Chapter 2-The Audience
The walk into the depths of the Volturi stronghold was silent other than the occasional squeak from Bella's water-logged shoes. It felt like stepping back into a museum with elaborate paintings with golden frames decorating the walls and numerous intricately detailed statues within wall insets down the vast hallway which was lined with exquisite red runners trimmed in golden thread.
Before long, they approached a monumental wooden double door that expanded almost to the ceiling itself. The door looked antiqued and heavy yet Jane knocked only briefly before swinging the grand doors open with apparent ease.
The room they were ushered into was colossal in size, with a dozen vast marble pillars extending from the floor up into an elaborately gold-accented dome before extending up further into a cupola that contained several small, but frosted, windows to allow the natural light to drift in. The walls themselves were also decorated with golden insets of various designs with an occasional small round frosted window to permit additional light.
It felt overwhelming to take in as Bella's eyes flicked from one detail to another before peeking forward at a large raised dais against the far side of the room. Long marble steps led up to an alcove where three ebony and gold detailed thrones sat with silent figures. Along the parameters of the large room stood several other vampires stationed within the spaces separated by the pillars that she had to assume were part of the Volturi guard, each adorned with similar dark cloaks with the same styled necklace that she had noted on the twins.
Edward had moved forward slightly at this point to stand halfway in front of her before he stopped in the middle of the audience room, his body completely still as he also looked toward the dais pensively. As the twins neared the stairs they bowed their heads in deference toward the three seated vampires before moving to positions alongside the foot of the steps, and with a small glance over her shoulder, Bella noted that Felix took a position not far from them directly in the door's path. His hands clenched again, relaxed, and then he crossed his arms over his chest to watch their group intently with an arrogant smirk.
Alec spared a small smile to his sister who stood in position to the right before addressing the three on the dais.
"My dear sister was sent out for one, but came back with two…and a half. She is such a clever girl". Jane flashed her brother a smug glance before directing her gaze back toward the waiting group.
"What a happy surprise! Bella is alive after all!"
Bella's attention was suddenly brought back to the center of the three thrones as the man previously sitting stood up and clapped his hands together joyfully, an impossibly wide, bright smile crossing his face. Long ebony hair framed a chiseled face with high cheekbones, delicate appearing translucent skin, and attentive fiery eyes that brimmed with barely contained excitement. A fitted deep black formal suit jacket covered an equally dark shirt, with matching slacks and finely polished leather shoes. He radiated an almost unbridled enthusiasm as he strode toward them, those expensive shoes moved silently at his approach, and to Bella at least, it felt as if he was floating across the reflective floor.
The pressure in Bella's chest gradually relaxed as she cataloged the peculiar man, though an almost imperceivable shift took its place. A bizarre electric sensation tingled across her chest up into her face, down to her stomach, before settling somewhere within her ribcage. The odd sensation caused her to inadvertently lay on hand on her chest to attempt to cease the distracting stirring. The experience lasted mere seconds before both the chest pain, and the unexplained charged energy that had just occurred, both retreated completely.
"Isn't that wonderful?"
Bella dropped her hand to focus on the jovial man as he held his hands together in front of him, the impossibly wide smile never leaving his face as he spoke. Her breath hitched slightly as fathomless red eyes flicked to her for the briefest of moments before returning to Edward who stared at the charismatic vampire with a near-ill visage. Itching for something to do with her own hands, she restlessly reached forward to slip her hand into Edward's chilled one.
"I love a happy ending."
As soon as she had wrapped her fingers around Edward's hand, it was pulled from her grip by the smiling man who now clasped the hand gently between his own. He rubbed the back of Edward's hand languidly as he glanced between Edward and Alice as he spoke earnestly.
"They are so rare."
Up close Bella could see that this vampire's skin was not only translucent, but it had a paper-thin appearance that contrasted to Edward's smooth alabaster complexion. She could possibly assume it was due to the difference in age as Edward was considered a fairly young vampire compared to however old this vampire was. The aforementioned vampire's eyes, which had been closed briefly while he bent his head over their joined hands, opened them once more to glance down at her with intensity.
"La Tua Cantante. The blood appeals to you so much."
Without breaking eye contact with her, he leaned forward to take a deep smell himself as if she was some expensive perfume. In this proximity, she could make out an almost milky film over those bottomless red eyes that she had not noticed prior. He took a refined inhale through his nose similar to the twins from earlier. However the breath cut off abruptly and Bella found herself unable to look away as those dark pupils dilated to near unnatural proportions, the previous amusement now replaced with a slightly wild look that made her inch her foot backward, the squeak of the rubber uncomfortably loud in the still room, before his throat bobbed and he straightened his shoulders further to observe her before glancing down briefly at Edward's hand still resting within his own. His grip tightened on Edward's hand firmly before dropping it. Those vexed eyes once more sought hers as he casually wiped his hand on his coat and morphed back into the cheerful persona that he previously portrayed.
"It makes me thirsty. How can you stand it, Edward?"
"It is not without difficulty", Edward's face looked sickened as he dragged his morose gaze from the enigmatic man to Bella.
