No One's POV

A day after the major revelations, Anastasia sat next to Caius on the couch, Caius a respectful distance away and content to watch his mate while she read a book, not wanting to push fate and anger or upset her by forcing his presence on her, but simply enjoying being allowed to be with her.

Having spent further time the night before reflecting on the drastic revelations the brothers had revealed to her, Anastasia, while still perhaps confused on the intricacies of the vampire world and what exactly it meant to be mates, at least felt a little more in control of her hysterical emotions that had threatened to consume her the day before and felt decently comfortable enough to try and spend time with the brothers to see where things led.

If anything, their honesty the day before had done a lot in their favor, Anastasia disliking the fact she had felt like they had been hiding something in the first place, even if it was something so out of the realm of ordinary.

"Caius?" Anastasia asks, placing her book down, book mark in its spot.

"Yes, diletto?" Caius responds immediately, attention completely focused on his mate.

"Tell me more about true mates, please." Anastasia asks, shifting closer to Caius, daring to curl up to him.

"What do you wish to know, mio amato?" Caius offers, savoring the feeling of his mate in his arms.

"Aro said, it's like soul mates? And then Marcus said, it goes against your nature to hurt them? Is that- is that a mate thing too? And you said you can't just pick your mate. I don't understand, how do you know? Why don't I know?" Anastasia asks, struggling to find the right words.

"That is correct. It's like soul mates, but so much more, mio amato. For a vampire a true mate is truly everything. A vampire would do anything for their true mate, to see them happy and protected and loved. To my brothers and I, you are our sun, our universe and our center, our everything. We would move the heavens and the earth if we could. There is nothing we would not do for you." Caius explains, touching Anastasia's hand gently.

"A mate is meant to compliment a vampire, to balance them, the other half of them, perhaps the darkness to the light, you could say. You complete us, amore. And that is how we know. It is instinctual, a pull, a beacon that calls us to you." Caius continues to explain. "As far as our nature. It is true, vampires can be very volatile and dangerous. We can be possessive and are dominate, males especially. And when we find our mate our instinct to be possessive is heightened even more. We seek to protect and provide, it is in our very core to do so. But we would never hurt you, diletto. So yes, it is very much a mate thing to be protective and possessive. But I promise you, mio amato, we will never hurt you. To hurt you would hurt us."

Anastasia remains silent, processing the information Caius has given her, honestly completely humbled by what she had heard, not expecting the answer she had been given.

Caius waited, anxious for his mate's response to what he had told her. Had he scared her? Had he overwhelmed her again? Would she push him away again? Did she believe him when he promised they would never hurt her? Just the thought of hurting her made him ache and reject it fiercely.

"Thank- Thank you for telling me all that and being truthful, Caius." Anastasia finally says, resting her head against his shoulder. "Would you read to me?"

"Of course, mio amato." Caius responds, inner beast relaxing as satisfaction curls in his chest, for the first time feeling like he had done something right and perhaps one step towards gaining his mate's affection and love.

Reading together for a while, this is what Aro finds Caius and Anastasia doing, having finished some business in his private study and hoping for some time with his mate; the Kings having previously agreed to not press their presence on Anastasia all at once, at least initially, for fear of having a reaction much like before and hoping that taking it slow would allow their mate to better ease into their world and warm up to them.

"Hello amore, brother." Aro greets, gliding into the small parlor, living space.

"Aro." Caius greets, with a slight nod to his brother.

"Hello Aro." Anastasia greets, looking up from where she rests on the couch, tucked next to Caius as he had been reading.

"I apologize for interrupting your reading. I've finished with the work I was doing and wanted to inquire if you would like to join me for a walk through our gardens?" Aro asks.

"A walk sounds lovely. Can we finish this chapter? There's only a page or two left." Anastasia asks.

"Of course, bellissmio." Aro smiles, settling down in the arm chair to listen, pleased that his mate was seemingly warming up to both him and his brother.

"Thank you for reading to me, Caius." Anastasia thanks Caius, sitting up and stretching lightly, back popping from being curled up on the couch for a stretch of time.

