The Drums of War

"Help, somebody help!" Jasper yelled as he ran through the house.

"Jasper, easy, calm down; what's wrong?" Rosalie asked.

"Edward's been captured by the werewolves," said Jasper.

"WHAT?!" said the Cullens, in unison.

Jasper quickly explained what had happened.

"We've got to save him," said Emmet.

"He'd do the same for any of us!" said Alice.

"They're right, we've got to do something," said Esme.

"And so we shall!" said Aro, startling them.

He was surrounded by the other vampires he'd brought. Aro had been listening and decided this would be the perfect chance to strike.

"I told you those mutts couldn't be trusted. Edward tried to befriend and now look what they've done to him," said Aro. "Now, I say it's time we save our comrade. At daybreak, we attack!"

Several of the other vampires cheered in agreement and began preparing for the battle.

Aro
What can you expect
From filthy little heathens?
Here's what you get when the races

Are diverse
Their skin's a hellish red
They're only good when dead
They're vermin, as I said
And worse

Volturi Vampires
They're savages! Savages!

Aro
Barely even human!

Volturi Vampires
Savages! Savages!

Aro
Drive them from our shore!
They're not like you and me
Which means they must be evil
We must sound the drums of war!

Aro and Volturi Vampires
They're savages! Savages!
Dirty werewolf devils!
Now we sound the drums of war!

Back in the woods, Bella's werewolf pack was also planning an attack as revenge for Sam's death Edward would be executed as the murderer and then they would declare war on the rest of the vampires in Forks. Worse of all, Charlie was more than happy to allow an private execution for what happened.

Charlie
This is what we feared
The Cole Ones are demons
The only thing they feel at all is greed

Billy Black
Beneath that milky hide
There's emptiness inside

Quil and Embry
I wonder if they even bleed

Werewolves
They're savages! Savages!
Barely even human
Savages! Savages!

Charlie
Killers at the core

Billy Black
They're different from us
Which means they can't be trusted

Charlie
We must sound the drums of war

Werewolves
They're savages! Savages!
First we deal with this one
Then we sound the drums of war

Volturi Vampires
Savages! Savages!

Marcus
Let's go kill a few, men!

Werwolves
Savages! Savages!

Aro
Now it's up to you, men!

All
Savages! Savages!
Barely even human!
Now we sound the drums of war!

Bella ran inside the Cullens' house. Within moments, Bella was crying in Esme's arms as she told her of Edward's fate.

"We know, dear, we know," said Esme. "Jasper told us Edward's been captured. Aro and the rest of them are already heading out to destroy the pack. They wouldn't listen to us when we told them it was just a misunderstanding. We'll find a way to get him out and stop this, I promise."

Bella looked crestfallen and cried again.

Bella
Is there nothing I can do?
Will this really be the end?
Is it only death that waits
Just around the river bend?

"He hasn't just been captured. They're going to kill Edward at sunrise, Esme," said Jacob.

"No," said Rosalie, gasping.

"We've got to stop them," said Emmet. "Maybe we can still talk to Charlie."

"It won't do any good. Do you think we haven't tried?" said Bella. "They won't listen to us."

"This is all my fault," said Jasper, looking distressed.

"No, Jasper, it isn't your fault. If anyone's, it's mine," said Bella.

"Who cares who's to blame right now?" said Leah. "Edward is going to be killed and more will die if we don't do something!"

"This just can't be happening. Mine and Bella's vision…" Alice was cut off by Bella.

"The vision was wrong, Alice, I followed the wrong path," said Bella. She buried her face in her hands. "I feel so lost."

Jacob rubbed her back, hating to see her so upset. He knew how important Edward was to Bella. Not knowing if it would help at all, he took Edward's compass out of his pocket and slipped it into Bella's hands.

Bella glanced at the compass she'd never fully examined before. It was silver and round and the arrow was spinning…

"Silver object and a spinning arrow," she murmured as she and Alice remembered their vision. It was Edward's compass she was seeing!

"It's the arrow from your dream!" said Leah.

"We were right! It was pointing to Edward and Bella!" said Alice, happily.

"Guys, look, it's nearly dawn!" said Jacob, glancing at the window.

"It's not too late," said Carlisle. "We can still save Edward and stop the battle."

"You know what you've got to do, Bells," said Esme. "Now, do it! We're right behind you."

