A/N: 'They Could Hardly Believe Their Eyes' & 'We Can't' both just reached 50,000 hits, while 'Well That Was Unexpected, Really Unexpected' reached 6,000 hits thanks guys xx Final chapter for this one, it's more of a round-up on what's been happening xxAlexis
"Bella my dear? I thought you might like to see this before you leave for your honeymoon. Felix sent it to me" Marcus motions to the cell in his hand,
With a slight grin on his usually severe face, he bids us gather around. What we see has many chortling and others were outright laughing. I'll set the scene for you, Carlisle Cullen in all his pompous glory has arrived in Volterra. But instead of making himself as small and insignificant as possible, he huffs at being kept waiting. Then when told to enter the throne room, his first words are an insult to the only person there.
"Caius, it's just you? Is Marcus too busy to see me?" he almost demands,
Caius bristles at the lack of deference and any hope of leniency Carlisle might have gained went out the window.
"No! We drew straws, I, unfortunately, lost" Caius snarls at the pompous fool,
"I..., pardon me? I don't understand?" Carlisle stammers, seemingly realising his mistake too late,
He was no longer favoured here as his patron was dead. Killed by the other two brothers, one of whom is looking down on him with barely veiled disgust.
"Well Carlisle, what are we to do with you? Can you fight?" Caius asks nonchalantly,
"No Caius I don't believe in violence, as you already know" is the haughty reply from Carlisle,
"No, of course, not! Can you track perchance?" Caius now enquires,
"I'm afraid not that well Caius, I never needed to before now" Is the answer Carlisle gives,
"Nope! Oh my! Well, can you appraise antiquities or books?" Caius asks, already knowing the answer,
"Not on a professional level, no. Alice always told me if they were real or fake" Came the smuggest of replies,
Has he forgotten she was dead and also reviled here nowadays?
"Jesus man what can you do? You're as one-dimensional as a human!" Caius spat derisively at him,
"I'm a renowned Doctor, a well-respected surgeon, Caius!" Carlisle says with an overinflating ego,
"Welcome to Volterra Doctor Cullen. We don't need human doctors here. So as of now, you're our cleaner, until you actually learn some useful vampire skills, that is. Dismissed Carlisle!" Caius informs him with a flick of his wrist and disdain pouring out of him,
"But, But! I was a friend of Aro's...! Why am I being punished? What have I done?" the idiot blubbers,
"He's dead, you arrogant ass! This is the price you pay for helping Aro! Or would you prefer the Major kill you?" Caius roars loudly, before turning to the tracker,
"Demetri, lower guard for Dr Cullen. Appraise him in fifty years time and no animals it made him quite stupid obviously!" he says in an innocent tone, but Demetri's lips twitch slightly,
Carlisle is hauled from the room protesting loudly and rudely, struggling in Demetri's grip,
"I can take you there with or without your head Carlisle! This is your life now, you're a nobody here. Get used to it" Demetri growls at him as they leave the room,
Well, that couldn't have happened to a more deserving soul and I wonder how he'll feel when he hears his golden child is dead? I reach up onto my tiptoes and kiss Marcus' cheek.
"Two special wedding presents in one day. I'm being spoilt, you know!" I say, tongue in cheek and everyone laughs,
OTITRM
Can vampires get tired? No, but damn I was feeling pretty exhausted when we decided to head on home from our six-week honeymoon. I saw so much of Europe that I didn't know existed, the tourist side and the vampire side. Both were spectacular, but I was ready now to settle back down and get on with my chosen career path. It was a totally different type of excitement, but I really was looking forward to knowing all there is to know about restoration. Peter was as usual so supportive; he's my one-man cheer squad. I have also made a decision to pay way more attention to what he does, it's still restoration, but on cars.
He's the Yin to my Yang*, we are perfectly balanced. The others were all here when we returned, but Char and Garrett were heading off to do a tour of all the properties owned between the six of us in the USA. Next time it will be our turn and then Jasper and Abriel, everyone took a turn and treated it like a working holiday. Doing any needed repairs and renovations that had been planned. Garrett usually took new furniture out with him and reshuffled what was there. When it was our turn I'd pick up any items needing to be restored. It was a well-oiled machine, Peter used to do his turn alone, but now he had me.
Abriel had promoted her long-time assistant to a permanent managerial position for her holdings in Italy. They will conference call once a month and if needs be, the two of them could fly out there. She was really enjoying the quiet anonymity she had here in the USA. I would really hate the life of the rich and famous. Always being watched, like you were under glass in a museum. But Abriel has the personality that can cope with that. She likes everyone and they like her, except the Denali sisters she hates them. They are rude, pushy and entitled. They are just glorified hookers, I know that's rude, but they dress like hookers!
