Starstruck 5

“What did you all do that led to us being summoned to Italy for an audience with the queens to discuss a mate bond claim with Bella Swan?”Carlisle asked his children when they walked into the house. Rosalie stopped misstep hearing that. She had assumed that Bella had relationships with more vampires than just Victoria but didn’t expect her have a relationship with the queens. An important relationship if the Cullens being summoned meant anything. Rosalie wasn’t quite sure what to think of this revelation. She had never met the queens before and only knew what she heard from others. That being they were ruthless, bloodthirsty killers who had no respect for human life and had no mercy when dealing with lawbreakers. The fact that they were known for their hated of humans made Rosalie confused on why they would be calling about Bella. That and she wondered why Bella was still human if she knew about vampires. That being one of the biggest laws vampires had to follow. You couldn’t leave a human with knowledge of vampires without turning them or killing them. If you didn’t the Volturi killed you. There were no second chances. That meant the queens were breaking the law. Something Rosalie didn’t know why they did.

“Wait you got a call from Italy?”Alice asked.

“I just got off the phone about 15 minutes ago. It was a high ranking royal guard member who called and they sounded extremely displeased with the situation.”Carlisle got the feeling that the guard wasn’t upset about having to call him but was upset that one of his children was trying to claim Bella.

“Shit.”Emmett didn’t expect that they would get summoned by the queens.

“So please explain to me why one of you is claiming a mate bond with Bella Swan and why a famous human is involved with not only vampires but the queens.”Carlisle needed all the information before he could make a plan on how to deal with the queens.

“First we should tell you we had no clue she was involved with the queens.”Lena told him.

“But you did know she was involved with vampires?”Carlisle asked.

“Not initially.”Edward said.

“Start at the beginning. As Rosalie is the only unmated one of you I assume she is the one who claiming the mate bond.”Carlisle figured it was Rosalie as she was the only single one in the family.

“I didn’t know we were mated until we went to watch a panel that featured Bella and the cast of Assassin’s Edge. When we made eye contact I felt the bond instantly. I didn’t react to it right away.”Rosalie had wanted to but knew it would be inappropriate.”I didn’t even act on it when I got my picture taken with her.”

“Did she know you were vampires when you were getting your pictures taken?”Carlisle asked.

“I don’t know for sure but I think so. It was also when we were getting our pictures taken that I noticed a redheaded woman speaking to her. It was when we getting autographs that I found out the redhead was a vampire.”Rosalie told him.

“Did you recognize this vampire?”Carlisle wasn’t sure what to think about a vampire hanging out with a movie star at crowded comic con.

Rosalie shook her head.”None of knew who she was. She didn’t know who we were either.”

“What happened when you met her?”Carlisle wanted to know what kind of relationship this redhead had with the queens.

“She was completely hostile with us right away. Even when Bella tried to get her to calm down it didn’t change her attitude. I tried to get her to talk to me in private but she didn’t want to. It was Bella who convinced her. Once we were in a secluded place I confessed I was mated to Bella and the woman Victoria called me a liar and attacked me.”Rosalie had been embarrassed that she had been taken down so easily.

“She attacked you?”Carlisle was very surprised that Rosalie had been attacked over a mate bond claim.

“She not only attacked me but she dodged Emmett’s attempt to help and easily redirected a punch from Lena causing it to hit me instead of her.”Rosalie had to grudgingly admit that Victoria was skilled.

“How did you get her to calm down?”Carlisle asked.

“We didn’t, Bella did. She had heard the scuffle and left the signing table to reprimand us. It was during her lecture that she ordered us to set up a formal meeting. I gave Victoria your phone number and after that we left.”Rosalie told him.

“And at no time were the queens mentioned?”Carlisle was trying to find the connection with this Victoria vampire and the queens as he had never heard of a guard member with that name before.

“The only thing Bella said about anyone other than Victoria was when she threatened to call her mother if Victoria didn’t behave. Who that mother is we have no idea but Victoria looked scared by the threat.”Rosalie wondered if the mother Bella was talking about was one of the queens.

“Interesting.”Carlisle didn’t like the lack of information Rosalie had given him.”Did you notice anything suspicious other than the vampire hanging around Bella?”

