Hello guys! Sorry I couldn't find time to upload the story because I so busy completing my school assignments. I just found some time and thought that I should post story for some lovely readers! Enjoy!

CLOSE OPEN

BELLA

A week later, our contingent was back.

I was summoned to meet with Leader Ephraim - who did not intimidate me anywhere near as much as Clan Leader Carlisle - and report on the whole thing. Leader Ephraim and I had always been on good terms, this was more for the record. He asked a few questions and then dismissed me with a "well done, Bella, you held your own".

That's that, I thought, finally closure.

I returned to Healer's to finish up the preparation I'd been in the middle of when I'd been summoned.

"You're still alive." A voice teased as I entered the stillroom.

"Carmen!" I exclaimed as she came to hug me. She drew back slowly.

"That bad, huh?" She said, concern in her voice as she examined my face.

"The law of probabilities." I said wryly. "You walked out the door and the drama started."

"And quite the drama, from what I heard." She said drily. "Leave that and clear your morning. We need to catch up. I've started a lavender-chamomile restorative for us. No, you sit down." She gestured at a chair when I went to help with the tea. "I've had a picnic compared to what you've had to deal with."

"It wasn't that bad." I protested

"Just multiple deep tissue wounds from a bear attack, a life-threatening internal rupture on a female less than two months away from birthing, minor and major injuries from that quarry accident and multiple cases of the flux. Not to mention the regular routine. About average for a two week period, would you say?" She gave me a look. Well, when she put it that way, I did feel a little tired.

"I survived." I shrugged.

"You more than survived, Bella. Riley kept me updated." She poured two mugs of the tea and brought them over, setting them down before sitting opposite me.

"I'm glad you're back." I sipped the tea, sighing. "Don't go away for a long time." She chuckled.

"Now tell me."

And while she listened intently, I described each of the cases I'd had in her absence in detail and the treatments I'd put into action. I hadn't realised how tense I'd been, I could feel some of it seep away as she nodded her approval of my decisions. I was a trained Healer, yes, but a Herbalist primarily and medicines were my area, not surgeries and bodies. I'd held the fort before - there were only two of us in Forks, after all - but never been challenged so much. It was good to hear Carmen weigh in on everything, good to know I hadn't made any major cock ups.

"You did beyond well, Bella." She said, sitting back at the end of my recitation.

"I'd still like you to visit Karline." I insisted, getting up to refill our mugs. She shook her head.

"That's not necessary. You did more than what I would have done. You need to trust yourself more." She said gently. "I do."

"But-"

"If Damian and Karline want to see me, I will." She conceded. "But I'm not sure they will." I set down the mugs and sat back down.

"Your turn." I said. "Tell me about the trip."

"Nowhere near as dramatic as your time, I'm afraid." She took a gulp from her mug. "It was good to catch up with the other Healers. They have so many of them up there, it reminds me how outnumbered we are here." She sighed. "Ah well."

"Anything newsworthy?" I prompted.

"They're trialling a new application of heat healing, but I can't talk about that just yet. All very hush hush, they don't want people to get too excited until they've tested and proven it." We talked Healing for a little while, I was always curious to hear about the new techniques the senior Healers were innovating.

"Tell me you got upto more than just Healing talk while you were there, Carmen." I said once we'd exhausted that line of conversation.

"What on earth do you think I'd get upto?" She asked laughing.

"It's Volterra. Known for its..er..views." I said, winking. Carmen was as yet unmated, so she was free to enjoy the views.

"You are far too young to be telling me about the views." She replied.

"Not with the friends I keep." I said. "Don't avoid the subject."

"I enjoyed looking at the 'views'. I didn't go for a walk." She grinned. "And I have better things to talk with you about."

"Like what?" I asked looking over the rim of my mug at her.

"Like the Clan Leader's Son."

"What about him?" I asked warily.

"I had a look at his wounds. Well, me and Healer Kate and a few others." She said. "Or what remained of his wounds. We couldn't even tell where they were at first. His scars were more like faint lines. If Riley and the Guard hadn't described them graphically, I wouldn't have believed he'd even seen a bear much less been attacked by it."

"I know, right? His bloodline must be amazing, the rate of healing I saw."

"Bella, you're so thick." She chastised me, shaking her head. "His blood helped but it could only have done so much. You did the rest." I squirmed.

"The herbs did the rest-"

"-when applied by you." She said firmly. "You'd better shut up and accept it, Bella. You impressed a lot of people, not least the Clan Leader and Healer Kate. Your skill with herbs has the Healers at Volterra buzzing. They don't use herbs so much up there, they don't have a herb specialist either, so the idea that herbs alone did this quite a new one for them."

"I shall let the herbs know." I said solemnly and she signed.

"Joke as you will. Healer Kate wants to meet you."

"The next time I'm in Volterra , I'll drop by for tea-"

"That would be next week then." She said calmly, raising the mug to her lips. I stared at her.

"Excuse me?"

"You're going to Volterra. Next week."

"Wait, what? Why?" I spluttered at her.

"I told you. Healer Kate wants to meet you."

