A/N Most of the dialogue is Stephenie Meyer's.
They came with pageantry. They came in a rigid, formal formation. They moved together, but it was not a march; they flowed in perfect synchronicity from the trees. The outer perimeter was gray; the color darkened with each line of bodies until the heart of the formation was deepest black. Every face was cowled, shadowed. At some sign I did not see the configuration folded outward. The gray-cloaked figures spread to the flanks while the darker forms surged precisely forward in the center, each movement closely controlled. Their progress was slow but deliberate, with no hurry, no tension, no anxiety. They showed no surprise or dismay at the collection of vampires that waited for them here—a collection that looked suddenly disorganized and unprepared in comparison. They showed no surprise at the giant wolf that stood in our midst.
"The redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming," Garrett muttered mysteriously to himself and then chuckled once. He slid one step closer to Kate.
"They did come," Vladimir whispered to Stefan.
"The wives," Stefan hissed back. "The entire guard. All of them together. It's well we didn't try Volterra."
And then, as if their numbers were not enough, while the Volturi slowly and majestically advanced, more vampires began entering the clearing behind them.
Dad snarled.
"Alistair was right," he murmured to Carlisle.
"Alistair was right?" Tanya whispered.
"They—Caius and Aro—come to destroy and acquire," Dad breathed almost silently back; only our side could hear. "They have many layers of strategy already in place. If Irina's accusation had somehow proven to be false, they were committed to find another reason to take offense. But they can see Renesmee and Lacey now, so they are perfectly sanguine about their course. We could still attempt to defend against their other contrived charges, but first they have to stop, to hear the truth about Lacey and Renesmee." Then, even lower. "Which they have no intention of doing."
Jacob gave a strange little huff. And then, unexpectedly, two seconds later, the procession did halt. The flawless discipline remained unbroken; the Volturi froze into absolute stillness as one. They stood about a hundred yards away from us.
The wolves had joined us.
On either side of our uneven line, the wolves branched out in long, bordering arms. There were sixteen of them spaced evenly around us—seventeen total, counting Jacob.
Mom let out a low, fierce snarl. The corners of Mom's mouth were turned up in a smile. Beside us, Zafrina and Senna echoed her hushed growl.
"Edward?" Carlisle asked, low and anxious.
"They're not sure how to proceed. They're weighing options, choosing key targets—me, of course, you, Eleazar, Tanya. Marcus is reading the strength of our ties to each other, looking for weak points. The Romanians' presence irritates them. They're worried about the faces they don't recognize—Zafrina and Senna in particular—and the wolves, naturally. They've never been outnumbered before. That's what stopped them."
"Outnumbered?" Tanya whispered incredulously.
"They don't count their witnesses," Dad breathed. "They are nonentities, meaningless to the guard. Aro just enjoys an audience."
"Should I speak?" Carlisle asked.
Dad hesitated, then nodded. "This is the only chance you'll get."
Carlisle squared his shoulders and paced several steps ahead of our defensive line.
He spread his arms, holding his palms up as if in greeting. "Aro, my old friend. It's been centuries."
The white clearing was dead silent for a long moment.
And then Aro stepped forward out of the center of the Volturi formation. A few of the guard leaned forward into a crouch.
Aro held one hand up toward them. "Peace."
He walked just a few paces more, then cocked his head to one side.
"Fair words, Carlisle," he breathed in a thin, wispy voice. "They seem out of place, considering the army you've assembled to kill me, and to kill my dear ones."
Carlisle shook his head and stretched his right hand forward as if there were not still almost a hundred yards between them. "You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent."
Aro's shrewd eyes narrowed. "But how can your intent possibly matter, dear Carlisle, in the face of what you have done?" He frowned, and a shadow of
sadness crossed his features.
"I have not committed the crime you are here to punish me for."
"Then step aside and let us punish those responsible. Truly, Carlisle, nothing would please me more than to preserve your life today."
"No one has broken the law, Aro. Let me explain." Again, Carlisle offered his hand.
