Things stayed steady for a good few weeks once the Cullens left with no massive outbreaks of law-breaking causing the castle to settle into a calming, but a little unnerving, tranquillity – besides Felix, Demetri and Alec's regular "play fighting", which often did result in loss of limbs and broken objects .

During the odd calmness that had settled over the castle, Jane and I threw ourselves into the wedding plans, sometimes, albeit rarely, with Alec's help. We, along with my father, uncles and Alec, decided that it was to be a proper, large, formal wedding fit for a princess, where all the vampires were, once again, invited but were separated by a rope from our family and friends during the ceremony, which were the only thing they were invited to since we wanted to keep the reception just for us. Of course that meant I needed more bridesmaids and had asked the female members of the guard that I was closest too as well as a friend I met while travelling to join, making my bridesmaids total up to 8 not to mention any "junior" vampires, and Alec did the same: asking his friends so there were an equal amount of bridesmaids and groomsmen. However, there would be a gap between these bridesmaids and Jane, Alice and Rosalie but they would still stand with me. We kept in touch with Aunt Esme, Uncle Carlisle and the rest of the Cullens through constant phone calls, chatting and informing them of any new developments.

However, after those few weeks things picked back up again and not in a good way. There were a series of crimes over in Romania, not ones that held a problem to exposure but small things that weren't punished severely. Jane, Alec and my duties were soon bubbling over so that we spent most our time working and the wedding planning got pushed to the back corner of our priorities as we tried to stay on top of everything, including the crazy amount of paperwork we needed to do.

However, I still hadn't spoken to Alec about my life as Isabella Swan and I had no idea what was holding me back.

'I swear we were never this busy before,' I groaned to Jane and Alec one day as we sat in the office on the side of my room filling out our paperwork at vampire speed.

'That's because we weren't,' Jane huffed causing me and Alec to exchange a look: despite being a vampire, Jane was never one to sit still for a long time and this relentless paperwork was being to try on her short patience.

'Calm, sister,' Alec said gently, as I heard footsteps walking down the corridor my room was attached to before there was a knock on the door.

Gratefully getting up from my chair, being half-human I also hated to sit still for ages but could do it as well as any other vampire, I made my way through my room to pull the door open. Standing in front of it was one of Alec's friends, Troy, who had the power of weather manipulation.

'Isabella,' he greeted with a tilt of his head: he only called me "principessa" around other guard members and my family but when it was just us, Jane and Alec he referred to me by my given name, although I could tell he felt slightly awkward around me.

'Troy, how are you?' I smiled at him, trying to make him as comfortable as possible, while Jane and Alec came out of the office.

'Great,' he grinned crookedly as he always did. 'Al, Jane.'

'Hello,' Jane smiled over at him, although I knew she wasn't really that fond of him.

'Troy,' Alec grinned widely at his friend, although he still managed to keep his mysterious, calculating and intimidating aura around him. 'What are you doing here?'

'Message delivery,' he grimaced at Alec before he turned his attention back to me. 'Your father wishes to see you.'

'Thank you, I'll be back,' I smiled, slipping out of my room and into the hallway.

As I walked away, I saw Troy take a step forward and lean against the door frame to continue his conversation with Alec and Jane, looking particularly more comfortable. Moving quickly through the castle corridors I began my search for my father, having realized too late that Troy hadn't told me where my father was. However, after checking the library and his office, I found him in the throne room, for once on his own instead of with Reneta and my uncles. A thought flashed through my mind as to where my Uncles were before I began to wonder what my father wanted to tell me alone; a thought that made the whole thing a lot more intriguing.

'Very quick!' my father beamed happily, clapping his hands together as he sat up on his throne since he had been slouching slightly while resting his head in his hands.

'Anything to get away from the paperwork,' I teased, grinning brightly over at him. 'What did you need, Father? Is everything alright?'

'Fine, my daughter. I just wanted to give you something,' he said and my interest was immediately spiked as he gestured me animatedly towards him.

'What is it?' I asked curiously, as I sat at him feet.

'It's just something I've had for many centuries and now it's time to give it to you,' my father smiled fondly and widely at me. 'Here.'

While he spoke he had reached beneath his thrown and withdrawn something. Now that he had finished, he placed a large dusty black box in my hands, which had an intricate pattern of clear and rainbow reflective aurora borealis crystal flowers over the lid along with the words "…" meaning "I will love for all eternity" in Italian.

