Disclaimer:
I do not own any part of the 'Twilight Universe', only the idea to this story. This is strictly for fun.
Author's note:
I would like to send a big hug and 'thank you' to everyone, who reviewed/ added my story. I feel honoured by your reactions.
A huge "thank you" also goes to my Betas! They help me heaps!
Recap:
While waiting for Bella to grace me with her company, I decided to follow her example, and began to bring my journals up to date.
Heidi POV:
"How does she do it?" Jane asked crossly. "I mean, she's just a human and she has the whole castle topsy- turvy. Aro even went as far as to have one of us guarding the balcony leading to the chambers. Why make such a fuss over a human? And she smells better than good, half the guard is lusting for her blood. Just one more reason to off her..."
"Jane, that's enough! You've heard why we do it; she is Master Marcus' mate! No one's going to 'off her' as you put it. Just suck it up and do your job," Demetri intervened before the youngest of us could continue with her rant.
"Sister, I think Demetri is right. Just look at it objectively: Have you ever heard Master Marcus talk so much, so animatedly? Have you ever witnessed any emotion from him? But in this short time that the human girl has been here, he's expressed so much! Fondness, anger, frustration and especially protectiveness; and Master Aro backs up his actions. Did you hear him last night? He fought Master Caius for the girl's safety. He must appreciate her greatly as well. We should trust his judgment and follow his lead. Furthermore, if the girl really is Master Marcus' mate, would you deny him his happiness? We can't even fathom what it's like to be alone for so long."
Alec's calm words soothed his sister's temper even further. I always liked him better. He kept a level head in most situations, apart from those rare occasions when someone was stupid enough to attack his sister. Jane, however, had quite a temper and in combination with her torturous gift, a conversation with her was like dancing in a minefield. Save for the Masters, their wives and Alec, everyone of us had been on the receiving end of her anger. Not something you would willingly repeat.
I was only listening half-heartedly. In the end, no one of us would dare to hurt the girl anyway, no matter how prominent the disdain towards her was. I myself was fascinated by her. She confounded us all. She showed no reaction to my lure; sure, she had looked surprised and awed when her eyes had first fallen on me, but they had not glazed over like they would have had she fallen under my spell. Demetri could not get the gist of her either. What impressed me even more was the fact that Master Aro could not read her. She was somehow special.
The woman had awakened Master Marcus and for that alone we owed her, at least in my opinion. The way he defended her in the throne room and the gentle way he handled her fragile body spoke volumes of the hopes he had, and of his need for a mate. His voice was so soft when he spoke to her, or even just about her. It was a little unnerving to see him so... so alive.
Her scent surely was mouthwatering. No wonder that she had drawn the attention of both Demetri and myself. When Master Marcus first got to her it was hard for more then just me to back down and let him have her.
The show she had unknowingly given in the throne room, I would never forget. It had easily surpassed the greatest tragedies. A mere human, the girl had managed to move my cold heart. It had been the first time I had thought of one of my masters as cruel; and ironically, it was when Master Marcus had spared her life.
Come to think about it, she had been just as cruel; for who could ask his mate for death? I kind of pitied master Marcus. This bond would certainly not fall into place like it would between vampires. The situation was a first, I'd wager.
"Heidi, what do you think about this? You've been awfully quiet. That's not like you," Alec tried to involve me in their conversation, probably to be polite.
"I don't really know. I've been mulling over what happened too. You're certainly right about one thing, Jane: her scent is tantalizing. As for the rest, however, I'll have to agree with Demetri and Alec. She must be important to the Masters, and even our Ladies seem to be concerned about her. A proof of that is the painting of this woman we have just seen.
"They're all getting invested in the girl's welfare. You heard Master Aro: he's delighted to share a bond with 'Isabella'. I will do whatever I can to contribute to our coven's happiness. If it means guarding her balcony, then I guess I'll do that."
I finished my rant and looked around. The others were silently contemplating my words, and I added in a hushed voice: "I think I might like her. I wouldn't mind spending some time with her." Alec and Jane lifted a questioning eyebrow, but Demetri smiled knowingly.
A yawn, followed by a whimper of pain, coming from Master Marcus' quarters caught our attention, effectively ending our conversation. We all listened intently.
"Bella..." Our master's voice was soft, yet hesitant. "Are you in pain? Shall I get you something?" he added in a more urgent tone.
