Talent Show
After Henri's earlier interruption, and veritable smack down, the rest of the afternoon flowed easily - as did the drink. Volturi and visitor alike enjoyed the opportunity mix socially with fresh meat. Aro and his fellow masters had moved through the visiting covens selling the Volturi brand. Basileus and Atia had spent much of the afternoon in to early evening regaling the visitors and guards with tales of their adventures, though both kept an ear on the minds of the visiting leaders. It had been an exhausting day for the Volturi elite.
"Are you going to give us a show my lord?" Siobhan asked hopefully. She wanted to see the talents held within the guard. Night had fallen but with enough torches lit they could move their party outside for a talent show.
"What would you like to see?" Aro asked, moving closer than necessary to the Irish woman.
"I imagine you are a man of many talents, my lord..." Siobhan replied.
"Show me yours and I'll show you mine." He returned cheekily. Aro knew Siobhan and Liam didn't have a gift to show, but then that wasn't what he was getting at.
Siobhan chuckled to herself before moving back to her mate who appeared none the wiser for the momentary flirting between his woman and the vampire king.
Atia slapped her son's arm. It was only to get his attention. "Aro, really!" she huffed at his improper conduct.
Aro scowled to his father, expecting Basileus to intercede on his behalf. He was most put out to find the man with eyebrows furrowed together and shaking his head in disappointment.
"There are only Kachiri and I with any gifted members." Amun declared. He was also worried about showing Aro Benjamin's powers… he didn't want to lose another gifted member.
"With a demonstrable quality, you may be right." Aro agreed. "But still, if you want to see the glories of the Volturi, you must be willing to concede the talents of your coven, too, Amun."
Amun nodded, he knew he had no choice really. "Benjamin." He called the boy forward. Tia remained with Kebi.
"Not in here, Amun." Aro said, holding a hand up. "Let's move this out into the grounds."
Aro instructed Odi and Turk to take the bloodwine outside. When they went to the fireplaces, they saw three half full cauldrons still bubbling pleasantly, the decadent aroma of bloodwine filling the surrounding air.. Even with Lev and Mikhail helping they were struggling to cart the huge iron pots outside until Magnus and Felix went to their aid. After setting it down in the grounds, Mikhail flashed from one torch to the next, setting the ends alight with only his hands. None of the visitors noticed how he had illuminated the area so quickly as they spilled out into the castle courtyard.
"Will you be joining the demonstrations, my lord?" Sasha asked Basileus, as they, by chance, walked out together.
"I think that would be unfair, my dear." He said smoothly, "there is no match for me here."
"No one has ever been a match for you, Basileus." Sasha purred, not noticing Atia close behind.
"Oh I don't know about that." She said, pulling her mate from his short flirt with his old conquest. "I believe I match you step for step, my dear."
Basileus hastily pulled Atia into his arms. "That you do!" he agreed, sensibly.
"Will you judge?" Sulpicia asked, as she led the elite ladies out into the courtyard. The only missing lady was Yvette. Sulpicia had asked her to join them but the woman muttered something non-descript before moving back to Henri's side.
"We will watch from the castle walk above the walls," Basileus replied, pulling his mate along with him to the stone steps, "otherwise Atia's gift will interfere."
The ladies nodded before taking a seat in the garden area of the courtyard. Though they were a good distance away, with their vampiric vision they would still see any gifts being displayed.
"Are you sure I shouldn't interfere, my dear?" Atia asked as the climbed the three storey high steps.
Basileus pointed to the top of the wall walk that made the inner curtain wall of the castle, connecting all the buildings and towers into one building. "We will be able to see everyone from up there…"
"Aha, I see." Atia looked down to the gathering vampires. "We should be ready to sweep in and clear up the mess."
"Exactly, my dear." Basileus concurred.
When they reached the top, Atia tested her gift to ensure she could block the entire courtyard. She could, naturally, but Atia always ensured she was prepared. "Why are you letting Aro play like this? That's all this is to him - a great big game. It's dangerous!"
Ignoring his mate, Basileus held his cup up high as he stepped back into a slight bow. The Volturi coven mimicked his actions and soon enough the visiting covens felt obliged to do the same. "Let the games commence." He ordered the crowd.
