AN: hey guys sorry this is so late let me know if you like this chapter… I've been going through some rough times lately so I don't know when the next chapter will be out… it might be soon because of all the ideas I have or it could be less soon because I lack the time to actually write the chapters…. Anyways review please!

BPOV

I woke up to the first rays of light coming in through the window by the bed that I lay in. I almost grabbed for the bell that was usually by my bedside but stopped myself at the last minute. I had almost forgotten that I was not in the castle, in the home of the man who found me yesterday. I quickly got up and washed myself in the basin in the corner. I looked into the burnished silver mirror that hung above it and tried to set my hair to rights. Realizing that the process was futile I opened the door and came face to face with a pair of blue eyes and blond hair.

"H-Hi," I stammered. I had never met the girl standing in front of me.

"Who are you?" She asked in an irritated voice. Her face contorted into a sneer as I spluttered with my answer. I was not used to being spoken to in such a manner. I must admit that it took me by surprise. Immediately my defense came up and I rose up to my full height. I opened my mouth to say something that she most definitely deserved when she beat me to speaking.

"It doesn't matter either way who you are you'll be out of here soon enough. You can go back in the room and get Edward up then. He needs to leave soon, which means you'll need to beat it as well."

I was left gasping by her tirade. How could she assume that I was that kind of person? Did Edward often have strange girls walking around in his house? Was this the norm for him? Picking up girls and using them in bed? Blondie didn't seem too surprised to see me. Mortification rose in me. I tried to save what little of the situation I could.

'No, no no you have it all wrong you see-" I was saved further embarrassment by the bronze haired beauty that came up the stairs behind the woman in front of me.

"Rosalie I see you have met our guest. This is Bella."

Rosalie humphed and stalked away. I stared after her confused. I just met her. What could I have done to anger her like I apparently had?

I was brought back to the world with the clearing of a throat in front of me. I turned my eyes back to Edward and saw him grinning at me.

"Don't worry about Rose. She's not that pleasant at the best of times." He nodded reassuringly at me and went on. "She's miffed at me anyways because of something I said yesterday."

I wasn't convinced but at least I knew she wasn't singling me out specifically. That would be bad either way because I highly doubt that I could keep my temper and façade if she insulted me anymore. She was a danger to my delicate position and I mentally made myself a note to avoid her as much as possible.

"I was just coming to wake you," Edward told me.

I smiled at his thoughtfulness. "You needn't have worried; I usually get up pretty early back at home." I thought of all the monotonous duties my mother had me do. "My mother is pretty… demanding of me."

He nodded in understanding. There was a silence on the edge of the stairwell that almost turned uncomfortable. I avoided looking into Edwards eyes because I just knew my blush would give away the thoughts I had last night.

Finally he cleared his throat. "So now that you're ready we can go down to the marketplace. We can pick up some breakfast on the way."

I nodded in agreement and he gestured for me to follow him. I let him lead the way and we quickly exited his house and turned left onto the street. The houses on either side of the street varied in size and color. You could tell the wealthier homes because of their vastness and multiple floors, but it seemed that those people didn't mind living among the worse off. Humble cottages and smaller houses were tucked in the corners and plopped in between the mansions and better sized homes. The wealthier homes were painted in intricate designs and carvings adorned the windowsills and rooftops. The smaller houses were painted in bright colors like little dollhouses standing out among the fanciness.

I looked at everything as we walked to the town center. I had never been so far outside the palace and everything was a new experience for me. There were so many colors and sights!

EPOV

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, this undercover princess I had found. She looked at everything with those big brown eyes wide open. Like she had never seen a normal street before. I guess she probably hadn't, she was somewhat of an outcast at the palace I gathered from my parents and the gossip I heard. I wondered why. Maybe if I ever got the chance to talk to her as who she really was I could ask why we never saw her. She was a beautiful girl and obviously intelligent, and she rode like a goddess. Why didn't the queen show her off? What happened to her to make her seem to dislike court and her family so much?

