Stormshadow13: Thank you and you're welcome.
"Love is not an obsession or a delusion. Love exists in longing and appreciation."
Debasish Mridha
Bella felt a numbness settle upon her. Their species' new council was scheduled to meet soon, and Edward's trial would begin tomorrow at midnight.
She felt hollow just as she felt numb. And to make matters worse, she had seen a video, a recording of what had actually happened that resulted in Renesmee seeing Jacob fighting with his pack-mates in Charlie's house.
She has heard everything. Bella didn't know why Charlie had recorded it, but she speculated that he sensed just how much danger he would be in, simply by confronting Jacob and potentially inciting his anger. Or maybe Jacob would've made a calculated move to get rid of Charlie to stop him preventing Jacob from seeing Renesmee and taking her away; if that happened, Charlie would've wanted to make sure that someone else knew that it was Jacob who did that and that there would be evidence. He also wanted Bella to take Renesmee away in case Jacob should really prove to be a threat.
Which he was. Bella bit her lip and looked down at her lap. She also knew that Charlie had a lot of things to say to her, including confrontations and apologies he had never been able to vocalise before, that he might never have the chance to say again. It chilled Bella right down to her every cell, the fact that Charlie really did not expect to live and took steps to ensure that his possible death and the reasons for it would not go unnoticed or unpunished, nor would it be in vain.
She looked up. The clock on the wall was nearing midnight. She was wearing a very nice dress which Alice had brought for her. It had been in the closet of her cottage, which she had found after she had moved in. A tea-length dress of dark blue, just the way Edward liked her in. It made her feel ill and weak, yet also sad and guilty, but she swore that this would be the last time, regardless of what anybody said or did- or what she herself wanted.
But in her heart, Bella doubted she could ever truly let him go. She knew she wouldn't; after all, hadn't she tried already?
A small part of her said that she never did. But Bella ignored it. She didn't know how to think... or feel.
Jasper entered, Alice hovering anxiously behind him. Her hair was in sleek pin curls around her face, and she too wore something pretty. Jasper took a deep breath. "You don't have to come," he warned her.
Bella shook her head. "No, I..." she paused, swallowing. Why did she want to go, anyway? To a vampire wedding? To remember why she ended up in this place to begin with? To have second thoughts if she actually wanted a way out of her marriage to Edward? Or to have salt rubbed into her wounds that would likely never heal, just with the reminder what she and Edward had sought for but had never actually received?
It didn't matter. In truth, Bella could've laughed. Maybe, she considered, she was still trying to prove to herself that she was strong enough to face all this without breaking or turning away. Just as she wasn't certain whether she still wanted to be with Edward or not.
Yes, that must've been it. Bella took a deep breath and looked at her brother-in-law in the eye. "I must." She stood. "I can't keep doing this." Jasper seemed to hesitate. "I know you don't expect me to, and you won't think me weaker if I did, but I have to. For myself." She took a shaky breath. "I can't keep hiding, even from myself and the truth about the life I've chosen."
Jasper suppressed a wince, nodding. He stood aside to let her leave the living room.
Bella noted how Alice seemed to step back and shrink from her. Everything had changed, she thought. Alice was no longer the lively, bubbly and cheerful person that she had once been. Now... she looked ashamed, as if constantly expecting to get hit. She looked as if she couldn't deal with the burden of guilt for her part in the situation, they had found themselves in and for being used by Edward as an accessory in his schemes.
Honestly, Bella could've told her to save it. Edward, her and Jacob were the ones mostly to blame for all this, but almost everyone played a part, not just Alice. They still needed to talk, but Bella wasn't ready yet.
As they descended through the hallway to the elevator Yakov had shown them, Bella wondered just what she would feel when seeing all this. She wondered what Renesmee would feel and wished, just for a moment, she had her daughter with her. Renesmee would've been fascinated, excited and eager to see new people and learn new things. Unfortunately, Bella didn't want to risk her daughter being under the public spotlight. It was one thing to let her have freedom, another thing entirely for her to be scrutinised and put in a goldfish bowl.
Bella barely noticed the lift going sideways and all that. She remembered Yakov and Radu telling them that while they weren't officially part of the congregation of witnesses, unlike Carlisle and Esme who went with the rest of the members of their newly selected interim council, although it was tradition for vampire weddings to be held in secret, during times of peace it was also traditional to allow or invite guests to 'eavesdrop' and 'spy' on the actual ceremony, providing that they would never make a sound, as well as to openly take part in the celebrations afterwards. Any departure from tradition would signal to others that they were preparing for war. Which was why they couldn't delay this wedding for Bella and her family's own benefit- not that she would expect them to, she mused. I've ruined enough lives already.
She thought about Adriana Della Rosa, her children and husband. Hopefully, she thought, they wouldn't have to see this.
Jasper looked concerned as he glanced towards her. He didn't have to worry, Bella thought. She wasn't going to break down during the wedding. She'd cried enough.
When she arrived, she was ushered to Markus' Gathering Hall which was infinitely nicer than Viktor's, where they'd been officially inducted into the Vampire Confederation.
It had been decorated, Bella noted. In some places she saw tiny white flowers, pure, delicate, angelic and sweet: sweet pea, baby's breath, heather, rosemary, white lavender, violet and myrtle, with ranunculus, viburnum, wisteria and freesia, hyacinth and delphinium, interwoven with spring green leaves, ferns and moss. The same delicate, ethereal arrangements also adorned some of the isolated columns towards the outer edges of the hall. Some of these blooms seemed to jolt something within her, a familiarity of sorts. She didn't know why until it hit her when she was looking at some of the freesias; these had been some of the flowers decorating the house during her own wedding. The freesia had been a part of her wedding bouquet.
Uneasy, Bella looked away. Amidst these delicate, ethereal white flowers, which made it look more like a fairy wedding from a child's story than a vampire one, she saw crystal cups and holders with white beeswax tapers within them. Eventually, however, the delicate fairy-like arrangements faded in freshness, shape and colour, turning into the same flowers but ones which had been dried, foliage and pampas grass stalks, all of which looked dried or wilted and faded, which were also framed by the same slim white candles but in jet and obsidian-black candle holders. This surprised her and she saw that, while these new arrangements were equally plentiful, they didn't last. These were in turn overtaken by the more sophisticated, sultry, bold and daringly sensual decorative arrangements: ruby carnations, Burgundy-coloured dahlias, blood-red roses, orchids in dark amethyst and jet, deep plum and onyx calla lilies amidst slim black tapers in crystal holders and white candles in gold candle holders, with ivy seedlings and hypericum berries blending everything together.
The overall effect was stunning, regal and otherworldly. Bella thought it might have been symbolic: the innocence and fading of youth- or perhaps the designer of this whole wedding thought it might have symbolised the humanity vampires once had, simple, fleeting, fragile and innocent, before dying and fading, transitioning into the bolder, richer, sensual, passionate, enduring and overall, more vibrant immortal lives of vampires. Above them, crystal chandeliers holding clean white beeswax candles, had been fashioned mostly of clear crystal, but with some jet or obsidian strands. The chandeliers were kept at a minimum and not as ornate as to overtake and command most attention with their grandeur. The overall effect was very pleasing and elegant, not gaudy or too ostentatious. Bella thought that Renesmee would've loved this. She spotted Rosalie scrutnising the floral arrangements in approval, and even Alice forgot about the misery and guilt she had to look at everything in wonder and admiration. Overall, the effect was different enough from her own wedding to bring back too many painful memories, Bella was relieved to find. She hoped things would stay that way.
