all out Bella; we have so little time for what I need to tell you." Gran slowly lowers her frame to the quilt as I open the basket and busy myself putting food on plates. Inside fried chicken, corn and biscuits, are nestled neatly near a container full of iced sweet tea. "We have someone else coming, but I think they shalll be late, they will understand if we go ahead. Say the grace my dear."

I quickly bow my head and repeat a prayer that has been repeated over and over by our family for generations. I hand Gran her plate heaped with food. She takes it, settling it upon her lap before looking up at me and asking, "So have you been reading the book I left you?" I pick up my glass and sipped the sweet tea before answering; its cold sweetness feels so good on my parched tongue. I stare at the condensation on my glass for a moment and then put it down near my plate.

"Yes Gran, I'm still reading it. I was shocked when I used one of the nails to break the fairy glamor. It took all I had to keep a straight face."

"They can paint themselves so pretty can't they?" She looks at my stomach which is great now with my child. " And what of your Fae Prince, is he handsome?"

I look down at my belly and rub it. My smile is wistful when I look back up at her. "Yes Gran, he's very handsome."

"Good, but know this my sweet, not all things are pretty as the package they come in. You saw that with Victoria."

I shudder at the memory of the malicious red head. "I don't want to think of her Gran, let's just enjoy our meal for a while," I say looking at her. For a moment she isn't the sweet granny I remember. Her eyes narrow to slits and she puts her plate down. I almost fear the look she is giving me. She moves quickly, so fast that I don't even see the movement and she is leaning over me with her hand gripping my jaw tight and staring dead into my eyes. This isn't my granny!

A voice comes from her and it is a multitude of all female voices, all speaking at the same time. "Child bearer, daughter of humanity, now is not the time to shirk responsibility. My people have lost their way and you are the key to bring them back." Then her eyes are normal and it's my Gran sitting across from me eating daintily with her linen napkin in her lap as if nothing happened. I'm shaken, but I try to hide that from Gran.

I clear a suddenly dry throat. "Yes Gran I have been studying the book and you know, your knife saved my life," I reply and then ask, "Where ever did you get such a strange knife?"

"By a Clootie Well, as I was hanging a rag." What? I raise an eyebrow and look at her for an explanation. What the hell is a Clootie Well?

"Clootie Well?" I inquire.

"Yes, the well in Cornwall, England. I think the name was Madron. Oh it's romantic and silly, but my dear mother believed the stories. You tie a rag to a hawthorn and make your wish. The area is littered with rags tied to anything they can tie something to. Well, there was I not twenty but by a month and on my honeymoon. My new husband, your grandpa, was in the car napping.

Your grandpa was a good hard working man with not one romantic bone in his body." She sighs at the memory of grandpa, "I had pulled the branch of a hawthorn down and was using a bit of my slip that I had ripped off when this lovely young lady stepped from behind a tree." I can slightly hear her accent peeking through.

"Magic, was she Other Gran?" I stress the word other, Gran knows what I mean. Her eyebrow raises a bit and she smiles.

"Oh yes she was Other. You couldn't really look her in the eye; she was just sort of unclear. And a funny thing, she kept changing. One second she was young, next you would see a matron or maybe a crone. But it was only her face, you see, that face that you couldn't really look at. Her face was blurry, but you knew it was never stagnate, it changed. She was dressed funny, not for the English weather. Her clothes were filmy, ethral, they kinda blew in a wind that wasn't there if you know what I mean.

Her eyes are distant looking into the past, "Her voice, it was musical and it echoed in my head. It was like dozens of voices on top of each other, all saying the same thing. Well, she stepped from behind a tree and said my name as if she knew me from my birth onward. And she talked to me like we were conversing over my neighbor's fence. She had a strange, a very strange air to her." Gran shivered at the memory.

"She told me that I was to be of use to her and my first thought was that maybe that wasn't a good thing. She talked of my future child and how the magic would skip her."

"Mom?" I ask, shocked at this revelation.

"Your mother is touched my dear, but it isn't by magic." She smiles at that. Yes, mom is just a little bit touched. You could call her flakey at best.

"She told me that my Granddaughter would have strong magic hiding inside her. She was speaking of you my dear. She said that you would carry the redemption of the Fae and give birth to a Queen conceived in a fairy ring. Her name would cause the realm to fear and rejoice. She would be known as the Emerald Queen."

