Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or its characters, this is merely a work of fanfiction.

A/N : I worked on this chapter up until the last minute, so it was not Beta-read. Any errors are my own. This chapter is very long because I wanted to get to the part everyone had been waiting on. There will be at least one Epilogue, maybe two. I also have enough ideas for a sequel, if that interests you please let me know!

A/N 2: The story has been very fluffy and light-hearted until this point, but we are getting to the main conflict of the story, so things will be getting more serious. You've been warned.

Bella's POV

I turned to look at Athenodora where she stood near Caius. She smiled back at me while Ciaus lovingly pinned her veil into her hair, allowing it to cover her eyes.

Athenodora had taken the time to explain this tradition to me earlier in the day. The Queens traditionally wore some kind of veil when at Court. What had begun as a very traditional veil had evolved over time, to what it was now, a piece of black sheer fabric that covered the top half of their face.

It was effective enough that it could easily obscure their faces to those who did not know them well. It served the dual purpose of respecting their mates, and also hiding their beauty from strangers.

I would take the same precaution, at least this time. Everyone was very tense at the idea of this coven coming, and I thought it may be better to see them without revealing my identity immediately.

There was the chance that they would be able to tell who I was, regardless, but I had to try. It would give me a chance to recover some memories and to observe them.

Athenodora walked toward me, her veil now secured, and motioned for me to turn my back to her. She brought the sheer fabric to rest over my eyes and around to my braids, where she pinned the fabric in place carefully.

"Pay attention Alec, this will be your responsibility from now on!" Athenodora chided, and I heard Alec chuckle followed by a gentle thud that must have been Jane swatting him.

"Yes, my Queen," he responded acerbically and I bit back the urge to laugh at his tone.

The black fabric settled over my eyes, and though it obscured my vision a bit, I was able to see clearly through it. It reminded me of wearing weak sunglasses indoors as a human.

"All done, you may turn!" Athenodora chimed, and I turned to look at her. She beamed back at me with pride. I felt my confidence swell in my chest.

Behind her stood Alec, and Jane with similar looks of pride on their faces, and I knew I was ready for this.

I was born to be the Volturi Princess.

The Kings stood near the door that led to the throne room, watching Athenodora and I with wistful eyes. I met Marcus' eyes and held them for a long moment. I knew that at this moment, I must remind him so much of his precious Didyme.

I would make them all proud today, no matter what it took.

"Shall we?" asked Caius, with one arm stretched out towards the door and a cocky expression resting on his face. Of course he was looking forward to this.

I schooled my features into the best impassive mask I could, "Of course Uncle Caius, after you."

He shot Athenodora a cheeky grin and reached his hand out to her, which she took gracefully as she followed him out to the throne room. Sulpicia and Aro exited the study next, hand in hand, followed by Marcus.

Jane stood by Felix and Demetri, waiting for Alec and I to enter the throne room next. Alec took my hand and rested it on his arm as he led me through the door and into the throne room.

As we entered I realized that the entire dais had been reconfigured. Next to Aro and Caius' thrones sat two slightly smaller thrones that Sulpicia and Athenodora now occupied.

Between Sulpia and Marcus' throne, slightly set back from the thrones of the Kings and Queens sat a dainty black throne with intricate woodwork. It was gorgeous, and I froze in shock at the sight of it. Was that for me?

"That is yours Princess," Alec whispered in my ear, as if he could hear my thoughts.

"But what about you?!" I asked incredulously, as I tightened my grip on his arm desperately. I knew he was no prince, but he was my mate, and I certainly did not want to be separated from his side when the Cullens came.

I could practically feel his satisfaction at my reaction and he patted my hand reassuringly.

"Don't worry, my love. I will stay by your side. I will merely stand behind or beside your throne, that is all."

I felt relief flood through my body, and I attempted to stop clawing at his arm. I wanted Alec by my side all the time, but especially today. Alec helped me sit in my throne, and I arranged my full skirts before he took his place beside me.

