Hi guys! Sorry this is late, but I had trouble with this chapter and I finally figured out how to do this. I'm going to stay away from the Princess Bride plot as best I can. Miracle Max and his wife will end up appearing, but not the albino. You'll see what I'm planning during this chapter, and the funny priest might make an appearance, but I'm not sure. So, with that done, let's see the review responses!
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czechgirl211: I'm extremely relieved that you believe that this is exciting, but there's must more exciting things to come, I promise.
be.my.edward: I'm glad you brought that up, because I do plan on changing it up.
Ksangi: Miracle Max and his wife you ask? Well, you'll just have to wait to find out. Haha! However, I'll give you a clue, both characters are important in Twilight and one of them is one of my favorite characters.
mozartandi: What ho! What's this? An update, just like you wanted! Forgive me for it being late.
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Okay, so that's all taken care of, and I thank you all for the wonderful reviews!
DISCLAIMER: You know, I really hate these things, but if I must. I don't own the Twilight characters or the Princess Bride plot. The plot twists, I've added, are MINE though!
The "ExB-JxA-EmxR-CxE-" is my version of a line cause apparently my computer hates the lines. XP
I've kept you all waiting for too long. Let's start the chapter, hm?
Chapter 5: Swamp, Meetings and Partial Truths.
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Edward paused in his running to look up at the ridge over looking the ravine. "Ha! Your pig fiancé is too late! A few more steps and we'll be safe in the fire swap," he said and Bella's grip on her tightened.
"We'll never make it out alive," she murmured as he ran.
"Nonsense. You only say that because no one ever has," he said, strangely bright. Bella didn't speak until they entered the Swamp. Her arms tightened around his neck and he gagged a little. "Bella, honey, you're going to have to loosen your grip. You're chocking me." Her arms slackened almost immediately.
"Edward..." She paused as a strange sound met her ears. "What's that sound?" The popping got louder and suddenly a spout of flames leaped up inched from the pair. Bella let out a cry of fear and Edward turned so the flames wouldn't touch her. Her face was buried deep in his neck and his lips pressed gently into her hair.
"It's alright, love. The fire's gone now," Edward murmured, his velvet voice soft. She looked up, sighing in relief as she looked around and saw no flames. She smiled before pressing her lips against his gently.
"My hero," she whispered against them as they continued through the swamp. "Are you sure you don't want me to walk? I must be terribly heavy." Edward shook his head.
"How did you become the Dread Pirate Volturi?" She asked as he used his sword to hack vines out of their path. One arm was still holding her and the other was using the sword. He looked down at her.
"What I told you was true. It was the please that caught his attention... and what I told him about you," he said, pressing a kiss to her hair. She snuggled closer to him, reveling in the strong heartbeat beneath her ear. "He seemed to think for a moment before he said 'Alright Edward, we've never had a prisoner before, so we'll try it for the night. I'll most likely kill you in the morning.' It went on for three years, always the same thing, 'Good night Edward, sleep well, I'll most likely kill you in the morning.' However, I did learn things. Two men were on board who helped me out a lot. You've met them already, Jasper and Emmett. Jasper taught me how to fence, while Emmett taught me hand-to-hand combat. I heard stories about you from Emmett's wife, Rosalie." Bella gasped.
"Rosalie?! As in the Lady Rosalie who is my lady-in-waiting... or is supposed to be?" She asked and Edward nodded.
"Yes, that's how Emmett and Jasper knew about this and took the job... and how I knew where to come. But, soon Volturi and I soon became friends, and he took me to his cabin one night. It was there that he told me the truth. He wasn't the Dread Pirate Volturi. The real Volturi had been in retirement for nearly 15 years. He told me he was the real Vouturi's brother, and that his name was Aro. He had inherited the ship from his other brother Marcus and Marcus had inherited it from their brother Caius, who is living very happily rich on an island in the south. Aro told me that it was the name that was the important part. 'Nobody will be afraid of "Dread Pirate Edward". It's the name that keeps the power'. So, he named me his heir, we went ashore, got a whole new crew, and he stayed on for a while as my first mate, calling me Volturi. And now we've come full circle." He stopped walking and Bella scrambled down from his arms.
