Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
A/N: This is not Beta'd and I only use spell check on Microsoft, so there are errors… I'm just too lazy to go fix them all.
"Your safety is our number one priority. Nothing, not even our own safety, is more important than that." Sulpicia said, starting off the second important conversation today.
I may not agree with what they claim, me being their mate, but I do whole heartedly agree with them keeping me safe. I don't want to end up being some vampires snack before I get a chance to see Edward again. I know the Volturi are all old and in theory should all have some sort of control over themselves, but you never know. I could trip, which is very likely and scratch myself and someone might smell it and not control themselves. I don't want to risk that happening.
"Especially since you are human." Athenodora remarked but didn't seem to mean anything by it. I took offence to it anyways.
I know that I am weaker than they are, but I'm not that weak. I love Edward, but even he got on my nerves sometimes with the lengths he would go to protect me from getting hurt. I'm human, it's going to happen, but Edward sometimes just annoyed me with his tactics. I have a feeling that Athenodora might be the same since she seems to not like humans in general. At least that's how I feel from how she's acting towards me compared to how the other two are acting towards me.
I sent her an annoyed look because of her comment, but either she didn't really care or I'm not really good with looking annoyed. I'm picking the former because I've had plenty of practice of looking annoyed from when Alice tried to get me to go shopping all those times. How can she be my mate if she doesn't seem to really care?
"Don't mind Dora, she's just annoyed that you haven't been turned yet. She doesn't seem to remember that we now get to be lucky enough to change you ourselves." Didyme said calmly. I can tell that she must be the 'peace keeper' of the three; the one that keeps them all from fighting, which I'm sure at least Sulpicia and Athenodora would have done long ago.
I wanted to tell them that I don't want them to change me, but I don't think that would be smart. They are showing me a lot of hospitality. I don't want that to change. They know my thoughts on the matter. I don't need to keep repeating myself.
"Of course." Athenodora said, sounding like she didn't really care about that either, but the look she was giving said otherwise. I don't understand what the big deal would be, but that seemed to get her to calm down and basically shut up. Of course I rolled my eyes at her behavior, but at least she ended that conversation.
"Our plans, for now, are very simple." Sulpicia said and Didyme interrupted.
"They aren't set in stone of course, so if something changes, we will change the plans as well. We wanted to keep things as simple and un-evasive as possible for you." Didyme explained.
So basically, if a new threat shows up, like Victoria since she's still out there, they will change the plans that they have, or will have, in place now. Edward always stuck to whatever plan he had originally came up with, even if really did need to be changed. I can respect that he's stubborn, since I can be to, but there's some things that he shouldn't have been stubborn with. For instance, he shouldn't have left me in the forest after my birthday. I wouldn't be in this mess if he had just listened to me and believed me when I said it wouldn't do me any good if he left.
"There are several things that we implementing that doesn't affect you at all, those, unless you want, we won't tell you. What does affect you there is mostly just Jane's and Heidi's part. Those two will guard you at random intervals twenty-four seven." Sulpicia explained.
I had pretty much already guessed that Jane would be with me all the time. I guess they tossed in this Heidi person so that Jane is stuck with the human all the time and can have a chance to eat. I wonder what Heidi's power is that she would be assigned to guard me. I already know Jane's and hers is clearly very strong. I wonder if Heidi's is similar.
"Whenever we aren't with you, you can ask them for anything and they will get it for you. If we don't have it, we will get it." Athenodora said, though it sounded more like a command. I barely saw her eyes look past me towards the door. So I assume that either Jane and/or Heidi are out there and she is just now giving this command to them. "You are our mate and as such, have just as much rank and respect as we do." She finished her command with another quick glance to the door that I again just barely managed to see.
"That actually may be something we should tend to now." Didyme said as if she was answering someone's question, but I couldn't make sense of it. At my confused look, she explained the comment. "Heidi was just kind enough to point out that while we have our space and things to occupy our time with, you don't. You could find yourself becoming very bored very quickly. We don't want that." Didyme explained.
