Chapter 1

A New Family

The sun peaked through the stain glass windows of the Cullen castle, straight through into Renesmee's nursery. The sunlight reached across the room, and to Renesmee's bed. She squinted her already closed eyes, as if it would make the clock reverse in time. After a while she came along and woke up to a bright and beautiful morning. She did it with excitement, though, because today was an important day: Today, her father was bringing home with a mother and sisters. It was like an early Christmas, or an early birthday present.

She started daydreaming about what life would be like with a mother and sisters. They could go to the market together, and she could introduce her new sisters to her friend, Samuel. Oh, how she hoped that they liked to play in the mud, and run, like she did.

Her nursemaid, Esme, interrupted her daydreaming, however.

"Miss Renesmee!" She practically shouted, shock coating her voice. "Your father will be here any minute! We need to get you dressed. You have to be presentable today."

"I can't wait!" Renesmee smiled widely. "I get a mother and sisters today! It's like Christmas."

Esme smiled and sighed, as she walked out of her closet with a red dress, along with a petticoat, and new undergarments.

"Do you think she will like me?" Renesmee asked softly, after Esme dressed her. "The Baroness, I mean."

"Of course she will, child." Esme replied with a smile. "Anyone who doesn't like you has a lack of discernible taste."

This made Renesmee smile. Esme finished tying her dress, and started braiding her long, golden bronze hair. As Esme was finishing her hair, a small pebble flew in through the window, and into the nursery.

Renesmee smiled, and ran to the window. "Samuel, I told you, not today!" She shouted out the window.

"You look like a girl!" The boy called Samuel shouted up at his friend.

"I am one, you half-wit!" Renesmee laughed.

"Yeah, but…today, you look like one!"

"That doesn't mean I can't kick your butt!"

Renesmee turned away from the window, and ran out the room, and out of the castle.

Esme sighed, and went outside to wait for her master with the other maids, Alma, Alice, Jessica, Renee, and Angela. In ten minutes' time, a man arrived on a black horse.

"Good 'morrow!" Edward Cullen greeted his workers with a smile. He got off of his horse, and turned to Esme.

"Where is my daughter? They're going to be here any minute."

"I'm right here, Papa!" Renesmee said with delight, running from behind the castle. She had mud spattered across her cheek, and dress.

"Oh, there's my little girl." Edward smiled, knelt down, and Renesmee ran into his embrace.

"Were you playing with Samuel again?" Edward asked with a laugh.

Renesmee nodded.

Edward leaned in, and whispered in his daughter's ear. "Did you beat him?"

"Yes." Renesmee smiled, just as Samuel came out from behind. His entire body was caked in mud.

"Good for you." Edward gave his only daughter a kiss. "Now, come on. Your new step-mom and step-sisters will be here shortly." He smiled.

Just then, a giant black carriage with black horses arrived. First out of the carriage was a young girl, about the age of nine or ten. She wore a long royal blue gown, and had fair hair that was almost white, as well as powdery skin. The next girl looked the same as the first…Renesmee assumed that they were twins. They had the same fair hair that was nearly white, and the same powdery skin. The only difference was that the second girl wore a dress of the deepest purple Renesmee had ever seen. Finally, a woman — Renesmee's stepmother — came out of the carriage. She was wearing a silver rounded headpiece, and a dress that was maroon.

"Rosalie!" Edward smiled, and greeted his new wife warmly. He gave her a kiss, and her daughters as well.

"You must be Sulpicia," He said to the girl in the deep purple.

The girl—Sulpicia, curtsied. "Yes, sir." She smiled.

"And you must be Athenodora." He smiled towards the other girl.

Athenodora curtsied as well. "Yes sir." She said.

"Well, Rosalie, Sulpicia, Athenodora…" Edward turned to face his daughter. "This is my daughter, Renesmee."

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Renesmee." Rosalie smiled. "You seem to be the only thing your father ever talks about."

"Hello, Renesmee." Sulpicia smiled kindly. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Sulpicia, Baroness." Renesmee curtsied, and smiled politely at her stepmother and stepsister.

Edward introduced his new wife and her daughters to the maids, and then took them inside to introduce them to the rest of his servants. After a nice dinner, Rosalie, Sulpicia, and Athenodora left to their new chambers, to get ready for the night.

Edward met his daughter in her part of the nursery and sat next to her on her bed.

"Guess what I got you while I was gone?" He asked.

"What?" Renesmee asked, sitting up a little straighter.

Edward pulled out a novel called Utopia.

"It means 'Paradise'." Edward explained, as Renesmee grabbed the book, and looked at its cover.

"Can you read it, Papa?" Renesmee asked.

"It's not exactly a book for eight-year old girls."

"Please, Papa?" Renesmee begged.

"Tomorrow night." Edward promised, before giving his daughter a kiss.

"What do you think of your new stepmother and sisters?" Edward asked.

Renesmee shrugged. "They're okay."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Just 'okay'?"

"I don't think they like me." Renesmee admitted.

"Just be the little angel I know you are, and they will love you." Edward said. "I promise."

"Okay, Papa." Renesmee gave her father a kiss.

"You became a husband today." She said.

"I did." Edward admitted. "But just remember that I will always be a father first."

That made Renesmee smile. "You're the best Papa ever."

"And you're the best daughter ever." He gave his daughter a kiss, and went into his chambers to go to bed.

111

"I've never seen so many sorrow faces!" Edward exclaimed, as he came out of the castle, seeing his daughter, his new wife, his new daughters, and his maids lining the entrance, all looking melancholy.

"You're leaving us," Rosalie said; sorrow tracing her voice, as Edward kissed her.

"I'll be back in five days." Edward promised.

"Then leave, so we can celebrate your homecoming sooner." Rosalie prompted.

Edward gave Sulpicia, Athenodora each a kiss, and Renesmee a hug and a kiss.

"I'll be back before you know it." He promised his daughter.

"Okay, Papa." She whispered in his ear.

Edward set down his daughter, and jumped on his horse. He felt some numbness in his left arm, but gave it no attention, as the horse trotted to the gate.

Rosalie, Sulpicia, and Athenodora went inside, but Renesmee tried to stop them.

"Wait!" She said. "It's tradition. He always waves at the gate!"

The three women gave her no attention, so Renesmee turned to watch her father wave. She ran all the way to the entrance of the gate, and waited for her father.

She noticed her father slumping on his horse, and then saw him fall off.

"Papa!" She cried, grabbing the hem of her dress, running to where her father fell.

Rosalie heard this, and stepped outside to see the commotion. She saw her husband collapsed on the ground, and broke into a run with the maids, catching up to Renesmee.

"Edward!" She shouted, her voice thick.

"Papa!" Renesmee made it to her father, and tried shaking him. "Papa, no, you cannot leave us!"

"Don't leave me, Edward!" Rosalie cried.

Edward turned over, and placed his hand on Rosalie's cheek. He then grabbed a hold of Renesmee's hand.

"I love you so much," He said, his voice hoarse. "Don't you ever forget."

He took one last breath, and died.

"Papa!" Renesmee cried, her voice thick; tears streaming down her face.

"Edward!" Rosalie cried. "Don't leave me!"

Alma helped Rosalie stand up, and Rosalie cried into her shoulder. Renesmee collapsed over her father's body, and cried.

Another man wouldn't enter her life for ten years…