"Intriguing, that Edward and Bella affair, don't you think?" Aro ponders as he is getting dressed in his usual attire; all in black.

"How did she die?" I ask him, twirling a strand of my ebony hair between my pale fingers. Aro finishes buttoning up his black shirt and sits down next to me on the bed, an indifferent expression on his face.

"She jumped off a cliff." He explains, reaching out to caress my cheek.

"Quite the Romeo and Juliet tale." I muse, sitting up and letting the burgundy silk covers fall down to my waist. "How easy it is for humans to end their lives… In this case leaving Edward to mourn her for eternity."

Aro lets out a chuckle stands up, gracious as a cat, brushing any eventually dust off his black attire before flashing me a smile.

"Will you join us downstairs for our feast today? Heidi is bringing us twice the amount of prey." An excited and powerful emotion sweeps past his dark burgundy eyes. "Apparently the city has an abundance of tourists celebrating our dear friend Marcus today."

I let the silk covers call off me entirely as I step out of the bed, feeling Aro's eyes roam over my lean figure as I walk past him to retrieve the simple white gown draped across the expensive chair at his desk.

"It is not as if I have something better to do." I answer, trying to hide at least a fraction of the resentment in my voice. I do not have to look at my maker to see the puzzled expression on his face. Nevertheless, he doesn't answer, and I can hear his footsteps making their way toward the door.

"Why don't you ever go outside?" I blurt out, my curiosity getting the best of me. I hate the way my voice sounds so brittle, as if I am once again a little child. Then again, some youth might do me some good.

There's no response from Aro for a few seconds. Then I hear him move again and I feel his hand on the small of my back.

"Why would we, cara mia?" He is smiling when I turn around to meet his eyes, studying his face. There is worry in the deepest pit of his eyes, making the beam on his lips a little less believable. "We have everything we need here. Why venture into the world of those pitiful, dirty humans when we are royals here in our world?"

He knows me well enough to know exactly what I meant with 'outside'. Not just in the sun, but in company to humans, not just to kill them for their blood.

Pitiful. Dirty. I know that Aro is right, but the loving couple I saw earlier did not seem pitiful and dirty. On the contrary; Even though I am reluctant to admit it, I think I envy them.

"If the humans were to learn of our existence, they would hunt us. Torture us. Burn us." Around explains, but there is a flicker of hope in my heart that keeps on burning despite his attempts to put it out. Hope that he is wrong, and that there might be something else out there. Something that I have not experienced. At least not that I remember. "Is that what you want, dear?"

I let a small smile replace my answer, which seems to comfort Aro enough to lower the hand from my back and once again head towards the door.

Hunt us. Torture us. Isn't that exactly what we are doing to them? I would not want to be in the receiving end of a vampire's hunger. And in large masses, I understand how humans could actually be dangerous to us. One, I could dispose of within the blink of an eye. Even twenty. But more than that? Who knows what kinds of weapons they have invented during the time I have been cooped up in this castle.

"Bianca?" Aro muses, and I realize that I just have gotten lost in my thoughts again.

I smile at my maker more genuinely now, as I stride over to him and take his arm.

"You're right, mi amore. It's just my silly curiosity again." I chuckle, shaking off the thought. I know that it is best to not show Aro too much of this side of me- the side that yearns to live. I am supposed to be as happy as I can be; here, by his side. And I am happy with him; I have all I can ask for. Countless of books, companions, luxurious clothes...

But something is missing, and that very thought echoes in my hollow heart along with the sound of our footsteps as we descend the marble stairs down to the courtyard.

"Where's your lover, Snow?" Caius teases as soon as I enter the circular room, filled with light through the high ceiling, using his old nickname for me. "Did you kill him in his sleep, finally? Make him kill himself, perhaps, with that spooky power of yours?"

Do I have to tell you that I do not like Caius? Ever since my birth as a vampire, he has been the bane of my existence.

"Jealous, Caius? Not very refreshing. It must be difficult to be surrounded by this many gifted vampires and still have no more power than any other common vampire." I smile back in return, and the words but the blonde vampire like a slap, his eyes burning with anger and hate. Something that I do like about Caius is that he is so ridiculously easy to rile up. One of the reasons that Aro's keeping him around despite his lack of powers.

