Here comes the little meeting between Bella and her over 3000 year old ancestor Diana. Also will give an idea of what Diana knows about Bella despite the fact they're meeting for the first time. Diana has a big opinion on Bella's life so far, and why shouldn't she, she knows what's in store for Bella and her friends right?
I don't own Twilight.
Enjoy!
Rome Airport:
Bella's P.O.V.:
"We got everything?" we had just gone through the lines of luggage, and multiple tourist lines to get our passports approved, and now we had to make sure nothing was missing.
"I got my stuff."
"Me too."
"Me three, lead the way Laurent." Laurent laughed at me and led us to the front; it was getting close to dark so he wouldn't have to worry about sparkling in the sunlight. As we made it outside I saw two figures wearing dark clothes coming to us, a man and a woman.
"Ciao Laurent." The man was white, with sandy blonde hair and red eyes. He seemed to be in his mid-twenties, and the woman looked around the same age, but with brown, shoulder length hair.
"Ciao Clarinda, Joseph; ladies these are two of Lady Diana's guards Clarinda and Joseph. They are from the lovely state of Arkansas."
"Nice to meet you." I smiled and they nodded at me.
"Pleasure." Clarinda smiled at us. "Follow us to the car." As we trailed along Jessica tapped my shoulder.
"I'm so excited; I cannot wait to meet the queen of the vampires."
"You will love our queen young lady; she's very lovely and very fashionable." Joseph laughed, I just hoped she wasn't as bad as Alice had been. "Not to mention she rules with an iron fist."
"So we've been told." Angela laughed. Soon we came up to a nice Italian SUV, shiny and black, brand new maybe.
"Hop aboard ladies." Joseph opened the doors and Clarinda took our bags. I sat in the very back with Jessica and Angela, and Laurent took the middle seat with Clarinda while Joseph drove. I noticed that Rome was lovely at night, almost like it showed in the brochures with all the lights, and Angela was taking pictures like crazy.
"Like the sights girls?" Clarinda asked.
"Oh yes, do you get to go out and see them?" Jessica had been wanting to party in Rome, but knowing how vampires are I wasn't sure if we'd even be allowed out at night.
"Not really, Lady Diana doesn't like a huge amount of her guards going out at night. She has been making exceptions though, so you might get lucky." Joseph answered her.
"Yay!" Jessica could be such a princess at times, oh well at least she didn't act all pompous like one. The drive was mainly included with the sounds of cameras clicking, small conversations between the vampires, and then came the sounds of the locals partying with the tourists. Luckily for me I'm no party girl, and I don't think I could handle the horny Italian boys waiting to prey on American girls.
About twenty minutes later we drove somewhere outside the city and into a large garage like space. Joseph pulled out a remote, pressed a button and a door inside the garage opened up showing a long dark tunnel with little lighting.
"Oh yeah did I mention that the palace is underground?" I think he did, but hey that's vampires right? I was just eager to see Diana, if she really was my ancestor maybe she could help find out why Edward and the Cullens used me. I shouldn't care, but I still wanted to know what I did to make them leave.
As we drove deeper into the tunnel a large light cut on fast and Joseph parked the car near a door. Clarinda quickly got out and took our things with Joseph while Laurent helped us out of the large car.
"Um…is this the only car?" Jessica couldn't stop admiring the thing.
"No, we have at least five but this one's the newest."
"Any trucks?" Joseph nodded.
"Just one, but it's older." We went up to the door and all the way down was a long hallway, with at least five doors on either side.
"What're those doors to?" Angela.
"Those are different ways of entering the palace, say for instance if you wanted to go straight to the West Wing you would take the last on the right, or the East Wing you would take the third on the left. It was made to make our enemies a bit confused on finding the throne/ballroom, that's where Lady Diana normally is."
"If not she's usually in her own Wing, or the library she loves reading." Now we appeared to be more related.
"How many books does she own?" I had to ask.
"Hundreds Bella, maybe thousands and she's read every single one in that library." Wow, she was book smart. We walked down to the very end of the hall, and after Clarinda let us through the door there was a huge spiral staircase leading upstairs.
"That's a long staircase." Angela.
"Not to worry ladies, climb aboard." Joseph and Laurent held onto us and at vampire speed we made it to the top. "We must hurry, can't keep the queen waiting any longer." Soon we came to a large set of double doors, and when Laurent let us inside we were staring at probably the largest room we'd ever seen. It was oval shaped, with a large white glass ceiling, soft lighting, a light brown marble floor, with dark walls covered with busts and statues, and several bouquets of roses, white, red, even black though those were probably fake.
What caught my eye was the large throne at the other end of the room, it looked to be made of stone, but smooth like metal. It was black with brown cushions, elegant looking but it was the only throne there. So Lady Diana didn't have a mate?
"Raoul!" Laurent called and a tall man from the shadows, wearing a dark cape came over. "Please fetch Lady Diana."
"Of course." 'Raoul' bowed and left in a flash.
"That's one of the gifted guards, Raoul has the ability of mind torture."
"Mind torture? You mean like he can make someone paranoid or make them relive their worst moments?" Jessica.
"In a way, but he can also make them feel pain, it really depends on the memory but whatever horrible things exist in that memory he can unleash much worse than the real thing." All three of us gasped.
"That's horrible." Angela.
"Don't worry, Lady Diana only uses him when it's against an actual enemy. Someone who's tried to harm her or one of the other members." That wasn't much of a relief, but it was good that Lady Diana had backup. "We have more gifted members than the Volturi, and the reason being is because when they were first created Lady Diana sought them out and brought them here. She gives them shelter, blood, clothing, and treats everyone equally, she even rescues them in times of trouble."