"Hmm? What?" Isabella's voice was rough from sleep and I was not completely convinced she was completely conscious yet. Demetri snickered.
"Oh! Uh, good morning, Marcus. I didn't think you would... I mean I expected you to..." Her heart rate picked up and she was obviously uncomfortable. Now it was Alec and Jane's turn to snicker.
"I'd like to see what the two of you would do, if you were still human and woke up to see a pair of crimson eyes looking at you. I don't think you'd find that very funny," Demetri scolded, in a whisper only meant for our ears. That sobered the twins a little.
"Good morning. Everything is quite in order, Bella. I told you I would stay, so that is what I did. You seemed to be in pain before. Would you like to take your medication?" Marcus' voice was soothing and I found it kind of cute. The great warlord of ancient times talking in such a manner to a human. Who would have thought?
"Oh. Yes, please? I took the antibiotics last night when I was in the bathroom, but forgot about the pain medication. I should have remembered. And thank you... for staying and all."
Well, no one could blame her for forgetting. Master Caius was well known for his irascible temper and to witness one of his outbursts was frightening, even for us. I was astounded that she had actually managed to fall asleep after that.
"Don't mention it, Bella. Is the pain bad? Would you like to see a doctor?" He was so worried about her being in pain; a typical reaction when your mate was wounded. I just hoped she would return his feelings soon. It became clear that his instincts to protect his mate had kicked in already. How would it play out? What exactly did Master Aro mean when he told his brother they were headed in the right direction?
Jane opened her mouth as if to say something, but Alec just shushed her and made clear we wanted to listen.
"No, no, that's okay," she said quickly. "I'm sure I'll be fine with just the meds."
"As you say. I will get them for you. Perhaps you should stay in bed a little longer, until they take effect?" We heard the sheets rustling and another wince. "Hmm, perhaps you're right. Sorry."
"What exactly are you apologizing for, Bella? For pain that someone else had caused you? Please explain. I don't understand." Marcus sounded frustrated. Neither do I, I thought.
"Well, for being such a bother. I'm wasting your time and – " At this, the Master interrupted her, so she couldn't say any more.
"Stop right there. Bella, look at me." Now he sounded demanding, his voice ringing with authority.
"Listen to me carefully, Bella. I offered my help. I would not have done so, had I not been willing to provide it. You are human. I understand you need to eat and drink periodically, you need to sleep and keep warm, and when you get sick, you need the help and care of others. That is perfectly natural and nothing to be ashamed of. Yes, I am a vampire and have no such requirements; but I was human once and needed exactly the same things. You may be grateful for the help you receive, but never be ashamed. Do you understand that, Isabella?"
How I wished I could be a fly on the wall; it would be much more informative to actually see their reactions. Obviously she must have given some kind of an answer, as Marcus continued in a softer tone: "Now, let me get you your medication." We heard Marcus' light, unhurried footsteps as he retrieved her pills and came back. We could hear her drinking water and then a soft "Thank you, Marcus."
"As I said, you are welcome. And it is absolutely no bother," His reminder made me smile. Isabella sure was a shy girl. She needed constant reassurance, her self-esteem being obviously non-existent.
"May I take a seat? I would like to know what you would prefer to do today. The weather is supposed to be capricious, so I am afraid the promised tour of the city will have to wait." Here it was again, him carrying an actual conversation, showing interest. I'd never known he could be so charming and engaging.
"Oh, yes sure, sit down," she stuttered out. "I would rather stay indoors today?" There it was again, the insecurity. It made her voice waver, so that the simple statement sounded more like a question.
"Of course. Anything in particular that you would like to see in the castle?"
"Er, Marcus, when I said indoors, I meant more like in this room and the study, perhaps? You don't have to stay if you don't want to." Her voice was even smaller and softer now, as if she was afraid she might say something wrong.
"As you wish,"Marcus agreed easily. "I don't mean to sound nosy, but what were you planning to do here all day?"
Sure, asking like that, not nosy at all... I rolled my eyes and caught Demetri doing the same. Alec and Jane looked impassive.
"To be honest, I thought I might write some more in my diary. Quite a lot happened since I last wrote in it. And I thought I could read for a bit when I was done with that..." she trailed off.
