"Carlisle, how nice of you to join us, and so quickly," Aro said by way of greeting as he entered the throne room.
Marcus and Caius were already seated at the front and Carlisle was standing near the center of the room as he waited for Aro's arrival.
"Forgive me for not being here to greet you earlier," Aro continued, reaching a hand out for one of Carlisle's as he approached, "but an important matter demanded my attention. How are you, my old friend?"
As Carlisle's hand slid into Aro's, the raven-haired vampire's eyes fell closed while he examined Carlisle's thoughts.
"I am well, if not concerned by this mysterious summons. What is it I can do for the Volturi and why was my family forbidden to accompany me?"
"All in good time," Aro said before releasing Carlisle's hand and turning to continue on to his throne.
Carlisle watched the three with an intense curiosity. They liked their secrecy, they always had, but this was all becoming a bit much.
"Everything is well with our little one?" Caius asked Aro as he sat down.
"Better than you can imagine," Aro responded with a wide smile.
Returning his attention to their guest, Aro asked, "Carlisle, where is your first son? What has become of Edward?"
Carlisle gave Aro a questioning look and wondered what kind of game he was playing, asking questions that were answered the moment their hands had touched. Having no choice but to play along, he answered, "I wish I knew. He has left us to travel for a while."
"And why would he leave his family for so long? I was under the impression that most of the time you all stayed together."
"We do sometimes split up for short periods to explore different pursuits. It is not uncommon."
"But why him and why now?" Aro persisted.
"I'm not sure I feel comfortable answering such a personal question on his behalf. Perhaps you could summon him and ask directly? I could only give you my own conjecture."
The doors behind Carlisle opened slowly and softly, interrupting their conversation nonetheless. Jane entered, followed by a woman dressed in a beautiful blue gown, her face covered in a matching veil. The mysterious woman paused a moment, seeming to stare at Carlisle before Jane gently took her hand and led her around the edge of the room to where Alec was standing, near Caius's throne.
Alec smiled and took Isabella's other hand to give it an encouraging squeeze. Even under the veil, he could tell she was unnerved by the doctor's presence.
Marcus watched Aro's face as the comforting gesture passed between Alec and Isabella; he was very pleased by the reaction he saw there and in Aro's bond to their new ward. It was solidifying into something similar to the bond his brother had for Jane.
Aro stood and faced the new arrival.
"My dear," he called her, avoiding her name, "won't you join me?"
Isabella gave Alec's and Jane's hands a final squeeze before moving to join Aro on the dais. When she reached him, she took his hand and dropped her shield for a moment. He let her know what he had planned and she nodded and let her shield back up.
Spinning her outward to face Carlisle, he introduced her, sort of.
"Carlisle, this is my newest guard, Maria," Aro improvised, using a variation of her middle name for now. "She is probably the reason your Alice is having such difficulties. Maria is quite the powerful shield."
Carlisle nodded, wondering if all this was headed somewhere or if Aro just wanted to show off his newest collected vampire and test her powers against his family.
Aro returned to his seat, moving Isabella behind him and resting her hand on his shoulder with a finger touching his bare neck, just in case.
"Now, where were we? Oh yes, your eldest," Aro began, feeling Isabella's hand twitch a bit on his shoulder. "We will indeed be speaking to him soon, but for now, I would like to hear your 'conjecture,' as you so elegantly put it."
"What are you playing at, Aro? You've read my mind, you know every thought."
"I assure you I am not playing," Aro snapped, irritation clear in his voice. "Tell me why your family suddenly left your home. Tell me why your eldest abandoned you. Why are the other members of your family thoroughly depressed? Tell me."
Carlisle sighed. They'd broken the law. He knew it, as did Aro. Now for some reason he wanted a confession.
"He loves her," Carlisle began to explain.
Isabella's hand fidgeted again on Aro's shoulder and she dropped her shield to ask, Why are you doing this?
He responded, just as silently, Because it is necessary. You must trust me, Isabella. Remember that you are free to slip out if you need to.
Isabella let her shield back up and steeled herself against the coming conversation. She felt like she had something to prove. She was not weak. A member of the guard could not be weak. She could and would stay. She'd prove her strength.
"I know it's no excuse," Carlisle continued, not having noticed the silent exchange, "but we assumed he would change her."
"But he did not. He knowingly broke our most basic law. Why?"
"He loves her."
"You did say that, but it does not explain why he abandoned her with our secret."
"He believes that he would be damning her soul."
"So he thinks himself, and all the rest of us, to be soulless monsters?"
"Yes," was the simple reply, as Carlisle nodded his bowed head.
"No. This is absurd. What is the real reason?"
"This is the only reason I know."
"And you? What is your excuse? You are the leader of your coven, yet you do nothing. You leave a human who knows our secret alive and alone."
"You are correct. I am as responsible as he, but I could not bring myself to go against his wishes."
"I know you care for Edward, but have you no feelings for the girl?"
"Bella?"
The girl in question shifted nervously, having heard her name from his lips before going very still again.
He did not seem to notice as he continued to answer, "We love her. She is like a daughter to me. A sister to Emmett and Jasper. Alice's very best friend. Esme loves her as only a mother can. And Rosalie, well she is jealous of Bella's charm but loves her too, in her way."
