Chapter: 21 For Your Eyes Only

I'm standing in a beautiful field of yellow tulips as the sun bath my naked skin. The field of grass is as green as it's ever been. The breeze blows softly making the grass roll

as an ocean of emerald tides again the clear blue sky; lush and fresh. I'm surrounded by a forest of evergreens and I feel free… so free and content. A shadow passes over head and I stare into the

eyes of an enormous bird; a Raven. I should be afraid but I feel only comfort in its presence. I reach for it to carry me away but as my fingers grasp at nothing. Its

ebony wings glisten into the sunlight giving it an emerald sheen. I turn to the sound of my name and I see Edward walking toward me. My soul takes flight at the

sight of him…but wait…something is wrong…very wrong. His eyes are inky pools of the blackest abyss…lifeless. "Bella, you will be mine. You owe me; your blood for

my blood." As the words part from his lips, I know they are not his own. I try to run but my feet shift beneath me as I began to sink deeper and deeper into the

earth. "Edward, please don't…please."

"Isabella, wake up my love. Wake up Bella." I open my eyes as my tears run hot from my eyes. "It was so real Edward. It was so real." He pulls me closer to him and

I feel the warm of his body melting into my own. "I'm here Isabella. I would never hurt you; you have to know that. I would never hurt you. I saw it all as if I were

there with you Bella. You were so…beautiful…you took my breath away. I've never seen you that happy." I turn to him and his thumb caress my tears away. "It was

him again Edward. I know his voice it is one that I will never forget. He wants something from me and until he gets; it he will not stop. The hate and anger is like

nothing I've ever seen. I felt his hatred toward me. He wants me dead." my tears betray me once more. "Isabella, listen to me. He can want you dead or alive but he

will never have you. Not as long as there is life in me I will not leave you…ever." I know he means every word to be true that's what scares me most. I don't fear for

my life…but his life. "Edward, I know you mean every word my love."

My heart has now slowed and I'm once again calm; well at least for now. "Isabella, I really need to speak with Nina. I know you want to bathe and change into

something well less revealing and clean. I request for a bath to be prepared for you in the nearby tent. You will have all of the privacy you need and I will even offer

to be back in time to wash your back…if you wish it." I smile with acceptance. I really need his touch to revive me. "I accept and can't wait. I really need to clean

myself. How could you stand it…sleeping next to me." I laugh as I see the dirt on my arms and legs. "He winks as he grabs me and pulls me to him. "Isabella, you

always smell the same to me…tantalizingly delicious. He kisses my top lip then bites softly on my bottom. I can feel him tremble beneath my fingers. I know this is

just as hard for him as it is for me. He pulls away with a smolder gaze. "Bad idea I guess." He smiles and touches his lips. Damn it, this teasing is driving me mad.

"Have your bath Bella I'll return shortly. We need to leave as soon as possible. I had your clothing place with your bath for you." He kisses me quickly and leaves me

breathless.

She has to know what she does to me. I want her desperately but I am trying my best to control myself. She has changed right before my eyes and I only see her as

she is now and not as she was before. Being friends is the last thing on my mind every time she is in my presence. I'm so intoxicated with her. I have to pull myself

away from her. This is not normal; it's more than anything that I have ever experienced. I love her so much that it hurts. Her soft hair and that smile; heavens help

me her smile lights the darkest of nights. I walk toward the white house with the expectations to get this over with quickly. I must speak to Nina and then I can have

Bella to myself once more…at least for a while.

I approach Nina's house and knock on the door. The house is different than I last saw it, to still. The door opens of its own accord. "Nina…I need to speak with you. I

walk into the house and find everything is as if it hasn't been touched in years. A thick layer of dust covers the floor and the small wooden table in the corner. This

can't be right. I scan the room for any trace of life and find there isn't any to be found. What am I going to tell Bella? She will not understand this. I look to the small

hearth and see that there hasn't been a fire within for a long time. "How can this be; I saw the smoke himself…" I have to tell Bella. Then it all hits me. What if this

has been a diversion all along. We have to leave this place at once. I turn back as I close the door behind me. "What kind of trickery is this? Nina you may have Bella

fooled but I know what I saw and I know that you are more than what you appear. Who are you really?" I close the door and decide that it is time to leave. Someone

wants us to be here. We are wasting our time. I slam my fist into the wooden panel. "I will… get the answers I want." I march toward my men to prepare them to

leave at once.