Ah, yes, her diaries; Marcus and Aro made a point to forbid everyone from reading them. It led to quite a heated exchange during her first night here. Caius was all for reading them, while Aro and Marcus wanted to protect her privacy. I admit I wouldn't have minded reading them myself. Trivial happenings in the life of a little human teenager, I had scoffed then mentally. That was before we'd all heard about her past. Now I was glad Master Aro wouldn't let us read them. It was not our place to read about her private thoughts. I felt kind of ashamed for my previous attitude: I'd mocked something I didn't know a thing about, following a prejudice.
"Ah, yes, that makes perfect sense. I would suggest you take some rest though, perhaps until the pain medication starts working? Would it be agreeable to you if I sent Heidi in, to serve you breakfast and help you find some appropriate attire for today?" I perked up my ears at the mention of my name. Would she mind me helping her?
"No, of course, that's very kind, you don't have to..." Bella's answer came quickly. Too quickly to be taken seriously?
"Bella, I know I don't have to," Marcus was getting exasperated. "As I said, I would not offer anything I wasn't willing to do. I merely meant to inquire whether Heidi's presence would make you uncomfortable. If so, I could ask Jane or someone else to bring your breakfast."
Demetri chuckled silently, while Jane stared horrified at her brother, obviously not very happy about the drift of the events. It was obvious Marcus had heard her rant earlier and wouldn't accept any disrespect toward "his" human. That put Jane in a tight spot and judging by her expression, she was aware of that too. She had some major sucking up to do. It was rare for Jane to get reprimanded. She was Aro's favourite.
"Oh, I have no problem with Heidi being here," Bella assured him. "I think I like her, even if we didn't start off too well." Did she really mean that? There was only one way to find out and I would jump at the chance to see her myself and get to evaluate her expression and gestures. Any tiny reaction she had to the words spoken between us.
"Very well, Bella. I will be in the study. You can join me whenever you like." I was standing, ready to react to a summon, when Bella spoke again: "Marcus, are you meeting up with your family again? It's just that I wouldn't want to keep you from them." I would have believed her were it not for her tell-tale heart. She was nervous, perhaps even fearful. Well, who would resent her for not wanting to be exposed to Caius' moods again? She deserved a nice, relaxing day, and I was just the person to ensure that.
"No, Bella, I have planned no such meeting. We usually convene in the throne room to discuss matters, not in my study. You are welcome to join me whenever you like. Make yourself at home, please."
A door opened and closed, and then I heard my summon: "Heidi, come here, please." I was out and before the door to Marcus' and Isabella's chambers before the last word had faded away.
"Milord, forgive me, I know why you called. I feel honoured that you place your trust in me. I will get her her breakfast right away. She can have it in bed. And I'm sure we can find something appropriate for her to wear today." I knew I probably sounded too perky, but I didn't want to waste any more time. I was excited to be the first one of the guard to get the chance to befriend Isabella.
A small smile suddenly appeared on Marcus's lips in reaction to my eagerness, and for a moment I stood with my mouth open in surprise.
"Very well, Heidi. You will be responsible for her safety whenever you are in one room with her alone. Is that clear too?" His voice was now deadly serious and the warning was not lost on me. "I "I understand, Master."
"That is not quite all, though. There is another matter. I want you, and perhaps Felix or Demetri, to think of things Isabella might find useful when she is staying in these rooms; things that would make her life here easier. I think she would feel better if she were more independent." While speaking, he had settled himself behind his desk and started leafing through various papers, organizing his agenda for today. It would take him some time to catch up. As far as I knew, he hadn't written anything in a looong time.
Obviously our conversation was over.
Just as I was about to close the door softly, he spoke again: "Heidi, please get me a new quill and ink." At this, I could barely suppress a chuckle. Who would have guessed ink was not meant to be left standing for a few centuries?
"Of course, Master." With that, I set off for the kitchen.
The smell of food was disgusting as always, and my nose scrunched up involuntarily.
"How's it going, Heidi? Still eager to enjoy the human's company?" Jane was lovely as usual; but living here, you soon learned to not let her bitchy comments get to you. I just shrugged and went about my business.
To get the ink and quill, I had to drop by Aro's quarters. Just as I was about to knock, the door opened and Caius stormed out, his scowl even more prominent than usual."Heidi, when you have completed your task, I want you to come by and see me." He vanished through the door leading to his and Athenodora's suite before I could answer.
"Ah, Heidi, here are the items my brother requested." Master Aro was always informed about everything. He brushed my hand and had to smile. "Yes, ink has definitely not been gifted with eternal life... Have a good day, Heidi. Treat Isabella with great care. And please refrain from asking questions about her past. I would hate it if you happened to trigger another flashback for her. Go now. She must be hungry," Aro said, calm and collected.
