Chapter 3-The Garden
Bella remained quiet as she walked beside Alec down the expansive hallway. No longer focusing on the grandeur aesthetic surrounding her, she held her throbbing wrist carefully which had already begun to turn a deep purple, the color contrasting with the paleness of her skin.
He left. He left me again.
The thoughts were relentless and the burning in her throat and eyes were proving more difficult to push away. Bella couldn't understand Edward's hesitation in turning her, at least not fully. She could see his hesitation on some level but if it came down to it being an issue with the act itself, couldn't he have just let one of the other Cullens change her? Yet that was a suggestion that Edward had vehemently refused in the past on several occasions. If he would not change her, then no one else would either.
Could it be true that he would rather me just die than be like him?
The implication was mind-numbingly depressing and Bella firmly locked it away in the back of her mind. Alec stopping in front of a pair of elaborately decorated doors caused her to break her currently dark train of thought. She took in the large wooden doors with their delicate ironwork vines before looking at Alec once more.
"What is this?"
"These will be your quarters while you remain with us. I hope they will be satisfactory to you", Alec turned the handle before swinging the door open and motioned for her to proceed him inside.
Brown eyes watched him warily as she eased past him and walked into the room before stopping mere steps inside to gawk at the interior room. She had never seen such elaborate décor in her entire life, and it felt as if she had stepped foot into something out of a fairy tale. Not knowing what to look at first, her eyes darted back and forth across the room before tracing her eyes slowly along the deep burgundy walls, covered with numerous paintings encased in heavy golden frames, before taking in the painted mural of the ceiling depicting angels dancing, reclining, and flying amongst the clouds of a darkened red sky. Detailed gold crown molding lined the ceiling and brought her attention to a large tapestry that took up the majority of one wall which provided a carefully crafted depiction of the Garden of Eden at the moment when Eve had been tempted by the devil to eat the damned apple that would be her fall from grace. Bella thought the tapestry quite fitting as she looked at the heavily upholstered red and gold accented four-postered bed draped with thick red curtains drawn back by golden-colored tassels. Similar drapery was noted at the large double windows at the opposite side of the room where sat an intricately detailed desk with various materials on its surface on one side and an antiqued table with matching chairs at the other. A large marble fireplace centered between them with a set of large red wingback chairs.
At a loss for words, Bella blurted the first thing that had come to her mind, "There are no bars". As soon as she registered the idiocy of her statement, she wanted to smack herself.
The soft chuckle from her silent companion surprised her and she turned her head toward Alec to see the youth smiling slightly.
"You are not our prisoner, Ms. Swan. You are our guest. Were you perhaps expecting a dungeon?"
"Maybe", Bella mumbled gruffly in embarrassment as she picked at her fingernails while dropping her eyes to the red rug beneath her.
Alec let out a barking laugh, his grin becoming an amused smirk, "As hard as it may be to believe, we do not keep people locked away in dungeons just because we are vampires living within a castle. That is disregarding Master Caius' interrogation room".
"Wait…his what?!" Her eyes bugged as she stared at the vampire who appeared to be getting a sick sense of amusement out of her exaggerated responses. Pink flashed across her cheeks as his laugh slowly subsided.
"Do not be concerned. You will have no need to visit that room. Please make yourself comfortable. I will return momentarily with some supplies to wrap your wrist", and with that Alec turned to leave the room, closing the door behind him.
Alone in the large room allowed Bella the opportunity to explore. She walked around the room, dragging her fingers over the various antiques every now and then in her pursual. After peeking into a colossal hand-crafted armoire which was empty, she made her way over to the window behind the desk. Her fingers fiddled with the golden fringe on the drapery as she looked outside the window which overlooked a large garden within the walls of the castle. It was difficult to tell in the dimming light of the hour, but she could make out wide walkways, white statues, and fountains amongst varying shades of greenery and colors of various flora. She turned from the window just as a knock sounded on the door and Alec reentered the room closely followed by a beautiful, curvaceous woman.
"Master Aro instructed Heidi to bring you a meal along with some clothing to change into while…," Alec trailed his eyes slowly from her head past her oversized shirt, hole-littered jeans, to her sneakers before he quirked his lip, "your personal effects are being laundered".