I didn't even think of that. This place is one giant museum that houses items from hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago. I'm actually a little surprised that they have electricity. Though I'm sure they did because of the um… food… that they bring in and they probably decided that since they outfitted part of the castle with electricity, to not seem odd, they might as well wire the whole castle. That would also explain why I'm not either really hot or really cold. There's some sort of a/c unit and heater throughout this place that clearly moderates the temperature. Again, they probably did that for the same reason for the electricity and because they have a human receptionist.
Since I'm going to be spending a lot of time here, I want to be able to do something. Talking will only entertain me for so long; especially if that talking is with people I don't really want to be around at the moment. I'm sure a place like this has a nice library that I could look into and probably read from; but I'm not going to just read for a year and nothing else. There's probably the chance to explore this place, meaning Volterra, a little. I'm sure if I asked during the evening hours or when it's cloudy… if it ever gets cloudy here, I don't know how the weather here is, they will be okay with letting me look around town with either Jane or Heidi.
I can only do those things so many times though before I get bored. I doubt they would let me go too far away from the castle, especially since they know I don't want to be here. I wonder if they have cable or internet or something. I saw Gianna had a computer on her desk in… the reception area, but I don't know if that had internet or not. These guys seem like if they do something, they do it properly. Now and days, people with electricity very rarely don't have a TV or internet. If they don't have internet, I hope they at least have a way that I can watch movies. I can tolerate watching movies and reading for a year, as long as the book and movie is good and not the same one every time I read and watch it.
"Oh yes! This old place could do with some sort of entertainment area of some sort. We will have to get that done. I'm sure Heidi would be the perfect person to show around what we have and make sure we get what is needed." Sulpicia said, looking excited at the prospect of changing something.
Based off of her reaction, I would have to think then that they don't really have much that will entertain me for long. I predict a few weeks, possibly even months, of boredom. Hopefully they will let more order some things. Normally I'm against people buying me things, but I will make an exception this time. Only because they can still use the things that I'm sure I'll ask for after I'm gone and because I really don't want to be bored out of my mind for a year.
"Just don't go overboard this time Cia, last time you upgraded something, we ended up in the dark for three months. Being in the dark is okay for us, but for the humans we bring in, it's a bit unappealing." Athenodora said referencing to the humans they bring in to eat. I made a face at it because I don't agree with their life style, but I didn't say anything about. What can I say? They are technically vampires and vampires are meant to live off of humans. I wish they would do what the Cullen's do, but Edward has made it perfectly clear that what they do is unnatural and that it would be better for them to live off of humans instead of animals. Plus, I'm also technically a guest here. I shouldn't speak against how my hosts live as long as it doesn't involve me being the next meal.
"That's our plan for keeping you safe and we really think that that is just enough. Would you like to get a look around the castle and see what it is we have to offer?" Sulpicia said with a smirk. Clearly she's up to something. The only thing I can think that she would be planning is that she didn't specify who would take me around the castle, so I'm guessing it won't be Jane. I also think that it's probably her that she's referring to giving me a tour. I really don't want it to be Athenodora because she just seems to annoy and I will probably instinctively try to annoy her if we're alone together.
"I guess that's fine. Would you mind? Didyme?" I asked Didyme, purposefully looking Sulpicia in the eyes until I said Didyme's name. If that was in fact her plan, she now knows that I just got around it. Athenodora's laughing, Didyme's smirk and Sulpicia's pout made it clear that I was right.
"That would be fine sweetie, right Sulpicia?" Didyme asked me as she stood up and briefly looking at Sulpicia when she added the small jab.
"Of course, have fun. I'll just stay here and be bored." Sulpicia said with a dramatic sigh and slouched in her chair for added effect.
"Because I'm not entertaining enough for you?" Athenodora asked with a small frown.
I didn't mean to start this small fight between the two, but not that it's happened, it looks a little funny. Luckily I was able to hide my smile though because I don't think Athenodora would be amused with me finding their bickering amusing.
"I think we should go before these two get too wound up; which will happen. Just please don't destroy anything." Didyme said as she helped me up out the chair I was in and then quickly out the door.
