A/N: Rosette's Chapter.
The rest of the night I stayed locked in my room. The silent shuffling on the other side of the door let me know that he was still there, probably waiting for me to come out and apologize for being so rude to him.
I clenched my jaw tightly at the thought.
I had a small bag with me, nothing much besides the money that Rosalie had given me and the old dress that I came with. The thing could be a rag, but somehow I didn't have the heart to leave it. I needed something that would remind me of my worth; a piece of trash, just a scrap in the very large closet of the Cullen life.
Edward had a key to my room; if he wanted he very well could have unlocked the door and walked right in. Somehow I figured he didn't want a confrontation.
The night at the ball stuck in my head. He said he'd never hit a lady before, but trash? Well, that would probably take too much restraint on his part.
The dinner bell rang, and after a pause from his room, his shadow that had been pacing before my door left. I waited a few moments before I walked to the door and threw it open.
I clutched the note I had written to my chest; I wasn't sure I wanted to leave it anymore. So, before my mind could tear my decision apart, I threw it into a garbage pale and took off past the dining hall quietly and to the servants' section.
The loud talk of the dining room echoed out beyond the hall, and I avoided any look inside. If I had looked in and saw the faces of the people I had come to be so fond of, could I bring myself to stay?
The old wooden door was located behind a large furnace that was cooking hot pieces of coal. I carefully sidestepped the black pieces on the floor and avoided the searing metal before I pried the ancient door from its hinges and stepped out and onto the cracked cobblestone.
Once I was free I ran with wild abandon. My shoes clicked against the stone until I made it to the soft marsh of the forest. The wrought iron gate was unhinged and swaying lightly with the wind.
The wind stung at my eyes and elicited tears, but I only made that excuse in my head. I cried loudly while I ran, letting the loud sobs fall from my lips in embarrassing tempo. But I promised myself it was the only time I would cry for what I had left behind.
It just wasn't mean to be… I thought to myself.
The woods passed me by in a blur of tears and wild wind. I could vaguely see the small wooden fence that alerted me I had left the property.
With a liberating breath I moved past it and stopped completely.
I didn't feel any different…
I felt tired and cold.
I grimaced to myself, walking out into the trees and swerving through thick underbrush and oaks that had a green moss growing over them.
I smiled to myself a little through my tears. It had been so long since I had gone on a nice walk and actually listened to the distant sounds of nature and the night. The crickets strummed quietly, the owls hooted their evening songs, and the sweet cicadas screeched out their relaxing melody.
These sounds made me sigh in relief. This wasn't so bad. Here I thought I'd be on the ground crying, but I was so at ease and so… happy to be away from everything. The pain and fear I felt before were replaced by a calm that immediately casted over me. My feet carried me out into the wilderness, not stopping when my mind told me not to wander off too far.
The trees were huge and old, large slabs of moss growing in ringlets down the bark and to the floor of the forest. The clean smells cleared my mind and I smiled wider as I found myself moving closer into the scenery that was so naturally endearing.
And just because I couldn't have a moment of happiness all to myself, my foot caught on a large piece of brush, and I fell to the ground on my hands and knees. I hissed in pain when my hands hit the pricker bush below me and my knees hit the branch beside the bush I'd tripped over.
My spirits were instantly deflated while I stumbled to my feet. I was covered in sticks and twigs, sticking out every which way. Looking over my dress, so torn and muddy, I was brought back to this afternoon. Alice had been so happy just to see me dressed up like her doll. Her smile was so bright and cheery and was the only one who could look at me like I was a real person, someone who was worth her time to pamper and look after.
Alice had taken to me as soon as I had arrived. She wanted to be my friend. She just wanted to keep me company and have me accompany her as a friend as well. Tears rose quickly to my eyes as I stood straighter, leaning on the grand oak beside me.
What had I done for her?
I'd caused her so much trouble. I'd allowed Rosalie to take her home right from under her and force her to be homeless. Alice would have to live somewhere away from the last remnants of her parents and her home while Rosalie held her expensive and unnecessary balls.
And what of Edward…
After being betrayed by someone he thought he loved so dearly, after having his parents taken away from him, could he really take the loss of his home? Every time he looked at Rosalie and Emmett, every time he saw the adoration in their eyes, he must have known the wedding would be closing in as soon as every minour detail of Rosalie's dream wedding was in place.
The anxiety he always felt and acted out on was understandable now. He was just… scared. I could understand that. Every time I was taken and pushed onto a carriage to be sold or shipped to some distant land I'd been scared. I would rather have died than been a pawn at someone else's hand.
That was I had thought before I lived with the Cullen's, but they showed me kindness and warmth. I longed dearly for that kind of acceptance, to be able to stay in a room with someone and not feel as though I was separate from their lives; an unnecessary piece to be replaced.
Edward never made me feel like I was useless. The very first time he touched me with his firm grasp I didn't feel frightened or worried that he'd unleash his furry, but I'd been so confused at the time.
I moved from the tree and sat on a large rock, not caring if my dress got ruined anymore. The tears slid freely from my eyes and to the ground beneath me. The little leaves stirred with the night's wind and the animals around me shifted in the brush.
I wanted to go home…
I wanted to go back and stay there forever.
A sob escaped my lips and I put my head in my hands. My emotions came pouring down on me in one horribly surreal moment.
I wanted to be in bed with Edward and have him talk to me like before. I wouldn't mind if he yelled at me, or if he called me his; it just didn't matter anymore to me. He could treat me like the other servants or never even look at me again, so long as I could be wherever he was.
