Alliances, part One-The Meeting
Summary: Carlisle mediates a meeting between the Volturi and the First One. An alliance is made that will change the future for the vampire world. 10 years post BD. T rating on part one, part 2 will be an M, so proceed with caution.
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. It belongs to Stephenie Meyer.
1500 Hours
Volterra, Italy
"Dr. Cullen, Mrs. Cullen? Children. Are you ready?" The tall, sharply dressed vampire that was serving as Carlisle's personal steward/assistant during the family's trip to Volterra, spoke in a low tone. She was quite efficient, very quiet, and demanding in her presence. She was actually on loan from Vladimir Templish, the First vampire, who was in Volterra to speak with his former contemporaries about an alliance. Carlisle was skeptical; an alliance of this magnitude would require many concessions from both parties, and then, there was the problem of enforcing said alliance. Both sides, the Originals and the Volturi, had a long history of reneging on alliances, treaties, and the like. But here he was, and now Melaniana, the vampire page he'd been given, was ready to escort him and the family off the plane. He stands, Esme's hand in his, and follows the woman off the plane and into the familiar castle. They are escorted past Victoria, the Volturi's latest secretary, and into an anteroom. Melaniana, who calls herself Mel, speaks into a walkie-talkie attached to her wrist.
"Peter, please come here. I'm in Anteroom A." A moment later, a young, lanky boy shows up, his head hanging low, his red eyes blazing, and his posture slumping.
"Firstly, Peter, please stand up straight. We mustn't let Uncle see you slumping, now shall we? Good, good. These are the Cullen's; please escort the children to their chambers. Is Stefan prepared to announce us?" While she spoke, she pulled the boy straight, indicated the children, and arranged flowers, all simultaneously. The boy looks on, nervously, nodding, and speaks quickly and quietly.
"Yes, ma'am. I can escort the Cullen's." He steps aside as Mel motions for the children to come forward. Alice, Jasper, Bella, Edward, and Nessie all step behind the boy. Melaniana speaks to them.
"Peter here will show you to your chambers, and there, you will find your personal pages. I hope you find the accommodations to your liking, but please, if there's anything you need at all, do not hesitate to let your page know, or myself. Peter?" The boy steps forward, and indicates for the Cullen children to follow him. Melaniana steps forward to Carlisle and Esme.
"Please follow me; they're ready for you. Mrs. Cullen, it is my understanding that you can stay in the meeting for the first part, and then Vlad will excuse you, at which time I will show you where you and Dr. Cullen will be staying-just down the hall from the children; you're all in the Blue wing," she spoke as she led the vampires down a hallway to a room that Carlisle knew well: Aro's personal study, and the general meeting room for the three men. She paused at the desk of Aro's secretary, a young, good -looking blonde mortal, who stood no chance making it in the vampire's world, and spoke to the girl.
"Rebecca, please dispose of the coffee cup immediately. You know better." The blonde teenager tossed the paper cup into a garbage can with a sigh, but indicated that Mel could continue on. She nods once, and continues on to the ornately carved, heavy wooden door, and knocks once.
A grunted response, and the door flies open, and Carlisle and Esme are escorted into a dark room, and Melaniana silently indicates their seats, and then stands stonily in a corner. Esme and Carlisle sit, and Melaniana speaks.
"Mr. Templish, may I present Dr. and Mrs. Cullen." Carlisle, who'd met the man before, quietly extends his hand, and shakes it. He stands, and air kisses Esme's cheeks, who giggles, but then returns to her serious face immediately. The strange vampire speaks.
"Thank you, Dr. Cullen, for agreeing to be a witness and a mediator for this affair. It is nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Cullen. Aro here has told me such wonderful things about you and your family, but he didn't mention how beautiful you were." Esme deflects the comment in her well-heeled way.
"Thank you, sir. It's been a pleasure to meet you; Melaniana was quite friendly, and efficient in meeting us. Made this place run like a dream. You could take lessons, Aro." The male vampires chuckle. Aro responds.
"You're probably right, Mrs. Cullen. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself; it is always our pleasure to extend ourselves to the Cullen's." One of the pages in the room, on the Volturi side, snorts, and a harsh hiss from Melaniana quiets him. A murmured apology is given, and Esme peers at her lap, hiding a smile. She glances at Carlisle, who raises an eyebrow, but doesn't give anything away. The serious discussions began than, after pleasantries were exchanged, and drinks offered and refused all around. It is Caius who begins.
