A/N: Hello, beautiful humans! First and foremost, I want to thank you for your patience with me. I know the inconsistency of my posting can be irksome, but you all have accepted my chapters with grace and kindness. Thank you for all of your support through reading/reviewing/alerting/rec'ing, and I appreciate every single one of you who has stopped by! I try my best to get back to you, but my study schedule means that I'm not supposed to be on the computer for long (which *cue miniature violin music* means I'm often deprived of the glorious fanfic community). Alright, after that long part, I'm going to make you sit through another one.

In life it's so important to have people to champion for you; people who will uplift you and encourage you, and just give you a few kind words/feedback. You do this for me through reviewing/alerting, many in the fanfic community do so through Pay It Forward, and pour moi through my fanfic "career" Fran has been the ultimate editor/cheerleader. I think if more people display even an ounce of the positivity she does (and that many of you in the community do), the world would be a little brighter (: I wish and hope that each of you out there have your own cheerleader, and that you are on someone else's sideline, cheering them along.

So, after buttering everyone up a bit, here is the next chapter of Atmosphere.


PART III: SWAN

Chapter 31

Drip.

Bella wants to wipe the drop of water from her brow, but she refuses to touch her hands to her face before she can wash them. Instead, she allows the dirty droplet to swim past the paint, grime, and blood on her skin and escape off the tip of her nose. It jumps from her warm skin to the cold iron in front of her.

Her life has been reduced to snapshots of violence and meetings at this rigid table.

Drip.

She looks to the far end of the room. For the past five minutes, she's alternated between forcing herself to stare at the empty seat that sits there, and then ignoring that half of the table entirely. Avoidance loses. She can't look away. Perhaps her eyes are deceiving her, and this is all just a horrible nightmare.

Drip.

Drip.

Do you know what the odd thing is about rain? You never focus on the sound it makes upon meeting your skin. The mind catalogues the clink it makes against glass, the rattling of it on a metal surface during a shower, or even the shallow splat of a droplet against an iron table. But rain against living flesh; Bella can't recall that. What she can remember, with perfect clarity, is the way the showers had pattered against the dead bodies on the battlefield.

The end of the battle with Aro's forces had come nearly two hours after Alec had arrived. With seven hundred Flor-idiaans in tow, he'd stormed the fight and provided much-needed reinforcement. Though the Forxian forces had the advantage in numbers, it still stood noticed that their troops were less experienced. Skilled and lethal, the Volturi were a formidable force, striking first and quickly so that they would not be overwhelmed. The Flor-idiaans arrived, energized and highly trained, and were quickly able to relieve many of the exhausted soldiers. The way Edward had described it, they'd moved quicker than any forces he'd ever seen, slicing and annihilating the opposing army.

In the meantime, Alec had a soldier fly him to where he knew Bella to be. The signals of distress she'd emitted had alerted him to the fact that something was gravely wrong. Upon reaching the burning orphanage, he searched for Esme since she would know the exact location of Bella. Though she was still recuperating, she flew Alec to the chamber where she'd escaped with the children moments prior.

After defeating the two Volturi invaders, Bella flew with Alec back to the battlefield. From what she could estimate, only about half of the original six thousand remained of the opposing forces, and her army appeared to have around five thousand (outside of the Flor-idiaan addition). Upon touching the ground, she and Alec began to fight with hands clasped. Between Alec using his sword and Bella using her enhanced absorption, they destroyed opponent after opponent. At the moment she hadn't given a thought to the lives she was ending, but that all changed when they had to deal with the bodies.

The Volturi surrendered and withdrew. It became clear to them that they were vastly out-numbered and would only find death if they continued. After the last soldier had disappeared from view, the horrendous task of identifying and dealing with the fallen commenced. Forxian, Cullenian, and Flor-idiaan bodies were separated, each survivor moving the corpses to designated areas. Caius had insisted that doing such a gruesome chore was not required of a Queen, but Bella refused to leave. Just like the soldiers around her, she picked up the arms of a Volturi and began to drag them. Rain started not long after, bringing Bella to the realization that she had never taken note of the sound of dripping water on skin. Its heavy splatter against the lifeless body almost emphasized the lack of a pulse in the wrist she was gripping. She tore her eyes away from the slack face of her former opponent, but it was of no help. The red streams of blood on the dirt around her were just as damning.

Drip.

So many people had died today.

Drip.

Drip.

"We lost Eleazar," she says as she begins the meeting without formalities.

