Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.

Chapter Twenty-One —Words With Friends

Isabella POV

I watched the jet taking Jasper away until it vanished into the clouds. I felt a strange sense of emptiness without him. It was as if part of me had gone away too. I shrugged off these airy thoughts and made my way home.

I recognized a new scent in the air as I made my way through the halls of the castle. Demetri was home. I smiled in spite of myself. I had not spoken to him properly since I returned home, and I was eager for news of the Romanians. Perhaps, if the news was good, I could settle the threat there before I went to see Eleazar. Though what would happen after that, I did not know. I needed Aro's counsel before I made any fixed decisions.

I made my way straight to my chamber and donned my robe. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and saw my eyes were still the shade of gold that Jasper so prized. In one of our quiet moments, he told me more of his life and the battle he had fought to earn those eyes. I had been lucky that I had been abstaining from feeding for a long time before I discovered the possibility of feeding from animals. There was never a need for me to learn control, as I already had it mastered. My new diet had given me a new peace, not a new war to wage as it had him. My poor Jasper, he had suffered so. With a small pang of regret, I changed my eyes to crimson.

When I reached the throne room, Demetri was there with the rest of his hunting party. No one was talking. It seemed that they were waiting for my arrival.

I brushed Demetri's arm as I passed on my way to stand between Caius and Aro's thrones. It was the briefest contact, but it made him smile.

"Ahh, Isabella, we have been waiting anxiously for your return," Aro said. "I trust Jasper's departure went without a hitch?"

"He is on his way home now," I said, making a supreme effort not to show how sad that made me.

Caius seemed to glean some satisfaction from my words or actions as he smiled at me.

"Good, good. Now we are all assembled, Demetri, if you would oblige." Aro held out a hand. He had apparently refrained from reading Demetri before my return. I was surprised and a little gratified at this new show of respect. He was treating me as he would his brothers: as a leader.

Demetri held out a hand, and Aro bowed his head over their clasped hands for a long moment as he searched through the most recent images then sighing, he raised his eyes to mine.

"Maria has a friend."

Maria. The vampire that created Jasper. I felt a strange combination of feelings towards her. Part of me was grateful for her existence as she had led Jasper to this life and to me, and the other part of me hated her for it. She had been the one to take his feeble human body and make it mighty. She had tasted his blood and witnessed his tears. The bond between a sire and vampire was a lasting tie, and I did not like that she could share that with him. If chance presented itself in the coming battle, I would end her. Perhaps even if it didn't, I could make a special effort to destroy her.

Not seeing the reaction in me he had hoped for Aro continued. "There is another mature female among the newborns. There is something strange about her; Demetri was unable to latch onto her trail."

My eyebrows rose. "A shield?"

"It seems so."

There were many forms of shield. Renata and Afton's gifts were classed as shields, though theirs did not work like mine. Demetri's inability to catch the tenor of her mind made it seem that her's was a mental protection like mine. Though, whether she was able to use it to siphon a gift from another was unknown. I had never known another like me, and I didn't much like it. Grandiose thoughts of being unique aside, I didn't know who would triumph if we were pitted against one another. It was disconcerting.

Feeling none of my trepidation, others among the guard were placing bets quietly, wagering on how long it would take me to beat this unknown female. Their faith in me was reassuring, but not appropriate for the situation.

"This is our castle, not a gambling house," I said loudly. "Remember where you are."

Their whispers died off at once, and they adopted remorseful expressions. Aro chuckled at this new display of my influence among them.

"So, we know we have two mature vampires to deal with, along with Stefan and Vladimir," I said. "Any more?"

"The newborn numbers have reached forty-five," Demetri said. "And they are more controlled than I am used to seeing."

Controlled newborns were a surprise but not a problem. Though it would not be so easy to deal with them as it was the armies of the southern conflicts, it would not be impossible. We had Jane and Alec on our side after all. With them and myself, we would manage just fine.

"Prepare to leave in one week," Aro said loftily, and then he dismissed the guard.

xXx

"I am not going to apologize," Aro said boldly. "Not when I know I did the right thing."

"That's fine, I wouldn't accept an apology from you, not when I know it is insincere. However, I will warn you against hiding something so important from me again."

He sighed with relief and stepped forward to embrace me. "I have missed you, Isabella. It is good to have you home."

