Author's Note: I'm back from my four-day break from writing! Included on my profile now are brief hints about the next two stories, as far as I have planned them. Sorry, but I can't tell you who Lucy is!

I would like to answer something now. Laziirath wrote: Your writing is… incredible. I'm in love with the plot too… Brilliant. lol

Also, with your permission, I'd like to do some fan art of scenes from the story if that's ok. (:

Can't wait for your next update.
-Lazii

Permission granted, Laziirath. Most definitely, permission granted! I can't wait to see them!

Freesia Juliet

Part Three: Trust

Chapter Eighteen: Alistair

(Edward's Point of View)

"Whoa," mumbled Emmett as he stepped out of the SUV.

"Don't you have anything better to say?" scolded Rosalie.

He seemed to think about it for a minute. "No, 'whoa' pretty much covers it." Jasper snickered.

Alistair Castle was situated within a picturesque mountain group in the Alps about twenty miles outside of Geneva, Switzerland. It was built in the twelve hundreds in the Romantic style, at the peak of its popularity. This meant it had little, narrow, arrow-slit windows and twelve-foot-thick walls.

The village inside the outer walls still functioned as a living community, with narrow townhouses of brownstone with slate roofs. There was a Starbucks on the corner. At this, I sighed and shook my head. The narrow spire of the clocktower announced that it was six a.m. "Do you think we'll be too early?" chuckled Emmett as he shielded his eyes from the first rays of the blossoming pink dawn.

"Nah," said Jasper, inhaling the heavy scent of freshly baked bread as we passed the bakery. "I doubt that Lady Genevieve will mind us stopping in. What to you think Bella?"

She took one final longing look back at the rows of Swiss pastries, which taunted her from the bakery window. "I think I want to live here," she responded to Jasper with an awed face when the castle returned to our view. "Can we Edward? Please?" she begged, throwing on her best pouting face. I pretended to consider it until Emmett, Alice, and surprisingly Alice joined in the wailing "please."

"Sorry, no," I said with mock sorrow, wrapping my arm around my wife's shoulder.

The shingles of the spires were painted a minty green, to complement the snowcapped peaks behind Alistair Castle. Little gold flags fluttered dutifully in the morning breeze. "Do you think Cinderella lives here?" asked Emmett.

"Or Rapunzel?" said Jasper.

"Or Sleeping Beauty?" I joined.

Alice, Rosalie, and Bella rolled our eyes in unison. "Well, it isn't Dracula's castle," offered Alice doubtfully. Colette and Carlisle suppressed smiles. Henri looked compliantly disinterested, and Esme was too busy being enthralled by the architecture of Alistair Village.

"To bad it isn't," frowned Emmett, "I think I would have liked to have met him."

"You may get your wish," Bella winked broadly. "We don't know Genevieve's mate yet."

Emmett looked confused. Jasper looked strangely satisfied. "How do we get in?" I asked Colette, who was humming a pleasant tune I had never heard before. We had reached a large wrought iron gate, which marked the boundaries of the castle compound.

"Side gate," gestured the young woman, pulling us away from the most obvious entrance. It was about four hundred feet along the high stone wall from the main gate, and was covered in blooming summer ivy. "Here," she said, feeling for the mechanism which would release the door. We waited for a moment, while her spry white fingers pressed on the lever. "Damn," she said at last, throwing her hands up in frustration, "it's locked from the inside!"

"Allow me," said Bella confidently. She disappeared from my side and reappeared on the other side of the gate, her face glowing with success.

"That is so cool," mumbled Emmett.

"How do I work the lock?" asked Bella as she peeled back layers of vines.

"Slide back the bar and push down the handle," instructed Colette. "Be careful; it's spring loaded."

Her warning came a half second late. With a yelp Bella jumped backwards, a look of shock on her face. "Oops," she giggled nervously, indicating that she was surprised rather than hurt. "Got it," she said after fumbling with the mechanism a little bit more. The door sprang open.

"You would make a very bad thief," said Emmett coolly as he and Rosalie breezed past her. A smirk played upon my sister's lips, and I had the sudden urge to wipe it off her face.

But Bella handled herself quite well. "I could have left you outside," she remarked, appearing dramatically right in front of him. Rose stopped on a dime, but Emmett nearly smashed into her.

"She makes a very convincing case," said Jasper as Alice grabbed the back of Emmett's shirt, halting his forward movement.

"I would keep that in mind in the future," advised Henri as he marched right past the growing tangle of Cullens.

"In one ear and out the other," I said, tapping my brother's ears with mirth. "He'll be lucky to remember your name tomorrow, Henri."

The Rensard shared my laugh. It was strange to hear him laugh; I had always assumed that ancients were permanently serious, even though Carlisle had proved this theory wrong on several occasions.

A somber feeling overwhelmed me as we were escorted into the castle by a guard who was familiar with Henri and Colette. Immediately we were appraised by a petite Italian girl in round glasses.

"Who's she?" asked Rosalie haughtily, staring down the diminutive figure.

"Gina D'Amico," responded Henri with a serious face. "She's the castle guardian."

"She's so small," said Jasper doubtfully.

"But extremely powerful," warned Henri. "She has the ability to judge a man's worth."

"Worth?" I repeated, incredulous.

"You might consider gaining some, Edward Cullen," said a snippy voice that could only be the Castle Guardian. Anger boiled up instantly inside of me, and Carlisle placed a restraining arm on my shoulder.

"Calm yourself, Edward," warned my father.

Miss D'Amico acquainted herself with each one of my family members, shaking her head at Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme. She was even scornful towards Henri. The back of my mind recorded the fact that I could hear no thoughts from Gina.

"Hmm," she said in an interested way when she got to Bella, who stared back, appropriately indifferent. "Lady Isabella. How good of you to come and see us. Lady Genevieve has been waiting for you ever since Helene telephoned about your trip." Her ill-humored voice transformed into an agreeable one when she sensed Bella's importance.

"Thank you, Gina," conceded Bella in an odd tone. I shot a warning glance towards her, but she didn't seem to see me. My eyes flicked over to Colette. The same strange, aloof expression was plastered across her face as well.

"Please, Lady Isabella, Lady Colette, will you accompany me?" asked Gina. My senses barked out that something was terribly wrong. I flew across the room, placing myself between D'Amico and my wife.

"I will be accompanying Lady Isabella," I said in a warning voice. I touched Bella on the shoulder, but she shrugged me off.

"That will not be possible," frowned Gina, "but if you feel your wife is in some sort of trouble, Edward, Carlisle may join us." I looked up at my father. He nodded slowly, and thought-spoke to me, I'll keep an eye on them, Edward. Just don't do anything stupid as long as we're inside the walls of Genevieve's domain. Remember, she is still Volturi, and we do not know if she is friendly towards our cause.

I glanced to Alice as Carlisle kissed Esme goodbye and joined Colette and Bella. Sorry Edward, but she's blocking me again. Your guess is as good as mine, sighed Alice in her mind.

"This is very bad," I whispered at Henri.

"I agree."