Didyme kept a firm grip on my hand so that when I tried to let go, my hand remained limply in hers. For a brief second I actually liked the way my hand felt in hers compared to being in Edwards. Edwards' hands were so much larger than mine. Even though he has vampire smooth skin, it still felt rough to me. Didyme's hands though, are smaller than his but just slightly bigger than mine. Her hands, still hard because she is a vampire, had a softness to it that I wouldn't have expected. For a brief second, I actually liked have her literally hold my hand. But only for a moment.
After tugging my hand a few times to try and get it away from her, I gave up. I realized that she wasn't going to humor my human strength and let me have my way. If she wants to hold my hand, which clearly she does, she will hold my hand regardless of it I want her to or not.
"You know, I've come to understand throughout my years that a good way to get closer to someone is through physical contact. The contact allows a type of bond to grow between the two that otherwise wouldn't have been there. This type of bond is usually stronger than the others because it offers a familiarity that other types of bond forming techniques don't offer. I found that rather interesting when I first heard it." Didyme said as if she had just pointed out some painting that we had passed and explained what it meant. She sounded so indifferent to what she said, but at the same time I knew that it also meant a lot; especially because of the gift she has.
It was almost as if she was giving me a warning of what's to come; of what to expect. All three of them told me point blank what their goals with me are. Well, they didn't go into detail of what they what to happen if they win, but I'm sure someone with an imagination knows. They also made it clear that will do whatever it is they think needs to happen for them to win. By just looking at Athenodora, who seems the most upfront person out of the three of them, I would think that they are not afraid to do what is needed to win. Athenodora was just being nice enough to let me know that going forward, I will probably end up holding hands with them a lot, or possibly more than holding hands. What more they will want to do, I don't know. I just hope they don't go too far and listen to me if I say no. If things stay simple with just holding hands, I can deal with that. Friends hold hands all the time. It's not that out of the ordinary. The fact that Didyme has interlaced our fingers is just something I'm going to have to ignore.
"There are a couple places that I think you may like. We can see them all if you want. There's a garden, a library and then the actual entertainment room. I must warn you though; the entertainment room isn't as grand as the garden or library. It was something that Felix and Heidi have put together in the last few decades or so and doesn't have much to it. In fact the room it's in isn't much larger than the office we were just in." Didyme said as we continued walking towards something only Didyme would know since I'm already lost in this maze.
"Can I see the library first?" I asked a little hesitantly.
I felt weird asking to some part of this castle that houses probably hundreds of vampires. I felt almost like an intruder. It also felt weird because Didyme is the one giving the tour; normally on tours you just follow the tour guide. The guide I'm stuck with just happens to be a very old vampire that seems determined to make me fall in love with her. I'm almost nervous that Didyme has a plan up her sleeves for any of the three places she had pointed out. She probably does and I bet anything I'll like whatever she has planned. I'm not okay with that. I don't want to like what they are tossing out at me. I just have to remember that I didn't really like the Cullen's showing off their money; so I shouldn't like it here either.
"What a good choice. That's actually one of my favorite spots. I've already read all the books there and even though I have a perfect memory, I just love to re-read them. I must warn you; this library is a bit big because the person who originally built this castle was a bit of a bookworm. He liked collecting every book ever written. This place was built before the printing press, so imagine how hard that must have been. All the hand written books are still here and are still intact, feel free to look through if you want; they hold a lot of history.
Since that original owner; every owner since, including us, has continued on the tradition of collecting every book published. I've made it my mission to organize that thing in my spare time and with no real rush. Most books, except the originals, were just lazily put wherever there was room for them. With so many additions through the centuries though, even the originals are no longer in order because of people constantly going through them and reading them and then not putting it back where it was taken from." Didyme explained.
I couldn't help but picture a library like the one from Beauty and the Beast. I think a large library like that would probably take me years to finish reading at my slow human pace. Even with that many books, I would still get bored though. I don't know anyone who could do nothing but eat, sleep and read. I'm pretty sure someone could go crazy if not stir crazy if they did that.
Didyme led me down endless hallways, promising that with time I will be able to find my own way, and towards a door that looked larger than the others in this particular hallway. Just by looking at the designs on the door, I could easily tell that whatever was beyond this door was sure to be amazing.
