AN: I know this is late, but I've finally broken up from Uni for the summer and can catch my breath now! I've mentioned before that I've got about a billionty chapters sketched out. This set of chapters has changed a lot of what was coming so I'm also working on some serious re-jigging.
I don't think sorries is a real word, is it? I mean lots of sorry.
We're picking up right from where we left off…
Secrets and Sorries
JANUARY 25th
"This isn't finished, Caius."
Caius walked away with Magnus's words ringing in his ears. He already knew it wasn't finished, and now every other vampire in the coven did, too. But it was finished for the time being, and that was good enough for Caius. He stormed to his chambers to fix Denali girl's leg.
When he reached the door, he heard those inside discussing him.
"Caius won't hurt you, sweetheart," Dora said to the girl. "He's just got a lot on his mind."
"Are you sure?" Carlisle asked on Kate's behalf. "I wouldn't put it passed him."
"I'd kill him if he tried," Eleazar said.
"Now, now, El," Dora said, laughing. "There's already a queue."
Then they all laughed, and Dora started reeling off the coven members ahead of Eleazar in wanting to gut Caius. Half of the coven, it seemed.
"Freyr is livid," she said.
Caius' eyebrows knitted together at that one. The shield maiden had said a few things about his delay at the masters meeting but nothing to indicate she was 'livid'. She'd been in his ear about Turk since he'd returned to the coven, but Caius had to take out his agitation on someone and the woman would moan more if he'd chosen Dora instead. The dungeon blood comedowns seemed to hit him harder the less often he drank the damn stuff. Not for the first time Caius wondered if he would be better off drinking it more often, just to keep the hangovers under control.
"Caius knows she's livid with him – he even wrote his report for Aro in the dungeons so he could avoid facing Freyr."
Caius balled his hands into fists and squeezed with all his might. Dora, you vicious bitch! You're making me look a damn fool! And its not even true! Well, it was kind of true – he had written his report in the dungeons, but he wasn't avoiding Freyr… he was avoiding Magnus and Freyr. Totally different.
Magnus was clearly right about one thing, however - even those who weren't saying so were pissed with him. Damn. Caius rested his head on the cold stone castle wall. He had to put things right, somehow. Fixing the brat's leg would be a good first start. Not calling the poor child a brat might make for a good second. And don't punch Eleazar in the face, he reminded himself before heading inside.
There's nothing quite like your presence being met by annoyed silence. Three are annoyed, Caius corrected himself. Kate's just scared. He doubt Carlisle cared about his actions either way – he disliked Caius regardless of what he did.
"She'll need dungeon blood before we start," he said. "I don't have any here. Could you fetch a bottle, Carlisle?"
"Um, sure." Carlisle wasn't used to Caius asking him questions. Making demands was more usual. "I'll ask my father."
"I don't want dungeon blood," Kate said. The poor child shook between Eleazar and Dora. "I don't like the taste. I don't want to sleep. I don't…"
Eleazar hushed the girl, trying to quell her mounting fear.
Caius asked Dora to fetch some water to help the girl wash the dungeon blood down - she had to drink it one way or another. Caius couldn't open her wounds whilst she was awake. His blades were already laid out on the table along with needles, silk thread, and bandages. Operating on vampires was easier than on the humans he'd trained on. Nothing needed to be especially clean for a start - visibly clean would do.
Kate still sobbed when Dora returned with a jug of water and two cups. She set them down whilst they waited for Carlisle to return. Every now and then the girl would glance in Caius' direction and cry harder. Caius liked inducing fear in some people. Lots of people. But little girls he had nothing against? He didn't enjoy that.
Eleazar could barely contain the growl in his chest - Caius liked that even less. If the Volturi prince chose to attack him, he was fucked. Caius could, would fight back. He doubted he'd be able to stop himself whether he wanted to or not. But Eleazar was the creator's eldest, perhaps favourite, son - whether for the fight or the animosity that caused it, Caius would be blamed. Not that Eleazar was so inclined. Although, I have threatened his kid, Caius reminded himself, as Magnus had explained. Make it right, make it right.
He shed his coat and started rolling up his sleeves. "El, we need to move the table to the window. I need good light." Caius gestured to the table and offered the prince a smile, which was not returned.
Eleazar went to help, though it seemed pointless. Caius could have moved the table on his own.
Once they had carried the table far enough away that Kate wouldn't hear them, Caius whispered, "I'm not going to hurt her."
"You had better not…"
"No, not because you think you'll do something about it if I do," Caius hissed back. "I wouldn't fuck with your kid. If there were bad blood between us, I wouldn't take it out on one of your girls. I wouldn't do it with Aro's kids, either."
They set the table close to the light of the window and Eleazar stood back, watching Caius for even a hint he was lying. When no hint came, Eleazar spoke. "You used to. With Aro's kids, I mean."
Caius snorted - Aro's kids fucked with him more than he did them. "Not as often as you believe," he said. Eleazar raised an eyebrow - he knew of a few too many times to believe that. "I wouldn't anymore, then. Alright?"
"I've seen you do it with Odi quite recently, Caius."
"I do no such thing." My arguments with Odi are all about Odi.
"I've watched you," Eleazar said. "Magnus rebukes you and you take it out on Odi."
Caius twitched a little. The idea that others in the coven were watching him set off an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. He flipped out a sheet and started to fold it up to rest Kate's leg on whilst he worked.
"Magnus had better stop rebuking me, then."
"He'd better not!" Eleazar started laughing. "If he feels at ease bollocking me he had better feel comfortable doing it to you, too."
"When has Magnus ever bollocked you?"
"Half an hour ago," Eleazar said. "In the bloody courtyard of all places." True, he hadn't paid attention at the time, but Carlisle had helpfully pointed it out once they were walking the halls. "What a prat!"
"Magnus?"
"No, me!" El shook his head. "How many guards were listening to me making a fool of myself?"
"I wouldn't worry about it, El." Caius winced thinking what a prat he'd made himself look. "I came off worse."
Eleazar may not have stuck around to find out, but he could believe Caius would have looked worse than him. The guards would be more interested in seeing Caius get a round of fucks, however mild, than they were seeing him receive one. Despite the animosity that flared between the two men from time to time, on the whole, Eleazar felt sorry for Caius. The creator had used Caius as Aro's whipping boy for centuries, and though much had changed in that regard, Eleazar had witnessed tensions rising again. Living so close to his father, he was in the position to hear some of the conversations conducted in private chambers. Those which contained Caius were rarely complementary.
Carlisle returned with a standard bottle of dungeon blood and a smaller on of the creator's own blood. He gave both to his brother with a sullen expression. "Apparently I'm not mature enough to supervise Caius around this stuff so it's over to you. Good luck with that."
Eleazar tutted at his brother. "You're proving your not mature enough, period, by speaking about a coven master with such derision." When Carlisle rolled his eyes, further proving both his father's and brother's point, Eleazar pushed him back. "Give Kate what she needs and wait with her." Once Carlisle was out of the way, he turned to Caius. "I will take the dungeon blood back to Basileus when we're done."
Caius shrugged and kept his focus on the instruments on the table, pointlessly rearranging them to avoid looking Eleazar in the eye.
