Carlisle's '1st Birthday'
"You are always last to arrive brother!" Caius called out as Aro entered with Sulpicia on his arm, their guard close behind. Aro laughed, "blame my queen!" The celebrations were in full swing already and everyone, even Caius, seemed in good spirits. The music was deafeningly loud, or rather would be for a human. Athenodora sat in Caius' throne, Marcus' was empty - he and Didyme were already dancing in the middle of the room. The great hall held five large fireplaces, they were rarely lit but tonight each had a roaring fire blazing and huge cauldrons hung above, simmering audibly.
"So why are we not feasting on humans tonight brother?" Caius asked as he approached Aro, gesturing to the bubbling blood. Sulpicia left his side and joined Carmen and Eleazar at the far side of the thrones, greeting Athenodora as she passed. "I fancied a change, brother, nothing more. I see Ashanti is here." Aro commented to Caius, who looked a little sheepish. "Well, we always bring the newborns up for celebrations, I couldn't leave her down there alone." Aro smiled slyly, "yes I dread to think the trickery she could commit in a locked dungeon, by herself!" Caius smirked. "Basileus wants her gone, you know." Aro nodded, "he may have mentioned it," at length, he added in thought. "Can we do anything about that, Aro?" Caius asked, it sounded like Caius was asking for Aro's help on this, which was rare for the man to do. "Keep her out of trouble, Caius, and I will talk with my father." Caius felt a flood of relief and thanked Aro gratefully. "I would keep her away from my brothers and my guards though, just for good measure!" Aro added, Caius readily agreed, he didn't like sharing Ashanti anyway.
Felix waited for Sulpicia and Carmen to join the dancers before approaching Eleazar. "Felix." Eleazar said simply, as he slightly bowed his head in greeting. "Hey, El. Do you think you could get a drink or two for me and Demetri?" he asked cheekily. Eleazar raised his eyebrows, he would normally offer the boys a drink when he thought Aro was too busy to notice, however, with the questions running through his mind about Felix at the moment he wasn't feeling quite so generous. "You certainly look happier than when I last saw you. Are you certain you don't want to talk about that still?"
Felix felt a wave of shame pass over him. "Look, I'm sorry about that, I was just tired. I have been guarding Didyme a lot recently and it's taking its toll on me. That's all." Eleazar shook his head, "no, that's not all, Felix. What's going on with you and Didyme?" Felix' eyes flew wide open, Eleazar was talking far too loudly for his liking. "Nothing, I don't know what you are talking about." He tried to turn away but Eleazar held him back. "Just answer me one question, are you having an affair with her?" Felix shot a look of disgust in retort, "no. Most definitely not!" Eleazar believed him. He knew Felix better than Felix realized, he knew when the boy was lying and when he was telling the truth. Eleazar nodded, mainly to himself. "Then I dread to think what is really going on!" he told him. Felix looked ready to be sick.
Eleazar softened his tone, "I am here if you need me Felix, remember that at least." He said as he squeezed the youths shoulder kindly. Felix smiled back, he did know, he just wasn't willing to share his secrets. Feeling he was getting nowhere with the boy for now, Eleazar chose to cheer him up instead, "I'll bring you some drinks when Aro's distracted - you will be the death of me you know!" Felix broke into his trademark broad smile. "Thanks," he shyly replied, then he left to join his brother and give him the good news.
"Eleazar!" Aro called his brother over to his throne. "Brother," Eleazar greeted him as he came close. Aro pulled his brother close to his ear, "make sure you feed from the cauldron closest to the door, there isn't much in there, but should be enough for you, Carlisle and your mate at least." Eleazar scrunched his face in confusion. "Why?" he asked, though he hadn't told Aro about Carmen's diet, trying to protect his brother from their father's possible wrath, he was sure Aro knew they were only feeding on animal blood. "Because I personally drained a stag especially for you and I would rather it not go to waste on an ungrateful guard." Aro said with a wink.
