Chapter 7: Braids

The weeks that followed the visit from the stupid dumb girl were mostly spent trying to brighten up the spirits of two of the mortals living within the coven.

Marcus poured knowledge into the child to help get her through the rough times and even joined them for a movie or two during that time. Jennifer shook her head and grinned as she placed the books of ledgers on the shelves of her bookcase. Jane told her that she would pick her up from school every day and would treat Emaline with pens and papers from her favorite store. In the evenings, Emaline would come home to a rose on the door step or some of her favorite candies. There was never a note but I knew that it was the stupid boy that left them.

The melody from the radio on her computer started and Jennifer smiled when she heard her favorite Billy Currington song playing. She sang the slow lyrics to "Must Be Doin' Something Right" as she continued to work on the shelves. When she turned to get more books, she let out a startled gasp when a strong hand caught her wrist and twirled her into an equally firm chest.

"A pleasant song," a deep voice rumbled above her. Jennifer didn't have to look up to know that it was Master Aro guiding her in a slow dance to her favorite song. This was yet another odd change in their lives, it would seem that one of the kings of the coven was becoming .. close .. to her. She grinned up at him when he twirled her playfully away from him and brought her back once more into his much stronger form. "better than the noise you normally listen too."

"Gray moods require mellow music," she replied to him, not noticing as he clutched her closer to him while he swayed to the melody, "and I will have you know that my music is not noise, Master Aro."

When the music ended he released her a bit in order to look at her better. He grinned inside as he glanced at her pink cheeks, he could easily touch her bare skin and find out what she was thinking. But, he found that he didn't want to use his most useful gift on her.

It was in this thought that Aro's thoughts began to fly away from him. His quick mind traveled thru thoughts and memories of the past with this enchanting mortal woman in his loose arms. She was quick witted, cunning, intelligent and truly kind. A trait that was the exact opposite of him, but in her presence he almost appeared to care for the woman.

"Master Aro?" Jennifer asked as she now stood a ways from the man in front of her. He was almost staring through her it seemed.

Aro came to when she called his name once more, gaining his attention. An act that could be considered most deadly but the thought of harming this woman left a foul feeling on his very soul. A soul that he once believed and accepted was nonexistent. His kind were predators that preyed on lower beings but Jennifer and Emaline were the exceptions to these thoughts.

"Why are your moods gray on this day Mia Cara?" Aro asked as he reached to lightly brush an escaping hair from the pins in her hair.

"Emaline will be leaving for 2 months and she is still bummed from before. Thankfully it's not affecting her school work but I worry for her and I don't want her to leave feeling crummy."

Aro walked to the bookcase and grazed his fingers along the rims of the books and Jennifer could safely say that she was jealous. She shook her head quickly and rolled her shoulders before beginning to work again. "Emaline will enjoy her outing today with my brother. He always knows what to say to the young one."

Jennifer stopped and looked over at Master Aro, "Outing? Master Marcus normally teaches Emaline in the library on Thursday's?"

"Emaline will not be going on an outing with Marcus this evening; she will be going to the galleries with Caius." He supplied, paying attention to the books until the sound of a book hitting the floor turned his attention. The poor woman looked like she was about to run, "Rest easily, Jennifer, Caius will not harm young Emaline. They do so enjoy their outings."

"Outings?!" Jennifer looked up at him sharply, "I knew that she went out with Master Marcus but not with Master Caius. I don't think this," She began before she was pulled over to a now seated Master Aro.

"Caius would never hurt Emaline. You have my word."

As Jennifer stood in front of him nervously watching everywhere but at his hands holding lightly onto hers, if she had been watching she would have noticed him grin up at her.

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Caius stood to the side and watched the young child flit over to one painting and back to another one that caught her eye. He remembered her mentioning that she loved pictures of flowers. The watercolor exhibit was exactly what he knew she would love. However, it was not the paintings that were capturing her attention this evening.

"Come, this place is wasted on you while you are in such a mood." Caius said to the young girl, startling out of her observations. She looked down and followed his imposing figure, thinking they were going to take the car back to the castle.

Instead, when she looked up, she saw that he was entering a small café. When she caught up to him, he tilted his head slowly, beckoning her to order something. A few minutes and a small cup of a Roobios Tea Mix, she was sitting at a tiny table with Master Caius.

"You are troubled."

Emaline heard this and sank lower into her chair, holding the warm cup of tea while staring at the flowers on the table between them.

"You wish to speak of this, do you not?" Caius spoke while he watched her.

"You would let me talk to you?" Emaline asked in a small voice while looking at him with a confused look.

"If you are anything like your mother, I doubt I could stop you."

