Chapter Forty Four

Jasper

I still wasn't sure what the Volturi hoped to achieve with this "trial" but guessed I would understand soon and as Jane led me to a chair on the edge of the witnesses next to Alec her brother, Aro stood up.

"Now Major Whitlock has joined us we can begin. Before bringing in the accused I would like to make it clear that you the witnesses will be the judge and jury. As Maria and her commander Nathan see themselves as warriors it seemed only proper that they be tried by their peers. Felix if you would bring the prisoners in."

Felix nodded and went to another door, much smaller in one corner and threw it open calling for Demetri to bring the prisoners forth. Maria and Nathan came in both looking nervous but defiant between Demetri and another guard almost as large as Felix. They were escorted to their chairs and told to sit.

"Prisoners you have been brought here for trial on the serious charge of endangering the secrecy of our world with your flagrant disregard for the humans around you. How do you plead?"

Nathan tried to object but was quietened by the huge guard's hand clamping down on his shoulder causing him to wince. Aro smiled coldly at him then turned his attention to Maria.

"It grieves me to see you here Maria. For over a century you have operated with little trouble in Mexico yet now you leave a trail of blood and bodies, wreckage and carnage in your wake. Do you have an explanation for this?"

Maria knew this was just a formality and kept silent but her eyes were on me as if I were responsible for her being here.

"I take it the prisoner has no wish to defend herself so it is for you the jury to decide on her guilt having heard from our own Felix of the things he saw with his own eyes."

The guard didn't even leave the room, they already knew what judgement was required and Alec stood up and spoke,

"We find Maria and Nathan both guilty as charged."

Nathan tried to get up, he complained, but it did him no good. Did he really think it would? But Maria sat silent still watching me and I wondered exactly what she was thinking, then a smile curved on her lips and I knew some how she had cut a deal with the Volturi for her life.

"Take the prisoner Nathan out and have sentence carried out immediately."

Nathan looked at Aro who had just spoken again with fear in his eyes then appealed to Maria who ignored him her eyes fixed on mine and sparkling with an excitement that sent shivers down my spine.

After Demetri and Alec had taken Nathan from the room I waited to hear what deal Maria had made but the three brothers merely stood and Caius spoke as they left,

"Do not let us down Maria, remember we captured you once we can do so just as easily again."

Jane took her by the arm and escorted her out but as she reached the door Maria turned back and blew me a kiss. Felix escorted me back to my room and on the way I questioned him about what was going on,

"Why was I there? I wasn't asked to speak so why did Aro insist I be there?"

"Caius insisted Major, not Aro and I'm afraid I can't tell you because I do not know. The brothers spoke to Maria in private and she must have struck a deal but if so I have no knowledge of it. Left to me the bitch would be ending her days as her commander, decapitated, the head sent to the other southern covens as a warning from the Volturi to watch their step, and his body burned."

Once back in my room I thought about Nathan's fate and decided it was far too cruel for his crimes. He should have been executed and burned not left to the mercies of Carlos and Pablo who would keep his head just so he continued to suffer until they grew bored and finally gave him the peace of death. The Volturi may have the best interests of the vampire world in mind but they were cruel even by our standards. Maria's smile and kiss worried me, she was alive and it seemed she would remain so, had the Volturi signed a deal with her? Was she to provide them with some service in return for her life? Could it be they had offered my service as the price of her help? I certainly hoped not, although either way I was in for an eternity of suffering, unable to see my mate again so was Mexico so much worse than Italy especially now Maria had lost her only remaining commander?

Aro

Once back in our private council chamber I rounded on Caius, angry that not only had he made a deal with Maria but had withheld the details of the deal until just before we entered the court.

"Never do that again Caius. Such deals should be discussed before they are accepted and neither Marcus nor myself was consulted about this."

"Look Aro you want The Major in the guard, so do I and this seemed the perfect way to arrive at such a position. Maria wants revenge for his escape the first time and she knows if he gets free again he will kill her for certain. She had the means to keep him here and it seemed logical to let her do the hard work. Surely that's a good outcome."

"I told you of The Major's human because I had a plan to get her here to keep him in Volterra, Maria had that right in any case but you had to go over my head and make a deal with her, the human for her own life. You do know she stands no chance now The Major's friends are involved don't you?"

"His friends?"

"Yes that small piece of intelligence must have bypassed your spies dear Caius. Still they can amuse themselves tracking her down while my own collection party visit Forks Washington."

"So you are going to use Maria as a stalking horse?"

"Of course. His friends will be busy stopping Maria from reaching her target while my party will walk in and take the girl captive. I suppose I should thank you for making it so easy for me Caius. You'd better just hope The Major doesn't learn of your deal."

"I'm not afraid of him, I am as good a fighter as he, better in fact."

Marcus stood up with a sigh showing his customary boredom at our squabbling but at the door he turned back,

"Let's just hope you never have to prove that Caius and let's also hope we haven't set in motion any problems. After all we all know who The Majors friends are and what they are capable of. For now I'll leave you to your amusements."

He left shaking his head which always infuriated me, sometimes I felt like a naughty boy who had just been scolded by his parent and at such times I questioned the sense of keeping him alive.

"When do your men leave?"

I turned back to Caius and smiled broadly,

"They already have, in fact they now only await Maria's attempt which will cause plenty of attention from his friends and then they will close in. Having heard your little trade I made sure to tell them things would be easier than they thought. I look forward to seeing this human, she must be something quite spectacular."

"And if Maria achieves the impossible?"

"Then you will be forced to give her the freedom you promised, it matters little. Either way I shall have The Major exactly where I want him and Maria will fail again but the next time she brings the attention of the humans down on herself there will be swift justice with no deals brother."