My eyes feel sticky when I wake up and my head hurts. I sit up with a groan, the sun already high in the sky. How long have I been asleep?
The events of the previous night come rushing in and tears spring to my eyes again. I hold them back though, and force myself out of bed, going to my bathroom to splash some cold water onto my face. I can't keep dwelling on Edward. I would have to move past this eventually. I had no other choice.
When I go over to my closet, though, I slip on the paper that someone slid under my door the night before. I pick it up and on the top piece of paper is my name scrawled in cursive. The same cursive that Edward wrote in.
I promised myself I would throw it out last night, but apparently I have no self control because I unfold the page and start reading the short note:
My Dearest Bella,
Take care of my heart. I've left it with you.
Forever yours,
Edward
Along with the note are all of the papers with the information including the map of the castle, torn to shreds.
It was quite a feeble effort, especially after everything. He could just as easily write down all the information again when he arrives…wherever he came from. I suppose he meant it more in a symbolic way but it was really too little too late. And yet, it doesn't stop me from slipping the note into the pocket of my dress. A part of me wanted to rip it to shreds or burn it, but I just couldn't.
There's a loud knock on my door, followed by a panicked voice. "Princess Isabella! Your highness?"
It was Emmet. The guards never come knocking, if they ever needed me to be anywhere, they would send Angela first, so it must be something important.
I open the door to find my guard standing there with wide eyes. "Emmet? What's wrong?"
"It's Edward," he says, and I immediately get ready to close my door.
"Did he leave?" I ask.
Emmet shakes his head, out of breath. "H-he-"
"What?" I snap, harsher than I had meant to. But I wanted to just stop thinking about him and that included not hearing his name being brought up by others.
"They took him!" Emmet says.
"Who?" I don't even think about it as I grab his shoulders, shaking him. "Who took Edward?"
"Some other guards. He was ordered to be put on trial and executed. And they're expediting the process."
"H-how…w-what…everyone thought he was a guest of Jasper's." I wasn't going to tell anyone about what I found out, was there a possibility that someone else did? "What are they accusing him of?"
"I'll explain on the way. Come on! They're probably already on the way to the stand," Emmet says, taking off down the hallway. I don't hesitate to follow him.
Only once we're in the carriage heading into town do I let myself question him again. I lean my head out the carriage window facing where Emmet sits in the driver's seat.
"Emmet, what's going on? Why are they trying to convict Edward?"
Emmet flicks his reins, urging the horses to go faster. We're approaching the roads where people are walking by and they move out of our way as soon as they spot us.
"They think he killed Princess Maria."
"What? But that's not possible! He was with me when Jasper said it happened."
"Yeah. Try telling them that. It was your father," Emmet adds.
"What did he do?" Now I was extremely worried for Edward's safety. Mixing my father into any situation was dangerous.
"I think Prince Jasper let something about Edward slip to the king. He accused Edward of being the only outsider and because his whereabouts were unknown it must have been him. All it took was the word of the king," Emmet explains.
"Why didn't he just say he was with me? That would have cleared the whole thing up," I state, more than ask. I'm borderline hysterical, thinking about the situation Edward was now stuck in.
"He didn't want to get you in trouble. He knew you two weren't supposed to be together at all."
"Forget the execution. When I get my hands on him, I'll kill him myself!" He doesn't get to put this on my conscience. I bury my face in my hands, trying to calm down my anger. At my father. At Jasper. At Edward. It would do nothing to serve me right now.
"We're here," Emmet announces, and I rush out of the carriage, straight towards the stage where we hold all of our public trials and punishments, although it doesn't happen very often. In fact, the last execution must have been before I was born.
There's already a huge crowd that has gathered to watch, and I stretch up on my toes to catch a glimpse of the front.
A man, who I recognize as the judge and an occasional visitor to the castle, walks up to the stage, wearing a red robe. His hair is so dark, it makes his already pale face look even more translucent. His entire presence is unsettling.
