Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Still Waters

By SkyDancingHobbit

Chapter 16: Consequences (Pt 2)

“No measure of time with you will be long enough. But we’ll start with forever.”

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Shock ripped through Bella at these words as chaos reigned around her.

Panic swelled within her for just a moment wondering if, everything she had hung onto was a complete and utter lie.

A truly terrifying roar broke her out of her fog as a pair of strong arms pulled her close and she was immediately surrounded by the comforting scent of her king and mate. Marcus. breathing slowly in and exhaling out she was able to find solid ground in the sea of her own emotions and as she settled the words that had been a soothing buzz in her ear began to shift and make sense. It seemed all three brothers where holding a quiet conference above her head.

“Breath little one, yes that’s it, welcome back little sister yes in… count to four… good… and exhale slowly”

“Panic attack… she’ll recover Marcus… just keep doing as you are. no wonder with a shock like that” Caius was capable of surprising compassion she discovered and was grateful for his calm reassurance. Had this advice been for his ears alone he would have spoken in a range she could not hear and she was reminded herself to thank him later when she was able.

Aro was… less composed in his response apparently taking this lie as a personal affront Snarling in anger the lesser vampires of the room reacted to the sound dropping to one knee on impulse tilting their heads to the side in a blatant show of submission bringing a measure of control back to the room. The guards brought the rest to heel and back in their seats in a few moments shaking their heads at the utter lack of decorum for the day.

“Lies! Marcus knows the bond to be true and right! Cullen you will pay for your lies!”

“Jasper if you would be so kind?”

Marcus’s low rumbling voice indicated another person and before she could even form the question a wave of calm swept through her allowing her the relief of a full breath of air. She offered a weak smile at the cowboy as he leaned against the closest throne letting go of her hand. His golden eyes where strained and though composed there was a great sadness as he flicked a glance at the figure of the women he had loved for so long who was humming a nameless tune while contemplating her nails which she gathered had been roughed up by the her restraints.

“That’s better isn’t it Darlin?”

“Yes thanks J,”

Alice had sat prim and proper a smile twisting her lips as she watched the scene played out crimson gaze unsettling in its icy chill. With Jasper now lending a hand to keep the peace the trial resumed with a soft sweeping sound as one of the guard attended to the broken shards and glass that littered the floor. After checking her over once more Marcus rose after brushing a hand across Aro’s palm gaining nods from both his brothers as he approached Alice. Anyone who knew it saw the feinted expression of compassion that crossed his features was only for her benefit as she gazed at the elder vampire with something like obsession gleaming in her eyes.

“So you have said, yet it didn’t out that way did it Alice, when did this line of sight begin exactly?”

“I saw it you see Marcus, the first time we walked into the throne room, our wedding my coronation today all of it, Only one piece had to removed you see… Bella. she is and has always been in the way”

“She’s mad…”

A sad mutter sounded off to the left as Esme and Carlisle appeared sitting just out of her direct line of sight. Caius had only to raise a brow and she quieted dropping her head in submission and happily for the line of questioning Alice had not taken notice. Being far to busy pouring out her view simpering at first and then growing distinctly more aggressive until at the last she was snarling her rage at Bella.

“Only get rid of her bloodline and everything I saw could and would be mine.

Easy enough first I started with small infusions of herbal compounds in her daily mug of hot or iced tea, safe enough and without scent to humans and when consumed for a long length of time will induce visions and nightmares and emotional numbness even changes in speech patterns… given the fact Edward had planned to leave her in the woods the timing would have been exact. A tragic ending for the new girl pinning for a lost love. Yet… instead of sticking to the plan the brat choose to stay here and months of careful planning went out the window!

Marcus tilted his head to the side after a second long glance at the Dr. a nod passed between them and he spoke again.

“These herbs… Had you ever come in contact with them before, I don’t recall any of our kind researching that branch of botanical… possibilities.”

How he managed to keep his temper Bella had no clue but a glance at Jasper was enough to tell the story. His golden gaze was locked on and an empty Goblet now clattered to the floor as his fingers tightened around the edge of the table. Fighting his impulse she was but Alice couldn’t win he was the only reason she wasn’t already dead as the truth poured from her in a sudden unending flood. Pain etched into every feature as he held the ground.

“Oh no why would I? nasty things located in a far off corner of the world in the woods. it ruined my shoes! Worth it for the greater good though. Even given Carlisle medical scope it would have been easy enough to trace and that would not do, So I had to sample the dose each and every time I gave it. Charlie was easier. Take him homemade anything and the man eats it without question. Only reason I had to turn to Plan B at all was he had too much one night… went to the reservation where I couldn’t make a neat job of it… well you know the rest of it from there.”

“Indeed we do… ah the results are in… you were careless Alice… One should never bring incriminating evidence in a purse to a coronation it always ends… badly”

A vampire appeared kneeling before the kings and Marcus scanned the printed paper for a moment before the guard vanished his growl growing louder by the second before turning back the dais.

“Brothers… a brief conference I think is in order… Carlisle, Jasper if you would be good enough to join us?”

A blink of the eye was all it took and the room was empty of all involved in passing sentence save the guards that watched over a now wailing Alice as the truth of the situation dawned and Jasper turned away in disgust Jane reappearing long enough to render Alice’s screaming wails to silence before withdrawing behind the high door once more . What was said in that room would remain a mystery for many a years and popular rumor had it the missing chunk of wall came down to the wrath of one Cullen when the entire truth came out and his bonds were untangled.

Edward and Alice had always been mates but neither had wanted the other resulting in the decision to seek easy targets to transfer their broken bonds to as their lies began to break down, it was only a matter of time for to be rejected by a mate was a slow death sentence in the vampire world, the herbs only accelerating her fall into madness after Edwards death .

Jasper was cleared of all involvement and as it would happen was the mate to one of Volturi guards. He left Italy to find Peter and Charlotte and find healing with his new mate. Bella would not meet her for many years to come but went next they saw the cowboy he looked a world better happy and laughing with the original members of his coven he was home at last.

As for Alice she was burned before nights end hanging onto a lie to the bitter end Aro taking glee in throwing her tacky shoe collection in with her at the end. She was buried in a crypt outside the city in a lead box chained and weighted for good measure. Jane did enjoy inventing ghost stories every decade or so. funds raised on the weekly haunted tours aided local seniors. Felix said it was the most fun he’d had in years.

What happened to Bella you might ask? Well she still had a wedding to attend.