Thank you to everyone who waited patiently for the final chapter. A new fic should be along before too long. Thank you to everyone who offered to beta/pre-read!

The plot of "Incunabula: Or The Golden Legend" is entirely mine while any dialogue or characters from the Twilight series belong to S. Meyers. No copyright infringement intended.

Be joyful always.

Thessalonians 5:16

Thirty-six

The warm glow of the sconces lent the ballroom of the Arctic Hotel a close, shadowed feel despite the high, domed ceiling overhead. The light was muted but not dull, a golden yellow that flattered the features of the auction's attendees.

My arms were crossed tightly around my waist, unable to curb the anxiety I unfailingly felt in these circumstances. Though there was no need for me to place any bids on the items up for auction, the festive, expectant atmosphere had me on edge, restraining the urge to tap my foot or gnaw my bottom lip. I knew Edward would pick up on my nerves and needlessly worry as to the cause; nothing, however, could hide the flush in my cheeks.

"Excited?" The man in question was at my side, offering me a glass of champagne as his free hand landed on my elbow.

"Hmm," I lifted my chin with the wordless answer, gaze darting over the rapidly filling ballroom.

"You know I'll donate anything I win to the university," Edward's voice was cajoling, his fingers sliding up my arm in a manner that only made my cheeks brighten.

"That's not it," I quietly answered, eyes falling to my feet. I didn't want to admit that I felt out of place, that I had already tripped nearly twice in the black heels Alice had bought that past weekend, that I knew none of the people before me in their tuxedos and expensive gowns, and that the covert stares we kept receiving weren't helping. I wasn't sure whether the stares and occasional whisper were due to the still recent misadventure in London, or because of my newly elevated status as Edward's fiancée.

After all, to admit those things would be admitting that perhaps I didn't belong at Edward's side at all. My back straightened at the thought. No, I would grit my teeth, make small talk, avoid the more rude stares, and throw the heels away when I got home.

"The minute the auction for the incunabula is complete, we can leave," Edward murmured close to my ear.

My eyes flew up to his. "You don't have to do that," I protested, wondering if he could somehow read my mind. "We can stay as long as you like."

"Edward, my good man!" Any response he might have been forming was interrupted by the approaching gentleman whose round shape was matched by a round, red face. "Always great to see you at these events!"

"Good evening, Marcus," Edward nodded ever so slightly before he turned to me. "This is my fiancée, Isabella Swan. Bella, this is Marcus Mirvolt." I vaguely recognized the name—one of the early Microsoft pioneers who'd since bought several professional sports teams and now acted as the head of his own foundation.

"Nice to meet you," I smiled, hoping it didn't appear too unnerved.

"My pleasure!" He responded jovially, vigorously shaking my hand. "Though I have to admit the news caught me—and I think everyone else—by surprise! No idea you had someone hidden in the wings, sly fellow!" He narrowed his eyes at us both and I nearly expected him to wink.

"Hardly hidden," Edward's smile was polite, his grip growing firm around my upper arm. "How's Diane?" He rapidly changed the subject, clearly uncaring whether it was obvious.

"Great, as always. Trying to get the youngest ready to go away to college in a few weeks—Dartmouth, you know…" The conversation went on for a few more minutes before the rotund man excused himself.

After he was out of earshot, Edward leaned towards me again, his lips tantalizingly close to my ear. "He usually hits me up for donations to his favorite causes. I'm surprised he didn't do so this time—especially without Emmett to ward the sycophants away." He and Rozalina were on their honeymoon after a spur-of-the moment wedding in Las Vegas.

"Too distracted by your hidden fiancée," I couldn't resist teasing, smiling up at him.

"Hardly hidden," Edward repeated firmly, his emerald eyes steady as they met mine. "It's no concern of theirs if I keep you to myself."

I couldn't resist snorting, "You mean if I prefer to sit at home watching Mythbusters repeats?"

Edward laughed in response, head thrown back, the sound so genuine that I couldn't help smiling widely in response. For the first few weeks after we had all returned from London, I'd stayed with him at his penthouse; this was partly because I had yet to fully adjust to feeling safe again, and partly because the security kept the lingering journalists at bay. I'd attempted to reassert my independence by moving back in with Alice a short time later, and had been pleasantly surprised when Edward didn't fight me on it.

"I understand things between us have been far from normal," he'd said, running a hand through his hair. "I want you to do whatever is going to give you a sense of normalcy." I'd thrown my arms around him in response, thrilled a conversation I'd been dreading hadn't ended in arguments and frustration.

Of course, I'd ended up staying at his penthouse nearly every night since then—to the point that Alice had started teasing me about leasing out my room. Even though Edward and I did little besides lounge around and head to bed far too early, I couldn't bring myself to stay away.

My gaze darted over the crowd again, realizing with a slight flush that Edward's laugh had drawn more stares, dropping my chin at the attention. "Don't be shy, Miss Svan," Jasper teased as he ducked through the melee, crossing to Edward's side. "They're probably just marveling at this guy looking anything besides grimly obligated."

Edward grinned at this, reaching out a hand to grasp Jasper's in greeting. "Maybe I should hand over attending these things to you," he mused.

