Getting Acquainted
Basileus went around the great hall opening the tall wooden shutters to the windows lining one side of the room. He grumbled as he went that a guard should have done the job already but he realised his complaints were premature when saw the darkness outside. Atia had left him to wait in the library for the conference to begin and without her bringing him calm he was letting his imagination run wild. He was relatively sure Eleazar and Carmen would be safe with the Denali coven. Kate though… she could have hurt them if she'd desired.
His concerns for Carlisle was fleeting, more likely to be enjoying himself too much… now that is a concern. He said to himself as he watched without patience for the sun to rise. Aro. Aro was his worry. You will be sat in that room half way across the castle with six hostile vampires. Potentially hostile, he reminded himself, Atia's words floating through his mind. Atia, she will keep him safe. He repeated to himself. If the stress of this doesn't kill me, nothing will!
"Basileus!" Sulpicia startled the creator from his thoughts as she entered the throne room with her children following.
"My dear," Basileus replied, bowing his head to her arrival. "Down from there." He called to his grandchildren. "I want you on the main floor, stay away from the thrones until Aro gets here, okay?"
"Why?" Felix asked, they always stood at Aro's throne… that was their place in his mind.
"Because, Felix," Basileus replied tersely, "I will be in Aro's throne and I will be better at reading minds if I have a little space from everyone."
Felix followed his brothers and sister down the throne steps and fell in behind Sulpicia at Basileus' side. "What is that smell? Is there blood in here?"
"Blood and bloodwine." Basileus confirmed. He had yet to light the fires beneath the five mammoth cauldrons, a guard could take care of that when they arrived, which should be any moment now, Basileus thought.
"Mom, can we…" Sulpicia turned to Felix and shook her head curtly before Felix could ask. She knew what he would ask, naturally.
"Can you drink the bloodwine and cause mayhem tonight? I don't think so son." She told him with finality. Sulpicia had warned her two eldest boys that she was willing to miss the entire visit and keep her sons at home under lock and key if they required it and they knew she meant it, too.
Basileus smirked to his young grandchildren, pleased that they appeared to bend to their mothers will, for how long though? He wondered.
"I had hoped to catch Aro." Sulpicia mentioned as she reached up to kiss Basileus' cheek, "I assume the conference will begin soon?"
Basileus nodded, he had a headache already from pushing his mind reading gift to its maximum capacity in his efforts to hear everyone in the castle walls. Tapping his temple, he replied, "the last I heard, Aro was on his way to the library. Caius, Magnus and the others are delivering coven leaders now. Soon the remainders will descend on us, my dear."
Sulpicia nodded, she was nervous about greeting all of these outsiders. As queen, she had a role to play herself, and she was prepared to play that role expertly to help her mate's plans along.
Basileus heard his daughter-in-law's concerns. "Sulpicia, you have no reason to worry. A true queen can protect three things, my dear - her king, her throne, and her children." Sulpicia smiled gratefully for the confidence boost the creator offered. Before she could reply, they both turned to the sounds of approaching footsteps.
The entire body of guards marched through the grand hall doors to the front of the throne room. They were a remarkable sight in their matching, crisp uniforms. They look great, but skittish, Basileus surmised. "Are we all well?" he asked quietly to no one in particular.
A few guards looked over and smiled to him. Oddly it was Lev who spoke. "Are we safe?" he grunted, seemingly ready for attack and keeping Katarina even closer than usual.
"Quite safe, Lev." Basileus returned with a broad smile. "We will be sharing our throne room with the visiting covens very soon so let us all relax a little?" Opening his arms wide, and beaming at the guards, he quickly had them all under his spell.
"Bard, Isolde," he called over to the mated musicians, "give us something to take our mind off our worries, will you?" once the music begun, Basileus pulled Mikhail aside. "Light the fires, Mik, and stay close to Lev for me." Mikhail nodded, leaving without word, as was his way. Summoning balls of fire to ignite from his hands, he threw the flames effortlessly towards the fireplaces.
