Chapter Twelve

Volterra was more beautiful in person than Bella could ever imagine. She nervously walked down the cobbled pathways, her brown irises taking in the sights around her. She was dressed in a nice black dress with long sleeves and a skirt that fell a few inches above her knees. The necklace Marcus had given her was on full display, the sunlight coming and hitting the ruby stone.

Bella fought the urge to have her hands intertwining together. Her hair was done nice, she had made sure to go to the hair salon before she had left the village, she had been staying at an hour away to come here. Her makeup was immaculate, and she knew though it wasn't too much it was still enough to catch attention. Her high heels were on clearance, but they were higher priced than she was accustomed to. They clicked loudly against the cobblestoned pathways, a reminder she was supposed to be heading in the direction of the next stage of her life.

Reaching the Volterra castle, Bella's heart almost stopped in her chest as she peered up at the castle in front of her. It was intimidating but Bella knew she would be accustomed to the castle in time. She had all the time in the world now, knowing she would become a vampire before long. She'd end up not only becoming a vampire, but she'd also end up joining the Volturi.

Heading up to the front doors of the castle, Bella knocked on one of the castle doors, despite the fact that there was a sign on the doors that said they weren't having tours today. The door opened, revealing one of the human staff on the other side. He had a look of boredom upon his features though he stiffened when he saw the necklace, the necklace of late Queen Didyme.

"It's you. Welcome, welcome, Miss Swan. Please, enter. I'll take you to the lobby, where Gianna will take over," the man said before Bella could even say anything.

She gave him an awkward smile before she followed after him, noting the stunning architecture that the castle had along with the medieval tapestries that were hanging throughout the stone hallways. There were vases full of exotic flowers, all of them real along with hallway runner rugs that were from the same time period as the castle. They were in wonderful condition and Bella knew a historian would die happily if they saw the pristine condition the vampires kept the castle in.

Reaching two simple wooden doors with golden handles, the man opened the doors. Bella stepped through, her eyes landing on the lobby she had remembered from her astral projecting. The same black marble desk, the same larger than life painting on the wall behind the desk–revealing all three of the Volturi kings in their immortal glory.

Gianna was sitting behind the desk, her eyes caught on the computer screen in front of her. She glanced up when the man cleared his throat. She started to spew out exciting Italian, enough for Bella to have confusion lighting across her features. Gianna giggled as she came up to Bella before she introduced herself, "I'm Gianna, you must be Miss Swan. We've been waiting for you. The Late Queen Didyme's necklace looks beautiful on you."

Bella blushed as her hand reached up and stroked the ruby, "oh, thank you. King Marcus gifted it to me without me even asking for it." Bella's eyes widened a moment later before she added, "not that I'm not grateful for it! I love it."

Gianna gave her a reassuring smile. "You don't have to be scared, Miss Swan. You're family now. You're safe. I wish you all the happiness with your mate. Perhaps in time we can become friends and you'll put in a good word for me."

Gianna gave her a subtle eye wink, which reminded Bella how she was in the presence of vampires. Of course she would say something like this. She must have taken this job so she could eventually become a vampire herself.

Bella could only wonder if Gianna was going to be in the percentage that would eventually become a vampire or if she would be in the majority where she would probably end up dead when the kings would grow bored with her and needed new blood at the desk. After all, humans were disposable creatures, they were fragile and they had a time limit, every second they were closer to death. It would be up to the Volturi to decide if the time limit would be defined by them or if it would just be through human happenstance.

Gianna motioned for Bella to head up to the same Notre Dame doors as Bella had seen before. She checked to make sure Bella's dress was smooth and not wrinkled. She did a breath check along with makeup and hair check. She seemed ready to introduce Bella to the kings, enough that she put her hands onto her shoulder blades.

"You will stay here, and I will make sure to introduce you once I have been acknowledged," Gianna informed Bella, the younger woman nodded her head seriously. Gianna gave her another comforting smile.

"You will be fine. You have received a blessing from King Marcus. A blessing which has never been given before."

Bella didn't know if she should embrace this or not. Would a blessing from one of the Volturi kings be a blessing for her though? Or would she end up being cursed since the others would not care for her having special treatment? All because she was destined to be with one of the Heads of the Royal Guard, not even one of the kings.

Gianna knocked on the throne room doors, hearing an 'enter' on the other end. Gianna swept through the doors once they were opened and disappeared. Bella began to move back and forth in front of the doors, pacing as she tried to remind herself, she should probably curtsy when she would meet them despite the fact, they were not the British Royal Family.

