IMPORTANT:
I have not one, but two betas!
Thank you so much, "Isarma" and "Servant of Time"! You spoil me rotten!
(6 indeed are better than 2 ;-) )
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Twilight Universe. Just playing around.
Review:"Now, Isabella, please have something to eat, unhurriedly, then we shall talk."
Bella pov
Slowly, uncertainly, I pour myself a glass of water and take a few small swigs. The way the cool fluid runs down my dry throat feels so good. Next, I pick up an apple and twirl it once over, before taking a bite out of it. It tastes delicious, so juicy. While I eat, I look around the room. I mean to do it inconspicuously, but as you can imagine, fail miserably. My swift sweep of the room stops on the ancient looking books, standing or lying inside an enclosed bookshelf with glass doors, which is placed behind an enormous, dark wooden table. Briefly I wonder, what might be written in them. Some of them seem to consist of many single yellowed parchment pages bound in a leather case. 'Wonder how old they are...who might have written those and in which language?...'
My train of thought is interrupted, when I hear a dark, smooth voice inquire:
"Isabella, what has you so fascinated?"
I flinch, startled by the sudden noise. I am fairly sure that they have been talking amongst themselves, in volumes I would never be able to hear, up until now.
Instantly, of course, the entire attention is once again focused on the only human in this room and I can feel my cheeks turn a light shade of pink; not a hot red. I have not turned really red in quite some time.
"Oh, um nothing..." Immediately, I cast my eyes down, the floor all of a sudden very interesting. 'Very smooth, Bella' I think sarcastically.
There was that chuckling again.
"Really? I thought you might have been looking at the bookshelf..." Great. Smug bastard.
I lift my eyes only to meat Marcus' sparkling ones,the corners of his mouth twitching up slightly.
'Oh hell, might as well be truthful.'
"Well, yes, you are right. I was looking at the books. I am sorry. It's just...they caught my interest..."
"And, if I may be so bold as to ask, what about them has captured your mind so?" He seemed honestly interested. "They are only old books."
"That is exactly what mesmerized me though..." I try to explain. "I have never seen something like them, and I was wondering by whom they had been written and when, what they content and in which language... I was guessing ancient Greek or something. I know they had parchment and wrote..really, I am just curious by nature. As I said,..."
"It is completely fine, I assure you, Isabella." Marcus cut my rambling short.
"Would you like some more fruit? Some more water?"
"Bella" I correct. I can't stand being called by my full name. They might as well use one I feel more comfortable with.
Eyebrows raised in question and curious gazes meet me in response. "I prefer being called Bella... and no, thank you, I have had enough."
"As you wish." Marcus' voice is soft.
They are all looking at me now expectantly, and I know it is "story time".
"Well, there isn't really much to tell... I was born on the 13th of September in 1987. My name, as you well know, is Isabella Marie Swan. I was born in Forks, Washington. My mother divorced my father when I was only a few months old. She moved us to Riverside, California, where I lived with her..."
I tell them the whole story, up to the point when I had moved to Forks to live with my father and the reasons behind my decision. It is not so hard, talking about all that, as I have told this information a few times before. When I come to the Forks part though, I can't, or rather won't continue. So I stop and keep looking into the fire, as I have done during my monologue.
Inevitably my mind drifts further off, with memories of meeting HIM and HIS family, my life with Charlie and all the other positive experiences I had made since I had condemned myself to come to that little rainy town. And now that seemed like the right analogy: condemnation. Not only my own but unknowingly, also sealing the fate of my parents.
The problem with that train of thought: The good hurt almost as bad as the ugly.
As a reflex reaction I felt my arms come around my middle, in yet another vain attempt to keep myself together. I shook my head in an effort to clear my mind. My eyes were tightly shut and with a deep breath I compelled my thoughts to return to the here and now, to reality.
"Are you well, Bella?" Sulpicia asks concernedly.
"Yes, yes I am fine now. Just some unpleasant memories." At this I chuckle humourlessly. "It is strange, don't you think? Memories I have once held dear to me, are now unpleasant and offending. The way things change...had someone told me not but 2 years ago, what would happen and that I would end up here, I think I would have called them insane. Yet here I am." I ponder, while shaking my head disbelievingly. My expression surely resembles a grimace.