Bella took a deep breath and gained her courage. She could do this. For Edward's sake and the sake of so many lives, she would.


Aro
This will be the day…
(Let's go men!)

Charlie
This will be the morning…
(Bring out the prisoner)

Edward was dragged violently from his cell. He cooperated the best that he could, despite the violent treatment. For his loved ones' sake, he would do what was necessary—even if it meant he would die. He silently hoped that Bella would be alright, despite what was going to happen to him now.


Vampires and Werewolves
We will see them dying in the dust

Bella
I don't know what I can do
Still, I know I've got to try

Werewolves
Now we make 'em pay

Bella
Mother, help my feet to fly

Vampires
Now without a warning…

Bella
Edward, help my heart be great

Werewolves and Vampires
Now we leave 'em blood and bone and rust

Bella
Will anyone hear my cry?

Werewolves and Vampires
It's them or us

Bella
Please don't let it be to late…

Werewolves and Vampires
They're just a bunch of
Filthy, stinking

Vampires
Savages!

Werewolves
Savages!

Vampires
Demons!

Werewolves
Devils!

Aro
Kill them!

Werewolves
Savages!

Vampires
Savages!

Aro and Vampires
What are we waiting for?

All
Destroy their evil race
Until there's not a trace left

Bella
How loud are the drums of war?

Werewolves and Vampires
We will sound the drums of war
(Savages! Savages!)
Now, we sound the drums of war
(Savages! Savages!)

Aro
Now we see what comes
Of trying to be chums

Werewolves
Now we sound the drums…of…war!

Vampires
Of course it means the drums…of…war!

Bella
Is the death of all I love
Carried in the drumming of war?

"NO!" Bella yelled, covering Edward with her body. She looked into the eyes of her father, who still held his weapon in mid-strike. "If you kill him, you'll have to kill me too."

"Bella, stand back," Charlie ordered.

"I won't!" said Bella. "I love him, Daddy." She ignored the look of fury and shock on her father's face as she beckoned to the two armies. "Look around you! This is where the path of hatred has brought us." She held Edward closer. "This is the path I choose, Charlie! What will yours be?"

Charlie hesitated as he gazed at the two armies. Vampires were evil, weren't they? Edward had murdered one of his pack, hadn't he? But then he paused as he listened to the whispers of the wind and heard the voice of his wife's spirit. He suddenly realized how wrong he'd been and that Edward hadn't killed anyone. His anger faded and then he held up his weapon.

"My daughter speaks with wisdom, beyond her years. We have all come here with anger in our hearts and she comes with courage and understanding! From this day on, if there is to be more killing, it will not start with me." He placed down his weapon and turned to one of the other pack members. "Release him."

Edward's bonds were cut. He and Bella then embraced and held each other tight as tears of joy streamed down Bella's face. She pressed her face into his chest as he cradled her head and breathed in the freesia scent of her hair.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too."

All around them, the vampires and werewolves were making beginning to make peace. The werewolves changed back into human form and the vampires' anger disappeared as they lowered their defenses.

Alice, Emmet, Jasper, Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme were smiling as they watched the happy couple. Jacob, Leah and Jessica felt extremely pleased that their best friend was so happy.

"Good luck, Bells," Jacob whispered.

Even Charlie was watching Bella and Edward with a tearful smile.

XXX

But Aro wasn't happy.

"Now's the time! Strike!" he ordered.

"No!" said Jasper.

"What?" he snarled.

"They let him go," said Tanya.

"They don't want to fight!" said Marcus.

"It's a trick! Are you blind? Attack!"

But all they did was glare and didn't obey his orders.

Growling, he grabbed a crossbow coated with wolfsbane—a poison for werewolves—and fired at Charlie.

Edward saw the crossbow being aimed at Charlie and immediately leapt in front of him. He managed to knock Charlie out of the way, but he himself was shot in the rib. Wolfsbane wouldn't kill him if it was handled quickly, but it would cause him severe pain until then.

Bella and Charlie were at Edward's side in an instant.

"EDWARD!" Esme yelled.

"Edward, hang on, please hang on," Bella whispered as Carlisle ran over to his son.

"You shot him!" Emmet yelled, furious.

"It was his own fault!" said Aro, desperately. He hadn't intended to hurt one of his own. "He leapt right into it! You saw it, didn't you?"

But no one would listen as a mutiny went underway. Aro was captured and destroyed.

But what of Edward's fate?