I looked out at the room and noted that all of the guards were here. Felix, Jane and Demetri had come in after us and taken their place near the front, since they were part of the Elite Guard. Rose, Emmett, Jasper and Alice stood towards the back of the guard, since they were newcomers.

I leaned forward slightly to see Aro, and noted that Renata had taken up residence behind and between his and Sulpicia's throne. My shield should be more than enough to keep us safe, but Renata would stay in her position as Aro's guard, I couldn't be everywhere at once.

Aro saw me peeking at him and raised one hand in a lazy greeting. Caius looked over at Alec from his throne and nodded his head infinitesimally at him. Alec bent down to whisper in my ear, "Now my love."

I closed my eyes and focused on reinforcing my shields. It was imperative that we all be protected from the mind readers ability.

He had no right to dig around in our minds for private thoughts, or Volturi battle strategies. It was particularly dangerous in the case of Aro, who held the thoughts and experiences of so many others in his mind.

I felt a wave of power go out from me, and I knew my job was complete. There was now a low layer of physical protection over everyone on the elevated throne dais, in addition to the mental shield I usually projected subconsciously. It would be tricky to release it solely for Aro to use his powers, but I believed it could be done.

Sounds of approaching footsteps could be heard in the corridor and I felt Alec rest his hand on my shoulder. The hum of our mating bond calmed my racing mind as I prepared myself for what was to come.

Carlisle's POV

Something was wrong. As we approached the castle Edward appeared to be getting more and more tense.

"I can't hear anyone's thoughts Carlisle!" Edward croaked as he threw furtive glances around the square as if he would be able to hear the tourists thoughts if he glared at them hard enough.

"Stop drawing attention to yourself!" I hissed. We were in enough trouble as it was, we did not need any of the locals to pay a little too much attention to the man gawking like an idiot.

Edward seemed to collect himself and followed Esme and I into the castle. I noted that things had changed quite a bit since I had been here last, around a century ago. More modern furniture outfitted the impressive marble lobby, and a human receptionist sat behind a computer at a desk.

We approached the desk, and she rose to her feet to greet us.

"You must be The Cullens! My name is Gianna. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance! Demetri told me you would be here shortly. Please, follow me. The Kings are ready to see you" she said before she spun quickly on her heel and led us toward a door that led to the older part of the castle.

The corridors that once seemed so dark and foreboding, were now lit by electric lights and seemed innocuous. It seemed silly in retrospect that I had felt so intimidated by these halls in my youth.

I was drawn out of my reverie by the sound of Gianna knocking on the ornate doors of the throne room. We were at a disadvantage without Edward's gift, but we would have to make do.

The doors opened slowly, and we stepped past the human assistant and into the throne room.

Bella's POV

Gianna's knock rang at the door and the low level of whispered conversation immediately ceased as all eyes snapped forward to our thrones.

"Enter," Aro called in a commanding tone, and the doors swung open and in walked a red-headed young vampire, a blonde vampire, and a motherly looking brunette. The brunette stood slightly behind her blond mate, as if she was afraid.

Carlisle looked from Aro, to the Queens thrones, to me and back with shock obvious in his features. The ginger looked surprised as well, though I suppose everything would be a surprise if you were used to being able to navigate life using others' private thoughts.

Carlisle's eyes lingered on me for a few seconds, trying to figure out who I am, no doubt. I made brief eye contact through my veil, and it was enough for my gift to work. "He is confused," my gift supplied, "his intentions are pure, but he has allowed himself to be led astray by the young one. Be wary."

I filed the information away for later, looking at the brunette next. Her eyes were flitting between the thrones and her eyes met mine for a split-second before she settled her eyes on Aro. "She is the same. She loves her mate too much to see any fault. It will take something severe to clear her senses, but she is blameless."

I could understand that, but unfortunately for her, her mate had allowed one of their coven to go against the law. I would save her if I could, but if Carlisle tried to fight us, she would have to be taken out with him. You could not leave one mate alive when the other died, it would be the cruelest form of torture, and a liability to our safety as well.