We were in the solarium. In my absence, construction had been completed, and I was taking the opportunity to enjoy the sun's warming rays on my skin. I had tempted Aro from the throne room under the guise of a walk together, but in truth I wanted his advice on what to do next.

"Aro."

"Yes, dear Isabella."

"What do I do?" I asked plaintively.

"Are you still doubting your relationship with Jasper? Because Marcus said it is a strong mating bond. There is no going back now."

"No, it's not that. I know who and what Jasper is now. I mean in the greater sense. He cannot live with me here. The place would destroy him, and he has an obligation to his coven; he cannot disappear without drawing attention to their cover story."

That was a pretty feeble excuse and I knew it. More than anything I wanted to protect him from the life of my coven. It really would destroy him.

"And you cannot join him there." It was not a question but a statement.

"Not now. I have taken the role as leader," I said bitterly. Though I accepted my situation, I was not happy about my change in circumstances.

"Why not?" he asked. "You seem to think that by taking on this role you are binding yourself when in fact, you will have more freedom now than before. You are a leader Isabella; you do not answer to anyone." He laughed lightly. "Not that you ever did really."

That was true. While I refused the role of leader, I took advantage of the indulgences offered to me. No other guard could speak so freely with the brothers or take the time away from the city that I did. The real problem here was by becoming a leader, I had sacrificed my anonymity. Soon, much sooner than I would like, news would spread of my position, and I would lose the easy relationship I had with the nomads and covens I had met over my lifetime of travels.

"That is an unfortunate price of who you are," Aro said when I explained my troubles. "I myself have not left the castle in almost a century, not since we last faced the Romanians machinations. You, however, need not fear attack. If anyone is foolish enough to challenge you, you are more than able to defend yourself."

I had believed so too until I was injured by the female. Now I was not so sure.

My previous plan to arrange what Jasper called a custody agreement was not going to work, though, which left me one viable option… joining his coven. I barely restrained a shudder at the thought.

I pushed away that upsetting thought and returned my attention to my immediate problem. How I was going to manage my relationship with Jasper? I had to make a decision about what to do next. Perhaps cowardly, I decided to allow myself more time before making my decision. I would deal with the Romanians, and then I would make my choice.

"There are things I need to do before we face the Romanians," I said, effectively changing the subject. "I should like to see Eleazar again; there are things that need to be discussed."

"Don't be too hard on him. He was only doing what we asked of him, and he did refuse to lie to you. He said he would tell you everything if you asked."

It was the same vow I made for the Denali sisters. Now I was on the receiving end of the promise I realized just how cowardly it was. It switched all responsibility from myself to them. How were they to know to ask when I did all I could to conceal the truth from them? Since I met Jasper, I seemed to be constantly facing uncomfortable truths I would rather leave unknown. I knew mating meant to change, but I didn't think I would be forced to continue to change myself after that happened.

"Why don't you go to Alaska and see how things progress from there," he suggested. "We will, of course, need you for the destruction of the Romanian newborns, but after that we can perhaps arrange something more fitting for your new station."

I nodded carefully. I knew I was merely delaying the moment of decision, but for now I was content with that.

I embraced Aro once more and made my way back to the castle.

"Oh, Isabella," he called after me. "Will you need a throne?"

I turned back to him and scowled. "No thank you."

xXx

There was no one at home when I arrived at Eleazar's house, so I settled in the lounge and prepared myself for a long wait.

I was not left alone long before Eleazar and Carmen returned. The sight of Eleazar's ecstatic face almost made me feel guilty for my dramatic exit that last time I was there. Only almost. He had earned my anger and the drama.

"Isabella," Carmen said brightly. "This is a most welcome surprise."

Eleazar remained silent, looking torn. It was as if he wanted to embrace me but was too wary of my reaction. It was right that he was wary; I was still very angry with him.

"It is good to see you, Carmen," I said. "I hope you won't mind me stealing away Eleazar for a brief time."

"As long as you return him to me in one piece," she said, a note of seriousness in her tone.

I smiled widely. "I promise."

I walked out through the front door and felt Eleazar following me. I didn't know where Tanya and her sisters were, but I wanted our conversation to be private, so I made my way to the lake at the border of the park Eleazar resided in.

