A/n: …I have only now realized that I have never done a disclaimer for this story, so-
Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight characters used in this story. I do, however own everything else. Including Daniel, however wrong that might sound.
Now then, back to the story.
Bella sighed heavily, her hands pulling on her hair as her eyes drifted shut and her lips pursing together tightly. Why did it have to go to this extreme? Was it really necessary for all this? And just days after she had gotten the okay to get up and walk about. Why hadn't she thought of doing this while she was healing?
"Bella, if you pull on your hair anymore than you have been, you'll be bald by the time you have your first child," Alice chimed happily, twirling around the room as she pointed to things serfs were holding, deciding that it would be 'perfect' for Bella's special day.
The real question was this. Was it truly her special day, or her one day of Hell on Earth? Because from what she could tell from everything she had been thrown into for the past week, it was the latter. The only one who seemed to truly like doing such things was Alice, and everyone could agree that she was odd, therefore she didn't count.
"Alice, can we please stop? We've been at it since morning!" Bella's eyes were still closed so she jumped when she heard Edward's voice so close.
"How unlucky for you," Edward teased, smiling with pleasure when he saw how Bella jumped and her eyes flew open at the sound of his voice. She grinned and leaned forward menacingly, smile wiped clean from her face.
"Take me away Edward. Save me."
"Isn't it usually the other way around? The man wanting to be saved as the woman prances about picking things for the wedding day?" He chuckled while Bella glared. "Besides, I don't feel like going against Alice's wishes. In case you haven't noticed, her stomach is bulging and her mood changes as fast as the flutter of a humming bird's wings."
"Aren't men supposed to gallantly save a woman in distress?" Bella demanded, hands finding their way to her hips, eyes laughing at their playful banter.
"Not when that said woman is working on her wedding. Excuse us my Lord, but I have to take Bella away. Shoo." Alice grabbed Bella's hand and pulled her away from Edward who crossed his arms over his chest and laughed shamelessly when Bella turned and mouthed very obvious curses that no noble woman should mouth to their husband.
"Energetic little thing isn't she?" Edward turned to the male voice, smiling coldly when he realized that it was Michael of Banfea. The man's eyes held raw lust as he looked after the two women, watching the swing of Bella's hips. Edward's eyebrow rose. Did the man have no manners at all? That was his wife he was goggling after.
"You have no clue as to how 'energetic' Isabella can be." Michael grinned.
"Too bad I can't find out, eh?"
"I do believe that you have tried to find out, only to be rejected quite coldly from Isabella. Do you not remember the kiss you stole from her, against her will?" Edward asked, seeing Michael's face go blank, trying to give away nothing. He could see through the act though and smiled.
"'How do you know about that?' I bet is probably running through your head at the moment, and the answer to that is," Edward leaned in towards the other man who flinched visibly and whispered, "I was there. I saw everything you were trying to get away with."
"My Lord, I know not of what you-," Michael tried to defend himself, but Edward continued on mercilessly.
"Of course you realized that no matter what, Isabella would say nothing on the matter since it would be a question of her loyalty, which is tied to her pride, something we know she guards dearly-my bed is proof of that-and you wouldn't dare talk. You aren't that dense, although I begin to wonder from the way you look at her in my company. I could have you killed," Edward said as he pulled away from Michael, who was shaking.
"My Lord, please, do not-,"
"Save you pleas for someone who will heed them. I do not plan on killing you, not when it is obvious that Isabella belongs to me. I will, however, leave you with a warning. The next time you are caught attempting to woo Isabella, I will take a finger off of your dominant hand."
Michael shivered and Edward glared.
"This will continue as long as you keep trying, until you have but one finger left on that hand. Then I will take the finger, and all else that be attached to it. Do not press me, for I doubt you shall like the results."
Edward smiled politely after his speech and turned, slowly walking away, leaving Michael to his thoughts. If a man could tell someone how he would kill them then smile directly after, he was a man to respect.
However, Michael decided not to listen to him because he had no plans of getting caught, therefore he had no worry for the loss of fingers. Michael smiled at a serf woman. He was quite proud of his reasoning.
…
Walking quickly and silently, Bella burst out the doors and hurried to her resting spot on the edge of the hills, looking up at the semi cloudy sky. She continued on a bit more than normal than sat in the flowers propping herself up on her elbows. Sighing in content her eyes drifted shut only to fly open at the childish voice calling to her.
"Lady Bella! Lady Bella!" Daniel was a little tornado in himself, running forward and tackling her, knocking Bella off her elbows and flat into the ground. She laughed as he hugged her tightly and rubbed his head as he stayed lying on top of her, her arms wrapped around him protectively.
They stayed like that for a time until she sat up and positioned him to sit on her lap.
"What would you like to do Daniel?" He shrugged adorably and she tickled him, his laughter filling the air. He got up to run away but hesitated knowing that his own mother never chased after him. Bella settled the matter for him, getting up quickly and taking a playful step towards him.
"I'm going to get you!" Daniel shrieked as he ran away, Bella following after him. She kept some distance between them to let him think he was getting away before rushing forward and swooping him up into her arms nibbling at his neck. He couldn't stop laughing and she joined in before throwing him high into the air, only to barely catch him.
Her breath hitched, realizing how close she had been to dropping the child but he hadn't realized the danger, asking for her to do it again. She did, but this time she didn't throw him so high. He kept asking for her to throw him in the air, and she gained confidence.
