Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything associated with the series.
A/N: I don't re-read what I write after I've written it. I just use spell check and then call it done. So there are probably lots of mistakes; I apologize in advance for all of them.
Alice told me the names and gifts of the Volturi queens and the main guard while we waited. I learned that Didyme could read bonds between people and could make anyone around her happy. Athenodora is believed to be a gifts strategist. Heidi could 'compel' people do what she wanted them to; her intense beauty, that put Rosalie's beauty to shame, helped her to do that. Jane could give the illusion of pain to one person at a time. Alec, her twin, could take away a person's senses and could affect more than one person at a time. Felix has a lot of strength, like Emmett. Demetri was a tracker. I learned there were a lot of other vampires living in the castle, and most had gifts. But it was the ones she listed that were part of the main group in the Volturi and the ones I would be probably ever meet.
I learned that the three queens were mates and had been together for thousands of years, nearly three. Apparently Athenodora was the oldest, much older than the other two queens who were both a little over three thousand but I wasn't sure how much was a little, and no one knew for sure how old she was, only that she was probably the oldest living vampire. I thought that was a bit of a stretch and Alice agreed with me but she was sure that Athenodora was very old and the biggest threat of the queens because the older a vampire got, the stronger they were. That could be both amazing and frightening depending on a person's point of view.
I wasn't sure how long we were going to be kept in the room but I was thankful the room wasn't bad. It was bland but from what I had heard about the Volturi, it definitely could have been worse. Thinking that though, it lead to me wondering about that picture of Carlisle's. I didn't understand why I was told that those three men were the Volturi leaders when the real Volturi's leaders were very much female.
"Why did Edward tell me the Volturi rulers were those three guys?" I asked, trying my best to keep my mind moving so that I wouldn't think about what may or may not be happening to Edward. I was worried that he was being hurt and there was nothing I or Alice could do about it.
Alice sighed and for a moment, she looked exhausted; even though I knew that wasn't possible for the tiny vampire. She was closest to me and Edward both, so I knew she knew the answer. It was only a matter of how much she was willing to tell me.
"I know that both Edward and Carlisle liked those in the painting, they were good friends from what I know; Carlisle and those men were, Edward only liked them based off of what Carlisle had shared with him." Alice explained with a scrunched face, which made me believe she was either thinking of what was okay with telling me and what Edward may not want me to know. Edward was always careful of what he shared with me so that I wouldn't get hurt and liked to have Alice cooperate with what he wanted and did not want me to know. "The only reason I could think of that would make him tell you that those men were the rulers would be because he may have wanted it to be true."
"Edward wanted those men to be the rulers?" If he didn't know who those men were, why would he prefer them over the women?
"He would have liked them to, I think." Alice said, a bit hesitantly. She was probably worried about what the Volturi would think of someone wanting other people to be in charge. "But from what I know, Carlisle was only friends with them. He had nothing to do with them attempting to overthrow the queens. I believe he actually didn't approve of it."
"The painting was of some place inside the castle. Were they friends of the Volturi and then tried to overthrow them?" I asked. This conversation was a very good distraction from thinking of how hurt Edward might be.
"Those three men, if you're talking about who I think you are, came here asking for help in dealing with a possible newborn problem." Heidi said as she and Jane walked into the room after practically throwing the door open, making me jump from the unexpectedness. I would have thought Alice would have warned me that they were coming. But looking at Alice, it seemed she was caught off guard as well and that worried me. "When the queens sent some of the guard to deal with the supposed newborn problem, which there was none, they attacked." Heidi said with a smirk.
"They greatly underestimated the loyalty of the guard and of our queens' power." Jane said, also with a smirk. But unlike Heidi's smirk that seemed more playful than anything, Jane's smirk made me feel nervous. It was a predator's smirk. "Their revolt didn't last an hour. It's a shame I wasn't there to help kill them and their supporters."
"That's what you get for being the queens prized guard; you always get the fun missions." Heidi teased Jane. "But enough about the unpleasantness of the past, the queens have… requested your presence." The slight hesitation Heidi had in saying requested told me that the queens made no request, they demanded. Seeing a brief glazed over look in Alice's eyes and then pensive look that replaced it, told me that she knew what was about to happen. But I couldn't even begin to guess what was going to happen. She wasn't giving anything away.
