Note – I still do not own Twilight
Chapter 2 – A Gentle Kindness
To be in his presence would be like standing alone in the rain on a dreary grey day. Never to smile or laugh. He took no pleasure in eating. He took no pleasure in living. For centuries, he lived in his memories. At times he thought he would fade. He welcomed death at any time, since the passing of his dear Didyme.
Marcus Volturi was a shadow of his former self. A living ghost cursed to roam the world as it aged around him. Didyme was the sunny days to his winter nights. The love that they shared was a love to withstand the test of time, a love that was easily ended by the hand of her beloved brother.
Yes, he knew that it was Aro that ended her life. Such was a secret that he guarded closely in the very fabric of his being. There were places in his soul that even Aro's talents could not touch and it was there that he knew the truth. For centuries he longed for some to stand and dispatch retribution. But it never came. Death never came. Madness never came.
And it was at that moment that he came to realize, his soul was still intact. It was damaged and his heart was truly bleeding. His Didyme was his love and he truly loved her with every cell in his body. But she was not his true mate, his true love. Marcus continued to visit her plaque daily and would always lay fresh flowers at her resting place and speak to her like she was an old friend, lost in the sea of time.
It was in his pain and loneliness that they came into the lives of their coven. He never paid attention to the humans that his brother employed in his elaborate game. Most entered in and out of their lives. It wasn't until an act of kindness drew his attention to them.
He knew, in passing, that the human woman that was employed had an offspring. He even caught a glimpse of her a few times, waiting outside the castle gates, patiently for her mother. She would sit and work on her studies on the benches outside. Alec tended to remain close, but hidden by her side during those times, such a talent to keep the young guard of the Volturi in one place was a great achievement. The ties that bound the young vampire to the child were strong, even for one so young.
However, it was on a rainy day when their travel plans brought him late to his time with Didyme that he truly noticed them. He glided swiftly towards the plaque outside with fresh scarlet roses in his hands, troubled at the prospect of his Didyme being left without fresh roses for even a day.
Then he stopped. It was as if time stood on its end for him. There, innocently resting on the plaque was a small glass flute with a single white and yellow rose resting inside of the vase. The old roses had been removed and the area around the bench was clear of all debris.
"They left hours before you arrived, Master Marcus." The light voice of Jane broke him from his musings. He inclined his head before placing his roses beside the small vase. Taking his silence as a dismissal, Jane left to return to the throne room silently.
"It would seem, Didyme that you have made great friends." Marcus said, chuckling softly. He could feel himself become lighter and for once, the world didn't seem so bleak. The normally restless spirit of his Didyme was at peace and he could feel that she truly cared for the child.
It would be two weeks until he could finally catch the tiny human child. She was surprisingly fast for a human and quite intelligent. After listening to his brother's musings on the mother of the tiny girl, she seemed to have taken that after her mother. But, it was one Thursday that luck seemed to be on his side. The child was in her school uniform and had her homework spread around her while she worked in the sun. The plaque was clean and the roses disposed of, with her trademark roses in the small vase.
"My teacher wants me to be moved to another grade but I'm not sure what I should tell mom. My friends are all in the next grade so I kinda wanna move. There are girls in my dance class in that room. My mom hates their moms but she likes my friends. I am afraid that I will fail." Emaline talked while she held a formal paper loosely in her hands, the spirit of Didyme happily staying by her side.
"Such an accomplishment is one to rejoice in, not fear." Marcus replied from his seat on the bench behind her. She jumped, and looked over her shoulder with a terrified look on her face.
"I'm sorry for being here! I just didn't want her to be lonely." She said as she hurried to gather her things but stopped when she felt a hand gently rest on her head.
"Be at peace. You have done nothing wrong, child." Marcus spoke to her slowly, pleased when she stopped packing and began to ease back into her previous seat. "I admit that you move quite fast for a tiny human."
"You haven't seen my mom and I on pizza movie night, have you?" Emaline replied with a grin, a stray chestnut ringlet falling in her face.
"No, though I can imagine the excitement." Marcus looked at her softly. The two of them sat in silence for a time before he looked down at the child once more. "I offer my thanks for your time spent here Giovanni (Young One) . I am sure my Didyme appreciates the kindness."
"La Vostra Accoglienza. (You're Welcome) " She perfectly replied in his native tongue.
Marcus could feel his eyes widen slightly as he glanced down at her before replying, "Your Italian is quite well for one so young and not born of this country."
"Mom gave it up but I didn't. I want to learn French also!" She grinned up at him.
"If she would permit it, I would be honored to tutor you in either or both. It is the least that I could do to repay your kindness."
"Really?!" Emaline replied, gazing up at him with her eyes full of stars and her smile even warming his long dead heart.
