(A/N: I received more reviews for the bonus chapter than any other chapter in this whole story. I'm so glad you guys all enjoyed it, even though some of you still hate Jacob, and some of you said you hated him even more, which I wasn't expecting at all, but some of you like him now. Thank you all my wonderful readers. I'm so very, very blessed!)
Disclaimer:
Edward: Well Capella, who's it going to be? Me, or Jasper?
Jasper: Crosses his arms.
Capella: Uhhh…
Emmett: (is wearing tiny spectacles to look more book club official, which really just look ridiculous on his absurdly large face) Excuse me, but Capella and I were having an in-depth discussion on our latest book from our book club, and were not quite finished when you so rudely interrupted.
Edward: (shocked)
Jasper: (double shocked, but more because Emmett's in a book club)
Me: (relieved, turns to Emmett)
Emmett: Right, now where were we? Oh right, Prince Jacob, friend or foe?
Me: Well, he's not exactly a foe, but…
Emmett: (interrupts) Oh come on! He's the villain!
Me: He's not a bad guy. He's just a little misunderstood.
Emmett: Misunderstood? What I understand is he is the very core of what is trying to tare Bella and Edward apart, and Edward and Bella belong together!
Me: Well sure, but Bella's trying desperately not to be selfish here.
Emmett: She's spitting in the face of love!
Me: She's trying to save the life of her love!
Emmett: Like that matters. Everyone in your story dies anyway. Speaking of, have you decided if this story's going to have a happy or tragic ending?
Me: I have.
Emmett: And???
Me: You'll just have to wait and see like everyone else.
Emmett: Oh come on, that's not…
Jasper: Okay here's the thing Edward, we need some equal footing before she votes on who she likes better.
Emmett and Me: (turn to the pair, annoyed at the interruption of their discussion, especially Emmett, who takes off his tiny spectacles and clears his throat, he is ignored)
Edward: What are you trying to say?
Jasper: That you've spent more time with Capella. She knows you and I'm afraid she'll chose you just out of loyalty, even if she really feels she likes me best, which she does.
Edward: Absurd.
Jasper: No, I think it's fair.
Edward: (reads Jasper's mind) NO!
Jasper: (doesn't give Edward time to react, scoops Capella up in his arms, and carries her off to experience a date of their own)
Emmett: (looks around to see his book club partner gone) Well that's just… perfect. Now what?
Edward: (jaw drops, he is speechless)
Emmett: Wow, Edward is speechless. That's a first. I guess I have to do the thing. (clears throat) Ahem… Capella doesn't own Twilight, and King Jacob is so the villain in the story.
Chapter 26- The King and I
The sun shown down as I lay with the sand at my back, my eyes closed, my skin soaking up the warmth. I could hear the waves crashing gently in the distance like a gentle giant breathing in and out… in and out… shhhhhh…
A light breeze blew a strand of my hair across my face, and soft fingers, light as a feather brushed in a soothing stroke, the lock away. I smiled at the tingling where his caress had landed, even warmer than the sun.
"Hi," I said quietly, opening my eyes, desperate to see my love.
His sea green eyes smiled down at me as his beautiful face hovered just above.
"Hi," he returned, his lips pulling up at the corners in a smile that was reserved only for me. He ran his fingers lightly down my cheek, though the hair was no longer resting there. They moved down to my neck and then back up again to my face. "The ship will be here soon."
"Where will it take us?" I asked, closing my eyes so I could dream as he told me the story again. I'd asked him to repeat it over and over, but he never grew tired.
"Anywhere, everywhere. Someplace far away from here, where they can't touch us anymore."
"To freedom," I breathed, the picture of a far away land already forming in my mind.
"Across the ocean and beyond the horizon. Where the sky is filled with the light of the moon, and the stars dance around us in a fantastic display of beauty and love."
"What else?" I asked, smiling in anticipation even though I knew the words that would follow.
"The mountains and the trees of the field sing lullabies into the night, and in the day the wind carries you like a mother her child."
"And nothing can touch us there."
"No," he answered assuringly, and ran his fingers through my hair. "Nothing can touch us there."