Her face flushed again in embarrassment before she nodded with awkward, "Oh. Thank you".
The woman, Heidi, smiled at her patiently before she placed the serving tray she was carrying on the small table in front of the opposite window. After carefully arranging the dishes, she turned toward Bella to extend out a large bag that she had sat on the floor.
"I was not sure what size you would wear so I brought some items that are adjustable. Master Aro has already instructed me to measure you tomorrow so appropriate clothing may be ordered".
Bella inched forward to gingerly take the bag from Heidi with her good hand, though she nearly dropped it once Heidi passed its weight to her. The bag was a lot fuller than it looked. She adjusted it in her grip before attempting to lift it onto the bedspread though it continued to prove a challenge single-handed. Cool, pale fingers carefully pulled the handles from her hand before Heidi sat the bag onto the bed with ease.
"Enjoy your meal. Please leave your clothing by the door and I will manage it while you bathe."
"Thank you", Bella mumbled her gratitude to the attentive vampire. The woman was even more beautiful than Rosalie and Bella found she had a hard time looking at her without staring, though she could not recall a time Rosalie smiled at her like this woman whose smile brightened the room.
Heidi nodded her head politely to her, then Alec, before walking out of the room, shutting the door quietly.
Bella stared dazed at the closed door before Alec tapped her shoulder briefly before directing her to one of the wingback chairs.
"That is a normal reaction to Heidi. Come and sit".
She ambled over to the indicated chair before gingerly sitting on the edge of it. The chair likely cost more than her house and beat-up truck combined and Bella was hesitant to potentially damage the antique.
"You can sit comfortably you know? You are not going to ruin the furniture," Alec joked lightly as he shrugged off his dark cloak to lay it across the second chair before rolling up his uniformed sleeves. Numerous pale scars could be seen littering the boy's forearms as he arranged the medical supplies on the low table in front of them before he kneeled beside her.
She curiously stared at the scars as Alec gently prodded at her wrist similar to Aro before he reached for a cloth within a small bowl of water and started to carefully wipe away the accumulated dirt and grime.
They look like burn marks.
Bella drew her eyes back up to Alec's face and flinched as she realized his bright red eyes had been watching her examine him. Heat flooded her face once more as she dropped her gaze to intently stare at her wrist instead.
"Not all scars go away when we are turned. Particularly those wounds occurring just prior to the change usually leave some type of mark."
His words were spoken solemnly, and Bella decided not to ask further questions as Alec wrapped her wrist snugly in a compression bandage before securing it and pulling away. He climbed to his feet to toss his cloak over his shoulder haphazardly before collecting the remaining supplies.
"There is some Ibuprofen on the dinner tray. The washroom is through the door near the armoire. If you have no further need for me, I will excuse myself and see you tomorrow."
Bella stood to her feet quickly at his statement, brushing her sweaty palms on the legs of her jeans while she attempted to give Alec a smile, though she was sure it appeared strained. Breaking eye contact with the shorter vampire, she fumbled with her words while nodding, "Yes! No. I mean…yes, I have no other needs. I'm…I'm good".
Her eye twitched at her unintelligent response before letting out a frustrated groan at her brain's inability to make the correct words leave her mouth.
Alec chuckled before he bowed his head toward her, "Til the morning Ms. Swan". Turning on his booted heel he strode toward the door.
"It's Bella", she blurted before she could stop the impulse, as he reached for the door's handle.
She stood stiffened as he turned to look back over his shoulder at her.
It's official. My brain has officially given up on self-preservation at this point.
"Very well…Bella. I'm Alec. Have a good rest of your evening", with a small nod, Alec slipped through the door, pulling it behind him.
Bella sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly as she made her way over to the table. Seeing the two white tablets in the small medicine cup, she quickly dumped them in her hand before tipping them back into her mouth followed closely by a sip of water. She felt so exhausted by this point, that she couldn't care less if they attempted to drug her. Sitting heavily into the chair she lifted the cloche to peer at whatever was underneath. The aroma was delicious as she looked over the elegantly presented seafood risotto. Uncovering the additional dishes revealed a simple Caprese salad and a drizzled chocolate panna cotta.
Where did they even get this?