I place my hand on my stomach, a daughter! I'm having a girl as decreed by Goddess. What will my child see in her life time? A Queen feared and equally loved? I rub my protruding belly and think of Edward's eyes, his eyes of swirling emerald. Our daughter will have his eyes.

I bring the conversation back to the knife. "What did she say about the knife Gran?" I ask, but Gran seems to be distracted by something over my shoulder. Her smile gets big and I turn my head to see what is bringing such a happy grin to Grans face. It's Edward! He is in the tree line and lifts his arm high to wave to us and starts walking toward us and the picnic. We wave in return to his greeting. I get out a plate and start pulling food from containers for him.

"I think your young man is very handsome Bella." Edward is almost to us. He is dressed in human clothes, a white button down shirt and dark jeans. He looks like he just walked out of a frat house. I put the plate I have fixed for him down and Gran puts hers to the side and we rise to greet him as he approaches. Gran is slow getting up, so I help her.

He is smiling as he comes to me and takes me in his arms. Looking down at me places a chaste sweet kiss on my lips. He looks deep into my eyes and smiles then turns to Gran. "Nice to meet you Mam, I am Edward, Bella's husband."

Gran doesn't say anything to the announcement that we are married, just smiles at the two of us and pulls Edward into her arms for a long hug. "I've been waiting a long time for you young man." She pulls away. "That baby will be a beauty between the two of you."

"Let's have a seat and eat while we can," she says and Edward helps her back to her place on the blanket. When he gets her settled he then helps me down, which isn't easy with our child hindering my balance. When I am settled, he plops down beside me. I envy his ease of movement. I feel so ungainly with this huge stomach in front of me. His eyes meet mine and then look down at the quilt; he runs his hand across the pattern and looks at me with a secret smile. I can't help blushing, blood floods my face as I realize where the quilt was used last.

"Ah young lovers, it's such a sweet thing to see," Gran says as she looks at us. Edward pulls my hand to his lips and places a quick kiss on my knuckles. "You found yourself a very handsome gentleman Bella. You did well." I smile at her approval.

"May I call you Gran?" Edward can charm the fuzz off a peach. Gran smirks at him and then gives him a big grin.

"Why yes you may young man. I would be offended if you didn't." She smiles proudly at his manners.

We talked casually for what seemed an hour more. I know it's just a dream, but it's something that I have missed so much so I greedily make it last. As I gather our picnic items I listen to Gran describe to Edward the items she had collected for me in the box. I look up as Edward asks her about the knife to see that her eyes have gone black again and her carriage has changed from that of my Gran to the Goddess again.

"Unseelie Prince your babe nears its birth and the danger grows with her quickening. Guard your woman and the babe well while you can, but prepare a champion to guard her when she is to begin her journey. All but your trusted few will be tempted and coerced to turn from you and destroy your mate and child." The multi layered voices linger and still.

Edward nodded solemnly to the goddess and she turns her black eyes upon me at his gesture of compliance.

"Child bearer, keep the knife I have provided for you with you at all times. It will save your life. Trust the teachings of your grandmother and use her knowledge well. It will be all you have to defend yourself.

Your child hungers, do not hesitate to feed her. Feel no shame in doing so, it is her life you kill for. Trust in this child's will to live. She is strong and knows her path."

My eyes must be big as saucers. I'm terrified, but at least this thing, this Goddess seems to have a use for me. I wrap my hands around my belly protectively.

I awaken in Edward arms. He opens his eyes and I am trapped in there swirling green depths. His eyes are so beautiful. Our daughter. I smile up at him, but can't help to squirm. He grins down at me know exactly what the problem is.

"Don't laugh at my bladder mister," I say in a semi grumpy voice. He rolls over and gets out of the bed and walks to my side to help me out. "I should punch you or something every time she stomps on my bladder."

That gets a genuine laugh from him. I walk to the bathroom and let nature take over. Finishing I wash my hands and return to our bed room. He is standing patiently by the bed and helps me into it. I sit on the side of the bed and we just kiss for a moment before I pull back and ask, "Were you in that dream with me?"

"Yes." Is all he says pulling me back into the kiss. Horny man, doesn't he think the dream was important?

"Well?" I pull back again wanting his input on the dream. He just moves his lips to the hollow of my neck. I give up when he does this. This man distracts me so easily.