"This is Aro, he can read every thought I ever had with one touch". Bella watched as Edward sucked momentarily at his teeth before he tightened his jaw to angle his chin higher as he looked towards the attentive vampire once more.
"Now you know everything. So get on with it."
"Watch your filthy mouth, Cullen!"
An infuriated voice rang out in the chamber from the circular dais. The man who had spoken out was one of the other 'brothers' of the Volturi. This brother had a slightly younger appearance than Aro though it was difficult to tell. His frame was slighter in comparison to his brother, almost frail, with shockingly white blond hair cascading down to his shoulders with the same thin papery skin as Aro and matching eyes. His outfit was similar in style to Aro's own though he adorned a bright red undershirt under a formal black cardigan with a scarf thrown around his neck that Bella felt could indicate a weaker constitution than his fellow brothers. Long tapered fingers tapped against the handrest of his throne in irritation as he leaned forward with his ankle propped up lightly on his opposite knee.
"You are lucky to still be standing in front of us."
"Caius, it's quite alright", Aro raised his hand passively over his shoulder to a motion for his brother to calm.
So, that's Caius. So much for first impressions of him being small and weak.
As Bella allowed her eyes to observe the flustered man a moment longer, she decided that his current outfit choice may have just been a peculiar personal preference or perhaps even an intentional action to have others underestimate him given his smaller frame. That seems highly likely.
Alice did not seem to have exaggerated this vampire's temperament as he pressed his back against his backrest with a silent snarl on his delicate features before he glanced towards the final brother opposite him who sat in silence.
The direction of his gaze prompted Bella to follow as well to assess the last brother who had yet to speak. He appeared to be the largest of the three rulers and carried an expressionless and uninterested demeanor with his face turned away from the proceedings with dark eyes staring at the nearby wall. His hair appeared to be either a deep brown or even black and ended just below his shoulders, and from her vantage point, he looked slightly more disheveled in comparison. His fingers were threaded together, a large emerald ring adorning his left hand that reflected the minimal light of the room, with elbows braced on his throne while his long legs stretched out to cross at the ankle before him. His clothes were not as crisply pressed as his siblings though they looked no less expensive. He adorned a billowy tunic of deep green, dark slacks, and equally dark shoes, an oversized black cowl draped over his shoulders to spill along his seat.
And…he must be Marcus.
Bringing her focus back to Aro after the inspection of his brothers, he appeared wholly unaffected by Edward's rudeness and even flashed a grin at him before he tilted his head to the side in mock query.
"Quite the soul reader yourself, dear Edward. No, you cannot read Bella's thoughts….Fascinating!"
The manic energy from earlier returned abruptly as he clasped his hands in front of him in excitement, his intrigued eyes flicked back and forth between Edward and Bella before taking a step further back.
"I would be interested to see if you are an exception to my gifts as well. Would you do me the honor?"
The pale, long-fingered hand stretched toward her in quiet offering and an unreadable smile graced his full lips. To distract herself from staring at his eager face, she dropped her gaze to his waiting hand which could have been sculpted by Michelangelo himself, before she forced herself to shuffle forward. Her fingers shook as they reached toward the awaiting appendage and that odd electrifying sensation returned along with perturbed thought that she was making a deal with the devil.
The moment Bella's fingers barely brushed the smooth palm of his hand, he reached further to clasp it completely within his and used it to tug her in closer. She didn't dare move as she wordlessly watched him inhale deeply again before he let his eyes flutter close to bend his head forward over their joined hands. That restless energy shifted slightly within her body to focus on the hand held captive within Aros which created a distracting, but not unpleasant, tingling sensation as the moment passed silently. Bella's examination of his finely tailored jacket was interrupted as he pulled her closer still, her hand between them nearly pressed against the heavily ruby-accented golden V that hung centered against the crisp black shirt of his chest.
The smell of old books brought forth memories such fond memories from her childhood and an exquisite heady blend of spices flooded her and she nearly closed her own eyes to savor the scent if not for the slight movement to her left that distracted her. Looking over Aro's broad shoulder, Marcus had turned his face in their direction and was looking between them with an inquisitive expression. His gaze studied the empty space between her and the Cullens, though she was not sure what he was looking at so intently before he drew back to observe his brother and his eyes roving the empty area surrounding him as well. His long body shifted his seat to continue to observe whatever caught his interest, though this minimal action seemed insignificant to her, it must have been out of character for the man as his movement caught Caius' attention who studied Marcus' reaction in contemplation.
She felt Aro shift slightly before captivating red eyes opened once more and he slowly straightened, Bella's hand firmly remaining in his grasp, it was a belated realization in Bella's sluggish mind that his right hand had pressed her fingers firmly over the golden emblem on his chest, her fingers splayed across the cold metal and the satiny fabric underneath as he stared at her in bewilderment before murmuring huskily.
"Interesting…I see nothing."
