First Feast
Aro threw his guards up the stairs before him. He stormed up behind them as they both scrambled to reach the top and get to safety. Together, the three burst into the main chamber of their top floor quarters.
Sulpicia was waiting by the fire side for her husband to return, she had already changed into her silk nightgown. The twins sat tiredly at her feet and looked fearfully to Aro. Sulpicia had already laid into them verbally about her disappointment. They felt crushed. They had argued that Basileus said it was okay - that hadn't washed with Sulpicia and she warned them that it wouldn't wash with Aro either.
"Sit down!" Aro ordered his two eldest guards.
They leapt into action and sat next to Jane and Alec on the floor, it seemed the most submissive position in the room. Demetri nudged his brother from his left, Alec did the same from his right side.
Great, so I am speaking up again, then! Felix thought to himself. He always had to play the part of 'big brother' when they were in trouble.
"Master, Basileus told us we had permission…"
Aro held up his hand to silence the boy. "Who's permission?" he asked dangerously.
"Well, his. He said it was up to him, not you." Felix really hadn't wanted to be the one to say that to their angry coven master.
Aro started pacing in frustration in front of his guard. He didn't dare look at them, thinking he might kill them if he did! "The only permission you need to seek in this coven is MINE, do you understand that!"
Demetri pulled lightly on Sulpicia's nightgown whilst their master was distracted with his pacing.
She looked down at the stressed boy leaning into her leg, "Oh no, if you think I am coming to your rescue you are sadly mistaken! If he doesn't discipline you all, I will."
Demetri's eyes flew wide open and his mouth hung in shock - Sulpicia rarely offered them up so easily to Aro's firm hand.
Aro quit his pacing and rounded on his high guard. They looked like small children, all sat there waiting for their father to erupt over their transgressions. He shook the imagery from his mind. He couldn't deal with those thoughts now - he wasn't yet convinced that they were his own or whether Basileus had put them there somehow. Have more tricks up your sleeve than I know about, old man, he wondered. Sulpicia wants them disciplined, Aro said to himself, I want to beat their sorry hides for their actions tonight. Basileus may well beat me afterward but I am willing to take that if it means setting these straight about who is in charge around here.
"Each and every one of you should be thoroughly ashamed of your behaviour. You have dishonoured yourselves, and us." Aro gestured to his angry wife who was glaring at their guard as hard as he was.
Felix and Demetri looked ready to cry, Jane and Alec already were.
"You can suck up your tears, all of you! I will give you something to cry about!"
Aro dragged Alec to his feet, the boy resisted but Aro hardy noticed. Putting his foot up on the sofa, he swung Alec over his knee and began a tirade of swats to the boy's backside - his yelps soon turned to cries and after only a few more he was begging to be released. Aro didn't stop though. Sulpicia sat at the other end of the sofa, turning away to face the fire. She had spanked their high guard plenty of times but never more than the odd swat to get their attention, or with the older boys, a slap to the face to shut them up! Aro would always deal with their guards when he returned home to find out they had forced her into such a position. She lied for them sometimes, or at least played it down.
"Please master, please!" Alec called out between smacks.
Aro finally let him loose, "Sit there!"
Alec sat, his ass burned, but he sat.
Aro dragged Demetri up next - the tight smile he offered the boy told Demetri this was going to be hell! From the moment Aro had found him in the dungeon Demetri knew his ass was grass. He must have been told a hundred times not to fuck the newborns. It was dangerous, newborns are so strong, and Demetri was much smaller and younger than the rest of the guard anyway. Demetri knew it was dangerous, that's why he liked it.
Aro leaned into his boy's ear as Demetri dangled over his knee, "I would happily dismember you for your insolence today boy!"
Demetri gulped. Shit, that sounds harsh! And then Demetri felt sudden, intense shame as Aro ripped the britches from his backside, exposing him to everyone in the room. He didn't have long to think of his embarrassment as Aro quickly set to unleashing his rapid assault. Aro didn't relent for a full five minutes - a lifetime in Demetri's opinion when that five minutes consisted of a furious vampire spanking your backside!
