Cullen Castle passed to the late lord's eldest son, Carlisle, and his young wife Esme. Over the years the couple bore two sons and lived a happy life, only interrupted by the occasional battle, which was usual in those times.
That is, until 1137 AD, when the Cullens lost almost all they had.
Lord Charles Swan, one of the highest ranking nobles at the time, and very close to King Stephen, had requested the Cullens host a harvest fair that would serve the dual purpose of functioning as a stage for the offering of his only child Isabella, born of his wife Romaine who died in childbirth.
The requests for her hand were numerous, the forerunners being the two Cullen sons, Edward and James, both highly renowned and skilled knights.
The day the fair began, the same day the banns for the marriage of Isabella to James were to be posted on Lord Swan's orders, both sons, Isabella Swan herself, and two castle servants disappeared.
After much searching of the woods beyond the Castle, the bodies of James and Edward were found, along with the male servant.
The agreed consensus was that outlaws had murdered the unknowing men and escaped with the women.
The body of Isabella Swan was found a week later, a solid four days' ride from the castle, with no sign evident of how she died.
Bella stared at the last sentence, a lump forming in her throat. The poor woman, the one who should truly have been there, instead of herself.
The other woman was never found.
After this event, Lord Swan left the castle, by all appearances highly distressed over the loss of his only child.
He died not long after, fighting against Matilda's knights in a pitched battle. His advisors believed he had lost his will to live and had not fought to the full extent of his skill.
Lady Esme and Lord Carlisle were heartbroken over the loss of their two sons, but were later offered a semblance of reprieve with the birth of their daughter, whom they also named Isabella.
The lump in Bella's throat grew larger as she read the words. So no one knew that it was all James, and for what? And he would have succeeded in his scheme, despite everything. She shook her head miserably but continued to read.
In order to continue the Cullen line, Lord Carlisle declared that any man wishing to marry his daughter would have to take the name Cullen.
Isabella Cullen was married at the age of 21, to a man named Edward. His last name and family connections are unknown.
Bella smiled sadly. So at least one Isabella had married her Edward.
The couple had seven living children, the descendants of whom can still be traced today.
Cullen Castle itself was destroyed in 1220, by Llewellyn Fawr and his followers during their raids of the Welsh-English borders.
Bella leaned back in her seat. So there was no Cullen Castle to see anymore. She had considered traveling over to England, just to see the remains--she sighed, leaning forward again and clicking on Home. The article had mentioned nothing of Alison and Rosalind.
Bella began searching again. After a few false starts, she finally found a page, documenting resistance against King Stephen. A small paragraph stated;
Reportedly acting on the orders of Edward Cullen, son of Carlisle Cullen, knight's Jasper Locke and Emmett Hale traveled to France to warn Empress Matilda of the threat to her position.
Little is known about these knights other than their continued allegiance to the Cullens, even after the death of both their sons and their marriages to the wards of Carlisle Cullen; Jasper to Lady Alison and Emmett to Lady Rosalind. Some documents state the couples each lived long lives, with many children, and never left their home, Cullen Castle, even being buried there upon their deaths, but there is no proof that this is fact.
Bella smiled, even as tears slipped unnoticed down her cheeks. So Rosalind and Alison had lived long happy lives, it seemed. That much at least was a relief; that and the confirmed death of James. Bella wasn't normally a violent person, but the pain that mad man had caused most definitely needed to be halted.
Bella sighed, feeling fractionally better knowing her friends had continued on, even after she had gone.
"Seems I am not the only one in a rush to research," a warm husky voice sounded behind Bella. She spun around, surprised, and saw Edward Cullen, the knight from the modern fair, standing behind her, smiling the same crooked smile of her Edward.
Her stomach twisted into knots.
"Sorry?" She choked out.
He gestured to her, then himself. "Neither of us bothered changing before rushing to the library." He smiled.
Bella looked down, her face reddening. Yep, she was still wearing the mud covered blue gown and silver kirtle and slippers. "Oh," she said stupidly. "Yeah." Her eyes skimmed his amber and black tunic, slightly shorter than it should be.
"Costumes?" She asked, trying to force a smile.
"No, I found this ring on the field, thought I might try and trace its origins." He sent her a conspirital wink. "I like to believe it might be medieval." He held out his hand to show her a gleaming gold ring set with diamonds and a square emerald in the centre.
"Hmm," she said, frowning. "Who knows?"
He grinned. "Hopefully someone on the net." He sat in the seat beside her, clicking on the link for the search engine. "It's Bella, right?"
"Uh, huh."
"You live around here?" He was typing rapidly as he spoke.
"Yeah, not far." Bella couldn't keep her eyes off his face. Luned wasn't wrong; it was like looking at a ghost. On the one hand, she wanted to leap into his arms; on the other, she wanted to run as fast and far as she could from wherever he happened to be.
"So do I. I haven't seen you around before, though?"
"I don't get out much."
Edward smiled, his eyes still locked on the computer screen. "Honestly, neither do I. Medieval faires are my weakness, though. I feel a strong connection with the past."
Bella winced. "Yeah," she said softly. "Same here."
