AN: This is a little early, I won't be able to post again until very late on Sunday. Sorry! Thanks for reading and reviewing :)
S. Meyer owns twilight
CHAPTER 4
BPOV
The Denalis and Egyptians were due to arrive any minute. We were in the throne room with a handful of elite guard, the Masters, the Wives and the Healers. I stood to the side with J, Pete and Char. It was our usual spot. Felix and Dem stood on the opposite side of the room with Chelsea, Afton, Alec, Jane and Renata. The wives stood behind the thrones, Esme included. The Healers stood along the back wall behind them. Alistair and Alice waited in the middle of the room, it was where Amun and Eleazar's covens would stand.
I was already nervous and glad I had a mask and cloak to hide behind. I could only imagine how Esme felt right now, this was her first appearance as Marcus' mate. She had the mating mark to prove it, it was on display just like the other wives with their marks. They had abandoned their cloaks and wore Victorian style formal dresses. Picia's dress was red with an overlay of black lace. Dora wore a white dress with small pink roses embroidered around the neck and hem. Esme had gone full goth, she wanted to change her image drastically, something I understood completely. Picia had given her dark eye makeup and bright red lipstick, it looked amazing against her white skin. Her dress was black and lacy with a leather bodice. She looked ready for war.
The door opened and I stilled. Eleazar and Carmen walked in first with Tanya, Kate, Garrett and Irina following behind. They walked up to Alice, she smiled shyly at them, they returned her smile and bowed to the Masters. Caius waved them off and said "This isn't a formal meeting, you're here as our friends. You've been very loyal to us over the years and we count you as equals." He said. Eleazar smiled "old habits die hard, Caius. Whenever I'm here I feel like I'm back in the guard." He said. Marcus smiled and approached them, greeting them warmly. "I'm glad you came. I want to introduce you to my mate."
It was then the Denalis caught sight of Esme, they froze in shock until Irina burst out laughing. Esme started to look offended, but Irina explained "I always knew you deserved better, Esme. This is your home, you deserve nothing less." Esme smiled sheepishly, I could tell she'd been close to tearing Irina a new arsehole. Esme approached the coven and hugged them "thank you for helping me. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your support." She said. Eleazar smiled "as long as you and Marcus are happy, that's all we care about."
"I love the new look, Es" Tanya smiled "very Queen of the Damned." She said. Esme and Marcus smiled.
Alice and Alistair stood back and watched the others catch up. Carmen caught their eye and wandered over "how are you, cara?" She asked Alice. "I'm better, thanks. I'm really sorry for all the trouble I caused, I promise it won't happen again-" Carmen interrupted her "everything has worked out. We were here for the trial, we know you were in trouble and we know you're healed. If it'll help we can start over; clean slate. No history, no expectations." Alice smiled "thank you."
Carmen hugged her "I barely recognized you when we walked in, you look amazing. That healer must be something." She turned to Alistair "you look great too. Very healthy and happy. You'll have to visit us in Denali sometime so we can really get to know you." Eleazar came up behind his mate and smiled at the couple "you've both come so far. I can see how different you are and I'm glad you're free. I hope you'll both visit us soon."
Marcus and Esme returned to the thrones and the door opened again. Amun was here and he brought his coven. I was glad to see Ben again, I could see Tia behind him and Kebi behind Amun. I looked forward to meeting them later. Amun and his coven bowed and Aro waved him off as Caius had done with the Denalis. Aro stood to address the half empty room. "Thank you for coming all this way. Everyone present is aware of the history surrounding the Romanians, but this isn't solely a day of retribution, it's a day where we unveil our past to our most trusted friends and beg for your acceptance as we usher in a new era to our civilization.
"The Romanians are two of the oldest of vampires in existence, they killed the Ancients and committed genocide in the name of greed. Some of you were lucky to know our Elders before their murder and a few of you know the history of the werewolves. Marcus started this campaign millennia ago; to rid the world of its tyrants. We have come far in that time, but not far enough.
"Humans have evolved at a startling rate while we have held too tightly to the ways of our past. The time has come for us to catch up and create our own renaissance era. All of you are aware my work over the last few hundred years has involved the creation of a synthetic blood source. I'm proud to say we have begun to achieve this." The Egyptians and Denalis froze.
Aro continued. "The humans have grown quickly and surpassed us in many ways. The time when we can hunt their kind freely nears an end. Our healers have brought my dream to a reality and very soon you will be able to taste the fruits of our labor for yourselves. You know two of the healers; Rosalie Hale and Emmett McCarthy. Their mentor is an Elder to his species, he is not a vampire, but he is supernatural and immortal. He is amongst the race of spirit walkers; those with a strong connection to a different part of the world."