Demetri wailed with the pain from the very first strike. When Aro was done with him he ordered the boy to sit with Alec. He tried, he really did try. But it hurt too damn much! Demetri shot up onto his knees feeling sick with the pain. Aro roared in rage, grabbing Demetri roughly by his right arm he lifted the guard up just enough to expose his backside again and released another flurry of punishing swots.
"Now sit down!" he told the howling boy. He did this time. With wailing resumed.
Jane was backing up, that caught Aro's attention. "You aren't getting away with it!"
He took his princess of darkness from the floor and stood her up in front of him. Holding her left arm tightly in his left hand he spanked Jane where she stood as the deadly girl danced from foot to foot to try and avoid Aro's punishing hand. All too quickly if you'd have asked the boys, Jane was released to sit back on the floor. Demetri still hadn't brought himself under control and his sobs were the loudest in the room.
"Get up!" Aro spoke darkly to Felix.
Felix knew he would suffer far worse than the others, he always did. He was the oldest, and usually the most troublesome of Aro's high guard. Even though he was a great bear of a boy, Aro knew exactly how to handle him.
"GET UP!" Aro yelled at his young guard.
Felix pulled himself up to his feet. He glanced at his brother as he did so, Demetri looks fucked, shit this is going to be bad!
Aro unbuckled the belt around his waist. As he walked to the strong wooden table at the far side of the room. Felix followed, he knew the drill.
Before the boy had chance to lower himself Aro gripped him roughly by the scruff of his neck, "I am utterly disgusted with you, if you ever dare to address me again in the way you have tonight I will have you whipped in throne room until your blood runs dry."
Felix felt his stomach flip, the wine he'd drank down so greedily came back up now and filled his mouth.
Aro saw the boy was about to be sick. "Swallow it!" he ordered.
Felix didn't dare refuse, though doing so made him gag more.
Aro slammed the boy into the table before he had chance to change his mind. As he had with Demetri, he ripped the britches from the Felix's backside and began his belting. The boy's flesh cracked under the belt as Aro snapped it over and over against him. Paying no attention to his protestations, Aro didn't stop until the table collapsed beneath the boys struggles.
Standing back and panting with the exertion Aro fastened his belt back around the waist of his dress coat. Felix was a sobbing mess at his feet.
"GO TO BED!" Aro shouted to his high guard.
Felix dragged himself to his feet once more and limped quickly from the room, the other three were already well ahead of him.
Sulpicia watched her husband. "My love," she said as she stretched out her arms to him.
Aro joined her before the fire, sitting next to her and then pulling his dear wife into his lap. "I am sorry I was so harsh with them in your presence my queen."
Sulpicia shook her head gently and looked deeply into Aro's eyes. "It is your heart I fear for, my love. And your hide… Basileus will be very disappointed that you punished them."
Aro nodded to that. Disappointed, that's one word for it, he thought. Basileus will hang me out to dry.
"How did you convince him to put an end to it all, Aro?"
Aro started playing with his rings again, twisting them around his fingers, I must stop doing this, it's killing my poker face! "I told him the truth my queen, it was the only way to get him to end it."
Sulpicia wanted more than that, she wanted the words. "But what did you say my love? Please Aro, I have a right to know..."
Aro sat up straighter and looked down as his wife. "A right?" he repeated her words back at her.
She'd overstepped her mark, eyes cast down she apologized to her husband, asking for his forgiveness.
Guilt spread through Aro's heart over his wife. She does deserve to know what I said, he thought. "I agreed with Basileus that our guard are more than guards to me, I told him I care about them and that I want to protect them."
Sulpicia sat back up, lifting her head from her husband's chest to look into his eyes again. "And did you mean it Aro, really?"
Aro played with a loose curl of her hair, winding it around his finger. "I do, my queen. I love them very much. I know you do too, I heard your thoughts back there. I don't understand why all this is so important to Basileus though, what good has all this done?"
Sulpicia had her suspicions, but she kept them from her thoughts for the moment so Aro wouldn't hear. "Are you going back to the celebrations my love, I can stay here and mind the young ones," she offered genuinely.
Aro leaned back into the sofa. "No, no I don't want to be away from any of you. I should go and check on them. No doubt they hate me again now."
