A Happy Union?
Aro left the library with the coven leaders following behind him as he moved through the halls. He took them the long way around to the throne room purposely so they would have to enter through the main door and into the main floor - not the throne floor. He wasn't having them up there with him. The conference was done now so it was time to reaffirm his status. Basileus heard his son's intentions whilst Aro was still in the halls and took Atia to stand behind his boy's throne so they were ready.
As Aro stepped through the grand doorway, the room immediately stilled and silence fell. The coven leaders sought out the rest of their covens and joined their kin as Aro walked through the sea of parting vampires and up to his throne. He usually stood to make an address to the guards but he chose to sit in his throne this time, it felt more 'lordly'.
"My friends. I come to you with happy news." He began. "An alliance has been brokered with all attending covens in agreement. This is a great day in the history of vampire kind and how fortunate are we to bear witness to it."
Applause spread throughout the gathered vampires. The visiting coven leaders bowed to those around them, all feeling pleased themselves for what had been accomplished that day. Aro was right, this was a monumental episode in vampiric history.
"The time now is for merriment," Aro called out happily. "There is wine, there is blood - let the music commence!" A tidal wave of noise filled the room as the Volturi coven erupted into cheers. The visiting covens soon joined in.
"I can smell blood, are they cooking humans?" Amun asked his coven gathered around him.
"They have cauldrons bubbling with blood, Amun!" Kebi told her mate excitedly, it had taken all their resolve to hold back from the tempting liquid whilst everyone waited for the coven leaders to join them.
None of the visiting covens were used to holding back when they could smell blood. They had all been impressed with the Volturi covens apparent ease in which they moved around the room without salivating at the tempting food cooking to the side of the hall - the visitors weren't to know that to touch the blood before the royal family and masters would result in severe punishment for the guards, which was a pretty good motivator for staying well away.
"Aro!" Basileus called out, he was waiting by the first cauldron where Afton stood, ladle in hand and ready to provide bloodwine on demand.
Aro nodded to his father and flitted between the visiting coven leaders, taking them with him to the bubbling blood. "I would like you to try the house wine." He said with a smirk.
"Wine? I smell blood." Amun replied, confused.
"This is bloodwine, my father's special brew." Aro confirmed. "Quite a potent mix of alcohol, opium and blood."
Henri lunged ahead of Amun. "That sound like it will hit the spot!"
Caius sidled up to Aro and glanced at the French coven leader. "It hits every spot." He told Henri, whilst touching his hand to Aro's.
Aro was hit with Caius' memory of his short time with Henri in the dungeons. When he got to the part where Caius had given Henri dungeon blood, he understood the man's relative ease in the conference. Relative ease - as Henri had still been a bit of a cock.
"Nicely played, brother." Aro whispered. He was jealous as hell though, some dungeon blood would do me a world of good right now!
Aro accepted a goblet from Afton and concentrated on ridding his mind of thoughts of dungeon blood. He was sure his fathers attention would be on the visiting vampires but Aro couldn't risk Basileus discovering that he was back on the wonder drug. He will only overreact, again. Aro thought, shivering a little from how such an 'overreaction' would be particularly painful.
Aro drank his bloodwine down in one, and he felt his eyes roll around in his head as the blood calmed his burning throat and the opium/alcohol mix calmed his nerves. For the relief to be so immediate, Aro knew it had to be a placebo effect, but he didn't care. He felt less tense than he had in months with the arrangements for the treaty finally complete. Once Aro was sure his own coven leaders had all managed to take a goblet a piece, he started handing out the bloodwine to the visiting leaders, whilst Caius and Marcus saw to their mates and adult members.
Aro watched the French and Egyptian mated pairs taste their first drops of bloodwine. "It's amazing!" Their delight was clear in their expressions.
"Good, isn't it?" Aro said cheerfully. "Kachiri!" Aro called the Amazonian tribe over and offered the three women a drink.
They all refused.
"It is animal blood, I give you my word." Aro told them. They were surprised, but grateful. After everything they had seen since arriving in Volterra, Kachiri and her coven mates were wondering where the Volturi get their name for being ruthless demons - Aro in particular had been beyond considerate.
