Welcome to the Family
Basileus led Carlisle around the castle wall and to the trade gate at the side of the imposing building.
Carlisle looked up in awe at the magnificent home of the Volturi coven. "Am I really going to be living here?"
"Yes my boy. I will show you around once we have washed away our travels and change into some fresh clothes."
Basileus gently pushed his son forwards through the gate, closing it behind them. Walking in front of his son, Basileus lead them into the castle through the ground floor doorway. As they moved through the halls guards parted the way for Basileus and the newborn that followed him. Carlisle noted the effect Basileus had on the other vampires, they scurried around in his presence to make way for him, they greeted him with averted eyes and appeared to melt if he even acknowledged their existence! It wasn't fear, more like intense respect. The only thing Carlisle could liken it to was the time he saw a glimpse of the king passing through London.
Carlisle didn't realise that the guards were looking at him in the same way - he was part of Basileus' inner circle now, part of the highest order of the vampire world. It was unusual to see Basileus with a newborn and they caused quite a stir as they made their way to southern tower of the castle. Basileus shared the large tower rooms with his two sons, now three, and Aro's wife and high guard. Basileus opened the door to the tower, and once inside he opened the next door leading to his ground floor suite.
Carlisle wavered, looking up the winding staircase and wondering where it went.
Basileus answered his boy's thoughts. "The next floor up is Eleazar's and after that it's Aro's. I will take you up later to meet the rest of my family," he said easily. "Come," he called as he walked inside to the main room of his quarters.
The fire was blazing. Sully must have been down to get the place ready for my return, bless that woman! Basileus thought.
Leaving Carlisle standing in the main chamber, Basileus headed through the archway to the bed chambers. Opening the spare chamber he could see a selection of clothing laid out on the bed. Sulpicia Volturi, I love you! he thought happily.
Leaving the room for the moment, he went to the bathroom and pumped a bowl of water. The plumbing in the old building wasn't as great as it could be, but it was good enough for their needs without ripping up the guts of the castle to improve it. It was certainly better than humans like Carlisle would have ever seen. Filling the sink with water he looked into the mirror and saw the state he was in, the two days travel wore heavily on his clothing. After cleaning himself up he went to his own bed chamber and changed quickly into clean, simple clothes. His outfit resembled the guard uniform, but rather than black or grey his tunic was deep purple and edged in golden thread.
THUD!
Basileus had almost forgotten about Carlisle in the other room. Wondering what had caused the noise, he went in to check on him.
Carlisle was picking up some books that he'd knocked off the shelf. Half of Basileus' main living area was lined with books. Some as old as time, Carlisle had thought. Carlisle was captivated, he loved to read. His reading material had been oppressively restricted during his human life with the pastor choosing suitable material for his son.
"I'm sorry, I was only looking, I knocked these off the shelf, I apologize." Carlisle stumbled over his apology as he placed the last of the books back in position.
"It's okay son, feel free to read what you wish… you can read, yes?" Basileus asked.
Carlisle felt offended. "Pft!" he tutted. "Of course I can fucking read!"
Basileus looked down his nose at his son, he was impressed so far with how calm he had been, he didn't expect it to last though and he wasn't going to let anything slide in the first year. You had better get used to that now son, he thought. Basileus moved in very close, uncomfortably close if you'd have asked Carlisle.
"Mind your mouth and your tone in my presence. Got it?"
He sounded dangerous. Carlisle had no desire to piss him off. Adopting a submissive pose, Carlisle looked to the floor.
Basileus nodded to himself as he walked back the archway leading to the other rooms of the suite. "Come with me."
Carlisle felt nervous, but followed his new father to the inner hallway and over to the door he held open for him. "This is your room. Mine is here across the hall. That door there is the bathroom… clean yourself up and change, there are clothes laid out for you on your bed. I will be sending for the tailor as soon as your thirst is within your control."
Carlisle listened intently but didn't make to move. Basileus shoved him lightly towards the bathroom. "Go ahead, you have been a vampire for two days already and we haven't started celebrating yet!" he told his son with a smile.
Carlisle did as instructed and closed the door behind him.
Looking in the mirror he was shocked by his reflection. He was stunning! Filthy from traveling but really handsome! For a brief moment he thought awful for offering himself such an excessively positive appraisal, but damn, he looked good! He studied his new features, he was him still, but improved. Opening his mouth he checked his teeth. They looked so much sharper now, razor shape in places. He couldn't stop himself from touching them. They were as sharp as they looked, a tiny split in his finger appeared from where he'd ran them across his fangs. Watching as the blood pooled into a tiny droplet, he saw the wound heal in front of his very eyes!
