Playlist:

Flo Rida, Sia – Wild Ones

Megan Thee Stallion, Beyonce – Savage Remix

3 Doors Down - Citizen/Soldier

Beyonce - Satellites

J Balvin, Wily William, Beyonce – Mi Gente

Zara Larsson; MNEK - Never Forget You

Florida Georgia Line – Dirt

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the words. Stephanie Meyer owns the Twilight series, and the songs belong to their respective people.

Wild Ones

The Cullens and Bella were hunkered down for the evening, Carlisle reading a thick medical tome: Beginning Understandings of Magickal Healings. Esme was going over budgets at the table. Jasper and Bella were at the other end of the long table, playing chess again. Bella was determined to learn the game properly and seemingly oblivious to the guilty tension it caused. She sat in Edward's lap at the table; Alice and Rosalie were designing dresses that Bella had offered to create for them, legs swinging in the air on the futon-bed and the couch across from it like preteens getting ready for prom. Edward mourned that his sister's scent would be mixed with Bella's on their covers.

The dresses were for a celebration they would all be attending at the Shaman compound. They left tomorrow to travel to the bloodline's central village. Officially, the visit was Bella's re-introduction to the complicated political system of the Fae, but Bella had shared its true purpose with the Cullens in the privacy of the Attic.

Two bloodlines were resuscitating old and bitter blood because some long-dead rebellious member of the endangered Ipswitch line had killed a member of the Shaman line a thousand years ago. New hatred had sprung up after the Shaman heiress had Chosen with an Ipswitch woman, who was one of the last remaining Ipswitch heirs and was apparently quite a rebel herself. The Ipswitch line had been nasty and accusatory when the Shaman heiress disappeared without a trace.

The bloodlines were both important to Bella's forces and were threatening to pull their backing of Bella's resistance if she didn't banish the other one from Camp. Bella was hopeful that she could bring things to rights between the two.

Bella won the chess game with a pawn-capture, much to Jasper's dismay. She gave Edward a celebratory peck on the lips with a twinkle in her eye.

"Well, now that I'm done showing Jasper who is queen of the strategy board, let's do something fun!" Bella was childishly gleeful. "Come on guys, let's play hooky!"

Just then, Kaedra and Marcos entered the attic, carrying stacks of boxes that contained the battle reports and arguing loudly. Lizzie trailed behind them, looking amused. "I'm telling you Marcos; Shaman has the right of it. And if you don't quit calling me Shay-shay, I'm going to shove these forms down your throat. Maybe then I won't have to file them."

"The gang is all here!" Bella exclaimed, breaking in before the snarl could fully form on Marcos' face and levitating the paperwork to rest on the already-teetering stack by the futon. "Come on you three, we're taking the Cullens to the bazaar. They've hardly been out of HQ, and there is a lot of Havana to see."

Kaedra and Lizzie blinked at Bella. "Me?" said Lizzie. "But I'm just- "

"I believe we already spoke about just Lizzie, Miss Shaman. I do not like to repeat myself. You're coming. Come-on, let's go have some fun."

Bella dramatically flopped onto her back in Edward's arms, putting a hand to her forehead and attempting to fake a faint. "I'm tired of monk-life, and it's so pretty out. Let's go to the bazaar. Please?"

His love met Carlisle's steady gaze, and Carlisle snapped his book closed. "There's no harm in it." Carlisle surrendered. "I've been quite curious to see the markets; Esme hasn't been quiet about them since her visit." His mother rolled her eyes affectionately, already tugging Alice up from the futon and extending her hand to assist Rosalie as well.

"That's settled then!" Bella clapped her hands together and leapt to a standing position. "Let's go!" The Cullens glanced, bemused, at their simple outfits, blue-jeans and dark colored shirts for the men, and pale-neutral skirts for the women. They all matched and everyone was barefoot. Marcos, Kaedra, and Bella's outfits hadn't changed, though Bella's hair had wrapped her head in a simple braided crown, and Lizzie was now in a cute country-style skirt and top that revealed lots of skin.

