Scare Him Straight

"My queen," Aro said as he bowed slightly to his wife.

Sulpicia was sitting in the large library of the castle. The walls were strewn with shelves of books reaching three times the height of any man. Plush velvet sofas and low bookcases were arranged to create a flow through the room and sunlight flooded in through the floor to ceiling window. Every vampire in attendance glittered spectacularly creating a magical glow and increased reading light. The reading nooks close to the window were reserved for the masters and their wives. Though there were only two nooks, one each side of the window. Due to the demands on their time, the six were rarely free to visit the library together, however, the nooks were large enough for them all to share should they wish.

"My love," Sulpicia replied. "Where is Felix?" her concern showed on her delicate face.

"I left him with Basileus, my queen. He is still in one piece, you have no need to worry."

Hearing Felix was with Aro's father only increased Sulpicia's concern for her young guard. "Have you discovered the reason for all this trouble, my love?" She hoped that whatever Felix had, or perhaps still was suffering as punishment would at least have brought an end to the young boys stress. Sulpicia pushed further, "I know something is going on with him, did you read his thoughts?"

Aro shushed his wife gently, gesturing to not only their high guard but the other lingering vampires hoping to catch the latest news from inside Aro's private quarters.

Aro turned to his young one. "Basileus requests your audience, go along, we will join you there."

Demetri had been dreading this. He looked pleadingly to Sulpicia as the twins returned their books and made to leave the library.

"GO!" Aro bellowed at the delaying guard, bringing the attention of every guard in the room.

Demetri flashed from the floor and out through the door, the twins now far behind him.

"My queen, I must share something with you. Felix pushed me to show him what submission is about…"

"Aro, no you didn't!?" She interrupted him in shock.

"No, no, my queen. Of course not."

Aro sat next to his wife and pulled her close, speaking in hushed whispers for privacy he told her what had happened with their eldest guard.

"I understand, my love. I just hope he doesn't try to force your hand again," Sulpicia whispered with tears in her eyes.

"As do I," Aro agreed as he wondered just how far he would have to go next time if Felix was foolish enough to commit another crime against the coven. "We must return to save our young guards from the clutches of the evil overlord," he said to his wife playfully.

Hearing her giggles gave comfort to his soul. "Your father will flay you if he hears that in your thoughts, Aro!" she said, tugging at his dress coat.

Aro grinned mischievously as he pulled his wife to her feet and led her back to their tower.

They could hear Basileus raging at their young guards as soon as Aro opened the outer door to the tower stairwell from the castle floor. Sulpicia flinched.

"My queen, you should go to our quarters, I will bring them along shortly," Aro told his wife kindly, adding "Or visit with Carmen perhaps?"

Hearing fresh bellowing from Basileus' suite, Sulpicia nodded, "I will see if Eleazar and Carmen are free, my love." She left quickly as Aro entered his father's chambers.

"Father, the townspeople are complaining of a thunderous din coming from the castle, you wouldn't know anything about that would you?" Aro asked cheekily as he closed the door behind himself.

"Aro I am not in the right frame of mind for your jesting!" Basileus slammed his hand in to the table with a loud bang.

Clearly not. He really is pissed off! Aro thought. "I do hope you have behaved yourselves?" he asked his four young guards as he approached them. The twins offered a tight smile, though it wasn't really either of them Aro was asking for. As he passed them he stroked Jane's cheek lightly and grazed his hand over Alec's head. The brief contact allowed him to see they had both been as respectful as ever.

Demetri and Felix were avoiding his eye as he made his way to them. Hooking a finger under Felix' chin, he pulled his boy's face up and held him there. Twisting his head from side to side Aro could see perfect print of his father's hand on both cheeks, including a small blemish in his marble hard skin where no doubt Basileus' rings had made contact and fractured his flesh momentarily. Felix looked shame faced at least.

"Using your mouth again already, I see?" Aro asked him with his sing song voice as he moved to check on his last guard. "Look at me," he sang out to Demetri, though the order was clear.

Demetri looked up, no longer able to hide the split in his mouth - Aro's eyes were on it immediately. Wiping away the last of the blood, Aro revealed the small crack in his lower lip as Demetri winced from the sting.

"Yhis doesn't look like your handy work, Dad," Aro commented, looking over his shoulder to Basileus. "What happened?" Aro turned back to his boy, watching Demetri's reaction.

The boy's eyes involuntarily flicked to Felix.

