She walks in beauty, like the night.
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
Isabella lounged on a loveseat beneath a window, a gentle breeze playing lightly with the collar of the shirt under her vest. The moon and stars over head shone brightly down on her face pale face illuminating it even more in the dark of night. She noticed that the winter of '99 was proving to be much colder then any other and even though she couldn't care less about the temperature anymore she could still see its effects on everything around her.
Drawing her gaze away from the book in hand again, she looked out to see the trees around the estate were all but lifeless in a snow drenched state, and she hadn't smelled or heard any wild life all night due to them off hibernating somewhere. Thus, the famous Scotland rolling rolling hills outside her perch were all deathly silent on this night. The stillness never seemed to bother her much in the past but tonight was different. She felt this itch to break the silence by doing something which was odd for her because vampires are usually fine staying completely still. In fact, she was sure that becoming statue like was completely normal for her kind. The inkling to action never stopped or went away though as time passed on.
The mansion's ambiance was starting to become stiffing to her. She placed her book of poems down on the windowsill, and left her seat to venture towards the meadow out back of her home. On her way out she noticed off to the side of the room that her old violin was on a table, seemingly forgotten there for quite some time judging by the dust on it. She decided to quickly wipe the dust off and fix it up to bring along with her. She loved to play for her family back in the day, and tonight she decided was the night she'd resume playing it again; the reason why exactly she wouldn't think of for the time being.
The ground was covered in a deep layer of snow upon her arrival but it didn't tamper off the need she was experiencing to do something. She quickly cleared out a area to stand in with her foot and took a unneeded breath to ready herself afterwords. Carefully she lifted her chin slightly up and placed the violin up upon her neck as she raised her elegant arms with the bow in one hand to play with. Isabella could recall every song in her repertoire due to her perfect memory and suddenly she felt the strongest desire yet to play again...
Already flexing her hands in anticipation of the sensation of creating music through a touch she glided the bow over a string to strike the first cord in a song she remembered from very long ago. Nocturne in c-sharp minor like this was a piece she held dearly to her heart and she felt herself swelling with sadness at playing it again; only this time by herself. As she carefully moved threw the cords with a beautifully crafted artistic flare she swore that she could faintly hear her brother in the distance playing with her on the piano again.
She pictured him then in his nice set of church clothes, sleeked back short blonde hair, and the ever present small smile on his relaxed face as he tapped away at the keys along with her tune. She knew Charlisle always loved to play with her like this even though he didn't particularly care for the piano itself. He just liked to be in her company and enjoy hearing the music they made together. It was one of the few times they were able to make peace with each other; the sounds dealt with drowning out all the differences they had.
As she precisely danced threw the cords of the sorrowful song she wished for the first time in ages that vampires were able to feel the release of crying. She wanted to see and feel the existence of mourning she felt for her long passed brother. If only they could play like this together again. She would give up anything even this damning self imprisonment to be with him just for a fleeting moment again.
Charlisle, why did everything have to go wrong for us?
As the song began to close and she held the cords to let it fade out of existence she felt snow starting to fall down on her. She stood locked in place with her arms still in position to play as silence once again came to overtake the meadow. She couldn't bring herself to move away from this moment of reminiscing; she felt terrible for not thinking of Charlisle in all this time. She tried to rationalize it to herself by saying it was best that way, she had to move on from him but she couldn't truly accept it. She couldn't completely move on from someone who was family, she just tired to carry on with the hole he left in her heart. What choice did she have but to do that though? It's not like she could die and end this charade.
Growling out loud at her thoughts, she started to play the song again only this time she put more textures and notes into the piece to make up for the piano not being present. Soon enough she shifted away from the piece entirely and started playing the more emotionally tied melody of Love's Sorrow by Fritz Kreisler. She started to move her upper body more to suit the ups and downs of the song and soon enough her whole body was shaking off the snow to move along with the tune as she played. She could practically feel the sweet memories and tinges of regret this song was filled with; it matches her perfectly then.
Like both songs she played though this one was soon drawing to a close and she quickly plucked the last cords with a small bitter smile on her face. She finally looked up from the violin then to see the sun was beginning to rise over the hills. It was time to retire back into the manor for the safety it provided from the sun's beams and the people that might by chance wander past here to threaten the exposure of her unnaturalness.
She hated to hide away like this but she didn't want to even chance people finding out about her. It wouldn't do her any good to have humans or worse the Volturi arriving on her doorstep demanding answers. All it would do is bring the memory of headaches she experienced as a human to mind and she would quickly lose patience. So, yes it was the right thing to do for everyone by retreating back inside until nightfall again.
As Isabella walked back inside to put away her violin she noticed that on the table where it was previously stored a envelope was placed as well. After quickly opening it, she pulled out a sheet of paper to read what it said. It didn't say much, Garrett is still quick to the point it seems, but usually he'd give a bit more information then this. All the letter said was that he would be visiting her in a few days time to discuss something. She frowned at the brief message and crumbled it up to throw away later.
