Submission
Aro didn't return to his wife as quickly as he could have - he needed space to think. As he roamed around the sleeping town of Volterra, he wondered if the simple humans knew how close they were to the supernatural forces of their lands.
Of course they don't. Simple beings. I'll never understand what fascinates Marcus so much about humans? I suppose they are a harmless enough diversion from the mundane. Certainly more civilized than Caius' torture chamber or his overzealous management of the guards. And less stressful than mine - my young guards. Those four vampires have caused me more drama than everything else in the vampiric world combined. It was bad enough with Basileus on my back about them, now Eleazar too! Is he right? Does Sulpicia see them as her children? As our children? Maybe I should read her mind and find out. Even if she does, though, what can I do about it?
Aro had paid little attention to where his meandering walk had taken him. He was already back at the castle gates. Breathing deeply, filling his lungs with the cool night air, Aro decided to follow Eleazar's advice and read Sulpicia's thoughts. At least I can put this whole thing behind me then, one way or another. Good God, I hope my father and brother are wrong. I just want an easy life!
"My queen?" Aro called out softly as he entered their quarters.
It was late enough that their young guard should be sleeping. The main room was deserted and the fire appeared to have been forgotten, long since stoked for sure.
"I am in our chamber, my love."
Sulpicia's sweet voice floated in the air and called Aro to her like a siren. When he opened the door he was presented with his wife lying naked on their over-sized bed, only the silk sheet preserving her modesty.
I can make short work of that! Aro thought to himself as he stripped his clothes whilst walking towards her, kicking the heavy door closed behind him without taking his eyes of his dear, beautiful wife.
"Come to me, my love," Sulpicia whispered, seductively.
Aro climbed onto the bed, never breaking contact with his eyes. As he straddled his woman he ripped the sheet away from her heavenly body and lay on top of her, resting his weight on his arms and tangled his fingers into her soft brown hair. With one last look into her ruby eyes he kissed her deeply, wondering why they had gone so long without enjoying each other like this.
Sulpicia bit onto his bottom lip, gently at first, but Aro liked it rougher than that - she soon obliged him. Her delicate hands cupped the back of his neck. Without warning, she drew hew nails into his skin and pulled them down the length of his back. Just enough for blood to prick at the lines she'd created and have her husband roaring in pleasure as she continued to writhe beneath him.
They made love for the first time in weeks. Between Basileus' beatings and looking after newborns - along with all the usual pressures of running the royal coven - they had hardly spent any time together alone in months. Thinking about it, they were lucky it had only been weeks since their last time in bed together. It took them close to three hours to tire of their activity. When Sulpicia was sure Aro had climaxed for the final time, she collapsed on top of him - they lay there in a state of euphoria for a while before either of them spoke.
"Are you happy, my love?" she asked her husband.
Aro brought his arms around his wife's fragile frame and held her tightly, nuzzling her neck and kissing her softly. "I am my queen. Are you?"
Sulpicia sighed contentedly as she murmured indistinguishable words of happiness, utterly relaxed in her husband's arms.
Aro studied her face; she looked to be asleep, as though dreaming of her most pleasurable days. You, my queen, are perfect, entirely perfect, he thought as he closed his eyes to join her in fake slumber. At that moment, Aro wanted nothing more than give his queen all she could ever want, but for the first time in a very long time, he was unsure of what that was. Eleazar's words were buzzing around his head. He could read her thoughts and find out what would be her truest desire, just as his brother had prompted him to do. Aro resolved that whatever it was, he would make it happen. You have always been true to me, my queen, you deserve for me to be true to you, he thought finally before accessing Sulpicia's thoughts.
Aro sought out the day's thoughts since he had left her to fulfill his duties in the great hall. Alec came home and he was upset. She checked on him, Marcus had admonished him for teasing Jane in the throne room and being unprofessional. Mhmm, I will need to talk with Alec about that. Carmen. Sully wanted to talk to Carmen to find out what Eleazar's trick was...
You agreed to lie to me? To me? LIE TO ME!
Felix?!
You convinced him to lie to me, too? You deceitful bitch! You have never lied to me before. So, all this, all this 'relaxing things' in our quarters with the guards - THIS is my prize! This is what I get in return! Disrespectful and deceitful guards, and worse, my own wife! How did you think you would get away with this!
