Oh my gosh, thank you for all your reviews. I love hearing from everybody. You're the best! Here's another chapter.
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Chapter 12 - The Pain of the Past
Bella paced the room, her fingers clenched. She couldn't just wait there. She had to warn Renata about Aro. Of course, if she got caught leaving her room again, who knows what kind of punishment Aro might come up with.
Glancing over at the terrace glass doors, she decided to go the back way.
Stepping outside, a cool night breeze, hit her face. She could see the soft lights from Volterra through the trees. Renata's balcony was just a few feet from her own. Looking around, she tried to see if there was a way to get over there. Spotting a ledge, she grabbed a chair and tried to climb up.
"Oh no, Bella, don't do that," a voice said.
Looking up, she spotted Renata sitting up on a higher ledge holding Piccola.
"What are you doing up there."
"Hiding," she said, with a tiny laugh. "Hold on, I'll come down to you."
In less than a second, Renata was on her balcony, helping her down from the chair. Still dressed in her robe and fuzzy slippers, she looked even more petite than she already was. "You should come inside. You shouldn't be wandering around like this in your condition."
"Oh please, not you too. You sound just like Aro. I'm fine, Renata, seriously."
"Okay, but I still worry about you."
"Well stop. Believe me, Aro worries enough for two people, maybe ten."
Renata laughed as she followed Bella inside, Piccola trotting right behind her. The little dog obviously felt right at home, because she immediately jumped up on Bella's bed and stretched out.
Bella took a seat on the sofa stretching out her legs. "I wanted to let you know that Aro was coming down to see you."
"Yes, I know. I heard him," Renata replied, taking a seat across from her, crossing her legs demurely. "And being the brave woman I am, I slipped out the window." She laughed.
"I tried to stop him. Really I did, but I'm like the worst liar in the world. I even tried flirting with him, but I suck at that." Bella covered her face with her hands. "It's so embarrassing."
Renata giggled. "Oh my goodness, flirting with Aro. He very suspicious of that sort of thing."
"Tell me about it. He seemed to know exactly what I was doing."
"Don't beat yourself up. I knew you wouldn't be able to deceive him. Jane watches too many spy movies. We should have never suggested it."
"Yeah, but Aro can't read my mind."
"It doesn't matter. All these years of being a telepath have taught him how to read body language. In fact, he's taught me quite a lot. And you, Miss Bella," Renata pointed her finger, "are an open book."
"Does that mean he was just messing with me when he flirted back?"
"Oh my goodness, you are in trouble," she teased.
"Don't say that," Bella groaned.
"Ah, but I love it."
Bella shook her head. "You don't understand. I feel so bad about Piccola."
Renata waved her hand. "Don't worry. I have a plan. I know how to get around Master Aro."
"That's good. To be honest, I don't know how you deal with him. He's so controlling."
"Not really. You must remember we are part of the Volturi Guard. Back in Rome, soldiers had to follow orders without question. This is why Master Caius is so strict. Master Aro is just trying to follow protocol."
"Even if that protocol is unfair. I never asked you. Were you punished for what happened with Heidi?"
"Tomorrow I have to stand in the hall for a few hours in a partial murga, but that's about it. Heidi, on the other hand, was severely punished. Jane told me that Master Caius called her in to assist him." Renata grimaced. "I don't think she will be bothering you again."
"Have you ever been punished by Jane?"
Renata looked thoughtful. "Once. I deserved it though. However, Jane didn't want to comply. She was even willing to be punished herself."
This surprised Bella. The way Jane so serenely tortured Edward, it almost seemed like she enjoyed it. "Jane did that for you?"
"Oh yes," Renata explained. "Jane and I have become quite close. You know her mother was not kind to her. So she didn't really have any positive female figures in her life. And those awful townspeople were abhorrent to her."
"What happened?"
"Well, as you probably know, Jane and Alec have always had a certain power, even when they were alive. Consequently, the local priest became quite suspicious of them when they were children, and accused them of witchcraft. The townspeople showed up one night with pitchforks and arrested both of them. They were thrown into a pit with a metal grate across the top and left there for days. It was winter time, so they were exposed to the cold and the elements. They nearly froze to death."
