the outtakes
news
Nobody likes the man who brings bad news.
- Sophocles
o.o.o
"You've done what?" Marcus thunders, springing from the gold-gilt of the ornate chair with a prowl of agitated steps, his expression nothing short of absolutely horrified as he turns to Aro.
"Who cares for what he's done - I want to know why he's telling us now," Caius says scathingly, remaining in his seat with a narrow-eyed gaze directed toward the third chair remaining in the small stone-walled conference room hidden behind the large chamber where the rest of the guard are gathered. "Tell me, Aro, is this news somehow germane to where you've been for the past few weeks?"
Aro inclines his chin, hiding his delight at the way this seems to be folding out. He couldn't have planned it better if he'd actually been directing the actions of his brother-kings. How entertaining. "You've always been so astute, Caius."
"And you've always been far too sly, Aro."
"The statute - our law - broken…" Marcus mutters, pushing hands through the inky length of his hair. He's always been so sensitive. Aro isn't quite sure how his sister tolerates it, but then again, Didyme is equally as thin-skinned.
"Hardly. It isn't as if any humans know about our existence," Aro scoffs lightly, shifting to rest his chin on the flat of his palm.
"How can that be true? Surely, if this child is part vampire, then it must also be part human. How could the human who birthed it remain ignorant?" Marcus demands sedately. Then, after a moment, he shakes his head, realization dawning as he seems to wilt on himself; there is, after all, only one conclusion that can be drawn. His face twists in barely-concealed disgust. Not surprising, considering how soft Marcus has always been on humans. "Oh."
"How savage of you, Aro," Caius remarks lightly.
"Collateral damage was, of course, anticipated," Aro agrees.
They both ignore the indignant sound Marcus makes on the other side of the room. Three thousand years is an ample amount of time to learn the responses of one's companions and Marcus has always been very predictable - Caius too, for that matter, but he could at least see beyond his emotions. If he is honest, Aro isn't quite sure that Caius has emotions, but that is for Athenodora to contend with, not him.
"Yes, yes. But for all this information, you have yet to tell us why we are learning of this now. I assume that you are withholding something of significance."
Always cutting to the core of the issue, Aro thinks with some amount of fondness. He leans forward, lips spreading into a delighted smile. "She is gifted. Quite gifted, actually."
"Is she?" Caius muses flatly.
Aro nods. "To be frank, it appears that she has multiple gifts - my own seems to be the most dominant."
Marcus inhales sharply. "How is that possible? There are gifted humans, but you speak as if this girl is in full control-"
"My Isabella is the epitome of control," Aro boasts with a broad grin. He then goes on to explain - in explicit detail - how hybrids have been created, how his lineage had reached a fourth generation, and how Isabella had managed to mate herself to a strong coven. All the while he can't help but to reflect that she is indeed the most wonderful thing Aro has come across in his long, long life. So much like him, but also so much not like him - her mind is so similarly structured to his own, a constant echo of philosophy floating in the background and paired with an astounding level of thoughtfulness that is all her own. It certainly didn't come from him. Isabella cared about people; Aro cared about what people could give him. "She is magnificent," he finishes brightly.
"Stay your self-congratulations, Aro, or I shall do it for you," Caius intones caustically, evidently not as entertained by the notion of hybrids as Aro had been. Without reading his thoughts, Aro would suspect that Caius is mostly perturbed by the fact that he hadn't thought to copulate with humans first.
"Well, now that you've told us of this…interesting development, what are we to do? You must have a plan. You always have a plan," says Marcus, a touch beseeching.
Aro relaxes into his chair, thinking of the tentative plans that had ghosted through his mind while in his precious granddaughter's presence. The success of her strong constitution and obvious lack of derangement - not that he'd ever had any doubts - was akin to the flick of a match in a dark room.
Did he have a plan? Oh, yes. For the first time in a very long time, Aro is seeing possibilities.
A new world.
A/N: Another outtake request!
As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.
~cupcakeriot