DO I REALLY WANT REVENGE?
Disclaimer: The Cullens, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.
All of the chapters of this story has been beta'd by the lovely dowlingnana and the chapters with mistakes are being replaced.
"Yes. I'll make time tomorrow afternoon around two. Will that work with your schedule?"
"Definitely," he answers.
"Okay. Well, I need to go as I do have some work that needs to be finished tonight for a meeting I have tomorrow morning with some of my advisors." She remarks while walking to the door. Once there she pauses, looks back over her shoulder and asks, "Can you make yourself available at nine in the morning to meet with us in my office?" He answers yes, at which she turns back to the door and leaves telling him at the same time that she did enjoy the evening.
Bella heads towards her apartments with a small smile still on her face. She thinks back over the entire evening and finds that she is looking forward to another possible evening with him.
And Edward was feeling a sense of happiness due to the fact that she accepted his offer to give him a chance and that she is willing to try.
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"We need to meet with King Carlisle. I think that he would be in a better position to help us than anyone else."
"I agree, but, how can we communicate with him without anyone finding out?"
"I'm still working on that factor."
"Well, hurry, because we can't continue on this way. Something is going to have to be done before everyone loses."
"I know. The signs are already there and it is becoming harder and harder to reverse the efforts all of this is having upon everyone's opinion of us."
CHAPTER 13: ANOTHER MOVE FORWARD
Edward was anxious about why Bella wanted him to meet with her and her advisors at nine. But, he was elated that she had agreed to give them a chance to get to know each other and to try to build a personal relationship. With that agreement finally set in place he knew that he wasn't going to take any chances on fucking it up. As he had told his family, 'things were slowly moving forwards' and he was determined to keep it going that way. Oh, he realized enough to understand that it wouldn't all be sunshine and roses. They would have set backs, but, at the end they would be together forever. That was their destiny.
Once Bella had gotten back into her own apartments she started rethinking all that had taken place during dinner. The light banter back and forth, the sharing of ideas and then the more serious discussion of wanting to start building a relationship. 'He said he wanted for me to get to know the real him. That he has had deep feelings for me for a very long time. How could that be?' she thought over and over to herself trying to find any possible hidden meaning spoken. But, she had decided that it was worth a try. There was no point in being strangers to the one you married. Children will have to come sometime, so an effort did need to be made for us to be at least friends.
Bella shrugged her shoulders and decided to get done with the reports that she still needed to look over in preparation of tomorrow's meeting. Meanwhile, Edward is busily pacing in his apartment thinking over all that had transpired, trying to analyze their entire conversation, start to finish. But, that was getting him nowhere fast, so, he decided to turn his attention to the reports of how well setting up the new ministry was progressing. Little did all know that this was just the calm before the storm, a storm that was going to change many lives and threaten many more.
The next morning Bella walked towards her office with a lighter spring in her step, not that she noticed nor could she tell you why, even if she had, but, with a dread of what she was going to have to do. It was not something that she was happy about, but, sometimes change was for the better. And, she wanted Edward to start being aware more of what was going on in case he had to step in during periods she was unavailable. As she entered the office door she became aware that everyone had arrived ahead of her, the advisors and Edward.
She continued on through to her office with Angela following behind and closing the door to talk with the queen, bringing her up to date on her schedule for the day. After going over everything Bella told her to have the Prince Consort to enter first, to give them five minutes and then to send in the advisors for their morning meeting.
"Oh, Angela, before I forget clear from two onwards. I won't be in as I have an outing planned with His Highness." Angela smiled at that and answered that she would handle it.
Bella looked up and saw the smile on Angela's face. "What are you smiling about? What is it about my planned trip that has that funny look on your face?"
"No reason, Majesty. I'm just happy to hear that you and the Prince Consort are taking some time off together. You both work hard without taking much time for yourselves."
Angela told Prince Edward that Her Majesty was ready for him and then looking to the advisors she informed them that the queen would be with them shortly. Edward walked in after Angela opened and held the door for him. Once he was in she closed the door as Bella looked up and motioned for Edward to be seated. She looked at him for a heartbeat or two before saying anything and then what she did say surprised the hell out of him.
"Prince Edward, I am wanting you to be involved in this meeting because you need to be more in the know of the decisions that have to be made governing our people than just the Ministry of Business and Aid. I want you to be able to step in and make decisions when I am not available.
"My problem right now is with the advisors that are seated outside that door. Someone is working to undermine the stability of the country and I'm not sure who it is. There are indicators that point to each and all of them. I would like to put this matter into your hands and have you to find out which one we can't trust." She explains to him.
"What do you wish for me to do, if and when I do find out who it is?"
"Handle the problem within the laws of our country."
"Do I get a chance to look over all the information you have concerning this situation to bring myself up to speed on this?"
"Of course, but, the first step is for you to start interacting with them so there is no hint of our suspicions."
