A/N: Cameron goes on a date, but is still overwhelmed.
Chapter TextAro and I spend the entire afternoon there, quietly lying in the grass. I realize I haven't really felt at ease around him until now, until this very moment. It was strangely comforting, to have the king of vampires, my supposed mate, lying in the grass with me.
After what feels like eternity and too soon at the same time, he sits up.
"You haven't eaten yet." He says, and I open my eyes, the spell broken. For a moment, I freeze at the sight of him, my heart skipping a beat. His silky black hair is draped loosely over his shoulders and back, catching the light of the sun that's going down slowly. His skin is so pale he might've been dead, his red eyes focused on me. He's beautiful, everything about his face elegant and strong, and once again I wonder why I am his mate. They were all so much more than I was. It almost felt rude of me to be here.
"What are you thinking about?" He asks gently, and I'm grateful he doesn't try to look into my mind instead.
"That I would like to get some pasta. Do you think we can go to a restaurant?" I ask him casually, diverting my own attention. He clearly notices, judging by the way his eyebrows lift a little, but he doesn't say anything.
"Like a date?" He asks instead, eyes lighting up eagerly at his own words. I pause for a moment.
"Sure, like a date. I want to get to know you." I say with a smile. The smile he grants me could extinguish the moon.
He gets up and before I can, his hand is already supporting me by the elbow, easily dragging me up. Once again, I notice how he's careful to touch the fabric of the dress and not me.
"Do I need to change clothes?" I ask, suddenly feeling a little nervous.
"Of course not, you look perfect. Did you pick that out yesterday?" Aro asks, offering me his arm with a charming smile. I'm assuming he notices it's not one of the things he picked out. How detailed were his powers? Did he remember all those details about everyone? I take his arm and am startled by the strong feeling of his marble skin underneath his cloak. After all these years with vampires, you'd think I'd gotten used to things like this. Guess not.
"Sulpicia picked it for me." I answer, and he falls silent at that. Awkward.
"Ophelia, I wanted to apologize for yesterday. We all wanted to tell you as soon as possible, but we did not want to scare you." He says as he stops and turns to look at me. I look up at him in return, noticing how he's about a head taller than me. Marcus and Caius were even taller, I believe.
"I understand, Aro. It's overwhelming, but it would've been overwhelming at any time." I admit, giving him a tiny smile.
"We can take things slow, like you said." He says reassuringly, and then we continue our way through the gardens. Soon, we enter the castle again, only to leave it through the main gates. The two vampires that stand guard there don't say anything, but they remind me of my own.
"Is Felix here?" I ask him, looking around to see if I can spot him.
"No, only my guards are, but you won't see them. You're just as safe with them." Aro says, assuming I'm scared.
"That's good, he's probably very bored with me already." I admit, making him chuckle. It's a beautiful, rich, deep laugh, and I find myself wanting to make him laugh more.
"Felix has never been patient. It surprised me that he agreed to be your guard, if I'm being honest." Aro says after he stops laughing.
"Really? Why?" I ask, curious.
"Do correct me if I'm wrong, but you appear to be someone who likes everything to be calm and peaceful. Felix is… well, the opposite. I don't think you could have picked a more vampire-like vampire. It is like he was born for it." Aro explains as we walk through the streets of Volterra. It felt otherworldly to be here with him.
"Well, I quite like him. He makes me feel safe, and he tries to distract me from… well, everything." I say, avoiding saying 'you three' instead. Aro merely smiles at it.
"I know. It's why we approved of him as your guard." He says, and then we stop at a tiny, antique looking place. Warm light streams from the windows in front, beckoning you inside, and there are flowers everywhere. Inside, there are a few people, but not too many. I love it already, the warm atmosphere exactly what I had hoped for.
