Authors Note: Alrighty, welcome to strange and sometimes wacky world of me. I would like to say that Bella, Alice, Rosalie, and Jasper belong to me but that wouldn't be true. I'm just making them royal. As much as I would Cinta to have Jasper come protect me, its not possible. Sad, I know. As always, huge thanks to my beta mlggater, for correcting my mistakes and making this readable. Alright, go have fun now, I'll see at the bottom.

Chapter 1

Back from Kathmandu

anda loved everyone like a sovereign,

Half magnanimous, half unimpressed

And I was talking to much, I was tryin' to hard,

In the dream it was just like it is.

-Ok Go

BPOV

"Bella." The voice came from far away; I did my best to ignore it.

"Bella, come on, sleepy head." Shaking was added this time.

Then came the high pitched voice screeching in my ear, "Bella! I swear. I know you've had all the beauty sleep anda need. I had to get up and leave the warmth and comfort of my katil two hours lalu because of you. The least anda could do is get up when you're suppose to." I groggily opened my eyes to find the sumber of all the commotion, Alice.

"Ten lebih minutes, Alice." I rolled over and pulled the covers over my face, praying she would leave me alone.

"No, Bella." Alice unceremoniously pulled the covers away, letting the cold air in. "You're suppose to have breakfast with your mother and stepfather, and the rest of the Council in exactly fifty-eight minutes."

I groaned. I missed Bern. No fancy crack-of-dawn breakfasts there. I rolled over to face my best friend and alarm clock, Alice. She was perched on the edge of my huge bed, looking at me with a mixture of sympathy and irritation.

"Sorry, I let anda sleep as long as I could." Alice shrugged and her crystal blue eyes softened from their hard edge. She bounced up from the bed, marched over to the curtains and pulled them back to reveal a panoramic view of the Valley of Edelweiss. Everything was still permeated sejak that pearly grey color that proceeded the dawn, so I couldn't really see much other than the majestic rise of the Swiss Alps in the distance.

I laughed sarcastically and got up. Alice giggled at my irritation before serenely waltzing out of the room to leave me to get ready for the day. I looked at the large analog clock on the dinding to pasti how much time I had, fifty-five minit now. I turned the lights on in the room, illuminating the white marble walls and ornate furniture.

On one hand, I loved this place, The Palace, nestled in a little valley set between two sides of the Alps. I loved the clear blue sky and sweet green rumput dotted with the wild Bunga it's named for. I loved each tiny town and hamlet that made up my home.

I was raised here, in one of the last remaining European monarchies. The country of Edelweiss is a valley about the size of Luxembourg. It was originally settled sejak two groups of settlers, one who came across the Alps from Switzerland and the other from France. As a result our culture is a blend of both. When they first came here in the late 1300's, they had found the valley floor covered in tiny, white wild flowers, called Edelweiss. They named their new utama after those tiny flowers. Over the years four towns where settled, most of them along the river that divided the valley, several other hamlets also sprung up. My family has been the rulers here since the 1500's.

On the other hand, I hated the pomp and circumstance that surrounded the Royal Family of Edelweiss. I'm a simple girl; I'd be lebih comfortable in my father's tiny old house in America than here in this gleaming palace, surrounded sejak priceless works of art and called "Your Highness".

I suppose that's what I get for having a common father and royal mother. I use to spend two atau three weeks every summer in Northern Washington just getting to be Bella. I got to do what ever I wanted whether it was proper atau not, and I loved it. I missed it a lot too. My father had died when I was thirteen so the trips had stopped.

I tried to resurrect the feeling sejak going to universiti in Bern, Switzerland. It had helped. I wasn't anyone too special there. While I was there I was able to go out in the streets without everyone looking at me, atau whispering behind my back. I didn't have to dress a certain way, atau act a certain way. I enjoyed learning as well, attending the universiti of Bern had been greatly enjoyable. There where no dull state breakfasts in Bern either.