"Animal blood!" all the other coven members questioned, with the French coven looking repulsed.
"You just said it was amazing, did you not?" Aro questioned Henri sharply. Henri took a step back. He wasn't fighting with Aro in the royal coven, at least not until he was drunk.
"I must say Aro," Hilda took Henri's place, "this is all most civilised. But I do wonder… is this staged for our benefit?"
Aro laughed, "feel free to talk to my guards, and my family. They will confirm that the entire coven generally feeds together and since the creator came up with his special brew we have been dining from goblets with some regularity." Aro flashed his fire coloured eyes to Hilda, "our eyes should be proof enough." He said.
Hilda, along with Amun and Henri took to inspecting the eye colour of those closest to them. There were no bright red eyes in the Volturi – some red-ish, but most varying shades of orange, dancing like flames.
"Will Basileus share the recipe?" Amun asked, even Liam perked up wanting to know the answer to that.
Caius laughed at Aro's side. "I have taken over production for the creator, and no, I'm not sharing." That was news to Aro! Since when? And why won't he tell me the recipe, the bastard.
Basileus heard his son's thoughts and chuckled to himself, because you lean towards gluttony with anything bad for you, that's why!
"You are welcome to return to enjoy the social side of our treaty, Amun. But that will have to do, I'm afraid." Aro told the coven leader. He watched as Siobhan pulled Liam away, she clearly wanted to know what treaty he had signed them up to. I knew she led their coven, he thought, wondering why she had forced Liam to be their mouth piece in the first place.
Caius hovered over handing a goblet to Irina. "Aro?" he questioned, gesturing to the girl he saw before him.
"I would recommend asking your young members to drink from the cauldron at the other end, my friends." Aro said, making sure to catch Amun and Sasha with his eye as he spoke.
"What's in that one then?" Henri asked, terrified he could possibly be missing out in some way.
"It's just plain, fresh blood, Henri. I don't want to be dealing with drunken teenage vampires tonight, that is all."
Irina scoffed and shook her head, though she was sensible enough to know she needed to look to the floor as she did so.
"Problem?" Aro asked, sternly.
"I am an adult, my lord." Irina spat, oozing attitude. "Irina!" Sasha hissed, pulling her daughter back.
Aro could see the girl was about to blow up at her mother. Irina was a typical teenager in his eyes and he was used to dealing with teenagers feeling slighted so he thought it best to offer a solution before the drama began.
"My dear," he said softly to Sasha, "I am not saying Irina cannot drink the bloodwine, but it is very strong, so perhaps limiting the amount would be more appropriate rather than total ban?" As soon as Aro saw Irina's scowl turn to a smirk, he regretted his offer.
Basileus looked over just in time to see the exchange and when he caught Aro's eye, he beckoned his son over to him.
"It's up to you, Sasha, you are responsible for your coven members whilst they are here whether they are drunk or not." Aro said as he left to join his father.
Hilda removed the bloodwine goblet from Noella's hands without word and took it for herself. Noella didn't argue, she wasn't really interested in drinking for the sake of drinking - they never consumed anything other than blood in England so she didn't see she was missing anything. Amun nodded to himself, he had no desire to deal with drunken teenagers, either! Shoving Benjamin and Tia towards the end cauldron, he spotted Demetri. Their eyes locked for only a moment before Demetri turned back to Felix. Amun knew he was being spoken about, not that Demetri had attempted to hide the fact.
"You need to watch her." Basileus whispered, pulling Aro in close.
"Irina?" Aro questioned.
Basileus nodded, "and you may want to speak to Felix on the same matter." Aro's face scrunched up, what could Felix have to do with… oh for the love of the gods! "Tell me he hasn't?" Aro implored, zoning in on his boy immediately.
"What? Had sex with a visiting teenager?" Basileus asked sarcastically. "As if there was any doubt one of them would." He added looking to his two grandsons in disappointment.
"I can't deal with them now, dad." Aro hissed, he had too much to think about with outside covens in his halls - bellowing out Felix would have to wait.
"It can wait, Sulpicia has spoken with him I believe." Basileus chinked his goblet against his son's, "you've pulled off the impossible, relax a little now, yes?" Aro nodded, but they both knew they couldn't drop the ball yet.
