Thank you Fyrebyrd, 2brown-eyes, Gabby1017, and Ceceprincess1217 for prereading, and to jayhawkbb for editing. I'm a chronic fiddler, so all mistakes are mine.

Chapter 13

It has been more difficult than I imagined settling into my new home without my husband. The usual chill that chases you through the halls of a stone fortress such as Masenthorne Castle has caught me and taken up residence in my bones. I am listless, unable to leave my rooms. I am sure no one at court would like to watch their new princess sniffle and cry, though, so I do not feel too badly about sequestering myself in my chambers.

I turn away callers, knowing I am putting distance between myself and those who are trying to help me. The queen sends messengers each day to check on me, and the king has sent messengers of his own, though his are to request my presence at court. Lady Rosalie is especially persistent, but I cannot bring myself to rise from my bed and put on a happy face to greet her or anyone else. It would be a lie. So instead, I ignore the knocks and bury my head beneath my blankets.

I sleep too long and eat too little. My despondency is alarming, even to me. Angela is the one person who sees me daily. She does her best to encourage me to eat, to dress, and engage in conversation, but the one thing I desperately need that she cannot do is find any word on where Edward is.

According to the news she is able to bring me, the messenger Jasper promised to send has yet to come.

I struggle to offer Angela a small smile as she places my morning meal on the table before the fire but says nothing else. I watch her as she goes about her usual morning routine after she has woken me and brought me my meal. The bed is made, no matter how pointless it is. I will only find my way back there after I have eaten.

It is eerily similar to our day-to-day routine back in Adwen, before I was swept up in the fantasy of a new life with a man who cared for me. But that is now all but a distant dream.

Heaving a heavy sigh, I turn back to watch the fire and am mesmerized by the flames. It is a curious thing how something so simple, so necessary in our daily lives could destroy so much and take away people we care for.

A knock on the door breaks me from my melancholy thoughts as Angela steps to answer it. She only cracks open the heavy door enough to speak to whomever is on the other side. After a moment, she nods, curtseys, and closes it.

"Who was it?" I ask, my voice raspy from disuse.

"It was a messenger for Lady Whitlock. She is requesting an audience with you if you are able to come to her chambers later today."

I straighten my back, surprised at the invitation. "Oh," I say simply. My hand moves to the tangled hair on my head as I look down at myself and see the sorry state I'm in. Still dressed in the same shift from several days ago, I am sure I look a fright.

"Today?" I croak.

"Yes, My Lady. The messenger mentioned perhaps sharing the midday meal with the princess."

I place the cup of tea I have been holding on the tray and sit back against the settee, staring at the fire. "I am not sure I am ready to see anyone," I finally admit in a small voice. I tear my eyes from the flames to look up at my friend. "She is Edward's sister, and I do not know if I am ready to face her without him."

The weak hold I have had on my composure finally snaps, and again I find myself sobbing in Angela's arms.

"Shh, My Lady. All will be well. You will see." She runs a soothing hand over my head and down my back and I quiet. "Perhaps this is just what you need—to meet her. She is your husband's sister, after all. Can you truly refuse her?"

"I have so far refused a king," I mumble.

She pulls back enough to meet my eyes. "Which is just one more reason to see her. It may be better to ease into spending time in others' company before you present yourself to the court and the king."

I wipe away the wet tracks from my cheeks. "I am unsure I will ever be ready to face the court."

"Isabella," she says softly, "I believe it is what Edward would want you to do. He may not be by your side, but as his wife, you are here to represent him, are you not?"

I stare down at my lap, wiping at my nose as my tears begin to subside. "I do not want to do it without him," I whisper.

She wraps an arm around my shoulders. "I know you do not, but you need to leave your rooms. It is not healthy to stay locked away from everyone. You need the fresh air and the company, if you do not mind me saying so."

I look up at her and smile ruefully. "But I have you."

"And you will always have me, but I think it is a good idea to meet your new sister." She tilts my chin up to make sure I meet her eyes. "She is your family now. He would want you to meet her."

It does not take me long to decide, and I nod my head in agreement. "I will meet my new sister."

It takes most of the morning to make me presentable. An hour alone is spent brushing the tangles from my hair. Choosing a dress is another point of contention. I fret over the formality of the meeting and cannot decide if a formal gown is required or if a simple dress would be more appropriate. Tired of my indecision, Angela finally decides for me, and before I am ready for it, I find myself being pushed out the door and into the maze of halls.

