I felt bad for my mean cliffhanger last chapter. Well, not really, I just kind of wanted to update. I get excited for you all to read my new chapters! I also love hearing your feedback! It honestly helps me get through the day. Anyways, please enjoy!

And also, remember that Edward's people have NEVER been exposed to anything in Bella's world. They are a lot more innocent!

Chapter Nine

There were several small huts built into the thick trees that surrounded the village. The huts were built close together with only a few footsteps away from each other. Looking up, I could see ladders leading to huts high in the tree and several vine bridges leading to each hut. Brightly colored flowers decorated the huts. It was truly beautiful.

"Wow," I said in a low breath.

"Do you like it?" Edward asked, his tail wrapping around his leg.

"It's beautiful," I said. "Which hut is yours?"

"Perhaps I can show you my hut later? Everyone is gathering. You need to go with the females to the - rivers."

"The rivers? What is going to happen there?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. Only the females are allowed there. We're not allowed to follow you or ask about it."

Edward placed me on my feet and slowly walked beside me, making sure his pace matched mine. I listened for the sounds of the beautiful music coming from the end of the village. We came upon another stoney archway, but this one was covered in more brightly colored flowers as well as a large, boney head of some animal hanging on the top of the archway.

I could see the people before we walked under the archway. They were sitting on the ground in front of a large firepit, singing softly and playing strange instruments. I examined them very closely, wishing desperately that I had a notebook of sorts to record all of this.

The males were very similar to Edward. They had long tails and pale skin that held a very faint bluish sparkle. I stared as the watched their diamond-like skin glitter in the sunlight. They were also very large in both height and width. Their hair, however, ranged in a variety of colors and textures. As did the small features of their faces, such as their noses, lips, and eye-shape.

The females were more similar to me. They were small, had a variety of eye color, and their skin was pale, but didn't have the bluish undertone like the males. They were wearing similar clothing to myself, except for seven of the young women who were covered head to toe in white cloths. The only thing visible were their eyes.

All of them seemed to sense Edward's and mine's arrival. They stopped and looked over. I blushed and moved closer into Edward's side. Partially hidden by his massive frame.

A woman with very long, unbraided caramel colored hair jumped up and ran over to us. Her skin was painted with bright colors. Her clothing was similar to mine, except the necklaces she wore were gold and rested just above her breasts instead of between them.

She reached up and grabbed Edward by the back of the neck, pulling him down so she could kiss his cheek before nuzzling her forehead against his.

"My son," She cooed. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you to, mother," Edward replied.

A man joined Edward's mother, but he wasn't particularly interested in Edward, he was more so interested in me. He had pale blonde hair, and he was painted similarly like Edward's mother. He was also dressed similarly to Edward; chest bare and knee-length loin cloth that covered both the front and the back.

"Who are you?" He asked as he looked me up and down.

"My name is Bella," I said softly, looking him up and down with wide eyes.

"She is from the other side, father." Edward said as he stood up straight. "She fell from the sky. She is a gift from -."

Edward's father blinked several times in surprise. "You come from the other side?"

I nodded as I stared into his eyes. I didn't notice Edward's mother walking around me. It wasn't until she pressed a hand against my lower stomach did I realize she was examining me. I didn't slap her hand away, however. I didn't want to offend her. The way this woman carried herself told me that she was the leader, and I needed her approval to stay more than Edward's father.

"You are healthy," Edward's mother declared as she got down on her knees and pressed her lips against my lower stomach for a moment. "You are unmated?"

"I don't have a mate," I blushed.

She smiled and nodded, looking excitedly between Edward and me. She reached out and grabbed his hand with both of hers.

"You bring me a good female. I can teach her." His mother said to Edward.

Edward's father slipped his hands under my armpits and lifted my high in the air. I gasped and gripped his large fingers. He started walking me to the center of the rest of the people. They had gathered so they could get a better look. I felt very surrounded.