How odd.
Garrett hated being the messenger for others. It might be a role he was familiar with due to his past involvements in the American war's but he always thought his vampiric life would be different from his human one. Here he was though running like a good ol' boy threw the Scotland hills to his dear friend's house to deliver a summons to a place he loathed more then anything. Volterra wasn't a place his kind wanted to ever visit due to the Volturi's iron clad rule but alas he was pressured by the Kings into dragged Isabella there.
For some reason the Kings got it in their skulls that they should host a gathering that every noteworthy vampire must attend. He wasn't told much besides that and honestly he didn't care to know more. Getting mixed up in the Volturi's business was always bad news and as soon as he delivered Isabella to Volterra he was going to get the hell out of there. He would feel a tad bit guilty afterwords for leaving his friend in their clutches but damn self preservation came first sometimes.
As he drew closer to Isabella's house he slowed his speed down and halted at the front door; his friend would have heard his arrival. Sure enough the woman of the hour opened the door and smiled a little at seeing him. She was dressed to pristine as always in that black vest, white undershirt, and black dress pants. By contrast to her Garrett knew that he must look like a real mess with his trench coat torn up, shoes messing, and every inch of him muddied to hell but he couldn't care less. Even under these circumstances he was pleased to see his friend again after so long apart.
"It's nice to see you, stranger." Isabella voiced.
"Same to you," He answered with a smile of his own, "Are you going to invite me in or am I going to stand here all night?" He joked.
She raised a eyebrow while looking him over again with growing displeasure at what she saw. She had some cleaning tendencies to uphold. "Take off the coat first; I don't want to much mud dragged into my house."
"Whatever." He laughed and briskly tossed the coat off to the side. He didn't care much for it anyway, it was just something he stole from some unsuspecting drunkard at a bar a few days back. He could always get a fresher outfit by raiding one of Isabella's wardrobe's later when she wasn't looking.
They entered the mansion together then and he saw that nothing had truly changed since he was last here forty years ago. The foyer was still deserted with only a few paintings in sight and every room they passed by only had books or old furniture kept stored away. His friend still didn't care much for making a place lively it seemed. Maybe one day he could get Esme (one of his other old friends,) to come help her redesign the place; it was certainly in a desperate need of updates.
"Take a seat if you want." Isabella said, pointing at the chairs stationed in front of her desk. She always did like to have conversations in the study for some reason, Garrett thought. Maybe it was because she felt the most comfortable and in her element here surrounded by books.
"Now, why have you come here?"
"What, I can't come see a old friend?" He tried to laugh the question off but Isabella wasn't having any of it.
"Not at all; I'm merely inquiring why you suddenly decided to show up with only a brief note in advance." Her eyes narrowed at him in suspicion.
"Fine," He sighed, dropping the act. "I'll cut to the point then."
"Please, do." She nodded along.
He grimaced slightly at what he was about to say. "The Volturi King's have asked for you and I to come visit Volterra. I was told to bring you straight to them after we arrive."
"Why?" Isabella clutched the arms of her chair to the point Garrett heard it cracking under the force. He choose not to comment on it for now though; brushing it off as a simple anger at not wanting to be away from her territory.
"I don't know the specifics. All I know is they're having some sort of gathering for hand chosen vampires."
"I have no business with the likes of them after all this time. Tell them I'm deeply sorry but I must refrain from accepting the invitation." She didn't sound the least bit sorry at all, Garrett noted. In fact, she sounded like she hated even the thought of accepting the summons.
"I can't do that," He winced at the harsh glare he received, "This isn't a request, Isabella. They demanded your presence and a failure to comply would spell out trouble for both of us... I don't want to fight any pissed off Volturi minions anytime soon."
He knew somewhere deep inside Isabella her instincts wanted a fight with them. She tried to suppress and hide the urge but he could tell she was itching for something like a good battle again. Isabella was by far the most bloodthirsty vampire he's ever came across and he didn't know how she kept herself away from it all for so long. Her eyes were the darkest black from pure unfiltered thirst too and he didn't know how she kept her mind straight enough to talk like this; starving vampires make for crazy uncontrollable beasts acting on pure instinct alone.
"I have nothing to say or offer that is helpful to those men." Isabella sneered out.
Well, maybe he judged her to soon. She seemed to be tiptoeing on the edge of giving into her beast now. I'm one to talk though, Garrett thought as he finally lost his patience with her.
"It doesn't matter." He yelled out as he clinched his fists. He just hated it when she got this stubborn. "They want you there regardless. You can't deny the Kings!"
"I can and I am." She tensed and growled back at him as she prepared herself for a physical fight to break out at any moment between them; It wouldn't be the first time in their shared history.
