SO. Sorry about the wait (Again) it seems I'm a terrible fanfiction writer. But I've been busy with doctor visits and my boyfriend, so ehh. What can ya do Anywho, here's the next chapter of this story! I'm pretty happy with all the feedback I've been getting, even though it's not a lot. There's so much going on in this story, I know it's confusing. Just try and stay with it please, I promise it'll begin to make sense soon!

Alright, don't forget to review. I REALLY need them. Otherwise, I don't write. Bummer.

Sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes. I'm just one person.

Okay! Hope you're ready! Here we go! It's a longggg chapter.

"But when she looked me in the eyes and smiled, it was as though I'd be breaking the news to an old friend."

Emmett POV

"Come on, Emmett. If you can't beat out your old man in one handed push-ups, what can you do in life?" My father teased as he worked on his thirty-fifth one handed push up. It amazed me how strong my father's Axe arm was.

Years ago before I was born, he received a deep gash in a battle on his sword arm, making it impossible for him to properly wield a sword ever again. So he mastered the axe and created a new technique to holding and fighting with it. To the naïve eye, he looks like a man who never learned how to properly wield an axe. But that opinion would change the moment they challenged him to fight. My father is the strongest man I've ever met.

He never missed an opportunity to rub it in my face.

"How is this still possible?" I shouted as I tried to pass my eighteenth. His booming laughter caused me to start laughing and lose strength in my arm. With a heavy exhale, we both sat down. I rubbed my arm that was now throbbing from the work.

"Don't worry, Boy. Maybe you'll be able to beat me when I'm old and gray." He winked at me. I glared at him before we laughed and helped each other up. For a moment, I stared at his impressive arm muscles. They were the proof of his constant devotion to his fitness and the scars throughout him were proof of his past.

"Emmett!" I turned to see Mist running towards us, a large smile playing on her lips. Her orange hair glowed in the bright sunlight and her yellow tunic dress flowed as she ran. Her large brown boots were caked in dried mud with made a loud thud as she came to a half in front of us.

"Morning Mist." I said with a smile. Ever since the kidnapping, I've been a lot more protective of Mist and Ben. Not only have we enforced a curfew for them, but they also can no longer go to town without an escort. "You seem in a good mood." I noted.

"That woman you saved, Emmett! She's awake!"

"Really?" I asked, suddenly nervous. She's been asleep for almost two straight days and only Tyler has visited her for healing and prayer.

"Yeah! I was dusting when she woke up. She's asked to speak with the man who saved her." Her voice turned teasing and it was everything in my power not to feel embarrassed.

"Come on. Let's greet our guest." My father said with a smile. When I carried her inside the fort two nights ago, I wasn't sure what to expect from my father. I'm sure the majority thought he would be angry with me but he was just the opposite. In fact, he said he would have the same thing.

"Us heroes live for saving the damsels in distress." He had teased, filling me with relief.

We followed Mist to the barrack that she was sleeping in to find her sitting on the hay bed, her brown shroud on the bed, revealing a glorious red dress, high black boots, and messy hair that was braided, but was so professionally done, it still managed to look decent.

She was beautiful. In fact, beautiful might be an understatement. She was flawless. The only thing that took away from her beauty was the fear in her chocolate eyes.

Her large doe eyes grew when we entered and she flinched back.

"How are you feeling?" My father asked once we stopped moving. We didn't want to scare her.

"Oh, I…I'm fine…I think…And you are?" Her voice had this beautiful ring to it, filling the room with lighter tones.

"The name's Greil. I'm the Commander of this mercenary company. You've been resting in our fort for some time now." She seemed to relax at my father's deep voice and I watched in awe from beside him. For such a big man, my father always had a way with speaking to people. Women especially.

"My lord Greil…You are the one who came to my aid, correct? I don't know how to thank you…" her voice was filled with regret and sadness before my father chimed it.

"One moment. The one who found you and brought you here is my son, Emmett. If you want to thank someone, thank him, not me." As he spoke, he placed his large hand between my shoulder blades and shoved me forward, causing me to stumble slightly.

"No, Father, please. It's really not—" She cut me off before I could finish.

"Lord…Emmett, was it?" She bowed her head at me from her sitting position and choked out. "You have my eternal gratitude."

"Oh…" I trailed off dumbly. I had never been thanked so formally before. She looked up and our eyes met. They were rimmed red but sparkled in the light of the room. I couldn't look away from them. It was as though she was looking straight into the depths of my soul, picking apart every piece of me.

"Pardon my bluntness, but I have some questions for you. Who are you? Why were you near such a horrific battle scene?" My father asked, breaking the awkward silence.

She opened her mouth to speak but her eyes swelled in tears. It was as though the memory was so powerful, it took away the little strength she managed to gain.

"That place where Emmett found you was evidently the sight of a battle between Fork and Volturi forces. The few Fork soldiers rested dead bearing an unfamiliar crest. Do you have some relation to the Fork Royal Family? Were you traveling with such a small pack of men?" My father pressed. At the mention of the word 'soldiers' and 'family' she flinched and covered her small mouth with her pale hands. Tears slipped from the corner of her eyes and my stomach twisted uneasily. I've always had trouble dealing with a crying woman. Being that my mother was the strongest person in the world, when she cried, I felt helpless.

I had to make her calm down/

"I can't make any promises, but we may be able to help you. You can trust us, that I can promise. Will you share your story?" I asked quietly. Her eyes locked with mine for a long moment before she forced herself to stand. I went to step to her to help her off her uneasy legs but she lifted a hand to stop me.

"You took me in and cared for me as a stranger. I will…place my trust in you." With shaky hands she reached down underneath her dress and revealed a stunning blue necklace. "My name is Isabella Marie Ridell Swan. I am the daughter of the former King Charlie, Queen Renee, and niece to King Adam."

There was long moment that she stood there, unmoving, just revealing the stunning necklace that I noticed was embedded with the royal family's crest. I noticed her black ring had it too.

"What?" I said lamely. Surely she must be joking.

"You say you are the Princess of Fork?" My father questioned.

"Yes." She admitted, her shoulders falling slightly. I knew that look anywhere. Desperation.

"An odd claim to make. I've never heard of King Charlie having any children." I was surprised my father was as calm as he was. Normally, if anyone made up such a lie as this, he would break them till they told the truth.

"That is…" She sighed, dropping her land numbly to her side as though she wasn't surprised by it. "To be expected. My heritage, my very existence, has never been made public to the Kingdom."

"Why's that?" I asked her, hoping she would mess up and just tell the truth.

"To avoid national turmoil. You see, my father, King Charlie, died only a few weeks after I was born. My mother, Queen Renee, didn't want the nation nervous at her ruling the kingdom and then passing it down to myself. She decided that King Charlie's brother, Adam, could take over the throne. They kept me a secret once my mother died." She explained and I stared in awe. Could this truly be real?

My father hummed. "So they kept you a secret to avoid a possible blood feud with Adam's immediate family. Yes, I'm willing to accept that for the time being. Very well, Isabella, let's suppose that you truly are Princess Fork. You must know what's become of your Uncle and the palace. I would like to hear the news."

I stared at him in complete shock. He was accepting this so easily!

She looked away, out of the window in the wall (windows didn't have glass since they were expensive) and sighed. "My lord Uncle and his Royal Knights still fight Volturi soldiers, I believe."

"I understand." He mumbled more to himself. There was a pause as I stared at her profile, trying to stare into her soul to find the truth.

"…I…fled the castle…My Uncle had formed a private militia of sorts to escort me to seek refuge in Port Angel should anything like this happen…"

"Port Angel?" My father asked in surprise.