"Aro! Aro you are hurting me!"
Sulpicia woke from her rest with Aro constricting her body, his eyes were closed and she wasn't sure if he was even aware of what he was doing.
"Aro! Stop!" she pleaded. His eyes flew open. Rather than the remorse she expected to see, there was anger. No - fury! "My love…"
"NO!" Aro cut her off. "You will not 'my love' me, you deceitful bitch!" Aro shoved the slight women off from on top of him. She landed on the bed, but only just.
"Aro! What the hell is wrong with you?" she shot back, confused, surprised, and a little scared.
"ME?" Aro got off the bed. He began stalking around the room like a caged animal. "ME!" he repeated to himself "YOU are the one who agreed to LIE to me. And you convinced that ingrate to join in your deception!"
Sulpicia's face changed from one of surprise to one of fear realizing her husband had read her memory of her conversation with Carmen. "I was going to tell you Aro," she spoke in such a small voice that he struggled to hear her.
Aro flashed back to the bed. In a moment he was straddling her again, though this time there was nothing thrilling about it, it was horrifying.
Crack!
Sulpicia reeled in pain as Aro slapped her cheek with his full vampiric force. With no time to recover, Aro grabbed his wife's face; her whole jaw fit in one of his hands. Forcing her head back down into the pillow, he leaned close to her ear. His weight wasn't supported this time - he didn't care to - Sulpicia felt like she was being crushed into the soft mattress.
"You are a liar! I can read your thoughts, sweetheart - you had already come up with a thousand ways to keep Felix in the clear and you had no intention of telling me anything!" Aro panted ragged breaths as he spoke, the fire inside him at the betrayal he felt fueling his actions. "You will submit to me!"
Sulpicia was shaking, she knew what that meant.
"No, Aro please, my love…"
"YOU WILL SUBMIT TO ME!" he all but screamed in response.
Releasing his hold on her face Aro sat back on his knees. Without once looking into her frightened eyes he flipped his wife over beneath him. With one hand he held her down roughly by the back of her neck, with the other he held readied himself and touched the tip of his hard cock to her rear entrance. Without word or warning he invaded her, painfully. Aro fucked hard and fast with none of his earlier love or passion. This was sheer dominance! Truthfully it wasn't even Aro in control, at least not the human side of him. The internal vampire, the monster within, and all its inherent animalistic tendencies lead the event. He clawed at her body, grabbing fistfuls at a time, squeezing and scrawping. He bit into her flesh until her blood filled his throat, and then bit down some more. The growl rumbling in his chest became louder and louder until he was roaring as he climaxed. As soon as he had, Aro was back.
Looking down at his battered and bruised wife, Aro came to his senses. Falling back he withdrew himself from her. He was careful, but it was too late to save Sulpicia any pain.
"My queen…" he spoke softly and reached out to touch her delicate shoulder - she shook in response. No words were needed. He had to leave. Now.
Aro dressed quickly as he searched his wife's fragile frame - counting every bruise, every mark, every bite as he did so. Sulpicia continued to shake as she silently sobbed into the pillow. He backed up to the door, hoping beyond hope she would turn to him, or call for him. Nothing. No less than he deserved. He slipped from the room silently and went in search of someone who could help him right his wrongs, again.
Aro knocked on his father's door. It was unusual for him to knock; normally he would walk in and make himself at home. Tight then, he knew he didn't deserve to feel at home.
Basileus opened his door expecting a guard from the coven, not his half-dressed and distressed son.
"What the hell has happened to you?" he asked as he pulled his boy inside.
"Where is Carlisle?" Aro asked quietly.
"He is with Marcus, they have gone for a walk through the town. Do you need him? Or me?" Basileus asked as he guided Aro to the table and sat him down.
"You," Aro stated simply.
Basileus nodded as he poured a tankard of ale for his son, and one for himself too. Taking the glass, Aro drank down the bitter tasting liquid greedily until his cup was dry. Basileus raised a questioning eyebrow to his son, but silently refilled his glass and placed it on the table in front of him.
"Go steady," he gently warned.
"I need to talk with you." Aro sounded desperate.