"I understand, Aro. I've met a few like him in my travels." Amun said. Eleazar nodded, "we've had our own experiences with supernatural healers. Some are very powerful." He said. Aro smiled "I'm glad you are open minded. Thank you."
He turned to Amun. "Amun, you are amongst the oldest of our kind and have witnessed first-hand the history of our civilization. At any point did you encounter werewolves?" Amun seemed to grow suspicious. "No. Were the rumors true? Have you secretly built an alliance with Children of the Moon?"
"Yes." Aro kept his confidence and didn't back down from Amun's stare. "We have protected the species by spreading word of their extinction, it was the werewolves who guarded the Romanians for a millennium." His voice was strong, leaving no room for interpretation.
Eleazar hadn't moved, neither had the others. "Good." Amun finally said. "The wolves have received justice. Why is the Volturi concerned over the wellbeing of the species? Wouldn't you prefer control over the Supernatural world?" His voice wasn't accusatory, he was genuinely curious. Aro explained. "You joined Marcus on his original crusade, you are aware we do not have Greek heritage like our official history has stated. Unofficially, we are from Northern Europe. My human ancestors had a hand at protecting the wolves and ensuring the survival of our people and the werewolf species.
"My ancestors moved from continental Europe to a small island and colonized it. Werewolves protected us from any attack we might face and we protected their secret, recreating the original relationship between wolves and humans. They were honored among our communities, when Marcus and I were turned we vowed to protect them as they had protected us. I have relatives alive today who are among their species."
Aro paused, waiting for a reaction. Eleazar and the others hadn't moved and Amun kept his eyes focused on Aro. "Can I trust them?" He asked. Aro smiled "you certainly can, thanks to our healer their primitive side may be contained during the full moon. We are creating an even playing ground between the species. As Vampires we are deadly and dangerous, but we can choose to preserve our humanity. Werewolves have as much right to exist as we do and they deserve the same freedoms we enjoy. I will not let them be hunted ever again. "
Aro continued. "When the Romanians represented our species we were cruel, turning our backs on the humans we'd lived amongst. It is because of the wolves the race of man grew strong and that led to more civilized vampires. To answer you previous question, Amun; The Volturi do not wish to rule over them, they will have their own hierarchy. We will exist side by side as equals."
"But what about our instincts?" Eleazar had finally regained function, "how can we ask our kind to fight their instincts and live in a world with a species they're unaccustomed to? I've never met a wolf, but I've heard how bad they smell and how our bodies slip into fight or slight mode when they're around."
"The Healer can help." Caius said. Aro nodded and opened the doors behind their thrones.
A lone figure walked through and stood next to the masters. Aro smiled at the covens in front of him and asked, "what are your instincts telling you, my friends?" One by one the Denalis, Egyptians and the handful of guards closed their eyes and breathed deeply. Eleazar was the first to respond "he's a werewolf?" He asked. Fred drew back his hood and smiled at the group in front of him. "I am. The Healer has made it easier for us to be around you and vice versa. I assure you my people only wish to experience freedom. We've been hiding for a long time and mean no harm."
"You look just like Aro." Amun said. "He is my brother." Aro announced. "He has helped us contain the Romanians until such time we can administer true justice. We are loyal to each other and will always stand side by side."
"May we approach?" Kate asked. Fred nodded and she moved forward. "It's just like looking at a human version of Aro." She marveled. He smiled at Kate "actually, Aro's my little brother."
"How do you cope with the lunar cycle?" Eleazar asked. I could tell he was doubtful. Aro answered him. "Eleazar, they are under control. Few vampires know of their existence, that in itself is proof of their control already-" Fred cut him off, answering Eleazar directly. "We are at our most dangerous for the three days of the full moon. For millennia my species has used Rowan to limit our destruction, we live in isolation where there are limited humans and no vampires. Now we have the aid of the Healer. The Healers are working hard to help us keep our humanity during the transformation."
Eleazar thought over what he'd heard. "You have a gift." He finally said. Fred nodded "I can manipulate time."
"Yet you guarded the Romanians for a thousand years?" Eleazar asked. "I did." Fred confirmed. "My gift only works on a small scale. I can't speed the whole world through time, truthfully I wouldn't want to. The Romanians deserved to watch the world creep past them as they suffered cold, isolation and starvation. My people needed the time to give my brother and uncle a chance at undoing the damage caused by the previous regime. We have used that time to educate ourselves and carve out a place in this world. We speak many languages, hold many degrees. Now that we have a chance at freedom we can enrich the world with the skills we learnt."
The was a brief silence as Eleazar thought. "I will trust you and the wolves. I trust the Kings and I know they wouldn't lead us astray. Thank you for humoring me." Eleazar said. He approached Fred and shook his hand "Thank you for your patience, you and your pack are welcome in Denali" He said warmly. Aro exhaled in relief. Eleazar introduced Fred his coven.