"Then let's go Bella." Alice looped her arm through me, something she had always done. In our current circumstances, it brought me comfort. I saw both Jane and Heidi's eyes trace Alice's arm as it looped through mine and I thought I heard one, or both, of them growl. But I had to imagine it. What would two Volturi guards care about mine and Alice's close friendship?
Alec was still in the hall, even though I thought he would have left since both Heidi and Jane were there to walk us to wherever it was we were summoned to. Jane and Heidi walked behind Alice and I. Having those two women walk behind us, made me more nervous than I thought it would have. I knew that they were predators, all vampires were, but there was something different as I walked in front of them towards an unknown destination. I knew we weren't going to the throne room because the paintings looked different when we turned down what seemed like a random hall. As walked down this new hall, I could feel Heidi's and Jane's on me. Their gaze felt more intense than what was warranted; at least in my mind what was warranted. But even though it felt intense, it didn't feel like they were hunting me. I've felt that feeling several times with vampires and this wasn't one of those times. I didn't know what to think. Well, that's a lie.
The one thing I knew for sure was that I really wanted to get back to Edward. I wanted to be back in his arms and for all three of us to somehow escape the Volturi and never have to deal with them again. I had thought I had lost Edward forever, now that I had him back, I never wanted to let him go again. I didn't think I would survive again if that were to happen; it hurt too much the last time and I didn't want to live through that.
We were lead into a room that seemed like an office. There were a couple couches and armchairs that looked very comfortable. There were several bookcases lining the walls and a there was a roaring fire in an elegant looking fireplace. All the couches and armchairs were situated so that they all seemed to face both each other and the fire at the same time. There was one desk that was off to the side and that was the only thing that made me think this room was some sort of office.
On the three armchairs that were all next to each other, were the three queens. They all had serious looks on their face and there was something that made feel that Alice and I were about to get some very bad news. Sulpicia gestured for me and Alice to sit down so we sat next to each on a couch that was opposite the queens. Jane and Heidi moved to stand behind the queen's in the armchairs.
"What have you decided?" Alice asked as I moved slightly closer to her as a way to seek comfort. I knew that if anything were to happen, Alice wouldn't really be able to protect me because she was only one person; but she would be the best chance I had to survive anything if the Volturi did anything.
"We will not kill Edward." Sulpicia said with a smile, like she was giving us a gift. Which, I suppose, she was. She was giving the gift of Edward staying alive. But what was the cost? There had to be one.
"Yet." Athenodora added with a smirk.
"He did break a law, a very serious law and there must be repercussions for it." Sulpicia continued, like Athenodora hadn't interrupted her. "But he wasn't the only to break one of our most highly guarded laws."
"We are going to send young Alice here to gather her family and bring them here." Didyme said with a kind smile. The smile was kind but there was something in it that had me worried.
"You will leave right away to fetch them." Athenodora said and it looked like she was fighting a sneer. "Once the entire Cullen Coven is here, we will proceed with punishments for breaking our law."
"What are you going to do to us?" I nervously asked as I gripped Alice's hand.
I knew she only mentioned the Cullen's getting a punishment but there was no way the Volturi would not punish me as well. I was only a human, a human that knew their secret. I was probably in more trouble than the Cullen's were because it was a lot less worrisome to kill me than it was to kill a vampire. Although, they were the Volturi, they probably didn't really care either way.
"What makes you think we are going to do something to you?" Sulpicia asked me with a tilt of her head.
I looked at Alice, not sure how I should answer. I had no idea what I could say that wouldn't offend the Volturi. I personally would think, based off of what Edward had told me, if anyone broke any law that it would cause the Volturi to kill them. But if I were to tell them that, they might feign being offended and get us in even more trouble. I didn't know what a safe answer would be. But I knew Alice definitely would.
"I think it's safe to say Sulpicia, that the Volturi do not have the best reputation when it comes to humans." Alice answered for me, having the queens turn their attention to her. I would have thought losing most of the rooms' attention would be relieving, but Heidi and Jane kept their eyes on me and it made me nervous. Something about them, just being in the same room as them, made me nervous.
"And you think we are going to kill Bella?" Athenodora said, this time not fighting a sneer. It was almost like she was offended by the thought of killing me. But that couldn't be right.
