Age of Edward Contest

Title: Lost in Translation

Pen name: All at Once

Type of Edward: JohnSmithward (early 1600s)

If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this contest visit: The Age of Edward C2 Community:
http://www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/community/The_Age_of_Edward_Contest/70125/

Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer and I'm sure as hell not making money from this.

Thanks: Mad props to Tara (taragiraffe) for beta’ing this little ditty at the last minute. You rock, bb!

The heat was sweltering and I could not recall it ever reaching such temperatures back in England. We had only landed three days prior and not only was I unused to such hot climates, but my sea legs were still beneath me. I followed my lead tracker farther into the woods, though, because almost all of our provisions had been used on the long voyage across the Atlantic and I would not be responsible for my crew starving.

I wiped the sweat from my brow and checked the sun overhead. It had moved considerably higher in the sky since we had left the camp and I was beginning to worry that James could not track as well as he had boasted. Surely, we should have come across some game already. Just as I was about to voice my concern to the Scottish sailor, I heard a loud rustling not too far in the distance. Our entire party halted instantly, waiting to see the cause of the noise. I was prepared for deer or maybe something smaller – foxes – but definitely not what actually stepped through the brush a moment later…

Natives.

-

Tensions were high. We had all eyed each other’s weapons with trepidation, but after communicating through a rudimentary form of sign language, it was concluded that neither party meant the other any harm. As the captain of the ship, I decided that it was in our best interest to follow these natives back to their camp to try and communicate with their leader. I hoped there was something they wanted that we could barter in exchange for rations; otherwise, I feared they might see our appearance on their land as an attack.

It seemed that the men we had initially confronted were simple hunters and were just leaving their camp so we did not have to travel far before we were arrived at their home camp. We had heard stories before leaving on our voyage – how some natives were peaceful while others were savages – and as I felt the fear emanate from my group, I knew that I had to push my own misgivings aside for the good of my crew. I could do battle with any storm that Poseidon inflicted while at sea, but I had never been a good leader once on dry land. It appeared that my abilities were about to be tested though.

We all stood stoically, waiting for someone to identify themselves as a leader…or even a translator if we were lucky enough. As I surveyed the men, women and children that were now staring at us, a pair of brown doe eyes drew me in. I brought my focus back out to see the eyes were ensconced on a beautiful, heart-shaped face of a native girl, only a few years my junior. Her hair was lighter than the raven color of the rest and appeared to be a rich brown – similar to the color of a new ship with a brilliant coat of wax on its hull – while her skin appeared more olive than tanned as the others. This girl did not fit in with the natives, but it was obvious that she was not a genteel lady either. She intrigued me immediately.

“Spaneesh?” a native spoke not far from where I was standing.

I had been too busy staring at the beautiful girl to notice his approach along with a larger man whose cloths were adorned with bright colors – marking him their leader.

“No,” I replied, shaking my head vehemently as soon as I regained my wits.

“Eengleesh?” the native asked again.

“Yes,” I said, nodding in the affirmative this time.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the beautiful girl’s face light up. There were other visible reactions on the faces of the natives. Apparently, they had encountered settlers and explorers before – and they liked the English better! That was no surprise.

After a collective murmuring from the crowd, the native asked, “Gold?”

It took me a moment to understand what he was asking. Gold…what about gold? Oh. They wanted to know if we were looking for gold. Thank goodness we weren’t. I don’t know that I would have taken the commission to come to the Americas if we were in search of riches.

“No,” I shook my head again before adding, “maps.”

They looked at me with questions in their eyes, obviously unfamiliar with the word. I rifled through my satchel before I finally dug out a basic map that we had been provided with before leaving England, unfolded it and held it out for them to see.

“Maps,” I said again, pointing to the map in my hand and then to the woods surrounding us.

I saw the flicker of recognition on the elected speaker’s face and heard as he spoke in a foreign tongue to the chief, hopefully explaining.

I knew that they couldn’t possibly understand that we were here to survey the land for possible development then travel up and down the coast to help pinpoint locations and make sense of rumors surfacing in England. While we didn’t mean them harm now, there was no doubt in my mind that as the settlers came after us, the natives would surely be in danger. It wasn’t my place to attempt that kind of explanation though; I was simply a ship captain, tending his crew and looking after a few clueless cartographers. It would be generations before their tribe was threatened…hopefully.

-

Our relation with natives grew healthier over time, much to the chagrin of some of the crewmembers. Most, though, took to the idea of maintaining peace with our neighbors and we interacted with them daily. The ship’s quartermaster, Jasper, had become our elected speaker as my trans-language communication skills were severely lacking. Although we were effectively communicating, each party still had trouble understanding more than a word of the other’s language so we kept most words as close to monosyllabic as we could get. Even our names had been shortened; I was now either Cap or Ed while Jasper became known as Jazz. Similarly, their elected speaker answered to Seth while their leader was referred to as Swan. I had yet to inquire about the beautiful girl’s name out of sheer embarrassment at first, then fear after I discerned that she was the chief’s daughter.

