Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight. At All. No copyright infringement intended btw.
Chapter 15
It seems that I woke from unconsciousness still in the forest. How long have I been "asleep?" I asked myself. I woke up running. Running like the wind, but it was against me. My eyes were unclear, fazed, unfocused. I was running as fast as I can, but my feet seemed to float in air, light as wings. It took a long time till the trees opened and what was left was just grasses and grasses. There, like a castle, stood our house. And suddenly, I was back at the house again! Astonished people looked at me. What? I wanted to ask, but no sound left my lips. What is the matter? Slowly but surely, I drifted back into a deep sleep...
Gasp! I sat upon my bed, gasping. I was alone. I was at home. The fire blazed from its place, while I watched it crackle. All I remember of last night was seeing his eyes -red and menacing were they. And, of hooves. Of hurried footsteps and hooves. I could hear running. Or was that from a dream? A shiver ran down my spine at the thought. I could still remember it: the dark, creeping feeling, the sensation that something very wrong would, might, happen. And that helpless dream...
I sat up confounded, staring at my pale blue papered walls, its few paintings, my books... It was eerily peaceful, yet my mind was fazed and my heart was thumping. What happened to James? What happened to me? Could it be... Could he have done something horrifying, scandalous, something that would close the doors on us... I sniffed just as a tear slid down. If that was on our engagement, I wonder what would happen next.
A knock from my door woke me out of my trance. "Come in," I replied softly. It opened slightly and my mother's worried, sad face peered from the outside. Seeing I was awake, she entered, closing the door as quietly and carefully as possible and sat at the foot of my bed.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
I examined myself for a moment, before responding truthfully, "I am fine, thank you.
Her face, as she stared at me, was quite unusually unreadable. Her face was softened yet moulded into an array of emotions. I couldn't pick out just one.
"What is the matter?"I asked.
"Um, nothing, really, my dear..." She trailed of uncertain, surprised at the question, as if she should be asking.
I longed to tell her about that night.
"Is something bothering you, my dear?" For once I could see my mother's face becoming curious about me, curious to my answer. She seemed to care.
I shook my head, trying to reassure her, "Nothing."
She seemed troubled at me not telling her anything at all. Her eyebrows drew together as she studied my closed, emotionless paled face.
"Its just about last night..." I mumbled.
"What, dear?"
I stared at her, "What happened?" I asked.
That was when my mother turned her head away from me, although I could still sense her distress. Suddenly, she starts sniffing quite softly at first.
"Oh Bella!"She cries and her arms wrap around me.
Shocked, I patted her back trying to calm her down. "What is it mother?"
"Oh," she pauses, "I don't know! It's been so crazy!"
I wrapped my arms around her, trying to reassure her, although I too am pretty shaken about it.
This was the first time my mother has ever said that. The first time my mother ever admitted to being out of place, of admitting how... interesting things had gotten. Yet, as I look at her face, it showed both happiness and horror at the same time. And she told me why.
Apparently, as I was knocked unconscious, some of the boys from the party heard all the commotion. Mother didn't detail what James was trying to do to me. But her face showed that it bothered her at the thought. But I was already grateful that someone saved me. My dream was actually real.
"Then you came in and James got held up by the boys... He is being dealt by the Sheriff now, Bells, so no need to worry." My mother gently brushes a solitary tear that slid down my face at the thought of what he could have done.
"Who saved me mother? Who were the boys who saved me?" I ask. I had to know their names and repay them in any way. Any way possible.
She smiled a bit secretively as she said, "Well, why don't you get dressed and go down. They'll be there then."
I nodded.
After I washed up, an ensemble was carefully laid out across my bed. It was blue with white trimmings, very fitting for the cooling weather. After I put it on, a housemaid immediately came to fix up my hair for me. It was done beautifully- swept up with a few tendrils purposely left behind, naturally curled. She handed me something that was wrapped in soft silk and told me that, "Your mother said you should put those on too."
"Thank you, Leah."
After bobbing a curtsy, she left the room.
The package were a pair of dangling pearl earrings. It matched the color of my shoes.
I wondered why mother would send up such an outfit. It was casual enough that it could be used for excursions. But, looking out the window, to the pearly-grey skies, I hardly believe it was a day for excursion.
As I descended down the stairs, I heard people chatting very quietly so there words were unintelligible to me. So I tiptoed down, trying to catch a whiff of conversation. What were they talking about? It seemed rather interesting. Were there still people from the night before? Were they concerned for me? Where the Mallory's abashed? It was their son and daughter-in-law to-be, after all.
But as I landed down the steps, I saw no other than the Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, their parents and of course, him. Edward. At first I caught them looking anxiously-Rosalie was worried, Mr. Cullen tried to reassure her, the Whitlocks, with their nature, were calm. But Edward paced around in front of the bay windows. His forehead creased. Mrs. Cullen was talking to my mother. As they saw me, they all stopped. Alice was the first to smile.
"Bella!" Alice greeted. "So good to see you well!"
Rosalie rushed after. "Indeed it is very reassuring!" But her face was only mildly reassured.
The gentlemen agreed, but it was Edward who rushed forward.
At first he observed me (possibly evaluating how well I was to get out of bed) and then he rushed in front of me, pushing his sisters aside.
"Are you well enough?" Edward asked.
"Of course she is, Edward, like I've been telling all of you. Look at her! She's a vision in that dress!" Alice announced.
I chuckled despite of myself. Alice was always Alice. I predicted she chose the dress I was wearing. Her face betrayed it.
"Well," Edward paused evaluating me again, "she is a vision." He smiled crookedly.
"Ahem," Mrs. Cullen coughed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, what do you think of having tea in the next room? I would love to serve you more, but dinner is about to be served." Mother led them out the French parlor doors. All of them -by that I mean Alice and Rosalie- kept stealing glances back to us. Tea was not supposed to be served at this hour. But, I should not whine.
"Are you absolutely sure you are all right?" Edward asked me as soon as they were gone.
I nodded looking up at him. He cradled my face in both his hands, as if a precious vase to be handled for.
"Did you really... rescue me?" I asked.
He looked down.
But I forced him to look back up and stared at him pointedly.
"How?" I asked faintly.
"After we talked, I didn't completely leave you alone," Edwward turned to me with a crooked half-smile, " then I saw James. I was too mad. I stayed at a distance, but enough to see figures of you. And then he started grabbing at you and I knew the conversation would turn worse. Before I could get help, he was already dragging you..." He trailed off, his eyes darkening at the thought. Then he shook his head.
I suddenly wanted to change the topic, not interested in hearing my near demise."Mother said there were two of you.."
He nodded, "There were. I don't know where he came from, but suddenly out of the bushes, a man my age or older was running to save you too. I was confused at first at what his business of knowing you was, but he seemed as driven as I am. He dashed to James almost..."
He paused, "I think... that we should join the others. There's something you need to see."
I stared at him confused. But he dropped my face and led me by hand to the parlor, where everyone was chatting excitedly. They all seemed to await us.
Mother came forward, Edward stood slightly apart, yet still close, to me. She smiled to him in appreciation.
Then, she told me, "There is someone here. He also helped rescue you." She smiled widely, happily. I noticed that she seemed very happy.
I turned to the direction where they were all looking. As if on cue, the French double doors opened and a tall man, very finely dressed walk forward. We had the same dark eyes, the same wavy dark hair, except his was cut short. We had the same pale complexion and that luminous glow.
"Hello, Bella dear, how are you?" He smiled.
A/N: Does anyone know who the new character might be?