"So, let's cut to the chase, shall we, Vlad? May I call you Vlad?" The old vampire nods, and Caius continues, "Great. So I understand that you called us together to discuss a treaty? Why now?" Vlad sits back in his chair, his face half hidden by the shadow of his large, hulking Scottish guard, and measures his words carefully.
"It has been brought to my attention that there is a rather powerful coven of American vampires talking about coups. It is only in the interests of our kind that I suggest an alliance, not a treaty." The three other vampires nod, Carlisle looks interested, and Esme looks bored.
"I see. Well, the three of us have discussed it with our counsels, and we are interested. What are you proposing, as far as the terms?"
"Well, I think, for one, it is time for us to come together instead of fighting each other. I will call off my armies if you do the same." The Volturi consider. They counter with a request for the Originals to allow them to hunt in Eastern Europe, their biggest stronghold. It is agreed. They go back and forth, each side offering a contention that wasn't too serious, and the other side agreeing. They are interrupted momentarily, as Melaniana announces that Mrs. Templish has arrived, but Vlad asks her to remain, and she does. Marcus, who had been unusually quiet during the exchange, brings up the stickiest point, the one they'd all been avoiding. He looks from Carlisle to Vladimir to Aro, and smiles lightly.
"What are you offering? You know, as collateral?" Vlad sits back in his seat, and shifts uncomfortably.
"Not collateral, per se. Just a link. I propose a mating. You, Marcus, with a girl from my coven. Not my family coven, my larger coven, the Chosen ones." Esme gasps, and looks to Carlisle, who looks horrified. Aro splutters, and Melaniana mutters under her breath. Marcus, though, flickers his eyes to the vampire to see if he's bluffing. It is Caius that speaks, incredulously.
"Am I understanding this right? An alliance formed by marriage? And why not from your family? What girl?" Carlisle raises a hand to Caius, to silence him, and indicates that Vlad should speak. The old vampire responds to each question.
"Yes, I am proposing an alliance through a marriage arrangement. It's the only solid way to guarantee both of us will stick to it. The girl I am suggesting, Fiona Connolly, is one of my most powerful assets. The powers she posses are impressive, and giving her up is a loss to me. Everyone in my family coven is mated, and Miss Connolly is the only of the Chosen ones who has no family and no mate. She is Irish, and quite amusing. I think you might like her." Esme was still looking at Carlisle, who was now shaking his head. He knew what his wife was thinking, but at the same time, it was kind of a brilliant plan, and he had to hand it to Vladimir; it was the one card that the Volturi hadn't considered he possessed. He suggested a break, and that an official conclusion could be reached that afternoon. The vampires excused themselves, and a still-upset Melaniana led Carlisle and Esme to their suite, talking the whole way.
"Has he gone mad? Fiona will kill him, and Marcus is no match for her. She is quite headstrong, very independent, and loud. Gorgeous, but a little bit on the obnoxious side. She doesn't mean to be; she's just forward and blunt. It's all wrong." Esme nods, but not because she agrees with the woman's assessment of Fiona, since Esme, of course, has never met Fiona, but because she thinks it's wrong, too.
"Carlisle, you cannot allow them to agree to this. A woman is not pawn. You can't make a person collateral. Besides, an arranged marriage? What is this, the Dark Ages? Perhaps this girl has a good reason for not having a mate." Carlisle shrugs, and answers both women.
"Es, I'm going to hear them out. The simple truth is that Vlad is right; this would be the one thing that would cause the Volturi to behave. I agree that it's an old-fashioned idea, but maybe this girl would be OK with it. Melaniana, I thank you for your opinion, and your input on Ms. Connolly's character. Marcus will make a choice; he knows what is right or wrong for himself." Melaniana nods.
"Well, then. This is your suite, and Edward and Bella are across the hallway," she pointed to a closed door, and then to another opened door where they could hear Nessie and Alice laughing, "that is Miss Renesmee's room, and across from that is Jasper and Alice's suite. Your page is Nathaniel; if you need or want for anything, just let him know. He is always available. You will find a kitchenette at the end of the hallway; there you will find refreshment to your liking. I am sorry we could not secure any bear's blood, I hope deer will suffice. Here is my personal mobile number, please call if you need anything. I will be available at a moment's notice." She raised her voice then, and called for the page.
"Nathaniel? Please present yourself." An older male vampire, good looking and well-built, appeared at the door to their suite, dressed in an impeccable white broadcloth shirt, black pants, and black jacket. Everyone with the First One's party was in black; it seemed to be their uniform.
