In front of me was a small table, small but absolutely gorgeous. Black and sculpted with more details than I could possibly register, it held a vase holding a singular rose and two flutes of champagne.

My breath was gone as behind it was the entrance of what appeared to be a labyrinth made entirely of shrubbery, vines, and colorful flowers. A stone pathway was lit by blue tinted lights from the ground and somewhere, I wasn't quite sure, there was classical music playing faintly in the background.

Aro touched my hand and moved me forward gently to the table, lifting up a glue of champagne and giving it to me. As I took it, he handed me the rose. It was full and beautiful as if he had spent hours finding the perfect one just for me.

He took his flute, making me wonder about consumption of...non blood products.

"My Annabelle, how many questions I have for you." Aro said, practically sounding like he had been given the grandest gift ever.

I wasn't sure what question he could possibly have for me. He had seen everything about me...numerous times. I panicked internally thinking about the embarrassing moments of my life he saw in full detail. Every time I had done...well anything. Every time I had sneezed in my hands or tripped and hoped nobody had seen. He did.

But yet he looked at me like a child who had asked the secret of life. And yet his presence had called a certain amount of attention and respect. He walked in such a manner that his posture was effortlessly perfect. He didn't need to look ahead and instead kept his gaze glued onto me, yet moving forward effortlessly.

"Like what?" I asked surprisingly effortlessly. How I felt so nervous and yet so natural with him I would never understand.

"Your mind is so..tangled." He said factually as if he had been given a puzzle. "You are so kind, get shut off. And you are rather funny and crude yet well mannered all at once. I want to hear your mind from your voice." He said taking a sip of his drink. "Tell me about oxen."

I nearly choked on the sip of champagne I had taken. I knew he had seen every thought I had but it was so unsettling to hear out loud.

"They are your favorite animal. But I can't fully follow as to why." He explained. "You did not grow up on a farm nor did you ever really interact with one, yet you hold them in high regard."

I laughed. Not a chuckle, not a giggle, but a full laugh. What a question to ask. A vampire in charge of his kind and he was stuck on my reasoning for my favorite animal.

He did not seem as amused and switched the topic quickly making me smirk. Maybe he wasn't so perfectly confident after all.

"I am sure you are curious about me." He shifted the topic, smoothly.

"Yes." I mused sipping my drink and spinning my rose in my other hand. "How old are you?" I asked casually. It was so shallow compared to his question, but he had a large head start.

"Approximately three thousand years old." He answered factually "I have lived through much of recorded history."

I nodded at this information letting it sink in.

"And what is your favorite animal?"

He blinked a few times, stopping mid stride. I had clearly caught him off guard.

"The alpine ibex." He answered finally, his confidence regained, taking a step forward. "They are animals who are illusive, passionate, underestimated, and rather fierce."

I looked to my right where beautiful pink flowers tangled together almost as if they were dancing.

"Do you garden?" I asked. It seemed so simple, but what else was I supposed to ask?

"No." He answered simply "This is the work of one of my guard members." He informed "I do love the gardens though. I had planned a far more extraordinary outing but Carlisle insisted I not overwhelm you. I must say he cares a great deal for you. Not as much as I do. But still."

I laughed at that add on. As intimidating as he was, little things like that made him more relatable. There was something about him that was just...adorable. The way he got excited to show me a flower he knew the name of or the silly jokes he made about him being old or me being "fragile" compared to him.

He had told me so much. About how vampires in fact did not sleep and how he could run fast and had more strength than any man could know what to do with.

"So you're like Superman." I laughed which brought a whole new level to him I had not thought of.

"Is that a person?" He asked, taking my now empty glass.

And so began our fifteen minute conversation on Superman and the popular culture surrounding superhumans. He was oddly baffled by the concept that humans created characters who were similar to himself and were see as idols rather than monsters.

We walked side by side for what seemed like hours and seconds all at once? Our conversation only breaking when a familiar voice could be heard.

"Caius." Aro informed. "Quick, before we are horridly interrupted, tell me about oxen."

I smiled, looking up at him. His red eyes were no longer frightening, but warm and his expression no longer harsh but curious.

"I don't know." I said, tucking my hair behind my ear. "There is something about them. They are so big and strong and capable. They have giant horns and are heavy and oddly majestic. But at the same time in their eyes you can see something innocent and caring and they are just as clumsy as they are capable."

I realized I was rambling and immediately stopped talking. My thoughts were stopped. Completely ended by the warm hold his eyes had on me. His face was beautiful and caring and every inch of it showed nothing but interest in what I had to say.

It seemed like full minutes that I stared at his face, studying it.

That was when he put my champagne flute in the same hand he held his and took my other, kissing it softly.

"My darling Annabelle, how I cannot wait to walk you through this garden every night for all eternity."

Something about those words made me feel warm and grounded. Suddenly, I couldn't wait either.