"It has been many years since - has gifted us with females from the other side." He slowly spun me around in the air so everyone could get a good look at me. "This is a blessing from our mother. She gifts us with a new female! A new bloodline!"

There was an uproar of cheers that made me cover my ears.

"We are growing stronger!" Edward's father cried loudly. "- gifts us with new bloodlines to keep our people alive!"

Several hands found their way onto my body. I gasped and started swinging my legs wildly. I felt very uncomfortable with all of these hands upon me. I felt as though every inch of my body had someone's hand on it. And I mean, every inch.

"Okay, okay I'm done! Put me down please!" I said in a panicked tone as I tapped his hands.

Edward's father threw his head back and laughed. "We have been gifted with a fiery female!"

He let me fall gently onto my feet and I immediately ran to Edward, seeking his protection. He started purring again to comfort me and it had an immediate effect. I sighed in relief. He wrapped his arm and tail around me, pulling me into his side and pressing his nose against the top of my head.

Edward's mother smiled widely. "Come, come. We must go before the sun sets."

"Where are we going?" I asked as she grabbed my arm and dragged me away from Edward. I looked back at him desperately, but he had turned started talking to his father. I watched as Edward's father put both of his hands on Edward's cheeks and kiss his forehead. Edward smiled and closed his eyes as his father pressed his forehead against Edward's and started speaking to him.

The exchange between them was very sweet. My heart swelled with its sweetness; Edward who, at first, intimidated me, seemed almost childlike now that he was near his father. There was also something about the physical affection that was very sweet. I don't know if I had ever seen a man be physically affectionate with his son. I could tell that Edward's father really loved him.

"To the goddess rivers," Edward's mother answered. "Our daughters have become women! We must bathe away their childhood!"

She kept her hand wrapped around mine as she led everyone to the rivers. As if she were afraid I'd run off. The women sung beautiful songs and laughed the entire way to the river. I could tell that this was a very joyous occasion, but I was too nervous to share in their joy.

We had arrived at two very large waterfalls that spilled over into crystal clear water. There were bundles of colorful flowers sprouting all over the place. I recognized these flowers as being the same ones that Edward had scattered all around my beach camp.

Edward's mother stopped everyone from jumping into the water. She looked lovingly at the girls who were covered by the long white cloths.

"Today is a special day," She said, beaming proudly. "Our daughters are no longer children after this day. Once their childhood has been washed away, they will be women. Tonight, they will select their mates and tomorrow as the sun rises, they will complete the mating and accept their mate's seed! May the goddess bless us with strong children!"

There were feminine cheers that filled the air. Edward's mother grabbed the white cloth of the first female and pulled it off over her head, revealing a very naked young woman who was probably about my age.

Edward's mother kissed the woman on the top of the head before playfully swatting her towards the water. She did the same to the rest of the girls. She'd take the cloths off, kissing them on the head, then send them into the water.

I watched as the girls swam in water. They were smiling widely and splashing one another playfully. I couldn't help but smile. They looked so happy.

As they were swimming, I also saw spots of red in the water. I suddenly realized that they measured these girls becoming women by their periods. Not surprising. A lot of cultures did.

Edward's mother smiled at everyone else. As soon as she started untying her skirt, everyone else followed suit. I blushed, my hands holding the knot Edward made, but making no moves to untie it.

"Do you need help?" A young girl with black hair asked.

"Uh, I don't know if—,"

"It's okay," She smiled as she grabbed the knot. "The men make very tight knots. Sometimes it's hard to undo. My brother makes very, very tight knots. I can fix your hair if you want as well."

"You're Edward's sister?" I asked.

"I am," She smiled as she took my skirt off. I blushed and covered myself. "My name is Alice."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Bella," I said.

"Could you sit down so I can untie your braids?" She asked.

"Oh sure," I said as I plopped onto the ground. I hugged my knees, so my private parts were covered. She was a lot shorter than I was, which made me think she was much younger. "How old are you?"