"Yes, Master. Thank you for the reminder." To be honest, I had actually hoped to wheedle some information out of her. No doubt some of my questions would have had the potential to trigger a rush of memories. Talking to her would require careful thinking; but I was rather confident we would find some safe topics to talk about. It was just like Aro to warn me of the foolishness of my intentions so nonchalantly. His gift could surely come in useful sometimes.
Before I went to Isabella, I stopped for a second in Marcus's study and handed him his things. When I finally made it to Isabella's door, I took one deep, unneeded breath, and knocked lightly.
"Uhm, come in?" She sounded... embarrassed? Strange.
"Hello, Bella. I think it might be a bit late to wish you a good morning, but I've brought you some breakfast. Would you like to eat in bed?"
She was still lying down. Was she in pain? I recalled Marcus talking to her, telling her to stay in bed until the pain went away. I walked over to her at a deliberately slow pace. I didn't want to frighten her.
"Hello, Heidi. Thank you for bringing me breakfast. Can I really have it in bed?" Isabella tried to sit up and winced; though to judge by her expression, she had not intended for me to see her pain. I was next to her in a flash, foregoing human speed. I put the tray with her breakfast in the foot of the bed and came up beside her. "Why don't you let me help you sit up? It's no problem, really." She nodded unwillingly.
Ever so careful, I put my hand on her back and gently pushed her into an upright position. I used my other hand to put pillows behind her and propped her up against them. It was unusual for me to handle a human like that; they were so fragile and delicate, and I had no idea how much pressure was acceptable. "Okay like that?"
"Yeah, thanks." She gave a relaxed sigh and sank back into the pillows. I placed the tray on her legs. She gave me a grateful smile.
"Okay, while you eat, I'll have a look at what you can wear today. And I will draw you a warm bath. I think I heard a woman say once that it soothes pain..."
"Heidi, you really don't..." I didn't let her finish. "I know I don't have to, but I want to. I haven't interacted with humans like this in... well, ever since I became a vampire, so just let me do it. After all, you'd hardly be able to force anyone of us do something we didn't want to." She blushed a little and began to eat.
The things Athenodora and Sulpicia had gotten for her included a bit of everything: pants, skirts, dresses, shirts and whatnot. But I had something more comfortable in mind. I moved at human speed and after a few minutes, I found a black yoga set. Black seemed to be the overall theme, actually. A statement for us and any possible visitors: she was off limits.
I thought of other colours that might look good on her. Isabella seemed to prefer simple clothing and from what I had seen, mostly unicolored. Crimson, beige, dark green, royal blue...
I put the outfit for Isabella on the bathroom counter and looked around. The design of the room really left a lot to be desired. It was awful, outdated, and included none of the luxuries modern devices offered these days. Shaking my head, I ignited the fire below the water reservoir to heat it, and went on to arrange everything I needed for a bath. Fifteen minutes later I was ready to start the water. I set the faucet at a temperature comfortable for humans, and put some bubble bath I had found into the water. Thinking about it, I decided to add some more, based on the motto: A lot helps a lot. I might try that, too, a bubble bath. The thought was delightful.
When everything was set, I returned to the bedroom to find Isabella had already finished eating. "Ah, good, you're done already. I found something for you to wear and I've drawn you a bath. Just let me help you up and over to the bathroom."
"Thank you, Heidi."
"That's okay. I like spending time with you. Just tell me how you like the bubbles. I was thinking about borrowing that stuff to try it myself. And, believe it or not, you are better company then some others around here."
Bella gave me a strange look. "Sure, I'll let you know," she said. "Have you never had a bubble bath before?" she asked in a puzzled voice, but then seemed to get alarmed at her own boldness. "Sorry, that's none of my business," she whispered. "Forget I asked."
She got off the bed and stood up slowly, testing her strength and the level of pain. I moved over to help her, but Bella refused. "It's all right, Heidi, I can walk. The pain is much better now. I guess Marcus was right. It was good to wait a bit."
Bella made her way for the bathroom. I walked close by, just in case. When she opened the door, she squealed and jumped back as a foamy white mass wafted over her bare toes and spilled over into the bedroom.