Not even a breath is heard. Bella doesn't need to look at the faces surrounding her to know that devastation is mirrored in each of their expressions. She refuses to wipe the tear that slips from her eye; if they don't believe it already, she will show them that crying does not speak of a Queen's weakness.

"Faced with this tragedy, and the many other losses of today, I would like you to keep your minds open to my next words," Bella warns, "I want to attack Volturi Castle tomorrow."

"As in … as in we would need to leave tonight?" Claire asks.

"Yes," Bella confirms.

"Our troops are exhausted," Carlisle says, "Can they handle another day of combat?"

"Call back those from the West Gate and use all that weren't at the battlefront today," she suggests, "Combined with the Flor-idiaan troops we'll have enough to fill a few ships and lead the attack we'd initially planned."

"Why rush?" Didyme questions, "Why not wait a few more days to catch our bearings?"

"The last time we delayed the Queen's timeline, we ended up being invaded by Volturian forces," Billy points out, referring to when Bella had petitioned for Forxx to attack Volturia in two months as opposed to the three they'd settled on, "I will not be going against Cora again."

"I agree," Jacob chimes in; "Let us end this once and for all."

"My reserves are not too far offshore, they can follow your fleets once we commence," Edward informs.

"Then you're really going to do it," Esme rasps, her throat still tender from her earlier encounter with fire, "You're going to kill Aro?"

"We will," Alec affirms in time with Bella.

"Except for one issue," Bree notes, "The original plan involved Sola Jonathon Or'chu concealing us with invisibility so that we could approach the shore and not alert Marcus."

"And?" Quil presses.

"Sola Or'chu was killed in battle today," Caius sighs, "He was never meant to face combat, but when the Volturi made it to the city he refused to stay protected."

"Remind me what Marcus' ability is?" Lucy prompts.

"Anything he gazes upon turns to ash," Esme informs, "With Jonathon, we could have made it close enough for Bella to absorb from Marcus, and enter the castle via the attic room."

"We can use our backup plan," Harold suggests, "Use an archer so that we can incapacitate Marcus from a distance."

"Our best archer was killed in battle," Athenadora mutters.

"Ecaré," Bree exclaims, earning her an astonished stare from all participants in the room. She has the decency to look ashamed as she clears her throat, "What I meant to say, is that it will be difficult to find someone with his skill."

"Surely there is someone else with his aptitude," Edward comments.

"He was gifted with archery," Didyme reminds, "We need someone with his perfect accuracy; someone who can adjust to the wind speeds and shoot from below a target."

Someone who can hit a target from over a hundred yards away, Alec injects into Bella's thoughts.

"Absolutely not," Bella denies harshly.

"Pardon me, Cora?" Didyme stutters in confusion, "Did I say something to displease you?"

"My apologies, His Highness simply made a preposterous suggestion," she explains.

"Pray tell us what it was?" Edward grits with annoyance.

"We know of another person who is equally as gifted," Alec voices, "Our sister."

"Did you inhale too much smoke?" Edward growls.

"Your Majesty," Bella hushes, even though propriety in meetings such as these has long been lost, "Prince Alec, we will not be considering your suggestion."

"Why not?" Alec argues, "Are we to have everyone else risk their families, while ours are concealed?"

"Your Highness, if I may, I believe we have many fine archers to choose from," Harold offers.

"Do they have one-hundred percent accuracy? If Marcus isn't killed with the first arrow, we'll all be rendered to dust," Alec challenges, "Charlotte never misses."

"Charlotte isn't trained for combat," Edward objects.

"Pardon me, Your Majesty, but she did train," Claire corrects meekly, "Not at the intermediate level, but as much as some of the soldiers who fought today."

"She also doesn't have to engage directly," Carlisle joins, though avoiding Edward's gaze, "After she fires the arrow, we can extract her."

"She's just a girl," Lucy speaks, "Essa, can you not use your telekinesis to send the arrow?"

"That could be a possibility. Although truthfully, I do not know if distance is a limit to my telekinetic hold, nor have I tested that level of aim," Bella admits.

"That doesn't sound like a risk we should take," Athenadora comments.

"But offering a teenage girl is?" Esme disputes, "She isn't ready."

"Shouldn't that be her decision?" Alec counters.

"Your Majesty, are you not going to stop this?" Edward turns to Bella.