"Qual è il tuo nome? (What is your name?) " Marcus asked slowly, trying to gather her knowledge of the language.
"Emaline." She answered proudly.
"Molto buono giovane. (Very good young one)" He replied with a sense of pride in his voice. The two remained in in conversation until the bell tower clocks rang strongly. He saw her begin to rise slowly, rising with her. She craned her neck as far as it could to look up at him, as shielded her eyes from the sun.
"I have to go meet my mom at the garden gates. She doesn't like it if I am around here around this time of day. She never tells me why but we go home and eat dinner before she comes back to work for a little bit. Maybe tonight she could come home early?"
Marcus knew why her mother left and why she didn't tell her. He slowly squatted in front of her and looked into her startling blue eyes. "Such things are not for you to know at this time. Do not think badly of her for it is done for your safety. I will speak with my brother to make sure she returns early."
"Emaline, are you ready?" A soft voice caused them to turn as the form of her mother appeared around the hedges that hid the plaque from prying eyes. "Oh! Good Day Master Marcus. I trust that she has caused some sort of mischief." She asked with a playful tone to her voice. Marcus watched the interaction between mother and child for a time before a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"Nothing that couldn't be adverted easily." He replied.
"Hey! I am innocent here!" Emaline said, looking between the two before coming to pull her mother's hand towards the gates that would lead them to their home.
"You are never innocent! It's just a trick to lull me into a false sense of security. You are planning, I know it!" She replied being pulled away from the now standing vampire. "Good evening Master Marcus. I will return in a few hours!"
As they walked away, he realized that he still didn't know Emaline's mother's name. He would have to remedy this shortly. Perhaps after he fed this evening, he gathered his robes to walk towards the throne room. The tours would arrive soon.
(Page Break)
It was a few hours later when Marcus approached the modest office. The soft light that flooded the room came from a standing antique Tiffany lamp. He remembered it being a gift from Jane last year for the mortal's birthday. He knocked on the partially closed office door and awaited her acceptance for a visit. A courtesy that was not required of him, but he still felt that it was owed. Within moments, she stood before him once more with a puzzled look on her face.
"Master Marcus?" She said slowly, looking out into the hall for a moment before stepping back and craning her head to look up at him.
"Might I speak with you a moment?" Marcus inquired, patiently waiting for admittance to her office.
"Of course! Please come in!" She jumped, clearing the chair in front of her in a hurry before gesturing for him to sit if he wished. Marcus walked passed her and straightened his suit before sitting in the chair in front of her desk. She sat in her desk chair and moved piles of papers in order to be able to speak with him should he wish it.
"I wish to properly address the person that I give thanks to for an unexpected kindness." Marcus started speaking, while watching the confusion pass across her face. "The flowers ..."
"Jennifer," she replied in a soft voice, while looking at him. "My name is Jennifer and you don't have to thank us. We didn't do it and Emaline doesn't continue to visit for recognition. She visits to keep Lady Didyme company."
'Jennifer' Marcus mused to himself as he continued to watch her. "A gesture that I am sure that she loves. I have offered to tutor Emaline in Italian and French should she wish it of me."
Jennifer smirked at him, looking up from the planner in front of her, "If she can learn she will wish it of you. She loves to learn as much as she loves to eat."
A light feeling entered him as he sat in the chair in front of her. She took a deep breath and looked up at him with all seriousness after a time, which brought him out of his musings.
"May I ask that tutoring not take place during certain times and at certain places in the castle, Master Marcus?"
Marcus nodded his head in agreement, "Emaline will not be placed in danger, for that you have my word." He stood and began to walk towards the door before stopping and turning towards her, "I would also like to extend the same offer to you, Jennifer."
She waved him off with a smile and a grin, "Pass! I find that the less I know what Master Aro is saying to me the better it is on my sanity."
Marcus graced her with a slight smile before leaving and closing the door lightly behind him. He stood there, staring at the door for a time before turning towards the library. He had a lesson to plan and for the first time in over one thousand years, he felt hopeful for a new day.
The familiar pull of his gift being activated could be felt as he stood and left the small office; however the lines were not shown to him, such an odd feeling.
Author Note: I would like to thank my lovely reviewers lisabit, alexma, polly2010, jk, and lostfeather1. You are all the best! This chapter is for you guys! I hope that you like it. As for the questions that I had from lostfeather1, I shall answer them! This story is going to be running along with the Twlight series. I personally love the first showings of Aro, Marcus and Caius in New Moon, so that is what our amazing kings look like! You will also find elements of a tv show in the story, let's take guesses on the show! The winner will get to be in my story. The readers have about, hmm, 6 weeks or so to guess. So let the games begin! As before, read and review! I would love to hear from you so click on that little button!
UPDATE: Just a few edits and changes to the story. I think it makes more sense to include the translations next to the word or phrase.
