AN: I don't own the twi-world, I will put it all back where I found it when I'm done.

A little 15 month jump forward... feeling quite sorry for Carlisle and Felix, poor sods, Felix is perpetually young but Carlisle has only been a vampire for 4 years and he's still finding his feet, bless him. Anyhoo... here we go :)

1667, DECEMBER - HELLO, HEIDI

"Are you ready?" Carlisle asked Felix, the two of them crouched low behind some wooden crates.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm ready. I think this is a stupid idea, for the record, but I'm ready." Felix swore his palms were sweating. He couldn't remember the last time he felt clammy, but this plan was reckless and a sure-fire path to pain when Aro and Basileus found out.

... and of course they fucking will.

"You have the easy role, Felix!" Carlisle tried to reassure his nephew. "I will be the one going on the boat to get the barrels, all you have to do is be the lookout." Carlisle made it sound so simple.

"I don't have a problem with being a lookout by the ship, Carlisle, but what about when we get back to the castle? How the fuck are we going to get barrels of wine up to your chambers without anyone seeing us?" Felix was getting louder and louder.

Not great for a lookout! Carlisle thought as he shushed him harshly. "The guards are still away; the castle is empty and no one is on watch - the timing is perfect. We don't even need to get the barrels to my quarters. Any old store cupboard will do."

Felix was ready with a rebuttal but Carlisle held up a hand to silence him before he had the chance.

"Let's take one thing at a time ... it's on me, not you. Don't worry about it."

Felix looked to his uncle, aghast at the simplicity of his thinking. And, they say I'm the dumb oaf, he thought indignantly.

"Has there been a single occasion yet where my ass hasn't been in a sling with yours since you got back from England?" he asked, a few dozen hidings floating through his memories from the last couple of years.

"We've had fun though," Carlisle retorted quietly.

Felix looked to the once saintly Carlisle who now wore a devilish grin - he couldn't stop his laughter rising at the sight.

"Yeah, we have," he agreed a little reluctantly.

"So, are you in or out?" Carlisle pushed.

Felix watched the merchants unloading their ship. They have plenty of wine barrels, they could spare a few ... I've hardly had a decent drink in the last few years with Aro breathing down my neck ...

"Fuck it. I'm in!" he finally replied, much to Carlisle's delight.

"You know what to do - if any of the humans take notice you just need to knock them out," Carlisle instructed as they moved behind the merchant shed. "Don't kill anyone!" he added forcefully.

Felix scoffed. "If I have to take one down, I am at least going to get a meal out of it!"

Carlisle looked disgusted but he was intent on getting those wine barrels, so he shoved Felix behind the shed and set off to steal from the merchants.

Carlisle managed the first two barrels easily, too easily in fact. They had only planned to take two, one for each to carry. But seeing how simple it was to flash back and forth without any of the busy merchants noticing made them greedy.

"I'll get two more. We can stash them in the woods, we don't even have to take them to the castle," Carlisle suggested eagerly.

Not taking the barrels into the castle certainly perked Felix up - in his mind, that was the dangerous element of their plan. The petty thievery hardly seemed to register with him.

With Felix in agreement and watching out, Carlisle set off for another run.

"Hey."

Vampire! Felix thought. Before he had even turned to the voice that called him he knew it was a vampire.

With a moment of fleeting panic when he remembered he wasn't wearing his guard uniform which offered a symbol of his protected status in the vampire world, he beefed himself up, ready for a fight.

He couldn't have predicted the red-headed beauty that would greet him.

"Hello," he drawled, immediately captivated by the young woman's appearance.

She was dressed like a peasant but she was the sexiest damn peasant he had ever seen. Her low hung neckline was barely fastened at the bust and her ample attributes threatened to burst through the pure white cloth.

Stop staring at her! Stop! he willed himself, but he couldn't convince his eyes to part company with the temptress.

"You don't look like you are from around these parts," he mused as he looked her up and down.

"I'm a long way from home," the young woman replied, drawing Felix in with her soft tones.

