Aros Stolen Daughter

Chapter Five

I feel awful. My head is pounding, my heart is beating so quickly I feel like it might burst, and I'm burning up my fever is so high. What I need more than anything is to sleep peacefully and undisturbed for a full night. Of course that won't happen, my head is too full right now.

Renesmee is perfect. I love my sister so dearly already I can't even face the fact that at any moment my father could call and I would have to go back to my prison in Volterra. The thought alone makes tears swell in my eyes. To think that I would have to leave my new family, my rightful family and coven, just to go back to the cruel kidnappers who lied to me for so long.

I looked over across the room to see Renesmee curled up, snuggled under her pale pink comforter sleeping away and smiled to myself that she was my sister. I pushed my comforter away and slipped out of bed and quietly moved towards the door. I was wearing a silk black nightgown that fit tightly and stopped mid thigh with long slender black sleeves. It had been made for me especially and I decided I looked presentable enough.

I could hear Edward and Bella, I still can't call them mom and dad, talking in their bedroom. Their voices were muffled by the soundproof walls but I could hear their conversation through Edwards thoughts. They were talking about me. They are worried about me? I made it to the front door and discreetly left the cottage.

I made my way through the woods, walking at a sluggish human pace, and I realized just how badly I felt. I felt like my bones were under so much tension they might snap, my eyes pulsed, and my head was spinning. It felt like it took me hours to walk to the main Cullen house.

Esme, Alice, and Jasper were all doing different things in the living room and smiled at me when I came in. Their smiles fell a little when they looked at me closer, I must look as bad as I feel.

"Melody? Can't sleep again?" Alice chirped as I came through the back door. I shook my head and she smiled apologetically.

"Could I speak with Carlisle?" I asked.

"He's up in his study sweetheart. Go right up, I'm sure he'll love to talk to you." Esme smiled at me as she arranged flowers in a vase.

I slowly climbed the stairs. Preparing myself for what I was about to say.

I knocked quietly on his studies door, knowing he could already hear me.

"Come in Melody!" He called softly and I opened the door sheepishly.

He was sitting behind his desk, a laptop in front of him and a large medical book beside him, he smiled warmly at me and gestured towards a comfortable looking chair beside him. I sat criss crossed in the large chair and my attention was caught by the images on his laptop.

"Is that a case of Giant Cell Apparatus?" I asked and he smiled at me.

"You know quite a lot about the medical field I can tell." He noted.

"I study a lot. I have a vampire photographic memory so I retain everything. I really enjoy medical science books." I smiled up at him.

"Now, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" He asked as he closed the laptop and turned towards me.

I took a deep breath, "I'm terrified."

"Of what Melody?" He asked concerned and took my hands in his.

"Volterra." I answered and I could feel my face pale.

He looked me deeply in the eyes and I could tell he understood completely. Edward mentioned in passing that he had spent time with the Volturi and I began to think maybe I wasn't entirely alone in my fear.

"What exactly scares you about Volterra and the Volturi?" He asked cautiously.

"My whole life I've been lied to. It hurts so much to think that my carissimo papà, my dearest papa, was nothing more than my kidnapper. I was constantly kept busy to keep my mind off of my situation. I can't help but wonder if he even really loved me! We've always been so close, I've seen him everyday, he's lulled me to sleep and woken me in the morning with poetry ever since I can remember. He's always held me so much more affectionately than anyone else, that can't all be a lie. Can it?" I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair willing the tears to stop and Carlisle smiled sadly at me.

"Come here." He whispered and lifted me to sit on his lap, he wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back in soothing circles as he tucked my head into the crook of his neck "Aro Volturi has always been a cautious man. It's what's kept him alive all these long years. He's ways been a hard man by nature with a false facade of happiness. What he wants he gets. He discovered Bella was with child and knew from a guard member that she was carrying twins. He wanted you. So he got you." He paused.

"You and your sister have an amazing amount of charm. I'm sure he began to care for you as a daughter because of that. Elizabeth Melody, you may be the only person to truly put love into Aros heart." He sounded justified and proud "But...you are a Cullen. And Cullens fight for their family. I will never let anything happen to you Elizabeth." He spoke firmly but sweetly. Normally I don't like people calling me Elizabeth but when he says my name it makes me feel cherished, likes he's spoken that name to show endearment. "I know I speak for the whole family when I say that we love you deeply and there is absolutely nothing you can do to get rid of us." He laughed, the sound echoed through his hollow sounding chest.

Tears brimmed my eyes as I snuggled into him deeper and he wrapped his arms around me.

"Grazie a mio nonno brillante." I thanked my brilliant grandfather and as I slipped into a peaceful sleep he murmured the words of Robert Frost and other great poets as if he were speaking to the stars themselves.