Fran is my fab beta, who works quickly, and Judyblue and 2browneyes are kind enough to pre-read! Thanks to you all!
Isabella spends the rest of her day in bed, refusing every meal Angela tries to insist upon, and all requests for entrance from Esme. Though this is the outcome she prayed for, she never imagined it to be so painful. As he walked away, her very soul detached and followed him from the room, leaving her cold and desolate.
She has fitful bouts of sleep in between jaunts of sobs, but then there are also her lucid periods. In these, she attempts to acclimate her mind to her life as it has been decided, and she even feels the slightest bit of gratitude for her luck. She was fortunate enough to experience a once in a lifetime love—which is more than most people get—and even beyond that, she will still spend her remaining life with a generous and honorable man.
Once the sun has risen on day two, Angela enters with a fresh attitude. She has given her princess room to wallow, but that period is over. She will be queen in just two days' time, and it is best she started acting the part.
The handmaiden deposits a tray filled with fresh fruit on the side table and stalks to the window, pulling the thick draperies back so that the rays cast upon the bed. "Good morning, My Lady," she says, extra cheerfully. "Time to once again join the living." She props her hand on her hip and surveys Isabella as her puffy eyes peek from beneath the coverlet.
Once Angela sees that her princess is at least awake, she strides back to the door and opens it with a flourish, allowing several maidens to scurry in and begin filling the wooden tub. Slowly, more of Isabella's head peeks out to watch the procession file in and out of her room. Once Angela has shut the door firmly behind them, she turns and cocks a brow to her princess.
Isabella sits up with a sigh and pushes the covers down to her legs. Her long tendrils of hair are stuck in the dry tear tracks on her cheeks, and she must work to get them free.
"Is he gone?" she asks, her voice scratchy from all the crying.
"The rumor around the castle is that Edward has gone on a scouting mission to make certain the castle is safe for the wedding."
Though Isabella knew he was gone, it is still slightly disappointing to hear. She stretches her muscles and starts to rise from the bed. "I take it I will be having a bath this morning?"
"Yes, My Lady," Angela replies as she goes through the wardrobe. "A fresh start."
Isabella disrobes with Angela's assistance and settles into the warm, scented water. Her muscles immediately relax as her handmaiden goes about seeing to it that she is thoroughly bathed. Once her hair and skin have been cleansed, Angela urges to her stand and wraps her in a bath towel.
With swift efficiency, Angela has Isabella dressed and her hair in a long braid within a few minutes. She guides her to the sitting room and delivers the plate of fruit, picking up a piece and putting it in Isabella's hand. "Eat," she says simply as she walks to the door and once again swings it open.
Lady Forge strides in, and with no preamble, takes a seat with Isabella. "Good morning, my dear. I do hope you are better today."
Angela quietly slips out of the room.
Isabella takes a deep breath and begins acting like a future queen. "Much better, Aunt Esme, thank you for caring."
"Isabella," Esme says in a very serious tone. "Of course I care. I cared yesterday, too, but was refused entrance."
Isabella's eyes well with tears. "I apologize, but I needed time to absorb the gravity of my actions."
Esme scoots her chair closer to her niece and pushes her arm around her, prodding Isabella's head to rest upon her shoulder. "What would you say if I told you I could fix it all for you?"
Tears leak from Isabella's eyes and wet Esme's shoulder. "You cannot, and that is my fault. I take full responsibility for my actions and am prepared to live out the consequences."
"Oh, Isabella." Esme reaches up and brushes her fingers along her niece's brow. "I was very upset yesterday when I was refused admittance. At first, I just thought you needed a little more time, but by nightfall, I was going out of my mind with worry." She pauses and shrugs her shoulders. "So, I did the only thing I felt I could do. I went in search of King Carlisle."
