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Courtesan	By : Shelindrea Category: Twilight Series > Het > Jacob/Renesmee Views: 4787 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make any money from this story.

Chapter List
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NPOV

That night all my beloved family was beneath one roof. Emily had extended her hospitality to Bella and Alice, stating that they would be far safer within her walls than on their own at the inn. We dined together and then entertained each other with tales of our youths.

Bella and Emily had far more pleasant stories, but the truth was what we enjoyed most were the tales of Jacob's misadventures as a youth. Emily told me about how he used to trail after their father dragging his sword which was taller than young Jacob himself.

I could not help but imagine a child of my own, tagging after his father, his coal black hair shining in the sunlight. His onyx eyes alight with glee as he giggled. I longed for this more than I ever could have thought. I could not wait until Jacob returned to make me his wife.

We retired separately, with the expectation of having another day of female frivolity on the morrow, but that was not to be. Somewhere after midnight there was a loud banging and a rise of confused bellowing from the hallways.

I sprung from my bed only to be confronted by soldiers in the corridors flinging doors open and announcing that they were there representing the Duke himself. I heard Alice scream from the next room and ran to her side only to see her dragged from her bed as men ripped apart her bags flinging things hither and thither.

"Stop this immediately!" I screeched trying to pry their hands from Alice.

"Found it!" cried a soldier behind me. I turned to see him holding up a jewel encrusted broach. Alice stood, her eyes saucers shaking her head.

"What is the meaning of this?" I cried.

"Bring them," said the soldier and suddenly I too was taken in arms and ushered to the main drawing room.

Emily and Bella were there obviously also having been roused from their beds as they were both dressed in dressing gowns. They too were surrounded by soldiers and seated at the table was the Duke of Angeles himself, Caius Volturi.

His eyes raked my semi-clothed form and I immediately felt the need to bathe. "Unhand her," he said indicating me. The guard immediately released me.

"How dare you enter the home of a private citizen and rouse them from their beds. What is this?" I demanded. I knew I was not the householder, but Emily looked terrified, and it was my friend who was in custody.

"This woman is accused of absconding with a rather valuable bauble from the palace. The accusation was made this evening and we are here to mete out justice if she is found to be a thief," he said, his voice soft and well-modulated.

"It is a lie!" I screeched stepping between her and the Duke. "I know it is a lie."

"We recovered this from her personal belongings," said a guard holding up the broach.

"I have never seen that before, I swear!" Alice screamed in terror.

"Yet there it is, having been found among your things. How sad. You know the punishment for thievery?" Caius asked with a dispassionate air. "Whipping and as ruler of this province I have the discretion as to the number of lashes."

Alice paled and nearly fainted. Tears sprang to her eyes and I saw the terror upon her face I had only ever seen after a nightmare. Then she covered her belly with her hand. I turned on Caius and threw myself at his feet.

"Please your grace, I beg you. You must know this is not right. Please…"

"Remove the prisoner to the palace," Caius ordered. "Bring the other ladies and the children as well. Make them comfortable. I shall follow after I have a private word with Miss Cullen."

"No! Your Grace, please do not disturb my children." cried Emily.

"I said remove them. I would suggest that you remain co-operative, Mrs. Uley. Accommodations shall remain pleasant unless I have need of my dungeons. Now go."

My friends were summarily removed from me and the oak double doors were closed with a resounding thud. Suddenly I was alone with this man, dressed only in a sheer sleep gown. I shivered, but refused to display my fear or my anger. I was still at his feet, but he stood and began to circle me. In a moment I rose to my full height and squared my shoulders.

"So, Miss Cullen, what would you have me do in this situation? Your friend has been caught red handed, and she must be punished."

I knew that a whipping would be Alice's undoing, more than that she was now with child. I could not allow this to stand. "Your grace, there has been some mistake. I know Alice and she is no thief."

"Yet I hold in my hand the evidence," he said mildly.

"Alice has never been to your palace, where would she come upon something from you coffers?" As I said the words my mind began to ruminate on the question. How would such a trinket appear within Alice's possession, because she certainly had not stolen it?

"That is not for me to determine. Evidence is evidence. The sentence is prescribed, I am simply following Aro's edict for how to deal with such situations."

"His Majesty would never allow Alice to be whipped. Send word to the palace. I guarantee the king would beg that an investigation be conducted. You cannot simply mete out punishment for something you have not proven she is responsible."