For the sake of making an impartial decision, Bella looks anywhere but Edward. She knows that if she looks into his furious green stare that she'll be swayed in her decision. Truthfully, if Charlotte were of no relation to her, she'd be more willing to consider this strategy. However, it would still stand that Charlotte is a teenager, and requesting one who is practically a child to engage in warfare –rather than allowing them to enlist themselves –risks an abuse of power.

Then, there is the matter that Charlotte has the ability to ensure their plan of entry works. Many her age, as Claire had mentioned, had fought valiantly in the battle today and survived. Even Charlotte and Peter had shown commendable bravery when assisting the children out of the burning building. So what should Bella do? Should she grant Charlotte permission over Edward's rejection or should she reject the strategy against the advice of her council?

Bella releases a heavy sigh as she comes to her conclusion, "King Edward, Captain Acu'lita, and Captain U'ley, gather your best archers –Charlotte included. We will meet at Town Hall in twenty minutes."

Five archers stand at one end of the gathering place, their metal arrowheads glinting in the rising sun. At the other end sits a crudely made target held twenty feet above the ground. Bella studies each of the contestant's faces, noting the demographics. Two are older men from Edward's battalion, one is a middle-aged man from Ida Flor, one is a young man from Harold's troops, and the last is Charlotte, young and delicate in appearance.

When Bella reaches her face, the young Princess gives her a reassuring smile. Charlotte had been shocked to be summoned by Bella, and even more so when informed about her possible involvement in the siege on Volturi Castle. Though she had been uncharacteristically timid, she agreed to test her archery against the best archers of the armed forces. This is where she'd found herself in the early hours of the morning, along with the four other, hand-picked archers and a few chosen spectators. Peter lingers close by, having refused to remain home and miss supporting his beloved. In the end, his presence is needed, as he can provide a challenge by which to separate the mediocre archers from the superior.

"Welcome, archers," Bella greets.

"Cora Swann'eya," they reply dutifully, though Bella is sure she catches Charlotte rolling her eyes.

"Today we will come to a decision on which one of you will lead us on our siege of Volturi Castle," Bella continues, "Those who do not hit the target with perfect accuracy will still be deploying to support our troops. If you are ready, I will ask the first archer to step up to the marked line."

Confident, and with a stocky stride, the first archer approaches the marker that is approximately seventy yards away from the target. With a strong arm and unwavering posture, he pulls back his arrow against the bowstring. Then, in a quick succession of five movements, he lands five arrows into the center of the target.

The few persons present, begin to hum in acknowledgment of his skill, surely thinking that he had won the contest. As the second, third, and fourth archer miss at least one shot, it certainly seems as if the first contestant has no competition. However, he hasn't met Charlie.

Bella watches with teeth implanted in her bottom lip as Charlotte sets her bow and arrow on the ground and walks over to Peter. An outsider might misconstrue Charlotte's actions as a forfeit, but Bella knows better. She knows the tight pursing of Charlotte's lips is not out of fear, but out of determination. Charlotte, with the poise of a true Princess, calmly opens her hand and accepts an object from Peter. To the surprise of all present, he hands her a scarf. Then, as if that didn't puzzle the audience enough, Charlotte ties the fabric around her eyes.

The hum of the crowd is silenced as Peter leads Charlotte back to the designated line and hands her the bow and arrow. Bella, herself, is holding her breath as her friend loads the arrow onto the bow and pulls back the string. Charlotte's movements are slower, but just as sure. One after another, she lands all five arrows into the center of the target.

"Do we need any more convincing-," Alec begins.

Bella shoots Alec a warning glance before holding up a hand to quiet the murmuring spectators, "Thank you to all participants, and very well done to those who have progressed onto our final challenge. Peter, if you will do the honors."

Gleefully, Peter stands a few feet to the side of the archers and stretches out his hands. He provides a steady current of air to add to the difficulty of hitting the target. The winds are just enough to change the course of the arrows, but not enough to detour them completely. They are at a strength that could be similar to the weather of Volturia Bay.

"Will our first archer please come forward once more," Bella prompts.

If the first archer is wary about this change in circumstances, he doesn't show it. As confidently as he approached the first challenge, he enters his stance. After a few moments of deliberation, he unleashes his handful of arrows.

All, but one, are off center.

Bella bites her lips more ferociously as she realizes that he has failed this challenge. Only one of two things can happen now; Charlotte can either succeed in hitting the target or she can fail, forcing the council to upheave their entire strategy. Bella's not sure which option she wants to come to fruition.

