(A/N- Hey everyone! I hope you're enjoying the story so far, please leave a review!)

I woke to the sounds of birds chirping, the sun shining brightly in my window, and a light breeze blowing through my curtains. I sat up, stretching my arms over my head. I rubbed my face, slowing pulling myself out of bed. I threw a robe over my shoulders as I made my way to the window, sitting on the sill. Looking out onto the drive, I took a deep breath of fresh air.

I looked down at my hands, inspecting the ring Elijah gave me yesterday. The ring itself was platinum, with a large diamond in the center, tiny blue sapphires trailing down the band. It was beautiful, and I loved it. As I looked at it, I started to feel a slight panic about what ring I would get Elijah for our wedding. This would be incredibly hard to compete with.

I thought on this as I got dressed, putting on a long-sleeved black dress after our maid laced up my corset. I placed the long moonstone necklace that Elijah bought me around my neck, complimenting the ring on my finger. I laced up my boots, throwing a dark blue cloak that matched the sapphires over my shoulders. Today, father and I would be going to the tailor to begin the process of making my wedding dress. Elijah had asked for my hand last night before he proposed, so father was already aware of our engagement.

He was very excited, already planning the ceremony. He ordered our maids to begin sending out invitations, inviting almost everyone in our village against my wishes. I was trying to stay positive about the whole thing, but father was making it quite hard. I quickly threw my hair into a thick braid that fell over my shoulder, running downstairs to meet my father outside.

The ride to the tailor was filled with an awkward silence, and I counted down the minutes until I could get out. When we arrived, father left me to start my dress preparations while he went to meet with some of the other men from out village.

I picked a simple design, a corseted silk dress with a long, flowing skirt, and long, lace sleeves. The cuffs of the sleeves fell into a loose bell shape around my hands. I picked a veil that had little blue flowers around the top, circling my head. The woman took my dimensions, sending me on my way. Father wasn't done with his meeting, so I wandered around the square while I waited for him.

It was when I sat down on a bench that I started to feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise. I could feel someone's eyes on me, so I looked around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. I did my best to ignore it, but the feeling was too distracting. I stood up, walking back to the tailor, deciding to wait there until father came back. I leaned against the wall of the shop, flipping the hood of my cloak over my head. The air had started to turn cold, and I wanted more than anything to return home.

I could still feel someone looking at me, and I was beginning to grow nervous. I looked around the square once more, still not seeing anything. Suddenly, I was swept up into familiar arms.

"Elijah! You startled me! Have you been watching me all this time?" He set me down, spinning me around to face him.

"Yes, my darling, I couldn't resist. Seeing you in both the necklace I bought you as well as your ring is quite the sight to behold. Now, tell me what you're doing all alone on this cold afternoon." He took my hands, warming my fingers.

"I had an appointment at the tailor, and father decided to go to a meeting while I was there. I finished before he did, so now I'm waiting. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just a bit of planning for the ceremony. How I wish I could just take you away and marry you on our own terms." He lifted a hand, caressing my cheek. We both heard the clatter of my father's carriage, and we practically jumped apart. I wrapped the thick fabric of my cloak tighter around myself as my father stepped out, and I had to try my best to keep myself from curling into Elijah's side.

"Elijah," my father began, "Pleasure of seeing you here." He reached out to shake Elijah's hand, which Elijah returned.

"You as well, sir. I was just running some errands when I saw beautiful Isabella here. I didn't want the lady to wait alone. It really is dangerous, you know." Elijah turned to face him completely, looking directly into his eyes. "I will never see her waiting alone in the cold again, you will stay with her at all appointments so when she's done, she doesn't have to stand in the cold. Understood?" My father had a strange, glazed-over look in his eye as he nodded his understanding back to Elijah. "Good. Now, get back in your carriage and go home. I will be taking Isabella back to my house to meet the rest of my family and have dinner." He complied, something I've never seen my father do so easily. He's never been one to take orders from anybody.

"Elijah, what was that? What did you do?" He wrapped his arm around my waist, leading me away from the square.

"Compulsion, from what my siblings and I have deduced. A little perk of our vampirism, if you will." I laughed, causing him to do the same.

I met Elijah's other siblings at dinner, and they were lovely. Sitting with all of them, I felt whole. They accepted me so lovingly into their family with open arms, and I couldn't be more grateful. During the dinner, I had invited Rebekah to come to the rest of my fittings for my dress, and I was so excited to have a second female opinion. Nik, Finn, and Kol persuaded me to allow them to compel my father into handing the wedding planning over to them so that Elijah and I wouldn't be subjected to a ceremony we weren't happy with.

At the end of the night, when Elijah dropped me off, I felt like I was truly a part of a family.