I own nothing.

I feel embarrassed for taking so long with this chapter. I had something else in mind when I first wrote it, then I got stuck, then I changed everything. Sorry about that.
Also, in my country, on the 1st of March, we have a holiday, Martisor, where the boys give the girls a gift (or a martisor), like a bracelet or a brooch, with red and white threads intertwined that you must wear for the entire month, in order to have good luck. Even though I can't give each one of you one, I wish you have a wonderful year and good luck with everything you do. :)

Once upon a time

Edward leaned back against his chair and rubbed his eyes. He had been working for three hours, looking over the ledgers. His temples ached, and his body was hurting from sitting in the same position for such a long time. With a sigh, he closed the books and stood up, stretching.

It was almost two o'clock. He wondered where his wife was. He had left her bed this morning at eight, and she had been sleeping like a rock, not even moving when he tripped over her shoes and almost crashed into the hearth.

Opening the door, he stepped into the hall, where he found Carlisle entertaining Esme.

"I am sorry. Should I leave you two alone?" he asked with a grin, seeing the wide smile on Esme's face and Carlisle's playful one.

They both turned around and laughed. Carlisle put the three apples on the table and lifted his shoulders. "I was trying to impress Esme, and you ruined everything."

Edward crossed his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes. "She has already seen you juggle with more than just three apples," he pointed out.

"Nonetheless, nobody around here can do that..." Carlisle jested.

"That is why he felt the need to brag about it," Esme interrupted him, sharing a knowing look with Edward. They both laughed.

"I am standing right here," Carlisle said, pretending to feel offended, although his lips trembled at the corners. "Besides, was I that obvious?"

Esme and Edward exchanged another look.

"Oh, well," Carlisle continued with a deep sigh. "No wonder every maid in this house has been avoiding me lately."

"Do not be so dramatic, Carlisle," Esme said, standing on her tiptoes to press a kiss on his cheek. "You still have me. I promise not to get bored, but I must say you should start juggling more than just three apples." She patted his shoulder encouragingly. "Now, I must leave you two alone. This house is not going to tend to itself, and I do not want to give Edward a reason to dismiss me."

"You know that is not going to happen," Edward told her, but Esme simply smiled and turned around, walking cheerfully toward the staircase.

Carlisle was still staring after her when Edward turned to look at him, and Esme had already disappeared upstairs. He shook his head slowly.

"Sooner or later, you are going to tell her, my friend."

"I am not in a rush," Carlisle replied. "Also, I believe she already knows. I am not particularly subtle around her."

"That is true. And can I point out that you were blushing like a maiden when Esme kissed your cheek a few minutes ago?"

Carlisle threw him a disgruntled look. "Oh, bugger off, Edward."

"And here I was, thinking that you were worried I might fire you too someday," Edward chuckled, enjoying Carlisle's awkwardness. "Nevertheless, I wanted to ask you about my wife. Have you seen her?"

"Yes, she is in the orchard, actually. She has been there for almost two hours, I believe. I do not know if you noticed how unusually quiet it has been around here for those two hours." Carlisle seemed to know something Edward didn't. "I must say I am surprised she managed to accomplish such a feat. Esme has been trying for years, and those little hellions always manage to evade her."

Edward looked at the butler, confused. Cooped up in that office, bending over those ledgers, he hadn't noticed anything unusual. Now that Carlisle pointed it out, it did seem a little too quiet both inside and outside the house. His mother was still probably refusing to leave her room, even though she had been feeling better lately. His wife must have done something to ensure such silence.

"What little hellions are you talking about?"

"I think you should see that for yourself."

Curious, Edward stepped outside, into the sunlight, enjoying the fresh air for a second. With a deep breath, he walked toward the orchard, which was close to the stables. The groom saw him approaching and waved. As he got closer, he could hear murmurs, excited whispers, giggles and squeals. He still couldn't see his wife, but he could see the children, his servants' children all gathered around one person. And as he leaned against the entryway to the orchard, he realized that that person was his wife, sitting with her legs crossed on the floor and her hands in her lap. She looked like a child herself, giggling with the little girls, laughing loudly with the boys. Her golden dress was streaked with mud, and there was a spot of dust on her left cheek, but she didn't seem to mind.

Looking at her, seeing her so peaceful and happy, he felt a sweet ache in his chest, something he hadn't felt in a long while. He tried to recall if he ever felt this with Rosalie. There had been something – he could not deny it, but the ache in his chest had never been sweet or even soothing. Sometimes, he wondered if his love for her had only been a figment of his imagination. He shook those thoughts out of his head and looked back at Bella, who seemed to be in the midst of a story.

Edward found himself leaning forward, trying to hear what she was saying, looking as enraptured as her younger audience.