Charlotte is led to the marker for the last time, and Bella nearly wants to shout at the girl for not removing her blindfold. To have gone through the first challenge with such hubris was one thing, but to test her skills in this manner is foolish. But because Bella cannot seem partial in her judging, she remains silent alongside Edward. She doesn't even want to take a glance at his expression, knowing that it can't be pleasant.

Charlotte draws her arrow against the bowstring and positions her body slightly toward where Peter stands. In order for her to hit the bullseye, she needs to anticipate the air current and the strength with which it will curve the path of her arrow. Seemingly pleased with her position, she takes a deep breath and then releases her hold. She follows the same process five times; adjust position, deep breath, and release.

She hits every mark.

The applause of the spectators cannot cover Alec's exuberant shouting. He lopes over to Charlotte and squeezes her in an embrace, whipping her so violently from side to side that her feet dangle helplessly. Bella laughs with proudness and disbelief. She had been the fool to doubt Charlotte.

Only one person stands stiffly beside her, his face tensed grimly. Hoping that he won't pull away from her, Bella grips Edward's wrist and tugs him over to where Charlotte is batting off Peter and Alec's jubilant advances.

"Are we sure I'm not the Guardian? I believe I've been more impressive than Alec thus far," Charlotte asks coyly, as Bella and Edward appear.

"You may have been given permission against my wishes to face combat, but I will not stand by while you jest about it," Edward says lowly, and begins to pull away.

"Actually," Bella tightens her hold on him, forcing him to stay put, "I didn't host this contest to assert my command over your guardianship, Edward."

"But Bella-," Charlotte contests.

"Legally, the decision is still his. I just wanted you to have a fair chance to convince him. Peter and I will leave the three of you to talk, but I want an answer in no later than ten minutes," Bella warns them, "We have preparations to make, and you will not delay me."

Before either can oppose, Bella switches her grip to Peter's wrist and leads him to the sitting logs. She purposely sits with her back to the Cullens so that they can have the privacy to discuss the matter as a family. Peter is less happy to comply, but he does so when faced with a pointed glare from Bella.

"I want to go to Volturia too," Peter shares after several beats of silence.

Bella sighs, "You will need permission from your parents."

"That's it?" Peter scoffs, "Charlotte gets a whole competition, but you resign so easily to me? And as you so kindly pointed out yesterday morning, I am newly sixteen; I don't need my parents' permission."

Bella flicks the tip of his ear, "Do not be insolent with me, boy. I'm much too tired to object anymore."

"There was no reason to object, to begin with," Peter says.

"Yesterday, you and Charlotte had not been exposed to the chaos of battle. Today, I saw in you bravery and level-headedness," Bella confesses, "I was wrong about the both of you. If you believe yourselves ready to face combat, then I will not stop you."

"We never took this lightly, Bella," Peter insists, "And I surely don't take Charlotte's life lightly. If I didn't think she'd make it out of this battle alive, I'd chain her in a lunella hatch myself. She can do this. Edward needs to give her the chance to show she's no longer a sheltered Princess."

"I believe you now," Bella assures, placing a hand on his.

As their skin touches, Bella thinks back to the time she'd first sat at the campfire in Town Hall with Peter. Back then, she'd been scared to hold his hand, thinking that she'd absorb from him, or encourage his budding affections. So much has happened since then. She is now able to hold his hand, and flick his ear, or even draw him into a hug. But most of all, they've both found the love of which they had spoken.

Bella chuckles, as she places her head against Peter's shoulder, "I bet now you're glad we didn't marry."

Peter's guffaws and shoves Bella gently, "If you could refrain from sharing that with Charlotte, I'd be much obliged."

"You are right to fear her," Bella snickers, "Your beloved can maim you while blindfolded."

"Yes, well, at least I didn't render my partner unconscious from a kiss-,"

The next few minutes are spent with Peter warding off the slaps and nudges doled out by Bella. She imagines she doesn't look particularly 'queenly' at this time, but she can't find it within herself to care. Roughhousing with Peter releases some of the heartaches she has accumulated. She knows the past twenty-four hours will never vanish from her memory, but she will hold onto every moment of relief that she is blessed with.

The Cullens return by the end of the given ten minutes. Alec and Charlotte look solemn, but it is Edward on who Bella focuses. Not even stopping to address her, he stalks away from the group. Her heart begs her to go after him, but for now, she needs to know whether or not Charlotte, and subsequently Peter, will be joining her on the voyage to Volturia.

"Well?" Peter starts impatiently.

