Aurora
Disclaimer: If Carlisle and all the Volturi were mine, Carlisle would have been Catholic. :-)
Summary: A growing darkness pulls over the civilized vampire world of Volterra in the 17th century. What does Carlisle Cullen discover in this age of awakening?
Author's Note: Please tell me if you like/don't like this scene. I keep going back and forth on parts of it and I'm still not sure about my decision…
Chapter 26
Upon the gates to the city I came but stopped short at their opening upon hearing a noise from the south that hath caught my attention for I recognized it well given the howling. Turning, I ran to the source in which I did manage to see the werewolves fleeing the stony grasps of my kind for which many appeared to be injured. Rather than joining in the chase – for I wished to hurt none if all could be helped- I took in the sight before me as best I could stomach for it was indeed gruesome to behold.
The plaza now was covered in the blood of werewolves with bit of vampire skin scattered in such a way as to make the plaza below the clock tower sparkle in the flickering flames of the torches that still held above the high walls and onto the houses surrounding the square to which was sight of this most dreadful massacre. Little, as I did thank God, of the blood at my feet was that of any humans for I smelt only a small amount of it and prayed that most people made it out alive even if such living meant to know the terrible secret that had laid inside Volterra's walls for all the centuries.
For was this what Anna and the werewolves wished for; to expose the Volturi to the humans? And for what gain if there was one that Anna would wish of for those as curst as her often seem to have no wish for gain other than their own amusement. But what of the werewolves? Little did I know of their nature but in what I saw tonight for one did wish to fight and another wished to help; and in that did I guess that they were akin to us than apart in their temperaments for were they capable of rational thought if given time; such as our own newborns were incapable of coherent thought till they had come through their year? I knew I had too many questions that did run through my head and of no place in which to find the answers.
I walked into the plaza, noting the sickening sound of the syrupy blood upon the soles of my shoes as I went to inspect any damage to my kind as well as any injured werewolves that may be left. I found an arm and knew not of whom it belonged but wished to find the vampire so I might reattach it as well I could. As I stood, with the blood covered marble looking arm in my hand, another hand came to it and snatched it away. Looking towards the offending thief I saw Caius with a new mark upon his brow, both ghastly and open to which I was surprised for I could see the white of the bone of his skull.
"All of this is to be burned!" he told me angrily, throwing the arm into a pit of fire behind him with ease though it be many feet away from him. I stood in shock as I watched the deep purple smoke plume above the heads of those gathered about the fire looking most solemn.
"But such things can be reattached! We can save those that," I started but Caius interjected his own thoughts upon the matter before I might finish my own.
"They are contaminated with the werewolf blood. Such injuries will not heal. Only small cuts might be brought to some healing," he growled before turning quickly and running towards a crumbled wall. In the distance did I now see a group of vampires encircling what they could of the werewolves that were left. By their number and the bits of fur I couldst see about me in this mangled pit of blood and intestines that lay about my feet, I knew at least a few had escaped to which a part of me did breathe easier for the one that helped me I wished no harm upon. However, my relief was short lived when I saw amongst the bits of guts, blood, fur, and vampire flesh a small silver cross and a pearl covered headdress; for one belonged to a werewolf that had helped me and the other belonged to my sister. I thusly picked up both carefully and incredulously for how had both gotten to this place, though in my heart I knew. For both had gotten caught in the fighting and now, it was entirely possible, that both were dead. At this thought, a sound ripped the silent crackling of the bonfire and the river of blood; the sound was of me screaming. I fell in the puddle of werewolf blood, the headdress and cross in my hands, and wept.
I knew not the hour at which I came to realize a hand was upon my shoulder but only recognized that the sky was beginning to light for now had the aurora come to light the devastation around me. My mind once again became my own though still overwhelmed was I with grief at the thought of my sister, my dearest Caterina, dead at the hands of her own kind or that of the werewolves. That she was dead, gone, no longer living as our kind do live and that her soul hath departed this world, for I held that she did have one, and no longer would she tease me; no longer wouldst I hear "occuli" from her lips nor feel her arm about mine; no longer would I hear the rustling of silks nor the smell the soft perfume of the sweetest strawberries; for all was gone of this world and never to be near me again.