She threw him higher than the first time and caught him soundly, twirling in a circle before putting him down. Bella was out of breath and her muscles ached. She wasn't used to such exertion. She sat and he followed suit.
…
Bella taught Daniel how to make flower crowns and how to make a bracelet made of grass since they had needed a break from running. Deciding to tease him she pulled him into her lap and rested her chin on his small shoulder, working on a bracelet for him. Her breath tickled his ear.
"Now that I have taught you such things, do you think you'll be able to win over the girl of your choosing?" She laughed as she saw him blush and persisted. "Oh ho! I see you already have someone in mind! Who is she? Do I know of her?"
"No. You do not know her Lady Bella. She lives at one of the other castles."
"And what does this lucky lady look like?" He never answered and she let it go, deciding it was time to play a game of chase again.
…
Daniel laughed and chased, running around in the hills with Lady Bella, but his young mind kept wandering back to her question. And what does this lucky lady look like? He had been about to tell her but remembered that it would be wrong, bad, if he told her. He tried to forget by throwing himself into playing, but he always went back to the question. Daniel stood looking up at the sky in one of their breaks for air, wondering if he should have told her after all. He played the conversation in his head, not realizing that Bella was watching him.
"No. You do not know her Lady Bella. She lives at one of the other castles."
"And what does this lucky lady look like?"
"Why do you want to know Lady Bella?"
"I want to know who has caught your eye of course!"
"You. She looks like you."
Daniel's eyes widened and he shook his head vigorously. It was true though. The girl who had caught his attention for the moment looked like Lady Bella, though he hadn't known Lady Bella when he had met the girl. His eyebrows furrowed in thought, but he forgot about them when Bella threw him into the air before putting him down and running away, engaging him in yet another game of chase.
…
Bella carried the boy into the hall with her for supper, not bothering to change her dress or put up her hair which had fallen out of its knot at the back of her head. Daniel's head rested on her shoulder and his eyes were partly closed. She had exhausted the poor thing.
"Bella. Where have you been?" Alice's eyes twinkled dangerously but her gaze went to the boy, then took in their rumpled appearances before her face broke into a smile.
"You were playing with the boy were you not? That is very kind of you. Come, let's get you both some food." Alice guided them to Bella's usual table and sat beside the other woman as she filled her plate with food and began to feed the boy in her arms. At first he resisted but then he did as he was told, realizing that the faster he did this, the faster he could go to sleep. When he could eat no more Bella fed herself, keeping the boy on her lap and played with his bracelet with the hand that she wasn't using to eat. He had loved it and had put it on immediately.
"And how did the arrangements come along?" Alice sniffed, eating a bit of venison before answering.
"It went well, no thanks to you. I had to drag Jasper into it because I couldn't decide on which type of flowers, then I forced him to stay to hear my thoughts on each thing presented to me. I believe he's going to thank you for that in his own way." Bella chuckled, knowing that if he had the chance, Jasper stayed as far away as possible when Alice was off doing decorating, pregnancy or not.
After a while the dancing began and most got up, although Bella didn't because of her charge.
"I hadn't known you to be so good with children Isabella," Tanya said softly as she walked towards Bella with a smile on her stunning face. Bella sighed in envy of her grace. Why did she put herself in the company of beauties?
"Oh, I'm only good with them if they like me. Many a few do not, so I always play with those that do, happy that they find me agreeable. Are you not good with them yourself?" Tanya smiled in answer and took Daniel from Bella's arms softly.
"I do not play with them. If they want to play, they can find those their own age and leave those older alone. I appreciate what you have done though. Usually it takes him a very long time indeed to fall asleep." Bella felt cold. Not only because of Daniel's absent body warmth, but because of Tanya's words. She didn't play with her own child? Did she see him as a burden? Bella shook her head softly and smiled, standing.
"It was no trouble at all Tanya. If you like you can send him my way everyday to play with. I noticed that there aren't any other noble children here besides Daniel." Bella wouldn't have cared if her child played with commoners, but she wasn't so sure Tanya saw it the same way, seeing as she didn't play with her own son. Tanya nodded and walked away, Bella floating towards the dance area, getting swept up into a pair of arms and dancing the steps.
When she got blessed with a child she knew without a doubt that she would play with him and love him with all her heart. Tanya on the other hand appeared a bit cool towards Daniel. No wonder the poor thing seeks me out. His mother does nothing to show that she does all that she does willingly, out of love.
Bella sighed sadly but kept dancing until she claimed being tired and left the hall, heading towards her rooms.
…
Edward was laying on her-their-bed when she got there, without a shirt with his arms behind his head. Bella felt his eyes on her as she took of her dress leaving her in a thin chemise before she crawled into bed. He brought her to his chest and she closed her eyes.
"Thank you Bella." Edward had taken to her nickname, used only by those close to her and she smiled. She liked the way it sounded upon his lips.
"For what exactly?"
"Paying attention to Daniel. Tanya pays attention, but he learned very early that he had to be on his best behavior when with her. I don't spend enough time with him because of my duties, but you managed to win him over."
"It's entertaining, 'paying attention' to him. He's full of spirit, just like his father."
"Do you find me entertaining as well?" She felt rather than heard him laughing and she laughed also.
"Perhaps." He protested at her one worded answer, but she refused to respond, slowly drifting towards the planes of sleep.
Her last thought was of how in three days time she would be married to the man lying beside her, who had caught her attention and held her love.
A/n: It's all kind of random in this chapter but whatever. Last one for a while I think since I start school tomorrow, so I hope you liked it.