"Nathaniel, this is Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. Please see that they have everything they need. Please, Dr Cullen, Mrs. Cullen, excuse me. Nathaniel is quite capable, but I must return to the study; Mr. Templish will need to hunt soon, and I should arrange that." Carlisle nods as the woman turns and flies down the hall. He turns to the vampire still standing at the door, stone like, and smiles at him.
"Nathaniel, was it? I am Carlisle Cullen, and this is my wife, Esme. We don't currently need anything; you are excused for now." He nods, but remains stone still next to the door. Carlisle shrugs and sighs, and leads Esme into the large suite. Esme smiles; the room is well-appointed, and she likes it immediately. The walls are painted a muted green, and the carpet is colored to match. The furnishings are dark walnut and marble, ornate but not over the top, and the large bed is covered with a dark green sating duvet. It would do for their purposes; not needing the bed for anything but sex, it was perfectly adequate and the other furnishings in the room would be useful. They found their luggage, perfectly stacked, next to a large dresser, and Esme begins to unpack their things. As she was hanging one of Carlisle's button downs, he hung up the cell phone call he'd made home to check in on Rose, Emmett, and Garrett, who'd been staying with them recently, he pulled her to him.
"Let's unpack later. I think we should investigate the sturdiness of the bed." Esme giggles, and turns to kiss him, and as they meet, a soft but urgent knock at the door interrupts. Carlisle smiles but groans and whispers to Esme.
"If it's one of the children, they're grounded for eternity. If it's anyone else, they'd best be dying. Hang on, my love." Esme smiles lightly, and pushes him towards the door, and continues putting clothing away, silently, but alertly. As Carlisle arranges his face into a pleasant expression, and opens it to find a sheepish-looking Marcus standing there.
"Marcus." Marcus nods lightly, and looks miserably at him. Esme comes to the door then, and smiling, indicates that he should come in. Carlisle glowers at her, but she glares at him, and he instantly gives up, and indicates a loveseat in the alcove living room area for him to sit at. It is a moment before he speaks, and Esme and Carlisle settle themselves onto armchairs nearby.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt; I interrupted a private moment, didn't I? Anyway, Carlisle, you were the first one I thought of. Do I have to do it? I want to, because like you, I am tired of the fighting. I just want peace, but I know Caius and Aro are a little more power hungry. I feel like I am in between a rock and a hard spot here-I don't want to disappoint them, and be forced out, but at the same time, I am a little appalled that Templish has the nerve to suggest a thing like this marriage thing, and, frankly, I am a little reticent to meet, let alone marry, some woman I know nothing about." He spoke, his words coming quickly, and his face expressing the myriad emotions that his words indicated, anger, uncertainty, and fear. Carlisle looked to Esme, who shrugged at him. He continues, measuring his response carefully.
"Marcus, I know that when you and Didyme were planning to defect, and then she died, and you opted not to-that said something to me. It said that you realize that the actions of you as a whole entity-not just as individuals-is something has repercussions, BUT that the power you longed for still has a bit of a hold on you. And that's OK. I think you should just follow what is in your heart and your head. When I left, it was so hard-if you think I didn't like and appreciate the status and power we had, and the fun, and the women, and everything else-you're very wrong. But I also knew that I wasn't fully happy. I wanted a mate, a family, and to do what I passionate about, and this life-it got in the way of that. Now, I am fully happy. I have Esme here, who's fantastic, and the children, who keep me young, God knows, and now Nessie and her antics are amusing. And I get to practice medicine every day, and I am filled with a joy and peace I didn't know I could have. And I imagine, if I had stayed, I might have still found a mate, albeit she wouldn't be Esme, and I'd probably have a child or two, but I don't think I'd be happy. Do you understand what I mean?" He paused, and Marcus nodded. Carlisle continues.