Basileus and Atia watched as Aro instructed some of his guards to try their powers out on the visitors. Corin flooded their guests with contentment and Lev remained unbeaten with his speed, racing against any who thought they stood a chance. As always, it ended in repeated races against Odi and Demetri, where Lev left them for dust and they really completed against each other.
Basileus was quite pleased so far. "Oh, I don't know, Atia. Though I would have agreed with you a few days ago, my dear, Aro has managed to pull it off. He's done alright, don't you think?"
Atia leaned into her mate's shoulder. "Aro has done splendidly well convincing the coven leaders to agree to his treaty, I was so proud of him in the conference… but this." She gestured to the gift games being performed below, "this will end in disaster!"
"That is why we are here, Atia." Basileus whispered into her ear, paying little attention to the goings on below - it felt quite private at the top of the wall.
Atia wasn't so keen to drop the ball, however, "to clean up his mess?" she huffed, annoyed.
Basileus sighed. "It's my job, I'm his father."
"It's our job. WE are his parents." Atia corrected her mate.
"Exactly." Basileus agreed.
After Senna showed her gift to those around her, in much the same way as she had in the throne room when they arrived, Marcus asked Amun to instruct Benjamin to try his gift. Marcus had seen Benjamin's talent when he'd visited Egypt and he knew Aro would be amazed by the boy.
Demetri didn't want to see Benjamin's gift. He was pissed off with the kid just for breathing in and out let alone having some show off talent to impress Aro. Still, he stayed close. Even if he wasn't bothered about what Benjamin could do, he wanted to be able to show he wasn't bothered.
With a twirl of his finger, Benjamin summoned a miniature tornado in the palm of his hand and invited Aro and his fellow masters to touch the winding wind.
Demetri saw how pleased Aro appeared and scowled. "Wow, air!" he said dripping with sarcasm.
Aro saw Banjamin smile sadly and waited for the boy to move away before he reacted to his son. "I understand you are feeling a little put out, Demetri, but I advise you to be respectful." He whispered into his ear.
"Why should I?" he growled childishly, leaving his fathers side before he could react and joining his big brother instead.
Aro rolled his eyes to his son's dramatics. He continued to glare at his boy until Demetri chanced a look to his father. One look at Aro's stern expression and Demetri's stomach did a double flip.
Magnus held out his hand and Benjamin placed the tornado into it before setting out on the next activity. Pulling his arms through the air, he dragged a current of wind and threw it towards the guards. Those at the front of the crowed were pushed over with the force of the gale the boy had created and all the time, that miniature tornado continued to spin in Magnus' hand.
That was really impressive to Aro. Most vampiric gifts dissipated quickly when the vampire lifted their concentration. The fact that Benjamin could keep it spinning whilst summoning a wind from the other direction meant the boy was very powerful. Benjamin smiled, proud of himself for impressing the Vampire King and raised his fist into the air.
"NO!" Amun roared, flashing to Benjamin's side and slamming his young charge to the ground. "Forgive me, my lords." Amun said breathlessly.
"You idiot!" he shot to Benjamin who got to his feet, shaking, and moving away from Amun.
"What's the problem Amun?" Caius asked, as if the Egyptian leader was hiding some of the boy's talents.
"He is very powerful, master Caius. If the boy strikes the floor, he can open a crater and it would most certainly have destabilised the castle." Amun was worried Aro would be angry at how close he had come to losing his home, but it was clear from his expression that he was nothing other than impressed by the boy!
"He is quite amazing, Amun. Make sure you look after him." Amun nodded curtly before catching Demetri's eye.
Look after him… or Aro will. Amun said to himself, reflecting on why the king had taken Demetri away and wanting to be damn sure he wouldn't take Benjamin too.
Felix gestured for the young Egyptian coven member to join him where he waited with the other young members from the Denali coven, and of course Demetri.
"Why are you being so nice to him?" Demetri spat at his brother in hurried whispers.
"Why are you being such a jerk?" Felix retorted. Demetri had been sniping at Ben and Tia since they arrived and frankly, Felix was bored of his brothers bitching.
"Whoa, Ben, that was awesome!" he said when the boy was close enough.
"Thanks." Benjamin really didn't seem to get just how special he was. More pertinently, he worried what Amun would do to him for the almost-catastrophe. He felt relieved when Aro drew his master back into conversation.