She did not dwell on the thought too long before her stomach let out a cringe-worthy growl and she picked up her fork. She made quick work of the perfectly cooked dishes and before she realized it, she was laying her spoon in the empty panna cotta dish as she finished licking off the last traces of chocolate from it.
Placing the lids back over the empty plates, she went to inspect the bag that had been brought by Heidi. Several flowing nightgowns were drawn from it, along with a couple of casual dresses, informal dress pants, and tops. Looking at the bottom also revealed clean undergarments. Setting aside a modest long-sleeved nightgown along with a change of underwear, she carefully put away the remaining clothes in the empty armoire. After gathering the selected items from the bed, she made her way to the door Alec had indicated as the washroom.
The bathroom was no less extravagant than the bedroom with a large white marble tub along one corner that could easily fit five full-grown men with various colored bottles lined on the low shelf alongside it. A large mirror hung over the sink which had a new unopened tube of toothpaste, a toothbrush, and deodorant placed on top of a plush red hand towel. Several more soft bath towels were found on the steps leading up to the bath, with additional ones within the adjoined closet. A brief look behind the smaller door to her left disclosed the location of the toilet.
She quickly turned the taps of the large tub to start to fill with water before rushing to relieve herself. She nearly groaned in relief, before she made her way back into the main bathroom to start to peel away her filthy clothing. Pulling her phone from her pocket showed that it must have died at some point during the day's events, and she set it carefully on the lip of the sink. Easing the bathroom door open, she peeked into the bedroom before placing her clothes by the bathroom door as Heidi requested. After closing, and locking the door, she glanced at herself in the mirror. The last several months had not been kind to her as she studied her appearance. The bones in her face were more pronounced than they used to be with purple shadows smudged underneath her eyes, and the lines of her ribcage were easily notable with her sharply boned hips.
What wouldn't I do to look like Heidi right about now?
Dark bruising at her hip drew her attention and it took her a moment to remember it was where Edward had dug his fingertips into her. Her thoughts turned morose once more as she climbed into the large tub to ease into the hot water. The tears that she had been holding in check all day finally started to fall, soft whimpers turned into heart-wrenching sobs as she buried her face into her knees. Her cries burned her throat as she screamed against her skin in her grief. She did not know much time had passed before she was able to control her wailing though it was long enough to cause her throat to ache even after the tears had dried. Following her outburst, she was no longer in the mood to relax in the tub and quickly washed up as best she could without wetting her bandage.
She stood to wrap the towel around her as she exited the tub, letting the water drain. Toweling off her hair before sweeping it up into a second towel, she brushed her teeth mechanically looking at herself in the mirror again. Now along with the ghastly sunken appearance and purple circles under her eyes from before, she had swollen puffy eyes and a reddened nose in addition. She spits out the toothpaste in disgust before dressing in her borrowed clothes, grabbing her dead cell phone, and leaving the room.
Her clothes that she had left outside the door were no longer there and in their place were a pair of black flats. Picking them up she checked their size and belatedly realized that Heidi likely looked at the size of her sneakers when she collected them. Placing the shoes beside the bed, she turned off the main lights though she flicked on the lamps on the bedside tables before she pulled back the thick duvet to climb inside. The sheets were ridiculously soft, and Bella felt she could easily stay within them for eternity if she was allowed. The darkness took her quickly and, for the first time in a long time, no nightmares plagued her.
Knocking eventually pulled her from her dark reprieve.
Damn my head.
Bella groaned as she blinked bleary eyes at the bright sunlight pouring through the windows of the room before she rubbed them to clear the lingering haziness. Sitting up was slightly disorienting and she flicked her gaze around her to determine what had awoken her. It was then that the faintest scent of those rich spices, that was so distracting from the day before, tickled her nose.
Another deep breath pulled in the fading smell, and she pressed her nose against the sheets and then pillows in an attempt to find the source. A moment passed of her sniffing at various objects before she resigned herself to that it was a fruitless endeavor just as a firmer knock at the door reached her.
Body tensing, she stared at the door in wide-eyed anxiety while her mind filtered through who potentially would have sought her out.
Well Bella, I seriously doubt they would have knocked if they just wanted to kill you.
"Come in!", she cried out as her legs tangled in the sheets as she threw herself out of the bed.