"It does make sense," she remarked, taking hold of his hand. He smiled, his emerald eyes shining with happiness. Bending, he captured her lips with his. The Princess kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck, fingers delicately weaving into his bronze hair. She broke away from him after a moment and began to walk off. Edward followed her and suddenly Bella let out a tiny scream as the sand she stood on sucked her under. Edward froze before his eyes zipped around the clearing, trying to find something that could help... anything! Above his head was a vine, and with a determined look on his face, his sword cut through it as if it was simply grass. Sticking his sword into the ground, he dove into the lightning sand. He fought against the thick sand, trying to reach Bella. A hand appeared before him and he snatched at it. Pulling the hand up, he felt the person the hand belonged to clinging to him tightly. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he began to climb up the vine he had in his fist.
As soon as his head breached the top most layer of sand, Edward breathed in deeply as he continued to pull himself and Bella out of the sand. Once their bodies were fully free of the sandy death trap, they laid on the ground, trying to get their lungs used to breathing again. Bella rolled over so that she was facing him, her hand reaching toward him. She shakily brushed the sand from his bronze hair and he shook his head, dislodging more of the sand. At last, he stood up, drawing Bella with him.
"You're still a magnet for danger, aren't you?" He murmured, brushing sand from her face and hair. Bella didn't speak, just held him tightly. He returned the embrace, pulling his sword from the ground as he did. "Come. Let's get out of this god-forsaken swamp." She nodded in agreement and their journey continued.
Bella sighed in relief as they were finally free of the fire swamp. She smiled brightly before running at Edward, who caught her and spun her around while holding her in the air, laughing too. Her arms snaked around his neck and when he stopped, she did not let go. He watched her curiously when the sounds of someone coming out of the forest echoed. Edward froze, as did Bella. It couldn't be Prince Jacob. Tugging her behind him, he quickly drew his sword as quietly as he could ready to fight. However, a very familiar voice spoke from the forest.
"Put that away, Anthony. You know that we don't mean any harm." Edward's head snapped over to the people who came out of the woods and a smile threatened to split his face.
"Emmett! Jasper!" He cried, smiling as they bowed to Bella.
"Forgive us for our rough handling earlier, Princess. We had to act as if it were just another job," Jasper said, bowing at her. Bella just shook her head and pulled him and Emmett upright.
"Don't. I'm not a real princess. I should not be treated as such when I do not have the right," she said, curtsying to them in return. "However, I must thank you. You have done so much for Edward, and I am in your debt, especially for keeping him safe when I could not." Jasper and Emmett smiled as Edward wrapped his arms around Bella.
"I can see why he was so determined to get you back," Jasper said tossing something at Edward. He caught it and raised an eyebrow.
"Clothes?"
"You look rather conspicuous in those," Emmett pointed out, Edward looked down at his black clothing and Bella's torn, bloodstained red dress. He grunted in acknowledgement before leading Bella over to the trees so she could change. About five minutes later, Edward appeared in simple farmer's clothing, much like he had worn five years ago. Bella poked her head out from behind a tree before walking out as well. She was dressed in a rust colored dress with a cream bodice and sleeves. Edward looked at her before sweeping her into his arms and kissing her gently.
"Whether in a princess gown or peasant clothes, you look magnificent," Edward whispered in her ear. She blushed crimson before looking over what he was wearing. He looked amazing as always. He wore brown linen pants with a white shirt with ties at the collar. Black-brown boots were on his feet and she smiled.
"I could say the same to you, although I doubt you would be happy if I said you looked good in a dress," she remarked and Emmett let out a howl of laughter. His laughter was much too contagious and soon all four of them were laughing. Bella wiped her eyes and Jasper motioned over to the trees.
"We managed to get three horses, so Bella will have to ride with you, Edward." Bella's eyes glittered mischievously.
