Hello!

So, here I'm again to present before you my third foray in writing one shots. This one is also special to me in the way that this one shot gave birth to the idea for my second novel which I'll take up after getting 'The Duke of Alsworth' published.

I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

This is my gift to all my readers on this Christmas Eve. May you all have loads of fun with your loved ones.

Merry Christmas to all you lovely people!

The White Knight

'It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."- J.K. Rowling

Living Quarters, Trinity College, 1814

Edward stood speechless in front of the locked door of his living quarters, wondering if he was entrapped in some grotesque nightmare (even though he could never sleep).

And despite the arguments of many of his kind of the impossibility of shocking a vampire into such a condition, speechless he was, for every condescending, derisive and sarcastic comment which had scrambled to get to his mouth, was seemingly jammed in his throat, chafing at his rapidly dwindling good humor.

Of all the daft, asinine, preposterous thing to do in the world! Edward swore, unable to decide which potentially murderous barb to throw at first.

As the upraised voices on the other side of the door rose to a crescendo, he moved. Squeezing his eyes to fight the auditory and visual assault on his senses, an incensed growl ripped from his chest.

"Emmet!" He gritted his teeth tightly enough to crack their enamel in his attempt to keep the profanities rolling about in his mouth from bursting out. Not only was he certain that the terms were hardly suited for polite company, he was also convinced that once the momentum gathered, his fury would only hoist his pitch higher until colorful oaths would be flying off the tip in a thunderous roar.

"How dare you…you copulate with your mate here? How dare you defile my chamber in such a manner?" Edward hissed, resisting the urge to demolish the door. It was only with an immense exertion of his willpower that he was able to modulate his voice so that none of the humans would hear him.

"Edward, I-"

"Silence! I do not wish to listen to any bedeviled excuse of yours! First, you court danger and discovery by calling your mate here, uncaring of the trouble we will be in if she is discovered in dormitories, our abilities notwithstanding. Then, you dare encroach my room for-"

"Oh, don't react like a belligerent old man, Edward. Just because you have not mated yet and obstinately refuse to satisfy yourself with others, does not mean that we have to abstain or mollycoddle you to protect your delicate sensibilities."

"Of course, I would not expect anything less from you, Rosalie," Edward sneered, an aura of fatality clinging to him like his shadow, "To respect others' privacy and to even occasionally consider yourself not to be the very centre of the universe is a virtue you abysmally lack. Why, strutting peacocks in a-"

"That's enough, you two," Emmet snapped, deciding to intervene before their argument became more heated, then his voice softened, "Rosie, Edward is right. We shouldn't have invaded his chambers, at least without asking. And, Edward, that is no way of talking to a lady as you talked to my mate. I realize that…that we both are in the wrong, but Jasper has Alice with him in our shared quarters and I couldn't-"

"Wait," Edward interrupted, "Alice is here too?"

"Yes, she is…" Emmet answered softly, "The separation was getting too much. The bond, the mating bond makes it difficult for us to stay away from our mates for too long, Edward. You know how hellish it is, how Jasper and I pine…Which is why, we did not think. We did not wish to trouble you in any way, Edward, but…" He trailed off pleadingly and Edward gulped, the flame of his anger doused.

His brother was right. His ability of mind-reading did give him a deep insight into the workings of a mating bond. He was aware, perhaps more than they themselves were, of their longing and desolation on having to live apart from their mates. But that did not mean he understood it, understood such an all-consuming love.

Of course, I don't understand. What do I know of mating? I may as well never mate, after all! The runaway, anomalous thought whittled through the formidable wall of iron he had erected to keep years of pain and loneliness away.

Vitriolic bitterness curdled in his stomach and it took his years of discipline to not give in to his misery.

"Just clean my room and burn the sheets. I want you both gone when I come back," Edward said gruffly before marching away as fast as he could without giving away their secret.

