Aljan Moonfire does not own Twilight. It belongs to Stephanie Meyer.

"Hello" - speaking

'Hello' - thinking

Read on, my friends, read on

Chapter 3:

The End of Didyme

Happy. If Marcus could sum everything that he was feeling right now that is what it would be. It had been almost two centuries since the day he first met his queen he couldn't remember a time when he had felt as happy as he did now. He remembered when he thought his eternity would have to be spent alone. The spite and yearning of those times was almost incomprehensible, even to him. Spite for his brothers that had found their mates and a deep yearning for what they had, a mate, their other half...a life filled with the happiness he felt now. Even that sour faced Caius is sometimes unable to hide the joy he feels when with his mate.

When Didyme came here Marcus' disposition changed, and she is all he ever has on his mind now. And he couldn't be happier for it. He no longer believed that he was meant to be alone, he was meant to love, to worship, to adore his queen, his Didyme.

.-.

It would be another century until Aro, by accident, brushed his hand on Didyme's bare shoulder. It was in that instant that all her memories and all of her scheming came into plain view.

Didyme, the love of Marcus' existence was nothing more than a manipulating vampire with nothing, but power on her mind. When he finally reached the part where her power came into full view he was disgusted. He stayed in contact only long enough for her plans to come to mind before he ended the connection and disappeared before she realized what had happened.

After Aro viewed her thoughts and memories he locked himself away in his chambers. His only thoughts were of the vampire, the woman he had for so long viewed as a sister, and the realization that she would have to be killed. He knew the necessity of what would happen, but he also knew that his most emotionally fragile brother would be devastated beyond repair.* Aro could not help hating himself for not checking Didyme before any of this had happened, but Marcus would not allow his brother to view his mate's mind. He now knew beyond all doubt that this, and much else, was Didyme's work. However much this would pain his beloved family, Aro knew he had a duty to said family and the entirety of the vampire world, to never allow her ambitions to come to fruition.

That she had been planning the assassination of Caius, really just sealed the coffin.

With this less than pleasant thought he finally left his chambers and called for a meeting between the brothers in their private communal study.

.-.

Once all three of them had cloistered themselves in their study Caius opened his mouth to speak.

Before he could make a sound Aro made a statement that shocked the other two into speechless silence. "We have a traitor among our people."

This time Marcus was the one to speak up. "Who. Who would dare to betray us?"

Aro simply held out his hands and motioned for them to hold on to them. When they didn't do so and simply looked at him strangely he sighed, and said, "You will not believe me if I simply tell you, so I will show you instead." They looked at him in shock.

"Are you sure?" asked Caius "You should know better than anyone the stress those two techniques place on your body."

"Yes." He replied, the serious look on his face enhancing the gravity of the statement. "This is very important."

What was unknown to the majority of the vampire world was that Aro's ability encompassed three parts. However much like how Didyme rarely, if ever made somebody hate her; Aro hardly ever used the other parts of his power, the stress they placed on even his vampire body making it too taxing to use on a daily basis. In fact the only people who knew about the other facets of his power were in the room with him.

The three sides of his power could be described thusly:

Absorption – The ability to, when touching someone see every thought that that they have ever had, every memory is seen and studied, until he knows you better than even you know yourself. As this is the one power Aro can't turn off and on at will he is unable to even touch his mate without her whole life being thrown at his head. He often wishes to find someone that he isn't able to read. It would be a relief.

Rejection – The ability to, at will and when touching another, show them something he has absorbed through his other ability. He can't use it to allow others to view his own life and experiences though. He is unable to use this ability more than five times a day without running out of energy and needing to consume more blood.

Negation – This ability allows Aro to, when touching another's forehead, negate any and all mental control and conditioning someone has placed on another. This ability uses up the most energy by a landslide. Aro can only use it once a week, before going into a blood rage and immediately taking the life of the closest living thing.

The other two Volturi leaders reached out to grab his hands and almost immediately their eyes widened in shock. A full two minutes later Marcus stumbled back in horror, as Caius slowly removed his hand from Aro's grip.

