... ALL THE LADIES …
Corin stepped inside the grand doors. "Masters, the Denali coven have arrived," she announced, sounding perfectly professional.
Atia flicked Aro's shoulder. "Sit up."
Aro rolled his eyes and added a huff when he heard Caius laugh at him. Plastering on his game face, he replied, "Wonderful, Corin. Show them in."
Aro bounced down his throne steps to greet the Denali coven. "Ah, Sasha, I believe?" he smoothed to the older of the four. "Welcome to Volterra," he said, taking her hand and kissing it gently, extracting her memories as he did so.
"My lord," Sasha replied, a little awestruck. She had never before met the vampire king and she had expected something a little more ferocious than Aro's cool, calm demeanour.
"And these must be your new members I have heard so much about," he prompted.
"Irina, Kate and Tanya - my daughters," Sasha introduced as Aro greeted each of them personally.
Caius sighed, raising his eyes to the heavens. "Oh wonderful, more vampire children - at this rate, we will have enough for a nursery."
Basileus stepped forward as every member of the Denali coven looked to Caius' disparaging remark. "Which would be most enjoyable, of course," Basileus said with a crushing hand on Caius' shoulder.
"The creator!" Sasha exclaimed, immediately dropping to her knees. "Girls!" she hissed in warning and they followed her lead.
Basileus joined Aro on the main floor. "Though I appreciate the gesture, there really is no need, my dears. Please rise," he instructed as he took Sasha's hand. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Sasha," he whispered, much to everyone's surprise.
Sasha had been concerned that the creator, whom she had known intimately for a short time, had called their coven in for destruction. Hearing his whisper in the velvet tones that had once seduced her, she was instantly put at ease.
"The pleasure is all mine, Basileus," she replied, swaying as she spoke.
For a moment Basileus forgot himself as Sasha drew him into a private conversation through her thoughts.
"Ahem!"
Basileus spun around to see his mate standing with hands on hips and one eyebrow raised threateningly. Oh dear, he thought. "I should introduce you to my mate, Sasha!"
"Mate?" she questioned.
"Yes, we have been together for awhile now," Basileus replied, wincing as he knew what was coming next.
"How long, exactly?" Sasha asked, pulling her hand back from the creator.
"Oh, a few years ... " he waved away and retook his place next to Atia.
"Ten," Atia said, loudly.
"Ten?" Sasha repeated. It was clear from her expression that there had been some crossover between the two women who shared Basileus' bed. "I am honoured to meet you, my lady," Sasha sensibly said, casting her eyes back to the floor.
"Hmm," Atia murmured as she used her mate's gift to check on his fidelity.
Aro, internally, was literally in hysterics. How he managed to keep his laughter confined to his mind was anyone's guess. Aro's brothers and the other masters were in a similar state, forced to hold hands to their mouths and look away from the scene.
If it hadn't been quite such an important moment, Basileus would have happily slapped all of them before fleeing from his angry mate. "Aro, get on with it," he commanded gruffly.
"Of course, my lord," Aro replied. "Kate, you are gifted, yes?" Aro said, turning to the middle daughter.
"I am, my lord," she replied, willing the vampire king not to ask for a display.
"Would you show me?" he asked.
Sasha blocked Kate's path. "It is a defensive gift, my lord - it may hurt you."
Aro had seen the extent of Kate's gift already in her mother's mind, yet his inquisitive nature forced him to ask for a try. "Perhaps you can lessen the effects ... I will not hold it against you."
Kate stretched out her hand, grimacing at what she was about to do. The second she made contact with the tip of Aro's finger, he went down to the floor.
"Ahh!" he gasped in shock as he felt every cell in his body tingle in mild pain. "Wonderful, my dear, wonderful," he said, getting up from his knees and brushing himself off.
Kate looked terrified. As did Sasha. "Please do not take her from me, my lord, please ... "
Aro waved away her concerns. "You have no need to worry, Sasha. I have no desire to break up your family."
"Family!" Caius scoffed from his throne.
Basileus considered speaking with Caius but one look back to his mate told him he had other things on which to concentrate.