"Come, let's begin our date." Aro says cheekily, and in we go. He converses with the waiter in fluent Italian, which I must admit sounds so sexy, before leading me to a table at the back. It was set in a corner, away from the other people, romantic candles on the table. Aro even pulls back my chair, and I shiver when his hands briefly dart over my shoulders before he moves to his own chair opposite me. He sits down and his red eyes meet mine, immediately focused. It's like he's always focused on me, but at the same time I seem to become more and more aware of his presence, the more time we spend together. What I immensely appreciate is that he waits for me to find the right words, just watching me in the meantime.
"Could-Could you explain the… the mate thing a bit more?" I ask him hesitantly.
"Of course, don't be afraid to ask." Aro says reassuringly, smiling warmly. He was so… different from Marcus and Caius, they all were so different. It was strange to me that I would be mated to all of them. What did they have in common?
"I-Felix called me queen in the morning. Am I really… a queen now?" I ask him, finally deciding on that question first.
"Technically, yes. Though we rarely use that term, it is what our world will view you as." Aro says, eyes briefly darting away, and I notice the waiter approaching us now too. The waiter converses with Aro, and it's almost like they're friends. I wonder if this human knows who exactly he's laughing with so casually. I had always known that Vladimir and Stefan were vampires, they'd been honest about it from the beginning. It was weird to know that so many people had interactions with vampires yet didn't know or realize.
"Is there anything in particular you'd like for dinner? Or do you want me to choose something?" Aro asks me, turning his attention back to me.
"I-You can choose. I assume that you already know what I like." I say, and the confident smile he gives me affirms that. He orders something and the waiter flashes me a polite smile before disappearing once more.
"Does he know?" I ask Aro once he's out of sight, redirecting my eyes on him.
"The owner knows… something. They have special drinks for our people." Aro admits, and I pull a face at the realisation. He means blood.
"My apologies, I did not realize it would upset you." Aro quickly says, noticing my discomfort.
"It's fine, really. You seem to forget that I've lived with two vampires." I say jokingly, chuckling as he smiles.
"Sometimes, I do forget. It seems like you have quite the bond with the Romanians." Aro says, and for a moment I'm afraid that's something he's not happy about. But when I look up at him, there's a content smile on his face as he says: "Tell me more about you living with them."
I'm a little surprised by this, considering Vlad and Stefan aren't too positive about the Volturi either, but then I relax. Considering I'm now mate to the three and best friends with the other two, I'm guessing they wouldn't be flying at each other's throats anytime soon. Before I can talk, however, the waiter returns with two glasses of what seems to be red wine. When he goes out of his way to give me the right glass, despite me being on the left side of the table for him, I realize Aro's really isn't wine. I thank him and Aro does the same in his language before redirecting our attention to each other. He offers his glass to clink glasses, all the while looking me into my eyes. I can't help but blush when he slowly takes a sip of his drink, seeming to savour it. I take a quick sip of my own, relieved that it definitely tastes like wine.
"Don't you already know from my memories?" I ask him, frowning a bit as I realize everything he must've seen. It was weird, to talk to someone who knew everything about you, yet you didn't know the first thing about them.
"I prefer to hear it from you. Even if I've seen your memories, it's still from my perspective." He says, taking another sip from his drink. The red stains his lips a bit, which makes it hard for me to focus.
"I-I used to live alone with my… father. He was… abusive." I bring out after a long silence, the words really difficult for me to find. I'd only ever told a few people, and for some reason, telling him made it more… real.
"I'm sorry, cara mia." He says gently, and when he reaches for my hand, I take his. He squeezes softly, and it gives me the strength to continue, as I push back my tears.
"One day, a woman came by our house. I didn't see her enter, not until I heard my father scream."
Aro remains silent, his red eyes focused on me, hanging onto my every word. I realize he must be seeing that memory at the same time, for I was thinking about it.
"She had eyes almost as red as yours, except that they were so, so bright. She stood there, in my living room, covered in my father's blood, with him lying at her feet, dead. I almost couldn't believe it. The monster that had seemed so invincible to me, now was so… weak. It made me angry." I admit, taking a deep breath. He squeezes again, and I force myself to continue, blinking away the horrific image of the redhead.