Eleazar sighed softly. He was impressed that Caius hadn't reacted to Carlisle's mild jibes, neither had he offered any resistance over losing the bottle of blood. Any annoyance Eleazar felt with the man evaporated and, eternally wishing for an easy life for one and all, he decided to offer Caius some advice.
"Aro has recommended that you to get the juggernaut on side, right? To get the creator off your back?
Caius shrugged again.
"The two of you, the four of you with Freyr and Dora, are close from what I've seen."
Just how much were people seeing? If Eleazar had noticed it must have been plain as day! Caius was relieved no one could see his face flushing, at least. Though who knows, perhaps that was obvious, too!
All he could do was mumble 'I suppose' as he laid out his kit for the fifth time in as many minutes.
"Then, some friendly advice." Eleazar rested a hand on the master's shoulder. "Make peace with Odi. You're hurting Magnus and Freyr when you really need them, and making yourself look a fool."
Caius lost focus for a moment as his head swirled. If his relationship with Magnus was so clear that others were noticing, even if they didn't understand it, then how was he supposed to play it? It's too fucking late to ask yourself questions like that, he cursed. He was right, too. All he could do now was aim for the damage control. Caius wouldn't usually have asked for Eleazar's advice, but as the prince had given it already, and with no other plans coming to mind, he decided to try taking it on board.
He nodded and took a deep breath. Now he had to try for some peace making.
"I'm sorry I didn't come straight back here," he said. Christ, apologising was so awful that he wished he'd skipped Henri's altogether. "I don't know what I was thinking. So stupid. I'll apologise to Carmen when I next see her." Look at me offering apologies to everybody!
The slightest of smiles grew on Eleazar's face. He hadn't expected Caius to actually apologies to... anyone! "Thank you," he said. "That means a lot."
"We have a child in pain here," Dora reminded the pair. "Could you kiss and make up some other time?"
…
Close to dusk, Aro fetched his sons from Magnus's chain gang. The girls had already cleared the grounds, but the remaining boys looked a sorry state - he almost felt sorry for them. Only almost, though. His little demons hadn't been on their best behaviour for the juggernaut, so he felt they deserved to look as pathetic as they did.
"Make sure they get a good night's sleep," Magnus said. "I want them here and ready to work by dawn."
Odi threw down his blade. Knowing his father's desire to be everywhere an hour early meant that he'd be getting up in the middle of the bloody night! I might as well sleep in the shed with the wolves.
Whilst the most boys grumpily accepted their fate, Alec was flabbergasted. "We've got to do this again tomorrow?" He'd never heard anything so cruel.
Aro began laughing. "It's almost as if you're being punished for something, son."
Magnus must have been wearing his thoughts on his face, as Aro took one look at him and said, "Yes, I know. At least they've done something to be punished for."
"It's good to hear you agree that I've got the shit end of the stick."
"I didn't say that." Aro smirked at the guy. "I can think of loads of things you should be punished for, too."
Magnus smirked right back at him. "Oh, right," he said. "If you can name one, I'll let you borrow my weapons collection for your knights training."
"Well, you know… there was…"
The only thing the juggernaut had done 'wrong' was befriending the creator and threatening the king's status. No way would Aro say that out loud! He'd begged—asked slightly politely—for Magnus's weapons stash the night before. It would make life easier for Aro if he could borrow from the juggernaut's mammoth collection rather than purchasing new items for the kids to chuck about. Not to mention cheaper. Caius had already told Aro he wouldn't be forking out for the goods - his time cost enough, apparently.
"How about you take the young ones home and have a think about it, Aro." Magnus called for Odi to follow and walked off chuckling to himself. "And make sure they know I won't put up with their cheek tomorrow!"
"You hear that?" Aro asked his children.
Felix rolled his eyes. "He hardly put up with it today."
The boy collected his shirt and tunic from the floor. He'd stripped to the waist for the work as he had been allocated the role of donkey, carrying wolf carcasses backwards and forwards. Both items were soddened and filthy - he hadn't removed them to keep clean but because he was working up a sweat. He also took any excuse to show off his physique for the girls.
As he stooped to grab his clothes, Alec jumped on his back. "I'm too tired to walk."
"You'll be too dead to be tired if you don't get off me!"
"Just carry him," Aro told the bruin. "Might as well find a use for those muscles of yours as you won't be using them on missions ever again."
Felix scowled and fixed Alec in position, jumping the boy a little higher where it would be more comfortable for them both. "I bet I do," he grumbled to his father, hoping the man wouldn't hear him.
Aro heard something, he could only pray it wasn't what he thought. The smidgen of good humour the king possessed disappeared and he levelled Felix with a look that would have had the creator backing up a step.
Felix sucked in his breath and tried to hold his nerve. "I just said…" it was no use. He had to break away and cast his eyes to the wolf guts at his feet. Towing bloodied entrails, he changed his mind on holding his nerve altogether. "I've been carrying stuff all day."
Aro watched the boy for a second or two to make sure there would be no more pithy comments. Once he was sure, he turned on his heel, expecting his sons to follow.
By the time they reached their chambers, Aro had calmed the beast inside, regaining his composure. When they entered, he called out to his wife.
"My queen, I have our convicts. They've been mouthy with Magnus…"
Sulpicia's jaw dropped open with a look of abject horror. "Oh, good lord above!" She couldn't have named the processes involved in tanning wolf pelts, but if she'd known the fluid dripping from Demetri's tunic was mushed-up brains from the dead beasts, she would have kicked him out of the tower. "Go straight up to wash!"
"And then go to bed," Aro added.
He watched his boys look out the window and back to him as if to check he knew it was only dusk. The raised eyebrow he returned told them that not only did he know, but that any argument would be bad for their health.
"I haven't had time to light the fires. I asked Jane to do the job whilst I was at the market with Marcus, not that she listened to me. She never listens to me…" Sulpicia seemed taken up sorting through bolts of fabric on the floor - the boys noticed her fire was lit.
"Its January, Mom," Felix pointed out. "The water will be freezing if you haven't lit the boilers."
"If I haven't lit them," Sulpicia said to herself.
Felix looked to his little brothers - both seemed as baffled as him. "Well, yeah. It's your job…"
"My 'jobs' increase by the day." Seeing the state of the floor where her boys stood, Sulpicia assumed mopping up would be her job, too. "You're filthy - go and wash. I can assure you that cold water will do you no harm."
Even Aro felt sorry for his sons. Despite a little messing around, they'd been labouring all day. He imagined they'd looked forward to a hot bath when congealed wolf blood had smeared over their bodies. Not that he planned on being any nicer to them than their mother about their bad luck.
Aro fixed himself some bloodwine, and some for his wife. The boys looked longingly at the cups he carried. "I'll send some up for you," he said. "Start moving or we'll have an extended discussion about playing up for Magnus."
Felix headed to the stairs behind his brothers. "Playing up?" he said over to himself. Somehow, his father—actually, the whole damn coven—was treating him even more childishly than they had before he'd killed twenty werewolves in combat.
The floor suddenly shifted beneath Aro's feet as Sulpicia tugged her fabric free. "Don't stand on it!"
Christ, you're in a great mood. He thought better of tipping the bloodwine over the damn cloth and handed it to her instead.