This brought a smile, finally, to the child's face. His anger had already been expressed to his brothers after he heard about how that human harmed the talented child in front of him.

"I've never failed at anything. "

Caius watched the child in front of him and fought the urge to roll his eyes. His brother, Marcus, was much better in times like this. Thank heavens she hasn't started crying.

"Stop this useless train of thought." He snipped at her, a little too harshly. "The Swan girl is beneath you, never believe differently."

Emaline glanced up from her tea and cocked her head to the side while she watched the adult watching her. He was telling the truth, his truth and he believed his words. "May we go back to the gallery, Master Caius?"

Caius nodded his head and stood before walking to the exit of the little terrace. He waited next to the entry way for her to join him once more. The rest of the outing was as it should be and Caius was shocked to say that for the first time in thousands of years, he felt at peace.

Scowling, he looked up to catch a glimpse at Emaline truly appreciating that art, not like before at all. Her youthful radiance caused him to follow her form while he sat on the bench in silence.

He was becoming soft and in watching the child, he would imagine her mother in front of them. A sight that made him clench his teeth.

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It was late when Jennifer heard a knock on the door of her house, curious; she opened the door to greet the tall form of Master Marcus. Startled, she allowed him entrance to her home while cleaning the house as he followed her into the kitchen.

"Emaline is asleep, Master Marcus, if you wished to speak with her."

Marcus didn't answer her but was watching as she cleaned the kitchen quickly and efficiently. He watched the hairs escaping the loose bun that she gathered her hair off her neck. He turned and walked quickly into the living room while Jennifer cleaned the remainder of the kitchen. Off to the end, he could see Emaline's door slightly ajar and curiosity got the best of him. He silently entered the comfortable room and looked at her belongings, as he approached her nightstand. He lowered one of his hands to smooth the hair to reveal her closed eyes to him.

"Such peace in her sleep, yet not in her waking," He thought as he watched her for a few more moments. When he stood, he noticed Jennifer standing by the door and watching him with wonder in her eyes. "You are weary, yet I wish to speak with you."

Jennifer led him back to the living room and sat across from him as he settled in the comfy chair. She wanted to laugh at the site before her. The much taller Master Marcus sitting in an old chair with worn, fluffy cushions, he was watching her again while she waited for him to speak.

"My brother will be holding an event of sorts in the weeks to come and I wanted to give you ample time to prepare for the work that lies before you."

"Oh really?" Jennifer excitedly said while jumping up and getting her planner. Before she could leave his side, he caught her wrist firmly, halting her movements completely.

In a brilliant flash of color, he felt his gift react violently. Around the woman was a burst of violet color, with single threads braided delicately, flowing away from her body and uniting with his, own sharp emerald braid. A light pink braid could be seen coming from the child's room while he could see two additional vines of crimson and azure reaching for the woman in front of him. He could feel his eyes widen as she turned to watch him with concerned eyes. Marcus released her wrist like it was burning him and he stood quickly and backed away from the woman who was approaching him slowly.

"Master Marcus, are you alright?" Jennifer watched him as he continued to back away from her quickly with his hands in front of him. The poor vampire king looked terrified and he was backing away from her like a startled deer backing away from a predator.

"Have a pleasant evening, I must leave you at once."

In a flurry of his long robes and a soft breeze, he left the house quickly, his shape gone from her sight. Jennifer was left standing in the doorway and looked from side to side in confusion. She closed the door and leaned against it, wondering what was going on with the vampires in this coven!

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Marcus glided quickly through the castle to the library, the one place that he knew for sure that his brother would be. Aro looked up from his book to see his brother standing before him.

"Something troubles you, Marcus?" He asked while cutting his eyes up sharply to look at his brothers' troubled face.

Without words, Marcus presented his palm to his brother, knowing that he would know what to do. Aro stood and quickly came to stand before him before enveloping his hands over his brothers' larger ones. His gift activated quickly to see the colors and braids leading to and from a certain mortal woman and outwards. His eyes opened quickly and looked at Marcus with serious eyes.

"Well." Aro started while turning from Marcus and walking back towards the chair he was in. "That is most interesting is it not, brother?"

"We must tell him."

"You know how stubborn he is dearest. He will not believe it."

Marcus looked over at Aro with a still shocked look on his face, "What is your plan then?"

"We do what we have always done for centuries," Aro said with a grin on his face and a smile in his eyes, "We wait."

Marcus scowled and turned from the library once more before returning to his solace in the castle, he was shocked when he found himself once more staring at the quant house before him. Through the windows, he could see the object of his thoughts jumping and dancing to the music that filled the house. He looked up at the sky and sighed.

"What to do Didyme?"

Author Note:

UPDATE: A few edits, nothing major. MaM