[Chapter Thirteen]

The day Renee and Charlie arrive there is a thunderstorm that is heading towards the city.

It's kind of funny to be honest.

Rain has always been a constant symbolism when it comes to Charlie and knowing he's coming to Volterra while there is a thunderstorm happening makes it even more of a reality instead of just another dream.

He's coming to start his second life as a vampire with me and Renee and everyone else who matters while the weather is how it normally is back in Forks.

I'm pacing in the foyer of the castle with my fingers twinning in and out from each other.

I gnaw on the corner of my mouth and try to keep from making my bottom lip bleed.

I flicker my eyes towards the front doors of the castle while I know Giavonna is waiting patiently near the doors that lead further into the castle, her eyes taking in me pacing back and forth. She's intrigued to be greeted with Renee and Charlie since she's heard about them through the few months I've been here. She's known it will only be so long until she meets them.

Eventually, after what feels like a thousand years, the doors to the castle open and my parents step through.

Renee has on a floppy summer hat and large stylish black designer sunglasses. She's wearing a long sleeve cotton shirt, denim jeans and some leather flats. She's not wearing the necklace with both her and Phil's wedding rings twined together. She's on her road of recovery and yes there will be times she will probably not want to do anything other than pull out the rings to remember her second husband but she's going in the right direction of healing and giving Charlie a chance.

Next to her Charlie studies everything around him with interest, his crimson eyes almost startling me and how he looks as if he's the same age in appearances as Renee. He doesn't look as if he's nearing his forties anymore, he looks as if he's in his early thirties just like Renee. He's wearing a long sleeve dark gray shirt, dark washed jeans and some hiking boots. His dark hair still has gray highlights through them but in a more unique manner, and his hair is thicker than it was when he was human–the bald spot that was on the back of his head is gone. His muscles are more defined, and he looks healthier.

Charlie's eyes land on me first and before I can truly react anymore at them being in front of me, he rushes forward and wraps his arms around me. I take in the scent of mint that clings to him desperately and feel tears starting to rise in the corner of my eyes. He managed to escape from Forks with Renee and wasn't killed for defending his ex-wife. He's not going to be torn apart from me anymore, I'll have him for the rest of eternity like I have Renee.

"Welcome Mrs. Dwyer and Mr. Swan!"

My eyes turn away from Charlie once he pulls away, my eyes landing on Giavonna standing there with a nervous smile but still warmth there. She comes forward to shake hands with them and both of my parents do so even though Charlie turns to look at me as if to ask me if he should trust her. I nod my head in assurance while Renee is calm and knows a human receptionist wouldn't be able to do anything that could concern her.

"Please, call me Renee. You may call him Charlie. Neither of us mind," Renee assures Giavonna, sending her a brilliant smile.

Giavonna blushes some but she shakes her head, informing them the same thing she had to tell me when I first came here. Renee presses her lips together in annoyance, but she knows it's futile for her to even argue about it more. There are more important matters to attend to than talking about introductions and titles to go by.

My mind goes towards Demetri, wishing he was here with me but he's currently running some errand the kings need him to do. I'm at least glad Charlie had gotten the chance to be introduced to him, even if it were for only a short time, and barely any time at all. The same goes for Renee, though she is the one who had to deal with having her life declared forfeit for her. If it weren't for him being her future son-in-law basically then she would have been already killed months ago.

"Miss Swan you must come with us, also. The kings want the whole family together when they meet your parents," Giavonna proclaims as she ushers us away from the lobby and towards the throne doors that lead to the three kings sitting in their chairs.

I can already imagine how King Marcus will be sitting solemnly with his head tilted down and his mourning veil still cascading in front of his face. Perhaps King Aro won't be the one who is sitting, he'll be pacing back and forth with his fingers intertwining in and out of each other, his cloudy eyes zoned away to the thought of having another two gifted vampires under his foot. King Caius will be playing with his weapon, a knife with a hidden compartment to the side that brings out fire so he can make sure to slice off a head and then set the body into ashes.

I'm not wrong when the throne doors open, and I'm greeted with what I've been imagining.

The mad king is pacing back and forth on the marble dais, while the mourning king is in his usual sad position. The evil king is playing with his weapon, tossing it up and catching it at angles that would cause humans to lose limbs if they tried to replicate. All three of them turn and look at my father and mother, of course King Aro beams brightly and claps his hands together, in the same sort of way he had done when he had first met me. It's the most disturbing thing at the moment for me, at how he shows this kind of excitement you only see from a child when they are able to have the entire collection of their favorite toys instead of just one.

