Author's Note: Okay, this is the second time I have posted this! I have a poll up, and I need your help! Sorry for the confusion, but I really didn't want to put this up as a different chapter (which I will try to get out soon, by the way :-) homecoming preparations have kept me busy, Sorry!) Now to what was originally posted: I am really sorry this took so long, I had internet problems, I really thought this would be up sooner!! Anyway, thanks to my reviewers: Unerose93, therealBellaSwan-Cullen, AliceCrookshanks24, FRK921, VampireKa-Lyrra, Mimi-Love-4ever, Bridalyn, Forever-Aurelie, Yuki-Kowareta, snglin, TWIingTooHard, twilight4ever19, jlyric, skyflyer81310, kylacullen, evwannaB3, The.Lion's.Only.Lamb, and K.C.4evr! This chapter is for ShadowsDaughter!

Previously:

"Carlisle, as you are the oldest, I wonder if you know the person the letter was written by. Have you ever heard of Lyla Vangonent?

I opened my eyes to see his reaction. His eyes were bulging out of his head; He was completely stunned. "Your Lyla's heir?" His voice shook as he spoke.

I nodded my head in response as I spoke softly. "Yes, I am the new protector."

The Truths We Choose To Tell

Never in my life had I heard such a complete silence. It seemed the very wind had calmed at my answer. Though the majority of the vampire family surrounding me had no clue what being Lyla's heir meant, it appeared that every single member of the group did know the legends of the protector.

Their stone-fixed gazes were fastened upon me, never moving, never relenting. If vampires could have gone into shock, they would have all needed doctors with Carlisle's amount of experience for there to be any hope of their survival.

As it was, however, every one of the creatures were immortal, but I was sure they were at least totally stunned...for now. Disregarding the situation, I supposed it looked quite humorous.

Here were a coven of immortal, beautiful vampires, all staring at me, an apparent human, in complete awe. I then noticed Rosalie's expression and ammended that statement: they were looking at me in awe, or disbelief.

Apparently, not everyone believed my sentiments, even with the previous showing of power I had displayed. I really had no clue how one person could be so stubborn. Still, she gazed, or rather glared, at me in scepticism.

And the silence grew steadily on.

Finally, after a longer period of time than I ever believed possible, one of the vampires spoke.

To my surprise, I realized the voice belonged to Jasper.

"What do you mean, when you say Protector?" He asked slowly, as though weighing each word as he spoke them.

I blinked, confused. "Exactly what I said." I told him, as it was the obvious answer. When he still didn't say anything, I continued. "Do you not know what that is?"

Again, silence. This was really starting to frustrate me, they weren't all deaf now, were they? My eyebrows creased, trying to understand what they wanted me to say. "I assumed you had heard the legends..." I began, but was quickly broken off, by a haughty voice.

"Well of course we know the legends! We aren't stupid!" Well, Rosalie, that was debatable in your case.

"So then what is the question?" I asked concerned.

To my delight, it was Edward that answered. I liked him already, he seemed very controlled, but not as quiet as his brother, Jasper. "What she is trying to say is 'I don't believe you give me a reason why I should'" Edward said as he rolled his eyes.

"You believe me, then?" I asked him, gazing directly into the golden orbs which served as his eyes.

He smiled, and nodded. "Of course I do. Your story makes sense, and I it checks out against Carlisle's version of Lyla as well." He glanced toward his father figure as he mentioned Lyla.

"Yes, about that." Emmett began, "Its great and all that you and Carlisle know whats going on, but would either one of you care to explain who the heck Lyla is?" He finished by throwing the pair a questioning glance, pleading with them to explain the answer. Emmett, apparently, liked to know what was going on.

Carlisle chuckled, the first time he had made any sign of life since my revelation.

"Yes, Emmett. I'm sorry, Its just...Wow." He looked at me again, this time with a smile. I guess Edward was not the only one who believed me.

"Now, Bella might have to correct me on a few of these facts, for I am quite sure that she knows much better than I." Carlisle began.

Me? Know better that a three-hundred-year-old vampire? I sincerely doubted it.

"You all know that Lyla Anne Mandonell Vangonet was the protector, who ruled before the Volturi, correct?" They all nodded in unison.

I don't know if I was relieved or terrified that the entire vampire race knew who Lyla was. Or maybe Carlisle was just more influencial than I thought.