"Come," I heard a voice state that I vaguely recognized as Marcus and to this did I stand but it was a kinderly reaction and not a conscious one. I let Marcus guide me through the stench of vital organs now laid to rot in the night for hours allowing the sickening smells of acids and blood of the werewolves to play upon my nose. I knew not how to prevent such smells from assaulting me for my mind was too overtaken with grief in that moment to do more than go the direction in which Marcus did guide me with but a hand upon my shoulder.
"Don't breathe. It's easier," he stated and again I listen as more of a kinderly reaction than all else for I focused only upon the smiling face of my sister prior to this night and none else did I wish to see in my mind's eye. All of this was not what I wished to remember for such was the things of Hell, I thought as I clutched the headdress and the cross in my fist, only barely aware of not making either such thing have any permanent damage. I wished to keep both for the rest of my existence, as long as that may be in my present grieving state.
I had taken no measure of the time that did pass or the space through which we passed but only blindly did follow Marcus as he led me. My mind only barely comprehended that we did now were in the middle of the great hall in which the Volturi did convene and that I couldst now smell the freshly wafting smell of burnt fur and burnt vampire skin coming in from the outside. Marcus had moved me so that I might not be burnt with all else in the plaza and to this I did not yet know if this was as I wished for.
I took in that others were in close quarters to myself and pushed against me so that they might have a better view of whatever was to happen. I thought not on it till a somewhat familiar cry echoed through the chamber halls and my eyes snapped in the direction of the three stone thrones to which Aro, Marcus, and Caius sat. Upon the center grate stood Felix with another vampire firmly in his grasp. Her dark brown hair was highly disheveled and a bit was pulled out by the looks of her and her dress being all torrent. Her blood red eyes flashed to mine and I recognized the vampire, now upon all fours on the stony floor immediately for it was Marguerite that lay at the Volturi's feet.
Immediately did I start to think as to what might hath caused her to come to such as situation as she now found herself for upon the floor and so distraught was not of the Marguerite I knew. Quickly she made herself to stand before Felix could grasp her violently and pull her into position. Aro glided down from his throne, his face impassive as he went to touch Marguerite's face. She thought to run but Felix did grab her this time and hold her to him so that she did face Aro, pure fear upon her face. As Aro made his way closer, marguerite did the unthinkable and spat at him with the venom she had pooled within her mouth. A hushed response was all that could be heard with murmurs of disbelief through the gathered crowd. Such was not a thing to be done. Caius jumped to his feet but a flick of Aro's hand caused Caius to stay back. Aro took a handkerchief and whipped his face before he threw his palm to Marguerite's cheek which forced a sickening sound and I saw her head now atop her body at an odd angle which was quickly fixed by Aro himself.
All stayed quiet as Aro saw through Marguerite's every thought and every vision. His face was one of grim surprise for whatever he saw there he did not like but he spoke not until he removed his hand and returned to his throne. Marguerite was limp in Felix's arms as if she were but human and had fainted during such a test.
"She has aided Anna and the children of the moon. For such a traitor, only one punishment is fitting, I'm afraid," Aro said sadly. Marguerite cried out as was to speak when Felix slapped her this time forcing her into silence. Caius' face grew in delight at the mention of a punishment; what kind of punishment she was to receive I knew not and could not go to help her for if such an accusation was true – that she helped Anna- then she too was a monster and caused the death of her mistress, my sister, my Caterina.
A stone table was brought out to which both Caius and Aro went to. Three of the guard placed the vampire upon it's hard surface, holding her to it with their own hands as she struggled mightily against them screaming as she did so. I thought on to how traitors were dealt with in England, for all were slowly tortured, brought close to death many times before being torn apart by wild horses and their remains either buried in unconsecrated ground or burned. Many of the deaths that awaited traitors in England would have no barring on a vampire though the way Marguerite was held to the stone table reminded me of the gruesome tortures of my home that I had been fortunate enough not to witness and I had no wish to do so now though I found myself unable to look away.
Caius came to her side, nearest her head while Aro stood at her feet. She looked to Caius in fear and pleaded with him for mercy but none did he hear. Two other guards, those that had not held her down, quickly left as the Volturi approached the former lady in waiting to start a fire in a corner of the great hall. Caius smiled at Marguerite ruefully before lowering his head to her breast in which I heard two awful sound; one of which was Marguerite's screams and the other was the tearing of the metallic like skin of her breast. I turned away only to turn back when I heard another hush fall upon the crowd. In Caius' hands, to which he held up, was the stone, blood red, heart of Marguerite; her face now tortured in pain to which I looked away again as Caius through the heart into the fire in the corner of the room.
