I slept restlessly, waking up every other hour as my thoughts chased themselves in endless circles. Every painful choice that had led me to these castle walls replayed in my mind, alongside every terrifying possibility of what might come next. I had made my decision, but that didn't mean I wasn't afraid of the consequences.

Would they change me? Would they find enough use in me? Or would they keep me human, trapped in this world, for reasons I couldn't yet understand?

And what did Aro truly know about the Cullens, other than Carlisle?

He had asked briefly about them in the throne room. Had that been mere curiosity, or would he press me again later? He was already frustrated that he couldn't read my mind. That much had been clear. Would his frustration grow? Would he dig deeper?

A knock at the door jolted me out of my spiraling thoughts.

As I opened the door, Jane was waiting. Her long hair now fell loose - a far different hairstyle from the immaculate updo I had first met her with. She gave me a light bow, bending at the waist, before straightening back up to look at me in the eyes.

"Good morning Mrs. Bella. Master Aro summoned for you in his private office, and would like for me to escort you. Would that be alright?" Her eyes glimmered as she looked up at me, throwing off crimson hues.

I blanched for a moment at the terrifying, yet small guard in front of me, and then smiled as I realized I should be excited to see Jane.

Jane; this short, but ultimately Sadistic and evil soul of a vampire. She was uncaring, a blank slate, a tool for Aro to use who has no emotions left of her own- at least, that's how Carlisle and Edward had explained her.

But as I looked at Jane standing in front of me, her light smile, her crimson eyes dancing with an almost... childlike? Excitement? All I could see was one of few familiar faces for myself in this castle.

Fully regaining my composer, I nodded at Jane, "did he say any of what he wants me there for?"

Jane shakes her head, but the smile still hasn't dropped from her lips, "I can't say yet!"

The private office was an expanse of dark wood and ancient tapestries, the scent of parchment and candle wax thick in the air. I sat stiffly in the chair across from Aro's grand desk, my hands clenched together in my lap. Jane stood beside me with the eerie stillness only a vampire could manage, her expression unreadable. Aro, ever the picture of elegance, studied me with his unsettling, knowing gaze, his fingers steepled beneath his chin. He eyed me with curiosity.

"My dear Bella," Aro began, his voice smooth as silk. "I trust you are settling into your new accommodations well?"

I nodded hesitantly. "Yes. Thank you."

Aro's smile widened, though it never quite reached his crimson eyes in a way that left me feeling fully comfortable. "Wonderful. It is important to me that you feel at ease. You are, after all, a guest here." His words were pleasant, but carried an edge, a quiet reminder that my presence was not entirely of my own choosing.

I swallowed and glanced at Jane, who met my eyes with a small, knowing smirk before returning her gaze to Aro.

"Now, onto more pressing matters." Aro's fingers drummed lightly against the polished surface of his desk. "As you may have realized, our world is not without its dangers. And given the rather… unique circumstances of your presence here, I believe it is only prudent that you have protection."

I sat up straighter, worried at the prospect. "Protection?"

"Yes, dear one," Aro said smoothly. "Jane has taken quite a liking to you, has she not?"

I glanced at Jane again. Her smirk deepened slightly, but she remained silent.

"Jane will be your personal guard," Aro continued, his tone pleasant, as if discussing the arrangement of a dinner seating. "She will accompany you wherever you go within the castle. On occasions when she is… otherwise occupied, Alec will take her place."

My heartbeat quickened. "A guard? Do you think someone is going to hurt me?"

Aro chuckled, shaking his head. "Not at all, my dear. Think of it as a precaution. You are a human in a place designed for those far more… enduring than your kind. I would hate for any accidents to befall you."

The words were meant to be reassuring, but a chill ran down my spine. Accidents. In a fortress full of vampires, I knew exactly what that meant. And, being human, their kind would be relatively unphased about my death, being just a human.

"Pathetic, weak, human." Caius' words replayed in my head, and I winced slightly. I felt suddently grateful that Aro and Marcus had seen to me themselves so far - something that may have been on purpose, given the vitriol of their third brother.

Jane finally spoke, her voice cool and self-assured. "I will ensure nothing happens to you, Bella." She turned to Aro, her tone holding quiet conviction. "You have my word." As quickly as Jane had spoken, she reached her hand across Aro's desk, holding it out expectantly for him. Aro took Jane's hand between his two, and closed his eyes, listening intently to the smaller vampire's thoughts.

As they stood there, still as statues, I began to realize how out of place it really was that Aro couldn't hear my thoughts. Jane offered her mind up as quickly as one would have said yes to coffee, or anything else mundane.

Suddenly, Aro shifted, letting go of Jane's hand as he refocused on the world around him. Jane took a step back from Aro's desk fluidly, nodding her head. Aro beamed up at Jane. "Excellent. I knew I could count on you, dear Jane."

I shifted uncomfortably. "What about Marcus? I thought he was my… mentor."