Sulpicia moved from his lap and Aro stood, brushing himself down he collected his wife's long discarded book from the floor and offered it to his queen. "Are you reading this again?" he asked with a smile.
"I love Shakespeare! Reading his works reminds me of our visit to England, do you remember? It's been fifty years."
Aro smiled in response, they hadn't taken a break from Volterra since then. "Of course I do, my queen."
Sulpicia sighed contentedly at her memories of their trip. "Besides, I have only read this one a few times," she said absentmindedly as she flicked through the tattered book to the page she was on.
Aro stroked his wife's face gently before leaving to check on his guard. As soon as he opened the door to the hall way leading to the bed chambers, he heard doors slamming shut and the sound of people rushing around, and four very distinct thuds - like little vampires jumping into their beds. So you were listening, Aro thought, wondering if his guard knowing he loved them could have any adverse effects… He was unable to come up with any possible harm. But still, naughty little vampires!
He went to the twin's door first. On opening, he saw what looked like two angels sleeping peacefully in their beds. You must think I was born yesterday! he said to himself as he walked into their room, closing the door behind him.
Aro sat next to his youngest guard, Alec. "I know you are awake."
Alec opened one eye first and then the other, offering Aro a coy smile as he did so.
"Jane, you too my dear." He laughed lightly at the sigh Jane released at having been found out. "Were you listening?" Both nodded. "You know that is incredibly rude, yes?" Nods again. "How much did you hear?"
Alec and Jane shared a questioning look. Daring each other to lie, Aro assumed correctly.
"I suggest you do not lie to me, I will know my little ones," he said as he tapped his temple.
"All of it, master," Jane spoke up. "Will Basileus really belt you for punishing us?" she asked.
"I believe so, yes." Aro said plainly. "That is not for you to worry about, though. Do you want to ask me anything?" Aro pressed.
Both shook their heads. Aro could see how tired they were and felt it better for them to sleep if they weren't feeling chatty. He stood, leaving Alec's bed and made for the door again. Just before he closed the door behind him he heard Alec whisper, "master," calling out for him.
Peaking his head back around the door frame, Jane asked, "Do you really love us? Both of you?"
The twins waited patiently to hear his response.
"Yes," Aro returned, mimicking their whispers. "Very much. Now go to sleep or you will feel how much I love you!" Aro raised his arm across his body and up towards his face, as though he was about to slap someone with the back of his hand. His threat was false but the two young vampires ducked down low under their blankets, just in case.
Aro stood outside Felix and Demetri's chamber door, listening, waiting to hear any movement from within. He could hear they were whispering to each other but he couldn't make out what they were saying. Flinging the door open he startled both boys into jumping a foot above their beds. He entered the room and closed the door behind him.
"When you are sent to bed for being naughty little vampires, I expect you to go straight to bed - not lurk around doorways listening in on private conversations."
Aro walked between their beds and around the room. Reaching the window he leaned into the sill and looked out at the bright moon lighting up the sky. Without looking back he asked, "I assume, like your partners in crime across the hallway, you heard everything?"
Turning to see their answer he caught both boys nod in agreement with his question.
"Master, we are sorry we got so out of hand tonight, all of us. It won't happen again." Felix spoke up.
"Damn right you are about that Felix, you for one, are very, VERY lucky I didn't thrash you where you stood with the way you talked to me. And Demetri you weren't any better!"
The two of them found their hands very interesting all of a sudden. Aro couldn't help but smile seeing that they imitated his nervous habit. "Do you have anything to say for yourselves?"
Felix looked up. "We don't want Basileus to come down on you because of us."
Aro waved his boy's statement away with his hand. "Let me worry about him, don't concern yourself with Basileus, okay?" Both nodded again. "Do you want to ask me anything?" there was Aro's final prompt.
"You said you love us." Demetri stated, quietly.
Aro went and sat on the boy's bed. "I did," he replied.
"Do you mean it?" Demetri asked.
Aro learned back on his arms so he could see both young guards, and simply said, "I do."