"…Yes. We believe that King Ephraim (Eff-Ri-Ham) would grant me sanctuary. But as we traveled, I was told we had been discovered for quite some time and were on the path to an ambush. We were attacked and my… Knight, the leader of this militia, got me as far as physically possible before he forced me to go a separate way from he. My life…The life I have now…is because of those brave knights. I know not how…any of them fare." A few tears slipped down her cheek as she spoke of them and a knot formed in my stomach. Seeing her so stressed over losing a knight sent horrible shivers down my back.

What if I ever lost one of my friends here?

The idea itself left me uneasy, I couldn't imagine actually going through it.

"Why were there some by that field then if you were separated?" I couldn't help but to ask. I needed to make sure there were no holes in her tale.

"I believe their plan was always to split up into different diversions with Healers who would dress like me. I'm sure this small group was believed to have me in their protection and Volturi hunted them down." She was very knowledgeable. If she was a liar, then she was a good job about it.

"Does King Aro know that of your heritage?" My father asked her.

"Yes. I was told that the royals of each nation were informed of my identity in the event of dire circumstances. But none of them have actually seen me before. Whenever we had royals visit, I remained in my room." She said numbly.

"If that's the case, everyone must be searching frantically for you. King Aro especially."

I stared at my father as he spoke in deep thought. He seemed to know so much of this matter. He was always a mysterious man and there was much about his past that I didn't understand. Usually when I asked him, his whole demeanor would change and he would daydream.

"Master Greil, my lord Emmett, you said you were mercenaries earlier, if I'm not mistaken. Please…Would you help me to gain Port Angel's refuge? I beg of you! I have…no one…no one else to ask." She begged, kneeling before the two of us. I was amazed. Princesses aren't aloud to kneel…are they? I looked at my father who was staring at her face intently, searching for something desperately.

"I must speak with my company about this, you understand don't you?" My father said kindly. She nodded frantically. "Mist!" He boomed causing her to come running back inside. "Get Tyler, I want him to make sure all of her wounds are healed."

"Yes father!" She ran out searching for Tyler, bringing him back swiftly.

"Emmett." My father mumbled to me as Tyler and Isabella spoke about injuries. "I want you to guard the Princess. See if you can find out any other information. I need to discuss with Jasper." And with that he left with Mist

"I know you're probably sore…" Tyler trailed off as Isabella sat back down onto the bed.

"Umm Isabella." She said awkwardly.

"Isabella." He smiled. "But I only healed visible wounds as I didn't want to search for others without your consent." A pink blush painted her cheeks as I leaned in threshold of the door. That pink blush was absolutely stunning. She was absolutely stunning. It wasn't like I didn't see women that often, after all we traveled to many villages near by and I've met my fair share of beauties, but in comparison to her…they were nothing.

"I can tell you the only place I hurt myself are my legs." He nodded and they untied the high boots together and pulled them off, revealing dried blood, blisters, and cuts through her thick stockings. I winced for her when she simply sighed..

"I'm sorry." She apologized as Tyler used a rag to wipe the wounds once her stockings were off.

"You've nothing to apologize for." I said, causing her to look at me. "How long were you walking?" I asked in amazement.

"Once we were about to be ambushed and my Knight's horse was struck down, we sprinted over rocks and logs, jumping over trenches, for what could've been forever. I believe I twisted my ankle on more than one occasion. When he forced us to part ways, I ran for hours and when I found a path, I just walked. I only stopped to drink from streams, but kept walking. I never slept for I believe…four maybe five days?" As she spoke, that same desolate look that filled her eyes before came over her. I couldn't even imagine the emotion turmoil she was going through. If she truly was a Princess, then the worry of her country, her family, her knights must be weighing heavily on her.

"I'm very sorry that you had to go through that by yourself." I offered. Tyler began to heal her with his staff and she looked at me.

"I screamed at a deer once, because it jumped in front of me." She admitted bashfully. We all smiled and chuckled, a small way of lightening the pain. A couple minutes later Tyler stood and bowed his head.

"If anything else feels sore you can have me look at it." He said before excusing himself, leaving me with the possible Princess.

There was a long silence before she slid over on the hay stuffed bed and gestured for me to sit beside her.

Was that even proper etiquette?

Not really giving a damn I walked over and sat beside her, folding my fingerless gloved hands in between my spread my legs.

"I must thank you again, my lord Emmett. If you had not saved me, I would have…well…I'm sure someone else would not have been so kind." She said softly, staring at the floor.

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly and looked at her with a grin. "It was seriously nothing. I'm just glad we found you when we did." I said trying to assure her.

"When I heard the sound of battle, I was terrified that Volturi soldiers had somehow found me. But when I saw that it was just a few of you against all of them, I stopped to watch. It was amazing." That faint blush painted her cheeks again.

"Thank you." I said honestly. We sat in silence for a few minutes before a thought popped into my mind. "You must be hungry, Princess Isabella." I said while quickly jumping up, causing her to flinch. I mentally cursed myself for moving so fast around a girl who's terrified of everyone at the moment.

"Oh…to be honest the thought of food makes me sick." She admitted. She still had to eat…

"Um, stay here for a second." I ran out of the room and straight into the mess hall where there was still bread and butter from the morning meal. I grabbed it and came back into her chambers. "I'm sorry there isn't more. We usually have a big meal in the evening." I said almost embarrassed as I handed her the plate. She stared at for a moment, appearing deep in thought before taking the smallest of the rolls and nibbling on it like a mouse. The gentle sound of armor settling echoed in the small chamber and we both looked up to see Heidi standing in the doorway, staring in awe at her.

"Heidi this is Isabella. Isabella, this is our Deputy Commander." I introduced.

"Hello." Heidi said with a smile. Isabella nodded and looked back down at the floor. I stood and followed her out of the room and shut over the door. "Princess Fork? Truly?" She whispered.

"Father spoke to her as if he believed each word she was saying." I hushed back.

"I see…" She trailed off. She never doubted my father.

"What is it, Heidi?"

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking of the past."

"From the past? When you were still a Fork royal knight?" I asked causing her to glare at me immediately. "I'm sorry. Jeffrey and the others were talking about it once…"

"They keep such loose tongues. Much like I have more experience than you, I also have much more things to worry about."

"Like Princess Fork?" I offered. She sighed heavily.

"Well…yes. I myself was unaware of the princess's existence, but now that I think about it, she is the striking image of both King Charlie, Queen Renee, plus King Adam."

"I think she is the true princess. I wonder what Father will do. Will he take on her request?" I asked more to myself than anything. "I have to go back, father wants me protecting her. We'll speak later." She nodded and left and I walked back in seeing Isabella gazing out into the sunny morning.

"It's morning." She said to herself, seeming lost in her own thoughts. I cleared my throat and she turned to me quickly, the dress following. The red beautiful dress seemed to be made of lightweight materials, probably why she traveled in it, but it was so extravagant that I was amazed someone was wearing it in this fort.

"Would you like to go outside?" I offered. She looked back over her shoulder to the sunny day before looking back at me and nodding. I picked up the brown shroud and handed it to her. She threw it on and covered her entire dress perfectly once she tied it.

She followed me as we left the chambers, the mess hall, and into the outside portion of the fort.

(A/N A fort, just so you know, isn't completely inside. Think of it as a giant square with three entrances (Bottom, left, and right) and within the stone square walls are different buildings. The fort is on a hill, making it difficult for intruders to get up without being seen. In this case, the mess hall/chambers, the library, and other rooms. The biggest building (Mess hall) is at the top of fort. Animals for breeding are kept outside of the fort and at the basin of the hill, along with the small chapel that Tyler heals people in. Okay, hopes that helps)

She stared up at the blue sky for a long second, her eyes slightly wet before letting out an uneasy breath.