Before Aro could answer, Caius drifted swiftly forward to Aro's side. "So many pointless rules, so many unnecessary laws you create for yourself, Carlisle," the white-haired ancient hissed. "How is it possible that you defend the breaking of one that truly matters?"
"The law is not broken. If you would listen—"
"We see the children, Carlisle," Caius snarled. "Do not treat us as fools." Evil person.
"They are not immortal. They are not vampires. I can easily prove this with just a few moments—"
Caius cut him off. "If they are not ones of the forbidden, then why have you massed a battalion to protect them?" Rude.
"Witnesses, Caius, just as you have brought." Carlisle gestured to the angry horde at the edge of the woods; some of them growled in response. "Any one of these friends can tell you the truth about the children. Or you could just look at them, Caius. See the flush of human blood in their cheeks."
"Artifice!" Caius snapped. Stupid. "Where is the informer? Let her come forward!" He craned his neck around until he spotted Irina. "You! Come!"
Irina stared at him uncomprehendingly. Impatiently, Caius snapped his fingers. One of the huge bodyguards moved to Irina's side and prodded her roughly in the back. Irina blinked twice and then walked slowly toward Caius in a daze. She stopped several yards short, her eyes still on her sisters. Caius closed the distance between them and slapped her across the face. It couldn't have hurt, but there was something terribly degrading about the action. It was like watching someone kick a dog. This was the villain of our story it seemed. Tanya and Kate hissed in synchronization. Irina's body went rigid and her eyes finally focused on Caius.
He pointed one clawed finger at us, where we clung to Mom's back, Ness's fingers were still tangled in Jacob's fur. A growl rumbled through Jacob's chest.
"These are the children you saw?" Caius demanded. "The ones that were obviously more than human?"
Irina peered at us, examining Ness and I for the first time since entering the clearing. Her head tilted to the side.
"Well?" Caius snarled.
"I… I'm not sure," she said, her tone perplexed.
"What do you mean?" he said in a steely whisper.
"They're not the same, but I think they are the same children. What I mean is, they've changed. These children are bigger than the ones I saw, but—"
Caius's furious gasp crackled through his suddenly bared teeth, and Irina broke off without finishing. Aro flitted to Caius's side and put a restraining hand on his shoulder.
"Be composed, brother. We have time to sort this out. No need to be hasty."
With a sullen expression, Caius turned his back on Irina.
"Now, sweetling," Aro said in a murmur. "Show me what you're trying to say." He held his hand out to the bewildered vampire.
Uncertainly, Irina took his hand. He held hers for only five seconds.
"You see, Caius?" he said. "It's a simple matter to get what we need."
Caius didn't answer him. From the corner of his eye, Aro glanced once at his audience, his mob, and then turned back to Carlisle.
"And so we have a mystery on our hands, it seems. It would appear the children have grown. Yet Irina's first memory was clearly that of immortal children. Curious."
"That's exactly what I'm trying to explain," Carlisle said.
Carlisle held out his hand again.
Aro hesitated for a moment. "I would rather have the explanation from someone more central to the story, my friend. Am I wrong to assume that this breach was not of your making?"
"There was no breach."
"Be that as it may, I will have every facet of the truth." Aro's voice hardened. "And the best way to get that is to have the evidence directly from your talented son." He inclined his head in Dad's direction. "As the children cling to his newborn mate, I'm assuming Edward is involved."
Dad turned to quickly kiss Mom's forehead Mine, and Ness's, not meeting our eyes. Then he strode across the snowy field, clapping Carlisle on the shoulder as
he passed. I heard a low whimper from behind me. I was about to run after him.
I saw Jane smile as Dad crossed the midpoint in the distance between us, when he was closer to them than he was to us. I was very upset, I could tell that my mother was, too. I wanted to run over to that mean little girl and rip her face off.