Charlotte meets Bella's stare, her eyes red, presumably from tears. Her voice is soft, as she says, "I'm going."

~SWAN~

"If I had a coin for every time Edward was mad at me, I'd have enough money to sponsor my kingdom," Bella sulks to Lua. She lies in her designated chambers on the ship, curled around her pet. Lua, more focused on her owner's petting, purrs as she snuggles into Bella's embrace.

Roughly sixteen hours have passed since Bella learned that Charlotte and Peter would be a part of the attack on Volturi Castle. Since then, she has organized and arranged for the mass funerals of the fallen to be held upon her return. She has finalized the attack plan, and touched base with Alec –all through, which, she's been thoroughly ignored by Edward. Even when she'd retreated to their room to get a few hours of sleep before boarding the ship, he'd been mysteriously absent.

She is now aboard the Qui-leu vessel, along with the Cullens, Jasper, Peter, her lunellas, Jacob, Caius, and Athenadora. The goodbyes had been rather painful. Bella can admit to crying when Esme had held her, begging to join the voyage. However, it is in the best interest of the nations if Carlisle and Esme are left behind. Should things not go as planned, Esme will rule as Queen over Forxx, and Carlisle as King of Cullenia, seeing as all the Cullen heirs are entering battle. Alice had been nearly catatonically silent as Jasper and Peter bid her farewell, only speaking to tell them she loved them. Emmett and Rosalie were discharged from their duties so that they could tend to their newborn, and the remaining council members were left to preserve the representative board. The rest of the attacking forces are comprised of several of Edward's fleets, a few Forxian troops, and the Flor-idiaan contribution.

Dinner aboard the Qui-leu had been an interesting affair. Bella had sat around those familiar to her, but it hadn't stopped her from interacting with the Flor-idiaan soldiers. She was amused once again by Sam's candor, and got to meet Jared, Michael, and Embry properly, outside the confines of Alec's body. Though Edward's absence at the table was a gloomy reminder of his anger, she laughed at the antics between Alec and his new friends. It was apparent that he had made deep connections during his time in Ida-Flor, and for that, Bella is grateful.

It will take another stretch of hours to reach Volturia's shores; their estimated time of arrival is in the late morning hours. From there, Bella, Edward, Alec, Peter, Charlotte, Jacob, and Lucy will board a smaller boat to approach the shore undetected. After Charlotte has successfully thwarted Marcus, the rest of the troops will head to land. Peter and Charlotte, for safety purposes, will return to the Qui-leu, the only ship that would withdraw once the battle was begun.

"It seems that if I'm not stepping on one person's wings, I'm sitting on another's," Bella vents, "You're not upset at me too, are you, Lua?"

Lua licks Bella's chin in answer.

"You're such a good girl," Bella presses a kiss to her cat's nose.

She's supposed to be sleeping. The crew had retired to bed so that those fighting would have optimal energy. Unfortunately, anticipating facing her father has Bella's stomach churning. It has been nearly a year since she'd promised Aro she'd greet him in hell, and it's possible she'll fulfill this promise within a few hours. She's been successful in combat thus far, but there is no assurance that this won't be her final fight. Who is to say she won't kill Aro in a way that also ends her own life?

Bella. Go to bed.

Bella groans into her thin pillow. Having Alec near her is also an adjustment. On the one hand, there is no longer the risk of jumping into each other's bodies to control one another's actions, but on the other hand, they have already fallen into the habit of speaking telepathically. It has annoyed those around them to no end to miss out on pieces of the conversation, but for some reason, it comes naturally to them. Their level of connectedness has become unavoidable now that they're actually together.

Would you at least go visit Edward then? His pacing is going to lead me to walk the plank.

Goodnight, Alec.

It only takes twenty minutes for Bella to take up Alec's suggestion. After pressing another kiss to Lua's sleeping form, she peeks through her room door to see whether any soldiers are patrolling the level. Thankfully, her dash through the halls in her night attire is not witnessed. Seconds later, she's hurrying into Edward's room, not even bothering to knock. She'd rather face his chastising than be caught in her undergarments.

Wouldn't that be a story for the Flor-idiaans to bring back to their nation?

"Bella?" Edward turns to her. His standing position at an odd location in the room leads her to believe that he actually has been pacing.

"I would have knocked, but I didn't want the Flor-idiaans to think the Forxian Queen is improper," Bella apologized, "Have I added more time onto you ignoring me?"

"I'm not ignoring you," Edward sighs, as he takes a seat on the corner of his bed.

