Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Twilight Universe. Just toying around.
Review:When I looked up again, there was nothing more but a bare piece of bread and some honey. I could eat that. To drink, they had a glass of orange juice for me. I took that gratefully.
I was starved.
Bella pov
The plate and the glass were gone, as soon as I had put them aside. I could not even blink that fast.
And when I realized, a meek "Thank you" left my lips but I did not dare look up, although I could feel their gazes on me.
"You are very welcome, Isabella." With that Aro broke the silence first.
I was confused by his soft tone. 'Why bother?' I thought. The hole situation made no sense to me- none what so ever.
I could only shrug in response.
"I think now might be the time to ask your questions. (*pause*) If you feel up to that, of course."Again, Aro's voice was calm and coaxing.
'What with all the friendliness?' I still did not get it.
" We will gladly give you answers to all your questions, if you would extend the same courtesy to us?" I felt Marcus stiffen at my side and out of the corner of my eye I could see him shake his head ever so lightly 'no'.
'Now the cat is out of the bag.' That made more sense. 'Here we go'
"I might not like to answer certain questions. What will happen then?" I asked innocently, looking up for the first time. I was certain about the answer, though. They would find a way to get the answers they wanted out of me...
"That seems only fair, as there might be some questions we are not quite willing to give you answers to, as well."
He was still smiling and he seemed honest. As seemed the others. But you never know with vampires. They were made to be actors. All of them. I decided to play along. There really was no way I would be able to change anything, anyway.
"Okay..? Well, so, how do you know my name?"
To my surprise, Marcus spoke up at that, looking me straight into the eyes. His were very dark- almost black. "This one is easy to answer, Isabella; We found your bag. You must have lost it on the way to this room. And to answer on of your question from before, you are in my chambers, still in the castle in Volterra. I brought you here after you lost consciousness in the throne room. It is safer here than almost any other part in this castle."
His baritone voice rang clear in the room but I had stopped listening the moment he had said 'your bag'. My bag, my diaries. How stupid can I be? Even though I had not written about THEM being vampires in there or used real names, I had described them, in detail. I did not think there were many golden eyed vampire covens in this world. If they had read them, they would have easily been able to put two and two together. 'Bella, you are the greatest idiot to ever have walked the earth!'
All the while Marcus was holding my bag out to me. I took it with shaking hands, still screaming at myself in my head.
"So you already know everything and this is just a game to you." I said in a dead monotone. I had broken a secret, not intentionally but I had done it none the less. I felt sick, sick to my core. And a new wave of nausea hit me. I was over the bowl and sacrificing the little bit I had had for breakfast
to the white porcelain bowl god.
And I was crying, crying for breaking the promise, crying for what was to happen to THEM, crying because I hated myself even more right now and crying because I simply hated puking.
Someone, I think Marcus , was holding my hair and rubbing my back, once again, while he reassured me:
"No, No! We did not read anything. We only looked into your purse, to get information on your identity. Really."
"Honestly?" All the hope I had, shone in that simple word. Perhaps they were respectable after all?
"Yes, honestly. And no one will ever read them without your consent."
His smile was comforting and I was inclined to believe him. After I was done, I sat back on the cool floor, spent and closed my eyes. I had a feeling they were talking, but I could not care right now. I was concentrating on not retching again. Fighting with myself.
In the end I won.
I opened my eyes only to find them staring at me.
Slowly I got up and flushed the toilet. When I turned around, I saw what ought to be me, in the mirror. Pale skin, glistening with a sheen of sweat, black circles and bags underneath a set of eyes that were not really mine; brown and green. I looked haggard and had more in common with a zombie than with anything else. I looked down quickly, flinching away from my own reflection, as if it had beaten me. A slap in my face.
There on the counter lay a small stack of clothes, for me I assumed.
I longed for my toothbrush, to rinse my mouth of that horrid aftertaste.
"Would it be okay if I got my bag and cleaned up a bit? We could continue the conversation then?"
I felt to weak to argue and I was grateful for the patience they seemed to have for me. I did not understand why?
"Except you would prefer to con..."
I did not get further before Sulpicia had interrupted my rambling: "Of course. These clothes are for you, take your time. We will wait outside. Here is your bag." With that said and the bag in my hands, she and Marcus left the bathroom and closed the door behind them. I stood there absolutely dumbfounded. I shook my head, shrugged and went about my routine.
I was completely astounded, when I saw the gashes, that had been red and raw only yesterday, healed to the state of old scars. How?... just another question to add to the list...
When I came out of the bathroom, all cleaned up and dressed in a dark green yoga outfit, consisting of soft pants and a matching sweater, no one was in the bedroom.
"Hello?"
Just as the word had left my mouth, I heard a knock on the door and as a reflex reaction I called an unsure "Come in?" It sounded more like a question, even to my own ears.
The door opened and Athenodora stuck her head in. "Isabella, when you are ready, we would like to meet you out here, in Marcus' study.
I nodded and made my way over to her, when I noticed the roaring fire in the ancient looking fireplace to the left side of the huge bed. How I would love to sit there. It would be so warm. I was always cold. But there was no time now. Athenodora closed the door behind me and gestured for me to sit in the seat next to another well lit fireplace, where the other four ancients were seated but a little further away from the fire. I stood there and turned to face them, not taking my seat just yet.
"Thank you, I don't understand why you do what you do, but thank you, all the same."
"There is no need for that. Just take your seat and we can continue, where we left off. However, I think it is our turn to ask you a question now." Caius stated in a business like voice. The others nodded acquiescent.