Talking from the other room stopped Carlisle's self-examination. He couldn't quite make out what was being said so he opened the door a crack.
"I have sent out the order to meet in the throne room in an hour." It was Aro Carlisle had heard. And Basileus was answering him, "That's fine, have you arranged any alcohol?"
"Of course," Aro breezed.
"Wonderful, I want you to bring Sulpicia down here, and your young ones. He should meet them before we greet the wider coven don't you think?"
Aro huffed in response. "Is he safe?" he asked their father.
Basileus laughed. "He's the calmest newborn I have ever met son. Bring them down, he will be through in a moment."
Oh shit, I haven't even washed yet, Carlisle thought as he busily filled the bowl with water and scrubbed at the soap. His vampire speed amazed him and in what seemed like seconds he had washed and combed his hair, and he'd spent half the time admiring his new self in the mirror!
Leaving the large bathroom he slipped into his new bed chamber. He wasn't sure what the bed was for, Basileus said vampires don't sleep, though he could think of plenty of things to do in a bed that didn't involve sleeping!
Carlisle's mind started wandering into dangerous territory - he didn't want to think about his last human conquest, it was too painful for him, even now. Taking his clothes up he changed quickly, they were a little too big for him though he remembered Basileus was arranging for a tailor to take his measurements when he was under control... whatever that meant.
This fabric, though, he thought as he played with the hem of his tunic. This is so soft, and thick, this isn't cheap at all. And these are just spares!
"Carlisle! Stop admiring yourself and get in here!"
Basileus booming voice shook him from Carlisle thoughts again. Pulling on new boots and lacing them up, Carlisle made his way back to the main room. When he walked through the arch he was greeted by a smiling Basileus who moved to put his arm around him and pulled him in close.
"Carlisle, son, you already know Aro and Eleazar," Basileus said as he pointed out his two older sons.
Carlisle smiled at them both. Eleazar seemed happy to see him, Aro looked bored but smiled politely in return. Aro took over the rest of the introductions, after Basileus had prompted him to do so.
"This is my dear wife Sulpicia..."
Sulpicia dived forward and took both of Carlisle's hands in her own. "Welcome to Volterra, brother," she said kindly. Looking him up and down she commented on his clothes. "They are a little big, they were the best I could find at such short notice, but you look fine, just fine!"
"Thank you," he replied, grateful for her warm welcome.
"Are they my clothes!" Aro asked looking at his brother's 'new' threads."
Sulpicia smiled coyly to her husband, "I have no idea, you have so many clothes, my love."
Sulpicia re-joined the two smallest vampires as Aro narrowed his eyes to her. Catching the look Basileus was throwing him, he thought it best to continue the introductions, "This is Felix," he said as he walked behind the seated boy and gripped onto his shoulder.
Felix smiled widely at the new coven member as Aro moved over to the next boy.
"And this is Demetri, he's our tracker, he can track anyone he's had even the most fleeting contact with to the ends of the earth!" Aro said proudly.
"Hey!" Felix interrupted. "You didn't say anything about my talents!" Everyone laughed at the mock-hurt to his tone.
"Forgive me Felix," Aro drawled. "Of course, Felix is very, very strong, strongest in the coven in fact."
Felix began to preen.
"He also has a big mouth and spends most his days restricted to this tower because he causes me trouble whenever he leaves it!" Crack! Aro slapped his eldest high guard across the back of his head, only hard enough to knock him forward slightly.
Aro gestured to the young vampires near his wife. "They are the twins, Jane and Alec, they are incredibly gifted young vampires and…"
"Little witches is what they are!" Felix interrupted Aro, who cracked him across the back of his head, again. Carlisle winced. That was much harder than the first one he got, he thought to himself.
"So these are your children?" Carlisle asked Aro innocently.
Basileus was so pleased his son had asked that question, he wanted to know the answer himself and he planned to use the response in his efforts to return Aro to the man he once was. He watched the group of vampires before him intently. Sulpicia lit up at the question and placed proud, loving arms around the twins. Felix and Demetri looked shyly to each other, they wanted Aro to say yes, he could tell that much. Aro looked awkward, he sounded it too when he tried to formulate an answer.
"Well, vampires don't have children Carlisle, but these four are much younger than the rest of the guard and I do not feel comfortable leaving them to their own devices in the guard hall… they live in my quarters with Sulpicia and me so we can keep an eye on them… it also stops Caius getting his hands in them…"
Aro had run out of things to say. Basileus looked again around the expressions of his young vampires. They all looked a little crushed. Wanting to save their pain, Basileus drove the conversation forward.
"So, is everything ready for the celebrations?"
Felix and Demetri were nudging each other, clearly one of them was supposed to be speaking up.
