Just a Pretense
Chapter 13: Secrecy
Author's Note: Haha… I keep falling asleep at six and sleeping until eight. Catching up to me. Ow.
By the way, I'm sorry, is it meant to be 'Pretence'? There are so many spellings for words I don't know what to use anymore. I just hope it makes sense enough that people can forgive moi.
Reply to Sorcha123 (no other way to do this! I try to reply to EVERYONE. xD)
Well, some of that was right, but this is going to go on for quite a while - it's nowhere near ending yet! Ehe. Watch out for Victoria though, and the new people introduced here in this chapter, as a handy hint. Their quest will get very dangerous soon enough, with everyone having some sort of part in it.
Thanks for some nice guesses, people/readers, and suggestions. ;) They've been helpful. -heart-
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or Tortall related books. Nor anything else that pops up here, so I'll say I don't own the Tower of Ravens either – juuust in case. (Kate Forsyth).
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"One may tolerate darkness for the sake of an angel."
- Reinette / Jean Antoinette Poisson, Madame de Pompadour
Doctor Who, Episode - "Girl in the Fireplace".
--
Bella clambered off sable as they came up to the edge of the forest where the small town could be seen further on. Edward mused for a second then did likewise. Bella glanced at his curiously.
"More dangerous ground from here on." Edward told her quietly. "It's better when we go unnoticed, as common folk."
Bella gave a nod. It was true there were no lords far out in these places. These lands were ruled over by the king still and lords, however they lived in such remote places, reeves were in place so as to sort out matters in the place of lords.
Edward strolled over to Spirited and took back his belongings, bundling them up so they looked a lot like just wares they were selling. Bella could easily hide her squire's garb under her cloak, and their well made clothing could be excused for simply being merchants – though their clothes were certainly dusty enough from the road.
"Keep your sword." Edward told Bella as she made to pull it off. "We have all the right to defend ourselves." He glanced at her. "You might want to hide more weapons about your person too."
"You might want to do something about your speech, milord." Bella drawled back, adding her dagger to the belt and sticking a second into her boot.
"I'm educated." Edward complained. "We're dropping low, but not that low."
Bella rolled her eyes. "As long as you play the part." But she was grinning.
Edward gave a sigh and began to walk, leading his horse behind him. Bella followed likewise, making sure she was not too close so they would collide if Edward suddenly stopped.
"By the way," Edward said as casually as ever, "You can be a girl here if you want. People out here have no such prejudices or social values."
Bella glared at him. Edward could feel her intense gaze burning into the back of his head.
"Unless you're scared of spies," Edward sighed again.
"We'll see," Bella replied as they got to the heavy wooden gates.
Edward knocked on them with force and a muffled voice came through a moment later.
"Who goes there?"
"My name is Edward Masen," Edward shouted back, "And my companion – "
"Arthur." Bella interrupted.
Edward gave her a quizzical glance but continued, "My companion, Arthur. We are merchants, please let us pass through."
The doors swung open slowly and the wary guard regarded with a wary eye but nodded and let them into the walls of the town.
"Sorry 'bout th'," the guard said, slightly blearily as the gate swung shut with a bang again. "We've been gettin' a lot of bandits 'round 'ere recently."
"Quite all right." Edward said amicably, playing the part.
"We met some on the way here." Bella put in.
"Och. I hope they didna steal all your wares."
"Trussed up like chicken." Bella muttered to Edward. The guardsman showed no sign of hearing, going on about the bandits for a good minute.
"At nay rate, I suppose ye'd like to go off an' get a room now at the Inn, or pass through the other side. Have a nice day … or night!" he amended, and with a wave, turned and went back to where he had been sitting previously.
Edward motioned to Bella and together they began to lead their horses off in the direction of the inn.
--
Victoria had spent ages trying to find the scents of Edward and Bella again, but at last, she had found it. Edward's scent had been the giveaway, a sickly sweet and cold smell to her sensitive nose that had been mixed in strongly with a somewhat floral smell which was that page, Bel's.
She wrinkled her nose. Why a boy had a floral smell, she would never know. She frowned again though now. She had remembered smelling the boy's sister as she passed and she had had the exact same smell. That was supposed to be impossible. Everyone had their own scent underlying, even if they seemed similar at first. This scent though, was exactly the same. Victoria's brain told her something was queer about it, but she did not have the time now to think over it.
"Victoria!"