"What's your gift, Felix?" he asked, trying to distract himself.
"If this was a village - he would be the idiot! That's his gift." Demetri said shoving his brother hard.
Felix flinched, he was tired of Demetri bitching about the Egyptian kids but he probably wouldn't have done anything about it. But now you are starting on me, huh? I don't think so, brother! That shove was the last straw.
"Fuck you, Demetri!" he said as he turned, squaring up to his little brother who paled in response. "You wanna play?" Felix asked, pushing Demetri hard enough for him to fall flat on his back.
Aro glared at Felix until his son realised he was being watched, and in very public place. You are close to being sent to bed, my boy. Aro thought, he was tempted for a moment to tell Felix that in front of everyone - nothing works better with teenagers than a little humiliation, he reasoned. But he decided against it when Felix relented without kicking off and helped Demetri from the floor. Aro clicked his fingers and both his boys trudged over to his side.
Aro turned to the coven leaders in attendance. "Do you see now why I think you should limit young ones in your covens?!"
Felix seethed hearing them all laughing, cunts, utter cunts. He thought.
Demetri was too busy brooding over his old coven, his relationship with Amun and now Amun's relationship with Benjamin. It made no sense, even to his illogical teenage mind, that he would be bothered by any of it. He loved Aro and Sulpicia and he had no desire to leave. But he couldn't help but feel jealous over Benjamin. Why am I jealous about something I don't want? He wondered. Pissed off with his own irrationality.
Caius looked Felix up and down. "More trouble than they are worth." He said, though he winked to the pair of them shoving he didn't really mean it, which surprised both boys.
"It's a good job Aro loves them." He added, "that very fact saves their lives on a daily basis!"
"It may not be enough if they don't buck their ideas up, quickly!" Aro looked to his eldest and leaned into his ear, "you have fucked a guest, now you are cursing and fighting with your brother. Anything else and I will bloody skin you!"
Felix gulped and dropped his gaze submissively. It didn't even matter that no one would have heard what Aro said other than him, he still felt embarrassed that Aro had so publicly admonished him, again.
Magnus could feel the emotions coming from Felix and decided to save the poor lad. "Felix, come on, lets them show them your gift." He called out, taking off his new coat and handing it to the closest guard, Renata, gesturing for Felix to do the same.
"Against you?!" Felix asked, thinking he had been shown up enough already!
Magnus approached Felix and undid the fastenings on the boy's coat, pulling it free of his arms and handed it to Renata. "We should find out once and for all who is stronger, young one." He said eagerly as he rolled up his sleeves.
"My moneys on you, Magnus." Demetri sang out a little too happily.
"Mine too!" Felix agreed, Magnus would flatten him, he was sure of it.
"Are we making bets?" Henri asked, jingling the coin pouch attached to his belt.
"May we, my lord?" Turk asked.
It was no secret that the masters frowned upon gambling in the guard hall, mainly because it often turned nasty with accusations of cheating in card games and such like. Aro deferred to Magnus, he would be the one dealing with any fall out, after all.
A huge smile spread across Magnus' face. "Sure. It's your pay checks." He said, ushering people back to create a wrestling area.
"First one to pin, wins." Magnus declared, squatting down on his knees to he was eye level with Felix.
Felix was nervous, but he didn't let it show too much. Rolling up his sleeves and pacing back and forth, he sized up his opponent. Huge! He thought. Fucking huge!
"How many rounds?" he asked.
Magnus laughed playfully, "think you will last more than one, young one?"
Felix laughed, "that would depend on whether you will be seeking retribution afterwards."
"I won't let him, Felix." Freyr called out in the boy's defence.
She had bet on Felix, she knew, even if Magnus was stronger, he would let the young one win.
Magnus looked back over his shoulder to his mate. "No loyalty!" he exclaimed.
Felix took the opportunity to barrel into the distracted master, trying to take him off guard. Magnus fell straight onto his ass before gaining some traction in the grass and forcing Felix back up. Lifting the boy above his head he attempted to slam Felix into the ground, but Felix was quicker than the Viking warrior and he managed to roll away before Magnus could body slam him into a pin.
"He's very good with the younger members, isn't he?" Hilda commented to Freyr.
"All of the masters are, even Caius when he has to be, though he can be resistant." She laughed to herself, resistant… that's one word for it, she thought.