Bella raises a brow.

"Okay, perhaps I am, but I am not angry with you," Edward corrects sheepishly,

"Then why spend our last night together in isolation?" Bella questions, taking a seat beside him, "We went through a lot yesterday, and still have more to face. Why pull away from me?"

"It feels like everything is out of control," Edward admits, "I needed some space to level my thoughts, and by the time I came to your chambers, I saw that your candle was out."

"Well, I couldn't sleep," Bella tells him, "Not when I thought I'd angered you."

"I'm sorry," he drapes an arm around her to anchor her to his chest. He then lowers them onto the bed so that her head rests near his heart, "I seem to always be apologizing to you for acting like a true ass."

"You are correct," Bella agrees, "If you can restrain yourself, I'd be much obliged. I don't wish to kiss a donkey at my wedding."

She was hoping to draw a laugh from Edward, but he's painfully quiet. She raises her head and angles her body so that she's able to see his face. He looks rather morose.

"A kingdom for your thoughts?" Bella asks.

"How do you do it?" Edward questions with genuine confusion, "How do you remain to be a light in such a dark world?"

"What are you talking about, Edward-,"

"What if we never get our wedding?" Edward interrupts in a broken voice.

Bella wishes she could provide some assurance for him, but she'd be a hypocrite to do so. Only minutes before she had been wondering if she'd make it out of her confrontation with Aro. It is a very real possibility that one, or both, of them, might not return from this final installment. How is she a light in this dark world? She isn't. She's merely learned to get comfortable in the darkness. And this is exactly what she plans to do now.

Edward looks at her in interest, as she rises from the bed and blows out each candle in the corners of the room. The room is submerged in complete darkness; the lower level of the ship shields the moon's light, and also makes the lapping of the waves more apparent. On swaying feet, she returns to the bed, reaching out blindly so she can locate Edward. When her hand brushes against his lower stomach, she uses the area as a mark to guide herself onto his lap. He jumps slightly in surprise, having not expected to feel her full weight rest atop him. Torturously slow, she lowers her upper torso so that her chest can press against him. The thin fabric of their shirts does nothing to hide the hardening of her nipples or the quickening beat of his heart.

Tentatively, she brushes her lips against his. He openly accepts the kisses, humming in contentment every time their mouths meet. With each joining, she can feel his manhood begin to stir at her hip. The heat building between them igniting deeper kisses and quicker breaths. Unable to hold himself back, Edward takes a hold of the curve of her waist. He lightly thumbs the undersides of Bella's breasts, and the tickling sensation spurs her to arch into him. The brief touch is enough to dampen her thighs to a level she's never experienced. Before she can forget what her intention had been, Bella pulls back from his kiss.

"King Edward Cullen of Cullenia," Bella whispers against his mouth, "Do you promise to dedicate your heart and soul to me?"

"I do," he answers immediately, leaning up to recapture her lips.

She pulls back teasingly, so that she can continue, "Do you vow to be at my side in sickness and in health, through war and through peace?"

"I do," Edward promises, again nipping at her. When she attempts to evade his lips again, he grabs two handfuls of the ample flesh of her backside to pull her upward, forcing their mouths to meld. Teeth and tongues clash in the first –and most likely only– pleasurable fight of the day. Edward, a man usually reserved in other expressions, handles her body with unbridled desire. Excitement courses through Bella, as he bites her lower lip, drawing the flesh into his mouth to suck.

As if they're acting of their own accord, Bella's hips jolt forward, seeking friction. The momentary connection is too delicious to experience only once, so she repeats the action. Edward's groan rumbles deep in his chest as he pushes back with equal enthusiasm.

Bella is only just able to bite back her whimper so that she can pant against his lips, "Will you love me until your last breath?"

In a flash of movement, Edward flips Bella beneath him. His kisses are hot and heady, engulfing her lips before tasting other parts of her body. He journeys from her cheek to her chest, making sure to worship the slope of her neck and the precipice of her collarbone. A shudder wracks her body the lower he travels, until finally, he reaches the neckline of her nightgown. Bella is sure she'll combust when she feels him pause. His lips lie just above her hammering heart, as he promises,

"I will love you until the sun burns out."

With a gently push, she moves away from him. She can barely see his face in the darkness of the room, but she knows his emerald eyes reflect the burning love he feels for her. Slowly, she grabs the hem of her dress and tugs the article of clothing off. Not soon after, Edward's hand burns with a low flame, and under the glow of his skin, she can see his hungry stare.