She took it and drank down a big glug before passing it back without even looking at him. "Warm some bloodwine for the children, my love." Back to counting yards she went.
Charming. He really wanted to remind the woman he was the king of their world and therefore far above fixing bloodwine for vampiric brats, even his own. Aro had tried to do just that before they'd left for the library that morning only to have Sulpicia agree and suggest that he reinstate guards in their quarters to do all the little jobs neither of them had the time or inclination for. As he had that morning, Aro heated the children's bloodwine.
"You'll have to wash Alec's cup, my love."
Aro turned from the fire where he'd moved the blood pot over the flames and looked down to his wife, still dicking about with cotton and crap on the floor. You're taking the piss now. It was on the tip of his tongue. If he weren't hoping for a lucky night, he would have said it.
"Alec will drink from the cup I give him," he said. "Unless he wants to wash his own damn cup."
He waited for Sully to say something to him, but nothing came, just quiet numbers whispered to herself on repeat. There was a lot of fabric on his floor, expensive, too. Aro kept stirring the ladle in the pot, but he had to ask what the heck she was doing.
"Are we going to talk about all this?" he asked, toeing the edge of a cut pile. "Are you having an affair with the local merchant?
Sully snorted. "I considered it to lessen the price. It's been a long time since I went to the market - the prices these days!"
"But what's it all for? Are you kitting-out the kids with new outfits? I hardly think they deserve it!"
She looked at him like he was a moron - a look he saw with more regularity than any human king, he was sure.
"I'm getting things ready for next week," she said. "Thank you for that, again."
Aro winced. Yup - I am a moron. "Sorry, my queen."
Softening, Sully rubbed his calf affectionately. "Don't be. I actually think it's one of your better plans."
Sulpicia continued talking without realising Aro had become mesmerised by the bloodwine as it moved around the pot, simmering over the fire.
"I'm quite looking forward to spending some time with the women in this castle. Relations have been terse between Dora and Carmen since, well, since Irina's scheming. It's not going to be easy to manage the two of them. Maybe having an activity to focus on will help them get along? Of course, one can live in hope…"
Dropping a pile of cotton squares on the chair, Sully looked back at her mate. "Are you even listening to me?"
Aro shook his thoughts from his mind. "Affair with cloth merchants, right?" he said, joking. One look at his mate and it was clear Sulpicia knew what was on his mind - Jane.
Sully went to her husband and took the ladle from his hand. After fetching a tray and four cups, she filled them up and handed it over. "Just get it over with, my love," she said softly. "Why drag it out, for you or for her?"
"Yeah, I guess." He only said that because he couldn't come up with a way out of it.
"Would you like me to deal with her instead?"
"No, I would not!" Aro took the tray and went straight to the stairs. "I saw the state of the boys. You can leave me in charge of discipline from now on, my queen." Very quietly, and bravely, he added, "My vicious queen."
"I heard that."
Too late, Aro was already halfway up the stairs. Felix's room was first, but the boy wasn't there. As the child's bathroom door was closed, Aro gave it a knock and told him through the wood that his bloodwine was going cold before heading to the next room - Demetri's.
The young prince sat reading in bed.
"You were told to go to sleep," Aro said.
Demetri dropped his book on the nightstand. "You only said to go to bed."
"That's the sort of lip that got you in trouble today, boy."
It made no sense to Demetri - how can it be cheeky to state a fact? Adults are weird. He was glad he hadn't gone to sleep now he had a hot cup of bloodwine to drink. He needed the sustenance after a day's toil.
"Drink it, then sleep. You have anothr er long day on the horizon."
Aro closed Demetri's door and opened Alec's. He saw his youngest son splayed out, dead to the world. He didn't look too clean - his blond hair retained a red hue from splattering's of wolf blood and his nails were black underneath. Your mother would throw a fit seeing you like this, Aro thought. My mother would, too! Thinking of the day ahead, Aro decided to leave him be, and reminded himself to make sure the bath and bed chamber fires were lit in time for a decent scrub down after their work. Aro quietly closed the door and started drinking Alec's cup himself.
Taking Jane's to her room, he found Felix already with her. Just outside the door, he heard them talking.
"You're blocking all the heat," Jane said to her brother. "Shift away from my fire."
"You should have lit ours for us if you didn't want me hogging yours." Felix shuddered. "I've just scrapped wolf guts off me with freezing cold water. I had to break the ice before I could start, by the way."
Jane scoffed at the boy. "Good!" Jane said. "I've got in so much trouble for keeping your secret and then you grassed on me in the library."
Felix winced. "I regretted it as soon as I'd opened my stupid mouth. You know I did. It won't happen again, I swear."
"The stupid missions or grassing on me?"
"Only the second, I'm making no promises on the first."
Idiot, Aro cursed his son, wondering if the fool would ever learn. The coven king felt his hackles rising.
"You wouldn't do it again," Jane said confidently. "I heard Mom whipping you. You won't risk going through that again."
"I can handle her."
Jane laughed at her brother's bravado.
"Seriously, I can."
Felix sounded so indignant to Aro's ear, but he was pretty sure the boy was trying to convince himself as much as his sister. He might have ignored the entire conversation had Felix left it there.
"I gave a good show to calm her down, but it wasn't a big deal. Besides, it was well worth facing Mom - Dad would have skinned me for the mission if she hadn't taken over. I got off easy."
Jane giggled away as her brother continued condemning himself.
"In fact," Felix said, going for gold. "When I do something this big again…"
"When?" Jane said, interrupting him. "Please, don't. I didn't realise how dangerous it would be. I don't want to lose you, Felix."
It was Felix's turn to laugh. "You wouldn't lose me. We were safe. I'm going to start running my own missions and if…"
Aro had heard enough.
"If you need more punishment to set you right, Daddy will provide." He pushed the door open to reveal himself stood with squared shoulders, feet set apart, and a harsh expression.
The boy leapt to his feet and gripped hard onto the towel around his waist. Frantically, he tried to work out how much his father would have heard. Too much, he soon guessed by the thunderous look on the man's face.
"Don't say another word," he said, before Felix could start lying. "Go to my bedchamber and wait for me there."
Felix felt sick to his stomach. "Sure," he said, nodding at his own stupidity - for once he didn't have an argument in him. The donkey work must have worn him out. "I'll just go dress…"
"No." Aro began his reply with a controlled tone and ended it balling! "You'll go to my bedchamber and wait for me there!"
"Yes, sir."
Aro hung in the corridor to ensure Felix went straight down to the middle floor. The boy hovered at his own door for a moment before glancing back to see his father watching. Aro didn't have to say anything. Felix muttered 'sorry' and went on his way.
Jane stayed on her bed throughout, watching her father with cautious eyes. He seemed to be struggling with something and she could guess what that something would be. It wasn't very fair in her mind. Basileus had decreed that Aro and Eleazar should deal with their 'little ladies' themselves, but none of them had been around the last few weeks to see Jane and Tanya suffering their mothers' constant scorn. They had been 'punished' already. Okay, so it wasn't a physical punishment, but it was enough.
Still, Aro didn't seem any keener to punish her than she was to be punished, so there could be time to change her destiny.
"Is that for me?" she asked, pointing at the cup in his hand.