"Admit it Bella, you like playing barbie as much as I ever did," Alice quipped, skipping to the door.

"Maybe I do, but I'm so much faster at it than you."

They walked out of the castle and towards the bazaar that clung to the long, wide shelf in the cavern wall. Emmett managed not to flinch as gravity shifted around them, the group sticking upside down on the shelf of the cavern like suckers were on their feet with no discernible problem. "Trippy." he muttered softly.

Contrary to popular opinion, Emmett was not an idiot. He just kept his observations to himself most of the time. Like if Edward couldn't tell that there used to be a deeper relationship between Bella and Marcos, that was his business. What kind of mind-reader couldn't identify his girl's ex-man? Emmett could tell something was up with this sudden trip to the market, that Bella had an ulterior motive here. Actually, Emmett had noticed Bella to have multiple motivations for almost everything she did, even before he knew she was a witch. How his brothers didn't notice Bella's cleverness before now was a mystery Emmett had given up trying to solve. So, he kept his eyes peeled for anything unusual in the market, a challenge considering the magicks that overflowed from every gravity-defying stall.

Rosalie, on the other hand, didn't know or care why Bella had brought them here. The bazaar stretched like an impossible maze, each nook and cranny leading to another small world. Bright fabrics in surreal patterns and colors surrounded her, interspersed with magical lights and charms of all shapes and sizes. A merchant was yelling over the crowd about his love potions, and Rosalie spied two women haggling over a small caged dragon at one of the stalls. The sound of negotiation and haggling was music to her ears. She clutched at Alice, who looked just as awe-struck.

In places, the market hung four stories down from the shelf of the grand cavern, giant stalactites of sandstone housing homes and businesses alike.

"Heaven, oh, it's heaven." Rosalie breathed, and she heard Bella laugh, amused at her family's wonder.

"Go, Rosalie, Alice. Shop 'till you drop. Try not to get swindled either." Bella said, handing each of her sisters a small bag full of golden coins and dark rubies. "The rubies are enchanted by me personally, and the merchants will know how to check the value of the gems. The coins are like hundreds, so don't trade them for a trinket. Take Marcos and Emmett with you in case someone gives you a hard time." Bella handed a larger sack to Esme and Carlisle. Whispering in such a way that only vampires could hear, she instructed Esme to buy some nice things for Elizabeth, who sorely needed to de-stress.

Marcos saluted and turned to the two excited girls. "Shall we, my ladies?"

"Dude, you have no idea what you just got signed up for." Emmett complained.

Carlisle and Esme wandered off with Lizzie, leaving Jasper, Kaedra, Bella, and Edward behind. Edward was surprised his brother had not gone with his wife but read in his thoughts that he wished to lend support to Bella, who had not spent extended time with Kaedra since the battle in the garden. In Jasper's thoughts, Edward read the nervousness and apprehension rolling off his love, though nothing but chipper excitement showed in her face and tone.

Jasper's private suspicions were confirmed as Bella tip-toed her way from stall to stall, picking at the items and explaining magical bits and bobs to them eagerly, but with a distracted air. He was still struggling to accept this new creature who had replaced the shy girl his brother had dated in Forks, and he knew Carlisle struggled too. Fae culture was wild and untamed, with strange customs and rituals intermingled with day-to-day life.

One of those rituals was the Choosing ceremony. It was performed once a year, among Fae who had reached adulthood at sixteen years old. It was all bursting with magickal hoopla about auras and destiny, but Jasper figured it served to disperse power with some sort of equality among the Fae.

The ritual "reads the destiny" of the subject, whatever that meant, and pairs them off with their chosen soulmate, usually someone of complimentary affinities. Though the relationships could be between lovers, they didn't have to be. The two Fae were bound to one another even beyond death; at least that was what the thick, ancient tome Jasper had found on the subject said. The process reminded Jasper of the Quileute's imprinting abilities, though there was nothing unintentional about this ceremony. Mates were chosen for their personalities and "destinies", yes, but also for their alliances and power.