"But you haven't taken any young ones of your own, Freyr? Aro talks about family as though it's natural for vampires… but outside of his family, the rest of you live as a coven, no?" Hilda was genuinely interested on how the Volturi managed to work with so many competing objectives, as she saw it.
Freyr smiled watching over her mate rolling in the grass with Felix - they were both thoroughly enjoying their game. "Magnus and I run the guard day-to-day. We wouldn't have time for our own on top of that. This whole coven is a family, really, Hilda."
Hilda looked around to the other masters. The Volturi were easily distinguishable by their uniform, and Hilda knew which were Volturi family verses Volturi masters, and again, the guards wore different to the elite level of the coven, but they all mixed so easily, drinking and laughing together, that she could be excused for not knowing the layers of hierarchy involved in the royal coven. Yet, one look from a master and the guards jumped.
"How do the masters keep such control if you all mix with your underlings as friends." She asked Freyr. "The guards, they must be terrified of the masters and Basileus' family, really?"
Freyr thought for a moment, "I think they all fear correction, certainly. But then don't we all, whatever our status there is someone above us. But the relationships in this coven are built on respect, not fear."
The friendly brawl continued for a good ten minutes before one was pinned to the floor.
"Felix wins!" Freyr declared excitedly and the boy rolled off her mate and flopped into the floor next to the juggernaut master.
"Never any doubt." Aro called out, although he had to laugh as the pair lay panting, exhausted in the damp grass.
"Though, of course, Felix is gifted with strength, whereas Magnus' strength is not his gift, just his natural ability… and that was a pretty close fight." Eleazar explained to those close to him.
"How can you be sure, Eleazar?" Hilda asked.
"That is my gift, Hilda. I know the gifts of others." Eleazar replied politely.
Hilda smiled, remember for a moment her own request for the kings brother. "Aro said you would look over Victoria for me. I feel she may be gifted but I cannot put a name to what gift it would be."
Eleazar nodded to the English leader before searching out Victoria - unsurprisingly she was standing away from the rest of the gathered vampires, paying no attention to any displays of talent, all her attention was fixed on Carlisle. Playing with fire, again, little brother. He thought before turning his gift on Victoria. It was a little distracting trying to read the young woman's gift whilst her hands wandered all over his little brother's body, but he got there.
"She is, you are right. Its mild, but the ability to survive difficult situations through mental competency. Victoria will work out how to get out of a situation with such speed that she can act on it, where it would take the rest of us too much thinking time and we'd be caught, perhaps killed."
Hilda was pleased, it was just as she'd thought. "Interesting. Thank you."
"You are welcome." Eleazar said, but before he could get away, Hilda asked for his services again. "Does Noella possess any powers?"
Eleazar glanced to the young English girl who had joined the other teenage vampires in a group towards the darker side of the courtyard.
"No, my dear. Though she is a very sweet girl…" he heard shrieking coming from Tanya as Kate wound up Demetri and Felix, jabbing them with a finger and causing their bodies to buzz with her gift.
"Unlike some." He added quietly, looking to the Denali sisters. They were a bloody nightmare and Sasha had little control over them. Indeed, to Eleazar's eyes, the Denali leader barely seemed to register her daughters causing a disturbance.
"Your young ones, my lord. The twins. Their gifts are famed throughout the world." Siobhan wanted so desperately to see the twins in action.
"They are." Aro agreed, taking a swing of bloodwine. He was glad Basileus and Atia weren't close enough to be telling him he'd drank too much. He had of course, but he didn't need telling that.
"Would you offer a demonstration?" Hilda asked hopefully.
"Of course," Aro agreed, calling Alec away from the now screeching teenagers. "Who would like to feel the effects of his gift?" He asked when his youngest was close.
"We will!" Siobhan offered linking arms with her near silent mate.
"Us too." Hilda offered, Mary, and Ann following.
"How many can Alec succumb in one go?" Siobhan asked, looking at the five of them stood waiting.
Aro placed a proud arm around his son. "Alec could wipe out every vampire here with ease, my lady." Alec preened at his father's side.
Aro gestured for Alec to begin and the boy immediately sent out his fog, directing it towards the four women and Liam, enveloping them all in his mist. They relaxed and melted into the floor. Before Alec withdrew his fog.