Gianna came back out and gave the paler woman a nod, enough for Bella to take a deep breath and enter the throne room. Her head was down, not up and looking at any of them. She wouldn't look up unless she was given permission by one of the kings to do so.

"My kings, I present to you, Isabella Swan. I ask permission to have one of the staff go to her hotel and get her luggage," Gianna spoke, her voice was smooth and perfect. There was no trace of fear that was there. It was impressive, Bella was already feeling completely nervous.

Something tugged at Bella though, as she heard the kings speaking to Gianna, enough for her to bring her eyes up and let them land on a beautiful vampire that was standing at the bottom of the marble dais with widened crimson eyes. The next moment he was in front of her, his hands upon her face, his cool fingers brushing against her skin to see if she was real.

There were tears of venom that were falling from his tear ducts, creating sizzling sounds from the venom touching his marble essence skin.

"My Isabella," he breathed, his ethereal voice was enough to send shivers down Bella's spine as she realized this was Alec.

"Say it again," she whispered, not knowing if this was real.

Alec chuckled some, lightly, at how she seemed in marvel with the fact that they were with each other now. His hands were still on her face though they moved and began to wipe away the tears that were flowing down her face now. It was obvious the both of them were caught breathless at the actual knowledge they were in each other's presence now.

"My Isabella, my mate. I have waited a millennium for you. I wish I could say for you to not cry, but then it would be very hypocritical of me, wouldn't it?" he probed, his delicious Italian accent wrapped smug around Bella. She couldn't help but sob some, in happiness, not distress as she agreed with him on everything he had just said.

Alec's lips went forward and kissed the side of her head before they began to travel across her face, his lips against her skin were so different than she had ever imagined they would be. They burnt a little bit, the venom that coated his lips reminded her he wasn't human. He was a vampire, he was a predator, but damn it he was hers and she was his.

"You're even more beautiful than when I first saw you," Alec confessed, his eyes wearily peering at the brunette girl in front of him. His chocolate hued hair had strings of red in them, as Bella reached her hand up and pulled his hood down.

Just like the rest, Alec had symmetrical features, but there was a tenderness that was there upon his features. They weren't harsh and cold like the others around him. He was different. He didn't outward display it so strongly but up close Bella could tell Alec had a little bit of empathy.

"Alec, my son, please bring forward your mate."

Alec gently pulled away from Bella but kept one of his arms wrapped around Bella. He led them towards the three kings that were perched on their marble thrones made of marble roses, vines and leaves. The one in the middle, Aro, was the one who had said this.

He resembled a middle-aged Keanu Reeves (Aro quite liked to be compared to the actor. Perhaps Keanu Reeves was a descendant of Aro's through a cousin of his that survived the war and famine.) His black hair fell to his shoulders and brushed against them softly when he moved his head, his pale skin was wrinkled and paper-like. His crimson eyes were milky, perhaps it was due to his age and his ability to see a person's every thought in just one touch.

Aro came up from the throne and began to make his way down the dais, a bright smile upon his thin lips. The king on the left, who reminded Bella of an elven king with his long whitish blond hair, had an arched eyebrow upon his twenty-something-year-old face. The king on the right was Marcus, he was the one who Bella first met through her astral projection.

"What a momentous occasion, I shall have our scholars write this event down upon our books after we have departed from the throne room. Isabella, my oh my, a beautiful and exquisite specimen is she not Alec? A perfect wife in the future? A future daughter of mine?"

Aro probed, not to anyone in particular despite the fact he had called Alec's name.

Aro quietly spun in a twirl to look over the guards that were in the room, expecting any reactions from his comment. He had a flash of disappointment upon his features when no one said anything. Caius, the elven like king, was irritated and seemed as though he was going to tell Aro to stop being dramatic and continue forward.

"And Marcus, our beloved Queen Didyme's necklace looks beautiful upon her human neck, does it not?" Aro turned towards Marcus. A flash of pain and sadness came across Marcus's face, but he didn't show any type of regret of giving it to Bella.

Marcus merely nodded his head, barely enough for Bella to see, but quick enough that a human might miss it. He did smile some when he looked at the necklace, as though the late queen would suddenly come into the throne room once more. She'd be greeting Bella into the family, telling her to not be so nervous. Her dearest brother Aro was just someone who liked dramatics, that was all.

