Closure
The Volturi's chambers were exactly as ominous as I had last seen it about eight years ago. Last time, I had come unannounced to rescue Edward from the Volturi's wrath. The Volturi had been exceedingly generous as to spare both Edward and me in the end. Perhaps they should have executed Edward, after all; then, I wouldn't have had a reason to come back.
I clasped Jacob's warm hand. We followed Carlisle to the elevator where the Volturi's human slave and secretary fetched us.
"You look gorgeous, Miss Swan," she said.
"It's Mrs. Black," I said, smiling, "thank you."
"Your daughter has been quite anxious to meet you," she said. "She has made excellent progress in the seven years she stayed here. It was scary at first, but she has been trained to not harm me or the other assistants. She is also extremely intelligent. Once she has learned to control herself, she became a charming conversationalist. I for one enjoy chatting with her about the books she'd read. Did I tell you she has learned almost all Italian dialects as well as Latin? …"
I was overwhelmed with joy and pride. Jacob held me so I wouldn't fall.
Finally, the slave let us into the throne room, where a beautiful teenage girl with auburn curls was sitting on the steps below the throne.
I was so thrilled to see her I felt like my body would tear apart and come together, over and over. Carlisle announced us, and Aro graciously accepted us into their midst. He summoned the auburn-haired girl and pointed at me. "There is your mother, my sweet," he said. "Do you remember?"
"I remember, she smelled like freesia," she said. "M-Momma?"
Aro allowed both me and my daughter to approach one another. "Steady, my dear," commanded Aro gently.
We hugged each other. To my surprise, Renesmée felt nothing like a vampire. In fact, she felt very warm, quite like Jacob or Leah. Her cheek was soft like mine. She was very tall like her father.
"I love you, Renesmée," I told her.
"I'd wanted so much to meet you, Momma," she said with a vague Italian American inflection. Then, she drew away from me. "But I do not belong with you."
I had braced myself for this. It didn't hurt anymore. "I know. I am proud that you know better."
She glanced at Jacob. They smiled at each other. He gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Heidi the hunter led all of us to a smaller chamber behind the thrones. We talked for hours. It was the best five hours of my life. While it saddened me that Renesmée would never come out into the daylight except to gather humans to later feast on with the rest of the Volturi, I was happy that she had been taken good care of, as I had hoped. Renesmée was just as glad to learn that, after my art course in Florida, I had become a researcher for reviving the Quillayute dialect among the children in La Push. Jacob had established his own auto repair shop. Renesmée no longer remembered the rest of the Quileute pack, but she was also happy that almost all of them had settled down; Leah had left La Push to attend a community college in Shoreline.
By the time we had to go, I was ready to leave. I had seen my daughter. I was not to live forever, but she will. I was confident that she can make the best of it.