"Assignment?" I asked with trepidation.

Caesar looked down at me, an amused gleam in his eye. "Yes, assignment. Not all time here is spent training, though a majority of it is. You work your assignment outside of training."

"Do you know what I'll be doing?"

"I have some idea," Caesar said. His voice dropped low, so only I could hear him. "When we seek audience, follow my lead. Whatever I do, you do. They demand respect, especially from women."

"I- what?" I asked, speaking in the same low volume.

His lips pressed into a thin line. "You heard me. Follow my lead, and everything will be fine."

"Alright," I agreed. I was angry again.

Caesar seemed to notice. "I would also recommend not looking like you want to murder the lot of them."

"Duly noted," I muttered, taking an unneeded breath and smoothing my features. I imagined ripping Stefan's head from his shoulders and smiled.

"That's more like it," Caesar approved. We rounded the corner, and I was once again faced with the rotting wooden doors that lead into the throne room. I barely repressed a sneer.

The same vampire that had been standing outside when I first ventured here opened the door for us. I hurried to match Caesar's long strides. In the middle of the room, he dropped to one knee, head bowed, staring at the floor.

Follow his lead, he had said. I did the same.

The back of my neck prickled as we were watched. Finally, Vladimir spoke. "You may rise. So, Caesar, your pet has completed her first session with Doyle. How did that go for her?"

"She lost her arms," Caesar said calmly once we were both standing once more. "However, another was most unfortunate as to lose his head. I suppose he must have lost control one too many times."

"Just as well. There is no room for error here," Stefan drawled. "So, Cullen, you're here to receive your assignment. I must admit, it has been a puzzle as to where we should place you."

"Count yourself fortunate for your family name. We would have little use for you otherwise. Surely you have noticed by now that our force is comprised of primarily men? There are only a few exceptions. Women are of little use to us," Vladimir said, leaning languidly back in his throne.

I kept my expression and tone neutral. "I consider myself very lucky, master. I will not disappoint."

"Good, good. Not that our expectations are particularly high. They never are when it comes to the weaker sex," Stefan said, smirking. He seemed to have noticed the anger lit behind my eyes. "Humans are so progressive nowadays. Women being permitted to hold jobs, to own property, to vote? I cannot even imagine what they might dream up next. Fortunately, when we seize power over the vampire world, we will make sure the rightful order is restored, among vampire and humankind alike."

I opened my mouth hotly, words on the tip of my tongue, but the door behind Caesar and I opened before I had the chance to speak.

"Come now, dearest Stefan, that's no way to talk about the more delicate sex," said a lilting voice. Caesar sank down into a kneel once more, giving me a sharp sidelong glance that said I was to do the same. I did.

"It is, after all, the more delicate sex that has ensured your victory in this war," chimed a second voice.

"Sulpicia, Athenodora, we had no intentions to offend," Vladimir said. Scratch ripping of Stefan's head. It was the queens I wanted.

"Of course not, darling. Who's this seeking an audience with you? Caesar, you may rise, if you will. Such respect as is given is respect earned," the first woman spoke again.

"Thank you, Queen Athenodora. You are the picture of grace," Caesar said, rising. I stayed kneeling, despite everything in me screaming to challenge the individuals who threatened my mates.

"You are all charm," Athenodora said. "Who's this with you? It isn't often we accept another lady into our midst. You are so severe on us women, Vladimir, Stefan."

"It is the way of the world," Vladimir drawled.

"Rise, child, and tell us your name," Sulpicia said. I stood, clasping my hands behind my back so they would not see how they trembled with rage.

I kept my face neutral. "My name is Rowan Cullen."

"Ah, a Cullen. How intriguing. I suppose that is why Vladimir and Stefan decided to change you. What a powerful coven you are part of. How Aro ranted about them." Sulpicia wound around me. Her hair was a deep brown, like mine, and though strikingly pretty her eyes glittered with hatred. "Why didn't you tell us of her arrival, Stefan, dear?"

So not only had the queens joined the Romanians, but they were sleeping with them, too. I couldn't say I was surprised.