"Ha! No, not my handy work, Felix knocked him clean across the room, it was like splitting up a damn dog fight!" Basileus exclaimed as he poured himself a goblet of wine.

"And him?" Aro gestured to Felix.

"Yes, that was my doing. He needs to learn to mind his damn mouth!"

Aro laughed a little, he certainly agreed with that. "He was your grandson last night…" Aro mocked his father.

"And he still is this day, Aro. And any day going forward for that matter." Felix released a small sigh of relief as Basileus continued. "But he needs bringing down to earth. I want them all kept away from the other guards until I say otherwise. Keep them confined to this tower unless one of us is with them."

Basileus' decree was harsh, and it would be difficult to manage.

"What about their duties, Felix guards Didyme, Demetri guards Athenodora…" Aro trailed off seeing his father's face turn thunderous.

"They WILL NOT leave this tower!" he roared to his son.

Aro put up his hands and placated his father. "Then, of course, I will make the arrangements, my lord."

Basileus nodded once, sure now that his son would do as ordered.

Felix couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face, no guarding duties, I'm free, no more guarding Didyme, it's all over!

Basileus heard his thoughts and caught the goofy look on his face. "Why are you so glad to be off guarding duties? And what the hell gives you the impression that there is any humour in your actions of late - or indeed, the repercussions?" Basileus was on his feet and stalking towards Felix menacingly.

"N, n, no… it's not funny, I wasn't laughing!" Felix stuttered seeing the creator approach, his face still burned from the slaps he'd already received and he knew he'd been lucky to avoid a proper hiding from Basileus so far.

"I heard what you thought, why are you so glad to be off guard duties - you hardly have a heavy load guarding Didyme!" Basileus pushed further, he was now looming over Felix and seemed ready to snatch him up at any moment.

Felix was floundering - he couldn't form a single coherent word.

Aro came to his rescue. "He's bone idle if he can get away with it - restricting Felix to the tower will be a holiday for him!"

Basileus narrowed his eyes at the boy as he considered Aro's defence of the boy. No, there's something else, I can't put my finger on what, but I know you are hiding something and I will find out what it is. I won't find out what it is if you are in this tower, though. Perhaps Aro was right…

"Alright then, change of plans, you will continue with your guarding duties of the ladies of Volterra, other than that you will be in this tower."

He watched the young guards' reaction. Jane and Alec registered little difference, they hardly left the tower without Sully or Aro anyway. Demetri looked depressed, but anyone guarding Athenodora felt that way - she was a spiteful woman to be around. Felix, however, guarding the sweet and lovable Didyme should have been relieved, instead, he became obviously distressed.

Basileus tapped his temple as he added, "I will know if you defy me."

Aro turned to the twins, he didn't believe they had intentionally done anything wrong and having had Basileus bellow them out for the last hour or so was enough for their crimes. "You two should go and find Sully, she may be with Carmen and Eleazar still." Aro ushered them to the door before his father could offer any objections. As he closed the door behind them he turned to Basileus. "How long shall we keep them restricted for?"

Basileus hadn't actually thought that far ahead.

"I propose two months at least." Aro added, much to his boys' chagrin.

"Why two months?" Basileus asked, that was longer than he'd intended.

"Carlisle will complete his newborn year in May, there will be celebrations in the castle I imagine… I don't think they deserve to attend." Aro sat opposite his boys, both looking furious with his proposal.

"But that's not fair! I didn't even do anything!" Demetri spoke up as Felix continued to throw angry looks to his coven leader, he didn't have a defence like Demetri did and he was pissed off!

"Your behaviour since Carlisle's welcome party has hardly been exemplary, Demetri. That said you may be able to earn your invitation to attend with good behaviour from here on."

That settled the boy down, Demetri nodded to himself as he made his own plans to get back on Aro's good side somehow. He had his eye on one of the newborns and if he was restricted to the tower he would have precious little time to visit her - Carlisle's 'birthday party' was to be his best chance!

"What about me?" Felix asked hopefully on hearing of his brother's reprieve.

Aro laughed in his face, Basileus too found the boy's hopefulness funny.

Gaining control of his laughter enough to speak, Aro responded: first by sending Demetri to join Sulpicia, and then when the door was closed, to Felix. "No, you have no chance. If you think your crimes are even the slightest bit comparable to Demetri's of late you are wildly off the mark."

Felix slunk back into his chair like a petulant child.

Basileus shook his head in disgust at the boy's lack of conscience. "He clearly doesn't appreciate the seriousness of his crimes, Aro. I thought you would have punished him properly!"