"Sulpicia," Basileus called as he walked to his daughter-in-law, "shall we be ready on the throne floor to receive our guests. You are the vampire queen, my lady, that makes you the most important person in the room."
Sulpicia giggled, "next to you, Basileus, really?"
"I am merely the dusty old creator, no one pays me any attention." He replied as he took her by the hand they flashed to stand in front of Aro's central throne.
"I need a guard on each of the cauldrons. Afton, Lev, Corin, Adrianna, Turk - if you would be so kind." The named guards nodded to Basileus and took their positions. "The first four are filled with bloodwine and I don't want any young vampires drinking it. If in doubt, ask me first, or on your own head be it."
Adrianna sighed with relief that she had taken the plain blood cauldron, she knew Demetri would pester her for a drink otherwise. Basileus was pleased with that happy accident, too, especially when he saw Demetri looking crestfallen. We can read you like a book, my boy. Basileus thought.
Just as the Volturi members gathered in the throne room had started to relax, the doors behind the thrones sprang open on either side of the throne floor - to the left, Marcus entered with Kebi, Benjamin and Tia, and to the right, Caius with Yvette and Athenodora.
Caius made it to Basileus first, like a man on a mission he stormed to the creator's side although Basileus noted Caius was doing his best to keep his game face. Basileus wondered if Caius' smiling was more unnerving than him sneering but as the master was clearly putting such a lot of effort in, he declined to comment. "Caius." Basileus nodded as he wrapped an arm around the man.
Sulpicia went to greet Athenodora who introduced her to Yvette from the French coven. Although Yvette acted submissively before Sulpicia, as she should, she is the queen of vampires after all, Sulpicia could tell that the French vampire was just as snotty as Athenodora - she didn't need a gift to know that the pair would be inseparable for the duration of the visit. After all their years together, Sulpicia knew her coven mate well.
Once Athenodora had led Yvette down towards the guards to introduce her to the wider Volturi body, Sulpicia moved towards Marcus and his gathering whilst Basileus flicked through Caius' memories. "I am pleased to see how well you handled Henri." He told the master.
Caius scoffed, "it was a close call, my lord. He's an insufferable bastard."
Basileus' booming laughter filled the hall, taking over the lyrical tunes coming from the musicians. "You have done a wonderful job, Caius." Basileus praised, "although…" Caius flinched to Basileus' change in tone. "Dungeon blood… really?"
Caius shrugged and laughed a little nervously. "I hoped it would help Aro's efforts, my lord."
As Basileus flipped through Caius' thoughts, he could see that Caius had genuinely hoped to ease Aro's load by making Henri easier to handle. "Let's just keep away from the dungeon blood for the rest of the visit, Caius." Basileus suggested lightly.
Caius looked nervous.
"What?" Basileus asked with an order to his tone.
"Henri wants to buy a vat from us. I have already agreed a price."
Basileus rolled his eyes. "Fine, but he takes none until he is off our lands." Caius nodded readily, as Basileus pushed him from the throne floor. "Now go and mingle."
No sooner had Caius left, Kebi and her young wards filled his space. Sulpicia had been very keen to meet Kebi as another mother to young vampires, but there was something off about the way she interacted with Benjamin and Tia. Sulpicia called for her son and Felix arrived at his mother's side in only a moment appearing the ever-dutiful boy.
"This is Benjamin and Tia, they are around your age, perhaps you and Demetri would save them from the boredom of adult conversation and keep them company for a while?" Benjamin and Tia both looked bewildered to see four vampire children in the coven - they had never met vampires outside their coven before and to meet ones of similar ages was overwhelming.
"That is, if it is okay with you, Kebi?" Sulpicia asked, waiting for the woman's reaction. Kebi waved her wards down the steps and off they went with Felix to his brothers and sister and some of the younger gathered guards.
