Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters.
Chapter 4
Birthday Plans
September 12 1933
Volterra, Italy
Bella's Point of View
Ten years had passed and I had not seen Edward since the last time he had visited. Only Carlisle had come on a visit and about seven years ago, when I was nine, I mentioned Edward and Carlisle looked slightly pained though I had no idea why. He had just said that Edward needed some time. Either way, I missed him and was wondering when he would come home. Carlisle had told me that he would come back on my sixteenth birthday with his family, hopefully that included Edward. You might be wondering why I liked Edward so much, well he was the nicest person I had met from the outside world, apart from Carlisle. Edward was a gentleman and was very caring. During his visit, the only time I saw him really, he was much nicer to me than Felix.
"Bella? Where are you?!" I was pulled out of my thoughts by Felix yelling.
"I'm in my room!" I yelled back. "Where else am I gonna be?" I muttered to myself as I looked out the window of my room. I longed to go outside these damn castle walls and spend a day in fresh air, away from the screams of my father's meals.
"Aro wants to speak to you!" Felix yelled. I sighed and walked away from my window. Felix followed closely behind me as I walked towards the throne room where my father was waiting for me. "Why do you always disappear?" Felix asked me.
"Because I don't always like having you hanging around." I retorted. Felix seemed to stay with me a lot and I knew that it was my father's doing. My father had arranged for me to marry Felix at the age of seventeen, once I was changed, if I couldn't find anyone else. Both Felix and I hated the plan and knew that if we did end up married, we would be fighting constantly and eventually one of us would walk out. I suspected that my father was trying to do what was best for me, but really, is it good to keep me in the castle? It was so boring here! I wanted to see the outside world and travel, though my dad would never allow it.
"You called," I said as I walked into the throne room.
"Ah my dear, Bella. Tomorrow is your sixteenth birthday." My father told me as he smiled at me.
"I am aware of this."
"And how are you and Felix getting along?" I glared at him.
"Like you don't know." Some people would be shocked by the way I spoke to my father, but when you wind up in my position, you would.
"Come, come, now my dear. I am only thinking of what is best for you." My father tried to reason with me.
"So keeping me in this walls is what's best for me and not giving Felix a choice in this matter is good for me? I'm pretty sure that you are just doing what you think is best for you." Father looked at me with shock.
"What do you mean?"
"You don't want me to leave here. You don't want to see me go off with someone I would be happy with. Instead you want to keep me here so you can keep a watchful eye on me. I agree with Marcus and Felix. This is a bad arrangement, how am I supposed to find anyone if I can't even leave the walls?" Aro sighed.
"I thought you felt something for Edward Cullen, actually." Aro stated.
"I've only met him once, father and I have not seen him in ten years! Besides, he would have met someone else by now." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Oh stop being so negative, Isabella!" Father growled. I flinched slightly. He only called me Isabella when he was angry or was just being formal. "Tomorrow is your birthday, as you are well aware, and we will be holding a ball."
"And that means…?"
"That all the vampires we know will be invited."
"Like…the 'vegetarians' and the nomads?" I asked cautiously.
"Indeed, this way you will be able to meet all the vampires and maybe save yourself from marrying Felix."
"You expect me to fall in love in one night?" I asked incredulously. Did he really not know how loved worked? It grows! Unless you're a freaking person who does fall in love at first sight, but I never believed in that stuff!
"Of course not, Isabella. They will all be staying here for a week. You should hopefully find someone suitable." Aro explained. I rolled my eyes and started to walk out.
"Oh and Isabella?" I turned back to my father.
"Yes father?"
"The Cullens will be there along with the Denali clan."
"And this concerns me how?"
"Just thought you might like to know," my father smiled pleasantly at me before I departed. Naturally, Felix followed after me.
"Must you follow me everywhere I go?" I asked him.
"Master Aro wants me too," Felix replied. I groaned. "I know how you feel." Felix muttered. I rolled my eyes and continued walking.
"Why does the Denali clan concern me?" I thought out loud.
"The Denali clan lives of animals like the Cullens." Felix answered for me.
"Huh…I still don't see how that concerns me." I said as I walked into my room and walked over to my closet. I started searching through all the dresses I owned for a dress that would be suitable for tomorrow evening's ball.
"What are you doing?" Felix asked me as he sat down on my bed.
"Searching for a dress, what does it look like?"
"You know you could get someone to make you a new one."
"And how long would that take? Making dresses take time, Felix!"
"Not if you got someone here to do it,"
"Do we know anyone who makes dresses here? No." Felix groaned.
"Why are you so stubborn?" I rolled my eyes and continued to look through my dresses.
September 13 1933
Volterra, Italy
Early Morning
I lay on my bed as the sunlight streamed into my room through my open window. My skin didn't sparkle like other vampires, which I was thankful for because that meant I could go outside without people suspecting a thing. Anyway, today was my sixteenth birthday and I only had a year to save myself from the future that my father had planned for me. I was mentally cursing my father when someone came into my room.
"Good morning, Bella." I heard the familiar voice of my father say.
"Good morning," I replied curtly.
"Do you know what day it is today?" I rolled my eyes, I wasn't that stupid.
"My birthday,"
"Indeed, isn't that exciting?" I shrugged.
"Not really," my father studied me carefully.
"Are you feeling all right?" He asked warily.
"No. Why would I be? I only have a year to free myself of the damned future you've decided to give me!" I retorted before rising from my bed and walking out of the room. I fled to the kitchen where some human food was held for the few humans who lived in this castle. I knew what would happen to them once their service here was done. I looked at the receptionist as she ate her breakfast peacefully, unaware of what would happen to her in the future. I sighed and grabbed some food to eat quickly. I could drink blood or eat human food, but I refused to drink from humans so I decided to stick with a human diet.
"Good morning, Miss Isabella." The receptionist, Gabrielle, greeted me happily. She had a huge smile on her face, no worries in her life…yet.
"Good morning Gabrielle," I replied with my own smile, though my smile was forced. How could I be happy when I knew the future of the poor humans in this life?