"Need I remind you that I am thousands of years older than you, girl? Than all of you?" He spits, his physically young face contorted with bitterness.

"Then act like it." I state, settling down in my throne graciously.

"Where is Aro?" Marcus asks from my right, before Caius has the time to find a comeback to my insult.

"He had some matter to attend to, but he will be with us shortly, he said." I answer, the sarcasm gone from my voice. I do like Marcus; he has always treated me with respect and kindness, even though he does not speak very often.

Out of curiosity and boredom, and anger of Aro's secrecy concerning the "matter" he has to attend to, I close my eyes and unleash the invisible tentacles if my power into the castle. I find Aro's mind a few corridors to the right outside, along with -Adriana? What are they talking about? What reason would Aro have to speak with my human chambermaid? These are the moments where I wouldn't mind just a sliver of Edward's power.

I am just about to retreat with my power when I feel Edward's mind approaching. He seems to be accompanied by Jane, Demetri and Felix, but there is also another mind that my power curls around, curious to know who it is.

When the doors open, I am already standing up, desperate to see why Edward's is back and who he's brought with him.

When I meet Jane's gaze, her red eyes are blazing with anger. Nothing new there.

"Where's Aro?" She demands, her eyes flickering in-between me and Aro's empty throne.

"Absent, clearly." I answer dismissively. "I see you've brought us a gift? How utterly kind of you, Jane."

Safe to say, my mocking tone does not make the doll-like vampire any less curious. Anyone else would have cowered under that glare, but Jane is too scared of me to attempt to use her own power against me. Besides, it would anger Aro, and ruin ner attempts at sucking up to him.

I ignore Jane's hateful glaring and focus on our guests instead. Edward is standing a few feet behind Jane, and next to him a petite vampire with the same golden eyes is watching me curiously. I assume that it must be Alice Cullen, Edward's "sister".

It is only when a wave of the delicious smell of blood fills my senses and sets my throat in fire that I notice the girl hiding behind Edward. Or rather, trying to see past his shoulders despite his attempts at shielding her.

"You must be Bella?" I ask the girl directly, and her doe-eyes widen in Surprise, probably at the lack of aggressivity in my tone. I do not wish to harm her; in the contrary. I intend to find out why I cannot sense her mind- my power is met by a black wall when I let it approach her.

"Yes." She answers, her human voice hoarse and brittle.

"Why have you come here?" I ask, still directing my question at Bella. I do not wish to speak with Edward, or Alice for that matter. What the human has to say is far more exciting.

"I-" Bella starts, but she stops abruptly when the doors behind her open, and Aro waltzes in, a dazzling smile plastered across his handsome face. He strides over to my side, and I recognize the hunger for power in his eyes.

"Edward, you're back!" He exclaims, clapping his hands together. "And Alice and Bella too, what a happy surprise!"

Neither Edward nor Alice seem to be returning the enthusiasm; Bella seems to be studying Aro with scared yet curious eyes.

"I am terribly sorry for my absence, I hope that my dear Biancaneve welcomed you well." My maker says, turning to me and kissing my hand lightly. I catch Bella's big, brown eyes watching the exchange curiously, certainly trying to determine what kind of relationship Aro and I have.

"Who is she?" I hear Bella whisper into Edward's ear, her eyes not having left me. Perhaps she is sensing how every vampire in the room has one eye always lingering on me, monitoring me. Especially Edward and Alice, who have not taken a step aside of their improvisational shield for Bella. "I didn't see her in Carlisle's painting."

"Biancaneve is Aro's mate and right hand." Edward explains; even though he is aware that we can hear every word he says. A small smile curls on my full lips as I hear Caius dissatisfied grunt. How it annoys him, that he will never be able to take my place. "She has the power to control minds."

"So… She could make you kill me now?" Bella replies, fear clouding her wide eyes. I watch her in fascination; it entertains me to see the wheels turning behind her eyes.

"And I wouldn't be able to stop it." Edward mutters through his teeth, sending a warning glare my way.