"Hmmm…" I breathed, and opened my eyes again to meet his gaze.
He was waiting for me, and as soon as I found those deep green orbs, I was already in that far away land where he and I could be together forever, and nothing and no one, not fate, not man, could threaten to pull us apart. Lost in his eyes, I was already in our paradise, and it was he and I, I and him and the light all around us, together, always.
He moved his hand from my hair to cup my cheek. I knew it was coming before it did, and I smiled in anticipation.
He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. Gently at first, like the beginning of a lullaby. He held himself there as I drank him in, intoxicated by the simple touch. The overpowering sense of his nearness drove my passion as I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer. He responded eagerly as his lips moved more passionately against my own.
The waves on the shore grew louder and more fierce as if it were desperately trying to reach us and pull us in, but we were untouchable.
"Look," he said excitedly pulling away.
I frowned at the separation, but upon seeing the elation in his eyes, I had to turn and find whatever it was that could make my lover so happy.
The sight fueled my own joy. There before our very eyes was our ship, waiting like a beacon in the night to take us away. To take us home.
"It's here!" I exclaimed, gently hitting his shoulder in excitement.
Neither of us could take our eyes off the ship for a moment. It represented everything we'd been desperately wishing for. Freedom. It drew us in like a moth to a light.
"It's time," he whispered turning his attention back to me.
I pulled him closer into an embrace, needing just one more moment to drink him in, fighting against the heart inside me that was screaming for me to run to the ship as fast as my legs could carry me.
He chuckled in my ear, pulling back just a little to meet my gaze. He gave me that smile again, the one that was only meant for me, and then leaned down to once more press a gentle kiss against my ready lips. He pulled back before I could go any further.
He chuckled at me again, knowing my wishes. "Come my love. There will be plenty of time for that when we arrive."
I allowed him to take my hand and pull me up. We both took a moment to wipe the sand off our clothing, and then he reached out and gripped my hand firmly in his own.
"Come," he said again, and I obliged, never taking my eyes off him as I followed.
He led me confidently towards the ship that would carry us away, away from the cruel world fate had placed us in. We'd be going somewhere kind. Somewhere beautiful. I could almost taste it. Just a few more steps.
My lover's hand went limp in mine, and I frowned. Why would he try to let go? I squeezed harder not allowing any release, but his fingers did not respond as mine did.
I walked around to his front so I could see his face, to ask him why he was trying to let me go, but what I found silenced my questions and I squeezed my hand tighter around his.
His eyes were wide and dark, his mouth hung open in fear. He was looking at me, but he was looking through me. I shook his hand trying to get his attention.
"What? What is it my love? Tell me."
He didn't answer. He didn't even move his eyes, but I could see the emotion inside them. He was afraid. He was in pain.
"What? Please, tell me."
His eyes grew dark… darker and darker until I could no longer find even a trace of the color of the sea inside them.
Fear began to strangle me and I could no longer speak or breathe, so I shook his hand again, but he still did not respond.
When I saw that my love was not breathing, I released his hand and grabbed his face. I stood there until finally, his darkened eyes saw me.
A tear fell down my cheek, and then, like a shadow consumed by total darkness, my love disappeared, and in the distance where my eyes were focused, I saw him.
He stood before me, malice in his eyes, his shoulders heaving up and down as he breathed in and out his anger.
In his hand was a dagger covered in blood, and I knew from whose body it belonged.
I looked around me, panic settling in, but all I could find was my ship, my passage to freedom, sailing away without me, and without my love.
I looked back to the blood stained dagger in my enemy's hands, and screamed.
"Edward!"
I shot up from my bed, continuing the scream from the dream.
"Edward!"
I breathed in and out heavily as I slowly started gaining consciousness of where I was, what was truth and what was not.
"Bella?" came a soft and concerned voice.
I turned to the sound and found my cousin who had climbed onto my bed and was waiting for my explanation.
"It was just a dream," I said taking in deep breaths trying to calm down.
"What was it?" she asked grabbing my hand for comfort.
I was about to answer when something dawned on me. I looked off into the distance recalling the events of the night before. Seth had been here. Seth had taken me to see Edward. Seth, once again had tried to convince me to leave Edward and marry the prince.
