"Carlisle will you stop pacing! You are driving me crazy." Aro called over to his brother. "If you wear a hole in that rug I won't defend you against Sulpicia!" he added with a smile.
"You know he's due home today right?" Carlisle asked, taking no relief with Aro's quip.
"Yes, brother, I know! I don't understand why you are so worried about it, it is I who will be facing him!"
Carlisle sat next to his brother. How Aro remained so calm was beyond him. "I'm sorry brother, it's just, well, are you going to speak with him about changing things here..." then, with the quietest voice he could manage, he added "…about disbanding the Volturi?"
Aro thought quietly. Was he going to tell his father he wanted out? Was such a thing even possible? He knew well how fraught the vampire world was still. Since the introduction of the Volturi, outbreaks were largely well managed, humans had almost 'forgotten' about vampire existence (which was one of the original main objectives), but still, coven uprisings were a regular occurrence. Rogue vampires were still bringing anarchy to the doors of Volterra. No, now is not the time to disband.
"No brother, I will not have to tell him anything - he will read my memories... I can't hide anything in there." He tapped his head, knowingly.
"What about in here Aro?" Carlisle placed his hand on Aro's dead heart.
Aro looked at his brother's hand. Could Basileus sense what truly lay behind there? He privately hoped so. It had been a few days since he admitted his feelings to Sulpicia and in that time he had spoken with each of his high guard, no, his children, that things would be changing. What shocked Aro most when talking to them was that all of them, even Felix, showed no resistance. They welcomed the idea of leaving this place. Though Aro had made certain they understood it would be an 'eventual' move, that the Volturi wasn't strong enough to run without him, and they would be subjecting themselves to a life on the run if they left without an overseeing body governing order in their world. He wouldn't risk that. They understood his reasons.
The only resistance Felix and Demetri showed was when Aro apologized for his chaotic handling of them. Guards one minute, princes the next, men sometimes, children others. He told them he would try to treat them as the privileged children they really were. Tempers flared then. They looked more like children than they ever had when he'd told them that. Still, he remained firm with them. They were 16 and 14 when they were turned. They were boys... they are boys. And that's how he intended to treat them from now on. Aro smiled at the memory as they complained that they were men... whilst pouting. Hmmm... men indeed.
Looking back to his brother's hand still placed on his chest, he spoke again, "Basileus will understand, I am sure of that. He has wanted this for a long time. The Volturi cannot disband, not yet, but perhaps he will find a way to move things forward from here." With that, Aro rose from his seat. "We should head to the throne room, brother, for he will be here soon and we should be ready to receive him."
They called out for Eleazar to join them and, leaving Carmen and Sulpicia behind, he returned from the terrace. The three left together.
The brothers had only just made it to the throne room when the doors burst open.
"WHAT THE HELL HAS BEEN GOING ON HERE?!" Basileus roared, shaking the very foundations of the building! Aro nonchalantly took his seat between a bereft Marcus and a smirking Caius. "I read through three guard's heads on my way in here," he came to a stop before Aro, "and I am not pleased!" he finished darkly.
Aro's mind was racing, but his face, somehow remained impassive. The throne room was deathly quiet. Even the impotent lower guard knew not to move in Basileus' presence.
"Well!"
Aro shrugged. He truly didn't know what to say.
"I can offer you an explanation, my lord." Caius crooned, evilly. "We were attacked by a rogue coven, we only lost a few lower guards in the fighting, but alas, poor Marcus suffered a great loss. We lost a lady of the castle. Poor Didyme was outside the castle walls when we were attacked, her personal guard nowhere to be seen."
Caius, you prize prick! If you honestly think he's going to side with you on this one you are a bigger fool than I thought! Aro's thoughts were dark towards his coven mate. Basileus caught them and looked at Aro curiously.
Moving over to Marcus, Basileus offered him his apologies and sympathies, Marcus returned a broken smile and looked away.
"My old friend, what can I do to help you?" he spoke gently to the heartbroken man before him.
Marcus took his hand, signaling Basileus to read his thoughts. Basileus didn't need contact like Aro, but the act did make the process easie. He watched Didyme's demise through her husband's eyes and he watched the scene in the throne room where Aro and Caius were vying for control. He saw as Marcus used his gift to sense the broken bond between Aro and Caius and how much stronger Aro's bond was with two of his own favourite guards - Felix and Demetri. Okay, things are starting to make sense, Basileus thought, though he didn't allow these thoughts to chance his face, he didn't know enough yet to know how to react. "I seldom speak on matters of the heart, for it does little good, but I know the pain of a heart breaking and I wouldn't wish it on any poor soul. Anything you need Marcus, anything, you know where to come." Marcus raised a small smile to the creator's words, though his eyes remained semi-glazed and hollow.