"I am alive." She whispered as her eyes shut.

I didn't say anything, wanting to let her have this moment for herself. After a few minutes she looked at me and we walked to the left entrance of the fort, gazing out into the ocean of trees and mountains in the distance.

"It's beautiful here." She noted, looking at me. I nodded, looking out in the ocean of trees.

"Yeah it is. I guess I kinda forget about it, cause I've lived here my whole life." I explained as I actually looked at the scenery for the first time in what could have been years.

"Lucky you." Her comment confused me.

"Aren't you a Princess? How does that make me living here lucky?" I chuckled. She rolled here eyes and leaned against the stone wall entrance that we were standing in. "What?" I asked laughing.

"You are lucky." She repeated although this time she stressed the words.

"How?" I asked curiously. "Don't you have servants and protection? Any meal you desire within an hour and freedom do whatever you want?" I asked, staring out into the fields. She scoffed.

"Your vision of the royal life is a fantasy, my lord Emmett." She said softly.

"Oh really?" I challenged with a smirk. She gave me a sideways look before sighing.

"Servants follow you constantly. I mean honestly, I couldn't go to my own bedroom without having several escorts. I used to think I was safe but…I don't know what to believe anymore." I didn't say anything. "Yes there's always food but after a while, you don't even notice it. Oh and freedom? You must be joking. Try living every day of your life in secrecy where you have to hide when aristocrats and nobles come to visit and you're barely allowed to roam the castle by yourself." The more she spoke, the more her royal dialect began to fall and she started talking a little more normal—a little more like us.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize." I apologized quickly.

"It's fine, my lord Emmett. I'm not trying to make you feel bad or anything." She said almost teasingly with a small smile. "I just envy the life you have here." It was my turn to argue with her.

"There's not all that much to envy out here, ya know." I stated. I couldn't believe we were having this conversation. She was royalty and I was a low mercenary. She had also just woke up from a two day slumber after her palace was attacked and she walked alone in a journey I would never be able to understand for days. Yet we were talking as though long time friends.

"We're hired by anyone to do any job and we almost always accept unless my father doesn't approve. Each day, we make more and more enemies and each day we fight, not always knowing if we will return home. Every time we leave, I fear for the safety of my sister and long for the comforts of protection for her." I mused aloud. I gazed back out at the trees.

"I guess I haven't thought of it that way, either." She admitted with a faint blush. I was so struck by her absolute beauty that I didn't say anything for a moment.

"I wouldn't change it though." I added quickly.

"What do you mean?" Her large doe eyes stared at me.

"This life. Maybe it's because I haven't known any other life, but I like testing my limits and getting stronger."

"Even with all the dangers?" She hummed at me.

I nodded. "I love fighting. I love it with every fiber that runs through me. The thought of knowing I can be stronger than anyone and knowing that I've saved lives…it's exhilarating." I let out a breathless sigh. She smiled at me and I smiled back.

"Emmett!" Someone called, causing Isabella to flinch. I touched her elbow with my fingers for a second to reassure her of her safety before dropping my hand and smiling.

The three brothers came jogging over.

"Ahh, Isabella. I'd like you meet some of us." The three of them knelt down on one knee, something I could easily get used to. "This is Garrett, the oldest of the brothers. He used to serve in your army and is the most trusted cavalier you will ever come by." He stood and bowed his head. She smiled and did a small curtsey. "This is Edward, the middle child. Stubborn know-it-all and trusty axe wielder." Edward stood and smiled his 'charming' smile at Isabella, making her blush slightly. "And this is Ben, the youngest. He's an archer in training with a heart the size of Fork." He rose too and smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Thank you very much for allowing Emmett to bring me here." Isabella said with a tiny smile.

We all spoke for a few minutes before they excused themselves.

"What nice men you have here." She noted.

"They're good people." I agreed. Mist came dancing over then, her too short yellow tunic dress flowing in the breeze and her boots gracefully hitting the ground. "Isabella, this is Mist. I believe you met her this morning." I formally introduced them.

"It's very nice to meet you, Mist." Isabella said with a smile, obviously having a soft spot for my sister.

"You as well, Princess." Mist, like so many other children, were sometimes so naïve in what they heard. But Mist was so trustworthy that I know she believed every word Isabella said. To be honest, so did I.

The rest of day, I was attached at Isabella's hip. I showed her the pasture of animals where she laughed as a pig nuzzled her hand, the library where we had old dusty books and records—she picked up a book and asked to read it, which of course I complied to. I showed her the mess hall and just let her wander about, talking about her palace life, slowly but surely convincing me of her heritage.

We tried to keep the topic off of the invasion, and instead focused on small things. Her favorite flowers, animals, fabrics, activities, and other nonsense like that. Sometimes, however, one of us would slip and she would become silent, lost in thought before either of us spoke again. She asked of my life here, the other soldiers, the food, the experience and seemed much more comfortable listening then speaking right now. It was just after twilight when we were sitting inside, cutting up vegetables for dinner when the door was barged open.

"We've got a trouble! There are soldiers, a lot of them!" Ben came sprinting over, out of breath and terrified. He leaned down and rested his hands on his knees.

"What?" I shouted. A minute later, everyone was in the mess hall. I had moved Isabella into a room with no windows so she was concealed. "Mist. Ben. You're in charge of keeping the Princess safe. If you think something's wrong, go out the secret way I showed you and get yourselves to safety." I had crouched down to their level, seeing the complete fear in their eyes. I kissed Mist's forehead and squeezed her hand.

"Brother…" She whispered. I smiled at her.

"Don't worry Mist. We'll be okay, I promise. Do you still have mother's medallion?" She nodded. "Good. Take this. I know you know how to use it." I handed her the smallest, thinnest sword made and she belted the sheath around her waist. It was a little long, but he she nodded. "See you soon." She gave me a strong hug around the neck before pulling away. I handed Ben a bow and all of his arrows.

"I'm scared." He whispered just to me. I nodded.

"I know. You guys are great at hiding. Use these if you have to." I could see the panic in his face. "Ben, listen to me." I grabbed his shoulders. "Ignore what everyone else has ever told you. You're good with this bow. Your shots are always clean and straight. When the time comes, you'll know what to do." He took a deep breath and nodded. I guided them to the hidden room, gave them each another pat on the back and pushed them in the room with Isabella. I peeked out the window, seeing soldiers clad in back all around the fort.

"Everyone here?" My father asked.

"Yes." I answered immediately. I could hear a distant shout and was about to say something.

"Commander, what are these dogs saying?" Jeffrey asked as he perked up his ears.

"'Turn over Princess Fork and leave the area immediately. Comply now, or we will attack.' Pretty straight forward if you ask me." My father said, rubbing his chin as he thought.

"What do we do now?" Tyler asked.

"That's what we're all here to decide. If anything, One thing has been made clear by the arrival of our friends outside."

Jasper chimed in. "So, I would say this confirms her identity as Princess Fork, wouldn't you?" He seemed almost bitter about it.

"Yes." The room was filled with more tension. "I'd like to hear the opinion of everyone here on what to do. Heidi, I'd like your opinion first." She stepped in.

"The cause of this war rests solely on Volturi's shoulders. If we ally ourselves with those curs, the company's reputation will surely suffer. However, if we deliver the Princess safely, our stock will rise in the eyes of our primary employers. Our road is clear. We help her." I was filled with passion and pride as Heidi spoke. She was right.

"Jasper, what about you?" My father asked Jasper, who always served as a master tactician for us in the past. I braced myself for the comment I knew he was going to say. He gave me an apologetic look before sighing.