Jasper idly wondered if Marcos was Bella's Chosen, or maybe Kaedra. Both of them were too old though, not quite in the same generation as her. He was careful to mask his thoughts from his brother. Edward had gotten good at breaking through his vampire family's defenses, reading multiple trains-of-thought in their minds now. His mind-reading brother was very annoyed to discover that Fae minds thought in a strange, rhythmic language; Bella was still silent to him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jasper saw a round-faced, dark haired woman pluck a loaf of bread off the baker's passing cart, carrying on her path quickly with her stolen prize. "Stop, thief!" the baker cried, and the slim Hispanic girl with the startling blue eyes took off in a dead sprint, soldiers blinking to where she had stood and giving chase across the crowded market.

Bella turned from her perusal of good luck charms with her eyes flaring golden and chortled as she took in the scene.

The girl scampered down the tallest stalactite at the center of the market, while the guards stubbed their toes and tripped, cursing. Crates and bits of fabric were moving of their own accord to block their path. Jasper felt Bella's fleeting annoyance and disappointment at the young guards' lack of competency, though Bella's primary emotions were variations on amused. At one point in their fumbling quest for the thief, a live bird squawked into the guards faces. Their quarry took full advantage, flipping to balance on a thin clothesline above the guards and going over their heads, back the way she had come.

The girl startled as she turned a corner and smacked into Marcos. She raced away from the commander, unwisely bracing herself against a thatch roof as she tried to escape through height. The roof collapsed, and the thief was caught up in the shifting gravity around the marketplace. Suddenly flailing, she began the long fall to the floor of the cavern below the floating arena. The fall would surely kill her, and Jasper heard a collective gasp ring through the space.

Bella rolled her eyes, taking a moment to set down the charm in her hand before she blinked to the girl's side, hugging her close and flashing back to the walkway in front of Edward and Jasper. She dumped the dark-haired girl on the ground. "Your luck never ceases to amaze, Alexandra."

The pretty young woman sprung up from her sprawl at Bella's feet, dusting off her backside and straightening her hair, still holding the loaf of bread she had stolen. "Hey Izz. Nice save. I'll be going now."

Alexandra turned her back to Isabella, attempting to stalk away. The baker with the cart cut off her exit, cursing as he snatched the bread from her hand and hit her over the head with it. Bella smoothly handed the man a small pouch, "For your trouble, honorable sir." she schmoozed, gripping her acquaintance hard around the bicep. The baker bowed, looking thrilled, and handed the weaponized loaf of bread back to Alex, who took a snarky bite.

Marcos approached quickly, his arms loaded with bags and bolts of fabric that he dissolved away as he approached. Jasper knew they would be waiting in the attic when the day was done. "Everything okay here? Bella, you o- Oh no. It's you. You're that con artist Izzy was so fond of. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I was just passing through." Alexandra pouted. "But now, apparently, I'm serving my fucking Queen, because I owe her one. Well, two. Okay, - three tops."

Savage

Edward was appalled at the young lady's language and told her so. Alexandra looked at him like he had told her he was from Mars and turned to Isabella. "Who's this shmuck?"

"Be nice, Alex. That's Edward, he's mine." Strange pride and no small amount of arousal rose in Edward's mind. Bella met his gaze for a heartbeat, teasing, before she was distracted by the gagging noises Alex made. "Oh god, please save the eye-sex for when I'm not around. I've known you forever." Bella laughed boisterously. Alexandra reached towards Bella, smushing her cheeks together. "Such a wee little lamb, all grown up and Queen of the world. Shit, Izz. I thought I played a long-game, but you've got me beat by a mile."

Bella swung her legs over a small iron railing and landed cross-legged on a barstool, her grace extraordinary now that she was no longer suppressing her magick. Crown or no crown, Bella would always shine the brightest in the room to Edward, especially when she was happy.