"Bring forth the accused!" He announces. One of the guards wearing a similar robe pushes forward a man with a cloth over his face. He drags him up the few steps onto the stage where there is a guillotine that must have been erected in a hurry once they got word of this whole production.
I push forward into the crowd. Some of the citizens around me glance over, surprised to see me here, but I ignore them, focusing my eyes on the stage.
The judge pulls off the cloth revealing Edward, who has a cloth tied around his mouth. His hands are handcuffed behind him and he looks terrible. It's only been a day, and yet his face was covered in bruises and cuts and I can clearly see the dark circles under his eyes. What have they done to him? His face isn't showing any emotion though, and he stares straight ahead into the distance.
"This man," the judge points right at him while everyone around me watches with rapt attention. "Has been accused by our king himself, of the murder of Princess Maria Montgomery, who was to be wed to our future king. Do you have a defense?" He asks Edward. The guard holding him removes the cloth preventing him from speaking but he doesn't say anything. He doesn't even move, staying in the same position, still staring straight ahead.
"Very well. You are all witnesses to our fair trial, in which the accused had refused to defend himself. In trust of the word of our king, we find this man guilty of murder and sentence him to execution by guillotine," the judge announces.
I should leave. I should turn around and forget he ever existed. But I can't, feeling panic start to take over as the guard shoves the cloth back into his mouth, going to stand next to the rope, pulling Edward along with him, locking him into the contraption.
Why didn't he say anything?
Why didn't he defend himself?
Why is he giving up?
"Wait!"
I don't even notice it's my own voice that cuts through the crowd until all heads turn to look at me.
Including his.
My heart is thudding so loudly in my chest that I wouldn't be surprised if people could see it beating. I keep my eyes on him, letting the emerald green eyes I've come to know guide me to where I needed to go.
The crowd starts to part as they murmur in shock, wondering what I had to say.
"Isabella," a firm, almost painful hand wraps around my upper arm trying to yank me back. I turn my head to see Jasper standing right behind me. Had he been watching this whole time?
"Isabella, no! He's a criminal. He deserves this. Think about what you are risking," my brother hisses in my ear, only making me that much more infuriated.
"You know he didn't do this. You know that!" I almost plead for him to understand. But by the look in his eye, I knew I was alone.
I twist my arm away from him, stumbling out of his grasp, all but running up the stairs to the platform. The guard grabs me by my shoulders, pushing me towards the guillotine so hard that I fall, landing on my hands and knees. I can hear a sound of protest next to me and I look up, locking eyes with the man who broke my heart.
Who lied to me.
Who betrayed me in the worst possible way.
Who I still loved so much despite everything that I was willing to risk my life to save his.
I muster all of the strength that I have and push myself up to stand, holding my head high and my shoulders back, like I have been trained to do my entire life and face the awaiting crowd.
"I, Isabella Marie Swan, crown Princess of Alynthia, daughter of the king, vouch for this man."
I keep my voice as steady as possible despite the fear running through my veins as I address the crowd. I'm met with gasps and looks of horror and I do my best to avoid Jasper's penetrating stare.
"During the time of the alleged crime, the accused had escorted me on an outside venture and therefore could not have done what he is said to have done. I understand this has caused an inconvenience and waste of resources but our justice system was not made to condemn the innocent. Therefore, by the power granted to me by the royal court, I demand this man be released from his holdings and acquitted of this crime. I also understand this will cause upset to the various parties involved and therefore as he is not a subject of Alynthia, he will be exiled from our kingdom, never to return. I will personally escort him to the borders of our town to insure this is followed through. Any objections?" I scan across the crowd, pinning Jasper with my glare, daring him to speak up. He must see that this is something I won't budge on and keeps quiet.
I turn to the judge who looks frustrated and maybe a little annoyed by my disruption but he sighs, knowing he doesn't have the authority or standing to defy me.
"Guard, release this man. He is to be escorted by the Princess to the Southern border," he announces. "This affair is over," he dismisses the crowd who quickly scatters.
