Chapter Seven| conversations in the garden

The short distance between me arriving from Carlisle's office to the living room was both fast but slow at the same time. My heart was racing in my chest and my hands shook some from the overwhelming nerves. I would soon meet the vampire that was meant for me as I would be meant for him, my equal in a way.

To say the least when we finally reached the end of the hallway and entered the living room my heart stopped for a moment at the sight of Caius Volturi standing in the middle of the living room with his hands folded behind his back and his beautiful blond hair whiter than blond. His crimson eyes were focused on Carlisle, though he seemed to have stiffened as though he could sense me coming into the living room now.

He slowly turned so that he was facing me and as his crimson irises landed on my brown ones everything seemed to snap into place. My mouth fell open a little bit and a blush scattered across my cheekbones and down my neck. Edward continued to push me forward so that I would soon be in front of Caius. Close enough for us to properly study each other.

Reaching him, I felt my eyes widen as Caius reached his hand out and took my hand in his. He brought my hand up and kissed the top of my wrist in a sweet manner. The cold contrast to the warmth of my blushing was another reminder of how we were two different species all entirely. He was a vampire (well he was one of the three vampire kings!) and I was a human with Cerebral Palsy.

"You must be Isabella. I am Caius, one of the three kings of The Volturi. I am certain that the Cullens have already told you about mates. You, my dear, are mine," Caius informed me as he brought his hand up and went to touch the side of my head, to brush his fingers against my hair, only for me to push my wheelchair backwards.

My throat trembled as I swallowed harshly, my eyes so large and stunned at the knowledge I had soon been given. I had never thought my life would go towards this; I had come to terms that I would probably have a very colorless life to be honest. I hadn't expected anything so worthwhile happening, but then I moved here to Forks and found out vampires were real…but not only that, but I was also welcomed with this beautiful vampire in front of me proclaiming that I was his.

I frowned as I could feel the eyes of the cloaked figures behind Caius. I bit the corner of my mouth and fidgeted my fingers together. I didn't feel comfortable being around all these people. I wanted to rush away, but before I could do anything again Caius straightened himself up and turned his attention towards his guards. He didn't say anything, but I was curious when I did flicker my eyes up to him to see him turn back around and crouch down in front of me.

I hadn't expected for Jasper to step forward from the back of the group of Cullens.

The Empath had stiffened shoulder blades, he had many layers on that kept most of his scars hidden from everyone around him. He wasn't dressed in such a way that he deemed the Volturi as the leaders of the vampiric world, but he wasn't wearing something you'd find him wearing at school. He was dressed up but barely, it was obvious that no one could go higher on the alpha tier to him. No one would be in charge of Jasper; he was here because he wanted to be here for me and his family. He wasn't here because he felt as though he had to be here.

"The Empath," Caius whispered, amusement lacing upon his lips along with irritation at how there was another vampire in the Cullen family that was Gifted. He had heard how many times Aro wanted to have every valuable Gifted person.

"And the Major…"

Jasper narrowed his eyes, which were usually dark around me, even more.

His eyes were darker than they normally were, I believed it was because of the fact that he was in the presence of human drinkers instead of animal drinkers like the Cullens. His jaw tightened but his eyes flickered towards me and then the rest of his family before he decided whatever he would have done wasn't worth anything, because we were more focused on the mating bond between Caius and me than Jasper's apparently military background.

I took a deep breath, making sure not to say anything about the military title that was brought up. I wasn't going to make sure we would all air out our demons because I was certain each and every one of us would have something to say, and it wouldn't do anything good. It would do nothing but make things more straining between the Cullens and the Volturi (well most likely the Volturi and everyone except for Carlisle and Esme).

I closed my eyes and focused on breathing, not on the fact that there were more than a handful of vampires that were around me. One of them happened to be vampire royalty, which also meant that he happened to be the most influential vampire in the entire room. What he said was law, and behind him there would be Carlisle but the wonderful vampire doctor would not have done anything that would jeopardize his family nor anyone in the vampire world. He was thankfully old friends with Caius, so that really was the saving grace for Edward along with Jasper.

"G–Garden."

"Garden?"

I opened my eyes and let them flicker their attention to my hands that were in my lap now. I really needed to be out of this front room of the house and in the open. Where there was fresh air, and I wouldn't feel as though everything was seconds away from having everything go straight to hell. I didn't want any more negativity. I already dealt with enough of my own negative thoughts about myself, the last thing that anyone needed was for a fight to happen in the house because Edward and Jasper were too protective of me and didn't want to let me go easy.