I think they call this nesting. I have, with the help of everyone, cleaned this house from top to bottom. It is spotless. I can't help myself, the urge is just so strong. Speaking of strong, she kicks me again. It's so strange to see a little foot outline on my belly. She does what I call skating, she will kick out and just slide the foot down the walls of her cramped chamber. It is uncomfortable, but enchanting to watch. Discomfort sends me racing toward the bathroom. She likes to bounce on my bladder like it is a trampoline.

I am scared, but who wouldn't be. Unlike other first time mothers my fears are a little deeper. My child is a hybrid of human and Fae. What will she be like? Alice and Edward have explained to me of the speed that the Fae child grows. This terrifies me. Will my little one adjust to this speedy growth or will the speed damage the human side of her? I have to look to the Goddess and think that since so much is hanging on this tiny babe all will go well with the birth. It gives me minimum comfort, but I take what I can.

Whenever I put the new birth and hybrid child fears aside I remember that I have killed one of the Fae. When it is found out, and it will eventually be, someone is going to want me to be held accountable for that. In defence of my baby or not, someone will be out for blood. Edward and the others tell me not to worry, but I have heard pieces of their conversations so I know there is something to fear. Victoria was one of the favorites of the Queen's and she will send someone to find her. A missing guard to the Queen will not be ignored for long.

I can't put it off like Scarlet, I have to be prepared so I have taken the Goddess' word for law. I have two back packs ready to go at a moment's notice. One for me and one for whomever my guardian may be. In them are things I will need for the birth and things I may need to defend us both. I carry my knife with me at all times in a black leather sheath hooked to these large pregnancy jeans. I feel so huge! I struggle to get my shoes on. Doing anything now days is a battle with this belly.

I have a nail sewn into my bra strap to protect me from Fey Glamor. Finishing my defense plan is a pouch of the metal powder in my pocket. I have stashed little bowls of the powder in the window sills for a quick grab if needed.

Edward is only here once or twice a week. He would be here more, but the Queen is suspicious of everyone. She is desperate to find Victoria. I listened to Jasper report to Edward of her efforts to find her. She put someone called James on the hunt for her and that seemed to upset the others a great deal. At night one of the guys patrols the outside perimeter of the yard and one of the women will stay in with me. Very rarely am I ever left alone for more than a few hours.

"James, report!' The queen shouts to her guard kneeling before her.

"I have exhausted all options here in court my Queen, I must assume she is somewhere in the human realm."

The Queen saunters down the stairs from her dais. The lights from the torches glow against her moonlight white skin. She is clad in a black bustier and black leather pants. Black spike heeled boots reach over her knees and midway up her thighs. Standing before James, she motions for him to stand and places one hand upon his chest.

"James," she says in a seductive purr, leaning close to his ear. Her other hand caresses the hair on the back of his neck. "If you do not find me my Victoria, I will make you my next playmate." She runs her hand down his chest and cups his leather covered cock rubbing him through his pants. His eyes close in pleasure and her answering smile is deadly. Her fist clenches on him and she literally has his nuts in a clawed vice. His eyes open and all pleasure is gone from his face. "Find Victoria if you value your manhood James, because if you don't I will add your cock to my collection, and it won't be attached. It will be in a fucking jar!"

She releases her hand from his genitals and turns back toward the dais. Smiling maliciously, she mounts the stairs and slithers onto her throne. To the side of the dais sits Lord Eastwick on a gilded chair smaller and less ornate than the queens. He is being serviced by Leah. He grips her hair tightly forcing himself deeper into her unwilling mouth. Her hands are clenched and she does what she has to do to live. Live until Jake comes for her.

It's been two weeks since I have seen Edward in this realm. He visits me in dreams every night and we make sweet love and talk. He rubs my belly and talks to our girl. I'm surprised my stomach isn't shinny from the polishing I receive from his hand. But then again it is only a dream. Sometimes I wake and try to figure out if I'm still in the dream or reality.

The guards in the woods have increased. Jasper told me that they are men belonging to one of Edwards' friends. I have yet to see them, but I feel their presence. It prickles on my skin and sometimes I feel someone watching me from the tree line as I stare out a window.

I was told by Emmett and Jasper that it is best not to be seen by these men. They called them Slouagh. I read in Grans book that they are even darker than the Unseelie and are the stuff of nightmares. I don't need any more nightmares so I'll do as the guys demand and stay in the house.

