CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
YOU CHOOSE, VOLTURI
JALAN HAS never felt air so thick, so tense.
Jalan feels snow crunch under her boot, she hears the light whistles of wind. She sees the small flakes of snow. She sees life.
And now she's fighting for hers and her family's.
Jalan had Rosalie to the right of her and Frankie to the left. She squeezed both their hands as tightly as she could.
Garrett rocks back and forth on his feet, he hears the Volturi coming out of the trees. He mumbled, "The red coats are coming, the red coats are coming."
All of them came out of the woods synchronized into a diagonal line before the core members slowly separate themselves from their coven.
"Arlo's looking for Alice." Edward was quick to say.
Jalan's eyes trail across everyone, none of them met her eye.
Weird.
Howls come faintly from in the woods and slowly the pack of wolves came walking towards the group. Seth made his stop near Frankie, who ruffles his fur for support.
Aro drops his hood along with everyone else. Carlisle steps forward, taking the leading role as usual, "Aro, let's discuss things as we used to...in a civilized manner." He requests.
"Fair words, Carlisle," Aro tilts his head at the man, "but a little out of place given the battalion you've assembled against us."
Carlisle truthfully spoke, "I can promise you that was never my intent. No laws have been broken."
"We see the child." Caius almost snarls, "Do not treat us as fools."
Jalan wanted to make a snarky comeback to that but doesn't.
"She is not an immortal child!" Carlisle raised his voice to catch the full attention of the Volturi, "These witnesses can attest to that or you can look." He points at Renesmee who stood quietly near Bella, "See the flesh of human blood in her cheeks?"
Caius was quick to yell, "Artifice!"
Aro raised his hand to Caius, "I will collect every facet of the truth but someone more central to the story...Edward, as the child clings to your newborn mate. I assume you are involved."
Edward takes a second to cherish a moment with his daughter and wife before walking to Aro. He takes Edward's hand and reads his memories. When he finally opens his eyes he is stunned. He looks at Renesmee, "I'd like to meet her."
Bella hesitantly begins walking forwards with Renesmee, Jacob was in his wolf form walking right beside her.
"Wait," Jalan whispers to Bella, making her stop in her tracks. Jalan slowly steps away from Frankie and Rosalie. Emmett steps away from Imogen and they both walk with Bella towards Aro.
Emmett and Jalan both glare coldly at Aro.
"I am happy to see your face again, Jalan." His words go unresponded to by the vampire so he laughs.
"Young Bella. Immortality becomes you," Aro teased. He looks at Renesmee and a weird laugh escapes his lips, "I hear her strange heart."
"Hello, Aro." Renesmee slowly walks up to him and instead of her putting her hand on his, she puts her hand on his cheek, confusing him until he begins to see what she sees.
"Magnifico." Aro could barely speak, "Half mortal, half immortal. Conceived and carried by this newborn...while she was still human."
"Impossible." Caius spat.
"Do you think they've fooled me, Brother?" Aro turns to him, his head tilting.
Jalan slowly makes her way back once her family is at a safe distance. Rosalie was quick to grab Jalan's hand again.
Caius sighs, "Bring the informer forward." Two guards walk Irina up towards Caius. He points at Renesmee from afar, "Is that the child you saw?"
Irina's eyes were filled with caution and confusion. She looks at her family, "I'm not sure—she's changed. The child is bigger." She rambles.
"Then your allegations were false." Caius reveals.
"...The Cullens are innocent," Irina says, "I take full responsibility for my mistake. I'm sorry." She whispers the apology to her sisters.
Edward tries to stop the Volturi's next move, but it was too late. They snapped off her head and burned it. The Denali sisters are quick to scream for their sister and charge at the Volturi before being stopped by their allies. Jalan grabs hold of Imogen, who'd tried running after them. Irina was like her sister, the Denali's were her second family.
Zafrina blinds them using her ability.
"Give me my sight back!" Tanya orders.
"Tanya this is what they want." Edward whispers, "If we attack now, we'll all die." When he notices them call down, Zafrina gives them their sight.
"Come on." Jalan softly pulls Imogen back with her.
Edward walks back towards Bella, only to be stopped by a painful ringing. Jalan felt her body tense but it slowly relaxed when Bella stepped up and starts using her ability on not only Edward but the entire group.
Jane tries anyone in the group, confused at what was being done. Then she connects her eyes with her. Bella.
Jane has to be stopped from stepping forward, Alec attempts to use his abilities but is stopped by Aro.
"Aro, you see there is no law broken here." Carlisle tries convincing him to walk away.
Aro grins as if he had something up his sleeve, "agreed but does it then follow that there is no danger here?" He speaks louder, "For the first time in history...humans pose a threat to our kind. Their modern technology has given birth to weapons that could destroy us. Maintaining our secret has never been more imperative. In such perilous times, only the known is safe. Only the known is tolerable and we know nothing of what this child will become."
Jalan did not like where this was going.
"Can we live with such uncertainty?" Aro questions, "Spare ourselves a fight today...only to die tomorrow." He turns back to Carlisle.
Jalan was now glaring holes into everyone, still holding on tightly to Rosalie and Frankie.
The faint sounds of steps in the snow catch everyone's attention. If it weren't for Jalan's amazing eyesight, she wouldn't be able to spot Alice and Jasper stepping out of the woods side-by-side.
Aro gasps, a smile spreading to his lips, "Alice."
Alice glances at her family, sending them a reassuring nod as she does. She makes her way to Aro only for guards to stop her.
"My Dear, Dear Alice, we're so glad to see you here after all." Aro gawked her way.
"I have evidence the child won't be a risk to our kind." Alice claims, "Let me show you."
Aro ignores Caius's uncertain comments and lets Alice make her way toward him. Aro wasted no time to take her hand.
Jalan waits for Aro's words only to hear Alice's words instead. "It doesn't matter what I show you. Even when you see..." She snatched her hand away, "you still won't change your decision." Alice glances at her family, mouthing the word, "Now."
Jalan felt chills run up her spine. She spares one last glimpse at Rosalie, their eyes soft yet carrying much apprehension.
sirednotes, I remember watching this scene for the first time and almost shitting my pants.
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