The Dark Princess 9

“Are we going to be meeting my son and Alice before our audience with the Kings?” Carlisle asked as he and the rest of his coven minus Alice and Edward followed Alec through the castle. The guard had been extra hostile to the group of them although Carlisle noticed more so to him and Esme. He had spent the hours before coming to the castle in research of vampires with mind manipulation gifts and was hoping to get a chance to talk to both his children alone to see if his suspicions that they had been affected had been right. He hadn’t found out anything helpful but that didn’t stop him from being sure that at least Alice was under the influence of something. He just knew it because there was no way Edward could have hurt Bella. No matter what Alice believed Carlisle knew they were mates.

Alec ignored the question. He noticed right away that the coven leader didn’t ask about Bella. This just proved how disgusting the man was to him. Bella had been brave enough to put herself in front of a castle full of human drinking vampires to save a boy she didn’t even like if from what he had learned from his sister was true. She had done it as a favor to Alice so she and the rest of the Cullens wouldn’t lose a coven member. Carlisle should be praising the brave girl because it was the fact that she had vouched for the rest of his coven that they were safe. Alec just hoped the self important vampire got what was coming to him. He didn’t care about Carlisle’s mate but since she was mated to the coven leader most of the castle hated her as much as they did Carlisle.

“Alec I’m here to take Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett to meet with the princess.” Dimitri said as he met the group in the hallway.

“Princess?” Rosalie didn’t know the Volturi had a princess.From the shocked faces of the rest of her family they didn’t either. It almost was enough to overshadow her fear of being separated from Carlisle and Esme to go meet with this princess.

“When did the Volturi get a princess?” Carlisle would have heard of a Volturi princess. He had lived in the castle for many years and still had friends who lived there. He was sure they would have told him of such an important event.

“It is not my place to speak of the princess. I was simply told that she requested Rosalie, Jasper and Emmett be escorted to her when they arrived at the castle.” Dimitri had to hold back his smile. The royals had told him not to reveal anything to the Cullens because they wanted to be the ones to tell them. He just hoped he got to be in the throne room during the big reveal.

Jasper used his gift to read the guards' emotions. Alec like always was overwhelmed with anger but Dimitri was overwhelmed with excitement. It made Jasper wary of what was going to happen with this princess they were going to meet but he had faith in Alice when she said that she was being treated well. It gave him confidence that he, Rosalie and Emmett would be alright. Maybe Alice had made friends with the princess and they were going to meet Alice and the vampire. “Is Alice going to be with the princess?”

“Yes she is. She has spent most of the day in the princess’ company.” Dimitri figured telling them that would make them trust him a little more and they wouldn’t try to attack him or run as he led them through the castle.

“Then I look forward to meeting her.” Jasper wanted to see his mate and it seemed Alice was right when she said she was probably one of the safest people in the castle. If she was spending time with the princess she would have the royal guard around her keeping her safe.

“Jasper, I don’t think we should separate.” Carlisle didn’t understand why Jasper was being so accepting of being led to this princess. Yes Alice was his mate but Carlisle really believed that she had been mentally altered in some way.

“That is not your decision to make. Now let’s get going. Her highness doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” Dimitri knew that wasn’t true as Bella was actually probably the nicest human he ever met but he didn’t want them to think they had control of this situation.

Before anyone could protest further Rosalie, her mate and her brother were led further into the castle. Neither guards had mentioned Bella and she was worried for the girl. Carlisle not asking about her was predictable. She knew that he was going to get himself in trouble with the kings if what Alice said about the false mate bond was true and he tried to defend Edward. Not only that but there was the warning Alice had given them about the royals being upset Bella had gotten hurt. Rosalie hoped Carlisle wouldn’t be stupid enough to mouth off to the point of getting the whole coven killed. Hopefully Alice’s friendship with this princess would save their lives. It was as Dimitri stopped at a heavily guarded door that her worry reached new heights.

Dimitri led the vampires into Caius’ sitting room announcing the group. “Princess I present Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett from the Cullen coven.”

“I will forgive you for the title Dimitri as I know my parents would have your head if you didn’t address me as such.” Bella told Dimitri smiling when she noticed his shoulders sag in relief.

“Alice!!” Jasper wrapped his arms around his mate as she rushed to him. He forgot the rest of the room existed as he released her from the hug and held her at arms length looking her over for injuries. “Are you alright?”

Alice smiled brightly. “I’m fine Jasper I promise. I have been treated like an honored guest this whole time.”

“Wait back up a second.” Rosalie was confused about what was going on. One thing stood out though. How Dimitri had called Bella princess. “Bella is the Volturi princess?”

“Why don’t we sit down and we can explain everything that has happened.” Alice motioned for the group to take seats. She sat herself next to Bella with Jasper next to her while Rosalie and Emmett had taken the love seat across from them. Jane had left to be present during Carlisle and Esme’s meeting with the kings and Heidi had been assigned as Bella’s personal bodyguard along with Felix. Both taking their places behind Bella.

“That would be nice.” Jasper said. He noticed that although Bella was obviously hurt she was feeling overwhelming happiness. He had expected fear but felt none coming from the girl at all.