"Eleazar," Aro called his brother forward. "It is late, my brother will accompany you in the castle," he told Sasha as Eleazar approached them.
"If you would follow me, I can take you somewhere to rest before the meeting in the morning," Eleazar told the Denali leader, taking her arm and guiding her from the great hall. "Is this your first visit to our castle, my lady?" he asked, putting Sasha at ease.
"Yes master, it is," Sasha replied.
"May we look around?" Irina asked. She knew her sisters would have to rest but she rarely slept in the way they did.
"I believe my brother has arranged a full timetable of events but there will be plenty of time for exploring the castle grounds tomorrow after the conference," Eleazar replied confidently, though he was surprised to see the young vampire return a surly glare in reply.
"And how well do you know Sasha, exactly?" Caius bravely asked once they were gone.
"After everything you said about me!" Aro added, retaking his throne.
"Quiet," Basileus ordered, staring straight ahead with a military pose.
"I am quite interested in the answer to Caius' question!" Atia said forcefully.
I bet you are, Basileus thought. "It will have to keep, my dear. The English coven is here." Thank the gods, he added to himself.
"Masters ... " Corin began but Basileus cut her off.
"Show them in, Corin." He needed them inside the throne room quickly to cut off any more uncomfortable questions.
"Do you know any of the English coven?" Atia asked in a frosty tone.
"Not very well, no," Basileus replied, scanning his own memories quickly to check he was telling the truth.
"Hilda, welcome," Aro called when the English coven leader came through the doors. "And your four members ... " he added seeing the four young women follow behind her ... one very young.
"Four?!" Caius called out.
"So it would seem," Basileus said as he narrowed his eyes, joining his son.
Four members of a coven were the absolute maximum allowed and it was safe to say Hilda knew that law as she sheepishly approached Aro and Basileus.
Hilda had a few false starts before she could speak, she knew, and feared Aro - they had met on one of his travels to England and he had impressed her with his self-restraint and calm nature. She knew that his 'work' contradicted the man she'd met, but trusted him, as far as she could.
The others in attendance were a mystery to her and as Hilda paid little attention to the vampire world outside of her coven, she assumed they were just the kings well-dressed body guards.
"Master, Noella is a newborn, and your envoys were insistent on our attendance ... "
"We couldn't leave her," Mary joined her coven leader's cause.
"And you intend to keep her within your coven even though the law clearly states a maximum of four members," Basileus stated.
Hilda eyed the giant of a man with distaste. She didn't appreciate being addressed so forcefully by a bodyguard.
"No, master," she replied, looking to Aro.
"That wasn't a question, my dear," Basileus said, folding his arms across his broad chest.
Aro could see Hilda was ready to retaliate and thought it best to circumvent her efforts before they brought her demise. "Have you met my father, Hilda?" he offered gently.
Wide eyes flew around the group like a Mexican wave. "The creator?!" Hilda asked. She had never seen the man before and truly believed he was a Volturi myth. "Forgive me, my lord, I was unaware." She stuttered as she spoke.
The once great Abbess of the Anglo-Saxon world had earned her stripes in vampire battles since she had been turned, but she had never left England before and never imagined the Volturi legends could be true. Never.
Throwing herself to the floor, prostrating before the legendary creator of vampire kind, she said all she could to save her ladies. "Of course, if you wish it, I will divide my coven, my lords, we will divide, we will divide!"
Basileus looked down to the woman and considered his options. He would usually tell vampires they had no need for such flagellation for his presence but through his reading of Hilda's mind he could tell he would need the woman to know her place if Aro was to be successful in his mission to align their covens. Leaving Hilda on the floor and the rest of her ladies quaking behind her, he returned to his place next to his mate.
"They seem well bonded, Aro. Marcus would have to confirm but I believe too emotionally linked to divide," Magnus told his co-master through his sense of the group's emotional state.
He could sense, through his gift, that the five women of the English coven would be difficult to divide through Chelsea's talents, as impressive as they were. He was also dead against using Chelsea to separate any other vampires for as long as he lived after losing Lucy.
Aro nodded to Magnus. "As it happens, if you agree to my proposals, there would be no issue in you keeping Noella."
Hilda's head shot up from the floor as she looked to Aro with questioning eyes.
