Just a Pretense
Chapter 16: Out of the Bag
Reply for: sorcha123
i hate to annoy, but this just kinda bugged me...: "and the wary guard regarded with a wary eye" ... maybe a bit too much use of wary... maybe...
Must have been half asleep writing that. I don't usually repeat the words. Sorry! Twice wary. xD; Emphasis?
Author's Note: Hahah… Don't have the motivation for this anymore… But still, I really like writing Fanfic… I'm really into RP right now though, so that's something, I suppose. RP is Roleplaying, which is like many people writing one story. Good stuff. Though it doesn't go anywhere sometimes because noone comes back to write more and you can't continue...
Anyway, now that I've figured out what will happen, let's get the show on the road! Uhr, my writing style has probably changed again though…
Disclaimer: As usual. –feels lazy–
--
Victoria and Tanya stopped just a few metres inside the gates of the town, a little behind at the moment. Victoria was extremely annoyed that she had lost them, but in truth, Tanya had helped a bit to put her off-course.
"Where are they?" Victoria muttered, scanning the town over with sharp eyes as she leapt to the top of a tree.
Tanya made a non committal sound but also looked over the town with the same intensity after clambering onto a roof. It was suspicious activity, all right, but she wasn't here to be not suspicious. She just had to complete her job. Tanya looked further, then she spotted them – Edward and Bel – but at the same time Victoria did. Victoria was slow to speak.
"What … is going on here?"
Bel – or not the person they thought he (she?) was – was in a squire's garb, however the hair which spilled over her – his? – shoulders made her look like a girl as well as the flowers tucked in her hair. A girl dressed as a boy. She stood next to Edward with a smile on her face with two other companions who looked familiar but not people they would care to remember.
Tanya sighed inwardly. What was she going to do now? Maybe she'd just let the couple take care of this. By the looks of it, down there was no other than Isabella Swan, and if she was down there, the story she had told before would no doubt be a lie. Tanya did not think Isabella had a look-alike flitting around – it was probably all just Isabella.
"Let's go down." Tanya said evenly.
Victoria turned to look at her. "But then they'll know we've been following them!"
Tanya shook her head, she had to convince Victoria to go closer so Edward would hear what she was doing. Then he could do something about it.
"Edward's range isn't nearly so far. People usually stay out further just in case, but I know exactly how large it is."
Victoria was pleasantly surprised it seemed, "You do?"
"You doubt me?" Tanya asked mildly, reminding Victoria who was the higher ranked in the world of spies quietly.
"No, no. I will trust your word, of course."
Victoria began to inch closer and Tanya watched Edward carefully as she led the way. She saw his head turn ever so slightly as she called out to him in her thoughts. He was 'tuned in' now and would hear whatever they thought. That was good.
"Is this too far?" Victoria asked.
It was at that time Edward moved suddenly, appearing a few metres from where he had been. Noone else detected his movement, and it seemed his companions had been warned, seeming engrossed in discussion with one another.
"Idiot!" Tanya growled, "Too far! Now he's onto us!"
Victoria leapt backwards but Tanya caught her and dragged her back, still acting the part.
"Now we have to go out there or we look even more suspicious."
Tanya leapt down and started to walk towards Edward as casually as she could, Victoria following behind, scowling.
She would find a way to fix this somehow.
--
Edward stiffened as he heard his name being shouted, but he hadn't heard it with ears of the body, but through thoughts. He turned his head slightly, obeying the order to do so if he could hear the speaker – who sounded like… Tanya to him.
I'm Tanya, surely you know me. I'm with Victoria and she's been spying on you. We can see Isabella from where we are. Tap into her thoughts now, you should be able to, and I'll make Victoria come over to you so we can do something to prevent her spreading the word.
Edward refrained from raising his eyebrows. He was a little surprised Tanya wasn't going to go and spread the word herself, after all, if she understood the situation, as she seemed to, she would know it was an illegal thing to do to masquerade as a page, let alone a squire … and so on.
Quietly, he explained to Alice, Jasper and Bella who all agreed to act for him – however bad Bella's acting skills were. It would be easy though, all they needed to do was talk, and that was something they could do easily.
Edward turned and ran at vampire speed for a few metres, still following the instructions of Tanya – who he hoped he could trust – and waited for her to appear.
--
"Hmm, I foresaw this." Alice sighed.
"You foresaw Victoria or someone finding out?"
"Can't remember." Alice shrugged, "But tell you what, I know what you can do."
Bella glanced at her, "I know what you're thinking, even if I'm not Edward there."