What the ... Felix thought as he realised he was now somehow holding her close to his body. He had no idea how she got there.

"I'm looking for a man. A big strong man who can show me around," she purred as she stroked his muscular arms. "You wouldn't know of anyone, would you?" she asked, looking deeply into his eyes.

Felix could feel himself melting. I haven't felt this relaxed since Didyme used her gift on me, he thought.

That should have sparked some kind of warning in the young vampire, but it fell on deaf ears as Felix felt the beautiful woman pressing herself against the full length of his body.

Be cool, be cool, he willed himself.

"Well, I, I, I could show you around."

Not cool at all, Felix threw his head back as he berated himself.

"Really?" she replied. Putting her arms around Felix's neck and pulling herself clear of the floor, she brought her mouth up to his cheek. "But how could I ever repay you?" she breathed into his ear.

Felix felt every hair on his body stand on end. Next thing he knew, he was on his knees!

What the fuck is going on? he asked himself, though he only had a second to think before feeling the temptress' hand winding its way around his rock-hard cock.

Exhaling with a look of shock on her face, and a well pleased smile, she winked at the young vampire.

"I am penniless, destitute, I have nothing to offer you," she told Felix as she worked her hand up and down his length.

"Oh, I can think of a few things you have to offer," Felix breathed, his whole body tingling with excitement.

"What would that be?" she asked coyly, pushing him down to lie on the ground. "This, maybe?" she asked as she undid the cord on her blouse.

Felix pulled her on top to straddle him. Carlisle, if you come back now I will rip your throat out, he thought, delighting in his good luck.

…

Aro called his brother forward and asked him to survey the gifts of the vampire in his throne room before he would decide on her fate.

Eleazar felt floored by the strength of the woman's power. "Her gift is strong, brother, very strong. Like Ashanti, but this one can overthrow free will rather than just get them on board, so to speak - more of a siren than a temptress."

Aro nodded deeply as he considered his options. "Thank you brother," he said to Eleazar, adding, "and you, Atia." Signally for her to utilize her gift and prevent anyone else from using theirs, particularly the young, scantily dressed vampire kneeling on his throne room floor.

Felix looked frantically to his father, pulling on his sleeve. "So, it wasn't my fault then, was it?" he declared, thanking his lucky stars that he had a way out of blame.

"I will discuss that later." Aro growled to the boy beside his throne, startling Felix with the conviction in his voice.

"But ... " Felix started, only to think better of going any further when Aro turned his furious black eyes on him.

"She attempted to take the life of a member of this coven, Aro," Caius implored, "even if it was only Felix."

Aro laughed hearing Felix huff indignantly at Caius' comment. "Your concern is noted, Caius."

Aro wasn't one for wasting talent, and he could see that with this Heidi they could get rid of Ashanti - she would be surplus to requirements after all, he reasoned.

"Heidi was looking for the Volturi, and she offers her services willingly," Aro told Caius carefully. He knew his brother-in-arms favoured Ashanti, but he also knew how fickle Caius could be with his affections.

Heidi heard hope in Aro's mutterings. "My lord, I wouldn't have tried to kill the boy if he'd been in uniform - I thought all Volturi guards wore uniform?"

Felix looked aghast. "Fucking 'boy'?" he repeated, a little too loudly.

Aro gestured to Eleazar with his chin in Felix's general direction.

Eleazar understood - get him out of here!

"Why was he out of the castle without uniform?" Caius asked, only just realising as Felix was manhandled out of the great hall that the young vampire was wearing Aro's rather plush threads.

"I believe Carlisle had taken him out on an errand," Aro replied, though he stared his younger brother down as he spoke. "It's no matter," he finished, waving off Caius' questions.

Aro left his throne and circled the peasant vampire on the floor. She is beautiful, there are worse reasons for admitting a new member to our guard, he thought. Crouching low in front of Heidi, he moved the red curls from her face. Terrified, so she has some sense then, he surmised.

Flicking his tongue between his teeth, Aro came to a decision. "I say we take her on," he announced, turning to Caius who rolled his eyes to the heavens.