Caius looked down his full Grecian nose and shook his head at me. "You are quite an enigma, my dear. Here stands before me a woman bred for pleasure, raised to be the epitome of all that is docile and compliant, yet she is full of fire and fury, unafraid of what dangers lurk about her. It is exhilarating. I never thought it would be. Still, I have made my decision and I have heard nothing from you that would alter my course."

"Alice is innocent."

"You may be right, but then again…" He held up the brooch. "I believe I have all I need to proceed."

I stood for a moment taking in his look. He was all but salivating as he raked my form with his cold eyes. "Then why am I here? Why did you wish to speak to me, your grace? What is it you want?"

"I thought I had made that clear. What I want, above all things, is you, Renesmee. I wish to have you at my feet, devotion in your eyes and fire in your touch. I would have you warm and pliant; depending upon me for the very air you breathe."

I drew in a sharp breath. It suddenly came clear; all this was a play to gain me. He would use Alice to gain my acquiescence. I swallowed hard. "I am promised to Jacob Black, sir. He is, as we speak, gaining permission from the king to take my hand."

"I know that, so my time to change your mind is short. Here is what I propose. Come with me to the palace. You can attempt to change my position on your friend, and I can attempt to demonstrate to you the life I am offering."

"There is nothing you could offer me that would alter my mind, your grace."

"Then allow me to make my offer clearer. Come and stay with me, or those women, all of them, shall be housed with the prisoners in the bowels of the palace. Come willingly and they shall be pampered and comfortable until we conclude our business." He said, raising the back of his long fingers to caress my cheek.

"What business would that be?"

"You wish me to consider Mrs. Whitlock's plight, I shall let you attempt to sway me."

I knew I had no choice. Jacob's journey was like to take six days, simply to get to the capitol. He was likely to have to remain another three to conclude the pleading ritual with Aro, and then they had to return home, another four days, if he rushed. He had been gone three already, that meant I had ten days to attempt to save Alice. I would not fail my family.

CPOV

Renesmee's acquiescence in agreeing to accompany me to my home proved that she was concerned enough for her friends that she would not gainsay me. I knew I had precious little time to win my prize. I had managed to set obstacles in the path of the men. They would be set upon by gypsies on their way, and that would slow them. I half hoped one might seriously injure the young Mr. Black. I would break her, and I would have her.

After seeing to it that the women were ensconced in comfort, I had Leah brought to the throne room, she was annoyed with me for having her brought to the palace, but she was a necessary pawn in this game of chess.

"Your Grace," she greeted me as she entered. "What is the meaning of this? I did as you bade me, now what?"

"I will require you to put a testimony on paper for me to hold over Mrs. Whitlock's head."

"What? I cannot do that. I will not swear to a falsehood, that lady has done nothing to deserve such treatment. I will do no more."

My hand shot to her throat and closed fiercely. "You my dear Miss Clearwater will do whatever I require of you. As I recall you were perfectly willing to put lie to paper to frame Miss Cullen as the culprit. Now you will do it for Mrs. Whitlock. Is that clear?"

She squeaked a response that I decided was affirmative and I released her windpipe. She stumbled away. She was becoming quite a trial to me, she needed to remember exactly what her role here was, and that was to do my bidding.

"Leave me. I have things to attend to."

Leah POV

I left the throne room rubbing my neck which still felt his vice like grip. I sought the women he had brought here in the night. I knew this had gone too far.

I entered the suite and found Emily coming from the children's room. She turned on me with contempt. "What are you doing here? Have you something to do with this?"

"Lovely to see you too, friend," I replied.

"Leah, something is amiss and somehow I fear you are a part of this plot."

"All I did was to provide a means to bring Jacob's harlot into the Duke's jurisdiction. Why are you so angry? I would have thought you would be pleased to have an out? Word has spread that he intended to wed the vile creature."

"He is to marry Renesmee, and he could make no finer choice. We were wrong about her, Leah. She is one of the finest people I have ever come to know."

I gave a derisive snort. "I see her charms have worn you down."

"Not her charms, her goodness. She is a kind and sweet person, who despite having every reason to distrust and dislike me and mine has shown great loyalty and concern for us. You would do well to get to know her."

"Oh I am almost certain you will get to know her when Caius lays claim to her with his offer of jewels and wealth beyond her wildest dreams. She will succumb, and Jacob will be free to find a suitable woman to marry."

"He will not choose you," Alice said from the doorway. "For no matter the outcome of this little charade we shall ensure that he knows you played a hand in it. He will never forgive you your duplicity, and should Nessie be harmed in any way, he will likely kill you with his bare hands. That is if I have not beaten him to it. I know it was you who planted the brooch. No one else had the opportunity."