Nerves and uneasiness descended, masked carefully by her stone vampire face, as she and the other members of her family were ushered into another hall, less public and much darker than the first. It was decorated in a similar manner, but more sparingly. Being so dark, a human would've assuredly tripped and fallen. Yakov appeared, guiding them to a hidden staircase where they moved silently upwards, vampires neither tiring nor trailing ponderously heavy footsteps. As soon as they had reached the upper level, Bella and her family were guided to an alcove, same as the other vampires which included the Denalis. She saw Garrett, the latter being taller than most vampires, along with Kate. But Carmen and Eleazar along with Tanya must have been down with the others. She didn't say anything and neither did the Denalis seem to notice her, which she didn't mind. Not only was Bella aware of the rules, but she also didn't look forward to having to explain everything to them. But neither would she back away, Bella reminded herself, steely. She'd done enough of that; she couldn't afford to do that anymore. The Denalis and all their other friends who stepped forwards as witnesses for them, deserved the entire truth, including the tale of what she'd done, her part in this.
The vampires were all silent, remembering their instructions and leaning forwards over the mezzanine's railing to peer into the hall below. It was cold stone, Bella noted, all of it. The walls, floors and pillars, the arched ceiling, everything looked austere and grim, almost-Gothic, though it might've been older. It was almost like Viktor's Gathering Hall, except that it somehow seemed less... evil.
The tall and heavy double doors swung forwards. The crowd of witnesses, the official congregation moved forwards. Bella spotted Carlisle and Esme, along with Amun and Kebi, a distance away, along with Benjamin. She also spotted Siobhan, Liam and Maggie, the latter's bouncing red curls trailing behind her. Tanya's strawberry-blonde curls were also visible, along with Carmen's darker tresses beside Eleazar.
Apart from the vampires she had known, there were Coloman and Orsova, the two officials who had been there during Markus' welcoming ceremony. She also spotted Radu. The pure-born vampire prince was indescribably striking; dressed in a closely fitted black jacket of fine wool, maybe vicuña or cashmere, a gold-buckled leather belt accentuating his slim figure. No flowery boutonnières, no extra adornments. Austere yet elegant. Black boots that could have been combat wear but polished to a shine.
The groom, David, was dressed similarly. Apart from the golden square buckles, the only flash of colour on either of them, apart from the copper on Radu's auburn hair, was the gold of the two High Elders' crests at the collars or pinned to the breast of the coat as a badge. Bella noticed Tanya eying Radu with extreme interest. She had to admit, Tanya might have something in mind. Nearby, Kate looked amused at her sister's interest, down there so did Carmen and Eleazar, though the latter was shaking his head to restrain her, he was smiling a little. Tanya looked away and resumed a neutral expression, like she was composing herself in front of the audience, but Bella supposed she couldn't blame her; Radu was truly striking in a way that would probably have made her trip and crash to the ground as a human. Even the other vampires, particularly the females, were eying him with obvious interest and barely concealed desire. If she'd seen him before Edward, Bella admitted that her teenage self might not have looked at Edward or Jacob twice. Thankfully, no one would ever know, and Radu would have been unlikely to stalk and break into her or anyone else's bedroom at night. He seemed calmer, Bella noted. More composed and assured than Edward, Jacob or any other guy that she'd met. Not even Carlisle had that composure. It didn't surprise her; he was a born prince. Bella's lips twisted. She should probably warn Tanya, she thought, Fairytales didn't come true. And Bella had to learn the hard way that appearances were deceiving.
Before she could descend further into a spiral of her own bitterness and self-misery, Bella saw Lady Laima, glowing like the moon personified, as if she were a goddess, towards the altar. She was dressed in silver, Bella noted, a flash of pale yet brilliant colour amidst a crowd of black and darkness. She was beyond beautiful, more so than any vampire Bella had ever seen. Yakov had told them that vampire brides, surprisingly to them, dressed in white during their weddings, but it was a more sheer white compared to what human brides wore, ghostly even. They had also been wearing that colour long before human brides adopted white as a go-to-favourite during the Victorian era. Like the flowers, Bella supposed it symbolised the fragility, the supposed emptiness and fading of their human lives and mortal existences, before they entered their new lives. During the reception afterwards, she would change into red, the colour of blood and vampire life. The groom was, of course, in black, but unlike human grooms, navy blue didn't seem to be an option, Bella noted. She supposed it would symbolise the night that now dominated their lives.
It was ironic, Bella thought with a touch of bitterness. Once more, she felt glad that everybody was wearing magic inhibitors so Jasper wouldn't be able to sense what she was feeling. Her human life had never been empty. It was full of potential, opportunities and choices which she had both wasted before throwing away. Even Edward had tried to warn her, although she suspected now, he did so for all the wrong reasons. To him it was about having a pure, human, virgin bride, a blushing maiden and a damsel who constantly needed rescuing, modest and shy, for him to live the life he'd been deprived of and resented losing because of his transformation. To Bella, her life had been miserable. She'd been relegated as either an unwanted burden, a weight around other people's necks, or an indentured maidservant and housekeeper, among other things, for Renée. She had hardly seen Charlie, usually once a year, first in Forks and later when he vacationed in California every summer. They both had appalling communication skills. Bella had no friends, apart from her mom, until she moved to Forks, and even then, she didn't really know how to react and act around the ones who'd approached her. She had pushed and brushed them aside and she was going to regret all that for the rest of eternity. Bella didn't think she was good enough for anyone to love until Edward had come into the picture, which was why she was so attached to him- and Jacob. She certainly had never been liked, as the clumsy, nerdy, socially awkward 'middle-aged' high schooler whose sole aspirations were to become a teacher, despite knowing that she wouldn't have been good at it. It wasn't that Bella wasn't smart; it was that she constantly tripped over her feet, mumbled and blushed and, in general, had poor social, communication and coordination skills, much less any likeable traits that would have enabled her to be respected and to keep a class of teenage high school students under control. Deep down, Bella had known; she had always known. Even that path, that option was far out of reach. As a consequence, she didn't have much hope for the future in terms of career opportunities, despite her academic achievements, nor even for friends and romance. So, consequently, she didn't have any hope for the future. So even her career plans had been half-hearted and without enthusiasm. It was because of this, without knowing why she did what she did, except for being infatuated, no, obsessed with Edward, she latched onto him and vampirism as a means of escape.