She was always out in the communal area when I made my daily visit, which always brightened my day. After the first weeks though, I began to worry about her. I had easily spotted that she stood out from her fellow tribesmen, but it seemed that they noticed as well. She didn’t seem to be accepted within the tribe as most of the natives appeared to avoid her and give her a wide birth when walking near, what I assumed were, her personal quarters. It didn’t make sense to me though. She was the chief’s daughter — shouldn’t she be treated in high regard? Would she not be the equivalent of a princess in England? In regards to the reverence paid to her, it was more along the lines of disease ridden as opposed to royal. There were a few that she seemed to be acquainted with and who actually appeared to be good friends, and I was grateful for them.

The two girls and one man that were familiar with her brought out a radiance in her eyes that she lacked when left to her own devices. I considered myself lucky if they interacted during my visit and I got to see a smile light up her face. As the days wore on and the heat began to wane, I realized that my desire to see her happy was growing into a stronger emotion – an emotion that I couldn’t repress any longer. I realized that I was falling in love with the girl and I had yet to even be within five feet of her. Lord help me.

I thought myself lucky one day when I noticed that the beautiful girl – Bella as I’d come to call her in my thoughts – was talking with her male friend, until I paid closer attention to their interactions. He took every opportunity he could to touch her, even in a completely innocent way, and would plaster a smile on his face whenever she looked up at him. She, on the other hand, seemed extremely uncomfortable and moved awkwardly around her workstation while shifting her eyes quickly to her various surroundings. Being a seaman, I hadn’t been brought up in ‘proper’ society, but I knew enough about nature in general to recognize a mating ritual when I saw one. And I had certainly been watching my Bella long enough to read her emotions quite clearly. Given these facts, I deduced that the man was interested in my Bella and that she most certainly did not reciprocate his feelings. As the rage bubbled up inside of me, I tried to repress it as best I could so that I could take advantage of the situation I had been presented with. I could finally interact with my Bella and, hopefully, she would be grateful that I saved her from more unwanted touches.

Jasper was talking to Seth about rabbit meat versus deer meat or some such nonsense, so I felt no qualms in breaking off and approaching my Bella. I walked slowly, attempting not to scare her with a rapid approach and warn her that I was indeed walking towards her. As I got closer, our eyes locked and I felt a smile on my face, mirroring the one adorning hers. Her smile excited me even more. I had wondered if her isolation was of her own doing, but her happiness in my upcoming company nullified that train of thought. Now I simply needed to find out why so many shunned her.

I feigned interest in the blanket she seemed to be darning at her work station once I reached her and kneeled down to examine it further. The man continued talking to her in their language and ignored the fact that I had just invaded their little bubble. My Bella, though, she paid me keen attention and I felt her eyes on me as I inspected her work. After a few moments, I looked up at her and smiled to show my appreciation for the blanket – it was certainly more than I could have ever made. She smiled back and the voice of the man standing beside her seemed to drown out into the background.

“Like?” she asked tentatively, pointing to the blanket.

“Yes,” I said immediately, accompanied with a headshake.

I tried to think of something else to communicate to her. Anything would do – I was beyond desperate for interaction with her at this point.

“Soft,” I said as I caressed the material.

She mimicked my movements and repeated my words while returning my gaze.

We were broken out of our own world when the man spoke loudly to her, attempting to regain her attention. They bickered for a few moments before their words became more heated and their voices louder. The man took a threatening step towards my Bella, an attempt to intimidate her, and I was immediately on my feet. I quickly drew her behind me and stood between her and the touching man in a clear show of defense. We had never interacted, but all of the natives were aware of who I was and he would be a fool to lay a hand on me. He stared at me, fury pulsing in his eyes, for quite a while before realizing that I would not back down then retreated with shoulders slumped.

Once I was sure that she was out of harm’s way, I turned around to my beautiful girl to see that she was all right. The admiration was shining from her eyes and I couldn’t help but feel smug. I had come to her rescue and she was grateful. Today was lucky after all.

“Thank you,” her melodic voice spoke after a moment.

I smiled while nodding my head and gently squeezing her hand as a sign of reassurance. As our skin touched for the first time, I felt a strange feeling pulse through my body. I suddenly felt happier and fuller and…more alive. It was almost as if I had been surviving on stale bread my entire life and now, touching her hand, I was feasting on pheasant. It was magnificent. My smile grew wider but a millisecond later she let out a small gasp and withdrew her hand from mine. Had she felt it too? Was her feeling the same as mine? Why did she react so negatively if it was? Maybe she had the opposite reaction? My mind raced as I watched my Bella retreat back into herself, the light dimming in her eyes until it was gone completely. I knew that my time with her was over for now and made my way back to Jasper with one, last smile.

-

I tried to interact with my Bella when it seemed appropriate after that, but she never looked at me the way she had before we touched. I was disheartened to say the least, but I refused to give up. She needed friends and I desperately wanted to be her friend. There was no way that I could abandon her when simply touching her hand had made me feel so elated. I couldn’t imagine what being around her on a regular basis would do to me.

