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The day had finally come and it came like a blessing and a curse... A blessing because they were done waiting around aimlessly but also like a curse because no one truly knew how it would end... and if they would see the true ending of the battle.
Natalia walked beside Ace right behind Bella, Edward, and Renesmee, the warm feeling from his powers radiating off Ace's body gave her some sort of comfort and safety. She knew if she was going to die today it would be fine because she would die for the people that she loved and with the thought that she and her mate were once together again. There is only one thing or one more person that could make this situation nicer and that person was Seth. The girl hadn't spoken with the shapeshifter since that incident that happened between him and Ace. The wolfs hadn't arrived yet and she wasn't sure if he was going to be angry at her or hold a grudge...
Natalia kept her eyes on the pale snow that covered the soon-to-be battlefield. A soft breath escaped her mouth and collided against the numbing air, she blinked thoughtfully as the frost patiently kissed her face, captivated by the soft, dusty illusions of light that sat heavily on her eyelashes. She adored the snow, more so when it was falling.
Without taking her eyes off the snow she spoke up so gently that it almost seemed like she didn't even want these words to escape her mouth but in the end, they did and they were heard only by the person that it was aimed at.
"You still have a chance to back out of this..." She doesn't exactly know why she said it but it might have been the heavy feeling in her chest that was scared he would just disappear again, it hurt her so much because she knew she wouldn't have survived him leaving again.
Looking down at the blonde that stood close to his side his eyes softened but they held complete determination in them and he smirked as he spoke up.
"I'm not leaving, not again." He had no idea how much his saying that meant to her, how much weight he had just taken off her. Looking up into his red eyes she smiled and when he saw that smile he just couldn't help but gently grab her hand and kiss her knuckles not letting go after he had kissed them making her smile before facing the front again with a newly gained confidence.
As they all stared into the cold fog waiting for the Volturi and their witnesses to appear the silence was cut short by Garrett.
"If we live through this, I'll follow you anywhere, woman."
"Now you tell me," Kate said amused as Natalia looked back at the couple from the corner of her eye and she couldn't help but smile wider happy for the pair. So much was happy right now and it would be a pity if it got destroyed by the outcome of the fight.
But just as fast as the smile appeared it disappeared when Natalia noticed the known black hoods of the Volturi approaching. When Natalia felt Ace's grip on her hand tightening she looked up at the boy to see his once cheeky being replaced by a sour and serious look. She had never seen this expression on him before, it didn't scare her but...intrigued her.
"The Redcoats are coming! The Redcoats are coming!" Garrett said with slight excitement but also worry in his voice. Natalia's eyes widened at the number of witnesses that the Volturi had with them. She knew that the coven was big but she just wasn't expecting this... If a fight was to come which with the Volturi happened most of the time a lot of people would not come out alive.
Some of the witnesses moved out of the way and let the Volturi kings and the guard in front. Aro walked in the middle front with Caius and Marcus on each of his sides and the twins right behind them. Even though Alec was walking behind Aro and Marcus his eyes still found their way to Natalia's face and when he did a look of worry and guilt washed over his face just for a split second.
As the Volturi approached the Cullen's and their witnesses Aro's eyes scanned through all the present vampires searching for one in particular.
Alice.
When Natalia's eyes went away from Aro they travelled all the way to Irina and a lump formed in her throat at the sight of her cousin. Discretely looking back at the Denali's to make sure they were alright Natalia could see the pain on Kate's face and how badly she wanted to run in Irina's direction but didn't. It pained Natalia to see Kate in this state and she wanted nothing more than to run in her direction and hug her but she knew better so she focused her eyes back on the Volturi.
The sound of the wolves howling made Natalia let out a breath as her eyes scanned through the wolves that emerged from the forest desperately looking for Seth. She didn't have to look for long because in a matter of seconds, he stood on her right side facing the Volturi and she couldn't help but let his name slip out of her mouth.
"Seth..." The wolf looked over at his imprint with a soft gaze making her let out a soft breath knowing that she shouldn't have worried. Slowly lifting her hand she let her fingers run through his fur not noticing the eye roll that had happened on Ace's face as she looked back at the Volturi just when they took off the hoods.
Carlisle being the leader of the Olympic Coven walked away from Esme and stood in front of their group as the spokesman.
"Aro, let us discuss things as we used to. In a civilized manner."
"Fair words, Carlisle. Little out of place given the battalion you've assembled against us." Natalia furrowed her brows at the way that Aro had worded that sentence. If one was to accuse someone of making a battalion against them it should be them accusing the Volturi.
