Felix
Bella asked me to spend the night holding her. I relaxed as I crawled into my bed with no amorous activities planned for probably the first time in five hundred years. I had the opportunity to hold my mate, to comfort her, to listen to her sighs. I could listen to her sleep talk. Once I got close to her she curled up against me. She rested her head on my arm. I sighed sinking into the bed holding Bella close.
When she started talking she said my name. It was me she called out for and I held her tightly.
It was all I could do to hold her and not wake her and claim her. But I controlled myself. I had the inner strength but only barely.
When she woke in the morning she kissed me. Just a quick peck on the lips. Then she hopped out of bed and went into the bathroom. I heard a knock at the door and went to open it. "Bella has many packages downstairs." Gianna, the receptionist, informed me. I nodded and waited in the living room. I would let her get out of the shower and get dressed with no pressure. I was going to be a gentleman. Then I would take my shower and get dressed. After that, I would collect the boxes.
Better yet, I would call Jane and ask her to collect the boxes. I was curious what Alice had sent her. Three more wardrobes? I picked up the phone and dialed. Jane laughed at me and collected Renata and Chelsea to bring the boxes up with her. It would be an opportunity for Bella to meet two new friends.
Bella was drying off in the bathroom, I tried to control my thoughts and calm myself. I couldn't claim my mate right now. I had to be patient. She was far too innocent. She had no idea the control I was showing.
The knock on the door was expected. I jumped anyway. I opened the door to Jane, Renata, and Chelsea. They all carried in stacks of boxes taller than they were. I was shocked. It was more than I ever expected. How much time had Alice shopped for?
"Please, come in ladies." They carried in their piles and placed them gently on the floor.
Bella came out of the bathroom brushing her damp hair. She immediately came forward helping Jane when her tower of boxes started to tip.
"What is all this?"
"Alice went shopping for you I think," I explained. This was all delivered downstairs this morning or late last night.
"Wow," Bella said. "I think she went overboard."
"Princess I'm Renata, Aro's shield."
"And I'm Chelsea, an elite guard."
"Come on in girls" Bella invited. "It looks like I got several wardrobes delivered to me."
"Let's talk while Felix takes his shower then we can all see what's in this mountain," Bella suggested. I kissed her quickly and went to start my shower.
"So what do you all like to do for fun?" I heard Bella ask.
Demetri
We were about an hour and a half away from landing when suddenly Alec started using his gift. I watched as everyone fell into a state of unconsciousness.
"Why did you do this?"
"Rosalie and Edward are risks to Bella. Alice told me this was the best way to protect her. They both want to kill her. Edward plans on attempting to kill her today. Here, read the texts I've been sending to Felix because he is out of range of Edward's gift." He passed over his telephone and I started reading texts.
"I can't say I like how you went about planning this little escapade but the reasoning is sound," Demetri said, reading over the texts. "Keep them under until they are in the throne room. But next time we have to find a better way to communicate plans than starting them off and then catching me up. I am your superior. Game plans will be checked with me from now on regardless of the intelligence you get from Alice Cullen. Understood?"
"Loud and clear Dem, but I think this is the only time it would ever be necessary. If he goes for Bella today he'll be ash. If he doesn't then her intelligence was wrong and we'll know to be more cautious of any intelligence."
"You keep them under, I'll prepare for our landing. I need to make some phone calls."
After calling Felix, Aro, Marcus, Jane, and Alton I settled in, sure we had our plan together. I enjoyed the silence no longer feeling the pressure of transporting criminals for the moment. I put Bella's album page in my book as a bookmark and ordered Alec to release Jasper and Alice from his mist. I stood in front of Jasper. Jasper came out of the mist slowly but Alice came out of it quicker.
Alice sat quietly, smiling at me. "Major, Your new job starts now," I commanded. He looked around him and nodded sadly. "It's alright Jazz. I arranged this. Rose and Edward are planning on killing Bella. I can't allow that. She doesn't deserve to die for Edward's mistakes." Alice assured him.
"Alright, what's the plan?" Jasper asked.
We started planning urgently. I put Alton on speakerphone so he planned with us.
"Jazz, you have to decide now how far you are willing to go to protect Bella. Will you protect her from her own family? Because if not you aren't going to be very successful in the short term." I asked.
"I will," Jasper vowed and I knew that I had a new active member to our team.
Our landing was met by a minivan as well as the SUVs for the luggage. Alton's team climbed up the stairs and each person picked up a vampire the rest of the team started unloading the luggage. Everything was all moved in two minutes. The ones that were driving got in the SUV's the rest started running back to Volterra. We had done this before. It wasn't such an elaborate plan. I ran with Alice and Jasper while Alec rode along with the Cullens in the minivan.
I called Felix and informed him that we had landed and he got off the phone to put his plan in place It was an hour-long trip for the cars. We were all waiting in the garage for the first of the SUVs to arrive. We unloaded the luggage and I directed them where to take it as it came in. When they got back they Unloaded the vampires. Alec followed along behind the vampires and we headed up to the audience was already in position and Alec waited till everyone was in place before he removed his gift. He relocated to his usual position. Jasper and Alice were standing with the Cullens. They came to and stood up. Surrounded by the entire guard the Cullens stood there self consciously.
"We are here today to attend the judgment of the Cullen coven. "Aro said.
"We are here today to seek justice for the exposure of our world to Isabella Swan, Kyra Banks, and Tiffany Wilhelm. We also seek reparation for the countless times we have cleaned up after you when you relocated. We have heard our princess's testimony of how she met the Cullens and how she was introduced to the world of vampires. I will read them then we will hear their testimony of how they exposed the princess to our world.
