It was ten minutes to noon and I was still in the basement washing clothes. The cold water and harsh detergent chapped my hands. I stared at the huge pile of clothes I needed to wash.

How am I ever going to slip past other servants and meet Edward?

I came up with a few plans, and all of them sounded stupid in my own head. Perhaps I would have to feign illness, but sneaking past Mrs. Mallory is no ordinary feat. Just when I ran out of ideas, a kitchen maid came to me and informed that Mrs. Mallory wanted me immediately. Speak of the devil!

"Change into your serving attire and take this to Prince Edward's chamber. I need you to serve him his lunch and be here back in an hour. There is a lot to do." She said irritably.

Thank goodness! I quickly freshened myself up, pinned my hair as neatly as possible and rushed to his chamber with the lunch cart. My hands felt rough and raw, the skin began peeling already. I wished I had gloves.

When I knocked on the door, Edward invited me inside. His face was freshly shaved; his neck-length hair looked silky and soft. He was standing casually, looking as handsome as ever, and completely taking my breath away. Next to him, I felt like a gargoyle.

"Please. Take a seat, Bella." I sat at the edge of the chair, fingers clasped nervously. "Fill yourself a plate too. We shall have lunch together." He said.

"Thank you so much, Your H.. I mean, Edward." I said and took a bowl of soup without any protest. I was starving.

I glanced at the clock and saw that five precious minutes have already passed. If I wasn't back in an hour, Mrs. Mallory would surely kill me.

We ate in silence. I opened my mouth to ask him why he wanted me here but then, decided to stay patient. Edward was never a person to beat around the bush. If he wanted to say something, he would. I began to munch on lamb chops and I glanced at the clock.

"Why do you keep glancing at the clock?"

"Mrs. Mallory wanted me back in the basement in an hour... in 35 minutes actually." I said.

"Don't worry. I will send her a word with Brady. I need you here for some time." He said simply. I gulped. What does he want with me so baldly? Curiosity got better of me and I couldn't stop myself.

"Why do you want me here?" I asked him finally.

"Let's finish our lunch first." He said, with a small smile. "And sit comfortably, Bella. Why are you sitting as if your chair is full of needles?"

I tried to be comfortable but my back and hands began to ache. I wanted nothing more than to flop on the comfortable bed and sleep. Ten minutes later, we finished our lunch and I loaded the empty dishes into the cart and set it in the corner of the room.

"Thanks for the food. So to what do I owe this pleasure?" I asked, a bit impatient.

"I want the truth from you, Bella. Do you still love me?" He asked.

I couldn't believe my ears! Why was he rubbing salt on my wounds?

"I love you, Edward. But I do not belong in your life. It is a truth I should accept. The sooner it sinks in, the better it is." I said, annoyed.

"I want to marry you, Bella." He said and I froze like a statue for several minutes. And then anger flared in me.

"Did you summon me here to toy with my emotions, Edward? I have completely lost my sense of humour after everything that has happened since the past year. So forgive me if I cannot enjoy your poor jokes." I said furiously and stood up.

"You are hurting me, Bella. I have proposed marriage to you and you assume that I am joking?" Edward asked with a frown.

"What else do I assume? You have told me that you couldn't bring shame to your family by marrying a mere commoner. You said that you had no option but to marry Tanya. And now you are proposing to marry me! How am I supposed to take all this?" I told him angrily.

"I know. I am also completely aware that my wedding preparations are being made as we speak. But quite frankly, Bella. I cannot imagine life without you. Please allow me to explain everything. Please?" he requested me.

I sat down and nodded.

"I had been furious with you that you wouldn't want me anymore. Since childhood, everything I desired was given to me. I was rarely turned down. When you rejected me, I absolutely hated myself that I fell in love with a silly little girl like you. I was giving you a life of luxury and love and yet you were a fool to throw away from such a perfect opportunity. I decided to marry Tanya and show that I wouldn't beg or plead you. I wanted to show you that I could live happily without you. Who are you - just a weak little commoner - to torment my dreams and rob me of my sanity? That was what I thought." He said bitterly.

"On the day of the ball, I saw you in the ball room. I wanted to goad you and flaunt Tanya in front of you... I was such a cad. But I was shocked at how strong and confident you were. It was like seeing an entirely different person. I have never seen you with such an air of such confidence. You were not the meek and shy girl I met a year ago. You actually looked proud of yourself. I understood then; that you would rather be the lowest servant in the castle than sell your soul. I realised your true nature, Bella... filled with integrity and values. It made me love you a thousand times more. When I walked near you, I suddenly wanted to grab you, kiss you and tell you of how proud of you I am. I felt an insane urge to hold you into my arms, and never let you go. Life without you felt... horrible... and empty."

"And it scared me. I didn't realise you affected me so strongly. The day I saw you with Black, I understood how much your absence meant. But you looked completely changed and moderately happy. You were moving on. I wanted to rip the young knight's limbs apart. But what if you preferred him? This question drove me mad. Yesterday when you told me that he was nothing more than a brother to you, it was like I was able to breath again. When I held you in my arms, it was as if I gained my other half back. On the outside, you were resilient and durable. But deep down, you are my Bella. Always my Bella. I love you, darling. I cannot imagine my life without you. I was such a fool to realise this so late. I want you to be with me always, I want you to take care of our children, I want you so badly, Bella." Edward said.

