Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or anything crafted by William Shakespeare (you'll understand a little bit later).
The Angel
For 2 years he had come for her; to watch her and listen. Time had added love to that simple equation. Their love was accepted by her family, but hidden from his. If they were ever discovered, it would bean dire consequences for her, and only her. The end wouldn't come by swift means, or comfortable ones.
His visit this year was a dangerous one; his family had insisted upon coming. To "talk business" was the explanation, but he saw right through it, as well as they did he.
"How lovely your daughter is, Edward." Aro first said. "Isn't she a sight, Alec?" Alec knew not to answer. Instead, he turned away and slid back among the ranks, beside his sister. Renesme watched him curiously. She knew the warning, but not the reason. They both struggled to maintain their composure's, but the intensity of the Masters' stares built the tension like 30 meter flames.
"She's no danger to our existence, Aro." Edward said, in a strangely passive tone.
"I understand that, Edward, do not mistake my intentions." Aro replied, clearly amused. "Brothers, would you join me outside for a brief moment?" The Masters exited the room and Renesme bolted for hers, Alec on her heels.
"They suspect us?" Renesme asked, as Alec shut the door.
"I can't lose you, I just can't." Alec's voice quivered with suppressed panic as he pulled Renesme to his chest.
"Then leave me behind…" Renesme sobbed, clutching at his shirt, contradicting her strong words. Alec shook his head and kissed her. It was hurried and desperate with the attempts to grasp at the threads of their relationship.
"I must be hallucinating…" the pair broke apart to see Jane standing in the doorway. Renesme backed away and Alec struggled to conjure up words.
"Jane it's not what you - ," slipped out before he could think.
"Do not tell me what I can and cannot think, Alec." Jane snapped, instantly returning to her vicious personae. "That right isn't reserved for you, and I already know what I think," The pair before her waited on razor's edge for what would come. Jane, seeing them slip unconsciously into her talons, smiled evilly.
"I think this will end immediately." Then she ran off.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Alec." Aro replied in a deceptive monotone. "If it weren't for the loyalty of your dear sister, I would've believed Marcus had gone mad." Alec stood in front of the Masters in the forest near the Cullens' house. He suppressed cringe after cringe as he listened to Aro's words, the realization of what his sister's betrayal meant for Renesme stinging like vinegar in raw flesh.
Renesme, why did have to be Renesme? He could fallen for anyone; Heidi or Corin, or even Renata. No, Alec had to choose the most endangering and vulnerable lover he could get his hands on. However, he denied it in the past years, the truth hit him like a bullet in the back of the head.
Alec of the Volturi Guard loved Renesme Cullen, despite all the damned consequences.
"This entire affair has been quite selfish of you, Alec." Caius drawled. "Did you not think of your dear sister? Of us? Of your lover, Renesme? You've put yourself to ruins after all we've done, Alec."
"You speak the barest truth, brother. I'm sorry to say that punishment is necessary; punishment only as I see fit." Aro's expression was wicked and distorted in hidden rage, daring Alec to ask the next question. There was a light pause as Alec looked up from his shoes.
"How would you see fit, Master?" he said in a pained monotone. Aro's eyes glinted like a sword caught in light.
"You will kill Renesme and you will kill her in front of us all." Alec exhaled, as if asking when. Aro studied his prized weapon before resuming the dementedly triumphant smile.
"Tonight."
Renesme didn't understand why Heidi and Alice had come to her room, dressing her in a winter white gown. She didn't understand why her mother kept repeating, "We love you and always will" as she place a delicate, ebony lace veil over her face. Renesme didn't find meaning in the sorrow-laden faces of her family as her father led her into the snowy forest. Yet, every moment, every touch and every minor glance added up when she entered the clearing and Alec approached her cautiously.
"For the sake of ceremony, I do hope you'll understand the reason behind this deed." Aro grinned.
"Knowing and understanding are two different things, Aro." Renesme declared, her tone tainted with adrenaline induced defiance. Alec felt something in her voice tug at his heart and he felt Jane's hand slipping him the knife.
"I applaud you Renesme, but bravery is not needed." Alec assured her. "If you wish to blame, blame your careless lover." Alec felt Marcus' hand pushing him forward. Aro continued:
"His reckless actions have sent you to your grave, my darling." Alec was now holding Renesme's shoulders, the knife in one hand, his red eyes boring into her coffee brown ones.
"I find that hard to believe," Renesme called, slipping an arm around Alec's neck. Her eyes were solid and unwavering; even when his face was the face of death. She'd accepted fate.
"I'm so sorry, Renesme. Please forgive me, at least someday." Alec whispered so only she could hear. Taking the blade to her throat and pressing her body to Alec's, Renesme leaned to whisper in his ear.