I refuse to be in this bed like a meal on a silver platter.
Of course, Bella being who she is, ended up tumbling to the floor in a knotted mess of legs, gown, and sheets just as the door opened to display Alec holding a serving tray with a single raised eyebrow in surprise to find her splayed haphazardly on the ground.
"How did you manage that?", Alec set the tray down on the table carefully before turning to peer down on her closer.
"Do you need assistance?"
"No! No! I'm good!", Bella kicked a couple more times at the restraining sheets before she freed herself and stumbled to her feet.
Alec hummed softly before he gestured at the tray he had just set down, "You must have been quite tired. You slept through your breakfast earlier when I came to check on you before my training session. I had forgotten how much upkeep a human required".
Glaring at the boy, Bella wrapped her arms around her chest as she belated realized she was standing in front of a vampire in her nightgown, hair a frizzy mess, and likely a blotchy face from her late-night cry session.
"I didn't ask you to babysit me", She bit at him as she located a light throw blanket which she then pulled around her shoulders then made her way to the table.
She watched him shrug lightly out of the corner of her eye before, surprisingly, coming to recline in the chair across from her in the shadow of the window's drapes.
"True. I volunteered.", his nonchalant admission hung in the air so freely that Bella paused her perusal of the covered dishes in favor of gawking at his carefree expression.
"You…what? Why would…?", Bella opened and closed her mouth several times as she tried to form a coherent sentence which must have been comical if Alec's abrupt laugh was an indication.
"Because I offered and was felt to be the best option. Would you rather Felix?"
Bella scrunched up her nose in distaste as she lifted a spoonful of pasta e fagioli soup to her mouth.
"That is what I thought. Anyway, I wanted to make sure you had some sustenance before I head out. Master Aro has authorized that you are free to explore the grounds as you see fit. Heidi will also be by soon to take your measurements", Alec picked at the invisible lent on his cloak before turning bright red eyes back to her.
Swallowing her current bite of food, Bella looked at him uneasily, "Is that safe? For a human to go wandering around the Volturi stronghold with a bunch of human-eating vampires?".
At Alec's vexed look, Bella realized that her statement came across quite offensively and opened her mouth to apologize before Alec cut her off with a slight sneer.
"We here in the Volturi are not mindless monsters. Is that what separates us from your Cullens? Is that what makes them 'good' vampires? Because they refuse to follow a traditional diet? They are no different to us in any other aspect".
Her spoon clattered to the linen-covered table cover as she quickly defended them, "They are nothing like the Volturi! They are all good and kind! They want to protect humans and live among them in peace.".
Alec cocked his head to the side to stare at her intensely, "They protect humans? I was not aware of their superhero status. I have never heard of them stopping another vampire from killing a human, that is before you personally. If you truly believe that then you are sorely mistaken. They have no problem with other humans being killed as long as they are not involved. They have always turned a blind eye to the humans that become prey of other vampires".
Bella stared wide-eyed at him before she opened her lips to retort his claim though he cut her off again, "They are more like us than you want to think. They have no problem showing humans that they are superior to them".
"That is not true! They have never acted superior to anyone. They are humble and enjoy helping others, just look at Carlisle! He takes care of people every day as a doctor.", she shook her head in agitation at his discomforting statements.
"Oh really? Don't they have the nicest materialistic things? Clothing? Expensive foreign cars? Grand houses? Their current base in Forks is only one of at least eight other mansions the Cullens possess in America alone. All of the members of the Olympic coven have amassed large amounts of wealth, each with multiple degrees and more money than they know what to deal with. Now tell me, do they ever donate that money to 'humans' in need? Do they utilize it to help those less fortunate? I'll answer for you, no. On the other hand, we 'bad' vampires have donated billions of dollars to countless international human charities. My Masters fund countless museums, libraries, theaters, and galleries all for the benefit of you humans", Alec stood from his chair abruptly, his dark cloak swirling around his feet, and the bright sun reflected off the heavy Volturi emblem at his chest, to gaze down at her a moment, "Perhaps you're a little biased…Bella".
