Slow Drowning - Edward Cullen - (6)Fight for Love

The old castle walls were abandoned with the exception of one large ballroom where the Volturi congregated for a bit of entertainment. The west facing windows were covered by thick velvet curtains, closing out any light or unwanted gazes. Long candlesticks were burning down, their orange flames brightening the shadowed room.

It was silent for a long moment. They were waiting.

Not a single person moved or breathed as their eyes curiously watched the center of the room. "Guinevere," Caius voiced, his maroon eyes staring intently with interest. "I want to see how you fight; and I'm sure everyone else does as well. Would you mind?"

Her jade eyes flickered toward him and then to her opponent. "Mind losing a guard?" she sneered. Guinevere looked peculiarly confident while her insides were screaming.

Caius found this amusing and chuckled. He waved his hand as he slipped to the side in a flash.

Then, it started.

The male vampire circled her for a moment, his handsome face twisted. The flames of the candles made his short, black hair glisten in the light and his white skin glow. His lip curled up over his perfect teeth and his dark eyes stared at her threateningly.

No one could beat him.

To the side, along with the other onlookers, the opponent's mate, an immortal with choppy blonde hair and a square jaw, whispered to another. Her lips pulled up into a smile. "I give her a few seconds with Alex before she's burned."

Everyone was so sure of him. They didn't have any reason not to be.

Alex taunted her when she was reluctant. "Come on old girl. Fight will ya? I want a bit of a challenge before I go after your friends." She snarled and advanced, hesitancy still shining in her dangerous eyes. "Cullens, right?"

Something inside of Guinevere snapped.

They fought. Their bodies collided in a blurred vision. It became something like a dance until after a series of moments, only one was standing. There, in the middle of the ballroom, amongst the remains of her opponent, Guinevere stood. Her gaze flickered across the other Volturis. They stared back at her in half fear and half amazement.

She snapped at Alex's mate, who had taken steps forward in revenge.

Aro interjected with an applaud. "Well done." He crept toward her with grace and almost placed a hand on her icy shoulder, before she cringed away knowing of his talent. "You're better than I thought." His ancient eyes stared out at his coven and visitors. "Would anyone like to try and defeat her?" They shot to Tom's mate in curiosity.

She backed up in response, her glaring gaze averted to her feet.

Caius moved foreword, a smile pulling at his mouth. "Do you feel whole again?" he whispered, though everyone could hear with their extraordinary sense.

Guinevere breathed out through her nose harshly and clenched her jaw. Though she felt angry and terrified, her voice came out softly. "I don't think I ever could."

He rested his hand on her shoulder and watched the others. "We'll see."

Guinevere's hands clenched and her knuckles turned whiter than usual. She closed her eyes at the pain stinging her chest. Her fingertips tingled.

A wounded expression rested itself on her beautiful face. Edward would hate her for what she's done, but she didn't have a choice, did she? His entire family would be currently counting their moments left on the earth if she hadn't of fought back. There was nothing she wouldn't do for them, for Edward. It didn't matter what happened to her or who it cost.

Interrupting her reverie, Aro called her. "Guinevere, Caius and I wish to speak with you."

She blinked and nodded solemnly.

On the way out of the crowded ballroom, she caught the black eye of Alex's mate. The blonde bared her teeth. Guinevere stared at her while she moved gracefully past her, after Aro. Her nose crinkled with a snarl and her eyes flashed to another. Jane.

The small, childlike vampire followed them as though she were dancing. "Stay, Jane," Aro stated, his voice light but eyes dark when he looked back at the guard. Jane abruptly stopped, her eyes widened with surprise.

She glared at Guinevere with distain and growled until Caius hit her with his shoulder as he passed her. He followed the two out of the ballroom. Just before the pair of great doors closed, he shot Jane a look.

Guinevere followed silently through the long halls, her movements elegantly matching the two leader's. They didn't seem to be in any hurry as they stepped down the stone stairs that lead into one of the many underground tunnels.

A short time past until a heavy door shut behind the vampires, confining them into a large, dark room adorned with three thrones. Then, Guinevere stood before them as if she were on a scaffold, awaiting her judgment.

Aro and Caius took their seats in their rightful places. They stared at her for a moment, before Caius said, "Marcus had other business to attend to in South America." He made a sweeping gesture to the chair at his left. "He regrets he couldn't welcome you personally to the Volturi's guard."

"Edward, what happened?"

Guinevere made no movement, but fixed her sharp gaze straight ahead. Caius continued, "Your eyes are incredibly interesting."

"What do you mean?"

Aro's lips turned upward, his ancient skin wrinkling. "They're green."

"Nothing happened. I'm fine."

Caius watched the vampire before him, completely unmoving until his thin lips formed quickly, "A peculiar color for an immortal."

