Chapter Thirty Three

Aro

When I heard that Esme Cullen had contacted us and the message had been taken by Caius I went looking for my dear Brother. As usual he was deep in conversation with his wife and to my surprise Felix.

"Brother, I hear Carlisle's beautiful wife has been in contact with us, did it slip your mind? I thought you would have told me."

"I intended to at our usual daily briefing yesterday but you were unavailable and I thought it could wait until this evening"

"Really? So, it wasn't an important message then?"

"Only that she is coming to visit with a gift for us"

"A gift? How lovely, and did she mention the nature of this...gift?"

"No. I assume we'll find out when she arrives Aro"

"And when are we to expect Esme and her gift?"

"Sometime over the next few days I gather, she has some other business to conduct first."

Caius smiled at me very innocently before questioning me in turn,

"I assume you were going to tell us Alice Cullens next prediction at our meeting tonight too?"

"Of course, I never think it wise to have secrets from each other, it only spawns distrust which is very damaging to an Association such as ours."

Caius

So Aro was prying, he was more suspicious than ever since hearing about Bella's baby, he'd tried once to obtain it in the womb and failed but I knew he hadn't given up totally. I also knew he suspected Marcus and/or I of being complicit in her escape last time. This time if The Major and his friends came visiting they wouldn't be satisfied with taking his son, he'd want the kidnapper too at the very least, and more probably the one who told Aro everything about the child. For now the first two were safe in my care but Alice Cullen was another matter entirely. She wouldn't tell Aro of my involvement in thwarting his plans as long as she thought I had influence here in Volterra and Felix made very sure of that, but it was always wise to issue reminders now and again so I sent Felix off to "remind" Alice of me and my powers here. I wanted to speak to Marcus too but it was far too dangerous for the two of us to be seen scheming behind Aro's back, therefore my dear wife was the go between.

Aro thought that she helped Marcus when the loss of his own sweet wife became too much for him. If he'd known that Marcus was aware of just who was responsible for that loss and that it had been me who told him he would have been far more cautious but Chelsea kept Marcus loyal despite the burden of knowing he worked with her killer that lay heavy on him. One day he would get his revenge but for now he helped me when it became necessary to rein in Aro's thirst for ultimate power and sovereignty of the Volturi.

Marcus

When Caius wife sent word she would like to speak with me I knew Aro was up to his old tricks again. I couldn't act against him myself but that didn't mean I couldn't aid someone else, especially when the information I provided or help I was able to give, didn't directly impact on Aro himself. I had been kept up to date regarding the human Bella and her baby by Felix and I was very interested. The idea of a vampire male siring a baby with a human woman wasn't new. It had been tried over the centuries but always, without fail, resulted in the death of either the mother or mother and child. This time was different though and we had no idea why, mother and baby both survived and the child at least was thriving according to sources. I had strongly resisted the intention of stealing the baby from its parents for many different reasons. I had been torn from my family as a very young child, years before becoming a vampire, and I was convinced it had ruined me as a person.

My other and probably more pertinent objection had been the reaction of its father. The Major wouldn't take the snatching of his son lightly and it was sheer folly to bring his wrath down on the Volturi. Much as he was hated by a large section of our world we were hated even more, so he would gain support and although we had Jane, Alec, Felix, and various other talented warriors on our side he had his own, quite aside from any whispered idea of a gift his mate possessed. Volterra was a peaceful place and I for one wanted to keep it that way. Sticking a sharp stick in the centre of a hornets nest and whirling it round was never a good idea. When that hornet's nest was owned by Major Whitlock it was damn near suicidal. We had to find a way of solving this without Aro becoming too suspicious of us, but also without making ourselves targets for that Major.

Caius

When my wife returned to me she had news, Marcus was very concerned that Aro not take the baby into his own care, it could make him too powerful here in our world. That was his way of saying he was glad I'd intercepted Esme and her charge, only with Felix vigilance I admit. So how to play this? How to handle Aro but more importantly The Major. Felix could act as go between as before but I knew he would have demands this time, someone would have to pay for what had happened, would he want Esme who I could provide? Or Alice who I could not? As I sat thinking through my possible moves word came through that The Major, The Captain, and Bella were on their way to Volterra. I hadn't allowed for Bella's appearance in my calculations, I wondered what if any part she would play in the proceedings. Deciding it might be a good idea to let them know I held the ace I sent Felix to make tentative contact,.

"But make sure Aro's spies don't see you"

"Hardly likely, I am Aro's spy."

Felix rarely spoke but when he did you listened. So Aro was spying on me and using my own spy to do it, what wonderful irony!

Aro

Once Felix had gone on his fact-finding mission to Caius I sent word I would like to speak with Brother Marcus. I knew he would keep me waiting, he always did, so I amused myself with a little paper work, even in the Vampire world there was bureaucracy and it was always tedious but doing it myself meant that I had my finger on the pulse at all times. It was amazing the snippets of information that came via this route, some of which had proved extremely useful in the past. When my brother eventually made his ponderous way to my chamber I had learned of a few people who would need a visit from the Guard for allowing Humans to see them for what they were, such stupidity could not be tolerated.

"Marcus, thank you for coming, I'm so sorry if I took you away from anything important but there are a few things I thought you should be aware of"

"Really Aro? How terribly interesting, do go on"

He always sounded so bored, the fool.

"Apparently the rumours regarding Bella and The Major were true, she had a baby boy who is even now on his way to visit with us."

"With his parents I assume?"

"Alas no, it seems his parents weren't keen on visiting with their son so another family member is doing the honours."

"It sounds very cruel to me, taking a baby from his mother so soon. Is it wise?"

"I think we should at least see if this baby is the wonder child who was foretold. The ultimate weapon Alice Cullen saw"

"I doubt it somehow Aro. She has always been subject to flights of fancy according to Carlisle, and who knows her better. We would be wise to move carefully here, after all the baby's father is her ex and women can be so devious when they feel slighted."