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Last updated/edited 03/12/2024.
Third Person POV: Aro
"She's been locked in her room for 36 hours now and has turned down every meal since the meeting. We must act now; I will not allow this to continue!" Aro spoke fervently.
The royal family had settled in Aro's office, which now featured an identical desk in place of the one he destroyed. He had called the meeting to discuss possible solutions for ending Astrid's current self-imposed isolation. When Astrid ran out of the meeting with his family, Aro had taken it personally. He felt immense guilt for taking her human life and family away from her.
Astrid had run straight back to her suite without allowing his family to fully explain and had not emerged since. Additionally, the human staff member that Aro had assigned to deliver Astrid's meals had expressed concern when Astrid began declining to order her meals.
"Brother, you must let her calm down and grieve. She will recover in time." Marcus reasoned.
"Well, she's clearly very upset. And based on what she said before she ran out, it sounds like she has strong ties with her family in the US. That's going to cause issues when we need to stage her death…" Caius mused.
"Caius! Now is not the time." Athenadora scolded him and Caius grumbled a "sorry dear".
"Aro, I know this is difficult for you, but I have to agree with Marcus. And before you make assumptions, it's not just because Marcus is my mate. Astrid needs solitary time to recover emotionally and if you interrupt her mourning process, it will likely upset her even more. And, as far as her physical wellbeing goes, you know as well as I do that a human can go a couple days without eating. She will be fine." Didyme reasoned.
"Maybe Didyme and I should try to approach her tomorrow. Worst case, she turns us away. And if not, then we can continue the conversation where we left off and hopefully calm her fears." Athenadora proposed.
"That's a good idea, she's most likely to respond to the two of you. You have lighter bonds then the rest of us." Said Marcus and Aro frowned.
"I'm sure it's just because she has spoken to them the most, Aro. Obviously, your bond with her is much thicker, but you are hardly acquainted yet." Marcus explained.
First Person POV: Astrid
I awoke groggily from a deep sleep to a firm knock on my door. I figured it was probably Abigail asking for my order again. She was sweet, I felt bad for turning her away recently, but I hadn't had an appitite since my meeting with the royal family. I stretched and glanced at the clock on the nightstand, it read 12:00pm.
I sighed; I knew that I should stop doing this. Sleeping all day wasn't going to solve my problems. But how could I possibly approach the royal family asking for answers again when I threw a tantrum at our last meeting? I walked to the suite door and cracked it open, preparing to tell Abigail that I would pass on lunch. But instead, I came face to face with Athenadora and Didyme.
My eyes briefly widened, but I collected my expression.
"Hello dear, would you be willing to have a chat with us?" Athenadora asked.
"Sure, come in." I said, ushering them through the doorway. We settled on the couches in the main room.
"We need to clear up a few misunderstandings from our meeting. But we need you to promise to listen until we finish explaining this time. Are you willing to hear us out?" asked Didyme.
I nodded, averting my eyes in embarrassment of my previous behavior. I wasn't happy about the current situation, but I would never get the full story from them if I jumped to conclusions.
"Very well, shall I call the kings here or would you like to gather in one of our offices instead?" Didyme asked.
"Here please." I told them. I didn't want to leave my suite if I didn't have to. However, I realized I was still wearing a nightgown. As Athenadora flashed over to the door to notify the guards, I rushed back into the bedroom to make myself presentable. I redressed in a pair of jeans and some fluffy socks. I couldn't find a t-shirt anywhere, so I settled on a soft looking sweater and threw my hair into a bun.
When I emerged, I found that the kings were already waiting. Each couple had moved to a separate couch, and the only remaining spot was on the chaise next to Aro.
I sat down and felt cheeks blush as I made eye contact with them.
"I apologize for not letting you finish your explaination when we last met." I told them.
They looked surprised by my apology.
"No dear, your reaction was understandable given the circumstances. Everyone reacts differently to the news, whether it is explained to them as a human or as newborn vampire. Believe it or not, we have rarely had to do this with a human before. The majority of our guards were already turned when we recruited them."
"So, I am going to be a guard then?" I asked dejectedly.
"No, cara mia" Aro spoke up. It occurred to me that this was the first time I had heard him speak since the throne room. His voice was rich, deep, and more pleasing than I remembered. The rest of the family had used terms of endearment with me but somehow it felt different with Aro, more intimate.
"You will not be a guard. And although you may not return home, you are not a prisoner here either. It is our law, and has been for millennia, that any human with knowledge of supernatural existence is either turned or killed." He told me, struggling with the last word. "You are welcome to remain with us and we will gladly assist you when you are ready to be turned into one of us. You are also permitted to leave the castle premises as long as you are with your guards and one of us. Consider yourself a guest here."
So, not only was I stuck here but I was expected to become a vampire too? I supposed that being turned was the only realistic option unless I asked them to kill me or waited long enough to die of old age here in the castle. The royal family patiently waited for me to gather my thoughts.
"What if I were to choose to be killed?" I asked.
I heard an animalistic snarl rip from Aro's chest and immediately felt another sharp pain through my heart along with a wave of immense regret.