Turning from the table, he made his way to the door before throwing her a scathing look over his shoulder, "I advise you to stay away from the north wing of the castle if you do not wish to encounter Master Caius. The Master's suites are all within that area. Heidi will be with you shortly. Enjoy your day.", the door was pulled closed with a firm click before silence filled the room.
His words flittered around in Bella's thoughts as a twinge of guilt pulled at her gut. She hadn't intended to offend the vampire and she had to admit to being unfamiliar with the dealings of the Volturi coven other than them feeding from humans and enforcing their vampiric laws. Edward had mentioned them only briefly with apparent distaste at the house in Forks, and Alice had firmly warned her against trusting them. She had never dwelled on what the Olympic coven members did with their money, though she did begrudgingly agree that they liked the finer things in life. She didn't even know that they had any other residences other than the mansion in Forks though it would make sense for there to be others with their need to move locations periodically.
Honestly, Carlisle is the only one that verbally has expressed any interest in helping humans.
With her appetite lost, she covered the remaining food and made her way to the armoire to find something to change into. She pushed the dresses to the side quickly before pulling out a pair of finely made black slacks and a long-sleeved deep plum-colored tunic-style shirt. She slipped off her nightgown over her head before pulling on the clean clothes. Despite not being purchased for her, both fit remarkably well. Folding up the nightgown she put it back in one of the many drawers.
Repeating her brief conversation with Alec to herself, she chewed at her lips as she briefly considered that she may have judged too hastily.
Another knock at the door pulled Bella from her contemplation and she made her way to answer it.
"Who is it?"
"It's Heidi! I've come to get your measurements", Heidi's captivating voice called from the other side of the door.
Bella opened the door to look at the beautiful vampire who stood in front of her with a basket of what appeared to be various swatches of fabric, measuring tape, and other various items. She couldn't help once more staring at the voluptuous brunette who stood smiling before her with a perfectly curled casual updo in a formfitting bright red dress adorned with a large black belt to accentuate her tiny waist, matching red lipstick, and tall stilettos.
She would give Rosalie a run for her money.
"Come! Let's get you all measured! I have a bunch of ideas", The taller woman quickly ushered Bella in front of the large floor-length mirror near the armoire while she placed the basket on the nearby vanity chair. "Let us have a look at you. So much potential! A little thin but a couple of weeks of good food will help with that."
Did I say give Rosalie a run for her money? More like Alice.
Heidi directed her to stand in front of the mirror with her arms straight out to the sides as she started quickly taking, and writing down various measurements. Bella couldn't help but notice that the woman would pause every so often to subtle sniff at her and Bella made the mental note to go apply the provided deodorant before she left the room.
"What are all the measurements for? I can just get something from one of the local stores".
Heidi stopped writing to give her an almost scandalized look at the mere suggestion.
"Absolutely not! We will get your clothes made and tailored to fit you. There is no wow factor in just buying any dress off a hanger and anything made to your measurements will look a hundred times better. You want to exude confidence and grace when you enter a room and that will not be obtained with a quick trip to the boutique. No…We will do this properly. Master Aro ordered for the best and therefore you will receive the best!"
At the end of her tirade, Heidi appeared to have jotted down all the measurements she appeared to need and then guided Bella gently to take a seat in front of the vanity mirror. Never-ending swatches of fabric colors were pulled from Heidi's basket before being laid against Bella's hair and face, some barely touching her skin before the woman was pulling it away to replace it with another.
"You have a cooler undertone with that dark hair. Even once you are changed it will remain similar if not paler. It would be beautiful with dramatic contrasting colors. I'm thinking deep navy blues, black, crimson, though you would look stunning in silver or a pale pink".
Several more swatches of fabric were held against her hair, "Emerald green looks gorgeous on you! So does cobalt. So many options".
Bella watched the flurry of movement in the mirror while shifting warily in her seat as colors were exchanged. She knew she didn't have any fashion sense, as Alice had repeatedly pointed out to her in the past, and she fully didn't understand half of the terms Heidi was using anyway. It was then that Bella registered what Heidi had inadvertently stated amid the kaleidoscope of color transitions draped across her shoulders.
"You said when I'm changed. Have the Cullens decided to change me?", Bella's eyes lit up at the realization and tentative hope grew in her chest.
