Chapter 11

"Bella, you look absolutely stunning! I have to say I did a fantastic job!"

Alice was right, as always. I was in an elegant midnight blue chiffon dress that flowed to the floor. A light silvery blue silk fabric moved over my body under the two pieces of chiffon. A bejeweled neckline wrapped around my shoulders. Luckily, the fabric in the back that hung from the neckline hid my hideous scars; which had improved in the hours of treatment Angela spent on them.

My brown hair was pinned back, but a few pieces fell around to frame my heart shaped face. My crystal blue eyes were rimmed with blue and silver eye shadow and elegant swirls of eyeliner. Silver bejeweled 'gladiator' (as the humans called them) heels adorned my feet under my dress.

Of course Alice looked dazzling as well in a strapless rose colored layered dress. A black belt synched her waist and black peep-toe heels were hidden underneath the floor length dress. Her hair was in controlled waves to her chin and rosy pink eye shadow made her blue eyes sparkle.

Just then Rosalie walked into the room. "What do you-?" She broke off as Alice and I turned around. "Take that dress of right now, Alice!"

I then noticed what Rosalie was wearing; a long black tool dress that was strapless and fell to the floor in layers and a black belt synched her waist as well.

Alice fumed, "No, take yours off! I had this on first!"

"But I bought mine first!"

"How do you know? I've had this for a week!"

"I've had mine for a month!"

"Ha, yours is old!"

"No, yours is tacky!"

They bickered back and forth. I sighed and stepped between the two girls who had fingers pointing into each other's faces. I raised my hands to their faces and silenced them.

"Ladies, they're different colored dresses, I'm sure no one will notice," I tried to reason with them.

"They will to notice. We're the most fashion forward people in this kingdom, of course they'll be paying attention to the two of us," Alice mentioned exasperated.

Rosalie nodded, "Exactly, thank you Alice for calling me fashion forward. I like to think of myself as one," Rosalie winked.

Another sigh escaped my lips, but this one in frustration. "Then one of you go and change!" I suggested with a sneer and stormed out of the room.

I was instantly dragged into a crowd of rushing servants who were trying to finish their chores before the guests arrived. A hand grabbed me and yanked me out of the chaos. I looked up to the eyes of my savior to thank them.

"Looked like you were about to be trampled," Jasper said with a casual smile. I returned the smile with my own and thanked him. He shrugged and gestured to the door we were standing by. I nodded and followed him into the silent room. It was the library, one of my favorite rooms in the castle.

It took up three stories of this corner of the castle. I had requested they add the third floor because my book collection had grown so much over the years. The library was open to anyone who loved to read. I often caught Angela in here when she wasn't busy just relaxing on a window seat, there were many of those, and reading a good book. There were dozens and dozens of book shelves and even more books on them. It was a book lover's dream.

"You look beautiful, Isabella," Jasper commented as he took a seat on a couch that had a perfect view in the window to the kingdom.

I whispered another thanks and took a seat next to him and watched as people bustled along the streets, trying to get everything together for a ball. The balls were never really worth all the preparation and chaos that goes on before.

"You look handsome yourself Jasper, it's been a while since I have seen you all dazzled up. Alice is one lucky girl," I nudged his side. I had never really talked to Jasper, I realized sadly. We were really always distant when he visited. We talked on hunting trips or during fighting practice, but that was about it for conversation.

"Bella, you really worried me when I found out you were missing," Jasper admitted with a miserable expression.

I looked at him for a moment, "I'm sorry Jazz. I already promised Alice no more hunting trips. I didn't know you would be affected so much either by my kidnapping," I said the last part quietly.

Jasper spun around to face me. "Bella, you are like a sister to me. Of course I would be affected by a bunch of filthy Lycans snatching up my sister. And what hurt worst was that I wasn't there to protect you. Emmett and Edward feel the same way. I know I don't lay all of my feelings on the table, and when I do it is rare. But Bella, I care about you. Just like I care about Rosalie and Emmett and Edward. If something happened to one of them, I would be in the same place I was when you were missing. I would be in a worse place if Alice went missing though… If you would have seen Edward's face when I told him you were gone, you would know just how much he cares about you." Jasper finished with a serious smile.

"Oh Jazz, thank you," I pulled him into a hug. "And I know Edward loves me," I murmured in his ear. He rubbed my back reassuringly.

"Just know that I do care about you, okay?" I nodded and hugged him tighter. He squeezed once and we let go.

"Well," I sighed. "I should go check on your beloved Alice and sister Rosalie." I winked and stood.

"Oh, and Bella," Jasper called as I reached the door. I turned around to see him looking over the couches' back. "I'm glad you're back."

"Me too, Jazz, me too," I left the room and back into the chaos of the hall.

"You're kidding me," I gasped. I had been in my room, waiting for the two girls to come back from 'changing'. Apparently, Alice and Rosalie had trunks full of dresses to pick through to find just the right outfit.

"Nope," Rosalie smirked. She had laid the first dress she found aside and tore through the rest of her dresses, just to go with the one she found. "I really like this one," she said, running a hand down the black material. She had chosen a black mermaid dress. The top was silk and skin tight, but the full mermaid skirt was made of feathers. Rosalie had gone with this classic wave for her hair that was beautiful. Bright red lipstick completed her look.

"I would never joke about clothes," Alice scolded, walking in. "I like that Rose."

"Thank you and I adore yours!" Alice did a little spin in her pale purple ruffled sleeveless dress. It had a small turtleneck and was silk with a small silver belt below the chest.

