Hello again! So sorry for the long wait. Blame writer's block for that...but I'm back! Yay!
OK, this one gives an insight into Aro and Sulpicia (rather unhappy) relationship. The years have certainly not been kind, I can tell you. Oh, and the chapter title is from the song by Elton John, with the same name.
So! On with the story! :DX (heehee! He has a bow-tie!)
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC characters...
Chapter 7:
Sorry seems to be the hardest word
Of course…
It was so stupidly obvious; she didn't know why she hadn't figured it out sooner. It explained why Aro had been treating her so nicely (if a little strangely), and hadn't hurt her just now.
He wants my gift, she thought.
Well! That settled it then. As soon as the Volturi got Darius out of the picture, she and Beth would leave as soon as possible. Beth would be happy to hear that. Ha! Aro wouldn't have a chance to even ask her to join him. The nerve of him! Thinking he could win her round by buttering her up, and treating her sweetly.
Yet, as angry as this made her, she couldn't but feel…hurt.
Oh, Lord – distractions, she needed distractions.
Where is Beth?
It wasn't hard to work out. Disposing of her scarf in her room, all she had to do was follow the pounding bass and raging guitar that always seemed to come with Beth's favourite band. She always listened to it when she was in a bad mood, so Anna followed it, like a trail of blood-soaked breadcrumbs.
And she soon found Beth in her room.
In the wardrobe.
"Go away."
She was sat, hunched, in the darkest corner, with her arms wrapped tightly around her legs, staring sullenly down at her sneakers. The music echoed hollowly at full-volume against the wood.
"Not until you tell me why you're in here." Anna reached in to switch down the volume, only to find Beth had locked the screen. "Could you turn it down, please? It's much too loud."
Beth scowled up at her, with dark eyes. "What are you, my mother?" But she obliged, switching it off all together. "Better?"
"Very much so. Now, why are you in here?"
"I needed something hard to punch."
Anna blinked. "Pardon?"
Beth pointed, her eyes flashing with black humour. "Look. I made a hole."
And so she had. Peering round, Anna was surprised to see she had created a jagged window of splintered wood in the wall opposite her. Beth waved rather cheekily to her through it, looking quite pleased with herself.
"May I ask why you did this?"
"I'd have thought my running out just now explained that," Beth muttered, quietly. "The Volturi…they're so wrapped in themselves, and their stupid pride, they can't see from our perspective, and it pisses me off."
Anna smiled despite herself. "So I noticed."
"…I made a complete idiot of myself in there, didn't I?" She asked, with a sigh.
"After saying you don't let your emotions get in the way? Yes." Anna extended a hand to help her. "Come on, maybe you can apologise for your behaviour."
Beth made a face. "Yes, mother."
Stuffing her iPod in her trouser-pocket, she let Anna pull her out.
"Shall we?" she said, sarcastically.
They left the room together, glancing curiously along at the doors besides theirs.
Anna wondered aloud. "What do you suppose hides in those rooms?"
Beth tried the one nearest. Funnily enough, it was locked.
She shrugged. "Blood bank?"
"No." Anna shook her head. "We would smell it."
"So…maybe it's Aro's secret dressing-up box?"
Anna looked at her strangely. "I doubt it."
She shrugged, grinning. "You never know! He seems quite the eccentric type."
Anna just laughed. She probably wasn't wrong.
They planned to go back to the library, assuming that Aro was still reading in there – but when they came in, he was nowhere to be seen.
"Ah, well, he's not here," Beth sighed, not even bothering to hide her relief. "Such a shame. Now let's lose ourselves in a book or two – or three – or four, and forget all about it."
"I'm afraid not, Beth," Anna reprimanded, rolling her eyes. "Remember, we are guests here, and must treat the Volturi with respect if they are going to find Darius for us."
"I know," she sighed, impatiently. "– but they're only really doing it to gain your trust, y'know."
"Yes…I do."
Beth nodded, as if that confirmed something. "So where do you think he is now?"
Anna smiled, wryly. "Perhaps I should let these guide us."
And she wiggled her fingers in the air.
Aro was, in fact, sat in his study, writing in his log. It was something he had been doing, daily, since his coven fought the Romanians to victory many, many centuries before. It was a record of their history, but from a personal point of view, writing it allowed him to have some time to himself.
His study was small, cosy, and filled with the comforting smells of leather and books. He breathed it in now, sighing quietly, happily as he wrote.
What had started out to be a fairly ordinary day had developed into something quite riveting. Two women – both strong and bold in character – asking for help in avenging their coven's (regretful) death! He'd always so loved surprises. It beat having to deal with badly-behaved vampires that whimpered and begged to be spared.
…And then there was Anna's gift.
For about the thousandth time, it made him wonder. Why didn't she read his mind? Surely she was tempted? He wanted to see her use it. His pen flew across the page in his frustration and excitement:
She shall use it, once Tuono comes, she will. That I am certain of. The hatred she feels for him is a powerful force, and it will be glorious…like a majestic phoenix, rising out of the ashes of her complicated mind…
"Aro!"
He sighed, and set down his pen. It felt red-hot against his icy skin. Later, perhaps.