Basileus noted that his son had yet to look him in the eye since turning up at his door. That's not a good sign. "What's wrong son?"
Aro took a few large gulps from his tankard to steady his nerves, it didn't help. "I have done something I shouldn't have," he started to explain. "Something I'm not proud of."
Basileus slapped his shoulder and grinned. "Blimey, Aro, there aren't enough hours in my immortality to hear your confessions!" Basileus exclaimed, trying to ease the tension between them. It didn't help at all - Aro was too distressed to be playful.
"Dad, I am serious. I don't know how to come back from this…" he caught his father's eye as he spoke, and his shame ignited afresh. Aro threw his hands up to cover his face, desperately trying to massage the guilt from his conscience. "I don't know if we can come back from this," he continued, though his hands remained shielding him from his father's gaze.
"We who?" Basileus pressed, gently.
"Sully, Sully and me!"
A hundred thoughts flew through Basileus' mind, what could you possibly have done for our dear Sulpicia to question you, she adores you! Basileus drew a blank, there was literally no crime so great that she wouldn't forgive him.
"What have you done?"
Aro sat silent, allowing his demons to torment him and refusing to say it. If I say it, it's real.
"Look at me," Basileus ordered sternly. Clearly something serious had happened and he wasn't going to sit and wait while Aro searched the floor for his answers. Once Aro looked up, Basileus saw the devastation in his eyes. Holding that eye contact he pushed, "What have you done?"
Aro thought about lying, seeking out his father's advice seemed a good idea on his way down here, now he just felt more ashamed than he could cope with.
"Aro!" Basileus was done waiting.
"I made her submit to me."
Aro cupped his own mouth, as if hoping to prevent the words escaping from his lips. It was too late, they were out there, now it was real. Fuck. He could literally feel the oppressive weight of his shame weighing down his shoulders.
Basileus didn't speak at first. His jaw became slack and his mouth hung open. Standing from his chair and shaking his head he replayed Aro's words over in his mind. 'I made her submit to me.'
"Why!" he asked, in genuine confusion.
Aro fell into silence again.
"Aro that sweet, precious woman!" Basileus was still shocked. He thought he'd raised his son better than that.
BANG! Basileus brought his hand down hard on the table - Aro flinched at the unexpected noise.
"What were you thinking you damn fool?"
That sounds more like I expected, Aro thought hearing his father bellow about his stupidity. He knew he had to answer, but he couldn't drop Eleazar in it, too. "I felt that she betrayed me."
"HOW?" Basileus shouted back to him, he refused to even entertain a way Sulpicia could betray Aro. Never in my wildest dreams would she do such a thing.
"I cannot tell you how," Aro mumbled. "It's not even important how."
He refused to land Eleazar in any hot water over how he was dealing with Carmen, especially when Eleazar had made it clear he did not want Aro knowing let alone Basileus. But that wasn't the real reason he refused to explain. He knew his excuse was bullshit. He knew that Sulpicia deceiving him wasn't the entire reason Aro had done what he did. It was because he felt his power slipping. He always made such stupid decisions when he felt like he wasn't in complete control.
"Were you wrong?" Basileus shook his boy from his thoughts.
He had heard him berating himself in cryptic thoughts, no doubt to stop me finding out the real reason, huh, son? I may be old but I am not stupid!
Aro looked back to his father, unsure just how much had slipped through his guarded thoughts - Basileus seemed pissed off with him, but he expected that. Aro couldn't tell if he knew.
"About her betrayal? No," he answered confidently, adding in a quiet mutter, "But that's hardly the point is it?"
Basileus retook his seat. "No, I suppose it isn't," he conceded.
"How can I make it right?" Aro asked in a very small voice. He sounded like a young boy, not a man of nearly thirty years and certainly not a vampire of over two thousand years!
"You sound like an errant child!" Basileus accused rather insultingly.
How can you make this right! That's something I would expect Felix to ask: 'tell me how to make this right', 'make this okay for me'. He isn't mature enough to work it out for himself. You're a grown man, Aro! Damn fool.
Willing himself to stay in control, Basileus stated, rather simplistically, "Be sorry."
Aro looked up at him incredulously. Great, really helpful, thanks, he thought. "That goes without saying, surely."
