Chapter 14
Bella pov
I walk to Carlisle I smile at him and he stands and we hug I never realised how much I missed him until I see him here we pull away
"how are you doing Bella" he says I have gotten used to Isabella I used to hate it now hearing it on caius lips I have came to love it
"I was hoping you would tell me DR Cullen" I say joking with him and he smiles and we sit
"how is Esme how is everyone" I say quickly to him and he smiles and I can see the kindness in his eyes how can he be so kind after everything I've done to Edward "the family are fine just worried about you Bella you are family as well" he says to me "it's been rather quiet without you" he says laughing now I nod at him "where my injuries bad" I ask him "you stitched my leg" I said to him he Nods now "Well yes I was here when Edward returned with you and thought I should see to you myself and it wasn't to serious of injuries" he said I laugh he put me back together so many times I laugh again Maria leaves the room and I watch her go Carlisle turns to Edward then back to me "are you happy here Bella" Carlisle says to me I'm shocked but Carlisle is a straight forward man so I should of expected this "Yes I am Carlisle" I say now looking away slightly embarrassed with this question "if your not you can tell me I only want you to be happy Bella even if it isn't with Edward" he says and he means it I smile at him "Carlisle I am happy here I wasn't at first but now" I stop "the more time I spend here the more I want to stay" I say to him Carlisle looks at Edward and he leaves the room
I turn to Carlisle not sure what is happening "I thought he should leave this would be easier for you if he isn't here I assure you Bella no one can hear our conversation" he says to me but doesn't give me a chance to speak before beginning "I thought I should tell you myself, me and Edward have spoken here in the volturi they have a gifted vampire like jasper" he says to me I nod I know about Chelsea "Well she can manipulate relationships" he says to me "I know" I say to him "Well we have talked about this Edward thinks they are using her against you" he says to me I look at him now "jaspers power works on you for some reason and Edward thinks so would Chelsea's power" he looks at me now I stand he thinks Chelsea is manipulating my relationship with caius and making me not love Edward "no its not like that" I say defending myself "we just want to be safe" he says raising his hands in a peaceful way "jasper has to be near you to make your feelings change I've only met Chelsea once or twice I've been alone with caius and Edward and well" I say stopping at this last part I don't know if I want to tell it Carlisle's eyes are so open and honest "I asked them to use there powers on me I wanted to know what mental barriers I have and non of it worked I think jaspers power only worked on me well because he's family and some part of me allowed it" I said walking back towards him trying to make him understand "after everything with Edward I just grew closer to caius and it's different with him and before you say it its not the whole i don't need to hide it but it feels different it's clearer and I don't know Carlisle I feel like I belong really belong" I say taking a breath he opens his mouth but I interrupt him "wait please listen" and he Nods and let's me talk he sits and so I sit as well "with Edward I felt that we where not equal unless I turned with caius I'm his equal In every way I was lost when Edward left me in forks heartbroken nearly destroyed I loved him so very much but with caius I" and I stop "you couldn't live without him no matter human or vampire" he finishes for me and I nod that's all I can do he is thoughtful for a few moments and I wait for him to finish "he is your mate that's how I feel for Esme and how she feels for me and jasper ands Alice then Rosalie and Emmett" he says to me and smiles at me I smile back "no matter what happens or what anyone says you will never leave his side and he will not leave yours that is what a mate is for now and forever" Carlisle says to me I smile at him and reach over and hug him "thank you Carlisle I tried to explain to Edward to let him understand but he never and I didn't know what to do I don't want to hurt him and I don't want him to ruin his life for me I just want him to be happy please Carlisle help him be happy again" I say to him the tears are coming now but there's a knock on the door and it opens to Maria with a tray with tea and biscuits on it and Edward is behind her Carlisle nods his head in understanding
Maria joins us we sit at the table and drink the tea and eat biscuits we laughed at Carlisle telling us Emmett fighting a bear as he still holds a grudge with the one that put his life on the line before Rosalie brought him to Carlisle and saved him I laugh at the thought of it Edward is quiet he laughs with Carlisle and Nods at the story's the life I could of had if I wasn't with the volturi my family I will always love and be part of no matter my choices Carlisle stands now "I need to be going now I need to get home to Esme" we hug again I don't want to let go but I do I smile at him "I will miss you Carlisle" I say eyes watering but holding them back he smiles down at me and puts his hands on my arms "you know where I am Bella if you ever need me" he said with sad eyes I step back and let him say his goodbyes with Maria then Carlisle and Edward leaves my room
I sit for an hour before I get restless and I want to leave my room Maria is still sitting at the table we haven't spoken and she hasn't looked at me after Carlisle left I stand I want to leave this room I feel trapped here anywhere is better than here I move to the door "bella" I hear her saying to me I turn to see her crying I walk to her and sit beside her "maria" I say but she interrupts me "I'm so sorry I shouldn't of I'm so sorry" she says to me I try to calm her but I'm not very good at crying myself never mind soothing someone who is "it's ok Maria it's ok" I say putting my hand on hers "no I'm so sorry" she says again "you didn't do anything maria" but I look at her and she looks ashamed of herself "what did you do" I ask her now "I was told to go and watch over you but when I got to your room you weren't there and" she says but starts sobbing more I hold her hand "but I froze I locked myself in your bathroom I couldn't move I couldn't do anything I couldn't go back out there I know I'm in a castle full of vampires but they haven't tried to kill me before" she says now without taking a breath and sobs more "it's ok Maria if you where with me you would of been" I stopped thinking better of my answer to her "it's ok you made the right choice well the same choice as me locking myself in a bathroom not very suitable if it's a vampire attack but still" I said laughing trying to lighten the mood I hug her now and her crying slows down to a heavy breathing "you should go to your room and get a sleep and just let yourself relax Maria you need it" I never noticed the shadows under her eyes or how exhausted she looks "but I need to watch over you" she says I shake my head "no I'm going to the great hall" she looks at me now "let me walk you there first and then I go to my room" she replies to me I agree and we leave