"How did it feel?" Henri asked, he was nervous of anything that could leave him immobilised like that.
"Painless, it felt like nothing at all." Hilda oozed, looking to the small boy in awe.
"Impressive." Liam grunted.
High praise indeed coming from you, Aro thought.
"And the boy could extend that to us all?" Henri pushed, wishing he had such gifts to call his own.
"On command." Aro said proudly.
"Jane?" Aro called his girl forward.
Atia stood rigid from the castle wall. "Basileus he's not going to allow Jane to use her gift, surely."
Basileus shook his head before reading in Aro's thought that he had every intention of in. Damn it. He thought. He couldn't allow that. It could cause a riot!
"Aro, not Jane." He called down sternly.
Aro rolled his eyes, "If they are willing, my lord?" he pushed, gesturing to the crowd of enthusiastic and unwitting visitors.
"We would very much like to see the girls gift in action, my lord." Hilda spoke up, with visitor and Volturi alike willing the creator to concede.
I bet you would. Basileus thought. "Be prepared, my dear." He said to Atia before, to her surprise, he leapt from the high wall to the land between the assembled vampires with an ease that would be impossible for any other of their company.
Jane's eyes widened as she realised what Basileus would ask her to do.
"Not you, my lord." She pleaded. Basileus winked to his granddaughter.
"It's okay, Jane." He said gently.
"No, I can't limit the pain, it's all or nothing." She implored.
There were at least ten vampires in their presence who she would happily burn for a little practice, Basileus was not one of them. It felt wrong, disrespectful, and frankly dangerous. Jane was used to her victims flying towards her ready to rip apart her small body on their release from her torture before they realised what they were doing. Even Aro had knocked her across the room on occasion when she tested her strength on him - at his request!
"Magnus, Felix, get ready to hold me back." Basileus ordered. The young prince and the coven leader looked to each other… they could each hold the other back, if called for, but Basileus? Fuck! They thought in unison. But still, they wouldn't refuse an order from the creator. (well Felix might have, but not outside of the south tower.)
Jane chanced a look around to the gathered vampires - every single one wanted to get a good look at this.
"I think you all understand I am indestructible. You have heard the legends about me… they are true." Basileus told the gathering. "Jane, let's see how long it takes you to bring me to my knees."
Jane gasped, shaking her head.
"Are you sure about this, dad?" Aro asked, in his uncertainty dropping the more formal address of 'my lord' that he would usually use in such company.
Basileus nodded, "I know Jane's power, I have felt it before. I am the only one who has ever remained standing through the pain when she's putting some effort in."
Jane huffed, she always put effort in!
"We've never seen how long I can stay standing, though. Place your bets!" he called out happily. A rush went around the crowd as they all exchanged their stakes.
Basileus was ready, ensuring Felix and Magnus were ready too, he nodded to Jane to begin. Aro stood in front of his girl, he would rather take Basileus wrath than risk Jane receiving a single strike when she released him.
"Go ahead, Jane." Aro said softly.
Jane whimpered, but she fixed Basileus in her sights and started to burn him. The initial shock saw Basileus flinch, within a minute he was twitching and growling through gritted teeth. Instinctively, everyone took a step away from the creator as his face contorted in agony. The growl emanating from the man was primal, guttural to begin with. Before long that growl had become a thunderous roar shaking the very ground on which the gathered vampires stood.
Atia watched the whole charade play out from above and wondered whether she should intervene. She could soften Jane's gift if she wished. But as Basileus hadn't asked her to do so, she decided to let her mate suffer… a part of her wanted to see how long he could last.
It took over five minutes of blazing pain for Basileus to drop to one knee. Aro told Jane to continue until both knees were on the ground. Another two minutes passed and then he was done.
Jane released him.
Immediately Basileus roared like a crazed animal, blindly flying forward to the source of his pain. Felix and Magnus acted - each catching an arm and putting their every effort into holding the creator back. Basileus continued to barrel forward, lifting Felix and Magnus from the floor with ease as he headed in Jane's direction.
Aro flashed forward pushing onto his father's chest, Eleazar and Carlisle did the same. It was quite a sight to see the efforts involved in holding the creator back, especially as the efforts seemed futile against his superior strength. It was just enough to slow him down, however, and within a minute Basileus had come to his senses.