About two weeks had passed since our initial interaction, which also marked approximately four months since coming ashore, when I saw what I assumed to be the end of argument between her and Swan. The duration of our stay at the camp, both appeared to be extremely irritable and ignored the other once Swan was drawn into our company. We had witnessed other such domestic disputes since arriving, but this was the first one to hold any interest for me. I wanted to know why they were fighting and why she seemed so upset. They were obviously not arguing over what she would serve for dinner, although I’m sure I would have cared just as much if that was what they had been arguing about.

“Do you know what Swan and his daughter were arguing about when we got there?” I asked Jasper as we made the trek back to our camp later that afternoon.

“Oh, you noticed that?” he replied, avoiding my question.

“Well, of course. Now I know that you know something, so you best tell me what you’ve been privy to. I’m still your captain, Whitlock,” I said in the most foreboding voice I could muster.

“Someone’s got a keen interest in the chief’s daughter, do they? Well, that’s not surprising. You always were attracted to the eccentric.”

I clenched my hands into fists as I fought the urge to wallop Jasper for calling my Bella eccentric.

“What in God’s name are you talking about? Just answered my damned question!” I hollered, letting my anger out in my voice instead of my fists.

He cleared his throat, like the smug bastard he was, before sharing his knowledge.

“Well it seems that the chief’s daughter’s mother was English. She came exploring with her brother or something ages ago and stayed behind when she fell in love with the chief. I guess everyone was still pretty wary of foreigners 20 odd years ago and the tribe didn’t take well to their chief taking an English mate. At first, she was tolerated, but when she became pregnant she was shunned. Apparently, mixing the races was trouble enough but then to procreate was just over the line. Well, the mother died during childbirth and the daughter was raised by the chief and a kind, elder woman. Aside from a few rebels and close family friends, she’s been shunned by the tribe for her entire life.”

The passion coursing through me was indescribable, but I simply knew that the tribe’s prejudice was completely unjustified. Unfortunately, she was born into the sins of her parents. I was almost ecstatic when I realized that being the daughter of the chief was what saved her from total isolation from the natives. As horrible as the situation was for her, I recognized that it could have been worse and I was grateful that it wasn’t.

“That explains a lot, but not their argument,” I replied after returning from my thoughts.

“You had to know that to understand the argument. That’s why I told you. It seems that girls marry quite young in the tribe and she’s still unwed with almost two decades to her name. Her one prospect was the man that you got into that altercation with. Apparently she’s been spurning his advances for years, but when you stepped in, he cracked and won’t speak to her now. She also does not intend to lead the tribe, so the chief is anxious about her wellbeing. From what I gather, it’s considerably worse in their culture than in England for a female to remain unwed. He believes she’s bringing more shame to the family.”

I nodded my head in understanding as he finished the story and I couldn’t help the ideas that began popping into my head.

I could marry my Bella.

I could take her away from this place, away from the rejection she’s felt all her life.

I could love and cherish her and make her feel wanted for the first time.

Jasper planted the seed in my head and my plans continued to grow from that moment forward.

-

Over the next two weeks, I began plans to build a more permanent residence for myself apart from the barracks that the crew had all been sharing. I was not sure how the chief would receive my intentions towards his daughter, but I knew that my chances were better if I was more prepared to take on the role of husband. Although I knew they were curious, my men didn’t question my motives for moving into my own quarters after so long, for which I was grateful. I was loathe to hear their opinions on interracial unions and would avoid it at all costs.

When construction on my cottage was well under way, I knew that the time had come to take the final step before asking the chief for his daughter’s hand. I knew that England would not receive my hopeful union well and I could not leave my Bella behind for an unknown period of time to return to England to fulfill my commission from the king. I would have to sell my commission to someone I trusted – someone I knew would carry out the king’s wishes in my absence. It was no question in my mind who should take over my command; I only hoped that he would agree.

“McCarty! My quarters! Now!” I hollered the afternoon before I intended to go to the chief.

I walked into the barracks and made sure that it was emptied before losing my captain façade to confront my first lieutenant. I would be Edward talking to Emmett, not superior commanding subordinate.

“Yes, sir?” Emmett said hesitantly after entering the barracks.

“I would like to discuss something important with you, McCarty, but I need your word that the details will not leave these walls,” I said sternly.

“Of course not, sir,” he assured me.

I knew that I didn’t actually need to tell him that the matters were private, but it never hurt to be sure.

“I have decided that I should like to stay here permanently and not make the return voyage to England once the cartographers have finished their survey. As you know, I was commissioned by the king to lead this project and I can think of no better man to take over said commission than you. You are the only man I trust to act in my stead and I hope that you accept my offer, Emmett.”

I added his name to the end to make it more personal – so that he knew this was something that I truly desired and not some whim of a fanciful captain.

“It’s a great shame to lose a captain such as yourself, but I would be proud to take up for you. I am honored that you have asked me, Edward.”

“I am pleased to hear it, Emmett. You may go, but please send in Whitlock, if you may.”