I feel so heavy and ungainly. I swear I waddle and don't get me started on these granny panties. To top off my feelings of inferiority tonight is Rose's turn to stay the night with me. There is nothing better than pairing up a very pregnant woman with someone who looks like a supermodel. It grinds your ego like glass in the eye. It wouldn't be so bad if she could only be friendly. But it's icy Rose, she never thaws.

When Alice stays we watch movies and gorge on popcorn. With Rose its silence and a movie. I quit attempting to talk to her after the second night of her ignoring everything I said. I wish I had some of the chocolate exlax squares. I would give it to her for her terminal constipation.

Pregnant women eat weird stuff and I have happily joined the crowd. I have discovered two new ways to eat popcorn. One night I was possessed by the need for something spicy so I drowned my popcorn in Crystal Hot Sauce. It was wonderful, until I finished the bag. I spent the rest of the night eating Tums like candy and the next morning wishing for anything but this burning ass. My next popcorn combination is pickles and popcorn. I'm pregnant so pickles had to come in there somewhere. Don't knock it till you try it. But that is my limit with the pickle combo. No pickles and ice cream for me.

Tonight's movie is 'The Notebook'. I've seen it before, but try watching it with pregnancy hormones running through your brain. I'm a blubbering mess thirty minutes into it. I wonder if Rose has any emotions besides the permanent constipated look on her face? If the guys were here I might ask her that, but since they are not here its best that I don't.

I don't know what catches her attention, but suddenly she is across the room and looking from the side of the curtain into the back yard. Leaning over she removes a gun from a thigh holster.

"Rose what is it?" I ask worriedly. All she does is hold up a hand to silence me. I struggle to get off the couch. When I do I walk toward her, but she stops me with a gesture. Now I am really worried. My hand goes to the knife in its sheath. I wish I had a gun. I know how to use one. Why didn't they give me a gun? My anxious thoughts are silenced when Rose pulls back from the window and grabs me by the arm and drags me toward my bedroom. Rose looks scared, and my anxiety amps up.

"The wards have been breached! The others will be on the way but it will take a while for them to get here." She pulls me into the room and slams the door and locks it. Gripping me by the arm she walks quickly to the closet. She faces me at the door and as she speaks to me she jerks my arm, like shaking me will make what she has to say sink in better. "Get in the closet and do not come out! I don't care what you hear do not come out!"

"What is it?"

"This isn't the time Bella. Get in the closet now. I can hear them fighting in the woods! If the guards in the woods fail they will be here soon and I'm the only one standing between your baby and them." With that I willingly step into the closet and shut the door.

Damn it! My back packs are not with me they are beside my bedroom door. All I have with me is the knife and some of the powdered cold iron. If I could get whoever comes for me in the eyes, I might get past them and be able to run. Edward help me! Hurry please.

There is a loud noise from the kitchen. The kitchen door sounds like it has been ripped off the wall. I hear two distinct voices, excited and angry. They are going room to room and it sounds like they are destroying whatever gets in their way as they search. My heart is pounding in my ears and I hide in the corner of my closet behind my hanging clothes. I can't breathe. My bedroom door is kicked in and I hear them fighting with Rose. They are taunting her. I hear one man go down by Rose's gun. After the blast there is a scuffle and I hear the gun go sliding across the floor. The other guy taunts Rose. He is an evil bastard. The filth spilling from his mouth sickens me and maybe I now understand why Rose is such a bitch.

"Oh sweet little Rose, I remember you Seelie Princess." His oily voice mocks her. "Remember the night the Queen rewarded me with a taste of you? You were so tight; your ass squeezed my cock like a vise. Mmmm the heat. I think I might like a taste of you again before I bring you back to the Queen."

Rose does not reply to the taunts, but the sound of the struggle that follows is a violent battle. Why isn't she using her power? He laughs at her and then I hear a cry and Rose slamming into my dresser. The silence is startling, such violence and then nothing. I hear a body land on my bed and the sound of ripping clothing. Oh please God, please don't make me listen to this. I can't help it I am not letting this fiend rape Rose. I tiptoe to the door and ready myself for a fight that I am very sure I won't win.

