Just a Pretense
Chapter 11: The Following and the Followed
Author's Note: Whee! Chapter 11! Weird name, huh?

Thanks to:

MartaSwan – Guessed/Knew it was Victoria

Pyromaniac-Girl – Guessed it was Victoria

Mcaz – Guessed/Knew it was Victoria

And yes it was Victoria. For those who didn't get to guess, sorry.

I did think it was a bit abrupt of Mike and Jacob to just come out and propose! Rather blunt! ... What was Edward thinking when that happened!?!

Well, you have to remember they'd proposed to Bella before. They've been looking for her so they can try to win her again now that she can decide herself – the father decides daughter's future in the medieval times. As for Edward, maybe we'll figure out later. I really DO tend to stagger things so you find out farther down the track. One example would be Edward's actual craving for Bella's blood I didn't explain until Chapter 10…

Thanks to: Sorcha123

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or Tortall, and never shall. Aren't SM and TP lucky?

--

They started out at first light the next morning and left the inn quietly, with only a bleary eyed innkeeper and a few guards to see them leave. When the gate had slid shut behind them again, they spurred their horses into a canter and began to make towards their destination again.

Edward scanned their surroundings carefully for others and continued looking forward, riding together in companionable silence. Bella chewed on cheese and bread for her breakfast while in the saddle; however the riding motion really didn't help her stomach.

Edward suddenly tensed, frowning, and turned in the saddle to scan their surroundings again. He kept feeling a presence, but it was as though the person knew of his ability and was being careful to keep out of his range on purpose.

"Stop," he muttered to Bella and he pulled his horse up short.

Bella obeyed and watched their surroundings warily.

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure." Edward replied, frustrated.

Unseen and a long distance away, a shadowed person drew back a little to hide again behind a large tree as if they could hear what was being said – and they really could.

Edward was scanning the trees again with sharp eyes and he caught the slight movement. Muttering a profanity, he nudged his horse into a gallop and Bella followed with some surprise. They rode off course and further into the trees to try and throw the follower off and draw them away from where they were heading.

The person who hid in the shadow of the tree watched them for the slightest second before leaping to follow.

--

Victoria watched from the protection of the canopy of trees, dressed completely in black, all her feline senses sharp. Her eyes could make out the figure of the people who raced along in the night, but she made no move to follow them now.

The nerve of it! She had decided to follow Edward and that page, Bel, however it seemed someone had beaten her to it. She had no idea of the person's identity, but they seemed like one of her people in that they seemed to possess the power of animals, however the glowing ball of fire that they had created at one point was not one of the skills of her people. That made them all the more mysterious.

She watched them – her, perhaps – leap through the trees, following the galloping horses and their riders with an animal grace. She raised her eyebrows. Like she had said, they had seemed to be one of her people.

Victoria watched silently again, her eyes able to see them even from such a long distance. They had obviously known about Edward's mind reading ability, but this person was being careless and entering his range. Now he would be able to detect her mind.

Sighing, Victoria got to her feet and turned. Failure for a spy. She had lost interest in them now, especially since her 'prey' had been taken by another. Oh well.

Another time then.

--

Edward smiled slightly as they raced through the trees, jumping over fallen logs and skirting trees.

"Where are we going?" Bella gasped, as she clung on for dear life. They had never ridden this fast before.

"Just a bit more." Edward replied, dodging the question. They were just heading to the edge of the forest, but their follower needn't know.

There! They had entered his range and now he could hear their thoughts. Her thoughts, to be exact. The mind tumbled with ways to try to stop them, ways to try and figure out where they were going and part of her mind was focused on running through the trees.

He smiled and suddenly disappeared from his horse. Sable gave a nervous neigh but continued to gallop while Bella stared dumbfounded for a moment, but Spirited continued on as well.

The follower above skidded to a halt as they took in the empty saddle and muttered an expletive, almost growling with annoyance. Suddenly her eyes widened as a presence became known behind her with the pressing of a blade to her throat.