"Oh shit. I must have overdone it with the bubbles," I cursed and ran at my normal speed to turn the water off. The disaster wasn't that bad. I was frantically trying to do some damage control and wondering how to get rid of the foam when I heard a beautiful sound. Isabella was standing inside the room now, bubbles surrounding her feet, and she was laughing. Her laughter was as clear as a silver bell and very warm. Tears were sliding down her cheeks as she bent down to scoop a bit of foam into her hands, and then she blew it into the room. In that moment she was radiant, even for a mortal. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes shone with amusement and life. She looked her age for the first time.
Behind her in the open door stood Marcus, as well as Aro and his wife. At first, Marcus looked angry, but when Bella started laughing, an overjoyed smile appeared on his face instantly. Aro and Sulpicia wore similar expressions, memorizing the scene.
"I assume you will clean up this mess, Heidi?" Aro asked, too low for human ears, and took a step back to avoid contact with the foam. I nodded infinitesimally. Bella did not notice their presence, but she slowly calmed down. The Masters had left by then.
"I'll give you a hand in cleaning, Heidi. Thanks for the bath," she giggled.
"Nah, that's fine. You just take your bath. I'll clean up this mess later. I think it will be easier to do once all the bubbles are gone anyway. I found you a yoga pantsuit. It's on the table. Call if you need anything."
"Are you sure? I mean..." Could this woman not accept a kindness? She thought way too much. Perhaps she just needed to let loose a little...? I would keep that in mind for later.
"Yes, just take your time. Shampoo and such are on the end table next to the tub, and there are towels too. Your brush, lotions and stuff is on the vanity in the bedroom. Oh, and your bathrobe is on a hook on the door. I'll see you later." I had to shake my head again. This bathroom was abominable. We might be able to donate it to a museum. That was one thing I would never question: the evolution of bathroom furnishing. I was immensely happy that the times of a wash basin in your room and a weekly bath night in a big tub in the kitchen were a thing of the past. The thought alone made me shudder.
I decided to make Bella's bed. One thing less she could argue about. It took humans so much time to do things. And I could use the time saved to chat with her. I made quick work of the bed and proceeded to Marcus's study. When I came in, Marcus looked up and raised an eyebrow in question.
"Master, I am going to get a mop and other things to clean up," I told him. "Isabella is in the bathroom. Actually, Master, the bathroom sorely needs improvement. It's ancient, no pun intended, and has none of the modern conveniences."
"But it has running water, has it not? It has not been that long since Aro had the bathing facilities renovated for that exact reason. He was fascinated by that invention and I was all but forced to leave my chambers for three days to give the workers space..." He looked aggravated at the memory; he had taken this expulsion from his sanctuary very hard. He had been irritated for more than a year afterwards. That story had had us roaring with laughter for weeks and still did whenever someone brought it up again.
"Master, that was almost a hundred years ago. Now you can even have hot water running in the pipes, and you can set the temperature any way you like, not to mention other great inventions..."
I couldn't quite manage to keep the irony from my tone. It was just too priceless. And to make it better, Marcus looked truly astonished at my revelation. I suppressed a smile, not without effort, and bowed out of the room, leaving him to his thoughts.
All the trouble was for nothing when I saw Felix, who was also desperately trying to keep a straight face. Together we broke down into a fit of silent laughter, hoping Marcus would not hear us and feel offended.
"Well , it's good to see you in such high spirits, Heidi. You as well, Felix." Aro's words sobered us up instantly.
"You are both still rather young. To us, time moves even faster then it does for you. That is one reason for his inaccuracy. To make things worse, he has not been paying attention to the events around him for a very long time. Keep that in mind, before you have a laugh at his expense. You will not make fun of this situation, nor will you let anyone else know."
"Of course, Master." Felix and I answered in unison. With that, Aro was gone, too fast even for us to truly register. "I hate when he does that," Felix grumbled. "He makes me feel like a child sometimes."
I nodded in agreement "Yes, their speed and strength is unnerving, We are the same species and yet they are so different. As if they were somehow superior."
"None of us would really stand a chance in a fight against them," Felix agreed.
There was nothing to add, so I darted to retrieve everything I needed and was back in the bedroom in no time. I waited for Isabella to finish her bath and thought about the things we could do. I could help with her hair, and perhaps she would let me apply some make up. She wouldn't need much: A bit of mascara, some peachy rosé eye- shadow. She had no need for rouge, that was obvious...
End Note:
Thank you for reading! I hope you liked this chapter. Let me know what you think, please?
The next chapter will be up as soon as possible.