Bella was not sure if there was an appropriate response to his statement, but his spiced aroma felt as if it was numbing her senses. As she felt herself sinking into that addictive oblivion, a firm hand encircled her unoccupied wrist and she was roughly separated from Aro's hand and her back was pressed into Edward's unyielding chest. His body was trembling as he wrapped a large arm possessively around her stomach to dig into her opposite hip so tight that she was sure it would leave a bruise. His other arm curled across her chest to tangle in the fabric of her shirt at her shoulder and his slightly crouched stance caused Bella to be in an awkwardly intimate position within his arms. Glancing up at Edward out of the corner of her eye revealed that he looked nearly rabid as he stared at the older vampire.
Aro watched Edward's display with thinly veiled annoyance before he pivoted on his heel to retrace a few steps back toward the marble steps, his fingertips fiddling with the rubied emblem that hung from his neck before spreading his fingers out in a ghostly mimicry of where Bella's hand had pressed against him.
"Aro."
His name being spoken pulled Aro from his thoughts before shifting to view his usually silent brother. If Aro was startled at the unprovoked extended hand that was being offered to him by his brother, it was not apparent. Changing his previous trajectory, he approached his brother before allowing his fingertips to press gently against Marcus' palm.
The remaining spectators eyed the two of them quietly, and Bella could see several Volturi guard members glancing between themselves. Even Caius, who had been watching the proceedings, let his foot drop to rest on the ground to lean forward with focused, curious eyes.
After a long moment, Aro slipped his hand away from Marcus to fold them behind his back. He remained still a moment longer as the brothers shared a silent look before Aro turned to stride in front of his throne once more. A beatific smile adorned his face as he motioned Jane forward.
"Shall we see if she is immune to all our powers? Shall we Jane?"
Jane's petite face lit up in unmasked pleasure before she locked her gleeful eyes on the human currently held within the Cullen boy's arms.
"Pain."
Before Bella could comprehend what was supposed to happen, Edward had shoved her backward into Alice's arms to stand in front of her. Bella gripped onto the smaller girl's outstretched gloved arm as she pushed her messy dark hair from her face to look towards Edward, her eyes widened in horror. His whole body had seized, shaking violently, with his back arched into an inhuman position and the veins of his neck bulged as he struggled to stay on his feet before he stumbled to his knees. Alice quickly released Bella to rush forward to place her hands on her brother's back as he convulsed on the marble floor.
"No! Stop! Please stop!"
Bella was shaken out of her frozen stupor and stepped forward to go to Edward's side as well. However, she was hindered by Alec who had moved from his position to wrap an immovable arm across her arms and chest to prevent her from advancing further. Her attempts to wrench herself from his grasp proved futile as his hand remained firm, though not painful, on her upper arm.
"Just stop hurting him! Please! I beg you!"
Aro's smile turned strained momentarily as he slid his eyes from Edward writhing on the floor to frantic Bella before he tilted his head in the direction of the eager blonde vampire.
"Jane."
Jane immediately blinked several times as Edward's convulsions slowed to a stop and she turned to wait for further instruction, "Master".
After it became apparent that Edward would not interfere again, he nodded his head towards Bella for Jane to proceed, "Go ahead, my dear".
Bella flinched as those beautiful red eyes rotated to focus solely on her, the smallest of smiles curling the girl's lips before she said in that lyrical voice of hers.
"This might hurt just a little."
Bella's body tensed in anticipation but she stubbornly refused to break eye contact with Jane for several long seconds though she couldn't feel anything happening. Bella stole a glance toward Alec who had continued to hold her firmly though his gaze was trained on his sister, his own face looking fascinated at the turn of events. Bella took several deep breaths as she made eye contact again with Jane.
Has it started yet?
She continued to stare back at Jane whose smile had dropped after a few moments, her brows furrowing in frustration. A loud, giggling laugh echoed through the chamber as Aro clapped his hands with fervency effectively breaking Jane's eye contact. His wide eyes were alight as he nearly bounced closer toward them, his hands held in front of him as if in prayer.
"Remarkable! Absolutely exquisite."
His laughter slowed before he shook his head with a final chuckle, then abruptly his smiling face shifted into a charged expression with his hands folded in front of him.
Such a significant flip in his personality left Bella feeling ill at ease and she briefly wondered if the vampire did have some type of mental instability as Alice had mentioned briefly on the plane. Bella couldn't stop the tension that spread through her body as she silently studied Aro's visage. The smile that he had carried throughout their interaction was stretched unnervingly, sharklike in appearance with sharp canines shining in the dimly lit room,
"So, what do we do with you now?"
"You already know what you are about to do Aro."
Marcus had spoken up so softly that it took Bella a moment to realize it was him who spoke. The quiet vampire had shifted further within his chair to prop his chin upon his hand, his eyes once more lazily roving between herself and the other occupants in the room.
"She knows too much brother. The Cullens broke our law by exposing themselves to the human. She is a liability". Caius had scooted forward to the edge of his throne and waved his hand in the air in agitation.
"The law is very clear about what must happen at this point". His tone was callous as motioned towards the Cullen siblings who had once more regained their footing.
"Felix."