"It's amazing what some hair dye and a style change can do for you. It's so good to see you, Alexandra. How's business?"

"It was a lot better when I had a partner. I knew you wouldn't hang around long, but damn did you roll up the rug and clear town quickly. I suppose there's some big and lofty reason you took off that us mere pawns wouldn't understand. Or maybe it was just the shady company you kept."

"Maybe it was both. You weren't exactly forthcoming about your status as an heir, Alexandra."

"God, you must have seen right through me the whole time we were in Miami. We went to School together, for god's sake. Sneaky, sneaky."

Bella was happy right now, and Edward let himself relax. Bella's attention was on Alex completely now, though she sipped at her expensive whiskey ("on the house, majesty") casually. She jostled Alex's elbow as the girl attempted to drink her own beer, spilling it down Alex's front.

Bella used the spill as an excuse to materialize a fancy, floor length dress for the girl that bloomed with vines and butterflies. The exceptionally flattering dress made Alexandra wince, turning to Bella before her face fell slack with shock. Lizzie was on the far side of the square, playing with a toddler under the watchful eyes of the clumsy child's mother.

"It's too bad you won't stay a minute. We're taking a trip to the Shaman compound tomorrow, and I'd love to have you as a guide. You're the only Ipswitch they actually like."

"Huh?" Alex had been completely distracted by the sight of Lizzie. Jasper felt dark, complex emotions welling up in her, along with a desperation that didn't show when she spoke.

"Oh. Yeah. Well, I guess I could come along. It'd be nice to see the Shamans again and experiencing the royal treatment on your dime would be a nice break. You can consider it payback for Cuba." Alex punched "Izzy" lightly on the arm as she spoke. "It's good to see you again, Izzy."

Bella smiled.

Citizen/Soldier

When they returned to the castle, each person was basking in the happy atmosphere, and the sound of laughter was light on the air as the stars slanted across the cave's entrance. Bella surprised the Cullens by inviting Alexandra to eat a late dinner with them in the Attic. Alex, upon seeing the pitchers of blood on the table, had only acknowledged the Cullens' differences with a shrugged, "Cool."

The conversation drew long into the night as Jasper manipulated Alex to tell the story of the Cuban escapade from Bella's year in Miami shamelessly. Bella glared at Jasper but didn't seem to mind much.

"So, Izzy has got her arms around my neck, and we were just sort of awkwardly swaying like siblings dancing at a kegger. I'm levitating the black-barrel rum off the shelf of the bar, when-"

Lizzie stepped into the room bearing a jug of wine, Esme beaming behind her with a large cake in her hands. "Esme! I couldn't eat another bite!" Alex roared good-naturedly, cutting herself a slice of the rich carrot-cake Esme had made before it was even fully set down. "Now, what was I saying?"

Bella's hand went to her mouth and she giggled. God, but it was good to see Alex again. Bella hoped her friends could forgive her for what she was doing, that Alexandra could see the flight was worth the fall. "Oh come on Jasper, that's enough. I'm sure you have a few stories from your time in the army."

Alex stiffened, turning to Jasper. "You were in the army?"

Jasper responded lightly, aware of the weight of his words as Alexandra's emotional state fell quickly. "Youngest major in the Texas Calvary." He left out his experience in the newborn wars.

Alex flinched at his casual tone. "I don't do that army stuff anymore." She turned to Bella next to her. "I think it's time you told me what you want from me here."

Isabella turned to face the sneaky con-artist. Time to beat her at her own game. "I have a proposition for you, my old friend. I'm making a trip to the Shaman compound, and I could use a reliable guide. Bringing an Ipswitch heir along will spark conversation, and I've got a few things to address with their leader about the Seer's council. I've promised them I'll attend their annual bonfire. I want to throw them a party they won't soon forget."