"Leah, why?" Emily asked.

"Caius left me little choice."

"Alice faces a lashing for a crime she did not commit. What would possess you to allow such a thing?"

"Alice? No. That was not the plan. He swore to me that only Renesmee would be in jeopardy, and that he was certain her true colors would emerge when she was told that the only means of saving herself was to submit to the Duke's desires."

"Again I ask what you were thinking." Emily put it bluntly.

"She was thinking that once I had demonstrated my disloyalty Jacob would turn from me, and possibly toward her. In short," said the copper haired beauty from the doorway, "she was thinking of gaining love and family. None of us can blame her for such thoughts. We have all coveted such things. It was merely circumstances and providence that allowed us to achieve them."

"Do not defend her," Alice growled.

"I am not defending her. I am simply stating what I believe to be her motivation. Even given her desires, her actions were less than honorable. She will have to make amends for them somehow, but I see no reason to vilify her for wanting what I want. Now, as she is the only means we have of determining exactly what we are up against, I suggest we dispense with this snarling and instead turn to finding a solution for our predicament."

"You would trust her? Is that wise?" Alice asked.

"We need to have faith and build bridges, or we may not all find our way out of this. I will protect you all. That is my goal."

"What of yourself? Would you not protect yourself?" Emily cried.

"No. I am the most expendable in this scenario. Bella is too far in her confinement to risk this stress. Alice is delicate as well, being as she is early in her own gestation," Renesmee reasoned.

"I am not in a delicate condition," Emily offered.

"No, but your young ones are. I will not risk orphaning them. This is for the best. We will devise a means to have you released. Then you can go and seek assistance. I will simply have to endure until you bring it."

I stared at this child bride in awe. She would truly sacrifice herself for her friends? Or was she simply trading the life of Jacob's wife for a life of luxury in the palace of the Duke. "So you will succumb?" I accused. "Did I not tell you, Emily?"

"I will not. Under any circumstances do that. But there must be some other way?"

"I do not see one," I confessed unimpressed with this display. "I think you should simply give him what he wants. He has implied he will go through with punishing your friend here."

"He cannot, Alice is with child."

"Then submit and be done with this nonsense. Why act as if it is a chore, have you not spread your thighs for many with far less chance of financial reward?" I spat.

She raised herself up and held up a hand to halt the flurry of words her friends were flinging in my direction. "I have not been with any man, but Jacob. I have loved him from the first, and have been blessed to have been given solely to him. I will not dishonor him by allowing his grace to touch me. Neither will I allow him to harm a hair upon Alice's person. There must be another way."

She seemed so genuine, but still I was unmoved. "Riddle this out amongst you then, I wish you luck." I turned and went to the room assigned me. I intended to allow them to waste their time, and then have the girl succumb in the end. She must succumb, for I would not swear on paper to a lie that would see a pregnant woman beaten.

Sometime later when I was all but asleep I saw the crack of light from the door opening. A quiet footfall could be heard upon the carpet, and there standing before me was the red-headed waif. She looked smaller in the moonlight, and it lit her hair from behind giving her a rather angelic look. How amusing.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Madam, I am here to beg your assistance in this matter. Your information may save us all."

"I already told you to succumb and end this."

"I cannot do that. But I would gain the freedom of all those held here because of me. That includes you, madam. Is there a way I can ensure all of your freedom?"

"Why would you care if I escape?"

"There are marks at your neck; I assume they are the result of pressure applied there. You are being coerced to this treachery, are you not?"

My hand flew to my throat. How did she know? "Does it matter? You will all paint me evil in this little tragedy."

"No, I will not allow that. If you assist me in this, I shall see to it that all parties, save one, will know of your courage and risk."

"So you will hide it from Jacob?"

"No, madam, Caius. Jacob will know of your every effort on our behalves."

"I will make no effort on your behalf."

"Then on the behalf of these ladies whom I know you hold in esteem. Forget me. Tell me how I may gain their release."

I thought for a moment. It was possible to gain safety for us, if she could play the part. "Are you aware that his grace is an aficionado of games of chance, child? He cannot resist a bet. If we can word it rightly then perhaps we can gain more than we lose. I beg that my freedom also be assured, Caius is not a man to be gainsaid, and he will punish me if he loses his prize."

"Then come, we must put this all to paper, nothing must be vague, no way through must be neglected."
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Courtesan