"The original door, the original owner wanted everyone that saw this door to know that the library was more precious to him than even his treasure of gold and jewels. A bit foolish if you ask me because that just puts a large target on his most prized possession. But oh well." Didyme said as she opened the door.
The door opened to show a large room that even the library in Beauty and the Beast couldn't compare to. The library was three, possibly four, stories tall. It was hard to tell because the upper lights weren't on, just the lower ones. As if sensing what I was thinking, Didyme walked over to a large panel that held dozens of light switches and flicked them all on. Looking up, I saw the lights reveal four floors filled with books. The center of the room held a two person stair well that lead up to each floor. From the stair well though, it didn't go directly to the floor. There was maybe four feet of a walkway, one that was big enough to fit desks and other small bookshelves, that lead to them main floor of that level. There were four walkways on each floor, all of which could be seen from the bottom level because not one walkway was directly over another, and only one walkway on each floor led to the staircase.
Looking past the giant staircase, I took in the bookshelves that took up a lot of space. Besides a designated area directly next to the staircase entrance and the small pathway that led to the entrance of this room, the entire floor was covered with bookshelves. I would bet anything that the upper levels looked exactly like this one as well.
"Feel free to look around and read anything you want in here. Our Guard does occasionally like to come here and read, so it is possible that if you're here, another vampire, aside from Jane or Heidi, may be here as well." Didyme said as she kept barely a step behind me and I wondered past the stair case and towards the bookshelves.
Around the stair case are tables and comfortable looking chairs that looked perfect for a college library. There were even small lamps on some of the tables as if anticipating humans to eventually walking these halls again and actually needing the light. Also around the stair case and mixed in with the tables, were beanbag type chairs. It seemed as if the vampires anticipated all types of readers and possibly researchers to be here. Even though chances are that the human world will never really know of this libraries existence.
"This library is amazing." I finally said as I looked at some of the books that were lazily lying on top of some of the tables. Some of the books were even open, as if someone was reading it but had to unexpectedly leave without having the chance to properly put the books away. I closed the book, more of habit of not liking seeing an abandoned opened book just lying around where it could be damaged.
"Thank you. The amazing thing about this library is how well everything is preserved with very little effort on our part. The few previous owners did their parts in keeping this library well looked after and rarely touched what was here. Once we took over, we don't have the oils on our fingers that tend to ruin the books and we easily kept this place clean, so keeping the books in good condition over the years hasn't been as hard as you would think." Didyme explained, probably because of me closing the book. "If you would like; you can pick a book and we can read a little before dinner and I can just show you the garden and entertainment room another day. We actually may only have time for one anyways."
So that's her plan; for this room at least. I figured it would be a competition among the three of them to see who would get to spend the most time with me. With Didyme postponing the tour, she therefore gets more time with me, before the others have even had a chance. I'm actually really tempted to go along with her plan and pick up a book right now or even just explore this place more; but I don't want to spend more alone time with her. I don't want her to try and… woo me. I don't want that.
"I would like to see the entertainment room if you don't mind." I said while dragging my eyes away from an interesting book on table not too far from me. It was really hard to look away, but I managed.
"If that's want you want, then that's where I'll take you. Remember, you're welcome here anytime you want. Whoever is with you can you lead you right here until you get the hang of directions." Didyme said and took my hand again. I didn't even know she had let go. She must have let go when I started towards the stair case to look around it. That has to be a good sign right? Not realizing when she's not touching me anymore must mean that I don't miss her not touching me anymore. That's a good thing. Except, now I feel almost happy with her hand in mine; it must be that I'm just happy to have a vampire holding my hand. My mind must be trying to find a substitute for Edward not being; yeah, that sounds right.
Didyme led me out of the library, without bothering to turn off the lights and down the same path we had just come from. The only reason I knew that was because we had turned right to go into the library and we now just turned left, so clearly the same path. Outside of that one turn though, I have no idea if it's the same one or not. For the life of me, I don't ever see myself getting used to walking around here and not getting lost. But if Gianna can do it, I guess I'll eventually learn as well.