The jug of wine crashed to the floor, Lizzie mopping it up drunkenly with her foot as panic flitted across her young face. Bella eyed the girl, reading her aura subtly as she stuttered and apologized. She'd been right, and sadness swept over her suddenly. Jasper raised an eyebrow at the emotions in the room, meeting Bella's gaze.

Distract, Distract.

The chant filled Bella's mind and she pushed it out through her skin, coloring the air around her with a hint of drunkenness.

"Geez, Lizzie. I think you need to head to bed. You can stay here tonight, Alex. I don't think you'd make it back to wherever you're staying. Goodnight Lizzie, see you tomorrow. No, I'll see to everything here for once, it's a big day tomorrow. Go to bed."

Elizabeth yawned through her weak protests, squeezing Bella's arm as she turned towards the door, sudden tiredness on her face. "Yeah, okay. You're so nice, Ms. Bella." Lizzie slurred.

Later, after the table had been cleared and the food put away, Isabella went to the balcony, swinging her legs over the railing and looking out at Camp. Alex joined her, shoving a glass of wine into her hand.

"What. Are. You. Doing." Alexandra's voice was furious and heartbroken, turning to Bella with fear making her pupils dilate.

"I don't-"

"Cut the crap, Izz. Your vampire friends may think you're all innocent, but I know better. I knew you before you perfected the art of manipulating everyone around you, did you really think I wouldn't catch you at it? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice... Lizzie gave you away. She had no idea you were going to the compound, did she? How did you know about her?"

Bella sighed, taking a long sip of wine from her glass. "I saw her picture once, in your stuff. I didn't examine it closely. Then I saw you kiss it when you thought we were going to die, when we were going after the grimoire."

"I remember that job. I remember lots of other times too, where you swindled me into getting in over my head before I knew it and dragged me right out of trouble again like it was nothing. I guess I should've known who you were. I'm nobody's soldier anymore, Isabella."

"You are; you've always been everyone's soldier, Alex, whether you fight for me or not. I've never met someone who's more a soldier than you."

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, your majesty."

"Me too."

The pair looked out from the high balcony at Camp stretched out before them, glorious and beautiful and crowded with Isabella's citizens, each life strung on a gossamer thread.

Satellites

"You're from the country, right Lizzie?" Rosalie heard Bella enquire as the Fae mounted their bare-back horses and sunrise peeked over the horizon. Bella rode in an elegant side-saddle pose, whereas Alex was in a comfortable-looking pair of joggers and blousy top, riding like a true cowgirl. The bird from the market was perched on her shoulder, and it flew ahead of them as they rode. Their party was made up of Alexandra, Bella, Kaedra, Lizzie, all of the Cullens, and Josephat, who had arrived at the stables as they were leaving, sharing a heavy glance with Isabella. A small group of stewards and guards rode behind them.

Jo's sudden appearance had made Alex curse robustly, though neither she nor Jo would explain their obvious relationship. Lizzie was riding along with the few soldiers and stewards who wrangled supplies at the rear of the group, gossiping good-naturedly in the early-morning air. To Edward's obvious relief, Marcos had elected to stay behind, claiming he was a "city-boy".

"I am. I was raised not far from where we're headed, actually. I used to go to the city to shop." Lizzie turned her face towards the breeze that ruffled the group, warm wind tinted with the smell of sweet flowers, letting the conversation move around her.

Lizzie was nervous. This was the first time she had come anywhere near the compound since her ordeal, and it wasn't just the nobles whose personal drama haunted them; though Elizabeth knew her story was nothing like her exceptional Queen's. It didn't help that something about Alexandra niggled in her brain, bringing up memories better left forgotten:

Lizzie was one of the younger ones at the Choosing ceremony that year, she had barely had her sixteenth birthday a week before. It was bound to be a one-of-a-kind ceremony. Since The Royal Three had disappeared, no one had known how the Akira would handle it. As Elizabeth remembered, she could feel the anticipation in her gut all over again.