It only takes a few moments to get there my legs are tired but I think that's more to do with the laying in bed than the actual leg itself I walk through and see aro Marcus and my caius on there thrones Maria didn't enter and went straight to her room I walk a few feet before aro and bowed but when I raise aro is standing before me "dear child you shouldn't be out of bed" he says holding my hand like I'm going to collapse any moment and takes me to the table and sits me at a chair caius doesn't move to greet me but I presume that's out of respect to aro and letting him have his small moment of attention with me "how are you feeling my child" he says to me "I actually feel good no pain my healing great my lord" I reply to him he tut tuts at me and I look at him "I would rather if you wouldn't call me my lord or master my child" he says smiling to I look at him now wondering what I should call him now "you shall call me what you prefer" he says deeply happy with himself he can see amusement in my eyes "I will let you know" and bow my head to him in respect he laughs at me he enjoys the small moments I bow and curtsey to him as if he is a king which he is just not in the normal sense of the use
He stands "you have joined us at a good time" he says more serious I look at him and then at caius "we are having Athendoras trial soon" he says with a small smile so they haven't decided yet what to do with her yet and I'm here to watch what's going to be her punishment "Jane my dearest bring it please" he says to her and he is beside him holding something black "we where going to wait but I think this is a suitable time doesn't everyone" he glances around the room Jane,Alec,dimitri,Felix,Marcus and caius all nod in return to a silent question Marcus answered a question even If it was a nod he still does actually pay attention to the world around him I couldn't understand what happened to him but I was told his mate aro's sister didyme was his mate and she died and he ended up apathetic and it never really changed "do you mind" aro said "I don't mind" Jane came behind me and layed a black cloak over my shoulders and pulled the hood over my head inside the hood was red with gold coming down the seams it was a silky wool warm but not heavy to wear it just barely touched the floor it wasn't as dark as aro's but the same colour as Jane and Alec I bow to aro and I catch a caius smiling at me as I stand up and smile softly to aro he sits me down at the table and goes back to his throne the doors swing open and Athendora appears with a few vampires around her aro watches her as she walks in she watches caius she smiles but he just stares at her "Athendora" aro says and just sits does not move "today is your trial we shall decide your punishment do you have anything to say" he says he smiles "why don't you just use your power on me aro" she says not taken her eyes off caius defiant "use your words wisely Athendora" aro says "I did it for caius he should be with me" she says to aro she turns and smiles at me now "she is still human" she laughs at me I stand and walk I pull my hood down and look her straight in the eye "not for long" I reply I do not flinch when she walks towards me but stops when Jane steps forward she laughs again "you will be fun when you are a vampire" she giggles to herself she walks to caius now "I did it because he should be with me not her" she says to aro but doesn't look from caius aro stands now "our decision now is if you should be allowed to live after this or should we save our time and destroy you Athendora" he says so cruel I almost flinch at his words and they weren't for me "you would destroy a vampire for the sake of a human" she says shocked "yes" but it's not aro that answers it's caius "she's not just a human she's a member of this coven" he says to her "and she's Caius's mate it is not allowed" Marcus says now he speaks, the pain of losing a mate hurt him deep I can't help but feel a pang of heartbreak for him to lose that one person you love more than the world "so it's decided" aro says and turns back to his throne "wait" she says she looks weak the way aro likes it "what can I do" she says almost begging aro she looks aro caius who doesn't look at all like a man who sees his long lost love who had died before him he said it made him more cruel more vicious to come across her death was always on his hands now she's here doesn't he have any questions anything
"wait" I say before aro can give the order of her death she turns to me now so does caius and aro but I look at her "where is Victoria" she looks shocked at my question she doesn't answer me but just stands and stares at me "Isabella" caius says to me I take a step closer to her "where is she" I ask again she looks at me now "I" but she doesn't answer me just stops she turns to aro then me "I don't know" she says almost a whisper "but you have met her yes" I say more aggressive I need to know i am safe is Charlie or Renee "Answer me" I say "what do I get if I answer" she replies to me "I'm dead no matter what" I turn to aro he is smiling he Nods his agreement "your freedom to leave and never return to volterra unless you are called for the answer cannot be a lie we will know and you will die anyway" I answer she is thoughtful now I see caius turn to aro but is waved to sit I met her once she seeked me out her mate was killed by Edward she told me of this well" she looked at caius then back to me "she thought I'd make an ally for her she told me her plan a good plan she plans on taken revenge but since I took it without her she will think about something else I'm sure" she smiles "that red head is fiery don't you say" she looks at me waiting on a reaction but I have non "she will come I'm sure she will bide her time but that's all I know" she says turning to aro "take her and we will make our decision" she Nods and the guards escort her away