"Angela, I know who did it."
"Did what?" she asked, her face scrunching in confusion.
"I know who told Jacob I was meeting Edward."
Her eyes grew wide. "Who?"
"It was Seth."
"What?"
"Seth. It had to be." I narrowed my eyes in irritation at the betrayal. "It makes perfect sense. He's even more passionate about me marrying the prince than my father was. He knows everything. He always seems to be everywhere all the time. He always knows what's going on, almost as if he knows what will happen before it does.
"He could have seen you take the note to Edward. He might even be watching us now. He knows his way around Weidinhun, and the secret passages in this castle."
Angela shook her head back and forth. "I don't understand. How would he know all that?"
"Because he was Jacob's body guard before he was mine."
"What? How do you know this?"
"He was here last night. He took me to see Edward."
Shock spread across her face. "Oh Bella. How is he?"
I dropped my gaze to the bed and covered my eyes with my hand. "They whipped him, and then they put him in the deepest cell in the castle, underground."
Silence filled the room, and I searched for my determination to free Edward to feed me strength.
"I was still going to marry the prince. I'd made my decision. Was it all for nothing? I did it to save him and yet Seth's betrayal has ruined Edward's life, unless I can find a way to free him." I looked back up at my cousin. "I have to free him."
She smiled and patted my knee. "You'll find a way. If anyone can, you can."
I smiled gratefully at her. "Thank you." I looked around for a minute, the pain of the dream fading away. "What are you doing here?"
She smiled chipper grin at me. "Jacob came to see me this morning. He felt bad about you being cooped up here, so he asked me to come have breakfast with you."
I stared at her confused.
"What?" she asked.
"I… I don't know. It's Jacob. I don't know what to make of him."
"What do you mean?"
"He's just… he's just… I don't know. I think if I had never met Edward, I might actually be happy here, with him. But I did meet Edward, and I love him. My heart yearns for him with such a desperate ache, and everything inside me wants to cast the blame on the prince."
"King," she corrected me.
"Right. I'd forgotten."
We were both silent for another long moment.
"I think," I began, "despite everything that's happened, I don't think he's bad, and that's how I've seen him for so long, but even still, I'm miserable."
Angela laughed at me.
"What?" I asked defensively.
"Bella, you've always been miserable. How is this any different?"
I wanted to be angry at her, but her words were suddenly so very true. I let out a somewhat bitter laugh. "You're right. I think perhaps I was just destined to be miserable no matter what."
Her face grew more serious, but she held a hint of a smile. "No Isabella." I raised an eye brow at the full name. She only ever used it when she was being fully honest with me about something I didn't want to hear. "You choose to be miserable."
She was quiet, and smiled as she let that sink in. I didn't know how to respond. I felt half offended, half convicted.
"Well, you try being a princess sometime," I bit back at her.
"Gladly. I don't think it's half as bad as you make it out to be. Why don't you let me be the princess and marry the prince, and you can follow me around all day with your head down, being completely overlooked because your just a little fading star shadowing the brilliant moon."
My mouth fell open in shock as words tried to find their way. I gauged her expression, and found her features set firmly. There was no apology there, and she was no longer trying to keep the mood light.
"Angela I… I didn't know you felt… do you resent me?"
She sighed and her voice grew softer. "No of course not. I love you. I just… never mind, forget I said anything."
She jumped off the bed and walked over to a table with food on it. I followed after and went to her side. She started preparing our plates, not looking at me as I stood right next to her.
"Tell me," I pleaded. "You know you can speak freely with me, always."
She didn't stop working, and her features held their tight expression.
"If you hate it so much, why did you come with me?" I asked in an attempt to urge her to speak on.
"Because I…" she took deep breath and began to work with more agitated movements, her voice flustered. "I thought there might be some adventure here for me. Something new. I thought maybe… maybe…" She finally turned and faced me, her cheeks flushed and her eyes angry.
"There was nothing left for me in Belai, especially if you weren't there anymore. I was looking for something, and I thought maybe I'd find it here…"
She paused and continued to stare at me.