"So Caius, who was the guard? Or have they been dealt with already?" He aimed that second part at Aro, though Caius scoffed at the idea.
"Felix has been dealt with, my lord, and Demetri... he left Athenodora when he sensed Didyme had left the castle walls." Eleazar replied on Aro's behalf, stepping forward from behind Aro's throne to do so.
Basileus was shocked. Looking around the room at the rest of the guards, none of whom could meet his eye, he read a few of their thoughts. Some were embarrassed for the two boys. He saw flashes of Caius dragging them around the room. Others were a little more pleased by the events, particularly seeing Aro whipping Felix here in the throne room! Glancing at Aro, who seemed frozen by his presence, Basileus knew he would need to talk to his son in private, and he wanted to do so soon!
Felix and Demetri stood at the bottom of the steps to the thrones where they, too, had their eyes fast to the floor, though Felix couldn't seem to stay still. Basileus addressed them directly, "You two, here." He pointed to the floor at his feet. Demetri moved easily enough prompting Basileus to wonder if he'd been punished at all! Felix struggled. He woodenly made his way to their almighty creator, fear and pain clear on his face. Aro what have you done to him! "When did this happen?" He addressed Aro now, and stared him down. You'd better start talking!
As if hearing his thoughts, Aro replied, "3 days ago, my lord."
Basileus simply nodded in response. "Well" he directed to the young vampires.
"We apologize for our failings, my lord. We can assure you we will never repeat the mistakes we made."
"Does Demetri speak for you now, Felix? You would do well to answer me boy!"
"Sor, sorry my lord. I, I, we, I mean, HISSS" Basileus roughly shook Felix. There was an audible gasp around the watching guard to the fearsome Felix hissing at a mere shake. Those who had been wondering how their fellow guard member survived after allowing the death of a lady of the castle were now wondering if Caius had managed to get his hands on Felix and flay him … like he did with failed newborns! Basileus raised a questioning eyebrow at Aro.
"They have been punished suitably, my lord." Aro replied to the unspoken question.
"I can see." Basileus responded. Caius scoffed again.
"Dear Caius do you have an issue with your throat?" Basileus flashed to Caius' throne and took him by the neck.
Basileus was a fearsome creature, they all knew that, and he was big. At near seven foot, he stood head and shoulders above most men, even vampire men. He was broad and muscular, truly a son of Zeus. His gifts, his strength, his power – all unmatchable in the vampire world. And now this terrifying creature had his powerful hand around Caius' neck!
Squeezing gently as he spoke, "You seem to lack the respect you expect from others Caius. I suggest if you want your wife guarded in future you find your own guards to do your bidding. When you take my son's high guard you put him at risk... and surely you would not want to put my son at risk. He is your leader, after all... "
Basileus allowed those final words to be spoken loud and clear; he wanted the guard to hear and remember who was in charge around here.
"Well?" he shook Caius' neck as if he were nothing more than a rag doll.
"Of course, my lord."
Basileus released his throat and re-joined Felix and Demetri, putting an arm around each of their shoulders.
Caius' polite reply was delivered with vengeance. He was livid at the humiliation of it all. That wretch, Demetri, failed in his duties! He left my wife in danger, and all to protect that stupid oaf whose insolence caused Didyme's death and now I am to blame for using the guard as they were intended in the first place! Unbelievable! How am I supposed to rule the damn guard if they see me treated this way! I will have their heads if it kills me!
"It will kill you!" Basileus answered Caius' thoughts while every other vampire in the room looked on confused. Caius had forgotten himself - in Basileus' presence nothing was private. He cringed and slunk into his throne, realizing all his thoughts were being monitored.
Demetri and Felix were relieved. With Basileus' strong, protective arms around them they felt safe. He may want to speak more to them later about the events he'd missed, but they were confident now that's all it would be, talking. Aro had told them as much already, but they had seen Basileus tear apart far too many vampires in this room to be confident of Aro's assurances.
"Jeez the tension in this room." Basileus looked around with a beaming smile. The guard perked up at this as everyone took their lead from Basileus.