"You understand then," Aro said quietly, drawing back to look the other two shocked lords in the eye. "What must be done." It wasn't a question.

Caius nodded gravely, a slowly growing rage apparent in his eyes. "Yes." He replied, thinking rather gruesome thoughts. 'I guess I'll get to find out what her screams are like after all.'

Marcus turned away slightly and didn't make a sound for a few minutes. When he turned back his face was very still but his eyes held an immense amount of pain. "Yes, I do, but I am finding this very hard to believe." He paused, almost hesitating for a bit before hardening his resolve. "Will you please use your third technique on me so that I may be sure?" If his carefully worded question didn't show how much this was affecting him then nothing did.

"Of course." He replied immediately. "I had planned on doing so anyway. I honestly wasn't too sure what your reaction would be. She had had to devote most of her power to keeping you sealed and you honestly could have done anything from attacking me to attempting commit suicide."

Marcus nodded thoughtfully and turned away again. "Should we just get this over with then?" he asked.

Aro's answer was apparent as he flopped down onto the carpet and motioned for the other two to join him. Marcus joined him on the floor as Caius collapsed into Aro's ridiculously comfortably armchair. Aro took one of Marcus' hands into his own and then placed the tips of the index and middle fingers of his other hand in the middle of Marcus' forehead.

Aro looked directly into the eyes across from his own and said, "We will proceed then. Do not interrupt." The last part was obviously meant for Caius.

.-.

It was over an hour before the two came out their trance. Aro collapsed backward as Marcus pulled away from him waiting for Aro to recover a bit before he began to use his own power.

Caius leaned forward a bit in his chair and frowned in concern. "Are you alright, Aro?" he asked.

"Yes. I will definitely need some blood after this though." A few seconds after he replied he rose and took Caius' loveseat as a place to continue resting.

Marcus himself stood and closed his eyes resolving to go through his memories of Didyme before he looked for their connection, hoping that what he would see would place things in perspective for him. What he found when he looked with his now clear eyes horrified him. That she could have treated him that way, and that more importantly he let her, and was happy for it…the embarrassment and disgust and depression that the memories evoked in him was almost overwhelming.

He then turned to his power hoping and praying that the abhorrent woman was not and never would be his true life mate. What he saw at this point was more of a relief than anything else. That he wasn't connected to her in anyway and that there were even growing signs of antipathy on his end of things was an immense release. He closed his eyes and sighed.

Aro and Caius looked up at him. "Well?"

"She will die. Honestly at this point, I just want this to be over with." His reply was met with relived smiles from the other two lords.

"Tomorrow night then?" asked Caius for confirmation.

"Yes, tomorrow night." With this final statement Aro rose and left to look for some blood to replenish his energy, Caius departed muttering about torture techniques under his breath and Marcus collapsed onto his lounging chaise resolving not to leave the study until the meeting he knew Aro would call in twenty-four hours.**

.-.

When Aro called the coven together in the throne room his face was gave and the stoic countenances of his brothers on either side of him only enhanced the impression that this was to be a serious meeting. The bare floor and the bonfire in the center of the room told them that this was to be a public execution.

Whispers ran throughout the room, wondering who was going to die and who would kill them.

Aro stood and opened his mouth to speak. "Bring me Didyme." he said. A shocked silence spread through the room.

.-.

Didyme rushed toward the throne room wondering how she could have possibly been late for this important meeting. How come Marcus hadn't warned her? She had told him to tell her everything that the three leaders had planned. She was beginning to have a bad feeling about this, but it was too late to worry about it now. She paused in front of the same mirror she had first used to check her appearance on that day so long ago and fixed her hair. She then turned to the large doors to open them.

As she entered the great room the shocked silence that had just fallen deepened. She looked around in confusion and the horrified faces of Athenodora and Sulpicia jumped out at her from the surrounding vampires. Just as she began to step back from the stares pointed at her two rather muscled guards grabbed her upper arms and dragged her to the dais at the other end of the room.

