Chapter Twenty-Three
Bella's Point of View
So far the party has been great. Edward seemed to be at ease and has made Meredith approve of him! That is hard to do. Even harder for him considering he's a vampire. It's really hard for Meredith to approve of a guy who isn't of royal standard for me. She was always trying to set me up with a prince she had heard of from a friend or one that she had met from some foreign country. She's protective of my sisters and I. Meredith has been a close friend to us since I was born. My mother and herself went to school together, they were both pretty wealthy but, they didn't get higher in fortunes until they met their true loves.
I am now dancing with Edward and I like how I fit in his arms. I lay my head on his chest and he kissed my head.
After the song was over, he pulled out a little silver box out of his jacket pocket.
"I know that you don't like presents and that your birthday is tomorrow but, this is something my mother gave me, my human mother." Edward said. Before I could say anything he added, "She said to give it to the woman of my choice. I choose you." He handed me the box and I slowly lifted the top to find a little velvet box. It looked like a ring box. I looked at Edward and he told me to open it.
I took out the box and lifted the lid open and gasped. It was a claddagh ring.
I looked at him as tears came to my eyes.
"My father was Irish and he gave this to my mother as a promise ring. Now I want you to have it." He smiled.
"I love it. it's a claddagh ring right?" I asked.
"Yeah. Here." I handed him the ring and he took it out and said, "With my two hands I give you my heart and crown it with my loyalty." He places the ring on my finger and I hugged him tightly.
"I love you. I'm yours, always." I told him.
"I love you too. You're my forever." He replied and pulled back to kiss me.
He stiffened suddenly and pulled away with shocked eyes.
"What?" I asked before the smell hit me. "Oh no…"
"Bella, we have to…" Edward started before everyone was on the ground in pain.
"Edward!" I said in a panic while bending down to his level and holding his face, "you'll be okay."
"Bella… get out of here!" He replied.
"She's not going anywhere." I heard familiar girl voice come from behind me.
"Hello again." I replied when I turned to see the intruders… the Volturi.
"I should've known you were a princess." The girl from before said.
"Again, you aren't the smartest cookie in the bunch are you?" I asked, hands on my hips. Everyone around me was still crying from pain.
She looked frustrated and mad. Then she turned and bowed.
"Master." She said.
"Jane, what is the problem?" The man I knew by the name of Aro, one of the leaders of the Volturi asked as he came into the room from out of the shadows.
"One of the princesses is not affected from my gift." Jane answered.
He looked at me with amazement. Then Edward cried out, "No!"
Aro switched from looking at me to looking at Edward, who was writhing in pain on the floor.
"A vampire? Here, unharmed? Jane." He turned to Jane.
She sighed and Edward was soon standing in front of me.
"Who are you, young one?" He said to Edward.
"I do not see how that is any of your concern." Edward replied.
"It is if you want to live." Aro said to him. Fear rushed through me. They cannot hurt Edward. I wouldn't be able to survive without him.
"I won't let you hurt her." Edward said.
"You would protect a fairy, our enemy, then to help protect our race? You'd betray your own kind?" Aro said shocked.
"if it means making sure she and her family lives then yes, I would."
"Well, so be it. Jane." Aro turned and nodded to Jane.
Edward then was on the floor, again in pain. Jane then smiled as she made a move for Edward. I quickly pulled out my dagger and threw it at her. It spun and then caught your dress, tearing the fabric of her sleeve off and it hit the wall, staying stuck like a dart on a dartboard.
"Wow, I think I just made your dress look so much better but, I can't help your face, sorry." I said to her.
She looked raged and ran at vampire speed to me. I spun quickly and kicked her with my strength; she flew back into a wall.
Aro just stood there and watched. Jane got up from the broken wall and said, "You'll regret that."
"Oh I don't think I will. I've wanted to redecorate this room anyways; this just made redecorating more fun since I get to kick your butt." I smirked at her.
She ran towards me again but a male that looked around the same age as Jane accompanied this time. I held up my hands, let the vines from the outside come in, grab them both, and hold them in the air.
I sighed deeply and said to the male, "I haven't had the pleasure."
"And you never will pixie scum!" He shouted at me.
"Fine. One, I'm a fairy, two I'm angry now and three…" I said and pulled out a sword from the pain stricken bodyguard's belt before continuing, "I'm so ready to kill you."
They wormed and screamed, wanting to get out of the vines. I walked over but before I could slice his heads off – which is not all that fun to do- I was knocked down by another male vampire. He was holding me down.