Eleazar's heart swelled. He wasn't sure how Aro managed to arrange this gift, but he was so grateful that he had. "I really don't know what to say, Aro, thank you, so much." Aro waved his thanks away as though it were nothing, truthfully it had been difficult to arrange but his brothers comfort was worth it to him. "This is Carlisle party, I didn't want to make him uncomfortable with having a load of humans brought in for the slaughter." Aro saw Eleazar grow misty eyed, and nudged him mockingly. "I must say I am impressed with Carmen's restraint - I have four vats of human blood cooking in this room and she hardly seems to notice. There may be something in this diet of yours." Eleazar laughed heartily, "are you coming over to the dark side, brother?!" Aro joined his laughter with his own chuckles, "god no! But I might experiment with its effects on newborns. It could be good for the establishment to have calmer inmates around." Eleazar smiled to himself. "I will tell Carlisle and Carmen so they are ready when you give the signal." Eleazar embraced his brother and with a final grateful thank you he left to find his mate.
Marcus left Didyme dancing and joined Aro in their thrones. "You two are setting the bar high again Marcus!" Aro said, referring to the dance show he and Didyme had put on. Marcus smiled warmly. "She makes it easy, Aro." Aro giggled, "Only for you brother, my sister has rarely made my life easy!" he mocked playfully. The sibling bond between the two of them was strong and everyone knew it. Though Aro liked to make out she annoyed him, he doted on her really.
"You said you had need of my services tonight Aro, looking around you have everything covered, as always. I am at a loss as to what I could do to add to this evening." Marcus said gesturing to the room brimming with excitement. Aro rose from his throne and stood close to Marcus to keep their conversation private. "I need your gift, my friend." "Oh! Is anything amiss?" Marcus asked, he thought the coven was running with relative ease. "My guard, my high guard. Where are their allegiances?" Marcus looked dumbfounded, "really Aro, as if you have to ask!" "I will admit I am usually sure of their favour, but I want to be certain, if you will oblige?" Aro didn't want to give too much away.
Marcus turned his focus on the twins as they were closest. "Jane, as attached to you as ever, brother, though her bond with Sulpicia is greater, almost as great as it is with Alec. Felix and Demetri are strong bonds for her too." Aro nodded to that, he expected as much. "Is Alec the same?" he asked quietly. "Yes, almost identical in fact. Neither care much for anyone else in this coven, and though they are both very fond of Basileus, and your brothers, they are still 'yours'." Marcus replied.
Aro was relieved, he knew they would be closer to Sulpicia, they spent so much more time with her than him but hearing they were still 'his' was a great comfort. "Demetri?" Aro prompted. Marcus filtered through the crowed of guards to find the boy. "You, Aro. He is most strongly aligned to you. After you would be Felix, then Sulpicia, the twins and then your father and brothers." Marcus watched Aro's reaction, he seemed surprised. "Seriously Aro, why would there ever have been a doubt?" Aro waved off his concern, "I have been hard on him recently, I wondered if that may have changed things, that's all. "My gift tells me those three are more bonded with you and your mate than ever, and your extended family of course." Marcus was referring to Aro's father and brothers rather than the other masters and their mates.
"Felix then, test Felix." Aro instructed, with a lump in his throat in anticipation of the result. Both men turned their eye to the eldest of Aro's guard just in time to see Eleazar pass him two goblets of wine. Marcus looked to Aro, "is he supposed to be giving him that wine?" Aro laughed, "They both think I don't know, but Eleazar passes them drinks at every celebration we have! He does me a favour really, he watches them very closely in case they go too far and it stops the pair if them from nagging me!" Aro continued to laugh as Marcus joined in. "Nothing gets passed you, brother!" he said respectfully. Everyone marvelled at Aro's managerial skills but few realised just how all-seeing he really was.