Heidi stiffened briefly before writing down several more notes in her notebook before she started to put her things back into the basket. Her previously cheery voice was guarded as she took a brush from the vanity top to carefully start untangling Bella's hair.
"If you are not transformed, there is only one other option. While I have not heard word that the Olympic coven has changed their stance on anything, Master Aro seems quite…keen…to have you amongst our kind. You must have given him quite the impression yesterday!" Heidi's tone eased towards the end of her proclamation while her fingers swiftly started to weave Bella's long hair into a braid.
Bella pressed her lips firmly together as a dull ache pulsed in her chest at the implying statement.
Damn it, Edward.
No longer in the mood to discuss the subject, she sat still as icy fingers gently applied the tiniest bit of concealer, powder, a faint swipe of blush, and finished with a soft pink lipstick.
"There you are! So beautiful!" Cool hands laid on her shoulders as Heidi flashed her a pleased smile in the mirror's reflection.
Bella stared at herself in the mirror and admitted that she at least looked more alive than she did yesterday in the bathroom. She forced a small grin in appreciation at Heidi's eager expression as she stood awaiting Bella's reaction.
"Thank you, Heidi. I appreciate your help."
"You are more than welcome Ms. Swan. I enjoy being of service. The others only allow me so much freedom regarding their personal fashion and I get tired of designing the same styles decade after decade. It is refreshing to have someone new. Well, I must head out to start today's afternoon tours. I am sure Alec mentioned that the Masters have given you authorization to examine the grounds. No one will bother you. If you wish to go outside of the castle one of us will be happy to accompany you".
Nodding her head in understanding, Bella watched Heidi gather up her basket before heading to the door.
"How can you be sure the other vampires will not harm me?", her voice wavered in uncertainty despite Alec's reassurances earlier that the vampires in the vicinity would control themselves.
Heidi met her question with a mischievous look before she lightly tapped the side of her nose with her index finger while taking an unmistakable deep breath.
"Believe me. No one will be so foolish as to lay a finger on you."
Before Bella could respond Heidi had slipped out the door without another word.
What the heck is that supposed to mean?! None of the Cullens ever commented I smelled bad…quite the opposite actually!
She couldn't help the petulant thought as she stood from the vanity to quickly apply the deodorant she had left in the bathroom. Smelling a couple of the various bottles, she applied a couple of drops of rose-scented oil to her wrists and neck for good measure with a small huff.
Walking to the door she stared at the wood grain for several minutes before giving an unladylike snort and pulling it open slowly to hesitantly glance into the hallway. Peeking down the empty hall in both directions did little to reassure her that a vampire would not pounce as soon as she stepped out of the room, though objectively they could have already killed her a dozen times just by standing in the doorway.
Gathering her courage, she released a breath then took a right and started down the walkway.
Her wanderings led her down several wide hallways, each carefully embellished with precious statues, fountains, and paintings. She pointedly avoided exploring any room where the door was closed though did discover a grand thermae the size of two standard swimming pools back home, the water sparkling from the light from a single elongated ceiling window over the length of the bath, several marble pillars were arranged around the parameter of the room with various marbled sculptures.
Further explorations revealed a music hall, a gallery, various spacious rooms Bella assumed were meeting rooms of some kind, and even a ridiculously large ballroom that looked reminiscent of the painting in the Cullen's home.
Descending a stairwell, she roamed out into the large garden that she had briefly seen the night prior from her room. The setting sun was already casting shadows onto the brick walkway as Bella looked around her in wonder. Flowers and plants of all different colors covered the open area in a breathtaking display. Stepping closer to a gathering of flowers she bent down to inhale the fragrant aroma. Closing her eyes in satisfaction, she was not aware of the individual who had approached her until a gruff voice broke through the enchanted silence of the garden.
"Good afternoon".
Bella's eyes flew open at the unexpected greeting and in her hasty attempt to righten herself would have fallen on her behind if not for the cool steady hand that was placed on her shoulder.
Drawing her eyes up, it took her rattled mind a moment longer to realize that it was Marcus, himself, who stood beside her with an aloof expression.
"Oh my goodness! I am so sorry! I did not realize anyone was out here…Mr. Volturi? Master Marcus? I am sorry that I interrupted your time. I'll go!"
