Starts near the end of Breaking Dawn, the setting is the clearing, where the Cullens face off with the Volturi. This will be book mixed with movie because why not?
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Edwards eyes traveled the length of the group across the field. Carlisle was trying to reason with Aro, but the the olden timed vampire just wasn't hearing it. His red eyes were on Edwards gold. Irina was not much more than ashes the snow put out the remaining fire.
This wasn't good, Alice still wasn't here and he couldn't hear her thoughts which meant she wasn't close.
But then he felt it, the whisper of thoughts, from two people. One was very young, a mere child much like Renesmee and the other the thoughts of a woman, he could see Alice in her mind- a memory of his favorite sister. Alice had sent them!
Edward turned to glance off to the right, where he was sure they would emerge half way between both groups and at least a hundred feet from each.
Bella was sending him a questioning look and in Jacobs thoughts he could see the clearing moving back and forth as he looked to where Edward was looking and to Edwards very own face- so that's what he looked like in other people's mind, not that he didn't know, just usually he tried to get away from the people staring at him.
It only took a moment for every person to look as well, Aro stopped mid sentence, maybe even stopped breathing as the two emerged from the tree line and paused.
A beautiful woman and her equally beautiful carbon copy of a toddler stood, clad in boots and winter garb looking around the clearing swiftly before the mother tugged her daughters hand and sent them forward again. Edward examined them carefully, the woman's face betrayed nothing and neither did her thoughts. The only thing he could see was Alice asking her to come here as she gave a detailed discription of who the Volturi were and what they were doing- or planning to do.
The little girl with light hair and slightly tanned skin and sapphire blue eyes that matched her mothers looked to be three or four, Edward knew better. His own daughter had been there a month ago. Her thoughts were almost confused as she looked all around, her eyes stopping on faces that either intrigued her or frightened her. The wolves caught her eye and she sent a glance up to her mother and in her thoughts, he watched her decide that it was better not to comment on it now but retain it for later.
He silently noted that the child was placed on her left side, between her and the Cullens side of the clearing for - to him - obvious safety reasons. He heard that the younger girl name was Vivian.
Edward very much enjoyed being able to see everyone's reactions to the two blondes and their sapphire blue eyes and their light skin had just a few shades of color that made them appear very much human, but the way their skin sparkled dimmly when the sun peaked from behind the clouds clearly meant that they were vampire, or at least part vampire.
There was one reaction caught his attention the most.
One of Jake's best friends, Embry Call, had tensed completely. His eyes going wide as his eyes stopped on the young woman's face. And the thoughts that were raging through his mind disappeared as he realized what he found.
His imprint.
Edward snorts as the thoughts run through the wolf's head, and as Sam struggled to keep him from running to her side.
It truly was fascinating though, to see the way he saw her through his eyes.
Edward imagined it was just like the way he looked at Bella.
Jacob was sending him a questioning look and his thoughts repeated the sentiment. Right, not connected anymore, Edward shakes his head and leans towards Bella so Jacob could hear also as he just barely whispers,
"Embry's imprint." It was quiet, Edward made sure of that, and checking the thoughts around him, he made that the secret stayed between the packs and his small family.
Jacob inwardly cheered for a moment and Bella brows shot up and Renesmee just smiled wide.
Bella's face clearly asked, 'on the kid?' And Edward had to chuckle as he shook his head and turned back to the woman who had finally stopped, just where he expected. She made it seem like a three way as she stood off to the side directly in the middle.
She sent a hard look over each black cloaked body on the other side of the field before turning to look at Edwards side. Her eyes found his and she tipped her head in an undecidedly adorable way that made Embry's heart increase and a dazzling smile lit up on her face.
"Am I late?" Her soft soprano carried across the field and Edward smirked, still tuned into Embry's thoughts.
In his mind, Carlisle was questioning if he was supposed to answer or if Edward was, giving away nothing more than a side glance before his eyes found the blonde again.
"No," Edward shakes his head. "Thank you for coming."
"Don't mention it." Was the ready reply, "Alice asked me to pass a small message," many breaths caught at the mention of Alice and if Aro wasn't listening intently before, he was now. "She is running a tad bit late, said she would get her as soon as she could." With conpany. Was added silently for him, and he knew that she knew about his gift.
Edward nods.
"And who are you?" Caius' lip upturned in disgust.
The nameless young woman- no, teen Edwards corrects himself, head snaps back to the leaders of the Volturi, blonde ringlets flying and snarls.
"Damn." Emmett smirks off to the side, his arms crossing over his chest.
"Brother, brother," Aro says in awe, "do not be rude to such a beautiful creature." He amends softly, his tone exceedingly gentle.
"Hello young one," he greets, his thoughts moving more then ten miles a minute. "What is your name."
The teen half breed looks him up and down in disgust, "where I come from, one introduces themselves before asking the names of others."
Aro laughs again, this one much more tame. "I am Aro, have you not heard of the Volturi young one?"
"I have," her face loses all emotion, "I didn't realize you would be this ugly."
Aro's laughter wasn't the loudest in the field this time but his was the only one forced. Even the wolves were chortling.
"Such insolence," Caius spat, heated red glare on the blonde teen. "Do you want to die?"
"I long for death often," she chuckles though it was dry and lacking humor, "I have yet to find one who can kill me." She smirks in a challenge.
Edward glanced down at the blonde toddler, her thoughts were quiet as she listened to her mother, she knew what was truth and what was faux bravado in the face of the enemy.