So, while she certainly still had feelings for Edward and would certainly die for him, now, Bella could only mourn what she had lost, no, thrown away without even knowing or fully understanding anything she had once had, or could've had: the opportunities and choices, the hopes for the future which she had been blind to. Maybe if she had been a little older, or if she had more time and more people who insisted on sticking around to warn and be there for her, she would've been more aware of what she would've lost. But no, Bella couldn't blame any of them, either. She wouldn't have wanted to hang out with her if she were someone else. And Rosalie did try to warn her, though both she and Bella had wanted and liked different things, so unlike Rosalie before Royce revealed his true ugly colours, Bella didn't have much hope for her human life. Edward also wanted humanity for a very different reason, and he'd wanted her to have different things and have the experiences that not only would he never have or lost, but that Bella herself never wanted.
Did she still love Edward? Did she ever genuinely love him, and he her? Did she want to be with him still?
Bella's thoughts were broken when, suddenly, the bride appeared. She sucked in her breath. Ruxandra had inherited her mother's good looks, in contrast with her brother who took more after their father. Dressed in a sheer white gown of glittering silk tulle and gossamer, her pale luminous complexion glowing as much as the midnight-black tresses that crowned her head beneath the thin veil, Ruxandra was lovely beyond any form of comparison. A human would surely be struck dumb, unable to speak. As it so happened, even other vampires, used to the sight of their own inhuman beauty, were drawn to her, the 'secret' witnesses and 'intruders' leaning forwards, seemingly unbeknownst to themselves, at the sight of her. The fabric of her gown appeared to be spun of moonbeams and starlight, yet seemed ghostly, in an enchanting manner, and utterly ethereal.
Her head was veiled, yet the veil itself seemed to disappear, dissolving like mist. She shone as bright as her mother, while her awestruck groom moved forwards. Markus was beside her, the other High Elder Amelia beside David. The former placed Ruxandra's hand in David's.
Some words were spoken, but not heard clearly, not even by vampires. Their parents parted, like the waves of the Red Sea, moving to stand and reappear with inhuman speed in front of the altar. The altar itself had been divided in half: on one side, Bella saw that it was strewn with the same white and fragile flowers she had seen for the reception, fading into dried and wilted blooms, stalks, grasses and foliage, before it met the other side, full of the same bold and sultry arrangements as in the celebratory hall. On the first section stood a knife, a ceremonial blade of some kind, similar to the one Amelia had used during the Awakening Ceremony. The second section held a chalice displayed prominently as the knife, in a position of importance. The ornate goblet had been made of gold and encrusted with precious gems. It was surrounded by the bolder, more vivid and luscious blooms.
The couple proceed to the altar along with their parents, before the High Elders separated to stand facing the congregation on either side of the altar, while the couple stood in front, facing each other.
"David son of Amelia and Thomas," Amelia spoke "do you come freely and of your own volition to the bond of eternal companionship under the shadows of the Night, and under the piercing gaze of the Moon?"
"Yes." Her son responded, not taking his eyes off his bride.
Markus spoke. "Ruxandra daughter of Markus and Laima, do you come freely and of your own volition to the bond of eternal companionship under the shadows of the Night, under the piercing gaze of the Moon?"
His daughter answered, "Yes." Was it Bella's imagination, or did the first progenitor's eye twitch?
"Your bond will be unbreakable," Amelia warned. "Your blood shall be as one. Your strengths shall be joined for eternity. This is not a vow to be entered lightly by those who shall not be touched by the withering fingers of time."
"The bonds of immortals are eternal and unforsaken," Markus spoke. "Choose and think carefully before you decide and answer."
"We have chosen," both bride and groom responded in unison. "We have decided. We shall have eternity."
Markus' lip curled, only for less than a second, before his face resumed its expressionless mask.
"Will you, David, you who were formed in the darkness, swear by the eternal life and power within your veins to give yourself completely and utterly, without question or doubt, to this woman, Ruxandra?" He asked instead.
"I swear." David answered. Markus showed no emotion, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes.
"Will you, Ruxandra, you who was borne by the shadows of the night, swear by the eternal life and power within your veins to give yourself completely and utterly, without question or doubt, to this man, David?" Amelia questioned the bride.
"I swear." The first Elder turned.
The Elders stepped away, joining the congregation. That surprised Bella, she expected them to officiate the entire ceremony. But she supposed if what Yakov and Radu said was true, there wouldn't have been traditionally any officiants during times of war in the olden days. From the small squared-off section surrounded by delicate and frail white flowers and candles, David the groom took the ritual dagger and turned to face his bride.
"I will be your power, I will be your strength, I will stand by your side, fight at your back and lie at your feet. I will carry you to eternity and fly with your soul. I will stand before and shield you from all that would harm you. I will feed you the blood from my own veins so that you may live. I will shield you from the burning sun with my own flesh." He announced, looking straight and deep into her eyes.
"I will be your power, I will be your strength, I will stand by your side, fight at your back and lie at your feet. I will carry you to eternity and fly with your soul. I will stand before and shield you from all that would harm you. I will feed you the blood from my own veins so that you may live. I will shield you from the burning sun with my own flesh." She repeated his words.
"The Night has guided us here, the Powers that Be have merged us as one, the Blood of Immortals from our veins shall bind us eternally." He spoke.
"The Night has guided us here, the Powers that Be have merged us as one, the Blood of Immortals from our veins shall bind us eternally." She repeated.
David took the ritual dagger and cut a gash across his palm. Ruxandra held out hers and he slashed across it. Blood bloomed and they pressed their cut hands together over the goblet below. They pressed against each other hard as their mingling blood dripped into the chalice.
"Now you possess and are forever my love. We are bound for eternity." David spoke as the blood flowed and dripped. Again, Ruxandra repeated his words. Then they spoke in unison. "Bone from my bone, flesh from my flesh, blood joined forevermore, I am yours and you are mine. I will honour, shield and fight for you. From now until the end of time; eternal."
They never broke eye contact and smiled softly, as David lifted the chalice to his lips and drank, before passing it onto her. Ruxandra took the chalice and drank.
"May the shadows of eternal night, and its stars and moon guide you, and keep you both safe from now until the end of time." Amelia spoke.
"May no mortal, demon, mage, vampire or werewolf tear you apart for you are bound eternally." Markus spoke.
The couple smiled at each other and for a moment, Bella thought that the vampire progenitor's eyes had softened. She stole a glance at Radu. His face was expressionless, but there was a glint, a haunted look in his eyes Bella wasn't sure should be there on such a happy occasion. Strange, she thought.
No one spoke. There was no applause. Surprisingly, this had taken far less time than she had expected. David's father Thomas produced a cushion with a golden pendant which the groom draped over his bride. Bella thought it might've been his family crest or coat of arms.
Radu walked forwards producing a small cushion where from Ruxandra took a band of sorts, placing it on David's wrist. It also had some symbolic meaning.
From the distance, Bella could see that Markus was stroking another band around his wrist, made of leather, but with something small attached to it which he stroked with his fingers, perhaps taking strength or memory from it. To Bella's surprise, Lady Laima noticed, looking down and gave a small smile. Bella noticed that she too had a gilded pendant hanging from her throat. Was that from their own wedding? Was this entire ceremony modelled on the two of theirs, from days before people had writing and settled into the lands which would become their home countries, long before wedding bands were a thing?