"So, if all you want is to make the others happy, then you must do it. If what you want is an alliance, see if this arrangement can at least bring you a mate that can be friend, if not a love match-someone to talk to, someone to laugh with, and someone to wash up for you, because I have seen your chambers, and they're a mess, frankly. But, ultimately, the answer should be that you do what makes YOU happy-if pleasing the others is what makes you happy, then so be it. If it's defecting now, I'll witness for you. If it's counter-offering something, you need to figure out something equal to what Vlad is offering. That Melaniana woman indicated that this girl he is offering is quite beautiful, and if he's offering a Chosen one, you must realize her powers are an asset to him, and he's losing something he considers important. If it works out, you could be in a position to maneuver however you wish, but even if it doesn't, it wouldn't hurt to try, right? And frankly, if my memory serves me right, you haven't had a partner since Didyme, and while I understand that, I also know you well, and I know that you're dying for intimacy. I remember that about you and Didyme; you were always so sweet and disgustingly romantic; I couldn't appreciate at the time, and remember, you may be one of the most powerful Vampires in the world, but you can't do much better than a Chosen one." Marcus considers, and nods once. Esme smiles at him, and speaks lightly.
"I would be happy to help you if you decide to bring her here. She'd most likely need a friend in this place; the other women aren't very friendly, are they? And I'm sure Alice and Nessie would be delighted to show her around Volterra; she's dying to get out, anyway."
"Thank you, Esme, that would be very much appreciated. You're right, Carlisle, I think I should just try it; what could be the worse that could happen? I mean, we might not make a great match, but I could use a female presence in this place, and maybe it WILL work out, and I do miss intimacy and having a mate and everything that means. Will you come with me to tell the others? Templish wants to meet back in the study at 1:30, so there's roughly 40 minutes." Carlisle nods.
"Of course." Marcus stands to leave, and kisses Esme's hand on the way out, and they can hear him humming as her hurries down the hallway towards his wing of the large castle. Esme collapses in giggles, and Carlisle just stands, gazing at her.
"What's so funny?"
"You. Him. The whole situation. I don't know why, it just is." Carlisle places a hand on his left hip, and faces his wife full on.
"So, Mrs. Cullen, you find my meddling in other people's lives quite funny, do you? You are lucky I am so madly in love with you, because that might cause me to wonder about your sanity." Esme tosses her head at him.
"Carlisle, we have 7 children and a grandchild the size of a fifteen year old. I question my own sanity every day. Now, Marcus said we have forty minutes. What shall we do until then?" Carlisle grins at his wife, and pulls off the sweater he'd been wearing, and unbuttons the shirt underneath.
"I can think of something," he said, edging towards the bed where his wife was now sitting, and kisses her fully.
Thirty seven minutes later finds Carlisle crawling reluctantly out of the warm bed, where he'd been curled up with Esme, post-coital and glowing, scrambling to change back into his business clothes and hurry down the hall. Esme stands up calmly, saunters over to the closet, pulls out a fresh suit dress, and, in a flash, is fully dressed. Carlisle fumbles with his pants, and finally, finally he pulls them on, tucks in his shirt, and slides his feet into the shoes that Esme hands him. All of this is done in reluctant silence, until he is dressed, and envelops his wife in a big hug.
"Do we smell like vampire sex?" Esme giggles.
"Yes, but I don't actually care. Here, let me fix your collar, dear, and then we can go."
He smiled as he pulled away, and took in his wife as she reached up and fixed his collar, smoothing the shirt down over his lanky body, her hands stopping just above his belt line. His eyes travel over her body; even with her conservative black dress suit, he can make out her figure, and his eyes travel appreciate from her pretty neck, to her ample chest, to her slim waist and down to her sculpted legs. He was so very grateful that she was his, and so happy every morning when she kissed him hello, and every night when she kissed him good evening. Even though she was three years his senior, technically, she had a childlike quality to her that made her seem fresh and innocent every day. All of a sudden, she brought her pale yellow eyes to his, and smiled. He could lose himself in her smile, he thought, but then she spoke, and he realized she was urgent.
"Honey, we're already a minute late. Let's go." While he'd been staring, appreciating, she'd fixed her makeup and refreshed her lipstick and perfume, and she whirled out of the room in a cloud of Chanel No. 5 and black pantyhose, leaving him to hurry behind her, watching her behind and hips move quickly as pulled him down the hallway. He was able to compose himself as they were announced and buzzed in. He made apologies for their tardiness, and after Marcus sniffed the air lightly and smiled, there were nods all around, and giggles from a few of the present females. A quick growl from Melaniana shushed the room, and all the eyes trained to Marcus, who'd informed his contemporaries that he was ready to make a decision. He visibly took a breath, and Esme flashes a quick smile and nod at him, and he speaks, confident in his decision and giddy from the shot of whiskey he'd drank to calm his nerves.
