Chapter 22: The Fourth Queen
Didyme didn't need to breathe, yet she felt like the wind had been knocked out of her.
How many years had it been? Centuries? An Eon? She really couldn't remember. The days flew by quicker than she could have ever imagined.
Currently, she was standing at the entrance of the Volturi castle. The one placed she hadn't missed. She didn't miss the guard or the servants. She didn't miss her sisters or her brothers, but she did miss her husband. She missed his caring heart and how his hands caressed her face when she was in deep thought.
Her heart hurt for the pain she put him through. Faking her death was the best and yet the worst decision of her life. She wanted a new life after years of being in the Volturi. The days of ruling and sitting on a throne with her family were dull.
And, of course, her bullheaded brother wasn't having it. He tried to bind her to the family permanently, but didyme wasn't going to allow him to tie her down. She escaped as soon as she could. She was ripping up a poor nomad woman and making it look like she had been burned to ashes.
Of course, the first few years by herself weren't the best. That's how Didyme met Chester in the first place. She had gotten caught up with his shifter family after she accidentally killed his mother. They held her captive for a few years before Chester had compassion and asked for her freedom. From there, she and Chester worked together to help her build a new life. That's how she became a therapist; it worked perfectly with her gift of making people happy and counseling them. But Didyme couldn't ponder on that life anymore. She owed Chester a favor, and that was to keep the Volturi away from Bella. And if her return would distract them for a few centuries, then so be it.
"Halt! Who goes there?" a voice asked in the dark.
Didyme stood tall and allowed her cloak to hide her face.
"I have a message for King Aro! It's urgent!"
" the kings are not taking an audience at the moment. You will have to make an appointment." The guard told her.
Didyme rolled her eyes and walked through the doorway anyway. She couldn't help but laugh as she jumped through the hole.
Having to jump through a black hole and landing on a net was her idea. She thought it would freak people out, and most of the time, it did.
" I don't think you heard me." an agitated voice said behind her.
Didyme turned to see Felix hovering over her.
"Well, Felix, I see you haven't changed a bit. You are still trying to intimidate others with your size. Or is that Demetri? I could never remember. The both of you were always giant, empty-headed oafs."
Didyme chuckled as she got the reaction she was looking for.
Felix was offended and picked her up like a rag doll.
"you'll pay for that." He hissed.
Didyme laughed and continued to laugh until she was inside the castle.
When she saw the familiar elevator, Didyme punched Felix in the jaw. The force of her punch caused him to stagger back.
She used that opportunity to escape his clutches and jump on the elevator before Felix could stop her.
She hummed along to the opera music her bother still had blasting through. Even after all these years, her big brother hadn't changed his taste in music.
When the elevator opened, Demetri and Jane stood there waiting for her.
"I hear we have an impatient trollop running around." Jane hissed.
Didyme rolled her eyes and jumped into the air, swinging on a nearby chandelier, right over there heads. She landed with perfect prowess in front of the throne room doors.
With urgency, she opened them; as expected, it was empty. That was ok, and she wasn't here for the throne room.
She was here for the secret stairwell.
…..
Aro flipped the page he was reading and laughed maniacly.
"ahhh, brothers! I was reading this page, and it says-"
Aro didn't finish his sentence because Marcus suddenly stood. The bored emotion typically on his face was gone.
"Marcus?" Caius questioned,
"Brother?" Aro called.
Once again, Marcus didn't answer them. He seemed to be frozen in shock. His eyes widened as he stared at the door.
His lips then began to move, but no words came out.
Aro and Caius ran to Marcus' side. Concern etched unto their faces.
Before they could question him again, the sound of hissing and arguing was heard outside the door.
And then a female scream was heard.
Faster than they ever saw him move, Marcus sprang towards the door.
A roar ripped from his throat and shook the walls. The door was ripped off its hinges as Marcus rared at the guards. He caused them all to back up and bow low to the ground.
And when they did, lying on the ground was a figure wearing a dark coat.
"stay where you are!" was Marcus's firm order to the guard.
He then looked down at the figure that still hadn't moved, and in the gentlest voice, he called out.
"Didyme? Il mio tesoro sei tu?"
The figure on the floor took a deep breath and sat up so that they were on all fours. With a shaky hand, the figure pulled off the cloak of their hood.
"Ciao mio prezioso uomo, mi sei mancato tantissimo.."
Marcus roared in a rush of growls and capes and picked up his queen.
Didyme felt everything in her catch fire.
She had gone centuries without her mate's touch.
Maybe staying here with him wouldn't be so bad, and maybe Bella Ateara would be free now.
She owed the girl that much.