"Tell me Caius, do you think you could do me a favor?" The teen half breed asks innocently.
As Caius answered with something snippy Edward paid more attention to the loud growl that emitted from Embry. But the wolf made no move to step forward so he let it be.
"Now, now, let's not fight shall we." Aro placates with a smile, "we must gather all information if we desire a fair trial. And clearly these children are half human and half vampire."
"I am half," the teen who has yet to be named announces, "she is three fourths vampire and one fourth human."
Aro's eyes lit up at this and even Edward was slightly shocked at the news.
"This is your child, no, young one?" Aro points to the toddler who simply stares back.
"Yes."
"And her father was full vampire?" Aro questions slowly, flipping words in his head and choosing carefully. "Bitten and not... born?"
"Yes, he is full vampire." She nods, "red eyes and all."
"I see," Aro nods in return, "and are you venomous?"
"Not to my knowledge." She smirks, "can't honestly say I go around biting people." She adds with a shrug.
"And your daughter?" Caius interrupts the calm questioning with his loud outburst, "is she?"
The teen half breeds lip curls up at the blonde male, "no she isn't."
"How do we know that?!" He exclaims, "if she is more vampire than human how does she not have venom?"
"I don't know how, but I know she isn't." With a small smile the teen raised a finger to her daughters mouth and let the girl bite her. Blood dribbles slowly from the wound and for a moment Edward feared someone would attack and possibly set off the war; but no one moved other than her as she lifted her hand into her pocket to pull out a napkin. "That doesn't stop her from having sharp teeth though. If she was venomous I would be a full vampire by now." Her almost smug blue gaze went back to Aro, ignoring Caius completely.
"And your diets?" Aro asks, still entralled at the young woman.
"Primarily human food, but if we have no choice, blood- preferably animals blood. Vivian isn't much into killing and neither am I."
"Vivian." The name fell slowly off Aro's tongue, as if he was testing it. And a whole newly bright smile lit up on his face. "And what, young one, is your name?" He asks again.
The half breeds chin tilted up minutely, "I have no name. My human mother died giving birth to me, and my father didn't come back for awhile. When he did, he did not think to give me one."
"Such a shame." Aro cooed, "and who is your father? Surely he is still around?"
"I do not know either of those questions. I was young." She lied effortlessly. Though Edward knew he was the only one to know of the lie.
"And how old are you young one?" Marcus speaks up suddenly.
"Seventeen."
There was no sound in the clearing for a moment.
"But your child looks to be four or five in human years." Aro's smile came back with a vengeance.
"She was born November second," the blonde teen nods, "three minutes from midnight. It was very quick and very painful. She broke many bones but I gave birth as any human would."
Bella squeezed Renesmee at this and Jacob too had happy thoughts running through his head.
"And you have an ability?" Aro asked innocently.
"I do. But I am not a performer, so don't ask me to show you anything." She all but snarls.
"Oh, young one, you are so much more than that." Aro breathed.
Edward could see the whole situation was starting to get to her in her head, mixing in with memories from her painful past so he wasn't surprised when her thoughts raced violently at the attentions of the older vampire.
"May I meet her?" Aro pleaded with her much like he had done moments ago with Edward for Renesmee.
From the corner of his eyes he saw Emmett take half a step, like he wanted to join them should they cross the midpoint towards the Volturi.
The half breed womans eyebrows furrowed as she mulled it over, her thoughts settling on a firm 'no, no, no' "You would have me hand my defenseless child over to you?"
"Oh no," Aro breathed, "most certainly not, you may come as well. I trust you can protect her, should the need occur."
The taunt was was hidden in his gracious tone but the teen picked it up and her lips twisted in a cruel smirk.
"No, Edward," Esme protested quietly to his left, "don't let her go alone."
"Relax." Edward shakes his head, "She's got this under control." He imagined the smile on his own face was like the one he wore when Bella found out Jacob imprinted on their daughter and attacked him.
"You're right Aro," the teen nods, her blue eyes looking down to her daughter, "I am more than enough to protect her, and I will protect her by not allowing you near her."
There were many gasps of disbelief and many snarls at the defiance.
Edwards eyes widened, "Jane don't!" He took a step forward.
Jane hit them full force with her power, a wide sneer on her features.
"Bella!" Edward exclaims turning to his mate, she nods and clenchs her eyes focusing on getting her shield across the field.
In a second many things happened, the teen took the crying Vivian into her arms, held her tight with one hand - ignoring the blazing pain entirely - her free arm waved and a black hole opened up under Jane and sucked her in.
Emmett, Carlisle, and Garrett specifically were poised to leap into action. The wolves were ready to defend their brothers imprint and Embry was crouched ready to jump across the field and help.
Then Jane reappeared in front of the teen, a black hole opening and closing in the snow. And Edward had to hold up a hand to stop everyone from moving. To let them know that it wasn't Jane who did it but the half breed.
The blonde brought a sharp hand down, back handing Jane across the right side of her face and sending her spinning to the ground. The crack the echoed was loud as she lifted her foot to Jane's throat.
"Would you like to rethink that?" She growls.
Suddenly Aro was laughing.
A clear haze fell slowly from Alec's hands, a dark look on his face before the blonde half breeds paralyzing blue gaze swept to him and she waved a dismissing hand and he was gone too, just like Jane through a black hole under his feet. He didn't return though and Aro's laughing intensified, he lifted a hand to point at her and say something but his words were muffled in his breathless laughter.