Aro flashed to his coven mate's side. "Do you not at least like the look of her, brother?" he asked quietly, for only the two of them to hear. "We haven't taken on any newborns since the guards left ... fresh meat is good for the coven," he pushed.

Caius remained hesitant, though he did indeed like the look of her.

"You could show her around ... " Aro suggested.

" ... initiate her into the coven?" Caius asked.

They both knew he was referring to submission.

"Ashanti is still away - this Heidi could serve as a distraction, if nothing else. Athenodora will have nothing against this one - you can take her into your quarters with Lucy," Aro nodded slowly with a sly smirk as he saw Caius catching on to his suggestions.

"Well, yes, I could do that. That would be the proper thing to do, after all." Caius agreed, feeling quite content with his role.

Aro turned back to the frightened siren who was feeling very vulnerable without the use of her gift. "You will be admitted into our coven. But, you should consider your conduct carefully - this is a trial, my dear," he told her kindly with his sing-song tone.

Caius flashed to Heidi's side and began explaining Volturi coven philosophy as he led her from the throne room.

"I will be along shortly, son." Basileus told Aro, taking Atia with him and leaving the great hall.

After Aro instructed the guards to close the throne room for the rest of the day, he, along with Carlisle, headed to Eleazar's suite to get to the bottom of his son's latest fiasco. Swinging the door open, Aro was greeted with his wife, Carmen and Eleazar all trying to talk Felix into coming clean.

"So, you bring a half-dressed siren into my throne room, who you happened to 'find' while you were taking a walk just outside the castle grounds ... have I got that correct?" Aro asked sarcastically.

Felix felt his face glowing with shame already.

"And this walk you went on with my idiot brother required you to steal MY clothes - again," Aro added sounding dangerously calm as he walked slowly around the room.

Felix stood still, not daring to speak or to move.

"Somehow, on this walk, you managed to pretty much destroy my coat." Aro commented, flicking a piece of fraying fabric on Felix's arm as he passed. "There are grass stains on your back."

Felix flinched as Aro clapped his shoulder.

"How exactly did that happen, Felix?"

Felix looked to his mother, and then to Carmen and Jane. Just kill me now and have done with it, he thought looking up to the heavens. He'd never believed in a greater power, but if there was one, he would have offered his soul for an escape right now.

"Erm, well, you know ... "

Eleazar laughed humourlessly. "No, we don't know. Do explain."

Eleazar had had enough of Felix and Carlisle and their theatrical display of defiance. It had overshadowed the last two years of coven life and he was sick of it.

Felix shot a disgruntled look to his uncle. "She's stronger than she looks, okay!" he replied, with as much attitude as he could muster.

Eleazar stood and stepped up to his nephew. Cheeky little shit!

"No, she's not. I would know if she had such a gift," Eleazar responded, giving Felix a sharp push to remind him who he was speaking to.

Felix should have backed down, but this round of fucks was far too public and the need to preserve his pride took over good sense. "I was indisposed, okay, just leave it," he half shouted, pushing Eleazar back!

Sulpicia tried to intervene. "Felix, sweetheart, calm down." She willed her boy to see reason.

Aro reached out to grab Felix's wrist, which was still on Eleazar's chest, so he could read his mind.

"Don't touch me!" Felix roared as he backed himself away from both men.

"I will do more than touch you if you keep up with that tone, boy!" Aro warned dangerously.

Felix could see his father's eyes becoming darker and darker. Shit, he's ready to blow! Not here, not here, Felix thought, looking around the overpopulated apartment.

"May I go to my room, please?" Felix asked his mother softly. Her only response was to look away forlornly.

Aro clapped his hands together mockingly, like an excited child. "Oooooo intrigue! You are making this all the more interesting, Felix."

Carlisle tutted, repulsed by Aro's glee, even if it was sarcastic joy.

Aro looked Carlisle up and down with equal disgust. I am done with you, done, he thought with finality.