Amun looked at the kings and Fred. He spoke softly. "My people were under the protection of a goddess, she was the mother of my people. My human world was governed by Pharaohs, I was born a slave. One night she walked among my people and saw the suffering caused by the masters. She fought for us, but was attacked by the kings who claimed to serve her. They set her on fire, I jumped onto the flames, hoping to snuff them out. She bit me and hurled my body miles away from the city.
"I awoke days later in a rage. At night I crept into the city and slaughtered the slave masters. I killed the Pharaoh and ran. I would guard my people at night, running perimeters in order to keep them safe from the supernatural world. The wealthy never learned from their mistakes, the conditions my people suffered never changed. For a year and thirty seven days I ran, hunting the sick and ending the lives of the cruelest masters and sickest slaves.
"One day I smelled the approaching scent of other vampires. I knew I couldn't defeat them so I ran to my wife and took her deep into the land. I changed her and hoped we'd find somewhere to make a life for ourselves. We travelled and saw the devastation the raiding parties caused to human villages. The survivors told me their stories, we tended to those we could. I heard about the wolves and grew angry with the humans and my species, neither seemed worthy of assistance. The humans hurt each other and the vampires enslaved mortals; they fed in such a way that they seemed destined to destroy their only food source."
Amun met Marcus' eyes as he continued his story. "It wasn't until I met you, Thegnmarr, that I truly saw the hidden good in the world. I'm sorry I listened to one young, arrogant, fool over my experience. I know I can trust you and your allies. The wolves are welcome to join us at any point." Amun finished. He waved his coven members forward and introduced them to Fred.
BPOV
I didn't know what to say. We were surrounded by beings thousands of years old and they showed true humility. Marcus approached the covens "thank you for your loyalty and trust. I promise it is appreciated."
"We will stand by the Volturi and the other supernatural creatures. The Egyptian coven welcomes the unity of the species." Amun said formally. He looked at his mate and smiled. "We will never run again." He whispered to her. Ben and Tia looked relieved.
Tanya stepped forward and echoed Amun's announcement. "The Denali coven will stand with the Egyptian and Volturi covens to welcome the unity of the species." The whole room seemed to lighten.
The Masters led the Denalis and Egyptians into their quarters. We and the Guard were dismissed. We headed to our rooms to relax. I only hoped the other covens accepted the wolves as easily.
Rose POV
Our meeting in the throne room had taken up an hour of our time. We were keen to help the wolves. The human scientists were working on the cloned human blood. While they could create larger amounts, the process wasn't fast enough to support an entire species.
Charlie, Em and I were chatting as we worked. Charlie was worried about Bella. "She's hardly had a rest since she was turned. Her and J deserve some time away from combat." He said. Em agreed. "She's too young to have fought so much. Her newborn year should have been calming as she learnt to control her strength and blood lust, instead she had to rush through that and jump in the deep end."
"Well, with Carlisle and Edward dead and the Romanians soon to follow them, the Horsemen might get a break." I said. Charlie sighed. "I know Rose. I just wish things had been different, she's my daughter. I can't help but worry."
"We're lucky she's strong and keeps good company. Pete, J and Char have taught her everything she needs to know." Em said.
An idea struck me. "Do you guys think the Masters would agree to sending them on a diplomatic mission?" I asked. "What did you have in mind?" Charlie replied. "Well, there needs to be a meeting between vampires and spirit walkers. Perhaps the Horsemen could do it and spend time in La Push and Texas." I suggested. Em shook his head and said "I don't know Rose. I was speaking to Felix the other day, he said they're due to return to the states to do a sweep for newborn armies."
"How long will it take?" Charlie asked. "A few weeks at least. They're going to sweep the entire continent. They're supposed to land in Alaska tomorrow." Em said.
There was silence for a bit. Charlie turned to us and asked "wouldn't there be signs of a newborn army? I remember when they searched the Western states they were looking at abandoned areas, close to large cities." He said. I agreed and added. "They also like areas of high mortality and crime."
"The government tracks this kind of thing, it helps find serial killers. It was a resource I used while Police Chief. It helped me keep an eye out of unusual deaths. I'd keep Billy in the loop when there was a killing spree close by.
"If we can get into the data base for Canada and America we can see if there are any anomalies." Charlie said. Em replied despondently. "It hasn't been long enough, only a couple of months since the Volturi and Horsemen cleaned the place up." Em said. Charlie shuddered, remembering the condition he'd found the Horsemen and Volturi in when he arrived in Georgia.