"I dont like to fight." The blonde teen starts slowly, "I can count the fights I've been in with both humans and vampires on one hand," she sent a small grin to the wolves, "can't say I've ever fought a wolf before, can't say I want to. Don't get me wrong though," she says, her head tipping down before her chin slanted up, and her gaze was once again on red eyed vamps. "I will fight if I must. It won't be much of a fight on your end."
There were many snarls from across the field and Edward heard Jane's malicious thoughts very clearly from where she was pinned.
"Well double damn." Emmett's smirk returns wide and full of teeth.
Edward, having been reading the half breeds mind, didn't flinch. He smirked. Bella to his his right tilted her body towards their daughter a bit but her smirk matched his. Jane had it coming. Renesmee's eyes were wide and her thoughts racing so he gave her hand a squeeze. She looks up at him, a look in her brown eyes but she nods and turns back to the blonde half breed and her daughter.
"Like I said, I did not come to fight." Blue eyes stared red down defiantly.
Edward couldn't get chills, but he felt something like what he would think to be an ice cold feather slide down his back starting at his neck. The half breed teen could sure insight terror. If Edward couldn't read her mind he would be worried about the safety of his family with her around. But her mind was peaceful, other than her thoughts on the Volturi that is.
Aro regained composure.
"Then what did you come for young one?" He questions.
"I came to stall." She smirks, "for Alice."
Edward smiles softly.
"I didn't plan to come out here," she sighs, "I didn't want to get involved. I even sent Alice to find someone who could better help. He is much older than I am." She says.
Edward squeezes Bella's hand.
"I was sitting and waiting when I noticed many of your witnesses fleeing. You were too hasty to cast your vote so here I am. Stalling just enough. You might decide that I am dangerous- and you wouldn't be wrong. You may decide to kill me, but you've seen only a fraction of what I can do. I am not easy to kill." A few wolves let out fierce growls. "So, go, based off what you now know, cast your votes. We wait on your judgment."
"What does that mean?" Benjamin asks quietly, "'stalling just enough'?"
Edward paused as he read her thoughts, "She's waiting on Alice."
"Brothers," Aro said somberly, "there is much to consider here."
"Let us counsel," Caius said eagerly.
"Let us counsel," Marcus repeated in an uninterested tone.
Aro turned his back to us again, facing the other ancients. They joined hands to form a black-shrouded triangle.
As soon as Aro's attention was engaged in the silent counsel, two more of their witnesses disappeared silently into the forest.
Edward hoped, for their sakes, that they were fast.
Carefully, Bella loosened Renesmee's arms from her neck.
"You remember what I told you?"
Tears welled in her eyes, but she nodded. "I love you," she whispered.
Edward was watching us now, his topaz eyes wide. Jacob stared from the corner of his big dark eye.
"I love you, too," Bella said, and then she touched her daughters locket.
"More than my own life." Bella kissed her forehead.
Jacob whined uneasily.
Bella stretched up on her toes and whispered into his ear.
"Wait until they're totally distracted, then run with her. Get as far from this place as you possibly can. When you've gone as far as you can on foot, she has what you need to get you in the air."
Edward's and Jacob's faces were almost identical masks of horror, despite the fact that one of them was an animal.
Renesmee reached for Edward, and he took her in his arms. They hugged each other tightly.
"This is what you kept from me?" he whispered over her head.
"From Aro," Bella breathed.
"Alice?"
Bella nodded.
His face twisted with understanding and pain.
Jacob was growling quietly, a low rasp that was as even and unbroken as a purr. His hackles were stiff and his teeth exposed.
Edward kissed Renesmee's forehead and both her cheeks, then he lifted her to Jacob's shoulder. She scrambled agilely onto his back, pulling herself into place with handfuls of his fur, and fit herself easily into the dip between his massive shoulder blades.
Jacob turned to Bella, his expressive eyes full of agony, the rumbling growl still grating through his chest.
"You're the only one we could ever trust her with," Bella murmured to him. "If you didn't love her so much, I could never bear this. I know you can protect her, Jacob."
He whined again, and dipped his head to butt it against her shoulder.
"I know," Bella whispered. "I love you, too, Jake. You'll always be my best man."
A tear the size of a baseball rolled into the russet fur beneath his eye.
Edward leaned his head against the same shoulder where he'd placed Renesmee. "Goodbye, Jacob, my brother… my son."
The others were not oblivious to the farewell scene. Their eyes were locked on the silent black triangle, but he could tell they were listening.
"Is there no hope, then?" Carlisle whispered. There was no fear in his voice. Just determination and acceptance.
The teen half breed with her daughter clutched in her arms and Jane still pinned and unmoving turned half way to see. Her blue eyes were evaluating the situation.
"There is absolutely hope," Bella murmured back. It could be true, Bella told myself. "I only know my own fate."
Edward took her hand.
Esme's breath was ragged behind Edward. She moved past them, touching their faces as she passed, to stand beside Carlisle and hold his hand.
Suddenly, they were surrounded by murmured goodbyes and I love you's.
"If we live through this," Garrett whispered to Kate, "I'll follow you anywhere, woman."
"Now he tells me," she muttered.
Rosalie and Emmett kissed quickly but passionately.
Tia caressed Benjamin's face. He smiled back cheerfully, catching her hand and holding it against his cheek.
There was no change in the silent, still forms of the counseling ancients.