You know what they say if the shoe fits! While Peter and I were away we stayed in Florence at Abriel's home. The Denali sisters arrive uninvited I might add, not expecting us to be there. They were rude to the staff, came on to all Abriel's male friends mated or not who live or work there! Tried to say she said they could use the mansion anytime and just caused pandemonium with their constant demands. I called her to explain the situation and she and Jasper got the next flight out. Let's say they won't be turning up uninvited again. She turned off Kate's gift, threw Irina in the fountain and ripped of Tanya's ear.
That was to remind her to listen when others talk. She basically told them they were trash and nobody liked them. They tried to argue and asked Peter and me to defend them, we were gobsmacked.
"Why would I do that? I don't like you, I have never liked any of you and you know it!" Peter said walking away,
"Bella, you'll defend us surely?" Tanya pleads,
"Why? I barely know you and so far I'm not impressed! You've been rude and insulting, demanding and pushy. You've come on to every male here especially the mated ones" I sneer,
"They love it!" Irina says from the fountain,
"No! They are just too polite to tell you to fuck off! But I have no such qualms! So Fuck Off! Oh and stay away from my family and their friends. Or would you like us to take this to Volterra; you know how Marcus feels about people coming between mates!" I say with a growl at them,
All this while pushing them all down the driveway and out the gate with my shield. Abriel's guests and friends were clapping loudly and cheering my name. That was the last we saw of them as they ran for the hills, literally. They will be wise to avoid Italy for say, the next fifty years! We left not long after that, looking for somewhere quieter. I made sure to have my shield over us so no other vampires knew we were around.
OTITRM
"Jeez Bella, be honest was I that vapid?" Rose asks me over the phone, a couple of days after our return,
"Nope, a bitch yes, vapid no!" I reply honestly,
"Thanks, I knew I'd get a straight answer from you. Those 'women' are driving me insane, with their constant whining and demands. I don't know how Eleazar and Carmen stand it? All this since they came back from Italy, looking worse for the wear. Tanya is the worst if she laments about her poor ear and her poor Edward's death once more. I'm going to rip her head off!" Rose moans exasperatedly,
I knew she really meant slappers but was too polite to say so over the phone.
"Would you like me to send Abriel to sort them out? She's still got Tanya's ear from the last time she pissed her off" I enquire nicely,
"No, can we come to stay at your place before we leave for Sweden to see Esme," she asks and I have no objections,
"Yeah, no problem, the guys have built a pool house with a guest suite, you can try it out," I tell her, and she thanks me happily,
The more removed from the Cullens way of life they become, the more I like Rose and Emmett. Things have changed in the vampire world recently, with Aro gone. Others no longer need to kowtow to his old favourites. The Cullens are no more and nowadays Carlisle is openly a topic of ridicule, instead of behind closed doors. Whereas, although Eleazar and Carmen are accepted and respected for who they are, the sisters no longer get a free pass. Many of their friends have told them to never bring those sluts to their homes again!
Their inability to take no for an answer is now coming back to bite them, pun intended! Once word got around that the Duchessa Medici had run them off, well everyone else is following suit. It's not as if they couldn't have stuck to unmated vampires and human males, no they had to try and take that which could never be theirs. But some are very slow to learn and I blame the diet. Caius is considering banning it altogether, which will put some noses out of joint. Yes, many changes are taking root in Volterra. But all for the better at the moment.
The plans for 'The Charlie Swan Memorial Estate' are not so much shelved but laid aside until I gain some of my qualifications. Although the Cullen house has been demolished and the ground cleared for planting. While way at the back of the property, an area has been levelled for future construction. I have an on-site arborist, to make sure the wrong trees don't get the chop. Plus any young saplings can be moved to a better location. They will be working alongside a horticulturalist and between them, they will work out which plants and trees should go where.
To sweeten the pot for them I have given them the Forks house to live in temporarily. I was going to rent it out, but now it's going to be the headquarters for the site until it's up and running. I really can't speed this on as much as I want to, because I'm at the mercy of Mother Nature and she likes to take her time. Any hires they make must come through me first. I want to see who applies; I have my doubts about the Quileutes doing so in the beginning. But I'll give them time and plenty of incentives. Just because their future Chief was bad, doesn't mean they all are too.
So all in all, things are heading in the right direction for all concerned. The only ones being left behind are those who refuse to change, Carlisle for now and the Denali sisters and a few others worldwide. But I'm sure Carlisle will learn and adapt or be killed by Caius for just being a pain in the ass. We have to change and keep moving forward or stagnate and eventually be killed by more tech-savvy humans or vampires. It's the way of the world, you must move onwards, you must grow in mind, you must learn new things. Because the humans are constantly striving to know more, control more, be more.