Shaking his sons, grandson and Magnus off, Basileus stood to full height and grinned. He walked over calmly to Jane. Aro flashed ahead to block his path but Basileus shoved him aside.
"Well done." He said with pride to his granddaughter before lifting her high to his side. "Who had seven minutes?" he called out happily.
The watching crowd released their breath in one almighty relieved sigh, before turning to a frenzy of cheer and clapping in respect for Jane's amazing gift.
"You two need to do some more training." Basileus commented to Felix and Magnus as he passed them carrying Jane towards her new fans.
Astounded, Felix turned to Magnus, "is he serious?"
Magnus felt Basileus emotions through his gift, "I think he is!"
Kate bounced over to the creator excitedly. "Can I use my gift on you?" she asked.
Basileus laughed. "I am an old man, my dear. I've had my fun for one day." Setting Jane on her feet, he flew back up the castle wall to Atia.
"You are showing off, my dear." Atia told him disapprovingly hearing the clapping coming from below over her mate's display.
"Maybe just a little." He admitted shyly.
"How are they so strong?" Hilda asked, wondering what the twins must have been through to achieve such gift. She was aware that human experience could transfer to vampiric powers, she had been discussing the merits of torturing humans before they were turned with Caius, who naturally was all for the idea.
"Though she be but little, she is very fierce." Aro said, quoting Shakespeare and looking adoringly to his girl.
"Mikhail and Katarina had a similar entrance into our world, and their gifts are equally impressive." Caius said, pushing the siblings forward.
"Mik, maybe you should sit this one out?" Aro suggested, he knew the man felt uncomfortable on display.
Whilst Mikhail appreciated Aro's offer, he was prepared to give a short demonstration if the visitors wanted it. He saw it that he did relatively little for the easy life Aro provided them with and he would honour his master in any way he could.
"As you wish," Aro nodded to his fire starter, "fetch him a cloak, Lev."
Lev went with such speed, that before many had realised he had gone, he had returned with cloak in hand ready to robe his brother-in-law after his demonstration.
"I would ask that you stand well back." Aro said, pulling his children well clear.
A few visitors remained a little too close for Aro's liking, particularly the younger two Denali girls.
"Hey! I said, get back." He repeated, pulling the girls to his side by the backs of their dresses.
They huffed and rolled their eyes, much to Aro's dismay. No wonder Eleazar can't stand them, disrespectful brats!
"Over to you, Mik." Aro called, checking with Basileus that he should go ahead first. Atia was ready to end Mikhail's gift with her own block if the flames were out of control.
Nobody knew what to expect from the man in the centre of the ring. When flames appeared in his outstretched hands they were amazed. Kate and Tanya tried to move forward to get a closer look before Aro pulled them back sharply by their necks.
"Stay here." He ground out to the pair of them. The girls looked shocked to have been spoken to in such a way, completely missing that it was the king of their world who had been forced, again, to address them.
"Should he continue?" Lev asked gruffly, voicing Mikhail's thoughts in a way that only Lev seemed able to do.
Aro nodded to Mik and on cue, he set his entire body alight with blazing orange flames reaching high into the sky. The shock was audible through the loud gasp that spread through the visitors. A few thought Mikhail's gift must have been an illusion, until he recalled the flames and returned to his vampiric state, naked with all his clothes burnt to the ashes that floated around him. Lev threw his brother in law the cloak he had ready.
"Nice!" Kate said, nudging her little sister who agreed with her response to Mikhail's nakedness.
Few things shocked Aro, but hearing the two young girls, children in his mind, talk about what they would like to do to his flame proof guard offended what few sensibilities he had! He knew it wasn't fair, but he was glad to only hear such talk from his sons and not his precious daughter. He shuddered at the very thought,
"And you are unharmed?" Siobhan asked, stroking Mikhail's cheek.
That was a little more contact than Mik would have liked. His skin was hyper sensitive due to the flames, but unscarred and unscathed other than that.
"Wow! Henri exclaimed, thinking of all the things he could achieve with such a gifted vampire.
"Do you have a gift, Henri?" Freyr asked the French leader. Caius had told her all the things Henri had said about her and Magnus down in the dungeons. She was quite honestly desperate to bring the bastard down a peg or two.