Once everyone had managed to take at least a goblet of bloodwine, the majority fell away from the cauldron side of the room and mingled with each other easily. Freyr was still close to the Amazonian tribe, and Sully had been drawn into conversation with them. Aro had yet to speak to his mate since he arrived in the great hall but hadn't really expected to have much time with Sulpicia. He wanted to leave Felix be, but when he saw Irina making a beeline for his boy he felt compelled to step in. Flashing to his four children, all stood together, Aro very politely asked Irina to give them a moment. He wanted to slap the cheeky bitch when she rolled her eyes at him, but he let it go.
"Demetri, you need to talk with Amun." Demetri looked panicked. "Why?"
Aro rested a hand on his boy's shoulder, "he just wants to talk to you. I've told him you are my son and you aren't going anywhere. You have nothing to fear." Aro pushed his nervous boy towards the Egyptian coven before he had chance to escape. "You two should ask Senna to show you her gift, I think you would quite enjoy it." He told the twins. They knew he was basically telling them to bugger off but they appreciated how sweet he was with it.
Aro put his arm around Felix and offered his boy some of his goblet. Felix' eyes lit up and he gulped down half a cup before Aro took it back. "Have you forgotten your stint in the dungeon already?" he asked his boy smoothly.
Felix, bless him, didn't see where Aro was going with this, he just shook his head and smiled. "No, of course I haven't. Why?"
Aro sighed and pulled Felix along with him to the very back of the room. "You are acting as though you have." Aro said as he pushed his boy into the wall. "I thought we had discussed expected, proper behaviour for this event and what would happen if you broke your word to me?" Aro very purposely gripped his belt buckle with an enclosed fist. "I can give you a reminder, if you like."
Felix looked down to see his father knuckles bright white through the tight hold. "No, no, no… no need for that!" Felix held up his hands, shit you cannot be serious! Stop! This is embarrassing! He thought, looking around to see all the sideways glances he was getting from the rest of the room. They couldn't see Aro's expression or gesture, thank the gods! Felix thought. But it was clear the boy was getting bollocking for something.
"Have you fucked Irina?" Aro ground out quietly.
"Who's Irina?" Felix asked, looking around the room.
"Oh my god Felix! The Denali girl!" Aro replied, willing himself not to raise his voice above a whisper.
"Oh, her… I didn't know she was off limits." Felix said with a shrug.
Aro's thunderous expression told him that was the wrong thing to have said and Felix tried to excuse himself quickly. "What?! You never said…"
"You couldn't have worked that out for yourself, I don't suppose?" Aro hissed.
Felix smiled coyly to himself, and tried to bring Aro in on his joke. "You said to make our guests happy, trust me, she was VERY happy!"
Crack! Aro clocked Felix across his head, hard. The music stopped for a moment as the musicians, like everyone else, turned to the source of the noise.
"Ow!" Felix complained rubbing his head. Why did you do that in a room full of people! You bastard! Felix felt mutinous.
Aro closed his eyes for a moment feeling the stress taking hold again. Good god I could do with some... don't say it, don't even think it. He told himself. Dungeon blood was a dangerous word when his father was around. Aro risked a glance towards the creator who looked back quizzically to his boy. Definitely don't think it. Aro told himself again, willing himself to chill out. It's too late now anyway, he thought, looking at Felix. He has already fucked the girl. Relax, he told himself. Relax.
"Decorum, if you please." Aro sang out as he turned to leave.
"That works both ways, dad." Felix replied under his breath, still rubbing his head.
Aro heard. "Come with me." He called to his boy over his shoulder.
Aro went to his throne and took a seat for a moments peace. Felix stood next to him, sullenly. "Do you think that just because there are a lot of people around that you can openly defy me and get away with it." Aro smiled as he spoke but Felix knew the threatening undercurrent of his father's tone. Even so, a big smile spread across the young guard's face, he couldn't help it.
"Well I was hoping so, yeah." He replied cockily.
Aro laughed at the audacity of his boy. One look to his giggling son and that laughter became genuinely humorous. Cheeky sod! Aro thought, but chose to let it go.
"Have you learned anything?" Aro asked when he regained his composure.