Silence fell between the three of them. Aro watched his young guard, Felix seemed to have a question forming in his mind. That boy is so transparent, Aro thought with a smirk.
"What is it Felix?" Aro finally asked him, the boy looked confused.
"Huh! Oh nothing, it doesn't matter."
Aro pressed further, "Speak, now, or I will come over there and read your mind, I don't have time for these games!" Aro wasn't as annoyed as he sounded, he was far more concerned that his admission could disturb the status quo in their coven.
"Does this change anything, master?" Felix eventually asked.
Aro really wasn't sure himself if he was being honest. "I don't know Felix. In these quarters, it could, I suppose it will. Outside of our private rooms though, no, definitely not. You are still my high guard and I expect you to act as such." Aro finished, the boys looked a little sad at that. What did you expect, Aro asked himself. What more could I offer than that really?
"But you stopped Caius from punishing me in the throne room…" Felix trailed off. To him, that was things changing outside their quarters too.
"Felix, I have always intervened to prevent Caius from tearing off your limbs. He may have whipped you with the others, but I have always intervened."
Realization dawned on both Demetri and Felix, they may not have been privy to Aro claiming them for his own with Caius, but thinking back, Caius had never disciplined them like he had the rest of the guards.
"So what about in out quarters then, master?" Demetri asked Aro.
Aro mused over what could change. He wasn't sure what they wanted to hear and he wanted to make them happy. I want to make them happy, hmm. I've never really thought about that before.
"Well you can relax the 'master' in our quarters for a start. Other than that, let us just see how things develop." Aro sounded final, he was never one to overplay his hand and the two young guards knew him well enough to know when to stop pushing. Eyeing them both for a moment, Aro stood from Demetri's bed. "Sleep!" he ordered, and left the room.
Aro allowed his high guard to sleep until just before dawn, then he had to wake them. He knew Ashanti would be bringing in a human party at sunrise - it was her commission to do so as a way to end their celebrations with a feast. Aro had already changed, he was waiting, watching the fire as he often did, for the rest of his household to join him.
"If you miss this feed you will be waiting another month!" he called out in no particular direction.
Sulpicia was first to join him, struggling with the clasp on her jewelled bracelet.
"Allow me, my queen." Aro took the bracelet from her hands and delicately closed the clasp around her wrist. "I bought you this not long after we mated," he said softly.
Sulpicia simply smiled at her husband, and placed her hand on his cheek, allowing him access to the thoughts running through her head. Memories flooded Aro's mind of when they first met and he'd courted her, and their first night together as vampires. Then to when each of their high guard joined them and moved into their quarters.
"My queen, please, let us not get ahead of ourselves, the order of things MAY change in these private rooms, but outside of our sanctuary it most definitely cannot." Aro spoke as kindly as he could but his dear wife's face still fell.
"I will go and hurry them along, my love," she said to him as she left to find her 'guard' and hide her sadness at Aro's declaration.
She returned a moment later with all four following behind her. "Felix is limping still," she told her husband.
"Good!" Aro stated a little too happily. All five of his household looked sad at hearing him say it. Aro quickly explained himself, "Caius will want you whipped Felix, you tried to kill Antonio last night. If you are limping he will know I have dealt with you and it may be enough to convince him to leave you to me."
Felix paled. "May be enough?!" he replied in shock.
Aro smiled slightly, Felix and Demetri had both been whipped before, it was one of the Volturi's lesser punishments for those they decided against dispatching - two guards would hold the offender up and one of the masters would whip them at his full strength and vampire speed, even with a vampires increased rate of healing, a few offenders were left with physical scars from the ordeal.
"You will apologize to Antonio for taking the games too far, and then leave me to deal with the Caius."
Aro was serious, Felix heard him - don't antagonize Caius, got it.
"My queen," Aro said as he offered his wife his arm. She linked with him and the young guards followed them out of their suite into the castle halls and along to the throne room.
The rambunctious guests of the great hall the six had left seven hours ago were far more subdued on their return. The twins caught Eleazar's eye as they entered, he was sitting alone on the guard benches to the far side of the room. He beckoned them over, looking worse for wear with all he'd drank. They joined him happily once Aro had given them his approval.
