Aurora

Disclaimer: Not mine. Sorry. I'm just playing with 'em.

Summary: During Carlisle Cullen's stay at Volterra, he learns there are other creatures that go bump in the night...

Author's Note: It looks like more and more of you are getting into this story. The immortal children do that, ya know. :-)

Chapter 6

Night had descended upon Volterra. I followed Dr. Gagliardo's measure and gripped my coat tightly about me though I felt nothing of the cold. Light flowed from the various residences' windows and cascaded on to the street below. The only sounds were of rats that did hasten in and out of the sewers through out the city. My ears did also pick up the sounds of a bawdy group in the tavern a good measure away from where I was now walking.

Dr. Gagliardo's pace slowed and mine with it. He turned to me, his eyes filled with such sadness I felt compelled to comfort him, even in some small way. Placing my hand upon his shoulder, I did look him straight in the eye. "We shall help them," I informed him knowing that that was all we could do.

He didst barely manage a smile and nodded at my sentiment. "Place on your hood," he instructed. I did as I was told. The rich vapors of fresh spices and cloves hit my nostrils more clearly with our masks on, than when I did merely carry it. In many ways, this be not more than what is good. Though its purpose was to keep the doctor safe from the disease of the patient, the overpowering aroma from within the beak also diminished the smell of the humans around me.

I did have control, but it was lessened in my practice as a doctor. My excuse for when the scent of blood did take me was that I was simply too new to this occupation as of it and hence why I was in training with Dr. Gagliardo. It worked well enough for those humans that were curious as to my actions. I tried to keep myself to simple cases or those of diseases in which the blood would not be spent. This was one of the rare moments where blood would most likely not be spent and the smell of humans would not tempt me in the least, thanks to the hood that protected me.

We approached the large home that overlooked the world outside the walls of Volterra but kept it's place safely inside. Dr. Gagliardo tapped the door. I heard a flurry of activity from inside the house and couldst see the light of a candle cast moving shadows from one of the near windows as the person who held it came to answer the door. I waited behind him with the medical bag as any normal human assistant would.

The door peeked open followed by a full flourish of an opening once the older woman in her stocking cap didst see of whom it was that had called at this late hour. "God be praised," she said in her native Italian. "We just had another take to the pox," her voiced was full of worry as she lent her hand to show us into the home.

I followed in behind Dr. Gagliardo and stood to await my introduction. With our hoods down and faces concealed, the woman, of whom I learned was named Petruccia and the head of the servants for this household, did not act awestruck as I had become use to when introduced. She could not see my visage and thereby knew not of how I looked.

Petruccia lead the way to the stairwell. She picked up her woolen petticoat and took us to a room gaily decorated upon the first story. I saw another woman dabbing at her swollen tear filled eyes with a handkerchief of the finest linen. This woman made way for us as Dr. Gagliardo positioned himself next to the bed. I drew the curtains of the bed back further so I might have chance to examine whoever didst lie there as well.

It was a young man. I'd hazard to guess that he be not more than twenty but in his current state, his age was impossible to tell. The small swollen pustules had masked his entire body. He lay there, eyes clenched tight, in not more than his night clothes. His hands gripped the sheets as if in agony. My heart, though it did not beat, went to him. None should have to feel such pain as this young man clearly was.

"Paulo took a turn this afternoon," the woman who held the handkerchief stated through her tears. "We thought it was the measles or some other lesser pox," she said. She looked weak upon her feet and I guided her back to a chair before she turned her eyes to weep. I turned my head as I heard Dr. Gagliardo call my name to retake my attention. Quietly, I walked over to him and resumed my watch over the doctor's care with his patient.

He was careful with his leather gloves and took out his equipment to check over the patient. Before he could confirm or deny that it was smallpox, of which, I had no doubt it was given the look, we all heard a scream from far upstairs. Both Dr. Gagliardo and I looked to the two women still within the room.

