Alice's POV

It's been two weeks since the day we found Carlisle in the forest.

Today Jasper asked me to do something, to try and see Esme.

I had been too afraid at first. What if I saw something horrible? What if I didn't see her!? But I knew I had to try, we need to know what's going on if we can.

So, today I was not training. Instead, I was sitting in my closet (yes, the closet) and trying to find my center. When I'm totally focused, I can look the farthest into the future of whomever I am seeking.

At first I only got little flitters of her and two other vampires. Terror started to envelope me, she was fighting.

Just as I was about to panic, a powerful vision came to me.

Esme was about to spring at a young male about the same size as Alice when a tall female stepped into the sandy arena. Everyone instantly halted and turned to face her attentively, she must be their leader.

She said nothing at all, but the five or six vampires in the clearing just seemed to know what she wanted. Two males and a female swept Esme away, leaving the others in the area.

Esme asked them, "Are you sure this is alright with you guys? I know that my choice in diet is not very popular."

The female snapped her head to the side, her red eyes blazing so fiercely Esme actually took a step away from her.

She spoke coldly, "It is not us who should be worrying about diets. You're a fool, Esme. This un-natural blood weakens you when the one thing you need the most now is strength. Don't you want to win your battle?"

The larger of the two males growled, "Leave her alone, Chipo. Either way she will die. Ajani has never been defeated before, especially not by someone like her."

Esme stopped walking and growled defiantly, "What do you mean by that, Ekene?"

Ekene snorted rudely, "You are untrained and you are merciful. You have never once killed another, have you? Ajani will tear you into pieces without a regret."

Esme flinched, and Chipo snarled.

"Don't say that to her! She has as good of a chance as any."

Ekene retorted, "And that chance is very slim for all."

Before the argument could continue, the larger male stepped in.

In a very athoritive voice he commanded, "Enough of this! We will not talk about the challenge anymore."

Chipo frowned, "But Tau sh-"

He snarled and she fell silent, lowering her head.

He firmly asserted, "No. Adaeze said we were to take her hunting, she said not to upset her. You two are doing a very poor job of it."

He gently pulled Esme closer to him and muttered something to her as he progressed deeper into the dark forest. Chipo and Ekene glared at each other, but in the end the both began to follow their friends.

Ekene growled quietly, stubbornly, to the female, "The fight will be her last, I bet you anything you could ever ask for that I am right. Ajani does not loose."

I felt such a strangling mixture of emotions that I could do nothing but sit and try to sort my thoughts out.

What has Esme done? Well, clearly, she has challenged whoever it is holding her prisoner to a fight. Doesn't she think we are coming for her?

At least they are treating her fairly. They are allowing her to stick to her diet, and they are attempting to be kind. Even better, they are giving her a true chance by training her.

But she could die! This Ajani must be the one that I saw in my first vision, the one that is such a massive creature he makes Emmett look only fairly large. Comparing him to the tree he had been standing in front of, I would have to say he's seven feet tall or so.

And our mother is going it fight him.

Terror stabbed at me and I fled from the house, out into the yard.

I demanded, "Jasper, where are you?" I looked around, and could not see him.

Bella dislodged herself from Kate and hurried over to me, "Jasper is hunting with Charlotte and Edward. What's wrong?"

I hugged my sister and buried my face into her shoulder, "Bella, she's in trouble! She's going to battle with the one who took her, she going to loose!"

Bella tightened her arms around me and whimpered, "Why would they make her fight? Is that what they took her for?"

Her battle, that's what they called it.

"I think she is the one who offered the idea."

Bella wailed, "Why would she do that?"

We both jumped at Peter's unexpected voice.

"That's custom in any coven."

I glanced at him, silently urging him to continue. He looked a little bit bashful, Peter was never the public speaker, and everyone was now listening.

"In the army, when one of the newborns wanted to leave, they would challenge Maria in a fight for their freedom. If the challenger won, they could go free. If we won, well, then the challenger would be eliminated."

Bella asked incredulously, "How many did she defeat? She's still alive, right?"

Peter smiled a tiny bit, "Maria would never fight her own battle, it is too risky with a newborn and their superior strength. In place of her, Jasper always fought- it was the greatest honor we could have to service our leader."

An idea suddenly blossomed in my mind.

"Do all coven's honor that replacement method?"

He shrugged, "Everyone I have ever met. Wouldn't yours?"

I took a second to consider that, and it seemed very likely. I can totally see Emmett asking to take the place of Carlisle if he had been challenged.

And Kate, with her power, would most certainly step up for her sister Tanya.

I literally started to bounce on my feet with excitement.

"Peter, do you think that if we find this tribe in time, they would let Jasper fight for her?"

It was terribly heart breaking to me to fully think that idea through. Offering my mate, my better half, my very reason for existence, to fight a monstrous well-trained enemy. But I had to be logical. If any of us were to win, it's Jasper.

Edward and I could easily avoid harm, but we have to be able to cause harm too, and I don't think we would be able to.

Garrett asked warily, "But Esme isn't the coven leader, and I am sure they already know that. Will that make a difference?"

Peter reported, "No, if anything that's more usual for the leader to take the place of someone else. For example, if someone in the army had challenged me; Maria could send Jasper to fight for me instead, because he had almost joint leadership. He answered only to her, so he was an equal of sorts, making him a half leader. Does that make sense?"

Jasper, Edward, and Charlotte were coming back towards us, I could see them in the distance.

Bella pet my hair gently and offered, "I'll ask him if you want me to, Alice."

For a fleeting second I almost said yes. The very last thing I ever wanted to do was let Jasper know I cared enough about someone else to ask him to possibly sacrifice himself for her. But that wouldn't be fair, not even slightly. He deserved to hear this from me.

I smiled, "It's okay Bella, I can do it."

She nodded and let go of me, stepping back between Peter and Kate. I turned my head to my returning warrior.

"Jasper, we need to talk about something."

He was in front of me in a instant. His eyes were shining with worry and he very gently stroked my cheek.

"What is it, Alice?"

I took his hand and silently led him into the house, ignoring the stares of everyone as we went. I took him up to our room and shut the door, then sat him down on the bed with me.

"Jasper, I had a vision. I saw Esme talking with some of these tribe people, she's going to participate in a very dangerous battle soon."

He was silently, waiting for me to continue.

I felt my voice quiver, "I need to ask you to do something for me."

He scooted closer and squeezed both of my hands in his.

He whispered intensely, "Anything, Alice. I'll do absolutely anything for you."

I lowered my eyes and looked at our hands, knowing that if I could I would be crying. I almost lost me nerve. Surely there must be another way?

I watched his hand as it raised to my chin, and he tilted my head so our eyes met. He begged quietly, "Ask me, Alice."

I took a deep breath, "Jasper, will you fight in place of Esme?"

I didn't need to tell him how dangerous it was. I didn't need to tell him that he could die, that this battle may be his last. I know that he would have instantly said yes if it were me, but it's not.

This is Esme, our mother. A woman he's never been terribly close to, even though he loves her just the same as the rest of us. It was a family love, though, not a friendly love.

He very calmly asked me, "Is that what you want?"

My answer was barely a whisper, even though it was the most honest thing I could have ever said, "Yes, it is."

He leaned forward and kissed me tenderly, "Then I'll do it."

His gentle demeanor suddenly flared and became very rough as he attacked my lips and pushed me back against the bed. I wasn't surprised, actually. I understood why he was suddenly so desperate, because I was too.

We could loose each other in a few days, this could very well be the last time we shared an intimate, loving moment together. I felt his tongue slip into my mouth as I began to unbutton his shirt.