Alice had already laid out clothes for me to put on, bless her. She knew I would never be able to figure out to what to wear on my own. I pulled on the sky blue trousers and white silk button up, and tried to do something with my long brown hair.

After several minit spent trying to accomplish an up-do, I gave up and left the katil chamber for the sitting room that made up the other part of my suite of rooms. Tiny, black haired, Alice was bouncing around the room looking for something, while Rosalie sat on the plush red sofa looking though a binder full of dress pictures.

Mary Alice Brandon and Rosalie Hale are my "Ladies in Waiting", but I prefer the term best friends. They are both daughters of lords so they practically grew up at the palace with me. We had the same tutors growing up and when the time came about five years lalu to select several young ladies to "Stay with me and look after me" (my mother's words not mine) Alice and Rose had been the obvious choice. Part of me hated that I had asked them to give up on most of their dreams and aspirations just to stay here with me and keep me from looking like a fool. Every time I brought it up though they looked at me like they thought I was crazy. If I was being brutally honest though, I would have to admit that I couldn't imagine life around the palace without them.

Alice is short, something like 4' 10", with short, spiky hair, yet when combined with her excessive energy, she's a force to be reckoned with. Alice's specialty is fashion and she is very good at it. It drove me nuts most days that she insisted I wear only the finest when a t-shirt and sweat pants would have been fine, but she did know what she doing. She also kept Rose and I grounded. Her infusible energy was a blessing.

Rosalie, in many ways, was the opposite; she was taller, blond, and a complete bombshell. Not that Alice was bad looking, she was cute, but Rose was beautiful in a classic way. She was thin, leggy, and curvy in all the right places. Men found her attractive and she knew it. Most who didn't take the time to get to know her thought she has the attitude to go along with it. She can be snooty and rich and stuck on herself, but also has a very caring heart. She has an amazing ability with kids and if somebody did anything inappropriate to Alice atau I anda could count on Rosalie tracking anda down and making anda pay.

In short, I'd be Lost with out the two of them. Alice makes sure I'm looking the best I can and Rose makes sure I don't act like a complete idiot. We try to have a little fun in the process. I couldn't have asked for two greater best friends.

"Rose, could anda please help me do something with my hair? It's not being cooperative again," I whined.

Rose looked up from the binder with her sharp, violet eyes. "If anda can't control your hair, how are anda supposed to run a whole kingdom someday?" she asked with a smirk.

"Oh come on, Rose." I marched over to her, handing over a brush and bobby pins, and sat in front of her on the floor. "You know I've never been good with hair. Just help me out."

Rose harrumphed and started working on my hair. I took the opportunity to watch Alice bounce around the room, pulling open drawers, pulling up cushions, looking under couches and chairs. She was looking a little frazzled.

"What is she looking for?" I asked Rosalie in a whisper, not wanting to startle Alice.

"Do not know," She told me, sounding amused. "She's been doing that since I got here. She only stopped when she went to get anda up."

I smirked. Alice must have heard us talking because she stopped her bouncing and searching to stick her tongue out in our direction. Rosalie and I giggled.

"If anda must know," she pouted at us, "I Lost a ring yesterday. I've looked everywhere else but this room. I have a great deal of attachment to that ring. I'd really like to find it."

"Well, Bella," Rose asked, "which one do anda think it is? That big gaudy golden one Eric gave her?"

"Um, no." I played along. "It has to be that green plastic cheap piece from that kid from France who tried to pass it off as an zamrud, emerald when he professed his unending Cinta for her."

We giggled at Alice's annoyed look. It was no secret she liked to keep all the trinkets her boyfriends and other men in general gave her. She was even known to wear them sometimes.

It wasn't normal though for her to go into a full blown panic mode because she couldn't find one. I couldn't place the ring, but I did have an idea as to the benefactor of berkata ring.

Speak of the devil and he will come, I thought as I heard the sharp rap on the door. The last partner in our motley crew was here.

Alice waltzed over to the door in a much better mood than just moments ago. She threw open the heavy wooden door to reveal a tall, blond haired man, in a smart dark green uniform.