"Ah Renee Dwyer and Charlie Swan! A pleasure to meet you. It is so rare we have entire families join us. Renata behind me is the only one her uncle had allowed us to have," King Aro says as he waves his hand towards the cloaked figure standing behind the throne that belongs to him. The only thing I can see is her crimson eyes, and the only thing I know about her is she has the ability to create a shield that is only able to cover one person instead of a multitude of people.

Renee and Charlie, both give him polite smiles but their eyes flicker towards me.

I give them a knowing look, allowing them to realize they should act a certain way around him.

He's not someone who likes having someone go against him, and for the time being it's best for them to listen to him without having any issues. I also know I can't tell them about the rebellion, it is obvious they will join the right side when the rebellion happens but for them to know it earlier it's not going to be able to happen. King Aro can read their minds, and he will gain wind of the rebellion happening because he won't be able to control me after all.

I merely observe as the mad king takes the hands of my parents and takes in all their thoughts. His eyes widen, and his mouth opens enough for his pearl hued perfect teeth to flicker out. He cranes his head to the side and peers at me, studying me for a moment. I keep my chin up and show no type of disgust at how he's staring at me.

"Ah! A delight to see your life through their eyes, young Isabella. It might not be through your own thoughts but it's good enough for me. They would do anything for you, both of them think you were the only good thing that can come from their marriage," King Aro cackles, while behind him King Marcus lets his eyes flicker towards mine. King Caius on the other hand rolls his eyes, before turning his attention towards my parents. He taps his weapon against the side of his marble throne and the blade goes back in its compartment along with the lighter.

"Enough, Aro. Do you have an idea of what their talents are?"

King Caius commands, his crimson eyes turning away from my parents and towards me, his lips pressed tightly together. "The last thing I want is to hear the truth that the woman's so-called talent is not real and something your little Isabella and Demetri had fabricated so she could live."

King Aro reaches one of his hands up and waves it, before commenting.

"Isabella did not lie. I can already feel young Renee subconsciously wanting me to leave her alone with her ex-lover and her daughter. It's an odd feeling, to have someone want to control you so their wants will be fulfilled. Young Charlie, I wouldn't be surprised if he has the ability to detect combat moves before they happen. His work in law enforcement proves this."

King Caius perks up at hearing the part where Charlie had worked in law enforcement, his teeth revealing and his pretty features becoming darker.

"Ah, I can work with this. The woman can be yours, but I command to use the man for my needs. I must train him and make him another head of our military. Perhaps he will become the true head I have been looking for."

My body stiffens at the thought of Charlie becoming their little lieutenant for their military, the thought of Charlie having to go after those who go against the Volturi makes my body also become sour. I don't want to think of him giving commands for them to kill those who have real, valid reasons to go against their kings, their rulers they didn't ask to have when they were turned. The ones who were not given gifts in their second lives and fight against everything around them, because this life is not what they had wanted to begin with.

Renee turns to me, her eyes widening in panic.

She had just turned her ex-husband into a vampire not too far in the past.

She had to create him herself, and despite being his Sire, she can't do anything that would keep him from becoming the new head of the guard. She doesn't have the ability to stop them completely, she can have them back off for a while but when she's not there they can take him away from her and do what they want.

"That sounds fine, Caius. Charlie Swan goes with my brother; you will become a fine fighter for us. We will have much compliance in the future, and those who won't comply with your commands you can make an example of them," King Aro remarks, before he turns and looks at Renee.

King Aro waits until Charlie leaves for him to make his next move.

He's calculated enough to know any type of emotion he shows towards Renee could very well end up having Charlie attack him with his newborn strength and agility. His power would be able to be used in front of him and King Aro has gotten too comfy on his throne to be able to go par to par with a vampire who has the ability to sense what move you're about to do before you do it.

His eyes study her for a moment, and he reaches his hand out to brush his fingers against her cheekbone only for Renee to bring her hand up and slap him across the face hard enough he has cracks appear on his face. He stands there for a moment, while Jane sweeps out from the shadows in a corner of the throne room and sends her power upon Renee.

Renee screams as she falls onto the marble flooring, creating an indent from her strength of her fall.

I almost start screaming, myself, demanding for him to reign in Jane, only for the king to reach his hand up to signal for her to stop. Jane narrows her eyes a little more before she drops her power. A small cherub hand reaches out next to her and takes her hand, pulling her into the darkness again. It's Alec of course, he'll make sure nothing will go against what their king father commands. She's not able to be seen in my human eyes, I hadn't even known she was here or her brother.

