Hi! See me at the bottom for an author's note but right now here's another chapter. :D Enjoy!

*** Chapter 8 ***

Bella had lost track of where they were going after they'd passed the city walls, having turned corner after corner. Walkway after another and she had a feeling that Laurent was doing it deliberately in case she attempted to flee. She'd only been with him for a few hours now and she already wished she was still with Jasper, or even better, still with Edward, Alice and her father.

Eventually they reached the palace and Bella immediately recognised the difference between Grecia's ruler and Romena's. Where she'd felt welcome and respected she now only felt cold and out of place; Bero's palace was impersonal whereas the Isolan palace had been built with love and elegance.

Laurent, ever impatient, uncomfortably gripped her wrist tighter and dragged her into the throne room where she saw several faces peering at her through the dim light. Obviously the king had brought in his council and any other lords who would wish to see what Bella could only assume was her execution. What she wanted to know before she was killed was why she'd been targeted, not once, but twice, and not only by Jaymes but his father before him.

She had no secrets of her heritage now and there was nothing special about her – like Alice had her sight – and she couldn't possibly understand what both kings of Grecia would need from her.

"Ah Laurent, I see you did not fail once again…I knew I made the right choice to send you off." A blonde haired man spoke; he sat upon the throne dressed in dark, royal clothing and lounged as if he were at rest in his quarters. What Bella could make of his face made her gasp as she took in his familiar features.

He was so much like Edward yet completely different and she was surprised to find that he looked only a few years younger than him as well; his father had obviously moved on from Elizbeth quickly after her escape. There was no denying their familial ties however, and she wondered if he even knew he had an older brother that would surely kill him when he came for her.

A small shuffle from beside the throne drew Bella's attention for the first time to the raven haired woman who rested on a large velvet cushion. She could just see a hint of the chain that led from the woman's ankle and realized she was no follower but a prisoner like herself.

The woman's icy eyes were trained on her in an unnerving manner which confused her, it felt like the woman was already acquainted with her; like they were the oldest of comrades despite never meeting before this day.

"You have certainly grown since you were to be brought here last, you are quite a beauty I must say." The king spoke, his long legs extending as he rose to his feet and sauntered his way to a stop right in front of her.

Also like Edward, he towered over her short stature; with Edward she felt protected but with his brother she felt as if she was standing before a poisonous snake ready to strike. "Have you nothing to say to me? No bow for a King?"

Bella wanted so badly to spit on his sandaled feet but reason stopped her; she had to buy time for Edward to find her, not cut short what was left of her life.

"Forgive me, my King." She gritted out, her head bow was all she could force her body to do but it seemed to please him as he smiled. His face was handsomely angled like Edward's but his smile was insincere and cunning and he strolled around her after Laurent let go of her arm and moved away. She felt his gaze on her like little ants were crawling over her exposed skin and she wanted so badly to disappear and run away that she missed the sound of movement.

One minute she had been standing and the next she had been pushed to the ground, her palms and knees scraped raw from the force of hitting the rough stone floor.

"That's better." Jaymes said, returning to his earlier position in front of Bella who dared not look up which was her second mistake. Jaymes' rough hands grabbed her hair and tugged her head to the right exposing her neck and shoulder. "Katelyn, my lovely, is this the mark you have seen?"

Bella wanted to struggle in his grip but fear kept her motionless as she noticed the woman – who had been as still as a statue up until that moment – speak for the first time, her voice calm but hiding a wealth of emotions. "Yes my liege. It is she."

"Excellent!" Jaymes cheered, letting go of Bella swiftly, her wince going unnoticed as she steadied herself with her raw palms. "I believe you must be confused as to why you are here, am I right?"

Bella looked to the ground once more and nodded as Jaymes took his seat back on the throne. His jade coloured eyes were cold now and they pierced straight through her; desperately she wished it was a different pair that she looked into.

"I will ease your mind then…my lovely Katelyn here has a very unique gift you see, she can tell the future and do you know what fate she has seen for me since my birth?"

Bella again shook her head, trying desperately to hide her shock at hearing of another Seer apart from Alice. "No my King, I do not know."