"Come now, Isabella. Please touch my hand, I wish to see all that you have experienced through your eyes," Aro spoke, no he commanded, as though to let her know there was no way that she could tell him no. Bella gave a glance up at Alec, he nodded his head.

"Father wishes only to read your thoughts. Will you let him?" Alec peered at the brown eyed girl, enough for Bella to take a deep breath and nod her head. She reached her hand out and Aro took her hand in both of his eagerly.

Bella looked down at their hands, her inner body shivering some from the feeling of Aro's hand upon hers. It didn't feel natural or home-like, as it did with Alec. It was as though she was touching both wet and dry strips of paper at the same time. She could tell he was old, and he had seen many things through those hands of his, through those eyes of his, through that mind of his.

Aro dropped her hand, his eyes far away in another dimension before he focused his attention on Bella again. "This is miraculous, I cannot read you. It seems as though you are a shield, young Isabella. I must check to see how far it can shield you."

Alec stiffened and moved Bella behind him, completely. "You will not do that to her, Father. Please, don't. I wish not for my sister to use her…gift…on Isabella."

"Brother."

Bella poked her head out from behind Alec, noticing how a slim woman came into the light of the throne room. She was dressed in a dress version of the cloaks the Volturi wore. It fit her body perfectly, showing off what curves she had gained in the nineteen years she had been alive. She reached her hands up and pulled her hood back, revealing Jane Volturi.

Jane's face was angelic. There was no other way to describe her. She resembled a messenger of God, not a vampire. Yet her eyes were so harsh and dark. The crimson let others know she was not someone to be trifled with. Her head turned to the side, her eyes landing on Bella. She gave her a strange look, studying her, before she turned her attention to her brother.

"Sister."

Alec ducked his head down to acknowledge his sister, enough for his twin with her dark brown braided bun to come forward again. She bowed her head towards Aro, Alec and Jane must have decided he would be their father in the end.

"I will not harm her. She is yours, is she not? Therefore, in a way she is mine, my sister now," Jane stated, before she went past Aro. She reached Alec and brought her hand up to put against his chest, their sibling bond still strong even a millennium later.

Bella didn't know how to feel about the whole being told she was Jane's in a way. She understood what she meant but it was weird. Perhaps it was just the way the twins spoke to each other. They did everything together and they shared Bella: a mate for Alec and a future sister for Jane. There was nothing more about it than that.

Alec gently pulled Bella in front of him. She was pressed up against his front, his arms around her waist. It was obvious that he would be there to comfort her if she ended up being able to pierce through Bella's mental shield. Bella looked up at Alec and nodded her head, letting him know she would do this. She then looked at Jane and nodded her head.

"Pain."

Jane's eyes bore into hers, trying to caress her mind and make her think her nerves were on fire. She was trying to make sure Bella would feel the fire on the pyres. She stumbled back when images of Bella already on fire, rolling on the ground screaming hit her mind. She stumbled back when she saw Bella try to lunge forward to the priest for raping and impregnating Jane. There was no disgust when she had heard Jane had self-aborted the fetus.

Aro went to steady his vampire daughter, only for him to gasp as he was greeted with the same images Jane was seeing. He turned his head towards Bella when the images went away, the marvel in his eyes allowing Bella to know he was even more impressed with her. He was even more glad Bella had been astral projected here and met Marcus.

There were tears that were falling down Jane's eyes as she fell onto the ground. She stayed stiff; her mouth open as sobs came out of her. Alec rushed forward and fell down next to her, wrapping his arms around her to let her know he was there for her.

Jane blinked away the venom tears that were upon her skin, before she whispered, "you saw all that? And yet you do not judge me? Condemn me? Tell me I am a whore or how I should not have rid myself of that fetus?"

Bella came forward and sat down in front of both of the siblings. She shook her head.

"I will not judge you nor condemn you. I can see the pain in your eyes, can see how you stay away from the other men in the room, unless they are your brother or the kings. So no, I will not judge or condemn you. It is not my way."

Jane ducked her head and clenched her jaw, before she spew Italian cuss words underneath her breath and stood up. She smoothed down her clothes and pulled the hood up. "I wish to leave, my father. May I be excused? My new sister has proven herself to all of us. Let us move on."

Aro had intrigue lighting upon his wrinkled face as he heard this from his daughter. He nodded his head, before agreeing. "Of course, my daughter. You may leave."

