I hesitated for a fraction of a second right then, my swift stride faltering, before gaining a random bout of confidence and throwing the doors open, head held high.
I was met with a sea of bright red eyes, their glares piercing through me. I gulped, and allowed Dragon to take the lead. His power is to sense danger, he'll know if something is going to happen, I told myself. But still, the angry forms of the hundreds of menacing vampires that surround me are terrifying.
I put on my most authentic smile though, and tried to remain calm. At the end of the long pathway is four gold thrones. Yes, four. Another was added, and they were rearranged; two in the front for Alec and I and two farther back for Jane and Dustin. And I know it seems a bit soon for Dustin to be having a throne, but him and Jane are very serious now and she insisted.
Jane and Dustin are sitting in their thrones, bright smiles on their faces, and Alec sits in Aro's old throne, looking at me as if I'm some sort of goddess.
My entrance into royalty isn't to be huge and extravagent; all these people only came because most have never seen me before. Really, all that is going to happen is a small diamond studded tiara will be placed on my head (Jane's idea though the wives never had tiaras before) and I have to give a short speech, and then there will be a festive ball.
I took the final step to where my dark king sits. He smiled his oh so charming smile and I returned it with a timid smile of my own.
He began speaking, but I didn't listen. My mind was mulling over what I was to say soon. How would they react?
"Destiny, our Queen!" I heard Alec say, picking up on him mid-sentence. In his hands is my tiara, and he slowly lowers it to my head as I shut my eyes. Which is why I didn't see it when an enraged vampire hurled himself at me. Dragon shoved me to the side as a ferocious snarl broke the silence of the precarious gathering. A simultaneous gasp came from everyone, and I looked up from my sprawled position on the cobble-stone floor to see Dragon shove a thin male to the ground.
"Get rid of him, Dragon." Alec said authoritatively, and Dragon drug the male outside.
"Henry!" A young red-headed lady wailed. Alec's new guard, Devlin, held her back as she made feeble attempts after the estranged vampire Dragon had just taken away.
Alec helped me up, and then continued the ceremony, raising his voice over the muffled sobs. The small crown was placed on my head, and Alec and I turned around, hand in hand, to face the others.
Now was time for my speech. I cleared my throat uncomfortably and began.
"I am not here to run your lives, to take over and change the vampire world entirely. I mean only good as does Alec. We love you all, and we hope to make improvements over the way we live. Aro, Marcus, and Caius were dear to us and we hope to rule just as good or maybe even better as they did in their time. I know I am young, and not exactly queen-material considering my somewhat violent past, but I can prove myself if you just give me a chance." I looked sincerely into each of their bright red eyes.
There was no applause, no cheers of joy. Just awkward silence.
The Cullens come to my rescue once again, and begin a slow clapping that the whole room soon picked up on. Emmett threw in a wolf whistle which I would have blushed profusely from if I was human.
After that, there was an elegant banquet in the ballroom. I wasn't allowed to dance with anyone, and neither was Alec. We just had to sit on two large thrones up front on a stage-like area and watch the other pale figures twirl about in the twinkling candle light with smiles plastered on our faces.
"King Alec, Queen Destiny," A jubliant man said, coming up and bowing before us and so many had already done. "My name is Theodore, but call me Theo. I would like to discuss a matter with you." He smiled deviously. I saw Dragon and Devlin throw each other wary glances. This man was odd.
"Of course," Alec said politely.
"Immortal children," The man grinned widely. Everyone in the room paused and gasped. Some growled.
"Immortal children are forbidden. No exceptions." Alec said, his eyes narrowing. But Theo wasn't paying any attention to him. He turned to me, his face soft.
"I don't suppose you've ever even seen an immortal child, Queen?" He asked. I gulped, unsure of where he was going, and shook my head slightly.
"Ah, that is just sad. They are beautiful, absolutely adorable. Clever, too. And I understand they were banned, but I have reason to believe that they should be brought back."
"Immortal children are devils!" Someone shouted.
"Monsters!" Another put in. Theo turned slightly to face them with a sly smile.
"Aren't we all?" He said evasively, then turned back to me.
"My mate, Elisha, was murdered senselessly for having one of these "monsters." She never got a chance to tell Aro of her discoveries, he didn't even touch her, just took one look at the dark-haired child in her arms and snapped his fingers. I was spared from the fire because I had no idea the child, Lucas as she had called him when she begged for forgivness, even existed. But recently, when I was reminiscing old memories I had shared with my dead love, I came across some old diaries. Journals, actually. They told of her discoveries with Lucas. She had tamed him, for lack of better words. He was in more control than many of us in this very room! Yet he was killed. And my inquisitive Elisha lost her life also. Unfair? I think so! Take a look," He said, reaching into a small bag slung across his shoulder. Devlin and Dragon moved forward to grab him, but I held my hand up to stop them.
Theo's wintry hands pulled out leather-bound withered journals and handed them to me. I opened them up cautiously. Inside was small, cramped notes written in elegant calligraphy.
Lucas learns fast. He mimics me. I started him out on animal blood and began giving him human every now and then. He is in so much control.
Alec peered over my shoulder, reading some also. He then snatched the books out of my hands, and shoved them in Dragon's hand, telling him to destroy them.
"No!" I nearly shouted. They paused and looked over at me.
"Keep them. I think Theo may be on to something," I glanced at the now beaming young man.
"Bless you, my Queen," He said, getting down on his knees and kissing my hand. I felt as if I had done a great deed, until I looked up and saw the vicious glares had returned to nearly every face in the room. I wanted to please everyone, or at least the majority, but Theo's words have ignited a passion in me. I feel as if I am missing out on an experience that seems to have touched the every other person in this room. Well, the ones that were there for it. I want to meet an immortal child. I want to be a mother.
Being Queen is not going to be easy.