Isabella fought back sobs and sighs of disbelief as he listed her former family, but somehow managed to keep still and quiet.
"You say you loved her but you left her all alone just because he asked you to. You say she was family but it doesn't sound like you treated her as such."
Carlisle hung his head, sobbing tearlessly.
"You're right. We never should have left her. He convinced us she would be better off without us, but we never even got to say goodbye. He thought it was better that way…" Carlisle trailed off and Isabella almost ran to comfort him but Aro, expecting such a reaction, reached up and took her hand and shook his head 'no.'
"Carlisle, you know the law. A human cannot know of our existence. Once she knew, you doomed her to her death. While the matter has been settled in some ways, I still think it essential to speak to your entire family about the issue. It would be a shame to have this happen again."
"What do you mean about it being settled?" Carlisle asked, his voice thick with dread.
"I told you, Carlisle, no human may live that knows of our existence. It is the law and you knew that already. Bring your family around tomorrow. I wish to speak with every single one of them, including Edward. Find him."
Carlisle stared at Aro in disbelief. Bella was dead? She couldn't be. She was in Forks. Wasn't she?
"Please, Aro," Carlisle dropped to the floor and began to beg, before he was interrupted.
"We have nothing to offer you, Cullen," Caius sneered. "Be glad you are leaving with your head attached."
Isabella dropped her shield again, Please, Aro. This is too cruel. Why is this necessary?
You will learn not to question us, Isabella. We do what is best. Some punishment must be meted. They deserve one night to think you are lost to this world. It is only grief. I will allow you to give them some relief tomorrow, but for now, do as you're told. Remember, you are my guard.
She dropped her head submissively, I know. I'm sorry.
You are too kind-hearted, Isabella. This is justice in a kinder form. We are showing the mercy you begged for.
She nodded and remained open to him so he would not doubt her allegiance any further.
Carlisle raised himself from the floor and turned solemnly to leave the castle, dreading the news he had to bring to his family.
Once the chamber doors were closed again, Caius stood and walked over to Isabella. He lifted her veil, took her hands in his, and looked into her eyes to show her how serious he was being.
"I am proud of you, Isabella. I know it took a lot to stand there and listen to him. Your heart is very tender. We are happy to have such a compassionate member of our guard. We truly value the perspective you bring to us. I know it was difficult to let this go the way we decided it must, but please believe we do not do this lightly or with cruel intentions. They must take this serious and this was the only way for that to happen."
Isabella nodded and shifted her eyes to the floor. Inside, she was angry at herself for allowing them to do this. She did not want the Cullens hurt because of her. She didn't want them to hurt for any reason. But she was starting to recognize her role here too. These three had ruled their kind for millennia and they were wiser than she was. She realized that she did trust them.
"I understand. A week or more ago, I wouldn't have. This idea of experience knowing best, or even the idea of being subservient to one's elders, would have been very hard for my 21st century mind to process, but I'm starting to get it. I am Volturi. I will be loyal and do as I'm asked. I swear."
While she was speaking, Marcus had moved over to join them. He placed an arm around her shoulder and hugged her gently into his side. Most of the vampires in the room were staring at him in shock. Marcus never touched anyone but Aro. He never cared enough about anyone to hug them. Not ever. The significance of the gesture was lost on Isabella, being new to court, but she appreciated it nonetheless.
"No one doubts it, Isabella. Look around the room," Marcus told her, waving at the others watching them. "We care for you. All of us, each in our own way, want you to be part of our lives. We are very happy to have you here."
Isabella smiled, feeling warm like she sometimes did in the ocean. She realized it was a feeling she associated with being home. She looked at the various vampires, scattered around the room. She'd not met them all, but she could see what Marcus meant. They looked at her like they were happy to see her.
Some even more so than others, or so it seemed as she looked down at Jane and Alec. She wondered what they were thinking and without any conscious effort on her part, her shield flung out to encompass them.
She is so beautiful, Alec thought.
I hope she will be my friend, Jane was thinking.
As soon as she realized how rude she was being, Isabella pulled her shield back in. Alec thought she was beautiful and Jane wanted to be her friend. She smiled at the twins and her stomach flipped when Alec smiled back at her.
Aro caught the exchange and smiled knowingly at his brothers.
"Alec," Aro called, getting the boy's attention. "Do you have something to show Isabella?"
Alec's face lit up as he smiled at Aro. "Yes, Master. May I take her now?"
"I think that's a wonderful idea."
Without hesitating once permission was given, Alec ran up on the dais, grabbed Isabella's hand, and pulled her out of Marcus's embrace and out of the room in a blur of speed.
Marcus chuckled. "Their bond is growing so quickly. I believe their love with be beautiful."
"He certainly deserves it," Jane spoke up.
"As do you, my dearest," Aro responded. "Do not be sad. Even one as young in stature as you will find love, one day. You must only be patient."
Jane nodded. "I'm not jealous. Just so long as he lets me hang out with her every once in a while," she amended with a soft laugh. "It's going to be nice to have a real friend."