"We should deliver the princess to Volturi."

"Even if Fork is in the right?" My father questioned.

"We are mercenaries. If we want to ensure our future, we need Volturi in our debt. They will win this war, after all." I shuddered as his harsh, but true words.

"Jeffrey?"

"Jasper's a pompous, superior whelp, but he's got the right idea. Besides, the destination's Port Angel. I don't care how much we get paid; there's no way under the bloody sun I'm going to stinking beast country." I made note to ask Heidi later why he called it 'beast country'.

"Garret, Edward, what about you two?"

"I agree with Captain Heidi. If we turn over the Princess to the Volturi army, we're essentially giving them permission to kill her and we will be at fault. I would never be able to live with myself if I knew her death was on my hands." Garrett said smoothly.

"I'm in favor of helping her. Not only because she's beautiful, but because she could be the thing this country needs during the war. We're heroes, we're supposed to save people!" Edward's comment made me roll my eyes but I was glad he was on Heidi's side. My father nodded and turned to Tyler, who was standing with his hand on his chin, thinking.

"Well, Tyler? What's your opinion?"

"I believe…" He looked us all in the eyes for a brief second. "That none of this hinges on whether or not she's a princess." I smiled because, knowing Tyler as well as I did, had a feeling about where this was going. "Refusing to aid someone in need is not something we ever do, and should never start. Especially now. She's a woman who has no one else to turn to in this world and is asking for help. If we don't help her, then she will be alone. That's what I think." Tyler's words were so true, the whole atmosphere changed.

My father remained quiet and pensive during everyone's opinions, which made it impossible to see what he was deciding to do.

"And you, Emmett?" He asked while he fiddled with the axe hooked on his side.

"Sorry, Jasper." I offered to him. He shrugged, knowing that I was going to go against him. I still didn't understand how we were friends. "I agree with Heidi. I say we help her and take her to Port Angel. I've had time to get to know her and if we handed her over now, Princess or not, I would never be able to live with myself. That woman is kind and true and cares about people. She could save Fork, I know it."

"I see. I think I know where you all stand." My father boomed. The tension in the air was so thick, my throat felt clogged and my palms were slightly sweaty.

My fingers clenched into sweaty fists as a shocking realization hit me. If he was going to hand her over to Volturi, there would be a fight.

I would fight for her. I would defend Isabella.

"Here's my decision."

The longest second of my entire life.

"We escort the Princess to Port Angel."

I felt my shoulders slump in relief and looked over at Jasper, who shut his eyes and shook his head slightly. I wish I could understand more about Jasper and his past, maybe then he wouldn't hate everything so much. I knew very little and it worried me sometimes when he got like this.

"Tsk." Jeffrey scoffed, obviously not pleased by the vote.

"Are you sure, Father?" I asked for some bizarre reason.

"Yes. Besides, I think the choice has been taken out of our hands." His voice was urgent and tense.

"What?"

"Open your ears and listen. Listen, all of you!" He shouted out at all of us. Everyone grew silent and we strained our ears to hear what it was that he was hearing.

I heard nothing.

"I don't understand. It's quiet." Edward said with a smug hint on his voice, as though he had made the discovery of the century.

"Idiot!" Jeffrey smacked him in the back of his head and picked up his bow from the table and swung it around like he did before battles. "That's the problem. Don't you think that's a bit strange? Complete and desolate silence in all four directions."

"Oh…" Edward mumbled.

"Not only are the animals quiet, but the insects are silent as well. That's very unnatural. Which means…" The thought hit me like a brick wall and it was as though everything slowed for a moment.

"We're surrounded." The words came from my mouth like a distant echo. Everyone stared at me. "The soldiers aren't waiting for an answer. They already decided to attack." Everyone moved at the same time to stand and run to grab their weapons.

"They were lying. Their plan was to lull us into a false sense of security and then destroy each and every one of us." Jasper's grave voice echoed the hall.

"Probably so. But the fact is, we're not so naïve or inexperienced as to fall for their trap. Take your positions! We settle this. Now!" My father boomed.

In a matter of moments we were all standing outside the Mess hall, Jasper and I discussing plans.

"I'll take the rear entrance. Emmett! You're in command here. Don't let the enemy get inside or they'll find her!"

I was stunned. He was leaving me in charge? Again? For something this important?

"…Got it. Be careful, Commander." My father smirked as he walked towards the right entrance of the fort with his axe. He looked back and gave me his signature smile.

"I'll give it a shot." He ran off straight into the men. "Come on boys, try me." They chased him instantly and I shook my head, knowing he would cut them down.

"Okay! Listen up!" I called, not wanting to be considered weak in a time like this. They all looked at me. "Someone has to be in front of this door at all times, am I understood?" They all nodded but Jeffrey rolled his eyes, obviously not pleased that I was giving orders. "If four of us are in front, then they won't be able to get through. Let them come to us, then cut them down. Once the numbers dwindle, Heidi will go to the southern(Bottom) entrance and block it while Garrett and Jeffrey cover the western(Left) entrance. Edward will watch the eastern (Right)entrance and make sure no one slips through. I'll go wherever I'm needed. Jasper will fight from behind to ensure his safety since he can't fight hand-to-hand combat. Tyler will be able to reach everyone so don't be afraid to call for him." The words came out naturally, as though I had been commanding for my whole life. I could feel the adrenaline running through my veins and I felt exhilarated, nervous, and excited all in the same moment.

Everyone rallied to the positions I dictated them to, while Jasper and Tyler stayed near me.

"By the looks of things, there seems to be about twenty, maybe thirty soldiers out there. I think we'll be fine if we stay with your plan. Good thinking, by the way." Jasper spoke as the wheels in his mind turned, probably looking at a million things at once like always. His memory was endless and seemed to remember anything he read or heard. It was brilliant, but also tended to be a fault. "Heidi!" Jasper called suddenly. She and Garrett had just mounted their horses that stood stoically beside each other, Jeffrey and Edward on either side. It always amazed me how loyal horses were to their owners. "It appears that most of these soldiers are entry level, nothing specials. They're using lances, so I recommend switching to an axe." I mentally cussed myself for not thinking of that sooner.

"Don't be hard on yourself, Emmett. Your dad did just throw you under the carriage—so to speak." Tyler said with a wary smile as the sound of armored footsteps marched near.

"It'll come with practice." Jasper said absentmindedly as he kept his eyes trained on the approaching soldiers from the southern entrance. He was right, these were just regular soldiers. Granted, they were Volturi soldiers, but they weren't bearing any crest of being from an important company or anything.

I watched Jeffrey, who was an honored Sniper and no measly archer to be trifled with, ready his bow.

"You know what this resistance will mean for us." Jasper was looking at Jeffrey as well. We were all thinking the same thing. When Jeffrey made that shot, the fight would begin.

The truth is, I had no clue what this will mean. The little I did know is that finding Isabella had changed our lives.

Forever.

I don't know if we will be considered traitors to Volturi, or heroes to Fork. And I most certainly didn't know if all of us would make it through alive. Just the thought of any of these people dying sent uncomfortable shocks throughout my body. This was real, this was happening.

This wasn't training with wooden practice swords and smalls cuts and bruises. This was metal on skin, gashes, welts, and pain.

This resistance could be the cause of thousands of people dying for all I knew.

I took a deep breath and watched as Jeffrey readied the arrow onto the bow. With a surge of unexpected confidence, I smiled.

I would not let my men die here today. In fact, I wasn't going to let them die under my watch.

Ever.

Just like I would not let anyone get Isabella. Princess or not, this woman needed our help and I'd be damned if I wasn't to do everything in my power to keep her safe.

