C25 Punching Bag

"Jacob sir. These tracks are fresh. I would say the Princess and her rebel companions rode this way this very morning." The man stood, wiping the earth off his fingers. Jacob smiled. At the rate he and his men rode, they would catch up with them by late afternoon.

"Are thou certain those tracks belong to the Princess and her companions?" He asked. The man, Rufus, shrugged his shoulders.

"There are four, including one pony, and they be travelling in a similar directions as the others we followed, yet I cannot be sure. We did lose them yesterday." He said. They had no choice but to continue to follow them, and hope that they were still following the right people. He mounted up, leading the eight men westwards.

It was barely dawn when Isabella woke. They packed up quickly and set off. She had a very uneasy feeling, and though she tried to shake it off, it grew steadily stronger. Around noon they stopped to eat, but Isabella wouldn't let them rest long. She looked at Jasper, knowing he was unused to hard riding, and that he was in pain, but he never complained. Instead he gave her a wry grin as he turned to look at her. By late afternoon Isabella definitely knew something was wrong. Someone was following them, and they were closing in.

"Ty." She called, and the wolf loped over, walking obediently beside her horse. Isabella looked at her.

'Ty, thou must go back the way we came. Men and horses are following us. I need to know where, and how many.'

Jasper looked surprised at the strange growls coming from Isabella's throat. Ty appeared to answer her before turning and running silently back the way they had come. They continued at their quick pace, Isabella hoping they could find somewhere to hide, before their follower's caught up.

It was growing dark and Isabella was beginning to worry about Ty. As clever as the wolf was, she was no match for a well aimed arrow, or crossbow bolt. She took her crossbow from its place, hanging from her saddle, and strung it, fitting a crossbow bolt into place. Jasper pulled his horse up beside her.

"Bells, it's getting dark, shouldn't we stop soon?" He asked. Isabella shook her head.

"Nay, we dare not. Someone is following us, and they are close." She said. Suddenly there was a ferocious yelling and eight men, dressed in royal armour, their faces masked, rode into view, their weapons raised. Isabella wheeled Seth around

"Quickly, get off thy horse and hide Jasper." She yelled, leaping off Seth, and slapping his rump, sending him running into the forest. Jasper did the same

"Bells, I want to fight." He said.

"Nay, we cannot risk thee getting killed." She yelled. Edward ran up to Jasper, handing him a spare sword.

"If he does not fight, he'll die." Edward exclaimed. Before Isabella could answer, the men were upon them. She shot off her crossbow, rewarded with an agonised cry as it buried itself in a man's thigh. She dropped it and grabbed a long slender branch from the forest floor, and swung it at the first rider. The horse screamed in fear, and reared up, sending the rider crashing heavily to the ground. Before he could rise she unsheathed her sword and drove it through his armour and into his chest. She pulled it out quickly, wheeling around to face another rider. Jasper's senses reeled as he gripped the sword with both hands.

"Try not to injure the horses." Isabella cried, pulling her sword free from another corpse. Jasper tried to answer back, but his nostrils were filled with the scent of blood and his attentions were focused on the armoured man before him. He swung the sword wildly, and froze in horror as the blade bit deeply into the exposed area of the man's neck. The rider gurgled in pain, and Jasper nearly gagged at the sight and smell of the blood pouring from the wound. He pulled the sword free, shaking. The man's body crumpled to the ground.

Isabella looked around. There was a tall masked man on a large bay horse. By the looks and actions of him, he appeared to be the leader. She ran towards him and grabbed him, pulling him ungracefully off his horse.

"Bitch." He ground out, swinging his sword at her. Isabella avoided his blade, planting her heel into his belly. He grunted, bending over slightly. She spun, kicking him in the side of the head. He fell, but as Isabella approached him, he used both his legs to kick her in the stomach. She flew backwards, sliding down a small hill. She was quickly on her feet again as the masked man went in for the kill. Their swords clashed briefly before Isabella sent the flat of her blade crashing into his wrist.