"Did you find it?" I asked, unable to decipher her cryptic ramblings.
She didn't speak for a long moment, and I saw her anger turn to disappointment. "No."
She quickly turned away from me and went back to work.
"Was it me? Did I hurt you?" I asked, my voice softening, scared I might break such a fragile moment.
"No," she answered, her tone still irritated.
She stopped and put both her hands on the table. She closed her eyes for a moment and remained silent. She took a deep breath and then finally stood up and faced me again.
"No Bella," she said softly, smiling. "You didn't do anything. Please, can we just forget this whole morning, and have a nice breakfast?"
I stared at her for a moment, wanting to push the issue further so we could deal with it, but I knew the conversation was over for her.
"Alright," I answered, smiling.
Her smile grew and she pulled out a chair for me, but before I sat I pulled my cousin into an embrace and said right next to her ear, "I'm sorry you didn't get to be the princess. I'd give it to you if I could, but I want you to know, that I wouldn't have made it this far without you, and I don't just mean here in Weidinhun. Before we ever came here, before this whole mess was even a thought in someone's mind, you were always there. You've been my anchor Angela, and I'm so grateful for you."
Angela pulled me tighter, and when we released each other, she sniffled and wiped her sleeve across her nose.
She chuckled trying to ease the feeling of foolishness, and then looked to the table. "Okay, we have quite an assortment. Gertrude brought it all up before you woke. She was in quite a state today, let me tell you."
"Really?" I asked, laughing to join her light humor.
"Yeah. She was so grumpy. Complaining about this and that, and how you were still sleeping."
I laughed. "I don't think she likes me."
"Well, you are a Belai."
We both laughed at this and began eating our meal.
"What's on the schedule today?" she asked, sticking a bite of eggs into her mouth.
I took a moment to think. "My father!" I was so excited I almost jumped out of my chair.
"The king is coming? Today?"
"Yes! That's what Jacob said anyway. I wonder how he'll be? All this time he'd thought Jacob had me killed. Won't it be a sight to see his face when he sees mine?"
"For certain. He came once before you know, while you were with the Cullen's."
"Really?"
"Yes, when you were supposed to be getting married. I've never seen such an angry man in all my life. He thought for sure Jacob had you killed. If I hadn't of been there I don't know what he'd of done."
"Why didn't you go back with him?"
"I don't know. I guess I was hoping we might find you." She coughed and changed the subject back to my father. "The king told Jacob if you or your body wasn't returned to him in two weeks he'd burn this country to the ground."
I choked as I tried not to spit out my food. Angela continued.
"Your mother was a wreck. I imagine she'll be here with your father today."
My heart stopped at the mention of my mother, and I felt tears start to prick at my eyes. I longed to see her, and I felt pained at the torment she must of gone through the last couple weeks in thinking I was dead.
"I hope she does." I took a deep breath and sat up straight. "Me, my father and Jacob all in the same room. Won't that be interesting."
Wouldn't that be interesting indeed.
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Jacob wouldn't look at me as we waited in the throne room for my parents to arrive. A man had run ahead to tell us their ship had docked, and they were being escorted by a company of Jacob's guards to the palace.
He sat on his throne, and I stood jumping and pacing anxiously on the platform. Every once in a while I would turn to peek at the king and note the nervous expression on his face. It almost made me chuckle but I held back knowing the air between us was already too tense.
I tried to calm down but I felt as if I were about to jump out of my skin.
"Isabella?"
I jumped at the sound of his voice, and then turned toward him.
"Yes?" I responded.
"How is today going to be?" he asked looking at me with a stern look in his eye.
"What do you mean?"
He was quiet for a moment, looking as if he were trying to make sense of his thoughts. "Is there still to be peace?"
The king and I did not remove our eyes from each other as understanding took renascence inside me. Of course he would be concerned. My father was already on edge, and if he believed me in danger, would take me back to Belai. On the other hand, the king knew I didn't love him, so what was there to keep me from taking advantage of my father's unease?
That answer replayed itself in my head without a shadow of a doubt.
Edward.
The king had to know this too. As long as Edward's life was in danger, I would play whatever part necessary to keep me here. I would have to fool my father into thinking I was happy.