The mutual contentment of Emmet and Rosalie on their reunion, despite the unpleasantness of the entire debacle and their embarrassment (Rosalie would deny it even on the pain of death), was humming between them, as heady and intoxicating as an aged wine.

And Edward decided grimly that there was no need for him to torment himself with longing for something that he may never have.

A mate.

Trinity Street, Cambridgeshire, 1844

Benjamin Swan gazed at the imposing edifice before him in wonder and disbelief.

Despite having prepared for this very moment for months, he could scarcely bring himself to believe that his years of longing and disappointment have finally culminated to this.

That he was standing on these hallowed grounds, the gateway to great knowledge and a herald of history. His eyes drifted to the statue of the College founder Henry VIII, standing in the niche above the doorway and he shivered.

I feel as a mortal would before a chthonic deity.

"So, here we are" The gruff voice of his father startled him from his rumination.

Charles Swan stared at his only child for a moment and felt the familiar pang of sorrow and unease in his leaden heart.

Why? Oh, why did I agree to this harebrained scheme of hers! However shall I go on now that she will be gone too?

"Off you go then, young man, before I change my mind and take you home, rendering our long journey here for naught."

"Papa-"

"Take care, child, and do write to your old man frequently. Heaven knows, these three years shall be long without you."

"I promise, Papa," Benjamin choked, blinking back his tears. It will be unseemly, not to mention humiliating, if he was seen bawling like a little girl.

Taking a deep, calming breath, he walked towards the entrance, his heart in his throat. A dull roar resounded in his ears, and it was all he could do to not turn around and run back to the comforting hold of his father.

This is what you wanted. This is what you craved for your entire life. Do not be a coward now. Benjamin thought stubbornly, trying to rally his courage.

This is what she wanted for you…

A familiar ache pounded in his chest, replacing his nervousness with that same sense of loss and grief that ate away at him even after a year of her death. Now that he was so close to his dream, a dream that she had sparked in him, he could not help but feel bitter that she was not here to see him, to be a part of his happiness, to soothe his anxiety like only she could.

I have to do this for her. I will do this for her. I will make her proud of me. He straightened his spine and marched forward, his eyes hardening with determination.

And unbidden, as if she was there in person, as if she could sense the trepidation of her only child masked by his resoluteness, Benjamin could swear he heard his mother's voice once again utter the words that she had spoken to him on her deathbed.

"Bella, be brave, be strong, and know that you are loved…"*

The scent hit him with the violence of a rampaging bull.

His nostrils flared, his eyes dilated and his jaw clenched with enough force to cut through the strongest of metals. Breathing deeply, Edward took in as much of the heavenly fragrance as he could, allowing it to suffuse his very being, rejuvenating his dead heart.

For so long he had felt isolated, adrift, not unlike a battered, sinking vessel lost in the perilous tides of time. He had no anchor, no mainstay as he eked away an endless, accursed existence of loneliness and self-loathing. It was true that he had a family who tried their hardest to alleviate the despondency that was his constant companion, yet ironically, being around them only served as a cruel reminder of what he did not have and for a long time, what he had thought he would never have.

Not anymore! Edward vowed, following the lingering traces of scent that had his beast purring with pleasure.

He will never be alone now.

Not anymore.

Dressed in his new gown, which was suitably accoutered to proclaim him to belong from a wealthy family of landed gentry*, Benjamin decided to take a walk around the expansive grounds of Trinity.

Eyes wide with wonder, he happily visited all the areas his father had told him about, especially the Wren Library, which he decided was the most magnificent place he had ever been to.

His hours-long exploration at last ended near the Trinity Bridge where he sat for some time, watching the reflection of sky in the Cam. He breathed in the cool air, tinged with a slight hint of smog, appreciating the freedom his new attire afforded him. Benjamin idly wondered as to why women's attires were so constricting and heavy when a suitable and more comfortable alternative was available. He could scarcely imagine anyone trying to slip on an asphyxiation-inducing corset once they knew the pleasure of wearing shirts and breeches.