He could do all of that, demean me and make me cry and laugh and then make me want to kill him.
He could do it because I loved him.
I sat up and wiped the tears from my eyes and stared blindly in front of me, scanning along the forest for any signs of change, but sadly, there was none. The wolves howled somewhere out in the distance and the owls cries became more incessant and louder. The moon above me blotted out by the clouds passing over it and the stars seemed so dim. Panic settled in me at the change. How long had I been curled over myself?
I clutched the little bag that Rosalie had given me and rose quickly. What did I do now? Could I go back? What would Rosalie do if I did? Surely she'd try to convince everyone that since I ran away I was a no good coward. If that was the case, wouldn't they just send me away again?
This was my chance at freedom; I could leave and never come back. Edward would be better off without me, anyway. Why would Rosalie insinuate that he would marry me of all people? No matter how lonely Edward was, I knew he could never love me. We were too different, it just wasn't meant to be.
Another part of me didn't want to think for a moment that that was the case. Edward was a respectable man, the most respectable and intelligent man I'd ever met. Why would such a man allow the things that had happened between us if his feelings were not genuine?
He was so passionate, even when he was rough with me, kissing and biting, he was also loving, whispering words in my ear and touching me gently. His soft habits and rough habits were formed because of confusion; I had to believe that.
The forest around me shifted and stirred with each slice of wind that cut through them. I jumped when the tree behind me dropped leaves over my head. They scattered the ground and sank into the mud. It was cold, and I realized I should have brought a thicker cloak with me. This one was for traveling purposes, not for the cold of night.
My breathing sped and became erratic with each second that passed. The wind was relentless and only further escalated my fear. The animals cried out into the night, sick keening noises from the muzzles of the beasts. The cicadas had stopped, taking shelter from the storm around me and the owls hooted from the trees. Nature no longer seemed so beautiful.
My head snapped to the left where the bushes were shivering without the help of the wind. They shook and their leaves snapped and the branches twisted outward. I knew something was behind it and my body stiffened while I slid behind the giant oak beside me.
The voice of a man cursed and spat dirty words before a large body fell out of the bush. I gasped and hid behind the tree; I would take a dirty beast over some strange man.
The man stood and wiped off his pristine garments, taking out a pocket tissue to wipe the dirt from his skin and sleeves. I immediately recognized the distinct complexion of his skin and I stepped out from behind the trees.
The man turned and his eyes went wide, his arms moving as if he'd strike me, before he caught my eye and stopped.
"Isabella Swan, is that you?"
"It is, sir,"
"What in heaven's name are you doing out here? There's a storm on its way!" Jacob Black turned towards me and wrapped an arm around my stiff shoulders, leading me away from where I had taken refuge.
"I'm sorry to have cause you a scare, sir. I'll leave—"
"Of course you won't leave!" He looked down and grinned at me. "What was Edward thinking sending you into the woods in weather like this? I thought a heard a voice out here and I stopped the carriage."
A voice? I was certain that my voice hadn't carried besides my muffled sobs. He led me around the forest and to a waiting carriage on the side of the road. The driver looked weary, as if he had just woken up.
Jacob sat opposite from me in the small space. His friendly smile never left his lips, and his eyes seemed almost light, jovial in a boyish sense. My mind couldn't wrap around the fact that he had been the centre of such a large scandal. I felt as though he were a good man, but the reality of what he had done to hurt the Cullen's made me more than apprehensive.
"So tell me, Isabella, what brings you so far out into the wilderness at this time of night? Did Edward send you berry picking? Or perhaps the women of the house wanted some authentic flowers for their bouquets?"
"I'm afraid I no longer work for the Cullen's," I answered, my head feeling heavy with grief.
"And why is that?" He asked, his brow perked and he shifted a bit.
"I—I am no longer required under their services."
"I would have thought with all the money Edward had spent on you that he'd find some purpose to use you for." He chuckled. "And then, of course, with his eldest brother soon marrying off I'm sure that Edward will be leaving the manour, he and his sister. Unless Miss Alice is planning to move in with her husband's family?"
"I wouldn't know, sir," I answered stiffly.
"Well, what are you going to do now?" He directed his eyes at me, a knowing smile on his face.
"I was going to head off to the west, and look for work."
"How will you survive with all those brutes?" He nearly yelled. "That's nonsense, Isabella! One of my maids just married off, I would be honoured if you would come work for me. Board and food are all free and you'll receive a weekly salary."
"I'm afraid I have to decline," I answered hesitantly. "I can handle myself quite well, I'm sure living in the west will be fine. I could get a job as a teacher."
"Are you equipped to even be a teacher? You've worked in servitude all of your life, coming to work for me would be in your best interest. I would not be a cruel and ungrateful master such as Edward Cullen."
"He was not cruel," I replied defensively, "and from my understanding he has very good reason to be a bit cold."
Jacob shifted uncomfortably in his seat before me. Mercifully the carriage stopped and the horseman jumped from his perch to open the door for us.
"If you could at least spend the night to decide I would be much obliged, Miss Swan." His eyes pleaded a bit, looking like a puppy begging for a steak he could not obtain.
Where else could I go? I couldn't travel west in the dead of night, not with all the creatures lurking about.
I nodded my head warily before stepping out from the carriage and waiting for his lead.
"Only for the night, Mister Black."
A/N: Surprised?
I was. Not even I saw that part coming!
This is one of many reasons why I love collaborating with Rosette . . . she always keeps me on my toes, and she always surprises me!
This is way too much fun. It should be illegal.