Shahrazád's Ghosts
Chapter 24: Peter (Edward) Part VIII
2416 A.D.
The moon was high in the sky by the time they made their way to the old shepherd's homestead, nearly two miles down the road from the main castle. It was a dilapidated building which had not been inhabited in at least a decade, but it was large enough to keep them all out of the cold spring night.
They parked the pickup truck behind the hut and did their best to get comfortable in the stone house. Esme had sent them with a mountain of blankets and Bell carefully laid these on the stone floor. Then she took the sleeping baby from Isabella and laid him to rest on her lap. She quietly cooed into his ear and brushed the red hair off his forehead before settling in to watch him sleep.
Isabella sat between her brothers. They opened up a basket of food, also sent by Esme, and began to eat. They did not speak, but the communicated with each other through the twins' gifts. Peter stood by the window where he could stand guard and keep watch across the moonlit moor.
All was silent, save for the distant sounds of frogs and crickets and the occasional hoot of an owl. Alice was sure that the Volturi would arrive within the hour and so Darling and Peter had not even bothered changing clothes or unpacking their luggage. Darling simply strode into the coven of unfamiliar vampires like a queen and told them all what they needed to do.
It's not that her instructions were unwelcome or unwise, but that it was just so Darling that Peter chuckled. Still, he knew her well enough to see the subtle lines of tension in her shoulders and the anxiety in her eyes. She may act unruffled and confident, but he did not think it went deeper than the dress she wore. If nothing else, the sudden arrival of the Volturi distracted her from her anger towards him and her hesitancy to engage with the former coven of her sire. He was grateful for that, though he did not look forward to her reaction when she discovered more about the gifts of this particular coven.
Peter, though, was fascinated. The minds and thoughts swirling around him were of a different tenor than he was used to. He watched in awe as visions flickered through the seer's mind in splashes of moving color and tastes of possible, tangible futures. He could read her own fears and attempts to orchestrate events according to her preferred visions of the future and these muddled with her memories of the past and experiences of the present. He did not have time to fully delve into her complicated mind before he was loaded into a pick-up truck and sent to stand watch and to listen.
He was glad to feel useful and he did much prefer to stay with the quasi-humans and Bell rather than face the Volturi scouting party. Peter would not have minded staying with Darling, but he knew she could handle herself and he felt he was more useful here in this crumbling old stone building. He was grateful to be close enough to be able to see and hear all through Michael, though Michael did not appreciate the intrusion.
Michael had fought tooth-and-nail to switch places with Peter. He felt absolutely gutted to have his mate and son separated from him and Peter was all-too conscious of the lingering jealousy Michael still kept hold of.
Why is it that I always deal with the Volturi while you get to stay with Bell? Michael groused in his mind and Peter could not disagree with him.
"What can you hear?" Isabella asked him, her brown eyes searching him anxiously. She was nearly bursting over in her curiosity, not only for what was currently happening, but about him, and about Darling. Questions flew through her mind faster than a hawk after a mouse and he watched as she tried to prioritize which questions to voice, which to save for later, and which were better left unspoken.
She looked so much like Bell had been, when she was still human. Now, Bell's eyes were red instead of brown and her skin was even paler than it had been. She moved with a greater strength and self-assuredness than she had ever possessed before, but she was still very much his Bell.
"Emmett is asking if Jasper found a catapult and Michael is still wishing he were here with you instead of me."
She laughed. "No signs of the Volturi yet?"
"Not yet. They are moving out to the field near the stream to wait for the helicopter to arrive."
"You know, if you let Kassim take your hand, the rest of us can watch what happens."
Peter shook his head. "I apologize, Isabella, Khalid, Kassim, but I cannot risk my memories being shared yet, not until my Lady grants me permission."
Her face fell and she internally fought back her own wish that it was Michael with them, instead of Peter, but she chastised herself for thinking it. Khalid and Kassim were more understanding… and patient. They had no qualms about waiting for a replay of events after they had occurred, but Isabella was nearly jumping out of her skin in her desire to know what was happening on the field.
