Soul Colored Crimson

C9: Meeting the Queens

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters

A/N: I know this is a day late, but unfortunately I was without internet yesterday and therefor couldn't upload. I do want to thank everyone who was taken the time to read and review this. It does me good to see this is so well received.

Esme's POV

When we got to the massive double doors that led into the Throne Room, Jane and Alec were waiting for us. "Welcome home Esme. It's been too long." Alec said with a grin.

"Thank you Alec. It's good to be back home. How have your guests been behaving?" I asked with a soft smile.

The twins smirked at that. "As one might expect to be honest. Carlisle is pissed that he isn't being given any answers and Edward is just a whiny child who throws a tantrum when he doesn't get his way."

"Nothing new there then. Are the Queens ready to receive us?" I asked kindly.

They nodded and pushed the doors open, revealing the sight I had missed a lot in my centuries away from Volterra. The Queens were standing in front of their thrones, with Sulpicia and Didyme having kind smiles on their faces while Athenodora had her usual impassive scowl. Most of the Guard was also present and smiled at me when we walked in.

"Esme darling, it's so good to see you again. It has been too long." Sulpicia said as she came up to hug me.

I smiled at her. "It has my Queen, and I think after everything has been dealt with we can come up with something that will allow more frequent visits. My newfound daughter is very excited to get to know everyone."

Sulpicia smiled at that. "Yes, your daughter, tell me everything, dear."

I smiled and stepped back next to Bella and Victoria. "If it is okay with you, my Queen, Bella would like the opportunity to tell you everything in her own words."

Sulpicia smiled at me. "Of course, come forward young one, and I hope you will forgive me for being forward, but something Edward and Carlisle said intrigued me. I heard about your ability to block his gift, and since mine is similar to his, I was wondering if you would be able to block my gift as well."

Bella smiled and stepped forward. "I don't mind. I feel like I can trust you." She said as she offered her hand to Sulpicia.

Sulpicia smiled and took Bella's offered hand. "Interesting. It seems I can see your memories. This is something we will need to investigate further if that's okay with you Bella."

"I don't mind. I'm actually very curious to find out myself." Bella said with a soft smile.

Sulpicia smiled at her, and motioned for Didyme to join her. "Before we will let you tell your story, we have a gift for you, and for Esme too. I know Esme has told you about the bond she believes you two share, and Didyme can tell you exactly what the bond is you share with Esme."

I smiled as I rested a hand on Bella's shoulder as Didyme focused on her. "This is very interesting to say the very least. Not only do you share a powerful maternal bond with Esme, and I can also see that you share very strong sibling bonds with the rest of your family, but as strong as these bonds are, they pale next to the strength of your mate bond with Victoria. It's a privilege to be witness to this. Thank you." Didyme said kindly.

Bella smiled brightly at that before giving me a hug. "While I knew it in my heart, it's great to have confirmation."

"It sure is sweetheart. But you know that even if we didn't share this bond, you would still be my daughter, nothing would ever change that." I said with a loving smile.

Bella smiled and pressed a kiss to my cheek before turning back to the Queens. "I suppose it is time for me to tell my story now. It all started when my birth mother sent me back to Forks to live with my father because she wanted to travel with her new husband. I never really had a good relationship with either of my parents, mostly because they're both very homophobic, so when I came out as a lesbian when I was fifteen, I was pretty much the black sheep of the family.

I met Edward on my first day and from the first moment I saw him I knew something was off about him, so to speak. Being the inquisitive person I am I started doing research when he started hanging around me and eventually deemed me worthy to meet his siblings, and I hit it off with most of them right off the bat. I remembered the legends the local natives always told around the campfire when I was younger, the legend of the Cold Ones, and everything I remembered of that story fit how Edward was acting, and when I confronted him, he didn't deny any of it, actually taking me into the mountains to show me his sparkles.