He yelped slightly, before switching to his other hand. Isabella grinned insanely, kicking the sword out of his hand. She thrust forward with her sword, slicing a long thin gash across his torso. The man swung his arm out, catching her in the face with the back of his hand. With his thick leather gloves, studded with steel, it felt like he had shattered her cheekbone. She dropped her sword, as stars burst before her eyes. A booted foot caught her square in the chest, knocking the wind out of her. She fell, and the man unsheathed his dagger, but as he tried to pin her to the ground, she avoided the grip, getting to her feet. She unsheathed her own dagger, still grinning.

The man lunged at her, but he was far too slow. She dodged around him, kicking him in the back. He nearly fell but he regained his balance, turning in time to catch another kick, this time in the chest. He fell back against a tree, and Isabella was right there, her dagger pressing against his throat. Before she could deal her blow again the gauntlet clad fist ploughed into the side of her head. She fell, and the man pinned her too the ground, his dagger at her throat, her arms pinioned.

"I win, wench." He ground out. Isabella grinned, sending her knee crashing into his unprotected groin. He groaned in agony and Isabella flipped them over, pinning him to the ground, his arms pinioned her dagger at his throat.

"I win." She said, punching the man in the face, smashing part of the mask. She then roughly ripped the remnants of the mask off. She raised her dagger to thrust it into his chest when she froze.

"Those eyes." She whispered. Suddenly an image came to her. A small dark-haired girl tearing around the castle grounds with a skinny boy, with a dirty face, jet black hair, and the darkest brown eyes she had ever seen close beside her. Isabella gasped and scrambled off him, backing away until a tree barred her escape.

"Jacob," she whispered "Jacob Black, be that thee?" He looked at her for a moment before recognition lit up his face.

"I, Isabella, I found thee." He stood up and walked towards her, but she halted him in his tracks, her dagger aimed at his chest, her eyes filled with distrust and hurt.

"How, how could thee?" she asked. "Thy father was my mother's Captain of the Guard, and one of her most trusted companions. Thou were like a brother to me. How could thee betray thy father, and my mother, who thought of thee as a son, to fight on the side of their murderer?" Jacob shook his head.

"Nay, Isabella, thou dost not understand." He said. She raised her eyebrows.

"Nay I do not. I do not understand how my dearest friend became my enemy." She said. Jacob shook his head again.

"I am not thy enemy. And I do not fight for Victoria. Please, hear my story?" He asked. Isabella nodded stiffly, her dagger not wavering.

"Speak." She said. "Fast." Jacob nodded.

"I was in the courtyard the night Victoria murdered thy mother. I witnessed everything." He said. Isabella nodded slowly.

"As did I." She said. Jacob looked surprised.

"Thou saw thy own mother's murder?" he asked. She nodded slowly. "I was hidden under the upturned cart, and I could not leave my hiding place. I saw the guards give chase, when thee escaped, and I saw what took place after. Victoria made all thy mother's men swear fealty to her, or die. Most of the elder soldiers, my father's companions, refused. Many of the younger men, not wishing to die, swore fealty. My father made a young man, who would rather have died than swear loyalty to Victoria, promise that he would swear fealty, and take care of me. When my father refused to swear, Victoria had her men beat him until he did."

"I cannot believe thy father would ever swear loyalty to Victoria." Isabella said quietly. Jacob nodded.

"He did not. So they killed him. The young man, whose life my father saved, took care of me until he was killed several winters ago." He said.

"So why are thou still in her army?" She asked.

"Thou could not forget Eleazar, could thee?" He asked. Isabella shook her head.

"Never, I remember stealing oat cakes from him for the horses." She said. Jacob smiled at the memory.

"He was one of the few servants who couldn't escape, and was not killed. We have information for thee." He said.

"So thou are prepared to spy on Victoria for the rebels?" Isabella asked. Jacob nodded.

"I could never betray my best friend. Thou are like my sister." He said. Isabella smiled, sheathing her dagger.

"Always have I thought of thee as brother." She said, walking towards him. He pulled her into his arms.

"It has been so long. I thought for sure thou was dead." She said. Jacob held her tight, as though afraid she would disappear.

"I cannot believe how attractive thou have grown." Jacob said. "Thou was so ungainly when I last saw thee." Isabella grinned. She was going to ask what information he had for her when she saw his face, pale and drawn with pain.