"You ever get the feeling that something so great is about to happen to you?" I asked as the men clad in black began to charge up the fort to the front liners.

"Nope." Came Jasper's bitter, yet somehow comedic to both Tyler and I, response. We chuckled and we all watched as Jeffrey's bow snapped and the arrow flew as though in slow motion from the fear of what unknown troubles will head our way. The first man running fell to the ground in agony with a bow between his neck and shoulder, AKA the tiny area on the upper body where there wasn't armor. Then everything started going in fast forward.

"Remind me never to piss him off." Jasper added as he stepped behind Edward, who was carelessly flipping his Axe handle in his hand, teasing the men to attack him. Jasper lifted his spell book from within the pockets of his robes and smacked him in the back of the head as Heidi and Garrett sliced down three men easy.

"Hey!" Edward growled without turning around.

Jasper just stood behind him and summoned his typical wind spell. From the nothing came a glowing green force that wind possessed, sharp as a blade, and came down on some men.

Everything after that sort of blurred together. I remember shouting orders and sending Tyler to heal injuries for what could have been forever. It was really strange though, when you're in charge of this many lives, you see things you never saw before.

For instance, I saw the way Garrett would frown sometimes when a man went down in screaming agony, compared to Jasper's tiny smirk at the melody. I saw how quick Jeffrey could retrieve bows from his quiver without even glancing down because he set it to the perfect position.

Even if a foot soldier came up to Jeffrey, who worked best from afar, Jeffrey was easily able to use his bow as a weapon, beating someone with it, then jumping behind them and using the string to choke them. Heidi also found it easier to attack when her horse was moving. She would charge forward and cut down several men with her axe at full momentum before her horse would come trotting back to position.

Several times, I stepped in for someone when they were getting too bloodied up. It was kind of interesting to learn things about my own fighting technique. Turns out, if I prepare before hand, I can jump higher than anyone I've ever met, and strike down on a soldier mid flip. But I also notice that I tend to hold my breath when thrusting, which could be a downfall later.

Everything seemed so monotonous. Soldier after soldier appeared and I was just beginning to think we underestimated the situation when I heard a call from below.

"Alright men! Retreat!" I was in complete shock when the men in front of us, so ready to attack, lowered there weapons and backed up with terror in this masked eyes before sprinting off down the hill. No one moved for a long time. Jasper ran to all the entrances and after a few minutes he came back.

"The surrounding area is clear." He reported to me as though I were my father.

"There's no question about it." I spoke up and, as if on instinct, everyone looked to hear what I had to say. "We're enemies of Volturi."

My father appeared from absolutely no where and his voice boomed over the now deserted fort.

"We've no time for rest! Everyone, quickly! Pack your things now! We've practiced this before. We leave at once, before the enemy brings reinforcements." And with that unsettling order, everyone started to move. Tyler went in to retrieve Isabella, Mist, and Ben before they feared the worst and fled.

"Ah! We've got to hurry, too! Come on, Ben, you're so slow. We've got to pack as much food and supplies as we can!" Mist was pulling Ben with shocking speed for her size.

"Uhh, whatever you say! Let's go!" He faltered slightly but ran with her to the mess hall to pack.

"Heidi!" My father and I both called at the same time. He raised his eyebrow at me in challenge, but gestured for me to speak.

"Uh." It took a second, but I shook off the nervousness of the panic going on. "Take Jeffrey and secure our road ahead. We're going to Port Angel through the Sea of Trees." I immediately looked to my father, to make sure he would have done the same.

"You heard the boy." He added when Heidi didn't move.

"On my way, sir!" She said quickly, hopping on her horse from behind, an obviously well practiced mood, and called for Jeffrey. Her braided red hair didn't seem to have a hair out of place as the horse trotted away.

"Tyler, you stay with me. We're going to pull essential documents from the library. Everything else we burn. We can't give them any hint of where we might go and who we are." It seemed like the perfect coincidence that Tyler had just finished his prayer that my father called him. I wondered for a moment if my father had purposefully waited for him to finish his prayer. I know how much Tyler hated death. It was something I would definitely have to watch for from now on, should I ever be left in charge again.

"Y-yes sir!" They jogged off to the library near the southern end of the fort.

"Oh, Emmett! You're in charge of the Princess!" He was running backwards as he said this, then turned around. I saw Isabella looking out of the western entrance and sprinted at her as she began to step outside the fort.

I probably would have been beheaded or something if I were any palace Knight, but this wasn't a castle. This was real life. This was life or death. I grabbed her waist from behind and spun us around so her back hit the wall right next to the opening, blocking us from the majority of the moonlight. There was a few silent seconds.

"M-m-my Lord, Emmett." She stuttered, those doe eyes wide with fear. We were both breathing pretty heavily.

"Princess, I know you're new at this game and all, but walking outside the walls of a fort, alone, immediately following an attack, is not the best way to survive. They could still have snipers out there, waiting to shoot us down." Her face paled slightly at the thought.

Realizing the position we were still in, I quickly pulled apart from her and grunted awkwardly. "I'm sorry. I'm going to ready a horse for you." I decided.

"Sorry, my lord. But thank you." She said once she regained her voice.

"What should we have you do…I know! Go to the mess hall." I ordered. Her forehead scrunched and she seemed to be ignoring the tone I just took with her.

"I'm sorry?"

I sighed heavily and placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling slightly.

"We don't have much time here. Time will go by a lot easier if you're helping my sister than if you're sitting around waiting for me." Understanding flickered through her eyes and she nodded, her brown braided hair swinging with her.

"Right." She mentally hit herself, I could see it. "Got it." She ran off towards the mess hall, her dress revealing the top of her boots.

Mental note: If we were going through the Sea of Trees, which I knew to be the densest, most overgrown forest in the continent, she would probably need either a new dress, or to cut that one higher.

I ran to my barracks to pack. I made sure my special sword, the Regal Sword, father had given me the battle where we found the princess was in my first scabbard, then put an iron one in my second. I knew we didn't have much room to hold things, so I tried to pick on the necessities. First and foremost, was a pendant of my mother's. The deep as the ocean blue sapphire was set on a gold plate where two wings stretched on either side.

"I miss you, Mom." I whispered as I hooked the pendent onto my sword hand glove, reminding myself to have Mist etch in there permanently.

I made sure my cape was secure and brought a few extra pieces of cloth and such that were just lying around. My headband was fastened and I brought out my extra boots.

I guess I was a simple man, cause after that, I was ready to go.

I left my barracks then headed to Isabella's, to make sure she didn't leave anything.

At first glance, I saw nothing, but a tiny shimmer of something caught my eye. I crouched down and picked up a small silver ring I hadn't noticed on Isabella's hand. Inscribed on the inside were the words, 'To my Sweet Isabella.'

"Let's go!" I heard a shout from outside so I clenched the ring in my hand and ran from my room. When I was hit with the cool air of night, I saw that everyone was packing up our horses.

"Mist." I turned to see my father crouched down low in front of her. Her eyes were misty from tears and her mouth quivered.

"I don't want to leave, Daddy. This is our home." Mist said as she threw her arms around our father's thick neck. He held her close and rubbed her back.

"I know, Dear. But you have to trust me, okay?" He asked, obviously upset by the whole situation. She pulled away and nodding, sniffing once. "Do you have your mother's medallion?" He asked. She nodded.

"Of course."

"Good." He said before kissing her cheek and standing, giving me a grave look before turning to the others to help pack. Mist was the only person ever aloud to carry our mother's medallion. It was a strange shape and rather large for her, but Father always stressed that it was for her and her only.