Aro closed her door and joined her on the bed. He gave the girl her bloodwine and drank a little more of Alec's.
Jane held her cup with both hands, warming them on the metal goblet, as she swung her legs back and forth. "I'm sorry I lied to you," she said between sips. "I thought I was doing the right thing. Tanya said sisters shouldn't rat out their siblings. She said I was a bad sister."
That piqued Aro's attention. "She told you you're a bad sister?" If Jane's silence had been a simple case of peer pressure, then the whole thing could be blamed on Tanya - Jane's part, at least.
"It's how she made me feel, I guess."
Aro took another sip to hide his grimace. That's not enough, he thought.
"The tit for tat tales you and Felix tell on each other are annoying and unnecessary," he said. "That's the stuff you should keep to yourselves. The big things… the things that risk lives. That's the stuff you should come running to me with. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes."
"Will you do differently in future?"
The girl thought for a moment. She sipped and sipped before shaking her head. "Probably not."
Aro flashed to his feet. "Jane!" He spat her name as if it were a curse.
"The tales don't get anyone in big trouble," she said, shrugging. "It's even funny half the time."
"Jane…"
"But the big stuff gets everyone in big trouble. I'm not going to purposely get my brothers in big trouble. Or myself." The girl tapped her temple, much the way her father so often did. "That's dumb."
Aro softened. She's just confused, he thought. She doesn't understand. "You've got this screwed up, my dear one."
"No, you have," Jane replied. "What I'm saying makes more sense than what you're saying. You want me to stop teasing Felix and telling tales on him, and him me, when that's not a big deal to either of us, most of the time."
Having finished her blood, she stretched and dropped her cup on her night table, watching as she missed and fell to the floor without moving to collect it.
"But the big stuff is a big deal to us, so why would I tell you then? You aren't making any sense, Daddy. You need to think this through."
Aro bent down and snatched the cup from the floor. "I can't tell whether you think being a smart ass is cute, or not, but you are playing a dangerous game, my dear one."
"I'm not playing."
Jane hooked her legs inside the sheets and smoothed out the creases on her bed. To Aro's eyes, the child had massively misread the situation - no point getting in bed when he was about to tan her backside.
"I've said I understand what you're saying," Jane continued. "I just don't agree with you."
"You disagree and you have no plans to change your behaviour?" Aro wanted to be crystal clear on her position before moving forward.
"Exactly."
"Then we have a problem."
Aro started pacing the girl's bedroom. "You and Tanya knew where the others were, and you lied." He held up a hand to silence Jane before she could protest. "Not directly at first," he said, relenting a little. "But you lied to me."
Jane folded her arms across her chest and scowled, eyebrows knitting together tightly. "Turk did, too, and he isn't restricted by the sibling code."
Sibling code? Aro didn't ask, as it wasn't important. "Turk did, yes. He'll face Magnus for his mistake." Aro saw his baby girl wince and smiled to himself for finally getting somewhere with the child, even if it was achieved by using the guard master. "Your Uncle Eleazar will be punishing Tanya."
Jane burst out laughing. To be fair, Aro hadn't spoken with much conviction.
"Right," he said, getting control again. "Why do I have to punish you?"
Jane screwed up her little face as she thought. "Um," she said, squinting. "Because you don't understand how siblings work?"
Aro covered his face with his hand - he had to hide from her, or she'd see him smirking! "Jane, I'm losing patience with you."
"Because…" Jane didn't agree with her father's reasoning so hadn't paid him much attention and now she couldn't remember what she was supposed to say. "What's the right answer?"
His princess of darkness would be the death of him. "You've earned punishment because you lied to me about a very serious matter which could have seen your three brothers killed under horrific circumstances."
"You want me to say all that?"
Her words came too quickly for Aro to hide his reaction. His laughter filled the girl's cosy room before the man could regain his composure. The corners of Jane's mouth curled and soon she laughed along with him.
Aro's chuckles ended in a sigh, and he looked down at his baby girl. Basileus expected him to give her a decent round of his belt. As Eleazar was unlikely to so with Tanya, Aro reckoned he could get away with just giving her a good spanking. But he didn't want to! His reaction was entirely emotional, and he felt like stamping his feet over the whole matter.
Although, if he didn't get the job done, Basileus had already threatened to take on the task. And then he'll wallop me, too. Whilst the thought of facing his father sent a shiver down Aro's spine, it wouldn't be a deciding factor in what he would do with Jane.
He dragged his hand down his face. He couldn't go through with it, he just couldn't. Felix had once told his father that it was awkward when the guy whipped him when he wasn't angry - Aro had to agree. He wasn't angry with the girl, simple as that. He had been, and if he'd had the chance to punish her for her lies at the time, he would have done - he was certain. But that was then, and now he didn't have the heart.
He remembered the time Basileus had first tried to take over with Jane. The twins had only been in the coven six months when the creator had requested some time alone with them. Requested wasn't quite the right word. He'd seen them running rings around Sulpicia and disturbing the calm in the coven with their childish play. Aro hadn't wanted to hand over the young vampires, but the creator insisted on getting to know the twins properly if Aro planned on letting them live passed their newborn year. Hinting at the possibility that they may not survive was enough for Aro to back down.
Basileus took the baby vampires out of the coven for a hunt in the woods of Volterra. It was long before the coven tightened the rules about feeding close to home - a human or two could usually be found setting snares for rabbits or tracking a deer to feed their family and they were easy pickings for the Volterran vampires. The creator had a simple enough plan: take the children to woods, keep them close, see them hunt, let them use their gift on the humans they find so he could assess their strength, maybe even talk to them a little. He wanted to get to know them and at the same time, impress upon them that they needed to calm down and settle into coven life.
Less than half hour later with a child in each hand, Basileus dragged the children home. Alec sobbed, yowling each time Basileus yanked his hand to keep him to pace.
"You'll get another one if you keep this up, boy!"
The threat only made Alec cry harder.
When they reached the great hall, Basileus bellowed at a guard to open the doors and to hurry up about it unless they wished to lose their head. When Aro saw his tiny guards being pulled into the throne room by his fuming father, he feared the worst. Wasting no time, he snapped the neck of the guilty vampire on his knees. Well, he assumed guilty - they hadn't got that far in proceedings. Truthfully, he didn't care.
"My lord," Aro greeted the man. His usual calm facade slipped a little, not helped by hearing Caius and Marcus discussing the children behind him.
"About time someone took charge with those brats," Caius said.
Marcus agreed. "Let us hope it makes a difference."
"I'll second that," Basileus said having heard the conversation. "They are brats. Intolerable brats. And the bickering!"
Aro didn't care much for anyone else's opinion on his little guards. "Why is he crying, my lord?"
Alec answered before Basileus had chance. "Because of him!" the boy said, cowering away from the creator.
Sadly, as the man still held the boy by his hand, he couldn't get far. Releasing Jane, Basileus yanked the boy closer.
Alec couldn't believe what was happening. The creator lifted his arm until his feet searched for the floor, and then smacked him! Right there in the great hall in front of the masters and who knows how many guards! Flushed with embarrassment, Alec tried to process the scene. Nothing of the sort had ever happened in the hall before – how could he live down such humiliation?
