The older you get, the better you realize you were. It took longer than usual for me to make my way up to my chamber, as my mind was riddled with the thoughts of new plans to get my marriage blossoming with the romance that it once held. What on earth would be the next step? The first plan that Athenodora conjured up was good, yes, but not good enough; I needed more attention so I could get what I wanted, meaning that I'd have to take a step further in Athenodora's scheme...But what would that involve? Perhaps something a little more extravagant will get my point across?
I found myself almost bumping into a very serious looking Caius who was walking towards me. Usually he'd been known to glide past me without as much as a simple "Hello, Sister", or even a slight nod in acknowledgement of my presence; but he simply stopped in front of me instead, which annoyingly also brought my fast pacing in the corridor to a halt. I smiled at him for a brief moment like I am always known to do, as I gave him a joyful sounding "Good evening, Brother" before I attempted to scoot around him and walk on.
"Sister?" He replied, the tone in his voice was obvious; he could tell I was up to something. Perhaps it was with me walking much faster than usual, or even my spaced out expression that I wore whenever I was in deep thought.
"Yes, Brother?" I said as I looked over my shoulder at his unreadable expression.
"Are you quite alright"? He asked after a brief pause.
"Of course I am" I said, deciding to keep our conversation simple so he wouldn't keep asking me more questions. After all, Caius is very close with Aro and would automatically notify him if he were to know what I have been up to with Athenodora. I planned to walk on after my reply, but once again his words of curiosity stopped me.
"That isn't true, Sulpicia," he frowned. Darn Caius and his intuition of others' scheming! I spun on my heel so I could look at him face to face so I sounded more reassuring.
"Caius, I'm perfectly fine. Now if you would excuse me I have other matters to attend".
"Very well," he nodded slowly as I turned away and continued walking onward. "Although I'm sure whatever it is you're planning on doing Aro will find out sooner than later" he called to me as I released a deliberate tiresome sounding sigh in response. It was what I'd expected Caius to say; he always enjoyed adding an ingredient of "someone having more authority than you" into the conversation alongside his usual snide remarks. "I hope your plans don't involve another example of a terrible instrument," he finally called as he disappeared into the darkness.
Often, as I do now, I sit alone in my tower room with my new vuvuzela, contemplating what could have been if I haven't been so careless with myself. He loved me most before I became his, which was the real problem with him. He'd have these uncontrollable stormy obsessions that would cloud his mind until his umbrella could catch it under the dome, only to be placed into his pocket and saved for a rainy day. The avarice never ceased! It made me jealous and disappointed that a complete stranger to me would be the subject of ninety percent of my husband's yearning rants. If I hear the name "Alice Cullen" again, somebody's ears are going to die.
I strode over to my bed, preparing to collapse down onto it to allow my thoughts to wander, but instead my eyes met with another similar bag that my so called "wonderful and caring" husband had given me earlier which was full of useless knitting and crocheting supplies in attempt to add "color" to my monotone life here in the castle. Instead of looking at the bags contents, I pushed it lazily from my bed sheets and watched it fall to the floor, where it instantly burst open and I watched as around 30 extra knitting needles fell out and rolled across my chamber floor. I noticed that there was a small note had been impaled by one of the knitting needles purposely by Aro, which said: "I found a little extra for you, Miodolce amore." I frowned and rolled my eyes as I lay back onto my bedding and stared up at the gold painted ceiling.
Knock, knock. I sighed as I rolled my instrument of torture under my bedframe and cracked open the door. There stood Patches with an envelope in his hand, complete with an official wax seal. "Master Aro would like to see you downstairs, Mistress. He mentioned something about a 'social gathering'. I have your invitation." He handed me the parchment with a boyish smile.
"My husband has you delivering mail now?" I laughed, finding it hard to believe that with the majority of the domestic duties in the castle, Patches would have the time to do anything else.
"No, I volunteered to do it. Bianca saw me with her hands full as I was drawing the drapes for the morning and she complained about being late for a hair appointment. I offered to take the letters so that she wouldn't miss her appointment, and the one addressed to you was the last." If I had anything to do with it, that girl would have never been changed into one of the Volturi. She's incompetent with her minimal work and Aro knows it. I'm guessing that he spares her because it would look irresponsible on his part to kill off one of his own.
"You are too sweet to be a vampire," I said, affectionately tousling his auburn hair. He grinned meekly and shook his head.
"I don't try to be a monster, Mistress. I always value the 'who' in others rather than the 'what'." I nodded in agreement and stepped out to follow him. He led me to the ballroom where Aro greeted us, or me, rather, from a sofa.
"Hello, love. Aren't you glad to see me?" I put on my false enthusiasm face at his self-centered question. He expected me to respond with an overjoyed smile and a wagging tail, but what he didn't expect was an honest answer.
