AN: So, I've come to realize that it's been quite a while since I've last updated and I do apologize guys. ^-^" work and school has been quite busy, but I did want to get one last chapter in for the year. just to give a quick heads up, there are brief mentions to a book/movie of a good author, and acknowledge that those works do not belong to me. however I couldn't bring myself to leave it out as it helps the story. I do feel a bit bad that I may be a bit out of character, but plan to enlist some help pretty soon from a very good friend if it keeps going in that direction. promise. ;) anyway, I thought id help give more insight in this chapter, but I think that's all I can say for now. Now, on with the show!
Serenity's POV:
My mind seemed to race as we exited the terminal, my eyes groggily scanning my surroundings as I took in the foreign sights and sounds. Cars roared past in the somewhat sunny weather, while others passed by as they rushed to their destinations. I looked over to Demetri and saw that both he and Jane still had on the heavy cloaks that they had donned before we landed, before he soon left for a rental center to get us a ride. Apparently, we still hadn't reached our destination and still had some ways to go left and in turn, which pretty much ended with Demetri leaving to grab a set of keys leaving me stuck with Jane until his eventual return. "I can't believe we're really here," I murmured with a yawn. Jane snorted softly, replying under her breath, "We have plenty of ways to go before we're finally home." I didn't know what to make of it, but I didn't feel like getting into it with her. I felt my eyes drifting close again when Demetri reappeared with keys in hand. I wanted to jump and dance for joy at his return, which kind of saved me from his terrible cousin, however the ride over had left little room to waste whatever energy I had left.
"Please tell me we're almost there. I don't know how much longer I'll last with this jetlag." I begged, fighting yet another yawn as I decided that I was going to stay up for the journey. Demetri chuckled as he brought me closer to him, his face peeking out slightly from under his hood. "you can sleep if you'd like, I honestly don't mind. I find your snoring to be quite charming actually," he replied with a smile. I began to cough, almost choking on the air I breathed as my cheeks flushed scarlet with embarrassment. "are you okay? Was it something I said…?" he asked, concern flooding his voice as he grabbed one of the water bottles from our carry-on, so that I could soothe my aching throat. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Jane grinning from ear to ear as I gasped to catch my breath, my hands reaching for the bottle as I brought it to my lips, greedily gulping down its contents. Once I was sure it was okay for me to speak, I shook my head. "no. there is nothing cute or charming about someone snoring, let alone mine. Not even remotely," I added in a somewhat raspy voice, slightly flustered and mortified at what he could have seen while I slept. Demetri chuckled again, shrugged his shoulders as he said 'okay,' and opened the door to one of the cars parked near outside.
Sometime later after driving through the country, we reach a small city nestled on a hillside where ancient sienna stone structures poked out from a sea of green. It was breathtaking, and left me wondering if it was real or if I had somehow fallen asleep and it was part of a dream. The closer that we arrived to it, the more that I noticed the sights and sounds of life. "it's beautiful," I sighed in awe as I looked towards a much higher peek, noticing another city above us that jutted out from the top, that was encircled by high stone walls. "I thought that we'd stretch our feet a bit before heading up to that peak over there," he announced pointing out the dash of the car to the city I was gazing at, as we then slowed to a stop at one of the villas in town. My feet graced the cobbled ground as Demetri then reached for my arm and looped it through his own. "allow me," he added as he guided me to the structure. I craned my neck to the side and looked to see if Jane would be joining us but noticed however, that she was gone. "where di-" I began as Demetri then explained, answering softly before I could finish, "she thought she'd wait for us at home. It has been a while since she's seen her brother, and she also wanted to make sure things were ready for when we got back." I nodded in understanding as my mind quietly drifted back to thoughts of my own sibling. I looked away as a stray tear cascaded down my cheek, my head shaking gently to and fro as I cleared my thoughts and focused on what was in front of me. Somehow, my journey seemed to be just beginning as I walked into a shop that seemed to carry me to another world.