Lost as he was in his thoughts, it was only after the approaching dusk started darkening the grounds, that he stood up to leave.

"I say, boy, what are you doing here?" A voice boomed before a slap on his back nearly threw him on the ground.

"Sir…" Benjamin gasped and turned around to find a group of men looking down at him. His eyes widened as he took in their disheveled appearance and glassy eyes. The stench of ale and something musty hung in the air and it was all he could do to not empty his stomach of the meager lunch he had eaten. Having been sheltered his entire life and never subjected to such bawdiness, he lowered his eyes to the ground, feeling his cheeks heat in mortification.

A finger hooked beneath his chin and forcibly tilted his head upward to look in icy blue orbs which were alit with malicious glee.

"Look who we have got here, gentlemen," The man laughed, his foul breath churning his stomach and Benjamin realized that he was the same man who had manhandled him earlier.

Something about the man sent a shiver of dread down his spine and he looked around frantically, trying to locate anyone who could help him, but to his consternation, the area seemed deserted.

"Sir, please let me go! It is not proper to-"

"Ooh, let go of him, James. His maidenly sensibilities are hurt!" Another man jeered, causing his companions to laugh raucously.

"Perhaps we should indeed let go of him, James," A dark-haired man stepped out from the back of the group, a frown on his heavy-set face, "He clearly belongs to a wealthy family and-"

"But not higher than mine!" The man named James, spat digging his nails in the soft skin around his chin, making Benjamin wince. A raw, heady, animalistic fear coursed through him, turning his blood to ice.

Why, oh why, had I decided to explore this secluded grove on my own? Would it have killed me to wait until the morning hours, or at least, until I knew which areas were to be avoided to not land myself in such a situation?

"No, James, I did not intend any offence," The man placated urgently, "But look at his gown! He is not a battler or a servitor for you to entertain yourself with.* I do not think that-"

"No, there are a lot of things you don't think, Sanders," James sneered, "Pathetic as it is, your asset between your legs is larger than what you carry between your two ears."

His reluctant defender flushed with mortification and despite not grasping the meaning of James's cruel words, Benjamin knew they forebode something vile for him. Panic-stricken, he began to struggle in earnest, but he was slammed harshly against trunk of a tree. A cry escaped his throat as his arms were twisted at an awkward angle with enough force to give him bruises.

"My apologies, young Master, for hurting you. You have to simply believe me when I say that it was never my intention to cause you any harm," James said with a mocking bow, baring his teeth cruelly, "I simply wanted to have a friendly audience with you."

Benjamin's gaze darted around not dissimilar to a captured animal locked in the eyes of a predator, trying to find the dark-haired man who had tried to help him. He fervently prayed for help, for someone to stumble upon the ambush that was sprung on him so unexpectedly, but his orison went unanswered. The sun was already setting behind the thickets and the fading daylight made the men's shadow twisted and grotesque. He couldn't have felt more trapped even if he was surrounded by a pack of grisly wolves.

"Please, sir, let me go. I…I promise that-" Benjamin started desperately, his chin quivering. Hot tears slid down his cheeks as the thoughts of dark possibilities that he had managed to keep at bay until then, overwhelmed him.

What if they discover who I am?

"Oh, look what you have done, James. He is crying!" Someone cackled harshly.

"So he does, Avery, so he does. Perhaps he needs to suckle at his Mama's teats for comfort! Poor little babe!" James's snide remark shot a spark of anger through him.

"Don't talk about my mama like that!" Benjamin snapped tersely, his hands balling into fists.

His defiance apparently amused him as James tightened his arms around him, eliciting another cry of pain from him.

"Well, lads, it seems he is a man, after all," He drawled.

"Shall we see just how much of a man he is, James?" Another man leered, bending forward.

Benjamin swallowed painfully, his vision blurring. Dread spread its icy tentacles like a pulsing, beating, living entity within him, corroding his insides with the fear of discovery of his secret which would make everything a thousand times worse.

What if they do undress me!