Rosalie tried to think about what happened that day.”I was focused on Bella but I didn’t notice anything weird expect Victoria.”

“I couldn’t read either Bella or Victoria’s minds.”Edward said.

“What do you mean?”Carlisle asked.

“I mean that I tried to use my gift on both of them and it was like I was being blocked somehow. No matter what I did I couldn’t hear a thing.”Edward hadn’t happy about it either. It was the first time his gift had failed him and the fact that it did made him very uncomfortable.

“Interesting.”Carlisle wondered what that could mean.”It seems either Victoria or Bella might have a gift and is protecting the other one.”

“I thought the same thing.”Based on what Lena had seen it was obvious that Victoria and Bella were very protective of each other.

“Which one would it be though?”Carlisle mused.

“I’m not sure but it was annoying as we now know that they have a connection to the queens.”Edward hated that he wasn’t able to find out exactly how Bella and Victoria had been involved with the queens.

“It would have been nice to have the information so we would know how to prepare for our meeting.”Carlisle didn’t like the idea of going in front of the queens without any kind of plan but with such little information they had they couldn’t really prepare.

“When do we have to leave?”Alice asked.

“They want us there as soon as possible so we need to find the earliest flight.”Carlisle told her.

“I get on that.”Lena volunteered.

“Good the rest of you pack and make sure you bring something formal to wear for our meeting with the queens.”Carlisle said.

“Got it.”Emmett was excited for a chance to go to the castle. He wanted to see if he could wrestle some of the guards to see how his skills would match up.

“I’m going to go pack.”Rosalie wanted to take some time and download a few of Bella’s movies on her laptop so she could watch them on the plane.

“Do you think Bella is going to be there?”Alice asked Rosalie as she followed her sister up the stairs into Rosalie’s room setting the bags of stuff they bought at the comic con on her bed.

“I didn’t even think of that.”Rosalie hoped that Bella would be. She took the two boxes she was carrying and carefully laid them on her bed next to the bags Alice set down. She wasn’t exactly sure where she was going to put everything yet but was planning on hanging up the Assassin’s Edge outfit so she could see it every time she was in her room.

“We are going there because of a mate bond claim. It would make sense that Bella be there so the queens can prove whether it’s real or not.”Alice figured that the queens would only believe the bond was real if Didyme confirmed it.

“I’m kind of nervous about the queens’ reaction to all of this. It seems they have a close relationship with Bella. I mean they would have to care about her to let her stay human for so long.”Rosalie didn’t think the queens would allow Bella to stay human if they weren’t close to the girl.

“That’s true. Bella said she met Victoria when she was a teenager. That means she has known about vampires for about ten years. Our laws are clear and Bella should have been changed. The only ones who could give exemptions to that rule are the queens and they are the ones we are meeting about Bella.”Alice took that as proof that Bella was important to the queens.

“I hope they don’t interfere with me claiming Bella.”Rosalie wanted to be with her mate and didn’t want anyone to get in the way.

“It’s not like you would be able to do much if they did.”Alice said.

Rosalie groaned.”Why can’t my finding a mate be simple? Why did I have to not only be mated to a human but the most famous human in the world that has a relationship with the queens?”

“Do you regret being mated to Bella?”Alice asked.

“Of course not.”Rosalie was happy to be mated to Bella.”I just wish that being with Bella would have been an easy love story. Girl catches girl’s eyes across the room. Leading to them jumping up from their seats, meeting in the middle of that room and sharing a passionate kiss that leads to proclamations of love, followed by marriage, living together and having a long, happy, joyful life filled with love.”

Alice chuckled.”It’s seems you have been fantasizing about this for a while.”

“I’ve been dreaming about having a mate since I found out what it meant to have one.”Rosalie had always wanted to be loved and accepted. Finding out about the mate bond matching you with someone on a soul level was something she wanted to experience.

“And now you are mated to the most famous person on the planet.”Alice didn’t know how Rosalie was going to be able to have a relationship with Bella with the human being so exposed to the world.