Once, I tried to take it from her out of spite when I was younger and my father caught me. I received a lecture four hours and was forced to clean the horse stables for going against his orders.

I never tried to touch it since.

"Alright, we need to move out soon. I'm going to do one final check around." My father boomed. I walked over to where Isabella was stroking the mane of the horse. Someone must have brought this one up for her.

"Horses are beautiful creatures." She murmured when I approached.

"Are you ready to depart, Princess?" I asked as I placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and nodded. "And I do believe that this" I said while pretending to pull the ring from behind her ear. "Belongs to you."

She gasped and tears immediately swelled in her eyes. I smiled reassuringly and placed the ring in her hand before folding her fingers around it. "Thank you." She choked out. I was about to say 'Any time' or 'Can I get a kiss as a reward' when she threw her arms around me and squeezed me tightly. Everyone around us just stared as the Princess of Fork clung desperately to a mercenary.

Unable to resist the temptation, I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her close. She was shaking slightly and when I took in a deep breath, I noticed how sweet she smelled.

"She gave this to me the week before she died." She whispered by my ear. My eyes closed in sympathy for her. Both of us were in the same boat, neither of us having a mother anymore.

"I'm very sorry." I whispered back before she pulled away. I was paralyzed by her sad stare and couldn't find it in me to speak.

"We need to leave." Jasper said as he appeared next to us. He was giving Isabella a strange look, as though one of disbelief.

"Right." I sighed as I helped her to mount the horse. "So, not that we have to worry about it right now, but your dress might be a bother in the forest. I suggest cutting it to a shorter length." I told her casually as I packed some of the food in bags and hung it on the horse.

"I can't cut this dress." She said before blushing slightly. I continued to ready her horse but asked her why. "I know that my heritage is going to be questioned by anyone we try to gain the aid of, and this dress has been passed down in my family for generations." It was hard to believe that such a luxurious gown such as this remained in such pristine condition. I nodded, liking her logic.

"That makes sense. We'll need to stop in a town eventually and when we do, we'll find something else for you to wear." I assured her, patting the horse slightly and checking over its eyes and mane. "You alright there, girl?" I asked as I ran my fingers through its hair. I made sure all the straps were fastened tightly.

"She's a beautiful horse." Isabella noted as I waited for everyone else to get ready. I smiled patted her again.

"Thank you. Her name is Corona and she's my most trusted horse." She seemed surprised.

"You chose to have a female horse?" She questioned. I remembered briefly Garrett telling stories about how the royal guard tried to use only the largest male horses around. Female horses were used on the farms and for breeding purposes.

"Yeah. She was the smallest horse that was ever born around here and I knew instantly that we belonged together. She's a genius and has saved me in numerous occasions." Corona neighed as I spoke, as though she was agreeing. I smiled and rubbed her off white skin with gray streaks.

"That is most impressive." She noted as she stared at the horse in a new light. "Shouldn't you be riding her then?" She made motion to hop down but I put my hand on her boot.

"No. She's the only horse I'd trust to take care of you. Besides, I'll be here the whole time." I assured her, touching her boot. Before she could protest, my father's loud voice echoed.

"Greil mercenaries, move out!" Heidi and Jeffrey had returned already, so I assumed that meant the road ahead was clear. Jeffrey rode on another one of our horses, a pitch black steed named Pick. Heidi and Garrett rode on either side of my father, whose giant axe rest behind his back. Behind them, were Jasper, Mist and Ben who stood on either side of the quiet mage.

Jasper always had a soft spot for children. And Mist and Ben were no exceptions. They idolized him and tended to flock to his safety if ever there were uncertain situations. Tyler rode near us on another horse who was fully stocked with medicine products and staves. Jeffrey rode behind the Princess and I, his bow always just a two second grab, aim, and fire away. He didn't speak to us at all as we left the only place I knew to be my home. I couldn't help but look back almost longingly at the fort, upset that we had to be chased away.

"Get it together, wimp. There are lives at stake." Jeffrey snapped at me. I couldn't read his eyes, but that didn't surprise me. Jeffrey was an angry and bitter man who always had some sort of resentment towards me. I would never understand it. I turned and watched as our company walked away from our home into the forest.

A FEW DAYS LATER

"Damn! They're not here either!" I couldn't help but hit the closest tree to me in anger.

"Emmett, pursuing them any farther could potentially be dangerous. Because of the situation, I think it'd be best if we returned to Port Angel's borders. It's possible they may have followed another route into the country. You realize it's something we must consider." Jasper explained as he wiped sheen of sweat from his forehead. The sea of trees was so dense and so humid, that all of us were irritable and sticky with heat.

Early this morning, we came to a clearing where we suspected Volturi soldiers to be waiting, as it was the border away from Fork and into Port Angel. After a little deliberation, my father and Jeffrey decided to go to the side where more soldiers were bound to be and we would meet up later once the battle was complete.

We were right about the ambush and luckily had the element of surprise on our side. Mist and Ben took Isabella and snuck to the other side without crossing any soldiers, although I was a fit of worry the entire battle.

Once we regrouped after the battle, we waited for my father to return.

He didn't.

The pressure was on me to make a decision and I made probably the more selfish choice. I sent Isabella, Mist, and Ben ahead to go to the castle and wait for our arrival while the rest of us went back into Fork territory and try to locate my father.

We spent hours searching and walked for miles searching for any sign of them.

Which brought us to me punching the tree in anger that we couldn't find them.

"I guess you're right." We were about to set out when Heidi came over with a strange look on her face.

"Emmett, there's a large fort over there. I'm sure it's abandoned but a moment ago…I thought I saw someone move. Perhaps we should investigate?" She offered. I knew she was worried for my father. Although Heidi was young, she was such a renown fighter throughout both Fork and Volturi. She idolized my father more so than anyone I've ever met, more so than me perhaps.

"Definitely. A look won't hurt." I could see Jasper go to speak but he bit his tongue. Jasper didn't trust anything in this world.

The fort appeared to have been abandoned for a while. "I guess it was just a trick of the light." Heidi mumbled as we discovered nothing but dust. We turned to leave when a soldier clad in black came running at us.

"We found them: The Fork mercenaries! Surround them!" He shouted before we could react. As if from the shadows, tons of soldiers appeared and readied their weapon. I quick regrouped everyone into the lower corner.

"Damn." I couldn't help but to whisper. "Ready your weapons!" I ordered. They didn't give us much time to prepare and before I knew it, everyone was off fighting. I could see we were severely out numbered but as long as we held our own, we should be able to survive.

"I don't want any of you dying on me!" I shouted when there was a brief pause in fighting. Edward looked over his shoulder and I saw his crooked smile, Garrett gave me a wink, Tyler and Heidi just chuckled to themselves.

Jasper came over and grimaced.

"There's a lot of soldiers, but they all seem barely trained. I just don't understand it." I pushed him out of the way and stabbed my sword through a soldier's stomach.

"Why not?" I asked once he crumpled to the ground.

"Volturi prides themselves in the fact that their soldiers are trained until they are lethal weapons. These men look like they just completed a basic training camp, if that much." The tactician in Jasper was seriously bothered by this but there was too much fighting going on for me to fully care at that moment.

"Hey!" A high voice from behind me shrieked. I whipped around and readied my sword but froze. Instead of the familiar black clad armor I was so accustomed to seeing, my eyes were met with barely any at all.