I couldn’t hold back the grin that surfaced as Emmett had just taken care of the final roadblock that I had any control over. Now it was up to me to convince the chief that I should marry his daughter. I was unsure if his union with an Englishwoman would be to my advantage or not – my Bella would surely be shunned completely should she marry me, but was that a more compelling argument than remaining unwed for the rest of her days? I knew that my chances were split fairly evenly, but I couldn’t help but hope that my obvious affection for his daughter and my willingness to provide for her would work in my favor.

“You wanted to speak to me, sir?” Jasper said, rousing me from my thoughts.

“Yes, Whitlock. In the morning, you and I shall travel to the tribe as early as possible. I would like to ask the chief for his daughter’s hand in marriage and I’m going to need your help to do so. I have just now put the final pieces into place for this to happen and I would like to make my intentions known as soon as possible.”

Jasper seemed speechless for the first time since I’d known him and it gave me an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“Are you sure about this, Captain? I’ve seen your interaction and she doesn’t seem very taken with you. Need I also remind you of the obvious language barrier you would be facing?” he questioned apprehensively.

“I am quite aware of the circumstances, Whitlock. We will have more to overcome in our union than others, but I believe that she will make a solid wife and we can build a contented life together,” I answered. I would not be sharing the true nature of my feelings with anyone other than those immediately involved, least of all with our makeshift translator, nor would I tolerate anyone questioning my intentions.

I loved my Bella and, although she had been unreceptive to me as of late, I knew that she could grow to love me as well.

-

The following morning, I rose with the sun and was pleased to see Jasper do the same; I was not in an accommodating mood and was not prepared to wait for him. We readied ourselves in silence and after taking some small breakfast rations, we began the long trek to the native’s camp. Our journey was slow and silent, only the latter by my choice. My nerves were beginning to get the better of me and I doubted that I was good enough for the chief’s daughter. Millions of scenarios with unpleasant endings ran through my head culminating in my worst nightmare: my Bella refusing to marry me and doing a variety of nefarious things to avoid doing so.

The closer we came to the camp, the more unsteady my breathing became. I was worried that I may have some sort of attack – something I had witnessed multiple times when a sailor’s nerves got the best of him.

As if he could read my thoughts, Jasper said, “They will accept, Captain. They would be obtuse not to.”

I gave him a small nod in thanks and tried to control my breathing before we were in sight of the camp. There could be no indications of weakness from that moment onward and I only hoped I could keep my insecurities hidden well enough.

I stood silently by Jasper’s side as he requested the chief’s audience once we found Seth. Waiting for Swan to arrive was possibly one of the most nerve wracking moments of my life and I prayed to all the gods in Heaven that he might be a morning person. After what seemed like decades, the burly chief appeared next to Seth and Jasper began to explain my hopes. Once it dawned on the chief what I was proposing, all went quiet and he judged me from head to toe. I tried to appear sure of myself and confident in my offer as he looked me over, but on the inside I felt like my world was ending. He mumbled something to Seth before turning around and walking back to his quarters.

The bile rose in my stomach, the adrenaline spiked in my veins and I felt my panic come in the form of lightheadedness. It took everything I had in me to remain standing after what appeared to be a rejection of my offer. I would never be able to show my face to the natives again – they would all know the story of the Englishman who foolishly wanted to wed the chief’s daughter. My self berating was interrupted by Jasper.

“The chief wishes to speak to you in private.”

I stared at him, dumbfounded. How the hell would the chief ‘speak to me in private?’ I’d be lucky if I could get him to pronounce my name correctly! Maybe he wanted to kill me in the privacy of his own quarters – public killings were so messy these days.

Sensing my hesitation, Jasper shoved me in the direction that Swan had just gone and tried to give me a reassuring nod. I knew better though; these steps would surely be my last. Once I reached his hut, I tentatively pulled back the animal skin in the doorway and entered. The chief was standing in the middle of his dimly lit home, staring at me with menacing eyes.

“So you would like to marry my daughter?” he said gruffly.

“Yes,” I answered emphatically before realizing that he had just spoken to me in English. “Wait…what?”

“I asked if you wished to marry my daughter,” he repeated.

“I understood you, sir, but you spoke English!” I exclaimed.

“Well of course I speak English. I was married to an Englishwoman for over five years. Do you think we simply didn’t communicate in all that time?” he asked with a sarcastic lilt.

“I never thought of it, sir. You never spoke in English in front of us, though, and made us go through a great deal of trouble to try and communicate with you. I’m not sure that I understand the logic behind your actions.”

I was trying to be as respectful as I could. He hadn’t rejected my proposal yet, but I was still flabbergasted by his knowledge of English.

“It is a defense mechanism, to be sure. If every English-speaking explorer that came here knew that I could understand them, they would surely try to swindle and outwit me. By playing dumb, I maintain the upper hand. I never intended to reveal my English-speaking abilities with you, but I feel that it is necessary now.”

I simply nodded in response. What else could I do?

“Captain, I would like you to know that if any other of your crew had come to me with this proposition, I would have struck down the notion without a second thought. You, however, are an exceptional man and I have come to trust you in our time spent working together. I see the way that you look at my daughter and how you act around her. You love her, do you not?”

And there it was…the question to end all questions.