I wonder what's taking Edward so long. I've soaked and enjoyed the warm soothing feel of the bath but it's his hands that I want and need to feel on my skin. I just

don't understand why I feel as if my feelings are overwhelming my sense of what more important. We need to leave at once and go to Mangor to get the answers we

so desperately need. We have to put a stop to this war before it starts. I don't want anyone else to die needlessly. "Mom where are you and why can't I feel you. I

know in my heart that you're not dead but send me a sign something…anything." I slash the water and soap is now in my eyes and I haven't a towel nearby. It burns

and besides I need to dress. I stand and suddenly I feel as if I'm being watched. I grab for the drying cloth. "Edward" I open my eyes to find that I'm very much

alone with one exception… His eyes are as black as night and his feathers glisten against the sun. His eyes search my own and I can't move…it's the Raven from my

dream.

"Are we ready Lieutenant?" I stare into the eyes of the wounded and abled. "The men are ready on your command King Edward. We have a few injured but they will

not slow us. I have sent word to Capt. Millo." Lt. Matthews nods. I lock arms with him. "This war is going to happen whether we are ready or not. I feel that we have

been delayed and misled. We should have continued on and never returned to this village. Something is very wrong. I can feel it with every fiber of my being. I need

one more message sent to Captain Millo; we have someone using diversions to get what they are truly after. This war means nothing to the person behind it. He

wants something more and I now know what that something or shall I saw someone is. We have been fooled into thinking its Savor or the Queen that they were

after; but it is Princess Isabella that they want. I will die before I let them have her. We must ride swiftly to Mangor; it holds the truth.

"What do you want from me?" I remember that dream and somehow I know it's not here to harm me. The raven spreads its wings and watches me closely. "I know

this is a sign of some sort. Are you a sign that my mother is in danger… or safe?" I walk slowly to it and just as I reach for it; it fly through the opening in the tent.

My heart sinks and I'm left bereft. I wrap the damp cloth around my body suddenly feeling very exposed. "What can this all mean? I'm so lost right now. I need to

talk to Nina before we depart for Mangor. I slip into a forest green dress and my riding boot. I leave my hair down to dry. I grab my traveling bag and make sure I

have a few things that I know will be needed for my journey. We have one short stop along the way that can't be helped. I hope to find answers there.

I walk out into the sun and find it strange that I can now see it. It was so dark and foreboding here before. I search the village for Edward and find him speaking to

the soldiers. I decide not to disturb him. He seems rather engaged. I hurry to the white house and knock on the door. "Come in my dear." I enter and find Nina has

prepared a nice meal of biscuits, lamb, and tea. I close the door and walk over to sit. It's so warm and inviting. It reminds me of home and how much I miss it.

"Come, sit I'm sure you're famished. I have something to tell you then I must go." I narrow my eyes and sit slowly. "Go…where?"

First please eat Isabella you will need the strength for what's ahead of you. I have to ask something of you. Where I am going I cannot take Lady with me. I ask that

you allow her to travel with you. She will not be in your way but she will be able to aide you in a time of need. She is very strong thanks to you and now she has

bonded with you so she will want to travel with you. "Bonded" the thought disturbs be greatly. "What do you mean Nina? How can I bond with an animal?" Nina

frowns as she explains. "Isabella, Lady has the soul of a girl not an animal. However yes you can bond with an animal. It is slightly different. Lady is larger and

stronger as well as she has some powers of her own. She also will come when she feel that you're in danger. She can't hear your thoughts so you no need to worry."

She smiles as she says the last part. I blush hoping not. "Nina, I will be happy for any help but I can't guarantee her safety where we travel." Nina nods her head.