No more did I wish to see. No more could my eyes take nor could my own heart take for today I had lost too much. I left the great hall, pushing through the massive crowd of vampires, and found myself wandering the halls of Volterra once again. I paid no attention to where my feet did take me and only wished to silence the cackling of the fire and the horrendous screams from the great hall as Marguerite was slowly torn apart in her traitor's torture. Even though it was through her actions that my sister was now gone from this plain of existence, I could not find it within myself to wish such pain upon Marguerite.
Distraught with grief and pain, I found myself walking past familiar walls and only knew that the smells and sights of where I was going might alleviate some of what I was feeling though I knew not why. My fingers brushed against the stony walks when I didst hear a slight sound coming from the direction I was headed. Taking in my surroundings for the first time, I saw the tapestry of Pentheus being torn apart by the Maenads and knew precisely where I was for I was in the women's quarters again, near the chapel, in the place where I didst first meet my beloved sister.
I nearly fell to my knees again in such agonizing grief for the memories of her whispered "Ave Maria" that first day became so potent that I almost believed I couldst still hear her. Though I knew it not possible, I ran to the chapel and collapsed in the aisle betwixt the first pew but before the ornate cross and wept. I held my hands to cover my eyes though no tears would come out for it was reaction only and not of necessity. Here is where I first saw her and saw her many times after. If Caterina be not in her room, then here, praying upon her beloved rosary would she be and easily found if still in Volterra's confines. I could just barely make out the smell of sweet cream and strawberries in the chapel that was of her. Such as I smelt only softened my weeping a bit for I knew such a smell would not last long but in this minute did it make me feel as though she were there, still praying to God to help others for she had told me that she thought her soul frozen as well as her body at the time of her changing and thereby beyond help though she thought we still had them. So she prayed not for her own soul but for God to guide her to do what was right, and for God to guide others justly.
Slowly I stood, knowing not the time again, for it couldst have been days or mere minutes that past and of this I would know not, and came with a new resolve; I would find Caterina's rosary and keep this also for myself so that I would always have a piece of her in which to hold. For though the headdress was of hers, it was not her as much as her pretty little rose beaded rosary was; to which was so much a part of her that it hardly left her pocket. I only prayed she had left it, as she did oft, in her side dresser and not taken such a thing of value with her to the Carnival celebrations.
Quickly, I ran out of the chapel and into her chambers, thankful for my key for the chambers were barred and I had no wish to destroy the pretty wooden doors that so often greeted me over the past decade. I thought I heard a motion inside, so very slight, that I believed it to be of my imagination and not of any reality as I pushed the doors open and came into her chambers. I closed the doors behind me, fearful that her scent that so permeated the air wouldst escape and dissolve sooner than I wished it to, for never would I want this scent to leave these chambers.
Turning, I inhaled the air, for it smelt of her and I felt as if my sister merely waited in her dressing chambers whilst Marguerite hath gone to fetch her. At this very thought did grief begin to overcome me again but before I was fully gone in my misery, didst I hear a noise again, coming from the bedroom chambers. Anger swept through me at whomever would violate my sister's sanctuary, and to her bedroom door I rushed, swinging it open only to be utterly surprised by a pair of blue linen pants, a torn silk coat, and a head of hair that looked to be made out of every metal within the Earth's bounty. There, on the very unnecessary bed, sat my Caterina, weeping with her beloved rosary in her hands.
I rushed to her and hugged her about the shoulders as tightly as I could without hurting her, my heart feeling lighter with her in my arms for my sister was not gone from my sight. Even in this weeping form, I cared not for to have her weeping was to have her before me and this was all I currently wanted. As I held her tight to me I heard her confused whisper, "Carlisle?" she asked of me.
I smiled and looked down upon her perfect marble like face to which made her the envy of many women in Volterra; my smile only broadened when, after seeing my face, she threw her own arms around me and wept into my shoulder. "Thou should not be here. Twere better if thou had not seen me, if thou thought me dead," Caterina mumbled against me, hugging me tight. I pushed against her shoulders, shocked at her works, so I might look upon her face which she did hide from me.