"Perhaps Carlisle would like to shed some light on the 'oh-so-exciting' events of the day?"

Felix looked horrified. "Don't you dare!" he growled to his uncle.

Carlisle held up his hands defensively. "I'm staying out of it."

Aro flashed to Carlisle's side and tried to make contact with his skin.

"Don't touch him!" Felix yelled out.

Aro turned his eyes on his son. "Giving me orders isn't the wisest choice you have made today," he told him with a purposeful hand on his belt.

Felix could feel himself start to shake, his hands were clammy again. "Look, it was stupid, okay, I was stupid," he blurted out.

Jane laughed, "Big surprise for everyone, I am sure," followed quickly by a hiss as Sulpicia smacked her leg for the unkind remark.

Felix shook his head as he admitted, "I let my guard down."

"It wouldn't have mattered if you had been in guard uniform," Sulpicia interjected, wondering why on earth Felix would have gone out without it after last time. Then she remembered what Felix had done last time. If you have been anywhere near a whorehouse I will whip you myself!

"Or if you'd been inside the castle grounds where you were supposed to be," Aro added sternly, turning to his younger brother instead.

"Where were you when this, whatever this is, was going on?" he queried throwing his hands into the air.

"Me? How is this turning around on me?" Carlisle shot back. He wasn't taking shit from Aro, that was for damn sure.

"You were with Felix, the two of you left our grounds, again, against my wishes," Aro added, calmly. He felt anything but calm.

Carlisle reared up against Aro's inquisition. I've had enough of this, I will have to take a round of fucks from Basileus but I am not taking one from Aro! He turned to leave. "I don't have to comply with your wishes, Aro," he shouted over his shoulder.

"Where were you?" Aro repeated, just as forcefully.

Basileus opened the door before Carlisle had a hand on the knob. "Carlisle was stealing barrels of wine from the merchant ships whilst Felix was on lookout duty," he announced as he walked into Eleazar's chambers, Carlisle taking a step back with each step his father took forward.

"What?!" Aro questioned. "Surely not!"

Sulpicia and Carmen voiced their shared thoughts together. "Oh, Felix."

Whilst Sulpicia's tone was sad, sympathetic even, Carmen's was annoyance.

"So, you are thieves now?" she asked, sounding repulsed by the idea.

"Wonderful, absolutely fucking wonderful!" Aro threw out, trying to walk off his rage as he stalked around the room again.

Atia caught up with the angry coven leader and pulled him to one side. "Aro, calm down dear," she whispered, not wanting him to blow up in such a confined space. Not with the little two ones here, she thought, lowering her gift so Aro could hear.

He heard. I do not need instructing on how to act in front of my own damn children! Both Aro and Sulpicia had already had their fill of Atia's kind interference when it came to their young vampires, particularly the twins.

Basileus took a seat as he set to informing everyone of the latest instalment of Felix and Carlisle's fuck ups.

"Heidi duped Felix," he began, wondering how to explain the next part in such mixed company. "After they had, erm, 'finished', she tried to rip off his head."

A gasp went around the room, though of course Aro, having already seen it in Heidi's thoughts, knew that part. Not that it stopped him from reacting to the 'revelation' now.

"You stupid boy!" Aro roared, cuffing Felix harshly across the back of his head before Atia pulled him back.

"You could have been killed!" Basileus added pointedly.

"I got her off," Felix whispered back.

"Yes, EVENTUALLY you did." Aro stressed.

"Thankfully Heidi was unaware of your superior strength," Eleazar remarked, wishing he'd taken Felix to Aro's chambers so this whole thing wasn't playing out in his own living room.

"How did that dainty young woman take you down, Felix?" Sulpicia questioned, looking at her great hulk of a boy.

Carlisle grinned thinking of the position in which he'd found his nephew ... rolling around, half naked, trying to contain the wily Heidi. His grin was soon verbalized through an escaped chuckle.