Vaguely, Bella realised that she knew less and less about history in general, especially the further back in time. Apart from the brief glimpses she'd had about the books and plays she'd read in English literature, Bella knew very little and, consequently, not much about the people she'd chosen to surround herself with, including her new family, the Cullens. And this included Edward. She didn't even know much about Edward's day, the world he had seen and the values that formed him, the beliefs he had, and apparently still held even to this day. Even after meeting her: a girl from a very different time and place, with very different views on how the world worked and what was wrong or right. And they were born mere decades apart during the exact same century. David and Ruxandra at least must have had centuries of knowing each other, Bella thought. Even if they were born literal centuries apart. But for her, it was just another thing she didn't think about or wanted to think in case Edward thought she might have second thoughts and leave her, for fear he would seize the opportunity to force her to stay human again, even if it meant taking it as a sign that Bella wanted nothing to do with him anymore. She didn't want him to believe that a case of nerves or unease could mean that she had second thoughts in case he left and she never saw him again.
The new couple walked hand in hand as the doors before them opened and the shadows dispersed. The congregation followed; throughout this entire time, no one made a sound apart from the two High Elders and the bride and groom. No one cheered and congratulated the couple, the way they did her and Edward during their wedding. Bella thought that was strange, out of place for a wedding, at least the kinds she had seen and heard about; she couldn't say she'd been to that many weddings, apart from Renée and Phil's and her own. But maybe it was tradition too: after all, if vampire weddings were traditionally held in secret during times of conflict, they would have wanted to keep everything as secret as possible, to alert as less people as possible to their presence. From what she'd heard the other High Elder, Viktor, wouldn't be too pleased about this marriage, and they didn't want to antagonise him or his supporters any more than they already had.
Once the bridal party and the official congregation had exited the hallway, Yakov breathed out. "It's done." His brow furrowed a little, but he gestured to Bella and the other Cullens to descend down the stairs and go back into the Gathering Hall. When they did so, the light was the first thing that Bella noticed, illuminating, although not overwhelming nor blinding. Everybody looked cheerful, happy even. To her surprise, however, Radu seemed to walk away from the rest of the group. Gabrielle was not there, she noted uneasily, although she spotted some wizards, including her sister's in-laws. The black-haired one, Harry Potter, seemed a little uneasy, though he tried to be polite, the witch Hermione, by contrast, seemed fascinated by her surroundings, asking questions to certain individuals, whereas the red-haired wizard, Ron, had somehow gotten hold of some human food from a buffet table. She spotted one nearby, laden with all sorts of gourmet canapés and deserts. They looked like they could've been made by a five-star chef. Bella supposed they were prepared for human guests as much as immortal ones.
"How are you feeling?" Jasper whispered. Bella looked at him. "I'm fine," she said immediately. Then, just as instantly, Bella realised that Jasper would never believe her, even though he had his magical inhibitor on. "Jazz..." she leaned forwards. "It's not the worst thing in the world, you know."
Jasper looked at her for a long moment, then nodded. It was usually obvious what she was feeling from her face. "Okay then." There might've been something, and Jasper would've noticed it, but he didn't seem to think it was too much trouble. Neither did she. Honestly, Bella had been in worst spots than this. She took a crystal glass from a passing tray- which floated around- and took a sip. The blood was rich, hot and invigorating. It made her feel warmer, more solid.
Rosalie was eying everything appreciatively. "Nice," she admitted. "Classy. Like Gothic chic blended with fairy tale dreams." She sighed and took a sip. "There's a buffet table for us, nearby."
Bella gave her an odd look. "I thought the buffet table was for humans."
"Not that one," Rosalie insisted "there's another one for vampires. It's filled with all sorts of blood and blood products. I even spotted some lollipops." She snickered. "Literally made of blood. Wanna try?"
Rosalie was right: there was a fountain that could have been an elaborate champagne fountain but was instead filled with blood. There were carafes made of crystal and glass. There were all sorts of things, Rosalie explained that they were blood or wizard-made blood-substitutes (which tasted better than anything humans could make artificially or even their own blood), made into something like Jell-O and moulded into different shapes and piled into various ornate patterns, including fruits like grapes or pomegranate seeds set into fake pomegranates.
Emmett already had a plate with a napkin draped over his arm, and was stuffing himself as eagerly as he could before Rosalie reminded him to mind his manners. Other vampires of their species were trying to contain their delight and not seem too greedy, although Bella spotted Siobhan savouring a grape-shaped one, and Maggie eagerly trying different treats. To her surprise, she spotted Peter and Charlotte, whom she hadn't seen so far, but she heard Jasper hiss in a breath when he saw the female whom the former duo kept a wide berth from, holding a silver plate with finger-food made from blood.
She was a petite, small-boned vampire. Her hair was a glossy black and her complexion was olive-tinged despite its general paleness, which spoke of a Latina heritage. But the way Jasper stiffened beside her, his hairs seemingly on end as he noted her presence, Bella guessed who this was.
"Maria," she whispered quietly to him. He gave a jerked nod, barely susceptible, before the female in question spotted him. Her eyes lit up, and Jasper stiffened, although Bella guessed his unfamiliarity with her dark brown eyes as opposed to the crimson ones she likely had before. But just as quickly, someone, a vampire from another species, came up to her and shook his head. Maria pursed her lips, eyes brimming with curiosity as she looked at them, but nodded all the same. Clearly, she was someone else who wanted an explanation but was unable to get it, at least until after the Cullens had given their sworn testimonies during Edward's trial.
Bella wondered if her friendly demeanour meant that she still held a residue of fondness for Jasper or if she had need of his battle experiences and skills. Or else she remembered that his adoptive parents, Carlisle and Esme, were now on their species' new council. Either way, Jasper, still stiff, gave another, more noticeable but still jerky nod towards Maria and turned stiffly away.
"Awkward," Emmett muttered. "Yes," Jasper admitted. He turned away. "Let's get something to eat, shall we?" He grabbed two solid silver plates and napkins, passed them to the rest of them while carefully selecting choice morsels to try for the first time.
Bella looked at the assortment of blood-made solid food cautiously. Emmett picked up a scarlet square-shaped, Jell-O and looked at a pile of crimson 'cherries' fashioned and moulded in the same way, all out of blood. While they had been assured that every species of vampire could consume these solids, and they'd certainly seen Maria and the others munching or nibbling with eagerness, this was something new. Bella couldn't help but wonder, remembering her life as a human, if the flavours and textures she would try could be compared to the wide range of flavours, smells and textures she had previously tasted in her human life. Hesitantly, she took a bite, watching, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice and Jasper all do the same. The flavour exploded on her tongue, rich and sweet, but tangy, tangier in fact than the blood she'd drunk in their suite. Curiously, she looked at the faux cherry on her plate, and cautiously tried that as well. It was sweeter, but more... fruity, she guessed. She supposed she could compare it to fruit and berry flavours. But it had a strength to its undertone, like wine. All the 'blood-food' exploded in her mouth, melted on her tongue and slid smoothly down her throat. It was completely delicious.