Twisting round in his desk chair, he watched Sulpicia enter, dressed in a figure-hugging dress of deepest emerald. She almost seemed to float on the air, like a leaf caught in a summer breeze, and in the golden light of his study, her hair shone in tones of warmest sunshine, flowing free down her back.
Had this been many years previously, seeing her there would have filled him with heated desire…but now, he only felt sadness. Loss. The years had left Sulpicia changed. She'd lost that soft tenderness, and girlish energy that had so enthralled him in the past, but he was still concerned to see she was looking uncharacteristically troubled.
It had been an incredibly long time since he'd seen her brow bend like that.
Where is Corin?
"Sulpicia, my love," he stood and returned her outstretched hands. The gentle kiss he gave her was more out of habit, than anything. "You have heard about our guests."
It wasn't a question. He could feel the twinge of suspicion through the all-too familiar maze of her mind.
Sulpicia's expression hardened. "When were you going to tell me about them?" Who are they? Why are they here?
Aro sighed, a little wearily. Over the years, he had noticed his mate becoming more and cooler towards him – yet she still wanted to know about everything he did. It was almost like she thought he would misbehave, if she didn't check on him.
"They have only just arrived, il mio amore," he replied, trying to laugh off her accusatory tone. "They have come to us in need of our services."
Just then, there was a soft wrap at his open door.
"Speak the devil, and he shall appear!" he cried, with a surprised laugh.
"What?" Sulpicia span round to see who he was addressing. "Oh. I see."
Her thoughts were wary and hostile, and she drew herself tightly to him.
Anna and Elizabeth stood there, both looking rather uncomfortable, for different reasons. Anna, clearly not expecting this kind of reception, swallowed; if she were human, she would have been blushing.
So, Aro had a wife? Oh, well, that was of no shock to her. He was a very handsome man, after all, why shouldn't he be married?
But still, she had expected someone other than the woman possessively clutching him to her tall, willowy frame just now. She was too thin – a figure born to wear a tutu and leotard – and her red eyes were shrewd, full of barely concealed disdain. She glared at them, like she and Beth were no more than cockroaches skittering around the room.
Beth was feeling very surly, her face twisted up in a sour expression – no doubt because of the beginnings of a fire licking its way up her throat.
"We interrupting something?" she asked. She saw the shocked look Anna shot her, and shrugged, innocently. "What? I'm just asking."
Aro chuckled. "No, no, Elizabeth. It's quite alright," he reassured. "Forgive my wife. It has been a while since we spent time together."
He extracted himself from his wife gently but firmly, and smiled down at her. "Sulpicia, my love, these are the guests we were just talking about. Anna and Elizabeth."
Sulpicia sniffed, sulky about being denied his embrace. "Oh. Welcome to Volterra."
Ooh, hello Ice Queen!
"Charmed," Beth purred, her grinning teeth practically dripping with sarcasm.
Meanwhile, Anna was as courteous and timid as ever. "It is a pleasure to meet you,"
Beth caught herself before she rolled her eyes. Oh, Anna.
"Hmph. Likewise. What brings you to my husband's study?"
Aro laughed aloud at her bluntness. Perhaps he was used to it. "Now, Sulpicia! These are our guests; we must treat them as such."
Beth tried not to scowl. There were us thinking it was the other way round. Fine. Right, suck it up, Rhodes. Let's get this over with.
She drew herself up to her full height (which wasn't that tall, actually), and spoke with as much conviction as she could muster. "Well, I've – um - I've come to say sorry for my…inexcusable behaviour from before, sir," she said, wincing a little. "I'm sorry for swearing, and I'm sorry for running out like I did."
And I'm sorry too, dear pride.
Sulpicia's perfect, blonde eyebrows arched, but Aro was smiling.
"You are forgiven, my dear."
His reply made her feel oddly relieved. "Um, thanks."
"Is that all?" Sulpicia demanded, unimpressed.
She frowned. Rude, much? "Er…yes."
So, after bidding them a polite farewell, the girls left. With some relief. Outside in the posh, pristine whiteness of the Volturi's floor, Beth could tell Anna was trying not to beam at her with pride.
"What?" It was times like this, Beth wondered if her friend considered her like a child to be taught, than a comrade. She was at least a century older!
Anna's face finally broke into a rare, radiant smile. "You meant every word of that, didn't you?" When Beth grunted, she laughed – another rather uncommon occurrence. "You did!"
"Yes, alright!" Beth cried, exasperatedly, but a smiling – really smiling – Anna, made her too happy for her ego to stay sore for long.
That is, until Demetri came pounding up the stairs. He rather unceremoniously shoved past them, like an impetuous cowboy through some saloon doors, calling for Aro.
"Hey!" Beth cried.
He appeared not to hear her. "Master!" he called. "Master, I have news on Tuono!"
The angry curse died before it could leave Beth lips. "Wh – what did you say?"
With Sulpicia trailing behind, Aro stepped out of his office. "What news, Demetri?"
The girls listened in dawning horror, as the tracker told them with the grave voice of a doctor issuing grim – possibly fatal – news.
"He is on the move."