"What you doin' suga'?" Peter asks as he comes into the house from the barn,
"Thinking. About all the changes since Aro was forcibly removed! It almost like a feeling in the air, do you sense it?" I ask smiling,
"Yeah, stuff's changin' so fast my knower can't keep up sometimes! Some good, some bad! But nothin' but good for us and that's all that matters to me" he replies wrapping his arms around me,
"Good, I'm looking for a quiet eternity, just the six of us. Now if only everyone else out there will try it, that would be great" I tell him hoping that it's really possible, but not actually convinced,
"We'll be fine, don't worry suga'. I'm makin' it my mission to give you anythin' you want. If you want peace and quiet, I'll kill anyone who tries to take that away from you!" He explains and is so sincere I believe him,
"Thank you, Peter, I just hope you don't have to," I say, kissing his cheek and hugging him tightly,
OTITRM
"So Bella how's the studying going?" Rose asks me as she sits with her feet tucked up under herself, way more relaxed than I've ever seen her,
"It's awesome Rose, I never realised how interesting restoration was! It's the accomplishment, holding an item that you fixed in your hands" I effuse and she smiles at me,
"Yes, I understand. When I restore an engine I get that feeling too" She agrees and we both grin with happiness,
"I never realised that it could be so fulfilling, no wonder Peter is on a high when he finishes a classic car restoration," I say and she nods,
"Yes, he takes it even further than I do and it is a high. One of the only ones we get really" Rose comments,
"What are your plans Rose, once you return to Volterra? Their fleet of cars won't take you long to fix!" I ask now,
"I was going to ask Marcus if I could help out in the archives. Cataloguing and such like! Once you get super good at this restoration stuff, you could find yourself inundated with work too" she comments and I nod in agreement,
"Yeah, they can hardly farm out old obscure and thought lost items. Mention it to Marcus for me; of course, it won't be for a couple of years. But if they make a special room for them, I can work my way through it" I muse, that would be a steady income for me at a reduced price, but still,
"We'll be leaving for Sweden soon, the day after tomorrow I think" she drops into the conversation and I find myself feeling a little sad,
"I've enjoyed our time together Rose, you've changed so much and for the better! So let's not be strangers and I look forward to working with you in the future" I tell her sincerely,
"You my dear have been the catalyst for so many vampires changing. Me, Emmett, Esme, Peter, Jasper, hell even Marcus and Caius. None of this would have happened if you hadn't landed in our lives like a wrecking ball!
You have no idea how glad I am that Edward changed you, I know that sounds bad! But if he hadn't, we would all still be stuck in that half-life Carlisle created for him, his golden child.
Peter would have found you eventually I'm sure, but only Jasper would have been saved. He would have been drawn back to his own coven and with his real family. Whereas we would have suffered on, never knowing there was so much more out there for us" Rose says with a reflective look on her face,
"My pleasure Rose and you're right he would have found me. My start might not have been so brutal, but I think I was destined to be a vampire. Well, that's about the only good thing Edward did in his pathetic life!" I quip and we both burst out laughing,
Char and Garrett would be home by the weekend, she didn't really get on with Rose. Too much bad blood in the past I suppose? But that was okay, I can respect that. We can have separate friends and still be family. I found I liked the new Esme too, so she would also be on my list of friends since Boris was an old and good friend of Peter's. Talking about Esme reminds me that Rose had told me about the tragedy Carlisle caused. He hadn't been doing so well in Volterra, starving himself because they refused to allow him to feed from animals.
Therefore he set himself up for a catastrophe, a starving vampire will cause immense damage if let loose. He had just come up from the cellars one day last week, at the same time as the doors were being opened to let the sun and fresh air in. One whiff of the people outside and he lost it and killed six humans, luckily it was early and nobody saw it happen. But they were all teenagers and the resulting manhunt caused a lot of chaos in Volterra. Marcus and Caius had no recourse but to try and execute him because feeding in Volterra is forbidden. He didn't last six months out of his fifty years in Volterra!
Now four families had lost their children because Carlisle had been too arrogant, too self-righteous to feed with everyone else on the criminals and degenerates they ferried in. No, he broke and killed young men and women who should have lived long lives in the safest place from vampires in Italy! All of his share from the dissolution of their coven was used to pay for the funerals and given to a family's charity in the city. That was another change made after Aro's death, no more tours, well no more feeding tours. Marcus was having a ball giving guided tours of the Citadel and imparting his knowledge.
Emmett had done something similar with Edward's money, not that he had much. Except for, from the sale of his house in Chicago. He donated it to several tribes throughout America, knowing how much Edward would have hated that. So the Cullen coven was no more as four of its members left and the other three were executed for committing crimes that were against vampire laws! Funnily enough, those who died would be the least missed what a sad epitaph! But then as I already said, Edward brought that destruction on his family by killing me to get a rise out of Jacob Black.
So it's the end of an era where the Cullens thought themselves above everyone else and one of the rulers of vampire kind saw himself as omnipotent. Now comes the era of hopefully peace, with the ruling body being more just and honest. Also, the rise of the new and improved Whitlock coven, where all were happy and mated to the right people for the right reasons. Three sets of true mates in one coven, it was rare, but not unheard of Caius had told us. Well, I for one was happy to be part of this coven and looked forward to it going from strength to strength.
*Yin and yang Description:
In Ancient Chinese philosophy, yin and yang is a concept of dualism, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another.