Before I could come to any real conclusion in my head we came upon the square. Since Volterra was just a small town the square wasn't very big. Just a clear block or so with the market on the other side. The stalls were hung with curtains to keep out the sun and their wares clearly displayed. I took Bella along the rows to the little shop that my uncle kept. Unlike a lot of the people in Volterra we actually had a shop rather than a stall. Carlisle said it was more stable and looked good for the customers so it was a good investment for him. Apparently it was, aside from making money from his job as Volterra's doctor the shop where my cousins and I work at made him quite a profit. It was enough to keep us in one of the best houses in the place and hopefully enough to send me to the capital to get a job there next year. That was my ultimate goal; I wanted to get out of the little town in the country. I wanted to live in the big city near the palace. I wanted to train and care for horses where I could have a business and not just do odd jobs for the neighbors. I was pulled out of my thoughts by Bella.

"This is such a cute town!" She sighed. "I wish…"

I never did find out what she wished for because we reached the marketplace and the din that is so carefully kept down instantly washed over us. I watched as her eyed grew wider and wider still as we weaved in and out of the throngs of people. I highly doubt she would have made it through them all if I wasn't holding her arm. Sheltered as she was she couldn't have made sense of the racket of people bargaining and trading, selling their wares. Our town was small, but we still had a good number of people who had to make their livings.

I kept a fast hold on her arm as I led her to our shop. Even that small touch I thrilled at. I couldn't deny to myself that I was attracted to her. More than attracted to her. I wondered at her beauty and the hidden mysteries behind her expressive brown eyes. I longed to know her the way I was sure no one else had taken the time to. I wanted to touch as much of her smooth skin as I could get my fingers on and I wanted to feel her plump lips against mine. It was unlike any pull I had felt for a woman ever. And I had met many women. They seemed to always be around wherever I was. None had caught my eye the way this one girl had. Of course the one who captured my attention so fully happened to be the princess of our country; as unreachable as a woman had ever been for me. No matter what her business was or why she was disguised and out of her palace I knew I would help her as long as she needed it. I couldn't explain it but I knew she needed me too, her friends never should have left her on her own even if it was by accident they got separated, and even that I was not sure of any more.

I had lain on the couch the night before and thought over everything I knew or had heard of the beautiful princess. I remembered how loved her father was, even before he was captured during a battle. How Princess Isabella had been the favorite of the king. The gossip was clear on that at least, the old king had loved his little girl, more so than his first born daughter or the unknown little son that he had left as just a seed in his queen. When the King had disappeared, dead or alive, the entire country had gone into mourning. The Queen had taken over by the time the mourning was lifted and the council accepted her, for there was no reason not to. There still wasn't, none that immediately came to the open. The taxes though inordinately high were hers to levy, and the country was her to govern as she saw fit. But the amount of resistance to power was down to little to nothing since she ruled, and those who had thought to speak out had ended up moving quickly out of the country or disappearing in the night. Nothing of their absence could be traced to the palace so the council was forced to accept her rule and deal with the consequences. Besides the taxes there was nothing exactly wrong with her.

With the old king we at least saw him once in a while. The new Queen we never saw, not even the people who lived in the capital where the palace was. We no longer saw the royal family, or at least the King and his entourage and his beloved daughter out riding in the fields or into the city. His children were firmly locked into the palace by the strict hand of the Queen. Now, so many years after the fact obviously Bella had something against it. Obviously she didn't like it, but what was she doing all the way out here? I had lain awake for most of the night and then fallen into an exhausted sleep after coming to no viable conclusions.

Now opening the door for who I knew to be that same princess I still could not find any of the answers in our light conversation that I had started. I was explaining to her what we sold in our shop when I saw her look out the window and gasped. I followed her gaze and saw an obviously well built man pushing his way through the crowd and a smaller black haired woman bobbing along behind him. I looked at Bella and saw a myriad of emotions cross her face. I didn't have to time to ask her what was wrong the big man had barged into the shop, startling some of the few customers that were browsing while in the process I angrily noted.

"There you are!" his voice boomed. My heart sank as I realized who he must be.

AN: hope you liked it! Review please and tell your friends if you like this story! I'd like to get some more readers and the more readers I get the more motivation I will have to find some time to write! :P