The Choosing ceremony was the be-all-and-end-all for young Fae, who traveled to the School from all around the countryside to be matched with their eternal partners. Though Lizzie knew the soul-entwining didn't necessarily lead to romance, she had hoped she was one of the lucky majority who found their lover through the process. When the Akira running the ceremony had called her name, Lizzie's heart had fluttered in her chest. The soft light had fallen on her as the water flowed around her feet, marking her with the blessing of her affinities. Then, Elizabeth Shaman had laid eyes on her for the first time.

The Ipswitch heir had met her eyes with startling-blue ones that were ancient beyond her appearance, wonder and apprehension crowding into her face as she looked at Lizzie. She was dressed in the solid black of a soldier-in-training, the high heels emphasizing her cute figure and round face.

An Ipswitch was to be her Chosen? Oh, father was going to be furious.

The face of Lizzie's chosen was a distant ghost now, crowded out of her mind behind a thousand screaming memories. Elizabeth was far from the young country girl she had been when she came to the Choosing.

The golden fields of her childhood were coming back now, but Lizzie remembered what they had smelled like as they burned. It had been the end of the world when Demetri's beetles came to the village. Lizzie was unlucky enough to be in the main square of the market, trying to find something to soften her father's heart on the way back from the Choosing. When the attack came, she had been taken quickly. The screams of her friends still resonated in her ears, the sensation of hoofbeats under her making her shudder.

Lizzie had been saved from her captors after almost six weeks in captivity by a worn-looking woman with dark, cropped hair and an empty blue gaze. Her savior had treated her roughly but kindly. The woman had bundled her naked, weak form in a warm blanket and shoved a cup of water in her hand before she killed the incapacitated guard who had been Lizzie's tormentor. That face, at least, Lizzie could never forget.

Josephat had been much gentler than Camp's soldiers, allowing Lizzie to stay with him in the Salem house for almost a year before he deemed her well enough to be on her own. She had been working at the castle under the healer's watchful eyes when Isabella had returned and promptly promoted her.

Elizabeth was proud to serve her Queen, who had survived brutality worse than Lizzie wanted to imagine and wore her scars with pride. Bella hadn't been defeated by the darkness that had trampled Lizzie's spirit, her name bringing hope and faith to the captive girls under the Master's thumb. She tended to all the tasks she could shove into her busy day so that Isabella could focus on what she needed to do to defeat the evil spreading through her kingdom. In some small way, Lizzie felt that she was helping the other girls like her, like she too was a rough-and-tumble soldier rescuing young girls from dark and menacing dungeons.

But that was hard to remember as the echoes of Lizzie's memories played around them, ghostly echoes and violent glitches darkening the air. Esme was very quiet next to her.

The rest of the group was far enough away that Lizzie's trauma-induced glitches couldn't be seen by them. Only Kaedra, Esme, and Alexandra could see the echoes of destruction that gleamed darkly in the bright sun. Kaedra did not respond to the shadows except for a darkening of her expression, but Esme gasped and reached for Lizzie's hand, tangled in her brown mare's mane. Lizzie flinched away from the well-meaning touch.

"Don't worry about it, gentle Esme." Lizzie whispered to her vampire friend's guilty look. She reached out and patted Esme's shoulder gently. "The fields are growing back up now, see?"

Lizzie dispersed the echoes of memory from the air around them, nudging Esme's mind away from their evil and sweeping her arm to encompass the blooming fields around them. She focused on a small patch of wildflowers growing by the edge of the road and they bloomed under the water suddenly moistening their roots faster than Lizzie had expected. She turned to find Alex riding a few feet away, casting a spell on the pretty poppy plants that grew wild all through the fields around them. Bella's conniving friend was grinning shyly at her as they bloomed.

Esme's only response was to pluck one of the bright-red flowers and tuck it behind Lizzie's ear, caressing her face gently with her cold fingertips as she drew away and rode ahead to Bella's side, giving Lizzie the space she needed.

Yes. thought Lizzie. The fields are growing back now.