"Marcus," Sulpicia called and walked a little away from the Egyptian coven member, "tell me about their bonds." She prompted.
"You have noticed then, my lady?" Marcus asked. "They aren't as close as they could be, are they? Amun's bond with Benjamin is almost as strong as it is with his mate. But Kebi and Tia are only bonded with Amun and Benjamin respectively and separately."
Sulpicia nodded and felt a little sad, she had hoped for another 'mother' to engage with, though Aro had warned her that Kebi may not have such a role.
"They have only been together for a short time, my lady. I believe their bonds will grow. You could help them with that." Marcus told the vampire queen. That was all Sulpicia needed to hear - she decided to make it her mission to increase those familial bonds whilst the Egyptian coven were their guests.
Eleazar and Carmen arrived next looking shell shocked.
"Sulpicia," Basileus called her to his side. "These are the Denali sisters." He introduced each of the girls in turn who all curtsied and smiled as though butter wouldn't melt.
Eleazar and Carmen watched with comical expressions. When the girls spotted the younger members of the coven to the side of the hall they excitedly left the throne floor and sought out entertainment without asking for permission. Eleazar immediately started complaining.
"What's wrong with you? You had the easy coven!" Basileus returned.
"Easy? Easy! Those girls are a bloody nightmare, they bicker, they fight, they screech, the don't shut up!" Eleazar moaned. "Give me Felix and Demetri any day!" Carmen added.
"So, you are ready to babysit now?" Sulpicia mocked her sister in law.
"Honestly I don't know how Sasha puts up with them." Carmen replied, still reeling from the loudest night of her life.
Eleazar nudged his father, "Sasha told us a few stories about you, dad."
"That's quite enough, son - go and mingle. I need as few people up here as possible so I can read the room." Eleazar and Carmen burst out laughing at the creator bustling nervously to their new knowledge but they did as they were bid ,going to the opposite side of the room to the Denali girls.
"Those girls are going to bring us a lot of trouble." Basileus whispered to Sulpicia.
"You know this, my lord?"
"I sense it." He replied.
"As much trouble as their mother has brought you?"
Basileus nearly choked on his own venom. "That was a long time ago." He spluttered, grateful to see Freyr bringing Zafrina and Senna through the grand doors to give him the chance to change the conversation.
"We need to be careful with these two, Sully. They require delicate handling."
Sulpicia nodded to her father in law, Aro had told her similar already and she felt well prepared. What she wasn't prepared for, however, was for the Amazonian women to throw themselves to their knees at the foot of the throne floor when she greeted them. Sulpicia crouched low enough to meet their eyes. "My ladies, there is no need for you to go to such efforts, I am so pleased to make your acquaintance."
Senna and Zafrina only half stood as they backed away talking so fast in their foreign tongue that Sulpicia couldn't make out what they were saying. Freyr rolled her eyes to the coven queen and sighed deeply. It would appear your night has been as stressful as Eleazar and Carmen's. Sulpicia thought, watching Senna and Zafrina as they flashed to the side of the hall, close to the doors.
"They seem so scared, Basileus." Sulpicia commented.
"They are, my dear. They don't mix with others very often and they are more akin to outside spaces. They feel enclosed in here. From what I can read in their thoughts, Freyr has put them wonderfully at ease, though it hasn't been an easy task for our shield maiden."
Sulpicia nodded along. "And the throwing themselves at my feet thing?" she pushed.
Basileus chortled to himself. "In their world, only women are true rulers. Aro and I received a cordial nod when we met them, they clearly see you as the one worthy of prostration."
Sully smiled to herself, "I think we should get some of these Amazonian women for our coven, Basileus." The hall filled with the creator's great laughter again, "you and Atia, both!"
Magnus arrived, finally, through the doors to the right of the thrones. After Siobhan had greeted Basileus and Sulpicia she sort out Sadie from the guards who Magnus had told her shared her gift of 'wishing'. Both Sadie and Sasha could wish for their own good fortune in a situation, and so long as it didn't negatively impact of someone else, it often came true.