"This is needless just go to them, Isabella! You can leave whenever you want anyway, your gift makes it so." He tried to rationalize with her.
"I don't want to see them again, Garrett. Please understand that they... They forced me into becoming someone I didn't even recognize. I can't go back to living that way, I won't."
"Where is this coming from? When we met you were still in the Volturi, remember? You seemed fine to me and nothing seemed amiss." He vividly recalled how highly Isabella spoke of her job back then. She loved being able to pick fights with a wide assortment of vampires and test the limits of her gift on them.
"I didn't think anything was back then," She sighed out in exasperation of this conversation. "I still don't even know what is wrong exactly." She wearily confessed.
Garrett considered the state of his friend. She was starting to slouch over the desk with a curtain of her brunette hair covering her face from his view. He never saw his friend defeated and slightly distressed like this. It was unsettling to see such a strong woman in this state. Whatever her problem was with the Volturi it was bad... Self preservation be damned he owed it to her as a friend to help.
"I'll promise to stay with you, if it helps. I won't leave you alone with them again." He suggested gently as he reached over the desk to place comforting hands over her still balled ones.
"I don't know if I can go back there, Garrett." She sadly whispered and looked up to meet Garrett's red eyes with her own black ones.
"You and I can." He smiled back at her in what he hoped was a reassuring way.
After a moment of silence she mumbled out a hesitant reply, "Fine."
"You really should have hunted before we left Scotland. It isn't safe or comfortable having a starving vampire around." Garrett said for what felt like the billionth time since they started the trip towards Volterra.
"I'm fine." Isabella replied as she walked off the private Volturi jet plane with a hovering Garrett a step behind her. He was acting like a mother hen for gods sake. She had excellent control over herself, and wouldn't suddenly go off at the drop of a hat.
Isabella saw they arrived in Italy at a good time though. The sun had set hours ago making sure they could walk freely towards the Volturi stronghold without any peering eyes. Seeing this country again after so long brought a sort of nostalgia back too but it didn't do any good for her. She still hated the idea of being on this soil again with the King's looming in proximity.
"Well, well we meet again."
Looking towards the sound of the voice Isabella saw one of the few Volturi members she didn't have a actual problem with, Heidi. The woman still held that seductive aurora about her that people, especially Garrett by the looks of his quivering, love her for. Her gift never bothered Isabella though and underneath the flirting and bitchiness Heidi was a okay friend to have. She certainly made time in Volterra bearable by always being up to having a little fun in whatever form it came in, including bickering matches.
"Hello," Isabella gave a clipped reply in response.
Heidi smirked like the predator she was underneath the disguise of a vixen she wore. "My allure is irresistible at the end of the day; no one not even you can stay away for long, it seems."
"I'm only here because your pimps bullied my friend and I here, Heidi." Isabella scowled as she walked passed towards the castle.
"Don't be so crass, dear." Heidi hissed back as she followed behind Isabella. She choose to stay far away from the almost drooling Garrett though. For now she decided to direct her attention on the reunion with her friend.
"Why am I here, Heidi?" Isabella asked as they trekked towards the hidden Volturi entrance on the other side of the castle's tall and thick impenetrable walls.
"Well, as far as I know we're having a gathering of sorts. Master Aro decided to pick his favorites to see for a while and oh as a warning... Master Caius is already planning to vent his anger if you don't show up. Mistress Athenodora has been insufferable to most since you departed and he thinks you'll help his mate calm down since you two are so close."
"Were so close. We aren't close anymore and we haven't been in a long time." Isabella corrected snappily. She hated remembering her past with Caius and his wife. She regrets ever getting friendly and close with the guarded secrets of those demented creatures.
"You never mentioned you were such a favorite here." Garrett spoke up finally once he tried to distract himself from the seductive nature pouring off Heidi.
"Oh yes, Isabella here is like a daughter to Caius and Athenodora. I think they tried to give her the title of princess officially once but ultimately she declined it." Heidi's index finger tapped her chin in thought at the old times.
"Holy shit!" Garrett said in shock as he looked over at his friend whom he realized he didn't know much of her past at all. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"It wasn't and still isn't important," Isabella rolled her eyes at his surprise, "I never accepted the title and I loathe them both now."
"You might want to turn down a notch or two, sweet cheeks. Some of the newer guards here won't like you talking about one of the king's and his mate that way." Heidi suggested with a look of unusual seriousness present on her usual standard flirtatious face.
"Thanks for the warning." She responded with a sarcastic tone.
They finally reached the secret entrance and Heidi opened the metal door in the wall for both of them. Once inside she led them all down a long hallway draped in red and paintings of Volterra. She recalled walking this same hallway all the time due to her missions for the Volturi. Time had changed the hall very little; the only difference being the number of vampires around. She got the impressions that Aro has a lot of favorite vampires now that he invited or the Volturi has grown once more in numbers. Both ideas were met with her stiffening in anxiousness over the situation she found herself in; she was totally outnumbered even more then she first thought.