"I appreciate your honesty in bringing her with you," Aro whispered as he pulled the coven leader from the floor.
Aro retook his throne. "Some introductions are in order, Hilda."
Hilda nodded rapidly, her breathing was erratic but she brought herself under control. "I turned Anne and Mary about eight years ago, my lord. Anne went back to London and turned her sister, Victoria, three years past. I turned Noella almost a year ago, she is in the last stages of her newborn year."
Aro nodded along. "How old were they when they were turned, Hilda?" Aro asked as he considered the young women before him.
"All twenty, or thereabouts," Hilda replied nervously.
Aro fixed his sights on Noella, the newborn. "This one, really?" he asked again.
"Thereabouts," Hilda replied. Truthfully, she had no idea how old Noella was. Hilda had rescued the young servant girl from her vicious masters and turned her to offer her a better life ... now she wondered if she had just condemned her to a soulless afterlife instead.
"Closer to sixteen, I would say," Aro told her. She looked about Felix's age to him. "Be sure to keep her close. Young ones need more guidance," he said knowingly.
"No gifts?" Caius asked. He was really wondering if there were a way to ban children from any gatherings of the covens in future events but thought better of voicing as such with Aro and Basileus' penchant for the protecting the little sods.
"Not really, my lord," Hilda replied.
"Not really? What are you hiding?" Caius shot back. He wasn't keen on this coven at all. Neither was Basileus, for that matter. Far too insular and he worried Aro had made a bad choice choosing them for aligning.
"Now, now, Caius. There is no need for any animosity," Aro smoothed, "I am sure Hilda will explain."
Hilda didn't really have an explanation. "I'm not sure how to explain, my lord. I was rather hoping you would be able to explain to us. Victoria ... she seems to have the ability to survive. Her experiences in her human life should have killed her long ago but she survived."
Aro hadn't heard of such a gift before, but he was interested in how such a thing could be used for his advantage. "My brother Eleazar can read vampire's gifts. He is currently indisposed but I will have him look over Victoria tomorrow."
Hilda smiled gratefully. "Thank you, my lord."
Aro bit his lip, wondering how the next item on the agenda would be received. "There is one more thing for us to discuss ... Heidi."
Hilda shook her head. "She is no longer part of our coven, my lord."
Aro smiled. "No, she is part of mine."
"Heidi is here?" Mary asked.
"She made it?" Anna questioned.
Aro nodded. "She sought us out. We admitted her to our coven over a year ago, but as most of my guards were out on envoy missions at the time she has yet to be formally introduced to the Volturi. If you wish to see her, Caius will take you to his chambers to do so privately."
"After the conference?" Hilda checked, to which Aro nodded again.
"Is she well?" Hilda asked quietly. It was clear the entire English coven were concerned for their ex-member.
"Naturally," Aro replied. Very well, he thought cheekily.
"Thank you, my lord." Hilda's relief was palpable.
Corin pushed through the grand doors. "Master, the Amazonian's are here."
Aro looked in her direction and held up a hand, asking her to wait a moment. "Carlisle," he called his brother forward.
Carlisle flashed to Hilda's side and bowed politely to her. "My lady, I am here to accompany you whilst the covens are still arriving."
"English?" Hilda guessed, pleased with their choice of supervisor.
"Yes, my lady," Carlisle confirmed shyly.
Mary made a beeline for the 'guard'. "He's cute!"
Hilda pulled the woman back into line. "Put him down, Mary, we have no idea where he's been." She didn't approve of her ladies fornicating with common vampires - she was a great Abbess after all.
Carlisle felt a little affronted at being deemed unclean or something. "Forgive me," he said with his hands up defensively. "My name is Carlisle, I am Basileus' youngest son."
The Mexican wave of eye-widening happened again through the English coven as Hilda instantly regretted her attitude towards the prince of Volterra.
Aro laughed from his seat, taking far too much glee from the situation in Atia's opinion. Brushing her son's cheek with her hand, he heard her think 'get on with it Aro, we have more guests waiting'.
Aro rolled his eyes. "My brother will see to your needs until we convene at sunrise," he told the English coven. "Be gentle with him," he added, giving a slightly bewildered Carlisle a wink.