"Are all these paintings originals?" I asked after we had walked for several minutes in silence. Didyme seemed perfectly content to walk next to me, my limp hand still held tightly in hers, and not say a thing. I however started to grow uncomfortable with it fairly quickly.
"They are. There are only a few that are by any artists that you might recognize. Most of these works were done by unknown artists throughout the centuries that never seemed to get their name out there. If you ask me though, these works are just as good as the ones that you would recognize. It's all a matter of how many know an artists' name as to how famous they become either in death or after death." Didyme answered.
I would have thought that with how much money they have, I'm assuming they have a lot because the Cullen's have a lot and compared to the Volturi, the Cullen's aren't that old. Plus, the size of this place, plus the bill for upkeep and then the fact that Didyme didn't seem concerned about a large electricity bill from leaving the lights on in the library must mean they aren't poor. I would think that, like the Cullen's, they would want to have the best of what's available. Like having originals of priceless pieces of art work that humans never existed. Instead though, they chose what they like and if what they like isn't expensive or is very expensive, then it is what it is.
"You picked the art purely because you liked it, not by who it was by?" I asked, though it was more of a statement for her to confirm what I had thought.
"Yes, we have to look at for an eternity; we want to enjoy looking at century after century." Didyme explained as we came to a stop next to a door that looked exactly like every other door in this hall. "This is the entertainment room, Cia's future project that she's been trying to get going."
Didyme opened the door and when I saw what was inside, I was a little let down. I had expected something like a home theater system with their own projector and maybe a pool table or something else that might be found in a man cave. I had even thought that they would have at least a fairly large TV with maybe a game console or two. What was actually in the room was a letdown.
There was a larger TV that most people my age probably couldn't afford. I'm sure how big, but it was decent and it was plasma, so in my book, it was nice. There was also what seemed to be a well-worn couch in front of the TV, at a respectable distance of course. There was also a love seat caddy corner to the couch. I couldn't see any game consoles, but I did spot a DVD player below the TV on the TV stand and also what I think is a cable box. Next to the TV, but off to the side so as to not be distracting at all, was a fairly sized DVD holder. It seemed to hold probably a hundred or so of DVD's. There were also small random piles right next to it on the floor and on top of it, which clearly wasn't mean to be a shelf.
"It's… alright." I said, trying to find the right word that wouldn't offend them but at the same time wouldn't be a lie. It wasn't bad, it was decent and better than I could afford, but it just wasn't I was expecting.
"I know, it's a huge let down compared to everything in this castle. This is why Cia wants to re-do it and even possibly move the entire entertainment room to a different, larger room. She wants this room to be just as grand as every other room; something about it not matching the rest of the castle. So, I'm sure Cia would be more than happy if you would help her in giving this place a much needed make-over so that it can fit in." Didyme said, throwing me off a little. I thought that she would try and get as much time with me with just her, but it seems she's just as okay with getting me to spend time with all of them. I guess they are working together to and get me to… agree with them.
"I could, I guess." I said. I'm not sure if I would be the best person to help with a remodel, but it would at least give me something to do and to envy for when I do eventually leave.
"I'm sure Sulpicia will love that. I was just informed that Gianna is asking whether or not you would like to help cook dinner for you two tonight, if so, she's starting now. What would you like?" Didyme asked me. I feel like this was a set up because it's just perfect timing. They really know what they are doing. They know that I want to help Gianna with cooking. They also probably know that I'm still at a loss of what exactly to do while I'm here since I haven't been here that long. I bet this was planned and timed and they probably have something planned for later tonight after dinner. Just watch, either they are planning something, or I'm just being really paranoid. I guess I'll find out later.
"I would like to help Gianna please." I answered. Didyme grabbed my hand once more, pulled me out of the room, closed the door then led me towards what I'm assuming is the kitchen. At least now I'll have something to do, if only for a little bit.
A/N: So I'm not really sure exactly what causes a book to basically die throughout time, it could be just time itself destroys the books. But I used the oils on human skin and humans just not being able to clean as well as a vampire as an excuse. If I'm wrong, then oh well.