She was tiny and unbelievably fragile looking with black spiky hair and the brightest gray eyes I'd ever seen before. Some hair was pulled away from her face by a white headband. She wore black boots and black thigh-high tights. A tight material red tunic clung to her body fittingly, revealing only a little skin between the top of her thigh highs, and the bottom of her tunic. The red tunic had brown detailing across the seams. Across her waist was a black belt and a beige strap that had a sack sitting comfortably at her side. She wore black gloves that went past her elbow, seeming to be made of a strong leather. Her hands had red fingerless goves. The only armor she had was two shoulder plates and elbow plates that appeared to be made of bronze.

She looked so out of place that I instinctively lowered my sword, confused at why this small, beautiful girl was here.

"Your name is Emmett, right?" She asked as she flexed her thin fingers.

"Uh, who wants to know?" I challenged back. She looked like a soldier but I didn't see a weapon yet. She smiled a glorious smile, as though the fight around us wasn't happening at all. She stuck out a hand and looked up at me.

"Alice. Alice Brandon." She introduced her self. I grabbed her hand and shook it for a moment.

"Emmett. Emmett McCartney." I greeted back. From behind her, an inexperienced soldier crept forward. "Excuse me." I said politely before shoving her out of the way and spinning. While spinning, I pull my sword from its sheath and slashed him once before I came to a halt. He went down screaming and I shook my head.

Jasper was right. These men were barely trained. I remembered just how dangerous and lethal one soldier was that day we discovered the Princess. I ended him and turned back to Alice.

"Why are you here?" I asked her, quickly scanning over my men, seeing they were accounted for and healthy.

"I'm a mercenary. I was in Fork's militia but was captured a few days ago. I was being transported to a prison camp when I was saved. I never saw a man fight like that." Her words instantly caught my attention.

"Who saved you?" I pressed. She smiled at me.

"Greil, of course." I smiled in relief. Not that I actually thought my father was dead, but it made me feel better knowing he was alright.

"Where was he?"

"A couple miles west of here. Not far though. So, who are you guys exactly?" She asked as she looked at our rag-tag bunch.

"Greil Mercenaries. In case you couldn't figure it out, we're fighting Volturi."

"The small bunch of you fighting all of them? Perfect! I guess that's settled then." She said with a devious smile.

"Settles what?" I asked quickly.

"My decision. I'm going to join you and help you fight. You don't mind, do you?" She asked, surprisingly a little cautious. I was going to say 'no'. Afterall, I wasn't the commander, I shouldn't be in charge of recruiting but I looked around the building at the vast numbers and frowned. We could use all the help we could get.

"It's fine with me, but can you even fight?" I challenged. She gave me a crooked smile and elegantly moved around me where a soldier was charging. It was then I noticed the sheath of a sword and smiled. She took out the sword and with two or three graceful strokes, the man was down. She turned around, leaning on her sword, raising her eyebrows in challenge. "Well alright then." I laughed. She smiled.

"I'm also an apprentice to be a Thunder Mage, but my teacher was struck down. So right now, it's all sword. I'm hoping to be a sword master when I'm more experienced."

"Perfect. I guess I'm fine with it then. Make sure my men know you're on their side. But, I can't promise you'll get paid just because I let you fight with us." I pointed out as we walked up to the next hallway.

"Psh. We'll worry about that nonsense later. Glad that it's all taken care of then! What's next, boss?" She asked with a smile. I smiled back at her, her smile was completely contagious.

"We fight." We nodded at each other and rounded the corner where, sure enough, men were waiting.

Slash after slash, and fallen man after fallen man, the numbers finally began to dwindle. But then, from nowhere I heard a chilling voice.

"Found you at last. I must say congratulations. After all, you provided me with so much more entertainment than I expected." Her hair was firey red and one red scar tainted her face.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked as I sized up her huge horse and her impressive armor and weapons.

"Me? You idiot. I am General Victoria. I hope you realize today marks your death. You will not leave this place alive." I glared at her, not liking the confidence in her voice. Suddenly, Jasper was at my side.

"Victoria…of the Four Riders of Volturi?" He questioned.

"You know her?" I asked him in astonishment.

"If she's who I think, she's one of the most trusted generals of King Aro. She wields a terrifying lance of flame." I could see actual worry in his eyes.

"I'm flattered you've heard of me, boy. I'll make this easy on all of you. Give me the damn princess, and do it now. I can't risk her being harmed when I present her to His Majesty.

I smiled and her eyes flared. "Sorry to tell you this, but she isn't here. She's been in Port Angel for quite some time now. In fact, I'm sure she's already met with her escort." I could see instantly that she faltered.

"What? You're lying. There's no way you pathetic rodents got past my troops!" Her voice was like nails on granite.

"Believe it. You severely underestimated your competition." The voice from nowhere was music to my ears.

"Father!" I shouted, looking past the huge horse in the middle of the hallway to my father and Jeffrey at the other end.

"You idiot. Why are you back here?" He growled. I swallowed the fear.

"We escorted her safely into Port Angel. You didn't rejoin us and the mission wouldn't be complete until you returned. We came to look for you." I stuttered.

"…Ahhh…What am I to do with you, boy. Still, you completed your half of the mission. Good work, Emmett." I smiled.

"Ignoring me proves you've more stupidity than common sense. So you're the commander, huh? You're quite handsome. But you're just another mercenary." Victoria seethed.

"Am I?" My father challenged, pulling his enormous axe from behind him.

She laughed. "I think I want to keep you! His Majesty would love to have you in his arena." She winked.

"…So the twisted games are true?" MY father asked gravely.

"What?" I whispered to Jasper.

"I'll tell you later." I nodded.

"Jeffrey, I'll take care of her. Take Emmett and the company and get out of here."

"Yes, sir." He said, readying his bow.

"Move it, men. I'll see you in Port Angel." He boomed.

"You won't escape me. Not you or your little idiots." Victoria snapped.

"You said your name was Victoria. Listen, fighting in the middle of this place isn't big enough for a true contest between us. I'm going somewhere else, you coming?" He asked as he turned to walk away.

"Do you think I'm an idiot? I would never fall for your trickery." But her horse moved forward a few steps.

"You and I, we're stronger than average people. This chance is a rare one. I'd like to really flex my muscles without distractions. You?" His voice was like rough velvet.

"You sure do know how to sweet talk a lady, don't you. All right. Let's go." And with that, they disappeared to another part of the castle.

We fought on until every soldier lay dead on the floor.

"We have to find my father." I said and ran in the direction that they did. To my surprise, I found them in a huge ballroom of sorts, where Heidi sit on her horse, ready to fight with him.

"Damn you!: Victoria screeched. "Who are you? You look like nothing, but you fight like a demon!" I smiled, and I saw he did to.

"Ready to surrender?" His cockiness was

"Me? Admit defeat? Don't be stupid." She hissed.

From the other two entrances, more Volturi soldiers appeared and my heart sank.

"Father! We must leave! There are too many!" He looked around and sighed.

"Guess you're right."

"Oh how the tides have shifted. All troops, attack! Kill them! Kill each and every god damn one of them!" She shouted, almost like a mad woman.

"Emmett, you must survive this. I'm not losing you. Not here. You ready?" My father asked as he stood beside me. I swallowed my fear and readied my sword.

"Yes, sir."

The soldiers started moving in, but a terrible roar echoed through the hall.

"What the hell was that?" I asked, looking around at the Volturi soldiers that filled in behind us. I noticed that instantly they were quivering in fear.

"B-B-Beasts!" Someone from the left entrance shouted. Every single soldier took a step back.

"I swear to God, I will personally slaughter any one who leaves this room." Victoria seethed.

Another huge roar shook the room and all the men turned and fled through the entrances in which they came.

"Damn cowards." Victoria's red hair seemed to glow the angrier she got.

From the left entrance, thee soldiers came running back in, this time without their lances and stumbled while they ran to Victoria's side.