Thankfully, there is a guard stationed at the end of the corridor, and he is more than happy to lead us to Alice's chambers.

Steered up more stairs and down yet another hall, into a wing I've not yet been in, we finally arrive at our destination. Before the guard can announce our presence, the cries of a baby pierce the air.

"Should we—" Before I can ask if we should return another time, the guard proceeds to knock, his knuckles a harsh rap against the door.

Guilt at disturbing the new mother begins to seep in, but the door opens at once.

"Princess Isabella for Lady Whitlock," the guard announces.

The servant standing at the door nods and steps aside, and I am met with the tired, yet joyful face of a young woman.

"Isabella!" Small in stature and delicate in her features, she is not at all what I imagined she would be. "It is so good to meet you." She rushes toward me and embraces me, much like the queen did when we first met.

"And you as well, My Lady."

She pulls away and waves a dismissive hand. "No need for formalities here. Please call me Alice. We are sisters, after all."

I smile at her warm welcome. "I would like that very much, Alice." Realizing I am genuinely smiling for the first time in days, my smile grows wider.

"Come, sit. We have so much to talk about." She takes me by the hand and ushers me into her chambers, toward a pair of chairs sitting before the fire. "There are so many things I would love to ask you, so you will have to excuse me if I seem intrusive." Her eyes dim, if only a little. "I would just very much like to get to know the woman whom my brother chose to marry."

"And I am looking forward to getting to know you as well."

She nods and smiles as one of the servants delivers a tray of food, placing it on the low table between our chairs.

"You will have to excuse the informality of our meeting. It has just been so hard to return to court after giving birth. It is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be to care for him and still get enough rest to feel human."

"No, it is all right. I much prefer informal." I reach for a small plate and place it on the linen cloth lying over my lap, looking at her from the corner of my eye. I give her a small smile. "I have been out of sorts myself since I arrived. I do not believe I am ready to be presented to the court just yet."

Her grin is wide as she pats my hand. "Perhaps we can make our debut together? You the new princess of Galon, and me a new mother." She giggles and leans in close. "It would give the gossips something new to talk about at the very least." She pulls back, still smiling as she sits straight. "So, tell me about yourself, sister. What about you captivated my brother so much he had no choice but to marry you?"

I shake my head. "There is not much to tell, really. I am the youngest of three, and I have no idea why Edward would ask for my hand and not that of one of my older sisters."

Again, she leans in closely. "You have two sisters? Oh, what fun you must've had! I always wished for a sister."

"We were not very close," I say softly.

"Well, that is a shame, is it not?" She pats my hand. "But now my wish has come true, and you are my sister. I can already predict we will be quite close."

"That would be lovely."

We chat over our meal—I tell her of my life in Adwen, and she tells me stories of a young Edward always getting into mischief.

"And I think he smelled of manure for weeks after that! But you can be sure he didn't try to hide in the rafters of the stables any longer." We both laugh, but it soon turns wistful, and the atmosphere shifts.

"You truly miss him, don't you?"

I nod, my glassy eyes meeting hers. "I really do."

She reaches across the space between us and takes my hand. "I have a feeling he will not be lost for long, sister. I have faith he will return."

"How can you be so sure? And how can you remain so positive?"

"It is not without great difficulty, let me assure you." She laughs mirthlessly before turning serious. "It helps to have another person depending on me for his survival. I know it is entirely my responsibility to care for my son so I can present him to my husband when he returns." She pauses, thoughtful of her next words as her eyes shine with unshed tears. "To believe Edward will return is to believe Jasper will as well. And I cannot accept a future where he does not."

"I wish I had your conviction. I find it hard to even rise from my bed each day." I shake my head. "I could go days not speaking to another soul just to have the freedom to wallow in my sadness."

"But we must not allow ourselves to wallow, sister."

"It is difficult not to," I admit in a whisper. She studies me, making me uncomfortable as I sit across from her. "What?" I finally ask.

"You care for him."

"Of course I do. He's my husband." I furrow my brow, confused about why she would ask me something so obvious.

She smiles and shakes her head. "No, I mean you genuinely care for him, more than what is expected of us as women who should honor their duty and all that other nonsense." The dismissive wave of her hand makes me smile. "What I mean to say is he's found a place in your heart, hasn't he?" she asks softly.