There was movement exploding from everywhere. Edward had spun to the side abruptly before leaping toward the hurtling Felix who had already moved forward at Caius' command, the physical contact of the two struggling bodies sounded like thunder clapping, the intensity momentarily disorienting Bella as she pressed inadvertently into Alec's side. Alice had launched forward to help her brother but was quickly detained by a new male vampire who quickly pinned the small vampire against him, a strong hand wrapped around her slender throat.
Aro's vexed eyes darted between the brawling vampires before Bella saw a brief flick of his fingers in her direction. The implication was lost to her until she felt arms wrap around her and she briefly froze in terror wondering if she was about to be ripped apart by one of the guard members when she realized incredulously that it was Alec's arms that had lifted her feet from the floor before she was dizzyingly moved out of the reach of the grappling vampires. She gripped tightly onto his cloak as her vision swam in front of her, the room tilting, as a deafening sound of cracking marble filled the room.
Barely able to get her bearings, she looked back to the middle of the audience room where sickening splintered sounds emanated from Felix's crouched figure which towered over the prone figure he had entrapped underneath his hands. He had slammed Edward's head down into the polished marbled floor, the cracks in its surface branched out from underneath him in the form of a grotesque halo. Edward attempted to push himself back toward Felix to encircle his hands on the hulking vampire's forearms however, the larger man immediately knocked Edward's hands away from his own before he grabbed him by his throat and his leg to lift Edward in a wide arch over his head before he slammed him down onto the marble steps of the raised dais. His gargantuan hand pressed into Edward's throat further, the dark spidery fractures of his skin decorating his neck and up into his face.
"No! Please! No! Please! Please!" Bella struggled in vain in Alec's arms as she reached toward Edward's prone form.
"Please, kill me! Not him!"
The burning gaze Aro threw toward her at her outburst caused her words to trail off as she stood under his irritated scrutiny. He languidly paced in her direction with rigid shoulders and hands once again clasped tightly behind his back. Bella's eyes trailed to the floor, shaking, as she cowed in the face of his ire.
I didn't even start the fight. What did I do to tick this lunatic off?
She watched as his shoes approached her and remained motionless. After some time when she had not been struck down in retaliation for whatever infraction she unknowingly committed, she hesitantly looked up at him through her dark lashes and flinched. That heated gaze felt dissecting as he regarded her before peering over his shoulder at Edward who remained vulnerable within Felix's large hands. A malcontented smile strained his lips before he brought those hauntingly red eyes to her again.
"It is extraordinary. You would give up your life for someone 'like us', a vampire, and according to your beloved," the word spat from his mouth, "A soulless monster. It is truly a pity. If only he actually had any intention to change you."
The sharp flash of pain that bloomed in her chest caused her to jolt. The topic of her potential transformation had always been a charged subject between her and Edward, usually ending with either Edward adamantly refusing to hear anything more on the topic or simply walking away to signal the end of their perpetual disagreement. She had always held out the small hope that he would eventually have a change of heart. As if reading her thoughts, Aro's smile regained its initial gleeful veneer.
"Have you changed your mind, dear Edward? Will you push aside your reservations and bestow upon our Bella the gift that she so ardently craves?"
Edward who had been allowed to regain his standing with Felix gripping the back of his neck and securing his arms behind him froze at the question. His face fluctuated through numerous emotions before growling softly and resolutely dropping his eyes to the far side of the floor to avoid Bella's gaze. A soft, condescending sigh escaped Aro before he discreetly examined the woman who wordlessly beseeched the Cullen to look in her direction.
"Such a waste. Such a pity my dear."
Bella could only stare at Edward in disbelief. She knew that he had been against being changed but at the expense of leaving her to judgment at the hands of the Volutri for a vampiric law that was out of her control? She silently begged Edward to meet her eyes as she trembled in Alec's arms. She hadn't allowed herself to cry during this whole damn fiasco that she was dragged into since Alice showed up at her doorstep but the telltale burning of her eyes felt like it was breaking the fragile wall that she had constructed. A shuddering intake of breath rattled in her chest before slowly exhaling, this was repeated several times as she slowly processed that he was not willing to save her if it meant giving up her humanity.
He didn't even attempt to lie to him.
"Oh, the dichotomy sweet Isabella. You... so willing to freely sacrifice your life for him yet he is not even willing to push aside his misplaced hatred of his own kind to take responsibility for his detrimental actions toward you. He would be content with your blood being spilled here and now if only your humanity is spared from that eternal damnation".
Aro's softly spoken words dripping with false concern caused the metaphorical knife to twist deeper into her gut.
Snapped his head back to face them, Edward snarled loudly as he attempted to step forward though he quickly was shoved down to his knees with such severity that the marble splinted underneath them with Felix's arm wrapped tightly around his neck and his hand angled to rip Edward's head from his shoulders though his crazed gaze sought out Bellas as he shouted.
"Shut up! Don't listen to him Bella!"
Aro's face lit up in pure amusement at Edward's struggle before his expressive eyes turned to Bella once more and lifted his foot to approach her.
"Wait! She will be one of us! I've seen it."
Alice's clear voice rang out as she pulled her arm against the male vampire's grip that had trapped her.
"Please…I'll change her myself."
She was able to slip one of her long red gloves off her arm before Alice reached towards Aro eagerly for him to look.
