Just a Pretense
Chapter 10: Spying
Author's Note: Hum. So… is this on time? Sorry my author's notes always seem to be so long – so much to say it seems. What I don't say in RL, I say here. Huh. And I decided not to leave Esme with a cameo.
Goal?: To include the word 'chagrin' in the chapter?
BY THE WAY! Okay, I know. "Bella says she has a brother? Sure, we believe her!" Hard to believe, yeah? Don't worry! You will have to get used to the fact that I stagger everything – the consequences will come later, and they will be terrible and the world will fall down all around her, etc. You can probably guess?
Disclaimer: No claim to Twilight or Tortall. They are by Stephenie Meyer and Tamora Pierce.
--
It had been weeks since the ball and the incidents which had occurred there. Although Bella had been attacked by pages asking about her 'sister' nothing else was happened, and that suited her fine.
She was heading back to her room at the end of the day after class when a hand suddenly tapped her shoulder, stopping her short. Puzzled, she turned to see Edward behind her, sweeping his gaze up and down the corridor as though checking for listeners.
"What's wrong, Edward?"
Edward seemed hesitant to ask. Bella faced him completely now and took his hand in hers in a completely unboy-like gesture. Edward glanced down swiftly then back up at her face, glancing backwards again to check for listeners.
"Would you like to come somewhere with me?"
Bella blinked. "That depends what you mean, of course."
Edward's lip twitched upward and he smiled despite himself.
"It is a delivery of an item and a message to one of our spies in the field."
"You couldn't get someone else to do it?"
"No." Edward frowned. "But I'm asking for your help."
"Oh." Bella took a deep breath. "Well, alright."
Edward let out a breath himself. "Thank you." He jerked his head backwards. "In which case, Lord Carlisle would like to see you."
Bella nodded and withdrew her hand from his, hurrying down the corridor and to Carlisle's office. She was glad she could finally find her way now – all the getting lost had been getting extremely tedious. She stopped outside the room and knocked, peering inside.
"You wanted to see me, my lord?"
Carlisle looked up from his work – there were always reports to look over – and gave a nod.
"I assume that you have accepted Edward's … request then?"
Bella nodded once.
"Then I will inform you of the arrangements." He became awkward. "I'm not speaking to you now as your training master or as a lord, Bel. Please take a seat."
Bella did so and was sure the confusion appeared on her face.
"As you are aware, Edward is a vampire."
Bella nodded.
"Which means he has been through a knight's training a few times already. Edward is able to serve as a full knight, however, is excused from that particular duty currently. Because of the certain circumstances which you will probably be in, you will serve as squire of Sir Edward for the remainder of your journey."
"Squire? … Sir," She added. "Isn't it a bit early?"
Carlisle gave her a nod. "You will also be required to resume your page training at the conclusion of the journey, as will Edward."
"It's a temporary arrangement."
"That is correct." Carlisle said with a smile. "You will be required to wear the squire's insignia as well as the coat of arms of Forks. I hope you are up to scratch on your current page training. It might be rough."
"Thank you, my lord." Bella said formally as she recognised the dismissal and stood up and bowed.
As she reached the door, it creaked open and Esme drew back slightly in surprise.
"I'm sorry. I hope I didn't disturb."
"No, my lady." Bella gave her a bow before escaping the room.
--
Esme stared after Bella for a while before she went inside Carlisle's office. He watched her with amusement from where he sat.
"He would be Lady Isabella Swan's twin, I presume?"
Carlisle gave a sign of affirmative.
"But the resemblance is too great. One wouldn't be surprised if they were the same person. It is… uncanny."
From where he sat Carlisle felt rather anxious. She was too close to the truth. Although in other circumstances, he would have told her, he thought Edward would not be pleased if he did, even if Esme would be rather thrilled at the news. She could tell Edward liked Isabella.
"Hmm. Well, twins are meant to look similar, after all."
"True, I suppose." Esme gave a sigh as she went over to his table. "More reports?"
"You know it is always reports."
"You help Edward manage his work as well as managing your own." She sighed again. "And he has such a task weighing on his shoulders."
"Lucky we don't sleep." Carlisle said mildly.
"I suppose." Esme said musingly. "I can't help feeling worried about Edward while he goes to deliver that… object though."