"I didn't find it to be of any particular importance," Stefan said, sounding almost apologetic.

"Perhaps your coven would be willing to join us," Athenodora said, hooking a finger under my chin so that my eyes were tilted up to meet hers. "Hmm?"

"I don't know," I said, voice trembling. "I doubt they realize I'm here."

"Oh, no need to be afraid of us, child," Athenodora said, misreading the tremble in my voice as fear rather than fury. She released my chin from her grasp and seated herself on the arm of Vladimir's throne. She brushed aside a strand of golden blonde hair. "We'll see about your coven, shan't we? I'm sure you miss them terribly."

"Yes, I do," I said, which was clearly the answer she was searching for.

"As for your assignment," Stefan said, clearly tiring of this conversation, "we were loath to give you any duty of true importance, but our youngest member needs looked after."

Vladimir leaned forward, eyes glinting in the torchlight. "I would recommend you treat him with care. Those he dislikes tend to be burned."

"Caesar, be a dear and show the young Cullen to her quarters as well," Athenodora said, batting her eyelashes at him.

"As her sire, I would much appreciate if she would stay in my quarters," Caesar said, smirking. "I have served you well, masters. And I have needs."

Stefan had a lecherous smile on his face, whether due to my look of horror or the general nature of Caesar's request I was not certain. "Of course, Caesar. So long as she is fit to complete her duties when needed, you may deal with her as you please."

"One last note," Vladimir said, as if the previous conversation had not just occurred, "is her free hour takes place at 2200 hours. Dismissed."

Athenodora slung her leg over Vladimir's, straddling him. Caesar turned sharply and strode towards the door. I followed.

"First, we'll have you acquainted with Hugo," Caesar said, promptly ignoring the disbelieving looks I was sending his way.

"Can I ask about-"

"Not now," he hissed. I snapped my mouth shut.

We traveled a little farther in silence before I decided to try a different angle. "Who's Hugo?"

"Your charge. He is our side's witch twins. However, like the twins, he is… rather young. He needs looking after," Caesar said.

"How young are we talking?" Were the Romanians seriously foolish enough to create an immortal child?

"He is eleven, barely an adolescent. Just old enough to not be considered an immortal child," Caesar said. His voice dropped. "He is not meant for this life."

"Meaning?"

"You'll see," Caesar said. He stopped in front of one of the many doors that lined this section of hall and rapped twice.

The door was thrown open almost immediately, and I was faced with a beaming, round-faced boy. He had a shock of curly dark hair on his head and tanned skin that remained despite his obvious vampirism.

"Caesar!" He exclaimed, looking nothing short of thrilled at seeing my companion. "You never visit me! Who's that? Is she your girlfriend? Is she your mate? Is she a newborn too? Is she-"

"Hugo, if you keep asking questions, how am I to answer any of them?" Caesar said, a distinctly humorous edge to his voice.

"Oh, right." He beamed at us. "Come in!"

Caesar and I filed into the room that, with two adults and Hugo inside, was now slightly cramped. Caesar smiled at Hugo, the first genuine one I had ever seen. "Why don't you introduce yourself?"

"Right, right! Hola, I'm Hugo! The coven's resident firebender!" He grinned, looking up at me as if he had just told the world's funniest joke. I laughed, just to humor him, and he lit up.

"I'm Rowan, Rowan Cullen," I said. "Vl- I mean, the masters have asked me to look after you."

Hugo sulked. "I don't need a babysitter! I'm eleven years old! Almost twelve, I think- what day is it?"

"It is April 4th," Caesar informed him.

"Almost twelve," Hugo said decisively. "In two more months."

"She's not here to babysit you. Rowan is simply here to ensure that no one picks on you," Caesar said. "I am aware that you are more than old enough to look after yourself, as you have told me such many times."

"Good! I suppose you can stay, then," Hugo said, staring at me brightly. "Do you like cartoons? I've got a TV in here! It's only got a couple channels, but Caesar has been teaching me Romanian so I understand what they're saying!"

This was the Romanians' secret weapon? A boy who looked as if he wouldn't harm a fly?