I could only gulp and nod my head in answer. That was, after all, what we had agreed on...
"Isabella, who told you of the existence of vampires?" Caius fired after I had nodded.
There was hissing to be heard by one or two of the others in the room.
I had already been looking down to my lap, when he had asked that question and now I was grateful for not meeting anyone's gaze.
'Talk about coming straight to the point... Caius is definitely not someone to beet around the bush' Then again, why should he? I bet they always got what they wanted.
"I am sorry, but I can not answer that question. You can do as you please with me but I will not answer to that." My voice grew stronger during my response. The air seemed colder now and the atmosphere was tense.
"And why would that be, little one?" He sneered in my face, standing mere inches away from me suddenly. Marcus was standing now and growling something to Caius, too low for me to figure out what exactly he said.
"I... I promised not to ever tell anyone, ever. I keep my promises. I hold my word! Unlike others... but I will not stoop to something as low as this. I may not want to live much longer, but I fully intend to die with my dignity and honour left intact." By the end of my little speech, by the way I have no idea where all that audacity came from, I was standing and staring right back into his eyes defiantly. 'Perhaps you have gone mental...' I giggled in my mind . And if so, what does it matter now? If I could rile him up just enough, he might kill me quickly. He seemed like a choleric person, with a short temper.
Before anything could happen though, Aro had placed a calming- or restraining- hand on Caius' shoulder and chimed in: "That is an honourable reason, Isabella. But you must understand how important this bit of information is for us?" He arched his eyebrow questioningly.
"I do understand your point very well, it's just... I can't. I know you surely do have methods to make me talk... I am not that naïve but I will not betray something I pledged my word not to. I will live with the consequences. I am sorry but even after your hospitality... I simply can not." Aro had been so nice, when I had broken down, and the others had been welcoming to a degree as well. I would never know or understand, why they went out of their way for me.
I was getting uncomfortable due to Aro's appraising looks but I did not avert my gaze. Some moments later, he nodded understandingly. Caius was huffing and rolling his eyes indignantly. Surprisingly he said nothing further but sat back down into his seat, scowling into the fire.
"I can not say I am happy with your denial to answer our question but I see your reasoning and can even respect it. For your age you have a very commendable attitude. An esteem for morals as I have not seen it in quite some time. It is remarkable. How did you develop this kind of moral conception?" Aro began regretful, which made me feel even worse, for not telling him and ended looking at me curiously.
'Did he just praise me?' I would never understand the workings of his mind... I was all prepared for torture and the like and he ends up praising me... hu. What do you say to that?
"Erm. I don't know." I shrugged. "My dad is/was..." Pictures of Victoria invaded my mind once more and threatened to take me over. Her hair, the blood, her grin...
"Bella! Look at me! What do you feel with your right hand? Tell me!" A voice commanded.
Left hand... hmm.. "soft, cloth"
"And now?"
There was something hard underneath my fingertips. "hard, cold, not stone"
"Look down, what do you see?"
"wood, a chair..." My vision cleared slowly. The pictures faded out and I saw my fingers resting on the arm of the chair I had been sitting in minutes ago. I shook my head from side to side to completely rid myself of those memories. All the while gripping tightly to the chair, anchoring me to the real world.
"Bella, would you like to sit down? You look pale."
I could only nod and sit. "Sorry. I just can't seem to get it out of my mind...Stupid memories."
"It's perfectly fine. How do you feel about asking us more questions? It seems safer for the time being. Or, if you would, you could tell us about you and your life?" Aro's voice, deep though not as full and deep as Marcus' , was soothing.
Everyone looked rather sympathetic at me. I did not like to be pitied. I had brought this over me and my family. I did not deserve anyone's pity or comfort. I am sure my expression came close to a grimace.
"Perhaps, Bella would like something to drink first, or a little something to eat? Brother." Marcus was communicating something different to Aro by the strange way he enunciated 'brother', who, in turn, appeared apologetic now.
"How about it, dear? What would you like?" Sulpicia's gaze was focused on me.
"I... a glass of water would be fine, really. But I am fine as it is, I don't want to you to be uncomfortable."
"Why do you think it would bother us?" Athenodora piped in.
"I know it does. It smells repulsive to you at the very least..."
"Ah, you do know an awful lot about us, don't you?" Aro's interest was piqued, his eyes sparkling.
"Well, yes, I do."came the shy answer.
"Now, disregarding our sense of smell, what do you like to eat? After all, you gave your breakfast away. Hm? What is your favourite?" Sulpicia waved the smell off with an elegant gesture of her hand.
"Fruits? I like them..."
"Heidi?" It looked like Sulpicia had now taken the lead. Not a second later the door opened to the study and the gorgeous female stood there, in all her breathtaking glory.
"Would you get Isabella some water and fruits? Gianna will be able to help, I am sure."
"Of course, My Lady" And the apparition vanished out the door.
I felt bad that one of them had to do all this stuff for me. I did not want to be served.
Only about a minute later, there was a knock on the door and after a short "Come in" by Marcus, Heidi stood close.A jug full of water, a glass, and a plate with a small assortment of fresh fruit was put on a table in front of me, that seemed to have appeared out of thin air.
"Thank you so much, I am sorry you had to bother because of me."
"Don't mention it, Isabella."
"That would be all, Heidi. Thank you, dear." Aha, Aro was back in the lead.
"Now, Isabella, please have something to eat, unhurriedly, then we shall talk."
Thank you all for reading! Reviews, as always, very welcome. ;-)
And yeah, still have no beta -Sorry for the mistakes.