XXV

Lord Edward's Port City

(Edward POV) Three Days Later...

I stretched and looked out the window. It was the day of departure and I was getting restless. Father's words still unsettled me. Something had to be done but I didn't know what. I sighed and shook my head. The only thing I could do was move.

I left the bedroom and walked down the hallway. The morning meal was done and everyone was getting ready to leave. I left my brothers to their wives. I knew they didn't wish to leave again but they refused to let me go alone.

I spotted my wife in the kitchen. I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. I breathed in the scent of her hair and smiled, "I am going to miss you..."

"I shall miss you too."

I kissed her temple and hugged her, "You will keep an eye on Rosalie?"

"Yes. Both Alice and I will. We won't let her fall forever. The last thing Rosie needs is a broken mother. You just worry about Emmett and Jasper."

I nodded, "Stressed fathers are not needed either..."

"That includes you."

I chuckled, "I will be fine, my Lady."

"You better be."

"Hurry Edward," called Emmett from the entrance room, his thunderous voice echoing through the hallway, "We need to get a move on!"

I sighed and kissed Bella again before walking out. She followed me, and took my hand along the way. I smiled and squeezed her hand, "I shall not be long. Much shorter visit than the one I just had with Lord Luneth."

A sigh of relief left her, "Good."

(Bella POV)

I walked with Edward to the castle entrance before letting go, "Be careful."

"You won't see me off?" he asked.

"I need to clean some things up. With Rosalie's mood, some chores have been left undone. It is going to bother me if I do not get them done now."

He smiled and took my hand. He kissed the back of it, "Very well. Farewell, my Lady. I must away to my purpose. I shall return shortly."

"Farewell, noble Lord," I laughed, "I shall await your return."

With that, we parted and I returned inside. A lot of dishes needed washing and a lot more rooms needed dusting. Alice and Esme were ordered to as little work as possible by Carlisle so they were taking care of the housing halls. Not much needed to be done there. Elizabeth was on the other side of the castle and I assumed Rosalie was seeing Emmett off. That left me with the kitchen and the sitting rooms on my side of the castle.

Suddenly, I heard something move. I stopped and turned. Only the shadows greeted my sight but they didn't seem like normal shadows...Something didn't feel right. I wasn't safe here. I turned and walked slowly to the door, intending to return to the front of the castle.

A hand grabbed my wrist. A man in a black robe was behind me, "Hello, Lady Isabella. My benefactor would like the pleasure of your company."

I pulled my wrist from his grasp and ran down the hall. I could hear him following me and I prayed I wouldn't trip. Thank God I didn't as I made it to the sight of the front gate. However, he was faster as he grabbed me again.

I screamed and he covered my mouth, "Now. Now. No noise."

I shivered, Is he going to take me right under Edward's nose?!

He jerked and gasped. Another hand grabbed me from his arms. It was Edward's father and blood was on the sword in his hand, "You did not really think you could take her while I was here."

Relief washed over me like a wave and I stayed behind him as the man groaned and fell to one knee.

Screams sounded behind us. The city was under attack. Edward Sr. turned, "Bella, go to safety near the barracks. No one will get you there."

I nodded but gasped as a blade suddenly pierced through his clothing. My hands covered my mouth and I saw that the man Edward Sr. had attacked had got his revenge.

"B-Bella! R-Run!"

I turned and fled.

(Edward POV)

The screams startled me. Without a moment's hesitation, I drew my sword and ran out of the stables with Jasper and Emmett behind me. Men in black robes were attacking the homes.

"Those are the robes the men in the cart wore!" Jasper growled.

"Then let us teach them what it means to attack us," I snarled.

The three of us ran forward and defended the citizens. I cut down the men with rage, remembering my children, These worthless men dare to steal them from me and then attack MY city?!

That thought steeled my arm and I fought with hardened strength. Something caught my eye as I fought. I turned and saw Bella. She was trying to get to the barracks. However, she was being followed. I ran in her direction, intent on keeping her safe.

Her attacker tackled her to the ground and she was knocked out. Rage entered in me like a devil. I grabbed the offender, "Get your hands off my wife!"

I threw him off and noticed a wound on him. How he ran after Bella, I had no idea. In fact, he slumped and passed on. My throwing him made him land on a discarded sword that furthered his injury.