Mi Gente

The Shaman compound was made of shining steel and glass, and the streets were crowded with white-eyed Seers as well as normal Fae. Their leader was a white-eyed Seer with dark hair and a closely cropped beard who had bowed low over Bella's hand; the leader spat at Alexandra's feet. The Seers were distracted by Alice too, fawning over her as much as they did Bella.

It was nearing sunset when Esme excused herself from the lavish welcoming feast. Her heart was heavy with the destruction she had seen that afternoon, her vampiric mind overlaying the images with the now pristine village. Her shoulders sagged as she wiped her hand across her eyes, brushing at the venom tears that she could not shed.

As the feast ended, she was intercepted by Rosalie and Emmett. They were accompanied by a boisterous Bella whose attention was focused on a pleasantly plump old woman. Edward was smiling as he trailed behind the group. He was accompanied by her husband, who was shooting her a worried look as she slumped. Carlisle whispered to his mind-reading son and Esme quickly focused on the gossip she could hear the woman reporting to Bella.

Esme saw Bella nod as she took in the tale, which Esme had heard three times at the feast already. It was some gossip-driven story popular in the compound for a while now, the story of the Shaman heiress and her wild affair with a rebellious stranger. The girl had disappeared without a trace, and the villagers were certain she had run away to be with her lover. Esme was sure it was more gossip than fact, but had nodded merrily anyway, no matter how skeptical she was of the story's truth.

"Well, I'll look into it, but you can't stop love." Bella was saying. "Everyone grows up eventually, and love is always worth reaching for."

Bella stopped and turned to Lizzie, who was stock-still on the edge of the square with a pale face as she heard the story. Her face softened and turned persuasive as she tucked Lizzie's wild blonde hair behind her ear, plucking the wilting red poppy from where it had gotten tangled in the wind-blown locks.

"Sometimes, all you have to do is recognize what love looks like and stop being afraid of it."

Directly across from Lizzie in Esme's view stood an oblivious Alexandra, haggling over a sweet-cake with a merchant while the sunset glinted off her blue eyes. Lizzie gasped wildly, her hand flying to her mouth as she looked at the thief with a new understanding painted on her face.

Bella smiled.

Never Forget You

Alexandra stood stock still in Lizzie's view, as though she was aware of the epiphany Elizabeth had just pulled from her clouded memories. It was her. Those too-blue eyes gave the con away.

The ethereal soldier-in-training across from her at the Choosing, her startling-blue eyes shining at the possibility of true love. The tan-skinned, grungy soldier in the dungeons with the worn blue gaze, her face less-round without her teenage baby fat and with her cropped, short hairdo in the dingy light. Bella's slimmer, less muscular friend, older now and with a less polished style, her long, dark hair in two braided plaits, her blue eyes cynical and rough in the fading sun's light.

It was her.

Alexandra Ipswitch. Her Chosen.

Lizzie did not know why Alex had hidden her identity from her. It didn't matter. Romance was not a big enough word to describe the emotion in her chest. Love hardly covered it.

She flashed to Alexandra's side and clutched her in a tight hug. "Why didn't you tell me? My Chosen, how I have longed for you." Alexandra's response was to push Lizzie away harshly.

"Don't."

Lizzie was hurt, and it showed.

"Don't give me those puppy-dog eyes, Elizabeth Shaman. I have no right to claim you as my Chosen. You never should have been taken by Demetri. I'd insulted him, and he came for you. You were so young then. I've done things, Lizzie. Horrible things. I wanted to rip that guard apart in front of you, I would have. I couldn't do it anymore after I saw you there." A bitter laugh wrenched itself from Alexandra's throat. "I deserted. I ran from my title, ran from my duty. I won't shame you. We both know how Shaman and Ipswitch get along, and you need your family. There are threats that come with knowing me, and I'm hardly worth knowing anyway. I—I can't see you hurt anymore, Lizzie. Even if it means I can't have you."