"She saw my murder…and at the end of the sword was a woman with a very special birthmark on her shoulder. In fact…" he turned his eyes to the woman who tensed at his sudden attention. "Is she not wearing the same garb as she is now? I remember you mentioning she wore green, such a unique colour it is."

"That is true my liege. She wears what I saw." Bella felt pity for this woman who seemed reluctant to answer every time she was asked a question. Unfortunately Bella was no help to anyone at that moment, not even herself as Jaymes sneered at her crumpled form.

"I see, well that must mean I have altered the course of my fate just in the nick of time. How fortunate for me…and to ensure that it stays this way, Laurent why don't you show our little guest her sleeping quarters for the night. She will need her rest for tomorrow's festival of course."

"Yes my King."

Bella had no idea what he was speaking of and it didn't look like he was going to explain so resigned to her fate and playing the waiting game she stumbled to her feet. Laurent once again firmly clutching her arm.

Right before she was dragged out of the room she spared one last glance at Katelyn and noticed the look – so similar to Alice's – in her eyes; she knew something. Whether it was something in her favour or not, Bella wasn't sure she'd ever find out. However, from just that one glance it seemed like the woman had come to life; finally woken from a dream or daze.

Hallway after hallway went by yet again and Bella avoided the curious and malevolent eyes that followed them. By the time they reached the stairs that led down to the holding cells her skin was crawling and the chilly, damp air that was flowing from the dark stairwell made her insides clench in panic.

She had no choice but to follow as Laurent dragged her behind him and it was as if a ghost held her when he blended into the dark stones that surrounded them; the narrow passageway barely able to fit one person width ways. The smell grew damper and muskier the lower they went and Bella could hear what sounded like water ahead and she wasn't wrong.

A small trickling stream ran down one of the stone walls, – which was covered in moss from the constant flow of water – across the length of the cramped space and out through a gated channel into the opposite wall. Bella didn't want to know what they used it for but the smell and what looked like dried blood wasn't giving her ideas of anything she'd want to find out.

She roughly saw the outlines of a few people in separate cells around them before Laurent roughly pushed her into the last empty one and slammed the door shut. The lock clicking into place echoed and bounced off the rocky walls.

Laurent said nothing as he turned and walked away and Bella shivered as the cold and damp really set in. She looked around her for some place dry to sit but couldn't see past the sparse light from a man-made hole behind her. If she leant close to the wall she could just make out a glimpse of the dusky sky but the longer she leant the wetter and colder she got and realised it wasn't worth it.

Defeated and alone she sunk to her knees and folded in on herself, her mind was blank. What was she supposed to do now? She had no idea if Edward knew where she'd been taken or if he even knew who had taken her. It had felt like years since she'd seen him when in truth it had only been days and she missed him terribly; his absence was more bearable this time however. The knowledge that he was alive and well was the hope she forced herself to hold onto.

He'd come for her. He just needed time.

"Hello?" Bella's head snapped up at the sound of the distinctly feminine voice, her eyes squinting in hopes of adjusting to the gloom. All she could see was the faint outline of what she assumed was two people, one larger than the other and figured it had been the smaller shadow that had spoken. "My name is Rosalie…what is yours?"

Bella wasn't sure if she could trust the woman speaking but figured she was already in a tricky predicament, what more could possibly happen? "Bella." She answered.

"What have you been charged with?" the woman was fairly curious but Bella figured that there wasn't much else to do but talk whilst encased in a dark and miserable cell.

"The King's Seer had a vision that I would be responsible for his death. He tracked me down and now here I am…how about you?" There was silence and Bella couldn't help but think that they'd grown bored and stopped listening but she was proven wrong moments later when Rosalie's voice piped up again.

"My husband Emmett and I were put here for high treason…We were sent to keep watch of the king of Grecia and we failed. I fear if we are ever released we will never see our home again."

"Why do you say that?" Bella asked sadly, it was a terrible thing to have no home, relatives or friends to go back to.

"Because King Jaymes plans to march on our city after the Sun Festival and take it for his own. We were on our way to let our king know when we were caught and placed in here…I suspect we will be dead by the morning so we will never know what will become of our home."