"I want to see you," he says.

"I want you to touch me," she replies.

The light of his hand is extinguished, but the fire between them kindles. Remnants of his gift are apparent as Edward's hot skin meets her flesh. He guides her to lie down, wasting no time to return his mouth to her chest. The kiss he presses to her rose-tipped nipple elicits a desperate gasp.

"Ask me," Bella begs.

He draws the peak between his lips, lavishing it with his tongue. Meanwhile, he settles her legs around his hips. As he switches between her breasts, she writhes beneath him, and the constant stroke of her hot center against his throbbing arousal drives him into a frenzy. He soon has to pull back for fear of completing prematurely.

"Queen Isabelle Swann of Forxx," he begins, "Do you pledge your heart and soul to me?

Bella grips the fabric of his shirt and quickly removes it. The smooth expanse of his back is exposed to her fingertips, allowing her to explore his taut skin greedily. She winds her arms around him and drags him forward to feel his torso against her. Her pebbled tips brush across the fine hairs of his chest and pucker even further. Air rushes from Edward's mouth, as he registers the sensation.

"Bella," he hisses.

"I do," she answers.

Her nails drag against the dimples of his lower back, scraping until they catch on the waistline of his breeches. Initially, she hesitates, but the slight nod from Edward gives her the permission to push the fabric away. He then follows suit, carefully ridding her of her final piece of clothing. They can't see each other, but it doesn't bother them. The lack of sight means their other senses are enhanced; every sound, touch, and taste is amplified.

Edward sits up once more, leading Bella to follow. One of his hands remains at her chest, while the other slips dangerously low. The weeks of practicing with weapons have built callouses on his fingers, but the slight roughness is an arousing addition to his touch. He passes her belly button. Her gut clenches with anticipation, and then completely seizes once his fingers enter her soft curls. The moan that escapes her is completely foreign to her, but at the same time comes naturally. She's dripping in earnest now.

"I want you, Edward," she whimpers.

"In sickness and in health?" he repeats her words from earlier.

"I do," she responds immediately, reaching out to grip his shoulders. In a swift move, she anchors herself back into his lap. The two cry out as their aching sexes collide.

"Through war and through peace?" he asks with labored breaths.

"I do, I do," Bella chants impatiently, already bucking against him.

They slide effortlessly against one another, months of foreplay having played into the slickness of their skin. As the head of his member pushes against the sensitive bundle of nerves at the apex of her legs, Bella keens. She can feel the same beginning of ecstasy that had filled her the last time Edward touched her at her core, and she chases it with determination.

"Bella," Edward grunts.

"I'm ready," she cries, "I'm more than ready."

"It will hurt in the beginning," he warns.

"I want you," she gives her final answer.

They slow their actions so that they can proceed with caution. Edward remains upright and keeps her in his lap so that she can maintain control. Steadily, Bella rises on her knees so that he can adjust himself beneath her, and as his head knocks at her entrance, another flux of arousal flows from her. He enters her gradually, allowing her to relax with each inch she welcomes inside. It's both painful and fulfilling. The pinch brings tears to Bella's eyes, but the sensation of completeness causes them to overflow. When they're finally joined, Edward reaches up a hand to Bella's face; his fingers gently brush away the moisture that has fallen.

"I love you," he whispers. "How long will you love me?"

Bella leans forward and captures his bottom lip. She holds it captive, as she begins to undulate her hips in small, tantalizing motions. Their breaths leave them in a staccato that matches the choppy waves just outside their walls.

It's euphoria.

Cosmic rapture.

Realizing that the pain has passed, Edward joins her movements. His thrusts start off as measured and tentative, but Bella's ragged panting encourages him. All too soon, they're writhing with abandon, bucking and grinding as they hurtle toward release.

"How long, Bella?" Edward questions, punctuating his words with each thrust of his hips, "How long will you love me?"

"Edward … Edward," Bella stutters, unable to catch her breath. Her body is vibrating with immense pleasure, to point that the only word in her vocabulary is his name.

As if the electricity humming in her veins isn't enough, Edward brings his hand to where they're connected. His fingers skirt where she wants, no, needs him to touch. She's not above begging. She, Queen of Forxx and Guardian of the nations, would get on her knees if it meant he would bring her to completion.

"Answer me," he demands of her, "How long will you love me?

"Until-," Bella's gasp cuts off her words, and her pending climax arrives.