I sat myself on a fallen tree and waited for him to join me. He hesitated for a brief moment and then sat beside me. I turned sideways so I could look him in the eye and begin the conversation that was three months overdue.

"You betrayed me," I said coolly.

"I know, and I regret it more than you can ever know, but I promise you I believed I was acting in your best interests."

"How can concealing something so important from me be in my best interests?" I asked.

"I believed you deserved the joy mating brings," he said. "Jasper is a good man. He will make you happy."

He already did, but I was not about to admit that to Eleazar.

"You value Jasper as a friend, yes?"

He nodded. "As I do all of the Cullens. They are good people."

I did not disagree. The little I had seen of them supported his statement. I liked them immensely, with the exception of the blonde, of course; she was a petty creature whose vanity rivaled my own.

"So why did you risk Jasper like this?" I asked.

"Risk? Isabella, nothing is going to happen to you," he said patiently.

I sighed heavily. Everyone seemed to think of me as something invincible, but I was not. I had been hurt by an ordinary nomad with no exceptional ability for fighting.

I rolled up my sleeve and showed him the scar. He looked shocked but quickly schooled his features into a calm expression.

"How did that happen?" he asked.

"I was tracking a troublesome nomad, and when I was fighting them this happened."

"Them? How many were there?"

"Ten newborns, and the nomad."

To my surprise he laughed. "Isabella, you were fighting eleven vampires alone, and you were hurt. This is not some portend of doom. It is simply poor planning. I'm amazed you were not hurt more."

"Okay, so this injury was to be expected," I admitted. "But what about the next time I am hurt?"

"There is no reason you will be hurt," he said, reaching out a tentative hand and squeezing my hand. "You are strong, Isabella, as is Jasper, if you even need to fight at all."

It was almost the exact same thing Aro had said. I may not need to go into open combat again, but without the fight I did not know who I was.

"I have just returned from visiting with the Cullens," he said. "Edward and Alice told me you were forced to oppose Aro again. There must have been consequences for that."

"There were," I said heavily. "It happened before the whole guard. I'm sure you can see the significance of that."

"You are a leader." It was not a question, so I felt no need to confirm what he said. "How do you feel about that?"

"I am surprised I managed to stay as I was for so long."

He nodded. "It was only a matter of time. We all knew that, even when I was among the guard."

I huffed in frustration. "It doesn't mean I have to like it."

He was silent for a long time, considering his words carefully. "I am younger than you in years, Isabella, but I had more years as a human before my change. Please allow me a moment of forwardness."

I nodded reluctantly.

"Life is not fair," he said simply. "I know how long you have evaded this fate, both the mating and your new position, but it was never really your choice to make. You were always fated to be with Jasper, and you were always fated to be a leader."

"Yes, because of Marcus and–"

"No, Isabella, not because of Marcus, he may have enabled it, but it would have happened eventually anyway. It is just who you are. You were made to lead, just as you were made to love. It is time you stopped denying yourself."

My immediate reaction was anger. I got to my feet, prepared to run from him and his ill-founded words, but his knowing smile brought me to a halt. It was what he expected me to do. Of course it was; I always ran when things became too much. I discovered Marcus' true feelings for me so I ran and stayed away for three decades. When I discovered the mating, I ran from Jasper. And if I was being honest, all my travels and time away from the coven was running too.

It was an uncomfortable sensation being forced to recognize these flaws to my character. I did not like it one bit.

Slowly, I sat down beside Eleazar again and smiled. "You are far wiser than I ever gave you credit for, old friend."

"I have my moments. Does this mean you are not going to run from me again?"

"I does. In fact I want to test your new-found wisdom a little further."

He smiled and nodded for me to continue.

"What do I do next, Eleazar? I need to be with Jasper, and he cannot reside with me in Volterra."

His brow creased in confusion. "Why are you asking me this when you already know the answer?" he asked.

The simple answer was that I needed someone else to tell me what I already knew in my heart but was unwilling to accept.

If Jasper could not live with me and my coven, I would need to join him with his coven.

My smile disappeared as the weighty truth settled over me.

"Fine," I said finally. "But I want it to be clear now, if the doctor thinks I am going to high school he is in for a horrid surprise."

Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.

Simaril x