“Yes, sir, I do and I hope that, should we marry, she will grow to love me in return,” I replied earnestly. It was now or never at this point and I was going to put it all on the line.

“That is all I can ask for. I married for love and I would be cruel to deny anyone else that luxury. I must warn you, however, that she will not be amenable to this at first, as I am agreeing without consulting her, but know that I have seen the light in her eyes when she looks at you. Your union holds great potential and I will not hesitate to act should you lose faith in your marriage.”

I felt as if I might fly straight to the heavens. He had agreed! I would marry my Bella! My heart raced and all of my previous anxiety transformed into ecstasy. I never knew that my spirits could be so dramatically lifted within mere moments and a few small words.

“Of course, sir. I would expect nothing less, but I can sincerely assure you that I will do everything in my power to prevent that.”

His warning was heard, but unnecessary. As if I could ever lose faith in my love for my Bella. I had loved her for months before even speaking to her. I could love her forever as long as she was by my side.

Swan looked me up and down one last time before leaving his hut and I had no choice but to follow. He walked towards Jasper and Seth, only to continue on past them. As his plan became clear, my anxiety returned and I felt mortification begin to set in. He was going to tell his daughter of our upcoming marriage…right now…in front of me…and the rest of the tribe.

When she first caught sight of me, I could have sworn that my Bella looked excited but that quickly turned to confusion as she realized that I was approaching with her father. They began speaking almost immediately and although I couldn’t understand them, I was very aware of when she realized her situation. To say that she was furious would have been an understatement. She immediately went off on a tirade, yelling at her father, saying who knows what, and ignoring me entirely.

I was grateful at first, to be forgotten, because the last thing I wanted was to be subject to her rage, but as tensions rose I grew uncomfortable. I was unsure if I should step in as the newly betrothed or leave the argument to father and daughter. The longer I felt the stares of the tribesmen on me, the more I made up my mind that interference was required.

“My Bella, please calm down,” I said patiently as I approached her with my arms outstretched.

As soon as I spoke, she turned on me and the passion I saw raging beneath her eyes was enough to scare any grown man. Her assault turned to me and she began to rebuke me in a language that I had no comprehension of. Even though the words were unknown, her feelings were not. My Bella was not happy…not happy at all. It appeared that she did not want to marry me nor did she want any type of relationship with me.

I had my work cut out for me.

-

The arrangements were made in the following days and we were to be married in two weeks’ time. I desperately tried to fall into my Bella’s good graces, but she would have nothing to do with me or the planning of our wedding. My guilt grew exponentially as she continued to resist and I had to keep telling myself that she would grow to love me, that we would be a good pair, to keep my resolve. I didn’t think there was anything as disheartening as having a woman spurn your affections – it was certainly a first for me. The days dragged on, however, and I became more invested in the construction of our cottage than anything else happening at either camp. I had officially turned over leadership to Emmett at that point so I had very little clout in either community, but my crew was loyal and continued to help me build my future home and allowed me to bunk in the barracks.

Two days before the wedding, the cottage still had no roof and I realized that I would need to make alternate accommodations for my future bride and myself; I couldn’t ask her to share a cot with me in the barracks! After explaining the situation to Seth, he helped me pick out a variety of animal skins and blankets then build a secluded hut equidistance from each camp. Seth was quickly becoming a good friend as he was one of the few that supported my actions and I was glad that he would officiate over the wedding ceremony. I secretly hoped that he was fluent in English after the chief’s big reveal, but sadly, he was not. It seemed that Swan was the only one in the tribe who could speak it and I couldn’t help but be saddened; neither my future bride nor my closest friend could speak my native tongue and vice versa. Only I would have such luck.

Finally the day of the wedding arrived and the butterflies in my stomach would not calm down, even with the shot of whiskey I took before making the hike through the woods to the native camp. I was nervous that I had been wrong all along about my Bella, that she could never love me. I was nervous that we might be shunned by both communities and forced into solitude all because of my selfishness. I was nervous because on top of all my other worries, I was about to be married! I had never been married before – I didn’t know what to expect! Well, I knew what to expect, but I didn’t even expect that. I knew that my Bella would not want that, especially not when we were alone together for the very first time. I hadn’t even touched her since the altercation with her former admirer, so I surely couldn’t touch her now. No, I would have to gain her trust and affection. I didn’t want any of our relations to be forced or unwanted. I knew the expectations of most societies, but my conscience wouldn’t even let me think of anything like that with my Bella without making me sick to my stomach. As I realized this, I remembered that our union would be sealed with a kiss. The last woman I had kissed had been my mother! Surely I would disappoint my Bella.

The closer we came to the camp, the greater my insecurities became. A million different scenarios raced through my mind and the one that stood in the forefront was one in which I imagined what my Bella was feeling. If I was this anxious when I knew that I loved her, how could she be feeling? Then I felt horrible that I was making her feel bad in any way. My insecurities became an endless cycle that frenzied my mind up until I saw my Bella approaching me.

