My guard and witnesses entered the clearing. We've practiced this formation plenty of times. For three millennia my partners- Marcus and Caius- have joined and made these rules for our kind. For three millennia we have ruled this vampire world. Keeping the secrets and punishing all that have broken these rules.
Marcus, Caius, and I were in the middle of the perfect, rigid, formal formation. Witnesses were on the outside, in Gray cloaks. As the ranks rose higher the cloaks turned darker. I, along with my partners, were in the deepest black.
The sign was signaled for us to branch out. We were in no hurry, this coven would die soon enough. Punished for the crime they committed.
I am very sorry my friend, Carlisle. I am sorry to you too, young Edward, but you must be punished for your crime.
I knew he could hear my thoughts. Edward was a gifted vampire. One that could hear every ones thoughts around him, but only as they thought them, was a very useful gift… I could use him. I already have a mind reader among my ranks, though. Very gifted, he can hear every thought your mind has had, but at a price. He must touch you to gain these thoughts. It would have been very useful for me to have what Edward has. The vampire, who has this special gift, is the leader of the Volturi. The vampire I am speaking of is me.
My guard was trained not to show any emotions. Hundreds upon, hundreds of years for practice was needed for this. Though none of my guard showed it, they were deeply surprised at the werewolf standing in the Cullen's midst.
How very odd, Werewolves listening to a command from a vampire.
"The red coats are coming, the redcoats are coming," a revolutionary vampire said. Garrett, if I am not mistaken.
"They did come,"
Not the Romanians, Vladimir and Stefan! I thought I took them out long ago. No matter. They shall be punished. Again.
"The wives," Stefan hissed back to Vladimir, "The entire guard. All of them together. It's well we didn't try Volterra."
Oh Stefan. That would have been a sight.
I realized that these other vampires standing with the Cullen's, were their witnesses.
As if that will help any. Even if this accuser, Irina, was wrong, they will still be punished. We have layers upon layers of strategy.
I moved my eyes to Bella.
What a lovely vampire Bella has turned out to be, Edward!
Then my eyes came to rest on the child.
Irina was right. An immortal child! I never thought that Carlisle would break the law like this… I can see that you have witnesses, Edward. But that will not stop us. We see that child resting on your mate's back.
I heard Edward snarl. He whispered something to his group, to low for my side to hear. Maybe if we stopped…
Our formation halted. The flawless discipline of my guard never faulted; we froze into absolute stillness, about a hundred yards away from them. I then heard large beating hearts. Sixteen werewolves came out of the trees. They branched out in long, bordering arms around the Cullen's uneven line.
Amazing! I've never seen anything like this…
I then heard a low, fierce snarl coming from Edward's mate. For some reason, her lips were curved up in a smile.
I took out my hand, for I wanted to evaluate with Caius and Marcus on the subject. Caius took my hand, and I heard every thought he's every had, along with new ones:
My sweet…. All of these……
Aro, I do not like this. They should be taken care of right away!
Then I felt Marcus take my hand. Utterly bored, just like always:
How could…. That one was…..
We should simply hear the witnesses, vote, and move on.
Renata was touching my back. I usually could tune her out, but her thoughts were unusually loud:
I don't like this at all, Master! This doesn't seem right. The child… The werewolves….
I felt her shudder.
I flicked my eyes around the group.
What a disappointment! Alice…
I looked again... Just to make sure that my eyes weren't mistaken.
She is not here! What a disappointment…
I could feel chagrin tighten my lips as I looked for the little vampire that could bring great things to my guard.
I chose to speak to my partners.
"Caius, Marcus, how should we proceed? I believe that we should go with the key targets."
Who are the key targets?.
Ah. Caius. He does not really care who the key targets are. He would go straight for the kill.
"Edward, Carlisle, Eleazar, and Tanya are the key targets. How are the ties Marcus?"
Very strong, Aro. It's not like a coven… but more of a family. It doesn't really matter though.
"The Romanians are bothering me, Aro. It irritates me to know end!" Caius muttered to me.
I was worried about the two vampires that I have not seen before… perhaps they are Amazons….
"I am worried about the faces I do not recognize. The two... Amazons, I believe they are…" I told them.