King Aro starts laughing a little bit, pleased with what had just happened instead of laughing in anger at how Renee had slapped him. He reaches out and presses his hand down onto Renee's cheekbone, which in return makes Alec use his ability in order to keep Renee staying still. She stays like a statue upon the ground, her head tilted to the side and her eyes having this faraway look. She's frozen in horror, and I'm certain Alec has had her be able to hear everything going around her, but she can't do anything else, she really is the definition of frozen in horror.

Without thinking, I rush forward and fall over Renee, making the king pull away for a moment to study me. He cranes his head to the side and studies me instead, taking in my face and then my body, he's seeing if there's anything there, I can offer him that my mother can't offer. He brings his hand up and sends a motion for someone to grab me and the last thing I feel is a pair of arms wrap around me from behind before I'm yanked away from Renee.

"I believe I should teach young Renee a lesson. Children, I shall need your assistance."

King Aro says, his voice high and happy, and my blood runs cold as I realize what he's going to do to Renee. He's going to torture my mother and he might possibly rape my mother, and he'll make sure she'll be unable to show any type of resistance towards him violating her.

"Don't! Don't! Please, Aro! Don't do that! If you want…you can have me. My mother has already gone through enough. Please let her go," I cry, tears pouring down my cheekbones and body quivering as I drop onto the marble flooring, my arms are draped above me and held together in a pair of hands by my wrists. My arms hurt some from the pulling of the vampire, and my head tilts up to see it is Felix that has my wrists in his large hands.

I have to remind myself Felix is only doing what he has asked his kings to do.

He's supposed to be doing this, making sure someone like me can't stop the king from doing what he wants to do with my mother. He's not a bad guy, I try to think, but I never really gained an opinion in these months I have been in Volterra. So, I don't know if this is the real Felix in front of me or just the front, he puts up so he can show the right kind of submission and respect.

"You won't be able to endure the lesson I have planned for your mother, dear Isabella. You are still human, Renee is not. She will be taught her lesson until I decide when she has earned her place," King Aro says, before he leaves the throne room with Renee draped in his arms, sprawled out like those old Greek statues of lovers draped in their tragic true lover's arms.

I stay on the ground, on the marble flooring, even when Felix drops my hands and goes off to do what he needs to do next. My eyes peer down at the marble, and I wrap my arms around myself, trying to take steady breaths as I try to imagine he's not going to rape my mother. It's worse than I had thought would happen when it came to having her come to Volterra. I was okay with anything else happening, but the thought of him sexually violating my mother terrifies me to my core.

My eyes land on the sweeping of rich robes in front of me before the person sits down in front of me.

I slowly bring my eyes up from the ground to notice King Marcus sitting in front of me.

He reaches his hand out and presses his hand against my cheek.

Tears cascade down my cheekbones and without thinking much, I throw my arms around him and sob loudly. I sob hard enough I'm certain that I will have bruises on my arms and my neck and my face from pressing myself too hard into his marble skin grip.

It's the least of what I deserve.

I cry loudly and harshly and painfully enough my throat becomes sore, I lose my voice, and darkness takes over me. I slump over in his arms due to exhaustion and barely feel him picking me up before leaving the throne room. I lay in his arms, where there are no dreams and nightmares that are going through my mind. There is only darkness, for even my mind has shut off any thoughts of what is currently happening deep within the castle.

How many women and even men have King Aro taken away so he can sexually violate them while he tortures them?

Does he have them scream until they cannot anymore?

Does he dispose of them in the end, break them into pieces and throw fire over them to make sure they die only remembering the last moments of their horrible lesson from their new king?

I don't know how long I am deep in unconsciousness but when I slowly feel myself entering the waking world, I can tell there is a conversation going on between two men in Demetri and I's bedroom. I'm glad the scent of the vanilla candles reminds me how this is my haven. I am able to be where I will be safe, and I know Demetri will protect me.

The moment my eyes open there is silence in the room and I turn on my side to see both Demetri and King Marcus sitting at the end of the bed. King Marcus has his veil off of his head and he has his hands still covered in their gloves. He cranes his head to the side, his crimson eyes landing on me curled up on the bed as though I am the one who had received King Aro's lesson instead of Renee. His eyes become softer and his jaw clenches before he turns towards Demetri.