When I met Esme a couple of days after that the connection I felt to her was almost instantaneous, and over the course of the months she told me what lies Edward and Carlisle were feeding me, and everything Alice, Rosalie and Emmett told me only served to make me believe her even more, not that I would ever doubt my mother of course. It all came to a head when Alice had begged me to referee a baseball game for them, and while I spent most of the time in Esme's arms, Edward glared at me every chance he got, as if he was affronted by the fact that his personal heroine baggie was relaxed against his mother.

That game was interrupted by James, Laurent and Victoria, and the only way I can accurately describe seeing her for the first time is that I finally felt complete. When James tried to lunge at me she very decisively ended his life, stating that no one would touch me but her, which I will admit I found sexy coming from her, which is odd since I've always had a bit of an issue with people pressing claims on me in that way. Of course Edward flew into a rage upon hearing that and tried to attack her, but Carlisle was surprisingly quick to remove him from the field. About three months ago he broke up with me and told me that they were leaving, but everyone besides him and Carlisle had long ago assured me that they would never leave me."

Sulpicia smiled at her. "Thank you for telling your story Bella. I can understand it couldn't have been easy to tell that in front of so many strangers, but may I ask what you meant when you said that you were his personal heroine baggie?"

"That's what he told me when he met me. That I was his personal brand of heroine." Bella said softly.

Sulpicia only nodded as she shared a look with both Athenodora and Didyme before turning her eyes on me. "I admire you very much for keeping your composure like you have over the last centuries Esme. I had no idea how deep their transgressions ran, and I am very happy that you've found your daughter in Bella."

I smiled at her. "Thank you my Queen, I will immediately admit that it wasn't the easiest of times, but the eventual pay off has been more than worth it. I couldn't imagine my life without any of my children anymore."

Sulpicia only smiled at us as she took my hand, seeing everything Bella had told her from my perspective, at least the parts I had been present for.

Bella's POV

I'm not going to lie, retelling everything was hard, but seeing the kind look on the Queen's face told me more than enough. She believed me and was ready to tear Edward a new asshole over this.

I watched as she looked into everyone's memories, except for Alice which I knew about already.

That did not stop Alice from telling everything that she had seen happen, validating my story even more.

"Sulpicia, you are blatantly ignoring something very important, and if you will not ask Bella, I will. How did these natives know about us to have a legend associated with us?" The blonde Queen asked me sternly.

I swallowed a little as Victoria pulled me against her front. "The natives are werewolves. I've seen one of them change when he got angry."

"Esme, are these shifters or actual Children of the Moon?" She asked almost angrily.

Esme merely smiled kindly at her. "These are shifters my Queen. I have mentioned them several times in my reports. Carlisle had a treaty with them if we refrained from drinking human blood, they would allow us to live there, which is of course something I warned him about, and of course he did not listen to."

Athenodora nodded at that. "I'm sorry if I came across too strong, Bella. I have a bit of unpleasant history with Children of the Moon, the actual werewolves. They have been a threat to our kind for many centuries."

"I understand, my Queen. I was merely surprised." I said honestly.

She smiled kindly at me. "That is to be expected. Just know unless there is a reason, I will never raise my voice to you."

"Then I will try to never give you that reason, my Queen." I said respectfully.

Queen Athenodora smiled at me as Sulpicia gathered our attention again. "I have seen everything I need to see. I will leave it up to you all how we will proceed."

Esme nodded at that. "We'll leave it up to Bella. She was hurt the most by Edward and Carlisle."

"If it's all the same, I would rather have it over and done with. Could I ask for permission to say a few words to Edward?" I said with a soft smile.

Sulpicia nodded and smiled. "Of course Bella. You may say anything you want to him. From what I've heard and seen, you are owed the most vengeance against him."

I nodded at that as she sent Jane to go and fetch them from the dungeons, which I will admit gave me a dark sense of pleasure.

Victoria seemed to notice as she pressed a kiss to my cheek. "You did very well love. I can't say how proud I am of you."

"Thank you baby. I'm more surprised you didn't get the same interrogation." I said softly.