Caius still looked vexed, but Basileus knew how to get him back on side. "Caius can you take hold of things in here whilst I talk with my sons?"
"Of course my lord," Caius sat straight at this, pleased at the scrap of status he was offered.
Gesturing to the three masters of Volterra, Basileus added, "I will of course need to debrief you properly. I have come across a collection of covens in Mexico, they are trying to get around our laws by breaking their ranks down into sets of four... they will need watching closely. A new outpost is in order."
His words seemed to hardly register with Marcus, Aro nodded, and Caius looked gleeful.
Tightening his comforting grip on the two young vampires, he led them from the room. Eleazar and Carlisle followed. As Aro rose to leave, Caius grabbed his wrist, "Good luck." he whispered with his evil grin.
"I wouldn't be so sure it is I who needs the luck dear one!" Aro replied delicately, as if he were talking to a small child. The grin quickly fell from Caius' face and Aro followed his family to their private wing.
"Sulpicia, my dear, how are you?"
"Very well, Basileus. Were your travels fruitful"
"Always, my dear," he replied whilst kissing the hand she'd offered him.
The twins came running into the room, though they stopped at the doorway. Basileus knelt down and opened his arms wide, Jane ran to his left and Alec to his right. Closing his strong arms around them, he lifted the young vampires high in his embrace. "Tell me you two weren't involved in this mess?"
"Of course not." came Jane's sweet reply.
"Well that's a first!" Basileus laughed as he put them back on the ground, both of them sporting childish pouts. "Carmen, how are you feeling, my dear?" he asked as she walked into view under the arched hallway.
"I am well, my lord."
Basileus looked her up and down. She seemed well. " And still, no human blood?" he asked.
She shook her head, raven locks falling over her shoulders as she did so with a smile.
Basileus nodded to himself. "We still need to talk about this, El. I have many questions!"
Eleazar laughed lightly. Yes, I am sure you do! He thought.
"Come." Sulpicia called and the twins followed her back to the terrace with Carmen.
Turning to face the young men behind him, Basileus decided to get things moving. "So, who's going to start." Getting serious now, he stood tall and posed his question to his sons. All three slunk backwards, no one offered a reply. "Hmm, so I should guess then? Okay. Felix."
"Yes, my lord," the boy stepped out from behind Carlisle.
"You were guarding Didyme, yes?" he waited for the boy to respond but Felix only nodded.
"And you were having a relationship with her?"
"NO!" a resounding chorus came from everyone in the room.
"Well that's something!" Basileus replied cheekily and winked at Felix who, poor soul, looked horrified.
"Okay, okay, so you decided to, what? Take a break and she snuck out? That doesn't sound like you, Felix. I really think it would be wise for you to tell me what happened whilst I was away. I will find out regardless... ", still silence.
"I'm growing tired of this. El, you seem to be the only one with a voice today. Come with me son, let's go down to my quarters and you can fill me in!" With that Basileus left the quarters and headed down to the ground floor.
"It's always me!" Eleazar complained as Aro and Carlisle shared a laugh at their brother's expense.
When the door was closed behind them, Aro released a sigh of the stress he was holding.
"What's wrong with you Aro, why are you ignoring him?"
"I don't know brother," Aro took the seat their father had just vacated, "I can't see how this is going to play out... I, I don't know what to say to him." Aro looked at his boys - would he take them from me if he knew I wanted to leave this place? Would he try and split us up? Would I go against him if he did? Aro's head was reeling, so much had happened in the last few days and he was struggling to set it all straight in his mind.
He looked back at Felix, who seemed to be suffering with the exertion of the day. "You two should go and rest. I imagine you will be called on soon."
They both nodded and made to leave. As they passed Carlisle, he stopped Felix.
"I want to check how you're healing. I'll be in shortly."
Felix offered him a small smile and limped his way behind Demetri to their bed chamber.
"You are going to have to face him Aro. You should give him more credit, he will be supportive of your new roles – he wanted this too."
Aro looked ahead aimlessly. He heard his brother, but didn't react. Carlisle doesn't understand how this place works; how the vampire world is so unsettled. I could only leave if I could take the Volturi with me, but then what would be the point of that...
Carlisle could see his brother warring with himself. "You should take your thoughts to Basileus, Aro." Carlisle patted his shoulder and went to check on Felix.
