I was just floating back to the surface and could hear Peter's worried voice, "What's wrong with her Carlisle?" I was on a soft and I might add very comfortable bed, Carlisle was checking my pulse when he replied "She's fine Peter, she just fainted! I think it was just too much for her to handle! Not her shield, but what she'd done! She's young and was never meant to do this. How many eighteen-year-olds do you know, could take on the Volturi and win and while they're still human?"

Peter let out the breath he was holding and relaxed still holding me close, "I want one of these mattress's baby! It's so comfy" I mumbled to him. "My Isabella are you alright? You scared the life out of me angel and considerin' I'm already dead that's some feat!" I giggled a little hysterically and snuggled in closer to him "I killed her Peter! Knowing you can and doing it are way different aren't they?" I sobbed into his chest.

"Yes, angel, but the fact you feel remorse is what sets you apart from others who've killed for no reason! You did a hard thing and you did it without being cruel or vengeful! She went very quickly, probably never feeling a thing!" he placated me and I knew he was right, but it really didn't make me feel better. "Do you think I could have a moment guys? Oh, and could you ask Rose to join me?" I asked.

The both looked a little confused, but nodded and Peter kissed the top of my head, telling me he would be close by if I needed him. I quickly spent a penny and was washing my face when I heard the door open, "Hi Rose, I'll be right out" I called, she was sat on the bed when I returned and looked at me curiously. "I wondered! I wanted to know! Oh hells teeth, does it get better Rose? Getting revenge at the cost of someone else's life, will I ever feel normal again?" I quizzed her.

"Ah, yes and no! It's hard to equate the act, with the reason for it! But you did the right thing, she would never have relented on his behalf! Revenge is not always sweet, it left a bitter unfulfilled taste in my mouth! I thought that it would help to heal me, but it didn't! Emmett did" she told me seriously. "You did it to save us all, that's a noble thing, but it won't make you feel like you again, the old Bella is gone, the new one is strong and brave and can take action if she needs to!" she explained.

"But most of all, remember you don't have to always be invincible, when you feel weak let Peter take the strain, he's your mate it's his job and his privilege to help you and to take care of you, okay?" she said hugging me before standing up, "I'll send him in before he wears a hole in the stone corridor out there!" she alleged with a smile in her voice, "He loves you beyond reason, you know that?" I nod with tears in my eyes.

Peter rushed back in and gathered me to him, rocking me gently."I'm here angel! I've got you, you don't have to be brave for me!" he whispered and I just disintegrated into a snivelling, bubbling wreck. He murmured loving platitudes, as I rambled aimlessly trying to come to terms with what I'd done. We eventually both quietened and I nodded off to sleep.

I woke with a knock at the door and the scared receptionist from before had brought me some food. I just realised how hungry I was and dived right in clearing my plate in record time. There was a note on the tray and I pointed to it, "It's addressed to you angel!" he informed me, I nodded and lifted it up leaning back against his chest so we could both read it at the same time.

Dear Isabella,

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart if I had one. I am Sulpicia, I was Aro's wife but not his mate. I have been trapped here in Volterra for more than 1000 years. Aro never loved or wanted me, his paranoia made him kill his own human mate, he could not believe, she wanted nothing from him, but his love. She did give him something, though, twin girls, Chelsea and Corin. So he had her put to death as a witch, only then realising what he'd done to himself as well as her, but she was free and he trapped like Marcus in endless pain.

He married me to have someone to control and keep but found he could not be a husband to me, of which I'm grateful. But like all the other's he would not release me. I was lucky I guess, he in his infinite stupidity locked me up with my mate, Anthenodora.

Caius knows we are mates and it was the one thing he could give us, as he too was not free to leave. Chelsea has kept us all bound for so long and Corin, who I expect is now dead also, made us content in our imprisonment. The sheer cruelty of these acts is indefensible.

Many went mad, others took their lives over the years, all for the greed of one paranoid, insane man and his daughters. So again I thank you for my freedom.

yours with the deepest gratitude

Sulpicia

Wow, how sad, how cruel he was and those poor souls who gave up the fight, such a waste. I was beginning to see I had not only saved us but many more besides. I actually gained some comfort from this. "What now Peter? Who will rule and properly this time I hope? Marcus or Caius?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Not sure yet angel, that all needs hashed out, I'm not sure if Marcus wants to carry on!"

The next knock at the door was a summons to the throne room, our presence was requested. So hand in hand we walked back to the chamber to find out what had been decided. This really was a momentous thing, a change within of the ruling body after so long, some would not be happy, others yes, vampires don't really like change I've noticed. But no matter what else is decided, it was all being done with free will!

The Throne room was packed to capacity when we got there, every vampire that lived in Volterra was now in attendance, this was important to them all. Marcus stood and told the congregation that thanks to me they were now all free of Chelsea's influence, so the choice was simple to stay or leave.

"If you stay, it will be different from before, you would have much more freedom, not always expected to be on duty as before, downtime is going to be introduced, Volterra will be becoming a business enterprise" he announced, "You also do not need to live in the castle if you would prefer not to!"

"Everyone will now get to try out other positions, what used to be the lower level guard is no more, you can now move to the elite or main guards if you're good enough or take on what used to be upper guard jobs! Elite guards can also do other things, like in both the records or library archives or the treasure houses. Some can move into the new ambassadorial roles that will be initiated" Caius said, taking over from Marcus in the explanations.

"We will also be excepting temporary staff from the other covens, thus helping weaker covens by training their fighters for them. Encouragement of business Ideas will now be put in place, from inside and outside of Volterra! There is going to be a total restructuring of our archaic way of life!" this was Sulpicia's part in the proceedings,

"But by far the biggest change is to be the cessation of the death tours, as we the Volturi have in the past called the feeding from tourists. It is beginning to draw attention to us from outside in this digital age. So everyone will now hunt for themselves, still out with Volterra city limits. We suggest that you adopt the nomads of America's approach and prey on the less than savoury elements of society out there and there are many!" Marcus once again took up the mantle of the speech.

"All of you who wish to leave will be funded in setting yourselves up in business on your return home and some will be asked to be ambassadors and funded accordingly! The overall rule will be done by Caius and Marcus, but the latter in a more advisory role and Sulpicia and I have been asked to join them making us a counsel!" this was told to the crowd by Anthenodora.

"Lastly for now, all in-house decisions will be put to the vote from now on and worldwide laws and statutes will be hashed out with the help of the Elder vampires of the world and us the Volturi ruling body, but we will take all and any, information and advice into account, there will be no more one person decisions or laws passed by the Volturi from this day onward!" Caius' closing statement was met with rapturous applause and cheering.

Spending a penny (Brit slang) :- Polite Phrase meaning - To Urinate

Stems back to when public toilets cost 1d (penny) (pre-decimal) to use.