From the entrance came three huge animals. A giant blue tiger, a smaller than the tiger but still large blue cat, and another large orange cat.

The blue cat shifted miraculously, into a person! With baby blue hair he wore a strange hat with flaps that covered the side of his head but the top of his head was exposed. From that, I could see…cat ears peeking over the side!

He wore a brown high neck shirt with no sleeves, revealing his impressive lean muscles for his size. A strange wrapping was around his waist and he wore blue pants underneath. His shoes were green with orange bindings, just like his hands. From behind him, I saw a blue tail casually flicking about.

"Tsk. Sub-Humans." I heard someone, probably Jeffrey mumble. Sub-Humans? Beasts? These were the men of Port Angel.

"Attention Volturi soldiers! Leave this place at once if you wish to keep your hearts beating. If you do ont comply, you will face Port Angel's strength." His voice was almost casual as he spoke, but you could see the seriousness in his eyes. It was then I noticed the strange blue streaks on his face.

"I'm not going to leave just because you tell me to. If I leave, His Majesty will have me executed. I'd rather die in battle, where my honor is still in tact and go home as a hero." She said proudly. Or idiotically. I didn't see the difference.

All of a sudden, it was as though there was a breeze in the room, a chilling sensation. We all looked to the right entrance and saw a huge soldier appear. His armor completely covered his body and face and his sword gave off a strange glow.

"Withdraw." His voice sounded echoed, but sent an icy sensation through me.

"The Black Knight…" She jumped off her horse and kneeled instantly.

"Do not fear your King. I will explain the situation. Take your men and leave." He commanded. Surprisingly she nodded, shouted for her troops and disappeared through an entrance.

We all waited, but the Black Knight just stood there, now looking at us.

My father hummed in confusion. "He's staring at you, Father." I said quietly.

"Yeah. He is, isn't he?" His voice was completely different. It was the same different like when I asked him of his past.

"You planning on fighting all of us?" The blue sub-human shouted. He didn't say anything, just turned around and left.

"Father?" I asked, staring at him. He didn't say anything. In fact, he didn't even hear me.

"Father! Brother!" I looked over to see Mist and Ben come running in, Mist sprinting with all of her might to me. I met her half way, scooping her up and spinning her, smiling.

"Mist! You're alright." I hugged her tightly and put her down on the ground.

"Of course I'm alright." She said with a smile. Behind me, Ben was standing in between his tall brothers, who were both patting his shoulder. His eyes were lit up light stars as he received the praise of his brothers.

"Master Greil. My lord Emmett…" The voice like silk seemed to instantly relax me. I turned around and saw her standing there, an actual smile—a breathtaking glistening smile—on her face. "I am pleased to see that you're all okay." She said with relief. We stood there somewhat awkwardly.

"I'm glad you're okay too…" I looked away, a little embarrassed. Before I could comprehend it, she had thrown her arms around me in a tight hug. I hugged her back, finally feeling at ease that she was alright.

"Princess Isabella…why did you come back here? Do you realize how dangerous that could have been for you?" I questioned, letting Mist go to speak to father.

"The princess came and requested our aid for your company. That is why we are here." The blue man spoke.

"I'm assuming you are one of Port Angel's sub-humans? Correct?" I asked with a smile. His smile dropped immediately.

"Sub-human, huh? What arrogance. You think you are the only ones worthy of the name "Human", so we laguz are beneath you, eh? We are less human to you, is that it?" He started ranting. I instantly felt like a moron for listening to Jeffrey and started apologizing.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know any other name for you. I apologize for offending you. What should we call you? Laguz, I think you said earlier?" I asked. His head tilted, a very cat-like mannerism and he smirked.

"Manners? How odd. I like it. Now, who are you?" He said, with a smile.

"My name is Emmett. We are the Greil Mercenaries." I introduced.

"I'm Kyle, warrior of Port Angel and advisor to the King. We weren't sure what to believe when this group of beorc came walking through our forest. And imagine our surprise when we discovered the Princess of Fork among them! Now that was quite the surprise. Two days ago, Volturi proclaimed their conquest of Fork. We…weren't sure what to believe." I saw his eyes dart to Isabella for a moment before looking back to me. There was a slight hesitance in his voice that wasn't there earlier.

"Volturi has conquered Fork…" I said to myself. I saw Isabella's shoulders shake slightly with one silent sob. "So what has happened to his Highness?" I asked, trying to keep my voice level. Again, Kyle's eyes darted to the Princess and then bored into my soul.

"No one outside the country knows yet." I nodded, but he kept staring at me intently. His eyes shifted to Isabella then back to me and finally I got the hint. I looked behind me and caught Tyler's eyes as he readied his healing remedies and gestured for him to come my way.

"My lady?" I asked, gently putting my hand on her shoulder. I noticed how large it was in comparison to her frail frame.

"Yes, my lord Emmett?" She sniffed with sad eyes. It was still odd how she referred to me as a lord, but now wasn't the time to talk to her about it.

"Tyler is about to make his rounds to heal our soldiers, would you mind assisting him? I'm sure your lovely smile with distract them from their wounds." Despite the situation, she smiled and my breath caught, just like it does every time. She nodded and looked to Tyler, whose friendly smile was cheery in this dark fort. He held out his arm and she took it gracefully. They walked away and I watched as they approached Edward leaning against the farthest wall, trying to wrap up a gash on his arm.

Once I was sure they were out of ear shot, I turned back to Kyle.

"Something wrong with the Princess?" I asked, almost teasingly. He smirked and shook his head.

"No. The problem is I don't know how to tell her the truth." My stomach twisted anxiously at his words. "You see, once we confirmed her identity, I went to meet with her, to tell her the fate of her country." He sighed and ran his hand through his tousled blue hair. "But when she looked me in the eyes and smiled, it was as though I'd be breaking the news to an old friend." I smiled, understanding the feeling completely. Isabella had that effect on everyone she came in contact to.

"What news?" I asked quietly. He frowned.

"Fork has fallen to Volturi." I was confused, being that he had already mentioned that. "Once the castle was taken, all soldiers, civilians, and prisoners were brought to the gate of the castle."

"Your point?" From what I'd heard, taking prisoners and explaining to them their new roles was common in warfare. He frowned.

"King Adam was brought to his knees in front of his entire city and executed by King Aro himself."

It felt as though a ton of bricks sank my stomach to my feet.

"I…" I couldn't find words. I looked behind me to where Isabella stood beside Edward, laughing as he lifted his arms in what was sure to be an exciting tale of his fights. Her eyes glistened with rarely seen happiness and she caught me looking at her. She gave me a wide smile and waved shyly before turning back to Edward, listening as Tyler healed his wounds.

"The King of Fork is dead. And Isabella is the only remaining heir to the throne and no one knows she exists." Kyle said behind me. I turned back to look at him dead in the eye.

"Except the Volturi." I stated emotionlessly. He nodded.

"The Volturi will not rest until she is locked away in their prison or worse…"

He didn't need to finish. I understood. Isabella was Fork's last and only chance at salvation.

And everyone that knows she exists wants her dead.

Dun dun duhhh! Okay! How'd you enjoy it? again, sorry if it's confusing. It'll get easier, I promise.

Pictures for Kyle will be up on my profile in a little. Victoria and Alice's outfits will be on there too!

So how are you guys liking it so far? It's hard to write about fight scenes, don't you think?

And yay! Alice is finally in the story. Next chapter, I have her and Jasper meet. ;) Bow chicka wowow. Alright. Please review.

REVIEW.

Sorry, i just need them to keep writing.

Thanks! I'll try and get my other stories updated soon!

~Pepper