"Come back to the camp, I shall tend thy injuries. If I had known it was thee I would not have injured thee so grievously." She said, now guilty.

They made their way back to camp, Jacob's arm around Isabella's shoulder. Just before they reached the camp, Isabella's sharp ears heard the sound of retching. She walked towards it, and found Jasper, emptying his stomach in some bushes. She put her arm around him, pushing his honey blonde hair off his face. He jerked upright, embarrassed at being caught.

"It be alright," she said softly. "Taking a life be never easy." Jasper looked at her, his face white.

"How old were you?" he asked.

"I was nine years old." She said softly, "and like thee, I was fighting for my life." Jasper's face went even paler, and then he spotted Jacob. Immediately he went to stand in front of Isabella.

"I thought you were supposed to kill them, not keep them." He said sarcastically.

"Jasper, this be Jacob. He be an ally of ours. We were best friends when we were children. We grew up in Baliee together." Isabella explained. Jasper simply turned and retched again. She helped him back to camp. He was trembling and she knew he was in shock. Despite her continued attempts to deny having any feelings for Jasper, her heart ached for what she knew he must be going through. Taking another life is never easy, even in the defence of yourself and others. Emmett had started a fire and Edward had taken care of the horses, and was holding his sword against the throat of the remaining soldier.

"Nay, do not kill him." Jacob said, stepping forward. "Please. He be just a child, and he dost not want to fight for Victoria, he only wishes to return to his family." Edward looked up, scowling slightly as he saw Isabella helping Jasper, but grinning broadly when he saw Jacob.

"Jacob Black." He exclaimed, sheathing his sword, and clasping Jacob' forearm "How are thou?"

"In pain." Jacob replied ruefully. "I had no idea a woman could fight like that." Isabella looked up from where she was tending to Jasper.

"Thou gave as good as thee got." She said, and she was right. The left side of her face was a mass of cuts and bruising, with several places oozing blood. There were several shallow gashes on her right arm, and one on her neck. The bruises on her ribs had been fading, but now were swelling up again, aching whenever she breathed. Jacob looked down guiltily.

"I am sorry Bells, but I had no idea it was thee. We were trailing thy company, but thought thou was days away." Isabella shrugged it off.

"So, how do the two of thee know each other?" She asked.

Edward grinned. "Aye, when Victoria's men burnt my village, they locked the townspeople inside their homes. Jacob rescued most of the townspeople, including my family." Isabella smiled.

"We grew up in Baliee together. I have not seen him in ten years. He was like my brother." She said. Edward laughed.

"I hope then that thou dost not think of me as a brother. Thou beat him pretty badly." Jacob nodded. Isabella, ignoring her own injuries, turned her attentions back to Jasper. He was trembling violently.

"Sit down Jasper. Are thou injured?" She asked. Jasper was in too much shock to argue.

"Him, injured." Edward said. "They could not even touch him. He killed two men." Isabella's jaw dropped.

"Thou killed two men?" She asked Jasper. He nodded numbly, the faces of the men he killed in front of him. Emmett and Edward had already dragged the bodies far away. She rummaged through her pouch and pulled out a smaller pouch. Isabella poured a beaker of water, and sprinkled some of the powder in the pouch into it. She stirred the water by passing her hand over it then helped Jasper sit up.

"Drink." He drank it and sat, staring into space the trembling slowly stopping. "Thou shall be alright." She said softly, her hand resting on his shoulder. Isabella inquired about the boy Jacob saved.

"Who be this boy Jacob?" She asked. "Why be he fighting under Victoria's banner, is thou says he wishes only to return home?" Paul lent forward, his fear plain on his pale features.

"My name be Paul. Please, do not kill me. The only reason I am in Her Ladyship's army is because I was in Glairbaston the day that her soldiers were rounding up, volunteers. If thou did not agree to join they beat thee to death." He said.

"Where be thy family?" Isabella asked.

"Near Nothvolk." He said. Isabella looked confused.

"That be nowhere near Glairbaston." She said. Paul nodded sadly. "I know. My father wished for me to tend to the farm, yet I wanted to see all of Forks. I ran away to seek my fortune, and when I reached Glairbaston, I was forced to join Her Ladyships army." He said.

