Origins
Chapter 3
by missrebecca
The hall is silent as the grave, the windows set at the top of the two-story room barely allowing any real light through. Isabella stands between Aro's and Marcus' chairs, a hand resting daintily upon the back of each. There are few members of the guard here; Felix, Demetri, Jasper, and Heidi the only others beside the three brothers and Isabella. She realises they can't be expecting trouble from the three captives before them if Chelsea is not at Felix's right hand.
"You understand the charges brought against you?" Aro asks, his voice ringing out to the three vampires kneeling before them.
They are two males and a female. The large dark-haired male and the buxom blonde are a mated pair; the third, rather solemn, redheaded vampire is separate. He makes this clear by the distance he keeps from the other two. His eyes flit around the room before finding purchase on Isabella. She glares until he drops his gaze back to Aro.
"We do," the large male speaks, the white knuckle grip he keeps on his mate's hand tightening.
"Do you have no justification for your actions?" Marcus asks, his voice bored, and Isabella barely quenches the urge to rest a supporting hand upon his shoulder; it would not be well-received.
"None," the woman replies, chin held high as she faces down her doom. Isabella almost smiles at her pride.
"Then you leave us no choice. You brought an immortal child into this world, blatantly disregarding the rules of our kind. Is there nothing else you wish to say?" Caius speaks.
"I did nothing," the redhead says, as his two companions sit silent and strong beside him. Isabella sighs for she can now see why Chelsea was not needed - self-preservation has kicked in and it is obvious that he is not prepared to die for the others' mistake.
"Yet, you helped hide them," Caius counters.
"A mistake." At his words the blonde scowls, while her mate drops his head. They knew their companion's loyalty would only stretch so far.
"Remove them," Aro passes judgement, flicking his hand as though he has not just sent two vampires to their deaths.
The third is left and Isabella wonders at his worth that he was not carted off with the others as he should have been. He rises slowly as Felix and Demetri return, keeping his eyes on the four on the dais. Isabella observes him as he looks between the brothers before focusing his attention on Aro. He does not seem frightened, as many are when they face down the rulers of their species, only awed. His chin is raised, not in defiance but in a cock-sure signal that he belongs here, and he does not drop his eyes from Aro's. He wishes to be a part of the guard.
"Take my hand," Aro says, smiling slightly as the vampire steps up to grip the paper-thin skin of Aro's fingers. Not two minutes pass and he is released. Aro sits back, tapping his fingers on the chair arm in contemplation.
"Interesting," he murmurs, sending a glance to Isabella. "Tell me, Edward," he addresses the vampire before him, "what is our beautiful Isabella thinking?"
She smirks, allowing her mind to conjure the image of Edward writhing beneath her, his blood a spreading pool around them as her fangs puncture his throat, and she wrenches it, severing it from his neck. All the while she stares placidly into his eyes; he sees nothing.
"I…can't," he finally admits, frustration colouring his words.
"Good," Aro replies, his smile slipping. "There is a place for you in my guard, but be aware, there are those here far superior to yourself. Take note." It is a barely veiled threat, and Isabella contemplates what Aro might have heard within the boy's memories. "Isabella, would you be kind enough to take young Edward to his quarters?" At a touch from Caius, he adds with a smirk, "Mr. Whitlock shall accompany you."
She scowls playfully at their meddling ways before sauntering down from the podium, gesturing for Edward to follow her. Jasper falls into step beside her as they leave the hall.
"You all seem very close," Jasper says, and Isabella smiles at the disgust laced in his words, as he comments on her relationship with the brothers. She knows what he must be thinking.
"Indeed, we are."
Before Jasper can speak again, Edward interrupts, his barely contained curiosity overcoming him; though his stoic expression would belay his inner turmoil.
"Why can't I hear you?" he asks.
"Because I don't want you to," she replies. Edward has nothing more to say.
They reach his chambers in silence, and Isabella gestures to the door. "This is yours. There's a robe within. You're free to go wherever you wish, but you must come to the main hall when called. Understood?"
Edward nods and enters his rooms. Isabella and Jasper are gone by the time he turns back to question her.
Down the corridor, Isabella walks towards her own chambers, Jasper by her side. The corridor is sparse, the walls stone cold as the lights buzz above their heads. She enjoys the silent companionship, yet wonders at what possible reason Jasper has for staying near her. Idly, she fingers the necklace that is never removed from her neck. The metal is worn, the silver tarnished and aged; the red jewels no longer gleam from their settings upon the crucifix. But it is sacred, and so she runs the cross reverently along the chain, thinking of the woman she received it from.
"It's an interesting necklace," he says, breaking the silence. Isabella smiles and nods but says nothing in return. "Marcus has something similar."
"Yes, they were gifts from a very good friend."
"His wife, Didyme?" he questions.
Isabella's feet stop their march, and she slides a look Jasper's way, before gripping tight to his shirt-sleeve and flitting with him into her rooms. Once there she seals the door, before pushing that glass case in her mind into each corner of the room, to keep their whispered conversation to themselves.
"Her name is not to be spoken here," she admonishes in a hiss, her eyes ablaze.
Jasper frowns, his eyes calculating in the dim light of her room. There is only the glow of the moon to illuminate it, though that is not truly needed. Their eyes reflect the beam, glowing in the dark as they stare each other down. Isabella does not know what it is Jasper is hoping to achieve, but she finds she enjoys the spark in his eyes, so often missing from those who spend so long within the confines of the Volturi castle.
"I'm aware. Why is that?"
"There was a great deal of pain in her passing-"
"Her murder, you mean."
Her hand is across his face faster than either thought possible. He does not stop her and only smirks when their eyes meet once more.
"You know not of what you speak," she growls. As she brandishes her hand to the door, he captures it, and Isabella attempts to ignore the sparks that had been ignited when her palm made contact with his cheek. She frowns in confusion when she cannot pull her arm from his grip, an act which should have been effortless with her superior age.
"I'll see myself out." Then he is gone, leaving Isabella shaken and alone in the dark, wondering why she wishes he was still with her.
So I think I've got into a posting schedule! Mondays and Fridays :).
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