"The Denali girls are a good laugh." He said, "Irina's a bit of a bitch though. Benjamin and Tia are scared to death of Amun. But they wouldn't say why."
Aro nodded along as Felix continued to fill him in on the younger visitors. He knew why Benjamin and Tia were so scared. Amun ruled his coven with an iron fist. Aro had witnessed in Demerits' memories that in the short time the boy had been in the Egyptian coven, he'd had his fingers snapped off multiply times for minor infractions, lost his whole arm for a couple of days and suffered more beatings with iron bars than Aro could count. Demetri never talked about it. Aro sought out his boy in the crowd. Demetri was talking with Amun, as instructed, and he seemed to be struggling holding his side of the conversation. Either that or Amun was pressuring the boy. Demetri looked uncomfortable and Aro wasn't having that. Before he made the move to save his son, Sulpicia appeared at their boy's side.
"Amun, I haven't had the chance to speak to you yet!" Sulpicia said confidently.
"My queen!" Amun bowed to her presence.
"I hope you aren't trying to steal my son away?" Sulpicia continued as she allowed Amun to kiss her hand.
"More asking why he chose to stay, all those years ago," He replied, watching Demetri for a reaction. "I could never believe life in Volterra would be as comfortable as life in Egypt. Though that was before my visit, of course."
Amun had genuinely had an eye-opening experience since he arrived at Volterra, he was truly surprised to see the inner workings of the royal coven. It was all so much more relaxed than he could have imagined. Though he was questioning whether that ease ran any deeper than the surface. From his brief conversation with Demetri, he was starting to come around to the idea that it could be.
"Are you not stifled here?" Amun asked the boy who had already tucked into his mother's side.
"Not at all." He replied happily. "I love it!"
Amun nodded to himself. "And they treat you well?" he pushed. "Demetri is a prince, Amun. Of course he is treated well." Sulpicia answered for her boy.
Amun looked the young vampire up and down. He looked like a miniature version of Aro in his new uniform. Very regal, he thought. "And you have no desire to leave the Volturi, I assume."
Demetri shook his head frantically. "No, no thank you." Amun nodded, looking pensive. His mind was doing overtime taking in all he had seen since his arrival. He wanted to cultivate such loyalty from his coven members - especially if he were to grow his coven. Holding ten members would be difficult and clearly, he could see now, his old methods wouldn't work going forward.
It was Kebi who Sulpicia watched carefully. She appeared sad, regretful even, and a little lost. "My lady," Sulpicia addressed the woman, "would you like to meet my younger children, the twins?" Kebi smiled and agreed, following Sulpicia to seek out her children.
Amun pulled Demetri back before he could escape. "Now we are alone," he whispered, "you are certain you don't want to come back to Egypt with me?"
Demetri felt a flood of memories rush through his head. He had always maintained that Amun wasn't a cruel coven leader… indeed, he didn't believe he was. But Amun did rule his members with a rod of iron… literally! Aro wasn't exactly lax when it came to rules and following them, but he cared for his coven members in a way Amun simply did not. He could enjoy a drink with them, socialise with them, and especially where his children were concerned, he loved them and made allowances where he could.
"I am happy here, Amun." Demetri said respectfully, "I have a good life."
Amun shook his head, he felt like he must have been missing something. "The viciousness of Volturi life… it doesn't bother you."
"Viciousness?" Demetri questioned in confusion.
Amun released the boy. Demetri's genuine response forced Amun to admit to himself that he had the whole Volturi production wrong.
Demetri fled to Aro's throne as soon as he could and Aro pulled the boy into his lap with an arm around his waist. "You okay?" he questioned quietly. He could see his son was close to tears.
"Amun thinks we are vicious or something." Demetri told him.
Aro laughed, "it's what he has chosen to believe, son. It's not for you to worry about."
"I don't want him thinking that of us!" Demetri felt braver now he was at Aro's side and not Amun's.
"Hey," Aro told him, squeezing him lovingly, "don't worry about what he thinks. Amun is questioning everything he ever thought about us. Here." Aro handed his boy his bloodwine, hoping a little of the potent mix would help Demetri relax.