Jane swept out of the throne room, not even a second look was given by her. The throne doors shut behind her in a loud clang, enough for Bella to slowly turn her attention back to the kings. Caius had surprise upon his features, allowing Bella to know he was not accustomed to Jane Volturi crying on the ground and asking if she would be judged by just anyone. Marcus had a look of understanding and gave a slight nod towards Bella, letting her know he was the one who had made Jane see the devotion Bella's bond was to Jane's brother. Aro had one of his hands out, stretched some, as though he could beckon his daughter back into the throne room.

"I do not care to share sentiments with your children, Aro but I am growing bored of this and would like to leave. I wish to leave and attend to my queen," Caius remarked, his voice breaking the silence that was emitting through the throne room after Jane had left.

Aro gave a sigh before he turned his attention back to the other two kings, his brothers. Marcus inclined his head downwards to let him know that he agreed with Caius. He was fine with them all departing from each other, departing from the throne room during this time period. After all they weren't considered holding ceremony so they could leave when they sought fit to.

"Very well. Alec, please go and take Isabella out to the gardens. We shall prepare the bedchambers for you and her. As is customary," Aro declared, enough for Alec to nod his head before he gently detached himself from Bella and held her hand instead.

They went towards one of the doors of the throne room, where it opened to reveal a secret tunnel. Bella went through with him next to her, making sure she would be close enough to him so he could catch her if she tripped over the stones that were uneven. They reached another door and Alec opened it, letting the afternoon sunlight come and hit them.

Bella brought her hand up and covered the sunlight, flinching some. Alec pulled off his cloak and put on her before flipping the hood over her head to make sure the sunlight wouldn't hit her full on anymore. Bella smiled and turned to Alec, allowing him to know she appreciated him. Her eyes widened as she saw the glittering sparks on his skin, as though he were made of crystals.

"You're beautiful," Bella whispered, without meaning to. She ducked her head and blushed, cursing herself for saying something like that. A hand reached down and pressed its fingers underneath her chin, lifting her head up again.

"As are you, Isabella," Alec responded.

"Bella."

"Bella?"

"Bella. I like to be called Bella. I'm fine with the others calling me Isabella but I like to be called Bella. Never cared much about my full name," Bella confessed, knowing she was rambling but hey, he needed to know this since she was here to stay.

There was also the fact that when he called her Isabella a heat would travel throughout her, warming her up in a more indecent manner than proper. She tried to keep her mind off of him calling her Isabella while they would be in the middle of…yeah. So, it would be best if he called her by her nickname for the time being until they get far enough for her to tell him she really, really liked it when he called her by her full first name.

As though he remembered why they were outside, Alec made sure their arms were strung together again before he began to walk her around the gardens. They were a huge tourists' spot, where many people would come and take pictures with the three fountains–each fountain had a statue of each queen upon them. The kings had wanted to honor their wives by doing this, though Bella felt it was kind of sad how Late Queen Didyme could not look at her own statue anymore.

Reaching her fountain, Bella smiled as she peered up at the statue of Queen Didyme. She was shorter than an average vampire and was quite ample. Her hair fell around to her waist and there were even flowers that were strung throughout her hair. She had the ability to make anyone happy and she always wore bright colorful dresses when she was alive, she would never wear anything that was a depressing color and reminded people of funerals.

"Did you ever get to meet her? The Late Queen?" Bella asked this before she turned and looked at Alec, he shook his head no.

"She died before Jane, and I joined the Volturi. The other two queens are in the highest tower of the castle, locked away to keep them safe. We have a guardswoman there named Corin who has the ability to make people feel content with their situations. Father and Uncle Caius tend to go up to the tower to visit their queens when there are days like today," Alec informed her, as the wind came and played with Bella's hair.

She noted how his eyes didn't seem as though they were too bothered with the wind playing with her hair, which would mean he was okay with her scent. "How are you not…?"

As though he knew what she meant Alec explained, "we drink the proper blood, Bella. We aren't the Cullens or the other Animal Drinkers. Since we drink the proper blood, we don't need to hunt as much. I am certain the Cullens made you believe otherwise."

Bella gave an odd look before she told him how she had lost her memories of when she had first been in Forks. She told him everything, for once she started to tell him things she couldn't stop. She finally seemed as though she had everything out and the open almost an hour later, enough for her to sigh and lean against him.

Alec kissed her on the top of her head, letting her know everything was going to be okay. And for the first time in a long time, Bella believed it.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: the last time I wrote this chapter I felt 'eh' about it but now I actually love this chapter! I hope you liked the second version of this chapter. As always Twilight doesn't belong to me. -Emmy