"Do you think we could just run away and go to your estate and never leave?" Rosalie asked while lying in bed with Bella laying half on top of her playing with her fingers.
"It would be nice wouldn't it? To just go there together and never bother with the outside world." Bella said
"It definitely has its appeal."Rosalie agreed running her fingers through Bella's soft hair.
"How do you feel about traveling?" Bella asked.
"I actually haven't done much. I've always wanted to but maybe some part of me wanted to wait and experience new places with my mate. If I ever found one." Rosalie replied."Have you been anywhere?"
"When I was younger I traveled the U.S. with my grandparents. We visited historical sights and they told me how each place was related to one of my ancestors. It was a lot of fun. I always wanted to travel the world though." Bella told her.
"During the summer we should go somewhere. I know it's only October and we have a few months left in high school but it's our senior year. Alice, Jasper and Edward still have one year left but with us graduating next year we would have the time." Rosalie said.
"I would like that. Would we go with your family or would it be just us?"
"They're your family to and we wouldn't have to. I'm sure they would put up a fuss but we are still a newly mated couple. We deserve some time to ourselves. I'm already on the verge of losing my temper around them now, I hate to think what will happen if they try to go with us." Rosalie told her.
"I would like some time to ourselves. I mean I know we are alone right now but once we leave this room we will be surrounded by people. Do you think I'm selfish for wanting you all to myself?" Bella asked.
Rosalie laughed."If you are then we will be selfish together. I can't stand being around anyone else right now. I know it was my idea for them to come with us this weekend but will we be able to be alone while there?"
"Yes we will. The estate is quite large and I'm sure there will be plenty to keep them busy. We can just lock ourselves away in the secured wing that only I have access to. We can have the whole weekend to ourselves." Bella promised.
"I don't trust leaving them unsupervised. They could cause a lot of damage and I know they will probably snoop around and getting into things they aren't supposed to."
"Don't worry we will have complete access to security cameras. We can monitor their every move if you wanted. We can also control access to doors from there so if you feel like it's someplace you don't trust them you can lock them out." Bella told her.
"Then can we lock them out of the house. I don't trust them at all. I worry they are going to break some priceless historical artifact and the world will lose a valuable piece of American history." Rosalie grumbled.
"Don't forget my family is actually from England. I have artifacts that are important pieces in British history also." Bella said laughing at Rosalie's groan.
Rosalie sighed."Please don't tell me that. I already have a bad feeling about them being there. You are just making it worse."
Bella propped herself up to give Rosalie a kiss."They will be fine. I'm sure there is another copy of the manifest off of the mayflower out there somewhere."
Rosalie pushed Bella away from her. " I don't think you're funny. I am truly stressed out about this."
"Sweetheart it will be fine. I already know which rooms to show each of them to keep them busy. They won't get into any trouble and like I said you will be able to check in on them no matter where they are. We even have pins that the staff wear that track a person's location. Some doors are key carded. No one will go where they aren't supposed to." Bella said trying to reassure her.
"I think it's because I've never been there before. Once we get there I will relax. Well I'll try to relax."
"That's all that I ask. It's not only my family home now but your home as well so I want you to feel as welcome and relaxed as you can while you are there." Bella told her.
Rosalie thought about that. She had never had a home before. Even the house she grew up in was never really a home. As vampires they moved around to much to consider anyplace an actual home. Bella was once again making one of her life long dreams come true. Here she had a mate who wanted to have children and had a family home they could live in without having to worry about going to settle in the next place.
"What are you thinking about?" Bella asked.
"You." At Bella's confused look Rosalie explained. "I was thinking about our first time talking. We had told each other about our homes. I had told you I never had one but I always dreamed of sharing one with a wife and children. I never thought once during that conversation that you would give a chance to have not only a home but a future I long thought impossible."
Bella kiss Rosalie deeply."I would give you the world if you asked for it. A home and a family are just as much a gift to me as they are to you"
Rosalie pulled Bella into her arms." I love you."
"I love you to Rose."
Rosalie smiled in acknowledgement at the nickname. No one had called her Rose since her best friend Vera. The family had tried to on occasion but she had corrected them immediately because hearing it was a painful reminder of how her human life had ended. Bella saying it's made her think of the good times she had with Vera and the moments of happiness she had in her human life.
