A/N: Congratulations to sabrina michaels for being the 300th reviewer for this story xx One last chapter to go I think, the wedding and wrap up xx Alexis
The grand ball was in full swing now and Aro was in his element, lording it over all the other coven leaders. Bella had met so many vampires this evening, she thanked god she was a vampire too or she would never remember half of them. Pica was right, there were many sycophants clambering for her attention. Hell, a couple would have licked her ass if she had asked them and it was sickening. How could Aro thrive on all this cloying falseness? He can read all of their minds; surely he sees it's all a facade! Is the adulation enough? It must be he's in his glory, showing off his newest prize, her.
Looks like Marcus has had enough, he winked at Bella, as he sneaked out the rear door after only an hour. She was chatting to Alice when a throat cleared beside her, looking up Bella saw Emmett and Rose. Alice hugged them both and said she'd catch up with them later. Bella felt slightly awkward, but then straightened her shoulders and ask how they were and where the lived now. All the generic trope, type of things. Rose seemed different somehow, more subdued and restrained she thought. Still as gloriously beautiful, but no more than many of the other women here.
That's the thing about Volterra, anyone with pretensions of their worth were slapped into place by someone better.
"Esme's here somewhere, but I don't think Carlisle was allowed to attend," Bella said in passing and Rose winced and if possible paled a little,
Yes, she realises if Emmett hadn't taken her away, she too would be serving her own long drawn out punishment here in Volterra, while Emmett, like Esme, would be free to do as they pleased. Nothing like having your freedom curtailed, to make you see the light.
"You look amazing, almost as if you were meant for this" Emmett said quietly,
He really wanted to hug Bella but knew that ship had sailed a while ago, when she was still human, in fact. Of course, they both knew Edward and the thing were dead, Alice had sent them the video. He was still trying to equate her with the girl he thought he knew. But realised he never did or he would have done something. He would have known right away everything was all wrong, after the fight with the newborns. He had just seen her as someone to tease and play video games with to ease his own boredom. The strained atmosphere was interrupted by Alec,
"My lady," he said bowing to her, "I have to leave to attend to a personal matter. Lady Dora is with Lady Sulpicia at present" Bella glance over at the dais and nodded,
"Don't be too long Alec, Dora seems to be enjoying dancing with you" Bella said smiling at him and he ducked his head in slight embarrassment.
Rose and Emmett glanced over at the dais as well and Rose gasped,
"She's so beautiful but ethereal and fragile-looking" she mused and Bella sighed nodding,
"Without going into details, Dora suffered from the same trauma as you. It didn't kill her though but broke her mind. Caius was a new vampire himself and hoped the venom would heal her, it did not, could not fix her!" Bella whispered to them,
"Oh, the poor girl!" was all Rose said, she knew exactly how Dora felt; only revenge saved her from her own mind.
"She's finally changing now though, she's been stagnant for aeons and now she can actually talk to men without trying to attack them, but only a few. Actually, she is the reason I think Carlisle can redeem himself, she likes him and he's teaching her languages and a love for books" Bella informed them,
"Me too" Rose whispered, before continuing with saying "But I fought him all the way. My loss is Dora's gain"
"Can we see him?" Emmett asked,
"Yes, of course, he's only under house arrest. Esme's her somewhere, she can take you to their quarters" Bella said and led them through the crowd that parted before her.
EIM
Much as Dora loved her dress and felt really very pretty in it she also felt slightly exposed. She in truth wasn't used to wearing anything this sheer and form-fitting or having her shoulders bare either. But she remembered she had a shawl in the sitting room off of their office, a beautiful green shawl that would go quite well with this dress. It was just across the hallway from the door behind their dais. Every room had a second entry point for the brothers to make dramatic exits or entrances. Marcus had already slipped away and everyone else was either talking or dancing. Dora had no idea where Alec was at the moment.
It took her only a minute to find out where Alec was. He was having a heated argument with his sister in the side corridor. Dora couldn't understand how they were twins, Jane was evil and nasty and Alec was gentle and nice, well to her he was. She slipped into her office and went that way to the sitting room, hoping they would be gone when she left. That's when she heard Jane saying horrible things about her and she started to shake. She had done nothing wrong, those men did, those men like Jane were evil vile people. Dora could feel a rage building inside herself that she had only felt whilst human when others tried to touch her.
"Where's you whore anyway Alec? Happy to settle for used goods I see! Well, at least one of you will know what you're doing" Jane yelled at Alec, jealousy seeping out of every pore, making her words more bitter and twisted,
"Don't talk about Dora like that Jane; she's everything you'll never be! Those brutes forced themselves on her and took what was not theirs to have! She's a lady, she's clever, she's gentle and she's kind. Something you know nothing about!" Alec hissed loudly back at his sister,
True to form Jane turned her power on someone else, for speaking the truth, a truth she didn't want to hear. She had little or no control over her gift, never having tried to rein it in or be in command of it. She saw it as her right to punish, to kill if she felt like it. Dora heard the heavy thud as Alec fell to the floor and the pained grunts from him, as he refused to scream for his sister's enjoyment. This time the rage inside Dora would not be stilled and she shook with the intensity it created. Rushing out into the corridor now, she roared at Jane to stop hurting her brother.