"They are coming," Peter said, some time later. He could glean the disciplined, controlled thoughts of the four Volturi guards a few moments before they could first hear the whirring of the rotor blades.
The helicopter landed in the grassy valley about a half mile from the castle. The four grey cloaks swept out of the sides like an ocean wave during a storm and they broke upon the long grasses of the vibrant moor. The shade of their cloaks perfectly matched the grey of the spring night around them and all that could be seen was the pale glow of their faces in the moonlight. They glided over the moor with Demetri leading the way and not a smile or flicker of warmth registered over any of their faces.
Seven vampires stood in a defensive line, each mated pair standing tight together, and they waited. Darling stood alone, a few yards apart from the rest. She was no longer on the periphery, but she swept to the front and center of the gathered group to ensure she would be the first met by the approaching guard. If the grey of the Volturi cloaks was meant to hide their approach, Darling's white dress drew the attention of all directly to her.
When the guard reached her, they moved into a tight formation, and a thick silence settled between both parties. It was as if each side was a tower of blocks that any stray breath would topple and so no one dared to breathe. All four of the Volturi guard quickly assessed the faces and postures of their hosts, but then they turned to Demetri, deferring the role of leadership and spokesmen to him.
He took three steps towards Darling and then broke into a wide grin.
"Darling, I suppose I should say I am surprised to see you here, but with you, I always expect to be surprised."
Then, he opened up his arms wide. She considered him for a moment before letting the barest hint of a smile creep onto her face and she moved into his embrace. They kissed each other on both cheeks and greeted each other in Italian. Then Darling moved to each of the other guards and similarly greeted them. Felix's reception was unmistakably warmer and friendlier than the greetings she received from Jane and Jemma.
"You keep interesting company these days, Darling," Demetri said and he gestured to where the Cullens stood behind her.
"I have been told it is good to make new friends," Darling answered.
Demetri's mind filled with a distant memory of a time he had exhorted Darling with that exact same phrase and tried, in vain, to draw her into the society around Volterra.
"And sometimes even better to meet with old friends," Demetri answered, turning to Carlisle. "Carlisle, it has been long since you graced Volterra with your presence… a few centuries at least. I see you have developed a coven of your own… unless this is your new coven, Darling?"
"You are better acquainted with their leader than I. We were introduced a few hours ago, upon my arrival here."
Carlise stepped forward and gave the briefest of introductions of his family, though other than his alliance with his mate, he left out his relational connections to each of the others. While he normally would have introduced the rest of his family in greater depth and warmth, Darling had given him strict instructions to refrain from giving more information than was required.
Upon seeing Michael, Demetri gave a slightly reserved nod of his head in his direction.
"Michael, you left us quite suddenly. Tell me, have you found any good trees in Scotland?" he asked.
"I have found quite a number of fascinating wildflowers and a few impressive variations of oak," Michael answered. By the lack of warmth in his voice and the brevity of his reply, it was obvious that Michael was ill-at-ease with his former Volturi guards. Demetri shook his head and laughed, though there was a hard edge to it. Michael frowned as he remembered the taunts that Demetri, Felix, and others in Volterra had often given him over his interest in trees. By Demetri's thoughts, the tracker had no fondness for the telepath and was relieved to have him as far from Volterra as possible.
Darling, on the other hand, Demetri genuinely missed. He had a fondness and a fascination for the silent shield and had made it a personal mission to try to decipher as many of her mysteries as he could manage.
Darling swept to the center again, her white dress streaming behind her like a dragon's tail and the sleeves falling away from her arms as she opened them towards the guards. She was as different to them now as a deer is to a zebra, both in her manner, her effusion of words, and the way she carried herself. Demetri's mind filled with memories of her in Volterra, silent and nearly invisible, and he was intrigued.
"What has delayed you, Demetri? I expected you to answer my summons sooner than this… tell me, was my invitation not clear? How long did it take you before you could read my signature?"
Demetri chuckled. "Ah, Darling, I have missed our games! As much as I enjoy all the fruitless chases you have laid out for me, I am glad to have you welcome us yourself."
"Oh, for shame, Demetri. Volterra sends rats to sneak into my house through the sewer instead of sending guests who call upon my front door. What did you expect me to do?"