Basileus shook the boy as he dangled by his wrist. "Stop crying!"
Alec didn't realise he was! Until the creator smacked him again, that is. Then he knew it, and everyone else did, too. The boy yowled and started to fight for his freedom.
The second strike came as hard as the one he'd had in the woods for running off. Repeatedly, Basileus said. Too close to the village in broad daylight, as well. Jane had been with him, of course, but the creator seemed less concerned with her. Sure, he'd dragged her into the great hall, but she hadn't been walloped by a demigod three times. Alec tried to summon his gift.
Having access to his mind, Basileus knew what the boy planned as soon as the idea formed in his head. With a nod to Renata to block the boy's gift, Basileus smacked Alec again. "You dare to turn your fog on me, boy!"
"I didn't, I didn't!"
Caius huffed in his throne. "Gods above, the racket!"
Marcus, too, tutted at this child's display. "This is why children cannot be guards."
Aro turned and snapped at them both. "They are my guards and no concern of yours."
"They are in our coven, Aro," Caius reminded the so-called king. "What kind if guards are they? They show no respect for our position here - they think themselves above us. They need knocking into shape."
Aro glowered at his brother-in-arms. "Try it."
Caius pulled himself tall in his throne. Oh, how he would love to.
Before the two began brawling, Basileus called out over Alec's din. "Caius is right to be concerned, Aro. They need bringing to heel."
"Fine!" Aro clicked his fingers and Jane obediently flashed to his side. Alec would have joined them if the creator would have allowed it. "Give him back and I'll deal with him."
With a deep sigh, Basileus released the boy. Alec immediately flashed to his sister, the pair cuddling together.
"You needn't trouble yourself with them again, my lord."
"If they are yours, they are mine, son." Basileus's toned softened along with his stance. "If they cannot follow orders, they're a danger to the coven. And themselves. You know what that means for their futures."
Aro didn't respond well to threats and force, despite his father's repeated use of both. Hearing the man relax and show concern, attachment, even, had Aro backing down and nodding his understanding.
"The girl needs taking in hand," Basileus said. "Either that or her mouth needs sewing shut."
Marcus and Caius, again, agreed with the man. "That one thinks she walks on water," said the latter.
Aro nearly lost his footing on the flat floor. He was at ease walloping his young male guards when required. With the girl, his girl, he was less comfortable. Basileus appeared to be unaware of his son's concerns as he rattled off Jane's laundry list of bad behaviour from his short outing with the twins. Damnit, Aro said to himself hearing just how frustrating the girl hand been. But… Aro looked to his father, still lost in his own rantings. You smacked Alec and left Jane…
"My lord," Aro said, curiosity dancing in his eyes. "If Jane has vexed you so deeply, why hasn't she been subjected to the same treatment as Alec?"
Jane flinched at Aro's side and gasped.
Basileus stopped defaming Jane and suddenly started tripping over his own words. "Well, you know, she, um. He… well…"
Aro smiled in triumph. If the almighty creator couldn't bring himself to punish the girl, then he wouldn't have to either.
Behind him, Caius and Marcus exchanged dejected sighs and shook their heads knowing the smallest Volturis would be running rings around the coven for a while to come.
Remembering the first time he'd stood up for his girl gave Aro an idea. My father won't go after Jane, he realised whilst looking at his baby girl in her bed. I'll take the wrap when we're caught out.
"How about," he said, doubting his words as he spoke them. "How about we don't do this, but we say we did."
Jane's mouth dropped open. She knew she had her father wrapped around her little finger, but this was shocking!
"You want me to lie?"
Aro swallowed hard. He was asking his girl to do exactly what he'd just told her off for.
"Just this once," he said. "I'm sanctioning this lie and this lie alone."
Jane nodded as he spoke, her head bouncing comically up and down - she couldn't wait to tell Tanya!
"If you ever lie to me about something as serious as a secret mission again, I swear to the Gods I'll…"
Aro drifted off. When he did so with his sons, immediate fear traversed every fibre of their being. As Aro watched carefully for Jane's reaction, he saw no such effect - the girl beamed back at the man, delighted!
"Okay, Daddy," she said, unable to hide the amusement in her eyes.
Aro closed his eyes and huffed at his own ineptness. Sulpicia frequently called out Aro's unfair treatment of his children where he was too tough on the boys and lax with their daughter. He rarely agreed with his wife on the matter, especially as, in his eyes, she let the four of them get away with murder. But Sully had stepped up with their sons and there he was asking Jane to lie so he wouldn't have to punish her!
He knew, before too long, he would regret letting his girl off the hook. Someone would find out, somehow, and then he'd be for the high jump. Too late, though – Aro had dug his hole so he kissed his princess of darkness good night and allowed his eldest child to consume his thoughts as he trudged down the stairs.
By the time Aro got to his bedchamber, Felix was shivering in the corner of the room. The fires hadn't been lit in any room aside from the main chamber and Jane's bedroom, so the master bedchamber was bitterly cold. The boy, still wet from his icy bath and dressed only in a towel, was bloody freezing! He told himself it was just the cold making his body vibrate, but had he been honest with himself, Felix might have admitted he was a little scared, too.
He'd checked the strap marks on his bottom before bed last night, and that morning, and just as he'd got out of the bath. They were reducing, but he could still count them perfectly. The purple bruising remained with some colourful yellow edges where parts were fading. It was not a pretty sight. It still smarted, too. Could he take another whipping from his father on top of those stripes? Why was he acting like it was a choice? That's why he was in the corner - Felix wanted to get Aro on-side quickly and it seemed the most deferential he could be under the circumstances.
Surprisingly, Aro appreciated his efforts.
"I was only joking." The boy wiped at his eyes. Just the runoff from his wet hair, he told himself. I'm not crying. The sniffles that followed appeared to refute his claims. "I wouldn't really do something so dumb again."
He heard movement behind him and tensed. Being sent to his parent's bedchamber was a horrible thing. An awful thing. A horribly awful thing and it never ended well. From the corner of his eye, Felix could see the old chair where his fingers had left their imprint many times over in the wooden armrests. The boy couldn't pin down what he found so distressing. He hits harder in here, he thought. Punishment lasts longer in here. He's usually calmer, which is weird. Felix realised that wasn't true. Not calmer, barely controlled rage, more like. Still weird. Having to do the walk of shame back to his bedchamber wasn't great, either. At least when he whips me in my own room I can fall straight into bed. Whatever it was, for Felix, being sent to his parent's bedchamber felt like being ordered to the gallows. Aro couldn't hear him, but Felix begged in his thoughts not to be ordered to bend over the damn chair. He pulled his towel a little tighter around his waist as though the thin cloth were a security blanket.
Aro hadn't spoken since entering the room and it was freaking Felix out. With one eye shut, because he didn't really want to see, Felix turned slightly to look over his shoulder.
How he wished he hadn't bothered.
His father had fetched the same belt Felix selected for his mother the day before.
The boy whipped his head back to face the wall. He whimpered and an impassioned 'dad' came out as a long, pitiful whine. "It was just a stupid thing to say, and I didn't even mean it."