"She's a good queen." Clarinda smiled again and set our bags down.
"And don't you forget it." A voice from the other end caught my ears, and I saw Raoul return with a woman. She had long dark red hair like Laurent had said, her skin was white like the others, her eyes burgundy red, and she wore a medium length dark blue dress with billowing sleeves and a V-neck trimmed with silver lining.
"Lady Diana." All four guards in the room bowed to her, and then I noticed multiple other shadows in the background do the same.
"Thank you for bringing them Laurent." Her face was beautiful, but she looked a little older than me. As she approached us the way she walked looked almost as if she were walking on air. She could be a goddess. "Hello Bella, Angela, Jessica." I nudged them and we bowed low to her.
"Hello…Lady Diana."
"Your grace." Angela.
"Your majesty." Jessica.
"Please just call me Lady Diana." She never broke eye contact with me. "I've been waiting a long time to see you my Bella." 'My?'
"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Lady Diana."
"I trust your trip was nice?" we nodded. "Excellent, now you girls must be hungry. I've already taken the liberty of having your dinner brought here."
"Um…thank you." Angela.
"You're welcome Angela, now Clarinda, Joseph would you two take their things to their rooms please?"
"Yes milady."
"Thank you." They did so and soon it was just me, Jess, and Ange alone with Lady Diana and Laurent. "Follow me girls." She turned and we followed her to a large room that looked like a dining hall, with a long ass table and only three seats had plates of food and drinks in front of them. "Sit wherever you want." We sat and I noticed the plates were full of Italian food, some of our favorites.
"Wow." I looked at her. "Thanks."
"Dig in girls, you must be starving." We happily obliged, and the food was absolutely delicious. "Like it?"
"It's amazing." Jessica. "Did you make it?" Diana laughed.
"Oh no dear a vampire hasn't any reason to cook; I had it made for you earlier today, from a restaurant."
"Thank you again." Angela and I both said.
"Again you're welcome, and just to let you know I have your rooms set side by side and they are conjoined from the closets. Your things should be on the bed."
"Um actually milady, I was hoping to ask some questions first?" I wanted to know some things.
"All in good time Bella, but for now I want you to eat and then you girls can shower. Your scents don't bother me but you look like you could use some relaxation." Maybe we could.
"Can you see me later tonight?" I checked my watch, which Laurent had set for the actual time and I saw it was nearly after eight.
"Of course I can, I'll answer whatever questions you may have." I nodded and finished my food. Soon after we were done Diana got up from her seat. "Now then, Laurent will show you to your rooms, I'll see you in an hour Bella."
"Thanks." I pushed my plate away and we followed Laurent out of the dining hall to another area with three rooms.
"Here we are ladies, Jessica the one on the right is yours, the left is Angela's, and the middle is yours Bella."
"Thanks Laurent." We went into our rooms and I was by far stunned at how cool mine was. The walls were light gold, with dark red curtains over tinted windows, a four poster bed with a velvet duvet and silk sheets, it was amazing. And the furniture was by far some of the oldest, but nicest bits I'd ever seen. It even had its own bathroom, and the closet was awesome.
Things were already looking good.
Diana's P.O.V.:
After Bella and her friends left I sat back in my chair as Galen brought me a cup of fresh blood.
"My lady." He gave me the cup and I drank as he took a seat. "Isabella is lovely, as are Angela and Jessica." I smiled.
"They were considered the loveliest girls in their school."
"You do know that Victoria will realize Bella is missing." I nodded. "And her father is unprotected?" I shook my head.
"Charlie will be safe with the shifters, I've seen his destiny." Galen nodded. "Victoria will be dealt with soon enough, she won't touch Bella here."
"And if she goes looking for Laurent?"
"Laurent has been told to stay clear of Victoria, unless he realizes she may try something."
"And the Cullens?" I smirked.
"I have big plans for them later, but for now I want to make sure Bella meets her true mate before they show themselves." Galen laughed at me.
"Very wise milady."
"Thank you kind sir." I set down the now empty cup, and sighed. "No doubt Bella will have questions of why I haven't seen her since she first knew of vampires, but I already said I'm willing to talk when she's ready."
"No doubt she'll be up all night with you." I shook my head.
"I'll only answer a few tonight, not a lot. She needs to sleep." I leaned back. "How are the arrangements for the ball going?"
"Rather well, and the gowns you ordered for the girls should arrive first thing tomorrow afternoon."
"Wonderful." I glanced at my wristwatch under my sleeve. "Oh it's been an hour already? My how time flies…" I stood from my seat. "I'd best go see Bella."
"Shall I accompany you milady?"
"If you wish so, but I need you to check on the others. Have they fed?"
"I will make sure milady." He bowed and left. I ran at vampire speed to Bella's room, and knocked on the doors. "Bella?"
"Come in." I saw that Bella had already unpacked, and she was now shower fresh wearing a long red bathrobe I had left in here. "Lady Diana."
"You can call me Diana in private Bella, the lady part can do for public appearances. Now where are your friends?"
"Oh I think they're still in the shower."
"I'll check then." I left quickly and knocked on both doors, and the other two answered.
"Yes ma'am?"
"You girls up for a story?" they nodded and came straight into Bella's room with me. They sat on the bed and I took a chair from the vanity. "Now then, where shall I start?"
Not bad for the first meeting eh? Imagine what Diana's gonna tell the girls, and imagine what the Cullens are doing right about now?
In fact I'll bring the Cullens in on the next chapter, but it'll just show what they've been up to since they left Bella in Forks. I'll even throw Victoria in and what is she gonna do since Bella's gone?
R&R
Later!