Aro inclined his head, his expression unreadable. "Of course. And he remains so. But even the most diligent of mentors cannot be with you at all hours. Marcus is indeed, still a leader above al else. He has many duties he needs to attend to, my dear. I'm sure you'll come to understand soon. Think of Jane as an extension of my concern for you."

I bit the inside of my cheek. There was no refusing this. No arguing. Aro had decided, and that was final.

Jane, seeming to sense my hesitation, leaned in slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It will not be so bad, Bella. I promise."

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to nod. "Okay."

Aro clapped his hands together. "Splendid! Then we are all in agreement. Jane, you may escort Bella back to her chambers. And Bella, my dear, do try to enjoy yourself. This is your home now."

I forced a tight-lipped smile and rose from my chair. Jane fell into step beside me as we exited the office, the heavy doors closing with an ominous finality behind us.

As we walked down the corridor, I could feel Jane studying me. I glanced at the small vampire, who raised an eyebrow as if amused by my discomfort.

"I suppose you're stuck with me now," Jane said, amusement lacing her tone. There was almost a smug proudness to her tone.

I huffed a quiet laugh, the absurdity of my situation settling in. "Yeah, I guess I am."

Jane shakes her head as we fall into a comfortable silence walking beside each other. I took a moment to note her clothes, an elegant black gown could be seen faintly billowing under her dark cloak. But under that, I could see that instead of an equally elegant pair of shoes, she was wearing black running shoes that seemed worn.

She is a guard, after all, I thought, amusement colouring my thoughts as I imagined her making this choice, I can't imagine heels would be exactly practical all the time.

Jane smirked, leading me through the dimly lit corridors, our footsteps echoing against the stone. "Don't worry. I think we'll get along just fine."

There was something in her tone—something darkly amused, something almost fond—that sent another shiver down my spine.

Not that bad, I began repeating to myself in my head, Jane not sensing the mental turmoil I had slumped myself into. Not that bad, it's not that bad, I paused as I assessed Jane again, her familiar face bringing me a small sense of comfort, but still understanding how much danger I had gotten myself into, but bad enough.

Jane brought me back to my chambers, and with a flutter she explained that she had to hunt before she could come back.

"I would love to stay but... it has been a few weeks since I hunted last," She looked at me nervously, testing the words out with me to see what kind of reaction she would get. As my eyes met hers I noticed they were already a significantly darker shade of red since the night I had met her. Recognition must have flickered across my features as I realized the full weight of her words- she was going to kill someone, and she didn't exactly have a choice in the matter. She was just informing me of that fact.

I studied her face briefly, examining the first moment of vulnerability I had seen in her since our first meeting, before nodding, accepting her explanation. These vampires weren't like the Cullens or the Denalis after all - they would not be hunting animals like I had grown used to. Yet as Jane stood before me she seemed almost... apologetic?

"It's okay, Jane," my voice came out weaker than I had intended for it to, "you have to hunt."

Jane's features softened, seeming contented with the fact that I hadn't instantly grown upset with her.

She seemed to think for a second before she spoke again, "you know, most of the guard is actually out hunting right now, particularly those that are younger and have less control," she assessed my expression before continuing, "I won't be here, but right now is the perfect time to explore the castle on your own, if you so wish to do so."

I nodded, as I thought about where I would even go in the castle. The more I thought about it, the larger it seemed.

A movement from Jane broke me out of my thoughts, as she moved one of her hands up to delicately touch her throat. I could tell that she wasn't breathing anymore.

"I must go, Mrs. Bella, I pride myself on not making mistakes," She bowed elegantly and then flitted from the room inhumanly fast, and I was left alone yet again with the empty space she once inhabited.

I turned to look around the room that had become my own since I had arrived here. Rich plush tapestries and old paintings covered every space of the wall, with high ceilings, painted with old portraits of angels and demons. The carpeting and walls of the room were a deep forest green, much more cozy than the stone and grey in the castle beyond.

I sighed as I walked over to my bag, still left at the foot of the bed. I unpacked what few meek possessions I had though to bring with me, back when I had assumed that this trip would surely end in my swift death. As I put the last of my clothes away, a small photograph fell out of my bag. I picked it up, turning it over and-

Edward.

Within my hands I held a photograph of Edward and I - the one from my birthday, just before the party at the Cullens that had changed the trajectory of my life. We stood next to each other in my father's livingroom, Edward still looking as gorgeous as ever, and myself feeling undeniably plain in comparison.

I fumbled, panicking, as I recognized what this small token that I had brought with myself would mean to the Volturi instead. I looked over at the fireplace, still smoldering from this morning, but panicked again as I realized what it would do to me right now if I had to destroy this last piece of proof I had for myself.

With shaky hands, I ripped the inside of my travel bag, slotting the photograph deep inside the fabric before twisting it in a way that it wouldn't re-open from the inside. I brought the bad to the wardrobe in the corner, stuffing it into the bottom of the floor, before closing the door, feeling triumphant.

It may be quite stupid to hold onto this small photograph for now, but I'll just have to find a better hiding spot for it in the future.