"I expected no less from you," he answered, with a respectful bob of his head. "I have not had such a challenge since the Hungarian coven vanished and I would be lying to say I did not enjoy the chase. This trail of bread crumbs was masterfully spread. Do I speak truth, Jemma?"
"You do," she answered in perfect seriousness, though Demetri had spoken like an actor on a stage and to intentionally remind Darling of Jemma's gift.
"Darling, while I am sure that Scotland is charming, you cannot honestly hope we will believe you have spent all this time living here?" he said. He thought of the miles of open moor and the few scattered deer and sheep and cattle that inhabited the grassy hills. He could not imagine a coven of this size could exist purely on animals, though their unnatural golden eyes spoke otherwise.
"Ah, but the weather is delightful," she answered, without a change of expression. "No, I have no reason for meeting you in Scotland other than how slow you were in answering my summons. I expected more from you, Demetri. I grew so bored in waiting for you in Neverland that I decided to call upon some new acquaintances here."
"I see. You wished to find companionship with other deer-drinkers. It is only natural for such aberrations to gather together."
"As I said, I sometimes wish to make new friends," she said, her smile tugging at her cheeks. "It will not be long before I return to my own home. I would be delighted to have you call upon me there, though, I hope I do not offend you by requesting the honor of your master's presence. It is not that I do not appreciate your company, after all, we have always been such friends, but I had rather hoped it would be your master who would answer. He must know that not a day has gone by where I have not thought of him since I departed Volterra. I had hoped, after all we shared together, that he would feel likewise."
"Well, I am a tracker and not a mind-reader. I am afraid you will have to rely on the skills of Michael to inform you of Aro's true thoughts, though no doubt he already has," Demetri said and none missed the hint of accusation in his voice.
"Yes. Michael has informed me of many things, haven't you, pet?"
Michael was dumbstruck. He opened and closed his mouth and his eyes darted around the gathered faces, hoping for some kind of inspiration or direction. He finally shrugged. "I guess. I don't know. What did I tell you?"
"I never knew so much about the Italian stone pine," Darling answered, with one eyebrow arched in Demetri's direction. "Its cones take longer to mature than any other pine, did you know that?"
"Ah, well, Darling, if you wished to know more of our flora and fauna, you should have returned to us in Volterra to study them yourself. We would have been more than happy to accommodate," Demetri said.
"And miss all the other people I could meet and places I could learn about? There is so much world out here, Demetri, and Volterra can feel so small and constricting. My ambitions outgrew my position and I wished to see more of the world. Surely you can understand that."
"Well, perhaps someday you may tell me all about it. I would like to know everything you've seen and learned and all the people you've gotten to know."
"I'm sure you would," she answered. "Come now, as much as I enjoy seeing you all again, let us not pretend this is a gathering of old friends. I have summoned you to give a message to your master."
Jane hissed under her breath and Jemma shifted her gaze from Demetri to Darling uncomfortably.
"What is it?" Demetri asked.
"Tell Aro it is time we finish playing our game of chess. He promised we would play again and I expect him to fulfill his promise."
"Chess? Why not come to Volterra and then you can play chess with Aro every day. I am sure he would be happy to accommodate you."
Darling laughed, but it was a grating, hollow sound, and not one of true humor. "Soon enough, I will come back to Volterra, but not yet. Tell your master that I expect him to meet me in my home, and not his. Surely, with all the guests he has tried to send to me, he would be more than happy to accept my invitation himself. He is to come to Neverland three weeks from today."
"Aro alone?"
"What manner of gathering would involve Aro alone? A terribly dull one. Tell him to bring company. Whoever he is pleased to have with him is most welcome. I would be terribly disappointed if you four do not attend. After all, it has been so many years since we were all together and I know how your coven enjoys invitations to social gatherings."
Demetri snorted and shook his head. "Ah, Darling, I have missed you. Truly. Tell me, where, precisely, is this Neverland?" By the way he lifted one eyebrow, he obviously doubted her willingness to relay her exact location and smelled a trap in every word.