Only when I see the guard push the key into the lock do I finally let myself glance at him, but only for a second. And in that second, I see all the flashes of fear, relief, and something else I can't quite pinpoint.
The judge hands me the key to his handcuffs. "I hope you know what you are doing."
I nod, turning my attention back to Edward who had fallen to his knees. I hear him inhale a shaky breath and he slowly stands up, his gaze still refusing to meet mine.
Jasper storms across the now empty pathway to meet me on the platform, two of his personal guards following him.
"What have you done?" Jasper looks absolutely furious, raising an arm as if to hit me. I stood frozen, unable to move. He has never raised a fist at me. Maybe he was more like our father than I thought.
"Don't touch her," Edward growls, stepping in front of me just as Jasper's fist makes contact with his face. With his arms still handcuffed behind him, he has no way to defend himself as he falls backwards.
"Jasper, stop!" I yell. "It's done, okay? He's leaving so there's nothing left to do," I square my shoulders.
His body is still shaking with rage but he seems to calm down a bit. "Fine. But I'm coming with so there's no funny business," he shoots a deathly glare at Edward.
With Jasper's personal guards on either side of Edward, we set off towards the southern border. I can see the bruise starting to form on the side of his face from Jasper's punch and I want nothing more than to reach out to him, but I didn't want to give Jasper or my father any reason to hurt him more than they already have. He may not have killed Maria, but somebody in our inner circle did, and everyone was more than happy to just let Edward take the blame.
After the long trek to the sign that separates our kingdom from neutral territory, Jasper and his guards step back, staying in the comfort of Alynthia.
"Make it quick," Jasper orders, staying just far enough that he won't be able to hear what we're saying. I think he knows that I need this, and despite our rocky relationship, I was grateful he was giving me the chance to say goodbye.
I stand behind Edward, grabbing his cuffed wrists. He turns his arms, grabbing my hands, squeezing them.
"Bella," he whispers.
"Don't," I pull away from him, continuing to unlock the cuffs. I can't hear his excuses or any more of his lies. Not now.
I unlock his wrists, rubbing where it was too tight and starting to cut off his circulation. He fully turns to face me and for the first time since he was released, his green eyes meet mine.
"Come with me."
Those words almost feel like a slap in the face. After everything that has happened, he was asking me to come with him. After he betrayed me. And yet, the look in his eyes don't look like he's lying. They look familiar and full of love and truth.
For the last couple weeks he had been my safe place. And now…
Now I don't know what we are. I want to believe him. More than anything. I want him to be my knight in shining armor, and rescue me from that castle of hurt. But I can't be sure if he was telling the truth. Maybe he wants me to come with him to use me as some bargaining chip, or torture me for information. At least if I stay here, I know what my fate will be. It is a terrible one, but I know it exists.
I look back at Jasper, who looks impatient. Even if I want to run away with him, Jasper would never let me go now, and we would barely get two feet before his guards would kill Edward on the grounds of kidnapping the princess. I know my father will do everything in his power to keep me in his clutches, to marry me off so that he can continue to grow his power.
I turn back to Edward, who must have seen my decision in my eyes. For a moment, I see something akin to heartbreak, before it's quickly masked with indifference. Maybe he does truly care for me, or maybe he's devastated that another one of his plans has failed.
"I can't," I feel my voice cracking, but I don't care anymore. I look down, trying to keep him from seeing my tears.
I feel his hand under my chin, gently lifting my eyes to meet his.
"Hey, it's okay, princess," he wipes my tears, comforting me with his soothing voice. "I know you have no reason to, but trust me when I say that you'll be okay. I'll make sure of it, if it's the last thing I do," his voice conveys so much confidence.
Another lie. And this time, my already broken heart shatters even more, if that were even possible. The pieces that I had given to Edward would forever be missing.
I step away from him, plastering on the fake smile that I had years and years of practicing.
"You should go. Goodbye Edward," I tell him, walking away from him and past Jasper, back towards the castle without another glance.