Within a heartbeat, she had leapt away and was on the ground, but Edward was faster, down already and sword out, not even breathing heavily – if he really needed to breathe at all.

There was a rustling and Bella returned, sword also drawn as she sat in the saddle, holding onto Sable's reins as well. Their follower looked from one to the other and seemed to deflate, giving up.

"Do what you want." She muttered, voice muffled under her facemask.

"Take the mask off." Edward commanded, motioning towards her facemask with his sword.

She hesitated and Bella, dismounting with a slight clatter of armour, also raised her blade towards her. With much reluctance, she reached up and began to take the mask off, depositing it on the ground. Revealed was a very pretty girl with green-brown eyes and brown hair, looking very young and very determined.

"Who are you and who sent you?" Edward asked.

The girl set her mouth stubbornly, but Edward laughed.

"You forget I can read minds, Marta. There isn't much you can hide from me."

With his sword drawn and angry face, he looked like a god of war and someone to be very afraid of. Marta seemed to loose some of her resolve as she looked into his unforgiving eyes.

"Who sent you?" Edward asked again.

Marta shook her head.

"You don't know." It wasn't a question. "Someone else asked that person to send you after me then."

"Something like that." Marta muttered.

Edward took a deep breath and sighed as he mulled over the situation. He looked up and met Bella's eyes. "It seems someone is after us."

"Indeed." Bella replied, shortly.

"But how could they not, I suppose." Edward continued to muse. "We knew this might happen from the start."

"I don't think we expected to be attacked so soon though," Bella reminded him wryly.

Edward sighed again.

"I suppose we might as well take us with her, at least until the next town."

"Wait." Edward interrupted. He turned to Marta again. "Which country are you from?"

"Yailt." She replied shortly.

Upon glancing at Edward again, she gave a sigh and spread a hand, fire blossoming on the palm until it hovered like a globe there.

"Enough evidence for you?"

Edward gave a curt nod, adding this to his thoughts as he walked back to Bella's side.

"We'll take her to the next town." He breathed in her ear. "She will have to ride with you for now though."

Bella nodded, understanding what she had to do, and went over to Marta as Edward mounted his own horse. They made their way back to their path and continued on their way. Bella watched Marta warily, making sure she was ready in case she decided to try anything, but she did not. Instead she seemed resigned.

It was midday before they began to see the signs of the town in the fields that lay around it. People toiled in them and watched as the three passed. Marta muttered, out of the blue, and seemed to slump. Bella glanced at Edward, startled, and they halted. Edward pulled them both down from the saddle and decided, after an inspection, that Marta was 'merely' had fainted from the heat of the sun and not enough water.

"Can I be of help?" A sweet voice asked, from the direction of the field.

Bella and Edward both looked around and saw a young girl, short-ish hair covered with a scarf and dressed prettily, if not simply, in a neat dress and apron. She had a water flask in one hand and offered them it to them somewhat shyly.

Bella took it, thanking her, and uncapped it, trickling a small stream of water into Marta's mouth. Marta swallowed instinctively and stirred, but did not wake up completely.

"Would you like to come in and recover?" The girl asked doubtfully.

Edward and Bella shared a look before Edward replied.

"Yes, thank you very much, kind lady."

Flattered, she led them inside cheerily, blushing a little. Leading their horses along the narrow paths which led down, they reached the house. Tying their horses to a side of the wall – as there was nowhere else to tether them, though they didn't expect their horses to wander off anyway – they followed the girl inside, carrying Marta as well.

"You can lay her down here." They were told and shown the small bed as the girl bustled off to get cups and hastily heat up some water.

They set down Marta on the bed and went over to the table in the small house. Edward, reading the invitation, decided to sit down, but Bella hovered for a moment, wondering if it was polite to or not.

"Please sit." The girl gestured as she set some cups down. "I'll have some tea for you in a little while."

"No, please. Don't go to that much trouble."

"It's not much trouble, really." She laughed. "I don't get many visitors. Oh!" She seemed to remember. "How rude of me – my name is Pyro."