"God knows Alice would be up for it," Jasper replied. "I know she's around here somewhere…" He craned his curly head, trying to discern his petite girlfriend among the crowd. Jasper had chosen to stay put after the exhibit had gone on the road for a national tour of major museums, unwilling to leave Alice for the length of time such a commitment would require. He'd found various consulting jobs largely through Edward and my own contacts, but had yet to find anything permanent.

"That's not a bad idea," I quietly replied. It had been the role I'd played for Dr. Cullen, and one I'd never been entirely comfortable claiming.

"After all, you have your Mythbusters," Edward teased, his fingers dancing along my ribs.

"Oh, as if you're doing anything exciting—pretending to ignore the television while reviewing your financial reports," I shot back, smacking at his hand.

"You guys are like two teenagers," Jasper drawled, a grin playing over his lips.

"As if you can talk," I protested. He and Alice had made a trip to Louisiana and Texas over the holidays, meeting one another's families and, according to late night calls from Alice, suffering terribly while sleeping in separate rooms. I blushed at the thought, recalling Charlie's response to Edward's claim that Edward and I were engaged. His tan face had gone a mottled red that had me worried he'd forgotten to breathe. When he'd finally spoken, the words were a strangled mutter.

"We'll see about that."

Of course, this had been the exact phrase to get my back up; I couldn't quite determine who I was most annoyed with as I'd stumbled through the airport terminal and out to the parking garage: Edward for presuming my response would be 'yes' or my father for thinking he had any say over the matter. I'd fumed silently in the car for the entirety of the ride into Seattle, arms crossed over my chest, glaring at them both as Edward calmly relayed everything that had happened, and Charlie asked clarifying questions.

It wasn't until we'd arrived at the apartment I shared with Alice that I'd spoken; Edward quietly offered to give me time to catch up with my dad and I'd snapped, "Oh, so you'll leave that one up to me then?"

I'd been surprised to feel Charlie's hand on my own, tugging me from the car. "C'mon, Bells," he'd gruffly muttered, stepping out into the cool grey northwest day. I'd been so bemused by his response that I'd simply followed, dumbly standing on the curb at his side. It wasn't until the town car had pulled away that Charlie spoke again, gazing to the horizon, apparently deep in thought. "I think that fellow would give his life for you." He'd paused, his eyes focusing and meeting my own. "That's once in a lifetime stuff, you know?"

Sudden tears had pricked my eyes, wondering at my childish mutiny in the face of everything I'd gone through with Edward. And did I truly expect anything different from my high-handed CFO?

"You're right," I'd quietly replied.

I glanced down at the sparkling ring on my left hand, feeling silly for the warmth that crept up my throat at the sight. It glittered even in the weak golden light of the Arctic Hotel's sconces, the rich weave of diamonds taking up nearly the entirety of my first knuckle.

"I see that." The teasing whisper came from my left, small hands suddenly grasping my wrist and squeezing in excited greeting.

"Alice," I smiled down at my roommate, my blush intensifying at having been caught admiring my engagement ring.

"My little dervish," Jasper added, slinking an arm around her waist. She was in her element, her tiny frame garbed in a sleek silver sheath, strappy stilettos adorning her pedicured feet.

"Sorry I'm late," she added. "I couldn't decide between the snakeskin heels or the gladiators."

"And which ones did you go with?" I asked, squinting down at her feet.

"The gladiators, silly," Alice replied. Jasper laughed, landing a kiss on her temple.

She had asked me to tell her the story of the engagement a dozen times before I'd finally begged her to stop asking for more detail. "I just can't believe he tossed a ring that valuable in a book!"

"It was tied to the bookmark," I'd sighed.

"But it's an old bookmark!" Alice had protested. "It could have frayed and the ring could have rolled around behind the shelves for eternity!"

"He told me which book he wanted me to read."

"But you could have said, 'yeah, sure' and then gone back to eating ice cream or whatever it is you do over at his place all night. You could have put off reading it for weeks…or months!"

I'd sighed again. Alice hadn't even registered that the book Edward had told me I should check out was a prayer book that had belonged to Isabella of Bourbon, so rare that he hadn't wanted to include it in the exhibit. "It was my first rare book purchase," he'd confessed. Intrigued, I had wandered into his library after dinner, retreating into the air tight vault where he kept his most prized pieces, and found the tiny prayer book filed amongst the glass cases there. My gaze had been instantly caught by the flashing bauble dancing from the faded riband threaded through the prayer books' pages, opening the case with shaking hands and carefully freeing the ring. It was only when I was holding the jeweled circlet in my hand that I turned, the hair on my nape prickling with the feeling of being watched.

Edward had been leaning in the frame of the heavy vault door, green gaze hesitant. "I understand if it's still too soon—"

He hadn't been able to get any further words out as I flung myself in his direction, shutting him up with a kiss.

The crowd around us began to shift, the murmur of conversation and laughter intensifying. "Ooo, I think it's starting," Alice's eyes widened in anticipation.

"Shall we?" Edward asked, angling out his arm for my hand.

"Of course," I replied, placing my hand on his sleeve and smiling up at him.

Finally, the auction was beginning.