"It is most likely the maid that did bring this curse upon us," Petruccia informed us. She glowered in the direction from which the scream did come. I looked back at Dr. Gagliardo. Prior to my asking permission, he dismissively waved his hand at me. "Go," he said, for which I was grateful.

I had with me my own little bag of instruments and potions in which to help aid those that I might. Though it be painful, I walked up the stairs at a quick human pace to the room from which the scream originated. I gently pushed against the door and announced myself, "I am Doctor Cullen, Doctor Gagliardo's assistant. May I enter?" Hearing none in reply but the muffled sounds of someone slightly thrashing from with in, I entered. None could prepare for what I did see.

The girl was bound to a post in the room, whilst sitting on the floor. The back of her camica was tattered with lash marks. The blood upon her back was old and crusted; it mixed with the herbs within my hood made my thirst tolerable. I was less concerned with it than I was about the girl who was nearly limp against the post, just barely tousling in vain attempts to free herself from the ropes that imprisoned her.

"Dear God," I whispered in my native tongue. I went over to her to see her skin pale with a hint of a bluish tinge to it. As I undid the ropes the falsely imprisoned her, I looked to see the cause of her cold; the window had been left open in this dark room that left little protection from the elements outdoors. Angry boiled within me at the idea of this girl being kept in such manner. What crime had she done? She was human and did not look to be many years older than Sabina.

Once she felt my presence, her body went as still as it might for a human. I undid the ropes as quickly as I were able, getting her free in less time than it might have taken a human. She curled up and into my arms easily. I knew only that she was awake by her silent tears that followed the day's previous ones down her swollen cheeks. Delicately, I pulled her taut into my arms and carried her swiftly out of the attic's chamber.

I feared that my body would be too frigid given her state of undress in these rags that clinged to her skin. But she showed no dislike to being so close to me. The only pain that registered in her face was when I did move my hand to her support her back more fully. The lashes were still quite fresh.

"I'm sorry," I whispered in Italian. I was sorry not only for my accidental touching of her wounds that were so fresh, but that anyone could think to cause such wounds to start. I was also regretful for this girl being tied up like an animal awaiting a slaughter inside the attic room. I was sorry that anyone would be in this much pain without any seemingly just cause. Her only response was to fall into sleep. Whether she slumbered or she did give in to exhaustion, I knew not.

I carried the maid down to the room I had been brought to. I heard two gasps. "Bring her not here!" shouted the woman how had the handkerchief. "Bring not that vile creature here!"

I laid the girl with as much gentleness as I was able unto a couch that were along the edge of the room. Dr. Gagliardo came to my side once I had covered the girl with a soft blanket.

"How dare you!" the woman continued to shout at me. "Do you not see what pestilence she hath brought into this house? Into my home?" she continued to speak though I paid her no mind. I cared at that moment only for the girl of whom little else did anyone seem to care.

"She is the reason my only son hath taken ill! She is the reason that my husband and my daughter at this minute do suffer from the fever," the woman continued to bellow. She approached me, angrily and tore went to tear off my hood. I did grasp her hands quickly to prevent such measure. The woman glared at me with hate filled eyes. "That creature deserves for nothing more than the spirits of the night or the vampires of old to take her and destroy her soul."

I stood agasp at the woman's words. I released her hands and did stare her down for a time until she did look away. "You would rather treat a nothing serving maid, one that can be bought and sold for nothing in the market place, than to treat my son?" she whispered. I could hear a mother's grief in her voice though it did not help to control my anger.

"If all it were that the girl be but ill, I might have understanding of your position, Madame," I informed her. "But, be that as it may, this girl was brutally beaten as if a savage did take to her. None deserve such treatment. And far less does this girl deserve as she is ill as well," I made her aware.

Before much else could be said, Dr. Gagliardo placed a hand upon my shoulder. "Take the girl to the guest room next to my office, son," he gently told me. I nodded. "Keep the room closed and make sure my children do not have contact with her," he more worriedly said. I nodded again as I picked the girl up with the blanket.

