A.N. Heyy everyone! Sorry this is a shorter chapter compared the the rest, but please R&R anyways :P
"Mother, Father, you can't be serious!" I screeched in disbelief. I looked at them, searching for any hint of humor. Nothing. I glanced beseechingly at the line of servants until I came across Edward's amber eyes. He briefly shook his head, so quickly that only I noticed.
"Bella, sweetie, this is for your own good," Mother said, nurturing. I shook my head. This wasn't happening.
"She will start this Monday. We called you all here so you could get to know one another. We want you to be prepared for the future, Bella," Mother reasoned.
"But, Mother, what could they possibly teach me that I don't already know?" I asked.
"Manners for one thing," someone hissed. I turned to glare at a beautiful young lady standing stiffly next to my mother's throne. She had strawberry blonde hair tied tightly in a bun at the back of her head, piercing blue eyes and full lips. She wore a dull black dress that ended around her ankles. Her hands were clasped together, holding some sort of whip in between them. Standing next to her was a man who I assumed was her brother. He was as equally beautiful, like a male version of her. Both looked so child like and angelic yet, somehow, there was a red glint in their eyes which made them seem so old and cruel. They reminded me of a Botticelli angel and a gargoyle at the same time. The lady glared back at me.
"What right do you have to speak to me like that? I was not even speaking to you, I was speaking to my Mother and Father, you insignificant little-"
"That's enough, Bella. You hold your tongue young lady," Mother scolded.
"Ah I see she's hot tempered too. My, my, I have a lot to work on," the lady scrutinized.
"Bella, this is Lady Jane and her brother Lord Alec. Lady Jane will be your new governess and both of them will be living her until you are married. From now on, Lady Jane will be teaching you how to act like a proper young lady and raise you to become a charming wife. We have been informed by many of the workers at the castle that you have grown in the habit of stomping, you speak with your mouth full, and you speak like a commoner! Your mother and I aren't very pleased. We have decided that you are growing too old to be acting like this," Father explained.
"Bella, you're almost twelve, honey. In a couple of years, you're going to marry one of the finest Prince's in all the land. You have to start acting like a true Princess, a true Ruler, and a good wife," Mother rationalized.
"But, Mother, why does she have to teach me? Why can't Esme or even Alice train me?" I argued.
"Bella, they are servants, they aren't governesses, you need someone far more superior. They weren't trained to teach you anything about being Royalty. Go one now, Bella. Lady Jane, I leave it in you hands to teach our little girl what is proper and what is not," Father ordered.
"Yes your Highness," Jane and Alec cooed. They bowed and Lady Jane placed her hands on my shoulders, trying to bring me out of the room. I didn't budge. Was it just me, or was the rest of the room spinning?
"Hurry along now, Princess," Jane said in a sickeningly sweet voice. I continued to stand still, clutching my stomach.
"Bella? Bella? Are you okay?" Mother cried. I tried to answer, but my mouth wouldn't open and my mind wasn't working properly. My stomach started twisting and churning and something, I wasn't sure of what, was seeping up my chest. The room continued to spin.
"She's fine, your Majesty, she just needs some time alone. I'm sure she's just overreacting," Lady Jane said when I wasn't answering. She squeezed my shoulders tightly and said, "Come along now, Princess, let's get to know one another." I leaned over to the side where she was still holding on to me, and hurled.
"This is outrageous! Never in my life have I ever been so humiliated! This girl needs to learn some discipline! This is utterly repulsive!" I heard her complain. I heard Edward snicker.
Turning to Edward, she demanded, "Do you think this is funny?"
"No, Lady Jane, but this is all an accident, please don't blame the Princess," he replied curtly.
"I'm so sorry Lady Jane. Alice! Carlisle! " Father called. Alice and Carlisle stepped out of the line of servants. Carlisle and Alice bowed before they said,
"Yes your Majesty?"
"Alice, please take Lady Jane and Lord Alec to their new rooms and help Lady Jane get cleaned up. Carlisle, please get this place cleaned up," Father ordered.