I thought of the Cullen's as well. If my father took me home in anger, either he, or the king of Weidinhun would have to start another war, and then what would that mean for the Cullen's? For Jasper? For Edward? It would mean death.
Yes, I would play the part flawlessly. Not for Jacob. Not for my father. Not even for me.
For Edward.
"Yes," I answered. "There is to be peace."
He looked at me curiously, but did not respond.
We both turned as we heard an echoing of foot steps down the hall.
Everything inside me seemed to clench together. Jacob rose and came to my side. He placed a reassuring hand on my back, and instinctively I wanted to pull away, but I reminded myself, I was playing a specific roll now; the roll of happy princess.
I put a false smile across my face, and waited with bated breath while the guards began to file in to the throne room. Two by two they entered and I anxiously scanned the sea of faces until the one's I was looking for came into view.
As soon as my eyes locked with my mother's, all sense of propriety, as well as the knowledge that I was a princess and future queen of this country, flew out the window and I ran into my mother's arms. She wrapped her own around me and held me tightly as we both cried into each other's necks.
I heard my father cough at my side and I turned to him, my cheeks wet with my tears.
He ran his hands down his robe and looked at me sternly. "Well," he said, all seriousness in his tone. "I see you're alive then."
My father, always the king.
I laughed at him and then ran in to his arms as well.
I could hear my mother crying happy tears behind me, and my father slowly placed a cautious arm around my back for just a moment and then pulled away, clearing his throat in the process. I didn't release him as I looked up into his face, and for just a moment, he smiled at me.
It was enough.
I pulled away from my father and my parents went back into royal mode. We all turned to Jacob, and he stood there looking more like a lost puppy rather than the king of the country.
Curious at his reaction I turned to my father, and saw the cruelest glare I'd ever seen him deliver to a single soul in all my life.
I turned back to the nervous king and smirked.
Jacob bowed to my father. "Welcome," he offered and then slowly began to walk towards us.
My father didn't say a word, only continued to stare at Jacob as if he trusted him least of anyone he knew. I stood between my parents feeling as sheltered as if I were in a stone house in the middle of a storm.
I couldn't get rid of my smile. My parents were here. My father was staring my future husband down, and said future husband looked as if he wanted to melt into a puddle on the floor. I could have laughed if I hadn't known it would ruin the moment. My father would surely have been angry and cast his livid glower on me, so I settled for my smirk.
Jacob seemed to find his composure and straightened himself out. "I have dinner already prepared for you both. Would you like to eat first or settle in your rooms?"
My father didn't answer right away and I could almost catch tiny moments of Jacob twitching.
"I'd like a private audience with the king," my father finally answered, and then wrapped a firm arm around my shoulders.
I turned my wide eyes from my father to Jacob. I could have jumped up and down and clapped and cheered, but again, I had to restrain myself.
I didn't fail to notice the tiny drops of sweat on Jacob's forehead. This wasn't part of the plan.
"Well sir, you see," Jacob began, but my father turned up the intensity of his glare.
I looked back and forth between the two kings, and almost put a hand over my mouth to keep myself from screaming out loud, "Is anyone else seeing what I'm seeing here?!"
My father was making Jacob squirm! Though I could do nothing on the outside, on the inside I was squealing with delight. I was no longer playing the part of happy princess. I was right there like white on rice.
"Very well then," Jacob answered, a hint of fear in his voice. "I'll take you up to my private quarters, and I shall have your wife shown up to her room."
My father nodded and released his arm from around me. He took a step toward Jacob and I saw him flinch back a tiny amount in response, as if he were expecting a blow.
This time a small chuckle did escape my lips, and both kings turned their eyes on me.
I cleared my throat and aimed for my most innocent expression. My mother put an arm around me and pulled me closer to her. I relished in the comfort of her embrace. My father turned back to Jacob and made it very clear he was waiting to move.
Jacob quickly glanced at me as if he were asking for help. I shrugged. I was feeding him to the wolves. I knew it. He was on his own on this one.
I even allowed myself to wave a little goodbye with a happy smile on my face before he turned his attention to my father and led him off.