She smiled at that. "That's because she saw everything relevant in my memories. I think they knew it would be cathartic for you to get it all out."

I smiled and kissed her softly. "Well, I suppose it has. I can't wait to say my two cents to him."

Victoria smiled at that as Jane came back with two vampires who were easily as big as Emmett who were literally dragging a very disheveled Carlisle and Edward behind them. "My Queens, the prisoners as requested." Jane said kindly.

Sulpicia smiled at that as we took a spot on the side while they were dragged to the center of the room, and the scathing look he shot me while I was lounging in Victoria's arms was very satisfying as we just gave him a smirk in return.

"Carlisle, I thought what I saw in your memories would be the end of your betrayal, but today I was made aware of something so vile I thought even you could stoop that low. You have actually colluded with our enemies in the shifters." Sulpicia said before turning to Edward. "And you, you are probably worse. I once saw great potential in you, but I have seen that you cannot be redeemed. You will both be executed for breaking our most sacred of laws. Trying to intervene with a mating bond. Do you have anything to say for yourselves?"

Carlisle glared at her. "We didn't intervene in anything. Two women together is unnatural. It is an abomination and should never happen."

"Brave last words indeed, but perhaps you have forgotten who you are talking to, and neither me nor my mates will forget that slight, as short as it may be. Jane could you keep Edward in check while Demetri and Santiago end our dear old friend?"

Jane smirked viciously at that. "Of course, my Queen. It would be my pleasure." She said as she glared at Edward who fell to the floor in apparent pain.

The two mountains of vampires then proceeded to dismember Carlisle, and I was thankful that Victoria had the foresight to cover my ears, to which I gave her a loving smile.

She flashed me a wink in return as we watched as Carlisle was pulled apart and tossed into a nearby brazier, all the while Edward glared at everyone, although mostly at me.

Once Carlisle's head was tossed into the brazier, Jane released Edward from her gift, only for him to be immediately seized by Demetri and Santiago.

"Bella, I believe you wanted to say a few words to our soon to be departed mind reader?" Sulpicia asked with a soft smile.

I nodded and gave Victoria's hand a loving squeeze as Sulpicia motioned for me to come closer. "I would, my Queen. Thank you for this opportunity." I said before turning to Edward.

"Do make it quick Bella. I'm sure no one is interested in anything you have to say. I would want my last words to be something meaningful." Edward said with his usual glare.

I couldn't help but smirk at that, channeling a bit of my mate in the process. "You see Edward, that's where you are wrong. Always thinking you can dictate my life, but you haven't broken me, you cannot control me and I certainly am not your personal brand of heroine. I have found my mate and she is the only one that is worthy of me. I would say I am going to miss you, but we know that would be a lie, and unlike you, I never lie."

He only rolled his eyes as I walked back to Victoria, who wrapped an arm around me as Sulpicia walked up to Edward. "I rarely do this, but your blatant disrespect will not be tolerated. I will execute you myself, you should feel honored." She said with a growl as she proceeded to rip his head off with a swift move.

Demetri and Santiago then proceeded to rip apart the rest of his body, with Sulpicia handing the head to Esme. "The honor to permanently end him is yours my dear Esme. End the Cullen Coven."

Esme nodded and dropped his head into a brazier. "The Cullen Coven has always been only two members, and both of them died today. We have already settled on a new name, my Queen."

Sulpicia smiled at that. "Well don't leave us in suspense, Esme. What name have you chosen?"

"We have chosen to go by the last name of Felice." Esme said with a soft smile.

Sulpicia smiled at her. "It's good to hear you say your own last name again. It fits you all wonderfully."

We all smiled at that as Sulpicia dismissed us so that I could get some lunch, probably having heard my stomach growl incessantly over the last hour.

Victoria's POV

After Bella had her lunch I made my way back to the Throne Room while Esme took Bella to the archives. Bella had wanted to come with me but for the first meeting I would have with my sister in over four hundred years it would be best if I talked to her alone, which she understood. We would have plenty of time for her to get to know my sister after all.