The betrayed look that Edward bestowed his sister clearly showed his sentiments on her offer and his bellow of objection was cut off by Felix flexing his arm harder against the struggling vampire's vocal cords.
Aro motioned for the vampire behind Alice to back away as he held his perfectly manicured hand towards her palm up in invitation, "Shall we see then?"
Alice locked eyes with Bella for a brief moment before she strode closer and Bella swore she heard the faintest, "Please forgive me", as she finally passed her to lay her hand within the awaiting vampire's own. His long fingers grasped Alice's hand firmly before he allowed his eyes to close. Long moments passed, far longer than what it took when he had looked through Edward's memories before he let his hand fall away. Calculating eyes looked at Alice in contemplation before a cheerful smile appeared.
"Mesmerizing. To see what you see before it happens."
Bella's vision was suddenly dark with that bejeweled pendant mere inches from her nose and she took a sharp intake of breath as she grasped that Aro was again in front of her. She hadn't seen him move from his position beside Alice to suddenly appear before her and likely would have been pressed against him if not for Alec's arm that continued to support her though his arm was eased away from her just moments later. Aro's elegant fingers brushed along her jaw before interweaving into her dark hair to scratch lightly along the back of her scalp.
Her dried lips parted in fear as he dipped his head forward to brush his nose along the same path his fingers traced before inhaling at the area beneath her ear. It was impossible for him not to hear her heart racing. Her whole body trembled as her wide brown eyes peeked at the side of Aro's face with that papery thin appearance and the craziest thought caused her to wonder if the skin would feel as thin and chalky as it appeared or if it would be smooth and soft against her fingertips. The aforementioned vampire's deep voice pulled her from her suicidal musings as cool breath brushed softly against the shell of her ear.
"Your gifts will make for an intriguing immortal. La mia perfetta Isabella."
She couldn't breathe. Her eyes felt heavy as her nose and mouth seemed to fill with that rich spicy aroma that clung to Aro and she felt as if that electrical sensation that had returned within her chest at his proximity was going to sear her as she stood. She was so tempted to sink into the darkness that she swayed forward on her feet as he drew away from her to turn towards the awaiting Cullens with a loud clap and a jubilant expression.
"Let them go! Allow them to make their preparations!"
Aro waved his hand impatiently at Felix to release Edward who stumbled forward to land on his hands and knees before Aro at the large man's abrupt withdrawal.
The sudden slam of hands against wood broke the eased atmosphere and Bella jumped.
"No! They have broken our laws and it clearly states what their punishment shall be. Their whole outlandish coven left this human alive to tell whomever she pleased about our existence. They explicitly disregarded their responsibilities in silencing the wench, and not only that, they exposed themselves to the daughter of a human law enforcer! Not a single one of them took responsibility for that idiotic boy's actions and therefore should all be held responsible. She is to be taken care of now!"
Caius's voice was apoplectic in his fury as he stood so suddenly from his throne that it was shoved several feet behind him, the armrests splintered, the screeching of the wood against the marble painful.
"Your loyalty to Carlisle has reached its end brother! I refuse to allow this blatant insult and let that human leave alive!"
Shrinking back from the pale-haired man's incensed display, Bella's errant thoughts considered the possibility for a vampire to go rapid by the sheer outrage that he was projecting throughout the room. However, the members of the Guard did not seem overly concerned about the volatile ruler's outburst, and a female guard member whom Bella had not noticed earlier eased from the shadows within the recessed alcove behind the thrones.
Eerily Caius' shoulders relaxed and, though the grimace never left his face, he slowly sat back down into his damaged seat to stare vehemently at his brother. Marcus had silently observed Caius' tirade and looked expressionlessly at the female guard member who receded back before turning his reserved eyes back to Aro who was considering his agitated brother in silence.
What just happened? Bella turned incredulous eyes from the now silent Caius to the shadows in which the woman disappeared. What did they do to him?
An exaggerated sigh escaped their host bringing the room's attention back to Aro, who was straightening the lapels of his suit jacket before folding his hands behind him once more.
"I suppose I did get ahead of myself in my excitement. Indeed, the Olympic Coven did knowingly break one of our most important rules and as such, a trial must commence, as my brother indisputably pointed out, to determine the appropriate course of action. However, I like to believe myself a little more empathetic than my zealous brother, despite his noble intentions. As a favor to my dear Carlisle, who has remained a good friend of mine, I will allow the Cullens to return to their coven and compile their case, before returning to Volterra within two weeks to face trial for their actions".
Edward looked towards Aro in disbelief before a broken, "What?", slipped from his lips. He shook his head before stepping forward.
"It was my fault! They had nothing to do with this!"
Alice merely stared at the marble floor at her feet in resignation, appearing unsurprised at the current turn of events.
The gruff voice of Marcus drew her attention as he stood from his seat, the overlarge cowl draped along his shoulders and elbows similar to a Greek toga before he addressed Edward.
"While it was your action that caused this unfortunate event, your coven's guilt must be considered in their inaction. I recommend you reflect on past actions and let go of your delusions in preparation."