"Do you have a pen?" she asked. Jemma removed one from beneath her cloak and warily handed it to Darling. Darling approached Demetri close enough to take his arm in hers. Then she removed the lid of the pen with her teeth and wrote a series of coordinates on the pale skin of his forearm. By the look she gave him and how close she stood to him, Peter bristled and jealousy sat uncomfortably in his chest.
"This is the exact location of my front door. I will be waiting. Do not disappoint me."
"This is foolishness," Jane interjected, her mind casting insults and accusations at the unmanageable shield. Her jealousy of Darling rivaled even Michael's of Peter and she had not fond wishes or memories for Darling. "She is here, now. Let us bring her with us to Volterra and Aro can speak with her there."
"Oh, Jane, you have missed me," Darling said. At Jane's snort, Darling grinned.
"Oh, I have!" Felix said and he winked. "Come home, Darling!"
"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Darling asked. She came closer to Felix and she trailed her fingers along his shoulder while she gave a show of considering their "invitation." Then she shook her head, dramatically.
"I would hate to disappoint Aro. If I go with you to Volterra now, Aro will be no closer to his prize. He has put so much effort into finding Neverland, why not give him what he seeks? You cannot tell me that his desire to have me return to Volterra outweighs his desire to see my kingdom. If you do as I say, perhaps he can achieve both."
"It is a ruse, a trick," Jane accused. She frowned at Demetri and then at Darling. "Do not trust her."
"Yes, you should not trust me," Darling said.
Demetri laughed. Who in Volterra can be trusted? He thought to himself, wryly. "It does not matter if it is a trick or not. My orders were to track Michael and see if his whereabouts led to either Darling or Neverland. I have no further orders and I will not act without speaking with Aro further. Aro has requested for an invitation to return to Volterra to be extended to Darling, but he has not issued an order to compel her…yet. He may change his mind, and if he does, we will come for Michael again… or any of the others in Carlisle's coven.
"Darling, I will pass on your message to Aro and he will decide if he wishes to accept your invitation or ask for you to return to Volterra instead."
"I am sure it will not be long before I return to Volterra again," Darling answered.
"Make sure it isn't," Felix answered. Jane grimaced and thought of all the ways she would torment Darling, once she was imprisoned for all the evils Jane imagined her to be guilty of. Jemma remained neutral. She was an impassive creature, neither moved nor terribly interested by all that occurred around her. She simply watched, listened, and tasted words to see if they were forged of truths or lies. She did not care much if they were deceptions or not and she had very few ambitions of her own.
After polite farewells and more thinly-veiled "reminders," the Volturi departed in a fanning line of grey cloaks. The Cullens stayed as they were, not daring to depart until the helicopter was out of sight.
Once the Volturi were gone, they gave a collective sigh of relief. Darling turned back and joined where the others now gathered in a circle and were beginning to walk back to the castle.
"Are they really gone?" Emmett asked, turning to Alice.
"Yes," Alice said. "They are." If Darling does what she intended to and teaches Bell how to use her shield, then they will not be coming back, she added in her mind.
"I didn't get to use my arrows," Emmett pouted. "Not even one."
Rosalie rolled her eyes and pushed his shoulder. "Come on. We can set up targets and practice shooting for fun. I can even make a target that looks just like Jane, if that would make you feel better."
"You know, I think it might. You wanna come, Michael?"
Michael shook his head.
When Emmett caught sight of Darling trailing behind them, he walked up to her with a wide, open grin on his face. Emmett appeared as if he was about to clap a hand on her shoulder, but when he caught her glare, he let his hand fall back to his side. Then he shrugged. "Did you actually summon them or was that all bravado? Not that it wasn't impressive bravado, I was just wondering cause I couldn't really tell."
"Oh, I summoned them. Aro has received his message."
"So, what exactly did you write on Demetri's arm? Was that your phone number?" Emmett asked, his curiosity burning.
"As I said. It is the exact location of my front door."
"Wait, you were telling the truth?"
"Of course. Jemma can sense lies. Now they are going to be turning themselves in circles trying to figure out where the trap is and it will take them weeks to decide if they will truly answer or not."