Anne was waiting for me as I rounded the last corner. "Sister, shall we talk in private?" She asked softly.

I nodded and followed her to an empty office and the moment I closed the door she pulled me into her arms. "I'm so happy to see you Victoria. It's been too long. I've spent so many centuries looking for you. What happened?"

I smiled and relaxed in her arms, feeling that unmistakable feeling of safety I had so sorely missed. "A lot has happened Anne. Let's take a seat while we talk. I've become somewhat accustomed to sitting down while having serious conversations since meeting my mate." I said with a soft smile.

She nodded at that as we took a seat on one of the couches. "So, tell me sister, what happened to you?" Anne asked softly.

"So much has happened sister. I spent two centuries just wandering without anyone until I encountered a tracker by the name of James. He took an interest in me and for the first time in two centuries I didn't feel so alone. We engaged in a cat and mouse game that lasted many decades, my gift of enhanced survivability sensing his approach so I could escape, and in hindsight I should have paid more attention to those feelings. James was a manipulative, controlling and abusive bastard, and once we tired of our game of chase I decided I just didn't want to be alone anymore, but I should have listened to my instincts because when I joined him he started abusing me, making me into what he wanted me to be, and the worst part is that I let him, for an entire fucking century I let him use me. I feel so stupid."

Anne gathered me into her arms. "I'm so sorry Vic. I wish that I had gone with you on that day. At least we would've had each other, but why did you change yourself for that bastard? I've never known you to be submissive to anyone."

"Like I said, I was afraid to be alone forever, and in the end I still got the last laugh, several times over in fact, because I realized I had enough when I saw my Bella in that field for the first time, and the moment he tried to lunge at her because of Edward pulling her back I took his head off, ending something I should have ended decades ago, but I've come to believe in fate ever since I became a part of Esme's family. Things happen for a reason, and no matter how many decades I've beaten myself up over what I let happen to me, it helped me grow as a person. But what about you, what happened to you after you and Heidi joined the Volturi?" I asked softly.

She smiled at me. "Once we arrived at the Castle, Esme was the one to welcome us. It was a whirlwind of happenings at once in the first five years alone. The Kings, along with anyone who supported them were executed because they had betrayed the Queens one too many times, and it was only Carlisle who escaped that culling, no pun intended. I also met my mate and have been by her side ever since. I'll admit that it took a bit of getting used to, feeling so much for someone so instantly, especially since my Jane is a bit unstable and sadistic at times, except when we're in private of course, but I am sure you are exactly the same in that."

I smiled and nodded. "I would like to believe so. You know I've always been a free spirit, but having heard what Bella has gone through, there are many days I just want to sit down and cuddle with her while watching a movie or something."

"Yes, I heard, and I am not going to lie sister, you two really seem made for each other, having gone through similar things. And you two look really cute together too." Anne said with a soft smile.

I laughed lightly at that. "You know, you're not the first one to say that, and Bella is rather adorable, especially in the mornings before she's had her coffee and her breakfast, her glares at inanimate objects are extremely adorable."

"I can't wait to meet her, because you are going to let your big sister meet the love of your life, right?" She asked with a smile.

I nodded and smiled at her. "Of course, it's just been more than four hundred years since I've seen you and I just wanted to catch up with you for a bit, and I am sure there are tons of questions you want to ask me too. Perhaps later we can meet each other's mates properly."

She nodded and smiled at that. "Let's do that, I've really missed you and I told Jane that we might be a while, and surprisingly she understood, since she is really possessive of me."

"From what Esme told me, I am not surprised. She and her brother were turned very young weren't they?" I asked softly.

She nodded at that. "Too young if you ask me. They were only thirteen when they were turned by Aro in the hopes he could use them to get rid of the Queens, but they hadn't accounted for the fact that Jane is Sulpicia's bond daughter and thus could never go against her mother, and Alec is forever loyal to his sister, which honestly has worked in my favor a lot. He especially likes the fact that Jane will put anyone who stares at me too long under her gift. The only exception to that being Heidi."