"We will honor your decision, Astrid, but you ought to consider the finality of that choice." Athenadora replied looking solemn. I glanced to the side where Aro sat next to me. His face was hard, jaw flexed. Did the idea of my death bother him that much? We had barely spoken… Although, he had attempted to save me in the throne room, so he clearly had some motive for keeping me alive and well.
"Hold on… what about your human staff?" I accused, remembering Abigail. If they let their staff live freely, then it was only fair that they extend the same courtesy to me too.
"Our human staff live permanently within the castle and are either turned or killed eventually. You are also welcome to live here in the castle for as long as you wish, however, I would not suggest doing so long-term. Our world is a dangerous one, especially for a human." Marcus informed me.
"I see… and why exactly are you concerned about my saftey?" I asked them.
The group remained silent but looked at Aro.
"That is a private discussion, it would be best held between just the two of us. Would you be comfortable speaking with me alone?" Aro asked me and when he noticed my hesitation, he continued. "Alternatively, one of my sisters can stay to chaperone if that would make you more comfortable."
I thought back to what Didyme had told me; I should keep an open mind about Aro. He had been nothing but kind so far and he also seemed very set on keeping me alive.
"No, that's not necessary. We can speak privately." I smiled reassuringly at him despite my nervousness. The couples left my suite and the doors shut behind them.
Now, sitting alone with Aro, my anxiety was growing. I started biting my bottom lip as I waited for him to begin.
"Before I answer your question, I need to tell you something." Aro finally spoke and I looked over at him, becoming mesmerized by his gaze again. Although the red of his irises was intimidating, his gaze held a tenderness that made me feel safe.
"I have the gift of tactile telepathy. When I make skin-on-skin contact with any individual, I instantly see their life's worth of thoughts and memories pass before my eyes." He told me.
I inhaled sharply and my mind raced. Had we made contact during my time here? I remembered that he had worn gloves when he shook my hand during the last meeting with the royal family, but I had been unconscious for hours after teleporting from the throne room so I couldn't be sure.
"Relax piccola." He soothed me. "I would not read your mind without your express consent, that is why I have kept my distance from you so far."
Oh… that was extremely considerate of him. I was relieved that he hadn't seen my memories, especially given my obvious attraction towards him, but also felt a pang of guilt at the assumption that he may have already read my mind without permission.
"Am required to show you my thoughts now?" I asked cautiously.
"No, angelo mio, if you never want me to touch you then I will not." He said sadly.
I blushed at the pet name, angel. I liked that more than I wanted to admit... I was also relieved that I had a choice in whether to share my thoughts with him or not. Maybe, in time, I would be comfortable enough with him to let him see my mind.
"Thank you, Aro." I said genuinely, now feeling much calmer.
"There is one last thing I must explain to you before I can answer your original question." Aro said.
I nodded at him, satisfied to be getting closer to the answer.
"Every vampire has a mate. A vampire's mate is their ideal partner and the other half of their soul. The human equivalent is the soulmate bond. A mate bond is formed between individuals when they first make eye contact."
"That sounds too good to be true." I mused. It was love at first sight, except that it wasn't a fantasy like I previously believed.
"Not entirely, a vampire will never quite feel complete without a mate. Once a mate bond is established, distance between mates causes great emotional and physical pain. And if a vampire's mate is killed it always causes the surviving partner to follow shortly after." He continued.
"Oh…" I replied softly with a frown. I guess nothing was perfect after all.
"Indeed, further, it is common for vampires who have not met their mate to take on companions over the years to quell the loneliness, but nothing ever compares to a true mate bond." Aro told me and then sat silently, staring into my eyes as if he was waiting for a reaction.
"Okay… so, why did you need to tell me this privately?" I asked; I didn't see what vampire mating had to do with me.
"Astrid, I've met my mate." He told me ardently. I winced slightly at the thought of Aro with his new vampire soulmate and the sharp heart pain flared up again. Then again, why did I care so much? Yes, I felt a strong pull towards Aro, but I couldn't have expected that a vampire king would ever reciprocate my interest. Unfortunately, my emotions refused to listen to that logic, and I felt my eyes burn as I fought tears.
"Oh… congratulations, Aro." I replied, pretending I was fine.
Aro sighed in frustration and looked at me beseechingly.
"Astrid, please, think back to when our eyes met in the throne room..." he told me.
"Oh…?" I said as the pieces finally fell together. I had not considered that a vampire's mate could be human. "You think I'm your mate?" I whispered in shock.
"I know that you are my mate." He replied insistently. "I knew it the second we met eyes in the throne room."
"But I'm human." I argued.
"The vast majority of the world's population is human; although it's still rare, it is not impossible for a vampire's mate to be found as a human." He informed me.
I broke eye contact and stared at my hands in my lap. I attempted to process what I'd just been told, Aro thought I was his mate... How did this happen? I had lived such an average life up until now, nothing about me was extraordinary.
"Please, Astrid, say something..." he entreated.
"I… I think I need some time to process this." I told him tentatively; my mind still hadn't accepted what he was telling me. Aro looked crestfallen but nodded and left me alone in the suite. I walked to the bedroom, collapsing on the bed, and groaned in disbelief.