He heard his father scoffing as he moved the dreaded chair into position. His stomach lurched. A few hours before Felix had been playing cock-of-the-walk, flashing his ripped muscles for the girls as they worked, showing off to the other outcasts by being cheeky with Magnus. Now he was stood in the corner, freezing cold and dripping wet, crying in his parent's bedroom.
Felix believed his father had been desperate to wallop him for the outcast mission. Aro would have been edging for it since the moment he'd discovered Felix missing. One way or another, the boy would be getting his ass handed to him and that was that. Only Aro would use one bullshit comment he wasn't even supposed to hear as an excuse.
The more Felix thought, the less upset he felt - his annoyance grew along with his trepidation. I'm telling my grandfather about this, Felix said to himself. And my grandmother.
Aro cleared his throat into his fist.
Felix turned on cue to face the man. His eyes flickered to the chair with the worn armrests and back to his father. Felix wasn't going to offer himself up to torture until he was expressly told to. And maybe not even then.
"Do you have any idea at all how terrified I was to find you missing?"
Felix held his breath and looked to the floor. Sulpicia had laid on the guilt thick enough - Aro didn't need to add any more. The boy watched as a tear rolled down to the tip of his nose and dropped on his left foot. Angling his head slightly, he made sure the next one dropped to his right.
"Did you hear me?"
Felix sniffed. "Yeah, we scared you."
Aro repeated 'scared' aloud and his sarcastic, tinkling laughter filled the cold night air. "No, son," he said. "Not scared, terrified. I thought you were all dead. I thought we'd lost you. I thought…" he pushed his hand into his mouth, biting down on his knuckles. He turned away from his boy before Felix could see the horror in his eyes. His broken tone told the story, though.
"We really didn't mean to upset you all so much, Dad," Felix said, sounding as forlorn as his father. "We just wanted to prove ourselves, that's all. I promise it won't happen again. You don't have to do… anything."
Aro filled his lungs and released. His hand tensed around the corded belt in his hand. Felix's summation had been correct - Aro was itching to whip him for the mission. Not for the reasons Felix believed, however. It wasn't payback, or retribution, or anything of the sort. It was Aro's own fear leading the drive deep inside him. Simply, he had to ensure he would never lose his children to such folly. If Felix was too fearful of punishment to step outside the coven unsupervised, then he would be safe. As the boy enjoyed the status of 'King of the Kids', all the other children would be safe, too.
There was something else, though, something more gnawing at his soul. Basileus had broached the subject of submission already: 'You need to be careful, son', Basileus said. 'The monster can take over all too easily, and if he pushes you…'. Aro had brushed off his father's worries as it simply wasn't an option, but he couldn't deny the battle for control occurring in his head, or his heart, or wherever the animalistic vampiric essence resided in his body. He could never-would never-let such a travesty occur, but such assertions made little difference to the monster striving to control Felix.
Many years had passed since Basileus asserted his dominance over Aro, and since then, Aro had felt his own monster rising to the surface at times. He'd kept it at bay, of course, but it was not without effort. Felix made sure the battle remained - if that boy could just behave himself for a year or two, Aro's battle would be over. The monster would shrivel to nothing again and Aro would be free. As it was, Felix could barely go a month without testing his father's patience, so the monster had become a familiar friend. Or rather, foe.
"Dad?"
Aro looked at his boy. He had no idea how long he'd stood in the centre of his bed chamber, talking himself down.
"I'm really cold," Felix said, wrapping his arms around himself.
Being cold was an unfortunate side effect of being a vampire with icy venom running through their blood. The cold couldn't harm them like it could a human, but it was still uncomfortable. Particularly to pampered vampiric princes. The poor boy really was ice cold, standing undressed and wet in an unheated room whilst the winds of winter whipped around the tower.
Aro heard his boy's teeth chattering and got his head together. He whipped off one of the wolf pelts covering the bed and gave it to his son. "Wrap up, sit down, and listen."
"Um, okay…"
Felix watched his father take a seat in the chair he so feared and looked around for another one. He knew there were no others in the room, but it didn't feel right to sit on his parents' bed without invitation. He normally wouldn't have thought twice, but he knew he was on dangerous ground, and he really didn't want to aggravate the situation.
"Just sit on the fucking bed!" Aro huffed into the cool air and shook his head. "Stop trying to piss me off, Felix!"
With wide eyes the boy backed up until he was level with the grand four-poster. Somehow, he was annoying the guy whilst actively trying not to - what an injustice! Something else to complain to his grandparents about.
Aro leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. With his eyes fixed on Felix, the boy noted the state of his pupils - black as coal and huge! His father had drunk two goblets of bloodwine that evening at least that Felix had seen, so he couldn't be hungry. No, pure anger.
Felix swallowed and carefully lowered himself onto the bed. He tugged the wolf pelt around his shoulders again and rubbed his face a little into the fur. He wanted it to feel more comforting than it did.
"Stop wiping your snot and tears all over that pelt," Aro said, growling.
Felix growled back at the inference. "I'm not even crying," he said, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand.
Luckily, the boy's display amused his father - it was of little comfort to Felix in that moment for what teenager wants to be the source of their father's amusement, but it saved his skin. The break in mood allowed Aro to shove the monster deep down inside once more. If only the effect could last a while. Aro was sure if his boy would follow the right path for even a month then he could cast away the ugly beast for good. With a vampiric son like Felix Volturi, Aro doubted such a miracle were possible.
"You've made some shockingly bad choices recently and I'm struggling with you." He folded the dreaded corded belt in one hand and tested out how it felt slapping against the other. Felix winced with each strike; Aro did, too, on the third. "I thought your mother had done a decent job of it already, so I'm surprised I need to whip you, too."
The stripes on Felix's behind burn in response. "You don't need to!"
Aro scoffed. "If you still have thoughts of future secret missions then I would say that I do."
Felix hadn't been in his parents' bedroom for long, but in that short time he'd run the gauntlet of emotions - regret, dread, fear, annoyance, resignation. If he could have chosen for an emotion to land on in that moment, it would have been annoyance again, brave, even. It was not his choice, though, and for some dumb-ass reason his own brain decided to torment him with a double dose of fear and dread!
He swiped at his eyes again and sniffed hard. "I was just joking," he said. "Honest. I was showing off, that's all."
"You're always bloody joking. You're always showing off. You never know when to stop."
"I'll stop now," Felix promised. "Please, Dad, I'm sorry. It won't happen again, ever."
The boy wasn't sure what he was promising - was he saying he'd never go on another secret mission or that he'd never joke or show off again? Whatever would make his father back down, he guessed.
Aro sat back in his chair and rubbed his chin as he considered his boy. Felix was still shaking and as he had huge fur rug around his body Aro correctly assumed it was anxiety induced. That pleased the coven king. Aro didn't usually want his children to fear him, but they didn't usually engage in such dangerous behaviour - they could be annoying, disrespectful, hell, they even humiliated him at times with their behaviour, but it rarely risked life and limb. This was different, though. Aro wanted his boy to be so scared of the repercussions that he'd never be so reckless again. Firm boundaries, Aro reminded himself. That had been yet another hot topic at the masters' meeting.
"Please, Dad," the boy implored. Aro seemed to be wavering and Felix had to try for a reprieve. "Mom was really hard on me and…" when he saw his father raise an eyebrow, he changed tactics. "I know I deserved it. If you really feel you must punish me, too, could it wait a few days?"