I turned my attention to the young redhead, and when I looked at his face I felt waves of rage swell quickly with me. I fought to suppress the growl that was beginning to rumble through my chest.

I was inundated with memories of him, his condescending tones, his bossy nature, his controlling "concern". The way he had cruelly inserted his way into my life over and over again while insisting that it was wrong that we be friends. Ah yes...Edward was the gingers name, I could remember now.

Edward Cullen.

Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

My body tensed to rise from my throne, almost without my permission, and Alec's hand pushed down on my shoulder, signalling me to keep in my seat. I allowed him to restrain me while I focused on clearing my mind.

"Old friend, it has been too long!" Carlisle began and I saw Sulpicia lift one brow imperiously at him. She was right, he would try to take advantage of Aro's feelings to save himself and his son.

It was laughable that he thought it would be allowed to happen again.

"It has been a long time since you visited us. I understand that you have been very...busy." Aro let the last word hang in the air, and I felt the tension rise in the room at all that it implied.

Carlisle's face froze for a second, as if considering his next move carefully.

"Yes, as you have no doubt heard from Demetri. I see things have changed around here as well, I did not know the Queens had come out of seclusion, and it seems you have added to your ranks as well!" He stated, his eyes flicking to me, before he returned his gaze to Aro.

The ginger looked up at me now, and I fought the murderous urges that were flooding every part of my body. "He will stop at nothing to possess you, his mind is vile," my gift warned me.

A memory surfaced of him leaving me in the forest, telling me that it would be as if he had never existed, that the human mind was like a sieve and I would forget him in time. He had been right, in a way, because I had completely forgotten him until he stood before me. The cause, however, was that of my heightened vampire mind, and not that of a human mind.

His eyes left me now to look at Sulpicia and Athenodora and I could tell he was attempting to understand what was going on. After all the Queens had not been let out of seclusion, at least not officially, in the last century.

Aro stood slowly, drawing himself to his full height. He had an absolutely viscous smile on his face, and I knew he was going to enjoy this spectacle immensely.

"Yes, the Queens have finally come out of seclusion, isn't it wonderful?" He paused to allow Carlisle to agree, which he did.

"And furthermore, it has all been made possible by a member of my own bloodline! She came to us earlier in the year, and we have decided to make her our Princess. Can you believe it?!"

Edwards' eyes darted between Aro and I, but I was certain he had no clue who I was. He was merely attempting to guess what would happen next. He must feel at a disadvantage without his gift.

Good, he should feel inadequate.

Aros' eyes held the slightly manic gleam they got when he was overexcited, and I knew the Edward boy did not have long to live. Aro's moods were famous for flipping on a dime, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ordered his death while smiling happily out at the guard.

"Now, come Edward. Let me see what human has you traipsing all over the world in search of her." Aro beckoned to Edward, holding out a hand. Edward swallowed hard and looked to Carlisle, who gave a minute nod.

Edward came up the marble steps slowly and held out his hand to Aro. I focused on lifting my shield from just Aro in particular, allowing him to use his gift. They were still in their embrace for a moment. Aro's eyes closed and his face remained placid until he finally released his hand.

Aro looked to Carlisle as Edward backed down the steps, never turning his back to Aro.

"Carlisle," Aro said evenly, holding out a hand in his direction. No more words were needed. He walked up the steps with Esme close behind him, and they took turns giving Aro their hands.

When they returned to their place in front of the steps, Aro turned to look at me quickly before he returned to his throne.

"You are all foolish. You have broken our most sacred law. You have risked exposing us to humans! Despite the Volturi's bountiful resources, even we would struggle to fight a war on the scale we would face should the human girl run off and blabber her mouth to the right government or military. Tell me why I shouldn't have you all executed?"

Carlisle stiffened and Esme choked back a tear-less sob. Edward, however, took this as his cue to explode.

"Bella would never tell anyone about us! She loved me! She belongs to me!"

