Bella POV
After that drama was over, we explained more to Benjamin and Tia what this was about. I honestly wasn't sure if Tia would help. But, of course, if Benjamin stayed, then she would too.
"Alice?" I asked.
"What?"
"Who's coming next?"
She closed her eyes for a second, then made a face. "The Romanians," she said. "But no one told them."
I shrugged. "Those two are strange."
"When are they coming?" Stephenie asked.
"Two hours," said Alice.
We patiently waited the time, and said goodbye to Jasper and Emmett as they left to go contact the nomads. When the Romanians did come, they didn't knock, instead deciding to tear the door from its hinges and throwing it aside.
"Stefan, Vladimir," Esme greeted, trying not to be mad about the door.
"We heard that you are once again," Stefan started.
"Trying to fight the Volturi," Vladimir finished.
"Yes," I said. "We would like for you to meet Stephenie, who is-"
"We don't care," both of them said at the same time. Stephenie smirked in amusement.
"We're just here to help you destroy them once and for all," Stefan said.
"But we call killing the witch twins," said Vladimir, referring to Alec and Jane.
"Slow down," Alice said. "Don't you want to know why we're going up against them?"
Stefan looked at Stephenie in a pathetic sort of way and said, "We are going to assume that she is the reason."
"Okay…" said Alice.
"So," I said. "We have Eleazar, Carmen, Tanya, Kate, Garrett, Benjamin, Tia, Stefan, and Vladimir, plus the eight of us who will fight and the fourteen wolves. So that's thirty-one of us so far. Alice, can you tell how many the Volturi have?"
She thought for a moment. "Well, there's Aro, Caius, Marcus, Jane, Alec, Demetri, Felix, the two wives, the five newborns, and about fourteen other people from the guard. Also, Aro's planning on creating more newborns, but not too many. But he's definitely gonna somehow manage to gather other vampires."
"But Aro, Caius, Marcus and the wives wouldn't fight, right?" asked Tanya.
"You're right, they wouldn't risk it. Bella, make sure to keep your shield around as many people as possible at all times. Aro's hoping that you'll slip up and the newborns can use their powers on us."
"I'll work on it," I promised. This strangely felt like a repeat of last year.
"Am I gonna fight?" asked Renesmee.
"No, sweetie. Emily said that she would take care of you during the battle," I told her.
"And if the Volturi ask to see her, just to check?" asked Carmen.
Alice thought for a moment. "They shouldn't, but if they suddenly decide to, Jacob will have to be right next to her the entire time."
"Where is Stephenie gonna be?" asked Renesmee, her lower lip pushing out. She wouldn't think it was fair if Stephenie got to be there and she didn't.
"She has to be there," explained Esme gently. "After all, she's the reason we're doing this."
"Alice, you can't get visions of the battle?" Kate asked.
She shook her head. "No, because the wolves are going to be there." She made a frustrated face. "It's great that they're helping, of course, but I wish I could see around them."
"Don't worry," said Esme soothingly. "It'll all work out."
"Will it?" asked Tanya.
We all looked at each other uncertainly.