No sooner than Carlisle had led the English coven through the back doors, the Amazonian coven arrived through the front. Three dark-skinned women wearing light animal skins as clothing and their hair in braids huddled together with their eyes darting in every direction. They appeared to be scared, but Aro knew better from the reports of his envoys. It was their defensive stance - they moved as one, they knew the entire layout of the area including any weak points or danger zones and they, somehow, shared that knowledge through intense intuition.
It wasn't a gift as such, more a natural development occurring through the three women living in such close proximity for a thousand years and defending themselves in hostile territory.
Basileus was most keen to extract their memories for his own purposes. The Amazonian tribe were the only known vampires living in the lands far to the west and all reports from any passers through - those that somehow survived, reported of the Amazonian coven living peacefully with werewolves ... yes, Basileus was very interested in this coven. He already had a better idea of how they lived in werewolf ridden lands - all three women had bright amber eyes.
They only feed on animals ... the werewolves must believe they pose little threat to humans ... that could be the way in to the Americas! Basileus' mind was already running overtime, concocting future expeditions.
Though Aro knew of the connection the three coven members shared, he was surprised to see how physical that connection was. They moved together towards the thrones as though they were one person with three heads.
"Kachiri?" he asked, unsure which one the coven leader would be.
"We haven't broken Volturi law," the woman to the left spoke.
I'm going to assume you are Kachiri, Aro thought. "I know that," Aro replied as he carefully and slowly approached the three of them.
Kachiri tilted her head. "You speak our language?" she asked.
Aro bowed his head. "I speak all languages," he told her as he took her free hand - the other remained fixed to her coven mate. "When you accepted our invitation, I ensured a good many of our coven learned your tongue so you are free to converse in a manner with which you are comfortable."
Aro was drawing her in and Kachiri visibly relaxed a little as he spoke.
"That was most thoughtful, master," she told him sincerely.
Aro smiled. "All in an effort for good relations."
He learned through his hold on Kachiri's hand that she spoke more than her own language, a good many languages in fact. Aro chose to continue in the Amazonian tongue as it had obviously pleased the coven so greatly.
"You are Senna?" Aro guessed as he turned to the next woman. She nodded curtly. Senna didn't speak. Ever. Zafrina conversed on her sister's behalf.
"She is. And I am Zafrina."
Aro took Zafrina's hand and looked to the woman in awe when he saw her gift. "Your gift, my lady, is quite astonishing. Would you do us the honour of a demonstration?" he asked, taking a step back and gesturing to his parents and fellow masters.
The throne room was transformed into the rain forests of South America, or more specifically, the Pantanal wetlands.
"How is she doing this!" Caius asked, spinning in his throne to take in all the wonders around him.
"Being a vampire is a wondrous thing!" Atia replied. The sights and sounds of the Amazonian coven's homeland were a bewildering experience for the Volturi elite, until Atia used her blockade to bring Zafrina's efforts to an end.
Both Aro and Basileus were glad their side was stronger with such an immersive talent in their midst.
"That was quite spectacular, my dear. I assume we have just seen your homelands?" Aro asked in Latin, forgetting himself for a moment.
"Yes master," Kachiri replied. Mimicking Aro's tongue. Aro smiled. I must remember not to underestimate you, he thought. "I can understand why you were so reluctant to leave," he smoothed back in Kachiri's own language. "You will return to your beautiful lands soon, my ladies, we will only take a few days of your time."
Aro was glad he had tasked Freyr with the job of supervising the mysterious coven, he had a feeling they would take well to female guidance and Freyr was simply perfect for the job.
"Kachiri, may I introduce you to Freyr. She is a master of this coven and well equipped to see to your needs."
Freyr began to guide the women out of the throne room.
"I will speak with you again at sunrise, Kachiri," Aro called after her, he was quite taken with the mystique of the tribe.
"Yes, master," Kachiri replied as the three, once again, moved as one behind Freyr.
"You are so very good at this, son." Atia whispered to her boy as he retook his throne. Aro smirked. "You almost sound proud of me, Atia." "Almost." She joked.