"I'm eleven," She smiled as she tugged the braids out of my hair. "Can I braid your hair when we're finished?"

"Sure, I don't really know how to braid." I said.

She gasped. "Your mother never taught you how to braid?"

"She died when I was very young," I told her.

"Oh I'm sorry." She said. "My mother will teach you! You have to know how to braid. It's very important. Almost as important as cooking."

I nodded and shook out my hair once she undid it. She ooed at my hair and ran her fingers through it.

"It's so bouncy! Why is your hair like this?" She asked as she pulled out one of the spirals before letting it go so it would spring back into place.

"I have curly hair. It just curls like this."

"It's so pretty." She said.

"Alice, Bella jump in," Edward's mother said as she grabbed our hands. "Wash yourselves in the river. Rejoice in the wonderful day!"

She pulled us into the river. I braced myself for it to be cold, but it was actually extremely warm. The river was wonderfully warm. All the stress from being here started to disappear as i swam through the water.

"This feels nice," I smiled as I kicked my legs in the water.

Edward's mother resurfaced, "It is wonderful, isn't it?"

"What is your name?" I asked her.

"Esme," She smiled widely. "My name is Esme."

"It's nice to meet you," I said. "So, uh, I had a question."

"I may have an answer," She smiled as she cupped the water in her hands and let it trinkle over my head.

"How do I go back to the other side?"

She paused, and the women around me paused as well to stare at me. I blushed and looked down at the water.

"There is no way back," Esme said as she swam to the biggest rock and sat upon it. "Why would you want to know how to go back?"

"I—well—b-because I have friends on the other side. People will worry about me."

Esme crossed her arms and stared at me for a few moments. "You are lying."

My blush deepened. "H-how did you—,"

"Mother is the healer, specially chosen by the Goddess. She knows everything the Goddess knows." Alice said as she swam beside me.

"Oh," I said. "But there's no way you could—,"

"I can see what the Goddess needs me to see," Esme said as she tapped her forehead. "I know that you are very sad because of your father's passing. You were close to your father. You were devastated when your doctors told you he was very sick and would not recover."

My eyes widened. "I—"

"I also know that you did not make friends. You were a shy child. You preferred knowledge over socialization. You spent your time reading literature. You are a smart female. But where you are from, being intelligent doesn't appeal to the males."

I gulped and looked down at the water. "T-there's no way—,"

"I could know this?" She asked before tapping her head again. "The Goddess tells me what I need to know. And I know she brought you here for a very special reason."

"What reason is that?"

"I'm not sure," Esme shrugged before laughing. "She only tells me what I need to know. I have an idea of her reason, but it is much too soon to tell."

"Mama," One of the younger girls said as she swam over. "Please tell us the story of how the females came."

Several other younger girls had swum over and reiterated the young girl's plea, calling Esme mama. It took me a moment to realized that they called Esme mama because of her healer status, not because she was their biological mother. It was similar to how the Catholics referred to their priest as father.

Esme sighed softly. "Oh, I've told that story so many times."

"Please, mama," A blonde-haired girl begged.

"Please tell it again mother," Alice said as she jumped onto the rock beside Esme. "Bella hasn't heard it."

"That is true," Esme said. "If Bella wants to hear the story, I will tell it."

"I would love to hear the story," I smiled at her. Honestly, any background on where the males came from and how the females got here would be wonderful. And I had no choice but to believe that these stories were true because Esme knew an unsettling amount.

"Alright," Esme said as she adjusted herself on the rock into a more comfortable position. Several other women swam up to us.

I jumped slightly when a young girl settled herself under my arm. I was actually quite shocked that she had actually grabbed my arm and arranged it, so it was around her shoulders. When I looked around, I realized that all of the women were cuddling close together. Physically affection must be a big deal with these people.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you get the time leave me a little review. And if you could set aside time to send positive vibes, I would appreciate it! I think I'm starting to get sick but I need to make it into work tomorrow! Have a wonderful evening. I'll update soon!