"Enough speaking about such grim manners now!" Aro finally interrupts, leaving my side to take a few steps toward our guests. I take that as a cue to return to my throne next to Caius and Marcus. I meet Bella's wide eyes with an unreadable expression. It is fascinating, that her eyes are not frightened, but amazed. It is suddenly very clear how she got mixed up in this vampire business in the first place; the poor girl is too curious to know what's best for her own good. I feel a pang of sorrow for what fate she might meet simply for being in this room right now. You could stop it, a familiar voice in my mind seems to say. I shove it away; I have not heard his voice in two hundred years, I could live for a couple more without it by my side. "But tell me first… How do you stand it? The smell of her blood?" Aro's voice interrupts my thoughts.

Edward's eyes cloud over with suppressed anger, his fists balling at his side. I am once again reminded of how heavenly Bella's blood smells; and I have an unusually strong self-control for a vampire.

"It's not easy." Edward answers, his voice strained with pain. But I have watched both Bella and Edward enough now to know that it is not pain because of the temptation of her blood; but fear of Edward losing his control and hurting her.

"Still… What a waste." Aro's smile, and the way he looks at Bella as if she is a treasure, makes a ball of jealousy tie a knot in my chest. It is more than hunger; Aro, too, must wonder what it is about her that makes her so special to Edward. "Oh; how you remind me of my dear friend Carlisle!"

My eyes settle on Edward's golden gaze, so similar to his adoptive father. The color of honey awakens the box of memories that I have kept locked away for so long.

"I cannot even come near Carlisle's self-control." Edward replies politely, and I look back at Bella again when I feel her frown studying my face. I must have shown some emotion at the mention of Carlisle's name. I must really get a grip on myself.

"I was wondering…" Aro starts again, his voice tentative but curious. I know that voice very well; it means that he wants something and gives the illusion of asking politely, when the person in question does not have any other choice. "One thing in particular fascinates me about you, Bella. See, I saw in Edward's thoughts that you seem to be immune to his power, and I wonder, seeing as I have a similar gift to your dear Edward's, if you are immune to mine as well."

There is a pause of silence as Bella's brown eyes flicker up to Edward's with alarm, and the vampire in question nods reluctantly. With slow, slightly awkward steps, Bella makes her way to Aro. Edward's eyes do not leave her fragile frame for one second. I cannot see Aro's expression as he takes her hand in his, but the small, barely noticeable vindictive smile playing on Edward's lips tells me enough.

For the first time in my life, someone has been immune to Aro's power. Yesterday I wished for excitement, a break from the monotony of my life. Well, here it is, in the shape of one very peculiar human and her even stranger relationship to a vampire. And not just any vampire; Carlisle's adoptive son.

"Fascinating." Aro finally says, but his voice bears a trace of uncertainty. I understand his uneasiness; had she not been a fragile human, I would have felt as if someone had taken my shield away from me. Then again, the thought that this young woman could do anything she wanted against me, without me being able to stop her… It is quite refreshing, and I realize that I feel more awake than I have in years. "But is she immune to other sorts of powers? Jane?"

"No!" Edward growls, thrashing against the sudden grasp that his sister has taken around his waist, but not after jumping in between Aro and Bella.

"Yes, Master?" Jane answers sweetly, but not before sending me a proud smile. Even after all these hundreds of years, she has kept her childish behavior, always hoping that Aro will one day find her power more valuable than his love for me. But she is just a little girl, so I let her feel victorious for a moment. I know that it will not last long.

Jane turns her lethal gaze and lifeless smile toward Bella, and Edward lunges at her. Instead of knocking Jane to the ground, he falls to the floor and starts writhing in pain at the hands of Jane. I cannot help but shudder at the sight. Say what you want about Jane's childish manners; her power is truly terrifying. I know, because she once used it on me after I openly humiliated her in front of Aro.

But my attention soon moves over to Bella, who is struggling against Alice's strong grasp. The expression in her eyes is so vibrant; anger, pain; utter desperation. All of those strong emotions, simply because her loved one is in pain. It makes me wonder, if Aro was in Edward's place… Would I feel the same. No doubt I would stop Jane with my power, but that raging anger and pain?