Alexandra turned to run from the only girl she would ever love, but a golden shield sprung up to trap her.

"Alex, don't be a fucking idiot."

Alex turned to look at Bella, looking betrayed. "You orchestrated all this. Why? Just to get our bloodlines to behave? You bitch." She flashed to punch Bella in the face, but Bella gripped her arm and swept her feet out from under her.

"Careful, Alexandra. We're old friends- I don't want to kick your ass, but I will. I can understand how you're feeling, but I've stood where Lizzie's standing. Edward tried to leave once, to protect me. Look at her face, Alex. Use those incredible people skills of yours and tell me what she's feeling right now. Then ask me why I did this."

Alexandra looked, really allowed herself to look, at her Chosen. Lizzie looked so confused, so heartbroken. When Alex met her eyes, Lizzie stomped her foot and her aura flared wildly.

"No. You know what, no. I lost things I never thought I would lose in those dungeons. I will not let this war take you from me. You want to run away? Fine. I'm not strong enough to stop you. But I will follow you, Alexandra Ipswitch. I will follow you wherever you choose to go. I don't and never did give a damn what my family thinks. I love you, you stupid girl. You're afraid, and I get that. I'm afraid too. But I won't let you go again. I may be yours, but you're mine too. So, unless you want me to get myself in even more danger following you, shut up and kiss me."

Bella raised her eyebrows at Edward across the courtyard as Alex blew her hair out of her face. Edward looked stunned as the scene played out before him, but when he met her eyes a soft, crooked smile played across his mouth. He nodded.

Point taken.

Bella shoved at Alexandra telepathically, pushing her and Edward's story at her friend, who shuddered through the vision. When her friends' eyes returned to their ocean blue from faded white, she looked at Bella with wide eyes.

"Well then. Okay. Fine. Goddammit, Izzy, fine. I don't think I could stay away anyway. Elizabeth, you take that look off your face before I melt into a puddle of goo. I love you too. You're a fool for wanting me near you, but I love you too."

When Alexandra's lips finally met Lizzie's in an exultant kiss, Esme remembered that light exists even in the darkest of places. The shield that had blocked Alexandra's escape collapsed and shot through the village in a ribbon of golden light, painting every garden bed and crack in its path with red poppies. The villagers too, were exuberant; clutching at each other and rushing to greet the young couple that they had thought lost forever. When Bella held up a hand authoritatively, they backed off a little.

"Alexandra Ipswitch and Elizabeth Shaman, do you choose each other above all else, two souls dancing together for all time?" The two young women nodded eagerly as they turned to face their Queen, proclaiming their "I do's" with tears flowing down their faces.

Bella smiled.

Dirt

The party that followed would go down as legend, Josephat was sure. Soon enough, the wild and cheerful atmosphere dimmed with sultry night. Josephat saw Bella leave her new family and approach him. He was standing off to the side of the party, out of the glowing golden lights that illuminated the celebration against the starry sky.

He tucked the young queen's head under his chin, comforting her spirit as best he could and examining her aura for dangerous knots. Being someone's Chosen and choosing someone was a beautiful gift. Josephat's Chosen had died recently, and though he still held her memory close he found peace in their long stretch of time together- some were not so lucky.

Across the square, Jasper approached the happy couple to congratulate them. Alex shook his hand with dreamy hopefulness pouring from her eyes.

"How do you do it Jasper? You've been in some hella battles, I'm not blind." Alex motioned to the bite-marks covering Jasper's skin. "How could I ever bring someone like her happiness?"

Alex's gaze focused on her beaming bride.

Jasper smiled, meeting Alice's eyes across the short distance that separated them. "Practice." he quipped, turning to meet Alex's gaze, serious once more. "You know how quickly it can be taken from you. Love fearlessly."

Bella peeked from under Josephat's embrace at the two soldiers in her life who had managed to rebuild all that had been taken from them.

With tears in her golden eyes, Bella smiled.