"Who do you want to go into the garden with, Bella?"

Esme.

Sweet Esme.

She came forward and she reached her hand out so she could place it on one of the arms of the wheelchair. She smiled warmly at me, and I brought my hand up, hating how it was shaking some from nerves, and managed to point at Caius. Caius peered at me with that same kindness, sweetness to him that made me blush bright crimson.

Caius came forward towards me, where I noted in the corner of my eye that Jasper slowly was backing off when he could sense I wasn't about to give into a panic attack. Edward obviously didn't have any real excitement of the Volturi being here, so he was still giving the members glares. It was a good thing that Carlisle and Esme were the ones who were the coven heads.

I stayed still in my spot upon the wheelchair as he came behind me and pushed my wheelchair out of the house and into the intricate and beautiful garden. The moment we left the house behind us all that tension that came from the multiple vampires with different dietaries seemed to slowly go away. The air was a little colder than I wanted it to be but then again, I was living in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. I wasn't living in Phoenix anymore.

Caius did not immediately start talking to me, instead he pushed my wheelchair towards one of the stone benches of the garden that was the perfect distance away from the back of the house. The fountain was a soothing sound, the trickling of the water as it cascaded down the concrete and elaborate disks of the fountain calmed me some. It reminded me of the sound of a waterfall or even a rainstorm, and I did enjoy the sound of the rain a good amount of the time despite the fact that I never was someone who enjoyed the thought of being out in the pouring rain.

I closed my eyes and just focused on the calm, serenity that reverberated throughout the garden. I didn't want to imagine what the emotions were inside of the Cullen house, then again, I was certain that Jasper was having his hands full. He would be using his gift to the greatest of his abilities in order to make sure that no one would have their heads sliced off of them just for daring to exist.

I could feel the crimson gaze of my mate on me as he sat next to me on the bench. I knew my heart was racing in my chest quite unattractive, showing how I was nothing more than another weak human. Actually, I was kind of worse than a normal weak human. At least if I were like any other normal human, I would be able to walk around the garden with him and converse with him as much as I wanted to without any issues but that wasn't destined for me.

"I…hope you aren't…disappointed with me," I finally managed to say, my eyes still closed.

I stiffened some when a hand landed next to mine, making the freezing temperature remind me how I was sitting next to a vampire (again). Though how could someone not forget who they were sitting next to if they were in the same exact predicament as I was currently in?

"Of course not. I'm not disappointed in you. You are my mate, and I am yours. It does not matter what your state of health is to me, nor how you socialize. You are alive. It seems as though this vegetarian lifestyle Carlisle was so insistent for us to try had some unknown benefits," Caius commented.

I couldn't help but let the corner of my mouth twitch upwards at the last part of what he had said.

I slowly opened my eyes and let them land on his hand that was sitting on my wheelchair arm, his fingers inches away from mine. Every single one of his fingers were covered with rings. The only finger which didn't have any rings on it happened to be his marital finger, but that was destined for him to use when he would wed his future mate…me eventually.

"Benefits?"

"Benefits such as you are alive and human, meeting me. One of them could have killed you by accident if they were solemnly dieting on humans instead of animals. I personally believe vampires should drink human blood, and the majority of the vampiric population will agree with me. This isn't what I'm here to talk to you about though, the fact that you exist to be with me is the miraculous fact that we should hold onto for now and not any other information I could say about vampires. I am merely focused entirely on you as a whole and what we should do next."

The sliding doors were opened, and I turned my head, noting the two preteen vampire guards were stepping through the door frame. I went to push my hand onto the button of the wheelchair that would make me automatically roll in their direction only for Caius to reach his hand out and put it onto mine, which in return made me gasp from the complete nirvana that saturated me.

"No. Not yet, dear Bella. They are curious about you, but you will not sate their curiosity as though you are a lab rat."

Sure, I had to admit that I was sort of glad the preteen vampires that were probably over a thousand years older than me were going to not be able to interrogate me. I was more focused on the fact Caius had called me Bella and for the first time in my life that was the name I didn't want to be called by. I turned to look at him, knowing my face was flushing bright red already, and peered up at his crimson, burgundy irises that were a beautiful mess.

"I-Isabella."

Caius smirked, not saying anything, though I was certain if vampires could have fangs come peeking out, he would be doing that exact thing. It would be sexy as hell too, which probably wasn't going to be good for my overall health. The last thing we needed was for me to be changed into a vampire because I was going into cardiac arrest all because King Caius Volturi decided he would flirt with me a little bit. It would be his right as my mate as after all.