"Thou are in a rebel camp boy." Edward said. "Do not call Victoria Her Ladyship. Isabella be the true Empress." Paul nodded.

"My father said so too. Please, Thy Majesty, I wish only to see my family again." Isabella looked uncomfortable.

"There is no need for formality. I understand thy family be important to thee. Do thou know how to find thy home from here?" She asked. Paul nodded.

"Aye, My Lady." He said. Isabella smiled. The boy was barely sixteen years old he did not belong in a war.

"On the morrow, take thy horse and return to thy family. It shall be harvesting soon, thy father will need thy help." She said. Paul grinned.

"Indeed he will. Yet what about Her, I mean Victoria. Deserters from her army are tracked down and killed." He said.

"They shall think thou are already dead, like the rest of our companions." Jacob said. Emmett began handing around bowls of the stew he was cooking. Isabella looked around her. She gave a short, sharp whistle. Ty suddenly loped out of the shrubs, her pink tongue lolling around her mouth. Beside her ran Colin.

"Ty." Isabella cried, throwing her arms around the wolf's neck. "I was worried for thee." She said.

"Do not worry. She just wished to see her brother." Jacob said. He ran his hand down the black and silver wolf's coat. Isabella's eyes widened.

"Colin?" She said. Jacob nodded. The huge male wolf sniffed her hand, before settling down beside her. "I cannot believe thou still have Colin." She said, a soft rumble sounding in her throat, which Colin returned.

"Thou still have Ty." He said. Isabella nodded.

"Aye, she be a true friend." She said.

"No more than I." A loud voice said. Jacob laughed.

"Mason. Isabella I cannot believe thou have not grown sick of that talking cat yet." He joked.

"I have been close." She said back. Jacob rubbed Mason's ears.

"How are thou, Mason?" He asked.

Mason purred, "I am well my boy, which is more than I can say for any of thee. Isabella are thou planning on tending their injuries at all?" He said.

She nodded, opening her saddlebag. "Do thou wish me to heal thee or merely treat thy injuries?"

"It would be too suspicious for me to return to the castle uninjured. Just strap my wrist and staunch the wounds on my ribs." Jacob said, holding the bowl with his good hand. Isabella deftly strapped up his wrist, praising the Gods that it wasn't broken. She wrapped the linen bandages around his ribs before giving him a large draught of wine with healing herbs in it. Whilst they ate, Isabella attempted to clean her own injuries. After watching her struggle for a few minutes, Edward came and sat next to her.

"Let me." He said. "Eric taught me as well as he taught thee." With gentle hands he cleaned the blood from her face and neck. Then he placed his hands over her face, and concentrated on her. When he moved his hands the cuts to her neck and face were gone, and only slight bruises remained. Then he placed his hands under her shirt on her bruised ribs. His hands were warm on her skin, and her ribs tingled as he began to heal her.

"Better?" he asked quietly, his eyes never leaving her face. She nodded slowly, and when he removed his hands she put her jerkin back on.

"Now thou need to sit still so I can tend to thy injuries." She said. Emmett had fortunately come out unscathed, but Edward had not been as lucky. The men he had fought had also punched out with their gauntlets, leaving cuts and welts on his handsome face. Aside from that he had a fairly deep cut on his upper arm. She placed her hands over his face and concentrated. After the cuts on his face had been healed she turned to the cut on his arm. She sucked her breath in when she saw the extent of the damage.

"Thou always are so clumsy." She joked. Edward grinned, squeezing her knee. He knew she joked to cover how much it affected her when friends were injured. She placed her hands on the wound and when she removed them the gash was just a red ream.

They ate in relative silence Isabella kept catching herself gazing worriedly at Jasper. He lay asleep still and pale, every so often giving a tiny sigh that raised her sympathies. She turned to Jacob, feeling guilty once again when she saw the pain barely concealed on his handsome face.

"I am so sorry my friend." She said. "If I had known it was thee I would not have injured thee."

Jacob grinned. "It was not thy fault. I was masked and I did not recognise thee, and I did injure thee, just as badly." He said.

"Although, Edward did an excellent job patching thee up, who knew he had such talents." His gaze at Edward was curious. Isabella smiled at Edward, grateful.

