Part 31
Emmett gasped and clutched tighter to Rosalie's hand as he watched Aro slowly pace his hand into Edwards. He was sad for Bella, but more concerned for his mate and family.
Bella wasn't even from this time, so Alice's happiness aside, he really wasn't up for all of them dying today.
That hadn't been the plan.
None of this had. It was all a huge mess and now they were about to have the whole Volturi castle descend on this room. They were going to be locked in the dungeon and tortured about stuff he didn't even know anything about.
Bella told them next to nothing. They didn't even know what year she had travelled back from or how, or if she'd go back soon.
Jasper frowned at the emotions he felt coming from Emmett. He tried to send a calming wave to everyone in his family. He was aware that this situation was becoming tense, but they had to all remain calm and collected or things could easily spiral out of their control.
Rosalie felt Jasper's gift send a wave of stillness over her and it made her squeeze her mate's hand. "You okay?" She asked under her breath as the room was poised to deal with Aro's revelation.
Emmett swallowed hard, his eyes still wide. "Yup. I'm cool."
One of the guards surrounding them growled at the pair to keep them quiet.
Rosalie rolled her eyes but focused back on the scene in front of them.
"What is this?" Aro asked snatching his hand back from Edward. "Explain yourself!" He demanded, his eyes travelling to Carlisle for answers.
Carlisle displayed his hands. "Explain what my friend?" He asked.
Edward blinked then carefully withdrew his outstretched hand, doing his best not to further anger Aro.
But Aro had already growled and moved back to the level holding his throne as Caius and Marcus looked on looking just as curious as Edward felt.
"Master?" Jane asked as she eyed the Cullen's, her fellow guards closing in around the other coven.
"What's going on?" Alice asked Bella.
Bella grinned down at her mate and shrugged her shoulders. "I would not have the first clue." She said then she turned her gaze to Aro just as most others in the room did.
"What did you see?" Caius asked.
"Yes, do tell us." Marcus appealed; it was always such a difficulty to tell what was going on just by the way Aro reacted.
Aro narrowed his eyes at the Cullen's.
"Aro, what did you see?" Caius asked again, standing from his throne.
"Nothing, brother, I saw nothing." Aro finally admitted, his eyes travelling from one Cullen to the next.
Marcus huffed in disbelief. "What trickery is this? Come Aro, your gift has always proven true."
"Bella?" Alice whispered.
"Hm?"
"What did you do?" Alice asked as quietly as she could.
Bella snorted. "What makes you think I did anything?"
Marcus noticed the movement of lips. "Speak up!" He demanded.
The room joined Marcus and all eyes looked to Alice and Bella.
Aro tilted his head and stepped back down to the floor from the raised platform. He gestured Jane over to join him as he stopped in from of Bella Swan. The newly turned gifted human.
"Yes," He began. "Do speak clearly so we may all hear what you have to say, Ms Swan."
Edward, who had moved away at Aro's approach, did his best to gather the thoughts of those in the room, but for once, there was silence in his head. "How?" He asked in wonder, his attention also now falling to Bella, she was the only person he had ever experienced such silence with.
Jane eyed Edward but her feet took her to stand at Aro's shoulder as he stood in front of the newborn Bella and her mate Alice Cullen.
Bella bounced on her toes, her humour completely restored by all the accusing looks she was receiving. Yes, this almost made all that time in the tin can flying over the Atlantic Ocean worth it.
She still had no plans to make this easy on anyone even if Alice was calling her out. It wasn't like the Volturi were unaware of her gift as a human.
After all there was virtually no one in existence that had ever prevented Aro's power from working.
Bella eyed Jane as she was joined at Aro's side by her brother and then the larger Felix, who stood at the ready should Aro need more than the pain and suffering the twins could offer. While Jane and Alec could kill in their own rights, and had many a time, Felix was the leader's executioner.
Again, the show of strength left Bella highly amused. It wasn't like she had asked to be here.
"Performance problems?" She asked of Aro, trying her best to look clueless. "We could leave the room if you want, give you and Edward some privacy."