"Bella!" Edward exclaimed, still in pain.
I brought up my feet, laid them on his chest and kicked him. He hurled back into the other bigger male that was there by Aro's side.
I stood up just as the vines were encircling them.
"Leave… now." I said to Aro. Suddenly two arms encircled me, one around my neck and another around my torso keeping my arms pinned to my sides. A knife was held close to my throat.
"Ah, but you see my dear, we have the upper hand. Now, let's say we work a compromise, hm? You marry me and come live with us and I will let you and your island live or, I kill you and your little island full of pixies. What do you say little princess?"
"I'd rather die then marry you! Without us, you'd have to land to stand on and no strength either." I retorted.
"I'm sorry you see it that way." He said and looked down before turning and walking away.
I felt the knife cut deeper into my skin at my throat. My strength was weakening and I couldn't do anything. I was started to black out from the lack of oxygen when I heard, "No!" And I was suddenly let go, I fell to the floor and started breathing heavily. I looked up to see Edward fighting off the vampire that held the knife to my throat.
I looked over at Jane, then to everyone else. They all were still in pain, some were looking at me with worry, others looking at Edward in shock. I looked back at Aro and then let my vines grab him. I closed my eyes and whispered, "Come to me. Please, I need your help."
I heard some howls and some thumping on the ground before looking up and smirking at a scared Aro. Then rushed in some of my wolves. I saved and raised six baby wolves when I was younger because their mother left them on their own. With me being the nature fairy, they trusted me. Ever since then, they have protected me when I needed help.
The oldest, Pheonix, came over to me and whimpered. She was feeling a little scared and worried for me.
"I'm fine. Those red eyed people are trying to hurt us." I said and then anger popped up in her emotions before she ran to help her brothers and sisters.
You'd never think that just normal sized wolves could scare the Volturi. Aro got so frightened that he ran away, along with Jane, Felix and the other two males. The wolves chased them out but, the oldest male wolf, Drake, stayed and was growling at Edward. Everyone was standing up, finally released from the pain, and was rushing over to their loved ones.
"Drake, stop." The wolf looked at me, then at Edward, decided that he was okay and then came over to me and whimpered. Edward was next to me in a second.
"Bella, are you okay?" Edward said helping me to my feet.
"Yeah. Just a little tired." I said to him.
Edward grabbed me into a hug and said, "I'm so sorry. I couldn't help. But the thought of losing you…"
"It's okay, I'm fine. Can't say the same for you." I said while looking at him worriedly. "Is all the pain gone?"
"Yeah, Jane took her pain with her when she left with them. I'm just glad you're alright." He pulled me in for another hug.
"I'm perfectly fine, how's everyone else?" I asked, knowing he can read their thoughts.
"Everyone's just happy it's over and that no one got hurt. They also seem to think you'll be a great queen." He smiled at me.
"Bella!" Mom, Alice and Rose ran over with the Cullen's behind them.
"I'm fine. Are you all okay?" I asked as I hugged my mom.
"Yes. We're all fine. That vampire has used that power before on your father and I. But, your father was like you, it didn't bother him. Are you okay?"
"Again, I'm fine! Not even a scratch." I said.
"Now it's time we teach those vampires a lesson." Rose said, furious.
"No, you can't with Jane. They're gone now. We'd never find them. We should prepare first, we're going to have to move away again considering they now know where we live." Mom told us.
"I'm not moving." I said to her.
"neither am I." Alice agreed.
"You're in danger by staying there. We cannot stay in Washington." Mom said sternly.
"I am. I've finally found a place I love and I'm not letting them take away everything just because they're power hungry." I told her.
"Let's discuss this another time; right now we have to send these people home." Rose said to us.
"Right." Mom nodded and walked up to where Ben had stood before. "Everyone. What you have experienced tonight is one of the many battles ahead. I'm sorry that tonight was ruined by those horrible creatures. There are transports outside if needed, to take you to where you are staying. Thank you for coming. Be safe."
Everyone were staring at Edward as if he was some sort of god. I looked at him and whispered, "why is everyone looking at you that way?"
"Um… well… they kind of look up to me now because I saved you even though I was hurting myself." He replied in a whisper.
"Well at least they approve." I smiled.
"That's great. Now I have everyone's approval and won't have to worry about angry fairies trying to replace me."
"No one can ever replace you." I kissed him and then turned to say good-bye too all of the guests.