Victoria looked down from where she was perched with slight annoyance, regretting the fact that she had decided to stay at the palace to sniff out their scents again before continuing. If she had been outside the grounds, there would have been no way for Emmett to find her.
"Emmett." Victoria said pleasantly.
"What were you doing up there?" Emmett asked, a confused tone in his voice. He looked over what she was wearing. "And in such unusual clothes?"
Emmett's tone sounded suspicious and sarcastic to her, especially in the last sentence. Victoria was dressed in an extremely skimpy way, it was true, but it allowed her full freedom of movement and to use her full abilities. She allowed herself to grimace.
"Ah, you do not know my job here?"
"Job?" Emmett frowned. "You are a guest. You are not supposed to work."
"You can ask Rosalie, she knows I disappear a lot."
Emmett frowned deeper. What was this girl saying? And dressed so skimpily? There were only few jobs which required that. He looked away slightly uncomfortably, as Victoria had planned he would.
"I see."
"I'll be going then." Victoria flashed him a smile and turned to leave, dashing quickly through the garden and when Emmett did not see, leapt over the wall, following the scents of the two boys.
--
Emmett looked after her as she left, thinking and frowning simultaneously. Victoria? In those sorts of occupations? Although he did not want to insult her by saying she was no beauty – which she truly was not as such – but she looked alright, if not rather plain.
He could understand a little though, that many men did not care for beauty a lot, but merely for their own pleasure, though the beauty did certainly help. It was not really the time to dwell on it now though.
Emmett whirled and went off to find Rosalie, to try to confide in her. She was not in her usual room though, and as a result, Emmett ended running all through the palace to try and find her, his worry growing with every step.
"Emmett?"
Emmett turned to see Esme at the door of Carlisle's study.
"Is everything alright?"
"Have you see Rosalie?" Emmett asked anxiously.
Esme smiled at his worry and Emmett felt a little annoyed at that minute, but when Esme made a motion to someone behind her and he could see Rosalie heading towards him, all his irritation immediately evaporated.
"Rose!"
"Your poor fiancée was looking all over for you." Esme laughed.
Rosalie blushed a little but headed out and over to Emmett who took the chance to drag her away with a short farewell to Emmett.
"I have something to tell you." Emmett said urgently as they reached Rosalie's room.
--
Esme watched the two leave, smiling a little. Carlisle looked over from his pile of reports – as usual – and gave her a searching look. She merely smiled and shook her head, going back to sit down with her embroidery, although he had told her numerous times she was free to leave.
"I'd rather stay with you." She had argued, and Carlisle had not found the strength to further convince her.
Carlisle placed down his pile of reports now as he rubbed his forehead, debating. He had done this for a while now, knowing it was not his secret to tell and even more so because he was pretending not to know. Esme, however, was incessantly concerned over their adoptive son, and only wanted his happiness. She had been delighted to see Edward with Bel – Bella that is – in the garden at the ball, though slightly disappointed thereafter when Bella had 'disappeared' and Page Bel returned to the scene.
He wondered how much of Bella's story people believed. It was a little hard to accept, noone having ever seen the two 'twins' together, only ever separately, and 'Isabella' having disappeared again so soon after that with noone to vouch for her.
"Esme?" He asked, a little tentatively.
"Carli?" Esme replied, using his nickname.
Carlisle smiled at her, but still rolled over whether it was right to tell her. Esme could be trusted to keep the secret of course, and could even help her. The only female at this stage that knew who Bella truly was, was Alice.
There was a knock on the door and Alice entered without waiting more than a second.
Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear.
"Uhm, make yourself at home." Carlisle said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Sorry." Alice replied apologetically. "But I foresaw what you were going to do and when I got here foresaw you letting me in gratefully anyway." She shrugged.
Carlisle looked at her for a minute wondering what to say, then suddenly remembered something.
"How did you know I knew?"
"I know a lot of things." Alice said mysteriously, with a smile. "A lot of things you don't."
Carlisle's eyebrows rose and then he laughed. Foresight. Ah, it was such a useful ability. Well, at any rate, he would really have welcomed her anyway. As one of the 'original keepers' of the secret, she had a lot of authority in this department – even more so than he did as a Lord. They would be equals from this point.
"You were wondering?" Alice asked, raising an eyebrow at Carlisle.
"Yes." He replied, speaking to each other wordlessly.
Esme was mystified now and also slightly impatient. She looked from the two's faces, trying to figure out what they were saying to each other, but without success.
"Will you two please explain? Don't leave me hanging, please, Carlisle."