"I'm sending Page Bel with him." Carlisle replied in the same mild and quiet voice.
"What?" Esme turned to face him sharply, eyebrows pulled up in surprise. "You are sending another with him? Edward at least can take care of himself, I know that. Will this Page be able to defend himself, let alone help Edward?"
"He helped Edward once. I'm sure he can be relied on again." Carlisle shrugged.
Esme frowned but trusted his judgment. "If you say so."
--
"He is what?" Emmett frowned as Tyler relayed his news.
"I am not lying, m'lord, if that's what you're thinking." Tyler said dryly.
Emmett rolled his eyes and sent him away. Rosalie arched an elegant eyebrow at him.
"He is crazy." Emmett said to her.
"Edward is, I assume you mean?"
"Yes. Why is he doing this dangerous task himself?"
"Dangerous?"
"It was mentioned 'in the field'. That probably means somewhere around enemy lines as well."
"Aha." Rosalie nodded, understanding. These sorts of things she usually didn't concern about. Her time was better spent collecting the news of court and keeping up to date with the styles. Status was everything.
"He's taking Bel with him too, I think Tyler said."
"Bel… Swan? That Isabella Swan's brother?" She frowned. "No matter how much I try to recall, I haven't seen her anywhere around court, so I find her story doubtful."
Emmett froze for a minute, processing that. What if… it couldn't be, could it? He admitted he wasn't very observant at times, but now the thought hit him with a lot of force and he was surprised why he hadn't seen it before.
"What's his full name, anyway?" Rosalie murmured. "Isabella and … Bel? That's a very strange…"
"I heard it was 'Beale'. 'Bel' is one of its variations." Emmett said absentmindedly to her. "Listen, Rose. What if…"
Rosalie's eyes flickered to him warily. "Tell me." She commanded.
--
She was skulking in she shadows again, observing. With the abilities her family possessed, it was not easy to detect her when she was around. She was as sly as a cat.
She had sat and watched while the Swan girl and the Masen boy walked through the garden and she had watched people in the ballroom dance and all the things they did with her sharp eyes. She was merely observing for now., but her plan would be put into action later.
Quietly she slunk away again with the grace of a cat and leapt up onto the high roof of one of the extensions of the buildings, surveying the grounds easily. She sat there silently and calmly for a while before movement alerted her. Two shadows and their horses snuck out the Palace gates after a signal to the guards and disappeared into the darkness of the forest.
This interested her indeed. Picking herself up off the roof, she sprang down easily and ran across the grounds swiftly and with an inhuman speed – though admittedly, slower than that of other supernatural species.
With one leap, she was over the wall and following the two shadows which galloped through the night.
--
They had snuck out through the gate without a problem, as Edward had signaled the guards and they had soundlessly and unquestioningly opened the gate for them to leave. Edward was well known here for his nighttime work, and if he had a partner, then so much the better.
Bella was wearing the colours of the Forks house underneath her dark clothing and Edward had the shield of a knight strapped to his saddle, covered with a cloth until they got well away from the Palace. After they had exited the gate, they both vaulted onto their horses and struck their horses into a gallop.
Edward turned once, frowning, as though he sensed someone there, but if there was; their mind wasn't close enough to his range for him to be able to hear. They needed to hurry though, so he banished the thought from his mind for the time being. Speed was essential – they needed to be away before someone could track them. For an enemy to discover there was a spy in their country would be disastrous.
"How far?" Bella muttered the Edward as the trees flashed past. She kept her eyes fixed firmly ahead.
"You don't gallop much, do you?" Edward laughed.
"Well?"
"Just a bit more." Edward gestured up ahead, but Bella couldn't see what his eyes could.
She sighed and they continued in amiable silence. Bella glanced down once at her tunic and then at Edward again.
"Your coat of arms is very interesting."
"Are you just trying to make conversation?" Edward asked mildly, amused.
Bella glared at him. "No, I'm just interested."
She tugged a corner of the green and red tunic with the coat of arms embroidered on one side. The coat of arms consisted of a bronze lion rearing over a field of green and gold, with a background of pale green and bordered with green and red. She wondered how long it took to make the tunic – probably not very long though for the more than able seamstresses.
"Well, I do prefer mountain lions to other… animals." Edward replied.
