This story is a gem. The characters are fascinating, intense and believable as immortal vampires (a feat in itself), but what impressed me the most is your prose. The narration is full of vivid metaphors that manage not to be heavy-handed. It's the kind of story I'll probably read again and again just because it flows so beautifully.

Hope you decide to continue this story as I truly love it. :)

I enjoyed your story as Caius and Athenodora are my favorite, I must admit, with his cruel nature and I've always believed her to hold the emotions of calming his ways and only she can see his loving side. Thank you for an enjoyable reading and a job well done, dear.

Carley Spencer

This chapter was indeed not grimly depressing, who would have thought that planning a war could be so fluffy.

Oh, the Volturi library. Could anyone please lock me up in that place so that I can discover it undisturbed for a length of time, and give me the opportunity to learn some long forgotten languages beforehand. I almost envy Athenodora the possibility to explore that place, though I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want to pay with my life to be in her place. ;-)

I enjoy Athenodora’s reaction to Sulpicia, the suspicion that there is “dust streaked upon her nose” made me smile. Despite her feeling of plainness, she’s self-reliant or clever enough to counter with a question and not with an excuse and submission. The end of their conversation is brilliant, temptation, implication, sending Athena’s mind reeling?

Btw I like the models you chose for Sulpicia and Dydime. Somehow this one

.ru /

lets me think that Aro can be called a lucky man ;-)

“Athenodora leans over his shoulder, a few errant wisps of hair brushing his collarbones.” Having the movie images in mind, I wondered for some time why Caius was wearing so little that Athena’s hair could brush his collarbones. But then I remembered the setting of the story and realized that Caius was very likely wearing a tunic *rolls eyes at self*

"Aro wants the world, and the world does not return the sentiment." LOL, that’s probably the most poignant summary of Aro’s deeds and intentions I’ve ever read.

Why do Caius and Athenodora stop at dawn? After all they are not traditional vampires that have to spend the day in a coffin.

Thank you for writing and sharing,

Ash.

Interesting first part. Somehow Marcus’ character is evading me, so I’m happy to learn more about him through your eyes. Aro – yes, he frightens me, too. Though I know better, over and over again I am tempted to believe his words, it is so hard to remain watchful and detached in his presence. (You know you have read too much Twilight(fanfiction) when you speak about the characters like they were real, right? ;)) And I love Caius’ description, “anger weaves itself around him like a lover” being perhaps my favorite part. What lies beneath? I believe a lot of insecurity and, above all, fear. Didn’t you say so, too, somewhere on formspring? That’s perhaps one reason why I enjoy this story so much, i.e. that you see Caius a lot like I do. I still smile when I think of your idea that his favorite language is German. That fits. And his preference for Bach. If he indeed likes Wager, I bet that “Parsifal” isn’t his favorite, unless there is some unconscious part inside of him that longs for redemption from the corner he has manoeuvered himself into. I wonder what would be his favorite literature – apart from war records and battle descriptions? Ok, I better ask that on formspring…after the next update ;-)

I enjoyed the fluffiness of the last two parts. Caius’ “acceptable” somehow reminds me of Darcy in the “Pride and Prejudice” film with Keira Knightly. Yes, he would be slow to praise. Like Athenodora, I would love to hear more about Caius’ first years. Oh, and “the monster at her side sheathes its talons for her” definitely makes it onto my fav list.

Btw, yes, I did read ahead and/or skimmed the next chapters. It’s a bad habit of mine, I can’t help it, though I should know better because it regularly ruins the suspense for me, but my curiosity normally wins over reason. (There, that was very likely your "vampire gift" getting info out of me ;-))

Thank you again for writing and sharing,

Ash.

I feel the urge to tell you again that I appreciate your style of writing very much, though I’m not sure I should if that makes you feel better about neglecting your Serious Schoolwork. ;-)

The notion that my current thoughts are not my own (Edward’s gift) or all thoughts I’ve ever had are revealed by touch, that’s horror indeed. *shudders* I guess I can understand Athenodora, in that respect being near Caius is comforting.

I like the way you describe Athenodora as compliant and charming if necessary, being a Volturi seems to come naturally to her, or perhaps surviving among the Volturi would be more correct. The way she assails Caius with her observations and questions afterwards and his reaction amused me very much, indeed he has to face the eternal consequences of his choice :-) (and as you pointed out on formspring, he could have fared worse). In addition it showed to me how much Athenodora has learned to trust Caius, how much they have bonded. At least in her newborn phase Caius gets some rest from her keen mind, thanks to the thirst…

Yes, I love the way you give them depth, thanks for writing and sharing, and for answering sooooo many questions on formspring,

Ash.

You tend to make Caius and Athenodora too creepy? Is that even possible? ;-)

Anyway I like the beginnings of their relationship as you portray them. Athenodora’s behavior seems to be surprising, and more pertinacious than her physical appearance would let you expect. I doubt that Caius is generally fond of surprises, but he seems to like the way Athenodora turns out. He’s far from gentle or romantic, but perhaps Athenodora does prefer honesty over some euphemistic lie. At least Caius does his best to reassure her when she’s losing her fighting spirit at the end of the chapter.

Thank you for writing and sharing,

Ash.

I must confess I read this many months ago but did not review.

I return to be fed. Again.