"Ah, Rebecca dear! Please inform everyone that dear Isabella here has finally arrived." Heidi ordered the woman behind the secretary desk. The blonde woman, Rebecca, quickly bowed to Heidi and drifted away to do her new assignment.
"Now you know where the throne room is so I'll just take Garrett here while you go meet with the Kings." Heidi said with a smile as she tugged Garrett's arm right towards her breasts to distract him.
"Why can't I go with her?" Garrett asked, trying to ignore the not so subtle new seduction tactic of Heidi. Isabella had the urge to give the man a salute for being so brave right now. Heidi couldn't stand to be ignored by anyone she set her sights on and she quickly grew pissed over it. She recalled that the last man to ignore Heidi got ripped up and thrown into the canal.
"They want to speak with you privately before everything kicks off." Heidi answered smoothly as she tried again to gain Garrett's undivided attention onto her.
"I won't go in there without him." Isabella protested with her arms crossed.
Heidi growled but eventually gave into the demand, "Fine, I'll leave you to it then." She let go of Garrett then and walked off to find new prey to play with.
"Thank you."
The Volturi kings sat as always on a platform with their lavish thrones to look down on anyone entering the room. They liked to feel in complete power over the room. Well, that was mostly Caius' controlling nature in effect but his co-rulers agreed with him nonetheless.
"Finally you show up, Isabella." Caius growled as he ruffled his blonde hair in a sign of frustration. He never did like to be kept waiting.
"Caius, give the girl a break," Aro said with his ever present creepy smile. "She came all the way from Scotland, I hear." He commented with a slightly gleeful tone. He must be like a kid on a sugar high right now with all the gifted vampires wondering around the place.
Caius scowled as usual at his friend's overzealous behavior. "Whatever, get on with what you want to tell."
"Ah, oh yes." Aro replied, tipping his head to the side in thought to remember. "I wanted to ask something of you, my friend." He said as he looked dead on at Isabella standing in front of the thrones.
"What is it?"
"I wanted to ask you to become a guard member again; just for this event, of course. We need someone with your gift as a shield to make sure that nothing starts up between the guests."
Isabella simply scowled at the request. She didn't want to be rapped up into their problems with childish vampires running lose and picking fights around the castle. "Do I have the choice to say, no?"
"No, you don't." Caius plainly said with his own frown marking his lips.
"Of course she has a choice brother!" Aro insisted with a unneeded gasp, "We wouldn't dare force her into something; isn't that right, Marcus?" He said leaning over to look at his other brother who up until this point hadn't said a word.
"It's your choice." He simply said with a dazed and tired look in his red eyes. Ever since his wife Didyme passed away he didn't have much interest in ruling anymore. He only stayed on the throne because Aro insisted on it and Chelsea was still lurking around using her gift to ensure his loyalty. Marcus was thus a prime example of the illusion of choice Aro likes to present people with.
Isabella could only grit her teeth in anger at them all. How dare they drag her back here to do their dirty work again. When she left all those years ago it was made clear she wouldn't return. It was a fight she won after many shouting matches with Athenodora and Caius. They promised they wouldn't force her back against her will but here they are doing just that. They knew she couldn't turn down Aro; he wouldn't bat a eyelash as he slaughtered her or Garrett to make his orders clear.
"Fine." Isabella hissed, uncontainable fury shown in her voice.
"Don't take that tone with us, child." Caius barked, " You knew when you joined the Volturi what you signed up for."
"You said I could leave!" Isabella snapped back.
"You insolent girl," Caius roared as he stood up from his throne and fiercely glared down at the woman he once almost called daughter, "You did leave for a period of time!"
"You knew I meant forever!"
"Well, forever came today."
"Can you two children settle down?" Aro interrupted with a chilling snap to cut threw the escalating argument, "We don't need a fight between us while guests are here. Isabella please take your friend and settle in one of the unoccupied guest rooms for now; we're done here."
Isabella turned towards a put out Garrett then. His face looked like a person who just witnessed a telling off between family members and he didn't want to get involved at all. She growled at that train of thought and quickly pulled him out of the room with her towards the guest wing in the castle.
A/N: Dear god why am I starting another story when I have so many unfinished... It's a curse I tell you. Regardless, I have no idea how this came to be. I never imagined I'd write a fanfic for Twilight but here it is. I hope you got something from this first chapter; I'll start outlining the next whenever... If all goes to plan this'll play into a Jane/Bella ship.
Oh also, the poem at the beginning is the first part of, "She Walks In Beauty," by George Gordon Byron.
-RoxyRoxas1313