Both looked absolutely stunning.

"Wow, you two look great," I commented pathetically. Both gave me a look.

"Nothing compared to you sweetie," Alice said truthfully.

Rosalie added, "Bella, all eyes are going to be on you tonight."

Goddess knows why Rosalie was right.

"Now entering is Lord Markus and Lady Didyme of Lazio." The announcer said in a loud voice. My stomach was in knots. I always hated entrances. All eyes, and I mean all eyes were on you. Everything was silent and then the big bow from the crowd. When the Princess entered a room it was like the most important thing to remember to bow and keep your eyes down. I also hated that. I liked to be looked at in the eye and people bowing just said they were lower than me. I didn't deserve to be a Princess. I was just born into the line. Anyone could have been born into royalty, it's all chance. But my mother always said when I spoke my doubts of being able to rule when it was my time that is was always my destiny and fate to rule the Underworld.

"Now entering is their daughter, Madame Alice and her escort, Sir Jasper of Gigandet." Again, silence as they descended the stairs. Edward was somewhere in the line across from me. He had been moved to the back of the line as soon as he arrived so I didn't get a chance to see him. The Princess, me, was entering last today because the ball was in honor of me. Yeah me.

Carmen and Eleazar made their entrance and then Kate with Garrett as her escort. Tanya had chosen Alec to be her date. Next came Carlisle and Esme; Caius and Athenodora descended after them.

"Now entering is Prince Emmett," the higher position was always said first, "and Madame Rosalie of Gigandet." I took another deep breath and tried to relax as I neared the stairs. I caught sight of Edward's bronze hair over my mother's head.

"Attention. King Aro and Queen Sulspicia are entering," the announcer's voice rang over the silent room and echoed off the marble walls. My mother smiled at my father and they stepped forward. Aro held his left arm out, my mother taking it. They then looked out over their people and slowly made the descent. My father, wearing his gold crown, was in a black tux and my mother, in her diamond crown as well, was in a beautiful pale pink almost a cream dress that hugged her curves stunningly.

I looked straight across from me to be met by my favorite emeralds. They were smoldering with love and he had my favorite crooked smile on his face. I felt calm instantly. My shoulders weren't tense, but now relaxed.

"And in tonight's honor, Princess Isabella and her escort Sir Edward of Apulia." Edward's reassuring smile enabled me to step forward, accept him arm, and look for the first time at the room. Bad idea.

The grand ballroom, used only for that reason, was decorated beautifully in gold and crystal. The oldest, and largest, crystal chandelier in the Underworld hung from the ceiling that was four stories high, casting a wondrous glow throughout the room. The painting on the ceiling was of the first royal dance. Below the gorgeous painting, almost mirroring it was hundreds of vampires who had come near and far to celebrate my return. They all had their heads bowed as Edward and I slowly descended the stairs.

The stairs opened onto the dance floor. The room was in three levels. The first level was the tables when the meal began. The second level was the dance floor. And the third was the orchestra, which was playing a beautiful melody.

All of the royals were on the floor waiting for Edward and me to walk to the middle and take our positions. Then the orchestra picked up. Edward placed a hand at my waist and I took his other hand. We began to spin around the floor. A wide smile was plastered to mine and Edward's faces. It felt like it was just Edward and me on the floor. No one was watching from the side and no one was dancing beside us. It was just us. Edward and I.

I couldn't even begin to describe the feeling of being home. Once hating balls and anything relating to a formal gathering, I found it shocking that I was enjoying myself. To know all these people had come to support me and they cared for me that much; it was exhilarating and simply amazing. My heart felt whole with the love that was pulsing through the room.

I still didn't feel like I was home though. I felt like this was all a dream. A teasing dream that is what it was. When I woke up, I would be back in that god-awful tree and sore as hell. But it was all so real. And when Edward leaned forward and whispered, "I love you," that just made it all the more dreamlike/real.

With a shiver, I decided that I was going to play along and enjoy myself. When I woke up, I woke up. But I might as well have a good time until then.

"I love you too," I smiled up at him through unwavering eyes. He returned it with my favorite crooked grin as we waltzed through the room; all eyes on us, but no care in the world.

A finger tapped on Edward's shoulder, slowing us to a stop. I turned to see Aro and my mother standing with beaming expressions.

"May I have this dance?" Aro asked me. I nodded and Edward handed me off to him. We swirled around the room, slower than Edward and I had gone.

"Getting old father?" I teased when he spun me gradually. Vampires were immortal if we chose to be because we choose when we stopped aging, if we wanted to that is. Aro had chosen a respectable age of forty to stop aging. He said it was a good age to stop because it showed that he held knowledge and should be listened to. I just thought he looked more like a dad.

"No, Isabella, I just want this moment to last forever."

"Me too," I replied as he spun me back to his arms.

We twirled in a comfortable silence through the room and laughing occasionally for no reason but pure bliss.

I danced with Emmett and several others; Caius, Markus, Carlisle, excreta. But I wasn't able to sneak in another dance with Edward before the meal was sat.

Edward smiled as he pulled my chair out for me. I was in the center of the gigantic table that sat all the nobles and was in the center of everyone on the third level. Edward sat next to me and Aro sat on my other side.

He stood, taking a glass of blood with him, and prepared to give a speech when the bells rang.

We were under attack.

A/N: Oh the joy of a cliff hanger! I was debating at whether stopping it at 'when the bells rang' or how it ended, but I left it this way. That lets you know what the bells mean. I hope you enjoyed this! Outfits on my profile!!!!!!!