Edward gritted his teeth before turning to stalk toward Bella who had remained immobile next to Alec. He reached forward to grasp her hand, wrapping those icy fingertips around her wrist before gently tugging her to follow.
"Let us leave Bella."
She stared down at the hand encircling her before giving a brief nod and made to step after him.
"The girl will remain here until the trial."
Aro had remained standing in the center of the audience room, his well-polished shoe-clad feet braced wide beneath him as he watched them in amusement, his hands clasped together in front of his broad chest with a cryptic smile that revealed just the tips of sharpened fangs.
"What?! She is not staying here!"
Edward had swung back around so fast that Bella's wrist, which was still enclosed in Edward's hand, was jerked along with him. Bella's pained cry sprang forth as she felt the sudden pop from within the joint underneath Edward's tightening grip. As suddenly as it occurred, Edward's hand was flung off her by Alec who pressed between them before he slammed the back of his elbow into Edward's stomach causing him to tumble back several feet. Shakingly bringing her injured right wrist up to her chest, Bella wrapped the fingers of her left hand lightly around the throbbing appendage, tears blurring her vision as Alec stood with his back to her. Edward floundered for a second before he turned to advance back towards Bella frantically. A small smirk grew on Alec's boyish face as he flipped his hands over, palms splayed toward Edward. Thick black miasma rapidly spilled forth from his hands to the floor reaching in shadowy tentacles towards Edward's quickly approaching form who stopped to quickly retreat back at the sight of the approaching dark mass.
Marcus had stepped forward from his throne at some point during the ruckus and his disused voice rose slightly to be heard.
"Let us be done with this. Thank you for your visit."
He raised his heavily draped arms to the side before tilting his head forward mechanically in what could be perceived as a bow. Alec bowed his head slightly in response to Marcus before retracting the ghostly dark smoke back into his hands.
"The girl will remain here in Volterra until the day of your judgement which will take place in two weeks on the second day of April at dusk. Think of it as insurance to make sure you show up and to prevent any slip-ups. I would advise that you take this time to get your 'facts' in order as my brother instructed. At such a time your coven's fate, along with your human pets', will be decided in reward for your feebleminded decision. It has been decided and the Volturi does not offer second chances. Escort the Cullens out immediately".
Caius had once more found his voice, tone clipped as he watched. His relaxed posture against the back of his throne contrasted with the minuscule but mocking smirk that he flashed Edward and Alice.
"We will see you again soon".
Edward stared at the brothers in wide-eyed incredulity before opening his mouth to retort once more however Alice quickly laid a hand on Edward's forearm and shook her head firmly before she pressed him toward the direction of the door.
"Edward, let us go. We must contact Carlisle".
Edward turned shocked golden eyes to his sister before he jerked his arm away from her gentle touch.
"How can you say that?! She isn't safe here!".
Alice sighed softly before pushing Edward more firmly to start walking, "She will not be safe anywhere anymore, whether it is here or with us until everything has been decided".
Her voice was melancholy as she pulled on Edward's hand, meeting Bella's eyes in apology. Edward watched Alice as she guided him, focused on the thoughts presented to him in her mind before he yanked his hand from her completely to turn towards Aro, who had been watching with avid enjoyment, and started to scream irrationally as he stormed back to the silently, amused vampire.
"No! Not her! He can have someone, anyone, else! I was there first…she loves me! It can be changed!".
Aro's amused demeanor quickly slipped away as his whole body tensed, near-black eyes narrowed at the oncoming vampire with a feral smile nearly splitting his face in half in an eager challenge to the younger man. However, as Edward got within feet of Aro, his body jerked violently several times, pained grunts escaping past his clenched lips and he crumpled forward onto the floor. The convulsing continued as Alice stepped forward slowly with her palms raised as Jane sauntered closer as well. Bella felt like it was only after an eternity of Edward wreathing on the floor that Aro raised his hand in dismissal.
"Jane".
Jane stopped immediately before bowing subserviently towards her master and retracing her steps back to her original position. Without breaking eye contact with the prone form of Edward after such an infantile display, Aro motioned forward to Felix to take him away.
"I tire of this juvenile uncouth behavior. I would have thought that Carlisle would have taught you better. Felix. Demetri. Please guide our guests out and please attend to them until they are outside of Volterra. I would hate for anything ill-fated to befall them until they can return home".
Felix had lumbered forward to heft Edward up onto his feet, a hand firmly gripping the disoriented man's arms behind him before he callously pushed him out of the door on his unsteady feet. Demetri, the man who had apprehended Alice earlier, motioned with his hand for Alice to proceed with him out the large doors. Alice nodded her head in agreement before looking at Bella with solemn eyes.
"It will be alright."
Alice's gaze briefly looked at the retreating forms of Edward and Felix before whispering sagely.
"Things are seldom what they seem. What molds us is what maims us."
Bella could not find the words to respond to the soft, enigmatic words before Alice allowed herself to be guided out of the room by Demetri. The residual silence was deafening as she stood processing that she had just been left behind in Volterra to await judgment by the brothers due to the Cullen's infraction against vampiric law. Her left hand ran up her face to fist tightly in her hair as she stared unseeingly at the door through which they left, her right hand still pressed against her stomach, the dull throb of her injured wrist reminding her that all of it was reality.