'What is it?' I asked, almost scared to open it as my hand hovered over the dust covered lid – he obviously hadn't touched this in a long time.

'These belonged to your mother,' my father said and I could tell he was, as usual, excited about whatever this was, 'and her mother before that. It's a family heirloom; your mother told me, that if she didn't survive the pregnancy, to give it to you for your wedding so you could wear it as women in her family have done for centuries.'

'Wear it?'

I swallowed heavily: I didn't have much that had belonged to my mother and I only really knew her though stories that my Uncle, Father, and sometimes the guard members, told me which only made the things I did have even more precious. Biting down heavily on my lip, I open the lid to find a set of jewellery: a necklace, bracelet and stud earrings.

'They were her favourite,' my father said, although he seemed at little less childlike than usual, no doubt due to the thought of the women I knew he loved deeply and had lost.

I could see why my mother loved this set of jewels so much: they were enchanting and captivating but were also subtle. The necklace and bracelet had a bejewelled centre piece with a chain adorned with petite glittering clear and captivating rainbow reflective aurora borealis crystal flowers, the same I realize as on top of the lip, and single studs. Lifting the necklace out of the box as carefully as I could, almost expecting it to shatter at the slightest touch, I placed it round my neck to see that it rested perfectly on my collarbone.

'Thank you, Father,' I brightly up at him as I gently placed the necklace back in it place before I closed the box and placed it next to me so I could hug my father tightly.

'It was your mother's idea.'

'I wish I could have known her,' I sighed.

'I know you do and if you had you would have loved her: you're so alike both in looks and in behaviour,' my father said softly as he brushed a bit of my hair out of my eyes; he always seemed softest when comparing my mother and me, almost like a different person but it was a person who could be gone in a snap to be replaced by his hyper, childlike self which I sometimes thought was just a façade. 'Same mahogany hair, same face, shape, same stubbornness and compassion.

'Oh!' (he exclaimed this and I knew that version of my father was gone) 'and there's also, perfectly for you, three similar sets that your main bridesmaids could wear.'

'Jane, Alice and Rosalie?' I said excitedly, almost sounding like him: getting excited over such a small thing, although I was really trying to hide my disappointment over the fact the tender side of my father was gone. 'Can I see them? Did they belong to mother?'

'They belonged to her sister, ' my father corrected with a shake of his head, 'you're aunt, Abele, but you never met her since she left here soon after your mothers "disappearance", she was given them as a gift for her wedding from your mother but I don't think she ever used them.'

'Yes, you've mentioned mother's little sister before,' I remembered, although it had only been in passing as he was telling me about our family when I was 7 (looked 14) and was beginning to become interested in my past. 'They were close.'

'Extremely,' my father agreed before he raised his voice and so our current human secretary could hear from behind the side door, I knew she has there having passed her and I could also smell her from where I was still sat at my Father's feet. 'Anyway, Isla, bring them in. It would look to suspicious to you if you saw I had 4 boxes hidden under my throne.'

He said the last sentence to me causing me to giggle slightly as he winked cheerfully at me and Isla's loud footsteps, breathing and heartbeat grew fainter before they returned. Seeming unafraid as all the secretaries had, she came and knelt beside me. She placed all three boxes in her hands next to my mother's box and I noticed that the boxes were very similar: same colour, same design but the crystals were petite Austrian.

'They're all the same, principessa,' she said as she opened on of them for me.

I smiled brightly, I loved this set of jewellery just a little less than I loved my mothers, no doubt due to the previous owner. My father was right: this earing, bracelet and necklace set was very similar except, like the box, the aurora borealis crystals were replaced with Austrain crystals giving it a less noticeable but still stunning and sensational look.

'Perfect,' I breathed happily. 'Thank you, Father.'

I said it again despite his earlier wave away of the praise saying that it was my mother's idea.

'Go put them somewhere safe and maybe give Jane hers,' he chuckled in return, pressing a kiss to my forehead causing me to beam and flee from the throne room.

'Jane,' I sang as I entered my office room to find Alec leaning back on a chair with his feet on the table, Troy on the table facing him while Jane continued to work furiously behind them but she looked up when I called her name with an immensely grateful look on her angelic face.