"Emmett, Rosalie." The teen half breed called after a moment of hesitation. The vampire couple snapped their gazes to her. "Alice says I can trust you with my daughter?"
Rosalie looked physically pained as she nodded immediately. Both stepped forward and met the blonde.
Once the child was in Rosalie's arms her mother smiled to her and reached out to caress her face.
"Vivian." She whispers, "I love you so much. Please, stay with them. They will keep you safe."
Emmett eyed the back pack the little girl wore and in his mind it clicked that Bella had just given Renesmee a similar one. He had no doubt that it held what they needed to get somewhere safe. Emmett felt angry at the thought of leaving the fight but one look at Rosalie holding the child made him want to protect his mate and the innocent that much more.
Blue eyes caught two pair of gold, conveying a silent message before the two nodded and retreated to safety. The teen half breed would be one of the first that are targeted, she didn't bother to join them.
"Get ready," Bella whispered to the others. "It's starting."
"Chelsea is trying to break our bindings," Edward whispered right after. "But she can't find them. She can't feel us here. . . ." His eyes cut to Bella. "Are you doing that?"
Bwlla smiled grimly at him. "I am all over this."
Edward lurched away suddenly, his hand reaching out toward Carlisle.
"Carlisle? Are you all right?" Edward gasped frantically.
"Yes. Why?"
"Jane," Edward answered.
The moment that he said her name, Bella felt a dozen pointed attacks hit in a second, stabbing all over the elastic shield, aimed at twelve different bright spots. Bella flexed, making sure the shield was undamaged. It didn't seem like Jane had been able to pierce it. Bella glanced around quickly; everyone was fine.
"Incredible," Edward said.
"Why aren't they waiting for the decision?" Tanya hissed.
"Normal procedure," Edward answered brusquely. "They usually incapacitate those on trial so they can't escape."
Bella looked across at Jane, who was staring at their group with furious disbelief. Bella was pretty sure that, besides her- and now the half breed girl-, Jane had never seen anyone remain standing through her fiery assault.
It probably wasn't very mature. But Bella figured it would take Aro about half a second to guess—if he hadn't already—that her shield was more powerful than Edward had known; she already had a big target on her forehead and there was really no point in trying to keep the extent of what she could do a secret. So she grinned a huge, smug smile right at Jane.
Her eyes narrowed, and Bella felt another stab of pressure, this time directed at her.
Bella pulled her lips wider, showing her teeth.
Jane let out a high-pitched scream of a snarl. Everyone jumped, even the disciplined guard. Everyone but the ancients, who didn't so much as look up from their conference. Jane thrashed for a moment from under the solid foot that pinned her before holding still once more.
The Romanians started chuckling with dark anticipation.
"I told you this was our time," Vladimir said to Stefan.
"Just look at the witch's face," Stefan chortled.
Alec turned his face to us, perfectly smooth, completely angelic. He continued to stare in their direction, his pretty face composed. Bella clutched at Edward's hand.
"Are you okay?" Bella choked out.
"Yes," he whispered.
"Is Alec trying?"
Edward nodded. "His gift is slower than Jane's. It creeps. It will touch us in a few seconds."
Bella saw it then.
A strange clear haze was oozing across the snow, nearly invisible against the white. Bella pushed her shield out from Carlisle and the rest of the front line, covering the blonde teen but leaving Jane out, afraid to have the slinking mist too close when it hit.
A low rumbling murmured through the ground under our feet, and a gust of wind blew the snow into sudden flurries between their position and the Volturi's. Benjamin had seen the creeping threat, too, and now he tried to blow the mist away from them. The snow made it easy to see where he threw the wind, but the mist didn't react in any way. It was like air blowing harmlessly through a shadow; the shadow was immune.
The triangular formation of the ancients finally broke apart when, with a racking groan, a deep, narrow fissure opened in a long zigzag across the middle of the clearing. The earth rocked under everyone's feet for a moment. The drifts of snow plummeted into the hole, but the mist skipped right across it, as untouched by gravity as it had been by wind.
Aro and Caius watched the opening earth with wide eyes. Marcus looked in the same direction without emotion.
They didn't speak; they waited, too, as the mist approached the unnamed teen first. The wind shrieked louder but didn't change the course of the mist. Jane was smiling now, she was pinned to where she could see what was happening and she was even more angry because her attacks weren't working doubled by the fact she was still pinned.
And then the mist hit a wall.
Bella could taste it as soon as it touched her shield—it had a dense, sweet, cloying flavor. It made her remember dimly the numbness of Novocain on her tongue.
The mist curled upward, seeking a breach, a weakness, it climbed over the teen who craned her neck to see it slide five feet over her head and continue on.
"Incredible." The girl whispers, glancing back at Bella with an amazed look.
It found none. The fingers of searching haze twisted upward and around, trying to find a way in, and in the process illustrating the astonishing size of the protective screen.
There were gasps on both sides of Benjamin's gorge.
"Well done, Bella!" Benjamin cheered in a low voice.
Her smile returned. She could see Alec's narrowed eyes, doubt on his face for the first time as his mist swirled harmlessly around the edges of her shield.
"I'm going to have to concentrate," Bella whispered to Edward. "When it comes to hand to hand, it's going to be harder to keep the shield around the right people."
"I'll keep them off you."
"No. You have to get to Demetri. Zafrina will keep them away from me."
Zafrina nodded solemnly. "No one will touch this young one," she promised Edward.
"I'd go after Jane and Alec myself, but I can do more good here."