I hadn’t even been aware that I’d arrived, let alone that the ceremony had begun, yet my Bella was standing before me, in her best dress, waiting to be married. I stared into her eyes as Seth straddled both languages through the service and was taken back by the resolve that I saw in them. It was obvious that she had been crying, her eyes red-rimmed and puffed, but she showed no signs of doubt or fear. I worried that she may have resolved herself to this unwanted fate, but I hoped that she would finally see all that I felt for her and would do for her. It was impossible to know, but I chose to remain optimistic.

The end of the ceremony arrived and our hands were joined, the feelings of being whole coursing through my veins once again, in anticipation of our first kiss. I could see the trepidation in her expression, but I would not allow it to deter me. A simple kiss was not asking too much and I would be damned if I didn’t get at least that on my wedding day; God knows it only happened once!

I leaned my head down slowly to meet hers and used every bit of restraint I had once our lips finally touched. A current shot through my body and my lips tingled as they moved against hers – an electricity pulsing between us. She could feel it as well, I knew, and timidly moved her lips against mine. I felt my heart soar at her first show of affection and could not help the smile that spread across my face and remain plastered there throughout the rest of the day.

-

After a celebratory feast and the receiving of gifts, I walked with my new wife hand-in-hand towards our temporary home. I was not expecting anything of her tonight, but could not contain the excitement I felt at being able to hold her in my arms throughout the night as we slept together. I felt tension build in the air as we approached the hut and knew that she was nervous of what was to come. Chastely, I brought my lips to hers and squeezed her hand in assurance before moving alone into the hut and dressing for bed. I heard her enter a few moments later, but did not turn around as I changed into my nightshirt and breeches. I did not want to make her feel uncomfortable by forcing her to look at my body or by looking at hers. Once I was changed, I went into the woods to relieve myself before going to bed and hoped that she would be changed when I returned for the sake of my self-control.

Thankfully, she was lying on our makeshift bed in her nightshirt when I returned and I couldn’t hold back the happiness I felt at seeing her like that. I moved onto the bed and rolled to my side so that I was facing her. The apprehension was obvious on her face and I hated that she was so nervous about what I was not about to force on her. I affectionately brushed my fingers through her tresses, hoping to alleviate her nerves, and watched as her eyes fluttered closed.

“I love you, my Bella. I am yours,” I whispered before placing a tender kiss on her lips.

I quietly moved my body closer to hers and moved my hand from her hair to wrap my arm around her midsection. I nuzzled into her shoulder and turned off my thoughts in anticipation of my impending slumber.

-

Our nights ended the same way for a week following our marriage. Every night we would ready for bed separately before I would move next to her.

“I love you, my Bella. I am yours,” I would whisper each night before falling asleep.

On our seventh night together, I tasted salt on her lips as I kissed her. When I pulled back I saw that she was crying. I immediately panicked and wondered what would cause her to cry.

“What’s wrong, my love? Please tell me why you are crying,” I said as I brushed her hair away from her face.

With my words, she let out a strangled sob and the tears rolled down her cheeks more quickly. Bile rose in my throat as I thought of all the possibilities of why she could be so upset while my mind raced, trying to come up with a logical explanation. I hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary that day; she hadn’t acted any differently than she had in the past days.

“You…” I froze, as she finally spoke, “you don’t want me!”

I was shocked at her words – not only their meaning but also the fact that they were in English! Could she have spoken my language all along? Why would she hide this from me? She had no reason to, unlike her father. Furthermore, what on earth could make her believe that I, her husband, did not want her?

My reaction was the least appropriate one imaginable, yet I could not stop it – I broke out into hysterical laughter. I would marry someone who hid the fact that she could understand me and talk to me in my native tongue and who believed that I didn’t want her.

“My pain amuses you?” she asked incredulously as she pulled her body away from mine.

“You silly woman! Night after night you listen to me talk to you as if you can’t understand, but you do, and I confess how much I love you only for you to believe that I don’t want you! How could think such nonsense?” I replied, attempting to control my laughter.

“You will not touch me! One chaste kiss before bed and that is it! You have not made me your wife and it has already been a week. It is obvious that you have no desire to be with me.”

I stared into her eyes and was shocked to see the affections that I felt for her reflected in them. Had I paid her more attention in the previous days, I might have noticed, but I was too preoccupied with trying to be a good husband – ironic as it was. I slowly brought my mouth to hers and was ecstatic when she molded it to mine. She could no longer doubt my desire for her. The electricity was still there and still just as potent as the first time we kissed and that fact strengthened my arousal. I wanted to press my body to hers, to feel the planes and contours of her luscious curves, but I didn’t want to scare her. Did she know the ways between a woman and a man? As a sailor, I’d had my fair share of fun, but never more than just eliciting a release via hand or mouth. I was ignorant of what knowledge respectable women had of sharing a bed with their husband and I was not about to push my luck any more this evening.

Our kisses grew more fervent and my heart almost burst through my chest as I felt my Bella tentatively press her tongue between my lips. Quickly, I granted her access and was provoked even more by the soft groans and whimpers that the touching of our tongues brought from her. I suddenly felt a sharp, yet not unpleasant, pain at the crown of my head and realized that her hands were twined in my hair, yanking at it when she was particularly excited. I couldn’t help but be pleased that I could elicit this type of reaction from my wife; I had no idea that giving pleasure could be so gratifying. I would have to store that tidbit away for future use.