"This isn't a laughing matter, Carlisle!" Basileus boomed, voice reverberating off the walls. "I think we would all do well to use our imagination, my dear." Basileus answered Sulpicia's question gently, and commenting mainly to himself added, "I wish I hadn't seen it myself to be honest!"

Carlisle heard and laughed again.

This time Basileus flashed so quickly to his son's side that Carlisle barely had time to make out the blur before feeling the searing heat in his cheek and the taste of blood in his mouth.

CRACK!

Aro felt the whole room flinch to that slap. Catching Sulpicia's eye, he knew she needed to get out of the tension.

"Take them," he told her, gesturing to their four children.

Sulpicia was grateful for the release. Felix was too, for that matter. Gathering her young vampires close, she directed them out of Eleazar's chambers and upstairs to their own.

Basileus watched them leave. If Aro is staying here he must want to talk to me, he thought.

"My dear, could you take Carlisle to our chambers and keep him in sight?" he asked his mate.

"Of course," Atia agreed, reaching out for Carlisle.

"If he's staying, I'm staying!" Carlisle responded pointing to Eleazar, shaking free of Atia's light grip.

"These are my chambers, you idiot!" Eleazar shot back, wishing they would all bloody leave!

"Carlisle ... " Atia called softly, only for him to push her away again.

"You insolent brat!" Basileus roared, seeing his boy put his hands on his wife. Grabbing Carlisle around his throat, Basileus pushed his son into the wall, squeezing as he spoke. "You will go. Willingly or not - you will go!"

Jaw set tight, each word was delivered venomously. Carlisle was desperately trying to nod but he couldn't move his head with Basileus' hefty hand under his chin.

Aro and Eleazar exchanged nervous glances. On the one hand, they would normally have jumped in to defend their brother from Basileus' viciousness, as they had many times for each other, but they were both so pissed off with Carlisle's constant interruptions to their lives that they just stood and watched ... enjoying it a little.

Atia eventually intervened and pulled Carlisle free of his father. This time he happily went with his mother to the safety of their quarters.

The second Atia closed the door, Aro verbally attacked his father.

"What is it now? Nearly two years you have let this go on?"

Basileus' anger was brimming at the surface already. Jabbing a threatening finger to his middle boy, he replied, "I haven't let anything 'go on' Aro, I have dealt with Carlisle each and every time he has been caught doing something he shouldn't."

Aro wasn't going to back down, no matter how threateningly Basileus was behaving. "Yeah, he looks well dealt with, dad!"

"I could say the same for Felix!" Basileus bellowed back.

Aro saw red. Managing his older two boys and their temperamental characters was hard enough on a good day but Carlisle's influence had made the job a daily battle. "Felix is an eternal teenager! You cannot compare the two." It's not the same, you fucking prick, he added in thought.

Basileus heard it.

Eleazar was in front of Aro before Basileus had managed to round on him.

"MOVE!" Basileus ordered his eldest son.

Eleazar stood fast. "My lord, Aro is right," he implored, desperate for his father to see sense.

"What?" Basileus spat back. So now all my sons are against me?!

Eleazar spoke carefully in calm, dulcet tones. "He is right. You are treating Carlisle like a child and for one, that is making him behave more erratically, and two, he is 23 ... you cannot fairly compare him with Felix."

Basileus backed up just enough for Eleazar take a steadying breath before he proceeded. "You brought Carlisle into our lives to be a brother to us, Dad," he explained gently.

"Yeah, and I have ended up with an extra CHILD to worry about!" Aro interjected, causing Basileus' face to contort with the repeated disrespect!

"Humph!" Eleazar thumped his elbow into Aro's stomach, hard enough to knock the wind out of him.

Basileus rolled his tongue around his cheek as he glared at Aro. With another jab from his brother's elbow, Aro had the good sense to look at his feet rather than returning the look of disdain.

Eleazar willed his father with his eyes to see the same sense and back down.

Basileus could hear his eldest boy's thoughtful pleas. Eventually, he relented. "Then what should I do?" he asked as he slumped into Eleazar's chair.