Knowing his boys were safe in Carlisle's hands, Aro made his way to his father's quarters.
On his way down he passed Eleazar in the hallway, rubbing his jaw. "What happened brother?" Aro asked him, concernedly.
"Ha! He slapped me for breaking your nose!" Eleazar laughed lightly and so did Aro, "I've told him everything Aro, well, everything that I know anyway. He's a little pissed we let things become so disturbed, he's worried about our status here... and he has a few things to say to you about Felix, I think. Overall though, he's keen for you to set up in family life!"
Aro's head shot up at Eleazar's words, "You told him!" Aro asked surprised, and a little relieved the subject had been broached.
"I thought I owed you one!" Eleazar said as he gently bumped his fist against his brother's nose. Aro smiled gratefully.
"He agrees with you though, it is not the time to disband the Volturi, but he said he will work on it." Eleazar started walking away, "Oh, he wants to rip Caius to shreds too," he called over his shoulder gleefully.
Aro laughed to himself, Eleazar had made things much easier for him and he was grateful for it.
Basileus was waiting for his son at the open door. "Let's go for a hunt, son."
Aro relaxed as he felt his father place an arm around his shoulders.
"I've heard you are fond of stag now!" Basileus teased his son and laughed.
Aro looked surprised at first, then it dawned on him. I'm going to kill you Eleazar! Well I would if you weren't so damn good to me...
"How was it?" Basileus approached Aro who was sitting beside the large wolf from which he had just finished feeding.
Aro looked up sheepishly. "I actually rather enjoyed it. Alec was right, hunting them is quite exhilarating!"
Taking a seat beside his son, Basileus agreed. "Feeding from animals won't make you weaker Aro, I've been doing it for centuries. Eleazar and Carlisle are just as strong now as they ever were. And I must say, though I would have been entirely against it, Carmen is amazing!"
His son was listening, but he still wasn't talking. Basileus continued, hoping to put his boy at ease. "I'm wondering whether I was wrong to force Carlisle to feed from humans for his newborn year. We could experiment with turning a new vampire and feeding them stag for a year to see how they turn out."
"I can arrange that, my lord, if you wish."
Finally speaking, getting somewhere! Basileus thought. "Perhaps, when things are settled."
Aro nodded.
"You know, if you want to leave this place, I would support you."
Aro turned to his father, "It's not time, we couldn't disband the Volturi yet, it hasn't achieved what we set out to do... another coven would take over and we would never be safe. I don't want to risk anything happening to them... "
Basileus listened. He wanted to help his son... he would like nothing more than to collect up those vampires that mattered to him and take them away from Volterra right now, but Aro was right. His sons would be hunted down like dogs by whichever coven took their place... and there are always so many ready to take our place, he thought darkly.
"I agree with you son. Now is not the time. I will work something out, and when we move next it will be to live as a family... all of us. Marcus showed me something in the throne room - your bond with Eleazar is strong, and the one you share with Carlisle is almost equal to that now."
"I love them both, my lord."
Basileus was pleased to hear those words. Carlisle's first year had been fraught beyond the usual 'raising a newborn' standard; Aro had resisted so strongly to Carlisle at first that Basileus had worried they would never bond. "Your bond with Caius is broken," he stated plainly.
"Well isn't that what you wanted?" Aro replied a little too spitefully.
"Be careful there boy, we have much to discuss yet!"
With a sigh Aro leaned back onto his hands, "I'm sorry my lord, I'm just so, so, I don't even know..."
Seeing his son struggling, he took over the reins of their conversation once more. "Yes, I did want you and Caius to separate a little, you were becoming more and more like him, Aro. I know I have told you this many times before, you are better than him, Aro. You've allowed him to torture vampires in the guard as it was easier than stopping him."
"That's not the case, my lord. You told me to delegate responsibility, so I gave Caius the newborns and"
"And he has used them to play out his sick fantasies. Aro, come on."
Aro hung his head. He couldn't defend himself. He knew full well what Caius was doing to those vampires at the lowest end of the ranks - the submissions, the beatings, the executions. That's one of the reasons he had brought his guard into his quarters - to protect them.
"I know." His voice sounded so small.
"Well, we can't get rid of Caius, not yet in any case. We need him back on side. But, Aro," he took his sons face in hand gruffly to ensure these words were heard, "it must be on our terms."
"Yes father."
"You have been too busy protecting your high guard and you've allowed Caius to believe he has the upper hand."