"I did!" Aro replied, indignantly.

"Hardly, he's sat there easily enough whilst I've had him here." Basileus doubted Aro had been nearly as harsh as necessary considering the boy had broken coven rules.

Aro looked over his young guard, he had to agree he did look far too comfortable for someone who, by coven discipline standards, should be dead by now. "You know Felix, he prefers to hide his weakness."

Aro scoffed hearing his own words! The only thing weak here is my defence of the insolent little sod! He thought angrily to himself. Aro moved over to the table at the far side of the room, leaving Felix where he was on the fire side sofa. Basileus joined Aro at the table after he'd poured them both a drink.

Taking up his earlier discarded cup of wine, Basileus decided to share his thoughts with his son. "I think you felt guilty about scaring the boy with submission and went easy on him."

Aro shrugged, "I don't know what you are talking about, father."

His thoughts, however, were contrary to his words, yep, that's pretty much exactly what happened.

"You did the right thing, Aro. He has to understand the order around here, he has to know you are in charge."

They both looked over to Felix who desperately avoided their eye line. He was getting more and more annoyed - being talked about as though he wasn't in the bloody room wasn't helping either.

"I just hope he has the sense not to do something this stupid again," Aro added, still looking at his boy.

"I assume he has expressed regret and promised such a thing will never happen again?" Basileus asked his son as he sipped from his cup.

Felix had made all the right noises while Basileus had him on his own, but he doubted the sincerity of the youth.

"Of course he did, but…" Aro's voice trailed off, Felix at least had the decency to look ashamed of himself now. Aro drained his cup and passed it back to Basileus to refill.

"You are drinking a lot lately," he told his son as he passed him the full goblet.

Aro rolled his eyes. "I can moderate my own alcohol intake, thank you!" he replied cockily. Crack! "Ow!" Aro hissed as his father's hand connected with the back of his head.

Basileus caught Felix smile. No, you are nowhere near sorry enough, I doubt you would even think twice about committing the exact same crime tonight if you had the opportunity. Basileus really wasn't happy with the boy's attitude. He decided, then, to encourage a little more humility in the boy, for his own sake.

"It's good for Felix to know submission is an option should he get too out of hand." Basileus spoke to Aro but kept his eyes fixed on Felix. Suddenly the young guard was sitting up and taking notice, eyes filled with panic.

"Aro said he would never do it to us," Felix said quietly.

"It is an option Felix, just not an option I wish to utilize," Aro countered.

Basileus smirked at Felix whose mouth hung open in horror.

"But you said! You said you wouldn't do it!" The boy was panicking again.

Good! Basileus thought. A good dose of fear might prevent the lad from repeating his senseless actions. "That may be true, Felix. But it really isn't up to Aro."

Felix was shitting himself, if such a thing were possible. Turning back to his son Basileus qualified his comment, "You know if you reached the point where submission was required that you wouldn't be making a decision to do or not do it anyway - the vampiric nature takes over. Little can be done then."

Felix flashed to Aro's side.

"But you said you wouldn't!" His voice hitched and his tone sounded like he was begging. He couldn't care less what Basileus said in that moment, he needed to hear Aro's words - it was Aro who was in charge of him, Aro was the one who could save him.

"Actually Felix, I told you not to put me in that position again. And what Basileus said is true - it is nigh on impossible to control the vampire within when a coven leader feels their coven or position is at risk. That's just how it works," Aro told him, plainly.

Basileus' added a warning. "I suggest you put every effort into ensuring you don't push Aro so far that he feels compelled to take such action. Or me for that matter."

Felix backed away, he wanted to head to the door and flee!

Basileus caught his thoughts. "You will sit back down and wait to be dealt with. I haven't punished you yet, don't forget."

Basileus looked menacing.

Felix looked to Aro for help. Aro thought about saving his boy, but as Basileus heard it cross his sons mind he looked back to Aro and shook his head with a stern expression. Rather than being annoyed that his father was taking over with Felix, he was relieved. Aro felt like his head was going to explode with the events of the last day, well last few weeks. Actually, the last year! Someone else being bad cop for a while was certainly appealing.

"But why? Aro has already belted me, please, my lord! Aro?" Felix stuttered as he spoke and looked pleadingly to Aro again.

Aro smiled. "You made your own bed, now you can lie in it."