"Ah mio caro, this must have been such a stressful day for you! You must be tired and hungry. We will have someone escort you to your room to rest"
Aro drew her out of her thoughts as her hands slowly slid down to hang limply at her sides. At her lack of response, he strode forward, his glossy shoes not making the slightest sound against the marble floor as she watched them stop in front of her water-logged trainers. Sluggishly she brought her eyes back up to his pale face that appeared to be focused on her injured wrist before he carefully lifted it for him to evaluate. She bit off the pained cry that nearly slipped out as he delicately prodded the swollen tissue with gentle fingers.
"It does not appear to be broken though I will have it wrapped for your comfort."
Aro nodded toward Alec who inclined his head in understanding. Despite the haze that was clouding her mind once more at Aro's proximity, Bella couldn't tamper down her flare of frustration however and she jerked her arm away from his hands, the pain flaring intensely in her wrist before she nearly spat in his direction.
"I don't need your help!"
After the words left her lips, Bella had to wonder if she had an actual death wish.
Instead of angering the vampire, the man dared to giggle erratically in her face as he clasped his hands together and looked down at her as if she was some adorably angry fluffy animal.
"Nonsense, mio caro! You are to be our honored guest and, as our guest, you will be treated appropriately. Alec, please assist Ms. Swan to her quarters and request for Heidi to attend to her needs."
Before Bella could retort at his obvious dismissal, Alec was ushering her towards the chamber doors with a light hand on her back.
"Come."
Bella glared half-heartedly at the shorter youth before nodding in resignation and allowing him to direct her back to the hallway.
As the heavy doors clicked closed behind the pair, Aro's smile turned pensive. His hand absentmindedly rubbed at his chest above his quiet heart as he listened to the girl's heartbeat as it faded down the hallway. Turning toward the dais he ambled forward to reclaim his seat. He rested his chin within the palm of his hand, elbow propped on the dark cushioned armrest, and his fingers stroked against finely sculpted lips as his darkened eyes stared ahead.
+++ARO POV+++
"What are you planning now Aro? We do not have time for your games! The Cullens should have been called here to be executed immediately once we became aware of their breach of law."
Caius whirling to face Aro, his iridescent hair falling into his face messily.
"What is eternity without entertainment, my brother?"
Aro studied his brother's enraged face from the corner of his eye, and he was sure that if Caius was still human, he would have suffered an aneurysm by this point. The thought brought a fresh wave of amusement to the thoughtful vampire and a chuckle escaped him before he could prevent it. Laughing in his brother's face was not the wisest thing to do if he wanted to gain Caius' cooperation with his plans.
"Aro?"
Marcus spoke up from Aro's other side. Others would not be able to tell the slight change in his usual monotone enunciation though Aro could hear the slightest shift within it which displayed the man's uncertainty.
"Things will be dealt with accordingly. Certain arrangements must be made to proceed. Chelsea."
Aro cupped Marcus' shoulder in reassurance before motioning for the silent woman to approach them from the shadows behind them. Her long brown hair was secured back from her own pale face as she bowed her head demurely to Aro, her hand raised to her chest to hover over her Volturi necklace. She rightened herself and looked to Aro for instruction.
"Instruct Gianna to get some information on Charlie Swan in Forks, Washington, and Renee Dwyer in Jacksonville, Florida. Also, inform Santiago that he has a new task, he will be leaving shortly for England, it is time for our friend Gabriel with the British Coven to make amends for his prior transgressions against me. Jane will accompany him as a show of good faith in his hospitality. I'm sure he will be very agreeable to what I have to offer him".
Aro felt the sudden shift in both his brothers at his statement, the confusion and concern between the two nearly palpable as Chelsea tilted her head once more before exiting the chambers.
Several long moments passed in silence as Aro gleefully awaited the eruption that was guaranteed to happen.
Three…two…one.
Caius stood swiftly before loudly ordering the remaining Volturi guards to leave the throne room immediately. The remaining figures wasted no time in heeding the order and within seconds the brothers were alone in the chamber. Aro had to grin once more at his brother's predictability.
You can almost time a watch on it.
Aro turned his mirthful eyes to watch his brother's now pacing figure who strode along the length of the dais before turning back to rapidly approach him. Caius' hands were splayed as he looked towards Aro for an explanation for his actions.
"You are confronting Gabriel now? We have been monitoring that traitor for decades. What could you possibly have to gain from revealing to the British coven that we are aware of their existence? What does his coven have anything to do with the present issue with the Cullens? We were planning to eradicate that coven as soon as they stepped out of line. Our intelligence channels are constantly monitoring their movements."
His brother paused momentarily in his ramblings to see if any answers were forthcoming from Aro before he threw his hand up in exasperation as he moved to stand beside Marcus.
"I'm all for getting rid of the lot of them, but your timing is not making any sense. How do you know Gabriel will not just kill anyone that we send to him?"