"Bella!" Alice gritted her teeth.
Jasper shook his head as Bella effectively undid the power of his own gift with just a few words. But if this was going to go further downhill at least he knew Bella would be on the side he fought with, and all of his past knowledge with war and death told him that Bella was someone he would happily follow even if it cost him his life. As Bella surely hadn't arrived with the intent to defuse the situation. She was intentionally making it worse.
Jasper did not understand the purpose for it, and now was hardly the time to ask, but he wouldn't back down in a fight if that was the outcome today. He watched the guards carefully but he'd already picked out Alec as his first target, someone else would have to deal with Jane, and Jasper hoped that Emmett and Rosalie would do their best to contain Felix.
"I'm just playing." Bella informed Alice and then turned back to Aro. "We're all friends here."
Jasper tried not to snort as he kept his eyes trained on the Volturi guards.
Emmett squeaked but let go of Rosalie's hand, the tension in the room informing him they were all going to be in some serious trouble real soon.
Carlisle sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "Aro, please forgive Bella, she means no disrespect to you or the Volturi."
Bella snapped her fangs at the coven head. "Don't speak for me Carlisle." She was getting tired of him acting like she was a child, she was older than Carlisle by some way.
Aro nodded in agreement. "Yes my friend, perhaps taking such advice may spare you the same fate as the speaker." He cautioned Carlisle but his eyes remained fixed on Bella Swan.
"Oh, we're all gonna die." Emmett muttered because despite Aro's words it was hard to believe if this went any more screwy that they wouldn't all be attacked. "This is not good, this is not good."
Marcus had enough. "Bella Swan, are you responsible for Aro's sudden impotence?" He asked, remaining sat on his throne at the head of the room.
Bella winked at the master, out of all her time spent here in this castle, Marcus had always been her favourite. "Lord Marcus," Bella's use of a title was more to annoy Aro than to show respect, but if anyone here was deserving of her respect it would be Marcus. Throughout all the history of the Volturi Marcus was the least power hungry though he did have a firm belief of the rules vampire must obey to remain free of human intervention on their way of life. "I can but speculate, but since my re-birth I have very little control over my gift." She explained before adding a little bow as another show of her difference to Marcus' station as one of the leaders in her new world.
Marcus' eyes glinted as a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "Ah, then indeed we have much to discuss."
Aro eyed Bella with something close to wonder, yes he recalled clearly how blank her mind was to him on her last visit, but to prevent him from reading another's mind was an impressive increase to her powers and one that put him at a clear disadvantage.
"Jane?" Aro looked at his most prized asset and gestured to Bella.
Jane smirked and narrowed her eyes as she called upon her powers and sent them swiftly to the newborn.
But nothing happened.
She growled and tried harder, wanting to wipe the smile off Bella's face.
"How wonderful!" Marcus declared with a full smile now. "Try another." He said now that it was clear to the whole room that Bella had once again blocked the gifts of the highest ranking guard.
"Master." Jane agreed her eyes quickly finding Edward and sending him crashing to his knees in pain as she took great satisfaction inflicting her rage down onto the other vampire.
Aro took this new information with him to his throne, where he once again sat. "Interesting indeed."
Caius sat beside him, looking very troubled by this change of events.
Marcus however laughed heartily, very much enjoying himself. "Ha, the newborn lacks control, but such a powerful gift my dear. Yes, we will have to study it, test your limits." He slapped the arm of his throne. "Welcome then, you will all be our guests for now."
The silence in the room was almost deafening, only Edwards gasping breaths as he recovered to his feet once again sounded in the room as everyone took in Marcus' instructions.
The Cullen's were to be guests at the Castle.
Carlisle cleared his throat. "Would it not be more prudent for us to remain in town and return tomorrow?" He suggested knowing that more than one of his coven would have difficulty with the evening feeding that would take place in the great hall.
It was Caius that leaned forward to address Carlisle. "No. You and your… coven, will remain here as our guests until we allow you to leave." Where they could be closely watched and guarded.