"But why when you already punished me?!" Felix couldn't hide the desperation from his voice. He had received plenty of swots to his backside from Basileus, and a good many slaps to the face, too, but a full on hiding from the creator was unimaginable.

Aro just shook his head and laughed. Knocking back the rest of his wine he left his cup on the table as he rose from his seat, still laughing, and walked over to his young guard who was now backed up against the far wall.

Aro patted the youths shoulder and explained to him, "The creator of vampire kind had to search the streets to find you and dispose of the bodies of the Volterran town folk you murdered against coven law. Let's us not forget about your deplorable attitude and that fact you told my father to go and fuck himself. Do you really think facing me was all you had coming?"

With that he squeezed the boys shoulder tightly and went to find his wife, leaving Felix gawping like a drowning fish.

On hearing the door thud back into its closed position, Basileus crooked a finger to Felix. "Come here," he ground out to the boy.

Felix shook his head. No way, no, no, no. I'm coming nowhere near you.

"Here. Now." Basileus pointed to the table.

Fuck that! Felix thought defiantly. I'm not walking into a hiding from you. Not a chance! Basileus smiled, though it offered no comfort - it reminded Felix of the smile on Caius' face when he was ready to rip someone's arm off.

"You really don't want me to force you, Felix." Basileus delivered his words with Aro's trade mark sing song voice that bellied nothing of his real intentions. Of course, those that knew both men well knew exactly what that tone meant - danger.

Felix' head whirled. 'Force'… does he mean submit? He wouldn't do that. He just wouldn't, no, he didn't mean that, did he?

Basileus listened to the boy's frantic thoughts. "Oh, wouldn't I?" Basileus smirked at the speed Felix made it over to the table. He really hadn't meant submit at all. But if that was what was on Felix' mind he would use it to his advantage.

Basileus glared at the young vampire. "Lower your britches and bend over the table."

Felix fumbled with his fastenings. He wasn't trying to delay but his damn fingers wouldn't work. "What are you going to do?" he braved the question, but wasn't sure he wanted the answer.

Basileus moved behind him, turned Felix to face the table, and reached around the boy to undo his clothing. "I will do whatever I want, Felix."

As all the clothes from his waist down fell to his knees, Felix started to sob. "I'm sorry, I really am, I won't do anything like this again. I won't! I won't break another coven rule for as long as I live!"

Basileus grabbed him hard around the back of his neck.

"Please don't do this," Felix begged one final time in a pitiful voice.

With one swift movement Basileus slammed the boy's chest into the table, though he took care to pull back on his neck to save his face from any damage.

"I'M SORRY!" Felix screamed out in terror as he braced himself for what was to come.

Basileus moved to the side and rested his arms on the table, bringing his head down low so he was level with the crying youth. "So, we have discovered something that works with you Felix. This will be useful."

Felix calmed himself enough to look at the man. "What do you mean?" he asked through ragged breaths.

Basileus smiled, not the scary one he'd offered earlier but a genuinely caring smile. "I, like Aro, have no intentions of forcing submission from you Felix. But your crimes, though you seem not to realize, would have any other vampire in this coven put to death. You must understand how serious it is to break our coven's laws."

Felix nodded into the table, "I do," he replied through his sobs.

Basileus watched Felix for a while whilst he brought himself under control and his sobs lessened.

"Does this mean you aren't going to whip me?" the boy finally asked with hope filled eyes.

"Ha! Oh no, you are still being punished Felix."

Basileus stood and removed his belt; Felix braced himself again.

…

"Hey brother," Demetri called over to Felix as he entered their bed chamber.

Basileus had carried Felix into Aro's chambers only an hour or so before. Demetri had been told to leave his brother be for a while but he couldn't wait any longer to check he was okay. Felix was splayed out on his bed, half dressed with the bed sheet covering him.

"Hey," Felix replied meekly, though he didn't move to look at Demetri.

"Did you get in trouble for our fight? I am so sorry if you did, I should have stood up for you, you always stand up for me…" Demetri rattled out his heartfelt apologies to his brother as he crossed the room to see the damage for himself.

"Demetri, I am the big brother, I am supposed to stand up for you. Don't worry about it. I'm sorry I punched you… how's your lip?" Felix was trying so hard to keep his tone even but he'd been crying for half of the last twenty-four hours and his voice hitched by its own volition.

Demetri sat on the bed as he mindlessly rubbed a finger over his slightly swollen lip. "It's almost healed." Wincing at his brother's stiff body, Demetri asked, "How bad is it?"