"I'm sorry…" Bella whispered after hearing the grief in Rosalie's voice, a second later she was surprised to hear a deeper voice speak up.

"It is no fault of yours…the blame rests solely with King Jaymes. His reign has been brief but destructive with no one able to oppose him." Bella wanted to tell them that the situation might change in the not so distant future but she kept the knowledge of Edward to herself Just in case this was simply a trick to see what she knew, if anything.

"What about your king, would he not have enough men to overthrow King Jaymes when he marches on them?"

"He does, but without warning he will be taken off guard and will likely never have a chance to properly assemble our soldiers…even with Commander Swan and his Nine…they will be defeated in an instant." Bella gasped at the name the man had spoken; he spoke of her father.

"What did you say your king's name was?" Bella asked, hoping she didn't sound too desperate and shaken.

"King Garrett of Romena…have you heard of him?"

She wanted to laugh at his question, not only did she know of him but her father and the king had been the last friendly faces she'd seen before getting taken. "I have…in fact Commander Swan…Charles…is my father."

Again there was silence and again Bella wondered what they were thinking.

"I'm sorry but I think you are confused. Commander Swan's daughter was killed with his wife many years ago. It is simply impossible." Rosalie said cautiously and Bella heard the tightness in her voice. They were most likely questioning her loyalties as she had of them.

"I am not confused…my mother was killed that day, as was my friend. It was meant to be my fate as well but I managed to escape before they could capture me and only recently have I found my father once more." Bella could almost feel their doubt in the air and for some reason she didn't want them to feel that way. "Please, I'm telling the truth. I have no reason to lie…by tomorrow, I think I will be suffering the same fortune as you."

"If you are speaking the truth than I am sorry that you have been brought here. Commander Swan is a brave and good man and he does not deserve to lose his child for a second time." Emmett said and Bella desperately forced back her tears.

"You're right, he doesn't…" she mumbled, her hands closing around the rusty metal bars of her cell door as her head leant against them. "I wish I could be back in Isola, not only to see my father but because my Kindred is there as well."

They did not say anything after that and as the light faded the room grew colder, Bella's teeth could not be stopped from chattering, her lips as blue as the dawn sky. She would be getting no rest – and it seemed no food either – for another night and she wondered where Edward was at that moment.

***B***

"I've seen you but I did not believe it." The dark haired woman said, her face showing her emotions and her eyes glossy with unshed tears. "I get the feeling, however, that all is not resolved. Come take my hand, I believe it will help you find your answer."

She felt herself reply but could not hear what was spoken before the room around her changed to an open space filled with a jeering crowd and sand.

She looked everywhere taking in as much as she could before she disappeared from there as well. The walls that surrounded the open area were high and dirty while the sand was blinding under the sun that shone directly above her.

Shielding her eyes she watched as a beast feasted on a helpless man, his legs halted their jerky movements an instant later and the creature gnawed happily before suddenly growling at the new prey near it.

It was ravenous and powerful.

It was a woman. She was familiar and frightened. And seconds later she suffered the same fate as the man before her. Violent red covered the sand in that spot.

She wanted to run, to scream at the beast but there was no sound. Stupid. She should know by now it never worked.

Her surrounding's shifted once more and she was staring at the exact same space as second's before, this time thick black smoke distorted the view and between wisps she glimpsed the girl set herself free.

The beast tamed by a knife. Colourful shadows running everywhere.

"You will one day tell me what it means when you close off like that won't you?" Alice felt herself smile despite the morose aura of her group's camp and the horrible vision she'd just experienced.

Glancing towards Edward she was pleased to see that he was distracted, talking to Charles, his face showing his lack of sleep and his worry. They had just reached the outer walls of the palace of Bero and two of the Nine – Emily and Leah – had chosen to scout around and listen in on the town gossip.

Alice feared that she already knew what the hustle and bustle of the city was for, she'd just seen it but she kept the truth to herself. It would do none of them any good if their worry was intensified any more than it already was.

"Yes, it is only one of the many secrets we will share one day…I believe your lineage will be another." Her smirk was playful as his face paled in shock and he looked around to make sure no one was listening to them talk.