I only had one of the Austrain crystal sets under my arm now along with my mother's aurora borealis, having placed the other two on my dressing table in my room before entering the office.

'Izzy,' she positively beamed at me, placing her pen down as the two men turn towards me, one with a warm, loving smile and the other with a nod. 'What did he want? Not another job, I hope.'

'No,' I laughed, taking a seat next to her, which happed to be opposite the boys, although Troy still had his back to us and placing the two boxes on the table. I pointed to one. 'That was my mothers' (this caught Alec's attention because he knew how much I wanted to have known my mother) 'It's a family heirloom, apparently, passed from mother to daughter when the daughter was to be wedded so she could wear it on the day. Go on, you can open it.'

I could see she was itching to open the box which contained the objects of my excitement. I saw her smile and reach out, carefully raising the lid.

'Iz, they're stunning,' she breathed, staring wide-eyed at me.

'I know,' I was about to say something more when Jane pulled something thick out from under the jewellery, that I was surprised that I missed considering the size.

'It has your name on,' Jane smiled at me, holding it out towards as I realized it was a clump of folded parchment

I took the parchment, which was extremely old I could tell, Jane was handing me but only managed to stare at it as Jane placed a comforting hand on my arm.

'It'll be fine, Izzy,' Alec's voice soothed me from across the table. 'Open it.'

I swallowed and glanced up at him to be met with a small charming and sympathetic smile before flipping open the aging parchment to see it filled with a beautiful script

My darling daughter, my sweet Isabella,

Congratulations. This letter I placed with the jewellery I wore on my wedding day and I told your father, Aro, to give it to you when you were planning yours. So you must engaged as you read this letter, a letter I hope sincerely you never have to read. You have no idea how weird it seems to be writing to you when you're engaged when I can feel you inside me.

If you're reading this then I'm no longer with you and just the thought of that kills me because I really want to be: I want to watch you grow up, I want to see you find your place in the world, I want to watch you get married to the man of your dreams. However, there are a few things I don't want to do: I don't want to leave you alone and I don't want to leave your father alone – you need to take care of him and keep him in line, okay? He may seem carefree and childlike a lot of the time but he's not and he'd going to need you as much as you're going to need him. I just wish it wasn't this way, I just wish I didn't have to die and I'm sorry that I did.

Nonetheless, the main reason I writing this is because I want you to know I love you so much already, more than the world, and, if I can't be there to prove that too you, I want to write it here so you can never doubt it.

Don't be sad about my death because I had a wonderful life, full of love and friendship and I hope you do the same because all I really want for you is to be healthy and happy, even if reading the only letter I have for you won't make you the latter it needed to be written.

Now I want to tell you 10 things my mother constantly repeated to me, just so I know someone has given you this advice.

Love like you have never been hurt.

Everybody is different; do not punish a new relationship because of your past one. Your jaded heart may cause you to miss out on the person for you. I know when you're reading this you're engaged but I just wanted to put it in here.

Family is the most important thing in life.

Your sister-in law, if you have one, is your best friend. Your father will always love you no matter what you do and I am always with you, even if you can't see me.

Travel.

Travel and see the world before you get married and then travel it again and see it with new eyes alongside the person you love. Of course this bit of advice may be a little late, either because your father gave this to you the morning of the wedding or because you already have seen the world by yourself.

Always try new things.

If you don't like them the first time, try the things again, despite what people say first impressions can be overwritten. This applies to foods, places, things, and people.

Never accept NO for an answer if it's something that really matters to you.

Don't be afraid to speak up and have an opinion and don't allow yourself to be pushed around but say no yourself once a day because if you're what people call a "people pleaser" you might end up a pushover and people may take advantage of you. Don't feel guilty for saying it because you can't please everyone, including yourself, at the same time.

You are the best possible you that there will ever be.

Don't compare yourself to others because you can only measure your success by the standards by which you live. You can be anything you want to me, do anything you want to do with true belief and determination. And, to never settle for less.

Be kind to everyone that you meet.

You never know their circumstances or who they are when you first meet them. The stranger you meet today could be the most important person in your life tomorrow. Give generously and to have a heart of gratitude. We take so much for granted while so many people are suffering.

Don't strive to be popular, settle for being yourself, settle into yourself .

Through my life, I noticed that the popular people are the most insecure and hide behind their "friends" to hide that fact. When you settle for yourself, you find the truest friends.