Felix moved his head just enough to face his brother and blew the hair from his eyes so he could see him. "How bad is it? I have been belted by Eleazar, Aro, Aro again, and then Basileus in the last day and a half!"

"So, it's bad then?" Demetri replied. His eyes danced with amusement.

Felix laughed at his brother's remark - he welcomed the light relief after such a stressful few days.

"Can you walk?" Demetri asked him a little more somberly.

"I don't even want to try! From my lower back to the back of my knees I am on fire!"

Demetri winced hearing his brothers suffering. "So, Basileus… was he as bad as we always feared?" he asked quietly, as though the walls were listening.

"Worse! He's terrifying! Give me Aro any day of the week, not that Aro is a walk in the park mind, but Basileus?" Felix shuddered thinking about the belting Basileus had just doled out, the mild movement causing even more pain to shoot through his body.

The bed chamber door opened again, it was Jane. She went straight to Felix' side and sat with Demetri.

"Hey little witch," Felix grunted out as he tried to move.

"Big oaf!" Jane replied with a smile.

"Jane, I'm sorry about yesterday. I was being a prick."

"I know," Jane said simply as she started to remove bottles from her bag. She offered them to Felix.

He removed the stopper expecting some sort of lotion, but as soon as the smell hit his nose he knew what his sister had brought him and his face lit up with genuine gratitude. "Blood! Where did you get this from?" he asked and then proceeded to drain the first bottle dry.

"Caius' stores in the dungeons, you will heal quicker with blood in your system," she said as she passed him another bottle.

Felix drank the second down as greedily as the first and gratefully received the third and final bottle. Jane collected the empty bottle and secured them into her bag. She would have to replace the bottles in Caius' stores or he would notice their absence. Jane would be the very last person Caius would accuse, and even if he did she could wrap Aro around her little finger anyway.

She kissed her biggest brother on the forehead and went to leave the room, just before she opened the door Felix said, "I fucking love you, Jane!" he could already feel the blood doing its job and the slight relief felt amazing.

"I know," she replied as she slipped out the door.

"Who's out there, brother?" Felix asked, the quarters had been empty when Basileus brought him to his room, but he had heard voices for the last half an hour.

"Everyone. Aro and Basileus have told us about the submission thing by the way… that sounds rough… I assume they are telling the truth and neither of them went through with it?" Demetri asked, again, quietly.

Felix felt mortified. "They told you, as in all of you, Carlisle, Eleazar… the twins! Oh god - Sully and Carmen!"

Demetri nodded, "I think they were using you as an example, brother - for me, Jane and Alec at least.

"Did they tell you how close they came?" Felix questioned, he didn't want to give out any more detail then he absolutely had to.

The younger boy nodded. "Aro said he had you pinned to the floor and stripped! Basileus said he undressed you over the table! Is that true?"

Felix hid his face in the pillow. He'd been force fed so much humble pie in the last couple of days that he felt sick with it.

"It is true, then?" Demetri pushed.

Felix nodded into his pillow, to ashamed to face his brother.

"Fuck!" Demetri exclaimed, "I thought they were exaggerating."

Felix shook his head, daring a look to his little brother. Seeing only shock and concern there his dead heart swelled - Demetri didn't judge him at all, thankfully. "I begged and cried like a bitch!" he admitted.

Demetri scoffed, "Who wouldn't?"

Felix smiled at his brother, he felt like he was going to cry again, this time in gratitude for having his ever constant, non judge-mental confidant at his side right when he needed him.

"Hey, you weren't the only one to bitch and beg, so did Aro when Basileus threatened him with it from what they just said in there!" Demetri informed his brother with glee.

"No way?!"

Felix sat up a little higher on his arms as a playful smile danced on his lips. Demetri nodded with a goofy grin and they both burst into laughter.

The door opened again and Aro stuck his head inside. "Demetri, I believe I told you to leave Felix be." Aro eyed his young guard who rose and walked out of the room, Aro opening the door wide for him as he passed. "You need to get some sleep," Aro said pointedly to Felix who was looking back at him from over his shoulder.

"But it's still light out," Felix whined.

Aro rolled his eyes as he walked to the wide arched window, pulling the heavy wooden shutters closed he threw the room into darkness.

"Now sleep," he told his young guard kindly as he headed back out the room.

Felix lay in complete darkness as he tried to listen to the conversations happening in the main room to distract himself from his own thoughts trying to torture him. Soon enough he dropped into the trance like sleep of young vampires.