I nod. "He has. And I did not realize how much of it he'd taken until he was gone."

"Then we must lean on each other until our husbands return, and when they do, we will be able to tell them how much they mean to us."

"He does mean a great deal to me. More than I thought possible in such a short time," I say softly.

She squeezes my hand once more. "You are everything I'd hoped he would find in a wife, and while you say he has stolen away with a part of your heart, he's undoubtedly left his with you."

"Then I shall do my best to care for it."

She opens her mouth to speak, but before she can utter a word, the cries of a babe grow louder as an older woman steps into the room.

"Excuse me, My Lady, but it seems the little Lord is in need of his mother."

"Of course, Irina." She reaches for the child and brings him to her bosom, quieting him with softly spoken words. When she begins to unfasten the ties of her gown, I realize what she is about to do, and my eyes grow wide.

I rise from my chair, ready to make a quick escape, mumbling my apologies.

She reaches for me, her small hand grasping my forearm. "No, sit, please. This will only take a few moments. I hope it is not presumptuous of me to assume you would be all right with me feeding him in your company." She laughs softly as she looks down at the baby cradled against her. "I am still getting comfortable with it myself."

"No," I say as I return to my seat, slightly embarrassed at watching her feed her son. "It is fine. I have just never known a noblewoman to feed her own children. I apologize if my reaction offended you."

She laughs, and it is a happier sound than I have yet to hear her make. "It was not without a fight, I will assure you. My father could not understand why I would choose to stay away from court for so long to do something I could have hired a wet nurse to do." She stares lovingly down to the child in her arms. "But once he was born, I could not imagine anyone else caring for him." She looks up to me. "And it is the greatest feeling in the world."

A sad smile crosses my lips, mournful of my missed opportunity to experience this for myself.

"Isabella, I truly believe they will return. Do not give up hope just yet."

I will not give up. Hope is the only thing I have to hold onto.

Knowing that I must eventually make my appearance at court, I push myself to get out of bed each day. Visiting Alice, going to visit with little Jameson, is difficult at first, but it becomes easier as the days go on, soon becoming the one bright spot in my days. On my fifth visit, Rosalie joins us, and she is every bit as wonderful as Emmett described. Her beauty is unmatched and somewhat exotic here in Galon, where the people tend to have darker hair and stronger features. No, Rosalie has hair so light it looks as if a ray of sunlight dropped down from the heavens just to kiss her head. With her bright blue eyes, eyes almost the color of the wildflowers from the meadow in Adwen, and her pale skin, her beauty is stunning.

Her warm, welcoming nature is the most beautiful thing about her, though.

Through my talks with Alice and Rosalie, I soon learn whom I would do well to avoid at court, and which servants are the most trusted. They have shown me care and kindness I was not expecting, and it is beginning to feel like I have found my place here in Galon.

They also draw me out and encourage me to visit the chantry, reminding me to pray for my husband's safe return. The waking hours I do not spend with Alice and Rosalie, I spend deep in prayer with their priest, Elder Afton, watching over me. I have spent enough time observing their rituals and prayer times, and I feel confident when I pray to the Gods of this land. While I have not learned all I need to know about my new people's religion, I believe my God and all of theirs will hear my earnestness and grant me their ear.

When the first frost blankets the landscape, the coldness I have felt since arriving goes deeper than my bones, seeping into my soul. The sun shines less, and it is more difficult to remain positive. An entire cycle of the moon has passed since I arrived, and still we have no word from Jasper.

If I thought myself despondent before, it only worsens as time moves on.

While the queen has been content to let me settle into life in Masenthorne Castle undisturbed, the king is impatient for me to show my face at court. Knowing it is not wise to continue to refuse my king's wishes, today I am making my first appearance. It is not something I am looking forward to.

As I dress, I worry over each and every detail of my gown, concerned I will make a bad first impression on the court.

"You look lovely." Alice's voice from her place in the doorway startles me.

"As do you, sister," I reply.

She looks down at herself, smoothing her hands over the fine fabrics of her own dress. "Do you truly think so?" she asks nervously. "I had such trouble adjusting it to fit." Her eyes meet mine, and a smile graces her face. "I am not quite the size I was before I had little James."

