Rebel (Civil War Period)

Chapter 21..

"The child's not the real reason they're coming." Georgiana stated as if it was a known fact. Jasper raised his eyebrow at Edward. I told you so.

"They're using her as an excuse for something greater than that."

"What makes you think so?" Carlisle asked with real interest. It seemed to him that this lady knew something of her business.

"If it would be just for the child, then they would send over ten fighters and be done with it. You don't declare war for a matter like that. They pursuit a grander plan than executing laws." Georgiana paused, then intently looked at her guests. "What are your abilities?" She asked and drew pen and paper towards herself. The Cullen family found themselves answering her, even though not knowing why they would - they simply could not deny Georgiana her request. "I also need to know the abilities of the Volturi clan."

Georgiana jotted down everything they said, then scrutinized what she'd written. She walked over to her mahogany desk and bent over the paper, beckoning for them to gather around her. Jasper, Emmet and Alice followed her invitation.

"Considering everything you've said, I would guess that they want world domination."

"Who doesn't?" Emmet sighed.

Georgiana didn't smile, but drew wild lines and circled other words - then continued: "Look at all this: They have the numbers to grasp the power, but not the skills. Their abilities are not enough; they stand not a chance against yours. Edward alone trumps Aro and Caius, Bella voids Jane's glare, Jasper could recruit them from their side to yours, Emmet is worth at least a dozen of their warriors..." Georgiana looked up. "They're not here for the child. They're here to get you on their side, and then grasp world domination. I would guess that Renesmee's only the excuse. She's their way of getting to you, since she is your weakness. Once they've done that, they will try to enlist many more than your family."

Jasper intently looked at the woman before him, and wondered how she could so well phrase what he himself suspected, too. Something about this woman entranced him, though he could not name what. Ever since he had entered this house, he felt awkward...

"Where the hell do you take all that knowledge about warfare from?!" Emmet groaned in despair. This woman drowned him of all strength, with her brutal honesty and blunt phrasing. Georgiana shrugged. "I grew up as a general's daughter in the Civil War. You don't survive that without learning the one or other trick." Georgiana didn't say that it had been other experiences making her tough.

Bella meanwhile continued her inspection of the room. Over the fireplace hung a large portrait showing six people - an older couple, a handsome young man and three girls. Two of them were overly pretty, the men's ideal of beauty. The third one was auburn-haired, and her green eyes looked fierce and determined even in the painting. Bella recognized the woman there, and the men's uniforms finally told her where she had seen "Gina" before.

"You are Georgiana Ellwood!" She exclaimed, embarrassed of it the next moment. But Georgiana did not mind in the least - she looked at Bella with an undefinable look in her deep brown eyes. She sat down again, and Bella was sure to have never seen a woman as graceful as her. "Indeed I am." She replied after a while. "How I wish I weren't."

Bella looked at her, stunned. Forgetting all her intimidated reservedness, she said, incredulous: "But why? You were the first woman to write an account of a whole war. Your documents are known all over the world...You are one of the greatest women in history! "

"For a lack of a large concurrence." She noted drily. Bella meanwhile marvelled at the fact of meeting a woman she had always found interesting, and had believed long dead - now she stood before her.

"You're an idol-"

"For what? Treason? Betraying one's family? Plotting and scheming their destruction? Sending her so called husband to death? Scared of nothing to get what she wants? That I am indeed."

"Your story is one of the most interesting ones in history." Only after the words had left her lips, Bella noticed that she should have not said so. Who knew what dark truths lay behind the fairytales. Georgiana was a legend, after all, and nothing of her life was known for sure.

What Bella knew of her was that she had married a Confederate and then had one daughter with him. She had heard other versions of Georgiana's life, one of them including a son, a second husband... but nothing was certain. All documents about her had mysteriously disappeared, and Bella began to believe that Georgiana had taken care of that herself.

Georgiana let out a dry laugh. "The historians and their absurd theories and facts. They know nothing."

Jasper had to agree to that. The books claimed that he had never been married, had been an obedient son to his stepfather, died by a bullet, and was buried somewhere near Southville. Some guy in the research department had had a lot of fantasy.

Jasper might not remember who his wife had been, nor how she looked, but he knew he had loved her and that he had been married. The memory of her faded with each year that passed...

"What do they tell you? That I, a Union general's daughter, have married a Confederate? That I had indeed. Do they also tell you that our son was born long before we had been married? That he had been passed off as my sister's to avoid a scandal? I had to destroy my family to get him back. I had been forced to marry a man other than the one I loved when I was pregnant again, and sent him to his death, too. I am not saying I am regretting that, though."

Edward sympathetically looked at Georgiana and wished there was a way of helping her. She was by no means a woman he would fall for, nor one he would adore. But she was a woman to be respected. Georgiana had endured more in her mortal life than some vampires do during their whole existence. Her thoughts were sad, she was still grieving for all she had lost, even now, after more than 140 years.

The other Cullens meanwhile listened with interest, not expecting such a wave of emotions from Georgiana Ellwood. It surprised them she would tell her story so readily.

The truth was that Georgiana was wary of her existence. Why would she care who knew about her life? She didn't want pity, she just wanted the Cullen family to know who they were dealing with. And for them to consider whether they really wanted her help.

Before she said any more, Felicity entered the room, and the room immediately brightened up at her appearance. She seemed to have a slightly altered ability from Jasper's; she could influence people, make them love her without any effort. She held Renesmee at her hand.

"So, Mom, what d'ya say?" Felicity's lively carefreeness was such a strong contrast to her mother's sternness.

Georgiana didn't answer her daughter, but intently looked at Renesmee. A strangely contemplative look came onto her face, erasing for one moment all the fierce toughness from it. The sight of the little girl catapulted her back into 1866, a year after her beloved husband had died... When she had been entirely alone, only with her children, for whom she had been fighting, holding on...

"Mom?"

Georgiana elegantly jumped up, still not saying one word as she walked over to the window, turning her back on the Cullen family.

Edward closely looked at her, following her rattling thoughts. The silence would have been oppressing enough without the grave issue of Renesmee's safety overshadowing it, but with Georgiana's unreadable expression it became unbearable. Bella feared her decision, feared for her child.

Jasper meanwhile was surprised by the vulnerable side of Georgiana he now experienced. He sensed in her deep grief for a loss long ago, and how her tough appearance was faltering inside of her.

Georgiana turned around again, looking at Bella, then at Renesmee, who looked back at her with the innocence only children could muster. Finally, Georgiana started to say something: "I..."

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