I have no clue, why I have voiced my musings. But looking into a fire has always put me into a brooding mood. My gaze is locked on the flames and their eternal, devouring dance over the wood - no move ever the same as one before.
The colours are fascinating also, ranging from hot white over blue and violet to red and orange. A masterpiece of art. Though the most captivating part for me is to witness the little white flecks flicker over the back wall of the fire place, behind the fire itself, starting on one part and spreading out from there - like little white bugs running away from each other. To my dismay, they vanish just as quickly as they appear. The result of grime burning.
The silence prevails. Perhaps they are conversing again, or pondering their own thoughts.
It is not a perturbing silence but companionable, at least to me. During my last days in Forks, everyone has urged me to talk to them or at least someone. They just could not accept the fact that I did not want to talk about it. Or in some cases, they simply could not know - for their own good. And here, these people/vampires really need to know, yet do not push me. How strange.
My thoughts drift here and there, while I continue staring absentmindedly into the flames that are burning low by this point.
Sudden movement breaks me out of my reverie.
A soft "Oh" escapes my lips in surprise.
By the time I am able to focus, someone has piled another few logs into the dying blaze. Where has that wood come from? There is none to be seen anywhere in this room...
"My apologies, Isabella, I did not intend for you to be alarmed." Aro mumbles softly.
"No, you don't have to apologize...it was my fault, in fact, to get so stuck in my own little bubble like this. And you really don't have to call me 'Isabella'. 'Bella' works just fine..." I look to the floor when I see his eyes sparkle with amusement and curiosity. In the meantime, I try to stretch my muscles. I have no idea for how long I have been sitting here without moving.
To judge by the soreness: rather long.
"Please forgive me, it may appear old fashioned but for one, it is more courteous and secondly, I would very much prefer to call you by your full name as it becomes you very well: 'everlasting beauty'." Aro compliments me.
I turn pink again, of course.
"Are you well? You are so restless, all of a sudden, when you have been so silent all this time, only blinking. To be honest, you made me uneasy. I have never seen a human so still for such a long time." Athenodora states, looking as if she is admitting a sin.
"Yeah, I probably should have moved sooner. I am trying to get the stiffness out now..." Would I ever stop feeling mortified for being human? Not when in the company of immortals, I guess.
"Would you share the thoughts that had your mind so thoroughly distracted? You seemed quite engrossed in you musings." Aro, alwaysfishing for more details.
"Erm, just a few random questions running across my mind. Nothing important." I dodge.
"It does vex you tremendously that she renders you clueless, does it not, Brother?" Caius speaks in a mischievous tone.
"Yes, yes it does! Are you content now, Caius?" Aro barks back.
The silly smirk on Caius' face is answer enough.
The wheels in my mind work quickly, trying to figure out what he could possibly mean. I am not completely sure, so I voice my suspicion:
"Does he mean your gift does not work on me?"While speaking, I have turned to face Aro, who looksastonished.
"You know about the possibility of vampires being gifted?"
His stare is intense and I cannot look away. A nod is all I can muster in reply.
His ruby eyes shine with worry and urgency, when he rushes out his next words, not releasing me from his gaze:
"Did you ever tell anyone about our kind?"
I shake my head 'no' and retort somewhat sulky:
"I told you I keep my word. Why would I not tell you if I had broken the promise beforehand? Then it would be moot anyway."I think I have heard a collective sigh.
My curiosity is burning and boils over: "So you are gifted? What can you do?" The moment the words have left my mouth my hand covers my mouth and I look apologetically at him.
Aro smiles indulgently at me and nods. "Yes, I am gifted. My talent allows me to see every single memory or thought someone has ever had, by touch."
I contemplate this. Knowledge is power, and he holds more than enough power with his talent. But is it all good? I do not think so. He would never be able to touch someone, anyone to just shake hands or some simple action like that, without being bombarded with millions of thoughts and stuff. That can' t be pleasant. A human maybe, but a vampire, an old one - with all the things that might have happened in let's say , 500 years? How can he stand it? For a short second, I imagine what it would be like if he ever touched HIM. That would be torture for both of them, I guess.
"Oh, I am sorry. Can you switch it off?" I simply had to know.
He answers in the negative and adds: "Why do you ask?"