"So what information have thou for us?" She asked. Jacob' grin faded, leaving his face pale and serious.

"Victoria has lived in Baliee for near on ten years, yet she knows naught of the passages that run within the walls. Do thou remember them?" He asked. Isabella smiled, remembering the adventures they had in those passages when they were children.

"Eleazar remembers them, he uses them to spy upon Victoria. The news is not good. Victoria discovered how to reach the cave where the Dark One had been imprisoned." He said. Isabella's face went pale.

"The Dark Goddess Jane, she is meant to have died." Mason said. Isabella nodded.

"Aye, but she be a Goddess. They have a habit of returning. Why Jane?" She asked. Jacob looked grim.

"I know not. Yet Victoria found a way not only to contact her, but also to release her. She has asked for her aid in the fight against thee. The Dark One wishes for vengeance against the Pantheon for imprisoning her, and the sorceress responsible for the defeat and death of her sons. She has given Victoria immortality and great power." Jacob explained.

"That was why she was so strong." Isabella muttered to herself. Jacob looked confused, "Thou has come up against Victoria?"

Isabella nodded, glancing at Jasper. "She ambushed us on Earth. She was so strong, I knew she was receiving aid from someone of great power, but never did I think we would be fighting a God."

"The Quileute have decreed that the Gods are forbidden to interfere in the outer realms." Emmett said.

"Since Jane wishes to overthrow the Pantheon, and take Dayna's place at their head. I do not think she cares about their decree." Jacob said.

"So what's the story with this Jane chick?" Jasper said quietly. Isabella looked over at him. He was sitting up, his face pale, his cloak around his shoulders.

"On Earth she was known as Jane. She be a little known figure from the mythology of a old country on Earth. She was the Goddess of Dark Magic. Her sons were as evil as she. Dub, Dother and Dian, darkness, evil and violence. For years they ravaged the island nation of Eriu on Earth. Jas, thou would know it as Ireland.

"Jane would often salt the earth so that naught could grow there. The Pantheon fought against them to no avail. Finally a half-human sorceress by the name of Bechuille was able to undo Jane's curses, and help the Pantheon to defeat her and her sons. They were destroyed and Jane put in chains. Her myth says that she died of grief. Yet she did not. The Pantheon imprisoned her in cave hidden in the mists between Earth and Olympia. I do not understand how Victoria was able to contact her, yet she must have been able to free her." Jasper watched Isabella, amazed at the depth of knowledge she possessed.

"Eleazar said that the sorceress was one of your ancestors. Dost thou know anything of that?" Jacob asked. Isabella nodded.

"Aye. After Jane was defeated Bechuille came to Olympia. If Jane was ever freed the Pantheon knew she would come here, and Bechuille's descendants would have her power to defeat her again. The people of Forks named her Marie, and she was chosen by the Pantheon to be this country's first Empress. She is my ancestor."

"Victoria shares that ancestor. Why then would Jane wish to help her?" Edward said.

"Jane wishes to avenge the deaths her sons, and her own imprisonment. If she aids Victoria in killing me, she can assume control here. Victoria can claim the throne, and no one can challenge her. It would be far easier than killing us both and inciting civil war." Isabella said. Jasper involuntarily clenched his fist he hated the way she spoke so casually about her own death.

"So now we have to fight Victoria, who be now immortal and dangerously unbalanced, but we also have to take on a Goddess." Edward said.

Isabella shook her head. "Nay, I have to fight them."

"Do thou think thou can?" Jacob asked. Isabella shrugged.

"My ancestor have defeated Jane once. I shall do it again." The coming war seemed to have taken a dark turn. Mason tried to lighten her mood.

"She be one of the lesser gods, she has not the power to defeat the La Push." He said. Isabella nodded, her face grim. She looked over at Jasper. He was asleep again, the herbs Isabella had mixed for him earlier taking effect, his hand was still clenched in a fist.

Isabella plastered a fake smile on her face, "Thou should all get some sleep. We all have a long day of riding tomorrow. I hate to ask thee to put thyself in danger, but will thou continue to spy for us my friend?" She asked Jacob. He gave her a sunny smile.

