Amardad Swan, the older sister of Bella Swan, was dying. But at this point, she knew that she just had to make the best of the situation she was placed in.
What happens when that situation becomes having to live in an ancient castle in Volterra wit...
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"You live in a mansion?" Edward laughed taking my hand and dragging me towards the front door, it was very clean and styled inside the house, big windows letting in sun.
"This is the only place we don't have to hide." I nodded walking with Edward up the stairs passing a graduation cap art piece. I raised an eyebrow, "It's an inside joke..." Edward trailed off, still very uncomfortable. "I think it's lovely, Mara would surely like it too,"
I mentioned my older sister fondly, I had mentioned to Edward that I had a sister but we had never really talked about her. "Your sister?" I nodded, "Well, her name is actually Amardad but we call her Mara per her request." Edward nodded, "Does she still live with your mom?"
"No, she's living, well vacationing at the moment in Europe." Edward and I walked into the kitchen where the Cullens and Hales minus Jasper and Alice were making food. "Ciao!"
I kind motherly woman I guessed to be Esme greeted me, from what Mara thought me through the phone it was a common Italian greeting. "Bonjourno." Another Italian greeting. I looked in her direction meeting her golden eyes, "Molto bene." That I had no idea what it meant so I just nodded. Carlisle wrapped an arm around his wife's waist. "Were making Italian for you."
"Thanks" Emmett greeted me by waving the butcher's knife in the air, reminding me of a villain in a horror movie. At this point, Alice and Jasper jumped from a branch into the kitchen. Alice held a bouquet of wildflowers in her hand and came running towards me, quickly giving me a hug.
"Oh, you do smell good!" Alice smiled and handed me the flowers, Edward looked pained as he responded, "Alice," Alice just smiled returning to Jasper's side. There was a pang of sadness in my chest as I looked at the flowers.
"Jasper's the new-" Jasper cut Carlisle off, "Isabella." Everyone turned towards Jasper, not expecting him to speak, "Please knock out of it. Please." He stressed the last word before turning and leaving, Alice following behind him just as confused as anyone else."
"Uhh, come on il give you a tour." Edward showed me around then we sat on a settee in his room. "Why did Jasper act that way towards me?" Edward sighed, "Jasper's an empath, it's his talent, so he can feel everyone's emotions and manipulate them. From what he was thinking you were depressed, sad?"
"I just miss Mara, we haven't talked in a while..." Edward took my hand, "And?" He pressed, "She's sick." Edward was suddenly still before frowning, "Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want to talk to me about her?"
I nodded, "She's like the modern-day Persephone." Edward seemed to think on this for a moment, "Persephone's the goddess of the Underworld, right?" I nodded, "But also of spring."
Edward chuckled, "Where is she vacationing?" I thought back to our last conversation, "Somewhere in Tuscany." Edward's eyes went wide, "Where exactly in Tuscany?" I shrugged, "Would you remember if I said the name?" I nodded "Yes?"
"Is it Volterra?" I pondered this for a moment, "Yes, why?" Edward quickly grabbed my hand, practically dragging me to another room that he had before mentioned as Carlisle's study.
We stood there for a few seconds before Carlisle said a quick "Enter." Carlisle looked distraught but had a calm facade. "What's wrong with Mara?" Edward directed me towards a large painting on the wall, there were four people painted, one looking very similar to Carlisle.
"These are the kings, the rulers they make sure everyone stays in line, and doesn't know about vampires. The Volturi -" Edward started but I cut him off, "Volturi like Volterra?" Edward nodded and continued, "This is Marcus, Aro, Caius, the kings, and Carlisle. He spent a decade there." He pointed to each vampire in turn, the three kings had piercing red eyes, the first Marcus looked sad, depressed even, he was slouched in his throne and had long black hair.
The second Aro had also black hair but it was shorter and he was sitting tall, hand intertwined smiling. The third, Caius, was scray. He had platinum blonde hair and was smirking wickedly, his red eyes seemed to glow. Carlisle was standing behind Caius's throne looking sad.
"What's wrong with them?" My gaze turned back to Edward, "Well, umm, Carlisle should explain." Carlisle glared at Edward sightly for making him tell me. "The Volturi do not share my ideas. To simplify, they do not believe golden-eyed vampires are following the correct choice." I nodded, still not understanding.
"The Volturi need to get humans somehow, and so they host tours into their castle in Volterra..." Carlisle trailed off, "They get killed, the tourists that go on that tour?" Carlisle nodded, "My sister!"
"I would recommend calling her, maybe telling her not to go on the castle tours because... Well, make up a compelling reason." I nodded for what seemed like the thousandth time today, grabbing my phone from my back pocket and opening 'Phone'. I scrolled down until I saw her contact.
I pressed 'Call' and waited while it rang, once twice, three times...
"Aspetta un secondo per favore..." Mara's voice rang clear, and I sighed in relief, "Wait one-second please..." Carlisle translated. "Va bene, amico! Ti parlerò più tardi." Mara spoke to someone else in the room, "Okay bye, il talk to you later." Carlisle translated again.
There were steps and Mara spoke again, "Oh! Bellissima Bella, how are you?" Her voice was soft and sweet, both Edward and Carlisle were amazed at how much she sounded like a vampire. "I'm doing well, I'm at my boyfriend Edward's house. I wanted him to meet you." That statement was partly true.
"Oh! Let's do a facetime them? Is that convenient for you?" I nodded, Edward, Carlise, and I made our way towards the downstairs living room. Sitting down on the plush cushions. There was a brief flash of black before we saw her face, smiling.
Carlisle opted to sit on a lone chair out of view of the camera, while Edward and I sat on the loveseat. "So how are you doing bellissima? Still, wanting to be a teacher? Staying safe?"
I nodded, Mara looked good, she was in a yellow dress, she was tanned and her light brown hair was tucked up, like always. "Yes, I'm staying safe Mara, and yes I still want to be a teacher, but stop pressuring me to chose a career. You're taking a year off."
Mara started laughing, her augh sounding like tinkling bells, "Oh, bellissima, we both know that if I wished I could complete the MCAT in two hours and have no mistakes. I did have someone to practice stitching on."
I blushed and Carlisle looked at me surprised, at this time the whole Cullen and Hale family was gathered around the living room listing. "That was once Mara."
"Yes, and when we arrived at the hospital the doctors gave me 500 dollars to show them how to do it." Emmett chuckled, Mara then turned to look at Edward, "Hello Mara, I'm Edward Cullen." He kindly introduced himself.
"It's a pleasure Edward. Do you know Italian?" Edward nodded, "Slightly." Mara smiled "They perhaps you should listen closely? Tu fai del male a Bella e io ti faccio a pezzi, pezzo per pezzo."
I know enough by the look on Edward's face that it was a threat, thought Mara's voice stayed happy during the saying of it. She suddenly reminded me of the blonde king, Caius, as she smirked and sat tall just like him.
"Why did you call? It was certainly not only to meet you're... Lovey boyfriend." I nodded, "Umm, well I wanted to tell you not to go on the tour of the castle." Mara nodded, "Of couse bellissima, you'll tell our father that I said hello?"
"Yes, Amardad. I got to go, talk to you later?" Mara nodded smiling sweetly, "Of course have a good afternoon helluo librorum." The screen flashed black as Mara disconnected from facetime.
"She seems nice." Esme said smiling kindly, thought having herd the threat to her first son.
***
End of Chapter Question: What do you think of Amardad?