"Go on, brother, test Felix for me." Marcus concentrated, he was receiving conflicting readings and the confusion wore on his features. "What is it Marcus?" Aro nervously pushed for a result. "Well, Aro, you have nothing to fear, Felix is bonded to you most strongly of all, with the rest of your family very close behind." Aro sighed in relief, "then what's wrong?" he questioned. "His bond with Didyme is... odd." Marcus left Felix and searched out his wife, "her bond to Felix is strong, very strong, but it is not returned." Marcus looked to Aro with thunder in his eyes, they were turning black with emotion from their usual red. "What is going on with the two of them Aro?" Marcus ordered, assuming this was the real reason Aro had requested use of his services.
Aro held up his hands defensively. "Marcus, I assure you nothing will be going on with them, Felix has been guarding Didyme a lot recently, it is understandable she will have bonded to him, surely?" Marcus settled into his seat and straightened out his already perfect clothing. "Perhaps you will do me the honour of using your gift now and making sure of that!" Marcus turned away. He was rarely anything other than happy and relaxed, seeing the man stiffen and appear stern in this way reminded Aro that actually Marcus was a skilled warrior - he had more than earned his stripes in the many battles they had fought alongside each other during the early years of the Volturi. If Felix was fooling around with Didyme, Marcus could easily kill him. Aro stepped back in shock at the very idea, of Felix with Didyme, of Marcus killing Felix… I will have to kill Marcus before he has the chance to get to Felix, he thought, most shockingly of all. He would too, if it came to it. The force of the emotion he felt with wanting to protect Felix nearly knocked him off his feet. Falling back into his chair he called Jane over to his side. "Fetch Felix." He ordered plainly.
As Felix approached, Aro watched Marcus narrow his eyes and go to stand, "please brother, I am sure this is a misunderstanding." Felix looked nervously between the two masters, his face dripping with guilt! Aro crooked a finger at the boy whilst glaring daringly. "Here, now!" he ordered. Felix approached apprehensively, "what have I done?" he asked. "That's what we would like to know!" Marcus growled out through gritted teeth, he looked menacing. "Give me your hand." Aro said casually, expecting Felix to oblige. He didn't. Instead he asked 'why?' Aro wasn't willing to risk an altercation between Marcus and Felix in the throne room, and looking at Marcus that altercation wasn't far off. "Excuse us." He said to Marcus as he grabbed Felix by his wrist and flashed them both from the great hall, and then from the castle altogether.
Once outside in the fresh air Aro released his boy and paced at vampire speed, creating a blurred flurry of air in front of Felix. "What have I done wrong?" Felix asked in a quiet voice. Aro stopped dead in front of him and slapped him across his face. Crack! Felix cupped his bruised cheek and hissed with the sting. "When I tell you do to do something you obey, got it? You do not ask 'why?'" Felix nodded quickly, averting his eyes from the formidable master. Aro slammed him against the stone castle wall and held him there with a hand on his forehead. "You look nervous, or is that guilt?" He ground out as his eyes bored into Felix' searching his memories for every interaction his boy had with Didyme. He saw many fleeting conversations but paid no attention to the content; he was traveling too fast through his thoughts to listen to any dialog. Besides, it wasn't words Aro was searching for!
Felix winced under Aro's manacle grip. "What are you looking for?" he asked fearfully. Aro ignored him, continuing his search. Didyme was hardly there at all, even when Felix was guarding her she still rarely featured. "When you guard my sister, where is she?" Aro asked. "What? Erm, she's there!" Felix fumbled through his stuttered reply. "She's in her bed chamber usually." As soon as the words left his mouth he felt Aro's grip tighten - one hand pinching into the boys bicep, the other ready to crush his forehead. Felix hissed and cowered but Aro held him in place. "And are you ever in there with her?" Aro spoke through gritted teeth, his jaw set tight. "What! NO!" Felix cried out in pain. Aro lightened his hold but didn't let him go. "Marcus thinks you are having an affair with his wife, Felix! His wife is my sister! Tell me he is wrong!"