Renata followed Aro clutching his robes tightly. He read Carlisle first, then Edward, Esme then Rosalie, Emmett then Jasper, and finally Alice.
In the same order, Aro took their testimony. The stories didn't match. Some said Bella learned from Edward. Others admitted the involvement of the local American Indian tribe. The testimony time lasted a long time. Aro came back to his throne and sat back down.
"In summary, Carlisle and Edward admit that they gave Bella details about vampires though she confronted them with what they are. What you don't know is that Carlisle has a treaty with a pack of shapeshifters in La Push, Washington. He's had this treaty for over eighty years. As Bella told us, she was informed that the 'cold ones' were in fact vampires with a list of our differences."
Carlisle hung his head.
"We will discuss potential solutions to this situation after the Cullens judgment was finished. Rosalie and Jasper initially offered to kill her to solve the exposure problem, but went along with Carlisle when he refused. While we commend them on their willingness we are now glad they didn't kill our princess. Any current attempts to kill our princess will result in the immediate termination of the vampire who made the attempt. Alice and eventually all but Rosalie did eventually befriend Isabella." Does anyone have any requests for the Cullen's verdict?
Bella stood immediately. "I have requested that you spare the Cullen's lives."
"Anything else?" Aro coached.
"I have also requested that Jasper be allowed to serve as my second guard if his punishment allows."
"We will Council "Aro declared.
"Daughter, join us," Marcus requested.
"I don't feel that I am impartial enough to be able to judge this case father," I heard Bella whisper.
"Just listen then daughter," Marcus directed. They counseled in earnest then quietly enough that we couldn't all hear. When they separated Bella didn't seem happy but she stayed silent and returned to sit on her throne.
"We will spare the Cullen's lives in this instance. Any future lawbreaking will result in immediate execution. Be warned."
Emmett Cullen, Rosalie Hale, Esme Cullen, Alice Cullen, and Jasper Hale You will serve on the guard in the position of our choosing for a period of no less than two hundred years. Jasper Hale the princess has requested that you be given the opportunity to be assigned as her guard for the terms of your service. Do you accept?"
"I do," Jasper said loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Then please take your position at Bella's shoulder."
"Alice Cullen you have been requested as an advisor to the Captain of our guard."
"I accept." Alice declared and came to stand at Demetri's shoulder.
The rest of you are assigned to Basic training while we sort out which positions that you will be assigned. They stayed in their positions.
"Edward Cullen this exposure was your doing. You made so many errors, so many mistakes. The exposure is your fault. You and your coven leader will both be jailed below for fifty years before you serve your two-hundred-year term of service. In two hundred and fifty years if you want to you may rejoin the vampire world at large but you may never rejoin the human world. Lead the prisoners away. They were out of the doorway before Carlisle started yelling "I have a question. I have a question."
"Very well, Carlisle you may return. What is your question?"Aro asked.
"Can we keep our animal blood diet?" Carlisle begged.
"Princess, what is your judgment?" Aro asked.
Bella stood She looked at Aro, then Marcus. Then she looked at Carlisle and Edward.
"I can not see a feasible way for Carlisle and Edward to keep the diet. As a valid option to killing they can drink donated blood."
"And the others, can they keep their diet?" Aro asked.
"They can hunt in the forest as long as it doesn't disturb their job duties or they can choose a human diet."
"Thank you," Jasper whispered but we all heard.
"Are there any other questions?"
Edward lunged at Bella and Felix had his arms around him before Jane could react.
"Execute him, he attempted to attack our Princess," Aro ordered and Bella watched while Felix tore him to shreds and burned the pieces.
Carlisle was escorted away and Alton came to collect the rest of the Cullens. He took them with him and directed them to the new recruit barracks.
"Thank you for accepting my offer, Jasper."
"It's an honor Princess," he said with a smile.
"Call me Bella, Jasper."
"Sure, Bella," Jasper agreed.
"Jasper meet Jane. She's my other guard."
I stopped paying attention to Bella and turned to greet Alice. "Welcome to the team, Alice."
"Thank you, Demetri, What do we do now?"
You take the first apartment on the left side on the fourth floor Bella and Felix can take you there. Jasper is on duty. You start combat practice at eight am tomorrow and then court at noon.
"Everyone, silence, Those of you not required to be here can now leave. Thank you for being here for the Cullen's judgment. We will take a five-minute recess before we discuss the Quiluetes. Most of the crowd left. The elite guard was almost all that was left when the room emptied."
In five minutes Aro stood again.
Aro
"Let's discuss the Quileute situation. Their teenagers revealed the secret once how do we stop that from happening again?"
"Have it be a secret between the Chiefs and the current wolf pack. Ask them to stop telling vampire stories around the tribe bonfires." Isabella suggested.
"We could erase them off of the earth."
"Surely if Carlisle could negotiate a treaty we can." Isabella countered.
"Let us council," Marcus said with a smile.
"Let us council." I agreed.
Bella approached and we all circled around. The discussion was heated. Eventually, Isabella won the argument. Wiping a tribe from existence wasn't practical after all.
We resumed our thrones.
"Isabella's first task in diplomacy after her change will be to negotiate a treaty with the Quiliutes." I proclaimed. "If Isabella fails we will take out the wolves, not the whole tribe."
The guard chuckled politely.
"You are all dismissed." I decreed.
Everyone stood. The room emptied quickly. Isabella ran to Felix and threw her arms around him.