"You have Russians in your coven!" Henri erupted in the middle of the throne room. He had overheard Lev and Mikhail talking… well, Lev was talking, Mikhail merely nodded along.
Lev turned very slowly to the raging French leader. "What's wrong with Russians?" he ground out, ready to defend his nationality.
"Everyone knows the Romanians control the Russian vampires." Henri spat, looking down his nose to Lev. If only he knew the level of Lev's training, not to mention his volatile personality - Henri had never been closer to death and he didn't even know it.
"I am not controlled." Lev replied. Mikhail and Katarina were behind him within a moment. They could sense their saviour ready to kill even if Henri was still oblivious.
"See!" Henri exclaimed. "They don't even fall under the Volturi, Russian scum!"
That's it! Basileus thought, striding into the middle of the scene with Volturi and visiting covens scattering from his path as he walked. "Lev! Back down." He said sternly.
"Not controlled, huh?" Henri commented slyly, looking around Basileus' huge frame to make sure Lev heard him.
Basileus pushed Henri back a step. "The Volturi is a huge operation, do you really think our members are loyal to the coven because they are controlled by the leaders?" he asked in disbelief.
"Of course they are!" Henri said confidently, the entire Volturi coven laughed in response to such assertions.
Basileus leaned in close to Henri's ear. "You are a fool, and you have much to learn about leading a coven, boy."
Boy?! Henri repeated, feeling insulted.
Basileus stood tall and extended his arms. "I see no Russians. I see vampires. That's the only race who enters these halls." Henri wore a mutinous expression but kept his face to the floor. He couldn't control his thoughts of course and Basileus could hear it all. You won't be part of this alliance for long, Henri. He said to himself.
Basileus ordered for the music to begin again and soon enough the room fell back into easy conversation between Volturi and visitors. Lev, sensibly, followed Basileus out of the great hall without having to be told. Amun went to the bottom of the throne steps and waited for Aro to address him. Eleazar had already joined his brother and Felix and Demetri gone to join the younger members of the visiting vampires. Aro allowed Amun to join him at his throne.
"Henri isn't going to last long as he is, is he?" Amun said quietly.
Aro smiled sadly. "It's unfortunate that he is the only notable coven from France… I am sure that will change as time goes on."
"Lev will take him out before he returns to France if he continues to provoke him." Eleazar said knowingly.
Amun had seen the Russian vampire leave the hall with Basileus and wondered what would happen to the guard who spoke out, insolently in Amun's mind. "Will the creator not stop him?" he asked.
Aro and Eleazar looked to each other and laughed. "Our father is the only one Lev will listen to, and even then… not always." "Not often at all!" Eleazar added, chuckling.
Amun looked confused.
"Basileus spoke the truth, my friend." Aro explained. "Our guards are not controlled… there are rules and of course there are consequences to breaking those rules but we understand vampiric nature… it isn't always possible to adhere to the rules, is it?"
Another revelation for Amun. He had killed at least twenty vampires who disobeyed him from his own coven over the years. He wasn't unusual in that; most coven leaders would do the same. He had always assumed the Volturi would be the least sympathetic to coven member disobedience.
Aro knew what Amun would be thinking. "We are not in the habit of wasting talent and gifted or not, all of our guards are very talented. I personally see to it that they are."
"How so?" Amun asked. He was blatantly looking for tips now but he didn't care. Aro was the only leader on the planet to have a huge number of vampires, apparently willingly, fall under his rule. Even the Romanians hadn't managed that. They had peaked at around twenty-five members and none could be described as loyal, controlled, certainly, but never loyal.
"Well," Aro mused, "they are all trained to the highest standard for warfare. Not just fighting skills, but strategy too, in the hope that they will outwit their opponents as easily as they will out skill them. Caius takes the brunt of such work, he is brilliant strategist. Marcus aids their learning in other matters, the arts, languages, literature, philosophy. A learned mind is an open one and we find it quite calming too. That's important with such a large body of vampires living in close quarters. Magnus and Freyr offer pastoral care."
Amun felt bowled over. "And what about you?" he asked Aro.
"I am the one to devise it all. I am the law, I am order."
Amun nodded, he could see how that would work. "You sound busy!"