Aro looked incensed, he was ready to blow up at his father, repercussions be damned.
"Calm yourself!" Basileus planted a slap across his boy's face. There wasn't the usual force from the man's slap - it wasn't supposed to hurt just enough to get his attention.
"I know well how you feel about them, I imagine it's much like I feel about you."
Aro nodded, relieved.
"Felix and Demetri, I assume Jane and Alec too, yes?"
"Yes my lord."
Basileus was careful with how he worded this next part, "So why would you whip Felix like that? It's been three days. Eleazar said he's been feeding constantly to speed up healing - he's still limping, Aro! Why would you do that to him, son?"
"El said you wanted to 'talk' to me about that." Aro replied, stiffening as he spoke, expecting his father wanted to do more than talk.
"I have no intention of whipping you for whipping Felix. That's not how this works, son."
Aro seemed slightly relieved, though talking about it made him feel almost as horrid as taking a beating for it would have made him feel. "I believe I was as harsh as I needed to be to placate Caius. He wants their heads simply because I have them in my guard. The way Caius sees it, I have collected the gifted vampires for myself when they should belong to the coven."
Basileus listened without interrupting his son, hoping he would carry on.
"I haven't collected them for my personal gain. I turned them for the coven, I saw their talents and I trained them myself... but something's changed. I don't own them like Caius thinks, Dad, but... they are mine."
Sensing his son struggling again he offer Aro the words he needed. "They are your children, Aro. This has been coming for a while. I am most tempted to say 'I told you so'!"
"So you are okay with this? How open can I be about it?" He sounded like a child, he needed daddy to come in and fix it for him, but Aro long since cared. He DID need his father to make this right for him.
Basileus thought for a moment. Of course he was okay with it, certainly, but it would have to be hidden for now. "I will support you fully, Aro. You know I am certainly okay with it. Though I think it would be wise to keep this change private for now. I have said I will work on a way for us all to live as a family, but for time being we need the Volturi, we need Caius, and we need the guard working at 100%. Will you be able to confine your family life to your quarters?"
"Yes, my lord... that is how we have been living for many years now. I just never believed it before!"
Basileus nodded deeply and taking a small stick from the floor he aimlessly scratched at the earth between his feet.
"You know son we still have a problem. You punished Felix severely, not because you felt he entirely deserved it, but to placate Caius."
Aro felt his stomach flip. So you are going to discipline me then, he thought. "You have left me in a far worse state than I left Felix in – many times!" Aro knew his defence was weak and his voice sullen, but it was the only excuse he had.
"Get your head out of your ass, Aro!" CRACK! Basileus replied with another slap across his face. That one was considerably harder than the first. Aro bit into his lower lip hard to prevent himself from reacting. "Caius should never have had the power to override your decision in the first place. You should have been able to walk into that throne room and tell him they weren't to be punished at all and be sure he wouldn't go against you."
Aro mused darkly on that. Yeah, Caius should follow my orders, but he fucking doesn't, and I didn't want to leave them vulnerable to his evil retribution.
"You know I can hear your thoughts, don't you?"
Aro glanced shamefully to his father, but Basileus' smile told him he didn't need the shame.
"You did what you thought you should, I understand that Aro, but Eleazar was the one who spoke up in Caius' chambers, not you. You are the leader of the Volturi, not Caius, and not Eleazar for that matter. You need to redress the balance."
Aro knew he was right, and now that he had finally talked to his father and felt less stressed he could see events a little clearer. I had allowed my status to slip because I was too concerned about my high guard, no, about my children. If I had only reinforced my status with Caius there would have been no need to worry about Felix or Demetri and they would have been safer. We all would actually. And why the hell am I letting Eleazar fight my battles! Damn it, I must have been losing my mind!
Basileus answered his son's thoughts. "You had just lost your sister, son. You should have been grieving when all of this was going on, so it's no surprise that things got a little out of hand. But you must set things straight now."
Aro thought of his sister. He'd been far too busy to deal with any grief yet. The plan was to bury her body on the grounds when Basileus returned, so they would be putting her to rest today. Venom tears pricked at his murky red eyes.
Basileus put an arm around his son and brought him in close. They sat there in contented silence for a while. Basileus offered Aro the time he desperately needed to set his mind at ease and think over everything that had happened. As he remembered his dear Didyme, silent tears rolled down his cheeks.