"She knows this Isabella and no need to worry for her she will be just fine. She knows at what cost she travels." I still feel uneasy but refuse to decline. Nina sits the

plate in front of me and I dig in very un-lady like. I'm so hungry it's embarrassing. "Isabella the only thing that she ask in return is; that when you gain your full

abilities that you change her back into her true form. She feels trapped inside of herself." I think for a moment and then accept. "I know how that feels all too well. If

it is with in me to give this to her, I will." Nina smiles relieved as she packs a few sacks of food for me. "Now that that is settled; where are you going?" Nina stares of

the window, "Isabella you may want to finish eating before I tell you what I have to tell you." I find that I'm no long hungry. "I'm ready now." She walks over to her

chair.

"Isabella I hope that you will understand that I had no other way. I needed you to complete every task that you have completed. This was partly to help you but also

to free my soul from the torment that I was left in." I don't understand where she is going so I remain silent; as I feel the heat rise from my skin.

"Isabella, I'm no longer of the land of the living,my child and haven't been for some time. When you released the souls of the others you freed me as well. It is by your presence only that I linger. This mountain pass has been my purgatory and i shall never leave it. At least not in body. The one that haunts you held me in the balance of life and death. Thanks to you no more. When you

leave this place this very day my soul passes on...to where I'm not sure. You will be the strongest Figira there has ever been. To be so young and to have the

strength that you have is…" I hold up my hand to stop her. "Wait, are you telling me that you aren't really here? Dead… Nina how can that be? How is it that Edward

saw you?" She smiles as she straightens her snow white hair. "Because I allowed it; He knows that I am not as I appear. He will tell you this when you see him again.

Know that he is not happen and feels that he has been deceived. He is right Isabella I have deceived you both. I was made to hold you here and to divert your course

but I can no longer. So to the risk to my own soul being lost...I set you free." Her eyes turn white as silent tears fall. "He told me if I did not hold you here that my

soul will forfeit to him. It was not a choice of my own my child. Please go and ride hard to the land of the Figira because that will be the only way to find your

mother…" I stand. "My mother, Nina what tricky is this. Is my mother alive? I need to know this is true. Was everything else a lie?" I pace the floor not knowing

whether to rip her sweet head off or crying out in sadness. "Isabella, I don't have much time. Know that everything that I told you of your past is true. Your mother is

alive in a way but you have to find her I cannot help you. One more thing; you have to become full Figira before you reach Mangor." I frown completely lost. "How is

that possible? Edward will not make love to me if I'm not his wife. So there is a problem of marriage. Who will marry us? We are short on holy men and we don't have

the time. We are leaving for Mangor at once. I will stop in Firgora because I have no choice. I need to release what inside of me before I explode. It's killing me

slowly; I can feel it."

Nina suddenly looks nervous, "This is the last I have for you Isabella then I must be on my way. You right you have to marry Edward first and then bond completely

with him. If you do not you have no hopes of facing this foe. The counsel of the Night Hunter resides in Firgora. They can perform the marriage for you if they choose

to. Ask for the Voturi but know they will want something in return. They will want it from Edward not you. Edward will also become more powerful once the bond is

complete. You have to make him agree to this because it is the only way. Isabella will need to make him eat the root from the Silver pine soon or he will die. Lady will

follow you so don't wait for her. Now go; leave at once something lurks in the darkness and its coming for you…make it to Firgora or you will die. You're much too

strong and it's only growing inside of you; you must learn to control it." I feel as if I want to give up as I turn toward the window. "Die…"This is much more than I

could have ever thought possible. "How can I get Edward to agree to this? Can I come to terms with this? I want him but not by force." I turn back to Nina to find she

is gone and with her the warmth that once surrounded this place. Everything is now covered in dust and ruin…exception the sacks of food. I grab them numbly as I

try to swallow this enormous lump in my throat.

I open the door to find Edward standing before me and he is not happy. "Isabella, where in the hell have you been?" So it begins…

Author notes:

I hope you all enjoyed this sneak peek of things to come ;)