"Does it really matter?" Guinevere snapped and then pursed her lips, trying to control herself.

"It doesn't look like nothing. You're bleeding."

"No," Aro replied. "I suppose it doesn't. It just sparks my interest. Anyway, I suppose we should get on with what we're here for." He stood to his feet - his gracefulness odd on someone of his physical age - and positioned himself in front of her.

Guinevere could sense something was going to happen. She tightened her fists at her sides and curved her shoulders a little, bracing herself defensively. Her orbs flashed from one leader the other anxiously.

"I want to know exactly were your allegiance lies," Aro stated and held out his hands toward her. "Do you mind?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Do I have a choice?"

Aro shook his head, his skin looking paper thin in the yellow light. "No."

Guinevere breathed in, her eyes becoming less hard and much more desperate. They flashed to Caius, who was sitting coolly in his throne-like chair. He stared back at her with a blank expression. She looked back at the silver haired leader and lifted her hands. They hovered above his for a moment and then she let them drop with no other choice.

Her gaze flickered to a group of young men who were laughing on the other side of the thick, frosted window. Suddenly, they stopped their hysterics. She caught the jealous eye of John, who's handsome face was ruined by a deep cut on his cheek. His jaw tightened and he looked to the right towards Edward. His eyes narrowed. He took a step forward before he was distracted by an elderly woman who fussed over him shamelessly.

Suddenly, visions flashed through her mind. Guinevere squeezed her eyes shut, unable to pull away. At the back of her eyelids, Aro saw the deaths she witnessed, pain she received, and thoughts she added over her long life. He crawled into the spaces of her mind that were filled with loneliness in dark corners of abandoned buildings, heartbreaks in far off lands, and morbid tracks leading from her violent past.

She wished him away. She wished he would end it. Guinevere didn't want to relive the forever bleeding wounds that were inflicted.

Edward's fists clutched tightly at his sides, his emerald eyes glaring at the snow covered cement beneath his black leather dress shoes.

Aro held her until one last thought of Edward flashed through her mind. The memory of a man Guinevere will bring with her into the depths of a hell that was eternally awaiting her.

Aro let go and took a step back. She stood there a moment, strangely trusting the silence while her eyes were closed shut. She wrinkled her forehead in grief and opened her eyes to see the two leaders looking at her. Caius's eyes widened in curiosity while Aro carried an unmarked expression.

"Did they do this to you?"

Guinevere backed away, her emerald eyes frightened.

Aro's appearance remained stern as he said, "Odd that you should love Edward for as long as you have. Especially when you believed he was dead for the majority of your existence." She narrowed her eyes and a deep growl sounded from her chest. "You would think that after all of that time, you'd forget him." He paced towards her, unafraid of her defensive stance. "And now Cullen loves a mortal, one that you risked your life for. Why?"

"I said don't worry about me, Guinevere," he insisted. Edward flashed a hate filled look toward John and turned away. His feet dragged as he increased the distance between them. When he heard her quite footsteps follow slowly, he abruptly stopped and turned back to see her worried expression. "Stay away from John Colton, will you?"

Caius stood from his seat and moved toward them.

Guinevere stayed silent for a moment and then said calmly, "You should know by now that I would do anything for Edward and the Cullens ... Isabella as well."

Guinevere pursed her lips and quickly closed the space between them. She tried to smile, but failed miserably when she saw the pain in his beautiful eyes. "I can't leave you like this. Come on." She gingerly wrapped her arm around his waist. She felt him flinch and turned her face away from him. "Sorry."

Aro laughed. "I just don't understand. Edward has done nothing for you but break your heart." His musical voice grew sarcastic. "He continues to love another. Yet you still give your life for him and a fickle human who makes him happy."

Caius became dangerously close and she felt his cool breath on her face. "If I were you, I would have killed her." Guinevere's lip pulled back over her teeth and she hissed. "You've killed others so easily. What makes her different? The fact that Edward loves her? Without her, you could be with him for an eternity."

"He loves her," she repeated. "I would never hurt him like that."

"Where are we going?"

He backed off and shrugged as though it didn't matter. "Your choice. The Volturi has made a deal not to hurt them," He paused for a moment and glanced at Caius. "as long as you continue to do as your told."

"To my house."

Guinevere's expression softened somewhat and she nodded. "I'm I allowed to leave the castle?"

Caius raised a dark, thick eyebrow. "Only during the night; and you must stay within the city boarders. Don't kill anyone either. Volterra is safe for it's citizens."

The night was coming down over Chicago and the snow fell in sheetsgracing the streets and buildings. It was a silent walk as he leaned away from his shame and against Guinevere for some support against the wreathing pain in his ribs. Finally, they came up to a magnificent building decorated in French Baroque tradition, a place she called home.