"What is it lads?" Basileus asked the pair.
Demetri pushed his brother one last time, Felix broke and spoke up. "Well, we were just wondering if we can join in tonight?"
"NO!" Aro bellowed at his guards. "These things go on well into the next day, you four can come for an hour or something but then you are back here and in bed."
Carlisle looked confused, he turned to Basileus, "I thought you said we don't sleep?"
Basileus nodded, "Adult vampires do not sleep Carlisle. Young vampires need to rest regularly like human children do. Felix is only sixteen, Demetri fourteen, and the twins are twelve. Vampires don't age so they are trapped in their young bodies, and their young bodies have different needs to ours."
Basileus had spoken quietly to his son but everyone else had heard. Felix huffed from his seat in front of the fire.
"I am not a child," he stated darkly.
Aro walked to him from behind the sofa again and pulled him uncomfortably backwards so he could speak into his ear. Carlisle didn't catch what he said, but whatever it was it had the boy looking sheepish and being quiet very quickly.
"I want them there Aro, let them come until they tire, it's not often we welcome a new member to our family in this way."
Felix and Demetri were mouthing their thanks to Basileus with glee - Aro had to allow them to go now. This time Aro huffed.
"And can we drink?"
Aro looked exasperatedly over to his father, and threw his hands in the air. "I give up!" he said.
Eleazar laughed at the boys almost bouncing in their seats. "You have to keep pushing, don't you?" he said to them as he gave them a wink. Eleazar loved those boys, and they loved him - he often slipped them a drink or two at parties anyway.
"Eleazar, will you show Carlisle around the castle whilst I finish a few things around here." Eleazar nodded and told his father he would be happy to. "Do not leave the grounds!" he added sternly to his eldest son.
Eleazar ducked his head low, he knew the rules! Pointing a finger at his new son, Basileus told him, "Carlisle, you have to stay with Eleazar, if he has any trouble with you, you will be answering to me, understood?"
"Yes, my lord." Carlisle answered politely, a little embarrassed by the public rebuke.
Basileus waited for the two to leave before he instructed Aro's 'family'. Sully, my dear, thank you for readying my suite, I very much appreciate it. Could you take the young ones and get ready for the celebrations."
Aro rolled his eyes dramatically. Basileus caught it, though he waited for the others to be out of the room before he addressed him.
Hearing the door thud closed, Basileus turned to his middle son, but before he could speak Aro fired his own question at his father. "Why do you do that?"
Basileus wasn't sure what Aro was talking about. "Why do I do what Aro," he asked in reply as he took Felix' vacated seat.
"I said they couldn't go, and you just overruled me!"
"Well that is because you were being entirely unnecessarily miserable about the whole thing! Why shouldn't they be there, they are a part of this family and I want them there to welcome my new son."
Aro rolled his eyes again. "Family!" he almost spat. "We are a coven, a coven of vampires. They are gifted young vampires…"
Basileus cut his son off before he really pissed him off. "Aro, are you still maintaining those four little vampires live in your quarters because you value their gifts. Seriously?"
Aro was tired of these arguments about fucking family. "You are trying to live vicariously through me, and I have my own life!"
Basileus squared up to his son. "You don't have your own life, you have given it to the damn Volturi!"
Aro threw his hands in the air. "Yes Dad, the Volturi which YOU set up and forced me to sit me at the head of the table! YOU did this!"
Basileus shook his head, he wasn't having that. "I did not force you, you were more than willing! I want more for you than this."
Aro sighed again, bored of arguing about the same shit. "What if I am happy living this way? Have you ever thought about that?" he asked, wanting a genuine answer from the man.
Basileus replied, calmly, "I have, and the thought that you are actually happy to be turning into an evil cunt like that brother in arms of your fills my dead heart with horror! You can't see what you are becoming, I want more for you, I know what is best for you Aro!"
Aro didn't have a response for that, Sulpicia had commented more and more than he was enjoying certain sides of his work a little too much. He was spending more time with the sadistic Caius than he was the carefree Marcus. She moaned about that too.
Basileus saw Aro was finally listening to reason and pushed a little further. "You keep those young ones so close because you love them and stumbling through a response to Carlisle's simple, and reasonable question proved it: they are your children."
Aro tried to answer but he couldn't formulate a response.
Basileus rose from his seat and placed a loving hand on his sons shoulder. "You may be able to lie to yourself, but you have never been able to lie to me, son."
Shaking off his father's hand Aro made to leave. "I need to make sure everything is ready for tonight," he said as he left his father's quarters and headed for his own. I need to tell my high guard they will be on a short leash tonight, and they had better not get any ideas about playing the fools because I will be watching!