Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to S. Meyer. Anything you don't recognise belongs to me.
AN: Not especially happy with this chapter but lacked the motivation to make it better. I am on holiday for a week now so there will be no further updates. ~Hannah
Chapter Sixty-Four – Meeting the Kings
My hands were sweating. The room was dark. The tension was building. I had to squint to make out what I was seeing. The room was by far the grandest I had ever seen, stretching out far and wide. Nooks and crannies were full of darkness and moved when I wasn't looking. Candle chandeliers hung from the ceiling basking the room in a muted light. The walls were of cream stone and the floor crème granite. Velvet red carpet run up the centre of the room from the entrance to the heightened stage.
Upon the stage stood three opulent thrones carved with the most intricate patterns and sparklingly gold. The three that sat upon those thrones could have been the inspiration behind the three wise men (they could have been the three wise men.) The man on the left had a sorrowful expression, long brown hair and out of the three of them, seemed the least dangerous. The man on the right had long blonde hair, rich, expensive robes and an expression that could cut through the hardest metal. The man in the middle had long black hair, simple robes, a mischievous expression and eyes that held worlds of knowledge.
Somehow, seeing them for real instilled a level of fear in me that I hadn't been expecting. I suddenly felt small and insignificant standing before them and began wondering at the possible outcomes this meeting could have. Seeing them in the flesh showed why these three ruled the vampire world. I felt safe and in danger at the same time. It was discombobulating.
The standoff of silence seemed intent to last as long as the three kings demanded. I had to resist the temptation to shuffle my feet and fidget as I maintained eye contact with the three of them. Whatever test this was, I was determined I would pass it. If I made a mistake here, I might not even make it back to Forks – and no, that isn't me being melodramatic.
I must look like a blip in time to these three ancients. I knew how old the Cullen's were but somehow, I'd always ignored it because I knew them as people. Standing before the three Kings was different, you could tell how much history they'd seen just by considering their eyes. I would get old in the blink of an eye to them.
"You are not what we expected," said the blonde-haired man.
Caius, his name was Caius. No need to call him blondie.
"You are exactly what I expected," I replied.
A small smile curled around the corner of Caius's mouth. I released a breath, I thought I had blown it with my remark. For their expressionless faces were intimidating as hell and gave nothing away.
"What is so special about you?"
"I think the question you want to ask is, why is danger drawn to me."
"Where did you find her," asked Aro.
Black hair, middle throne, yes – Aro.
"She came to Forks with her sister and our lives have never been the same," said Alice.
"They've been better," added Edward.
I was relaxing now that the channels of communication had been open.
"In my experience, it is the least assuming humans that are the most surprising," said Marcus.
Brown hair, silent and sombre – Marcus.
"Life has a way of surprising you when you least expected," I replied.
"Yes, though in your case, quite a bit more than surprising I would guess."
"Apparently I never like to do things in halves."
"I usually find humans to be disgustingly boring, they're vermin really with one single use…yet you intrigue me in a way I haven't felt for a thousand years."
Unsure whether I should feel flattered or offended by Caius's remark, I chose to avert my gaze and in doing so caught Jane's eye. She rolled her eyes to the heavens in response to Caius's words and I had to do my best not to laugh out loud at her actions.
"You my dear have done the impossible," said Aro.
"What is that?"
"You have charmed Jane and Alec, a feat no one has been able to gain for many decades."
"You make it sound like I'm the child catcher who lured them away with sweets and the promise of a good time. Both Jane and Alec are valued members of my family, they wormed their way into my life just as I wormed my way into theirs. There was nothing nefarious, just the meeting of three souls who managed to connect."
"I did not mean to offend you."
"You didn't. I apologise, I get heated when friendships are called into question, I didn't mean any offense."
"No harm done dear Ella."
"Perhaps the time for formalities is over Aro," said Marcus.
"Indeed…go, settle in, we are satisfied…blessings all around."
[x]
"See, not so bad, was it?" asked Edward.
I grumbled in response, using the opulence of the room as a distraction.
"They like you."
"Luckily."
"Come on Ella, they were bound to like you, and I'm not just saying that. Yes, the Volturi Kings are known for their extreme views and actions but there was never a doubt in my mind – or anyone else's – that you wouldn't woo them over today."
"This room is so big."
"Avoiding the subject, I see…well if you want it that way."
"No, Edward, please!"
Pouncing on me, Edward began tickling me without reprise. Soon I was a giggling mass of energy and completely at Edward's mercy.
"I've caught you."
"I never stood a chance."
"What shall my reward be?"
"A kiss?"
"Just a kiss?"