"Or he could walk," she said as she ran toward the horses, mounting the only mare there. Emmett and Jasper exchanged glances before each snagging their own horses. Edward stood shocked as Bella rode up next to him. "Want a hand up?" She asked and he mounted the horse as well, glaring over her head. Bella giggled a little and handed him the reins. He smiled his lovely crooked smile before urging the mare to catch up to Jasper and Emmett. He began to hum, the familiar chords of her lullaby washing over her and sending her into the land of dreams.
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Prince Jacob pounded his fist against his oak desk when the search party he'd sent out to look more closely for his fiancée had only come back with a bloodstained piece of her crimson dress. "Leave me!" He nearly-shouted as the Count James entered the room. The scouts jumped up and ran from his office, shutting the door as he did. "Well," Jacob began, turning the scrap of fabric around in his fingers. "We can still start the war. Maybe loosing the Princess wasn't so bad after all." James nodded, his crimson eyes glimmering.
"Do you want me to send out the declaration of war?" He asked, looking at the Prince. Jacob shook his head.
"No, not yet. I need you to find the rest of this dress and plant it on the frontier. Then we can begin this war." James nodded his head before turning and disappearing into the dungeons. A woman was curled on a bale of straw, dressing in a plain lilac dress. She looked up, her ink black hair momentarily shadowing her violet eyes.
"Alice," James said, but Alice merely looked away from him, eyes narrowed. "I want you to tell me where the rest of the Princess's dress is." Alice did not answer; rather she closed her eyes and focused on Jasper. He appeared before her closed lids, riding on a deep chestnut colored horse towards the harbor. A brawny looking man sat on a black horse at his side and a little ways behind them was a man with bronze hair on a mare, holding the sleeping Princess close to him. She didn't look uncomfortable; rather she looked much happier than Alice had ever seen her. Jasper looked back at the pair, his eyes filled to the brim with sadness. The other man met his gaze.
"You'll find her again, Jasper. Don't worry." The blond nodded, eyes beginning to fill with some small hope.
"Thank you Edward." The vision ended and Alice knew what she had to do. She had to meet with Rosalie and they had to get out of here.
"Well?" Water, ice cold, splashed over her and she let out a yelp. "What did you see?!" Alice looked at James, her eyes fierce.
"I saw your plan failing!" And in a way, she did. With the Princess alive, their plans for war would fail. James glared at her.
"I will send Rosalie down with a new dress. We can't have you freezing to death, can we my little seer?" He sneered as he left. Alice felt her heart lift a little bit. James was setting up her escape for her.
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Lady Rosalie, former lady-in-waiting to the Princess Isabella, walked into the dungeons with a dress and comb in her arms. The Count James had told her to go give one of the prisoners a new dress and she immediately knew who it was. Alice. As she walked into the dungeons, holding the keys tightly, she saw Alice. Alice didn't look disheartened. Rather, she looked excited.
"Rosalie!" She cried and Rosalie hurried over, opening the door of the cell.
"Alice? Why are you soaked?" Rosalie demanded as she walked into the cell and began to help Alice out of the wet clothing.
"No time now! Come, we have to leave! Emmett and Jasper are nearing the harbor and we have to be there!" Alice said as she scrambled into the new dress. Rosalie helped her as best she could.
"How far is it to the harbor?" Rosalie asked as Alice and her made their way out of the dungeons, being careful so not to be caught.
"If we leave now and we take horses, we can get there by sundown," Alice hissed as Rosalie led her to the rooms she was given. Once they were inside, the two women worked together to pack a couple of the plainer dresses.
"What about food?" Alice looked at her and smiled. The blond rolled her eyes, only a little annoyed, knowing she'd need to "dazzle" as Alice put it, some kitchen boys. It took them only a couple of minutes to get the food and the horses, nobody noticing the little pixie-like girl in Rosalie's shadow. As they rode away from the palace, they could hear James' furious scream as he found out Alice was gone. Looking over at each other, they urged their horses faster, knowing they had to get to the harbor after making a pit stop to get some old friends.