"Thou have no need to ask me. Of course, thou have my word." He said.

"Thankyea." She said. "Now all of thee rest. I shall take the first watch." Edward began to argue but she silenced him with a raised hand. "

Nay, I will hear no arguments. I shall wake thee for the second watch. If he wakes during the night, wake me." She said, gesturing to Jasper. Edward nodded reluctantly, before rolling into his bedroll. Emmett and Paul did the same, and the three of them fell asleep quickly, their soldier instincts telling them to sleep whilst they can.

Jacob stayed awake a while longer, studying his old friend. She was still the same, half-wild, serious, intelligent girl he remembered, but she had grown into a mature, beautiful woman, fearsome in battle, but with a gentle caring side to her. She stretched, groaning slightly. It had been a while since she had been in a battle against someone of Jacob' skill.

"Where did thou learn to fight the way thou dost? I would say thou are half-berserker." Jacob asked.

Isabella grinned, "I have had many teachers, including thy father." Jacob smiled at the memory of his father. She looked up at him, smiling softly. She looked over the others who were sleeping peacefully. Her gaze fell on Edward.

"He cares deeply for thee." Jacob said softly.

"He be my closest friend, I care deeply for him too." She said. Jacob nodded.

"It be more than that Bells. Edward cares for thee the way a man cares for a woman." Jacob was certain she blushed slightly.

"Nay, Edward and I are the closest of friends, but he could never see me that way." She said. Jacob could tell Edward's feelings ran deeper than that, but he said nothing, kissing her forehead before rolling himself up in his bedroll.

"Goodnight, little Princess." He said. She grinned, draping her cloak around her shoulders.

"Goodnight, little warrior." Isabella replied, remembering him when they used to run after his great father, waving wooden swords and dreaming of being warriors. He chuckled, sharing the memory, before drifting quickly off to sleep. Isabella sat silent, staring into the fire. Jasper moaned once, before he sat up, his eyes wild, his face flushed. Isabella quickly put a hand on his arm.

"Hush, thou are alright." She said. He shook his head slowly.

"No, no. It's not alright. I killed two men." He said, barely believing it himself. Isabella smoothed his honey blond hair off his brow.

"I know. It be alright." She said, but again he shook his head.

"No, Bells, I killed them. I could smell their blood, and I saw the looks in their eyes as I, Oh God." He moaned, holding his head in his hands. Isabella slid an arm around his shoulders.

"Do not weep for them Jas, they would have shed no tears for any of us. They would have been glad to run thee through. Thou hate to kill as much as I do, but I shall kill to save thy life, and the lives of my friends." She said gently. Jasper wrapped his arms around her.

"I know they would have killed us, but..." He started to speak. Isabella smoothed the hair off his forehead again, and handed him a skin of water, a bowl of stew and a roll.

"Try to eat." She said. He nodded and took the water. He began mechanically eating the food, though his empty stomach rebelled at it. She smiled softly.

"Did you honestly kill a man when you were nine?" he asked, the food making him feel a little better. She nodded sadly, remembering that night.

"Bells, could you tell me happened?" He asked. She shook her head. "Please?" He asked. She gazed off into the dark forest, the events of that night unfolding before her eyes.

"After my mother was killed, I escaped the castle. Victoria heard my horse and sent her riders to hunt me down." Her voice broke a little as she remembered the harrowing ride through the ruined city.

"I made it through the city portcullis before they closed on five of the riders." She paused for a shaky breath. "One man made it through behind me. When he tried to grab me, I took my father's dagger and swung. It caught him in the throat. He died almost before he realised." She drew her father's dagger, the blade glinting in the firelight. She looked at it for a moment before sheathing it again. Jasper looked at her, her eyes sad.

"You were just a child." He said. "I'm sorry Bells."

She smiled, running her hand down his arm, "Sleep." Jasper nodded, lying back down. "Goodnight." He smiled, and drifted back to sleep. Isabella shook Edward awake, for his watch. He saw the haunted look in her eyes and gripped her shoulder.

"Are thou alright?" He asked. She nodded, dragging open her bed roll, and rolled up her cloak under her head, a lone tear fell from her eye while she stared into the fire until she slept.