"Making it quick, but not painless, will be forgiveness enough, love." Biting back his protest, Alec kissed her one more time, digging the blade into her flesh.
Marcus felt some matter of foreign emotion as he observed the scene playing out before him. Alec, their good and faithful servant, had dropped the reddened knife and was cradling the Cullen girl's body close to his. Her limbs flailed and clawed at the air in a futile effort to save herself. Marcus saw a young soul, condemned to a drowning death far out at sea. With a final, pained heave of her chest, Renesme fell limp in Alec's arms.
A stunned silence befell the congregation in the snow. Nobody moved; the Cullens paralyzed in their grief, and the Volturi still in their satisfaction. Shattering the fragile silence, Alec let out a strangled sob, keeping his hold on Renesme's corpse.
Seeing the boy this way made him think of his Didyme. Alec may have been over 600 years old, but here was a boy and a boy in love for that matter. Marcus had been the same way. The two men held an absolute, unspoken bond between them. They'd both found someone, fell to Love's gold-tipped arrows and lost in the most degrading and miserable way possible. It seemed that the Fates felt no sympathy for the besotted.
"I did this you to you, Renesme." Alec whispered to the girl's deaf ears. "I wish I could follow you."
"There's no Elysium waiting for you or her, brother." Jane spat. "You'd do well to come to terms with this fact in our existence."
"I'd rather die, Jane." Alec hissed, laying the body in the rose-stained snow. As the young Romeo grabbed his Juliet's hand, Marcus witnessed phenomena.
From the snow rose a whirlwind, then a figure appeared. She was a mirage of ice, a twirling illusion that stood over Alec like a guardian angel. The girl's cold, white face was fixed on Marcus as she spoke in an eerie lyrical.
"You take my life when you take the means whereby I live. But, the course of love never did run smooth. There is no evil angel, but Love," Her voice was little more than an echo. Marcus know that only he was granted seeing her snowflake vision; to behold the purgatorial dance of Renesme Cullen.
"Mercy, but murders, pardoning those that kill. My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, and every tongue brings in a several tale; and every tale condemns me for a villain. Now it is the time of night, that the graves all gaping wide. Everyone lets forth his sprite; in the church way paths to glide."
The vision leaped forward to Marcus and stared at him with large eyes. In those eyes, Marcus was shocked to see forgiveness glimmering there like the sun. Turning gracefully, the girl knealt by Alec and embraced him in an unearthly type of love.
"Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell." Lightly brushing her lips to Alec's cheek, the girl gave a final, sad stare the gathered, all the while she faded in front of Marcus' eyes.
Then he wondered where Renesme's soul had been accepted.
It had been four years since Renesme Cullen had been given to the earth. Alec remained in constant contact with Edward and Isabella through letters. At the moment, Alec was in Exeter, sitting in a coffee shop, reading the newspaper and watching the rain. On a pocket-sized notebook, Alec was messily sketching out a portrait of a girl he'd been seeing in the night since that day. She was no matter of mortal woman; an angel of the highest. Every visit, she crept to him like a ray of moonlight, and dipped to whisper:
"Sweet are the uses of adversity. A thousand times good night, as now go we in content."
Alec hadn't a clue what that crazy jumble of words meant, but Alec held them in his heart as Truth. If the angel was Renesme, as he envisioned it was, then those words were his only tie to her heaven.
"Hey, handsome, is anyone sitting here?" Alec looked up. In front of him was a young girl with merry hazel eyes and copper curls tucked into a knit hat. She had on a military-style jacket, a grey sweater, jeans and snow boots. If it weren't for the eyes, it could have been his lovely Renesme.
"I wouldn't be asking if the place wasn't packed." She explained, sitting down opposite him at the table.
"Where are you from?" Alec said, finally finding words.
"Portland, Oregon, in the U.S." she grinned, taking a sip of a to-go cup. "What about you? D'you got a name, stranger?" She winked and he saw a sliver of red appear on her iris; contacts.
"Alec from Italy, love." He smiled. "And yours?"
"Kaleigh," she blushed lightly.
"D'you want to take a walk with me, Kaleigh?" Alec asked, extending a hand. Kaleigh nodded and took his arm, walking with him out into the first winter flurries.
"So, how long have you been in Italy, Alec?" Kaleigh laughed and Alec smiled at her.
Author's Note:
Happy Holidays everyone! I apologize for the dreary topic during this cheery time, but it kept coming back to me. Everyone has death as the threat for Alec and Renesme's relationship, but no one has ever gone through with it (or, if you have, would you mind directing me to the story because I'd love to read it!).
So whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukah, Festivus or whatever else, warm wishes to you all! I cannot wait to start the 2012 writing season :3
Carie Lea