"Not to worry, Caius. Killing humans is against her," Aro shot a knowing look at Guinevere, before he continued. "morals."

Caius rolled his eyes. "We'll see about that." Guinevere glared at the leader. "You will do well to respect us; and remember there will always be someone watching you. We will react with force if you decide to break our laws."

Guinevere made no advancement on the conversation, but turned on her heel and let her feet lead her away from the underground halls.

Her smooth forehead wrinkled as her eyebrows furrowed. She carefully examined him in the bright light of her kitchen. "It doesn't look like he broke your nose," she said quietly, unable to hide the edge in her voice. She pressed a damp cloth to his flushed skin and was relieved when he didn't pull away.

When night had spread it's way over the ancient city of Volterra, Guinevere found herself wandering in a dreary graveyard. The moon was high in the sky, casting little light on the stones that were cracked and worn. Some forgotten names were unreadable while others were covered in earthy moss.

Guinevere closed her eyes under the protection of an old tree. Feeling the cool breeze caress her face and blow her hair wildly around her, she sighed. "Oh Edward," she whispered, her chest aching. Placing a hand over her still heart, she slid down the side of the tree and felt the cold ground underneath her. Her fingers trailed along the grass while she looked up into the starlit sky, her expression growing weary.

Edward's orbs watched her intently as she gingerly wiped the blood from his face. While he let his hand journey toward hers, he said, "Promise me you'll stay away from Colton."

As thoughts of her beloved spun around in her head, Guinevere pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Though it was unneeded, she drew a deep breath until a chilling sensation fell down her throat. It felt like water. Visions of grey liquid surrounded her. The vampire gasped for air at the memory.

"What happened?" she insisted.

It felt like she was slowly drowning. Now it would only be a matter of time until she gave up and let the current take her further away from her love, Edward. Only a matter of time before she would feel the freezing liquid fill her lungs completely.

"He - " Edward looked into her eyes as though he were trying to find something. Then he averted his gaze, whispering, "I couldn't let him." He gritted his teeth together. "It doesn't matter. I just want you to promise me you'll stay away from him."

The dark shadows sheltered her from the cruel world for a moment. She squeezed her eyes shut again, trying to rid herself of the stabbing pain in her chest and the uncomfortable sensation in her lungs. "What am I supposed to do?" she said quietly to herself.

"Edward." She swallowed harshly, a sick feeling washing over her. "I can't promise you that."

Guinevere wanted to breathe.

"He's not who he seems. Colton's -"

The winds turned and howled past her, whipping her hair around her magnificent face. The leaves rustled above her head, muffling the quite sounds of the city. "Guinevere," the wind whispered in her ear.

"It doesn't matter." Guinevere shook her head and sought to explain herself. "We're to be married in a year."

Her emerald eyes shot open. She looked in every direction frantically, lifting herself from the cool ground. No one was there. "Edward?" she asked, her velvet voice laced with question and hesitancy.

"Why?! Do you love him?" Edward inquired, his eyes searching her face in question. His breathing became hurried.

"I'll find a way," the teasing wind whispered again.

"Of course I don't." She looked down at her hands afraid to meet his intense gaze. "It's been arranged for quite some time. His parents and mine made the decision. John approved." Guinevere's eyes faltered to stay away from his. She saw the anger in his orbs. "It doesn't matter how I feel." She struggled to keep her voice calm and even.

She spun around gracefully, the dark blue skirt of her dress swishing around her long, pale legs. Her face became illuminated in the moonlight and her eyes were darkened with the purple shadow beneath them. Her orbs flickered to every direction, landing at a small grouping of trees a few yards away.

"Of course it matters."

Tall trees stood proudly at the base of a hill. Their long trunks were positioned closely to each other producing mysterious shadows, while the branches that were covered in wide leaves sheltered the wet ground. They let no moonlight in.

"But it doesn't, Edward." Her bottom lip quivered. "The only thing that matters is the fact I'm a young lady with respectable parents; and he's the handsome son of a rich family. We're perfect for each other." Looking down for a moment, she took a deep breath in to gather herself and push back the tears that were threatening to spill from her chocolate eyes.

Guinevere wanted to hear his silky voice again.

Edward leaned back in his chair and watched as she raised the cool cloth to his swollen bottom lip. "Don't marry him," he whispered under her touch. She opened her mouth in defiance but he pushed a long finger to it. "He doesn't deserve you."

She let her feet lead her toward the small wood, her curiosity outweighing her logic. "Edward?" she asked the sinister shade. When no one answered and she was just at the edge of the moon's gleam, she caught a questionable aroma. Her head turned sharply to the side and she snarled.

Guinevere's breath caught in her throat and he let his hand drop from her. She averted her gaze to his beautiful, smooth skin and disobeyed restrain as she traced the tips her fingers over his bruising jaw line.