The Cullens soon forgot themselves, trying and enjoying these different flavours. The texture was the same, like Jell-O, like the scents, but the flavours were diverse enough to make dining an interesting experience for every vampire. Bella was about half-way through her meal when she spotted Radu. He was whispering something to Gabrielle, the two of them engaged in an intense conversation. Gabrielle was dressed in a sheer, lilac gown made from silk gossamer. She had a glittering diamond bracelet and earrings dangling from her ears and her silver-blonde hair had been swept and curled over one shoulder, partially shading her eye. She looked utterly enchanting, mysterious yet ethereal in a different manner to vampires, and Bella could see that this appealled enormously to some of the males, since Bella supposed Gabrielle also looked exotic in their eyes. The two of them appeared to be in some serious discussion, though, Bella almost squinted. Gabrielle and Radu were both frowning, and Gabrielle was gesturing something with one gracefully lovely hand, the other almost squeezing her silver clutch. Bella blinked. What could they possibly be discussing?
Then she spotted Carlisle and Esme. Esme seemed to be listening intently, dark brows furrowed and honey-brown eyes serious, while Carlisle was also joining in on the conversation. Rosalie spotted this too.
"They seemed to be discussing something serious," she remarked, taking a dainty sip from her glass. "Mm," Jasper agreed, his brows furrowing as he also saw this. Rosalie patted her lips with the napkin. "Wonder if this has something to do with Marcus, Sulpicia and Athenodora?"
Her husband and siblings all turned towards her. "Why do you say that?" Emmett sounded surprised.
Rosalie pursed her lips. "Because Carlisle's involved. And he hasn't just seen Marcus, Sulpicia, Athenodora, Demetri, the twins and Heidi- and all the rest." Every one of them grimaced when they heard their names. "He's a doctor. And so is she. They're probably trying to find ways to get treatment for all of them."
Bella was suddenly hopeful. "Does this mean that they'll consider..." she trailed off.
Rosalie hesitated, and Bella could see that she was also hoping for the same thing. They all were. But Jasper frowned and shook his head. "Edward wasn't under Chelsea's spell or Corin's," he said frankly, lifting his glass and taking a gulp to wash down the morsels he'd just swallowed faster. "And while we can claim that you were his singer, Bella, this doesn't mean much since he managed to avoid you only to purposefully go back, trespass and stalk you."
Bella flinched. Suddenly, the feast didn't seem so appetising. She set aside her plate.
Rosalie was silent, lips pursed as she contemplated what had happened when she, Alice, Jasper and Emmett talked things over with Edward down in his cell.
Edward had given no response. And Rosalie still wasn't going to tell Bella what she had found that Edward had been planning to do with her baby. Much less Renesmee. She shuddered inwardly just thinking about it. No, she, Emmett, Jasper and Alice would just have to keep their silences on what they had discovered and deduced that Edward had been planning to do. Bella and Renesmee had both suffered enough.
"Get some rest," she urged Bella. "Go to sleep, take the potion and get some rest. You need a clear head and to be up at this time tomorrow night." Bella nodded primly and turned away.
"You sure you're not going to tell her?" Emmett said quietly once Bella was out of earshot. Instantly, his wife knew what he was saying.
She whirled to face him. "Why would you ask that?" Emmett looked grim.
"She might leave him." He pointed out. "Could be a good thing after all we've found out. Might be better for her and Nes- Renesmee. For all of them." He took another bite while giving his wife a pointed look.
Alice paled at the thought. Then she sighed and her eyes glistened as if in tears. "I was so wrong. They seemed so happy in my vision, but..." She swallowed. "They're not anymore, are they? They're never going to be the same again." Jasper winced and put an arm around her.
"No," he said softly. She looked down.
"I shouldn't have pushed them together," she mumbled miserably. "I'm going to regret this for the rest of eternity."
"No," Rosalie said carefully. "You shouldn't have. Just as the rest of us shouldn't have stood around and did nothing while you and Edward did all of that. You aren't the only one to blame, Alice." Her eyes softened.
"Not you," Alice pointed. "You tried to warn Bella." Rosalie bit her lip.
"Yeah," she admitted. "I did. But I should've seen she had no way of listening. She wasn't at that stage yet. All she could see was Edward. And she didn't want the same things I did, things I missed out on. They weren't a loss to her. And they weren't going to be a loss to her until after she learned that she was pregnant, and she decided she wanted to keep this baby. I didn't know Bella well enough to presume anything, like what she wanted or what she should want. Her human life didn't look to have much hope for the future, but I didn't care to know that, get to know her and give her a chance." She smiled ruefully. "I'm no better than you and Edward. My judgment was clouded."
"Why Rose," Jasper said, almost teasingly. "You sound like you've grown up." Rosalie smiled sadly.
"Sounds like I'm finally the real woman I wished to be for so long." She agreed, meeting his eyes wistfully. Emmett stroked her arm.
"I always knew this side of you." His voice softened. "I think Edward did too. That's why he didn't want to listen."
Rosalie agreed. "I think I finally understand him. And Bella. He tried so hard to be the man he thought he should've been, the one he was raised to want to be. He couldn't bear the idea of not being this man, of being a disappointment to himself and his parents. Bella was his blank canvas. And to her, he was her Prince Charming. An idealised vision of her fantasies which she used to escape from the miserable drudgery of her human life. She never saw the boy who was trapped but unable to be the man. She didn't think anything was wrong, and that Edward was simply blind- or perhaps modest. He was her escape. She mistook his flaws for virtues, the way he did for her." She pursed her lips contemplatively.
Her voice lowered. "If we can convince the court that Edward is mentally compromised, even insane, he can get treatment." She whispered, making sure no one else heard. "They might go easy on him."
Alice spoke. "What about the Della Rosas?"
They all winced. "That's something else we'll have to consider." Jasper pointed. "The sympathy for them would be enormous. They won't agree to a light sentence so easily, not if they think it lets him off the hook."
Rosalie grimaced. If Edward were to go home and return to his normal life with barely a slap on the wrist, she was certain there would be trouble for them. Few, if anyone, were ever going to forgive him and to let this go lightly, and by extension, this included the rest of the Cullens. No doubt they had already overextended their welcome in Forks, she reflected. The only reason they were allowed to stay was because Jacob imprinted on Renesmee and how long will that last now, especially since they too wanted her out of that bond?
"We'll have to leave," she warned. "Go somewhere. After we return to Forks, we... settle things with Jacob and the Quileutes, then we leave. We've been invited to spend about a year here, right?" Jasper and Emmett nodded. "Then after that... well, I don't know whether our new council's planning on setting up a coven like this-" she waved a hand, gesturing to her surroundings "-someplace else but if we're not then we have to find somewhere else to live."
Jasper agreed. "What about the house, though?" Emmett frowned. "Bella's cottage?" Alice winced, no doubt remembering all the loving hard work, effort, expense and creativity that went into building their honeymoon cottage. "We can't just start sending the movers in or start packing without them asking questions and finding things out. That'll make things more difficult for us to leave with Nes- Renesmee, or for anyone else who wants out of their imprint bonds."
Alice agreed. "I'm useless here," she warned. "I can't see the Wolves. I can't see what they're doing, but I can see Charlie." She brightened at that. "If any of them suspects... it's possible that they'll warn him."
Jasper frowned, thoughtfully. "Where's Jacob now and what's he's doing? Is he bugging Renesmee back at Charlie's house?"