Felix was dumbfounded, "I'm not that stupid!" Aro scoffed at his boys reply and slammed him against the wall again, knocking all the air out of his lungs. "ANSWER ME PROPERLY!" he screamed in his Felix' face. The young guard had done many, many foolish things in his time, but he never felt closer to death than he did right now, and he hadn't had sex with Didyme - he wasn't going down for that! With far more attitude than he should have shown, he replied, "I'm not fucking your sister!" CRACK! Aro hit him so hard this time that Felix fell to the floor, dazed.
Felix stayed down, not daring to get up. Aro started pacing again. He'd seen nothing in Felix' thoughts to suggest he was lying, he felt confident enough to confirm for Marcus that at least nothing of that nature was going on. Still, Aro could sense something wasn't right and he was going to put an end to whatever it was! "Do you like guarding my sister?" he asked the boy at his feet. Felix shook his head but didn't look up. "Why, most guards do, why is it so different for you?" Felix shrugged. "Get up and face me."
Felix dragged himself to his feet. When they were eye to eye Aro could see the damage he'd done, fuck, Sully will go nuts! He thought as he ran his thumb over the crack in the boy's cheek, wiping away the blood as he did so. "I will arrange a new rota, it will take a month or so, we have some newborns that could take your place by then." Felix shot a panicked look to Aro, "take my place?! With you?!" He couldn't breathe, he started to panic gulping in air as though he was drowning. "No, not with me! With Didyme. Calm down." Aro placed a hand on each of his shoulders and looked into his eyes, "you and Demetri can 'guard' ME and Marcus and Caius can get their own houses in order instead of relying on me to do so for them. Felix felt flooded with relief, a month, I can handle another month, I can do that, and then it will be over! "Really?" he questioned, wanting to be sure. Aro nodded curtly, still unsure why Felix was so unhappy with Didyme.
Aro sighed, "we need to get back in there, come." Felix stalled, "but Marcus…" "Let me handle Marcus. And don't worry so much, at least I only have to talk to him, I would have been very disappointed if I'd had to kill him for you." Felix stopped. "What? Do you really think I would let him tear you to pieces?" Felix started to cry, softly and quietly, but Aro caught it. Wrapping an arm around the boy he brought him in close, "I don't pretend to know what you are up to, Felix, but if it is making you feel like this I would suggest you bring it to an end." Felix nodded as he wiped at his face, hissing when he pressed too hard to his punished cheek.
Aro lead them both back inside the castle, coming to a stop when he saw Marcus and Didyme arguing outside the closed throne room doors. Marcus rounded on Felix the moment he saw him, "what have you been doing with my wife!" Didyme pleaded with Marcus to see sense as Aro pushed Felix behind him. "Marcus," he spoke calmly, wanted to diffuse the situation, "I have read through every memory he has of guarding Didyme, I assure you NOTHING is going on between the two of them. In fact, Didyme is hardly there at all, she barely talks to him." Aro's charisma was enchanting, with only his voice he had Marcus melting in front of him. He knew Aro wouldn't lie to him, not about something so important.
"Why is her bond so strong with that boy then?" Marcus asked, that was the real question he wanted answering. "Didyme is my sister, Marcus, Felix is the closest thing I have to a son. What can I say, family bonds are strong in us all. Why wouldn't she bond to him when she sees him so regularly and knowing what he means to me. Think about it brother, there's nothing more to this." Aro's voice and words soothed the man's raging heart. Marcus looked around Aro to Felix, a scared young vampire with what looked like a hand print on his swollen face. "If he's done no wrong, why have you hit him?" Marcus asked plainly. Aro laughed "Because he's a mouthy brat!" Felix tutted indignantly, causing Aro to laugh harder, "see, he doesn't know when to quit!" Marcus smiled, "then I must apologize for causing this strife." Aro didn't have time to reply. "It is ME you need to apologize to!" Didyme looked furious now she knew she was safe. "My dear wife, I will make this up to you, my love." They went off hand in hand as though nothing at all had happened.