"Burnes, you old goat, keep it in your breeches. I hardly doubt he has much of a length to satisfy your appetite, given how scrawny he is!" A fair-haired man guffawed, taking a generous swig from his tankard.

"Oh, but I assure you, Barrows, my appetite for fresh meat is-"

"Ow!" James shrieked, falling to the ground, clutching his groin.

"You pernicious bastard!" He yelled in pain, but Benjamin paid him no mind. Ignoring the protests of his aching back, he darted deeper in the surrounding copse, running blindly to put as much distance between himself and his pursers as possible.

"Blast him, that wicked hellion!"

"Where is he?"

"Find him!"

"I shall skin him alive!"

Dear Lord, please don't let them find me!

Benjamin pumped his legs faster, scampering through the foliage. Branches and leaves caught at his arms and face, scratching him badly. His clothes were in disarray and his wig slipped, revealing long hair coiffed in a tight hairdo with the aid of copious hair wax. The dreadful ramification of getting caught in his state was not lost on him, but he was beyond care, fevered as he was in his quest for safety.

Gloom pervaded his surroundings rapidly like a thick shroud and mist swirled in the air, further dimming the visibility. The uneven terrain slowed him considerably and more often than not, he tripped nearly breaking his neck. Yet, he dared not step out of the grove, knowing he would perhaps be caught instantaneously if he did so.

Despite everything, as he heard the rapidly approaching voices of his pursuers, Benjamin could no longer subdue the unmanning worriment that his efforts were for naught…

That it was hopeless.

The capture was painful.

But, his fear was worse.

Clutching his throbbing side, Benjamin fought against the arms that held him captive. Crying tears of helplessness, he tried to scratch and bite out of his captor's hold, but to no avail.

"Please, please, please, let me go!" He beseeched, folding both his hands as if in a prayer, uncaring for the wig he clutched which was as incriminating evidence of his deceit as any, "Please do not hurt me!"

"Never!" The dark rumble of seductive promise sent a shiver down his spine and his head snapped up.

Benjamin stared at the man in front of him, the slivers of silvery moonlight streaming through the canopy providing enough light to enable him to make out the stranger's features. And what he saw made his heart stutter and his breath to stop altogether.

It was like trying to stem a flooding river.

Fed by the unstoppable rains of feelings he could not filter, swelling until it was only a matter of time before it burst its banks and crashed over, washing away everything, obliterating the walls that he had built around himself, to keep himself grounded. Edward could sense those changes happening, felt his world shift and tilt, turn and upturn, until it realigned on its axis…until it realigned with his mate.

My Salvation!

"Please, please, please, let me go! Please do not hurt me!" Through the dull roar in his ears, he heard the plea, making the beast rear his possessive head. Without his conscious command, his arms tightened around the petite frame he was holding as a guttural growl slipped through his clenched teeth.

"Never!"

And the effect was as instantaneous as his reward was gratifying.

The first glimpse of his mate rendered him momentarily speechless, yet the apex predator in him did not allow him to remain oblivious to the approaching danger for long. And the return of his wit brought with it a startling realization.

With her high cheekbones, patrician nose, bewitching eyes and luscious lips, his mate was the very epitome of femininity- more beautiful than Aphrodite herself. Yet, she wore the scholarly gown, proclaiming her a student when Trinity did not allow admission to women.

"You are a girl!" Edward gasped, gaping at her. But his bafflement did not last for long as he put two and two together.

"You are masquerading as a boy," He deduced, clutching her to his chest as the thought of her living with men, sleeping in same quarters as men, bathing in communal bathing area with men made him wild with possessiveness and envy. His canines elongated and there was nothing he wanted more than to bite the succulent flesh at the base of his beloved's neck, claiming her as his for eternity.

She is perfection itself. Yet, she is bound to a creature like me…How can I besmirch her perfection, her humanity, by stealing her away? How can I make her mine, knowing that I will be turning her into a fiend, a blood-thirsty monster?