"Jane's mine," Kate hissed. "She needs a taste of her own medicine."
The teen looked down with a taunting smirk, meeting furious red eyes.
"And Alec owes me many lives, but I will settle for his," Vladimir growled from the other side. "He's mine."
"I just want Caius," Tanya said evenly.
The others started divvying up opponents, too, but they were quickly interrupted.
Aro, staring calmly at Alec's ineffective mist, finally spoke.
"Before we vote," he began. "Let me remind you," Aro continued, "whatever the council's decision, there need be no violence here."
Edward snarled out a dark laugh.
Aro stared at him sadly. "It will be a regrettable waste to our kind to lose any of you. But you especially, young Edward, and your newborn mate. The Volturi would be glad to welcome many of you into our ranks. Bella, Benjamin, Zafrina, Kate, and of course you, young one. There are many choices before you. Consider them."
Chelsea's attempt to sway them fluttered impotently against Bella's shield. Aro's gaze swept across their hard eyes, looking for any indication of hesitation. From his expression, he found none.
Bella knew he was desperate to keep Edward and her, to imprison them the way he had hoped to enslave Alice. But this fight was too big. He would not win if she lived. She was fiercely glad to be so powerful that she left him no way not to kill her.
"Let us vote, then," he said with apparent reluctance.
Caius spoke with eager haste. "The child is an unknown quantity. There is no reason to allow such a risk to exist. It must be destroyed, along with all who protect it." He smiled in expectation.
Bella fought back a shriek of defiance to answer his cruel smirk.
Marcus lifted his uncaring eyes, seeming to look through us as he voted.
"I see no immediate danger. The child is safe enough for now. We can always reevaluate later. Let us leave in peace." His voice was even fainter than his brothers' feathery sighs.
None of the guard relaxed their ready positions at his disagreeing words. Caius's anticipatory grin did not falter. It was as if Marcus hadn't spoken at all.
"I must make the deciding vote, it seems," Aro mused.
Suddenly, Edward stiffened. "Yes!" he hissed.
Bella risked a glance at him. His face glowed with an expression of triumph that she didn't understand, it was the expression an angel of destruction might wear while the world burned. Beautiful and terrifying.
There was a low reaction from the guard, an uneasy murmur.
"Aro?" Edward called, nearly shouted, undisguised victory in his voice. The blonde on the side of the field turned at the tone and she too started to smile.
Aro hesitated for a second, assessing this new mood warily before he answered. "Yes, Edward? You have something further… ?"
"Perhaps," Edward said pleasantly, controlling his unexplained excitement. "First, if I could clarify one point?"
"Certainly," Aro said, raising his eyebrows, nothing now but polite interest in his tone. Bella's teeth ground together; Aro was never more dangerous than when he was gracious.
"The danger you foresee from my daughter, this stems entirely from our inability to guess how she will develop? That is the crux of the matter?"
"Yes, friend Edward," Aro agreed. "If we could but be positive… be sure that, as she grows, she will be able to stay concealed from the human world, not endanger the safety of our obscurity . . ." He trailed off, shrugging.
"So, if we could only know for sure," Edward suggested, "exactly what these three will become… then there would be no need for a council at all?"
"If there was some way to be absolutely sure," Aro agreed, his feathery voice slightly more shrill. He couldn't see where Edward was leading him. "Then, yes, there would be no question to debate."
"And we would part in peace, good friends once again?" Edward asked with a hint of irony.
Even more shrill. "Of course, my young friend. Nothing would please me more."
Edward chuckled exultantly. "Then I do have something more to offer."
Aro's eyes narrowed. "She is absolutely unique. Her future can only be guessed at."
"Not absolutely unique," Edward disagreed. "Rare, certainly, but not one of a kind, as you've seen already."
As Bella struggled to focus, she felt again the sharp, stabbing pressure against her protective hold.
"Aro, would you ask Jane to stop attacking my wife?" Edward asked courteously. "We are still discussing evidence."
Aro raised one hand. "Peace, dear ones. Let us hear him out."
The pressure disappeared. Jane bared her teeth at Bella; she couldn't help grinning back at her.
"Why don't you join us, Alice?" Edward called loudly.
"Alice," Esme whispered in shock.
"Alice!" "Alice!" other voices murmured all around.
"Alice," Aro breathed.
"It's about time." The blonde hissed, but the smile curling on her face spoke otherwise. Vivian twisted in Rosalie's hold, trying to get a look at her newest friend. A dazzling, absolutely breathtaking smile lights up her features.
And then they heard them running through the forest, flying, closing the distance as quickly as they could with no slowing effort at silence.
Both sides were motionless in expectation. The Volturi witnesses scowled in fresh confusion.
Then Alice danced into the clearing from the southwest, Jasper was only inches behind her, his sharp eyes fierce. Close after them ran three strangers; the first was a tall, muscular female with wild dark hair, obviously Kachiri of the Amazon Coven. She had the same elongated limbs and features as the other Amazons, even more pronounced in her case.
The next was a small olive-toned female vampire with a long braid of black hair bobbing against her back. Her deep burgundy eyes flitted nervously around the confrontation before her.
And the last was a young man… not quite as fast nor quite as fluid in his run. His skin was an impossible rich, dark brown. His wary eyes flashed across the gathering, and they were the color of warm teak. His hair was black and braided, too, like the woman's, though not as long.
As he neared, a new sound sent shock waves through the watching crowd, the sound of another heartbeat, accelerated with exertion.