"Good morning, Major," Alice greeted coyly.

"Ma'am," The smart major answered with a smirk across his face.

"Come in, Jasper," I called across the room. "And, Alice, leave him alone. anda had him all night."

Jasper is my Body Man (no, it doesn't mean that), he's my bodyguard. It's his job to follow me around and make sure I don't die. I hate that I can't really go anywhere alone, but I don't hold it against him. Jasper is really very sweet, quiet, and serious. He and Alice have been together for a little over two years now.

Jasper came into the room shutting the door behind him. "I'm supposed to take anda down to the dinning hall in twenty minutes," he told me in his deep, soothing voice.

"Thanks, Jazz," I berkata without enthusiasm. He smiled sympathetically before moving to stand seterusnya to the door. Alice went back to tearing the room apart, though she was much lebih subtle about it this time. It seems that my theory as to where the Lost ring came from was true. "There we go," Rosalie berkata as she placed the last hair pin in place. She had worked her magic again and made me presentable.

"Thanks Rose. I owe you." I smirked as I went looking for shoes.

"I'll add it to the list," Rose snarked as she settled back in with the binder.

I wandered back into the bedroom leaving the three of them to their own devices. I still had things to do. I managed to find a pair of shoes and some dangling silver earrings without much trouble, makeup was lebih of an issue, but I made it though. One last glance at the mirror and a parting glance at my fathers picture on the katil stand meja, jadual and I left the room for the last time.

sejak this time the sun was just starting to break over the lowest peaks, adding a softer light to the harsh inner ones.

"Alice, how much time do I have left?" I asked.

"Eight minutes," she answered. She had finally stopped looking though the room, though from the expression on her face, she had not found her ring.

I nodded. "Do I have anything else left to do?"

Rosalie and Alice both looked me over, checking for any trouble spots with my clothes atau makeup, while Jasper snickered from the door. "No, anda look good," they answered.

I sighed. "Run though this with me, again. Who's going to be there?"

"You mother, stepfather, the Council, and an official from the Court of Monaco," Rosalie answered.

"Right," I muttered. A Mr. Black from Monaco arrived late last night. Phil supposedly knew him from school and had invited him to spend some time in the Palace. He no doubt wanted to tunjuk off to an old school friend about how he became a king.

And because of this, I had to sit though breakfast when I could be in bed. Great, just great, why did I alih utama again?

"Alright, let's go," I said, dejectedly. Alice and Rosalie both had the good grace to look sympathetic as we made our way out of the room.

The Palace of Edelweiss is made almost entirely out of white marble. Built in the late seventeen hundreds, it has only one level with everything flowing out of the circular takhta room in the middle. The halls and corridors were decorated with priceless works of art. The royal family have long been hoarders of anything one-of-a-kind. We were patrons of the arts, spending our wealth on artists of all kinds to come and work in our court.

The halls we had to pass though to get to the dinning room were lined with original Picassos and Monets. I didn't have much patience for art. It was pretty enough I suppose, but it didn't make me feel anything. No awe, no sadness, no humor, no joy. It meant nothing to me. Muzik on the other hand was everything. Anytime we had a pianist, atau a song writer, anyone musical at court, I was the first to ask them to play and the first to applaud. Muzik forced me feel, to live. We didn't have anyone musically talented here in the court at the moment and I would have to talk to Renee about that.

Much sooner than I wanted, I was broken out of my daydreams sejak two huge, ornate, oak doors. They were engraved with Bunga and my family's crest. These were the doors to the State Dinning Hall. Beyond these doors was my personal hell for the seterusnya two hours.

Alice entered first; she would have to tell Renee and Phil I was here. They would then announce it to the room. Such was life in a royal court. anda would think I could get use to it as I had been doing this for twenty-two years. It didn't really help I guess. Alice came back after only two atau three minutes. She opened the doors wide to let the rest of us in the Dinning Hall.