He gave a minute to let it all sink in. His words were so touching and heartwarming. I wasn't sure if this was all a dream or really happening.

"But I will understand if you want to marry someone else. I will stay away from you." He said in a dejected voice when I didn't reply.

"Oh no! No, Edward. There is no one else in my life except you. I... I was just... overwhelmed." I said.

"I know, Bella. I love you. Do you remember you once told me that you wanted to be with me until we both are too weak to walk? I want that too." He spoke in a soft voice.

"But.. how can we marry? There are too many obstacles. You are engaged.. and you are a royal while I am a commoner. It would be illegal." I said uncertainly.

"No, it is not. I spoke to the ministers yesterday... And also to Jasper. We did some painstaking research into old manuscripts and double-checked all the rules. I sought Jasper's approval for marrying a commoner. Something I should have done long ago, but it isn't too late. If I were the king, I would have never been able to marry you. But thank god, I am the younger child to my parents! I can lawfully marry you." He said, his eyes twinkling.

"Wouldn't it be a threat to your titles or power?" I enquired.

"The only threat I would face is crude comments from people, which I give a bloody shit about." He said.

"I am being serious, Bella. I am sorry I didn't realise this earlier. I should have taken this decision ages ago. And I will not care a bit about what people would say as long as I have you next to me. And they know better than to insult us if they do not want their tongues ripped out." He said and I shuddered violently at his threat.

"You are a dangerous man!" I said.

"Yes." He agreed and gave me a smile. His eyes darted to my lips again. I wished he would kiss me. I couldn't believe that an unbelievable fantasy is about to become a reality. But I stopped myself from getting too carried away.

"Edward, I have loved you for months. I have always loved you. But we are from different worlds – we both know that. There would be obstacles to our happiness... I need adjusting to this life. I don't know anything about this... royal life. Would you be okay with it?"

"Without a doubt, Bella. We will go through this together. I will help you; Esme and Alice will definitely help you. Alice will be thrilled to have you as a sister. I won't make false promises and say that it will all be rainbows and roses. There will be mistakes, hindrances and stumbling blocks. The road ahead would be rocky. But we will be there for each other. Together, we can have a beautiful and meaningful relationship. Trust me, sweetheart. We can make it." Edward said, taking my hand in his.

"What about Tanya? And her parents? Won't they be furious if you turn her down after she is engaged to you?" I asked.

"What is it with you worrying about Tanya all the time?" He asked with a mocking tone. "But on a serious note, yes. They will throw a tantrum and I will handle it. I will make sure Tanya is married to a good man of her status. So don't worry, my sweet girl."

I smiled. A true smile after months of dark, dull days. Edward took me into his embrace and I melted. It was as though I found my home in his arms. Tears of joy moistened my cheeks and his robe.

"I love you, Edward. I missed you so much. I cannot wait to be yours. This is all like a dream." I said, my voice thick voice from crying.

"This is very much a reality, my darling. I love you too. Believe me, it is like I got my other half back now." He said and kissed my forehead. We both stared at the brilliant blue sky from the window, still locked in our embrace. Edward kept kissing my hair, rubbing my back and tightening his hold on me. We stayed like this for several minutes before he let go of me. We sat on the bed, next to each other.

"Well. There's so much to do now!" He said playfully. His gaze fell on my lips again but he did not make any move. I rolled my eyes.

"Really Edward! You've been staring at my mouth for hours now. Just kiss me and be done with it, I can't stand the anticipation anymore." I said, throwing my hands up. Edward burst out laughing.

"Impatient, are we?" He said with a smirk.

He began leaning towards me in an excruciatingly slow trail. I waited a few moments, my heart beating wildly but he was still several inches away. I leaned forward to reach him but he backed away a bit, with an amused expression. I curled my fingers on the nape of his neck and moved further ahead, determined to take charge this time, but he folded his lips inside his mouth, eyes dancing with mirth.

"You are teasing me." I complained.

"Close your eyes." He whispered.

"No. You would go away then." I said, releasing my hand from his neck.

"Do you not trust me?" He asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Do I trust you not to tease me? Oh, not at all!" I said and Edward grinned.

"You are delaying our kiss, Bella... with all your small talk." He complained.

"You should speak! You have been delaying our kiss since hours. Come now, Edward."

"Sure darling, only if you close your eyes."

"Very well, then." I said and I closed my eyes, suspicious of his motives. And I wasn't wrong. I waited for several moments before opening my eyes. Edward was watching me, trying to control his laughter.

"Alright. I am going now." I said slightly annoyed, stood up. Edward pulled me into his lap, now laughing heartily.

"Sorry, Bella. I couldn't resist. You were too funny, pouting your lips and waiting for me.." his body shook with laughter.

"Keep laughing, Your Highness. I am not letting you kiss me for a week." I said and tried to get up, but his grip on me was too strong.

"Really? Can you resist me until then?" He said and moved very close to me. Our foreheads were touching and lips were only a hairline apart. The mood in the room changed completely and suddenly.

"Say yes and I shall back off." He breathed seductively into my mouth.

Manipulative Prince!

"No. I cannot resist you, ever." I breathed back. A second later, his soft lips captured mine, promising a future.

The End.

A/N: What do you think? I can't believe I was able to complete my first story! It feels great! Yay!

Do you think I should write a sequel to this about how Bella adjusts to her new life as a princess, the obstacles she faces and how she overcomes them? Do let me know! Love ya all.