A/N: Who would've thought that the first week of summer would be so busy?! I basically spent the entire last week sorting through my school stuff and cleaning out my school-infested room. And then, I got addicted to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Goodness, I love that book! So yes, some of the parts in this chapter are inspired/based off of that book (including some of the language used). I really like this chapter (except, perhaps, the ending). I'll write my excuse for that later...I think you guys want to read the chapter before I ramble on and on ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!! (sobs)
The palace was decorated even more admirably than all of my previous fifteen birthdays added together. Real flowers and embroidered flowers were twisted together into banquets of various shapes and sizes and placed in strategic places throughout the entire palace. Scents of the garden wafted in from certain open windows and scented candles replaced the normal ones. Just the scents in the hallways were almost overwhelming my senses.
Mother and Father had hired a team of 'confetti-reloaders'. As Edward escorted me into the ballroom, confetti burst out from the ceiling, littering the already-confetti-littered-ground with even more confetti and landing on Edward and me. I looked back as the next couples were treated with the same shower of confetti. I giggled at their shocked faces. Bet they didn't expect another shower so soon!
And then we reached the ballroom itself. With a touch of faerie magic, seven thousand jasmine and freesia extract-scented candles were floating at the same level as the sixteen giant chandeliers in all their glory. All sixteen were lit brightly, although eight had colored screens placed over them to cast light of a different color.
Outside the palace, great banners and streamers hung throughout the city. A carnival was set up in the middle of the city and the flood of people there was amazing. Jovial and full of mirth, Edward led me to the stables and rode with me to greet everyone. Surprisingly, it was overcast. Edward just seemed to glow dimly and did not sparkle in his usual glory.
The crowds tried to part a way as soon as they saw me. I laughed as I tried the different games. When I paid for the test your strength, I tried to hit my hardest, but only managed a poor five percent. Edward, who was far stronger than me, hit a full one hundred and won me a great furry white bear that I fell in love with at first sight. Delighted as I was, I ran up to him and he twirled me around and kissed me, earning rounds of clapping and 'aww's from the surrounding crowd.
However, despite his outside cheer, Edward seemed overly tensed. Every kiss he stole had a desperate edge to it. Every hug he gave had an underlying melancholy. Every twirl and every dance was sad in its own way. My curse and my prophecy was about to come true. Neither of us knew whether the next kiss, the next hug, the next dance could, or would, be our last.
When twilight came and the carnival was slowly closing down for the street dances held throughout the city, Edward walked me to where the horse was kept. As I was just about to climb on, he suddenly whirled me around and kissed me, hard. The kiss seemed to break all of the barriers he had meticulously set to keep me safe. His hands hungrily traced my face, fingering my hair, as if trying to memorize everything. My hands were in his hair, trying to bring him impossibly closer to me. When we both went up for a breath, he whispered my name. I faintly caught the desperation and desolation in his voice – as if he was afraid, as if he was unsure what would happen.
"I am going to be okay," I whispered, trying to comfort him. It did no good. His golden eyes were full of love though tremulous. He shook his head…once…twice…
"It is twilight," he said simply. "A time when the day ends and the night begins – a time when the dark and mysterious takes over the good and knowing. Are you afraid of it?"
"Everything has its own mystery. Darkness has its own beauty, doesn't it? The moon and stars – wonderful splashes of light that shines from the heavens, reminding us that everything has a good side," I replied, snuggling close to his chest.
Silent, he lifted me up on the horse before coming up behind me. The bright lights of the palace leading the way back home.
Home. The Palace. In all its sparkling delights, it could not dispel the feeling of doom and anxiety I had. My unwillingness to come back to it so soon made the quiet trip seem so much shorter. I remembered a saying I read somewhere: 'The future is uncertain'. How true that was! Even with Alice, our very local, very friendly vampire fortuneteller could not be certain of what fortunes will befall on this very joyous but melancholy day. Wow, I sound so pessimistic.
The stable boy was handed the reins as Edward and I made our way to the indoor celebrations in the castle. Mother and Father were grinning largely at Edward and me. The dancing and music stopped in mid-beat as we walked down the red carpet to the thrones on the other side of the ball room. The click of my not-so-tall heels and Edward's boots echoed throughout the hall, sounding very lonely.
After immeasurable time, I finally stepped onto the dais with Edward where my parents were waiting. I smiled at the captured audience and gave a small wobbly curtsy as Father started to speak.