Wow, brave. Truthfully, Aro agreed with the boy - Sully had been much harder on him than anyone had expected her to be. He still wasn't happy about his dear, delicate wife being in such a volatile situation.
"I have a better idea," Aro said. He held up his belt. "I'd forgotten I still owned this and I doubt I'll wear it again. I do think it made an impression on you, though." Tossing it over to his son, he said, "Now it's yours."
Felix kept his hands inside the fur pelt, refusing to touch the damn thing as it landed in his lap. He looked to it with revulsion before declaring he didn't want the evil belt.
"It isn't a gift, son," Aro explained. "You will keep it as a reminder of your recklessness. Think of it more like a tool to focus your mind for if you ever even think of doing something so horrendously reckless again."
"Okay…"
"I want you to hang it in your room on display, so you'll see it every day…"
"Oh, Dad!" Felix let his head roll backwards. He'd just been told he'd be allowed to have his friends—his girlfriend!—in his chambers and now he'd have a ridiculous talking point for them all to discuss. Fuck sake! With his dramatics, the belt slipped from his lap.
"Pick it up unless you would like me to hang it over the fireplace in the main chamber."
Felix shot to the floor and back again with the damn thing. Seeing the boy's reaction, Aro banked the threat for future use.
"As I was saying, you'll find somewhere to hang it in your room and if I feel you are moving into dangerous waters, we'll put it to good use."
Felix shivered, but he concentrated on the reprieve he was getting then and there rather than some possible future punishment. He started making plans to 'lose' the belt before that could happen anyway.
"Keep in mind the state your mother put you in with that thing, and then think about the damage I could do."
He wasn't sure whether it was the threat, or being reminded of his emasculating experience, but the boy began tearing up again. Either way, Aro was done with him for the evening.
"Stop crying and go to bed. Drink your blood and straight to sleep."
Felix heaved himself up and shrugged off the fur rug. With his new 'tool' in hand, he trudged to the door. "I'm not even crying."
A little too cocky a little too soon. Aro narrowed his eyes and called Felix back.
"You've said this whole thing with the mission was because you wanted to impress us, right? Me, my father, the masters, the guards… all of the above?"
Felix shrugged and nodded along.
Aro smiled. He wound a hand around the back of his boy's neck and brought him in close. He kissed his head and said, "We want that, too, son. These new activities will provide you with ample opportunity to do so." Squeezing Felix's neck, Aro's lip curled into a snarl, and he dropped his tone. "Don't fail."
…
Outside the middle floor suite of the north tower, Caius stood psyching himself up. His clammy palms had already been wiped on his britches, and he'd loosened the collar around his neck - damn thing was trying to strangle him, he was sure of it. Just get it over with, he told himself, hammering on the door before letting himself in.
Caius came face to face with Odi, scrubbing his hair dry with a towel, already clean from his day's toil. He didn't want Odi in the vicinity if Magnus was about to bollock him for his many recent fuck ups. Eleazar's advice rang in his ears, though - Caius needed to get Magnus back in his corner, and he couldn't face hiding from the guy for another day.
"You here to see Dad?"
"Well, I'm not here to see you."
Caius cursed himself for being so nasty. Odi could win awards with his wounded dog expression. Wait, did he say 'dad', like our dad, like he's my… Damn it. Caius left it too long to pull the kid up on his mistake. That's what he told himself, at least, whilst ignoring the fact that he simply didn't wish to correct the claim.
Odi spotted a goblet on the table and grimaced. He collected the cup and up-ended the contents into the pot above the fire.
"You're supposed to drink it," Caius told him, as though Odi was too dumb to know what to do with a cup of bloodwine.
"Whatever," Odi said back, heading to his bed chamber. "He's in the bath."
Caius wanted to go after him and say… not apologise but say something. I'm sorry you are the most annoying jackass on the globe? Maybe later, after he'd spoken to Magnus.
Caius called out for the juggernaut and rapped his knuckles against the bathroom door. "Magnus, I'm ready."
"Great?"
Great? What kind of question is that? "I'm ready to finish things," Caius explained. "You said we hadn't finished. Let's get it over with." He pressed his ear to the door as he waited for a response. All he could hear was the odd splash of water. And… humming. Is he humming? "Magnus?"
"I'm listening."
"Listening? You're supposed to be talking."
Caius had arrived in the right state of mind, in his opinion - he was ready for the round of fucks, he was ready to take it on the chin so they could quit the games. Being ignored soon ended his calm demeanour (though Caius' idea of calm was slightly different to everyone else's, anyway). He punched the door. Not hard enough to do any damage, just to wake Magnus up, he hoped.
"For fuck's sake, just say something!"
"What do you want me to say?"
"I don't know!" Caius wondered if the guy had hit his head. How can he be so chilled out? What's wrong with him? "You've been hunting me down to say something. Are you laughing?" Caius pressed his ear so hard against the door that it hurt. "What's so funny?"
"If I'd been hunting you down, I'd have found you," Magnus pointed out. It still sounded like he was chuckling. "You've sought me out, not the other way around."
Caius pinched the bridge of his nose. He'd been skulking around the coven all day to avoid Magnus. He'd left the coven waiting for word about the kids. He'd swiped a bottle of dungeon blood from the creator. He'd been to see Henri! He hadn't been particularly nice to Odi, either. Plenty of reasons for Magnus to hunt him down - of course he'd been looking for Caius, of course he had!
He heard some movement inside. "You seem to be confused," Caius began again, speaking so patronisingly that he could have been mistaken for Aro. "You're the one who said we weren't finished back in the courtyard."
"And we're not."
The calmer Magnus played it, the more irate Caius became. And now he's speaking in circles! "Then fucking finish it!" Caius booted the door hard, or he tried to.
It was just bad timing, really, but as Caius kicked out with the full intention of at least denting the door, Magnus opened it and took a boot in the shin.
"Jesus!"
Caius backed up three steps and resisted the urge to turn and twat Odi in the face, who could be heard laughing his ass off down the hall behind him. "I didn't mean to do that."
Magnus fixed his towel around his waist and stalked towards him. "You come walking in here, into my chambers, and start shouting the odds at me?" He jabbed Caius in the chest to keep him backing up. "Who do you think you are?"
Caius squared his shoulders. This, he was ready for. Take the round of fucks and everything goes back to normal, he told himself. He must have seemed a little too pleased that Magnus had riled up, because the round of fucks never came.
Magnus stopped outside his bedchamber, opened the door, and looked about to stroll inside like nothing had happened.
Caius pulled him back. "So?"
Magnus looked the man up and down, shrugged, and said, "So, what?"
Caius blinked. Where had the rage gone? Why was the guy back to being so frustratingly calm? Caius couldn't work out what was going on with the juggernaut and let rip an almighty roar in response.
Magnus leaned against the door frame and shook his head. He didn't look in the least bit impressed. "Feel better?"
"No!" Caius began pacing the short length of corridor between bathroom and bedroom. "I've told you I'm ready for this. I'd get on with it if I were you or you'll miss your fucking chance. "
Caius' words strangled in his throat as Magnus slammed him against the wall. "Keep using your mouth in my presence and I'll give you the hiding you're begging me for, but it will have nothing to do with your deplorable behaviour of late."