"I enjoy cartoons," I encouraged.

"Bueno! We'll get along fine, then," Hugo said confidently.

"You speak Spanish?" I asked him.

"Si! I grew up in Spain," he said. "Why, do you?"

"Si. I have a tia who would have my hide if I didn't remain fluent," I said, thinking fondly of Auntie Carmen.

"Neato! So we can talk in Spanish sometimes, then? No one else knows it here, besides Caesar, but he says we'll get in trouble if we get caught speaking a different language with each other," Hugo said.

"I suppose," I said slowly.

Caesar shrugged. "You're his caretaker. The masters won't forbid it, so long as it makes Hugo more comfortable. Which is does, correct?"

"Si!" Hugo said, grinning toothily at Caesar.

"Well, Hugo, I trust you can remain by yourself for a little while longer. Rowan and I have one more errand to run before she can join you," Caesar said.

Hugo nodded vigorously, his curls bouncing. "I'll be fine!"

"And if anyone bothers you?" Caesar asked.

"I burn them," Hugo replied instantly.

This seemed to be a common exchange between the two, because Caesar ruffled Hugo's curls. "Good boy. Come, Rowan. I'll show you to where your quarters are. Any further questions you have may be answered when we reach there."

"Encantada de conocerte, Rowan! See you soon!" Hugo said, waving as we walked out of the room.

"Hugo is a good kid," Caesar said, leading me down the cramped halls once more. "I'll show you to my quarters, though I suppose they are yours as well."

It was a short trip, only one hallway over. The doors here were spaced farther apart and made out of finer wood. Caesar pulled out a key from his pocket and let us in.

"What's the point of the lock?" I asked curiously. No lock would stop a vampire that truly wanted to enter.

Caesar gave me a sidelong glance. "It's meant to show status, not to protect against unwanted visitors. It says that I have earned the right to privacy. Did you not notice that none of the doors in the other hall had locks?"

"I wasn't paying attention," I confessed. "I was too busy worrying about Hugo, who looks about as harmless as a fly, by the way."

"And now you see what I mean," Caesar said. "We can talk relatively freely here, as long as we keep our voices low. This room is as close to soundproofed as they come in this old castle."

"Why the hell did you essentially tell the Romanians that you're using me as your concubine?" I asked.

Caesar sounded slightly exasperated. "Did you ever stop to think that this would allow you to enter and leave my quarters without arousing suspicion? I promise I have no intentions of bedding you."

"I hadn't thought of that," I said.

"I am not surprised. I have been around a long time, long enough to know all the tricks in the book and then some," Caesar said.

"How old are you?"

"Older than those kings of yours," Caesar said. "Older than the Romanians."

"Were you the first?" I asked.

He raised his eyebrows. "The first vampire? No. That honor belonged to my elder brother."

"How did he become a vampire?" I asked eagerly.

"Truthfully, I do not know. The people of my time believed him to be blessed by the gods. Or cursed. I do not know about either of those things. What I do know is that he went on a solitary journey of enlightenment after the death of our mother and returned changed. He never told me the particulars of how he changed. He claimed to have found the fountain of youth, but would not divulge more. Regretfully, he will never have the chance."

"What happened?"

Caesar hissed. "As I said, you think you are the only one here whom the Romanians have wronged? Like the Volturi, my brother and I understood the need for secrecy. When the Romanians began flaunting what they were freely, he was the first to stand against them. I was, at the time, on the southern tip of Africa. It wasn't uncommon for us to separate for centuries at a time. When I returned to Europe, I found out my brother had died at the hands of the Romanian coven and the Volturi had seized control of the vampire world."

"So why didn't you just kill them then?"

"I considered it. But I knew that the Volturi were collecting those with gifts such as mine, and killing the Romanians then would bring unnecessary attention to myself. I would likely obtained by them, one way or another. So I waited. And now the hour has come," Caesar said.

"How long have you been here?" I asked.