"I accept your offer, Templish, and agree to a marriage to seal this alliance. What are the time parameters you are requiring?" Vladimir's face flickers for a moment; he hadn't considered that the man would do it, but he recovers his nonchalant visage, and answers quickly.
"Three weeks. Tonight, I am hosting the ball, where it will be announced. Ms. Connolly has already been summoned, and will be arriving from Belfast in one hour. You will have two weeks to get to know her, and then, in two weeks time, Melaniana will arrive and make all the arrangements." Marcus nods.
"What if she doesn't agree?" Vlad nods.
"She will. She's a good girl, and knows her place. She understands that part of being one of my chosen girls, she has a duty. She has a good, solid head on her shoulders, and even if it's not perfect, I guarantee you will at least enjoy having her around. She is quite refreshing, and I suspect just the presence you need to kick the cobwebs off this old castle. Really, if I wasn't so wild about my wife, I'd marry her myself." Marcus looks to Carlisle, who cocks his head, and mouths to him, See? Marcus nods.
"I understand. You said she will be here in one hour? How did you arrange that? I can't even get to Paris that fast." Vladimir smiles.
"I have my secrets, sir, and you have yours." He sits back, satisfied, and asks Melaniana to escort herself and Mrs. Cullen out, and to alert him when Ms. Connolly arrives. She nods, and hurries out, herding Esme out the door in front of her. When the door is shut behind the women, Melaniana bursts into laughter. Her well-hidden Russian accent leaks out a bit when she speaks.
"Oh, hell. I can't believe they're serious. Do you think I should call Fiona and warn her? I hope that Vlad knows what he's doing, and poor Marcus is in for a big surprise. I can't wait." Esme smiles.
"What do you mean?" Melaniana leads her to some overstuffed chairs in the anteroom, and the girl plops into one, all pretense of the serious business woman gone.
"Can I be frank? I like you, Mrs. Cullen, and I believe you'll understand why I am so horrified." Esme nods, but murmurs to the girl.
"Please, call me Esme. And yes, you can be frank. Please continue." Melianana nods, a little more serious sometimes.
"It's just that Fiona is your stereotypical tomboy, and also your stereotypical Irish woman. Like I said, she's gorgeous, all unruly fiery red hair, and painfully thin-I think she was changed during the potato famine or some such nonsense-but the woman thinks that a rugby polo is "nice" clothing because it has a collar. She's a doctor, like your husband, and I think that she believes she's too smart to be pretty, though she is, so much so I hate her sometimes. She's quite tall, too, almost 6 feet. But she's loud, and has a mouth like a drunken sailor, and watches Rugby on TV. Her idea of a romantic encounter is a pint of Guinness and fish and chips. It's really mind-blowing. She's from a really poor part of Ireland, and never really lost that backwoods thing. I think she's going to find herself a little out of her league here. But maybe Vlad is right; those stuffy vampires in there really could use a little bit of Fiona's homemade craziness, it's true." Esme nods, not really sure what the problem is. She herself was a poor child, and, for many years, felt out of her league with both Carlisle, and the other's wives. It had taken her decades to feel at ease with the moneyed, Tony background that being Carlisle's mate meant, and even longer to not feel uncomfortable about it. It would happen in time for this woman, too, Esme was sure. Esme asks her a question.
"Do you know much else about her first life?" Melaniana nods.
"Her mother died in childbirth with her younger brother; she was the only girl in a family of 9 children, which I guess is why she's such a tomboy. Her father was a sheep farmer, or goats, I can't remember which. I know she went to primary and secondary school in Cork, which is Southern Ireland, but I met her at Cambridge, which is where she got her medicine training. She's really very intelligent, but you can't tell through her slang and brogue. Like I said, she was changed during the Famine, and she had a boyfriend for awhile; the one you people know-Stefan? They were an item for a bit, but it didn't work out. Something about her refusal to play the role of subservient wife. Her words, not his, but since then, she's had no one serious. A series of one-night stands, mostly Euro-trash types, all mortals, but I think Vlad is worried for her, and just really wants to see her happy and settled, and he can accomplish THAT and the alliance in one fell swoop."
Esme nods, and makes a mental note to share with Carlisle about the as-yet unknown woman's past, so he can share it with Marcus to help him better understand her. She also makes a note to herself to especially kind to the woman; losing your mother that young, and from what she remembered of school-year history classes, being in such intense poverty had likely meant a lifetime of pain. She would ask Alice and Bella to do the same. Suddenly, a male's voice came over Melaniana's walkie-talkie, and the girl stands.