"And if they answer?"
"If Aro is foolish enough to send out another scouting party, he will lose his scouts. I will not tolerate insubordination. If he wishes to come to my house, he must come himself and not cower in his fortress like a gopher in a hole."
"And if he comes?"
"As I said, then we will play a game of chess."
"Chess? You were serious and not just, uh, metaphorical?"
"Yes. He will bring his pawns and I will play with mine, and we will see whose king still stands at the end," she said, her golden eyes flickering with anticipation and dark humor.
Peter, y'all can come on back now, Jasper called. I think your little lady here could use a pick-me-up. She's feeling a little overwhelmed.
The moment Peter realized Jasper's gift, and the window it gave him into Darling, he had been frozen in place in shock. It was like tearing back iron shutters from a window and letting light into a place that had been long hidden from view. He had never dreamed he could have such insights into the inner world of his mistress. It soon became very obvious that the Darling the world saw was a very different creature than the one that existed within that barricaded room.
"We can return now," Peter said, suddenly anxious to return. He turned away from the window and began to help gather the blankets.
"Already?" Isabella asked.
"They accomplished what they came for and now they are returning to Volterra."
"Did they, I mean, were there any conflicts?"
"Well, Jane fantasized excessively over all the ways she wishes she could tear Darling into pieces. Michael is angry enough with Darling to be willing to help. Felix has high hopes that the next time he crosses paths with Darling, she will be more welcoming of his advances. There were no physical confrontations, if that is what you mean. Alice does not believe future altercations with the Volturi will occur around your family."
"But she still sees future altercations?"
"Yes, but they will not involve you."
"Alright then, let's go join the others. Then I can see what happened for myself."
They drove back to the castle courtyard and Michael was waiting for his family with open arms. He ran up to the truck and took the sleeping child from his mate before he gave his hand to Kassim. It was a practiced movement and it did not take long for Khalid and Isabella to surround him. They eagerly grabbed his other hand and the trio leaned towards each other while they watched. Then they whispered with each other, quietly musing over all that they saw in Michael's memories.
Peter made his way through the courtyard to where Darling waited. Once again, she had returned to the farthest edge of the courtyard and she stood the deepest covering of shadows. At first, he wished he could run up to her and embrace her, but he dared not.
"My Lady. Are you well?"
She nodded then she let her shoulders sink with the sudden gravity of the night's events. "You saw, then?"
"Yes."
Now, in uneven patches of moonlight and shadow, she seemed so much smaller. She looked back at the open door where, one-by-one, each of their hosts disappeared into the massive fortress. Then she sighed.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"Yes."
Then, they followed the others inside. By Jasper's gift, Peter knew that Darling was more afraid of what she would find inside that castle than she had been of meeting with the Volturi. Unfortunately, Peter could not distinguish why.
Their hosts knew that Darling had come for a purpose, and they were near dying with curiosity to know what that purpose was. Darling, however, was in no mood to explain herself. She looked about ready to bolt into the nearest rabbit hole and hide herself away and so Peter asked if there was a place they could retreat to.
"Oh, of course!" Esme said. "I can show you around and help get you settled."
She was all politeness and smiles, but no one knew quite what to do with Darling or how they were supposed to behave around her, not even Esme. Darling didn't do much to put anyone at ease. In the tenseness that surrounded Dalring, all of Esme's attempts at breaking the ice and playing the hostess felt as forced as they were.
"This is still a work-in-progress," Esme explained as she showed them through a vaulted corridor lined with doors. "Soon, I will have it all patched up and ready to stand strong for another thousand years."
"I've never seen anything like it," Peter said. "Thank you for welcoming us like this."
"Of course, dear. You are, in a way, like family to us, too," she said.
Immediately after, she regretted her statement and wondered if it was the right thing to say or not.
"These two rooms are adjoining," Esme said as she withdrew an ancient set of metal keys. She opened up both locks with a clanging groan and ushered them inside. "We were not sure if you would want to stay together or apart, so in these rooms, you can do both. There is a washroom directly across the hall. If you need a change of clothes or soap or anything else, please let one of us know."
