Chapter Three
Aro summons me alone without Marcus' knowledge to his study to speak to me with Caius about what happened the other day. I walk with Felix, Jane, and Demetri down the hallway and it is just like when I first brought here to the castle. We walk in and Aro stands up, like he is afraid I will attack him again. Jane remains behind me to keep a close eye on me as Felix and Demetri walk me over to Aro and Caius.
"Felix, watch the door for Marcus," Aro says calmly. Felix nods and walks out the door to stand guard. I lift my chin to Aro and prepare myself for his next few words. "You seem to prepared for a punishment like a proper guard and a wife. Leandra, you have commited a crime beyond compare not once, but twice. You have done something that should not be possible, but yet here you stand with proof of this."
"Aro," Caius says with a warning. I look between the two brothers, Aro holds out his hands for my hand. I do not move to give him what he wants. Demetri kicks my knees and I drop to them before Jane uses her gift on me. I curl into a ball and try not to scream, in case Marcus hears it.
"Tell me where she is, Leandra," Aro says. I grip the floor and bite my lip to hide the pain. Demetri grabs my head and forces me to look at Aro and Caius. "Tell us, Leandra, and this can all stop."
"Go to hell, you cannot touch her or hurt her," I grunt out. Aro nods his head and Demetri firm grip on my neck, getting ready to rip my head off. A loud boom is heard outside the room and the door is kicked open. Jane jumps and the pain goes away quickly. Demetri is thrown off me and I fall to the floor, only to be picked up by strong arms that cradled me closely.
"You dare kill yet another one of my mates, Aro?" Marcus' husky voice asks. I look at him to see his hair is disheveled from something. Soft footsteps are accompanied by the sounds of clicking from high heels. I turn and see the most beautiful ringlets framing a beautiful face with piercing green eyes. The face smiles at me and holds onto Heidi's index finger. I gasp and start to run to the face, but Marcus stops me from running.
"Please, Marcus, let me go," I beg. Heidi walks in with the beautiful face over to Aro and Caius. Marcus holds me close to him as I begin to panic. Aro looks at Heidi and then to me with a shocked look on his face.
"What is your name, sweet girl?" Caius finally asks. Heidi looks at the girl attached to her finger and the little girl does a small curtsy to the two men before her.
"My name is Marinna Volturi," the girl says. Marcus kisses my head and I grip his arms to keep myself grounded in place. Caius and Aro look at us with a shocked look on their faces.
"Who are your parents?" Aro asks. Marinna turns to Marcus and I before running over to us. Marcus lets me go to pick up Marinna in my arms. I hug the beautiful girl and hold her close to me.
"Marinna, my sweet girl," I whisper, as I kiss her cheeks. Aro watches us with Marinna and he remains silent. Marcus smiles at Marinna and kisses her forehead. Marinna giggles and hugs Marcus tightly.
"These two are my parents," Marinna says. I smile at my little girl and she kisses my nose.
Marinna sleeps peacefully in the bed that is in her new room. She hugs her little bunny as she sleeps and I smile as I play with her hair before getting up. Marcus watches from the door while I turn off her lamp and walk out of the room. We share a smile and I give him a big hug.
"You found her, you found our little girl," I mutter. Marcus kisses the top of my head and holds me close.
"She is our daughter and is the joy of our lives after all," Marcus says. "Come, let's go our room."
We walk together back to our room while arm in arm. Marcus stops when he sees Jane and Felix waiting for us. I grip his hand when we see that they are smirking. Silently, we follow the two of them to the throne room. Aro sits in his throne with a grim look on his face. It has only been a few days since he first met his niece. Sulpicia walks in and over to her husband.
"Marcus, Leandra," Sulpicia says. Aro looks at us with sad eyes when he sees Marcus try to hide me behind him.
"Leandra and Marcus, I know what you two did was to protect the child and that is understandable. But, she is not one of us or a human. She is something we barely know anything about. After watching her closely, she is going to be a threat to us. So, I come to this conclusion. She must be killed for she is an immortal child," Aro says. I gasp and hold onto Marcus. "She is a child of ten, not in control of herself, and she is trying to hide that to stay with you two. I would like to know how it is you two came to finding her in the first place."
"She was born in my village when I went back. Her mother died shortly after her birth and her father was nowhere near. I took the child in when I knew what she was and raised as much as I could on my own. She went out to play one day and went missing when I called her for lunch. I searched for her, but was not able to find her," I say. Marcus kisses my hand and massages my knuckles. "She said she was changed one day by a nomad vampire and she was not sure what would happen if I knew so she remained hidden for a little longer."
"But would you bring the child here, knowing she is against the law?" Sulpicia asks.
"Because she is still my daughter! She is my daughter no matter what!" I exclaim. The guards in the room jump at my shout. Sulpicia holds up her hand to stop them from attacking.
"Whether or not she is your daughter, she must be killed because she is against the law," Sulpicia says. A door opens and I turn to see Alec holding my sleepy Marinna in his arms. Marcus holds onto me while I try to run and go get her.
"Marinna," I gasp. Alec carries my little girl to Sulpicia and hands Marinna to Aro. She sits in her uncle's lap while rubbing her little eyes. "Marinna, baby, come here."
"Mama?" Marinna sleepily asks. Aro kisses the top of Marinna's head and holds her close to him. Sulpicia looks between Marcus and I closely. I shake Marcus when Aro stands up with Marinna in his arms. Aro looks at Marinna and stares into her sleepy green eyes. He puts Marinna down on her feet and puts his hands on her shoulders. I take a deep breathe and prepare myself for what is to come next.