She watched his profile, drinking in what she could of his features. His nose was different, she thought absently. Like it had been broken. Strange how her Edward had the perfect nose, and this one in a less brutal time didn't...
"Did you break your nose?" She blurted out.
He looked over to her in surprise. "Sorry?"
"Oh, ah." Bella's face flamed again. "It just--it looks—"
"Oh." He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his finger, smiling at her. "Yeah. I get a little to into the reenactments. I've never forgotten my helmet again, though."
She nodded, feeling like a fool. "I--I'd better go; I've got people waiting for me."
"Could I offer you a lift home?" He was watching her with something in his eyes. Interest? Bella felt so miserable and unsure, she doubted her own instincts, shook off the idea that he was at all interested in her.
"Ah, no, that's fine. I have my own car."
His eyes clouded slightly, but he continued to smile. "Maybe another time, then?"
"Sure," she murmured, rising from her seat in typical clumsy fashion, tripping over the chair legs and stumbling face first into Edward's lap, her head flopping over the far side of his legs.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she cried, trying desperately to push herself up at the same time Edward, chuckling, was trying to lift her so that all they achieved was to knock the chair he was sitting in backwards. And with an 'oof' from him, she landed on his chest, staring at the roof.
"Sorry!" She cried again, leaping up, this time in a more reasonable fashion, blushing madly at the sight of Edward lying on the back of his chair on the floor, his legs still over the edge of seat.
He laughed. It started as the same soft chuckle of before, but quickly developed into a rich, happy laughter, full of amusement.
"That's alright," he said finally, climbing to his feet and raising the chair. "I haven't laughed so much for ages. But," his eyes danced as he frowned at her, "for that, you owe me a phone number. Otherwise, I might think you were leading me on."
Bella turned a shade of red nearer to purple. "I…"
His eyes softened, grew more sober. "I'm not asking for anything. Just a chance to get to know you. I haven't been intrigued by any one for the longest time."
"I…" Bella huffed out a long sigh. "I just lost someone, I'm not…" She shook her head, tears welling. "I'm not any company."
"Then I'll give it a bit. But I still need that number." He smiled his crooked smile.
Bella's heart shattered and leapt. The face that she loved was smiling at her again, but the man behind it wasn't the same one, never would be. But…the little flutter in her heart rejoiced--maybe this was what Alison had meant? Maybe she should take a chance. Not yet, her heart still grieved for the man she adored, but…
Normally, she would run a mile from men she humiliated herself in front of, that of course being an extremely common occurrence. More often than not, she didn't give them a chance once they saw the real her. The boys she had dated (for they couldn't be considered men) had all been colleagues, or friends of friends--people whose offers she couldn't avoid. This time, for better or worse, the choice was hers.
At least leave the door ajar. She scolded herself. Even if there is nowhere to go with it.
"Alright," she said aloud, tentative.
Edward grinned, grabbing pen and paper from beside the computer.
She rattled off her number, watching his hand move across the page, his writing perfect, like calligraphy, or someone's grandparent.
"I'll give you a week, Lady Bella," he smiled.
Her heart stuttered. One week. She left the library quickly, her thoughts in a blur.
* * * * *
Luned sighed, feeling more exhausted than she ever had before, and her trip to Cullen Castle from her home in the north of Wales had been completely on foot. Alice had spent the remainder of the afternoon quietly explaining many more of the confusing items in Bella's home, yet always skirting the issue of why things were so different here than what Luned was used to. When she had finally begged Alice to explain, Alice had frowned and suggested she ask Bella, seeing as this was something only the two of them would be able to fully relate to.
Luned was utterly perplexed.
Although she had heard things of other countries and how differently the people lived--somewhere supposedly there was an animal so big, it seemed like a walking house, though that she tended not to believe--this seemed beyond even the wildest rumors she had heard.
Luned was staring in interest at the thing Alice said was a computer, wondering what the purpose of it was, when the door opened and Bella reappeared. Luned grabbed the chance to ask what was happening.
"Lady Isabella, why are things so different in your home? It seems very odd…"
Bella's eyes were rimmed with red when she glanced over at the Welshwoman, and she sighed in resignation. "Sit down, Luned. This will be difficult.
A/N - You guys continue to rock, with your amazing support =) I hope you are enjoying this as much as the last story! No, I am still too hopeless to have posted a pic of the ring - I will endeavour to do that today, and I will let you know in my next posting (which should be tomorrow!!). Thank you for all your wonderful and thoughtful reviews; this time I am writing them down as they come because last time...well, let's say it took hours to mention you all (and I most certainly plan to give you all shout outs at the end of this one, just like the last! If it wasn't for you guys...well, 'A Faire To Remember' would be a file on my computer). A few of you wondered if the people of this time are descendants of the medival versions of themselves...although this chap doesn't specifically say so; yes, they are. Edward of Isabella, Alice is of Alison (though Jasper is not), Rosalie of Rosalind (but not Emmett). Bella of course is Bella, and Jacob...well, he had a couple of older sisters, already married and moved away. =)
As ever, ask anything you like; if I do not adress it, or do not plan to, I will let you know either by pming, or in an A/N.
Thanks a billion guys, you're still making my days the best!