"The church was so forgiving in those days, weren't they?" Bella said scathingly.
"It wasn't just the church. It was the town. While Jane and Alec were being held, several men came down inside the pit and gang raped both of them. Jane was grievously injured."
Bella's eyes widened. "That's horrible."
"Alec doesn't really remember, but Jane does. To this day she despises priests and any man who preys on children."
"I'm surprised she loves Aro."
"Master Aro has always been kind to her, and deep down, she is just a child. She adores him because he is like a father to her. The father she should have had."
"And she adores you because you're like a mother."
"Oh no, I wouldn't say that. I think she looks at me as more of a big sister."
"So she didn't want to hurt you."
"No, she didn't. I told her though to follow Master Caius' order."
Bella shook her head. "I can't imagine you ever doing anything wrong. I mean, I understand about Piccola, but what else could you have possibly done?"
Renata's face turned grave, a shadow of sadness in her eyes. "I did something unforgivable. I committed treason."
"I don't believe it."
"It's true though. I didn't mean it. I was tricked. But I did it."
Bella still couldn't believe it. "What happened?"
Renata sighed. "I fell in love with the wrong man."
"That's a crime?"
"It is if you are consorting with the enemy."
"I take it you didn't know he was the enemy."
Renata frowned. "Not at first.
"It was during the Renaissance, and I know that probably means nothing to you. But the Renaissance was an exciting time. There was all this new beautiful art and architecture. Beautiful printed fabrics were being sold in the markets. Master Aro had all these new dresses made me for me. I felt like a new woman." Renata smiled as if remembering a happier time.
"One day I was at the piazza in Florence, and this very handsome and sophisticated vampire approached me. I'd never seen him before, didn't know who he was, but he introduced himself and told me his name was Armand."
"That sounds romantic."
Renata nodded. "It was, at least on my end. I fell absolutely in love with him. We used to meet in secret. I wanted to introduce him to Master Aro and hopefully get his blessing, but he always seemed reluctant to do that. Later on, I found out why. He was part of the Dacian Coven, now called the Romanian Coven."
"The Romanian Coven are enemies?"
"Yes, many years ago, the Volturi went to war against the Dacians, and the Volturi won. They practically wiped them out except for a few survivors. Those that survived though are the Volturi's sworn enemies.
"When I found out who he was, I tried to end our relationship. However, I couldn't stay away from him. I was so deeply in love." Renata's eyes became glassy. "We were like Romeo and Juliet. At least that is what I thought."
Now Bella was almost afraid to hear the rest of the story. She knew Aro must have had Armand killed.
Renata continued. "So we kept meeting in secret. Armand became more brazen. He had a gift for stealth. No one could hear him, so he came to my room at night and would slip into my bed. I asked him to stop. I was so afraid he would be caught, but he just told me I worry too much."
"Did Aro catch you?"
Renata shook her head. "No, it wasn't like that. You see, one night I ran to go get something, and I when I came back, Armand was gone. I heard a chair break, so I ran to go see what it was. Armand had snuck into Master Aro's bedroom and had grabbed him from behind. He was trying to rip off his head. Horrified, I repelled him into the wall and sounded the alarm. Master Aro jumped up and grabbed Armand by the throat. The guards came in and dragged him away."
Renata bowed her head. "They executed him soon after."
"And because of that, they accused you of treason?" Bella asked incredulously.
Renata nodded. "I was punished severely. I thought they would take my head, but Master Aro showed mercy. He knew I had been tricked and was compassionate. He actually didn't want Jane to punish me. The law is the law though, and we must obey."
"No law should be absolute," Bella argued.
"That what Master Aro said in my defense. But don't you see, I wanted to be punished," Renata said darkly. "I deserved it. I was a fool. Armand didn't love me. He was just using me to get to the Master. He was nothing but an assassin."
Bella reached out and grabbed her hand. "But you don't know that."
"Yes, I do. Looking back, I know he had this planned from day one. Heed my warning, Bella. The Volturi have numerous enemies and they will try to use you to get to them. Always remember that."
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