"Friends and acquaintances of Italy: I welcome you all here on this enchanting day when my lovely daughter, Isabella – " I curtsied again " – turns sixteen summers old. In honor of this wondrous occasion, I present to my dearest Isabella her official Crown of the Heir and this statue named in her name." A door opened and in rolled a white-marble statue of a beautiful young maiden, surrounded with flowers. Her eyes looked skyward as if searching for some hidden meanings of life. In the multi-colored light of the ballroom, her lovely dress with intricately carved flowers shined and sparkled. "The flower-maiden: Mistress Isabella."
Following after the entrance of the statue, three noble officers arrived. The center one carried on a royal red pillow the Crown of the Heir – a crown made before the beginning of time from the finest and purest spider-silk gold and bestowed to the First Prince of Italy by the Faerie King himself. Despite the flickering lights from the candles, the crown shone with its own golden light. When I knelt before my father and he placed the crown within the circlet of flowers that adorned my hair, I suddenly felt light hearted and free. A faint glowing aura surrounded me for a moment, and in that moment, I felt as if everything was possible. When it faded, the crowd burst into applause that seemed to last forever.
At last, the musicians started the dance with a quick sarabonde. Father took my first dance of the evening – my first dance ever with my father. He led me well, though I was not as graceful as when I was dancing with Edward. Uncountable times I accidentally stepped on his feet, but Father, being the kind father he is, never winced nor acknowledged. The dance ended with a final swirl and bow. I wobbled much, but had somehow managed to save my dignity by not falling.
Edward asked for my next dance. In fact, he asked for every dance for the rest of the night. "May I be so bold as to reserve your person for my dancing pleasure this night?" he had asked with a twinkle in his eye. I only blushed and nudged him shyly in reply, to which he chuckled melodiously.
After much spirited dancing, Edward led me away from the room. I was very confused, and inquired many times of our destination. He seemed more nervous than usual, and his cold grip on my hand was very firm, as if he was afraid that I could escape and disappear any moment.
He led me through the decorated portion of the palace into an unused part – a portion that I have no memory of. The long, dark hallways and damp smell spoke of its disuse in the ages, and the sudden chill told me that we were walking a gentle slope. Finally, the way ended with a stone wall. Edward grinned at me in the dimness. Before I could comment on the dead end, he pushed on the stone and it revealed a room of sparkling wonders.
There were mirrors of all shapes and sizes as well as crystals shinning with an unearthly light. The mirrors each reflected the lights until it was very hard to find its source. The place was bright and beautiful, and although the memories of my other encounter with such a cave (for indeed it should be known as one), they did not dampen my pleasure. The ground was matted with scented moss and there was even a small stream gurgling its way through the room, adding its crystalline clear music to the scene.
"How –" I began.
"I found it on accident one evening. I deemed it a wondrous place and pleasant enough to not remind you of the cave of mirrors in my own country," he answered simply.
He led me onto a moss-covered rock protruding like a small dais in the middle of the 'room' and knelt on one knee.
My mind raced. He's not going to…do what I think he's going to do!
"Princess Isabella von Swan," he began. He seemed to swallow nervously as he took my hand in his and pulled from his pocket a small velvet box. Oh God! He is! I thought. His eyes bore into mine as he continued. "I have to thank you, first, for making the past year of my life the most beautiful and wondrous in my entire…existence. You have made me realize that all is not lost in the world and that there is a well-founded reason to continue to live. You have taught me how to enjoy myself and my existence as well as" he cleared his throat uneasily "love. I have come to realize that I have found my other half – a half that I never knew I silently craved for – and the fact that I could not live without it." He opened the small box, revealing a single beautiful ring – the rare pink-tainted gold ring set with two sapphire hearts embracing a bigger diamond. "Will you give me the greatest of happiness in agreeing to be my wife?"
I swayed on my feet as voices came flooding through my head – arguing voices:
"Marry him! You know you want to!" said my selfish side.
"But I can't! The curse shall take me away from him tonight. I can't bear him that much sorrow!" the other side interjected.
"He doesn't care! He knows your state, and he still proposed! You love him, say yes!"
"Reject it. You do not deserve him. You'd only leave him grieving should you accept right now." (A/N: darn...this sounds like Ella Enchanted again...)
Back and forth the voices argued as I continued to sway. Tears slid down my cheeks as I struggled to keep quiet about my inner turmoil. My other side won. As more tears poured from my eyes, I dropped to my knees in front of him. I looked into his eyes, which were full of confusion.