"You're most welcome, mio amato. Enjoy your walk." Caius smiles gently, gaze soft as he brushes a light hand against hers.

Aro offers his elbow for his mate to slip her arm through, guiding her through the corridors of their castle and out into the garden and courtyard, and walking her along the path.

"Can I ask you a question?" Anastasia finally asks, playing with a small string of her shirt.

"You can always ask me a question, il mio amore. You can ask me anything and I will always answer." Aro answers, looking down at his mate and her nervous gesture, wanting so desperately to touch her as his brothers so freely could now that she allowed them small touches and embraces, to assure her that she was safe and there was no need to be nervous or scared.

"You told me that- that Marcus could see our bond. That it is his gift. What does it look like, our bond? And do- do all vampires have gifts?"

"Indeed Marcus has a very special gift. He can see bonds, no matter species and can determine their type. He has told me that bonds, based on the nature of the bond are different colors, and based on their strength and health also appear different. Mate bonds are by far the most precious. They are gold ribbons. Our bond, because it is that of a true mate it is rich and strong, streaming like a river and abounding with life." Aro answers, but he could not help but feel a note of longing, for while initially the bond looked like that through Marcus' memories of the first time seeing her, since then it had weakened, strained by the distance and Anastasia's rejection of them, though Aro would not tell Anastasia that, he did not wish to pressure her.

"To answer your question about gifts, my dear. Not all vampires have gifts. Marcus is unique. I myself, have a gift, and many within the Volturi Coven and Guard do so as well. Caius does not, however, do not think he is not a warrior, he is know well and taken on many Children of the Moon. Age also gives you an advantage in strength and he is quite the strategist in battle, never to be under estimated. My gift is tactile telepathy, with a touch I can know every thought and memory you have ever had." Aro continues to answer his mate's questions.

"Just a touch? Every thought and memory?" Anastasia asks, pulling away slightly from Aro, looking at him in surprise and shock.

"Yes, just a touch. But it must be skin to skin, amore. I have been very careful to not touch you as such, I would never violate your mind and memories without your consent. Please know that." Aro immediately rushes to assure, worried that his mate's reaction was caused out of fear, mistrust, or perhaps even disgust and hoped that it would not lead to further rejection and alienation of her to him. He did not think he could bear that.

"I have prized my gift for as long as I have possessed it, until now. Do not fear me, please. I cannot- I could not have that. If I am never to touch you, hold you like my brothers, I will endure it, but I cannot have you fear me or hate me." Aro pleads, stopping along the path and turning to his mate, dropping to his knees, offering his hands.

Anastasia stands a bit dumbstruck at this powerful and ancient being, begging on his knees, willing to accept being unable to touch her if that meant she would simply tell him she accepted him, was unafraid.

Perhaps love was out of the question for now, but acceptance, giving them a chance, and yes, even a little trust, certainly was not. They had certainly shown they weren't about to hurt her and that they cared for her, even if that was still overwhelming.

"Aro." Anastasia finally says slowly, taking a step towards him, letting Aro track her movements. "I admit I wasn't prepared for you to tell me about your gift, it was a bit disarming. But I'm not- I'm not afraid of you and I certainly don't hate you."

"Here, listen." Anastasia offers, taking one of Aro's hands and placing it on her cheek, holding her hand over his, the other hand placing his free hand around her waist.

"Anastasia." Aro breathes, his mate's memories and thoughts flying through his mind like blessed water after a drought.

Anastasia smiles shyly, dropping her hand from his after a few moments.

"So, are my memories and thoughts completely weird or childish to you?" Anastasia asks, feeling so wide open and honestly a bit stunned she had done that in the first place.

"No, they are precious to me and I will cherish the fact you offered to share them with me. I often do not give others the choice. I use it to find the truth in others. But I would have never done that to you. You will always have the choice, il mio amore." Aro promises.

"Thank you, Aro. Can we continue our walk now? Tell me about the other gifts?" Anastasia asks, smiling at Aro.

"Of course, amore." Aro smiles back, offering his arm again, together finishing their journey through the expansive gardens and watching as the spring sun dipped below the horizon of the Volterra castle walls.

Edited 2/6/19