"What is your name, my Lady?" Edward asked softly, grasping at his tenuous control. His dilemma weighing heavily in his mind, yet unable to dim the unadulterated bliss coursing through him on finding her at long last.

"Isa…Isabella Swan," His mate stuttered, her melodious voice washing over his senses like a soothing, velvety caress, "And you are…?"

"Edward Cullen, my Lady." He answered, his voice filled with raw possessiveness. He nearly came undone as his mate blushed, apparently not missing his inflection, causing him to purr in delight. Raising a hand, he caressed her cheek gently, making her lean in to his touch.

"My Bella." Edward said quietly, her closeness dispelling the haze clouding his brain ever since he had first caught the whiff of her delectable scent.

"Where is he?"

"Do not let that blasted bastard escape!"

A cacophony of loud voices and footsteps snapped their perspectives into place. Bella whimpered, edging closer to Edward whose face abruptly darkened with a fearsome snarl. The vile, repulsive, disgusting thoughts of her assailants, unleashed the beast hidden by a veneer of civility and humanity, making him bay for blood.

"Edward!" The utterance of his name in her sweet voice jolted him enough for the overpowering, all-consuming bloodlust to recede temporarily.

"Stay here, sweetheart," Edward commanded through gritted teeth, brushing his lips against her forehead.

"Edward, you cannot…they are too many and-"

"I shall not allow them to hurt you, my love. Just stay here please."

In a blink of an eye he disappeared, making her wonder if he was a figment of her imagination.

But then again, Isabella doubted she could ever imagine anyone so utterly, heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

She had been scared out of her mind when he had first caught her, assuming him to be one of her pursuers. She had struggled against him with all her might, certain in her belief that if she failed to escape, then a fate more gruesome than death would befall her once they came to know her true identity.

But that changed once she laid eyes on him…her guardian angel.

Never before had she felt the swell of emotions that had warmed her bosom as she had laid eyes on him. Never before had she felt so protected, so safe, so cherished with a stranger in a situation that could ruin her and her father, destroying their reputation and respectability beyond repair.

Yet, something, some deep-rooted instinct within her had told her that he would never betray her, that she could trust him implicitly. And that was the bone of contention, the source of her anxiety.

The fierceness of her conviction, the contentment permeating her heart as he held her to him had surprised her, making her question her own sanity.

What madness is this? How can I feel so deeply for a man I have never met before? How can he risk his life for a girl he barely knows, who is as well committing a punishable crime by gaining admission in Trinity deceitfully? What manner of-

A flurry of noises- a dull racket of pained groans, curses and growls broke her reverie before everything became eerily silent.

What was that? What…? He is facing them alone for me. What if they hurt him? What if they kill him- no!

"Edward!" Isabella called, her heart beating frantically. Myriads of scenarios of Edward getting injured passed through her mind, each more frightening that the previous.

"Edward!" She called again terrified that something had happened to him.

Debilitating fright gripped her when no answering call came, making her forget what he had asked of her. Uncaring of her own safety, she made to rush to where he had gone only for a pair of snowy arms to grab her and hold her back. The scream of terror that ripped from her throat was abruptly cut off as she realized that it was Edward holding her.

"Shh, calm down, my sweet. They shall never hurt you," He cooed, rubbing her back gently.

"Did they harm you? Are you injured? Oh, I was so worried, Edward. I thought…that they…that they…Oh Lord, Edward!" Isabella sobbed piteously.

"No, my love, do not cry on my account. I am not worthy of the kindness you show me!" He cried, his voice laced with self-deprecation.

"Do not speak so, Edward? You put your life in peril for saving me- a girl you have never met. How can you not be worthy of my consideration, my utmost regard?"

"I m a vampire," Edward said abruptly, unwilling to keep her in dark any longer. He could already feel the mating pull, the bond humming and strengthening between them, intensifying his desire to claim her as his. Yet, he did not want to force her. No matter the anguish he had to suffer, he wanted Isabella to have her choice, for once she agreed to be his, there would be no going back.