"I thought thee dead! Does thou not know how much thou means to me sister? I think I would become like Marcus if thou were but ashes," I told her quickly. A small smile crept across her face before she went to embrace me again.
"Thou should not be that badly off. I have seen many other lose their coven members and they did find joy again in later years. It is only with the loss of a mate that one becomes like Marcus, or worse," she explained as I held her. I did not argue with her but doubted what joy I would have found if Catty was not there to tease me.
We sat there thusly for a while before she finally didst pull away and look at her hands in which the rosary had found its place. "Forget that thou hath seen me," she whispered as she stood. I grasped her arm, forcing Catty to turn to me and I saw such pain in her eyes, I knew not what to do. Slowly, I offered her her headdress and the silver cross that I had found. Her eyes flew open in surprise but she easily accepted both.
"What does thou mean to forget what my eyes hath seen?" I asked of her as she went to her dresser and placed the cross in her small trinket box. She did not move as she shut the box and held her hands to either side of the object.
"I need to leave here, Carlisle. I need the Volturi to think I am but ashes," she whispered. I found myself at her side again, forcing her to turn to me with my hands about her shoulders. When here eyes found mine, I only saw her conviction and determination along with the heart breaking sadness that lay in her now golden eyes.
"Why?" I asked of her incredulously for I knew not of any reason that Catty might need to leave. Was it the betrayal of her lady in waiting that Caterina thought of no other way to exist then outside the walls of Volterra. After my question, her eyes seem flooded with despair and pain, to such a degree that had she been human, the tears would flow unlindingly.
"Promise me, Occuli," she started and made sure that my eyes locked with her own. "Promise me that thou shalt not mention my continued existence to the Volturi nor to their guards," she stated. I nodded easily.
"Of course, dearest sister. But for what reason?" I asked of her to which she shook her head.
"Also, promise that thou shalt leave here. Go to America; make your fortune across the seas, and think not on these days," she stated as she reached back and unfastened her necklace. "Here," she commanded me, handing me the jewelry piece that would easily pay my way across the oceans when I was ready for such a voyage. "Take this and use it for whatever purposes you need. Just leave here and do not come back," she begged of me. I took the pretty thing in my hand, staring it a moment before looking back up at her as she quickly packed.
"And of thee?" I asked her to which she stopped her motions. "Will I see thee again, sister?" I asked her sadly. No word was spoken for a long while. She was still as the statue she looked to be carved of and I silently prayed that this was but a small separation and that I would see her again soon.
"My promise to thee, dear brother, is thus: I shall find thee in the New World amongst the colonies and see thee again," Caterina said softly as she came to stand before me with a slight smile. "It may be a while, a long while at that, but thee I shall seek out when such time is right and find thee," she stated, kissing me upon my cheek before going back to packing her bags.
"When thou returns to the chaos downstairs, thou wilt find many with foggy memories of this night. None of the humans shall remember it at all," Caterina stated as she held her truck in her hands and looked at her simple embroidered shoes. "It was Marguerite's gift, to make all forget. It was her last blessing she gave to make amends for her transgression against us all though she kept both mine and thine memories intact," Catty whispered and I heard her begin to weep again at the loss of her lady in waiting though Marguerite was a traitor. Again, I went and held her tight about the shoulders.
Caterina turned to face me again after a few minutes, her face twisted in horrid pain and anguish, but she was here and that was enough for me. "Remember, Carlisle, leave here. Do not stay more than another decade at the very latest. Leave tonight if thou can, but leave," she pleaded with me. I kissed her upon the forehead to seal my promise.
"I promise. I shall leave here for the Americas as soon as I think I am able," I told her to which she nodded. Slowly, she moved to her main chamber of which I followed her and saw as she dragged the truck unto her back. As she made ready to lead out her window, the same window I had been in and out of durst my many hunting trips with her, Caterina turned to me.
"Remember, above all else, Occuli, I love thee," she told me and within a blink of a human's eye was she gone.
Author's Note: Love it? Hate it? Unsure? Please tell me. I was thinking up about a million different scenarios for this one and it ended up writing itself this way. I hope it came out….