"No, I'm not. I just saw you this morning and I knew I was going to see you again." I shrugged my shoulders. "I haven't had the time to miss you to be glad." His lips tightened in a straight line and sat upright as he would at the piano.
"Leave us," he ordered, his icy stare flicking beside me. Patches gave a small gasp as if preparing for a blow to the head, bowed low at the waist, and in a second the two of us remained behind shut doors. "Sulpicia, how do you feel?" I knew he only asked to check if Corin still had the power to trick my mind into thinking I was happy and content.
"Through my nervous system," I answered smartly. In my defense, it was the correct answer to my interpretation. Aro's eyes narrowed, which signaled that it was time to drop the act. "Alright, Aro. You've guessed it. Your little mind games are no longer effective; I've won them all long ago."
"How long?!" he growled.
"Long enough to know that your anniversary presents aren't handmade. Long enough to know why you never spend more than an hour with me in a day. Long enough to see how insensitive you are to me, your guard, and everyone other being on the planet!" He stood up to his full height and seized my shoulders, pinning my arms to my sides. Then he spun me around and locked his own arms around my waist.
"Do not raise your voice at me," he hissed in my ear.
"I'm sorry," I murmured, my tone softening to a tender plead. "But why? Why, Aro? You know I won't leave you, so why must you try to manipulate me?" He turned me back around, his hands snaking down my arms until they clasped to mine. The change in expression worked, for his face softened dramatically and his delicate marble eyes gazed passionately into mine.
"Sulpicia, you know I love you."
"Do you?!" I shot back with frustrated disappointment.
"I do," he finished calmly. His eyes reflected sincerity and I struggled to believe him. "You asked me why I go to such lengths to protect you." The answer struggled on his lips for a moment and then he spoke. "It's because I want you to be happy." He stroked my cheek and brushed his fingers through my hair. "I know that I'm hardly around to give you the love and attention you deserve, and that's why I found Corin for you so you could be happy even when I'm not always there.
"You keep me under house arrest in a tower!" I growled fiercely.
"For your protection and privacy. I don't wish for you to get involved in the nastiness of justice we deliver." He looked around for a distraction, anything to change the subject. "I see you've received your invitation to a little get-together event."
"I did," I said, turning the letter over in my hand to look at the addressee. "Who is this guy, anyway?"
"Count Daxter is one of the minor crowned heads of Europe who built a mansion on the other side of the city. He occasionally throws a little party for all the aristocrats in the area and seemed to think we'd be interested." He frowned at the prospect of being with so many humans in one place. "I'll have to attend this one because I missed the last two and people might get suspicious if I don't show." A party—the perfect event away from here that would guarantee some "us" time. "You can accompany me, my love…as long as you behave yourself." There was a hint of warning, and a chance I didn't want to jeopardize.
"Alright, Aro. I promise." Little did he know that I crossed my fingers behind my back, an old trick of getting out of promises I don't intend to keep.
"Good. The party starts tonight around six and the three of us can leave an hour early."
"Umm, the three of us?" He smiled and nodded as if he said the obvious.
"We shall need to bring one of the guard with us, love. I don't trust these wealthy human types. I'll tell Felix to prepare."
"No, not Felix," I disagreed, shaking my head. "He's not decent. These parties are elegant and tasteful and will have that type of crowd. Demetri would be a much better choice."
"Then we'll bring Alec as well," intoned my husband stiffly. "Between the two of them we should be safe enough."
"Very well, Aro. I'll meet you by the lobby in half an hour." He kissed both my cheeks with a satisfied smile and we headed to our separate chambers. I closed my door and slowly exhaled. That could have gone worse. Opening up my closet door, I scanned the contents for the perfect dress: modern, conservative, classy. I chose a sleeveless, deep red dress that flowed to the floor. It had a few ruffles at the V-neck and accenting rhinestones that spiraled from the waist down. In short, it was perfect. I curled my hair and set it over one shoulder. Just then, I heard a few dainty knocks at the door.
"Who is it"? I called, hoping that someone like Caius wouldn't reply.
"Just me, Sulpicia," Athenodora called back cheerfully.
"Just a moment," I said as I put down my curler and zipped over to my chamber door at vampire speed and opened it for her.
"I'm sorry to bother you again," she began as she walked in.
"Not at all, you may take a seat if you wish," I replied as I gestured over to two beautiful blood-red chairs in the corner of my chamber.
We both took our seats and Athenodora threw me an inquisitive look before blurting out "So? Did it all work out"? I knew immediately that she was obviously referring to her scheme; Athenodora's conversations were always straight to the point.
"Unfortunately...no." Athenodora shook her head at my response.
