Chapter 11

Edward broke from his trance when he heard one of his brothers clear their throats. He straightened his posture and squeezed her hand firmly. "And these are my brothers." He introduced, ignoring the confused but amused glances from his kin. "Jasper and Emmett." Gesturing towards each one.

Bella looked over at the two of them and nodded with a a small smile to each.

"Good to meet you." Bella says. "All of you," she added looking back towards Edward.

"So," Emmett sighed as he stood up to stretch his large, cramped body. He looked at Bella with curiosity. "Who are you exactly?" He had placed his hands on his hips in a relaxed yet determined pose.

But Bella wasn't intimidated.

Not one bit.

She laughed slightly through her nose."Now that is a long story." She said as she sunk from her knees onto her bottom. She crossed her legs in front of her to warm her feet by the fire and smoothed out the pleats in the skirt Edward had stolen for her the day before. It was long and soft but had a few catches and rips at the bottom hem from their journey through the woods.

All three brothers were waiting for her to continue, when they realised she was done. She was content with her short answer. But Jasper wasn't.

"But where did you come from?" He implored, with a deep frown and bewildered eyes. He continued to twirl his pendant between his thumb and forefinger before unravelling it and starting again. "One minute we were surrounded by guards and the next, there you are." He exclaimed throwing his hands wide, his necklace falling back onto his chest. Bella observed the metallic looking bear pendant with its well worn leather corded strap. How interesting.

"She was inside." Edward said. He was peering down at her small hand still resting within his, comparing the roughness of their skin.

"Inside what?" Emmett asked quietly as the two brothers continued to see their feared older brother being so gentle.

"The box." Edward muttered as he looked directly into Bella's eyes. It was the first time he had really thought about everything that had transpired yesterday. Was it really only yesterday? He thought to himself as he hears his brothers stutter as they try to find their words.

Emmett and Jasper look at each other in disbelief.

"What?" They whispered at the same time looking between Edward and Bella and each other.

"The box…exploded. Knocking everyone out but me. And when I looked up. There she was. Sat on that marble pedestal and the box was in pieces around her." Edward growled as he remembered his fathers goading and smug expression when the knocking had sounded.

"Woah." Jasper breathed as Emmett was wide eyed and staring at the girl in front of them. Sure, they knew about Edward's future telling dreams but the step up to a human breaking their way out of a wooden box was frazzling them.

"So it was you that was… knocking…from the…inside?" Jasper almost whispered as he ran his hands through hair hair.

Bella nodded at them with a strong yet patient expression.

A silent beat passed.

"But how is that possible?" Emmett hissed as he rubbed his forehead. Not able to wrap his brain around this, he was just going to ask questions until things started to make sense. But Bella had other plans.

"What year is it?" She asked into the room. The men frowned.

"Erm" Edward said as he tried to engage his brain back into the present and away from the memory of his father's twisted sneer. "973 C.D"

Bella's breath caught slightly. Her large eyes took on a melancholy glaze as she gazed into the flickering orange flames.

They all got quiet, struggling still to take in all of the information. The silence of the cabin broken by the morning song of waking birds.

"What now?" Emmett was the one to ask Bella. "I mean…where do we go from here?" He stands by the misshapen window as the sun started to rise through the surrounding trees. The angelic glow that shines through contrasts the miserable state of the cabins interior.

Bella sighs. "There was a priest called Alexander Cheney. He lived by the northern border in a village called Seatt." Her voice was smooth and melodic and was drawing them all in. "I need to go there."

Jasper look deep in thought. "There's a village on the northern border called Sett. Is that where you mean?" His voice gruff.

"Yes!" She gasps, glad that it still exists. "That must be it. Can we go there?"

Emmett and Edward exchange a heated glance.

"Doesn't Alice live in Sett?" Edward asks Jasper quietly.

Jasper nods as his neck twitches.

"Great! Let's go!" Bella exclaims folding her legs back under her as she stands. As she hops up Edward notices her dainty little feet sticking out from underneath the stolen skirt. They were completely healed. No bruises or cuts in sight.