Marcus nodded along with Caius, the closer the Cullen's were the more time he could have with the girl in his study. "This matter is settled." He echoed then waved his hand at the gathering. "Jane will show you to your rooms, I have much to do before morning." He said as his thoughts turned to his vast archive on gifted humans and creatures, he would have a lot of reading to do before he could form any hypothesis on Bella Swan.
Jane snarled at the Cullen's. "You heard the Masters, out." And now that she knew she could still cause the others pain, she was less cautious with her threats. Bella may be out with her powers but the others wouldn't be so lucky should they put a foot wrong while in the castle walls.
"I guess we don't die today." Emmett muttered as he took Rosalie's hand and walked out of the hall behind Carlisle, Esme and Edward.
Jasper shook his head but let his steps take him to walk beside Bella and Alice. He eyed Felix and Alec who were trailing at a distance behind the group just in case they were needed.
"Was this the plan?" He asked softly.
Bella chuckled, her hand holding Alice's. "Plan? I don't know what you mean Jazz."
Alice giggled at Bella's side. "I was worried there for a few moments." She confessed.
"You were worried?" Jasper snorted. He'd been at the ready to attack thinking they had been seconds from all out war with the Volturi. Of course, that still seemed a very likely outcome to this visit now the master vampires had focused their attentions on Bella's powers.
It was hard for him to see a way that they could all leave and continue to be allowed to live as they had, pretending to be humans and fitting in to a human world.
"Don't act like you wouldn't enjoy a good fight." Bella replied to Jasper. Fighting was a skill just as commanding an army in war was. Bella had often wondered how bored Jasper felt life with the Cullen's was, but her memory of the other vampire was marred by the knowledge that until now Alice had been by his side, and in that she could understand his willingness to change his world view.
At least for a few centuries.
Even Bella was willing to do what she had to in order to keep her mate happy.
But you could only keep your true nature at bay for so long.
"Ask nicely in the morning and maybe you can show the guard here a thing or two?" Bella offered her friend.
Startled at the suggestion, Jasper didn't know what to say. His loyalty was to the Cullen's, Alice and to Bella herself.
Bella understood his hesitation. "Just think about it." It would at the very least keep Jasper and Emmett from causing too much trouble. She glanced back at the hulking form of Felix and gave him a wink. "I'm sure a change in pace would be welcome."
"I will consider it." Jasper replied, although he was wary about how welcome such an offer would be received by the castle guard.
Bella just rolled her eyes. "You know if you don't just ask politely Emmett will say something stupid and kick off a whole mess over who can break the bigger rock."
Alice chuckled again even as Emmett gave an indignant rebuke to the claim.
Jane ignored the chatter going on behind her as she led the way to the east wing of the upper level. It was furthest from the master's and was more easily guarded than the other wings as it didn't have a back stairwell. Which meant one entrance and one exit if you didn't count jumping from the windows. But there was already a patrol scheduled to watch the grounds of the castle and keep pesky human teenagers away from the place.
If they survived being a midnight snack for the guard that happened upon them.
Jane paused and let the Cullen's pass by her in the hallway as Felix and Alec joined her. "This section is empty so for now the rooms are yours to use. If you pass this point you will be escorted by a guard, two will be posted here during your stay." With that she turned and started making her way back to her Masters.
Alec stayed a moment longer, a wry grin at his lips. "Forgive my sister, it has been a stressful day as I'm sure you'll agree."
Carlisle nodded.
"Evening meal will begin at sunset in the Great Hall. If you are late or lost just follow the screams." He informed the animal feeders, enjoying the horror on Esme's face as she took a second to understand his meaning. "You are all more than welcome to join us, I'm sure the newborn will be there." He went on, having witnessed first hand how often a newborns feed in their first few years of turning.
"Thank you for the offer, but I assure you we fed before our arrival." Carlisle tried to explain without passing any judgement.