Dresses of distinctive styles gazed back at me, their beads shimmering softly, glowing as gentle beams of light filtered down onto them. In one part of the little shop, there was a case filled with gems and stones that I had never seen before. Had I been much younger, I would have assumed that they were the same gems that the dwarves from Snow White had carried with them, back to their home. Ambling closer past the dresses, my eyes drifted to the case as I gazed at its contents within. I could hear a slight buzzing behind me as my eyes stayed transfixed to the box. Vexed by my lack of response, Demetri nudged me softly before adding with a chuckle, "it amazes me how often I seem to lose you to your thoughts. I do wonder where you usually go off to…" Out of habit, my hands swatted at him, his shoulders dodging as they placed him out of harm's way. "You really are something, you know that, right?" I grumbled. He shook his head before replying, "I have to be. How would anyone notice me if I weren't?" I sighed as I tugged on his arm. "Maybe I should go shopping for clothes another day. I don't think I have the strength to carry on anymore." I tacked on as I fought off a yawn.
Gently, his arms snaked themselves around my lower back and waist as he then lifted me up into a carrying position, and before my protests could reach his ears, he was out of the shop, with me cradled in his arms. With Jane no longer with us, Demetri placed me down in the front passenger seat, before leaning in to leave a soft kiss on my forehead. I grumbled softly, as he went back to the driver's seat, my thoughts going everywhere and nowhere at the same time. And yet to say the least, it felt like every kiss he gave me, shocked me in a million separate ways. I had a tough time concentrating as I wondered about what it would have been like, if we had both met each other under human circumstances, circumstance where vampires were well… only a myth. I sighed and blew my hair out of my face, my eyes wandering back to the landscape as we pulled up to a gate that was surrounded by high stone walls.
Reneesme's POV:
When I decided to take a plane ride with Alec to Europe, my thoughts had danced with adventure and leapt with excitement, but never did I expect to be staring down walls that were etched with beautiful murals. After we had landed and had a bit of lunch, he left to make a quick phone call. He didn't say too much about it before we had soon left from the small café, food nearly forgotten as we then made our way up a narrow path into a grand city. Before we had landed from our plane ride, Alec told me that the city that we were going to, had easily been around for over a millennium. Nothing could prepare me for the ancient monuments that stared back at me as he drove through a gated terrace, our car lazily pulling into a tight corridor of an ally. I raised my brow slightly before asking in wonder, "where are we?" Alec laughed quietly. "welcome to my home," he replied as he began adjusting his belt. He was out faster than I could say 'meep'. For some reason, I felt nervous as I edged myself out of the car, maybe it's claustrophobia I reasoned, but whatever it was had me questioning whether I had made the right choice.
It had been a good six hours since we had arrived here, and I was beginning to grow antsy. I didn't notice it at first, but as I waited, Alec would occasionally pop his head into the room and check on me. He'd ask if I needed anything, but I'd shake my head politely as I'd then go back to reading in my book. I had flipped another page and landed on page 199 as Claudia spoke to Louis about going away to Paris. I could hardly blame her as I thought of what it must have been like for her character, forever aging but stuck physically in a ten-year old girl's body. It had me thinking whether things would have been different had Luis and Lestat saved her mother or if it would have resulted the same for her mother as it did with Madeleine. My mind skipped a few chapters ahead as I thought about the Parisian coven and as I thought about them, I couldn't help but compare them to the Volturi. In Louis' tale, they came across as cold and ruthless and yet, they had demanded order through chaos…
"…could go take walk around the gardens?" Alec had asked softly, breaking me out of my thoughts. I shook my head slightly as I apologized to him, "I'm sorry? I must have not been paying attention Alec. I do hope you could forgive me," I added as I felt my cheeks warm. He chuckled as he came around the bedside, and softly pried the book from my hands before setting it aside on the elaborately carved nightstand. "It's alright. It happens when you read something interesting. I had asked 'if you wanted to come with me so that we could go take a walk around the gardens'. I know I haven't been the best of hosts since we've arrived, so I thought that I could make it up to you. They actually are quite lovely this time of night." He replied warmly as he took my hand into his. Somehow, I ended up letting him guide me through the dark halls, the cool draft making me shudder as I hedged closer to him for warmth.