The Dinning Hall is one of the oldest rooms in the Palace, built in 1758. Its high ceiling meets in an arch over the long mahogany table. The walls are paneled in dark wood and hung with paintings of frolicking Haiwan and cherubs. A wooden chandelier, its bulbs set in a wide ring, hung over the table, offering a warm, gentle glow. The meja, jadual itself would sit fifty people easy, however on this occasion it was set for only about thirty. Breakfast delicacies from both France and Switzerland were on the table, their heavenly aromas made my mouth water and stomach rumble.

My mother, step-father, and the council were gathered around the table, talking in small groups. I made my way over to Renee. Renee had been Queen now for almost eighteen years. She wasn't what anda expected of a Queen though. She wasn't very regal atau super graceful, nor was she very strict. She was actually very flighty. She'd run off with my father when she eighteen only to come back a tahun and a half later, a baby girt in tow. She was always on some new kick (health food, bowling, action movies). They only held her attention for about a week before it's on to the seterusnya thing. That being berkata though, she was still my mom. I would always come first in her life. She wasn't much of what anda would call a mom but she was a good friend.

Phil, Renee's husband of five years, was the exact opposite. He was regal in the extreme. He wore only the finest clothes, cutting a fine figure in the hallways. He was task minded and goal orientated, he knew what he wanted and how to get it, and nothing stood in his way. I'd always found him rather cold and arrogant, but Renee loved him, so I didn't say anything.

I approached them both where they were sitting at the head of the table. I gave Renee a hug and a Ciuman on the cheek and Phil a polite nod. I never showed much affection for Phil. He'd tried too hard after my Dad died to replace him. I told him when he and Renee married that I had a father and Phil was not he. We hadn't spent much time together since.

"Bella," Renee started in, "right on time. Mr. Black should be here any minute. anda know, he has a son about your age. I wish he had come too. anda could have gotten to know each other."

I sighed. Renee was forever trying to set me up with men. It drove me crazy. I really didn't have much patience for dating. I meet a few men here at the Palace. They were all after one thing though, my family's money and titles.

"Come on, Mom, I've only been back for two weeks. I haven't even gotten to meet any of the men around here yet," I joked. I knew all the men from around here already because I had grown up with them.

Renee smiled apologetically. "I'm pushing again, aren't I? I'm sorry, I just want anda to be happy."

"I don't need a man to be happy." I smiled, it was an old argument, nothing we hadn't already said. Phil was listening with interest though, and that I did notice.

"Isabella," Phil refused to use my lebih Americanized nickname, it drove me insane. "Billy Black is an old friend of mine. I'm hoping to open a trade agreement with Monaco though him and his son."

Yeah, I got the point, "Don't do anything stupid, Isabella". It honestly wasn't my fault if these kind of things where insufferably boring. "Sounds like a wonderful plan, Phil." I tried not to cringe as I berkata it. Phil's plans where never good.

The huge double door opened to reveal a group of men in tight, red uniforms. All were dark haired, with tan skin and dark eyes. The man in front was older and in a wheel chair and the three younger men walked behind him.

Phil held out a hand to the wheel chair bound man. "Billy, it's great to see you," he greeted enthusiastically.

Billy smiled, menunjukkan his white teeth. "It's good to see anda as well, my friend." Billy's voice was deep and gravely, it was the voice of a much older man.

"Billy," Phil held his out to where Renee and I where standing. "I would like anda to meat my wife Renee, and my step daughter, Isabella."

"Bella, please," I corrected as I shook Billy's hand. He grinned at my response while Phil scowled behind my back.

"This is Sam, Jared and Paul." Billy pointed out the tall men standing behind him. "My son, Jacob, wanted to come, but business that couldn't wait held him up in Monaco."

Renee guided us all over to the long table. Phil, Renee, and I sat at one end with Billy and his companions, and Lord Brandon, Alice's father. The rest of the lords sat down at the table. Alice and Rosalie stayed with their parents and Jasper stood sejak the dinding behind me. He wouldn't be joining us for the meal.