She cries out as she seizes around him, her spasms so intense that her breathing stops. In the back of her mind, she knows Edward is still moving within her, but she can't register much more than how blindingly enraptured she feels. Edward continues to thrust until he too is falling into bliss. Once their orgasms slowly ebb away, they both return to earth with hushed breaths.

Edward falls back, taking Bella with him as he slips out of her. Spent, she snuggles against him, using the decrescendo of his heart to center herself. He feels her murmur something into his skin, but can't discern her words.

"What did you say?" Edward asks sleepily.

"Until the sun burns out, Edward," Bella replies before laying a kiss to his chest, "I will love you until the sun burns out."

~SWAN~

Jacob, Lucy, Peter, Charlotte, Alec, Edward and Bella sit in the Captain's office. Lua lies between Bella's legs, purring continuously to show her support. The emotions in the small room are noticeably tense, and it takes all of Bella's will not to make a joke to dispel the discomfort. She knows that her friends are all trying to focus before beginning their attack.

Edward slips his hand into hers. Ever since they'd made love the night before, the two couldn't seem to keep their hands to themselves. During the night, another session of lust had been ignited, and in this moment, it serves as comfort. It would only be a few more minutes before they would receive the message to prepare for combat.

"Is everyone clear on the plan?" Edward asks.

"For the sixth time, Brother," Alec sighs, "Yes."

Do not goad him, Bella chastises Alec.

If I had to put up with your activities last night, then surely you can give me a reprieve, Alec responds tightly.

Complain all you want, but sometime in the future I will be in your place, Bella reminds him while quashing her embarrassment.

Thankfully, the reality of her connection with Alec hadn't crossed her mind while she was intimate with Edward. It was only once she made eye contact with her fellow Guardian the next morning that mortification had inflamed her cheeks. If it weren't for the fact that they would be killing her father today, she would have avoided Alec for at least a week.

Even as she sits yards away from Aro's throne, the reality hasn't hit Bella that she will face him. Furthermore, she hasn't an idea how she'll feel. Will she feel emboldened? Angered? What if I'm scared? Bella only allows herself to think this for a second before she dampens the thought. In challenging someone like Aro, there is no space for doubts. That fact is clear to all the persons in the room.

A knock sounds at the door, announcing Michael's arrival.

"It is time," he informs them.

They head to the deck where the crew and lunellas are scurrying around in preparation. Any second, the first Volturi fleet would catch sight of the foreign vessels and most likely begin to fire. Thankfully, the council had come up with a plan to ensure as much protection for their troops as possible.

Bella looks out over the bow to where she can spot the red sails in the distance. It will take another thirty minutes until they are in firing range, and until then she waits anxiously. She wants to check on Charlotte to see how she's faring, but at the same time, she's too nervous to find out. Their plan hinges on Charlotte being able to neutralize Marcus. If she fails, they risk pulverization.

"Are you okay?" Claire asks softly from beside her.

"As well as someone can be in this position," Bella replies honestly, "And yourself?"

"I'm a bit worried," Claire admits.

"You'll do wonderfully," Bree chimes in, as she appears. "We have not made it this far only to be conquered."

Bella nods, "I agree. But … I do have one request."

"Anything," Claire answers.

Bella gulps, "If things do not go as planned, and Edward, Alec, and I cannot make it out of the castle, take our troops and retreat."

"Anything but that," Bree corrects.

"There is no reason to fight to the death, not yours at least," Bella insists.

"If it means killing Aro, then yes, there is a reason," Claire argues, "We will not leave you."

"I'm ordering you-," Bella starts.

"And we are politely declining," Bree huffs, "The day the sun stops shining, the stars expire as well. If you go down, we will go down with you."

Bree and Claire both host expressions of resolve, showing Bella that regardless of her orders, her friends will not heed her words. Instead of anger, appreciation floods Bella as she tugs her companions into an embrace. No more words are needed as they stand, hands linked, waiting for the time to pass. The lapping of waves against the ship's walls serves as a lullaby, while the periodic sprinkles of water against Bella's face are refreshing. As the minutes go by, the message Bree and Claire conveyed to Bella resounds; they had been there for her from the start, and would be there for her until the end.

Drip.


A/N: I know, I'm horrible. But I promise you the end of the battle scene will be completed in its entirety by the next chapter (which hopefully won't take a long time for me to post).


"There was no world, no land, no god or heaven or earth outside of their two bodies naked and trembling in the act of love." Roman Payne