The sharp click of shoes scraping across stone echoed endlessly within the empty corridor as the young man raced impatiently into the chamber.
Long burgundy robes surrounded the two figures swaying slightly in the middle of the chamber. Respect; old and deeply bred, slowed the young mans steps as he neared the figures and knelt to one knee.
His eyes widened as he watched their movements. Sinuous arms raised and heads bowed as they continued their strange dance. As the air became thicker and energy pulsed around the room. It's life force began a slow steady thrum that centered around the be-robed men and quickened as it crept steadily throughout the rounded chamber.
The young man, who had an affinity for such things, keenly felt the power as it pulsated and twisted about the room all the while maintaining its steady heartbeat. So caught up, was he, that he hadn't noticed the figured had stopped their movements and had come to stand in front of him.
"Your Grace, you prostrate yourself before us as if you are not nobility born of generations." a gravelly voice came from the darkness within his cowl.
"Yessss, yessss you do us much honor, my king." A second voice hissed from within the same recesses.
The young man inclined his head and spoke for the first time since entering.
"It is you who do me the honor, Elders. Have you news of the girl?" Standing as he posed his question.
Laughter rang from the first figure, as he reached for his hood and removed it. Crimson and coal patters decorated his hairless scalp. Spells and incantations etched deeply creating a dizzy array of patterns on his old skin.
"So impatient child," he admonished without any heat. "You would do well to remember your training."
The young man schooled his features into a mask of calm and struggled to appear properly chastened.
"Enough Aro," the other figure hissed. "We must continue".
"Yes brother Caius, yes the time is at hand. Young Edward," Aro held out a gnarled hand traced with the same map of ink and motioned the young man forward.
Anticipation clenched hotly within the young man. A steady thrum echoing the power that still beat around the three men.
Edward, the young man, stepped forward to join with the two figures in the center of the circular stone chamber. As one; they stood before a great crystal that hung unaided in the very heart of the room. Here the power pulsated and thrummed with greater concentration.
The crystal glinted dully as it caught light from the low torches that dotted the chamber. Its benign countenance belying that great power that it held within.
Faint chanting, whispered words filled Edwards mind. They slipped into him weaving a complex web about his body growing ever thicker.
Aro and Caius began to sway as they continued to chat. Arms raised and heads thrown back as their intonations began to fill the chamber. The large crystal answered a chime. Somewhere a wind began growing as it blew across the room racing to the crystal. Louder and louder the chanting became as the wind began to touch the crystal. Growing in speed the crystal began to spin, faster and faster until it became a blur before Edward's eyes.
His breathing hitched as he guessed what was to come. Speeding towards the start of his future. Wind, teasing tears from his eyes and slipping down his face, continued howling about the chamber. The blur of the crystal becoming the blur of tears. Angrily he swiped them away and focused back on the crystal, greedily his eyes sought clarity. Faster and faster the crystal spun and lighting began to dance along its surface crackling with it's own life force.
The all at once he could see. The image within the crystal had become glass every detail as clear as if she were standing in front of him. Aro let out a yell of triumph dragging Edwards attention from the creature's body lying on a small bed.
"Is it her, please Aro I must know?" Edward's feet subconsciously moving closer to the crystal, ultimately to the girl. His voice soft and humbled by what he had witnessed and what was still to come.
"Quiet," it was Caius' hiss that answered causing Edward to cringe. In his secret heart of hearts he had always held a distaste for Caius. Now feeling Cauis' eyes on the girl was unbearable. His head twisted around displaying his teeth in a show of dominance. His muscles tightened wanting to sink into a defensive crouch.
Aro, feeling the tension thicken in the air sought to allay Edwards fears. It was always this way with the males of their kind. Their bodies recognized the bond before the head. Having ones mate close but not claimed was...difficult.