Eleazar exhaled slowly, relieved his father was ready to listen at last. "This has been allowed to go on for far too long, my lord," Eleazar began, taking a seat opposite Basileus. "You said he wasn't like this in England?"

Basileus shook his head and smiled. "No, he was the complete opposite, in fact. He worked tirelessly as a physician, he helped the humans. Carlisle was a marvel to behold."

Eleazar rested his arms on his knees as he leaned forwards. "The devil makes work for idle hands," he said pointedly.

"Hmm," Basileus nodded. "You may be right."

He, again, neglected to tell his sons that he believed Carlisle was still harbouring resentment over the dead pastor ... and had been since they arrived back in Volterra. Basileus had nearly told Aro and Eleazar many times that he'd killed the good pastor, but it never seemed the right time. As Carlisle wouldn't talk about it either, he felt like he had time to play with.

Perhaps Carlisle would talk to his brothers about it, he's talking to Atia ... I need to do something soon or I risk losing the boy forever.

Aro, scoffing from his place by the door, brought Basileus from his musings. "I have more than enough work to go around if that is what he needs?!"

Eleazar tutted to his younger brother. Don't be a fool, Aro, he thought.

Basileus had to agree with Eleazar. "Carlisle will not work for you, Aro. Such a situation will just compound the problem."

Aro threw his hands up. He wasn't feeling as receptive to a cosy chat as Basileus was! "Then find him something else to do, but keep him away from my son!" With that, Aro stormed out of his brother's apartment to deal, again, with Felix.

Eleazar bit his lip as he shook his head, soft raven curls dancing around his forehead. "If you want Carlisle to keep his head I would suggest you keep him away from Aro, too," he told his father seriously.

"Indeed!" Basileus replied as he sighed wearily. "I have something to tell you, El. And I am going to need your help to set things right ... "

It was rare for Basileus to ask for help, so much so that Eleazar felt an unease in the pit of his stomach. Turning to his mate, he gestured for Carmen to leave.

"No, stay." Basileus instructed. "I would never ask for you to keep secrets from your mate, son."

Eleazar raised an eyebrow. Oh, yes you bloody would, he thought mockingly.

"Well, not this time," Basileus qualified.

"Has Carlisle talked with you about the pastor?" he asked.

It was clear from Eleazar's expression that Carlisle had not.

"So, he hasn't told you that he died shortly after we arrived in England?"

Eleazar shook his head.

"And you don't know that I killed him?" Basileus spoke so quietly, such was his shame over the matter.

Carmen gasped. Suddenly the change in her brother-in-law made complete sense.

Eleazar closed his eyes for a moment as he felt flooded with guilt over Carlisle. I haven't even asked him about the pastor since he came back. They have both been carrying that around for three years!

Basileus interrupted his son's thoughts. "You have no reason to feel guilty, El. This one is all on me."

"Would you like some wine, my lord?" Carmen offered. I certainly do, she said to herself as she filled a goblet to the brim. Eleazar and Basileus both accepted her offerings.

Resting his head on the high-backed chair, Basileus took his time sharing the entire sordid event with Eleazar and Carmen.

"So, you snapped his neck ... in front of Carlisle?" Eleazar asked in disbelief. It seemed so callous, not Basileus' usual way at all!

"I had little choice, El. I warned him to stop, but Carlisle kept pushing. He told the pastor that we were vampires, he took great delight in it, in fact. But still ... I should never have taken him back there. My own arrogance in believing I know what's best for everyone - even better than they know themselves - that's what caused this. Carlisle knows that, too. He blames me. I blame me." Sipping from his cup, he added in a whisper, "I don't want to lose him."

Basileus had never been so vulnerable - not that Eleazar had ever witnessed, anyway. The usually steadfast eldest son of the creator suddenly felt very out of his depth. "I should fetch Aro. He needs to know about this."

Carmen was at the door before Eleazar had left his seat. "I will go, my love. You stay here."

With one last look to her father-in-law looking so lost and forlorn, Carmen flashed to Aro's suite. I hope you are done with Felix, Aro. We need you!