"The brave prince looked up at the dark sky, his eyes wandering, searching for his princess and one true love," Bella whispered softly, meeting their eyes and smiling. "He raised his hands, opened his arms and his heart, called her name over and over again, his voice getting lost in the wind. He wanted to see only a glimmer of her beauty, only to reassure himself that she was still there, waiting for him, loving him. With his heart in his eyes, he found her and smiled a happy, happy smile that filled the entire realm with hope and love. She smiled back, her light shining brightly upon him, telling him without words that she will always love him and wait for him for she was only a star and he was her mortal prince."

The girls sighed dreamily, picturing the entire scene in their heads, appreciating the impossible romance between the two lovers. The boys were still looking at Bella, not entirely moved by the tragic love story, but curious to know if there was something more to the story.

Sensing their disquiet, but not losing her smile, Bella turned to them with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Out of nowhere, a dragon appeared and..."

"I knew there was going to be a dragon," a small boy around seven years old, Albert, said, pumping his small fist into the air.

Bella laughed at his enthusiasm, and Edward found himself chuckling too.

"You are such a boy, Albert," a girl named Sara, of almost eight years old, answered with a giggle. The other girls joined in on the fun, while poor Albert blushed.

Bella grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. "And then the dragon, with his flaring nose and thick, green skin, saw the prince and flew toward him, gaining speed as he approached him."

"Oh no," Sara's friend, Jody, gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, leaning her head on Albert's shoulder, whose blush deepened.

"Aye," Alex, a blond-haired boy of eight years old, shouted excitedly.

"The brave prince withdrew his sword and waited for the dragon to get closer. His heart was pounding, wanting to look one more time at his little shining star, but knowing that he must defeat the dragon first."

Jody's eyes widened, and she leaned forward, on her elbows. "And then?"

"The dragon wins," Alex said matter-of-factly.

Sara nudged his shoulder, frowning. "Shut up, Alex!"

"Children," Bella scolded them with a raised eyebrow. The two children shrugged in apology and waited for her to finish her story.

Edward realized he was just as curious as the children to hear the ending.

"And then, when the dragon got close enough, the prince struck it with his sword. The dragon's cry echoed throughout the land, but he was not defeated. Realizing that his feat was greater than he expected, the prince jumped on the dragon's back, losing his balance and the sword. He watched as it fell to the ground, becoming smaller and smaller as he flew higher and higher. The dragon spread his wings as wide as it could, and the two unfortunate travelers flew up into the sky, until they became small, shining dots on the dark sky."

Jody sighed again. "The prince finally met his princess."

"I wanted the prince to die," Alex chimed in.

"It's a love story. Of course the prince is going to live," Sara answered curtly.

"What I like about this story is that you can imagine your own happy ending," Bella added. "Being a romantic myself, I prefer to think that the prince finally joined his princess, and they both became stars."

"I knew it," Jody chirped.

Albert hesitated, before saying, "I don't want the prince to die, but I would like the dragon to win."

Sara nodded sagely. "Then, the story has a happy ending."

Bella agreed. "Yes, it does."

"Can you tell us another one? Please, Lady Isabella," Jody asked, her blue eyes wide with curiosity.

Edward shifted his position, and he must have made a noise, because everyone turned around to look at him. For a second, he felt like a trespasser, like he was just a stranger looking in. The children seemed surprised to see him there, but they didn't stand up and leave. They smiled, even if a little awkwardly.

"Good afternoon, Lord Melburn," Alex and Sara said, while Jody and Albert merely nodded shyly.

"I didn't wish to interrupt," Edward answered.

"You didn't," Bella replied. She turned her attention back to the children. "Do you mind if we continue tomorrow? It is long past lunch time, and your parents must be worried about you. Tomorrow, I will tell you another story, and if you want, we can create our own. What do you say?"

They all nodded enthusiastically. Alex and Albert were the first ones to leave, nodding again at Edward as they left, while Sara and Jody stayed behind to hug Bella. His wife seemed pleasantly surprised by their show of affection.

"Thank you very much, Lady Isabella," Jody whispered. Then, the two girls turned around and left the orchard, leaving only the two of them inside.

Edward moved away from the entryway and walked toward her. He watched her stand up and try to dust off her dress but to no avail. When she realized she wasn't cleaning anything, she looked up at Edward with a laugh.

"I suppose water and soap will be more effective than slapping the material," she jested.

"I suppose it will," he agreed, stopping in front of her.

Seeing the determined gleam in his eye, she seemed confused at first. Acting on pure impulse, Edward grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her.

Taken aback, Bella's lips parted open, but she quickly recovered and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She was pliant and warm in his embrace, kissing him eagerly and tangling her fingers in his hair. He had wanted to kiss her – since the moment he saw her on the floor, talking to the children, her hair in disarray and her voice soft and enticing.

Pulling away, he stared into her dazed eyes. "What was that for?" she asked breathlessly.