The woman ripped the blanket from the girl's slight frame. I kept my jaw taut as I heard her grumble about how the blanket in question would now be burned. She threw the discarded blanket at the feet of Petruccia. Petruccia gingerly picked up the thing and glared at the girl who was now safe within my arms.

I wrapped my coat around her in an effort to keep the girl warm. It was for not given that her only protection betwixt the cold and her skin were the tatter rags that were the torn remains of a camica. I dared not move at my full speed out of fear of getting caught. I wished no trouble from the Volturi nor to cause any.

I took a side entrance, little used, into Dr. Gagliardo's home and made my way to the room in question. I locked the door once I placed the girl upon the bed. Though there was little I could do regarding the pox, there was much I could do regarding her wounds.

I did not take off my hood given that I was unsure if the full smell of the old blood that I were about to clean would have an effect on me. I prepared my supplies that lay scattered about the room and made her to lie on her stomach. She was still asleep with fever and pain and did not wake as of yet.

I apologized prior to ripping what was left of her linen camica. It was bloodied and stained and of little use to her anymore. I began to clean the grime and fluids from her back. The lacerations on her skin were far worse than I previously believed. I choked down my anger and focused on healing the girl as much as I was able.

Once her wounds were cleaned, I applied ointment as softly and as gently as I could to them. I then covered each with thin strips of clean cloth. As I went about my work, I noticed older scars beneath these new ones and felt such sadness for this young girl. How hard her life much be to have endured such treatment. I also noticed that not all the marks had been made with a whip.

I forced myself to focus on my task. The girl would be made better. I could heal her physical wounds, but what of her life? The house she had worked for wished her to be killed by the hands of my kind though they scarcely had any real faith in the belief of vampires. To wish such a fate on another human, to leave her bound as they had with no protection…

Where would she go? What would be her life now that she was not a serving maid for the Signoretti residence? Would she find employment elsewhere? Have they, or I given that I saved her from death in the attic, condemned the girl to a life of beggary if she does survive? I thought upon the scares she would most certainly have upon her body and what occupations might be open to one such as her. She had no money, no status, she was, as the lady of the house had put it earlier, a nothing in the eyes of this society.

I slowly came to know that my own human life had shown me not much different in terms of classes. I was common but I was middle class. My father owned his own church and I did come to inherit it. I had money, though it be little at the time. Also, I was a man. I could survive the harshness of living upon nothing amongst other humans while I was still human, if I had so been forced to.

The person before me, sleeping more soundly now that her back was treated, had nothing. She had no shelter, no place to which to go; for whom would take in a begger girl? One with scars upon her body and no name, class, or recommendations? If she did survive this, I realized, there would be nothing for her in this life.

I waited with the girl for well over a day though I cared not to mark the time. I wished only to treat her and to make her better, if God so willed it. She woke up thrice and through that I did learn her name; Laura. I also learned that she had been the servant to Paulo's sister. She averted her eyes when she said his name and her voice was filled with such loathing to both herself and him that I did not dare to ask more. I knew what he had done to her. I forced myself to swallow my anger back down and focus on helping her. I prayed only that she may be well.

Dr. Gagliardo and his wife, Elizabetta, did check upon us regularly. Elizabetta was kind enough to give the girl a camica and robe that she had no more use for. Both were too large for the girl's slight frame but they were both far better than the rags she had been in.

It was night again when the girl's fever came to a pitch. I tried to use my own hands to cool her, but it was for naught. I tried to feed her elixirs to help calm her breathing and keep her in a medicated sleep. Nothing seemed to work as her breathing became more shallow, more forced.

I took off my hood, allowing the slight smell of blood to fill my nostrils. Though my throat burned for her, my heart demanded I not take her. Rather, I held her hand and kept it close to my chest in comfort for her. She would not go through this alone.

Her breathing became raspy and the color of her skin paled. No sweat came off her body as it previously had. I thought and I had given her water; a glass every half hour to keep her well. Soon, the only sounds in the dark little room, lit only by a desk candle, were her weakened heartbeat and her vain attempts at air. At the tower's call of eleven at night, Laura seized and her soul departed her body. She was no more.