"What I lack in gift I make up for in prowess." Henri sneered in response, looking Freyr up and down with derision.
Aro saw his chance to have some fun. "Would you be a match for a Volturi master, Henri?" he asked. He could see Freyr was chomping at the bit to take the French leader down.
Caius, too, wanted to push Henri to fighting with his co-master. He knew Freyr would wipe the floor with him. "Henri did tell me that he would like the chance to take Freyr on."
Henri's face paled as he looked around the group of vampires in the vicinity. Most were just as desperate to see Freyr in action as they were to see Henri have his ass handed to him. For just a moment, Henri's eyes locked with Magnus and he took an involuntary step backwards.
"Do you think I wish to die, Caius?!" Henri asked, jerking his head towards the juggernaut master. "I'm not fighting his woman in front of him."
Magnus' booming laughter filled the air around them. "You have nothing to fear from me, my friend." He pulled Felix in close. "The boy just brought me down, after all."
Henri shook his head. I'm not stupid. "As if you wouldn't intervene seeing your woman dragged across the floor?!"
Freyr scoffed. "Now you don't have a choice, Henri." She declared, moving into the centre of the ring.
"First to pin, wins." Aro called out, giving Henri a shove.
Henri felt massively conflicted. Not about taking a woman out - he had no qualms about that. Looking less than amazing in front of the elite of the vampire world… that was a problem for him. Seeing Freyr eyeing him up for the fight, Henri decided the only option he had was to teach the usurping underling a lesson - woman or not, she was going down.
Freyr knew Henri wouldn't make the first move. Man rarely did when they fought her. Some semblance of honour, she presumed. It meant, therefore, that Freyr was quite used to going in for the kill early on just to get things moving. As soon as Aro called for them to begin, Freyr launched at her opponent.
Sadly for Henri, Freyr's first move was to be the only one in the ring as the shield maiden slammed the French leader into the ground. Henri wasn't sure what had happened. He could here the cheering of the crowd but he wasn't too sure what he had done, it all happened to fast!
And then there was that bitches face, smiling down on him with an extended hand to help him up. She pinned me?! She fucking pinned me?! How the fuck did that happen?! Henri sprang to his feet and shoved Freyr aside. He caught his mates eye for a moment, smirking. You will pay for that. Henri thought, his mind already turning to concocting vicious ways to punish Yvette for her disloyalty.
Aro made a half hearted attempt to draw Henri back into conversation but the French leader was consumed by his humiliating defeat. Freyr offering her apologies for taking him off guard only further incensed the visitor.
Freyr shook her head, male pride! She thought, knowing only too well how difficult most men found being dominated by the fairer sex.
"That might shut him up for a while." She commented to Katarina as she passed.
Kat grinned in reply. Henri saw. He hadn't heard what Freyr has said but took Kat's smile as confirmation that whatever it was, it was about him and it wasn't pleasant.
"And what about you?" he shot to Katarina. "What can you do?" it was a fairly innocuous question, but the tone with which Henri addressed the Russian woman made the simple discourse decidedly hostile.
Kat narrowed her eyes to the French leader, she was still pissed off at the way Henri had dissed her nationality as though it were something to be ashamed of. With a quiet smile, she approached the leader and before the Volturi masters could stop her, she encased Henri in a layer of ice!
"KAT!" Magnus bellowed out as the first to realise what she was doing.
Lev reached his mate before anyone else. Once Lev had broken her hold on Henri, the ice melted quickly without Katarina using her gift to keep it solid.
Magnus ushered Lev and Katarina away from the scene, they stood directly below Atia and Basileus.
"Lev!" Basileus called down, he knew Magnus wouldn't be able to talk to Kat with Lev standing over his mate like a guard dog. "Get up here."
Lev looked up to the creator. He knew what Basileus was doing.
"No!" he called back, much to the surprise of the visiting vampires.
"Don't make this into a big deal, Lev." Magnus implored.
"What are you going to do to her?" Lev replied, forcing himself between his mate and the master.
Magnus moved the Russian guard aside easily. "Nothing, you idiot." He hissed, "but I have to make it look like I am giving Kat a round of fucks for the sake of good relations. Now go, before Basileus comes down here and beats you bloody!" Magnus thrust Lev away with a strong hand to his chest.