Edward looked down at me, his eyes smouldering with passion filled love. For once, a kiss didn't feel like enough but in a Castle full of vampires, did I really want to take things further? Edward seemed to have come to the same conclusion but it didn't mean that the kiss we had was lacking in anyway. Heavy make-out session later, Edward was mocking me for my messed-up hair while I was grumbling bad words back to him.
"You should go see them."
"Who?"
"The Kings."
"Didn't I just see them Edward? I thought you'd want to explore the castle."
"I do but I think you should go see them individually."
"Why?"
"I think it would be good, plus Alice already saw it happening."
"Fine, but when I get back please can we have some time together?"
"Of course."
Edward looked at me with an expression so dark and intense that I didn't know how I should feel. I suppose my willingness to be near him for long periods of time had been rare in recent times but I was past that now. I thought we were both closer than ever now. Perhaps it was sharing a room without being overheard that caused that look. I wasn't sure I would ever know.
It was easier to find the Kings than I would have originally imagined. Perhaps they knew they'd be sought out or perhaps they weren't as secretive as I once thought.
I found Aro first, where we'd left him, sitting in his throne in the grandest room of the Castle – at least I suspected it was.
"Settled in already? What can I do for you my dear?"
"I don't know really, I just came to say hi I think and to thank you for inviting me so graciously into your home."
"Alice saw us meeting, didn't she?"
"I think so."
"I have always tried to entice her into the guard but she has never been willing."
I took a step back in shock, never imagining Alice to be anywhere else but with the Cullen's.
"Do not fear, I do not intend to poach her away from you by any means. I was just making conversation. You are rather the remarkable young woman to have stirred up so much in such a short space of time."
"I think you are mistaken, I am no more remarkable than the next girl. I was simply the more accessible."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning, I think they would have gone after Bella if they'd had the chance. I mean Bella is the one who will one day be Queen of the Fey world and harming her would have caused Adrian more harm, but they couldn't get to her because Adrian protects her well."
"You were not protected? I thought Edward to be your mate."
"Edward is my mate but the Cullen's were not in Forks when things started to go wrong."
"Where were they?"
"Chasing down a Vampire in league with whoever this 'Master' is and one who had threatened my life. Edward believed that as long as Laurent was alive, I was not safe and he was not fit to be my mate."
"You are still troubled by this."
"I worry he will make the same decision again. It almost broke me when he did it and I don't think I could survive him doing again, even if it was for a noble reason."
"Would you allow me to hold your hand? I assume you know of my gift."
"I do but I would like to hold off for a short while. It is nothing against you but I know we were hoping to have a meeting of what has happened and how it will impact the future and how we can be helped. I would rather you hold my hand and read my past when we are all gathered if that is alright?"
"I understand child but I cannot pretend I am not aggravated to have to wait along with everyone else. I am rather used to knowing things first."
"You and Edward both."
"Perhaps that is the curse of getting to read people."
"Perhaps."
"I think our time is over, perhaps you should seek out one of my brothers but before you go I'd like you to have this."
"Why are you giving me a credit card?" I asked with narrowed eyes.
"You're going shopping with Jane I presume, you'll need something to keep up with her spending habits."
"I have my own money."
"Now you have more."
"But—"
"You will take this as the gift that it is. I can take it away but I don't want to and you really don't want to upset me."
I gulped, nodded, and stowed the credit card in the back pocket of my jeans. I had a sneaky suspicion of what I'd just been given access to and it didn't make me feel any better but I knew what Aro was saying and didn't want to upset my guest. He would have had a reason for granting me this and I should just accept that.
It surprised me how much I had to remind myself that Vampires were stubborn and could not be swayed, especially by a human. It was easier to go along with them than argue it out with them.
Aro sent me off in the direction of Caius, who, he said, would most likely be brooding or scowling in his 'strategic battle' room, which was his dark domain covered with maps and miniature battle equipment. Caius was, on reflection the scariest of the three brothers, I think because he made his disdain for human's most known. He was known for being quick to anger, he walked with a permanent scowl upon his face and he was dominant, intimidating and dangerous.
He had been kind to me, or seemingly kind when I had met him earlier but then the room had been full of people and he could have been looking at any one of us.
"Hello?" I said, speaking into the room.
It wasn't as confident a hello as I would have liked to have spoken but the darkness of the room and the fact that I knew someone was hiding in the shadows was doing nothing to calm my nerves.
"Caius?"
No answer came and I resigned myself to the fact that he wasn't here. As I turned to move away, my arm was grabbed from the darkness with a cold slim hand. I was pulled into the darkness and found myself face to face with Caius who looked like the cat that got the cream. With a flick of his hand, the lights came on and the room was illuminated.