I stand and walk to her side. "Yes, I really think so. I am sure you will make quite the entrance."

"I am sure we will make quite the entrance. Everyone will be eager to get a glimpse of their new princess."

"Oh, Alice, please do not remind me. The mere thought of everyone watching me, judging me, makes me want to hide away in my chambers."

She takes my trembling hands in hers. "It is time to face the court and show them what a wonderful princess they have. And remember, I will be beside you each step of the way."

I smile, but nerves steal my voice. All I can do is nod in agreement as she leads me from my chambers toward my official introduction at court.

The throne room is nearly full when we arrive. Lords and ladies mill around, waiting for the king. As I expected, all eyes are on us when we walk through the doors, and it is all I can do not to turn around and run from the room. I am spared further curious glances when King Carlisle arrives and takes his seat on the throne while Queen Esme takes hers beside him.

My pulse beats in my ears, and I close my eyes as I take a few deep breaths, holding tightly to Alice's hand. I sense another's presence, and when I turn to see who is standing so closely to me, I am met with the smiling face of Rosalie.

"You did not think I would let you suffer through this alone, did you?" she asks as she places her hand on my forearm. She leans in close, whispering, "We are here for you, My Lady."

I smile in return, a genuine smile, and turn my focus back to the front of the room.

King Carlisle sits upon his throne, his stoic expression giving me pause. Even without the stories Edward told me about his father, I know he is a powerful and intimidating man. The way his eyes scan the crowd makes me uneasy. It is almost as if he is searching for a target. When his gaze falls on me, I do my best to stand straight and look him directly in his eyes, but his stare is fixed on me. He appears to be studying me, focused, all while the herald announces the first man to come before the throne. But before the man can be called to approach our king, Carlisle speaks over the herald.

"I believe we have a new arrival at court." All eyes turn to me. "Isabella? Won't you please come and say hello?" While it appears to be a request, everyone here knows it is not.

With a final squeeze of their hands, Alice and Rosalie release me to walk before the king. I step slowly yet carefully through the crowd as it parts, allowing me to pass. I keep my eyes to the floor, so as not to stumble as I approach.

Once I finally reach the open space before the throne, I lower myself into a deep curtsy. "Your Majesty."

"It is good of you to finally join us."

I try not to let the King's acerbic tone affect me, but I am sure it shows on my face when the queen gives me a look of sympathy.

I clear my throat and attempt to reply. "I must apologize, Your Majesty. It has been—"

"Over a month since you arrived," he interrupts. "While I understand it must be a difficult adjustment, having been transplanted to a new home where your every need is being met, it is no excuse for your dismissal of my orders." He sits straighter, his elbow now resting on the arm of his throne. "Unlike the miserable excuse for a king your father is, I expect my subjects to pay attention when I speak." His eyes narrow on me. "I am pleased you have decided to join us, but I will not be ignored in the future."

"Yes, My Lord," I whisper.

He nods once and waves me away.

I walk, unseeingly, back to Alice and Rosalie, and they each grasp an arm, holding me upright. I knew the king would not take kindly to me ignoring his summons, but I didn't expect to be scolded publicly. After coming face to face with him, I feel as if I have already made an enemy.

A/N: Anyone else want to give this girl a hug? And what did we think of Alice? Of Rosalie?

A lot of you are asking about how long Edward will be missing. I can't say much, but hang in there. It'll be a bit yet. ;)

And now time for some recs!

Completed ... Painting Peace by BixieRosen is a sci-fi story that was really great. Summary: Two neighbouring moons are locked in a century long interplanetary war. When the possibility of peace is given, Bella has no option but to leave behind all she knows and move to a hostile planet to marry the crown-prince, giving her life away for her people. But will her sacrifice pay off? AH/OOC, eventually B/E.

WIP ... Diamond in the Rough by MissLiss15. A dirty-talking, Hispanic Edward. Yum. Summary: In high school, Edward was the bad boy Bella pined for, but he never noticed her. While she was away at college, he was behind bars. Their paths cross again when she arrives home and he sees how she's changed. Can she handle the truth about him—that he's after the blood of the man who killed his father—and will she stay by his side with danger around every corner?

And remember, for exclusive weekly teasers and pics, be sure to check out my Facebook group, Sunshine Fics! 'See' you all soon!

Lots of love

~Sunshine