Alice leaped lightly over the edges of the dissipating mist that lapped at Bella's shield and came to a sinuous stop at Edward's side. Bella reached out to touch her arm, and so did Edward, Esme, Carlisle. There wasn't time for any other welcome. Jasper and the others followed her through the shield.
All the guard watched, speculation in their eyes, as the latecomers crossed the invisible border without difficulty. The brawny ones, Felix and the others like him, focused their suddenly hopeful eyes on Bella. They had not been sure of what Bella's shield repelled, but it was clear now that it would not stop a physical attack. As soon as Aro gave the order, the blitz would ensue, Bella the only object. Bella wondered how many Zafrina would be able to blind, and how much that would slow them. Long enough for Kate and Vladimir to take Jane and Alec out of the equation? That was all she could ask for.
Edward, despite his absorption in the coup he was directing, stiffened furiously in response to their thoughts. He controlled himself and spoke to Aro again.
"Alice has been searching for her own witnesses these last weeks," he said to the ancient. "And she does not come back empty-handed. Alice, why don't you introduce the witnesses you've brought?"
Caius snarled. "The time for witnesses is past! Cast your vote, Aro!"
Aro raised one finger to silence his brother, his eyes glued to Alice's face. The blonde teen rolled her eyes at Alice who gave an 'I know' expression.
Alice stepped forward lightly and introduced the strangers. "This is Huilen and her nephew, Nahuel."
Caius's eyes tightened as Alice named the relationship between the newcomers. The Volturi witnesses hissed amongst themselves. The vampire world was changing, and everyone could feel it.
"Speak, Huilen," Aro commanded. "Give us the witness you were brought to bear."
The slight woman looked to Alice nervously. Alice nodded in encouragement, and Kachiri put her long hand on the little vampire's shoulder.
"I am Huilen," the woman announced in clear but strangely accented English. As she continued, it was apparent she had prepared herself to tell this story, that she had practiced. It flowed like a well-known nursery rhyme. "A century and a half ago, I lived with my people, the Mapuche. My sister was Pire. Our parents named her after the snow on the mountains because of her fair skin. And she was very beautiful—too beautiful. She came to me one day in secret and told me of the angel that found her in the woods, that visited her by night. I warned her." Huilen shook her head mournfully. "As if the bruises on her skin were not warning enough. I knew it was the Libishomen of our legends, but she would not listen. She was bewitched.
"She told me when she was sure her dark angel's child was growing inside her. I didn't try to discourage her from her plan to run away—I knew even our father and mother would agree that the child must be destroyed, Pire with it. I went with her into the deepest parts of the forest. She searched for her demon angel but found nothing. I cared for her, hunted for her when her strength failed. She ate the animals raw, drinking their blood. I needed no more confirmation of what she carried in her womb. I hoped to save her life before I killed the monster.
"But she loved the child inside her. She called him Nahuel, after the jungle cat, when he grew strong and broke her bones, and loved him still.
"I could not save her. The child ripped his way free of her, and she died quickly, begging all the while that I would care for her Nahuel. Her dying wish, and I agreed.
"He bit me, though, when I tried to lift him from her body. I crawled away into the jungle to die. I didn't get far—the pain was too much. But he found me; the newborn child struggled through the underbrush to my side and waited for me. When the pain ended, he was curled against my side, sleeping.
"I cared for him until he was able to hunt for himself. We hunted the villages around our forest, staying to ourselves. We have never come so far from our home, but Nahuel wished to see the child here."
Huilen bowed her head when she was finished and moved back so she was partially hidden behind Kachiri.
Aro's lips were pursed. He stared at the dark-skinned youth.
"Nahuel, you are one hundred and fifty years old?" he questioned.
"Give or take a decade," he answered in a clear, beautifully warm voice. His accent was barely noticeable. "We don't keep track."
"And you reached maturity at what age?"
"About seven years after my birth, more or less, I was full grown."
"You have not changed since then?" Aro asked.
Nahuel shrugged. "Not that I've noticed."
Bella felt a shudder tremble through Jacob's body. She didn't want to think about this yet. She would wait till the danger was past and she could concentrate.
"And your diet?" Aro pressed, seeming interested in spite of himself. His eyes flitted to the other full grown female half breed for a moment.
"Mostly blood, but some human food, too. I can survive on either."
"You were able to create an immortal?" As Aro gestured to Huilen, his voice was abruptly intense.
"Yes, but none of the rest can."
A shocked murmur ran through all three groups.
Aro's eyebrows shot up. "The rest?"
"My sisters." Nahuel shrugged again.
Aro stared wildly for a moment before composing his face.
"Perhaps you would tell us the rest of your story, for there seems to be more."
Nahuel frowned.
"My father came looking for me a few years after my mother's death." His handsome face distorted slightly. "He was pleased to find me." Nahuel's tone suggested the feeling was not mutual. "He had two daughters, but no sons. He expected me to join him, as my sisters had.
"He was surprised I was not alone. My sisters are not venomous, but whether that's due to gender or a random chance… who knows? I already had my family with Huilen, and I was not interested" he twisted the word,"in making a change. I see him from time to time. I have a new sister; she reached maturity about ten years back."
"Your father's name?" Caius asked through gritted teeth.
"Joham," Nahuel answered. "He considers himself a scientist. He thinks he's creating a new super-race." He made no attempt to disguise the disgust in his tone.