"What happened?" he asked them as they sat either side of him. "Has he punished you?" Eleazar was sober enough now though his words slurred a little with his exertions of the evening.
The twins nodded.
"Bastard!" Eleazar said a tad too loudly, the twins hushed him for fear of alerting Aro. "Well he shouldn't have," he whispered to them more quietly. "I will be speaking with him about this, Basileus too."
The twins smiled at Eleazar and leaned into him as he put a protective arm around each of them, shooting a frosty glare to his brother and father.
Aro took his throne and pulled Sulpicia into his lap, the throne was large enough for them to sit side by side but he preferred to hold her tight. Felix and Demetri hung around his chair awkwardly.
"You can go to the guards," Aro called over his shoulder to them both. "Felix, you had better seek out Antonio," he finished pointedly. Both boys nodded and left the elevated area to face their coven mates.
Caius sauntered over to Aro, "I thought you were coming straight back?" he said accusingly.
"I got caught up dealing with them brother," Aro gestured to his high guard, now scattered around the room.
"Felix is still walking I see, I will whip him later, I have things to do after the feast so he'll have to wait for now," Caius said in a matter-of-fact way. He missed Aro tensing up at his words.
"I've dealt with him Caius," Aro said sharply.
Caius, still not noticing Aro was against him on whipping the guard, continued, "hardly! Look at him! You are getting soft in your old age brother!" He scoffed and went to walk away.
Aro grabbed his wrist to pull him back. "I said, I have dealt with him Caius. You aren't whipping him, no one is."
Aro heard his brother in arms thoughts, Caius was surprised - what is going on with you, the insolent whelp was an embarrassment to himself and tried to kill a fellow guard, we cannot let this go, you would never let such a thing go Aro! "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Caius exclaimed aloud.
Moving Sulpicia out of his lap, Aro stood up, facing Caius off. Aro very rarely called rank - he usually managed things so he didn't have to - however, he was fully prepared to if necessary. "Felix is my high guard, and I say I have dealt with him. So that's the end of it."
Aro was menacing, Caius wasn't one to scare easily but he was perturbed in this face off. Somethings happened, somethings changed, he thought. "Fine, protect your brat Aro, but you are breaking coven rules."
"It's MY coven, Caius, and MY rules - I can break them whenever I feel like it," Aro spat his reply loudly, leaving Caius in no doubt that things had changed.
Caius eyed Felix and Demetri dangerously. All the guards had seen Aro pull rank against Caius and Caius was furious at being humiliated in such a way. I'll take your fucking guard down for this Aro, he thought bitterly. I'll set my own coven up you can keep the fucking Volturi and when we do battle I will take your smug head off your fucking smug shoulders.
Basileus had been talking with Carlisle - his new son had caused a little too much trouble in his inebriated state and he was telling the newborn what he could expect when they returned to their quarters. Carlisle's stomach hit the floor but he bowed his head respectfully as his father left him to speak with Caius.
"Caius," Basileus called the young master over to him. Placing an arm around his shoulders and holding him uncomfortably tightly he spoke quietly to the man, he whispered, "I heard your thoughts..."
Caius started to panic and ramble his excuses, Basileus hushed him.
"You have such wonderfully grandiose ideas, but I fear, my boy, that they are above your station," Basileus said pointedly, and with a tone that offered a threat to his words.
"I understand my lord, forgive me, I have drank too much…"
Basileus cut him off again. "Yes, we all do silly things when we are drunk, take Felix for example…" Basileus let that hang there as he went to question Aro about what had kept him away so long.
"I do hope you haven't punished the young ones for your own actions, son."
Aro rolled his eyes and went to walk away, but Basileus spun him back around to face him - he wasn't finished yet.
"You are the one who tricked them!" Aro spat accusingly.
"I did not trick them, Aro." Basileus replied, "I am not a conjurer, I simply did what was required to save this family."
"Family!" Aro said as he went to walk away again. Before he'd made it a safe distance, Basileus had flashed around in front of him and grabbed him roughly by the front of his shirt.
"Yes, Aro, family!" he ground out.
Aro looked around furtively. Too many people watching! "Okay, okay, family," he whispered back.