"Peace Caius he sought no disrespect. Edward, it is her. Can you not feel it?" Aro's voice became a soothing balm to the confusion and anger within Edward. He nodded his head in silent affirmation. He did feel the pull. Just the sight of the girl, creeping into him to awake new feelings long dormant but bread into him from birth.
Aro's soft steps whispered across the floor as he slowly approached the young man. This young one, his sovereign and ruler of them all.
"She will be yours, Edward," he crooned.
"How?" The simple question fell unbidden from Edward's lips. How would she know him? Her ancestors had taken her away from him generations ago. Did she retain any of her heritage at all?
"We will begin the bonding process now. Her body will recognize yours even if her mind does not. She need not know who she is to begin the mating process. Go to her, Edward, and bide you time. She will come to you. She will be unable to help herself." Aro's words sparked within Edward a new hope. He would have her, his body rejoiced at the thought.
Aro's hand flashed out to Edward's wrist and caught it in an unyielding grip. Edward kept himself still allowing Aro access to his open palm. They had discussed the bonding ceremony and what would take place.
A short wickedly curved dagger appeared from beneath the folds of Aro's velvet robes. A giant ruby winked brightly from the center of the hilt capturing Edward's eye. It is said that Mother Earth, herself, had presented the ruby to the Moon Goddess as a coronation gift when she wedded the Sun Prince. The ruby is said to be what gives the Bonding Knife it's power to unite two souls.
Edward flinched as he felt the sharp sting of the blade being pulled across his palm. The ruby begun to glow brighter and brighter as the blood slowly traveled from the tip of the blade to the giant red stone. Higher and higher it reached until it leached into the now pulsating stone.
Aro stepped towards the great hanging crystal and begun to chant anew.
"Two shall become one when lovers blood mingles in the light of the blade." His voice rang high reverberating against the ancient stone walls.
As if she could hear his words the girl in the bed became unsettled. Her small body tossed in a sea of white as she began thrashing her head right to left, left to right. Hands knotted in fabric as if they found a way to stop that which was to come. You cannot escape me Edward thought. He would never let her go.
Aro had the dagger held high in the air, the great ruby shimmering darkly in the light of the crystal. In one swift motion he brought the dagger down slashing at the air. Sanguine drops appeared on the blade making the same route to the great stone as had Edwards blood. When the the blood disappeared the ruby began to beat faster and faster as the color drained out. A white glow began to pulsate from the now milky white surface of the stone. Once, twice it beat and on the third time a hot flash of brilliant white shot out.
Edward's jaw slowly dropped as the white light came creeping towards him. The light seemed to have leeched in the energy that permeated the room since Edward's arrival. On and on the light came until it reached Edwards chest. He felt the first brush and then a hot pain as it clenched tightly around his heart. It seemed to be searching, making sure he was worthy of this incredible gift. As if satisfied the pain began to lessen and retreat from Edward. It made the same path to the girl in the bed. Three figures watched silently as it penetrated the crystal and hovered around the girl's small frame.
As soft whimper escaped her lips as the light made its way into her chest where her heart was. After a moment it started to retreat and make it's way back to the dagger. It was at that moment three things happened simultaneously; the light entered the stone and red began to reappear, Edward felt within him a new awareness awake within him, and the girl shot up in her bed. Wide eyed and wild haired. Her dark eyes flicked frantically about her room and her chest heaved as she greedily sucked in great gasps of air.
The air began to still as the thrumming of power dissipated. A fist clenched within Edward's chest as the girl's image faded into the depths of the crystal.
"No," he could not control the word that slipped from his parted lips. A tight yearning had taken residence within him. An uncomfortable longing spread through him. Twisting within him. He could feel her somewhere out there.
"It is done," Aro intoned. "The bond has begun to take root within her. The events have been set into place to bring her to a small town on the Olympic Peninsula. When you go she will know you. Once you have established the second stage of the bond you will be free to bring her back here."
"I guess I will be headed to this Forks to procure myself a mate." His eyes darkening as lust shot through him.