"We need to set a date. His blatant disregard for anything that doesn't suit him has gotten worse. You saw what he did when it came to Bella's mother. We cannot allow anything else to happen," King Marcus proclaims, his voice low and barely able to be heard from me but I can still hear him. My hearing has gotten better after all since I first came here.

"Three months. We will start Bella having meditation, so she can work on her shield while she is still human. That way it will be easier when she turns into a vampire for her to access it," Demetri says, before he turns and looks at me.

He scoots closer to me and goes to touch me, but I bite my lip and turn my head to the side. I don't want to think of him not being there to comfort me in the throne room. King Caius was too busy making sure Demetri was one of the people he was playing soldier with. Otherwise, I am certain it would have resulted in possibly Demetri getting a limb ripped off of him or his head decapitated for the time being in order to teach him a lesson.

"Charlie…"

I snap up from where I had been curled up and my crimson eyes widen at the thought of Charlie wondering where Renee is. I turn and look at the king and Demetri. The both of them peer at each other in silence before King Marcus nods his head, allowing him to know it will be fine to say something when it comes to the subject of Charlie.

"He's left the castle with some of our men. He has no knowledge of what is happening to your mother at the moment. King Caius is going off across Europe for some time, and he demands Charlie to come with him so he can teach him the proper fighting style. He's also probably going so he can see if Charlie can fight one of the remaining Lycanthropes," Demetri informs me, while I am certain King Marcus most likely is rolling his eyes at the mention of the campaign, he'll make of the vampiric world just to show off his shiny new object.

Not too long afterwards, King Marcus leaves and it's just me along with Demetri.

He moves further upon the bed and lays down next to me.

He doesn't put his arms around me, I can only hope that the death of King Aro will be torturous, along with the deaths of Jane and Alec.

For those children to help their so-called father rape countless people, making sure to have the people feel even worse pain at not being able to fight against the mad king. They are just his little toys he can play with until he gets bored before ripping their heads off.

"How often does he do that? Does it just happen to the women, or does he go after everyone?" I whisper, my eyes peering at the stone wall next to me. I don't know why I'm asking this but when I hear a small noise that indicates anyone is his victim, I can't help but wonder if it's even worse he has no true agenda or not.

"Every few decades there comes someone who interests his fancy after they disrespect him. Usually, he plays with them until he's done and then he ends up killing them, because they become broken. They are always vampires, never humans, because he wouldn't be able to have as much time with them like he would if they were vampires," Demetri explains, before adding, "and yes, the twins always are in his company. They don't do anything to the bodies other than making them behave."

I don't ask any more of what happens behind closed doors when it comes to King Aro, I have been given the true side of him after months of being here with him.

It will be a few more months.

I will have to deal with him, but he will reach his end.

I will only have to endure this for three more months and then he can be killed, ripped to shreds and ashes disposed of in a disrespectful place so there will be no piece of him even in the afterlife.

Soon afterwards, Demetri leads me down the corridors a week after the introduction of my parents to the kings. I keep my hand in his and allow him to direct me to wherever he wants us to start my meditation. He leads me out to an open courtyard near the gardens, closed on all angles but there are many fountains and plants that make up the grassy courtyard. A tree sits nestled near the middle, as old as the town most likely, and sends out silhouettes upon the place where the meditation stool is for me to sit. Incense is lit, and as we head closer, I wouldn't be surprised if this is the same smell that Demetri had smelt from his homeland.

Demetri softly sits me down onto the stool and once I am settled, he moves a respectful distance from me before he sits down across from me. He reaches for the hair band that is around his wrist and pulls his hair into a high bun, before handing another one to me. I pull my hair up in a bun, probably not a stylish one to be honest, but this isn't supposed to be some sight to enthrall you in that manner. This is for actual reasoning, not to look as if I would meditate only to not do it.

Demetri begins to instruct me, and as long as the weather is nice, I am able to go far in my training.

My mind at first is chaotic, the anger that I held inwards towards the Cullens has merely drifted away in time because I'm not letting them have any grain of power over me and I'm not in their constant company. I barely even have thought of them since I have joined the Volturi to be honest.

The kings on the other hand, it's hard for me to be calm when I'm thinking of the two dark minded kings. I know there are other things which will be complicated for me to find reasoning behind but as long as I focus on the image of Renee and Charlie being free from the Volturi I know things will be better.

I only have to remind myself in three months' time no one will be under his rule.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: let me know what you thought about this chapter.

itsemmynotemma

as always: Twilight doesn't belong to me