The tension in our small hut grew to unreasonable heights and I had to feel more of my wife to relieve some of it – there was no other way. Slowly, I pressed my chest to hers, only two thin pieces of cloth separating our skin. With this, she groaned loudly and pushed her body completely flush with mine only to draw a moan from me. My erection grew even more as it was cradled against her soft, warm stomach. I was instantly grateful that we were still on our sides because I knew that I wouldn’t be able to control myself had my body been fully pressed to hers with the help of gravity.

“Edward,” she whispered huskily as I pulled my lips down her neck to allow both of us to breathe for a moment.

“Yes, my love?” I replied, paying special attention to a sensitive spot just behind her earlobe.

“Please…I need to feel you,” she said.

She dragged her hands from my hair and down my back, to the hem of my nightshirt. I was more than happy to oblige and hastily pulled away to rip it off only to latch back onto her neck as soon as my head cleared the neck hole. Torturously slowly, she drew her fingernails across ever inch of skin that I had just exposed – from the dimples at the small of my back to the indention of my collarbones. My body responded accordingly and I could no longer keep my hands in respectable locations. As slowly as I could manage, I moved my hands down her back and onto her thighs. A growl escaped my mouth when I felt her nightshirt end and was met with her supple skin. It was beyond anything I could ever imagine – softer than the apples of her cheeks, but not better, just entirely different. Where her cheeks and face were beautiful, her legs were sensual and roused my cock to excruciating levels.

As we diligently explored each other’s bodies, my Bella began to move her hips rhythmically against mine in the most natural and enticing way. My hands inadvertently went further up her thighs and underneath her nightshirt, closer to her heated sex that I could feel through our clothing. Her breathing stopped momentarily with this new touch and then began again in faster pants than before. If I had any questions previously, I knew now without a doubt that she wanted this as much as I did and that this was as instinctive with us as any other couple. It did not matter that neither of us had been with someone like this before. This only solidified my knowledge that we were meant for each other, that it could only be this easy for a couple who were undoubtedly fated for one another.

To make the situation more comfortable, I progressively turned us over so that I was above my Bella, my knees and elbows supporting my weight. I quickly took advantage of our new position and moved the hand that was not near the apex of her legs to the swell of her breast. I caressed her left breast as delicately as I could and felt her racing heart beneath it. A smile spread across my lips as they met hers again when I realized that I was causing her heart to beat so quickly – me!

“Edward, please!” she begged as my ministrations continued.

I knew what I should do next, but was not very experienced in the area – I did not want to disappoint my Bella. After taking a moment to prepare myself, I began to knead her breast more firmly and moved my other hand to cup her heated sex. We both let out strangled noises at the contact and I felt my baser instincts take over. Slowly I began to rub my hand over her sex as I felt the moisture build there. Once I couldn’t stand it any longer, I dragged my finger along the slit between her lips and she bucked into my hand. I couldn’t help the little chuckle that escaped at her show of impatience, but when I heard her small whine I knew that I could never deny her. I drew my finger back and forth as I moved my mouth down her neck and when she fisted and pulled my hair, I pressed down onto her sensitive nub.

The cry that came screaming from her lungs almost brought me to release as her body crushed itself to mine reflexively. Her breathing was labored and I knew that she was not far from euphoria – I was determined to bring her gratification before the pain I knew would accompany our time together would bring. I lightly worked the swollen knot at the top of her slit with my thumb while I began to massage her tight opening with my fingers. My erection hardened even more as I realized that I was bringing her pleasure as I was preparing her for me. The thought of it was beyond erotic as I felt her body become more animated beneath mine. I knew that I could not hold out much longer and slowly pushed my longest finger into her taut sex. Her body went rigid at the intrusion before she moved her hips against my hand, asking for more. Diligently, I worked her with my hand as she began to reach her pinnacle. As her climax held off, I added another finger to my ministrations and immediately felt her walls clamp onto them as she reached her release. My name fell from her lips as her release coated my fingers.

My cheeks grew sore, as I couldn’t prevent the smile that fixed on my face. I had just pleasured my wife for the first time and had done pretty damn well, I thought. Judging by the ethereal glow and lazy grin that adorned her face, I knew that I had succeeded and felt, for the first time, that I had done something right by my Bella.

Once she came down from her high, my Bella threw her arms around my neck and attacked my lips with her own. The kiss seared through my body and the only thing I could concentrate on was the feel of her curves flush with my arousal. As if reading my mind, she moved her hands to the top of my breeches and began to pull at the tie there. I pulled away momentarily before I reached the point of no return.

“Are you positive, my love? I will no be able to stop if we go any further,” I said, praying that she would be sure.

“I would never want to stop, Edward,” she said as she beamed up at me and continued the work on my breeches.