Basileus was content with that for now. His plan was coming together - he could tell Aro's feelings were changing even if his son chose to continue lying to himself. "You will meet me in my chambers when the feast I finished."
Aro looked to his father incredulously. "You seriously intend to punish me for dealing with my own guard?" he said as quietly as he could with still being heard.
"Aw son," Basileus replied as he embraced his boy with a broad grin. "Punish is such a tame word for what I plan on doing to you!"
He said it so sweetly, and with such love, that Aro had to replay the words over in his mind to gather his father's true intent. When he twigged he started to fret. "What do you mean by that?!"
Basileus continued beaming, "I'm going to beat you black and blue boy. You were warned to leave them be."
Aro's face paled, much like Felix's had only half an hour before. Basileus slapped his sons face lightly and left him to stew in his fear.
Carlisle had watch Basileus and Aro's conversation and waited for Basileus to leave before he approached. "Aro, Aro!" he called, shaking his new big brother from his own thoughts.
"Forgive me Carlisle I, oh, it doesn't matter. Have you enjoyed the celebrations?" Aro needed a change of conversation - if nothing else, Carlisle could offer him that.
"I think I've enjoyed it too much," he replied, clearly nervous.
"Why?" Aro asked. "All was well when I left, with you anyway. What happened?"
"I have had sex with half the women in your guard!" Carlisle was pacing, his actions disturbed him, it was like they weren't his own. "I was drunk, I would never act in such a way sober! I was a good human, it seems I am an immoral vampire!" Carlisle looked set to send himself into a frantic melt down!
Aro interrupted him to attempt some rationality. "You weren't THAT good a human Carlisle, I read your thoughts whilst you were transforming… I saw a few ladies in your past!" Aro laughed at his brother's horror.
"Well only a few. And spread out over a few years, not half a room in one evening!"
Aro couldn't hold his laughter in any longer, Carlisle soon joined him, chuckling gently.
Getting serious again, Carlisle asked his brother about his main concern. "Aro, he said," he gestured nervously to Basileus. "He's going to 'deal' with me later... What does he mean, what is he going to do?"
Aro understood his brother's fear, he understood only too well. He placed a hand on the younger vampires shoulder. "I do not know brother, but safe to say, I believe most of our father's fury will be aimed at me today, and maybe for the foreseeable future too…"
Aro looked over to his, no, their father just in time to see him look back at them with a furious glare. Aro knew that was for him - Carlisle had been a little foolish, he hadn't defied their creator like Aro had. Whatever Basileus was trying to do the order of things in Aro's 'family', Aro knew it did not bode well for his hide.
"I think, little brother, you are going to have the easiest newborn year in history. That bastard's going to be far too busy beating me to notice what you are up to."
That didn't make Carlisle feel any easier, oddly.
Ashanti threw open the great hall's front doors and sauntered in with a large group of humans following her - they were mesmerized by her presence and obeyed her every order. Didyme left Marcus to his musical guards and joined Ashanti. Once Ashanti had ordered her humans to group in the middle of the room, Didyme flooded the poor things with her gift. Didyme's gift of happiness was often enjoyed by the entire coven, except for Aro, who she sadly had no effect on. She could, if she chose, flood her victims with such a strength of happiness hormone that they fell into a euphoric state, it lasted hours on humans.
Didyme smiled contentedly at the pile of humans tripping out from her drug and turned to Ashanti, "How many did you find my dear?"
"Enough for one each, at least, my lady."
Ashanti bowed to Didyme as she backed away to join the guards. They all knew to wait their turn. There was an order to feeding in Volterra and the guards were last.
Basileus offered a smile to coven's siren. "You've done your duty well my dear."
If she could, Ashanti would have blushed. She hoped that such a great haul of humans would get her back in Basileus' good books. He'd found her and Carlisle at the back of the great hall being far too frisky for public view.
Renata leaned close to her friend. "You may have pleased him enough to be spared more humiliation, Ashanti. I still cannot believe he slapped your ass in front of everyone!"
Ashanti whispered back her reply, "I know, mortifying! I know it was Eleazar that gave us away. I will get even with him for this!"