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Alice pounded on the door of the hunt, silently begging that they were home. A little door inside the door opened and a pair of blue eyes with golden blond hair above them peered out.
"Yes?"
"Carlisle! We need your help," Alice said and the man's eyes widened.
"Alice?! Come in!" He said as the door opened and the two women slipped inside. "What is it?" He asked, looking the girls over. Alice smiled at Carlisle before hugging him tightly. He hugged her in return, glad that she was save.
"We need you two to come with us," the black haired woman said and Carlisle's eyes widened.
'Why?"
"Because Jacob knows you have a past with us and Bella. They'll suspect you of releasing Alice and we can't let you and Esme get hurt because of it. If it looks like you've moved and the move was a while ago, you won't be suspects," Rosalie said as a caramel-haired woman came out. Carlisle looked at his wife, who nodded.
"How soon do we have to leave?"
Between the four of them, packing up the simple essentials took little time. Besides the clothes, Carlisle brought some of his more valuable medicines and Esme brought some of her more important items. Soon, they were off again, Carlisle and Esme on one horse, Alice, and Rosalie on the other. They urged the horses on faster and soon they could see the village of the harbor before them with three riders about to ride into the village. Alice spurred her horse on, riding toward the three, one thought in her head.
Jasper.
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Jasper pulled his horse to a stop as another horse suddenly appeared in the path. The stallion reared, and nearly causing Edward's mare to run into it. Edward's mare reared too and Bella would've fallen from the saddle if Edward had not gotten control of the gently creature while holding tightly onto Bella's waist. Jasper looked at the horse's rider, only to freeze. He knew that hair and those eyes almost as well as his own.
"A...Alice!" He cried his voice a little strangled as he almost leaped off his horse. The woman looked at him before clambering off her horse too.
"Jasper!" And she was in his arms again, her lips covered by his. Edward watched the scene, smiling as he watched Rosalie being lifted into the air by Emmett. Carlisle and Esme watched the scenes too, smiling when they saw Edward with Bella in his arms.
"Edward, it's wonderful to see you again," Carlisle said as he directed his horse over to Edward's.
"It's good to see you too, Carlisle, Esme," Edward murmured.
"Have you found her again?" Esme asked, and Edward smiled and nodded. Bella murmured something in her sleep and curled closer to Edward. Emerald eyes shimmered with happiness and love as they looked down at the sleeping Princess in his arms. They soon got a couple of rooms in the inn and they were all sitting in the boys' room talking. Bella was awake by now and she was overjoyed that Rosalie had been reunited Emmett. Alice told them about how Jacob was trying to pin Bella's "death" on their neighbors across the sea so that he could start out a full-fledged war. Bella's eyes narrowed.
"I won't let him get away with this," she said, looking at each of them. "Although I'm not a princess or queen, I still consider them my people and I won't let Jacob do anything that will get them killed!" Carlisle shifted uncomfortably. Edward watched him with questions in his eyes.
"Dad? What's wrong?" He asked and Bella froze. Carlisle was Edward's father?! Esme looked over at Carlisle before taking his hand and squeezing it.
"Bella, this is your kingdom. Or rather it will be whether or not you marry the prince." Edward looked at him shocked as I did.
"I'm not going to marry Jacob!"
"I never said Jacob. I said the prince... and Jacob isn't the prince." Everyone in the room froze. Jacob wasn't the prince? Then who was?
"But... if Jacob's not the Prince... then who is?" Jasper asked and Carlisle shifted again.
"This is, was, my kingdom... and the true Prince is Edward."
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WOAH!! Not expecting that, were you? Actually, I wasn't either; it just came to me now while I was typing. So, Edward is the Prince and Carlisle is the true King... but then how did Jacob come into power? What did Carlisle mean by "whether or not you marry the prince"? Is there something about Bella that he's not telling? Hm. All that and more will be answered next chapter, which is pretty much one big flashback.
So, Ksangi, did I answer your question? It case it wasn't clear enough in the chapter, Miracle Max is Carlisle. As to why he became "Miracle Max"... well that's next chapter.
Thank you all for reading and please review!
Arear