Still grinning like a cat, Caius let go of my arm and allowed me a step back.
"That was better than I expected," he said.
"Excuse me?"
"I wanted to scare you but I couldn't tell whether this would be enough or not. Aro would have killed me if I had caused you serious injury, you humans are so delicate but it's good to know you can still be scared."
"You set all this up to scare me? Shame on you!"
I huffed and glared at him though I knew my discomfort meant nothing to him. In fact, taking into consideration his laughing face, he was enjoying this a little too much. My own heart was thumping loudly in my chest, getting over the fright he'd given me and in no way, did I think it was remotely funny.
"You have to admit it was a well thought out plan."
"Oh really? How did you know I was coming? Or did you just plan to wait here in the dark until I 'by chance' came upon you."
His laughter stopped and his face reverted into that common scowl.
"So, it was the latter. Real great planning there Caius, how long would you have stayed here waiting to scare me? An hour? Three? Five? Ten? A day?"
"I still scared you."
"Don't be a sore loser Caius."
"I am not a loser! I'll prove it."
"Alright Caius…"
"Go away now, I must work on how to best you."
"Urm…ok."
"Go bother Marcus."
My meeting with Caius was far shorter than I had thought it would be. In all honestly, I wasn't quite sure what had happened. Meeting him one-on-one had been the one I was most concerned about but he seemed more preoccupied in prank scaring me than getting to know me. It was relaxing to know that the big bad Caius had a happier side.
Marcus, I met last, after asking for directions, in the Volturi library – which might be my favourite place in the world. It was a library to be jealous of. It was no wonder that Marcus could be found here, if I was him I would struggle to ever leave here.
"Hello Ella."
"Marcus! You startled me, sorry I was lost in the wonder of this library."
"It is quite something isn't it."
"How do you ever find the time to leave?"
"When one doesn't sleep, one finds the time to do a lot of things but still, this is a favourite place of mine."
"It's magnificent."
"How are you holding up Ella?"
Startled by the change in conversation topic, I wasn't sure how to respond.
"I do not mean to put you on edge but it must have been a difficult time for you."
"That's the thing about life Marcus, it keeps turning. Difficulties becomes memories which get swept away. I'm doing fine thank you."
I'm sure Marcus would have had a lot more questions to ask me but like a choreographed dance, his brother's along with the rest of my family appeared in the library with sober faces.
"It's time Ella," said Edward.
I nodded and with a sigh, offered my hand to Aro who took it willingly. It was a tense few minutes as Aro read everything that had ever happened to me. I was rather relieved in a way to have another person know exactly what had happened to me. It felt like a weight was off my shoulder. I knew the others were aware of what had happened but they weren't feeling it like Aro is.
"My dear child," he uttered once he had finished viewing but I could sense no pity in his voice.
I only sensed true understanding and compassion radiating from Aro and that felt like heaven to my chaotic soul. With Aro's head full of everything that had happened, I was able to take a step back from explaining everything as he took control. I was happy with that, I welcomed it I'd told this story enough times to never want anything to do with it again.
I marched over to Edward – who was thankfully sitting down – and climbed into his lap. I realise this was out of character for me but fuck character, I wanted to be with my man and damn it, I think I deserved this. No one commented on my movement and Edward simply wrapped his arms around me while I buried my head in his chest. The others could talk without my involvement for a while, I wanted to enjoy my trip to Italy as much as possible and not think about the darkness that was looming on the horizon.
The consensus came, after hours of debate. After I'd had a nap, had some food and begun reading a book I'd picked off a nearby shelf. Everyone seemed to be in agreement that stomping out this threat was the biggest priority. Unusual as it apparently was for the Kings to get involved in something that wasn't directly threatening them, they didn't want to be left out of this. If the 'Master' succeeded in what he had planned, it would rock every species of the supernatural world and everyone present realised the importance of working together to rid the words of this terror.
I was secretly pleased that things had worked out so nicely, I'd had visions of everyone arguing and coming to blows. I had several speeches planned out in my head just in case I had to break up any tension but letting Aro see into my mind first had been a big help. With Aro on board, everyone else just followed. It was nice to see everyone working harmoniously.
With the meeting winding down, I was looking forward to much needed alone time with Edward but as I was pulled from his lap I realised that wasn't going to happen. I didn't think there were many daylight hours left for today but that didn't stop Jane, Lauren, Alice, Rose or even my sister from wanting to drag me out for shopping…not that I really had a choice in the matter!