Chapter 29 – The damsel and her knight in shining armour.

CPOV

Bella's question caught me a little off guard, none of my other children had been this forth right about asking. Well to be honest they never actually asked.

"Ok my dear if you are sure you want to be bored to death by the old fart." Esme laughed at me. I would get her back for that comment later.

"I think we had better take this into the living room. I would prefer it if you were sat somewhere a little more comfortable as our story is pretty long." I told Bella, I took Esme's hand and lead both women to the living room. Bella took a seat in the big oversized armchair. Lilith was snuggled into Bella's chest. It was a wonderful sight to see.

I pulled Esme down next to me on the sofa and she curled up into my side resting her head on my shoulder.

"So I think it would be a good idea to start at the beginning. I was born roughly back in 790s in Kent, when the Romans still had their fingers in England. My mother died giving birth to me and my father hated me for it. From an early age I learned that we had to fight for survival not only outside of my home but also at home. In my teens I was good friends with our village healer and I knew that is what I wanted to do with my life but my father had other ideas. The night that I was turned my father had sent me out and was attacked by a nomad vampire. When the burning started I had no idea what was happening but I managed to crawl into a cave, the burning stopped 3 days later and the only thing I could concentrate on way the burn in my throat. I tried everything I could to quench the burning but nothing I was so far from home that there were humans around. A herd of deer went past and I feed off them that was when I knew that I would feed off animals. I stayed away from people for a long time, I hid away in the forest and watched as people came and built and cities grew bigger. My tolerance towards human built up and I ventured into the cities and learnt about all I could about being a healer. I learnt a lot and fast became a doctor. Then in 1662 I moved to London 3 years later the Masen's moved into the apartment above my surgery, me and Edward became fast friends but his wife was another matter." When I said this Bella's face fell I knew that Edward had not told her about his human life. "I will let Edward explain his human life, but I will carry on. In 1666 the fire of London ravished the city. Killing Edward's family and nearly himself as well. I turned him and he was the first one to join the family."

I gave Bella a break to feed both Lilith and Luna who joined us half way through the story thanks to Jasper. After a small break and Luna had settled down to play with her toys in her play pen and Lilith had gone back to sleep I continued my story.

"So the great fire of London is what killed Edward?" Bella asked. She curled back up in the armchair with Lilith again curled up against her chest again.

"Yes he did but I saved him in the only way I knew how. We then travelled round England until 1737 when we moved to Ireland, were we moved into a small cottage outside of a small town where I became the towns doctor, that is where I first meet Esme she was 16 and she was brought into my small clinic with a broken leg. The first time I saw her I feel in love with her. Myself and Edward moved a year later. Then in 1748 while I was working in a slightly larger hospital I had morgue duty, I heard that a young woman's body had been brought in after being found at the bottom of a cliff, I went to see and I was struck with the familiar rose and vanilla scent and I knew straight away that it was Esme. I found her body and she was so broken I would have cried if I could, but then I heard the most beautiful sound a light flutter of a heart. I stole Esme's body and took her back to our cottage where I turned her. A year and a half later we married then we travelled around Europe. Edward left us for a decade. In 1795 Rosalie joined the family then in 1831 Emmett. In 1912 we travelled to America on the Titanic. Well you know how that one ended. We moved to Iowa and we moved around the northwest. Then in 1942 Alice and Jasper came and moved in with us. We lived as quietly as possible till we moved to Forks last year." I smiled as Bella took in my story

"Wow, Jasper did tell me that your story was the most interesting and I would have to agree with him." She laughed quietly trying not to wake Lilith up. Luna turned and looked at her mother but got bored and turned back to her toys.

Esme looked up at me and kissed me on my jaw. "Well my story is a little different, I grew up on a farm with my mother, father, my little brother and sister. It was a hard life my parents tried to marry me off when I turned 14 but I wanted to be a teacher. When I turned 16 I was playing with my brother and sister I fell out of a tree and broke my leg that is how I met Carlisle and like he said it was love at first sight. I never saw him again and it broke my heart. My best friend Mary got married when we were 18 and that is where I met Charles the man who I married a year later. To begin with our marriage was fine he was loving but about 6 months into our marriage he changed and he started beating me. I lived with it for a long time when I turned 26 I found out that I was pregnant, that is when I ran away, I started teaching in a small school. My baby boy Liam was born on the 27th march 1748 and he died on the 30th march 1748. He died of a lung infection. 2 days later I throw myself off a cliff as I felt so depressed with everything that had happened in my life. After that I woke up to burning, I woke up to the most beautiful angel." She smiled up at me. I could feel the love radiating off her.

Bella was watching us. She had a peaceful look on her face. She was stroking Lilith's hair looking every piece a mother. We were lucky, no body could ask for better children or grandchildren. I still can't get over the fact that we were grandparents.