Alec shrugged, not caring one way or the other, merely stating the facts. He then turned and walked past Felix who remained further down the passageway as Alec followed after his sister.
With a sigh Carlisle offered Esme a smile then turned and went to find the rest of their family.
"Another mess you've gotten us into." Edward growled at Bella as they were joined by Carlisle and Esme.
Perched on a table, Bella just laughed as she held Alice. "Me?" She asked. "I didn't even want to be here."
"Then you should have stayed away, maybe then we'd be better off." Edward went on, his body still suffering from the shocks of Jane's power.
Bella snorted. "Weren't you in the dungeon before Alice and I arrived?"
Carlisle put his hands out. "Please, enough arguing we need to discuss this like adults."
Bella shook her head and moved Alice to the side before slipping down onto her feet again. "I've had about all the family time I need, I'm taking my mate to bed, we can discuss whatever you want after sun up." She told the coven elder then tugged Alice along with her out of the room before anyone could object.
Rosalie's eyes widened as she recalled Jane mention that the rooms in this section were theirs. Hopefully that meant more than one room with a bed. She cleared her throat and took Emmett's hand. "Morning sounds good to me, it's been a long day."
Edward snorted as he watched the pair leave the room. Crossing his arms over his chest he eyed Jasper.
"I would suggest a game of chess but that remains in the car, out by the field." Somewhere they were not getting to anytime soon. Not without approval from the Volturi and an escort.
With a sigh Edward looked to the bookcase that covered the back wall of the room. He would have preferred a piano to pass the night away but a few books would have to do.
Jasper was already picking out a selection.
Carlisle cleared his throat and looked to Edward. "Find me if you need me." He told him, glancing at Jasper's back pointedly. His thoughts going to the feeding that would take place in a few short hours.
No one knew how Jasper would react if the sounds and smells travelled this far.
Edward gave Carlisle a nod. He would pay attention to Jasper's thoughts, and if it warranted intervention, he would let them all know.
And then it was Edward and Jasper in the room.
"War and Peace." Jasper stated as he held up a book. "Think it's a sign?"
"Of what?" Edward asked as he moved closer to inspect the books lined up against the wall. A lot of them were written in Italian given the titles on the spines. Like the others he could speak it and read it to a certain level.
It would be a nice challenge to his reading skills and pass the time. Not caring for the subject, Edward pulled out a thick book and moved over to the desk that held Jasper's growing selection.
"Of our stay of course." Jasper replied as he brought over another handful of books and took a seat across from Edward. "For a moment downstairs I really thought that was it."
Edward looked over at Jasper. "I thought once Aro read my mind that Bella would be taken." He confessed quietly.
Jasper made a noise. "Bella didn't look concerned at all."
Edward would agree with that, in fact he thought Bella purposefully allowed Jane to inflict her powers on him.
"I wonder what that could mean." Jasper went on, as he turned the pages of his book as he read.
"For Bella?" Edward asked, having a hard time concentrating on his own thoughts and the words in front of him.
Jasper paused in his reading and waited for Edward to make eye contact. "I wonder what this means for all of us. There's a lot Bella hasn't explained."
Edward frowned. He knew that, he had even tried to get Carlisle to press Bella more, but it hadn't done him any good.
"She's not afraid to be here."
Edward snorted. "Unlike the rest of us." They might have been called guests but they were prisoners and they all knew it. They were not free to leave whenever they felt like it. "We need a plan, if she doesn't want to feed soon they'll know she isn't a newborn."
Jasper smirked. "She has a mate and she's shown a temper. I think that will be enough to cover for her lack of feeding." Even as a newborn, your mate was priority over your hunger for blood. And with Bella's eyes still shinning red, there was even more room to keep from feeding on humans.
"For now, the Volturi hospitality could extend for weeks if not months." Edward warned. Time after all, did pass differently when you had eternity to deal with.
Months. Jasper hadn't considered that. "That could lead to problems." Such as the still very human Bella Swan returning to Forks to find all of the Cullen's gone.
"Like I said, we need a plan."