"Even Tanya?" Jasper asked, aware of the situation and the solutions.
Alice and Bella exchanged glances before Bella replied, "That would depend on whether she really can be trusted."
"I don't see why not. She's been kind enough to warn us and help us."
"She might have an…. Ulterior motive, I think it's called." Alice said warningly. "You have no idea if she's hiding something."
"Wouldn't Edward be able to hear in her thoughts?" Bella asked.
Alice paused. "… Good point."
"In any case," Jasper continued, "We'll trust her for now, if she turns out to be against us, there are four of us to one of her."
"Or two of them." Alice amended.
"Either way." He shrugged.
Bella chanced a glance backwards where Edward was staring off into what seemed to be the distance, a worried expression on his face. She hoped this wouldn't go badly.
Because the truth was, it wouldn't only be her who would be executed if the secret was let out, but anyone else who knew the secret and had not told.
--
Tanya and Victoria were now within viewing distance and Bella, Alice and Jasper had rejoined Edward where he stand, watching the approaching pair warily. Bella had removed the flowers from her hair and pulled it into a ponytail.
"Edward, nice to meet you." Tanya said pleasantly, as if this was just asocial call. "Page, or that is, Squire Bel and you two."
Alice bristled but Jasper soothed her. He understood Tanya was just acting for Victoria, although he supposed Alice's reaction would make it 'real-er' for Lady Victoria there.
"Coincidence to see you both there." Edward said pleasantly, wary face completely evaporated.
"Coincidence indeed. I was merely passing through to see relatives."
"With Lady Victoria here?" Bella asked sharply.
Tanya glanced at her. "You wouldn't understand, I think, little g- " She paused, glancing at Victoria.
Bella raised eyebrows delicately.
"So you saw her." Edward said, in the same tone.
Victoria flared her nostrils, speaking for the first time. "Yes, now I have no choice but to tell the court of this treason!"
"Not so fast, my lady." Bella interrupted.
"Bell – " Edward began.
"Let me handle this, please, sir." Bella said smoothly, stepping forward. They hadn't told Edward about her 'plan' yet and Edward would have most likely overlooked this.
Tanya was getting a little worried, not knowing where Bel – Bella – was going with this. She stepped back a little as Bella approached. Victoria smirked at her, but Tanya glared and Victoria glanced forward again. Was there something Tanya knew about the girl that she, Victoria, didn't?
Bella was going to be an actor now. Ha. She had confidence she could do this even when she had proved so many times she had absolutely nil acting ability. She spread her hands.
"Please, my lady. Take pity."
Victoria frowned and Bella saw peripherally her friends and ... husband glance at each other. Bella stepped even closer.
"Won't you please help a poor orphan girl?"
Victoria was uncomfortable even as Bella approached, but she still looked down her nose at the girl.
"I have to do what it takes for myself to survive. I come before anyone else." She growled.
"In that case," Bella's voice had changed and so was her expression. "Goodbye."
Her hand flicked up to touch Victoria's head and her eyes rolled back as she collapsed. Tanya emitted some sort of strange shriek and jumped back.
"What did you do to her?"
Bella glanced back at Edward and saw some dawning comprehension as well as slight disgust.
"Bella? You erased her memories didn't you?"
Bella looked away and nodded. Edward guessed what she was thinking and sighed.
"I'm not comfortable with it, but I can live with it as long as it keeps you safe."
Bella visibly sagged with relief and Edward grinned, walking over to her.
"Very handy ability of yours though."
Alice came up beside them, "I do remind you that you will have to tell one day though." She said mock-severely. She looked down her nose Victoria-fashion at Victoria crumpled on the ground and nudged her with a shoe. "Well, might as well drag her inside. Help me, Jasper."
Tanya went over to help as well and they carried her inside the church they had still been outside of. Then she straightened and turned to the four.
"I need to explain to you many things, even if they are against the Code that a spy should never tell anyone anything. I will tell you now, as a friend." Her expression was dead serious. "Please sit down."
It would be quite a long story to tell.
--
A little OOC? I don't know… haven't read the books in a long time. I can only hope I've maintained the characters.
If I ever manage to finish it or if it's any good to stick up, have a look at my Christmas story… Of course it will take a long while to write, haha… Have no idea what to write though, seriously. It's just as an apology because I haven't written for such a long time. On all the stories I've started though. Oops?
And this AN I think is just to fill up room. This chapter's shorter that some of my other ones and I don't feel happy about that, but as much as I can do for now…. Jya.
About 150 chapters still waiting for me to read. Yikes. And I have no time for it either. Urk.