"No reason," he whispered, before he kissed her again. More softly this time, taking his time and enjoying her lips. Her mouth opened, and her tongue touched his, the feeling sending warmth throughout his body and toward his groin. Feeling his blood pound in his temples, he trailed his lips from hers to her throat, where he pressed a tender kiss.

"If I had known you would react like this, I would have sent for you," Bella said.

Edward grinned. "You said you were going to tell another story tomorrow?" he asked rhetorically, and Bella giggled. "Then, I will be the first one here. Anyhow, I was curious where you heard that story from. I actually liked it."

"Actually liked it?" she scoffed. "Are you implying that I tell bad stories?"

"Of course not. I only thought you did."

She slapped his shoulder, and Edward caught her hand in his, chuckling under his breath. "I am jesting." He didn't let go of her hand, and she didn't take it out of his.

Before Bella spoke, they both looked down at their entwined hands before looking back at each other. "I made it up."

He raised his eyebrows, while she pursed her lips self-consciously. "Please, it is nothing. It is just a short story, where you have two characters and a villain."

"Well, if I had to tell a story, mine would be like this: The man met a woman. They found each other interesting. They fell in love. The end."

Bella burst out laughing.

"So, yes, I suppose making up a story is not as easy as you think. At least, for me," Edward continued. "Probably because of my lack of imagination."

"I doubt that," Bella said, puckering her lips. "Your story can be improved. For instance, you need a villain in order to make it more interesting."

"What if I don't want a villain in my story? After all, I am the author, and I write the characters," Edward countered.

"Yes, but a story without villains or without ups and downs does not make for a good story. A love story, for example, is not a very interesting one if there are not obstacles for the couple to overcome. What if their love is impossible, yet they always find a way to be with each other? What if there is something or someone trying to keep them apart?" Bella stopped and blushed, realizing she could get lost in the what ifs, and her questions would start describing her current situation.

Edward noticed the color of her cheeks, but misinterpreted her reaction. He raised his hand and caressed the skin of her neck. "So, you are saying that people are drawn mostly toward impossible love stories."

"More or less."

"Then, let me improve my story." He seemed to be deep in thought for a second, enjoying the look of rapt curiosity on Bella's face. "There was this couple. Everyone was against their relationship, for he was an infamous rake, and she an innocent, sweet girl. But fate kept bringing them together under unusual circumstances, until they finally realized they loved each other."

"That is when he found out that she was betrothed to another man," Bella added.

Edward grinned at her. "And she was betrothed to another man. He was heartbroken and thought she had lied about loving him."

"So, she tried to talk to him, sending him a letter in the middle of the night, hoping to see him the next day in the park and explain everything."

"But he never got the letter, because he had already left for his country estate."

Bella actually seemed saddened about that. "When he didn't come to the park the next day, she thought she had only been a mere conquest. She thought he had never loved her."

"The wedding took place a few weeks later, and she realized she had to forget him as she was saying her vows, pledging herself to another man."

Bella looked affronted and exclaimed, "She cannot possibly marry the other man."

Amused by her reaction, he tried to be serious. "You said people like impossible love stories."

"But with a happy ending. If she marries the other man, what about the hero? He would be miserable in his country estate."

"Ah, but I didn't say I was finished," Edward intervened. "She was in the middle of her vows, when the doors to the church burst open and he stormed inside."

"On a horse," Bella interrupted, suddenly more excited.

Edward laughed. "I don't know if that is allowed." Seeing her scowl, he conceded with a roll of his eyes. "Fine, on a horse. He stormed inside the church, on a horse, galloped down the aisle, grabbed the waist of his lover and threw her on the saddle. Then, they turned around and left the church together, leaving everyone staring after them."

Bella nodded slowly. "I suppose that is slightly better."

"Slightly?" Edward asked incredulously. "That was a damn good story. And it has a happy ending."

Her lips twitched, and then she was grinning at him. "Not for the other man."

Edward groaned loudly. "You are infuriating."

She hugged him and buried her face in his neck. "I know."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his cheek to her temple, enjoying for a few minutes the silence. Her hair smelled sweet and fresh, and it felt soft on his cheek. He could feel her warm breath on his neck, and her heartbeat.

"Have you talked to your mother today?" Bella whispered against his skin.

"No. She refuses to receive visitors. Only her maid."

"I have heard she is feeling better."

"I know, and she thought it would be a good idea to spend the rest of her days inside her bloody room."

Bella sighed, tightening her hold against his neck for a second before she pulled away to press a soft kiss on his lips. He deepened the kiss, ravaging her mouth and leaving her completely breathless and both of them desperate for more. Edward moved one of his hands into her hair and gripped it in his fist, tilting her face upward and kissing her thoroughly. His entire body shivered when a moan escaped her mouth.

She suddenly broke away, her eyes wide with curiosity.

Edward almost groaned aloud at the interruption.

"I may have an idea," she whispered.