"Oh, no matter. I have a better idea in mind," she smiled wickedly.
We proceeded to discuss our newest plan. I added various ideas to the discussion as we went along; making sure that everything could be performed to perfection when it was time for action. It was indeed a brilliant scheme, so brilliant that it was bound to work! Our only problem seemed to be when the plan could be executed, as it seemed like there could be no opportune moments for it within the castle...And then it dawned on us, the most perfect time for the plan to work, where everything would fall into place. I had been so caught up lately in attempting to get mine and my Aro's marriage back to how it used to be in the "old days", I had forgotten all about the gathering of Italian aristocrats that the Volturi would be attending later on this evening. The party would be filled with hundreds of filthy rich humans discussing proper dining etiquette and bragging about their own investment achievements; the perfect environment for chaos and disruption. I was having trouble holding back a menacing evil laugh as we continued to discuss our plan further, until our talk got interrupted by the sudden and unexpected entrance of Jane.
As soon as she appeared in the doorway, Athenodora and I stopped talking immediately- making it very obvious that we were both up to no good.
"Good evening, Jane," I smiled, trying to set the impression that me and Athenodora were just having a normal everyday discussion with a glass of blood each. Athenodora nodded gracefully as Jane's ruby eyes flicked from both of us quickly before she spoke.
"Master Aro has sent me up here to help you with doing your hair," she said whilst staring at me. It seemed that I could never get myself on the same level as Jane, even though I neither hated her nor liked her. Although I was often forced to be involved in something with her in one way or another because she's Aro's favorite guard member because of her gift.
"Oh, I see." I smiled as I stood from my chair alongside Athenodora, in which I bid farewell as she glided out of the chamber. I assumed that sending Jane up to help me with my hair for later on this evening was another "romantic" favor from Aro—perhaps he thought that he was doing me a kindness for leaving out the chore of doing my hair. Even though I'm perfectly capable of doing my own hair, I've done it almost every day for God knows how long.
After what seemed like hours after I agreed for Jane to do my hair, she finally finished. Jane stood back to look at her "masterpiece" as I turned my head in the mirror so I could get a better view of her work. I'd never had my hair pinned so tightly to my head before; in fact I didn't think that this hairstyle would ever be seen on anyone else other than Jane, never mind me! I wasn't used to having my hair so securely pinned to my head like this; once again Aro's brilliant idea to make me happy had failed. I raised my hand to gently touch the tight bun at the back of my head so I could get an idea of how many pins were stuck in it. "Don't," Jane said simply at my actions as she stared at my reflection in the mirror. "Master Aro said for me to tell you to not fiddle with it."
"Of course he did," I sighed, before falsely telling Jane that I liked my hairstyle and that she'd done a good job before bidding her farewell so I could fix the rest of my appearance for the evening. At least I had some control on how I was going to look tonight.
Some makeup and a pair of four inch stiletto pumps later, I waltzed downstairs to three pairs of wide, astonished eyes.
"Hello, love." Aro whisked over and kissed the top of my hand.
"Enchanté," he purred seductively. Behind his back, Alec and Demetri exchanged amused sideways glances and grins. "Shall we?" I nodded and took his hand. Demetri took the driver's seat, Alec called shotgun, and Aro and I made ourselves comfortable in the backseat. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a red rose in the pocket, a refreshing change from his usual blazer and dress shirt. "I've never met the host before, but it is of utmost importance that we maintain a low profile."
"We'll have to socialize sometime dearest; it's a party, after all."
"If I could make a suggestion, Master," began Alec, turning in his seat to face us. "Why not wait until everyone gets roaring drunk to make conversation?"
"You know, that's a great idea!" I agreed. "We'll stand around the sidelines and make small talk if anyone approaches and start the real conversations when everyone's too dim in the brain to remember them." Aro gave a nod in agreement and no one said a word until we arrived. I spent the majority of the drive looking out the window, taking mental pictures of what I saw from afar from the tower window. The fields, the valley, the townhouses snaking along the square, all of it more beautiful up close.
"We're here," came Demetri's voice from the front. The pop of the doors shook me from my thoughts and I stepped out on the wide driveway absolutely packed with automobiles of all colors, shapes, and sizes.
"Wait," Aro held up a hand before we started walking in. "Leave your crests on your seat." He removed the ancient coven chain from his neck and tossed it inside to demonstrate. We did the same. "I don't want to take any chances of anyone identifying us as an old family. We need to remain as inconspicuous as possible." I nodded and took his arm while Alec and Demetri appropriated their places beside us like two bookends. "Are you ready, dearest?" he whispered in my ear. I could hear the overprotective concern for my comfort in his soft voice.
"As I'll ever be," I whispered back, and together we put our best foot forward.