"Are the Irish maintaining Liam is the coven leader?" Basileus asked Magnus, who nodded in reply with raised eyebrows.
"Aro's going to have fun with him - that man is utterly devoid of wit or spirit."
Basileus laughed, "I thought as much when I met him. Siobhan runs their coven, I will believe nothing else. Keep an eye on her Magnus, but work the room. I want to know about any emotional irregularities."
Magnus bowed his head, "of course, my lord."
Sulpicia left Basileus to take a round of the great hall, ensuring she spoke to every single guard and guest as she passed. At the same time, Basileus took Aro's throne and searched through the thoughts of those in the room trying to anticipate any issues before they came. He found none. That should have pleased him really but it only served to make him second guess his own abilities, sure that he must have missed something. They had only been separated an hour, but by the time Sulpicia had finished her first round of the hall, disaster was already ready to strike.
"Sulpicia my dear." Basileus called from Aro's seat. She flashed back to the thrones.
"I discussed with Aro that it may be advisable to put your sons on a shorter leash, after the whole Lucy debacle."
Sulpicia sighed, she still felt so saddened by the turn of events, not to mention the stark reality that Demetri could have lost his life too. "Aro has mentioned it, my lord. I think he wanted to get the conference out of the way before we created another family drama."
Basileus rolled his tongue around his cheek. "It may be too late." He told her quietly.
"In what way, Basileus?" Sulpicia asked, searching out for Demetri in the crowd of guards.
"Not Demetri." Basileus said, sensing where the vampire queen's thoughts were turning. "Felix has just returned with Irina, the eldest daughter of the Denali coven."
Sulpicia froze as she saw her boy swagger in the great hall doors with Irina close at his side. "No, surely not." She said, already knowing it was surely so.
"It may be nothing." Basileus replied.
"Do you not know?"
"I am trying to read the thoughts of an entire room, my dear, in case of attack. I cannot go fishing through your son's mind at the moment."
Sully closed her eyes for a moment. She still had work to do until Aro returned she needed to be in the throne room at least as the figure head of the royal family. I can't take you home yet, but my god Felix I am going to roast you when I do. "I will speak with him." Sulpicia offered and flashed to her son's side.
"Felix, a word with you if you please." She said shrilly to her eldest boy.
"Oooo busted!" Demetri chortled.
Sulpicia turned her eye on the boy. "You can come, too." She said, clicking her fingers to the pair of them.
Basileus watched them leave through the front doors as a welcomed and familiar hand curled around his shoulders. "Atia, my dear." He whispered.
"I thought you may mistake me for Sasha." She replied playfully.
"No," Basileus scoffed, "she never went for my shoulders."
Atia slapped his back hard as she tried to look annoyed. It didn't last long before Basileus wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace.
"How are our plans?" he breathed into her ear.
"In progress." She replied confidently.
"So, he's failing then?" Basileus asked.
"Since when is progress failure?"
Basileus pulled back so he could see her face. "Well it isn't success, is it?!"
Atia shook her brown curls. "Aro's argument, his rhetoric, its compelling."
"But not his plan?" Basileus questioned.
"The coven leaders are listening which is more than either of us believed would happen." She really wanted to defend Aro's efforts, she was amazed by his command of a room from what she had seen so far. "How are things in here?" she asked, wanting to get the lay of the land from the rest of the coven visitors.
"Everything is going well, it would appear that the covens who have come, have come without the intention to do us harm. Though they all have their exit plans…" Basileus trailed off, he was still sure he was missing something.
Your nerves will be the death of you, my dear. Atia thought to her mate. "We ALL have exit plans." She reminded him.
"Hmm." Basileus murmured, "you should get back to Aro." He prompted.
"I will look after our boy." She said as she let her hands slip from his and flashed back to the library.