Bella went to quickly turn in the direction of the stairwell but Marcus' firm hand on her shoulder prevented her from bolting as she planned. Turning to look up at Marcus' clouded red eyes, she realized he once more was studying the air around her intently before focusing once more on her face with a bemused expression. Adjusting his arm, Bella noted that he had foregone his cloak in favor of rolled-up sleeves of deep green up to his forearms, his hands were coated in a fine layer of dirt, while his left hand held a pair of gaudily decorated pruning scissors.
"You may call me Marcus. You are not disrupting me. I come here daily to tend the garden. Come, you may join me".
Marcus had turned around to retreat into the garden without waiting for a response from the stunned, wide-eyed girl. He approached a white iron table which had his cloak draped over the back of one of the four accompanying chairs and laid down his scissors before kneeling next to an impressively managed flower bed to begin to pull out weeds.
Bella stared at his kneeling form for several moments in bewildered silence. Never would she have imagined one of the Volturi kings on their knees digging in the dirt with his bare hands. Heck, she couldn't even imagine one of the Cullens on their knees digging in the dirt. The vision in front of her was such a contrast to her perceptions of the Volturi rulers she discreetly pinched her forearm to reassure herself that she was not dreaming. The stinging pain left behind determined that she was indeed awake, and she cautiously joined Marcus.
She watched his long fingers deftly tug out weeds from the soil and pull the odd discolored leaf from the various sprays of flowers. The movement of his hands was so graceful that it strangely calmed Bella's frayed nerves before she tentatively took a seat in one of the empty chairs.
"I suspect that you have questions. You may ask".
Twiddling with her nails, her brown eyes roamed the garden before focusing on the sculpture of a beautiful woman near where Marcus crouched. The figure had flowing long tresses and a billowing Grecian-style dress with an outstretched hand toward the sky and a joyous smile enlightened on her face.
"I'm not sure what to ask exactly. I'm nervous about what is going to happen to me and the Cullens. I'm sure it was never their intention to break your laws. It was me that figured out what they were, they didn't deliberately reveal anything".
Dusting his hands off lightly, Marcus inched further down the flower rows continuing his task as his monotone voice responded to her statement.
"That is incorrect. The Cullens were fully aware of the implications of leaving you behind unchanged. My brother shared with us that the Cullens were quite dismayed with young Edward's decision to leave you human, they were aware of the risks. Since the moment of their transformation, vampires are taught our laws, and it is their responsibility to follow them or face the consequences. Our laws were formulated to not only protect our kind but your kind as well. We are not the only 'dark' creatures that roam this world."
Absent-mindedly rubbing at her wrapped wrist, she dropped her eyes to the twisted iron tabletop in front of her. She never considered that there were other mystical creatures out there, but between vampires and shapeshifters, she shouldn't be surprised. A slight scrapping of the metal chair directly in front of her brought her attention back to Marcus who had reclined back in the chair to wipe his hands with a white handkerchief while he stared idly at the air around her again. Resolving herself, she breached the question that had been nagging her each time she saw him do this.
"What are you looking at exactly? Not trying to be rude! You just look as if you see something."
He hummed softly to himself before he met her eyes with his own crimson ones, "I see your bonds. They are like colored cords that connect you to other people".
Bella's brow furrowed at the revelation. Alice had mentioned that he was able to view relationship ties but did not elaborate on how he perceived them. She opened her mouth to ask another question before Marcus gently cut her off.
"It is fascinating that the Cullen boy and my brother both cannot hear your mind. That is certainly a unique gift to manifest as a human with all mental attacks against you being negated."
Bella gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. It had been remarked frequently by the Cullens that her silent mind was exceptionally rare though she did not know how it worked in theory.
"To be honest, I am not even sure why they cannot hear my mind. I am not trying to hide anything."
Marcus laced his fingers in front of him as he closed his eyes in deliberation.
"I have a theory as to why. You obviously, even as a human, have quite a formidable mental shield. Those vampires that you have encountered that are ineffective against you have talents that utilize the mind. Aro and your Edward are the most obvious examples, but you are also immune to Alec, Jane, and Demetri whose gifts all target the mind in various ways as well. Alec and Jane's gifts are peculiar, and both target the brain's perception of senses and pain. Demetri uses his gift to track a person's brain waves, which proves him to be a very effective tracker over long distances. Though, I am willing to assume that you have encountered vampires whose powers do have some physical effect on you."