"I heard they were beginning to amass an army once more around May of last year. I joined them, offering my services. This was several months before the queens sought them out. With my gift, it was easy to gain their trust. I know you wonder why I am treated with such respect," he said. "I am their third in command. They trust me implicitly. But on my own I couldn't take them down, even as early as I joined their ranks. I believed those they recruited - not the newborns, but the others - would revolt after growing tired of Vladimir and Stefan's disrespect. But they never did. Then the queens arrived, and we heard of the human mate of the kings living in Volterra."

"Me," I said.

"You, yes. I've been waiting a very long time to act; perhaps that makes me a coward. But with you on my side, there may yet be a chance to win this war and get the revenge I have long desired."

"You said that Hugo is the Romanians' equivalent of Jane and Alec. What can he do, exactly?"

"Surely you've figured it out by now," he said.

"Fire."

"Yes. He can summon it from nothing, control it. I've never seen anything like it. With a snap of his fingers he could burn a vampire to ash."

"Is he on our side?"

Caesar frowned. "A good question. Vladimir is his sire, so he is naturally loyal to him, but Hugo has not yet witnessed the horror of war that they wish to thrust upon him. The boy holds the power to decimate our kind, but he is no killer. I am hoping to convince him to defect, or at the very least, to not fight. Since you'll be watching over him, that duty will pass to you."

"I'll do my best," I promised.

"If you don't mind, I do have a few questions for you," Caesar said. "I have been transparent with you, so I would appreciate the same courtesy."

"Certainly. It's the least I can do," I said.

He nodded. "I appreciate it. First, you know that by coming here, you have left the relative safety and civility that came with living in Volterra. You must be willing to do whatever it takes to survive here. Even if it means killing another. Are you up to the task?"

"Yes," I said. Caesar didn't look quite convinced. "I have no qualms. I killed my father."

"Why?"

"He abused me, kidnapped me, and threatened my family. So I ripped his throat out," I said, scowling at the mere memory of him.

"You have more grit than I would have thought. Does the Volturi know that you are here?"

"Well, they do now. When we realized the queens were here, feeding Vladimir and Stefan information, I realized that the only possible way for us to win this war is if I was able to do the same for them. There was no one else who could come in my stead. So I snuck out, with Alice's help, and made my way here," I said.

"Impressive. You are something of an enigma, Rowan Cullen," he said. "Is there anything else I should know that could impact our alliance?"

"I have a gift," I said, my voice dropping so low that even he had to strain to hear.

"What sort?"

"Shadows," I said. "I was able to hide in them as a human. They protected me. It's stronger now, though. I can feel it. The call of the dark…"

"You'll need to train with it. Whatever you could do as a human has doubtless increased a hundredfold. We'll work on that, and on more intensive battle training, while we're here together. Vladimir and Stefan won't intrude if they believe us to be… otherwise occupied." Caesar smirked.

"Can I try something?" I asked, mind still on my powers, focused on the shadows I could feel in the room. I was hyperaware of them, how they lurked in the corners, whispering for me to harness them to do my bidding.

"What would you like to try?"

"I want to use my gift to hide myself. Maybe you, too, if I can," I said. Caesar gestured for me to go ahead.

I barely had to focus for the shadows to envelop me. Caesar looked shocked. "Useful, but is that not something you could already do as a human?"

The shadows hissed around me, whispering forgotten words in my ears. They sensed the challenge. I directed them, ordering them to wrap around Caesar. They obliged, washing over him like a wave. He locked eyes with me, seeing me now that we were both wrapped in the shadows.

"How's that?" I challenged.

"Parlor tricks," he said, goading me on.

I felt the shadows as they twisted around my arms, waiting for instruction. I flicked my hand towards him. He ducked, barely avoiding the shards that shot towards them and hit the wall, sinking slightly into the stone.

My eyes widened. "I couldn't do that when I was human."

"Didn't think so," Caesar said.

I lifted a hand, entranced by how the shadows wound around my fingers. They whispered in my ear. I could defeat the Romanians now. They wouldn't know what hit them. The shadows would protect me. It would smother them. Snuff them out like candles. They would be powerless against me. I would show them what true power was. They would kneel and call me queen.

Caesar grabbed my wrist, the whispers dying as we made eye contact. "Do not let your emotions rule your gift. You control the shadows. Not the other way around."