"Our goal is not to fight them at the moment and I assure you that he does not want to fight me. As his creator, I am well aware that he wants to remain hidden along with his coven, away from the world and our influence. His personality has always been to hide away and protect those he deems important to him, he will not risk his coven by attacking our members. His fears have made him weak, but he is not stupid as to attack without listening first. The best method to control someone with paranoia is to feed into it and give them the indication that what they fear the most has actually come to pass. He is terrified of his coven being found by us. He knows that if such a discovery was made our coven would lay waste to his own and that it would be impossible to defend them against the vast number of our guard and allies. Therefore confronting him to show that those very fears can become a reality is just the push he needs to accept my proposition."
Aro laced his fingers in his lap as he reviewed the countless memories that he obtained from Gabriel directly and those of other individuals that had more recent contact with the secretive British coven leader, that Aro had encountered in one fashion or another. Propping his head back in the palm of his hand he trailed his excited eyes over to his more subdued brother who had been staring at him intently.
Marcus had furrowed his brow as he mused over the possible reasons and implications for approaching the British coven.
"What proposition do you intend to offer?"
Aro slapped his knee with his free hand with a loud giggle as if he had heard a particularly hilarious joke before he leaned forward toward them with a smile so unhinged that it even unsettled Caius' whose previous ire had cooled. Aro glanced at both of them before easing the smile on his face and he steepled his long fingers before him.
"An offer for his coven to be granted amnesty from being obliterated due to his deceitful deflection. It is a proposition that he will not, and cannot, refuse me"
Aro's expression darkened as he rested the side of his index fingers lightly against his lips, "If by chance he does decide to be foolish, I will not hesitate to wipe him, along with every single one of his coven members and sympathizers, from the face of this world".
His statement was met with apprehension from both brothers who shared a look between them before staring at him likely contemplating if he had finally lost his mind.
At least not completely.
The thought pulled at Aro's enthusiasm. Aro wouldn't delude himself into thinking that the centuries of filtering through thousands of people's memories hadn't warped his mind at least to some degree. He knew his thoughts and behaviors, had gradually grown more erratic as the decades had passed as memories have the predisposition to shape people, whether it is their own memories or someone else's, and with his ability, he had seen the thoughts of some of the most unmoral and sinful individuals the world had to offer. Not only the memories of the debauched acts themselves would stay with him, but also the depraved justifications, immoral rationales, and wicked emotions that would be intricately woven into each memory would remain as well. Those memories had the unfortunate ability to return at inopportune times, skewing his own thoughts in the process, and, if he was honest, he was not completely sure how he had retained his current level of sanity for as long as he had.
"What could you possibly want from him to warrant this?"
Caius' cautious question broke through Aro's distracted mental musings which tended to occur when he allowed his conversations to lull.
Aro blinked away the intrusive thoughts as he provided a simple shrug in response to his brother's inquiry.
"Just a favor. Such a simple task for him to fulfill to guarantee his coven's safety."
A soft sigh escaped Marcus as he closed his tired eyes in submission to whatever plan Aro had concocted with his mercurial mind.
"A favor, Aro? What kind of favor?"
Aro stood from his seat to smile jovially at both brothers before he clasped Marcus' shoulder once more and patted Caius' shoulder in passing as he ambled toward the exit.
"Simply taking care of some things while it's on my mind. After all, dear brothers, memories are the key not to the past, but to the future. Let me enjoy the fun while it lasts, I've desperately missed it".
Arthor Notes:
All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.
Story is primarily in Bella's POV or third person, though I thought to occasionally throw Aro's POV into the mix because, well it's Aro, and it will help reveal the complexities to his over all character and the lengths he is willing to go for his desires. To put in plainly, Aro is not a nice guy in any sense of the word. He is ambitious, crazy manipulative, and possessive though I imagine his thought process is remarkably intricate due to the memories/information that he has obtained since becoming a vampire and I always felt that his actions were always taken at face value instead of pursuing his motives behind those actions. Not saying he was right in any of those actions, though I believe there was an unutilized depth to Aro's character that needed to be explored.
In regard to his manipulative behavior toward Caius and Marcus, I felt that he would likely have no problem 'influencing' his brothers at times if he particularly wanted his way though not as a means to control them but to make them more agreeable to whatever he wanted done. The brothers likely experienced a significant amount of frustration with dealing with Aro and his eccentric behavior.
Uncommon Characters:
Gabriel-The British Coven leader who briefly was an unwilling guard member of the Volturi. He escaped by faking his own death and running away from Volterra. In canon, the Volturi had no idea that he survived, though within this story Aro was fully aware of Gabriel's escape and has been keeping tabs on him for decades, along with the members that make up his coven, particularly one that has a very useful power that Aro is now in the mood to utilize. His behavior in this fic will be OOC, but it's needed for story progression.
Italian Translation:
La mia perfetta Isabella-My perfect Isabella
Ah mio caro-Ah my dear
Quotes:
Things are seldom what they seem-W.S. Gilbert
What molds us is what maims us-Dennis Lehane
Memories are the key not to the past, but to the future-Corrie Ten Boom