Eleazar laughed, "That's how he's happiest!"
Aro scoffed, "I have little choice!" he huffed.
"Why do you bother, though?" Amun asked. If he was going to attempt to mimic Aro's organisation he had to understand its core value.
"Learning, culture, shared experiences - its creates a unity between my guards and enforces their affinity to me." Aro said, he knew he was giving away golden secrets to managing a large force but he wanted Amun's coven management to improve - he saw Amun as the second coven, he was certainly the only other leader with the drive and will to achieve such status and so long as they were on the same side they could achieve greatness, he was sure of it.
"But you do not instruct them yourself?" Amun checked.
"No, not really. I merely instruct their instructors."
"So how does that build their affinity with you then?"
Aro smiled, "they know who it is that provides for them, who protects them, and who strives for their personal improvement, Amun. They are grateful to me. As they should be." Amun looked pensive and Aro was pleased to see it. He's taking it all on board, he thought.
The creator returned with Lev at his side. Much to Amun's surprise, Basileus had an arm around the Russians shoulder as they chatted easily and laughed together. "I think the creator has surprised me most of all." Amun said, though he was really voicing his thoughts to himself.
"In what way?" Eleazar asked, feeling a little defensive over his father.
"He is less ferocious than when we last met." Amun said, remembering only too well that the creator had effortlessly pinned him down by his throat as his coven was destroyed around them by the Volturi in the final battle between their covens.
"I can imagine." Eleazar commented - he hadn't been with the coven at that time but he had seen his father in battle and no one, human, vampire, or werewolf, stood a chance against him.
"And now he has taken a mate!" Amun continued.
Aro saw a chance to have a little fun. "Yes she looks great for her age doesn't she. You would never guess she was sixty-seven when she was turned!"
Eleazar hung his head as soon as the words left his brothers mouth. You dick, brother.
"No!" Amun returned, looking to Atia in astonishment. "I wouldn't have put her a day over forty, maximum!"
Aro used his goblet to cover his face and hide his playful grin. "You should tell her. I am sure Atia would enjoy the compliment."
Eleazar squeezed his brothers shoulder as they followed Amun with their eyes through the crowd and over to their mother. He was only too happy to have an excuse to talk to the mysterious woman who had managed to convince Basileus to settle down. "You are dead brother, dead!" Eleazar said through his laughter.
Aro burst out laughing when he saw Amun speaking, it was clear from Atia's face when he repeated what Aro had told him. Amun stood back in horror at offending the creators mate. Atia crooked a finger to her laughing sons to call them to her.
"Oh shit, Aro!" Eleazar moaned as he pulled his brother from his throne and towards their mother. Not that Aro stopped laughing.
Amun looked offended when Aro arrived. "Relax, my friend…"
"Relax! You have just allowed me to insult the creators mate, Aro!" Amun shot back with quiet rage.
"Oh nonsense, Amun. You have caused no offence." Atia smoothed.
Liar! Aro thought, and laughed again. "Just a joke, my friend. You must learn to relax a little if our covens are to socialise, Amun."
Amun wasn't used to 'joking'. His coven was a serious affair, though he could see a certain appeal to the looser order in the Volturi coven. Though as Atia continued to glare at Aro until he stopped laughing and expressed some regrets, Amun smiled to himself. There is some order here, at least.
"Where is your brother? No one has seen him for a good few hours now." Atia directed to Eleazar.
"I have no idea, I'm not Carlisle's keeper!" he said defensively.
"You do know." Atia accused. Her sons were open books to Atia's perceptions.
"I believe he has taken some of the English coven to Caius' chambers." Eleazar said evasively. He couldn't say 'to see Heidi' as Amun may not have known of her presence. He also couldn't say that Carlisle had only taken Victoria with him… he had advised his brother against it but he understood Carlisle's need to make the most of a visiting female, even if Basileus would punish him for it. Carlisle knew what he was getting into - he thought Victoria would be worth it. As if he had heard himself being spoken about, Carlisle appeared through the throne floor doors with a giggling Victoria on his arm.
Atia raised an eyebrow to Eleazar who had clearly lied through his teeth to her. "We will discuss this later El." She said tersely as she floated away.