“I really don’t know what to think of that. I mean I of course want to date Bella but I have been planning my wedding wince I was a human. I wanted it to be big and extravagant. How to do that with Bella being so famous I don’t know how.”Rosalie had wanted to have a wedding straight out of a fairy tale. With Bella being a famous human she wasn’t sure if marriage was even an option.”There is also the fact that Bella said she wasn’t marriage material.”

“Yeah I thought that was odd. Don’t most people want to get married?”Alice thought marriage was what all humans strived for.

“Times are different now. Marriage isn’t as important as it used to be. Hopefully I can convince Bella that it is something she would enjoy.”Rosalie wasn’t sure how to do that but she would figure it out. Being married was to important to her not to.

“Maybe once she finds out about the mate bond she will change her mind.”Alice said.

“I guess we will have to wait and see.”Rosalie didn’t like that she had to wait but she didn’t have any other choice.“Now I have to pick out the perfect outfit to wear when we meet the queens. I don’t want to look like a slob when we are in front of them because it wouldn’t give the impression I wasn’t worthy enough to be mated to Bella.”

“I wish we had time to go shopping for the perfect outfit but I’m sure we can find something for you to wear.”Alice would have preferred to buy Rosalie a new outfit. Not only to look good but a new outfit would have given Rosalie a boost in confidence.

“Should I go professional or formal?”Rosalie asked making her way to her closet.

Alice thought about which would be better.”Bella is really rich and if the queens have claimed her that means she has access to their wealth as well. That being the case you need to show that you have your own money so I would think formal.”

“That’s a good point. If I went formal then I could wear expensive jewelry.”Rosalie didn’t really have much personal wealth as most of the money the family had came from Carlisle. The money she did have was from various projects and small investments. Rosalie and her siblings hadn’t really put in much effort to grow their portfolios because they were considered teenagers and it was hard to hide money from the government. Now Rosalie wished she had.

“You can borrow jewelry from me if you need to.”Alice like Rosalie didn’t have much personal wealth but the little she did have she bought clothes and accessories with. Jasper was the one who saved and invested. Alice didn’t really put in the effort as it had never been important because the family took care of each other.

“I might.”Rosalie had a few expensive pieces but nothing like Alice’s collection.

“Alright let’s see what we have to work with.”Alice joined Rosalie in her closet and began searching through her clothing, pulling out various dresses.”Do you think you want to go sexy or a little bit conservative?”

“I think I should go for a little on the conservative side. I don’t want the queens to think I’m trying to hard or that I am simply relying on my beauty to win them over.”Rosalie didn’t want to come off as a dumb blond. She wanted the queens to think that she was a mature, intelligent, independent woman who had more to offer than just her beauty.

“Good point.”Alice thought Rosalie was right in not going sexy. If she did the queens would have thought she was bimbo.

“Alright I’ve got a few choices.”Rosalie took the half a dozen dresses she picked out and laid them on the window seat.

“I’ve got a few as well.”Alice took the ones she picked out and put them with Rosalie’s choices.

“I’ll try each one on and then we can take pictures and compare when I’m done.”Rosalie suggested.

“That would be a good idea.”Alice agreed.

“I’ll be right back.”Rosalie grabbed the first dress and made her way to the bathroom. She may be comfortable with Alice but she didn’t like undressing in front of anyone. Although Rosalie knew that Alice would respect her she just didn’t like being looked at. That discomfort coming from years of looks and comments from others. Stripping out of her clothes Rosalie wondered how she would feel having Bella see her naked. The thought of not only being naked in front of Bella but Bella being naked in front of her was very appealing and something Rosalie had fantasized about before. Rosalie wished for that fantasy to come true soon because now that she knew for sure they were mated Rosalie’s instincts were demanding she claim her mate. It would all depend on the queens however. That being a problem Rosalie was totally unprepared to deal with. She would put in her best effort to impress the monarchs but not knowing what they wanted to talk about made it so she was going into the situation blind. It make her regret the fact that she didn’t get a chance to speak with Bella because Rosalie was positive her mate would have explained everything to Rosalie. Hopefully Rosalie would get the chance to speak to her in Italy because she really missed Bella and wanted to see her mate.