“Before we get into anything I want to ask Bella if she is alright? Alice told us what Edward did and mentioned you had to see a doctor.” Seeing Bella’s arm wrapped up and strapped to her chest with some kind of sling had made her even angrier at Edward. It also confirmed to Rosalie Alice had been telling the truth that Bella wasn’t Edward’s mate.

“I will be fine. I’m going to have to have surgery to repair the bones but after it’s healed I should have full use of my arm.” Bella sighed hearing not only Alice but Felix and Heidi growl at mention of Edward hurting her.

“That bastard.” Rosalie growled as well. She wished she had a chance at Edward herself and by the sound of it she wasn’t the only one. “What happen to him?”

“He is currently in the dungeon. From what I have been told only my father has visited him and the visit went well for my father but not for Edward. Felix was there to witness the aftermath.” Bella motioned for Felix to pick up the story.

Felix smiled brightly thinking of the king’s visit. “Caius ripped the boy's limbs off and placed three of them in a different corner of the cell. He then had the guards reattach one of the boy’s arms. I personally had the pleasure of watching as Edward dragged himself across the dirty floor to obtain his limbs.”

“And both of you were ok with this?” Jasper asked Alice and Bella.

“I wish I could have been there to see it.” Alice proclaimed. She was hoping to get a piece of Edward herself if the royals allowed her. She doubted she would though because as she was learning Bella had quite a way with vampires and most of the Volturi had fallen for Bella’s charms and had volunteered to dole out Edward’s punishment.

Although Rosalie was happy to hear of Edward being punished something important stuck out of the explanation they were given. “Did you say that Caius is your father?”

“Oh right you guys don’t know. I have a child bond with both Caius and Athenodora.” Bella told them.

Rosalie was beyond surprised. A child bond was extremely rare and something she had hoped she would one day have. She wasn’t able to have her own children but wished that she would experience the child bond. “And you have already accepted the bond?”

“It was actually really easy to accept the bond. I felt comfortable around them right away. It was the same with Jane. I knew I was safe with them.” Bella explained.

“What does this have to do with Jane?” Jasper asked.

“Jane is my mate. She is the reason Edward hurt me.” Bella smiled seeing the surprised expressions on the three vampires faces.

“Holy shit you are the mate of one of the witch twins?” Emmett was beyond surprised. How was it that their unassuming human friend was not only the bond child of the most feared vampire king and his mate but the mate of one of the most powerful vampires that ever existed.

“Emmett.” Rosalie hissed. She didn’t know how Bella would react to her mate being called that and now that they knew what had transpired it wouldn’t be good for any of them if they upset Bella.

“It’s fine.” Bella reassured Rosalie. “I know she is called that. She and Alec don’t mind the nickname so I don’t mind the nickname.”

Rosalie sighed in relief. “Bella I would like to tell you how sorry I am for the way I treated you. I didn’t like the way Edward treated you and after I had been told it wasn’t any of my business because Edward was your mate I used that as an excuse to distance myself from you. I really hope now that Edward is out of the picture you and I can become friends.”

“I never took your behavior personally. I just figured it was you reacting to a human being around your coven. Now that I know about the laws I feel like you were the only smart one. Me being around you was beyond dangerous. To not only me but you guys as well.” Bella didn’t understand how Edward could have been so stupid to introduce her to the vampire world.

“Speaking of that. Do you know what is going to happen to us?” Jasper asked. Although it seemed like everything was fine he knew that with the royals that could change in an instant.

“After speaking to my mother it was decided that the four of you would be spared from any punishment. You not knowing about the false mate bond saved you from her wrath.” Bella said.

“It wasn’t just that that saved us. Bella vouched for the four of us and asked that we be spared.” Alice wanted her siblings to know exactly who they had to thank for being unharmed. She had no delusions that if it wasn’t for Bella they would all be before the kings right now begging for their lives.

Rosalie was once again surprised by Bella’s behavior. She didn’t know what she and Emmett had done to deserve the free pass Bella gave them but she promised herself that she would never take the human for granted again. “Thank you Bella.”

“It’s no problem. Now we just have to wait to find out what is going to happen to Esme and Carlisle. My parents didn’t say exactly what they had planned for the two but I would guess it all depends on how they respond to the inquiry. I know for a fact that Edward’s life is forfeit but I don’t know anything about those two.” Bella didn’t think anything good was going to happen. Her mother’s anger alone would seal their fate but by the way her father and aunts and uncles were acting whatever the punishment was going to be it was going to be extremely painful.

Jasper sat back and pulled Alice close to him. He didn’t know how he felt about this whole situation. He was grateful for Bella though. Alice had always considered Bella her best friend and any doubt that Bella didn’t feel as strongly for Alice as Alice did for her was washed away by the fact that he was sitting right where he was with two of his siblings and his mate. He had no doubt that if it wasn’t for Bella Alice would have been thrown into a cell right next to Edward and the rest of them would have followed as soon as they reached the castle. He wondered what was going to happen to Carlisle and Esme but as he turned to look at his mate talking animately with Bella and the others he found he honestly didn’t really care. Carlisle wasn’t anything to him and he put up with him and Esme for Alice’s sake. If he really thought about it this whole situation was more positive than negative. He didn’t like that Bella got hurt but her being here made it so they now had the Volturi as allies. When he got Alice alone he would have to talk to her about what exactly had happened while she was there. Until then he was just going to sit back and enjoy the moment for what it was and not worry about the rest.