As she was half thrown at the feet of the three rulers and she looked up at them through her hair, what she saw in Aro and Caius' glares raised the hairs on the back of her neck. She then turned to Marcus. The unreadable expression on his face made her eyes widen and she checked the connection she had forged between them. It was gone, as if it had never been there. 'No! They know! How could they know! I was so careful…and how could they have broken my spell? I thought it was impossible for anyone but me to do that!'

She only then noticed the bonfire and the bare floor and realized that they intended to kill her.***

.-.

Marcus looked down on the woman he had once considered to be the love of his unending life, and was disgusted. Had he really been even remotely attracted to this creature? He was relieved, as he looked down at her, that he was no longer tied to the caricature of a woman that kneeled before them.

As Marcus examined her appearance with his now unclouded eyes, it was as if he was really seeing her for the first time. The perfection that he had always been made to see was gone and in its place was…this.

The woman he was looking at was thin, almost sickly looking and had almost no chest to speak of. He had never been attracted to that kind of body type, and doubted he ever would. A woman was supposed to have curves, not resemble a stick. With the kind of robes she was wearing she appeared flat in both the front and the back. Her hair, that blonde hair; how had he missed that? He had always thought dark hair and pale skin suited a woman best; just like his only vaguely remembered mother. The thin lips and plain moon shaped face only strengthened his revulsion.

The worst part though was those eyes. Those shallow, flat eyes displayed a cold, heartless, empty monster living behind them. He could not look anymore. He had to avert his eyes. Centuries of his life and years of his love and devotion were wasted on this hag. Then it really hit him; this was his life. He had only ever yearned for one thing throughout his seemingly endless existence, and that was a mate. He had always wanted a woman that he could not live without, a woman that would make his life worth living, and instead he was dealt Didyme. What had he done to deserve this? Was his happiness such a hard thing to ask for?

"Aro…Caius…Why…?" he asked softly, even rather helplessly.

Aro took his hand, his eyes then widening in understanding. "I'm very deeply sorry my brother. Just like you I truly wish that this had never happened. I have always wanted you to have your happily ever after, but…"

Caius then spoke up. "What is done is done. All that we need to worry about now is dealing with that snake."

Aro nodded his agreement and then turned back to Marcus. "If you need to leave Caius and I can resolve this problem without you, Marcus."

"No..." he muttered under his breath. 'I need to see her die. It will hopefully give me some closure.' "No." he said more firmly. "This is something I need to see."

"As you wish, brother." Aro turned to face his audience. He stood and raised his voice so everyone in the Hall could hear him. "Now, I am sure everyone wants to know what is going on, so I will give all of you the short version, and then a punishment will be decided by Caius, Marcus, and myself."****

"We have an imposter among us. The one in whom we thought we had a friend, a sister, a mother, a…wife…we instead had a conniving-"

"Bitch." interrupted Caius.

"Caius, please." Aro shot him a look as the corner of his mouth twitched. 'Even if that is a very accurate description…'

"As you might have guessed the woman I speak of is Didyme Volturi." Gasps spread through room, the inhabitants of which were clearly shocked.

"What are you talking about Aro? What could I have possibly done to deserve this?" Her shocked plea covered up her frenzied thoughts. 'Just play innocent for now. I'll attempt to make my move after I know just how much damage has been done to my plans.'

"Hold your tongue, whore, before I rip it out." Caius' hissed threat echoed around the room.

Aro continued, ignoring them both. "Didyme has been manipulating Marcus with what powers she has, her goal to destroy the very fabric of the Volturi and the Vampire World. This crime merits the punishment of death, the manner in which the death shall be carried out will be voted upon by the-"

He was cut of again, this time by Didyme, her cries panicked as she reached out to Marcus. "That is a lie Aro! Marcus you know I love you and you love me. Tell them they are wrong, please!" Her thoughts were just as panicked as her words, 'I can't believe they have discovered this much! Even if my hold over him is broken Marcus is my only hope of getting out of this mess before I die!'