Not twenty feet away stood Felix, his olive skin looking even more chalky than usual under the Volterra starlight. His dark orbs were lined in the color crimson, his iris deathly black. He smiled. "Edward?" he questioned, an ebony eyebrow rose mockingly. "Are you imagining things? How pathetic." He sauntered closer.

Edward sat up straighter and gently pressed his palm to the back of her hand, enjoying the way her skin felt against his. "You'll be nothing but a prize to him. I heard him saying -" He squeezed his eyes shut, a scene of earlier that night replaying in his mind. The memory of John's dark, disgusting words rang in his ears accompanied by the taunts of his friends. "Point is, he could never love you the way …" He paused a moment and his orbs flickered to meet hers. "you should be."

Guinevere set her jaw and clenched her fists tightly. "What do you want?"

Her hand fell from him and her mouth pulled into a frown. "You shouldn’t say things like that."

"I was told to keep an eye on you. I am, after all, responsible for you."

"Why shouldn’t I?" Edward perched himself on the edge of his chair and watched her with an unfaltering gaze. "Gwen, you deserve so much more." He took her small hands in his strong, careful ones.

"Really?" she asked, her smooth voice opaque.

She felt her heart pound heavily in her chest. Desperately trying to calm her emotions, Guinevere found herself unable to look away from him. She felt persuaded to tell him her true pain. "It doesn't matter what I do or do not deserve, Edward," she whispered. "My parent's don't care if I'm unhappy. It doesn't seem that anyone does."

"Yes." He stepped to her, a snarl curling his lips. "But, now, Caius wants to see you."

Edward's beautiful face became distorted in sadness and a little anger. "I care," he mumbled, moving even closer.

Guinevere stared at Felix for a moment as the wind lightened, only blowing a few stray brown curls around her face. She pursed her lips and swiftly glanced at the wood to her right in vain. There was nothing.

Guinevere's breath caught in her throat and she shook her head. "Please don't say that." She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, blinking back tears. Not baring to let Edward see her like this, she stood to her feet and turned away.

Her gaze traveled back to the guard. Felix chuckled darkly and turned around. She followed, making sure to keep a regular, slow pace just incase a human was watching.

Edward sat back a little, his empty hands dropping to the tops of his legs. His bright eyes widened slightly as he watched her. "Why?"

About half way to the castle and conveniently covered by a large bush from any unwanted onlookers, Felix stopped and roughly grabbed her arm. He pressed his bitter cheek next to hers and whispered harshly in reference to earlier that day, "Against me in a fight, you wouldn't win. So," He jerked her forward severely. "if I were you, I wouldn't be so hostile."

"It only makes things harder for me," she said quietly. "I have to marry John; there's nothing I can do about it. But when you say you things to me like that I -" Guinevere caught herself and hesitated.

She bared her teeth and a hiss came from the depths of her chest. "Get your hands off of me."

Edward swiftly came to her side and tilted her face upward. When she kept her eyes down, he said, "Look at me." Guinevere took a ragged breath and averted her gaze to his emerald orbs. Placing a hand on either side of her pretty face, he felt his skin burn with pleasure. "We will figure something out, Gwen."

Felix glared at her, but nonetheless let go. He snapped his teeth at her in a taunting way and turned his back to her. He lead the way to the Volterra castle much faster than he had before, muttering curses and threats under his breath.

Guinevere's breath caught in her throat when she stared into the green pools of his irises. She couldn't move an inch away from Edward. She didn't want to. The tips of her fingers lightly grazed his defined cheek bone. She became distracted when he opened his mouth slightly, letting out a soft sigh. His lips looked so soft and she found herself wondering what they would feel like under hers.

The moment the two immortals set foot inside the stone walls, Caius rushed them. Felix rolled his eyes and left the two alone. Guinevere's narrowed view followed him and then snapped to the Volturi leader. "What exactly did you want, Caius?"

Edward leaned his head toward hers in a slow, graceful movement.

He eyed her for a moment and then said in a quick fashion, "I have a few plans to discuss with you about tomorrow night." He placed his hand on the small of her back and forcefully pushed her to the center of the room. "Plans that you will by no means disrupt like you did last time."

Before their lips had the chance to touch, the front door - that was thankfully located on the other side of the home - swung open and loud voices came pouring in. They separated quickly, both feeling immeasurably colder. "You better go," Guinevere breathed.

She cringed away from him. "Who's innocent life are you ending now?"

Edward made a short nod and made a beeline to the back door. He hesitated for a short moment and rushed back to her. Taking her hands in his once again, he whispered, "Everything will be alright." He removed one of his hands and brushed her smooth cheek with the back of his hand. "I promise."

And then he left.