Barely a second had passed. Dad was still walking to Aro. A startled laugh burst through Mom's lips. Dad stopped a few steps away from Aro, his chin came up arrogantly, and he held his hand out to Aro. Aro seemed only delighted with his attitude, but his delight was not universal. Caius's scowl was so deep it looked like his skin would crease permanently. Little Jane showed her teeth, and beside her Alec's eyes narrowed in concentration. Aro closed the distance without pause. With an untroubled smile, Aro took Dad's hand. His eyes snapped shut at once, and then his shoulders hunched under the onslaught of information.
Mom hissed with frustration.
"Easy, Bella," Zafrina whispered to Mom. Mom clenched her teeth together.
This two-way but unequal conversation continued long enough that even the guard grew uneasy. Low murmurs ran through the line until Caius barked a sharp order for silence. Aro straightened, his eyes flashing open, their expression awed and wary. He did not release Dad's hand. Dad's muscles loosened ever so slightly.
"You see?" Dad asked, his velvet voice calm.
"Yes, I see, indeed," Aro agreed. "I doubt whether any two among gods or mortals have ever seen quite so clearly."
"You have given me much to ponder, young friend," Aro continued. "Much more than I expected." Still he did not release Dad's hand. Dad didn't answer.
"May I meet them?" Aro asked—almost pleaded—with sudden eager interest. Of course not, I won't go over to meet you evil people. "I never dreamed of the existence of such a thing in all my centuries. What an addition to our histories!"
"What is this about, Aro?" Caius snapped before Dad could answer. Just the question had Mom pulling Ness an I around into her arms, cradling us protectively against her chest, one of us in each arm.
"Something you've never dreamed of, my practical friend. Take a moment to ponder, for the justice we intended to deliver no longer applies."
Caius hissed in surprise at his words.
"Peace, brother," Aro cautioned soothingly.
"Will you introduce me to your daughters?" Aro asked Dad again. No. Absolutely not.
Caius was not the only one who hissed at this new revelation. Dad nodded reluctantly.
Aro still gripped Dad's hand, and he now answered a question that the rest of us had not heard.
"I think a compromise on this one point is certainly acceptable, under the circumstance. We will meet in the middle." No!
Aro released his hand. Dad turned back toward us, and Aro joined him, throwing one arm casually over Dad's shoulder like they were the best of friends. They began to cross the field back to our side. The entire guard fell into step behind them. Aro raised a hand negligently without looking at them.
"Hold, my dear ones. Truly, they mean us no harm if we are peaceable."
"Master," the girl behind Aro whispered.
"Don't fret, my love," he responded. "All is well."
"Perhaps you should bring a few members of your guard with us," Dad suggested. "It will make them more comfortable."
Aro nodded as if this was a wise observation he should have thought of himself.
He snapped his fingers twice. "Felix, Demetri."
The two vampires were at his side instantaneously.
"Bella," Dad called. "Bring Renesmee and Lacey… and a few friends."
Mom took a deep breath. I jumped out of her arms and I was standing stubbornly. She grabbed my hand and pulled me onto her back.
"Jacob? Emmett?" Mom asked quietly. Both nodded. Emmett grinned.
We crossed the field with them flanking us.
"Interesting company you keep," Demetri murmured to Dad. Dad didn't respond, but a low growl slipped through Jacob's teeth. We stopped a few yards from Aro. Dad ducked under Aro's arm and quickly joined us, taking Mom's hand. For a moment they faced each other in silence. Then Felix greeted Mom.
"Hello again, Bella." He grinned cockily.
Mom smiled. "Hey, Felix."
Felix chuckled. "You look good. Immortality suits you."
"Thanks so much."
"You're welcome. It's too bad . . ." He let his comment trail off into silence.
"Yes, too bad, isn't it?" Mom murmured.
Felix winked.
Aro leaned his head to one side, fascinated.
"I hear their strange hearts," he murmured. "I smell their strange scent." Then his eyes shifted to Mom. "In truth, young Bella, immortality does become you most extraordinarily," he said. "It is as if you were designed for this life." Mom nodded once in acknowledgment of his flattery.