He snapped his attention away from me and looked over me, hissing out, "leave us, little wixen. I wish to be with my mate, your future queen. We have much to discuss now, besides I know that you are very fond of Carlisle and Esme. Go pester them like the immortal twelve-year-old's you are."

I could not see the details of the preteens behind me, when I turned to look at them. All I could see were the crimson pools of their eyes. I also noted he used the more gender-neutral slang word, so I could not help but also wonder if they had been persecuted as witches and were saved from death. I would find out eventually, I would learn the backstories for the youngest guards of the Volturi, since I was after all a future queen of the volturi.

They stayed still for a minute, as though they were contemplating on coming forward again, only for the back doors of the house to open once more. Carlisle ushered for the guards, Alec and Jane, into the house and they shot one last look over their shoulders at me and Caius before they went into the house again. The sliding doors shut behind them in a click and I turned my attention towards Caius, my eyes landing on his beautiful hands.

I brought my hands up and reached out to take his right one. He wordlessly put his hands into mine and allowed me to run my fingers against his cool and hard skin. It was the exact same texture as marble and so cold. It was far colder than any normal person could survive with. I wouldn't be surprised if there was no stream of liquid flowing throughout his body, acting as the vampiric substitution of blood. There might be some liquid in his stream, but it could be far worse than any ideas that could pop up in my head, besides there was no way I would be able to crush his hand off to see if anything would come dripping out of his body.

"You are very curious; you seem to have endless curiosity towards my kind. I can see all the questions that are running through them, and though I cannot actually be able to read them to understand them, I can tell they are about me and my vampirism," Caius commented, making me blush once more and nod my head. I kept his hands in mine, they kept me grounded.

"I…leave with you?"

I didn't want to ask this, but it was obvious that it was something that I was going to bring up. I didn't know when but soon Caius and his guards would leave, and they would expect me to leave with them. I hadn't even turned eighteen yet, I would be basically kidnapped by vampires to become a queen in their society instead of staying in Forks and graduating high school.

One of his hands pulled away from mine and placed itself upon my cheekbone before bringing my head up. Our eyes landed on each other, his crimson ones consuming and taking all, he could from my brown ones. I peered up at him with my mouth slightly open, my hot human breath coming out and hitting him on the face. His minty, cool fragrance just clung to him and penetrated me enough for me to loosen up enough he could do whatever he wanted, and I would stare at him like a ditzy fan at a boy band concert getting attention from her favorite member.

"Yes, you'll leave…and as much as I wish I could just take you now and leave Forks, without ever coming back I know that would be wrong of me. I will not cause you any heartbreak that could be preventable. I can see in your eyes so easily that you wish to stay, for now at least, though you will come to Volterra before long," Caius acknowledged, earning a small smile from me without any hesitation. It was so easy to smile at him.

"My birthday," I mentioned, making him arch one of his nicely groomed eyebrows up at what I had said. I let my eyes flicker away from him though it took me longer than I wanted to.

I had barely even met Caius and all I wanted to do was give up and let him take control of everything. I was tired of having to show bravery, I was tired of what was going to happen to me. I just wanted to sit back and let everything happen. I knew I would be okay in the end, and of all that had happened to me in the seventeen years I had been alive that meant it should be okay if I let someone else take control. I didn't have to do everything on my own.

"Your birthday?"

"You can come and get me the day after my eighteenth birthday. I came up here to be with my dad, and it wasn't that long ago that I did. I would feel horrible if I just randomly left him behind….it would be wrong," I remarked, my eyes on the trees in the distance. There was the whistling of the wind through the trees, nature at it its best.

I was mostly shocked at how I was able to speak long, without stuttering or any of that strain I had been accustomed to having since I was courageous enough to speak. I just didn't feel the need to do this when I was around Caius, sure I was certain that I would soon start stuttering. But maybe it was the bond that was between me and him? The bond that had finally been started, the bond that had been waiting for over a thousand years on his side only had to wait seventeen years on my end.

"Yes, you will also be a legal adult too. So, he cannot say that it was through kidnapping. You will have some time with your father, and you will have time to prepare yourself for Volterra. The Cullens, although too friendly with humans, will be able to help you answer any questions that you have about vampires and slowly bring you into the world better," Caius decided, his eyes going in the direction of where the sliding doors were, and then opened.