I turned and went to Bella. She was still unconscious. I picked her up and moved to take her into the barracks. A man in a black robe stood before me. He looked important and had a rapier drawn.

"Place the Lady on the bench," he said, "My men are all busy and I wish to test my strength against a skilled swordsman."

I fixed him with a hated stare, "And if I refuse?"

He pointed the rapier at Bella, "I would hate to hurt such a beauty in the course of a fight."

I saw the serious note in his eyes. With a sigh, I turned again and placed Bella gently on the bench. I looked at her for a moment before returning my attention to my challenger. I drew my sword.

He smiled, "Our goal is to capture the Lady, but I prefer a less underhanded approach sometimes. Shall the prize of our duel be ownership of her?"

I snarled loudly, "My wife is not something to be won in a duel!"

"All the same. You know very well that I can take her by force. My rapier is lighter and faster than your sword, do you not agree?"

I growled, knowing he was right, but I wasn't going to lose Bella. No one had the right to own her.

"I will take that as a yes." He lunged forward.

I dodged his strike and countered with a blow to his back. He spun and attacked with an underhand swipe. I narrowly avoided that strike, feeling the moving air on my side.

"You are not without my skill," I granted.

He parried a strike I launched and nodded, "And you are very adept, my Lord Edward."

We fought again. He was the most skilled that I had fought in a long time and he moved as fluently and nimble as some of the more experienced knights. I knew I was in trouble. There wasn't a chance for me to defeat this man. I could barely land a hit on him and he was easily getting blows to knock the wind out of me.

My eyes strayed to Bella to the side. A bruise was appearing on her temple. I got angry. He and his men would pay for hurting her.

I forced him back and delivered a slash aimed at his chest. He backed and I managed to cut his wrist.

He smiled, "This is how a duel should be. Do you not think so?"

I growled, "I won't let you get your hands on my wife."

"We shall see."

The duel continued. I grew angrier and angrier. His self-assured attitude annoyed me. However, he had reason to be this way. It was obvious he was besting me. A chilled dread washed over me. He was going to win. He was going to get Bella. I looked at her out of the corner of my eye again. Her bruise was obvious, even against the darkness of her hair. She looked like a wounded angel.

Her lips were parted and my eyes widened as a drop of blood fell from the corner of her mouth. Her blood was spilled?! Something changed in me then. Everything I saw was slow and coloured red. Rage clouded my mind and filled my senses.

A beast seemed to be born inside of me. It lashed out at my opponent and started hacking, thirsting for blood. I did not focus on his face or body or even where I was hitting. The only thing my mind perceived was that my wife had been injured because of this man. The sight of her blood angered me beyond all reason or restraint. I couldn't even tell what I was doing. A loud ringing was in my ears as the beast roared it's anger at the offense it had witnessed. It controlled my motions...and attacked with wild rage that resulted in flying blood.

That is, until arms wrapped around me and stopped me from moving. I stilled and, ever so slowly, the beast backed and ceased it's roars. The red faded away and brown replaced it.

"Edward?" her voice seemed to echo in my head.

I was panting and sore. A sharp pain was in my upper arm and my wrist ached painfully. The agony in my wrist forced my suddenly very heavy sword to drop from my hand. I couldn't take my eyes off the brown ones staring pleadingly at me.

"Edward, it's all right. He is dead." Her hand touched my cheek.

Everything returned to normal and I recognized who was in front of me. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her against me, burying my face in her neck and shoulder.

"Edward?"

I shuddered and my voice came out cracked and hoarse, "I-I thought you were hurt."

"Just a bruise and I can feel a cut near my teeth...but it's okay. Nothing else." She hugged me back tightly.

My eyes drifted around me and I saw the fight was ending. No one seemed to have noticed my display. I adjusted my hold on Bella and began to rock her gently, just glad she was safe.

My eyes fell to the leader I fought. I was shocked and horrified at what I had done. He was cut so badly, a sea of his own blood surrounded him. His innards were spilling out from his wounds and he looked hacked to bits.

Did I really do this? I wondered, I...I butchered him!

"Is everyone all right?"

I turned and saw my family was gathering around us, "We are...fine."

Then, Bella gasped.

I looked at her, "Bella-"

"Your father! He defended me when they first tried to grab me a-and he was stabbed in the entrance hall!"

Mother ran there immediately and I wasn't far behind.

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