"You liked my gift?" he asked, eyeing the pendant Mom wore.
"It's beautiful, and very, very generous of you. Thank you. I probably should have sent a note."
Aro laughed delightedly. "It's just a little something I had lying around. I thought it might complement your new face, and so it does."
Aro cleared his throat. "May I greet your daughters, lovely Bella?" he asked sweetly. I looked at him, I probably didn't look very friendly right now.
Mom walked two slow steps forward. Aro met us, his face beaming.
"But she's exquisite," he murmured. "So like you and Edward." And then louder, "Hello, Renesmee." So he had noticed my unfriendly look.
Ness looked at Mom quickly. She nodded.
"Hello, Aro," she answered formally.
"What is it?" Caius hissed from behind.
"Half mortal, half immortal," Aro announced to him without turning his gaze from Ness. "Conceived so, and carried by this newborn while she was still human."
I hopped down from Mom's back and took a step forward. He seemed friendly enough. "Hello, Aro," I greeted him.
He looked at me and gave me a nod. "Lacey," then he looked back at Ness. Yup still not as friendly as I thought.
"Impossible," Caius scoffed. He is still completely evil.
"Do you think they've fooled me, then, brother?" Aro's expression was greatly amused, but Caius flinched. "Is the heartbeat you hear a trickery as well?"
Caius scowled, looking as chagrined as if Aro's gentle questions had been blows.
"Calmly and carefully, brother," Aro cautioned, still smiling at Ness. "I know well how you love your justice, but there is no justice in acting against this unique little one for her parentage. And so much to learn, so much to learn! I know you don't have my enthusiasm for collecting histories, but be tolerant with me, brother, as I add a chapter that stuns me with its improbability. We came expecting only justice and the sadness of false friends, but look what we have gained instead! A new, bright knowledge of ourselves, our possibilities."
He held out his hand to Ness. She leaned away from Mom, stretching upward, to touch her fingertips to Aro's face.
His smile widened, and he sighed in satisfaction. "Brilliant," he whispered.
Ness relaxed back into Mom's arms, her face very serious.
"Please?" she asked him.
His smile turned gentle. "Of course I have no desire to harm your loved ones, precious Renesmee."
"I wonder," Aro said thoughtfully. His eyes moved unexpectedly to Jacob, and instead of the disgust the other Volturi viewed the giant wolf with.
"It doesn't work that way," Dad said, the careful neutrality gone from his suddenly harsh tone.
"Just an errant thought," Aro said, appraising Jacob openly, and then his eyes moved slowly across the two lines of werewolves behind us.
"They don't belong to us, Aro. They don't follow our commands that way. They're here because they want to be."
Jacob growled menacingly.
"They seem quite attached to you, though," Aro said. "And your young mate and your… family. Loyal."
"They're committed to protecting human life, Aro. That makes them able to coexist with us, but hardly with you. Unless you're rethinking your lifestyle."
Aro laughed merrily. "Just an errant thought," he repeated. "You well know how that is. We none of us can entirely control our subconscious desires."
Dad grimaced. "I do know how that is. And I also know the difference between that kind of thought and the kind with a purpose behind it. It could never work, Aro."
Jacob's head turned in Dad's direction, and a whine slipped from between his teeth.
"He's intrigued with the idea of… guard dogs," Dad murmured back.
There was one second of dead silence, and then the sound of the furious snarl ripping from the entire pack filled the giant clearing. There was a sharp bark of command, and the complaint broke off into quiet.
"I suppose that answers that question," Aro said, laughing again. "This lot has picked its side."
Dad hissed and leaned forward. Mom clutched at his arm, while Felix and Demetri slipped into crouches in synchronization. Aro waved them off again. They all returned to their former posture, Dad included.
"So much to discuss," Aro said. "So much to decide. If you and your furry protector will excuse me, my dear Cullens, I must confer with my brothers." I hugged Dad's legs and He picked me up.