"I can promise you, that was never my intent. No laws have been broken." Carlisle responded and Caius must have been already in a bad mood taking in mind that he had spoken up right after Carlisle making Natalia's eyes travel over to the other king.
"We see the child. Do not treat us as fools."
"She is not an Immortal! These witnesses can attest to that. Or you can look. See the flush of human blood in her cheeks." Carlisle said and turned his head back to his family pointing with his hand towards the innocent child.
"Artifice!" Was all that Caius had to say and Ace's gaze on the Volturi only hardened when he heard that and Natalia knew if not for the fact that she was standing right beside him he would have already gone in an argument.
He had been doing everything in his power to not cross paths with the Volturi and for a good reason.
Aro silenced his fellow king while lifting up his left hand and speaking up.
"I will collect every facet of the truth. But from someone more central to the story. Edward, as the child clings to your newborn mate, I assume you are involved." Aro stepped a couple steps forward holding out his hand towards them making Natalia's eyes flash over to his brother with panic flashing over them.
Edward touched Renesmee's head before looking up at his wife and he must have heard his sister's worried thoughts because he quickly looked back at her sending her a small smile before walking in Aro's direction calming the blonde's nerves.
Natalia's eyes left her brothers to look at her sister-in-law who's eyes were closed causing a secret smirk to appear on her lips knowing that Bella was already trying to project her shield onto Edward which was broken when he walked too far.
When Edward got close enough to Aro the king quickly grabbed his hand and his facial expression turned to stone before later looking in Renesmee's direction in a way like he just discovered something unexplainable. Edward pulled his hand away from Aro who stood frozen clearly not expecting to see that.
"I'd like to meet her." Aro's words caused a grim look to appear on Edward's face clearly not too fond of the idea of his only child getting this close to Aro but he knew it must be done so he turned back towards his wife and child. Jacob let out a growl as Bella looked over at Renesmee with a small smile. The girl looked away from her mother and directly at Natalia with an expecting look to come after the story she had told her the previous night.
Bella looked over at Natalia after she noticed her daughter looking in her direction with a slightly pleading look to come with them knowing Renesmee wanted this.
Natalia was surprised, to say the least, because this wasn't the plan but nodded with a smile and moved forward only to be stopped by Ace who still held a strong grip on her hand and looked down at her with a serious expression not liking the idea of her going one bit and the growl that left Seth mouth meant he wasn't liking the idea as well. The two were finally agreeing on something and that something just happened to be this.
Natalia looked between her mate and the wolf that imprinted on her with a soft smile and a nod causing Ace with a harsh sight to slowly let go of her hand and let her walk up to take her place holding Renesmee's hand as Jacob moved over to Bella's side as they started to walk in the direction of the Volturi.
As they kept walking Natalia held a firm grip on Renesmee's left hand and as they got halfway through they stopped and looked back at Emmett who walked away from Rosalie and joined them by Natalia's side only making Rosalie more worried.
When they had finally got to the Volturi Natalia reluctantly let go of Renesmee's hand and stood a bit closer to Emmett so that Aro could get closer to the child.
Feeling a piercing gaze on her face Natalia looked away from Aro to see Alec's bloody red eyes on her face. The fact that he was looking at her didn't shock her but the way he did, he looked guilty, like something was going to happen and he had already felt bad for it.
The sound of Aro's voice made the two lose eye contact as Natalia looked back at Aro placing her full attention on him and Renesmee.
"Ahhhh. Young Bella. Immortality becomes you." Aro said before he looked down at Renesmee when he heard the soft sound of her heart beating which made him let out a very high-pitched laugh almost not believing what was happening in front of him.
"I hear her strange heart." Bella and Renesmee shared a longing gaze before the small girl walked forward to Aro who already had his hand reached out in her direction making Natalia's breath hitch in her mouth.
"Hello, Aro." Renesmee gently said and instead of touching his hand like he expected Renesmee did what she had done so many times before with other witnesses. She touched his cheek. Aro's eyes widened surprised and interested in what he was seeing, in how Renesmee was created.
"Magnifico!" When the vision ended and Aro had pulled away from the young girl his face became frozen still as if he was rethinking all of his thoughts.
Upon seeing the occasion Bella quickly pulled Renesmee back into her embrace.
"Half mortal, half immortal. Conceived and carried by this newborn, while she was still human." Aro's words made Caius look over at his fellow king with an angry and disbelieving look before shouting his thoughts.
"Impossible!" Aro looked back at Caius with an angered and almost ashamed look on his face.
