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BPOV

The next day preparations for the ball began and I was in the middle of it all. Lauren, of all people, was chosen to show me around and to tell me what was expected of me. The only positive thing about this day was that I got to know the castle more. Now I would be able to find my way alone. The negative things… well what can I say. It's not like I didn't expect Lauren to make my life hell. She made me work all day. I had to fetch bucket after bucket of water until my hands were numb and covered by blisters. I had to work in the kitchen were work didn't seem to get any less and I had to help with the dusting.

At the end of the day I was so exhausted that I just wanted to go to sleep. Everything ached and I had a hard time keeping my eyes open. To my surprise Edward waited for me in his room.

When I entered he watched me closely and sighed.

"You look exhausted." He stated "I have dinner for you." That was when I saw the tray on his table. My stomach growled at the sight of the delicious food and I realized that I hadn't eaten all day.

"Thank you so much. I haven't eaten all day. I think I could eat all the food in the kitchen right now and believe me there is a lot." I laughed and almost missed the disapproving look Edward gave me.

"You have to watch out for yourself and eat." He said. I just nodded.

Edward kept me company while I ate and asked me about my day. I decided to only tell him the good things. I think he saw through me and realized that Lauren made my day hell but he didn't say anything. What was there to say anyway? After I was finished we talked a little more my tiredness forgotten for the moment. It was good to talk with someone about unimportant stuff. Edward suddenly frowned.

"Bella." He began "What happened to your hands?" Edward took my hands in his and carefully touched my bruised skin. I flinched away from the pain and tried to hide my hands behind my back. He immediately got up, searched for something in his closet and came back with a lotion that he rubbed on my raw hands. To say it felt good would be a misunderstanding.

"Thanks." I said gratefully "It does feel a little better."

He smiled "I'm glad. My mother made it and gave it to me for minor injuries." He then totally surprised me by bringing my hand to his mouth and kissing my knuckles softly. I watch him with wide eyes. And tears came to my eyes because he seemed to care so much. Before I knew it I was crying hysterically. Edward wrapped his arms around me and rocked me back and forth like a little baby while whispering soothing words into my ear. He must ahve thought I was stupid crying all of a sudden. I didn't even understand myself. After a while I managed to calm down enough to whisper a "sorry" in Edward's ears. He pulled back and looked into my eyes.

"What's wrong, Bella?" He asked. I shook my head "nothing."

"Bella. It's certainly not nothing when you're crying like that." And then it broke out of me. I couldn't even control it.

"It's just… oh Edward…" I was crying again and that made me cry even more. Get a grip Bella. "It's nothing… really… just… this day was awful, and I'm scared of tomorrow, and I miss my father, and I miss my home and… everything just seems hopeless."

Again Edward just held me while I tried to regain my posture. He couldn't say anything to make it better and he knew it. So he did the only thing he could. Holding me and offering me a save place in all this madness – his room and his arms. I looked up at him and was about to thank him again, when I got lost in his eyes. So green. So deep. Looking right through me. Then my eyes flickered to his mouth. So close. So red. So welcoming. Calling me to him. I leaned in and he met me halfway. When our lips met I forgot that I had cried. When he deepened the kiss I forgot all my misery. When we completely lost ourselves in this kiss I was flooded with love and happiness. His tongue ran over my upper lip and asked for entrance. I was happy to give it to him. Soon I had to pull away in desperate need of air. We were looking at each other again, both breathing heavily. So this has been my very first kiss. Wow. It was… amazing.

EPOV

I looked into Bella's eyes and for a moment it seemed like time had stopped. The kiss had been … perfect. Her lips, so soft, moving against mine it was simply amazing. My heart beat frantically and my breathing was heavy. When I got myself under control again thoughts suddenly bombarded my mind.

Why did I do this? I mean I knew I was somehow attracted to Bella but not like this, not like I wanted to kiss her until she begged me to stop. I noticed that Bella was looking at me confused. Why wouldn't she. If I didn't understand my actions how could she?

"I'm sorry…" I said helplessly. What was I supposed to say? "I shouldn't have." She looked down. Damn, why did she always have to look down so that I couldn't read her expression, so that I had no chance of knowing what she was thinking.

"It's alright, my Lord. I understand. I'll just go to bed now." With that she turned her back to me and went to her room.

So I went back to being her lord. I sighed and sat down on my bed. What had just happened? I didn't understand. I didn't understand myself.

I was so happy that she finally opened up to me. Before she took everything thrown at her with such indifference. I knew she missed her father and her home. Who wouldn't? But until just now I could only guess.

Was it wrong to be happy that she came to me to cry her little heart out? Did she finally trust me?

I was glad to be the one to hold her while she cried. But when she looked up with her doe-like eyes, red from crying and when my eyes flickered down to her delicate lips. Something snapped inside of me. It seemed like the right thing to do at this moment. It was easy. It was meant to be.

It took until we broke away that reality came back to me with full force.

She was crying and I was taking advantage of her vulnerability. I could only hope I hadn't destroyed her trust.

I didn't know why I had kissed her. I didn't even see her like that. I had always seen her as a child. At first I was wary of her because I didN#t know if she was like her father. Now it seemed ridiculous to think like that. She was a girl that had lost everything.

She was a girl that had amazingly soft lips.

Aaaaaaawwwww :) I really loved writing this. I know it's short but it was the perfect time to stop. So the next chapter will be about the big feast. Any suggestions? Ideas what might happen? Who will come?

Thanks for your support xx

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