"Go to hell you pathetic bitch, he's my brother and I think he deserves punishment! He'd leave me alone for you, you who are nothing but Caius' castoff! Your just Alec's little slut, so shut the fuck up before I torture you too" Jane roared back, not seeing the crowd her voice had pulled there,
"I said stop! Now, damn you!" Dora said raising her hands and watching in utter shock as what looked like lightning bolts left her hands and exploded Jane into a hundred fragments which were embedded deep in the walls of the corridor.
Dora dropped to her knees, hardly believing she had done that. After all this time she had a gift which in isolation in the tower had never manifested itself. Alec rolled to his feet quickly to comfort the girl who was gently sobbing.
"I'm so sorry, she was hurting you and I was so angry" she mumbled to him,
"No I'm sorry, sorry you had to hear the vitriol and jealous lies she was spewing" he replied quietly, still angry at Jane, not Dora,
"Major Whitlock can you sense her, is Jane still alive" Caius demanded of his friend, as they stood at the end of the corridor.
"She is My Lord. In shock granted by aware!" Jasper answered and Caius nodded,
"Leave her there, she can get herself out and put back together. Seal all the doors on this corridor and no-one is to help her. Am I understood?" Caius said to Felix, who was standing next to Jasper in shock,
"Yes Sir, Master Caius," Felix said snapping to attention,
"Dora, are you okay? Why don't you let Alec walk with you around the gardens, then please rejoin us before taking your leave for the evening" her cousin said, but it was not really a request,
"Alec, you stay with her all night, no matter what the Cullens have to say. You will also have to come to terms with the gravity of this situation.
Jane threatened a member of the ruling council and her remarks were less than respectful. She has just sealed her own fate!" Caius sighed loudly and then turning with Jasper went to rejoin the ball and tell the other's what happened,
"Fuck! There will be no hidin' that gift from Aro!" Jasper said shaking his head,
He had a sinking feeling about this. Peter appeared at his other shoulder saying,
"That was somethin' else. Don't worry so much you two, everythin' will work out just dandy"
EIM
As they entered the room Bella rushed up asking if they knew where Dora was. Peter and Jasper faded into the crowd, leaving Caius and Bella alone. She was anxious and annoyed. Anxious for Dora and annoyed with herself for not seeing her leave, she couldn't even blame Rose and Emmett for distracting her; she was a bloody vampire and should have been paying attention.
"Don't worry little one she's in the gardens with Alec at present. There was an incident outside your office, Jane attacked Alec and Dora interceded on his behave and let's say Jane wasn't pleased and refused to stop and it appears Dora has a gift brought on by rage. She, well she exploded Jane and she's at present embedded in the corridor in a hundred bits!" Caius whispered in her ear,
"Wow, is Dora okay and Alec too?" Bella asked lowly, so no-one could overhear,
"Both worried about each other's reactions and angry with Jane. She said some malicious things about Dora to Alec and to Dora's face as well. That might be what tipped her over the edge, turning anger into rage" Caius replied,
"Yes, you said she attacked anyone who touched her as a human. So the rage came over with her, but she never needed it in the tower under Corin's gift, did she?" Bella half questioned, half surmised,
"No she's never reacted like this before," Caius told her as he took her in his arms and started to dance with her,
"Well, at least we won't need to worry about Aro wanting her gift! Because she'd have to be enraged to use it and that could backfire on him. If anyone said something she didn't like including him, she could just blow them apart" Bella said happily and Caius frowned,
Bella was being a little naive he thought, thinking that Aro would actually care about her mental state. Look at Jane for example. She was clearly not in her right mind and he'd been using her for centuries.
"I wish I had your confidence little one. But it might be harder than that to convince him" Caius said unhappily,
"No, it won't be. Because if he pushes it, I'll demand we vote on it and well, even if Pica sides with him and Dora can't vote. It's still three to two against!
Have a little faith Kái; there is no way that's happening to Dora. Because I could stop shielding him for instance, Aro will have to decide what suits him better" Bella replied smirking,
Caius pulled her closer and kissed her forehead, she amazed him all the time. Bella had a way of cutting through the crap and finding the pivotal part of any plan. They waited patiently for Dora and Alec to return and then once assured both were well, sent them off for the rest off the night. There was no way Aro was finding out until they were gone. The approached the dais and called Felix over, telling him to show Aro what happened. So from the moment they heard Jane's raised voice, all was revealed to Aro and his face started to light up.
"You do remember the promise I made you all those years ago, Aro? The one about if anything happened to Dora, anything at all because of you. Don't you Aro? It still holds, she will never be asked to use that gift again as long as Bella and I are alive and here to protect her" Caius said, not touching his brother's outstretched hand.
EIM
Aro was not happy, not happy at all. He let them change everything, including his feeding habits. He let Isabella have her own way and also allowed her to decimate his guard. He'd lost four guards since she arrived, Heidi, Renata, Corin and now Jane. Currently, they wouldn't let him have Dora's gift, it was so unfair. Even Pica was on their side and was locking him out of her resting chamber. Then to cap it all off Alec was spending all his time when not training with the girl, he was also on her side? Alec had washed his hands of his twin sister altogether, adding another layer of protection for Dora against him.