Ever.

"Wh...what?"

"I am blood-drinking monster, Isabella- a murderer. I killed them too. I murdered them not so far away from you… you, who are most important, most precious to me. I killed them near my mate."

An uneasy quietude fell over them after his confession as he waited for her to run away from him. Her rejection would be horrible, heart-wrenching and brutal, yet he refused to hold her against her will, seemingly resigned to his impending fate.

"You drink blood of humans, Edward?" She asked timidly after what seemed like years or even decades to him.

"No, my family and I abstain from drinking a human's blood. We survive on animal blood. But that does not mean we have never given in to our baser-"

"Have you ever killed an innocent in cold-blood?"

"What? No! Isabella, please believe me when I say-"

"Tell me, Edward, what would have happened had you not been here? Had you not come to my rescue when you did, what do you think would have happened?" Isabella asked calmly, her voice steady.

A ferocious scowl marred his face, his hands clenching into fists as the horrendous picture she painted took root in his conscious.

"I might have evaded them for a while, but they would have found me, Edward," She continued, "This grove is quite removed from the living quarters, or indeed any place where anyone would have heard my screams. And if they had, the title and money of Lord James and his companions would have been enough to either buy or intimidate them into silence. They harassed me so when they thought that I was a boy, so what do you think would have happened had they discovered that I am a girl?"

"Isabella!" He growled, crushing her fragile form to his chest.

"Mayhap, not even my corpse would have been found for my father to give me a proper burial."

"Isabella-"

"But that is the truth, Edward. You call yourself a monster, a fiend who according to you is not worthy of even slightest of kindness, then what would you call them, Edward? What would you call them who were eager and willing to hurt an innocent boy in most heinous of ways? What would you call those people who hurt young maidens, who beat their wives, who order others to be killed for their material gains and power, or do countless other acts of unspeakable evil and debauchery?" Isabella queried rhetorically.

"I am not condoning murder, Edward, but really…Does names, status…what you are, really holds so much import? Tell me, Edward, who is better? A man who works hard, does his work honestly and is respected for the same, or another who lives his life embroiled in every wickedness possible?" She swayed slightly and had she not been in his embrace, she would have collapsed on the mossy floor.

"Tell me, Edward," Her voice was thin with exhaustion, "How is being a vampire who never kills a human, but drinks from animals, thus denying his very nature, is more monstrous and absolutely beyond redemption than people like Lord James and his accomplices?"

"Isabella, I am-" He was lost for words, her questions shaking him to the core.

"It is not who or what we are, Edward, but what we choose to be. It is our choices that define us, that make or break us."

"Isabella, I…I do not know-"

"I am not forcing you to accept my way of thinking, Edward. It is merely how I feel," She sighed, before something occurred to her, "What is a mate, Edward?"

"What?" Edward was stupefied by her sudden digression.

Isabella gazed at him, blinking in exhaustion.

"You called me your mate? What does it mean?" Edward stiffened as he searched for an appropriate answer of her question while regarding her warily.

"You are my other half, my mate, Isabella."

"I am?" Isabella shook her head, a slight smile gracing her face, "Then that means that you are my soul mate too."

Edward felt anguish lance through his heart at her words. Swallowing painfully, he gave her a tremulous smile.

"I do not have a soul, Isabella." A defiant glint flashed in her eyes at his words.

"But that is for me to decide, isn't it? It will be highly unreasonable, not to mention imprudent, to simply discard the bond that I share with you- my destined soul mate- merely due to the…accident of your species. And I have always prided myself to be nothing, but reasonable. So, Mr. Cullen, if I maybe so bold, I give you my consent to court me and convince me beyond a shadow of doubt that you are indeed as monstrous and unworthy of my love as you claim to be."

Edward peered at her in shock, scarcely daring to believe that this woman, his mate was willing to give him a chance, an opportunity to reach out for his own happiness. Despite his desire to do right by her, he was neither so unselfish nor so unwise to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially in the light of what she had said earlier. In his heart of hearts, Edward realized and accepted that even his penchant for self-flagellation would not be able discount the prudent words of his mate who seemed wise beyond her years.