"She was very kind to me. I wasn't afraid of her either, for I had dreamt of you three, and you looked alike. She took me to Vladimir and Stefan. I've lived with them ever since." At the end, I feel terribly cold, but also somewhat relieved.
"Do you know why she took you there?" Aro asks, sounding genuinely curious.
"I was meant to be a sacrifice. She felt that she was doing me a favour, by ending my miserable existence." I state. Aro growls lowly at that, eyes darkening. But as soon as he realizes he's scaring me, he forces himself to stop.
"I'm sorry." Aro mutters, and I smile sadly.
"I don't know why, but Stefan and Vladimir saw something in me. Maybe they thought I was too young, or they hadn't decided yet. But we became friends, and in a way, that woman did save me." I conclude, right as the waiter arrives with a plate of steaming, delicious-smelling food.
"Thank you for telling me, Ophelia. I can promise you that you will never have to hurt like that, ever again. You're safe here." Aro says earnestly, and when he lets go of my hand, his eyes give me a look that say it's a promise, not just words. I believe him.
"Now, enjoy your food. I did not mean to upset you on our date." He says with a charming smile, and away go all my worries. I turn to my food, and with every bite I take, my mood lightens.
By the time we leave the restaurant, we're both laughing, and I'm holding his arm, more at ease than before.
"The food was delicious!" I say happily as we walk back to the castle, the city already pretty empty.
"I'm glad you liked it, cara mia." Aro answers with a smile. Far too soon, we reach the castle's gates. As soon as we step inside, the other two are there, standing in the foyer.
"Where have you guys been?" Caius demands angrily, though I now notice how his face softens slightly at the sight of me.
"Did you have fun?" Marcus asks, sweet as always, with a smile.
"We went to a restaurant. I had a lot of fun." I say to both of them, before I look back up at Aro with a smile. He's already looking down at me with a soft look, which nearly makes my heart skip a beat. Would they hear it if it did?
"That's good to hear, darling." Marcus says, and before I realize it, Caius takes me from Aro, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I can feel myself turn red at it, but don't protest, although I look back over my shoulder to see Marcus and Aro, both looking a bit annoyed but amused at the same time.
"I'll steal you back tomorrow, darling." Marcus calls out with a smile, and I nod before being swooped around a corner by Caius.
"How was your day?" I ask him after a moment, looking up to find him with a scowl on his face.
"Boring, annoying, horrible." He brings out, sounding annoyed.
"Sounds like fun." I say carefully.
"It wasn't. I have to spend my entire day listening to whining vampires, only to find out Aro has been wooing you the entire time! It's outrageous!" He huffs, and I can't help but smile at it. Poor Caius. I had the feeling that things had gotten better between us since the gardens and his surprise, but I also hadn't really had the time to talk to him since then, not alone.
"Do you want to do something with me?" I ask him then, and he halts to look down at me, eyebrow raised.
"What do you suggest?" He asks, and I'm positive it's not what he has in mind.
"Let's watch a movie together." I offer. He groans.
"Fine."
Caius seems to like the movie more than I do. Apparently, they had a movie theatre of their own, but Caius told me no one ever uses it apart from some human staff. There was a huge screen at the front, and comfortable chairs and couches were scattered across the room, all in different sizes and shapes. It was really cosy if you asked me, the red velvet walls really giving that cinematic feel. Currently, he's enjoying Die Hard, though he's quick to pull a straight face when he notices me looking at him. I'm curled up with him on a couch, as I lean my head on the arm rest, my legs draped over his lap. He didn't complain about it either, and the hold his hand has on my lower leg is firm, cooling me down slightly though my cheeks are on fire the entire time. I realize that a movie was perfect for him, since it allowed him to just stay silent, which he seemed to prefer. And to be honest, I was enjoying it as well. It was nice to just spend time with him, without having to worry about what to say or what to do. It was nice to be quiet together.