"Jane." Aro finally says, his voice slightly bored. Jane instantly looks up at him with a victorious smile. My maker motions toward Bella, and Jane; happy to oblige, turns her deadly gaze on the human girl.

Nothing happens. Bella's eyes haven't left Edward's now still body, regret and remorse contorting her soft features.

Jane sneers and takes a step toward Bella, but Aro's laugh stops her.

"Do not beat yourself up, dear Jane." He muses. "The human seems immune to all of our powers. But what to do with you now?"

I find myself curious to see what Aro decides to do with this interesting situation.

"I suppose you still have not changed your mind about joining us, Edward?" He asks the copper-haired vampire, who seems to do his best to hide his queasy expression.

"No, thank you." He finally answers. Aro asks Alice next, receiving a similar reply. The petite vampire still has not said more than a word during the meeting, and had it not been because of her eyes steadily watching me for the last twenty minutes, I might have forgotten that she has been here.

"And you, Bella?" My train of thoughts stop abruptly. Why is he asking her? She's a human. Unless… He plans to change her. My heart twists with jealousy. Judging by the way that Aro has been fascinated with Bella during this meeting, having her here, powerful and in vampire form… Would definitely be a threat.

"What?" Caius interjects, clearly not as quick to follow Aro's train of thoughts as I am. Or maybe he just doesn't know my maker as well as I do.

"You see the potential, don't you, my friend?" Aro answers, turning around to face us. For a second, his eyes flicker to me, and I let him see my anger. Yes, he might be the leader of the Volturi, but I will not sit by idly while he invites new members without consulting with us. Especially not young, beautiful females. "I have not seen such a promising talent since Bianca."

This time, I barely manage to hide the snarl erupting from my clenched jaw. Thankfully, it goes unnoticed by Aro.

My fascination with the human has passed, and when I turn to face her again, all I feel is revulsion. Aro can kill her, or she can leave with her dear Edward, I don't care anymore. I don't want her here.

Safe to say, I am not the only one who is fuming with anger. A deep growl is rumbling in Edward's chest, audible even from across the room. I look at him directly. Glad to see we are agreed- I'll convince him to let you leave, as long as you never come back. The nod that the mind-reader gives me in return answers my statement.

"I'd rather not, thank you." Bella mumbles, and Aro's shoulders slump slightly with disappointment. His eyes once again flicker over to me, and Edward's immediate response of tightening his fists gives me an idea of Aro's thoughts. He's wondering whether or not we should make them accept the offer. But then, he looks away and shakes his head.

"Such a waste, but well…" His voice trails off. Caius, sensing that the meeting is coming to an end, shuffles impatiently in his throne.

"Aro… They have broken the law." He reminds our common friend, his impertinent need for punishment resurfacing as always.

"How so?" Edward answers, raising his brows. His gaze meets mine for the fraction of a second, but I get my cue.

"The human knows too much… She could expose us." Caius replies, his burgundy eyes blazing with hunger, stark against his pale face. This time, I raise my brows.

"So does Alicia, the receptionist outside. And Adriana, my maid, for once." I argue; motioning toward the door, making sure to send a look at Aro at the mention of Adriana's name. His eyes, in return, are filled with suspicion, certainly at my taking side with Edward.

Caius's sense of betrayal is even more obvious. His hands are gripping the handles of his throne so hard that had it been made of wood, it would have been nothing more than splinters by now.

"We do not have the intention of letting these humans leave. As soon as they are of no more use to us, we will make sure to dispose of them. If your human pet were to betray our secrets to the human world, would you be able to kill her?" Caius ignores me and directs his attention to Edward instead.

"I would never-" Bella suddenly speaks, defending herself, but the look that Caius gives her silences her.

"And if he agrees to change her, then?" I ask, but my question is directed more at Edward then at Caius. His golden eyes turn darker with betrayal, which confuses me. "Surely, that must have been your intention already?"