"I don't want to make any assumptions." Alice quickly said in a placating tone. "It's just not exactly that common for humans to live long if they are ever around the Volturi."
"Well, then allow us to change your perspective." Sulpicia said with a grin that made it seem like Alice had walked into a trap that they had laid. "Alice, you may go back to your family and return with them all in seven days. No sooner."
"Bella will stay here with us and you can see when you return that she in unharmed." Didyme said.
"We'll show that the Volturi are the monsters you seem to think we are." Sulpicia added.
"Edward will stay locked where he is to ensure he doesn't escape. He is the one that got the family in this situation, he will be the one to bear the brunt of whatever punishment will be given." Athenodora finished.
I could feel the blood drain from my face as I realized that I was going to be left alone with these red eyed vampires. Alice was leaving and she was the only one able to provide some sort of protection from these vampires. Edward was locked away someplace and I could only hope he was safe, there was no hope of him providing any protection for me. If Alice was forced to leave without me, I would be on my own with a large coven of vampires that would have no problem killing me. I didn't even know how many there were as Alice said vampires were always leaving and coming from the castle and that there were many secret passages, even underground, that vampires could be lurking and no one know. It was unnerving.
"You're not going to hurt him, are you?" I asked right away. I just stopped Edward from doing something that guarantee his death, I didn't want his life in danger again.
"That depends on what happens when the Cullen's return in a week." Athenodora said. There was a look in her eyes that said she wouldn't mind hurting them and that instantly turned me off from her. From all the Volturi I had meant, Athenodora seemed like the most dangerous one, like the one that wouldn't mind having any of the ones I loved hurt. She would be the one I would have to be the most careful around.
"Bella has a father in Forks that will be worried about her. If she doesn't show up soon, he'll start doing whatever he can to find her. I would hate for him to stumble upon something that may lead here." I wasn't sure what Alice was doing, but goading them didn't seem like a good idea to me. The fact that all the other vampires in the room were glaring at Alice, they didn't think she what she said was a good idea either.
"I will deal with him." Sulpicia said in a dismissive tone, though she sounded tense.
"Don't you dare think about threatening us again young one." Athenodora said with a growl that made me shift closer to Alice. My shift caught Jane's and Heidi's attention and they seemed to glare harder at Alice. "You won't like the results."
"Yes, Athenodora." Alice said right away with a bow of her head. "I was just thinking of what would be best of us, and for Bella."
Surprisingly, all three queens growled. I had heard Jane and Heidi growl and it was just within my hearing range. But the growls the queen's released where much louder; it nearly hurt my ears. I flinched into Alice out of fear, my instincts telling me that only Alice was able to protect me and I wanted that when all three of the ancient vampires growled. Athenodora stood from her seat and Sulpicia quickly followed and placed a hand on the other blonde's shoulder.
"Don't make assumptions of what is best." Athenodora said before turning and storming out of the room. Apparently she was done with the conversation. Although, I was sure we still had a bit to discuss. Especially about the part of what was going to happen to me if Alice was leaving back to the State's without me. I was very curious about that.
"I'm sorry about her." Sulpicia apologized and from the small and quick expression of shock on Alice's face, apologizing wasn't something Sulpicia typically did. It probably wasn't typical of any member of the Volturi. "I'm going to make sure she doesn't accidently hurt any vampire that may be in her presence. She tends to have a nasty temper and she's not a fan of letting it go. I'll be seeing you later dear." Sulpicia told me before leaving the room as well to follow her mate.
"Athenodora has a nasty habit of taking her aggression out on any vampire that she deems isn't respectful enough when she's in a bad mood." Didyme calmly said once the door was closed behind Sulpicia. "I assure you though, her anger or any of our anger, would never be directed towards you. At least, we find it highly unlikely." Didyme explained and I sensed that the time for Alice to leave was very near.
"You are safe here Bella." Heidi said after she sent a glance towards Didyme. "None of us would ever hurt you."
I really didn't want to believe that but there was a small part of me that said they were both telling the truth. I quickly quieted that part of my brain down though. It didn't make any sense as it was the Volturi I was thinking of and they were nothing but trouble for humans.
"With that said, I believe it is time for you to go home and gather your family Alice." Didyme said as she stood up. "Jane and Heidi will escort you to the airport, Alice, to make sure there are no further problems. I will escort you, Bella, to a room that you can use while Alice is away."