Aro replied with a little too much attitude for Basileus' liking. He reached across the table and yanked his son in close by wrist. "Being sorry doesn't go without saying, no! You need to say it, mean it, and show it," he ground out, wondering why the hell he was having to explain such a simple thing to the supposed king of the vampiric world!
"I won't do it again, obviously."
"I remember you said that last time, son." Basileus watched his son's face drop, but it needed to be said.
Aro had hated himself the last time. He sunk into a depression that lasted a good few weeks before Basileus worked out what had gone on and beat him senseless for it. You will not be getting off so lightly this time son, you can deal with your own shame - I'm not taking it away for you. It was a very long time ago, and it marked the beginning of a change between Aro and Sulpicia. She became more and more withdrawn gradually over the centuries that passed. Once a bright and bolshie woman who could hold her own and give as good as she got, she became subdued, scared of angering her husband.
"But remember, son, being sorry doesn't mean anything if you don't change." He released his hold on his boy and Aro fell back into his chair.
As he rubbed at his wrist absentmindedly, Aro wondered if he even could change. He had been trying those last few months, really trying. He had distanced himself from Caius, he had even decided to stop fucking who he chose to out of the guard. He was more relaxed in his chambers and he had to admit he enjoyed these changes… mostly.
"Sully's changed, I thought I liked it but I don't. Or maybe I do?" Aro spoke mostly to himself but finished with a frustrated growl from the inconsistency in his own thoughts.
Basileus took their empty tankards and refilled them; he was pissed off with his son but they would find a way through this. His concerns were mostly for Sulpicia - he loved her like a daughter, he wanted to go to her and see if she was okay. Huh! Of course she isn't okay! Whatever betrayal you felt Aro, I can guarantee you she feels far more betrayed right now. He would keep those thoughts to himself for the moment. Instead he continued Aro's train of thought.
"Sully has changed, and you have too, you are both becoming who you used to be."
Aro stared into the bottom of his cup, having knocked the fresh offering down already.
Basileus continued, after clicking his fingers at Aro to get his eye contact again. "I know how tempting it is with gifts such as ours to dip into people's heads and find out what they are thinking, but an awful lot more can be gained from talking to someone, son."
Aro mumbled his rather pathetic excuse for using his gift over his words. "Yes, but talking means I have to talk, too, doesn't it."
"Yes, it's one of the strangest facets of a conversation - both people talk!"
Aro ducked down, knowing how piteous his excuse sounded.
Basileus continued, "Aro, let me put this plainly, you need to talk to your wife. I suggest you either say how you feel and maybe fuck it all up, or keep saying nothing, and let it fuck you up."
"Very eloquent." Aro replied, petulantly.
Basileus was done with his son's ambivalence - one minute the depths of despair, the next giving him attitude. "Quite frankly I am disgusted you could do such a thing, AGAIN."
Aro closed his eyes. He hid the memory of the first time deep down inside, it burned at his soul when he thought of it. Having forced himself on his wife again for submission over such a trivial thing ripped at his heart. God the guilt was crushing.
"Do you not fancy knocking me about a bit to alleviate some of this shame?" Aro asked his father, half hoping he would whip him as he had the first time it happened.
"Oh believe me, I do fancy it. You have shamed yourself, and me. I raised you better than this." Basileus spat his words to his son as though trying to rid the acidic taste of Aro's misdemeanour from his mouth. "But no, I'll be giving you no help getting over your guilt. You deserve it!"
Aro nodded, he did, he knew it. Basileus pulled him up from his chair and marched him back to the tower door. "Suffering the guilt will challenge your future actions."
Aro looked back at his father one last time before he began to climb the stone steps to his own quarters. "Go!" Basileus ordered. "Put this right!" then he slammed the door.
Aro winced, sure that he had heard the wood splinter with the force.
"My love," Sulpicia said quietly as Aro came into their quarters.
She was reading by the fire, as she so often like to do. The twins were playing jacks on the floor near to her chair though they looked exhausted. Felix and Demetri were sat opposite, also reading, or rather pretending to be. Aro encouraged them all to read, to paint, to play instruments, to learn. Though it was rare to see Felix carrying out any of these tasks unless under serious duress.