I turned around, noting how Esme came walking out of the house and into our direction. I could tell that if it were anyone other than Esme or Carlisle that were heading in our direction, Caius would have made sure to make them regret their decision. Instead, he stood up and put his hand onto the back of my wheelchair and turned us both, so we were focused entirely on her and not only each other. Esme didn't show if she was flattered or not.

Instead, she came up to us and did a short curtsy, her head dipped downwards to show respect towards the vampiric monarchy and then gave another warm, motherly smile towards me.

"I am glad that you two have been properly introducing yourselves to each other, and I am glad to help with communications in the future before Bella goes to Volterra for you two, but I have a request."

"Of course, Esme. What is the request?"

"This is the longest that Felix and Emmett have been in a closed off space for time and I really like my house. I know they are really tempted to start dueling each other, despite the ban that was made exclusively for the both of them. Could you?"

Caius nodded his head, before he strode forward in front of Esme and I. Esme came over to me and placed her hands onto the back of the wheelchair before she pushed us in the direction of where the house was. I had to admit I probably would have done the same thing that Esme had done, since she had made sure to decorate the house herself. It was one of her pride and joys, as were all the other houses and apartments and wherever else they had stayed at in the past that she had done over.

We had barely entered the front room of the first floor of the house only for Felix Volturi to be standing almost toe-to-toe with Emmett Cullen. The both of them were quite intimidating and it was obvious the house would have been destroyed. Which would have been really unfortunate with the Cullens because this house had been especially fixed for them to live in while they would stay here in Forks. It might not be wheelchair friendly for me but that didn't mean it needed to be destroyed because the meatheads of the coven couldn't behave cordially.

Since I wasn't a vampire, I wasn't able to hear what Caius was telling his guards. They listened to him with rapt attention, allowing me to see that what he said was law. They had been turned into vampires to enforce the laws of their monarchy; of the coven they were to help guard. So, it would have been blasphemous for them to decide in the end they wouldn't listen to him just because he had met his mate before she would become a vampire.

Caius stood before me, peering at his guards with the type of ferocious alpha energy to him that only a general and true leader could ever have. He was a king, and a general, it was obvious he had done many missions in the past before. He had left his home country, he had left his confines of his castle, and he got shit done. There was no room for error, there was no way they could pull any bullshit on him. He was one of the kings of the Volturi. One of the Three.

And I, Isabella "Bella" Marie Swan, a mere human with Cerebral Palsy happened to be one of the future queens of the Volturi. I, a pathetic human in a wheelchair, held the same authority as their king in front of them. I did not feel any type of confidence as my mate did, but then again, he was over a thousand years old. You didn't build up that kind of confidence in one day. You didn't have the type of authenticity that Caius Volturi had just by being a human.

Caius was finished with his orders soon and then he motioned for them to head outside. He turned and looked at the Cullens around him. Esme and Carlisle stood next to each other; their arms wrapped around each other as they showed nothing but openness to them. They had nothing about them which showed a different agenda to accepting him into their home, they were old friends. Rosalie and Emmett weren't too pleased with him being here with his guards, and neither was Jasper. Alice was curious though she was a little uncomfortable and Edward had his jaw clenched.

"We cannot stay any longer. I wish to say goodbye to my mate for now. Esme has promised to help communications between Isabella and me. I might not hold the same type of fondness that my brother holds towards you all, but I can see us becoming closer in alliance through your protection of Isabella before she comes to Volterra."

"Isabella?"

Edward had been the one who had asked this without thinking, earning a nod from me. He couldn't read my mind, thankfully, but from the blush he had received from me at him questioning him saying my full first name and not just my nickname it was obvious that I liked the way he had said my first full name. He brought his hand up and ran his fingers through his hair before he nodded his head. He didn't ask anything else, instead he let his eyes flicker to his family members and nodded his head.

Soon it was just me and Caius alone again.

He appeared before me, and crouched down so that he was faced to face with me while I was in my wheelchair. I still would have been quite tiny if I weren't in a wheelchair, but the wheelchair added to the dwarf height between us. He reached his hands out and took my hands in his before he pressed his lips against my fingers, kissing them softly and worshiping them before he pulled his lips from my hands. He brought his head up and kissed me on the forehead next.

"The next time we see each other again, I promise you, you will be queen."

Then he was gone, disappearing from the Cullen property, and leaving me as though he was a figment of my imagination except for the ring he had left me. The silver ring with a crimson jewel nestled between a carved v in the middle of the ring was not a figment of my imagination, it was a promise to the future I would be reunited with Caius Volturi.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: update 3 of 3.

-Twilight doesn't belong to me

-It's EmmynotEmma