"What's happening to me?" I asked, the shadows ebbing away from our figures.

"You are adapting. You are learning the scope of your abilities. It happens to us all," he said. "I'll escort you back to Hugo, unless you have any other questions."

"Just two," I said. He stayed silent, waiting for me to continue. "First is what were the Vladimir referring to when he said my free hour is at 2200 hours?"

"Ah, that. You get one hour of free time a day to do as you please. I would suggest you send the information you have gathered then. It isn't uncommon for vampires to spend that time in the woods. You wouldn't be missed. Next question."

I nodded. "Can I see myself in the mirror?"

Caesar chuckled and nodded towards the door that I assumed lead to the bathroom. "Go ahead. I forget that you haven't even had a chance to see yourself yet. Immortality suites you, I must say."

"Thanks, Caesar," I said. I entered the bathroom, took a breath, and looked in the mirror.

I barely recognized myself. All the imperfections that I had as a human were gone. There was no more scar above my eyebrow where my father split it open with a punch, no more cigarette butt scars on my arms; I didn't have as much of a freckle.

But what stood out to me the most, what I had longed for over anything else, were my eyes. They were no longer the piercing blue that haunted my dreams. They were now a deadly, bloody red.

I am no longer weak, human Rowan Ailes. I am Rowan Cullen, vampire. And I will make the Romanians rue the day they chose to stand against the Volturi.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ V ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Fun fact: Hugo was an unplanned, last-minute addition to the outline. He's actually helped bring everything together. What do you think of him? You also learned more about Caesar's backstory and met the queens. Were they as awful as you expected? This won't be the last you see of them, that's for sure. And you got to witness a bit more of Rowan's powers as a vampire. What do you think about them? You'll be seeing her practicing and utilizing her powers a lot more in the future. So to sum up, a lot happened in this chapter and I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks to all who have commented, I really appreciate your encouragement and I've loved reading all of your thoughts and speculation about what is to come! It really makes my day. Here are some responses to what you had to say about the previous chapter:

animexchick: Good question! The answer is no, they cannot feel any of her pain (just as she cannot feel any of theirs). Pain comes from the mate bond as a result of separation.

leward1992: Thank you! And yes, it's completely brutal and really highlights the savagery of the Romanians versus the civility of the Volturi.

Clarinetgoddess62: That's hard to say. I don't outline per-chapter so it's really difficult for me to even hazard a guess as to how many chapters Penance would be. I don't think it'll be as long as Tenebrous but that's the most I can say about length.

xlDarkstarlx: I'm really glad you like Caesar! He's definitely a bit intense and harsh but he has her best interests in mind, as seen when he got the Romanians to agree to him siring her so that she wouldn't be loyal to them as a result of the venom. And honestly I think the branding is a stroke of genius and I'm still shocked that I managed to come up with it (not to toot my own horn or anything). I hope you enjoyed the first interaction of true queen Rowan with the former queens and seeing a bit more of her ability. Your reviews always crack me up, thank you so much for taking the time to tell me what you think!

seventhhaven: As you can see from this chapter, her powers are absolutely easier to tap into now that she's a vampire. There was another person over on Wattpad who actually compared Caesar to an uncle figure as well, so I think it's funny that you all are thinking on the same lines. I'm glad you're enjoying my exploring the bond between creator and newborn as well, it's super interesting and I'm hoping to detail it more as Penance continues. And yes, their methods are absolutely brutal but effective. But the kings won't be happy when they find out all she went through while with the Romanians. I'm glad you're looking forward to what's to come and though the story will continue in Rowan's POV I hope you're looking forward to the bonus chapters which will be in the kings' POV. Thank you so much for reviewing!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm working on finishing the last few weeks of my college semester, so I can't promise updates will be quite as regular as they have been (I was on spring break last week, hence the steady updates) but I'll do my best to get updates out fairly regularly so you won't have to wait too long. I love you all and I hope you are staying safe and healthy. Until the next update, guys!

Translations:
Encantada de conocerte - Nice to meet you