'My love' Aro replayed in his mind. Two words she must have said to me a million times before, but now you sound so hollow, my queen. Aro looked to his young guard in attendance. Why are you four up? It's the middle of the night, you should be asleep. Did we wake you, oh god I hope you didn't hear anything. But why else would you be up?
"Go to your room." Aro told the twins sternly. His tone wasn't necessary, but he felt a sense of doom that carried over to his voice. It was beyond his control.
The twins quickly collected their things and left, longingly looking at Sulpicia as they did so. They didn't want to leave her. Felix and Demetri didn't move, they acted as though Aro hadn't even spoke.
"Hey! Room, now. Go." He said as he pulled them from their seats and began pushing them towards the arch way leading to the bed chambers. Felix looked murderous, so did Demetri, though the latter had the sense to avoid making eye contact with Aro. "It is two in the morning, if you have something to say, I suggest you do so quickly," Aro dared them both as he crossed his arms across his chest, he wasn't in the mood for dealing with the two of them on top of everything else.
Felix narrowed his eyes. What could he say? I heard you raping Sully and I think you are an evil cunt! He didn't think that would go down to well. He just stood there, waiting for Aro to make a move.
Aro raised his eyebrows. "Well?"
"Well, what?" Felix replied petulantly.
Aro rubbed his chin with one hand. "Don't push me, Felix. Not now."
Felix didn't back down. He was too angry. Demetri stood solid too, though he was slightly tucked into his brother's side. "I knew about Carmen, too," Felix said, bravely. "Are you going to do that to me? Or is it just women you…" Felix was interrupted, but not by a slap as he expected, or even by Aro which would be understandable, but by Sulpicia.
Sully barged into the conversation, placing herself between Aro and Felix and instructed her boy expertly. "Felix Volturi, I have explained this to you already. If you do not understand then I will explain again, later. You have been told to go to your room now go. And watch your mouth in future, you will do well to remember who it is you are addressing." Sulpicia spoke with such confidence that Felix questioned his own desire to protect her, she didn't seem like she needed protecting at all!
"But Sully we…" Felix started to reply but Aro jumped in this time.
"Go, now," he said, but as the boys still failed to move Aro added, "I will take you myself if you force me to."
Aro sounded tired, he really didn't want to fight with his bull headed boy tonight. Demetri backed away, thankfully pulling Felix with him.
When they were finally alone, though of course, they both knew their young guard would be listening to every word, Aro tried to take his wife's hand. She didn't refuse him as such, she just gracefully avoided her husband as she retook her seat and flicked through the pages of her book to continue reading.
"My queen, may we talk?" Aro asked tentatively.
"Why don't you just read my mind and find the answers you seek?" Sulpicia replied evenly.
Aro was taken off guard. He was expecting to find his wife a shattered mess, he wanted to be the one to put her broken pieces back together again. But here she was, controlling their young guards better than he could hope to and speaking so freely as though the last few hours hadn't even happened.
"I don't want to read your mind, my queen, I wish for us to talk. I, I want to apologize for my actions…" Aro trailed off seeing his wife roll her eyes at his sincerity.
Looking him square in the eye she asked him, "For forcing yourself on me, you mean?"
Aro felt like his face burned in shame. It was a phantom blush but the shame was true enough. "My queen I…"
Sulpicia interrupted again, "Aro, I have no wish to hear anything from your mouth. It's all words, all meaningless. You wish to alleviate your own guilt, you care little for anything else."
Aro sighed. "I want to make things right between us. I deserve my guilt, I will carry it with me always as a reminder to do better by you."
He was genuine, but Sulpicia wasn't about to forgive him so quickly. Oh no, it was going to take much more than a few well-rehearsed apologetic lines to have her back on side.
Sulpicia stood from her seat and walked straight passed him on her way to their bedchamber, calling him to heel. Aro followed her, unsure of what she wanted of him. She had changed the sheets whilst he was gone. The ragged, bloodied remains of the earlier covering were piled on the floor. Standing in front of her husband she removed the silk robe she wore and allowed it to fall to the floor.
"I want you to see what you have done to me Aro," she said simply, her voice betraying none of the emotion she felt. Naked, she turned slowly so Aro could see just how badly he had raged against her as he forced her submission.