"Do you think they fooled me, brother?" Bella and Edward quickly grabbed Renesmee and started to move back to their side with Natalia and Emmett following closely behind as Jacob growled at the two kings who were staring heatedly into each other's eyes before following after them also.
"Bring the informer forward," Caius said when Natalia had gotten back to her original spot and a vampire had grabbed onto Irina's arm pulling her forward with the rest of the Volturi and their witnesses moving forward.
The moment Natalia had come back it was like a ton of weights had been taken off both Seth's and Ace's shoulders. Ace quickly grabbed his mate's hand pulling her closer to him as Seth shielded her with the front half of his body. The moment their skins touched was the moment that the black-haired vampire was able to finally for the first time in the last 10 minutes feel calm.
"Is that the child you saw?" Caius asked and held his hand up high pointing in Renesmee's direction as Irina looked over at Renesmee with an uneasy look.
"I'm not sure," Irina responded timidly.
"Jane." That was all Caius said and before she was even able to do anything Irina spoke up again not wanting to feel the pain of Jane's gift.
"She's changed. The child is bigger."
"Then your allegations were false." Irina looked back at the Cullen's and the Denali's with an apologetic look.
"The Cullen's are innocent. I take full responsibility for my mistake. I'm sorry..." A soft smile made its way on Natalia's face wanting to show Irina that it was fine but the smile quickly disappeared when she saw the lit torched that was being passed over to Caius making her eyes widen from the horror of what was about to happen.
"Caius no!" Natalia shouted and moved a step forward as Felix pulled Irina's head off and later Caius threw the torch on her body.
The Denali sisters shouted out Irina's name as they ran forward while Natalia stood frozen not being able to erase the thing that she had just seen from her mind.
Ace noticed this pulling the blonde into his embrace causing her to bury her face in his chest blocking out everything that was going on around her.
"I know Love... I know..." His voice was never this soft, it was only reserved for Natalia and Natalia only. The delicate tone of his voice and Seth's head brushing against her side made her calm down enough to look back at the scene that was unfolding in front of her.
Zafrina had just given back the Denali sisters their sight back after the two had calmed down causing Natalia to grow more respect for them. She would not have been able to calm down this fast if it was one of her siblings.
Walking away from Tanya Edward moved to the center of the group looking over at the Volturi.
"Pain." Was the single word that escaped Jane's lips and just as Edward was walking he collapsed on the snow-covered ground from the massive pain that was flowing through his body. Bella quickly moved away from Renesmee who was sitting on top of Jacob's back and focused her shield projecting on her husband to try and make the pain he was feeling at least a little bit less painful, just barely enough so he would be able to stand up.
And after a couple of seconds, she succeeded just that.
Slowly Edward moved up from the ground surprising Aro. Edward moved back to stand beside Bella and his daughter and when Jane tried to project her power on the other it didn't work.
Bella was strong enough to project her shield on everyone on their side. When Ace saw the shocked expression that Jane held he just couldn't help but show a massive grin that showed all of his teeth giving him an almost sadistic look.
Jane wanted to move forward after she had gotten frustrated but she got stopped by Alec who held out his arm in her direction stopping her from taking any more steps, instead, Alec started to project the black mist from his hands only to be stopped by Aro causing it to go back into his hands making Natalia let out a relieved sigh.
"Aro, you see there's no law broken here," Carlisle said hoping this whole interaction would be able to end now.
"Agreed," Aro said but Natalia knew that it wasn't going to stop there, she knew that the Volturi never back out, especially when it comes to a fight.
"But does it then follow that there is no danger?" Aro said as he moved forward a couple of steps causing a slight groan to escape Natalia's mouth knowing that this was how it would be.
It's always said that fairy tales have happy endings, but this, after all, wasn't a fairy tale. It wasn't going to have a happy ending...
"For the first time in our 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. Can we live with such uncertainty? Spare ourselves a fight today, only to die tomorrow." Aro's long speech to get through his witnesses, unfortunately, worked as you could hear the faint whispers of 'no' and 'certainly not'. It was so aggravating at this point that even Ace couldn't help but throw another eye roll.
The sound of two people walking made everyone turn their gaze to the back of the field to see two figures emerging that Natalia was able to recognize right away. A wide smile made its way onto her face as she watched the two walking.
"Alice, Jasper..."
A\N
Well, this was a long chapter. Tell me as we're getting closer to the ending, what endings are your favorite?
Happy Endings?
Sad Endings?
Or maybe Bitter Sweet Ending?
Because I'm absolutely dying to know.
Also sorry it took so long to update this part but like I mentioned before I am on holiday right now and I didn't have any wifi.