"Well, I just imagined what it would be like and I don't know whether I would like it. It must be disturbing to see everything. There surely are things you don't want to see. And then so much input in such a short time... A human is presumably not too bad, what with that whole extra space in your head... but an old one of your kind?" I shudder at the thought.
Aro claps his hands in delight, the sudden loud noise making me wince, and laughs right out while I have successfully drawn all attention. That fact has me looking down and my cheeks reddening, but I speak without thinking, when another thought hits me:
"And I think I would feel pretty embarrassed for witnessing all the personal situation, especially umm, intimate experiences..."
Snickering. 'great, glad I amuse you'
"No surprise there."Caius.I don't react. Surely I was not supposed to hear that.
Without realizing it, I move my hands over my stomach. In this instant I remember the miraculous healing of the gashes.
"Without being rude, but when I woke up... I mean, I remember my belly looking nothing like that when I saw it last time...how is it possible? Not that I mind, it is actually much better now, and it does not hurt, so thank you! I just don't understand how...?" I cut my rambling short and wait.
"How much do you know about our kind, Isabella? More accurately, about the little details? It will be easier to explain effectively, when we know which page you are on." Aro, ever the spokesperson.
I gather my thought as to not forget something, before I summarise:
"Well, you are changed by being bitten by others. It hurts like hell. You are kind of poisonous. You do not age. You have pale, ice-cold, very hard, stone-like skin that sparkles in the sun. Your eyes change colour - they are black when you are hungry or very emotional. You are incredibly fast, strong and silent. You see, hear and smell better than humans. You have more space to think and limitless amounts of memory, you practically never forget...
Furthermore all of you look breathtakingly beautiful, have melodic voices and you scent is sweet and soothing: they are all lures for silly humans, like me.
Then, some of your kind are gifted, like yourself. Some people theorise that those are strong human traits that carry on to your immortal life...for example a tracker: he or she probably has been able to find things/persons in his or her old life.
I think the possibilities are unlimited though. It could be anything..."
I end dreamily.
'Yes, limitless. I wonder what kinds of gifts are in existence on the earth. Fascinating.'
Silence follows my performance. I see incredulity on their faces. Aro, as expected, gathers his wits first and looks me dead in the eye before calmly continuing. "You know surprisingly much. There is not much to be explained from here. As you said: we are venomous. Once the venom enters the bloodstream, you change, if you are not drained and that is exactly what causes the excruciating pain."
"I know that..." I mumble deep in thoughts one again.
"How so? How could you possibly know how painful it is? You have no idea!" Caius is only inches from me again and I can not help but flinch at the anger in his voice.
"I am sorry, if I offended you but I do understand the pain." My voice is meek and I rub my wrist soothingly, remembering the pain myself. I now understand. He thought I made assumptions about the pain...
Not a second later something cold pins my left wrist to the place where it has been covering the scar James had given me.
"And how could you possibly know or understand? Human?" Caius eyes are slits as he sneers at me.
"I felt it , too." I only breath my words as my eyes fill with tears and my mind with images of that day in Phoenix.
"How so?" The derision is clear in his tone and cold stare.
In the periphery I see Aro and Sulpicia hold onto Marcus and talk to him urgently. Athenodora is looking disbelieving and outraged.
"He bit me." Caius drops my hands as if electrocuted and squats on his haunches, right in front of me. His eyes not once leaving mine but now they are black.
"Don't lie to me, child!" His hands rest on the armrests to my left and right. His knuckles protruding.
"Enough now, Caius!" Aro calls. Sooner than the words are out I am out of my chair and stood behind Marcus, who is now growling at the others. Unfortunately my equilibrium is nowhere near as fast as their movements, so I fall on my butt before it has even time to register.
"Ugh!"..."Ouch"
'Way to go, Bella. On the floor again. Perhaps you should just stay there.'
I close my eyes and decide to just wait and see what happens. While I sit I hear angry voices, but they are talking too fast for me to understand anything.
"Bella, are you hurt?" Marcus' words are the first ones I am able to distinguish though they are still spoken fast.
I negate by shaking my head. However I show no inclination to stand up again.
Instead I shove the right sleeve of the jumper I wear up to my elbow revealing the scar.