"That would be a nickname?" Edward asked, casual as ever.

"Yes, that's right. Umm…" She hesitated.

"I'm Bel." Bella said kindly. "And this is my knight-master, Edward."

Pyro gave them smiles and nods before looking back at Marta a little curiously.

"And someone we picked up, Marta."

Marta stirred at the sound of her name and sat up blearily. She looked around for a minute, confused.

"Where…?"

"You are at my house." Pyro said brightly, handing her the first cup of tea. "Be careful not to burn yourself."

Martha nodded bewilderedly and blew at the tea, sitting on the edge of the bed. Pyro poured tea for Edward and Bella as well as herself, and went over to sit at the table, setting down cakes in front of them.

"Help yourself please."

Marta sipped her tea gratefully, even if it was still rather hot. Then she seemed to remember and looked over nervously at Edward and Bella, as if wondering what would happen to her. Edward gave a deep sigh as he heard what was on her mind. Suddenly the door burst open.

"Pyro, where did you go – " the newcomer broke off abruptly as she saw the people in the room.

"Sis, they're just visit – "

"Who are they?" her sister interrupted.

Pyro glared. "They are some visitors, Mcaz." Her voice was condemning, "Please show some manners."

It was slightly amusing to watch, in a way, the younger sister reprimanding the elder. They glared at each other for a minute, each immersed in their own irritation and anger and then both softened from their positions and hard expressions and laughed. It was another exchange swapping moment for the other three.

"I didn't mean to!" Marta suddenly burst out and the others all looked at her. "I didn't want to follow you and attack you, but…"

Edward nodded as he read her mind and understood, but her let her continue anyway. Although she was much the trained professional, she had not been trained to be a spy or to follow someone. Her parents were heavily in debt to that person's family, and as a result they had been forced into doing this for him to pay off some of their huge debt.

Bella's eyes implored Edward as Marta finished her story. She had really not done anything wrong, there was no reason to have to hand her into the local magistrate or lord.

"Alright." Edward said. "I suppose you are free to go."

"How can I though?" Marta asked, slightly tearful now. "If I go back, he will punish me for failing. If I do not return, he can at least just assume I died in the attempt, leave my parents alone and cancel some of the debt."

"Things don't always necessarily work that way." Bella told her.

"It has a better chance though."

"Well," someone put in, "If you don't have anywhere else to, you can stay with me…"

They all turned to look at Pyro.

"But…" Mcaz protested.

"You're living elsewhere anyway." Pyro continued, "It gets lonely here by myself."

"Still." Mcaz frowned. "It sounds like this girl is dangerous as well."

"I'm sure she will be fine." Pyro said firmly.

"If you think, so then, little sister." Mcaz gave in. "We'll need to get another bed in here for you though." She said with a look at Marta, who smiled a little.

Bella glanced at Edward, trying to communicate a message silently as everything seemed to be settled now. Edward understood and they stood up simultaneously.

"We must be on our way now." Edward said politely and warmly. "Thank you for accommodating our companion."

Pyro smiled at them warmly and Mcaz gave them a nod as they exited the house and untethered their horses. The three girls watched at the door as Edward and Bella led their horses up the paths of the fields and mounted their horses again on the road.

With a wave, they spurred their horses once again and continued on their way. Hopefully this time without any surprises.

--

Author's Note: Well… that seemed to drag a little bit. Marta got a really long bit, didn't she, but she did reply first. Sorry to those who really didn't have a chance because of time zones and all that, but two others got a role in this too.

I hope this chapter was alright, but the main idea behind it was the follower, whether or not it was supposed to end with her being taken it, but now we've established there is another person after them, whatever the reason, whoever they are.

I also hope I didn't use some of the words too much; I seem to need some new words in my vocabulary. Bleh.

Thanks to all my reviewers! I do kind of hope I will hit 100 reviews sometime soon, but when I wish for things, I usually don't get it, so I'll just wait and see how things will go.

Review though? Please?