Carlisle and the Princess

Chap. 1-Juliette

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. It is property of Stephanie Meyer.

0900 Hours

Volterra, Italy

Juliette

I take a deep inhale as I approach the steps of the large, imposing castle. I find that I feel fear, which is funny, considering that I am a vampire. I glance behind me, to my mate, Simon, who smiles and nods. I throw open the doors and smile as brightly as I can. Instantly, something happens in my stomach-I feel suddenly like I belong.

Meanwhile….

0900 Hours

Cullen's home

Forks, WA

Things were in full swing on that fateful Friday morning at the Cullen's. Carlisle was just about to leave for work when a hurried knock came at the door of his study. He opened it to reveal Alice's clouded visage. He gestured her in, and then Edward appeared behind her, following her into the room.

"Carlisle, something's happening in Volterra. They're going to call you about a girl. A girl called Helene. That's all I saw for now, but you might want to tell Esme." He sighs, and nods, unsure as to what this girl might mean, and why Alice is seeing her, as she only shares visions of things she thinks is relevant to the family.

Carlisle nods, and strides out of his study to the bedroom, where he enters to find Esme smoothing her skirt over her body before she heads downstairs to feed Nessie and begin her day. He smiles at his wife's reflection in the full-length mirror, and she sighs.

"What is it, honey?" He smiles, and chuckles lightly. God, how well they knew each other. He shrugged.

"Alice had a vision. We're going to be summoned to Volterra, I think." Esme sighs again.

"What is it this time?"

"A girl. A child. That's all Alice knew. I suppose it's something to do with Ness; perhaps another half-blood?" Esme smiled; she hoped that was the case, and that her beloved granddaughter might find some comfort in another half-blooded vampire who understood her and her life. She smiled at Carlisle, and turned to face him.

"I hope so, for Nessie's sake." Carlisle nods.

"Me, too. I'm sorry, my dear, but it's time for me to head to Forks General Hospital." Esme shook her head; sometimes, she wished her husband could spend all day in their bed with her, but she knew that he must work to support them all. Besides, her fantasies were just that-fantasies, for she knew she would quickly tire of her husband's presence after awhile. Not that she didn't love him fiercely, she just had a routine now with Ness, and it was THEIR time together.

"I know, sweetheart. Call me at lunch?"

"Of course," he replied, tapping her nose, and kissing her head as he strode out of the room. She smiled at his retreating figure, and then headed out of the room herself. She soon found herself preparing eggs and toast for the young child; the only human food besides chocolate milk that the girl would eat.

At the hospital, Carlisle entered his office, and noticed a thick, sealed envelope that had been stuck under his door. The fancy scroll and weight of the paper told him what it was, though there was no return address. He tore open the envelope, marked simply "Dr. Carlisle Cullen" and began to read. It was summons to Volterra, effective immediately, and he instantly picked up his phone and dialed home. Esme answered on the first ring; she'd been expecting a call, though from a real estate agent, so she was surprised to hear her husband at the other end of the line.

"Sweetheart? Please pack a bag for you and me. I got the summons this morning." He hears Esme sigh, and then she speaks.

"Ok, honey. Are we taking any of the children?"

"What do you think?"

"Well, it's oftentimes helpful to have Alice and Edward. Jasper, too."

"Let's make it a family trip, then. Nessie hasn't been to Italy. We can stop over in Rome on the way home." He starts his computer to type out a letter of request for emergency family leave as Esme replies.

"That would be fun. I will speak to the children when they arrive home from school. Anything else?"

"No, you and I will discuss this later. Thanks, honey."

"Have a good day, dear." He sighed as he hung up, and clicked "send" to email the letter to the chief of Surgery, and then clicked over to his calendar. He only had five patients today, and only two were serious, so he picked up his phone and asked the receptionist to reschedule the appointments that weren't serious to another doctor. She said she would, and he hung up. He turned his chair around carefully to face the wall, and stared it at for a few minutes, thinking about what it might be that the Volturi could want. He couldn't think of anything, so he turned back around, checked the time of his first appointment, and put on his lab coat, locating his supplies as he headed down the hallway to the appointment room. He purposely pushed all thoughts of Volterra out of his mind, and concentrated on his patient, an elderly man called Mr. Jones.

Juliette

It was a much more gruesome scene than I had imagined. The Volturi three, and their guards, practiced no noticeable form of decorum as the elevator full of mortals arrived at their floor. They began to feed indiscriminately, and it was only when one of the older men had me in a vice grip did he stop.

A hiss was uttered, and the room fell silent.

"Demetri, take this girl to the tower, and make sure they keep her locked up." A young man with flashing red eyes steps forward, but hisses as he does.

"I said, do it," came the reply. The boy sighed, but took my hands in his and led me down a hallway, away from the now-deafening screams. I speak.

"Please, you can't take me. Look," I say, trying to show him the mark on my arm, near the crook of my elbow. He is unmoved. "It's your crest." This catches his attention, because he stops, and spins me around harshly.

"Let me see it." I lift the sleeve of my shirt gingerly, and trace the outline of the mark with my finger. He gazes it at, and then shrugs. It is a moment before he speaks.

"I still have to take you. But I will speak to Aro, as I understand that your thoughts are real. But what he decides to do with you-that's out of my control." I take a deep breath, but nod.

"I understand." He loosens his grip on me, and I follow him down the long hallway, through a large doorway, down a staircase, and into a room. He taps a wall three times, and it gives way to a dark, poorly lit staircase. I whimper in fear, and he growls at me.

"GO." I start down the staircase, and can sense him behind me. I turn on my "glow", my special power that allows light to radiate in dark places from my hands, and we troop down the stairs in silence. Once we arrive at the bottom step, I turn off my glow, and he sighs.

"That's cool. But don't let the guards see you do that. They're not as forgiving as my masters." I muffle a snort, as I have heard many stories about their mercilessness, and their aggression. I reply.

"I understand. Thank you." He leads me down the hallway about a half yard, and we stop in front of what are clearly holding cells, very jail-like. He speaks to another vampire; this one quite tall, a mess of sandy blonde curls falling to his shoulders.

"Collin, this girl is Aro's property. Please see that she is kept quiet and out of sight until he is ready to deal with her."

The man nods, and motions for me. I dutifully follow him into a cell, where a cot is set up, along with a sink and small cabinet. There is nothing else in the room. I settle onto the cot, and nod once. The blonde man speaks to me.

"Here you are. Cellblock 1-B. What is your name?"

"Juliette. I don't have a last name."

"Juliette is fine." He scribbles something on a clipboard, and then raises his eyes. He turns to the boy called Demetri, and speaks.

"She will be fine here. Please rely to Mr. Aro that everything is secure." The kid nods, and turns away. I speak.

"Please relay to them that I am a willing prisoner. I came knowing that there may be severe consequences."

"You're a stupid girl for coming when you did."

"So my mate tells me." The guard's eyes flicker.

"You have a mate?"

"Yes."

"I am sorry. You are allowed one phone call per day, and one letter per week."

"Thank you. What about hunting?"

"Prisoners don't hunt." I sigh deeply, but nod.

"I understand. Thank you." He nods once, and turns away, locking the door behind him. I inhale deeply, and take in my surroundings. I lie down on the bed, and try to clear my mind of all thoughts, just in case a vampire with special powers is nearby.

End of Chap. 1