Aro breathed a sigh of relief and looked back to Felix, who looked a wreck. Aro chuckled softly. "I don't know about you, but I need a drink." Felix smirked, "I'm sure if you track down Eleazar he will slip you one when I am not looking." Felix' mouth hung open and his eyes skirted about, "you know?!" he was genuinely surprised. Aro rolled his eyes, and pulled him through the throne room doors. "Go and play." Aro said as he pushed his young guard towards the crowd. Felix wandered off into the group of guards, no doubt wanting some space to digest what had just happened.
"Aro where have you been! The guards are ready to kill for the blood for god's sake!" Basileus bellowed to Aro from the fire side, guarding the blood. Aro searched with his eyes for Carlisle, when he found him he offered a wink, Carlisle nodded in response. Good Eleazar has told him. Aro gave the order for the masters and his family to feed. Eleazar took Carmen and followed Carlisle to the end cauldron. Basileus had clearly twigged what was going on, but he seemed to approve as he filled tankards full of blood and passed them around.
"Where are you guard, Aro?" Basileus asked as he passed his son his tankard. Aro looked around expecting them to be dining with them rest of the inner circle. The twins were still on the throne steps, the boys were standing at the front of the crowd of waiting guards. Aro sighed again, do I really have to micro manage everything tonight? Walking towards the boys he clicked his fingers and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder to the blood, they quickly sprung into life and bounded over to Basileus who was waiting with their tankards. "Are you coming?" Aro said with a smile to the twins, they skipped down the steps and followed him back to their waiting meal. Aro looked over to Eleazar, "is that one empty brother?" he called out. "We apologize Aro, but it is Carlisle's birthday after all." Aro smiled coyly, "luckily there is enough over here for you all," Aro addressed the room and welcomed the guards to join in the feast.
Basileus fought through the crowd to get to Aro. "That was a nice thing you did for Carlisle, Aro." "I don't know what you are talking about, father." Aro had to fight back the smile dancing on his lips as he drank down his hot blood. Basileus returned his smirk. "I imagine the animal blood was a relief for Eleazar and Carmen too, hmm?" "Erm," Aro tried to reply but he was taken by surprise, he was sure Basileus didn't know about Carmen. "It's alright son, I have known since your boy's midnight flit, I read his thoughts, I heard it all." Aro was speechless, that didn't happen often! "I will talk with you all tomorrow before I leave." "Talk? Leave?" Aro managed to spit out. "Yes, son, talk." Basileus mocked his dumb struck son by talking very slowly. Aro laughed, nervously, he still wasn't sure whether Basileus meant talk or beat! "And I will be leaving in the morning, I will be gone about a month. Carlisle can be left to his own devices now so you shouldn't need be too bothered by my disappearance." Aro nodded, that was true enough. "Where are you going?" Basileus smiled broadly, "none of your business." He said happily and walked away, leaving Aro laughing after his elusive father.
The rest of the evening went by without a hitch, everyone seemed in good spirits and the wine flowed with gusto. All in attendance were merry with its effects, including Felix and Demetri. They had both been careful with their drinks though; Aro had given them a chance to join in a little and neither wanted to do anything that would compromise their chances of doing so again. The twins of course had only really had a tipple and had stayed close to Sulpicia all evening. Aro watched his young guards for a moment, the twins were visibly tired now. Demetri too for that matter. Felix was blending in a little better with the older guards tonight. Aro was quite proud of them all - despite the earlier altercation he'd had with Felix they had been model guards. Still, it is very late now, they need to go home, I would rather they end the night on a high. He thought to himself as he called Demetri. "Sully will be retiring soon, you four are to go with her and Carmen." Demetri's face dropped but he nodded. "Hey, you have all done extremely well tonight, thank you." Aro added, it had the desired effect and Demetri looked less deflated already as he went to find Felix.
Aro watched as he moved through the crowds and concentrated on his two guards as they spoke. "Aro said we have to take Sulpicia and Carmen back to our quarters soon, brother." Demetri told Felix, who knocked back his drink ready to leave. He was surprised Aro had allowed them to stay so late as it was and saw no reason to argue the toss over another hour.