If you go shopping and you like something, don't buy it right then

My sister, Abele who you're named closely after, is terrible for ignoring this piece of advice. Go on with your day, my darling, go home and return the next day if you're still thinking about it or still want it.

Choose something to have faith in

Faith is hope and hope allows you to see the way and, when you see this, you never give up.

Please remember them, sweetheart, but also try remember the things below because these are the actually 10 things I live by or things that I want you to understand are okay:

You can feel alone in the most familiar of crowds and yet, you can feel comforted with kind words from a stranger who has walked in your shoes.

You can start laughing in the middle of crying, and cry in the midst of laughter.

Time does heal a wound, but the scar-though it may fade-will be there forever and may twinge on gloomy days.

Suffering can make you bend until you break. Love, faith and hope can eventually mend the pieces back together if you let them.

Fun, laughter, singing, dancing, a good book or movie can be a non-addictive painkiller or sedative to help you cope.

There is always someone who has it worse and there is always at least one thing to be grateful for.

Your true friends will love you when your sad, traumatized, despondent and in crisis mode. They will be there for you when and however you need them; when you are ready. And you will be there for them.

You can only do your best.

You are so much stronger than you ever imagined.

There is both good and bad in the world. Bad will reach out when a person is most vulnerable, whether from within themselves or from the world, but I hope the good, that I already know is within you, will always win out.

I wish I could tell you everything in this letter, about me, your father, how we met and fell in love despite him being a vampire but I have neither the parchment nor the time to do so. Truthfully, I wanted to write you a series of letters, each for a different thing or different time, but I know I haven't time to do that now, I have a horrible habit of leaving things too late and I knew it would soon come back to bite me. What I mean by saying I don't have time is that, although we have no idea how long this pregnancy will last causing your Uncle Carlisle to guessing by my size, you might be born soon meaning I'd never finish those letters even if I started them right this second so I just have to leave you with just this one. I'm sorry I'm such a "do it tomorrow person". Hopefully, you didn't inherit that trait because it really isn't helpful.

I haven't told you father about this letter, my daughter, and I don't want you too, our little secret, okay? I have no idea why I don't want him to know, he's hunting now so I know I'm safe, but just respect my wishes.

I know you've grown up into a wonderful woman but I'm not going to write what I think you are because if I'm wrong that might hurt you but know this, I would be proud of you and love you no matter what happens or what you do because you are my daughter and that is the most important thing in the world to me.

I love you so much, Isabella, I'm sorry I left you.

Tutto il mio amore (All my love),

Your mother, Sulpicia x

I lowered the letter slowly to see Jane, Alec and Troy all looking at me with concerned expressions and I tried to send them a smile but I don't think it worked too well as Alec stood up and walked quickly round the table. Standing up from my seat, he wrapped his arms around me as I realized I was crying and heard Jane pull Troy out the room – she may have been my best friend but she knew right now I needed Alec more than anything.

It took me over 10 minutes to calm down. I had never doubted that my mother had loved me, my father and Uncle reminded me enough, never allowing me to doubt it for a second, but seeing it written in her words and handwriting, which was remarkably similar to mine, seemed to make it cement further in me and cause a wave of emotions I didn't really understand and didn't want to at this specific time. Alec simply held me as I cried, not even bothering to say anything. Eventually, I wanted Jane back so her attitude could provide me with a distraction.

'That's for you but only to borrow,' I said when she and Troy returned and Alec had returned to his seat, pushing the other box I had kept with me toward her with one hand and the letter from my mother toward Alec. 'I want it back.'

I said the last words teasingly but Jane knew I really did want them back so, if it was possible for me and Alec to have children, something we had no idea about, I could give my own little girl the whole set of the jewellery: bride and 3 bridesmaids.

'What is it?' Jane asked as she took the box I had pushed towards her curiously.

'Open it,' I urged and I fought not to laugh at her expression.

Grinning at me, Jane lifted the lid on the box to find the Austrain crystal set of jewellery glittering out at her with a note I had quickly written.

Thank you so much for agreeing to be my maid of honour, I wouldn't want anyone else doing it and you know how much this means to Alec, although he'd never say it. These are for you to wear at the wedding.

