Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Still Waters

By SkyDancingHobbit

Chapter 04: Beginning Thaw

Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.

Bella Swan, Twilight, Preface, p.1

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“Suus Eternus Diligo”

Bella repeated the phrase again in the privacy of her own room. Alice had thrown a world class fit when she learned the truth. Edwards bond with the mortal had been built on lies and desperation much like that of Marcus. Two singers two pairs the same ending for one of them. Only the intervention of one of the guards kept Alice from attacking Bella outright. Her screech of grief induced rage grating painfully on her ears as she struggled with the pale arms that restrained her.

“So was any of it real Bella?”

It was very odd, for Bella to be stone calm and feel nothing, when she knew had she been able to cry tears of rage that would have been prickling the back of her eyes and coursing in silent paths down her cheeks at the accusatory tone that was designed to hurt her. Only they where not to be, in her response, her patterns of speech reverted back to the old form, if only for a moment.

“I loved your brother, Alice, you who saw so much of that should already know the answer, I have nothing more to say to you if on learning this your only reaction is immediately to attack me. You have a plane to get to, go home Alice, create whatever ending for Bella Swan you think suitable. I’m sure you’re creative enough”

Though her tone was emotionless, there was a chill of parting in the words. Forks was no longer her home. Charlie would suffer, but she was tired of playing the game of life by someone else s rules. This time, she choose her fate instead of having someone else there prompting her with silent cue’s, and had she been able a thrill of triumph no doubt would have gone through her as she turned and strode from the room. Well aware she had not been dismissed, Aro however merely hummed a light aria from a musical long lost to time and waved her from the room. His expression unreadable. Felix and Jane escorted Alice out, watched in silence by Bella, standing on the balcony numbly watching the limo depart carrying the same woman who had hours before been her very best friend. Was this a forever goodbye, with just Alice or once again would the entire Cullen clan turn their back on her? It was an unsettling thought. A gentle knock shook her from her silent thoughts and as she turned to greet the visitor she was surprised by the cool arm that wrapped gently around her shoulder, bringing her to the comfort of his chest.

“You stayed.”

The scent of rain and a trace of fireplace smoke told her who it was before she was able to raise her head. Marcus had apparently just been informed of this evenings events and had come to her first before seeking out new apparel. The moment his cool skin made contact an odd sensation flooded her system. As if for the first time the pieces of her life had fallen into place at last.

“I have, though Bella Swan is as good as dead now, you can be sure the Cullens will be sure of that and I know not what is to become of me.”

He listened in silence, crimson eyes regarding her quietly, in their depths she could see numerous emotions that he should have felt but could not, the principal among them was stunned disbelief. As if he never considered the possibility of her remaining for his sake.

“You shall be Lady Isabella Volturi. from this moment on, anything else is not worth considering”

Lady Volturi, it had a ring of ancient elegance. He allowed her the freedom of the balcony, as she stood staring into the endless night. He stood like some ancient painting come to life for her pleasure alone as she turned to face him.

“Very well. Isabella I shall be, for my fathers grief and my mother but, knowing what I do, that life is closed to me. The rules of your kind are absolute, I am to be changed or I throw off this mortal coil, of the two I choose life.”

Again she had but to blink and he was beside her, lifting one pale hand to his lips brushing the knuckles once more in the customary kiss. This time however he seemed to linger, his breath whispering across her skin in the most, peculiar fashion. Almost at once Isabella felt the oddest tugging sensation in the region of her heart to move closer to him, be near him, shelter him from the horrible half life his choice had driven him to.

“Then, you have truly made your choice, you would remain indefinitely?..for me…”

The last two words were uttered in so low a tone she barely caught them, almost dully she felt, something as if from a great distance as he held her wrist gently almost as if she were crafted of fine silk or spun glass. It was a flavor of sadness, from time beyond memory yet, within it a spark of hope still lingered. As he clung to the idea like a drowning man would to his last lifeline, she spoke a single word that sealed her fate.

“Yes…”