"I am sorry to interrupt, Carlisle, but how do you know Lyla's full name?" I asked, I think that was what I questioned most. He wasn't part of the Volturi, was he?

Then I realized, there was no way they could have resided peacefully, Carlisle drank animal blood.

Carlisle smiled at me, showing it was fine. "I'm sorry, Bella, I forgot to tell you." Again, he smiled warmly. "For a couple of decades I lived with Volturi, and it was there that I discovered about Lyla."

He paused for a second, trying to figure out the best way to continue with his story.

"While I lived in Volterra, i made it a point to learn as much as I could about the history of vampires, wondering if ever there was a vampire who shared my hunting habits." He shook his head, "Sadly, I never did."

He looked at me again, "It was during my research that I discovered one of the hidden books about the history of vampires, kept secret from the rest of the vampire world. Of course, almost all of us are aware of the legends surrounding the previous ruler of the mythical world, however, many facts are drastically wrong."

"I am not sure if you are aware of the rumors, but many state that Lyla was a vampire who ruled over the entire race." My eyebrows rose a fraction on an inch, Lyla was in no way, just a vampire.

Also, it seemed the rest of the magical world was unaware of the other species that existed.

Carlisle continued, "Very few of the members of our race are aware that more than just vampires exist." Apparently, his family did, for none of them looked in the least bit moved by this information.

"Lyla was the ruler of all the combined races, the werewolves, and the vampires."

Wait, what about the other races? I voiced the question aloud, to meet more confused faces.

"What other races?" Jasper and Edward asked simultaneously.

"All of the other mythical races." I stated as if it was obvious.

"There are more?" Emmett asked.

"Yes, many more: faeries, nymphs, witches, and elves." Blank faces greeted my explanation. Would all of the other races react like the Cullen family?

"Never in all my years..." Carlisle spoke softly.

"Maybe I should explain Lyla's story." I said sheepishly.

"That might be best." Carlisle agreed.

I took a deep breath and began, "Well, I am guessing the Volturi destroyed all records of Lyla, she told me that might happen." Some looked like they were going to interrupt, but I held up a hand to silence them.

"I will answer all of your questions at the end." They nodded.

"About 10,000 years ago, a sixteen-year-old girl named Lyla got a letter like mine on her birthday at midnight. Protectors are born at intervals in time when they are most needed. For Lyla, there was complete upheaval between Faeries and Witches. But that comes into the story later.

"Anyway, Lyla knew what she was, but, like me, spent the next two years in hiding, waiting until her eighteenth birthday when she would become immortal.

I paused, "I should probably explain that. You see, Protectors are almost an entire species unto themselves. We have a little of every race in us. We receive the strongest qualities from every race, as well as a couple extra, which differentiate between every protector.

"Well, Lyla surfaced once she had gone through her transformation, and negotiated a peace treaty between the races. Sadly, that didn't work, for one hundred years later, the war broke out again, only this time, every race involved themselves." I looked into the distance, recalling the story perfectly.

"It is considered the darkest day in all race's histories. Though, very few, know of it these days, and no vampires know of it. The only way to record things were by spoken accounts, which very few wrote down. Those who did, belonged to the elves, or the manuscripts were destroyed by the Volturi." I clenched my fist, the Volturi were a problem.

Once I had calmed down, I continued, "So after the war, one ruler was needed to keep all of the races at peace; that ruler was Lyla. Only she had the power, though she did not ever wish to be queen."

Lyla had told me multiple times in her book how she had never wanted to be Queen, she only was because of her duty to the races. It seemed to me, however, that there was a deeper reason she did not want to be queen other than the power.

"For years, she ruled in peace, until it came her time to pass away. Many say she committed suicide, but it must be understood, only Protectors can kill themselves. If they are torn to pieces and burned, it will take years, but they will be whole once again one day. She knew her time of ruling was over, and the world was at peace." I was avoiding the eyes of the Cullen family as I spoke.

"Before she departed this world, Lyla set up governments for each of the races, in the case of the vampires, it was the Volturi." I told them, finishing my story.

Eventually, Jasper spoke softly, "So, since an heir has been chosen to take Lyla's place, does that mean there is a war on its way?"

Everyone's eyes flashed to me, waiting for my response.

I faltered, wondering what I could possibly say in this instance.

I settled on the truth, though still not meeting their eyes. "Yes, it does."

Authors Note: Hope you enjoyed it! Please review! I love hearing your thoughts!!