Antonio was hanging around behind Felix, he heard what Demetri had said. "Aww, is it bedtime Felix?" conceited prick, Felix thought, he knew it was Antonio who'd said that before he even turned around and he could hear his little band of pricks laughing at his comment, don't rise to it, don't rise to it! He reminded himself. "How long did it take you to come up with that one?" Felix crooned, smiling patronizingly to the jealous guard. Antonio shooed him away theatrically with his hands, "go to bed little boy, its adult time now!" That stung, Felix wasn't going to let that go so easily, the tittering guards surrounding Antonio only fuelled his annoyance. Felix knew just what to say to get one over on his arch enemy. "Adult time? Oh, I'm so sorry Antonio, I hadn't noticed the time, you're right, it's time for Caius to fuck you again isn't it. I'll leave you to your 'adult time', mate!" Every guard who heard Felix' retort laughed - Antonio had to be held back by his friends to stop him from smacking Felix. "You jumped up little prick!" he spat angrily at Felix. Felix, however, looked on coolly at the frothing guard and offered him a smile as he casually replied, "I'm a privileged little prick actually, Antonio. That's why I'm not Caius' rent boy, and you are!"
Goblets flew through the air one way and another, wine everywhere - Antonio had broken free of his friends grasp and had Felix pinned on the floor. Rather than retaliating, Felix allowed himself to be pinned as he laughed in Antonio's face. It didn't take long for Aro to rip the guard off his boy. "Put your hands on him again and I will snap them off!" Aro threatened as he threw Antonio across the room towards the throne steps. "Your guard out of control again, Aro?" Caius sang out as he picked up Antonio. "Not at all brother, it's that insolent idiot that needs bringing in line." Aro replied jabbing a finger angrily in Antonio's direction. Caius was surprised at that, he thought Antonio had more sense. "Oh, you are sure I take it." He asked his brother in arms. Aro smiled as he turned to pull Felix off the floor, "I heard every word," he announced loudly, Felix cringed, yes, as well you should! Aro thought. Felix brushed himself off and avoided Aro's eye. "I assume you will deal with him, brother?" Aro asked Caius. Caius threw an evil smile towards Antonio, "go to my chambers and wait for me there."
Felix wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Antonio knowing full well what Caius had in store for the guard. Antonio looked livid, he was switching between abject humiliation and raging anger and both emotions were Felix Volturi's fault! "Knock it off!" Aro clouted Felix catching him winding up the other guard purposefully. "Sorry." Felix replied respectfully, but he couldn't stop the smile on his face or the giggles he was suppressing coming out as snorts. Aro shook his head and laughed too. "The twins are going with Sulpicia and Carmen, you two are staying here with me." Aro announced loudly enough for the guards to hear him. He wasn't having Antonio jeopardizing his boys' status with talk of 'bed time'. "Come and have a drink." He added for good measure, sending a flurry of gossip around the main guard. Felix swaggered over to the thrones behind Aro, Demetri soon joined them too.
Felix froze as Basileus approached, expecting a round of fucks for interrupting an otherwise perfect party. "Well played." Basileus whispered into Felix' ear as he patted him on the back. The corners of his mouth turned upwards and Felix felt a warm glow rising from deep inside himself. Basileus, watching the boy smile, noticed something else about his face, "did Antonio do that?" he asked, annoyed, as he ran a finger over the fading crack on Felix' cheek. "Oh! No, no it wasn't Antonio. I was mouthing off to Aro…" Felix trailed off, he didn't want to be in any more trouble tonight. Basileus nodded, "aha, Didyme, I heard about that." Basileus shook his head, "ridiculous!" he announced. Felix breathed a sigh of relief, thank god I won't have him interrogating me too! He thought. "Well played indeed." Aro added to the conversation as he offered Felix a fresh goblet. "This is to be your last." Aro said pointedly about the wine. Felix agreed, he was pleased Aro had helped him save face in front of the guards and he knew better than to push any further tonight.