I do not recall what I did next. From the tower's call until the next one, I have no direct memory though I be a vampire. I do know that I left Dr. Gagliardo's and ended up within the halls of the castle again. I know many tried to stop me but I did not hear them. I did not truly see them. I simply walked, slowly, to a room I recognized though I could not consciously remember what it was.

I knocked on the door before me and a lady answered. She peeked around the edge of the door and looked at me curiously. I suppose my eyes appeared vacant to her for she stared at them for a long time. Once she had scene whatever she wished to see, she quickly bowed her head and let me in the room.

"I'm sorry, sir," the lady stammered. "I was told that the only one allowed in here other than my mistress was a gentleman with eyes of gold," she continued. I barely heard her. "I meant no offense," the lady whispered.

I managed to blink and come out of my resolve. I looked to the lady before me. I knew her not. She was bowed slightly, her hands folded upon her apron and her head hung low in fear. Despite looking nothing like her, she reminded me of Laura. Laura had been a serving girl too.

I managed a small smile, or at least I hope it was a smile, towards the lady. "Forgiven," I told her. Gazing about the room, I noticed managed to realize where my feet had lead me. The window with it's lead and glass in a diamond pattern, clear and to the forest outside…I was in Caterina's chambers.

The lady gave curtsey. "I shall tell my mistress you have come to call," she said and quickly left the room. I had not even noticed if she were human or not, so lost was I in my thoughts.

I do not know how long I stood there, watching the world outside Caterina's window, but I do know it had been a while. The stars had moved from the time I had come in and the waning crescent moon had set long ago. I felt a delicate hand upon my shoulder and turned. Whatever Caterina saw in my eyes made her face look so tortured, I could barely contain myself.

"Carlise?" she whispered at me. I simply stood and looked at her, my thoughts were still of the girl I could not save and of what those monsters had done to her. Those were the monsters, those that treat their own kind with such reckless abandon. Not Caterina, not me. Monsters were those that prey upon others for their own maddening enjoyment.

"Carlise? Brother?!? What has taken place?" she called to me again. I did not answer.

I felt Caterina slowly moved to embrace me. "Whatever it is, Carlise, tell me. I wish to help, please," she begged of me in English. At that, I, a grown man, collapsed into her arms. My sorrow at the world in which me live overtook me. Caterina held me in a soft embrace. I could hear the worry in her voice as she lead me to her couch near the roaring fire in her fireplace. Warmth, love, these things I understood. I could not understand the ways in which Laura had been treated.

Caterina gently moved to hold my face in her hands. I did see the worry and panic in her eyes as she looked upon me. "Carlisle, I ask of thee, do speak, for you worry me much in your current state," she told me.

I looked away from her. My voice came out rough and slow upon to my own ears. Caterina held my hand as she listened. One did not need to look upon her to see her anger at the mistreatment of Laura. I could feel it roll off her and in the clenching of my hand as my story unfolded. Caterina did not speak, she merely listened.

I did not know the hour at which I finished my story but I heard a rooster far off call the coming of dawn. It was Aurora's time, the morning had come to start a new beginning for all.

Caterina stood at the end of my story and paced in her grand attire. I had not noticed it prior. She wore a dress of blue silk with a pink scarf around the neckline. Lace adorned her forearms and breast.

Slowly, she stopped, and bent down before me. She lowered herself to me and gazed back upon my face, clasping my hands back within hers. "I shall make sure she will have a proper burial, Carlisle. I shall give her a dress of mine to be buried in and I shall speak with the priest," she told me before looking away. "It is small, I know, but I hope it to be of some comfort," I heard Caterina whisper.

I brought my sister's hand to my lips. "Thank you," I told her sincerely. Though Laura would not be able to appreciate my sister's gesture to the girl she did not know, I did. I knew it also be not simply for my sake that Caterina did this. Caterina took no more joy in death than I did. She wished for agripe; brotherly love.

Author's Note: And now that you are all depressed, I hope you at least liked getting that depressed!