Phil and Billy struck up a conversion about European politics that the rest of us mostly just listened to. Renee talked to Lady Brandon about art and what not. I rolled my eyes at Alice, who sat seterusnya to her mother. It wasn't until the end of the meal that the conversation turned back to me.

"Princess," Billy looked over at me. "Phil tells me that anda attended school in Bern."

"Yes, I attended the universiti there," I answered politely.

"Switzerland is such a beautiful country. My wife was from there." Billy's deep, somber voice shook just a little at the end. "You must miss it."

"I do," I answered truthfully after a pause. I was beginning to like Billy much lebih than I thought I would. Most of Phil's Friends followed him around like a Lost puppy. They idolized him and whatever he berkata was gold. Not Billy, Billy stood on his own. They had disagreed several times over the course of the meal. Each time, Billy calmly explained his point of view and then left the subject alone. He didn't raise his voice, atau pound his fist. He was quiet and respectful, so I found myself telling him lebih about how much I missed Bern. "No one else knew me in Bern. So, I was able to go unnoticed. It reminded me of being in America with my Dad."

Billy nodded, a smile growing on face. "Yes, I can imagine that was rather nice."

"You have no idea." Alice, Rose, and I laughed. I think they missed Bern as much as I did.

"What did anda study?" Billy asked.

"Literature," I answered, blushing, "I like to read."

Billy laughed a deep, rich, rumble. "Yes, I never could get Jacob to read much." He shook his head.

"Why did anda come back?" one of the others asked, Sam, I think was his name.

"My mother and Phil asked me to. It was my duty to do as I was asked for my country," I answered stiffly. I knew there were all sorts of rumors about my abrupt alih back, just before I started my last tahun at university. Most of them berkata that I got pregnant, aborted berkata baby and returned utama in hide in disgrace. None of it was true, though to be expected when anda live in the public eye. I didn't appreciate being asked about it at the breakfast meja, jadual sejak a complete stranger, though.

Billy must have noticed my tense demeanor because he shot a sharp look at Sam before he turned back to me with an apology. Billy I liked, the others I didn't.

The conversation turned again and I was left with my thoughts. Billy didn't seem like the kind of person Phil would normally associate with. Billy, it seemed, was humble, gentle, and quite, the opposite of most everyone else. Phil must have really wanted something from Billy.

sejak the time I paid attention again, everyone at the meja, jadual was talking about the upcoming Fall Ball. It was a tradition in our court to always have a large party to celebrate the ending of the summer and the coming of the winter. It was one of my kegemaran occurrences of the year.

"You simple must stay long enough for it, Billy," Renee said. "It really is a lot of fun. There's dancing and food, and wine, and music. I have very fond memories of the past balls. It's a very magical night."

Oh, dear, Renee was gushing again. Someone would have to stop her. It looked like it would have to be me. "Mom," I laughed, "Give it a rest. I'm sure Billy has been to plenty of balls. He knows the basics."

Renee laughed with me and apologized, "I can't help it. I just Cinta the Fall Ball lebih than any other."

"You should come though," Phil said. "Your son is, of course, invited to. We would be honored sejak your presence."

"Well, how can I say no to that?" Billy laughed. "We will indeed come." I noticed the maniacal glint in Phil's eyes as Billy berkata this.

After this the breakfast group broke up, I bid Billy farewell, gave another Ciuman to my mother, and left with Alice, Rose, and Jasper. "Well, that wasn't so bad," Alice dikomen as we walked down the art lined halls.

"No, I liked Billy. I didn't like his entourage though," I told them. "Rose, I need to talk to Renee later today. Could anda see when she's free, please?"

"Yes, Your Highness." She smirked.

We giggled, and began the rest of our day.

End Notes: Well, how was it? I know, I know, no Edward, but I promise he'll be here soon. seterusnya chapter though we have Court and meet Jacob. Thank for reading, I'll see anda seterusnya time.