"Mel? Ms. Connolly has arrived." Melaniana nods, and answers.
"Fantastic. Thanks, Saul. I'll be there in a moment." She clicks off the walkie-talkie and turns to Esme.
"Would you like to be the first to meet her? I think she'd like you; she appreciates a woman who is independent." Esme nods.
"I'd love to, thank you." She follows the girl down the hallway, through a double door, and through the reception area and out onto the tarmac, where the Volturi kept their private planes, helicopters, and cars. Vladimir's had just arrived, and Esme could make out the profile of a redhead, but couldn't see her face, as the mystery woman was facing a short, scared-looking young man, and giving him a piece of her mind. As they got closer, Esme could make out that the woman was upset because no one would tell her why she was summoned. All of a sudden, the woman looks up and right at Esme and smiles a large, dazzling smile. Everyone had been spot on, the woman was breathtaking, with a shock of curly, fire-red hair hanging in tumbling curls around her shoulders, a pretty face with high cheekbones and doe eyes, and a smattering of cinnamon-colored freckles. But it was her eyes that struck Esme the most-they were a haunting, piercing green, the result of contact lenses over golden eyes, which Esme didn't yet know about. The redhead extends a hand to Esme, who takes it.
"Hello, I'm Fiona Connolly. Call me Fee."
"Esme Cullen." Fiona nods, and turns to Melaiana.
"Mels. How's your form? Why won't anybody tell why Uncle has summoned me? I had to miss surgery today. I hope he knows what a huge inconvenience this is. How's me kit? Do I look presentable for the savages? Why the bloody hell did I have to be summoned to Volterra? Is this some kind of joke?" Melainana looks wearily at her. Esme winced at the woman's loud, rough brogue, different from their Irish friends from Dublin, and tried to make sense of the women's words. This woman was no girl; she was older, probably Esme's age, and, like Mel said, tall and lanky. Her gorgeousness was the first thing you noticed, but more intriguing was the immediate friendliness that radiated from her.
"Fiona, settle down. Let's get you and your bags inside, and I'll fill you in as best I can. Thank you for introducing yourself to Mrs. Cullen. And I'm well, thank you for asking. And you look fine. Thank you for leaving your rugby shirt at home. You're not as well turned out as Vlad would have liked, but you'll do for now. Come." Melaniana leads the two women back into the reception area, and Esme takes a moment to stop staring at the woman's eyes and hair, and takes in the rest of her. She was well endowed, a definite plus, if anything that Carlisle had indicated about Marcus's taste in women was true, and she was wearing an old but well-cared-for navy pantsuit. It did nothing for her figure, but was smart and conservative, and Esme suspected that once Alice even glanced at her getup, the woman would be transformed. Hell, Esme was having a hard time herself not reaching into her purse for her brush and brushing out the woman's unruly curls. Fiona was gorgeous in her own right, but given just a little attention, she could stop traffic, of that, Esme was confident. Once they were inside the building, Fiona had noticeably calmed down, and was talking in lower tones to Melaniana. Her accent wasn't as strong as when she was shouting, and Esme tuned her ears to the woman's speech.
"Ok, Mel. I'm sorry about my outburst. I'm calm now. But you have to understand, when Pytor showed up at my door at dawn and had the summons in hand, it gives me a canary. He is lucky I was off duty today, or he wouldn't have found me. What is so urgent that Vlad needed me here? And why is Dr. Cullen here? Is someone ill?" Melaniana sighs.
"I am not sure why Vladimir summoned you today; he just told me to send Pytor and that it was urgent, and to tell you to dress out for a meeting. He didn't go into details. I believe that Dr. Cullen is here as a mediator; you must know that there is word of a coup underfoot, and that Vlad is interested in aligning with the Volturi to minimize damage, and hopefully put it down before anything comes of it." Fiona nods.
"I had heard that there was trouble brewing in America. But how do I fit in? What about the rest of the girls, and Benjy and Leroy?"
"Like I said, I don't know the details. I was just told to summon you, and present you immediately upon your arrival, that's why I was so adamant that you turn up in something decent, because there's no time to change. You know me, I just follow orders, I don't write them or question them." Fiona rolls her eyes at Esme, but smiles.
"Yes, and that's how vampires get into trouble. Well, you'd better announce me, then. We mustn't keep Vlad waiting, now shall we?" With that, Melaniana leads them back to Aro's study, and announces Fiona's arrival.
End of Part 1.