"Bleh." The female half breed turns her head, though looking at her after she said it no one would be able to guess it was her. She was completely emotionless, even her eyes. Bella had an inkling that Jane was causing her pain after she had to pull her shield back before she dropped it completely and immediately felt bad.
"She's okay." Edward whispered under his breath. Bella shot him a look but nodded.
Caius looked to Bella. "Your daughter, is she venomous?" he demanded harshly.
"No," Bella responded. Nahuel's head snapped up at Caius's question, and his teak eyes turned to bore into her face.
Caius looked to Aro for confirmation, but Aro was absorbed in his own thoughts. He pursed his lips and stared at Carlisle, and then Edward, and at last his eyes rested on Bella.
Caius growled. "We take care of the aberration here, and then follow it south," he urged Aro.
Aro stared into Bella's eyes for a long, tense moment. He found what he was looking for and in that moment, something in his face changed, a faint shift in the set of his mouth and eyes, and Bella knew that Aro had made his decision.
"Brother," he said softly to Caius. "There appears to be no danger. This is an unusual development, but I see no threat. These half-vampire children are much like us, it appears."
"Is that your vote?" Caius demanded.
"It is."
Caius scowled. "And this Joham? This immortal so fond of experimentation?"
"Perhaps we should speak with him," Aro agreed.
"Stop Joham if you will," Nahuel said flatly. "But leave my sisters be. They are innocent."
The teens eyes flashed at the mention.
Aro nodded, his expression solemn. And then he turned back to his guard with a warm smile.
"Dear ones," he called. "We do not fight today."
The guard nodded in unison and straightened out of their ready positions. The mist dissipated swiftly, but Bella held her shield in place.
Bella analyzed their expressions as Aro turned back to us. His face was as benign as ever, but unlike before, she sensed a strange blankness behind the façade. As if his scheming was over. Caius was clearly incensed, but his rage was turned inward now; he was resigned. Marcus looked… bored; there really was no other word for it. The guard was impassive and disciplined again; there were no individuals among them, just the whole. They were in formation, ready to depart- other than Jane.
The Volturi witnesses were still wary; one after another, they departed, scattering towards the woods. As their numbers dwindled, the remaining sped up. Soon they were all disappearing towards the woods.
Aro held his hands out to them, almost apologetic. Behind him, the larger part of the guard, along with Caius, Marcus, and the silent, mysterious wives, were already drifting away, their formation precise once again. Only the three that seemed to be his personal guardians lingered with him.
"I'm so glad this could be resolved without violence," he said sweetly. "My friend, Carlisle, how pleased I am to call you friend again! I hope there are no hard feelings. I know you understand the strict burden that our duty places on our shoulders."
"Leave in peace, Aro," Carlisle said stiffly. "Please remember that we still have our anonymity to protect here, and keep your guard from hunting in this region."
"Of course, Carlisle," Aro assured him. "I am sorry to earn your disapproval, my dear friend. Perhaps, in time, you will forgive me."
"Perhaps, in time, if you prove a friend to us again."
The blonde teen stepped off Jane and turned away and took a few steps away.
Aro bowed his head, the picture of remorse, and drifted backward for a moment before he turned around.
They watched in silence as the last four Volturi headed for the trees where Alec waited for his sister.
"Good riddance." Jane scoffs.
The half breed who had been turning on heel to go get her daughter, paused feeling the heated glare Jane was sending her. She suddenly twirls back to where the Volturi were making their descent and swung her arms out in front of her to the right. She seemingly grabbed hold of an ivisible curtain and renched her arms to the left.
Everyone stared in shock as she moved, as her hands went across the length people disappeared. Black holes opened beneath everyone and sent them all away. Only Jane was left.
"Wait!" The teen called loudly in near disgust. "You forgot Jane!" She said before moving forward and kicking Jane, sending her flying before a black hole sucked her out of midair.
The teen smacked her hands together, before rubbing them to clear off nothing as she turned with a small, smug smile.
"How's that for good riddance?" She scoffed mainly to herself even though everyone heard it. "That should help with the potential hunting issues." She adds in Carlisle's direction.
There was a sound that could pass as a wolfs deep, throaty laugh before it went very quiet after that. Bella did not drop her shield. "Is it really over?" she whispered to Edward.
His smile was huge. "Yes. They've given up. Like all bullies, they're cowards underneath the swagger." He chuckled.
Alice laughed with him. "Seriously, people. They're not coming back. Everybody can relax now."
There was another beat of silence.
"Of all the rotten luck," Stefan muttered.
And then it hit.
Cheers erupted. Deafening howls filled the clearing. Maggie pounded Siobhan on the back. Rosalie and Emmett kissed again, longer and more ardently than before, the mixed child pressed between them with a wide smile. Benjamin and Tia were locked in each other's arms, as were Carmen and Eleazar. Esme held Alice and Jasper in a tight embrace. Carlisle was warmly thanking the South American newcomers who had saved everyone. Kachiri stood very close to Zafrina and Senna, their fingertips interlocked. Garrett picked Kate up off the ground and swung her around in a circle.
Stefan spit on the snow. Vladimir ground his teeth together with a sour expression.
"Aunty Alice! Aunty Alice!" The smallest and youngest one in the field squealed happily.
Rosalie searched the little girls mothers face for approval to set the little one down and only once she got it did she release the child. Immediately she took off towards Alice, snow flew up behind her before she collided into Alice's chest. Alice wrapped her arms around the girl.