"How do you know this? I am the only living soul who is privy to that detail…you're a witch then?" his eyes were serious and held no malice but Alice already knew he'd be excepting of her birth-gift. He'd been glued to her side ever since she'd touched him and even now he was unafraid of the reason behind their attraction.

They were each other's Kindred and he seemed to be fine with that.

"I am no witch." She simply said and he heartily laughed when he realised she was going to say no more, his cerulean eyes glimmering with mirth.

"Darling woman, I believe you lie…you have bewitched me completely and I fear I will never be able to escape." Gently picking up her hand with his callused and larger one he placed a soft kiss to her palm and she felt like she was floating. She'd seen many others – in her visions – find their Kindred and had wondered at the feelings they experienced.

For the first time since she'd met Jasper – Barbarian and secretly a former lord of Brittani, Nordia's neighbouring country – she saw her future as clear as the crystals her mother hung around their home. They would be happy and in this vision she saw her brother safely wed to his beloved Bella as he accepted the rule of the Grecian empire. She knew what needed to be done and when the two woman of the Nine returned she already knew what news they had learnt.

It was the short-haired woman, Emily, which spoke first. Her voice soft as she looked towards her captain. "Commander Swan, we have word."

Alice sadly and expectantly watched as her vision played out; Charles sat up straighter and beckoned for the women to tell what they knew. Leah spoke next, her accent stronger than Emily's but unwavering despite her words.

"We heard no names whispered but we are sure your daughter is to be one of the tributes for tomorrow's festival. She is to be killed with five others when the sun is at its highest in the sky."

"That can't be right!" Charles shouted instantly, rising to his feet. Edward sat as still as stone, his skin turned white before he looked up to meet Alice's eyes; he'd sensed her gaze. Carefully concealing her emotions she let nothing show and sighed in relief when his piercing gaze eventually turned back towards the flames of the small fire.

"Maybe Jaymes knows of me and wishes to lure me in by using Bella. It is no secret that she is my weakness." Edward supplied, his voice rough with shielded emotions. "But it doesn't explain why she was sought out while still a child…"

"Yes…and if that was the case why would he take her only to kill her in the next moment before you could even arrive…he also sent no word. No messenger. It just makes no sense!" his face had long since blended into purples and reds of frustration and Alice knew he grew more restless by the minute.

"Was there any whispers of where they are being kept?" Charles desperately asked the two women, his eyes wild.

"There is none Captain Swan but we assume that she would be held in their dungeon cells until it is time for this festival to start." Emily was correct but Alice did not speak. If she had she saw Charles and Edward die by many soldiers' hands before even reaching the dark stairs that led downwards.

"Well then we shall find these cell's and check them. Did you see or hear anything that would give us a location? Did-"

"Charles, if I may." Alice interrupted and she felt all eyes on her, the silence absolute and sudden.

"What have you seen?" Edward asked and Charles turned until he stood facing her, giving her his undivided attention. Eyes so much like his daughters that it was painful to look.

"It is hard for me say and to do but we must wait until morning's light." She stopped to let the men vent their frustrations, as she'd seen. Continuing calmly when they'd settled a fraction.

"I wish to free her just as much but there is so much at stake here that one single little error will mean not only our death but the destruction of Romena as well." Alice knew she had Charles' curiosity now, his eyes worried.

"Is Jaymes behind this destruction?" he was very clever.

"I cannot say but I can assure you that if we do this how I've seen, many lives will be saved."

There was more silence and then Charles sighed deeply and slumped back onto the boulder he'd been sitting on previously. "What would you have us do Alice?"

"Thank you," she said first. Alice knew it wasn't easy for him to pass over the reins, not only because he was a leader of men but also because his daughter's life was at stake. "First…this is what needs to happen…"

AN: Thank you for your comments and feedback once again!

I wanted to say sorry for the late post, Fanfiction has been having issues with the log in pages so I've only just managed to get in and upload this chapter.

As I said last week there should only be a couple of chapters left including the epilogue and I hope you have another lovely week!

Bye lovelies! :D