"Where would you like to travel to the most?" Rosalie asked.
"I would like to go to Shurlong castle. It is after all where my family came from."
"Is it even standing?"Feeling Bella's nod she asked. "Would we be able to visit or is it privately owned?"
"It's privately owned but I'm sure they'll let us visit."
"I'm sure you're right seeing as you are the heir to the Shurlong line." Rosalie agreed.
"I think the fact that I own it would be the major deciding factor actually." Bella told her.
Rosalie pulled Bella up so she could look at her face. "You own a castle. An English castle?" Bella nodded. "Do you have a royal title then?
"Well technically my mother is the Duchess of Shurlong. However she never uses the title. My ancestors never did either after the establishment of the United States. I guess founding your own country makes you want to cut ties with your old one. We have always owned the castle and lands around it though. I actually have tenants and own the village of Shurlong. "
"You own a village as well." Rosalie couldn't believe this. Her mate's ancestors not only helped establish and run a country but she had a royal title and owned a village in England where her castle from the 12th century resided.
"Yes. My estate manager Gene oversees all the runnings and makes sure people are doing their jobs." Bella explained.
"Tell me about Gene. How do you know you trust him as much as do? " Rosalie asked concerned her mate could be taken advantage of.
"I told you his family worked with my mine for generations right?" At Rosalie's nod Bella continued ." Well along side working with them they are actually members of the tribe of native Americans my ancestor got the legends from. They know of our shifter identity and know that I'm the white tiger."
"Why haven't you talked to them about these legends then?"
"Well it was never important until I met you. I had just planned to keep my head down and live as normal of a life as I could. But then I met you and all those tales of fate and destiny became something I had to consider. I had actually planned on contacting them when we got there if we weren't able to find something in my records." Bella explained.
"So they know about the supernatural world? "
"Yes they are well aware of all the things that go bump in the night." Bella said with a chuckle.
Rosalie rolled her eyes. "As long as they take care of you that's all that matters to me. I would love to go to your village but I'm afraid it's something my family would definitely want to do with us. I don't think we could stop them from going and the best thing to do is be there when they go so they don't wreck the place."
"You worry to much."Bella told her.
"What's the castle like? Has it been updated at all?"
"Yes and no. It has had repairs done and modern amenities added like running water, bathrooms, showers and an updated kitchen but it remains the same as it was. Different decorations and interior designs have been added throughout the centuries but even then I'm told the attic houses most of the antiques that have been replaced."
"Your family is really keen on keeping things original." Rosalie mused.
"It's not about keeping things original it's about the pride we have in the ones that came before us. We keep the castle how it was because Gorgen built it. He was a fierce warrior who started the Shurlong legacy and was the first official royal we can trace for sure. So we honor him and all the others by taking pride in their accomplishments. One of his accomplishments is the castle. The house on the estate we keep as a reminder of the first place we were ever able to just be ourselves, tigers and all without having to worry or be scared that someone would find out our secret." Bella explained.
"I think I get it. It's not about keeping things it's about remembering the legacy and the pride you have in the ones who came before you. I think because my family didn't have anyone that we could be proud of I find it hard to relate."
"You are my family now. That means you can take great pride in my ancestors. Everything they did brought us to this moment. Every decision they ever made brought me to you. I don't want you thinking of these things as mine. They are ours now. You're stuck with me. By being my imprint you are now part of the Shurlong family tree. So my ancestors are now yours too." Bella told her.
"Even with the Cullens I never felt like I really had a family. I mean they are but we are more of a family together by circumstance. I like the idea of being a part of your family because of love not because of some horrific attack. " Rosalie smiled when Bella's face lit up.
"I like the idea of being a part of a family made out of love also and when we have our children they will feel all the love we have for each other passed on to them. They will think of their mothers as just two more members of the long line of heroes and revolutionaries that came before them."
Rosalie felt her eyes sting with the venom of tears that would never fall. "I love you so much." She said on a sob.
Bella sat up and pulled Rosalie into her arms. "I love you to."
Rosalie continued her tearless sobbing until for the first time in her vampire life she had fallen asleep due to emotional exhaustion. Bella wasn't worried though. She knew Rosalie was happy and that all those emotions were happy ones so she just settled Rosalie against her chest and pulled a blanket over them closing her eyes. Content to hold Rosalie as she fell asleep.