"Of course. Thank you," Peter said and he did not know whether to apologize for Darling or simply speak for her. Darling did not say a word. She moved to a rocking chair near a fireplace and she collapsed into it, fixing her eyes on the flames. Esme excused herself and Peter was just as lost as Esme had been.
"My Lady, do you need anything?"
"No," she said, without looking up.
"Would you like me to stay?"
"No."
"Very well."
Peter left her there and he decided to rejoin the others. They were all gathered together in a large, open room lined with couches and tables and bookshelves. He pulled out one chair and began to leaf through the books nearby him, setting a stack of books to read in one pile next to his feet.
They were all emotionally weary from the many ups and downs the day and night had brought them. The hybrid children were all fast asleep, entirely worn out from the day's events. Carlisle conferred quietly with Alice and Jasper, going over some of the finer points of her recent visions and what they could expect from Volterra in future. Rose and Esme prepared food for the morning, which was quickly approaching. The rest were gathered in this room, each lost in their own thoughts and quiet conversations.
"What's with the trees?" Emmett asked Michael, where the pair sat across from each other at a dining table. Emmett had a small model of an airplane in his hands and he was pretending to fly it over the table. He squinted slightly when he asked Michael the question and his mind replayed Demetri's inquiry into trees.
"I like them," Michael said. He leaned back in his chair and considered his answer further, his mind filling with his most memorable experiences with trees. "You see, I spent my entire early life underground. The first sight I saw when I emerged into Volterra was an olive tree. It was there, growing from the ground, and I had never even imagined anything like it. When I asked about it, it was more magical than I even could have thought of. Imagine, one tiny seed and it becomes a tree taller than even the walls of Volterra? How is that possible? What makes it grow? What makes one branch go one direction and another the opposite?"
"Huh. I never thought of it, I guess," Emmett said.
"Did you know they breathe? Some trees even speak."
"Now you are just pullin' my leg."
"No. I am not even touching you."
"No, uh, I mean you are not telling the truth.
"Oh, but I am, I am! Trees are interdependent and they warn each other of drought or pests and they share resources with each other. They can change and react to stimuli. It made me wonder, do trees think? Do they have consciousness?"
"Like an ent?"
"I suppose it is somehow like an ant."
"No, not 'ant', like the bug, but 'ent' like the Lord of the Rings tree dudes."
At Michael's confusion, Emmett shrugged. "Never mind. We really gotta have another movie night. So, trees have consciousness? Doesn't that mean that you, telepath, should be able to read their minds?"
Michael broke into a wide, broad grin. "That, my friend, is why I have turned all my thoughts to the study of trees. What better way to use my gift than to explore avenues of thought that no other mind has ever before been able to traverse? I figure the only barrier between learning to listen to the thoughts of trees and humans is one of language. If I could just learn to speak 'tree', then it should all come together from there."
"Huh. Well, as far as life ambitions go, it's certainly one I've never heard before."
"Tell him he's barking up the wrong tree," Jasper chimed in with a smirk. "He should leave it alone."
Rosalie groaned and threw a spoon at Jasper from the kitchen. It fell harmlessly onto the floor.
"I do not understand," Michael answered. "I am not barking, oh, you are making a joke. I think I see."
"What do you think, Peter? Do you try to talk to trees?" Emmett asked from across the room.
Peter placed his book down and looked up. "I never considered it before. It's an interesting idea. I must admit I have spent very little time in Overland and I know little about trees."
"Overland, huh? Right. Well, what is it that you are interested in?"
Peter held up his book. "I enjoy reading… and music. I love music."
"Of course, you do," Emmett said. "You know, there's a whole music room in the eastern wing of the castle. You could play music till your ears fall off."
Peter perked up and quickly glanced down the hall, as if he could see this elusive music room from where he sat.
"One hall down, take a right, follow that hall to the end and it will be the last door," Emmett said, demonstrating his instructions with his airplane.
Peter followed and within, he found an octagonal room lined with tapestries. A grand piano sat in the center with various other instruments and music stands strewn about its edges and shelves and armoires around him. Never, in all his days, had he dreamed of a piano so large. He sat down on the bench and ran his fingers over the keys in awe. Gently, he began to poke the keys and then listened to the sound reverberate off the walls around him. He had just begun to pick out a melody when Esme joined him.