"You promised you'd be here! And here you are!" Vivian giggled happily, sitting back in the embrace to look into Alice's golden eyes. Alice just smiled in return.
Vivian's mother stood back from Carlisle's conversation with Nahuel and Huilen, trying to be polite and wait her turn to speak to them. She kept an eye on Vivian who was still in Alice's arms with Jasper at her side as they spoke with Rosalie, Emmett and Esme. She saw Edward, Bella and their daughter approaching the group and started to tense, unsure with the situation and not liking the distance between her and her daughter. The two wolves that followed them didn't help ease her. Edward caught her gaze and raised a hand to placate her racing thoughts. She nodded softly, but still didn't take her eyes off her daughter.
"That was not even necessary." Nahuel shakes his head, finally addressing her. "Act your age, at least in public." He says as he turns from Carlisle.
She gives an unamused look, "my age you say? You want me to act my age? Hm. Interesting."
Huilen turns to her nephew, "you are going to regret saying that later." She smirks before sliding forward gracefully to embrace the younger woman. "How have you been? I have missed you dearly, why did you leave so suddenly?" Worry marred her perfect features.
The half breed looked back to her daughter and gestured with a nod. "That is my child."
Huilen sucks in sharp gasp, "she is beautiful." She whispers but her gaze was sad as she turned back to her half breed friend.
Nahuel raises a brow, "we saw you half a year ago, how long were you with child?"
"Two months. She's nearly a month old now." A soft smile lights on her face seeing Vivian's giggling form lean heavily over Alice's shoulder to pinch Jasper. "She grows quicker than we did."
"Vampire?" Nahuel asks. Huilen hisses, her gaze searching.
The young girl nods. Nahuel eyes her, examining her closed answers.
"Your father is involved." He deduced.
"Enough Nahuel." Blue eyes hit brown, "I don't want her to hear about this."
"You are lucky to be alive." He adds as his eyes narrow and he let's it go.
Carlisle silently watches the exchange, noting every detail for later.
Huilen starts to smile. "I want to meet her."
Just then Alice skips over with Vivian in her arms, stopping beside the girls mother who holds out her hands in silent invite. Vivian latches onto her mother immediately. Alice moves to stand by Carlisle and the taller man wraps an arm around her shoulders and pulls her close.
"Say hello." Mother whispers to daughter.
Vivian peeks her head out, looking up at Nahuel's tall form shyly from under thick lashes. "Hello, I am Vivian." She greets looking to Huilen who more matched their height.
"I am Huilen, it is wonderful to meet you beautiful baby." Huilen nods back, she ran a finger down smooth warm skin. "She is not your temperature." Huilen notes softly, smiling still to the baby blonde.
"I know. It's somewhere between mine and a humans."
"Is she venomous?" Nahuel questions, examining the child.
The woman shakes her head and glares, "you would know that if you weren't late."
Nahuel smirks, "we got here as soon as we could." He replies, making the glare deepen. The blonde opens her mouth to retort.
"Thank you," Alice interrupts the threat that was about to come out of the young woman's mouth. "For that, by the way. We probably would've been too late if it weren't for you."
The half breed girl nods, exhaustion starting to set in from not enough rest and using her powers to much. She turns to leave.
"Wait! Just stay a bit longer," Alice almost begs, "please, we have so much to catch up on. Nahuel and Huilen agreed to stay for a little while as well."
The young woman glanced across the field to see mostly everyone gone, either having left for home or to the Cullens. Her eyes settle on Alice as she shakes her head.
"I'm sorry, we must be leaving now."
In her arms Vivian pouted.
"Goodbye, I wish you luck with your situation." She let her gaze travel to the rest of the Cullens who were watching the exchange silently. She nods and turns again, this time taking steps towards the way they came from.
"Wait, Carlisle is a doctor, he can help you." Edward calls suddenly, startling everyone, "you're still feeling Jane's onslaught, you aren't fully healed from a month ago, and you haven't rested in weeks. Please, stay."
The nameless teen let's out a deep sigh, and seeing her daughters begging expression she silently nods in agreement, "I do not want medical treatment though. Thank you for the offer." She continues on. "I'll meet you there." She calls over her shoulder.
"Should she go alone?" Esme asked in worry.
"She'll be okay," Edward nods, "she has her car with her ands she passed the house the way here." He explains.
"I'll go with her." Nahuel kisses his aunts cheek before running to the other half breeds side.
Esme nods, curling into her husband's side. She trusted her son but Nahuel going with her made her feel better.
The group watched the three leave. Nahuel was walking backwards in perfect pace with a teasing grin, and the full grown half breed teen was glaring up at him.
"Act my age you say? You want me to act like a teenager then?" The blonde questions, Nahuel's smirk was wiped off his face when she kicked out her right foot to catch his lifting foot and pull. He stumbled and she sent a firm palm to his chest firmly sending him to the snow.
"Children please." Huilen calls in exasperation. Her nephew picked himself up and the three disappeared in a burst of speed.
Embry's growl echoed through the silent field.
"Relax." Edward smirks, "it's more of a brother and sister relationship."
That didn't soothe the wolf but he nodded and took off into the forest.
"How bad is her condition?" Carlisle's expression was purely work mode.
"She'll be okay." Edward repeated as he picked up Renesmee and turned. "We shouldn't leave out guests waiting. Let's get home." He grins. Cheers erupt from the Cullens and the remaining wolf howls, Jacob follows closely behind them as they run.