"I agree. So, for now, I am to start as of this morning to sit in on the meeting and then you will be informing them that I shall be handling things from this moment onwards. Do I understand that correctly?
"Yes. And before I forget, I told Angela to clear the rest of my day from two onwards."
He nods his okay and prepares to take a seat, but, she shakes her head no as she reaches over and tells Angela to show the advisors into the conference room. Bella hands the reports to Edward for him to have a quick glance over before they go to the meeting informing him these are the items we will be discussing today. Once again he nods. At that point she asks him to go on into the conference room and she will be there shortly. She wants to have Angela get the necessary records over to Carmen for him to study more in depth.
After instructions were given to Angela, Bella went into the meeting which lasted for nearly three hours. Upon her entrance she had explained why Edward was there and that from that time onwards a copy of all reports are to be sent to his office as well as hers. This is due to his being the head of the Ministry of
Business and Aid. The advisors mention that no such ministry exists, but, she informed them that it did and that Prince Edward was its head. Also, that he would be the person to report at times that a decision needed to be made and she wasn't around or reachable. A couple of her advisors grumbled about it, but, didn't say too much.
Without giving any hint or indication that they were all under observation, Edward made note of all that was said and by whom, especially the ones that were objecting to a certain extent. He did have some more questions for Bella, but, those would be asked after he had had time to do a more in-depth study of all the files.
The meeting adjourned and all went back to their own offices and departments. Edward quietly told Bella that he would meet her back here at two and then he left also.
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A lone figure waited in a shaded area of the coffeehouse, watching the door for a specific person to arrive. After another fifteen minutes passed a man walked into the door, looked around and then headed towards the lone figure seated in the back corner of the shop. There were no individuals close by that would be able to over hear their conversation.
"You came. I was afraid that you wouldn't. Or, that you hadn't gotten it in time."
"I am not sure why you wanted to meet me here. It is most unusual, but, since you indicated that it had to do with the situation that exists between Wystonia, Vargia and Noragia then I had no choice, but to come."
"I represent a small group of government officials that want to seek your help to find the individuals that want to overturn our approved government, to rule the country themselves and to get rid of the threat. We are willing to work with whomever you feel is trustworthy to help us achieve this end. It would be beneficial for all the governments of the three countries to help us to end this."
"Can you tell me who sent you to me? Who is it that you represent?"
"Sorry, but, that information must remain unspoken. If word ever got back to whoever we are looking for then they could be in danger along with others."
"I understand. You can count on our help. I will, also, pass the information along to an individual in Vargia that they give us help when needed as well."
After a bit more conversation the two persons left one at a time.
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Edward and Bella were driving through the countryside enjoying the scenery. No words were spoken at the moment. After about an hour of driving, Edward pulled over making a turn onto a dirt road. Driving a little further than this lane they came to a halt. Ahead Bella could see a small clearing that was beautiful. A small stream could be heard not far off, but, in the field, wild flowers in full bloom and multiple colors could be seen. It was nature at its finest.
Edward got out and walked around to open the door for Bella. He popped the trunk to pull out a blanket and a picnic basket. They walked to the center of the clearing then spread the blanket and got comfortable. Their conversation remained light and on general topics for the most part. After a while Bella asked him why he wanted to get away from the palace. What was going on? He looked off across the clearing not answering her question immediately, looking as if he was deeply in thought.
His head snapped back to look at Bella as he reaches inside the basket to pull out a manila envelope and handed it to her. He motioned for her to look inside and see what he had for her. Bella looks at him a moment longer then takes the envelope and opens it. Pulling the papers out, she glances at them. She looks back up at Edward then back down to the papers and begins to read them more thoroughly, shaking her head, as if to clear her thoughts, she begins to read again. Edward didn't interrupt her during this time, just letting her read until she was ready to ask her questions.
"How did you get this information?"
"I asked my father to check into the first attempt on our lives to see what he could find and see if we could find out who was behind all of the problems that were being created in Wystonia. We believe that all of it is tied together for some reason and coming from the same group."
"I noticed the name Alec Northsom mentioned in the report and that he has a minor government job, but, living above his proverbial means."
"Yes, but, I'm not sure who he is related to that works in the palace."
"I do, Jane Northsom, the second in command of my personal guard."
"We are going to have to keep a very close watch upon her. My father seems to think that this Alec is mixed up in all of this, so it is possible that his sister is also."
"I agree."
They spent the next hour discussing the report and information it contained working to come up with a workable plan that would not alert anyone as to the "they" they now had. With making their decisions they got back into the car and headed back home to the palace.
A/N: what decisions did Edward and Bella make in regards to the information he showed to her that King Carlisle had given to him? What is it that Bella suspects about her advisors that she thought it wise to bring Edward into the meeting? Who was the two persons that were meeting in the coffeehouse?
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