Your prose masquerades as poetry and the more I read, the more I need.

I do especially delght in the atmosphere you create in the bowels of the Volturi stronghold. Youhave succeeded in taking me somewhere so completely OTHER. The reader intuits all the rules are skewed, all the reasoning oblique.

"the violet snarls of her veins"

"his brother's vivid eyes, the peppered crimson..."

Very very much appreciated!

An interesting introduction of Didyme. She appears rather childish, lively and careless next to Caius, but not innocent.

I especially enjoyed the comparison of Caius to moving moonlight and the lycanthrope of legends, the beauty of this image and the irony of Athenodora’s association. Given his werewolf phobia (if he already had it at that point in his life), Caius would cringe at her conclusion, it’s a good thing he can’t read her thoughts. But she’s not far off the mark, clever girl.

Just “Caius” – yes very uncomfortable, it confers only the knowledge what to call him but no information where to sort him into the social web of human families, no hint as to where she might be, and why. (Btw a very nice detail to weave into her awakening). Thankfully her thirst overrules any trace of a panic attack, or is that rather due to a psychological shock?

Thank you for writing and sharing,

Ash.

Oh, who says that first chapters can’t be compelling? I believe this one is. I enjoyed your style of writing, the way you choose and weave the words in general and in particular Aro’s speech. I am intrigued with the title, though I have to admit that I tend to like the ambiguity of the Latin version more than the English translation.

English is not your first language? Wow, I’m even more impressed. Actually English is not my first language, either.

Apropos wolves, I skimmed through your formspring account, and I do agree with Athenodora in her perception of the Children of the Moon as rather harmless to vampires. But don’t tell Caius, promise?

Thank you for writing and sharing.

As unusual it is an amazing chapter, and I only want to read more as the plot thickens. One thing that I can not quite work out is if Aro is actually in love with Didyme? If so, this would be a deliciously dark twist. x

Aro's such a creep, writing about his sister like some lab rat he adores -.- I have no idea if that conveyed the image I was going for, but...He's a creep. Period. And Sulpicia has weird taste in men.

(This is coming from a formerly insane Aro-Fangirl XD ah, those were the good old days.)

Is this by any chance related to 'A Thousand Stairs'? I don't know, the events occurring here and there are pretty much the same but from a different point of view (pair?) :P

Speaking of which, I'd like to congratulate you on winning those awards :D I think you deserve more, and hopefully you'd get many outside (Oh yea, I'm still waiting for you to publish something u_u I HAVE THE PAITENCE OF A ROBOT, DON'T THINK I'LL STOP WHINNING!) But it's still great to know that one of my favorite authors on FF is doing great :D

PS(Have you noticed that I use CAPS in almost every single review? I sound like an angry old lady with ten cats O.o)

Interesting...I wonder where you are taking this story. It was surprising to see that Aro apparently did feel something for Didyme...not enough or maybe too much to keep him from killing her but certainly enough for him to remember her in the histories of the coven. I'm not really sure what that says, and it seems as though Athenodora doesn't either.

And hey, you're welcome. I nommed you for the Emerging Swan Awards and for the other as well. I'm so pleased that you won, and I hope you'll win this one too.

Please update soon!

Why oh why do we have the 'Are you human?' question? Stupid thing kept me out for HOURS!

(Well, not literarily hours, but it felt like it -.-")

Anyway, just came back from the land of the dead :D Ok no, I cam back a while ago, but it took me an even longer while(WTF? I really shouldn’t be allowed to speak English O.o) to catch up on the MANY updates I've been ignoring in the past few months for the sake of swoon-worthy anime characters. *Sigh* so much to do, so little time...

On the bright side, I think I learned a few Japanese words _ so it wasn't all that bad, even though most words are considered inappropriate and really shouldn't be said out loud XD

Ok, first thing's first:

WHY DID YOU DELETE THE WIVES-IN-CONTROL STORY? I got through the first chapter and thought 'OH MY LORD THIS IS SO SWEET :O!' and yesterday I thought I'd get back to it and...ITS GONE DX exactly when did that happen? AND WHY! I love it when the wives take over. There's this other wives-in-control story by Nell Vance, but I think it's discontinued.

Alright, now I'm done scolding you :P

I seriously love your Caius/Athena fluff. No one- and I meant it, NO ONE -can pull it off as beautifully as you can and STILL keep them in character.

Right now I'm not really sure where this story's going next. The Romanians? Children of the Moon? Oh, I like the second :O Anyway, this is good :P it keeps me on edge, which is kind of bad because if you don't update soon I'll go blind with watching Anime O.o hopefully not after loosing my mind, because with a dead brain and anime...yea thing's won't look so good XD

(I swear it's addictive!)

Another thing I'm curious about is the Guide (Or Killjoy, really -.-) Are you putting any of the stuff in here, or is this entirely different?

Lastly; forgive me for abusing the English language in such a short review. I think my eyes are about to bleed from staying up for the sake of reading Fanfiction o.o but hey, this is the first review of the day, so I'm pretty sure that the others will most likely end up worse :D

I rather liked it actually, about as close to fluff as you get, at least the first and last parts. Clearly, Athenodora is figuring out what is expected of her, and I'm rather glad she's not the type to sob over the misbehaving and now dead vampire. This does seem true to both their characters.

Please update soon!