She began to attempt to stand as she continued. "Marcus, I don't know what lies these two have filled your head with, but you should know the only plans I had were to get away from all this. Don't you see what they are doing; they are trying to turn you against me, trying to control you. Look at me Marc-aaaahhh!"

Caius was suddenly before her glaring sharply down at her as she collapsed again, blood spilling from the hands covering her mouth as the tongue he had torn from it was thrown into the bonfire

"I gave you fair warning about holding your damn tongue, and now I'll keep it for you! Those eyes are next." His threat and actions were once again ignored by Aro as he continued his little speech.

"As I was saying, this crime merits the punishment of death, the manner in which the death shall be carried out will be voted upon by the three of us. Personally," His eyes were cold and unfeeling as they looked down on her as if she were simply a bug that hadn't yet been crushed. "I wish you a long and painful eternity in our torture chambers."

He then turned away from her, motioning for the guards to make sure she stayed put while they conferred together.

.-.

Caius spoke up immediately after they ensured no one else could hear them. "We should torture her for as long as her pathetic body will hold out. I suppose that once her mind breaks we can off her though. I want her aware of everything we do to her."

Aro nodded in agreement, "I agr-"

He was cut of by Marcus. "I don't care as much as you two do about causing her pain. I just want her gone. That woman is my greatest embarrassment. That she even exists offends me, and I want her dead by the time the sun rises. I don't care how painful you make her death, I just want her gone."

The other two nodded thoughtfully, and then Aro made a suggestion. "We could rip off her body parts one by one and throw them in the bonfire while she still has feeling in them? That way her death will be long and painful but she'll still be dead by the time the sun rises." The others nodded in agreement.

Marcus then began to speak, "I won't participate though. I'll come back at sunrise to ensure her death, but I myself won't contribute." Aro nodded his permission of that course of action and then they moved back to give the coven their decision.

.-.

As the three leaders came forward to the front of the dais, Didyme looked up in a strange combination of dread and hope. When Aro began to speak though, any and all hope that she may live through this after all died a horrible death.

"It has been decided. Didyme shall die, tonight, by fire." The sentence was given.

Caius then moved forward and smiled a cruel, sadistic smile. He then motioned to the two forgotten guards that had brought her forward and bore witness to all that had happened. "You two, hold her down." And then to Didyme, with a smirk. "Believe me; I will make this as painful as possible."

She opened her mouth in a wordless scream as he began to tear off her fingers one by one and burn them.

.-.

Nobody aside from Aro noticed Marcus had left with the first scream.

Just like nobody aside from his brothers knew that he returned to the throne room afterward as the sun began to rise.

As he sat there pondering the last few centuries of his life, ones wasted on the monster that had died a mere hour before, a part of him died. The part of him that had hoped and prayed for that other half of his soul. The part of him that hated his brothers for having something he knew he never would. The part of him that loved and would have thrown all of his being into loving another, that part of his soul died.

And as the sun spread into the room through the great archways to one side, some of the life left his wine red eyes. And apathy moved over his countenance.

After that day Marcus, and by extension Volterra and the Volturi, was never the same.

* - Can anyone say Catch 22?

** - That he had no idea what he might say or do to Didyme once he saw her had no bearing on his decision. Really.

*** - The rather descriptive swear words that ran through her mind at this point should never be used in polite company.

**** - The torture techniques that came from this sentence were the more sadistic elder brothers of those of the Middle Ages.

Alight! Yet another chapter brought to you by moi!

And on to the author's note...

First: I have decided to add The End of Didyme (Part 2) to this! Did you cheer when she died? I know I did.

Second: Next we have a breif insert from Carlisle and then we'll finally move on to Bella's side of things.

Last: Pease Review! I really want to know what people think of this story! It is my first afterall. (Edit: REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!) More than three words would be a wonderful gift.

- Aljan Monfire -