Speaking of Jane, she was slowly managing to unseat herself from the walls of the corridor and was now half rebuilt. One bowl of blood was delivered to her each day and Felix was monitoring her progress from under Bella's shield. They were taking no chances with the rogue guard, once she had reassembled herself she would be put on trial for her blatant disdain for the rules she had been given. Aro had read her by touching a small fragment and she was beyond help now. Her insolence and jealousy of both Dora and Bella verged on dangerous. This event hadn't made her see she was wrong, just made her more angry.
Dora had been here under his nose all these years and because she was kept content her gift never materialized! What a fool he had been to do that to them. He grumped and huffed for a week before Pica got so sick of him she slapped the back of his head and told him to grow up! Marcus put forward an amendment that from now on any gifted person had to be asked if they wanted to join the guard. If they declined we would accept that answer, so no more raiding of covens for gifted members from now on. He also proposed some major reviews on our security. He meant electronically and not manpower.
Therefore seeing that Emmett McCarty was here in the citadel visiting along with the Whitlocks. He might be asked to beef up the system they had, as it was quite antiquated. Major Whitlock was working with Caius to see where they could make changes to the way the guards fought. It was apparently too predictable! Aro's two brothers and Pica seemed to be embracing this new approach to everything, only Aro himself was resisting. Basically, he was struggling with the fact that the power was really was theirs and not his alone as it once had been.
Even though they presented as a democracy, he was the man in charge, now everyone was taking back parts of his power base and he didn't like it at all. Bella had been the catalyst for all of this, bringing her modern ways and true democratic attitude. It was as if they just needed the push she provided them with and they were all happy and enjoying their new roles. With time Aro would realise it was a good thing and gave him time to pursue his own passions and hobbies, but for now, he was just plain disgruntled and he wondered how Jane felt like that? He was her role model!
EIM
Because Dora lived with Carlisle and Esme she had met Rose and Emmett. He immediately won her over with his devil may care attitude and fun-loving nature. No-one could resist Emmett's cheeky grin and prominent dimples. She had had an in-depth talk with Rose as the two women shared a common background. Rose saw right away that Dora's persona was a coping technique if she hid inside her mind the world couldn't touch her. But Rose explained if she herself had done that she'd have missed out on having her mate by her side.
Explaining to Dora that she had gone the totally opposite way, by being an aggressive bitch. This gave Dora much to think about, she had isolated herself for so long. Could she become the woman she should have been? Did she want to be out there for all to see? Having spent so long being kept content by Corin had stopped her rediscovering herself for years, no centuries. She knew she would never truly be the Dora of old; something broke inside her when she was violated and she would never be totally normal again, but she could come close at least.
Did she want to that was the question and how would it affect her growing friendship with Alec? Did she want more than that? Could she cope with more than that? He would never push her or force himself on her she knew that. His heart was that of a young teenager, not a full-blown man and for that she was thankful. Maybe together they could move into the future slowly. Yes, at his side she would be safe and cared for, for now, that would be enough. Because outwith Corin's power Dora wearied of being treated as a child. She knew it was her own doing projecting that image, but now she wanted more from her life.
She wanted to contribute to the world she lived in. Bella made her see anything was possible; she had been a human and survived in the vampire world. Survived and flourished as it were, not worried because she was young in vampire years that she didn't have anything to contribute. The shakeup here was to Dora's mind long overdue. Having seen how happy Caius was made her heart swell, yes she loved him, but was not now or ever had been in love with him. She was just doing what she was meant to and would have married him, but she knows they were never meant to be; now he had Bella it was beyond obvious.
EIM
"Well Jane, you just couldn't help yourself, could you? What did you think would happen? If you had used your gift on Lady Dora you'd never have made it out of that corridor alive" Marcus asked the unrepentant guard,
She stood staring at them all defiantly and everyone knew the result of this trial before it had even started.
"You disregarded orders; you took matters that had nothing to do with you into your own hands once again. Did you think this would be one of you six infringements? Well, you would be wrong!" Caius spat at her in anger,
"Jane formerly of the Volturi, you are sentenced to immediate execution for threatening one of the members of the ruling house of Volturi. You were cruel and malicious in your dealings with another member of the guard. That member was your superior and yet you still used your gift on him" Aro said loudly and with abhorrence in his tone,
"I did it to my brother, not as part of the guard" she tried to defend herself,
"Alec Volturi has renounced any kinship with you, therefore he was just your superior officer" Marcus sneered and Aro signalled Felix forward,
"Felix, as Commander of the Guard her execution is in your hands. Please do so as we have more important matter to attend to!" Aro said, making it clear she was of no importance to him at all.
She fought Felix's grip and tried to use her power on him only for nothing to happen. Felix looked up and nodded to Bella,
"Thank you, my lady," he said as he twisted off Jane's head and set her alight in the middle of the great hall.