I love you,

Izzy x

Carefully and slowly, Jane placed the note beside the box and turned to face me. Her slow movements suddenly stopped as she hugged me tightly. She rocked us happily as she squealed at how pretty they were, a thank you, that of course she would give them back and where did I get them.

'You're welcome,' I laughed, pulling back and smiling brightly at her, 'and they belonged to my Aunt Abele, a gift from my mum.'

'Generous,' Jane breathed.

'I know.'

We sat and talked for a while - Jane, Alec, Troy and I – before Troy decided he better get back to his duties while we knew we needed to get back to our paperwork but at the door Troy turned around again and dumped an envelope in front of me.

'Almost forgot,' he said as he walked back to the door again, 'that came for you… from a Victoria.'

Everything around me seemed to freeze as I repeated; 'Victoria?' by Troy was already gone and left Jane and Alec staring at me in concern while stared down at the letter with the name "Bella" written on it in a smart calligraphy.

'What's wrong?' Alec asked, reaching across the table towards me.

'Nothing,' I replied, trying to hide the feeling that I felt like I had been submerged in water with no idea where the surface was but I quickly slipped my finger under the envelope flap.

Pulling out the contents, I realized that it was just a small piece of card with a few words on in the same handwriting as on the envelope.

Watch your step, Principessa, don't think you're safe: I know who you are.

So she still wanted me, I thought swallowing heavily and letting the card fall out of my hands and onto the table. I had had no idea what Victoria would do if she realized that Bella Swan was actually me and, truthfully, I hadn't thought about her since I left Forks. Now, my mind was over flowing with memories of what James had done to me and how Victoria, unlike Laurent, had hunted me with him. Of course, Edward and the Cullens had killed James but I should have known that would have angered Victoria. I learnt after my return here she and James were mates and Victoria was right: I should be watching my back because she probably believed that it was my fault James was dead.

'Izzy, what's this about?' Jane's voice startled me. '"Don't think you're safe"? Safe from whom? What?'

Glancing down, I realized that the note had fallen face up, making it easy for Jane and Alec, with their vampire sight, to read it.

'Jane,' I swallowed, 'will you give us a minute?'

'Course,' she sent me a worried look but rose gracefully from her chair and left my office and room.

'Iz,' Alec frowned walking slowly, for him, around the table to kneel at my feet and turn me to face him before taking my hands. 'What's wrong? Who's this Victoria?'

'You remember you asked about this?' I said, twisting our hands so he could see the crescent shaped mark on my hand: it was the only thing that remained from all my injuries as Bella Swan.

'Course, you refused to answer' he said and I could see him trace it with his eyes. 'I'm not stupid, Izzy, I know bite scars when I see them.'

'I know,' I sighed heavily as I remembered the first and only time he'd asked, I had refused to answer him and, this of course was before I had managed to get through to the side of Alec that I love – the kind side, the caring, romantic, sweet side – so he wasn't the nicest guy around, he pushed it causing me to snap and us to get into our first proper fight, a fight which had lasted a few hours, not because it was that bad, just because we were both so stubborn.

'So the scar's to do with this Victoria?' Alec spoke after a few minutes of silence on my part to gently push me towards words which he knew I was finally ready to speak.

'No,' I shook my head. 'More to do with her mate.'

He raised a confused eyebrow at me and I sighed heavily, shaking my head. I then stood; keeping his hands in my own, and began to lead him towards the door. With a knowing smile, he let go of one of my hands so we could walk easily side by side and allowed me to gently lead him to our small area in the garden: the area where we relaxed and where we talked about the most important things – we seemed to gravitate away from the area when angry or having a fight, not wanting to contaminate out peaceful area with those memories.

'Okay,' I said heavily as I flopped into his lap and feeling a lot safer as his arms wrapped tightly around my smaller frame and I rested my head against his shoulder causing him to rest his chin on it. 'I'll tell how I got the scar and how Victoria fits in if –'

'There are conditions?' he asked, trying to joke and falling.

I ignored him, 'if you don't ask me why I've never mentioned this before because I don't know alright. The only reason I could think of was that it was too fresh and then was so far in the past I didn't think out it. Deal?'

'Deal.'

So, I went on holiday which gave me new inspiration for this chapter, walking round Grafham Water is quite a good way to get round writers block and to think of new ideas so I hope you like this chapter – my longest one so far I think – and please review x