"We'll discuss it with Aro, maybe there's a way to give them a vacation." Em said. I decided to take a quick break. I walked out of the lab and went to our room in the level above. I was in luck, I saw the Masters and the two covens leave his study. Aro stopped when he saw me and smiled. "Are you looking for me, Rose?" I nodded and touched his hand, passing on my idea for a vacation for the Horsemen. His thoughts entered my mind I agree with you, Rose. I'll speak with the others and make arrangements. There will be a meeting in the Throne Room shortly, could you gather the others? I agreed and left them to their discussion.
Esme POV
Marcus, Caius and Aro had spent all night talking with the Denali and Egyptian covens. I'd spent some time sparing with Dora and Picia. Alice and Alistair had joined us, learning to fight. They did well, but there was a long way to go.
When the wives decided to finish sparing we returned to our rooms to shower. I went to find Alice and Rose, we hadn't spent time together since we were part of the Cullen coven. Rose showed us her latest invention; bath tea. We relaxed in the spa in my room, the tension drained from my muscles, aided by the herbal mix Rose added to the water. Rose was happy with the results. We spent a few hours pampering ourselves. Alice and I added colour to our hair. I dyed mine purple while Alice added bright blue streaks, it looked fantastic against her natural black hair colour.
Bella and Char joined us a short time later for some online shopping. We discussed what we could do with the money we inherited from our old coven. I wanted to build a rehabilitation centre for supernatural creatures, the girls loved the idea. It felt wrong to use it for our own purposes, we'd earned every penny, but we'd lost so much of ourselves along the way. We all had our own funds so we decided to speak to the Masters about setting up a clinic later. There was a lot to achieve before we could get to that point.
It was early morning. The Masters, Denalis and Egyptians walked in. We were waiting in our positions. Picia was standing next to me with Dora on her other side. We were directly behind our mates' thrones. Rose and Em were behind us, Charlie joined them. He was going to introduce himself to the covens. I knew the Horsemen would introduce themselves to the Denalis soon, if Eleazar looked at them using his gift he'd recognise Jasper.
BPOV
Caius began the meeting, it was informal, similar to the daily debriefings he held in his study. I was relieved, everyone seemed more relaxed.
"We've been discussing the next step of our mission. Eleazar and Amun will gather the coven leaders and nomads when the time in right. There's a lot of preparation ahead of us. Aro, Sulpicia and Charlie will travel with Fred and his pack, they'll work out a treaty with the other werewolves.
"We are sending the Horsemen on another mission. This will be a diplomatic mission rather than combat. If you're willing we'd like you four to speak with the Quileutes and Spirit walkers." I was rapt, I missed the La Push pack like mad and I was keen to see Theresa again. Pete accepted for us with a nod of his head.
Caius continued. "Marcus and I will stay in Volterra, taking care of the daily duties and staying in touch with both groups. I'd like you, Horsemen, to consider this a vacation. Spend as much time as you like in La Push and Texas. We'll put together information packs so you won't have to spend much time on the diplomacy side of things. They'll need to communicate with each other and discuss the creation of a Spirit Walker government."
He turned to the few Guard members allowed in the meeting. "Demitri." Caius called. Demitri approached the Masters. Dora handed a large box to Caius. "We would like you to accompany the Horsemen. You know how Volterra is run and you'll be able to answer any questions the Horsemen aren't able to. I understand they consider you're an honorary Horseman?" Caius asked. "Yes, Caius." He replied softly.
Caius waved us forward, smiling. We stood next to Dem. "It is in the spirit of gratitude and friendship that we release Demitri from his service to the Volturi. I have witnessed the five of you work together and we are all proud to have worked with you. Demitri, you've shown yourself to be a loyal companion and treasured friend. Marcus has seen the bonds between the Horsemen and yourself, I can't think of a better person to help them in their role as Guardians of Fate." He handed Dem the large white box. Demitri's hands shook as he opened it.
A new cloak and pendant lay inside the box. Dark blue material lined with navy blue silk, Demitri's new cloak matched ours. Caius lifted the pendant out and hung it around Demitri's neck. He whispered lowly to us "you'll always have a home in Volterra, we'd love nothing more than to keep you here, but we cannot hold you back. You have helped us achieve our dream of a united future, I know your path lies elsewhere."
He took the time to hug and thank us individually. "I'll make the arrangements for your return to America. I hope you're able to stay with us a few extra days as we deal with the Romanians."
"Of course. We'll be here as often as we can." Char whispered. I held back a sob. I didn't want to leave. "You're not firing us are you?" I whispered. Caius smiled and shook his head "of course not. The five of you are our family, believe me, you won't get rid of us that easily." He said.
"You'll call us?" J asked. "Of course, you will also call us. I trust Fate to guide you on your journey and bring you back home whenever possible." Caius said.