I fought the urge to laugh. How deeply had Edward deluded himself? I was never his mate, and I was naive to believe that what we shared was love. I now knew that what I experienced was a powerful obsession made worse by constant use of his lure.

"What makes you so sure?! Surely you know that a woman scorned is a dangerous creature! Why did you even involve yourself with her in the first place?" Caius sneered down at him. He was probably fighting the urge to tackle him even now, Caius loved a good fight.

Carlisle attempted to intervene now, "Bella is Edward's mate, he never could have left her for good. We just assumed he would give in eventually and go back, and inevitably she would have been changed by one of us. When we tried to go back for her, she was gone!"

Edward scoffed at the insinuation that he would have let someone change me, which just made me more furious. He was determined that he knew best at all times, regardless of the facts.

I heard Marcus scoff openly and turned to see him with the most menacing look I had ever seen upon his face.

"The idea that you could leave your mate for several months, let alone break up with them and hurt them on purpose is absolutely absurd. Surely you know I see bonds, and I see none that would lead you to this woman. You lived with three mated pairs for nearly a century, how is it possible you missed this?!"

"I heard it said you were intelligent, clearly they were wrong!" tacked on Sulpicia as she attempted to stop her laughing as she clutched at her sides

Esme looked between Carlisle and Edward, clearly furious. "Did you know?!" She asked Carlisle between gritted teeth.

"No, I swear! How could I? We have never been apart, but it never occurred to me that we couldn't be, just that I had no desire to be. The same with the others!"

Esme turned her wrathful eyes on Edward next, and he seemed to cower under the power of her glare.

"Bella is mine, I know it!" he growled back, and I finally had all that I could take. Esme and Edward were fighting amongst themselves now and I stood and ghosted my way towards Aro and Sulpicia with Alec in my wake.

As I walked I reached my hands behind me and unpinned my veil from my intricate braids.

It was time to stop playing games with the Cullens. I wanted a merry pile of ashes, and my freedom from this troll of a man.

Alec's eyes seemed to dance with lust as he took in the sight of me once again without my veil. He loved seeing me use my power, he was going to enjoy this immensely.

I put a gentle hand on Aro's shoulder, beside Renata's.

He turned over his shoulder to look at me. He knew at once that I was ready to confront them. He rose to his feet, turning to offer me his hand which I took gratefully and allowed him to lay it on his arm as he led me down the stairs.

The Cullens were still fighting amongst themselves, and had missed our interaction, but when my stiletto made contact with the first marble step, their heads snapped up. For a split second their faces betrayed shock and confusion that quickly turned to comprehension.

"Bella!" Edward yelled as he began to run at me before Carlisle pinned his arms behind him in restraint. Jasper and Emmett soon appeared from the crowd to help Carlisle, and Rosalie and Alice went to comfort Esme.

"What is going on?!" Edward roared at his former coven as Aro and I finally reached the bottom of the steps.

"Look at her pendant, her tiara!" Carlisle tried to explain, "If you touch her, you are going to die!"

"Oh," Aro paused and chuckled darkly, "You are going to die regardless, child. But I would prefer it if you kept your hands off my daughter all the same." Aro intoned in his sing-song voice, and the dichotomy of his tone and the words he spoke filled me with a sick happiness.

This is who we were. We were the bad guys.

Edward was right all along. We were monsters, but unlike him, I was awfully good at it.

Esme gave a choking sob from her direction, and I turned to see her burying her head into Rose's shoulder. At least she would be comforted. She was a good woman, and in time she would recover.

"Bella….please! You love me! You will be with me! Stop this foolishness at once!" he shouted as he struggled against his former coven.

Roses head snapped up to glare at Edward and I heard even Esme began to growl in protest at his controlling words.

"See," I told him, "Women don't like it when you try to take away their freedom. In fact, you would already be dead if it wasn't for my shield restricting those present from using their gifts."

Edward's eyes grew wide and he looked around the room, noting that every female in the room looked ready to tear him apart. Especially Jane, who was being restrained by Felix' large arms that held her around the shoulders.

