The Dark Princess 34

“Are you alright?”Caius asked Aro when he entered his brother’s office.He knew that Aro had been upset with whatever he had found out when he read Bella’s human parents but Caius hadn’t expected this.Aro was slumped in his desk chair, his hair disheveled as if he had ran his hand through it numerous times and his eyes looked haunted.It was a look Caius had never seen on the usually jovial vampire.It made Caius even more angry at the humans became he knew that Bella must have gone through something truly horrific for Aro to be in this state.

“I want to lie to you to spare you from the heartache I am feeling from what I have seen Bella go through but I will not.No, I am not alright.I don’t think I will ever be alright again.The only thing that will begin to ease these feelings will be getting our hands on the people who hurt Bella and punishing them.”Aro told him.

“Although I am curious I will not force you to relive it.”Caius wanted to know what was done to his daughter but didn’t want to upset his brother further.

“Thank you.”Aro would prefer never to speak about the subject again.He would have to when the abusers were brought to the castle but he would deal with it then.”Was there a reason for you visiting?”

“Yes, I spoke to Didyme and Marcus and we have decided that we should send Jane to kidnap the shifters and bring them to the castle.I didn’t ask Athenodora because she was with Bella but I know she will agree.I wanted to see what your thoughts were before going ahead with the plan.”Caius told him.

“I think that’s a good idea.None of those boys were unaware of the human’s plans for Bella and many were willing to participate in the scheme.”Aro thought the wolves deserved punishment for their role in things.

“It was also discussed that we could use them to train the guard.Not many of the members have any experience with shifters.Then when Bella is turned she can have her chance with them.”Caius was looking forward to watching his daughter man handle the wolves.

“That’s a good idea.We don’t get many opportunities to deal with shifters.”Aro said.

“Have you gotten any word on what the captives in the dungeon have been planning.”Caius was interested in hearing whatever the idiots had been coming up with for ideas to escape.

“I was told that when Edward was returned to his cell after his time spent with you they were very upset.The boy lied to them and said that he had gotten hurt trying to fight his way to Bella and after taking out over a dozen guards was subdued.”Aro told him.

Caius rolled his eyes.”Let me guess they all believed him.”

“Of course they did.”Aro confirmed.”He is being hailed a hero by Carlisle and Esme.The humans didn’t react much.I think now that they have been exposed that they will be a little more eager to figure out how to break out.”

“How are they going to do it?”Caius asked.

“Their whole plan relies on overpowering the vampires guarding them.”Aro didn’t understand how they thought that they would be able to get out of their cells as they were strong enough to keep a vampire from destroying it.

Caius was thinking the same things as Aro.”The guards only release one of them at a time.Why would they think they could overpower anyone?”

“I don’t know but it will make them fall for the trap Bella has planned for them.”Aro said.

“True Edward still thinks that Bella is just biding her time to free them.I have no doubt that he would believe that she sent a guard to help them escape.It’s to bad we can’t release the humans at the same time but it would make it obvious it was a set up if we did.”Caius wished they could go through with their plans soon but they had other important things to focus on.Like Bella’s surgery and turning.

“I can’t believe we ever thought that boy would be good for the guard.”Aro was embarrassed by his one time interest in Edward becoming a guard member.A royal guard at that.

“The only good thing that Edward has ever done is try and kill himself because it brought Bella to the castle.Even though I’m not happy she got hurt.”Caius wished there was another way for him to have met his daughter but was thankful that he did.

“Have you set a date for her surgery?”Aro asked.

”We need to wait for Jane to return with the wolves.The doctor is on standby and will be ready as soon as we give the go ahead.I wanted it done as soon as possible but Jane won’t be able to leave Bella for a while once she is turned and we thought getting the wolves was to important to wait that long.”Caius explained.

“It will be a while before she will be able to go out on missions again.”Aro was worried about not having one of this most valuable guard members able to go out in the field.They would just have to adapt because their was no way he was going to force Jane to be away from her mate during such a vital time for a newborn vampire.

“We still have others that can cover for her.”Caius didn’t like not having Jane stuck at the castle either but it was important for her to be around his daughter so he would allow it.

“Speaking about Bella’s mates have you brought up training with Tanya?”Aro asked.

“I have and she easily agreed to train with the guard.”Caius told him.

That surprised Aro.”Really, she is willing to train with the guard?”

“I spoke to her about it and she agreed right away.She didn’t even make any objections just asked when she would be able to start.It seems she is rather eager to begin.”Caius had been pleased that Tanya took learning how to defend not only herself but Bella so seriously.It would make her a better mate.

“I would have thought she would have been against the idea of learning anything from the guard.”Aro knew of Tanya’s hatred of the Volturi due to the incident with her sire.The sisters unfairly blamed him and the guard for Sasha’s death instead of the woman who broke the law.

“I think she realizes that she is the weakest member of Bella’s family and wishes to prove herself.”Caius said.

“Even being a coven leader she is the weakest member.”Aro agreed.”Especially when Bella is turned and learns how to use her gift.”

“She is going to quite powerful once she does.”Caius was looking forward to seeing what his daughter could do when she was turned.

“It is lucky that the girl is so humble because if she wasn’t she could easily cause a lot of chaos with not only her gift but her bonds.”Aro knew that if Bella wanted with her gift and the influence she had on her bond mates she could easily overthrow the royals.

“I would gladly help her create that chaos as long as it didn’t do to much damage.”Caius wasn’t being truthful.If Bella really wanted to cause destruction he would stand right by her side encouraging her to do it.It was part of the bond to want your bond mate to be happy.Not that he believed Bella would abuse the bond.

“The girl too kind hearted to do anything to bad.Then again her idea to punish Edward, Carlisle and Esme was rather ruthless.”Aro said.

“She constantly proves why she was meant to be mine and Athenodora’s daughter.Her encouraging us to make the punishments as painful as possible just one of those instances.”Cause was proud of the way Bella had embraced vampire culture.

“She does seem to understand how we think.”Aro had seen it with the way Bella had acted around her bond mates and her willingness to allow certain things that wouldn’t be normal in human culture.

“That she does.”Caius looked a this watch.”I think I’m going to leave you now.Not only do I want to send Jane on her way but Bella is going to be having lunch soon.I know she has plans with Sulpicia and want to get a chance to spend some time with her before that happens.”

“I may join the pair myself.”Aro told him.

“I think Bella would like that.”Caius knew that Bella liked spending time with the other royals and wouldn’t mind that Aro interrupted her time with Sulpicia.

“Good.”Aro was hoping Bella would be alright with him joining them because he wanted a chance to see that his niece was safe and unharmed.

“I’ll see you later.”Caius said as he made his way out of the door.He was pleased that Aro had agreed to send Jane to get the wolves.Not that he doubted that his brother would object.It was just nice to know they were all on the same page.Caius was somewhat worried about the way Aro was reacting to whatever he had seen from the humans.It was hard not to push to find out what happened but he would respect Aro’s wishes of not wanting to talk about it.Even if it had to do with his daughter.A part of him didn’t want know because he didn’t want to think of Bella being hurt.Another part of him did want to know because he didn’t want Bella to have to suffer though it by herself.He was her father it was his duty to shoulder some of her pain.It made him feel like he was falling her by not knowing.Sighing he pushed his emotions aside and focused on spending time with Bella.It would do no good for her to see him upset.The girl had enough things to worry about she didn’t to be concerned over him.