"I thought that was more of an intention not an immediate…now? She wants to see me now?!"

She set the mug down.

"Yes, now. Look, you need a break. You look like you've been sat on by a horse. Go to Volterra. Meet Kate and the others, enjoy the views, recharge and come home."

"But I can recharge here." I protested. "I don't want to go to Volterra." I sound like a petulant child. But I did not want to go to Clan stronghold, not with everything at stake.

"You need a change of scene. Leader Ephraim quite agrees."

"Can't I go another time?" I pleaded. "I'm honoured that Healer Kate requested to see me, of course, but surely I can go a little later? What's the rush?"

"It's not a request, Bella." Carmen said quietly and firmly. "And it's not Healer Kate who issued the invitation. It's the Clan Leader himself."

She extracted an envelope from her robes and handed it to me. I fumbled with the seal, my fingers shaking a little as I slid the folded sheet inside out.

Healer Isabella,

We would be honoured with your presence in Volterra as my guest.

In case you wondered, you will not share chambers with any rodents, named Basil or otherwise.

I look forward to seeing you.

Carlisle, Clan Leader

I looked up at Carmen, speechless. She drank from her mug.

"You're going to Volterra."

OOOOOOOOOO

How the hell did this happen? I thought as we crossed the bridge over the river that lay on the outskirts of Volterra.

There hadn't been any way to get out of it, that's how. One didn't say no to the Clan Leader, as Carmen and Leader Ephraim had not so subtly told me.

So that's how I had found myself packed off just a few days later, enroute to the Clan stronghold, a place I'd visited once years ago on a school trip.

"You look like you've swallowed something nasty." My companion said, amused.

"You'll be swallowing something nasty if you don't watch yourself, Jacob." I said grumpily.

"Did anyone ever tell you you're a terrible travel companion?" He glanced at me, a smile on his face, as we trudged towards the Gates some distance away.

"No and you know why? Because I don't travel." I retorted.

"Anyone would think this was punishment not an honour." He laughed.

"Not far off." I muttered.

I felt sorry for Jacob. I hadn't been in the best of moods pretty much from the time we'd set off. The poor male had volunteered to escort me to Volterra - he said he was heading back anyway and it would save a Guard from being sent with me. I had said that I was quite capable of doing the trip on my own but neither he nor Leader Ephraim had bothered to even acknowledge that suggestion. It had only added to my grumpiness. Stupid Clan males and their notions of protection. As if I couldn't look after myself. But I couldn't argue so I had maintained a tightlipped silence and resolutely ignored Jacob's every attempt at conversation.

I was seriously anxious about this trip for a variety of reasons. I had a sense of foreboding that I just couldn't shake and I hoped fervently it was my imagination.

It hadn't helped when Carmen had told me I'd be staying at Healer's Quarters in the Clanholding in Volterra. Which, unlike our Healer's Quarters which were off in extension building affording privacy, were instead smack bang in the main house itself. I'd be staying in the same place as the Clan Leader, the senior Council and, of-course, the one person I had really hoped I wouldn't see again.

"It'll be alright, Bella." Jacob said softly, and I realised I'd sighed aloud.

"I know. I'm sorry, Jacob. I've been a perfect monster to you." I sighed again.

"Why are you so worried about this visit?" He asked me quietly. "And don't tell me you're nervous about Healer Kate, I know that's not it."

"Anyone would be nervous, it's the Clan Leader's invitation. And I'm staying at the Clanholding." I answered in a roundabout way. I had no intention of telling him the prospect of meeting Edward again was making me nervous.

"So?"

"So, you remember my mouth, don't you? I'm dreading what level of cock up I'm going to achieve this time." I grimaced.

"You worry too much." He said, ruffling my hair affectionately. "You'd have to actively be insulting the Clan Leader for it be a problem, and I don't see that happening."

"You don't know what I'm capable of." I murmured as we approached the carved Gates and the Guard standing inside and outside it. I let Jacob take the lead, retreating a little behind him.

"Jacob, good to see you." One of the Guard greeted him. "And who's your lovely friend?" He smiled at me in a welcoming manner. I couldn't answer him, I was too busy dropping my jaw to the ground.

We'd always joked in Forks about how gorgeous anything that came out of Volterra was, but that was based on the people who came and visited. I hadn't actually thought it was true. Until now.

There were about 10 Guard at the Gates, females and males, and without exception they were all magnificent specimens. There was something for every taste - brunette, blonde, redheads, platinum, blue-eyed, hazel-eyed, chocolate-eyed (no emerald-green though), muscular, lithe, slender, wiry framed, curvy, tall, petite...Wow. If only Leah and Emily could see this.

"This is Healer Isabella, from Forks." Jacob nudged me and I snapped out of my daze to pass the Guard the letter from Clan Leader, bearing his seal.

"Clan Leader's personal guest? You must be very special." The Guard said handing the letter back to me, his gaze sharpening. "Is this your first visit?"

"Yes," Jacob answered for me, "I'll run her through the rules, don't worry."

"Very well." He gestured at the others, who stood to one side.

"Welcome to Volterra."