Alice stood, pulling me up with her since I was still holding onto her arm from when I had grabbed it when the queens had gotten upset. I didn't want Alice to leave, or to at least fight to stay with me, but I knew no matter what, Alice would be leaving soon. She didn't stand a chance at fighting what the Volturi queens wanted.
"I hope you don't find this at all offensive, but I am concerned about Bella's safety." To me, it made perfect sense for Alice to ask that. I was worried about the same thing.
I saw Didyme's lip slightly curl in what I thought was annoyance and I thought she was going to growl but she didn't. Even though her face hardened in annoyance, her smile never once left her face. It was the most frightening smile I had ever seen. I never thought a smile could be so scary.
"I believe we have already said that Bella is safe here. In fact, she is the safest she has ever been." I had nearly made a noise in disagreement but before I did, I realized that doing that would not be the smartest thing to do in this situation. If they were promising me safety, then I wasn't about to argue it. "Do you doubt my word, the word of the Volturi?"
"No, never." Alice quickly said as she sent an apologetic look. She couldn't fight any more for me. I was going to be left on my own. "I suppose, I'll go now."
"I think that would be wise." Jane said, speaking for the first time since we had gathered in this room.
Alice seemed to want to retort to Jane but before she did, she turned to face me. This was going to be a goodbye. I couldn't help but think, a bit sarcastically, that at least this time she was saying goodbye and I knew she would be back. I felt horrible that I was reassured by the thought that I knew she would be back because Edward wasn't leaving and the Volturi were ordering that she return. I was afraid to think if she would have come back if Edward wasn't stuck here and she didn't have the orders to come back.
"Bella, just keep as low a profile as possible." Alice cautioned and I was more than okay with it. "In just one week, all of us will be back and we'll figure something out to bring you home." She promised but I just couldn't fully believe her. I felt like there was something going on that wasn't being said and I was anxious to find out.
"Of course Alice." I said, avoiding saying goodbye. Even though it was guaranteed that she would be returning, I was afraid that she wouldn't. That them leaving was happening all over again, only this time she wasn't going to leave behind my back.
She pulled me into a tight hug and I had to choke back sob as I realized that she was really leaving me alone with creatures that, despite what they say, could very well kill me at any moment. I knew that if she could, she would leave with me, or even stay here with me and just call or email the other Cullen's and tell them to come to Italy that way. I was terrified and she knew, yet there was nothing my best friend could do to help me.
With one last squeeze of her arms, Alice released me and left the room without another glance back at me. I was thankful she didn't or I would have tried to argue with her for her to take me with her or to stay; but I couldn't say anything. I just had to watch her walk away with Jane and Heidi following her. From the corner of my eye, I saw Didyme walk towards me and I immediately gave her my full attention. She sat down on the corner of the couch, so I moved to sit on the opposite side from her. I thought about moving to on the other couch or even one of the armchairs, but I was afraid of insulting her if I decided to sit as far away as possible from her.
"Don't worry dear, in a week, she'll be back." Didyme assured me with a smile as I sat down as far away as the couch would let me. She seemed so relaxed, so at ease. She was acting the exact opposite of how I felt. "We're just waiting for my mates to get back and then we'll talk more about what's going on." She paused as if expecting me to respond. In truth, I was so shocked that she was seemingly having a conversation with me that didn't have to do with telling me that I was about to die, I wasn't sure what to say. I had thought I was going to be left alone fairly quickly but here she was, wanting to talk. "Tell me dear, have you heard much about bonds?" I guess she opted not to wait for her mates after all.
"I know that's your power." I answered, finally finding words.
"Anything else?"
"Um, does vampires having mates count?" I asked. I didn't know much about bonds but I knew some basics. Very basic.
"That is technically part of it." Didyme said with a tilt of her head. "But that's not entirely it. There are many kinds of bonds people can have. Mates, friendship and… familial." She paused after that, giving me an expectant look.
"Okay." I hesitantly said, afraid of where she might be going with this.
"Ah, here come my mates now." Didyme said as she stood up and turned towards the closed door.
I nervously gulped as I saw the two blonde queens open the door and walk into the room. I had no idea what to expect of the upcoming conversation and I was more than afraid.