Rosalie shook her head, but before she could answer and bring Jasper up to date, Gabrielle suddenly appeared. "Jacob's been confined to his house," she warned grimly. "I will explain in more private settings, but..." she took a deep breath and lowered her voice leaning forwards to the Cullens. Rosalie, Emmett, Alice and Jasper did the same towards her. "Charlie knows." Was all Gabrielle said. With that warning, she straightened, nodded and abruptly left. Radu, the regent prince watched them closely, eyes knowing, before he trailed after her.
Rosalie felt her breath hitch in shock. She turned towards Jasper, whose earth-brown eyes firstly showed shock, then a grim acceptance. Emmett looked alarmed, then he closed his eyes and gave a barely discernible moan. Alice's shoulders slumped and she looked completely glum.
Rosalie sighed. "It's done. There's no explanation we can give, no confrontation he can give us until after this trial is finished." She took another glass from a floating tray and drank deeply.
"In the realm of loyalty, a traitor is an outcast forever condemned."
Guy Walters
"So, I can expect your cooperation and that of your parents' in return for my services?" Gabrielle arched an eyebrow. "Your contributions to my field of work? Why would you wish to do this if this means you'll have less converts? I can see why your father and Amelia would do something like this, and your mother, but the other High Elder?" Gabrielle scoffed. "He will see this as a threat."
Radu leaned closer to her on the pretext of grabbing a glass from a floating tray. "Which is why we must move quickly." He murmured. "Just focus on the trial due in twenty-four hours. And then..." he made a slight motion with his hand. "Saving the little girl. That may come afterwards."
Gabrielle's lips twitched. "I certainly have a busy schedule." Radu gave a smile and Gabrielle's heart skipped a beat. But then his smile vanished before Gabrielle could fear someone seeing this. "I'm not asking you to interfere in our politics." He promised. "Elders know I don't wish that of you, and you certainly don't deserve to get into any mess we make."
Gabrielle hummed thoughtfully. She sighed and her eyes softened if only for an instant. "Too late." She sipped Tokaji wine from her crystal glass. Her eyes fell onto the two eldest Cullens, Carlisle and Esme. "And Edward?"
It was Radu's turn to appear thoughtful. "Edward Cullen's trial has yet to begin. But we... can take his mental health issues into consideration. If we consult a non-magical human psychologist, for instance."
Gabrielle blinked. "A non-magical human psychologist?" She echoed. But she immediately understood.
"A neutral party." Radu agreed grimly, in accordance with her thoughts. Gabrielle scoffed. "Just how are we supposed to cover any of that up? The psychologist will only be neutral so long as he or she doesn't know about the existence of vampires and wizards, and how Edward has abused his abilities."
Radu murmured thoughtfully, "There is a way. But there's also the matter of Adriana Della Rosa and the rest of her family." He gave her a look.
Gabrielle fell silent at the mention of the name. "How is she?" She asked quietly. "I suppose... it's too late. I can't speak to her now. I already seem biased due to my association with the Cullens." Radu nodded.
"She is how we expect her and the rest of the family to be. Only the baby appears blissfully unaware although Beatrice has called for her father numerous times." Gabrielle winced.
"I can explain the situation to her." Radu murmured, still thoughtful. "Anything you'd like to add?" Gabrielle shook her head.
"If that's the case, please tell her everything." She said flatly. "Everything Edward's done to Bella and Renesmee."
Radu turned to stare at her incredulously. "Why?"
"Because," Gabrielle took a deep breath "firstly, this may bring her closure. If she sees that Bella and Renesmee are victims- well, it may not lessen the hurt that her own daughter has died but theirs live, and his spouse lived too whereas hers has been killed but seeing them as victims of Edward as well may grant her and the rest of the family some closure. Seeing Edward as someone who is... mentally disturbed rather than inherently malicious- and therefore monstrous- may do the same thing. This may give her pause. She- and the rest of them- may see him as less of a monster and someone in serious need of mental evaluation and help. This in turn may, eventually, lead to- if not forgiveness, then at least understanding, and therefore healing." Radu paused at her words. Slowly, he nodded, realisation dawning in his eyes. "It could also seriously mend any rifts between both our kinds." He nodded in approval.
"Secondly... you told me that she would have to agree if we were ever to lessen the punishment." Gabrielle reasoned. "Edward may still need to be punished, but he needs help more. We have all neglected that long enough. Your mother and the rest of the judges are unlikely to lessen a harsh sentence for exposing the existence of any vampire to the non-magical world, especially if it leads to death and potential conflict between many unless the perpetrator is in dire need of help- and they will have to consult the victims who were wronged by him." Gabrielle admitted, privately, that this was something she agreed with about the vampires' justice system. While taking an eye in retribution may not grow an eye back and therefore would not have her approval, the fact that the high court were willing to take the victims and their sense of loss and justice into consideration was something which made her give them her respect.
According to Vampire Law, the victims had a right to take matters into their own hands- at least to an extent. They did not wish anyone to overturn the word of law, after all.
Radu gave her a teasing smile. "Are you certain you are not meant for politics?" Gabrielle grimaced at that thought. "I would hate every minute of it." She said frankly. "All the backstabbing, intrigue, tenuous alliances... I'll be amazed if what truly needs to get done is actually done."
His hand stole secretly between them and gave hers a squeeze. A brief look of longing in his eyes were hidden since his back was turned towards any onlookers. Instead, Radu visibly nodded and moved on, Gabrielle's face was also smooth in expression. They'd been playing this game for long enough. No one would suspect anything, even in a crowded place. And if not... well, surely, they can hardly blame either of them. No one would suspect anything serious, vampires enjoyed pursuits of pleasure and even though Radu was dedicated first and foremost to duty, he was allowed some form of relief from all the stress he'd accumulated over the centuries.
Because that was all it was ever going to be, Gabrielle thought silently. They could never be like David and Ruxandra. He knew it wasn't possible. But they were hovering perilously close, too close for everyone's sakes. Already they played with fire: Viktor's supporters were among the wedding guests, and they had to be otherwise the third High Elder's suspicion would be further aroused and he would certainly take action. Actions which, undoubtedly, would cost lives, even if he found a way to get away with it, without Markus or Amelia's interference- or Lady Laima's. Paranoia was a dangerous thing, Gabrielle mused to herself. Cornelius Fudge had never been the most decisive of leaders, the most competent nor the most affective. Yet his inaction, his fear which gave way to paranoia had costed them time and, most importantly, lives. It nearly costed Magical Britain- and the rest of their world- the war against Voldemort. Because once Britain had fallen, the rest of the magical world would surely follow, and the entirety of the supernatural world would have done the same eventually. Fudge had been put on trial after the war. He was already disgraced and humiliated when his foolishness had been revealed. Gabrielle might have felt sympathy for such a public fall from grace had she not remembered the lives lost and the suffering he had inflicted through his incompetence, cowardice, greed and corruption. Instead, she experienced Schadenfreude. He'd been jailed, she remembered. The last Gabrielle had heard, Cornelius Fudge had been set free after serving his sentence in Azkaban (mercifully for him, the lack of Dementors, which he himself had insisted upon and enforced, had made his sentence more bearable) and now lived in complete seclusion.