"I was wondering about her. Where is she?" I asked softly.

"Heidi is on a recruiting mission. We are in need of a few additional secretaries to relieve Gianna a little. We usually do this in the summer when the tourists flock to town. She should be back in a couple of days." Anne said with a smile.

I only smiled at her as we talked for most of the afternoon about all the things we had missed in each other's lives over the past four centuries.

Bella's POV

By the time I was back in our bedroom, it was well after dinner and I was well and truly knackered from the day I've had, although I will admit that it was mostly because of Mom, who had taken great pleasure in showing me the massive Archives containing most of the Volturi's history. I could see that she was more than happy to show me everything I wanted to see and answered every question I asked her, which I will admit were quite numerous.

Right now I was waiting for Victoria though, who was still talking to her sister, which given the time they had been apart I fully understood.

It also wasn't like I didn't have anything to occupy me, because when Queen Didyme learned of my love of books and literature, she basically commanded Esme to take me to the library and let me pick out any book I wanted.

Esme had only smiled and took me there after dinner, and not for the first time today I was in awe at the sheer size of the library. I always thought that a library like the one in Beauty and the Beast couldn't be real, but this one came pretty damn close. Every spot where books could be placed in or upon, save the floor and obviously the ceiling were filled with rows upon rows of bookshelves, every single one filled to capacity with books. It even had multiple floors, connected by ornate winding steel staircases and walkways that seemed to go on forever.

The book I had chosen was clearly very old, but painstakingly taken care of. It was so old in fact that it didn't even have a proper title, but from what I've read it was a romance novel, and like usually happened when I started reading, I had quickly lost myself in the world it portrayed.

Only when the door opened I was pulled from my little cocoon of words, seeing a smiling Victoria walking in. "Hey love. Did you have fun with your sister?" I asked with a smile as I put the book on the nightstand.

She nodded and crawled onto the bed with me. "I did, we kind of lost track of time talking about everything that happened over the last four centuries. Did you have fun with mother?"

I nodded and smiled at her. "Yes, she was very indulgent with my million and one questions and my wanting to see the Archives, and apparently Queen Didyme already considers me her favorite because of my love of fine literature. She basically ordered Mom to show me the library, which of course Mom did not have any issue in showing me."

She smiled and kissed me before getting naked and crawling under the covers with me. "I had a feeling that would happen, and I think that love of literature will go a long way with my sister too. She really wants to meet you, and possibly interrogate you a little. She stated that's a big sister's job."

I laughed lightly at that. "I figured as much, since Rose told me she did the same to you when we got together. I still want to know how that went by the way, given how you two are with each other."

"Rosalie is a possessive sister Bella, and she brought a full scale interrogation when she questioned me about my intentions towards you, and I told her exactly what they were. That I would always love you and take care of you as much as you would allow me to, since you are such an independent young woman, not to mention stubborn at times." She said with a loving smile.

I smiled and cuddled up to her. "I have to be a bit stubborn to ground your free spirited nature a little."

"Funny you should say that, because my sister said basically the same thing, and I tend to agree with her on that and I certainly don't mind being grounded by you, I actually rather enjoy it." She said with that usual sultry tone of voice she used when she was horny.

"Oh I know you do, and while I would love to get naughty with you tonight, I'm absolutely exhausted from today. This Castle is not made for mortal feet." I said softly.

She pouted a little but smiled as she pulled me against her. "Okay, I understand, just don't be surprised if you wake up tomorrow morning with me between your thighs."

"Like I would ever object to mind-blowing morning sex, and I could use the clear head if I am going to meet your sister tomorrow, so that's a definite bonus." I said as I started getting comfortable against her.

She only smiled and pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head as she wrapped an arm around my waist as I fell asleep nuzzled between her generous bosom.