For the first time in his very long existence, he decided to try and let go of the festering repository of anger and bitterness that he held in his chest.

For the first time since he had opened his eyes to the endless night of an eternal life, did he acknowledge that perhaps he was not as irredeemable as he had always taken himself to be.

That perhaps there was still hope.

Even for him.

"She is good for him," Jasper said, placing a sweet kiss on his mate's forehead as she finished narrating her vision to them.

"Yes, she is," Rosalie sighed heavily, "I admit I was wary when you forbade us from interfering, Alice, especially knowing what those ghastly curs would force that poor, sweet child to endure, but now…now, I see how this has played out for the best. They are dead and Edward has his mate, who will hopefully manage to impart some of her wisdom to that obstinate man."

"Speaking of those louts, whatever shall we do with their corpses? It will be too suspicious for them to be found in the grove," Emmet asked Alice, certain that she must have already come up with a suitable course of action.

"James and his companions were honorable members of Four-Horse Club*, brother. Surely, it wouldn't be too hard to engineer a carriage accident somewhere between the barren stretches of land that are in the south, not too far from here?" Alice answered mischievously.

"Let us head out, then. Before Edward manages to read our thoughts and comes to know that we knew of the entire debacle," Emmet grinned widely, "I do not wish to face him when his mate is in no position to convince him to spare our lives for not telling him sooner. There is much I am yet to do which makes my continued existence absolutely necessary, the most imperative being getting to know the woman who can make our dear old Edward think rationally."

Edward gently helped Isabella, or rather Benjamin (as she was once again garbed as a young boy) to his living quarters.

He was relieved that his beloved's father had had the foresight to ensure that she had a chamber entirely at her disposal, for he knew not what he would have done had she had to share it with another male.

She is to be mine. Completely, utterly mine!

"You cannot possibly understand what you have done for me, Isabella," Edward whispered fervently, as a queer urgency gripped him, "Words cannot express the gratitude I feel for the honor you have bestowed on me, dear heart. I promise, nay, I swear that I shall never disappoint you. I shall never make you regret accepting me."

He wanted her to understand how much he valued her, cherished her, adored her. He wanted her to know that he would rather claw out his own heart than even think of causing her pain. He wanted her to realize the depth of his attachment, of his unspoken promise to love her with all his being forever.

Yet, nothing could have prepared him for her response.

Nothing could have prepared him for what a few utterances from her would cause him, what they would make him.

"I know, Edward. Heaven knows how, but I know! You shan't hurt me. Not ever!" Isabella's eyes softened as she gazed up at him, her sable orbs speaking louder than her words, "I trust you."

That was the beginning of their forever.

*Bella, be brave, be strong and know that you are loved: Well, you Potterheads out there will recognize this line for Lily Potter's last words to Harry as shown in the movie. I just thought it fit here aptly.

*Cambridge Gowns: Students in Trinity wore gowns according to their status. For e.g. Noblemen wore gowns of silk (color depended on them) decorated on the sleeves, yoke and hem with gold laces. They also wore gold tufts on their caps. Gentlemen commoners (like Benjamin) wore gowns of Black silk with rows of black pompoms on the sleeves and hem and black tuft on their caps.

*Battler and Servitor: Battler and Servitors were on the lowest level in the hierarchy that formed the student body of Trinity.

*Four-Horse Club: It was a very popular club in regency times and its members indulged frequently in the tradition of riding carriages down very poor roads.

*Bella/ Benjamin's age: She is fifteen years of age in this OS, thus enabling her to hide her curves. I did some research (which though provided me no concrete results) let me know that the youngest student who had ever been to Trinity during that time was around 15 years of age. If my information is wrong and someone knows to the contrary, feel free to drop me a line. Just please consider my Bella's age for this OS as artistic licence.

Reviews?