Alice gave Carlisle a nod and he began to tell her as Esme's eyes got larger and larger.
--
Mike paced his room, waiting for the latest report from his spies and others he had coerced to work for him. What was the problem that made following some insignificant people so very hard?
He growled out a profanity and sat down at a table to think. Isabella Swan, the beautiful young woman who he longed to marry – she would bear fine sons – and who lived on lands he longed even more to own. This arrival of a brother was much bothersome – only males could inherit.
As a 'single child' as she had been before, she had no brothers to inherit the property, therefore making it hers and her husbands, once she married him. With Page Beale though – or Page Bel – this meant the property went to him and even if he married Isabella, he would have no chance to own Phoenix.
He ground his teeth in frustration. Not only that, there was the problem also of neighbour Jacob Black of the Quileutes who claimed to be in love with her and wanted her hand in marriage and that notorious – to him anyway – Edward Masen who had been so very friendly with her at the ball.
He frowned. So many problems concerning so many people, there was so much to do. But he would deal with it; he would deal with it his own way.
Even if it meant having to kill someone.
--
Tyler slipped through the darkness following the order of Rosalie and Emmett. He wasn't really cut out for this, but he couldn't disobey a direct order from a lord or lady – much less two.
He knocked on the door of the inn, lantern swinging, its light rather dim in the darkness. The door creaked open a crack and the innkeeper looked out a little suspiciously, but upon seeing who it was, happily let them inside.
"Who do you want? Don't tell me you want her?"
Tyler gave a nod and the innkeeper's eyes widened, but he didn't say a word. The bag of coins that was shoved deep into his pocket weighed him down heavily, as did his responsibility.
The innkeeper led the way across the hallway into a different section of the dwelling; one that was darker than the rest of the house and that Tyler would swear was colder. His breath came in puffs of steam in front of him and he held his lantern a little closer.
The innkeeper went up a little hesitantly to a door and knocked softly, a melodious voice filtered from inside.
"Who's there?"
"Innkeeper, ma'am." The innkeeper replied. "Someone to see ya."
The door swung open a fraction and a strawberry blonde woman looked out into the darkness of the corridor.
"Well then, please come in. You must have business for me."
Tanya was one of the most renowned spies in the city, if not the whole kingdom. Her quick fighting skills and years of experience made her deadly. The knowledge she had gained from many of the best spies in existence combined to make her more dangerous than ever. And to cop it all off, she was a vampire, it was rumoured, creating an even darker image of her.
Her gold eyes glittered in the light from the torch and she lit a few more candles as she sat down at the table.
"So what can I do for you that Edward Masen obviously can't?"
He raised his eyebrows at her slightly.
"He is the kingdom's spymaster." She said breezily, "And rather good if I do say so myself."
"Better than you?" He teased.
"He has the potential" She replied seriously. "Anyway, on with the business."
"Lord Emmett and Lady Rosalie would like to buy your services again." They had come to her more than a few times over the years, although they had made a point to have breaks in between.
Tanya contemplated for a minute, weighing it up. Eventually curiosity won over.
"So what is this job about?"
Tyler leaned over and whispered to Tanya for a minute. Tanya smiled as he finished.
"I see."
"My lord and lady are paying you this much," he pulled out the bag of coins, "Upfront, and can present you with more later."
"Quite the educated man." She smiled. "I'll take this then." She pocketed the money.
Tyler gave her a nod, not saying anything, and made to get up and leave. Tanya interrupted him.
"I would have willingly accepted this mission anyway though, I think." She said with a sigh. "I have a crush where Edward Masen is concerned."
Tyler gave Tanya the briefest look, a little amazed that she admired the spymaster, especially as one already so great. He gave her another nod and exited the door making his way along the passage, into the bar area and out into the night.
Tanya looked at the ceiling from where she sat for a moment, then got into action, picking up what she would need for her new 'mission'.
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Author's Note: Trying to get more happening and more people into the scene at once, not to mention lengthen it and get more perspective, but yeah. Let's see who can figure out occupations that Emmett was thinking of, what Mike will do/is doing, and what Tanya has been asked to do. xD
Oh and I wonder if anyone can figure out what might happen next – I've changed my plans a little now. Hopefully all will go well. This could get very long... xD I've never gone past… uhm, 15 chapters. Haha…
Review? Thanks so much, reviewers and readers. Make sure you check out Just a Pretense II? Even if you don't review… as long as someone reads it…