"How?" "Impossible!" … there are more gasps as I stay seated where I am my gaze still trained on the floor. My hand is in someone else's. Turned this way and that way.
Shortly after, I feel hands pulling me up on my feet and I sway, as I have been not even remotely prepared to stand. The hands stay on my arms, steadying me. I still have not looked up.
"Isabella, I think it best you sit down in your chair again. You seem tottery on your own feet, if you do not mind me saying so." How Aro did it was beyond me. Always in control of the situation, and calm at that.
I slowly make my way to the chair I have occupied for the last few... hours?
Marcus, like an old school gentleman, holds it out for me and finally I look up and try to give him a small smile in thanks - I think the corner of my mouth indeed turned up lightly in reaction to my effort. I squirmed on my chair a bit to make it comfortable. My backside hurt a little still.
"So, now that Caius has his temper back in check," I see Aro glance at Caius, who just huffs and pretends to not be interested or affected, but by the way he held his body, you could see he was uncomfortable, "Maybe you can explain to us, Isabella, how you came to have this scar and how you are not one of us? I must admit, even in all my years I have never heard of such an occurrence."
Here it gets difficult. 'How much do I tell them? I need more time.'
"Would you mind if I had some more to drink, first?"
"Of course not, Bella. Have as much as you like. You need not hurry. We have enough time." Marcus allowed.
"I bet you do." To put it bluntly: I was aggravated. Why take that much time for me? I mean, they can just... I don't know... do whatever they like with me, I am after all just human. Why do they care? You do not usually befriend your food, do you? It made no sense and had me more and more irritated.
"Yes, yes we do." Athenodora pipes in with humour clear in her voice and expression, smiling brightly at me and by doing so revealing her snow white teeth.
The water is warm now from standing close to the fire, nevertheless I drown the whole glass in a few gulps. I am thirsty.
"Okay. I will just give you a short version for obvious reasons. I met a vampire and pretty much figured out what he was myself after watching him for some time. I confronted him and we became friends. He took me out to spend time with his.. coven, and we happened to run into this tracker, James. He thought I smelled tasty and figured I would make a fun hunt. Especially while under the protection of this coven. He tricked me. I thought he had my mother. I absconded from the coven to meet him. He hurt me, the coven found us in time and destroyed the tracker. My friend did not want me to change. He sucked the venom out. End of story."In my opinion I did well. I might have had problems with the word 'friends' but apart from that I did fine.
"Well, I say, that is quite some experience you made, Isabella. And I'd wager the unexpurgated version would have been even more fascinating. You were very lucky that day, Isabella, to have survived." Aro's comment sure is dead on.
Months ago I would have agreed. Now I wish I had not been so 'lucky'.
We are sitting in silence again and the time wears on. My mind is all over the place anew and I feel my patience slipping and my temper raising in turn until I can not contain it any longer. I spring up form my seat and burst out:
"This whole situation is absurd! You do not befriend food, you eat it! I mean, you don't see me talking to my apple either, do you? I say we ignore my question from before and get this abominable act over with. The facts are clear: you are something like the police, jurisdiction and executioners all rolled in one. I am a lawbreaker. The punishment is death and I surely do not want you to go out of your way because of me. So can we just skip this, whatever 'this' is?"
The looks on their facesare priceless:
Aro: surprise and amusement
Sulpicia: bewilderment and concern
Athenodora: surprise and amusement, very much like Aro
Caius: disbelief
Marcus: despair? Why on earth would he look like that?
They must all be nuts!
"Yes, it would be silly of you to talk to an apple, Isabella, as it would not talk back." Athenodora giggling was an image out of this world. I know I am staring at her but I can not help it I have to laugh at the picture she painted in my head: Me sitting somewhere, an apple in hand and talking to it.
It feels strange, laughing that is; yet good at the same time.
"I guess that is right." I concede.
The others are chuckling now, too.
"But my bad analogy does not change the situation though." I argue my point.
"Ah, Isabella, but while you are here, you are no liability to our secret and as you stated before, you never told anyone about our existence, so strictly speaking, you have not broken the law either." Aro smiles smugly at me, while stating the facts in his calm voice.
Like a balloon with a leak, I feel myself deflate and I sink back into my chair, thunderstruck.
Hope you liked it!
Thanks again to my betas! I ow you big!