Her head nodded slowly as she considered her previous interactions with other vampires.
"Jasper."
"Ah yes, Jasper Cullen's powers are unique as well. Though I suspect the reason his pathokinesis works on you is that it manipulates your body itself and does not trigger the mental shield."
"What do you mean?"
"It is easy to assume that because someone has influence over emotions it would be a mental ability but, in your friend's case, his ability allows him to affect an individual's physical brain chemistry- heart rate, breathing, hormones. His ability is considered a physical talent, not a mental gift as you would initially think. His capabilities accompanied by his combat knowledge have been of great interest to my brother Caius."
She never considered the possibility of being vulnerable to manipulation of her own body and it was just a stark reminder of her humanity. Rubbing her forehead in frustration, she contemplated her immediate future.
"Heidi mentioned that Aro has already pretty much decided that I will be changed, but what I don't understand is why. Why not just kill me and be done with it? I just want this all to be over. I'm so tired of the unknown."
"There will always be an unknown," Marcus murmured softly. "My brother is many things, complex being a forerunner to most of them. It may be difficult at times to truly comprehend what guides him to do things though he will be vested in your future".
Dropping her hand away from her face she observed Marcus who was no longer looking at her but up at the nearby sculpture of the woman that she had been admiring earlier. The look of profound longing directed at the woman had Bella's heart twisting in compassion for the stoic man sitting across from her.
"Because of my abilities as a shield?"
Marcus moved silently as he stood from his chair to approach the statute before delicately tracing his fingertips over the woman's cheek before he slowly returned his eyes to hers.
"Among other things. He has the vivacious tendency to get what he wants and has no qualms with removing any obstacles that may threaten that. He has sacrificed many over the years in his pursuit of his endeavors. It is futile to attempt to escape his machinations. You will find that you are now inevitably intertwined with him. Fate has terrible power."
A wave of foreboding unease flooded her gut at his whispered musings as she watched Marcus pick up his pruning scissors once more before strolling to a corner of the garden to snip off several blossoms before returning to their table. The rapidly fading light within the garden cast haunting shadows across Marcus's tall form further darkening his features and Bella's mind briefly conjured in his place the image of the archangel Azrael shrouded in shadows, approaching to harvest her soul.
"What are you saying? What fate?"
Marcus stood beside her quietly for a moment longer before extending the flowers in his hand toward her. Bella gaped up at him before hesitantly taking the offering from him with shaky hands. Placing the scissors back onto the table, he motioned with his hand towards the bouquet.
"Rhododendron and monkshood. Beautiful petals with significant implications."
Bella looked at the deep pink and red buds within her fingers in confusion at what significance mere flowers had on their present conversation when Marcus continued.
"It will soon be clear. Due to your proximity to him, individual traits will start to enmesh among you both. You may find yourself enduring thoughts and emotions that are not your own to some degree. Unfortunately, your mental shield will offer no reprieve from that aspect of the bond. I have often deliberated that it is fate's way of ensuring compatibility in the preordained union."
Bella stood so quickly from her seat that the iron chair tipped backward before clattering on the stone with a harsh echo in the stillness of the garden. Her heart thundered in her ears as she backed away from the observant vampire whose crimson eyes gazed at her trembling form in reservation. The annoyingly recurring ache in her chest pulsed strongly at the implications of his words and she shook her head from side to side in denial as she inched further away.
"What?! That is impossible! I'm Edward's soul mate, he confirmed it himself! If I experience anyone's traits, wouldn't it be him?!"
Marcus' aloof gaze tinged with sympathy at the distraught girl while he clasped his hands behind him.
"I daresay you have been misinformed, my dear".
Her already splintered heart cracked further under his pitying gaze and sympathetic utterances. Tears blinded her as she whirled away from him to race back to the stairwell leading out of the garden.
A soft sigh escaped Marcus as he drew his gaze up to one of the higher windows that overlooked the open courtyard to watch the dark figure watching the interaction attentively step away to let the dark curtain fall back into place.
"Poor girl".