Alec's POV:
It wasn't long after that I had returned that Aro had requested my presence, and as much as it pained me to leave Renesmee by herself, I knew that it had to have been done. As much as I loved being in her company, I had to put those other priorities first and think about what that meant for my sister and myself. Next to Chelsea, Aro has favored Jane and I to carry out multiple missions for him, and while they have left us in higher positions than other guard members over the years, it also places us in a precarious position that leaves no room for us to mess up. As I rounded the corner into the main hall, I felt a strange warmth wrap around me, reminding me that my work is important and that serving on the guard helps to keep the peace over others of our kind. I was almost pleased with myself, to let our leader know that our mission was almost complete and that there were other siblings that would be joining our ranks.
As usual, Caius seemed to be in deep conversation with Aro as Marcus sighed despondently, his thoughts probably elsewhere as Aro nodded calmly. Seeing me, his eyes lit up with delight as he muttered something in response to Caius' argument. "welcome back, my son. What news do you bring us on this joyous morning?" he prompted as he held out his hand, waiting ever patiently as I leaned my head forward as I reached out and bowed. 'She is here my lord. And I have received news from my sister, that the other one is on the way. Shall I prepare the other room for when our guests arrive?'
I heard him chuckle before he replied, "that would be an excellent idea. However, do not inform our other guest of our evening plans. Surprises do often make for good conversations at supper time." I nodded and waited for further instructions as Aro then looked away in thought. "my dear boy, after all this time away from the city, I would have thought that you had found yourself a mate by now. Has there been no such luck?" the chiding in his tone, not the least bit lost on me. It was my turn to confess as I sighed. "It is rather complicated my lord. Though I would much rather serve the guard and be close to home than lost and adrift." I could hear myself saying the words, but my thoughts slowly drifted back to Renesmee as I spoke them. For now, I had left her alone to occupy one of the guest rooms with nothing to reassure her of her safety. "quite the dilemma, isn't it?" Aro spoke as he took his hand from mine. I nodded, knowing he had to have seen something if not everything. "do not worry, she will be fine by the time that you are finished with your task. Although, I do recommend an evening out in the gardens. I do believe I recall Sulpicia once saying that they are 'quite lovely in the evening bloom.'" Following his recommendations, I left to go prepare the other room for Renesmee's sister.
Once I was done and was walking back down the corridor where I had left Renesmee, I felt a cloud of emotion sweep past me, images of a young vampire child filling my mind as she burned at the stake with another beautiful woman at her side. The girl had been doll-like with pretty ringlets of bronze hair pinned back with an emerald bow that matched the exact shade of her eyes, her care-taker dressed in the Parisian fashion of the late 1700's. There had been no other explanation for them to turn to ash, except for the large opening in the roof of the building that they occupied, the sun, harmlessly taking its position over the blue cloudless sky. It then dawned on me that this had been nothing more than the portrayal of two characters suffering their cruel fate in a modern book from the late 80's. As soon I had realized it, I projected my power in front of myself and poked my head into Renesmee's room. Spying said book in her hands, I shook my head in wonder, considering that her projecting the way she was, would cause a problem for others in the guard.
I tried knocking on the door, sighing, coughing softly, anything to get her attention so that I wouldn't startle her, yet her mind seemed wrapped up in her thoughts as she flipped to the next page. Finally, I gave up and figured the best way would be to put the book down. Following Aro's recommendation, I pitched the idea of the garden to her. She seemed happy, but also a bit reluctant as she eyed her book. I smiled then as I pulled her away, adding in, "promise you'll go with me, and next time, we'll go and see the ocean at sunset?" it seemed to do the trick as I lead her off down the halls.
AN: any thought so far? was definitely thinking that the book mentioned, plays a crucial role, but you guys are going to have to decide how. :p I can promise that there's more to come, so please check back. thanks guys! hope you all have a happy holiday, and happy new years!