Like Dorcus Twelvetrees, Gabrielle thought to herself. The daughter of MACUSA's Keeper of Treasure and Dragots in the eighteenth century had, far from her father's competence, proven herself Magical America's biggest idiot when she blabbered about the existence of magic and even performed small spells like she was in a circus while batting her eyelashes to a handsome No-Maj who, in fact, was the descendant of a Scourer: a witch or wizard who'd turned from bounty hunter to traitor for the witch-hunting No-Majs of Salem, married into non-magical families and weeded out any child of theirs with magical ability (like Pure-Bloods with Squibs). She had even revealed to him, not only the location of MACUSA's seat of government, but the location of Ilvermorny school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, therefore endangering the magical-born children of the United States, Canada, Alaska and some from the countries of Central America.
Unbeknownst to her, Bartholomew Barebone secretly believed in the existence of magic and the need to kill all those who wielded it and he was certainly not above using Dorcus and stealing her wand as proof to all who would listen. The result had been a near-miss, with the Scourer lying in wait for MACUSA's government or Ilvermorny's students while holding weapons, Gabrielle had forgotten precisely which location he'd waited at, only to shoot some passing No-Majs instead. MACUSA had then imposed the harsh Rappaport's Law to protect its citizens from hostile non-magical exposure, even preventing witches and wizards in America from befriending or marrying anyone who wasn't magical for fear that they would be seduced, like Dorcus whose name was now synonymous for idiot in the US. Dorcus herself had emerged after a mere year in prison a thoroughly traumatised woman, who had the entire country demanding to put her behind bars for life or calling for her execution. Instead, she lived out the rest of her days in strict isolation with only a mirror and a talking parrot for company.
This brought something else to mind: Would Edward Cullen share the same fate as Cornelius Fudge and Dorcus Twelvetrees? Hated and shunned by the community he had betrayed? Would his very name become a byword for self-absorbedness, romantic delusions, arrogant assumptions for one's brain capacity and other shameful things? What about his family? Gabrielle sighed. She doubted that Renesmee could ever forgive him, and even if she did, Gabrielle was certain that the poor child would never look at nor feel safe with her father the way she once had.
Every nation had those who lived on in infamy, long after their demise, due to sudden betrayal or stupidity. The non-magical Americans reviled Benedict Arnold, and their Norwegian counterparts despised the memory of Vidkun Quisling. In France, the non-magical side of their country, it was Philippe Pétain and the rest of the Vichy regime who collaborated with the invaders of Nazi Germany. The magical Americans had Dorcus Twelvetrees and Scourers like Abigail Williams who had turned and caused the deaths of many of her own kind. Magical Britain would forever remember Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge and not for the better. The High Elven kingdom of Gondolin had fallen because of Maeglin's self-serving nature and his bitter, unrequited and incestuous affections for his own cousin Idril. Ancient Sparta's King Leonidas and his three hundred warriors had been betrayed to the Persian army by Ephialtes of Trachis. For Christians, Judas Iscariot had delivered that fateful kiss only to hang himself in shame while Jesus was being crucified. Marcus Junius Brutus had stabbed Caesar, a man who had trusted and even loved him, who had treated him like a son, and was consequently immortalised in infamy far beyond the duration of the Roman Empire. Would Edward Cullen be the same for vampires? Either his species or his entire kind?
Unlike these other traitors, save for Maeglin, who himself was an immortal, being High Elf, even though he would be slain, Edward Cullen would not escape this taint of guilt, of shame and betrayal which he had committed against his own family and all those who trusted him, including the friends who had come to his defence during the confrontation at New Year's Eve. It dawned upon Gabrielle that this upcoming trial, in less than twenty-four hours, would reveal Edward's mishaps and wrongdoings to the entire supernatural world. And it also dawned upon her that, for the first time, there was a likely chance of him being spared execution, or even an eternity of imprisonment, but was the alternative any better? Gabrielle thought that if she were in Edward's shoes she too would have preferred death. Would his very name be forever tainted and spoken of with revulsion? Would his own family be forever mistrusted, outcasts within this new society they were finding or being a part of? If so, Gabrielle thought that it would be worse than all these other traitors since it was immortals that he had betrayed, immortals who had survived to witness all and would revile and forever mistrust him.
What would this mean for the rest of his family? Would they ever shake such a taint off, especially his daughter?
Gabrielle prayed that Renesmee would have some closure and healing at least. And that the Cullens' species' new government would be far better than the last... and the one who came before them, the coven in Romania.
Silently, she caught Esme's eye and Carlisle's along with hers and beckoned them to the side, to speak in private.
Once she had taken them aside, Gabrielle explained to them of what she had asked Radu to do.
Esme's honey-brown eyes widened momentarily, but they were filled with understanding. Carlisle too looked thoughtful.
"The courts will not lessen Edward's sentence nor agree to any punishment once he has been proven guilty without consulting nor allowing for the contribution of the victims' families." Gabrielle warned. "Only to an extent, of course, since the word of law must not fall prey to mob-retributions. But they will participate. It's possible that the three judges: Lady Laima, Walter Bernhard and Elijah Mikaelson would consider lessening Edward's likely harsh sentence and giving him medical treatment, but not without consulting or asking the Della Rosa family for permission."
The two most senior Cullens were silent.
"What must we do?" Carlisle asked softly.
"Be prepared." She warned. "That is all you can do. If and when the time comes, whatever the outcome, Edward must accept his sentence with grace and remorse. So must you."
"A young man before he leaves the shelter of his father's house, and the guard of a tutor, should be fortify'd with resolution, and made acquainted with men, to secure his virtues, lest he should be led into some ruinous course, or fatal precipice, before he is sufficiently acquainted with the dangers of conversation, and his steadiness enough not to yield to every temptation."
John Locke
Edward stood in silence in the cell.
A sudden rumble interrupted his thoughts. The cell wall was opening once more. And this time it would not admit his family.
Sure enough, Selene, the Death Dealer who had arrested him, stepped through, followed shortly by a tall, bald-headed black man and several others including the one who had been guarding his cell when his family first came.
The first two stood in front while the others checked him over. Edward would've told them not to bother: due to the magical barrier between him and any visitor, they would've hardly been able to slip anything to him, like hidden messages. It appeared that only the Death Dealers who were authorised could get through it. Then the black Death Dealer- a person of authority- nodded towards the rest while Selene stood just behind him, her icy azure gaze fixed onto Edward as if drilling him in place.
The Death Dealers gripped him in place and marched him forwards. Their handling of him, while firm with no room for struggle, was neither painful nor uncomfortable. It was abundantly obvious that they had been instructed not to harm him, or maybe it was just the general treatment of all prisoners here, completely unlike what the Volturi allowed nor were capable of. The commander stepped aside to reveal a chair made of iron, grim in appearance, something which could have been in a horror movie. Edward was nudged forwards and inclined to sit, however reluctantly, upon the evil-looking chair.
As soon as he did and his arms had settled upon the chair's rests, thick iron bands appeared out of nowhere, snapping into place around his wrists and securing him to the chair. Bands of the same kind did the same around his ankles.