"Brilliant," Odi said, hanging out three feet away.
Caius opened his mouth to have a go at Odi but thought better of it when Magnus increased the pressure in his chest. He had to say something to the kid, though. Or about him, at least. "Odi tipped his bloodwine away."
Odi gasped at the disloyalty, turned on his heel, and headed back to the main chamber. He called Caius a cock and went to drink the bastarding bloodwine.
Magnus lightly slapped on Caius' cheek to get his attention. "You came in here, you've cursed at me, you've kicked me…"
"I didn't mean to kick you."
"You've had a pop at Odi," Magnus continued without missing a beat. "I'm not having it."
Good, Caius thought. He gave the juggernaut a look, daring him to do something about it.
"Anything to say for yourself?"
Gods be damned, the man was infuriating! "You're the one who's supposed to be speaking," Caius explained. "I'm ready to listen. Why is this so difficult for you to understand? I know Basileus has told you to bollock me - I'm here, get bollocking!"
Magnus cocked his head to one side and for a moment, Caius thought he was ready to let rip. And then… nothing. He patted Caius' chest and went to go and dress, shutting his bedchamber door.
Caius blinked again. "Magnus!"
"How do you think works, Caius?" Magnus asked from behind the door. "I'm not the creator's henchman. If you're only seeking me out to save yourself from Basileus, then we are finished after all."
Finished, finished? Caius didn't want that. He gulped and was glad the guy couldn't see his panicked expression.
"You chose me, remember? Basileus gave you enough chances to go back on your choice."
Caius removed his coat - he suddenly felt very hot. I'm not going back on my choice!
"You've screwed up and you need to pay for it."
Finally, something Caius could formulate a response to. "That's why I'm here!"
Magnus came out of his bedchamber, almost dressed and ready for the guard hall. He only had his belt to put on, which he'd slung over his shoulder. Seeing it set flight to a thousand butterflies in Caius's stomach. Maybe he didn't want to push the guy into bollocking him after all? Not that it mattered, as Magnus walked straight passed Caius and went to find Odi.
"Have you drunk your bloodwine?"
Odi scowled and nodded. He felt sick again, so of course he'd drank the bloodwine.
"Good." Magnus started fastening his belt around his waist. When he was done, he sat in his chair and pulled on his boots. "You're not coming tonight," he told Odi. "You need to get some sleep," he said.
Odi nodded along but his concentration was on Caius. He'd never seen the coven master looking so confused - how he wished he could tell some of his friends about the real, if peculiar, relationships in his life.
"I'll see you later," Magnus said to his son, and was almost out the door when Caius called out.
"Wait!" he said. "Just explain what's going on. What do you want me to do?"
Magnus stayed facing the door, smiling. He couldn't let Caius see but he felt pretty pleased with himself. Caius had gone from telling his father figure what to do to asking what he should do instead. Magnus preferred that. And he hadn't had to even raise his voice much less a hand. He would soon, but Caius had to put a little more effort in first.
"You said I've screwed up and I need to pay for it. I agree with you. Which is why I'm here…" Caius stopped talking with Magnus shaking his head. "What then?"
"If you just want someone to whip you a bit, so you can move past your latest fuck up, then go see Basileus." Magnus chuckled to himself as he swung on his cloak. "Trust me, he'll be happy to do it."
Much like Basileus, he was ready to whip Caius into oblivion for the unnecessary and additional stress he'd caused the coven. Thinking long term, however, he also wanted Caius to respect him more than he did the creator. Basileus had been right on the nail with a few matters during their long trek home - one of which was that Caius had Magnus wrapped around his little finger and things needed to change if they were to ever make a family unit, as Magnus wished. 'I've never used those terms', Magnus had said. 'Neither has Caius'. Basileus laughed into the dark night skies. 'You forget I have access to your heads, my friend. Not quite as true as your hearts, granted, but true enough'. If Magnus wanted Caius's respect, he couldn't beat him into submission the way Basileus-of-old would have done. Neither could he keep backing down, simpering in retreat as he'd done before the outcast mission. He'd keep Caius's secrets for the time being, but he expected some appreciation for doing so.
"That's not what I want."
Magnus was glad to hear that and he let Caius know through his softened features and small smile on his face. "Then prove it."
With that he was gone, leaving Caius floundering, confused.
It took all of Magnus' emotional resilience to leave his quarters. Caius had to make amends with the coven himself - Magnus would back him, he'd even keep the creator off his back, but Caius had to make the first steps.
"Brilliant."
Caius turned to look at the little cretin and narrowed his eyes. He wanted to ram his fist down the kid's throat for his 'brilliant' bullshit, but then he'd have no one to ask for advice. First Eleazar and now Odi? What had become of his life! But he had no choice - well, he did, but the other option involved asking Basileus for a beating, and no one would choose that.
"What does he want me to do?"
Odi chuckled just like his father had. "I think you're supposed to work it out for yourself."
Caius sat next to the kid, sitting far too close. Odi sensed the danger and stopped laughing.
"I could," Caius agreed. "Or I could give you another kicking and force Magnus to react."
Odi eyed the window. He'd jumped out of the thing a few weeks before and his mother had only just had the glass replaced. Glass didn't come cheap, even for vampiric lords. Odi didn't fancy his chances with Freyr if he smashed it again so soon, but neither did he fancy his chances with Caius.
"He said prove it, so you need to show him you're sorry," Odi said, or rather squeaked. "You could start by being extra nice to me."
"I'm not that sorry."
Odi shrugged. "Then go see Basileus instead."
"Don't be fucking stupid."
He could, though, Caius realised. That would show Magnus who's boss. It would stop the juggernaut from pulling rank. It would stop Aro from sniffing out the truth… whatever the truth was. Going to Basileus would be a very definite rejection of Magnus. Could Caius do that? Dora kept telling him to be careful pushing the man away when they both knew it wasn't what he wanted.
What did he want?
Caius wasn't sure anymore. He liked when Magnus had stopped Basileus from pummelling him into dust. He liked hanging out with the guy, too. Magnus made him feel wanted, loved… no. That was too much feeling.
"What would you do?"
Odi was sorely tempted to lie and watch Caius's life implode. Annoyingly, Odi knew how much he meant to his parents so he was compelled to tell the truth. "I'd apologise to anyone I'd pissed off and make sure it got back to him."
Caius scoffed. "That's so dumb."
"Dad's simple," Odi said, (again, Caius didn't correct the kid). "He won't waste time whipping someone into regret. You have to be halfway there before he'll start."
Caius hadn't originally gone to the middle apartment for any kind of whipping. He'd expected to be shouted at a little. A good talking to. He would grudgingly nod in the right places and then it would be over. Now he was working out how to get Magnus to wail him! Caius just wanted to put the sorry episode to bed, and he'd already apologised to Eleazar. One down. Maybe the kid's advice wasn't so bad? Apologise to whoever will listen, and then it will be behind him. He walked to the door like a man to the noose.
"So?" Odi asked. "What are going to do?"
"I'm going to tell Magnus you called him simple."
Odi threw a cushion at the closed door. "Cock!"