"You are musical too! Just like our little Izzy!" Esme gushed. "Just like our Edward was!"
Esme's mind flooded with memories of Edward playing the piano, composing songs, back in years lost to the dust of old graves and ancient memories. It was a different style, a different way of playing, the outpouring of a different soul upon the keys, but it was a shared passion for expressing emotion through music.
It was strange to finally have a face to the nefarious sire, the first master of Neverland. Peter had never been able to glean a glimpse of his face before. He assumed, based on the hundreds of cloned replicas around him, what he could expect, but he had never known for sure. Was he aged and balding, like Smee? Was he a young man like Slightly and Michael? Or was he somewhere in between, like Peter?
In his mind, he had imagined a man forged of darkness who wore evil like an undergarment and who never once learned to smile. He imagined the man did nothing but dwell in his lair, imagining new ways to torment the innocent women around him and wielding death like a walking stick. He never once thought of the man playing the piano.
He was surprised that, in the first memory Esme showed of the infamous "Edward", he was laughing. His golden eyes were bright and shining with affection for her. This was the face of a boy and not yet a man. No beard broke the heel of his chin. He was thin, very thin, and he did not appear so different than the Pirate yearlings upon their first year waking into life, save for the length of his hair. His bronze hair was longer than any of the Lost Boys, but not as long as the Pirates. His appearance did not look anything like the villainous vampire Peter had expected to see.
"Is that him?" Peter asked, morbid curiosity compelling him to ask.
"Yes. I'm sorry. Does the memory of him bother you?"
"I don't know," Peter answered. "I know very little about him, other than the fact that Darling despises him and Khalid and Kassim aren't much better. I know what he, uh, I know what can be known from his victims. I've seen nearly every single one."
"Oh. Oh." Esme said, growing sad. "He wasn't always like that. He once was part of our family."
Her mind flooded with memories - good memories- of all the things she loved about him. Peter watched them all and his heart grew heavy. It had been so much easier when he considered the man as quintessentially evil. To acknowledge his potential for virtue and familial devotion was unsettling.
"Does she, I mean Darling, does she talk about him much?"
Peter shook his head. "Only when she is angry with me," he said. "Really angry."
"That poor dear. I can't imagine… I don't want to imagine… what she must have gone through! I wish there was something we could do, some way to make it better or apologize on his behalf. Please know, none of us knew about this until Michael and Bell came. Well, Alice knew and Isabella found out much later, but they never told us. It was a bit like losing him all over again, when they told us. If we had known sooner, well, he would not have survived it."
At the idea of their early interruption of Barzakh, Peter paused to think through the ramifications. How many lives would have been spared? How much suffering?
But, then Darling would not have existed. Nor would Peter.
His mind spun. Would it have been better? Truly better? He was not sure. He rather enjoyed living and he could not imagine his world without Darling in it. Still, what a cost was paid by others for them to live! He imagined what Darling would say, if she was given the opportunity to change the past. He did not know the answer.
"I would recommend not mentioning him to Darling, unless she asks. She can be a bit… unpredictable… about her sire."
"You care about her a great deal," Esme observed.
Peter opened his mouth once and then closed it again and then he nodded. It was true. No matter how he had fought it or tried to wish it away, he knew he had failed. It was as much a part of him as his Pirate songs and his telepathy. It was just part of what made him Peter.
"I do," he said.
"I'm glad," Esme said. She squeezed his shoulder with her hand and left.
Oooo
Author's Notes: This was a bit of a writing frenzy week for me. For some reason, stories wanted to come so I tried to get my fingers to keep up. What that means for you all is that The Remnants now has not just one but two alternate endings and this story has another update earlier than usual.
I know, a lot of you were hoping for an epic battle scene with the Volturi, but we are still setting the scene for the final confrontation. Remember, Aro didn't know Demetri would find Darling, or he probably would have come himself.
Please continue to share your thoughts and feedback! I appreciate so very much!