"I can't. I want to, but I can't. You know very well that I will die today, and I cannot bear it if…I left you in such a…"
"I don't care. I don't care if it's only for an hour or for a day. I love you…and I my life would have no more reason to continue…" his voice hitched "should the unthinkable occurs. Marry me, please," he breathed.
He hugged me close to his chest. I felt so safe there, so protected and sweet. Yet, for once, I had nothing to say. I only silently nodded my consent and a quietly mumbled 'yes'.
He immediately stilled. "Did I hear concurrence?"
I looked at him in the eye, tears still trailing down my cheeks, but I smiled at him. At once his face brightened, and he stood up, twirling me around the room, laughing throughout. I laughed with him, joy and delight pulsing through my body. He kissed me – a sweet lingering kiss that made me want to beg for more – before slipping the beautiful ring on left hand ring finger. It fit perfectly, shining in the light of the room. This moment of happiness blossomed in both our memories amidst all the frightening ones like a candle in the dark or a single star shining brightly in the sky.
We had no idea how long we stayed in that wonderfully bright room. We just sat there, bathing in each other's company and enjoying the scents, sounds, and feelings flying about the room. If I did not know better, I would say that we were in a faerie safe-haven, though we were not.
Immeasurable time passed when Edward informed me that the celebrations were still continuing and that many people were starting to notice the absence of the Princess. Reluctantly, I led the way back through the damp corridors and brightly lit hallways to the grand ballroom.
I was leading the way into the last arch before the turn to the ballroom when Edward completely stilled. His eyes glazed over, and his expression grew from one of shock to one of horror. Quickly he tried to drag another direction, yelling at me to run. We were too late.
As soon as we turned, Victoria appeared from a tall column of purple smoke that had me nearly choking. She cackled vehemently – a laugh that made the hairs on my neck stand up straight. She was no longer the grief-stricken Victoria we had seen on our way back. A determined faerie set on revenge had taken over her. "My dear little princess," she snarled, her voice full of venom, "how beautiful you are with your crown shining upon your head." I felt Edward's hands tighten around mine. "I recall that today is your sixteenth birthday. Let me congratulate you on reaching such a wondrous age." Edward growled. The faerie merely glanced at Edward. "It is so relaxing to feel very helpless is it not?" (A/N: I had trouble trying to get this through, so I'm going to tell it outright: Victoria kind of 'froze' Edward so he could not move, but it does not dull his senses so he knows what is going on and stuff.)
She stepped forward; a long thin finger reached out and touched me, trailing down my cheek. I flinched at her touch. Beside me, Edward growled, the sound vibrating through both of us. When she withdrew, I smelled, rather than felt, the blood that seeped through the trail her finger had made. Struggling to keep conscious, I gripped Edward's hand tightly.
Victoria laughed again as I tried to feverishly distract myself from the rusty and salty blood that was beginning to soak into my collar. "Do not worry about the curse, dear. I shall take every care to make sure you last as long as possible." I thought she was finished, but her finishing words chilled me to the bone: "With your dearest Edward watching you suffer!"
I briefly wondered what she had planned and where the others were when ominous purple clouds started to swirl around me. The clouds made the smell of blood stronger. As everything started to black out, the last thing I saw was Edward suddenly breaking into uncontrollable shudders. The last thing I heard was his voice shouting my name. The last thing I felt was his hand trying to pull me close, yet loosing the battle. Then, I was in a blessed yet anxious blackness.
So yes, I said I would have an excuse for the kinda bad ending: I was reading Darcy's Story by Jane Alymer (which is kind of like a fanfic to Pride and Prejudice that is actually published and everything...and I was at the part where Miss Elizabeth was rejecting Darcy's proposal the first time and it made me all kind of depressed and everything (sorry for the spoiler, if you haven't read the book) because Darcy was so sad and depressed (I'm an emotional reader).
But anyways, I have decided to change my epilogue into an actual chapter, because currently, it certainly does not feel like an epilogue, but rather a real ending. Therefore, I have only two more chapters to post (and no epilogue unless I suddenly have an urge to write something else). That's my news for the day ;). Please be very kind and drop a review. I like to hear from everyone!
--Cathy
P.S. I got the chance to update the picture to Bella's engagement ring as well as her hair style for this and last chapter. To view it, go to my profile and click on Pictures for Sleeping Beauty; and then scroll to the bottom for the newest pictures.