The bitter expression inhabiting his carved features tells me the contrary. But how would that even been possible? He plans to outlive her, then? Stay with her until she gets old with age, while he stays 17? I cannot even begin to understand the reason for such a thing.

"If I do, what happens then?" Edward asks reluctantly directing his question at Aro. My maker smiles and shrugs.

"You would be free to leave and send my regards to Carlisle." He then stops. "But I'm afraid I would have to ensure that you mean it."

Without a word, Alice suddenly steps forward. Contrary to Bella's, her steps are light as a feather as she strides across the stone floor to stop in front of Aro. She holds up her slender hand for him to take, and I swallow the bile in my mouth. Yes, I realize that my jealousy is going overboard, but I simply cannot help it.

Aro eagerly takes her hand, and for several minutes, everything in the room is still while he reads her every thought. My fingers itch with the need to know what she is showing him, and I decide to study Edward, the only other one in the room to know what is happening before us.

Edward's face is completely devoid of any emotion, but his jaw is clenched, insinuating that whatever he is seeing, is not pleasant to him.

Aro breaks the silence by laughing and releasing Alice's hand. I cannot see his face, as he has his back to me, but I imagine that his eyes are sparkling with glee.

"That was fantastic!" He marvels, before turning to Caius. "Do not fret, my friend. I have seen it with my own eyes; Bella will be turned. Besides, if they do not join us now, they can still join us in the future!"

I manage to smile, even though I'm sure my displeasure is written quite clearly across my face.

"Are we free to leave?" Edward asks, certainly anxious to get Bella out of here. Understandable. Felix, still standing guard behind our three guests, has moved considerably closer to Bella during our long conversation, and his expression is anything other than friendly.

"Yes, yes, of course. Be sure to visit, though. I would love to see how Bella turns out as a vampire. Bring Carlisle as well! There is so much I would love to discuss with him." Aro answers politely, smiling.

"We will visit too, to see that you meet up to your promise. Remember, the Volturi does not give second chances." Caius reminds the trio, before they leave with their last goodbyes. As the door closes behind them, I stand up from my throne.

"Biancaneve?" Aro asks, confused, as I pass him while heading toward the back exit of the courtroom. I will not sit here any longer; all I can see is Aro's gaze as he looked at Bella and Alice. It is the exact same gaze that he has when he looks at me. "Heidi will be here any minute with the food."

"I'm not hungry." I answer curtly, not even glancing in his direction. The last thing I hear before the door closes behind me is my name being repeated again, but I ignore it.

All I can really here is the same sentence repeated over and over again: I have not seen such a promising talent since Bianca.

The parchment feels heavier in my hand than usual. I would recognize the immaculate handwriting anywhere, and these particular words, I have read over and over for what seems like a hundred times.

Yet I never replied to the letter. It must have been at least a hundred years since it was delivered to me by my former maid… My name written on the front in ink. It hadn't seemed as heavy then as now.

"Bianca?" Aro's soft voice interrupts my thoughts, and I hide the letter inside the book where I have kept it for all these years; a small, brown leather bound book that holds the initials C.C. "Did something upset you earlier?"

I turn my face away from my window and watch Aro approach me from the doorway, his crimson eyes filled with concern. I find myself wondering if that concern is genuine, or if it is just theatre.

"Am I just a prize to you?" I ask him, keeping my voice steady and my eyes clear. True surprise washes over Aro's pale, carved face for half a second before he regains his composure and smiles.

"Of course you are a prize, mi amore-"

"Am I just a prize to you?" I repeat, changing the emphasis. Realization dawns upon Aro's hauntingly beautiful features, and he sighs before joining me on the divan under the window.

"Bianca…" He starts, reaching out to brush a lock of ebony hair behind my ear. I pull away from him.

"Answer the question, Aro." I command, clenching my jaw. Whether or not Aro is surprised at my attitude, he does not show. He still seems to be figuring out what words to say.

"You are invaluable to me in so many ways, my dear." He finally responds. Spoken like a true diplomat. I scoff, not bothering to be kind and obedient.