"Yes your Majesty," They bowed and left, Alice taking Lady Jane and Lord Alec with her, and Carlisle looking for something to clean up with.
'Urgh,' I thought, 'The room's still spinning.'
"Bella, honey, are you alright?" Mother asked.
"I uh-" I began. Suddenly, my feet lost grip with the floor, and I blacked out.
When I came to, it was to the sound of something tapping on the glass. I looked around and saw that I was already tucked in my warm bed with a cold, wet cloth on my forehead. The blankets kept me from stirring. I left a hand taking off the cloth and feeling my temperature. I heard the sound of water dripping into a metal bucket. I looked to the left to see Edward twisting the water out of the cloth.
"Bella?" he said when he noticed my head move.
"Edward?" I replied. That's when I remembered what just happened. "Oh Edward," I cried. Was is true? Were my parents so tired of me that they hired someone else to take care of me for them? Was it that they truly loved me enough that they thought this was for my own good, or did they just want someone else to make sure I stayed out of trouble? Tap, tap, tap.
"Shhh, now, don't cry. She's not here right now," Edward hushed. He patted my hand and placed the cloth back on my head. Once I calmed down, he asked,
"How are you feeling Bella?"
"I'm, I'm fine right now," I said. "Edward, what happened to me?"
He chuckled before he answered. "Silly girl, you fainted." I rolled my eyes.
"How long have I been in bed?" I asked.
"It's almost six now, so it's been a little over six hours," he said.
My eyes widened. "Six hours? That long?" Edward nodded. Tap, tap, tap
"Are you sure you're feeling well?" he questioned, feeling my forehead again.
"I'm not sure. I feel very warm," I sighed.
"I think you're sick," he stated.
"Hmph," I replied.
"Where is everyone else?" I asked.
"Your Mother and Father are away on business and everyone else is busy doing something else," he responded. 'I see, there'll all too busy to take care of me. What about Edward? Shouldn't he have some other job to do?' I thought.
"What about you, Edward? Don't you have something else you need to tend to?" I inquired. He shook his head.
"I thought I could skip some of them today. You seemed sick and I didn't really want to leave you. I highly doubted that anyone else would see if you were okay, so I made it my duty to look after you. It's part of my job, anyway," he said. He was so serious all the time, but behind all that, I knew that I worried him. I knew that he cared.
"Thank you, Edward," I remarked.
"It's no big deal," he shrugged. I lay there, letting Edward take care of me, and smiled. He really was a good friend. Tap, tap, tap. What was that tapping noise? The silence made me remember that the rain tapping on the window woke me up, which made me remember that with rain comes...
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! BOOM! BOOM! CRASH! RUMBLE! RUMBLE...
'Thunder!' I gasped. Fear creeped up my face as I grabbed the blanket and hid under the covers.
"Bella? Bella, what's wrong?" Edward's voice was full of worry.
"N-nothing!" I mumbled from under the covers.
"Then why are you hiding under the covers?" He tried to pull the covers off.
"Bella?" he called, getting frustrated.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! BOOM! BOOM! CRASH! RUMBLE! RUMBLE...
I let out a little shriek.
"What?" Edward asked confused. Then, "Oh, I see now." Gently grabbing the the blanket, he slowly pulled them down. Surrendering, I let him so he could see my face.
"You're afraid of thunder?" he assumed. I blushed. He just found out one of my deepest, darkest secrets! Looking away, I started sobbing uncontrollably.
"Oh Bella," he said, softly, relief and laughter in his voice. He lifted me up and hugged me. He felt so warm, and I felt so secure in his arms.
"It's ok, Bella. You don't have to worry about thunder, it can't hurt you. Besides, I'm here. I'll never let anything bad hurt you," he promised. Tap, tap, tap.
'Edward,' I thought, as I fell asleep again. I knew that he meant it. I knew that nothing could ever hurt me if Edward was there. Not thunder or anything else.
"Edward," I mumbled before drifting back to sleep.