Chapter 5 – Life's Little Surprises
Maribella's POV
Life has a way of taking you by surprise. You can plan every little detail out, but there is no way that things will ever work out perfectly. That is what my life has been like for as long as I can remember. The plan before Isabella arrived was to convince my father that my love for Ewan was not just a flying fancy but true and very much real. That plan for obvious reasons changed the moment she appeared; luckily Uncle McCullough was more than willing to help in a little ruse earlier.
Uncle found out that I will indeed marry Ewan but much commotion and hardship will surround us. What exactly he was unable to find out. He also learned that Isabella is a future relative of mine, but how exactly we are related he also did not find out as the hunting party had turned and was heading back. The deer had gotten away and all decided it was best to break off the pursuit.
In an attempt to keep all eyes turned to Isabella and away from him, he knocked her off the horse and then shot an arrow into a tree was the only way of protecting himself and thus me. Feigning an attack and thus cover her with his body had worked, though it had injured her delicate ankle in the process. I was charged with her care once back in the castle though I wish it was Doctor Cullen who tended her.
A knock. I motioned for Mary to answer. Doctor Cullen was on the other side.
"May I enter," he asked.
"Of course," I answered. Father and Mother did not trust him, so he was not called for often, and I had not called for him. "My parents are asleep, I assume."
"Yes," he answered. "I came to check on your visitor." He motioned to the bed.
"How did you know to come?" I asked.
"I was in the woods and saw what happened," he replied. "May I examine her?"
I nodded as Isabella started to stir. Pouring some water in a goblet, I debated about adding a bit of the potion I mixed up for the clan and hunting party but decided against it. Erasing Isabella's memory of the events that happened this day was not wise. If what Uncle McCullough told me was true, Isabella was meant to learn something from her time here.
"Can you give us a few minutes?" Doctor Cullen asked.
"Certainly," I remarked, handing him the goblet. "Have her drink this."
He said nothing as Mary and I left the room.
Carlisle's POV
I turned my attention to the young woman on the bed. Her sudden appearance was strange. No one in the castle knew who she was and the questions McCullough was asking her were puzzling. I was not one to interfere with the lives of humans, other than to give them medical aid, but something was pulling me to the young woman. Deep down, I felt I was supposed to help her.
The young woman opened her eyes, blinking up at me. It was almost like she knew who I was, what I was.
"Carlisle," she whispered.
It was my turn to blink. There was no way she could know me. "How do you know my name?" I asked.
"Where's Edward?" she asked, looking around the room.
Remaining calm, I ignored her question. "Do you know him?"
"Of course, I do," she replied. "We are to be married."
Married? That was news to me. Edward avoided humans, not wanting to become the monster he was months ago… again.
"Would you humor me and tell me how you two met?" I requested.
The story she told me was so detailed I believed her. "When did he tell you he loved you?"
Isabella glared at me and then around the room again. Her eyes went wide. "Oh God," she whispered. "This isn't… sorry. Edward told me on Christmas Eve in the year 2231." She closed her eyes a moment. "I guess you don't know I'm a witch-wizard hybrid then either, right?"
I did not answer for a moment, wanting to phrase what I was going to say carefully. "Isabella," I started, taking hold of one of her hands. "I have lived for over 280 years. Your story is not the strangest I have ever heard. And I bet no one has ever told you that you have Maribella's eyes, her warm smile, and her mysterious ways."
She raised her eyebrow in question.
"What I am saying is that I know she is a witch. I also deduced that you are her granddaughter."
She nodded, swallowing hard.
"Who would be your grandfather here?" I asked.
"Ewan," she whispered. "And I'm not fourteen. I'm seventeen."
I chuckled. "I see, but you look as old as Maribella."
"A glamour charm," she remarked. "It makes me look younger. I needed it to gain Maribella and her uncle's trust."
I sat back in the chair. "Why?"
Isabella took a deep breath and let it out. "There will be a prophecy about me. I'm to do something to save the McCullough clan. What and how are two questions… I don't have answers for." She paused as if trying to decide how much to confide in me. "Edward tried to talk me out of traveling in time for answers. I saw no other way of gaining them."
I smiled. That sounded like something Edward would do. "Do you believe he is right? Is there was another way?"
Isabella closed her eyes again. "No," she said on an exhaled breath. Opening her eyes, she went on, "But if there was, it was not evident to anyone… including you."
I steepled my fingers in front of my face, thinking. Maribella was careful about what she recorded about her special talents. What she did write down was well hidden, and she didn't even know where the books were. Only Edward did. Hmmm… "Did you think someone could have blocked information from my mind? I, mean, my future self."
BPOV
Memories are finite. They represent what we hold dear, what we wish to forget, and so much more. To block or even erase a memory was dangerous. One mistake and… I shivered. I couldn't think about all the possible things that could go wrong, but it was possible. "Yes," I answered.
Carlisle gazed moved to the goblet he placed on the bedside table. "Why do you think you were advised to start in this year?" he asked, facing me again.
I blinked at his change in subject. The Carlisle I knew and respected and loved always had a reason for subject changes. I wondered at his subtle change but would see where the conversation went. "There must be something I am meant to learn."
He smiled. "And what have you learned?"
"Nothing I didn't know already," I replied.
"Isabella, are you sure about that?" he asked. His gaze moved to the goblet again.
My eyes went to the goblet. "One thing I know, whatever is in the goblet will not work on me."
Carlisle nodded. "I figured as much. Will it work on a vampire?"
He was back to his original question. I thought about it. A potion might work on him. My eyes went wide. "You cannot drink it," I said.
He chuckled. "I do not plan on it. From what I gather, you need someone to confide in and I am happy to provide a listening ear."
That only left… "Edward. You want to use it on him."
Carlisle said nothing.
"He knows something, right?"
Again nothing.
"Carlisle… tell me. What are you concealing?" I was begging and it was pathetic. Carlisle must have his reasons.
A slight noise in the hallway had me turning my head. The door was starting to crack open. I looked back at Carlisle. His eyes were on my left hand. No spell was coming to me to conceal the ring. Quickly, I took it off and pretended to toss it to Carlisle as I slipped in under my skirts.
I kept my eyes on Carlisle.
"Mistress McCullough is a little disoriented but will be fine. Come sit with her for a few minutes. I need to retrieve more water for her," Carlisle said, standing.
I raised an eyebrow in question.
He took hold of my hand, looking me in the eye with a tight smile. I think he understood my fear. "I will only be a few minutes."
I didn't say anything as Edward came into the room. He walked over to the window and looked out. A moment or two later, Maribella came back in.
"Master Cullen, you may leave. I will sit with her until your father returns."
Edward glanced at me before giving his full attention to Maribella. "He asked me to stay," he said, not moving from the window.
Maribella glared at him. "I'm dismissing you from my chambers. If you must stay, then you can stay out in the hall."
Edward bowed and said, "As you wish, my lady." With one last glance at me, he walked out of the room.
Maribella pointed at the ceiling and swirled her finger. "Isabella, you are not safe here any longer. You must go. And you will remember everything but meeting Doctor Cullen and his son." She moved closer to me and leaning in, she whispered a single word into my ear. "Obliviscatur."