I really don't like those werewolves, Aro. I didn't do so well with them the last time. I can't believe that I missed some! We've never been outnumbered before either…
"We could count the witnesses… but they are meaningless. I mostly enjoy the audience."
I saw Carlisle square his shoulders and walk several steps toward us. He spread his arms, holding his palms, in a greeting.
"Aro, my old friend. It's been centuries."
Old friend. He knows the law… He's also assembled a very large army…
I stepped forward, out of the center of my formation. Renata moved forward, of course; her fingers were 'sewn' to the back of my robe.
The guard broke their uninterested expression. There were grumbles, lips pulled back from their teeth, even a few of them crouched forward.
"Peace." I told them.
I walked a few paces more, and cocked my head. I was so curious to why Carlisle spoke to me like nothing was wrong.
"Fair words, Carlisle. They seem out of place, considering the army you've assembled to kill me, and to kill my dear ones."
Carlisle shook his and stretched his right hand; a gesture for me to touch him.
"You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent."
How could this be! I can see the child.
"But how can your intent possibly matter, dear Carlisle, in the face of what you have done?"
I was sad that i had to rid the world of my dear friend. But hi actions had to be punished.
"I have not committed the crime you are here to punish me for."
"Then step aside and let us punish those responsible. Truly, Carlisle, nothing would please me more than to preserve you life today."
"No one has broken the law, Aro. Let me explain." Again, Carlisle offered his hand to me.
Caius then drifted forward to my side.
"So many pointless rules, so many unnecessary laws you create for yourself Carlisle." He hissed at Carlisle. "How is it possible that you defend the breaking of one that truly matters?"
"The law is not broken. If you would listen-"
"We see the child, Carlisle." Caius snarled. "Do not treat us as fools."
For we are not… Fair words, Caius.
"She is not immortal. She is not a vampire. I can easily prove this with just a few moments-"
Caius cut him off, again.
"If she is not one of the forbidden, then why have you massed a battalion to protect her?"
"Witnesses, Caius, just as you have brought." Carlisle gestured to the angry horde at the edge of the woods; some of the vampires growled in response. "Any one of these friends can tell you the truth about the child. Or you could just look at her, Caius. See the flush of human blood in her cheeks."
"Artifice!" Caius snapped at him. "Where is the informer? Let her come forward!"
He looked around our witnesses and guard until he spotted the informer, Irina, lingering behind the wives.
"You! Come!"
She just stared at him.
How silly of her. This will get her in trouble. Never get on the bad side of Caius, I must say!
Caius snapped his fingers impatiently. John went over to her and prodded her on the back.
She blinked twice, as if someone awoke her from a dream, and walked slowly toward Caius. Her eyes were on her sisters.
Caius closed the distance and slapped her on the face.
Caius!
Tanya and Kate hissed in synchronization.
Caius pointed toward the child, where she clung tighter to the female. The werewolf, which the child was clinging onto his fur, growled.
"This is the child you saw?" Caius demanded. "The one that is obviously more than human?"
As Irina examined the child, she tilted her head to the side. Confusion swept over her.
"Well?" Caius sneered.
"I… I'm not sure," Irina replied.
Not sure? She saw the child, no? Well, how does she not know!?
"What do you mean?" Caius whispered to her.
"She's not the same, but I think it's the same child. What II mean is, she's changed. This child is bigger than the one I saw, but-"
Caius's gasp crackled throughout the clearing, making the informer stop short. I flitted to his side and put my hand on his shoulder.
"Be composed, brother. We have time to sort this out. No need to be hasty."
Caius turned his back on Irina.
"Now, sweetling," I said in a sugary murmur. "Show me what you are trying to say."
I held my hand out for her to take. She complied, though uncertainly, and touched her hand to mine.
My mother... No, Kate…
An immortal child! How could this be! She can't be more than a child… I must worn the Volturi leaders. This is what got my mother killed!
I saw the child, she was much smaller! She grew somehow…
I let go of her hand.
She is right… The child has grown from her first witness of he child… Hmmm…
"You see, Caius?" I said to him. "It's a simple matter to get what we need."
He didn't answer me. I glanced back to my witnesses and guards and turned back to Carlisle.
"And so we have a mystery on our hands, it seems. It would appear the child has grown. Yet, Irina's first memory was clearly that of an immortal child. Curious."