"Oh, really? And what if Alice were to join us? Or Bella? You said yourself, that you have not seen such a power before me." I reply curtly, swallowing back the hurt. It's strange, during the last two hundred years, I have made it an art to swallow my emotions, telling myself that vampires are not supposed to act so much upon their emotions, unlike humans. Now, it seems as if they have intensified.

"Are you jealous, Bianca?" Aro muses, a small smile playing on his lips. The simple motion makes me want to rip him apart; how dare he take this as something enjoyable, when I am a storm inside?

"I am not jealous, I just want to know whether or not the only reason I am so invaluable to you is because of my power." I say it, and memories from 200 years ago resurface. Being told those exact words, and not believing them. Aro loved me, right?

"Of course not." Aro assures me, and I dare to actually look into his eyes. They seem genuine. "I would still love you, Biancaneve, even if you didn't have your powers."

Some of my anger dies down, even though some part of me doesn't quite believe him.

"However, you must understand that I cannot neglect powers like Alice's to spare your feelings, love." He adds, and I look away again.

"Don't you already have enough? During my whole life, we have never been attacked. Why are you so eager to recruit even more guards?" I argue, looking out at the sunset outside, wondering if someone else on the other side of the wall is watching it as well. "Aren't we enough?"

Aro seems to think over my words for a few seconds before answering.

"I am thousands of years old, Biancaneve. Do you know how I have managed to survive for so long? It is because of every new vampire that joins us, making our forces larger and stronger." Upon seeing my dubious expression, Aro takes my hand and caresses it softly with his thumb. "I promise you, my love, that Alice, nor Bella, could ever take your place, even if their powers had been stronger than yours."

With those words, he stands up and releases my hand.

"Caius and I are playing chess later. Care to join us?" He asks with a small smile. I shake my head and manage to smile back.

"I am reading a fantastic book and I want to finish it tonight." I answer, and point to the enormous book on the desk to my left.

"Of course. A domani, cara mia." Aro answers, leans down and kisses me on the cheek before making his leave.

A few moments after he has gone, I pick up the brown leather book again and retrieve the letter, reading it once again.

Dear Bianca

I hope you are well. I have been travelling across the world since I left, and you would not believe how much more there is to learn from humankind. I have studied everything there is to know about medicine, and it fascinates me how every day, a doctor somewhere in the world finds a cure for a decease.

Most of all, there is so much out here that reminds me of you. The other day, it snowed here in Columbus, and all I could think about was how much you would have loved the snowflakes dancing in the air.

You can assure Aro that my lifestyle still has not led me to perish out of loss of human blood; on the contrary, I am finding that I get stronger every day. For every life I save as a doctor, the more I realize what the purpose of my life is. To help others. Yesterday, a young girl of 16 named Esme came into the hospital with a broken leg, and she reminded me so much of you. She was just as full of life as you are.

I know that there is no way for us to see each other any time soon, nor should you wish for it. I fear I overstayed my welcome with Aro; should I visit Volterra again, he might not let me speak to you. And I imagine it would be impossible for you to leave his side and come to visit me, nor would I ever ask it of you.

I miss you, my friend. I hope that one day, I will get to see you smile again. Until then, I will miss you every day.

With love, Carlisle

I let the letter fall to the floor; the words too much to bear.

Why did I never reply to the letter? I imagine it must have been because I was scared of what my response might lead to, and what would happen when Aro saw more and more letters arriving, addressed to my name.

I have not thought about Carlisle for several decades, until yesterday. What does his life look like now? Despite from hos adoptive children, what is he up to?

Human. Human, but happy. I have been taught to hate everything that is human. Yet here I am, in my castle, hating this horrible life of death and blood, and wondering what I am missing out on. I don't remember my human life. There is so much that I have never experienced. It is easy for Aro to be contempt with this life; he has experienced being human too. He had parents, siblings perhaps. Maybe he even had a lover. He knows what it feels like to breathe for air, to have a pulse, to be alive.

Suddenly, the four walls of my room seem to be pressing in on me, making my room narrower and narrower, like a prison. I have to leave. I cannot stay here for another second, not knowing what it is like to be outside.

"I miss you too, and I will smile again." I whisper to myself, picturing Carlisle in front of me as I jump out of my window.