Enjoy.
Children do wonder
Nessie was a curious child; she had grown quickly but her wondrous curiosity that all children have she still possessed, a rare thing that sometimes reminded people her actual age despite appearances.
Stefan and Vladimir were sat on the couch in the living room when she had first padded in and plonked herself quietly across from them on the floor; cross legged with a book. For once the 'dog' was not by her side and for that they slightly disappointed; it was fun to cause annoyance so easily to the weak minded, however her mother was stood in the doorway watching her, it seemed to be what the newborn did the most; just watch her daughter.
"Vladimir? Stefan?"
Her small voice rose to the Romanians ears; like a coo of a dove. They stopped gazing at the wall and gave their attention to the half breed child.
Ness shuffled to face them; her small round, porcelain face was the complete epitome of innocence.
"Why is your skin paler then everyone else's?" She asked politely.
It was obvious from her mother's reaction that she thought it was a rude question, they supposed it could be if they felt it so, however it was a child who asked this question and did not mean any offense by it, she probably wouldn't even understand why if they did.
Vladimir and Stefan smiled at the inquisitive girl.
"We sat still once; for a long time, child." Vladimir answered honestly.
Stefan doubted she even knew vampires could petrify but it was of no concern to them, they were both nothing if not honest. As they always had been.
"We didn't realise at first that it was happening," Stefan started.
Renesmee looked confused so he tried to think of a different way to explain.
"You see, when vampires sit still for a long time we start to..."
Maybe she did not know what petrify means?
"Turn to marble, so to say," Vladimir had the same idea.
"Our skin turned paler, as we sat inside for thousands of years, unmoving."
"Don't you need to drink blood?" Renesmee questioned quietly, her eyes wide with wonder as her mind showed their words in picture form.
"Prey was delivered to us; we barely had to move to just drink."
"Our skin is hardened, crystallized as vampires; extended years of life and along with that if we do not move and stay inside..."
"Imagine a statue gathering a layer of dust over time, only you can't just wipe it off."
Nessie nodded, understanding what they meant now.
"The Volturi elders also sat still for centuries, some still do and so their eyes are lighter."
"Almost pink..." Bella said quietly, mostly to herself.
The Romanians nodded at her input.
"The only reason ours are not the same is because we had no choice to move as they burned our castles with us within," Stefan raised an ironic eyebrow and glanced at Vladimir to continue.
"Stefan and I, at least, may share the same skin as them but our eyes... The Volturi's eyes are filled with dusty scum, but ours are bright. I imagine that will give us an advantage when we gouge theirs from their sockets." Vladimir smirked brightly.
Bella leaped into action.
"Okay Nessie, bed time!" She sang hurriedly; rustling her daughter up from the floor and shooing her to the door, Bella turned back to give a look of warning, for saying such things to a small child, at Vladimir and Stefan.
"Goodnight," Nessie waved to them both.
They both smiled in response as she was ushered from the room.
Silence...
"Did I say something wrong?" Vladimir tilted his head to look at Stefan, who did the same.
Both grinned at one another.
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