"LEV, NOW!" Basileus bellowed so loud that all activity ceased waiting to see what would happen. Any other day, Lev would refuse, Basileus would knock some sense into him, and all would carry on as normal - because that was normal, for Lev.
"Go!" Magnus hissed to the guard, willing him, for once, to just skip the unpleasantness.
He went. He moved at a slower than human pace to the stone steps and climbed every one like a man walking to the noose, but he went. Whilst the visitors were shocked by Lev's initial refusal, the Volturi were shocked by his eventual agreement! Once Magnus saw Lev walking along the wall walk towards the creator, he spoke to Kat, leaning into the wall to block anyone looking from seeing what he said.
"She attacked me!" Henri roared, clearly expecting retribution. Though it had only lasted a minute or two, being frozen solid and unable to move, so vulnerable… Henri was predictably anxious. He was starting to realise just how powerless he was even against the Volturi lower ranks. When he saw Magnus merely talking to the woman who had offended him, Henri called out for punishment. "I want her whipped at least!"
Caius waved to Aro to let him handle this one. "Kat did no such thing, Henri. You asked for a demonstration, you got one." Pulling the coven leader to his side, "why don't we go down to the dungeons for a break from all this activity." He suggested quietly, smiling slyly.
"More dungeon blood?" Henri asked, sounding hopeful and already forgetting about the move Kat had made against him. "Of course, my friend." Caius crooned.
Yvette trailed along after her mate. Though the ladies of Volterra had tried to engage the woman in discussion, she barely said more than a sentence or two before falling in back in line behind her mate. Even Athenodora had given up and she'd been so sure she'd found a like-minded woman when they were first introduced.
Good god I am jealous! Aro thought, though he quickly dispelled the thoughts of dungeon blood lest his father go searching through his mind checking his usage. Basileus had believed Aro had only taken the dirty blood that one time when Atia had caught him. He was wrong, but his faith in his son and the distraction of arranging the current event had been enough for him to let it go… Aro had used that to his advantage and no one, not even Caius knew that Aro was still taking his drug of choice on a regular basis.
"My love," Sulpicia called softly drawing Aro from his yearnings. "It's getting late, what are you planning on doing with the children tonight?"
Aro looked over to his young guards, all enjoying the festivities and the novelty of having a younger crowed to mix with. "They can stay unless they start causing problems my queen. They don't need to sleep every night."
It was true, Felix and Demetri especially, but also Jane and Alec on occasion stayed awake for a day or two when they were on missions and the like. It didn't do them any harm… though it usually ended in a headache for Aro and Sulpicia as their attitudes increased exponentially with their tiredness. But this was too big an occasion for them to miss out on so he would put up with the back lash.
"As you wish my love." Sulpicia replied, leaving her mate to his drinking games and showing off his guards' tricks.
She could see he was half cut already and she'd rather not be around him when he drank heavily. Though, if the children are staying… she mused eyeing up the second cauldron.
"Odi," she called out, he was the closest guard. "Could you carry the bloodwine over, please."
"Of course, my lady." He replied politely.
Knowing Odi would need assistance with the heavy pot, Sulpicia spotted just the guard to help. "Take Turk with you, he looks utterly miserable, poor lamb."
Turk had no gifts. He was a good guard, he trained hard and had become a good fighter when occasion called for it, but that was standard for a Volturi guard. At times like this, where the guards displayed their additional talents, Turk became a wall flower. He was only too happy to spring into action for Sulpicia.
"How can you stand for the insolence of that guard?" Amun asked Marcus and Aro.
"Kat? She was just showing her gift, she wouldn't have meant any offence." Aro said, waving away Amun's question.
"No, not the woman - her mate!"
"Oh!" Aro replied, "Lev is temperamental, sure, but he is one of our loyalist guards. I would trust him with my life."
Marcus nodded along to Aro, he was in full agreement. "Lev needs delicate handling, and understanding. But his intentions are always honourable."
Amun looked up to the wall where Basileus continued to talk with Lev, shaking the guard by his throat. "That doesn't look too delicate." He commented.
Aro laughed. "It is for Basileus, trust me." Amun couldn't imagine allowing such insolence to breed through his ranks without complaint but he was quite taken with the ease at which Aro and Marcus shrugged off the guard's defiance.