Oh happy day!
At the moment, my father was my father, not my king, and it felt wonderful.
As if in confirmation to my thoughts, my mother leaned down and whispered in my ear, "You're father has a few things to cover with Jacob concerning you. let's just say, if his daughter isn't happy, Jacob's got a whole country with arrows aimed at his heart, so to speak. Isabella, I've never been so proud of your father. If you ever doubted it before, rest assured; your father loves you."
I smiled up at my mother and wrapped both my arms all the way around her.
"Enjoy it while it lasts honey. After this, he'll go back to being king again."
I gave her a gentle squeeze. I wouldn't have expected anything less.
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I spent the rest of the day with my mother, and we jumped right in to wedding details. I pretended to be as enthused as possible, never failing to play my part of excited future queen. I pushed myself forward by reminding myself it wasn't the hardest thing I'd ever had to do.
It also distracted me enough not to think of Edward, for every time I did I felt as if my heart was going to crumble to pieces on the floor. I had to get through the next few days, until my parents left and until after the wedding. Once Jacob was assured that he had me, I figured I would have more of a chance of convincing him to let Edward go.
That night I lay exhausted on my bed. There in the aloneness, when there was nothing left to distract me, a single, terrorizing thought ran through my mind over and over tormenting my run down heart.
I was getting married tomorrow.
If it hadn't been for the fight for Edward's life, I was sure there wouldn't be anything stopping me from throwing myself out the window. The thought caused me to recall when Jacob had made his bargain with me, and how his eyes had fleeted to the window when he asked me not to kill myself. Was that what he had been thinking?
Angela's words rang in my ear. I chose to be miserable. I didn't have to be.
I didn't have to be.
But how could I not when I wasn't with Edward?
Even just the thought of his name pulled at my insides and made me feel as though I was going to explode.
I looked over at the red tapestry on the wall, thinking about taking the secret door and finding him again, but I knew in the darkness I'd get lost. I hadn't seen where Seth had pulled me. I only knew it was down.
I sighed, frustrated that my path to the man I loved was right before me, and it was absolutely useless.
I heard a hesitant knock on my door, and I sat up on my bed.
"Yes?" I called out curiously.
"Bella?" It was Jacob's voice, and it sounded nervous.
I put my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. What I wouldn't have given to been a fly on the wall in his conversation with my father.
Jacob opened the door. I stood up from the bed and found he still had that same lost puppy dog look on his face.
Without turning around he closed the door behind him. He took in a deep breath, and then in a soft and weary voice said, "Bella, we need to talk."
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(Unknown POV)
I pressed my ear against the door of the secret passage way into Bella's room. It was hard to hear threw the stone so I pushed it open just slightly, enough so that it wouldn't push at all against the tapestry in front of it, nor would it make a sound.
I knew the prince would be here. His conversation with the king had been, interesting if anything, and I knew he was now walking on pins and needles. I also knew it wasn't right to be listening in on this conversation, but what choice did I have? There was too much at stake, and I needed to know everything that was going on. There was a strong chance that everything was about to fall apart at the seams, and I had to fix it, especially after the boy had ended up in prison after I'd turned him in.
I knew it was a possibility, but I never expected the king to plan to execute him. Despite my plan, I hadn't wanted that.
The muffled voices on the other side of tapestry began to clear, and I silenced even my breathing so I could hear every word.
"Bella," Jacob began, "about this union…"
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(A/N: Bwa ha ha! Aren't I cruel??? So, yes the person at the end was the person that betrayed Bella and Edward, and I think I'm going to reveal this character's identity in the next chapter. You all have had some interesting theories on who this person might be, and some people have gone back and forth on their decisions, but just because I'm curious, and because it's become quite a topic, (and I'm so done discussing how everyone hates King Jacob) I have put up a poll on my profile concerning your theories. So, after you leave me a nice, warm, lovely review, go ahead and cast your vote! Who is the vile perpetrator? It's a blind poll, so after the next chapter is posted, and the character is revealed, I'll open the poll so you can see what other people voted, or I'll just post the results in the chapter. Enjoy. ; )