I reach in my pocket and palm some of the powder. With my other hand I grasp the handle of my knife and prepare myself for battle. I make a sound to distract the bastard from his defilement of Rose. 'Steady Bella, keep your head.' I sike myself up as I hear the bed squeak as he gets out of it. Footsteps come closer to the door. 'Please Edward hurry!' I pray for him to come save me, but until I see him, I have to fight for myself. I bring my handful of powder close to my face as I watch the door handle turn. The door opens and I take a deep breath and as I look deep into sky blue eyes I blow with all the strength I have into the bastards face.

He screams like a girl and grips his face. I don't wait, I push him back and slice at him with my knife. It opens a long cut in his right arm. His blood flows from the cut and he pulls his left hand from his eyes and grips the gash on his right arm. I push past him and rush from the closet to the music of his screams. Rose is on the bed, out cold. Her top is torn open exposing her breasts. You could see that he was attempting to rip her jeans when he heard me in the closet. I turn towards the blond man and my anger boils over.

"You sick son of a bitch."

He pulls his hands from his eyes and looks at me with contempt. The eyes are still blue, but the whites are blood red. What looks like blood tears are pouring from his eyes. His skin looks pockmarked and raw from the larger chunks of powder that must have ate their way into his skin.

"I'm going to kill you slowly bitch. But first I'm going to cut that baby from your body." He makes his way toward me. My anger is flowing through my body like electricity. My body hums with it. Come and get me asshole.

He goes to grab me, but I get to him first. I grab his hand and it's just like Victoria. It's like a bolt of lightning has hit him and he is frozen. I smile as the pulling begins.

I moan with the feeling, it's so good. "I guess it isn't your day asshole. Mm mm you are sooo tasty. And I have to admit I was feeling a mite peckish." I giggle as the flow of power quickens, sucking, pulling, eating him alive. His eyes are not angry any more, they are scared. His skin is losing its glow and his face is starting to hollow out. His muscular arms are losing definition.

A moment more and he is a shell with dry desiccated eyes moving sickly in their hollows. His body weighs hardly anything and I let him fall to the floor. I follow him down and straddle his body. Smiling I pull my knife out of its sheath and bring if close to his face so he can get a good look at his fate. I twist the blade in front of his eyes and let it catch the light. I want this monster to suffer, I want him to fear me.

I put the point under his chin and lean down close to him. I want him looking into a woman's eyes as he dies. "I don't know if your kind has a hell, but I want you to bust it wide open. Go to hell fucker!" I slam the knife up into his skull. To make sure his is dead I pull the knife from his skull as the blood flows freely from the wound. I position the knife underneath his rib cage and point it upward. I forcefully push it up into his heart. Why take the effort to go through the rib cage, he isn't fighting it so I took an easy short cut. I pull the knife from his body. Awkwardly I stand and I wipe the blood off of the blade and on to my pants. I feel all sloshy inside like I have gulped down a very large drink.

I look down at my blood covered hands and wonder if it's going to happen again. I hold them up in front of my eyes as they begin to burn and I watch as the blood sinks into my skin. I start to shake and whimper. What is happening to me? What just happened wasn't me! All that anger, I'm not a vindictive person. So much has changed. I turn to rush from the room only to find the rescuers have arrived too late. They stand behind me in the doorway with startled looks on their faces. How much did they see? My hands are still shaking in front of me. There is blood splattered on me everywhere with the exception of my hands they look as if I had just washed them.

Emmett pushes through and rushes to Rose on the bed pulling her unresisting body into his embrace. He looks at me with a look that asks if he did something to her. I shake my head meaning no that he didn't get all the way.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't stay in the closet; he was going to rape her." My voice is shaking. She starts to come to on the bed, I am thankful that she was only knocked out and not dead.

"Edward, I did it again." I take a step toward him as my world goes dim and he catches me as I fall.

AN:

Play List

Life house – Between the Rain Drops

Muse - Madness

Story rec's for the month.

The Purple Banana Hammock -TheFicChick It's a one shot that was rec'd on Fictionators. Look them and this one up, it's worth it.

Bare All and Because of a Boy - cutestkidsmom Two stories from this author. Bare All is almost complete and the other is a WIP. Check them out. I am addicted to her work and you can blame her for some of my delays! I also have review envy, LOL.

Destiny, Whether You Like It Or Not - BetterinTexas This is a wonderful adventure story.

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