Chapter Eleven

Eleazer

We had advertised the first meeting of the new council as best we could knowing that there were those who would eye the new regime as suspect if it were held in private and we wanted as many vampires as possible to attend either in person or by video conferencing which Darius had set up especially for the occasion. If it worked then we would seriously consider having all our meetings broadcast so everyone could see we were acting in their best interests. Even Peter who was still refusing to halt his search for Alice and Alec agreed to watch us on-line, something only possible because Charlotte, who was more computer literate, had now joined him.

Edward had reappeared with his mate who could be a problem, as a member of the old Volturi, the last remaining link except for Alec. Carlisle, and at first I, thought he was going to be trouble but after a short private consultation with Darius he had faded into the background. I didn't like using intimidation for any reason but I accepted that in his case it was the only way. Carlisle did his best to keep Edward in his place but I was only too aware that their relationship was anything but normal. This was no father son relationship but something much more deep and meaningful and I wondered if it might cause us problems in the future. We were all aware of the possibility and watched both of them carefully.

Darius

As soon as Edward arrived, following Carlisle like a bad smell, I knew he needed his position here clarifying and after talking to Eleazer I took him to one side. I think his mate knew what I was going to say but she made herself scarce, was that to stop Edward appearing a fool in front of her or because she agreed with what I was about to say? She might love Edward but still see the flaws in his character. I guess I might have misled him a little to get him in a room alone with me but I never actually offered him a position on the council, he just assumed that's what I was referring to and we all know where assuming got you.

He came in all smiles and confidence. at least until he read my thoughts, when the smile faded and he looked anxiously at the door.

"Its open if you want to leave but if you do then I suggest you keep right on going Edward and don't stop till you get your feet wet."

"You lied to me. You told me you were going to offer me a place on the council..."

"No, what I said was I wanted to talk to you about a place on the council, I didn't lie, you just assumed what you thought I meant. Hardly the same thing if you think about it."

"So what are you offering me?"

"A second chance. If you do as I tell you, and only what I tell you, then you get to stay with Carlisle. Otherwise you have a choice, leave now of your own free will or be thrown out. Whether you survive depends on how gracious Peter Whitlock is feeling when he catches up with you, and he will eventually, and right now I wouldn't rate your chances too high. You have your mate to consider and there are those who would be only too happy to see her dead like her late husband. The Volturi weren't well liked as you are only too aware. Besides you had a safe place to live out your lives peacefully and you turned it down. I'm sure the watchers and their friends are pretty pissed off after all we and they did for you."

"She has nothing to do with Aro and the brothers, she and Athenadora were kept artificially happy in a tower, they had no power, no say in what the brothers did."

"But she was involved. She did whatever Aro asked her for years and those actions were responsible for the death of some good men, men who still have friends who survived, men with long memories and short tempers. You should have stayed in the rain forest, it would have been safer all round."

There was a knock at the door and his mate came in to stand by his side,

"I know you don't like or trust Edward but I can assure you that neither of us is interested in power. We just want to be a part of our world, not guests of creatures who don't even like us."

"So he didn't make any better an impression with the guardians than he did with his own kind, not that I'm surprised. What about you? What are you expecting from these meetings?"

"Our innocence to be made clear to everyone so we can live without watching our backs constantly. I am innocent of any deaths, I did only that I had to do in order to survive, you understand that surely, you knew my husband and what he was capable of."

I nodded, I did indeed.

"I've already told Edward that there will never be a place on the committee for him but he can live among us, with Carlisle if he likes but at the first sign he is trying to influence any of us he is out and you with him. Do you understand?"

"I do yes but Edward speaks for himself".

We both looked at Edward and he scowled but realized he wasn't going to get anywhere so he nodded,

"Very well. Its better than being in the Amazon but I think you are being unfair. I could be a boon to you if you let me."

"Lets just leave it that you wont cause any trouble for now and who knows what the future might bring."

I asked Eleazer and Carlisle to meet me next, before the formal gathering in order to lay out the guidelines for Edwards remaining here. I explained what I had said to him and his mate and asked Carlisle to give me his thoughts.

"Edward hasn't made the best of choices in the past but I really think he has changed, his mate has affected him deeply. I understand why you feel you still don't trust him but I don't think threats were necessary. If we are going to be different from the Volturi then we cannot rule by threats and fear otherwise we are no better than those we are replacing."

Eleazer looked at me uneasily, I knew he agreed with Carlisle to a large degree but he also knew Edward was a special case.

"And you Eleazer?"

"I think Carlisle is right. We have to show we are nothing like the Volturi. We need to rule by consensus."

Carlisle looked at him gratefully,

"However, having said that I do understand at the beginning we need to make a stand on certain things and Edward is one of those things. He came here to you expecting a place on the committee Carlisle, you can't argue about that. He isn't the right person to be in charge of others, people don't trust him or his gift. If he is happy to stay under the conditions laid down then he should stay but if not then I'm sorry Carlisle but I have to agree with Darius and I know that Jasper and Peter Whitlock will agree with that."

"And are they to have a say on this new committee?"

"In this instance yes I believe they are. They are the ones who made it all possible after all."

Carlisle

When I left the others I went for a walk alone to think. My head was telling me they were right in everything they had said about Edward, he wasn't trusted or even liked by many in our world and would be eyed with deep suspicion if he became part of the committee but my heart was telling me he deserved a chance, to prove himself worthy now he had a mate, and one who could help him make the right decisions, it was all he had ever needed after all. The trouble was that she too would not be trusted, she was still Aro's wife after all and would always be associated with the Volturi for that very reason. I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Darius hurrying to my side,

"Carlisle I have done all I can in good conscience allow. Edward is your son I accept that, your first transformation but he isn't a good person. His gift means he has an advantage over the rest of us and over the years he has exploited that to his own ends. He feels superior, you know it and I know it. If this is going to be a problem between you and I or you and Eleazer then you have a duty to tell us and step down before this thing gets under way."

"I can't help feeling that he had changed but I understand why others don't. I feel I have a lot to offer our world and I would like the chance to try so I have to accept what you say, I don't feel easy with it but I do understand the reasoning. There will be no problem between us so long as I don't feel he is being dealt with unfairly."

"Fair enough. Then the first official meeting will be tomorrow evening as planned and I think each of us should explain to the rest of our world what we intend doing or at least try to do. They need to see that we are open and that fear is not a part of our arsenal as it was the Volturi. Are you in agreement with this?"

"Yes. I think it is the only way".