"Aro, may I talk with you?" Carlisle approached his brother, swaying slightly from side to side as he walked. Aro followed Carlisle to the side of the throne platform, "have you had a good night, brother?" Aro asked him when they were alone, or as alone as they could be in a room filled with 50 other vampires and their impeccable hearing. "I really have!" Carlisle responded gleefully. "I want to thank you for the blood you arranged. I am so, so, I don't know. Just grateful, so grateful, and honoured that you would go to such trouble for us." Carlisle looked quite emotional and on the verge of tears. Aro slung his arm around his younger brother and pulled him in for an embrace, "you are my brother Carlisle, it was nothing, really." A few stray tears rolled down Carlisle's cheeks. As Aro noticed his tears, his focus was drawn to the changing colour of his brother's eyes. Ruby red was still the dominant colour but the amber hue caused by animal blood was becoming more and more prominent. They looked like circles of fire, so like Basileus'. "You have our fathers eyes now brother!" Aro said to him kindly. Carlisle looked over to their father with adoration.
"If you will excuse me brother, I will take my leave now, I hope you enjoy the rest of your celebrations." Aro said finally before leaving his little brother to his own devices. "El, I am going to retire, Collect Carmen from my quarters whenever you are ready." Aro told his brother. Eleazar knocked back his drink, he'd had enough too, "I'd rather come with you now if it is all the same to you brother, I've had my fill." "By all means, bring Demetri will you?" Eleazar agreed and went to fetch the boy. Aro collected Felix and instructed the guards to continue their enjoyment for as long as the wine flowed before he left.
"My love, has the party ended already?" Sulpicia asked when she heard her husband come through the door. "Not at all my queen, they will be going for many hours yet, I have no doubt!" Aro flopped down next to his wife and kissed her deeply. "I would rather be here, that is all." He said suggestively. "Children in the room!" Felix called out in playful horror at the two of them kissing. Sulpicia laughed at her boys, Demetri wore a similar expression of faux shock to his brother. "Children should be sleeping!" Aro said pointedly. Eleazar laughed at the two of them, "you led yourselves into that one boys," he teased them as he sat on the floor at Carmen's feet, nudging her for attention with his head. "You, my love, are drunk!" Carmen exclaimed as she played with his hair. "I take offense my lady! I am merely merry!" Eleazar quipped in return, though he easily sunk into the massage she offered with her hands on his neck. "We should go home now, my love." Carmen whispered into her mate's ear, seductively. Eleazar didn't need telling twice, diving to his feet and pulling Carmen up with him.
"Can we sit with you for a while?" Felix asked hopefully. Guarding Didyme had been a nightmare and knowing now that his stint was coming to an end he felt relaxed and content in a way that he hadn't felt for many months. "It is three in the morning, Felix. You two need to sleep." Demetri didn't argue, he was shattered and went headed off to reacquaint himself with his bed happily. Felix hung about in the archway to the bedchamber hall watching as Eleazar and Carmen said their 'good nights' to Aro and Sulpicia. Aro knew he was still there, I really hope you aren't planning on starting anything now Felix! Aro thought as he closed the tower door behind his brother.
"Felix, what happened to your face? You look swollen! Was that Antonio?" Sulpicia asked her boy, taking his attention from Aro. Felix anxiously rubbed his hand over the aching crack in his skin, sure that the bone beneath his cheek must be broken for it to hurt so much still. "No, it wasn't Antonio." He replied in a small voice. "Then who?" Sulpicia pushed further, knowing full well it was Aro. "Erm, well, it was Aro, my lady." Sulpicia walked the few paces towards her boy and cupped his swollen face with her small hands, "I think you have been rather lucky that Aro has chosen against following this up now we are home, you should go to bed before he has chance to change his mind, yes?" her voice was so soft and caring, and she made a good point. Felix agreed, taking her hand from his face he kissed it lightly before leaving for his room, a curt nod to Aro before he left.