Isabella gasps and attempts to lift her head, but Esme holds it in place with careful soothing strokes of her hair. "At first, he was resistant, but when it became clear that I was aware of the situation, he had no choice but to entertain the crazy mutterings of your aunt." She chuckles quietly and continues, "But you see, Isabella, I was aware of every puzzle piece except one. What happened to Edward? Did he even know of your stunt? Carlisle was kind enough to fill me in and even kinder when I proposed my own solution to this travesty."
This time, Esme allows Isabella to lift her head, and their eyes meet, barely repressed curiosity stares into smug satisfaction. "Aunt Esme, what have you done?"
"Shhh, child," Esme soothes. "I have done nothing that did not benefit myself as much as you. You see, while you were lucky enough to escape your father's sadistic matches, I was not. I spent twelve years with a man I could not love, and when he finally passed, my brother, King Charles, demanded I return to Policia so that he could assign my next husband. I had no other recourse except to comply, but now I see a different option."
Isabella's brows furrow as she tries to put the pieces together. "I am not sure I understand."
"King Carlisle is a generous and powerful man. So powerful, he has the ability to see that I never have to return to Policia. If he is to marry a Princess of Policia, why should it not be the one whose heart is open to love?" Esme shrugs her shoulder nonchalantly and watches as realization dawns on her niece.
"Y-you?" Isabella stutters, as she has completely forgotten Esme's formal title.
Esme giggles, and it is a beautiful sound. "He is quite the catch."
Isabella stares at her, stunned. Her mind replays the words over and over until it grasps that there is another solution, and when she realizes this, her first thought goes to him. "But, Edward, he is gone," she says, her excitement fading and her eyes dropping to the floor.
"But that is the beauty of this plan, dear," Esme rushes to explain, tilting Isabella's chin up. "The people want a victory, and whether it is you or me will make no matter to them, especially once they hear that their revered lead knight has left Olympia because his love, who nursed him back to health, was here and betrothed to another. Besides, seeing their king happy and in love will go a long way."
"But," Isabella says, "you are not in love."
Esme tilts her head. "We are not, but being open to love is another matter completely. And I think we both are." She tsks and waves her hand. "But the people will believe what we show them."
"And Edward?" Isabella asks just as a light knock sounds at the door.
Esme stands and opens it with a flourish, revealing Carlisle on the other side. All the tension that had lined his face yesterday is completely invisible, and he is sporting a large smile. First, it lands on Esme, who flutters her lashes, before flitting to Isabella.
"I take it you two have spoken?" he asks, looking between the women.
"We have," Esme replies, moving back into the room to retake her seat. "Isabella was just asking about Edward."
Carlisle takes an empty seat. "I have already sent Emmett to look for him."
"But, my father?" Isabella says, worry lines creasing her brow.
"You father knows more than he should, but I think we can make it seem as if the affair he refers to was in the past when you saved Edward. By then, Esme and I will be married, and the people will have already been told the story we wished to share." Carlisle's voice is firm and commanding, and Isabella sees no reason the people would question him.
"So that is it?" Isabella asks. "Edward is safe to come back to Olympia, and you are marrying Esme? Does that mean that we—"
"It means exactly that, Isabella. You will be free to marry as you please, but sadly, our people will see you as a discarded bride." He scratches his chin, obviously uncomfortable. "I apologize that it must be that way, but I hope you understand."
Isabella lets out a laugh and grabs her chest as all the pressure she has been under releases. "I assure you, My Lord, I more than understand. I am grateful to you both in ways I am unable to put into words."
"I think we should both be grateful to Esme. Had she not approached me with the perfect solution, we would be stuck in a loveless marriage." Carlisle's eyes cut to the woman in question. "And now, at least I have hope."
Tears of happiness leak from Isabella's eyes, as for the first time in her adult life, she is finally free to love openly.
The next chapter is written and beta'd, but I need to make sure the one after coincides perfectly. So, hopefully, I can write that today and you'll still get Friday's update. If it's late, reworks had to be made.
We're wrapping this one up soonish :)
