Fools Game (The Volturi)

3

Forks, Washington

Elizabeth stretched as tall as she could, the heels of her feet almost leaving the floor.

"Ah, no cheating," Carlisle smirks and taps her head gently to settle her back to her unaided height.

"Did I beat Ness?" Elizabeth asks excitedly.

Carlisle marked on the doorframe her new height in gold sharpie. "Unfortunately not this week."

Elizabeth turned to examine the doorframe. On one side in gold sharpie were her measurements, the dates neatly written on each line by Carlisle's hand, and on the other, in silver sharpie were her sister's, Ness was almost 15cm taller than her now.

"It's not fair!" Elizabeth breathes. "I want to be tall too."

"You'll catch up," Carlisle smiles and scribbles down some notes in one of his journals. Elizabeth, liked spending time in Carlisle's office, when he was reading he'd allow her to sit at his large mahogany desk and draw or write her letters to all their family friends. Recently she'd taken to sitting in the chair by the window and trying to read some of the large medical journals that lined the bookshelves. Her progress far surpassed any other child who looked her young mere five year old appearance, and Carlisle greatly enjoyed her company and curiosity, her aptitude for learning pleased him beyond what he thought capable.

"Why do you keep the painting?" Elizabeth asks as she settled into the chair.

Carlisle turned to look at the painting in question. It had been his parting gift from Aro when he'd left the Volturi all those years ago. The ancient had been sad to see him go, although the grandness of his parting gift was nothing special, Aro had a liking for theatrics.

"It was a gift," Carlisle says. "Although relationships may be strained now, it does not warrant it's removal...although I may not put it in my study in our next house."

"I like it," Elizabeth says, she unfurls her legs and walks across the carpeted floor to point up at the faces of the men. "This one, Caius, we had a staring contest...he won."

"He was not very happy that day," Carlisle agrees with a soft smile, watching his granddaughter continue to pass her innocent judgement on the leaders of the Volturi. The men who had plotted to kill her.

"Why was Marcus so sad?" Elizabeth cocked her head to stare across at her granddad, her coppery blonde hair falling in looping waves down her back.

"Marcus lost his wife a long time ago, he's been sad ever since," Carlisle replies simply.

"That is sad," Elizabeth agrees and frowns. Her lips twist round as she purses them, continuing to look up at the painting in thought. "Mummy said Aro was greedy, and would've killed us all just to steal aunty Alice and her gift...is that true?"

"Do you not believe your mummy?" Carlisle asks.

"Of course...but she might be...might be, bias?" Elizabeth questions her choice of word and with Carlisle's approving nod, continues. "Mummy might be biased, and think Aro was being meaner than he was?"

"He was being rather mean, but millennia of time and power tend to fester greed," Carlisle says and Elizabeth nods still looking at the painting.

"In a few years I think I'll be able to win a staring contest with Caius."

Carlisle chuckles. "I'm sure you'll give it your best effort." At his words, Carlisle's granddaughter spins to glare at him, her eyes narrowed, their unique colour glittering through her eyelashes.

"Are you trying to scare me little one?"

"We're having a staring contest granddad," Elizabeth says and crumples her face more to try and replicate the glare she remembered Caius having pinned her with.

"You don't have to look so angry sweetheart," Carlisle laughs softly.

Elizabeth's face softens and her eyes go wide. "Oh, I thought that was part of the game."

"As I said, Caius was just very angry that day."

"Maybe he'll be less angry next time?"

Carlisle's wistful smile faltered and his brow furrowed into a frown. "Let's hope there won't be a next time. Why don't you show me what you were drawing yesterday, Lizzie?"