Bella glanced at him, tearing her eyes away from the front again for the briefest second. "You'd be speaking of your… diet?"
Edward frowned. "Yes." When she didn't reply, he looked over at her curiously and anxiously. "Bella?"
"Well… I've never rally asked you about that, have I?"
He rolled his eyes. "No, you haven't."
She frowned a little now. "Does that mean you have a hard time around humans?"
Edward avoided looking at her. "Well, yes, but I stick to Carlisle's way."
"Carlisle's way?"
"Carlisle doesn't … drink from… humans." Edward replied hesitantly.
"Ah."
Edward frowned again, looking at her. "It's frustrating, not being able to know what you're thinking."
"Huh?" Bella blinked at him. "Oh. I just… wondered whether you ever wanted to drink my blood." It sounded weird when she said it that way.
Edward looked uncomfortable again and she looked at him, puzzled.
"Yes." He admitted, "In fact, you are more in danger with me than anyone else. Your scent is particularly sweet to me. If I haven't been practicing Carlisle's way for so long, I might have attacked you."
Bella waited. She could tell there was more to it.
"It would also have disappointed Carlisle." He met her eyes. "He has also been training himself to withstand human blood for a long time. I've been trying to do that as well, and although I initially couldn't understand it and resented it, I'm not regretful now as it helped me to not attack you that day."
Bella shivered slightly, finally understanding what could have been her fate. She was glad it had not happened; although she thought she wouldn't have minded if he was the one to kill her.
He seemed to understand what she was thinking.
"I won't hurt you." He said fiercely. "Ever."
Bella nodded, smiling slightly as they rode into view of the town. She drew back a little and Edward took the lead as they approached the gates. After a quick discussion, the gates swung open to accommodate them into the town. It was merely for protection for the villagers, it would not withstand a siege from enemies. The castle had stronger walls.
Edward and Bella rode inside and made their way to a tavern, The Half-Light Inn. Passing their horses over to a stable boy, after Edward made sure they would be looked after and their bags would not be searched, they entered and went down to a table to sit down.
"We'll stay here for the night." Edward murmured to Bella. "Then we'll start out again tomorrow. Hopefully we can reduce suspicion this way."
Bella had begun to nod when suddenly a tankard was slammed down onto the table.
"Look 'ere! You two look too young ta be in a place like this!" The drunken man guffawed and his friends laughed along with him.
"Ye' don't even look old 'nuf to be sev'nteen!"
Edward stood up slowly and calmly, smiling even. There was no doubt in Bella that he was reading the other man's thoughts.
"I, sir, am a knight." He began evenly and smiled. "Yes, I am a noble." He continued.
The drunken man gave a bark of laughter. "Beg m'pardon then, milord."
"I will tell you that I am twenty one. Please excuse us." Edward handed the man back his tankard and directed him away. Edward nodded to the barkeeper. "Some drinks, please."
The barkeep came over, notebook in hand. "Sorry about the ruckus, lords."
"Not a problem." Edward said calmly and amusedly. "Two lemonades, please, and a meal for my squire here." He gestured toward Bella.
The barkeeper looked at him strangely. Just lemonade? But then he nodded and bustled off to get the drinks and Bella's meal.
"You're twenty one?" Bella asked, frowning at Edward.
"No." Edward replied, grinning now. "This body is only seventeen, but you can guess I'm older than that."
Oh. She got it. Bella gave a nod as their meals arrived.
"Eat up. We have a big day tomorrow."
--
Author's Note: So… no chagrin. Not that I know how I should use it – the multiple meanings are rather daunting.
I think I'd like to write another story under the name 'Just a Pretense' (Version 2, I suppose), or perhaps one other story I have in mind. Although I do realise I have about 16 stories to work on already. I'm being extremely … well, I would say lazy… but I don't know. By the way, I try to make my titles have double meanings. Perhaps you will get that.
Hopefully you get the subtle hint I dropped about who the person watching is. Now you know they're a she! If you review, I can possibly confirm, but we'll see. If you can guess who she is, maybe I can incorporate you into the next chapter. xD; Oh, and while we're at it, same goes for who can guess the double meaning in the title. xD (There'll be no deficiency of characters next time. xD)
Review?