By the time the movie ends, I'm only half-awake, my eyes occasionally closing on their own accord. Right then, a knock sounds on the doors, and there is Jane.
"Master Caius, your presence is requested in the throne room." Jane says formally, clasping her hands behind her back.
"Who requests it?" Caius asks, sounding annoyed by the disturbance.
"Master Aro and Master Marcus. You missed the previous 2 meetings, but they insisted to retrieve you for this one." Jane explains. Caius sighs at it, but when I give him an expectant look, he gets up, while being careful to put my legs back on the couch.
"Fine. Jane, keep my mate company." Caius orders, and I'm even more surprised when he takes my hand and gives it a short squeeze before leaving.
Jane doesn't seem happy at all with her current task.
"If you want, you can just call for Felix. He would probably mind babysitting me less." I offer, flashing her a kind smile before getting up to pick another movie. They had hundreds of DVD's, and I'd also seen they had Netflix and Disney+, including every other channel and service on earth.
"I do not disobey Master Caius." The twin speaks up, remaining by the door. "Though I really wish I did right now." She adds in a mutter. She seems horrified when I laugh at that, so I assume she thought I couldn't hear her from where she was.
"Don't worry about him, sit. Please." I add the last part when she remains stiff as she walks across the room, but she does sit in another plush chair.
"What movies do you like to watch?" I ask her, eyeing the movies without a real idea on which to pick.
"None." Jane says with a bored look, her red eyes meeting mine. Her hair's tied back into a neat bun, her pale skin catching the light of the TV screen. She seems so young and so old at the same time.
"Fine, I'll pick one." I say cheerfully, deciding not to let her cold attitude get to me. I'd win her over.
"So, what do you think?" I ask Jane once the movie's over. She remained deadly silent the entire time, but I'd seen her lips twist upwards evilly occasionally.
"It was alright. I liked the clown most." She says hesitantly, red eyes meeting mine with a little less coldness this time. Of course, go figures.
"What?! You like IT! That's messed up, Jane!" Felix exclaims, barging into the room. I yelp in fright and before I realize what's going on, Jane's grabbed me and shoved me behind her. Right now, she's standing protectively in front of me, and Felix is writhing on the floor in pain.
"Jane, it's just Felix." I speak up carefully.
"Felix should learn some manners." Jane hisses, before stopping her powers. Felix coughs, but slowly gets up, and soon he's grinning again.
"Jeez Jane, why don't you relax? I'm Ophelia's personal guard." Felix says, plopping down on a couch. I sit down next to him, calm now.
"Oh really? I barely see you around her." She sneers, crossing her arms over her chest.
"What are you saying, huh?" Felix argues, raising an eyebrow at her.
"I believe Jane thinks she'd do a better job at protecting me." I suggest, highly amused.
"That's ridiculous." Felix scoffs, but Jane smirks.
"Of course I would. I have much stronger powers."
Felix is fuming at that. Next thing I know, they're up in each other's faces, insulting the other's powers and strength. Quietly, I sneak out of the room. So far for protecting me, huh?
My mind wanders to Aro, Marcus and Caius, and I decide on trying to find the throne room. Perhaps they had already finished their meetings, and then we could… do what? I stop for a moment, eerily aware of how easy I was taking this all in.
I was letting my guard down.
'You're pathetic, weak. No one could ever love you!' An all too familiar voice sneers in my head, and I force myself to continue walking.
'Do you honestly believe anyone could love you?'
I had. For a split second, I had forgotten that I was just a human, and that they were vampire kings. Vampires eat humans. They don't love them!
"The Volturi are heartless, Princess. They don't care about you. Why would they?" A darker, more wicked version of Vladimir whispers in my head, the dark thoughts quickly overtaking my common sense. When darkness takes over my vision, I barely have the time to sit down in a hidden corner, behind a statue, before blacking out.