Renata didn't like the sound of that. "Be careful…" before Renata could continue Basileus had ordered them all to shush and listen.
Walking to the human pile, Basileus picked out two humans, delivering one to Eleazar who was still sitting with the twins, the other to Carlisle standing with Aro.
"Not yet, son," he told his new boy, returning to the human haul.
Carlisle held tightly onto the human, he wanted to rip its throat out and drink down the blood he could smell, but he didn't want to kill the human. Aro had his hand on his brothers shoulder and 'heard' his conflicted thoughts.
"Brother, if you do not feed Basileus will make you… you are better off just getting on with it. I must say though, your restraint it amazing!"
Carlisle nodded to Aro - he still felt like scum but decided against warring with his new father in such a public setting.
Basileus soon delivered a human to Aro and Sulpicia and took one for himself too. Much to Caius' annoyance, he allowed them all to feast together. Basileus watched Carlisle, he saw the newborn try to resist, but Aro made him see sense and he eventually drank the human host dry. Once he was sure his sons, and dear Sulpicia of course, had feasted he gestured to Marcus and Caius to retrieve their own meals.
Marcus collected two happily; one for himself and one for Didyme. Marcus couldn't care less about position within the coven, it had always been obvious to him that Basileus lead this coven and he, Caius and Aro were just the daily masters of it. Of course Aro was above he and Caius - Aro was Basileus' son, he really couldn't understand why Caius struggled with the idea.
When the two masters and their wives had finished, Basileus went to release the guards to their feasting, but Aro stopped him.
"Not yet, my lord," he called to his father.
Basileus caught Aro's thoughts as he stood down and allowed his son to proceed… he wouldn't have done so if he hadn't read his thoughts mind you.
Caius looked confused. "What are you playing at Aro? Let them get on with it." He was still clearly pissed off with his coven mate.
"No Caius, there is an order to things, is there not?" Aro spoke smoothly with a patronising smile for his co master. "Felix, Demetri!" he called and his two boys walked forward with their heads bowed. Next Aro caught Jane and Alec's eye and called them forward too. "Go ahead!"
Hurried whispers filled the guard as the four of them looked around, unsure if this was some sort of test, or something? Eleazar nudged the twins forward from his seat but they still didn't approach the humans.
"What the hell are you playing at Aro!" Caius voiced the guards' thoughts, though far more forcefully than they were thinking.
Aro spoke darkly to Caius in return, "Something I should have done long ago, brother," he said, leaving the man in no doubt that things were changing around here.
Aro walked down the throne steps and plucked out two humans, he dragged their bodies around the pile and delivered one each to Felix and Demetri. "Enjoy" he said simply as they took his offerings, nervously. Returning to the pile he collected another two humans and took them to Jane and Alec. He winked at them as he dropped the bodies at their feet.
"I told you to feed!" he called over his shoulder as he returned to his throne.
Sulpicia stood up for her husband to take his chair, but he gently lowered her back down and stood beside her, hand in hand. They watched together as their high guard fed to their fill. Sulpicia was thanking him in her thoughts, he squeezed her hand to let her know he'd heard. When their young ones were finished Aro told the rest of the guard to find themselves a host. With a little more apprehension than usual, they devoured the rest of the bodies before them.
While the guards were busing, Aro crooked a finger at each of his high guard in turn and called them forwards. They approached the throne steps with trepidation, still wondering if perhaps they should have resisted the feeds they had been offered.
"Come up here," Aro told them, sounding very serious.
The four of them searched each other's faces as they approached him, not entirely sure who the serious tone was directed at. The twins stood either side of Sulpicia's knees and she smiled kindly at them as they did so. The older two went to Aro and stood in front of him. Looking bloody gormless! Aro thought. He turned the two of them around to face the rest of the hall as the guards busied themselves fighting it out over the best feeds. Aro draped his arm around Felix and angled his guard so Caius could see him.
"Have you apologized to Antonio?" he asked Felix, rather loudly.
Oh fuck! Felix thought, his guts twisting. "Yes master," he said respectfully, praying to whatever god there was above that Aro was going to get him out of being whipped by Caius.