The tie was loose now and she looked into my face to seek approval before pushing my breeches all the way down. I lay above her, almost entirely bare, and exposing myself to her for the first time. She examined every inch of my body while her feet continued to work my breeches down my legs until I kicked them off on my own. Blood rushed to my erection, making it impossibly more rigid, as she stared at it. As my arousal reached uncomfortable heights, I slipped my hands under her nightshirt and up the sides of her ribs.

“May I?” I asked of the last remaining barrier between us.

She nodded minutely and I gently pulled her nightshirt up her body then over her head. I had seen a woman’s body before, but my Bella’s simply overwhelmed me. Her breasts were slightly larger than my hands and her nipples were peaked in excitement as her chest heaved with her breathing. Her stomach lay flat and smooth, untainted of the swelling from carrying a child – our child – for the time being. The apex of her legs still glistened from her climax while her legs looked strong yet lean and sensual. Everything about her body fit my ideals and I couldn’t help but believe, once again, that we were made for each other.

Uncertainly, she moved her hands along the planes of my chest and gradually closer to my cock. I wanted her to touch it, to explore it, to love it, but I was quickly approaching my last restraint and knew that I couldn’t restrain myself for much longer. I calmly, but hastily, ghosted my hands over the body that had just been exposed to be in reflection of her attentions towards me. As coolly as I could, I moved myself between her legs until our bodies aligned in the most timeless of ways.

“This may be uncomfortable at first, but please remember that I love you, my Bella. I am yours. I would prevent this if I could,” I said as I aligned myself with her sex.

She kissed me gently in acceptance and pushed her hips towards mine in anticipation. As softly as my body permitted, I pushed myself into her and was immediately overcome by the sensation of tight, slick heat. I’d broken past her barrier of maidenhood and felt her body tense below me from the pain and intrusion. I held still, hoping that she would become adjusted to me, and whispered soothing words into her ear as I used every ounce of self-restraint I possessed.

After what seemed like decades passed, I felt her shift infinitesimally beneath me and couldn’t hold back the moan that erupted from me. I was surprised to hear a similar noise from her, but was euphoric that were both at the same place. My instincts took over and I began to move steadily in and out of her. The sensations that pulsed through my body were unlike anything I had ever experienced and only the thought of her pleasure kept me from climaxing too quickly.

Soon, we found a rhythm and she moved with me, gyrating her hips in the most delicious ways. I attached my lips one of her stiff nipples and rejoiced at the sounds she produced at my actions. When I sucked it into my mouth, I instantly felt her fingers digging into my ass and almost climaxed instantaneously. Instead I growled into her chest and moved my cock with renewed vigor.

I knew that she was as close to her peak as I was, yet no matter how hard or fast I pumped into her, I could not send her over the edge. My patience was waning and I knew that I had to do something before my world exploded around me. Remembering my ministrations from before, I cautiously moved my hand between our bodies as we continued to move and deftly felt for her hypersensitive knot. I felt it beneath my fingertips after a few moments and firmly manipulated it in time with our bodies. Almost immediately, I felt her body tense below me as she cried my name. I released into her as her sex milked my cock and I was engulfed in the most exhilarating feeling I had ever experienced. Many times I had heard men speak of the act as a religious experience, but I never fully understood until that moment. Experiencing the throes of passion like that with my Bella renewed my faith in the fates and higher power. Surely, they were responsible for me finding someone so perfect for me; I would never have been so lucky on my own.

As we lay together, for the first time truly as husband and wife, I recalled what had brought on our passion.

“Why did you never speak to me?” I whispered as my face was nuzzled against her neck.

“You terrified me. From that first moment I saw you and your company, I knew that you would change my world forever. Then when you first touched me, I thought my heart was going to explode from my chest it was beating so hard. No one had ever elicited those feelings from me before. I had no idea what they meant,” she explained, lightly stroking my arm with tender fingertips.

“And do you now?”

I was petrified of her answer, but I knew that I must have it to continue on this way. I had to have hope in my future with her – in our future.

“Of course, dear husband. They mean that I love you more than anything on this earth, that you were made for me as I was for you, that your life is worth ten of mine and that nothing I could say or do could ever change that.”

History Lesson: I tried to remain as historically accurate and/or ambiguous as I possibly could. I don't speak any Native American languages nor am I well versed in pre-Revolutionary eastern tribes, so I thought this was the better option instead of abusing Wikipedia for information. But did you know that ‘orgasm’ wasn’t part of the English language until the 1700s? And ‘come’ didn’t come around *snickers* until the 1920s. Talk about lacking the language to write a proper lemon…as if it wasn’t hard enough already (that’s what she said).

Author's Note: This was a last-minute idea that I couldn't get out of my head after reading various entries for 'The Age of Edward Contest' and something I did just for shits and giggles. I was not aware of the similarities between this story and others with language barrier plots until after I began writing, so no infringement was intended on the authors of those stories. Those stories are ten times better than this one, though, so I don't think they have anything to worry about haha.

This story is completely stand-alone and is finished as a one-shot. I have zero intentions of expanding on it so...don't ask please.

And SERIOUSLY go check out the other entries in the C2 and vote. There are some truly awesome stories that were submitted that go above and beyond the guidelines that were set forth and they make me feel lame just for considering writing an entry.