His eyes dropped to the floor, he couldn't stand to see the damage he had inflicted, the bruising on her neck where he had held her down, the bites in her shoulders, the scratches down her back. He was a monster.
"You will look at me!" she ordered him. "You owe me that much!"
This was new for them both. Sulpicia only ever spoke against Aro to protect their young guards, never like this. Aro obliged, he watched as she slowly pivoted before him and his heart stabbed painfully at the sight of his fragile, delicate wife so abused. When she was done, she retrieved her robe from the floor and redressed, tying a loose knot to the side of her body.
"Of course with a gift such as yours, you can assess the mental scars for yourself," she said with an extended hand.
Aro shook his head looking utterly repulsed with himself.
"Shall I tell you what I have been thinking about whilst you were gone, my love?" she asked her husband.
Aro had never heard 'my love' directed as an insult before - that hurt.
"I was thinking of the last time you did this to me. We had only just moved to this castle and I was a different person then. You wanted to cage me in this tower to protect me and I wanted to be free and fill my life with joy and experience. You needed me to be someone else. So you forced me to submit to you. All the things you fell in love with me for disappeared. I no longer matched you in a war of words. I no longer had the confidence to tease you playfully. I lost my voice Aro. Truthfully, after all this time I forgot I had a voice. I won't forget again. I will always support you, Aro, but I was not a weak willed woman when you met me – that's something you turned me into over the centuries keeping me locked in this prison. I am at fault for that - I allowed you to mould me into the wife you wished me to be. I am telling you now, I will not be going back to that shell of a woman! You can force me to submit to you as many times as you wish, after all, I cannot prevent you from doing so. But I will regain my confidence and self-belief. And so help me god, if you ever force my young ones to submit to you…"
"I would never!" Aro interjected. He couldn't hear anymore. She was right, it was all true. "I will spend the rest of my days making this up to you Sully, I…"
"Now leave," Sulpicia ordered, not caring to hear the rest of his undoubtedly rehearsed speech. "I need some space and you need to explain yourself to our young vampires."
Sulpicia slipped between the sheets of their grand bed. It was a source of so much happiness when Aro had last returned home, this time he looked at the same sight as a pit of despair. He bowed his head politely as he silently left the room, closing the door behind him. He headed straight for the twins room, hoping they would be sleeping. They should be, it was still only the early hours of the morning. Easing their door open he saw their beds empty. Panic filled his body. Turning he threw open the door to his elder guards room. Empty. Fuck! Aro cursed in his mind.
"SULLY! They are gone!" he called as he flashed to their room.
"What?" she asked, confused.
"Their rooms are empty," he replied, grabbing his boots from the floor. "I am going to go and look for them." He turned to flash from their quarters when Sulpicia called him back.
"I will go, too, wait for me."
He wanted to object, instead he held his tongue and waited for his wife to dress. He questioned what to do if they had to leave the castle grounds. Send her back? No! Take her with you, you damn fool, stop fucking things up! He berated himself again. Basileus was right, Sully had changed and he wanted her to be happy. That was the end of it really.
"Come along, my queen," he urged her to hurry.
"Do you know where they could be, Aro?"
He shook his head. Any other day, a midnight flit would see his older boys in the guard hall, trying their luck. Not that day though. Not after what they had heard in their quarters. And not with the twins, either. "I will find them," he promised.
"No, Aro. We will find them, they are ours."
He conceded - she was right, again.
Sulpicia joined him and taking his arm they flashed from the tower, checking at Eleazar's and then Basileus' on the way down. Neither had seen them though Basileus joined them on their hunt. He couldn't hear them in the castle. They must have left the grounds. Sulpicia was ready with an argument for Aro, though much to her relief she didn't need it - he damn near pulled her through the gates of their castle home and into the streets of Volterra in search of their young guards.
It didn't take Basileus long to locate them. Though Aro would have found them on his own anyway. It wasn't their thoughts that Basileus used to locate the little band of vampires; it was the smell of fresh blood.
Sulpicia stopped dead when she smelt it. No, they can't have, surely not? They wouldn't do that! The punishment for such an act is death!
"They have, my dear," Basileus replied to her thoughts. "they have killed humans in Volterra."