Chapter 2
I watched everyone chattering excitedly and sighed. They were all so happy to finally be going up against the Volturi. Why couldn't I be one of them? After everything that had happened because of Aro, why couldn't I be glad to get rid of him?
Jack was talking with Kianna about battle strategies, about what he would do if he got his hands on the Volturi's leader. He was certainly in the spirit of things. I almost decided to join them- after all, I had a few ideas of my own on how we could win- but I just couldn't bring myself to become part of such a violent conversation. It wasn't in my nature to talk about killing a living, breathing creature (well, I guess technically we weren't living, but I still didn't like the idea). So I silently faded into the background and stepped into the woods, unnoticed.
I was wandering aimlessly through the trees at an unusually slow speed when I heard the sound of leaves crunching behind me.
"Cassandra?" my follower asked, "are you there?" It was Carlisle.
"Yeah, I'm here," I sighed, allowing my form to reappear so he could see me. I sounded depressed, even to my ears.
"Edward heard your thoughts as you left the clearing," he explained. "Perhaps I can help?" I smiled slightly and shook my head. I knew Carlisle was compassionate, and hated hurting people about as much as I did, but I couldn't see how he could help.
"Have you heard about our encounter with the newborn army four years ago?" he asked, inviting me to come closer so we could talk.
"Yes," I said, stepping towards him tentatively. I knew he hated the idea of killing the vampires who were created to kill his family, but he did it anyway, which was more than I could say for myself. If I were somehow trapped in a room with Aro, I knew I would be far too chicken to kill him.
"So you understand my point of view?" I nodded. "They didn't deserve to die; they didn't know any better. That's why it was so hard for me to hurt them. I even tried to spare one of them, if you recall that particular section of the story." I grimaced; I knew all about Bree and how Jane had brutally murdered her. "As much as I hate to admit it, Cassandra, the Volturi isn't the fair ruling class that it used to be. Even if they may not deserve to die, they don't deserve to rule any longer either. You don't have to kill anyone if you don't want to; simply help us overthrow them." I looked up at him with a weak smile. I knew how hard it would be for him to go up against his former friends. If he could do it, then certainly I could help. Like he said, I didn't have to actually kill anyone.
"Okay," I said softly. "Thanks Carlisle."
"You're welcome," he replied, returning the grin sorrowfully. "We should get back to the clearing. The others may wonder where we've gone." I nodded and turned back the way we had come, keeping in step with the doctor all the way back to the crowd.
"Hey Cass," Jack said cheerfully, "where'd you go? One second you were standing right behind me, edging everyone on, the next you're nowhere to be found." He paused a moment to look at my face more closely. "Cassy, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing," I mumbled. "I guess I'm just not as excited about the fight as everyone else." His smile faded as he thought about this.
"I'm sorry Cass," he said, wrapping his arms around me. "I forgot you were kind of a pacifist. It'll be over in a few days, a week at most. But we have to do this; Aro has threatened every one of us for far too long." I sighed again and looked down at the grass.
"It's not just because of the fight," I admitted, refusing to meet his gaze. I felt terribly embarrassed to point this out, but I wanted him to know exactly what I was feeling.
He waited for me to continue, but I just kept looking down at the grass. How could I explain my emotions? It was so petty to be thinking about something so insignificant when there was a war about to take place.
"Cass." His hand ran up my arm and moved my chin until he could see my eyes. I trembled at the motion.
"You said our honeymoon would last two weeks," I muttered, "maybe more. It only lasted three days, Jack, all because of this stupid fight. And what's worse…" I stopped, biting my lip; I was being absurd. How could I even think something so silly? But the doubt still clouded my mind.
"Yes?" His tone was gentle, his eyes probing and completely hypnotizing. I could tell he wished he had Edward's talent right now.
"You seemed perfectly fine with leaving early," I whispered. "You preferred the fight over me. Ever since Kianna mentioned the Volturi, all you've been able to talk about is how to destroy them. At the islands, on the plane, even here…" He cut me off with a single kiss, making my mind go blank. I looked up into his eyes longingly.
"Never say that Cass," he said softly. "Of course I didn't want to leave early. Why on Earth would I choose Aro over you?" Well, putting it like that made my theory sound even more stupid. "The only reason I agreed to leave is because I know he has to be stopped. He's after the Cullens, the wolves, Kianna, YOU. Probably even the unicorns, if he knows they exist. I can't just sit back and relax when I know you could be in danger, even if it's our honeymoon." I continued to look up into his eyes, a small smile forming on my lips. "When this is all over, we can go on a different honeymoon, in a completely different place if you want. We can go to the Bahamas, or Jamaica, or Los Angeles. Or if you really liked the triangle, we could go there again and not have to worry about our skin showing. We can go wherever you want, just as soon as the Volturi is put in its place." I nodded and stood up on my toes to kiss him again, wrapping my arms around his neck. He was very persuasive.
"I don't think anyone wants to see this," I murmured into his ear, sneaking a glance at the crowd from the corner of my eye. Many of our guests were either turning away from us awkwardly, or giving us funny looks occasionally while they talked. "Maybe we should go back to the house?" Jack gave me a mischievous grin.
"Of course," he said, sweeping me off my feet. "Anything for you." I giggled as he carried me away from our friends, from the clearing, from my sorrows, and into the world where nothing mattered except the two of us. I knew this was a glimpse of the world we would create in the fall of the Volturi.