"He will never stop," Aro announced to the room, "He is dangerous to our kind. He will stop at nothing to possess our Princess, and has no qualms about involving humans in our affairs."

The room murmured with angry whispers, and I knew it was time. I looked to Caius and he gave me a sadistic smile that I returned easily. Carlisle seemed to resign himself to what was coming, and moved to embrace his mate.

"I, Princess Isabella Marie Volturi, sentence you to death for your crimes against our world."

Alec stepped up behind me so that his front was pressed along my back and smiled wickedly over my shoulder at Edward. Edward struggled harder and Alec leant down so his lips grazed my ear, maintaining eye contact with Edward the whole time.

"Now love" he whispered, and I dropped my mental shields. Alec stripped Edward of his senses, dropping him to his knees, and Jasper and Emmett returned to their mates' sides. They looked remorseful for their brother's fate, but they made no move to intervene. They had taken their side. Clearly he was more unhinged than they ever knew.

Caius rose from his throne with a cocky smile and walked down the steps of the throne room. He drew a large metal encased lighter as he did so, tossing it in the air jovially. Athenodora looked on in loving indulgence at his murderous glee.

"It would be my honor brother," he said, holding up the lighter in front of Aro. Aro turned to see what I thought, and I gave an indulgent shrug. Clearly Caius had been waiting for this moment.

Alec returned Edward's senses and he screamed as Caius threw his lighter onto him. I watched in fascination as he burned. If I happened to mentally replay a few of my favorite memories of Alec and I romping all over the castle to torture the mind reader in his final moments, who could blame me.

I was sure Alec was doing the same, as he watched with his body still pressed firmly against mine, his hands tightly gripping my waist.

When at last there was nothing left but ashes, I tore my gaze from the ground to look at the boy's former coven. They were all tightly hugging one another, and not looking at where he had been burning.

I went to Rosalie's side, "Does it bother you?" I asked.

She turned to me, obviously distraught. "What he said bothered me more. He wasn't the person we thought he was, to have treated you that way. I'm so sorry. We never knew he was that controlling."

I nodded solemnly. She was not responsible for his reprehensible thoughts. At least he is gone now.

"Now what to do with you…" Aro said vaguely as he turned to Carlisle and Esme. I could tell he did not want to make this decision. Though Carlisle had made many errors, I did not think he needed to be killed. He certainly did not need to be allowed to lead a coven again, though.

"If I may?" I asked while putting a gentle hand on Aro's shoulder.

"Yes, of course, my dear!" he chirped, looking at me hopefully.

"I propose that Carlisle and Esme be sentenced to a one hundred year term with the Volturi, and that they be banned from interaction with humans during that time. Clearly, they have become too comfortable with them. You can send some of the guards to wrap up their affairs wherever they have been living. "

Aro shook his head enthusiastically, and Caius rolled his eyes good naturedly. Carlisle would absolutely hate the punishment, and though Caius would have preferred good old-fashioned murder, one hundred years of punishing Carlisle was a nice second.

"Fine!" Caius huffed as he returned to his throne, clearly intent on spending some time with Athenodora now that he was in a good mood.

"Excellent!" Marcus added, clearly in a rush to have the matter ended.

Aro waved his hands dismissively at the assembled guards and the room emptied. Gianna returned to collect Carlisle and Esme and show them to their new quarters. From their corner in the throne room, Felix finally released Jane and she hurried over to Alec and I.

"Are you okay?" she fretted, "I wanted to torture him, I'm so mad I didn't get to torture him!" She whined and Felix chuckled at her indulgently.

"Yes well, let's leave these two alone for a bit. It seems everyone is pairing off." Felix told her, and I looked around and saw it was true.

Aro and Sulpicia were returning to the study, Caius and Athrnodora were already gone, as was Marcus. Jane huffed at him in annoyance, but allowed herself to be led off by the hand.

Alec turned me in his arms, gazing down at me adoringly. I felt my body come alive at the electric feeling of his lips crushed against mine.

I was finally home.