"They're beautiful." Amelia whispered while holding the photos of my children. "Next time I'm out I'll pick up some picture frames so we can protect these precious images." The fact that she cared about my children made me love her even more.
"Thank you." I gave her a kiss on the cheek and she smiled up at me. She set the photos down on my desk. "Do you have some time, or are you off on another mission soon?" Amelia frowned and brushed her hair back with her hand.
"There is a plane set to leave in two hours and I'm supposed to be on it." I took her hand and kissed it.
"That's alright. We have an eternity, even if it is one of just stolen moments."
"I know… It's just frustrating. I fly around the world just wanting to come back home, and then when I do get here you're trapped playing one of those games with the royalty…" Amelia let out a frustrated sigh.
"I'll talk to Aro. He can get us some time for just each other." I took her into my arms and she leaned her head against my chest.
"You don't have to do that." She whispered.
"Yes, I do. I love you, and you deserve more than just stolen moments." Amelia tensed up. "What's wrong?" I had already told her that I loved her many times before. She didn't respond. I tried to see her face, but she kept it hidden against my chest. "You can talk to me about anything, you know." I felt her nod. "Than what's wrong?"
"I'm- I'm just not used to anyone being so nice to me." As she spoke she looked up at me. Her usually dazzling eyes were colored with sadness.
"You're my mate, my soulmate. I couldn't be mean to you even if I wanted to."
"I know, it's just so hard to trust others." How ironic, she trusted too little, I trusted too much. "It's stupid. I love you, but I can't make myself trust you."
"It's alright. Trust can be built." I gave her another kiss.
"I love you, Carlisle, but I have a flight to catch." She pulled away from me and I let her go. "Until the next stolen moment…" I watched her leave. As her footsteps faded away I felt my sadness seep back in.
I wasn't sure if Aro would grant my request, but it never hurt to try. Hopefully I wouldn't run into anyone on my way there. I was a man of patients, but being constantly thirsty made me less so.
I reached the royal wing of the castle and realized that Marcus' scent had faded. He's only been gone for a month and a half, but his scent was gone…
"Carlisle," Aro said as I knocked on the door to his office, "it's rare that you seek me out." He had a pile of letters in front of him. He shuffled them around while looking at me. "You must want something."
"You know me so well." I said sarcastically and Aro burst out laughing.
"Oh, Carlisle, tragedy has made you a more interesting man!" He continued laughing and I just let it go. His sick sense of humor was becoming predictable. () "Please sit down so we may converse on this matter." I had to move a stack of books in order to sit in the only other chair in the room. "You know you can't speak to your former coven members, nor can you go back to hunting animals, so what is it you want?" Aro flourished his arms around as he spoke.
"I want more time with Amelia. She's never here for more than a few hours at a time. If you want me to be happy in this place you'll grant her some leave." I laid out my case carefully.
"Hmm, give Ms. Amelia some free time…" Aro shuffled the papers on his desk again. "You know, I'm the one who changed her." Why was I not surprised that he was going to prattle on before giving me a response.
"She did inform me of that." I kept my voice even, playing his game.
"Ms. Amelia… she was walking through the forest and a basket in her hands. She was a little red riding hood, picking flowers. I felt obliged to play the part of the big bad wolf." Aro leaned on his hand and closed his eyes. "She had a savory flavor, very earthy."
"Are you going to give me an answer for my request?"
"I am answering! But I'm an old man! Give me time to reminisce."
"Considering you are reminiscing about how you almost killed my mate, pardon me if I don't have the patience for it."
"Now what was I saying? Ah, yes, she was humming as she cried…" My curiosity was piqued. I tried to hold back my question, but I was worried about my mate, even though it was centuries ago.
"What was she crying about?"
"The same thing she always cried about, her husband. The night before he had promised to come home for dinner, but he didn't come home till morning." Aro tapped his chin. "Why did I compare her to red riding hood? She was much closer to the grandmother's age."
"Aro…" I had a feeling that Amelia was sensitive about her physical age. She was getting enough flak from the other guards. She didn't need any more coming from the very top of the food chain.
"Bella tells me that you two often played chess together while she was still human. She'd wait in your office till you got home. You'd smile kindly and even allowed her to win a few times. Or was she allowing you to win?"
"What does she have to do with this?" Why did everything have to loop back to the Devil herself?
"Amelia and Bella both have a common interest." Aro smiled widely.
"And that is?"
"Both of these fair maidens want to learn how to ballroom dance… the foxtrot, (). And you, my dear Carlisle, know all these dances quite well." I held back a growl.
"What are you suggesting?"
"I'm suggesting a means for you to spend more time with Amelia. She very well can't leave the castle if she's ordered to learn to dance!"
"Then why did you bring Bella into the conversation?"
"I can't pull her away from duties to serve anyone less than the royal family! So you won't only be teaching Amelia, but Bella and Caius! It should be great fun!"
"That sounds terrible." With Caius' temper and Bella's trickiness all mayhem could break loose.
" I'm granting your request, just with stipulations."
"Aro, you can't expect me to-"
"But I do. More than that I order it. The second Amelia is back from her assignment I'll tell Caius and Bella. I'm sure they'll be thrilled! I, of course, will act as maestro!"
"Aro-"
"The decision has been made!" Aro waved me off. "Go and practice in your room!"