The Death Dealers all stepped backwards. The bald-headed commander nodded to Selene and literally vanished, seemingly melting into mist. The others did as well, leaving Edward alone with Selene alongside two others. Selene stepped next to Edward resting her hand against the back.
Before Edward could ask questions, the chair jerked unexpectedly. Edward glanced down at the side and saw that a circle of the stone floor had split from the rest, rising and floating in mid-air with him on the chair and Selene standing guard next to him.
If his heart could still beat, Edward was certain that it would have thudded rather violently within his chest cavity.
The ceiling above him didn't open or anything. Instead, Edward blinked as his surroundings vanished into mist. He felt as if his whole body, solid as it was, had also vanished at the exact same time, and for less of a millisecond the temperature felt colder than what even vampires could tolerate. But before he could even be shocked, much less comprehend what could have happened, Edward opened his eyes and found himself seated in the very centre of a huge auditorium.
Granite arches ribbed the domed ceiling. The vast chamber itself appeared round, perfectly circular. An upper level held seats where crowds of witnesses, some of them vampires of his own species, had congregated. He spotted several faces whom he had recognised including the Denalis, Tanya and the other Denalis, but before he could search for his family, he froze when he was forced to focus on the panel of judges towering high above him.
His trial had begun. Soon, he would know whether he would be forced into a coffin for centuries or decades, or if he would die.
Although Rowling didn't mention all the names of the Scourers, apart from the Barebone family's descendants, she mentioned that three of the accusers during the Salem Witch Trials were Scourers. Historically, Abigail Williams was perhaps the most prominent of the Accusers at Salem, along with her cousin Betty and her uncle Samuel Parris. I also remembered that in the (pre-Star Wars and pre-classical remakes) Disney film the Sorcerer's Apprentice, Abigail Williams makes a brief appearance as a dark witch and she certainly made an impact, even though the movie didn't shine that brightly. This is my reference to that, although in this crossover fic, Abigail didn't survive. In real history, Abigail Williams disappeared around the age of fifteen, presumably having ran away and was believed to have died around the age of seventeen.
So, I've combined what was written about Magical America's history with the real-life Abigail William's mysterious disappearance and the rumours surrounding them. Since seventeen is the legal age of adulthood in the Wizarding World, and MACUSA and its original Twelve Aurors (including Abraham Potter, Harry's relative) were formed in response to the Scourers and the Salem Witch Trials, I've made it that Abigail, knowing her time was up, tried to flee and hide from the Aurors who had her high on their list of Magical America's Most Wanted. Instead, she was captured, tried and executed for her crimes. Her cousin Betty Parris and uncle Samuel survived because they didn't panic, instead hiding amongst and intermarrying with the No-Maj community, but eventually, MACUSA's Aurors caught up with them. But since they were so prominent with the No-Maj community, they had to secretly kidnap the pair and modify every single person's memories of their disappearance, before trying and executing them. In the No-Maj's records, they died peacefully without arousing anyone's suspicions about foul play.
Like Dorcus Twelvetrees, Cornelius Fudge suffered the full legal consequences which he deserved. He didn't spend forever in prison and was treated more mercifully by the new British Ministry and Kingsley's administration and Wizengamot than what Fudge tried to do- and the entire magical world knew it. But he was forever shunned and hated, blamed for the loss of lives due to the time he wasted and his efforts to hinder the resistance, as well as his corruption and greed, along with Sirius Black's lack of a fair trial and unfair imprisonment (even though to be fair that happened because of Barty Crouch Senior, but Fudge could be blamed for being lax, corrupt and incompetent). In this fic, he's now been set free and is still alive but in hiding. He isn't welcomed anywhere in the supernatural world, and he would never be again.
Maeglin was one of the few truly evil elves in J.R.R Tolkien's world. He fell in love with his cousin Idril, the Princess of Gondolin, but she fell in love with a man, Tuor and became the mother of Eärendil (the father of Elrond and his twin, Elros). When Maeglin was captured, he voluntarily surrendered the secret location of Gondolin to the Dark Lord Morgoth, Sauron's predecessor, in exchange for Idril. He wasn't tortured into revealing anything. Not to make comparisons to Snape, but wasn't that similar to what he tried to give to Voldemort: Baby Harry in exchange for his mother's life? Well, at least Severus Snape proved to be a far better person than Maeglin. Since the High Elves in Tolkien's world were the ancestors of the Fey folk, including Veela, to Gabrielle, this would have been real-life history/religion to her and her family.
The part about Adriana Della Rosa and her family having a say in Edward- and the Volturi's sentences- is inspired by historical Viking law which, ironically, was more democratic than the laws of justice in Ancient Athens or Rome. As the vampires are an ancient society, I had to go further back than the Middle Ages or the Renaissance in order to form the basis of their law. As Amelia is a High Elder, I don't think the sexist laws of Ancient Rome and Athens would be too respected. I watched the first episode of Vikings, and I had to admit I was impressed with their courts in such an antiquated society. The earl presiding over them, along with his cronies, were a bunch of self-serving and corrupt a-holes, but the law was well-written, reasonable and coherent, despite the flaws I'd spotted. For example: it was mentioned that if a person had killed someone for whatever reason, like in self-defence, then they could walk past two houses if they feared the victim's relatives might seek retribution, but not a third and they would always be given the chance to confess if they weren't guilty of cold-blooded murder. Plus, alternatively, they could offer the families compensation and that would've been the end of it. The society also granted rights to their women, and it showed since there was at least one woman who voted for the criminal's execution (even if she was an accuser and, therefore, potentially biased) and the punishments seemed fair, despite being harsh and crude. Like when the vote for the criminal's execution had to be unanimous to be lawfully carried out, although Ragnar pushed his then-underage son to raise his hand, and while it was suspicious that the likely-biased relatives of the victim were allowed to argue and gain the support of the crowd, and no one tried to be fair and thorough in their investigation (possibly because of the earl's own corruption), the fact that the victim's family were permitted some form of closure via taking part in their justice system is something I bet many victim families would envy today. I was even impressed when every single person had a responsibility to contribute to the thief's punishment by throwing something at him when he was sentenced to walk the length of the town- or else they would be fined. The thief certainly wouldn't want to go through that again.
The Vampire Wedding between David and Ruxandra was taken and combined from various separate online sources. Honestly, how many different variations, traditions and scripts can there be for a vampire wedding ceremony? A lot apparently. Plus, I took inspiration from a non-related Star Wars fic titled DARKER by blueenvelopes, about a Sith Wedding Ceremony, namely, the first part of the vows, the traditional sheer wedding dress, the ritual cuts, and the wedding being held in private with just the bride and groom due to a tradition of Sith marrying in secret. I made it so that it would fit to a vampire's traditions and history. And blueenvelopes, if you're reading this, I hope you and your fans are not mad. It would have been weird if I took inspiration from Legends' weddings of the New Jedi Order. I really loved your fic, even though I hate the new Star Wars canon.
Radu has asked for Gabrielle's aid on behalf of his parents. He promises their secret knowledge as contribution to her scientific research and funding in return. That's all I can say. I've given enough clues.