"Have I dealt with you for your transgressions?" Aro asked him sternly.
Felix really wasn't sure what was going on now, but he trusted this was all part of Aro's plan. "Yes master."
Aro clapped his guards shoulder. "See brother," he said to Caius. "Nothing to bother yourself with."
Caius scoffed. "Whatever you say, master!" He dripped with sarcasm.
They all knew Caius wasn't going to let it go. Felix gulped between the intimidating masters of the Volturi coven, wishing it was Marcus instead of Caius. Marcus isn't vengeful, Marcus is nice, easy going even. He doesn't even seem bothered about any of this. Caius is such a miserable, evil bastard - he isn't going to let this go, he will whip me eventually, Felix thoughts were running away from him.
Aro gave him a jolt, having heard it all. "I suggest you don't give him a reason to then," he hissed just loud enough for Felix to hear.
The boy nodded, knowing full well staying out of trouble was impossible for him at the best of times, let alone with Caius watching his every move.
"Was that part of your plan?" Eleazar asked their father, he and Carlisle joining Basileus at the side of the throne floor.
"Nope, that was Aro's doing."
Eleazar laughed lightly. "So you were right then, about Aro I mean, and…"
Basileus cut him off with a wave of his hand. The great hall was falling quiet as everyone had fed and he didn't want to discuss such sensitive matters in public. "I will talk to you later. I need to talk to you later in fact. When everyone leaves I want you two to go to my quarters, I will bring Aro."
Eleazar nodded and waited for the proceedings to finish. Carlisle looked ready to throw up that blood he'd just drank.
"If we are all finished, my friends," Aro called out, quietening the last of the rabble. "I need these bodies taking to the courtyard for burning and then you can take the rest of the day off, all guarding duties are cancelled, in honour of my new brother."
The guards whooped and applauded at that. They would happily remove the bodies and disperse around the castle grounds to enjoy a very rare, full day off.
Demetri was soon digging Felix in the ribs again. No way, I am not asking to 'go and play' after last night brother you can do your own dirty work! he thought back at Demetri, shaking his head to his brothers pleading face. Before Demetri had chance to build up the nerve, Aro shocked the four of them.
"What are you waiting for? Go!" Pushing his eldest guards forwards he gestured to the twins. "And take them with you."
"Stay together, please." Sulpicia added, quietly.
Aro watched as his guard left through the arched, open doorway to the front of the great hall. He laughed with Sulpicia as they repeatedly looked back to them for reassurance.
Caius was becoming incensed! "Are you going to explain to the rest of us what is so funny about letting him off the hook for his behaviour!?"
Breaking away from his laughter with his wife, Aro turned back to Caius. "What are you talking about now?" he asked, sounded thoroughly bored. "They were drunk, it wasn't a big deal so let us not make it one. If you want to whip them you will have to whip the entire guard."
Caius saw his chance. "Then I will, happily."
Aro shook his head and laughed at Caius, which just angered him more. "I am sure you would, too. But, Caius, no, just no. Leave my guard alone, they are for me to deal with."
Caius jumped to his feet to respond, knocking Athenodora out of the way as he did so.
Aro was quick to do the same and squared up to Caius. "You will leave my guard alone, and if I think you are being unfair with the rest of the guards, I will take them, too. You will not win on this Caius, so I suggest you back off."
The two coven masters had never gone against each other before, Aro would always seek to find middle ground and they would agree on the matter of course to take. Not this time. Aro was deadly serious. Marcus would frequently act as a mediator between the two but he sensed this time it wouldn't be right. Aro meant what he said, he wasn't being flippant, he would take Caius down if he had to. Marcus felt the bond between them fracture, only slightly, but he felt it all the same. It took a while for Caius to back down, eventually he turned and left the throne room with his wife trailing after him.
"I am going back to our quarters to read, my love. Spend some time with your new brother."
Aro smiled to his mate and nodded in response, but wasn't relishing the next part of his day - facing his father. Marcus and Didyme took their leave with Sulpicia, leaving the three brothers the creator.
"With me!" Basileus called as he led them out at a human pace back to his quarters…