"Family life, huh?" Aro said with a shrug to Amun.
"You would recommend it?" Amun asked, it looks stressful!
Aro smiled, "like all the best families, we have our share of eccentricities - from cantankerous elders to impetuous and wayward youngsters. But overall, yes, I would."
Eleazar nudged his younger brother and pointed out the quiet round of fucks Carlisle was receiving from Atia. "And family disagreements!" he said.
Aro chuckled to himself. "They bring the most fun of all… when I'm not involved, of course."
Amun excused himself and sought out Kebi - they had much to discuss.
Aro went back to his throne to survey the crowd and relations forming within. He spotted Victoria talking with Henri who seemed to be working himself up again. I might let Lev kill him before he leaves, Aro mused.
"They are hiding vampires!" Henri declared loudly. Whispers spread around the room as no one was sure what Henri meant. "Who knows what else they are hiding!" he continued, imploring the other visitors to join him in opposition.
Aro knew this would be about Heidi. "We are not hiding vampires, Henri." Sounding like he was addressing a small simple child. "Caius' personal guard has remained in his quarters for the evening as she has only recently joined our coven. She hasn't been formally introduced to the coven, yet. That is all." He could see his guards looking to him questioningly but was glad they didn't opening question him.
"If that is all then you should bring her out!" Henri ordered.
Aro was done. It's time to remind you who you are dealing with, you scum! Aro's expression changed, the smile fell from his face and he set himself tall in his throne. The guards all took a step back as the Volturi masters flashed to the throne floor to assemble in their own thrones. Aro had commanded the entire room to become polite and deferential with only a small change to his demeanour. The visiting covens were taken aback with the ease at which Aro slipped from relaxed, jovial even, to commanding the royal coven. They were impressed. Aro waited for other masters to be seated before he began.
"Should?!" Aro repeated loudly.
Henri's bravado fell away instantly as he looked up to the elite of the Volturi, every single one looking down on him with distaste. "I mean…" He stuttered.
Aro cut him off.
"I should… am I morally bound to you, Henri?" he asked with a deathly calm tone.
"No, no, not at all." Henri's head shook rapidly. He'd gone too far, he knew it and he was back peddling rapidly.
"What else 'should' I do?" Aro asked, glaring at the French leader.
"Nothing else, Aro." Henri said, quietly.
The vampire king's eyes widened and as if it were a rehearsed code, the guards gasped.
"Aro?" he asked feigning confusion as to why the scum on his throne room floor would dare to address him so informally.
"My lord!" Henri corrected himself quickly.
"You are a guest in my coven, the royal coven of our world, and you address your king." Aro explained.
"My lord, my lord!" Henri repeated, fixing his eyes to the floor.
"I have extended the hand of generosity inviting you here and offered our protection and friendship." Aro continued as Henri shook before him. The surrounding vampires all backed away a little more, leaving Henri truly alone. Even Yvette, his mate, had fallen back in-line with the guards. "You seem to be confused, Henri so I will make things clear for you. There is nothing I 'should' do, and certainly not on your say so."
Henri nodded, fuck! He thought, wondering why he couldn't control his own damn mouth. "I understand, please accept my apologies, my lord."
Aro wasn't satisfied yet. Jane stepped forward and Henri dropped to his knees in fear of the child's gift. Aro took Jane's wrist and pulled her in close. He whispered into his daughters ear and the two of them glanced back to Henri, Jane stifling laughter. Aro, however, remained stern in his expression. "You trespass on my generosity." He spat to the frightened leader.
Henri dropped his head to the floor, prostrating himself before the Vampire King - he truly thought he was going to die. "Forgive me, my lord." He begged.
Aro let him stew for a moment before pushing Jane back to Felix. "Of course, Henri, of course." He said, sing song tone returned.
Marcus instructed his guards to play their instruments again and the Volturi went back to their conversations as though nothing had happened. The visitors took a little more time to process what had occurred but they too returned to their conversations which now mostly involved grilling the guards about coven order.
Henri rose to his feet and wiped the stress induced sweat from his brow. Lev walked passed the French leader, barging his shoulder into the humiliated man as he went. "Controlled, huh?" he smirked, and walked away laughing to himself.