Chapter Forty Seven

Jasper

After our few days honeymoon, during which time Bella never mentioned our own threshold I was pleased to note, we all decided to finish our honeymoon in Romania at the children's refuge which was quickly up and running in the Transylvanian mountains. It was somewhat isolated but the children were from a mountainous area themselves and felt at home there. Quite how Esme got all the paperwork through so quickly and smoothly I didn't know but I could hazard a guess that Darius had a hand in it somewhere. Charles, Makenna, and Garrett left once the hard work was done and I knew it might be many years before we saw them again. Rose, Emmett, and Alice had stayed on much to Esmes delight, she still had her family, it was just a larger family these days as other orphaned children found their way to her door or were sent by the Romanian authorities happy to make use of a facility that cost them virtually nothing.

One day in the post we received an invitation to the "show trial" of Stefan and Vladimir but we turned it down. Plenty of other vampires accepted though and we heard it was quite a lively affair with the two Romanians defending their actions and decrying the behaviour of the Volturi but after ensuring Sulpicia's death Stefan stood no chance of being allowed to live, even as a prisoner and he was put to death first followed closely by Vladimir who said very little in contrast. Bella was also offered a place on the Volturi council as was Renee but both turned the positions down. We did wonder who would be replacing Marcus as the third of the rulers but it seemed that Caius and Felix who was already in position by then were happy to share power between them. Aro had committed suicide unable to bear life without Chelsea although as far as most of our kind were concerned it was Sulpicia's death that caused his actions and no one was going to disabuse them, preferring to let sleeping dogs lie.

"I think they should have asked me to join them. Caius, Felix, and Peter, it has a certain ring to it. I could do as good a job as those two creepy little fuckers, What do you say Renee?"

"I think you should stay well out of it. The idea of the Volturi is to promote peace between vampire and vampire and vampire and human, not to start a war that could wipe us all out."

"Hey you all underestimate me,. I can be diplomatic when the need arises."

"Really? I can't remember you ever being diplomatic Peter."

"That Major is because the need has never arisen but were it to do so, I could be a real peacemaker."

"I don't think peacemakers use explosives Peter and so far you've blown several craters in the ranch meadows. Isn't it about time you handed Darius back his drone?"

"Hey he gave it to me, that's a gift and you don't take gifts back"

"I think his last request was phrased something like hand it back before I ram high explosives up your ass and blow your brains out."

"Yeah well I don't have any so he's out of luck."

"What?"

"My brains are in safe keeping in my boot so they don't get worn out with too much use so you see he'd just blow the shit outta me"

With that he went off laughing loudly at his own joke while we just shook our heads.

"Do you think Darius means his threats?"

"Oh I'm sure he does but Peter will find a way to keep his brains intact and his latest toy so don't worry Bella."

Bella

I was finding coming to terms with Charlies death hard, a part of me, the vampire part, wanted to go to Forks and kill the Quileute elders and pack for not saving him. Esme had explained that in his defence Carlisle had rung Billy and asked for the Quileutes help in keeping Charlie and my friends safe but had been refused and that hurt, they were supposed to be his friends but as Jasper said nothing I did would alter what had happened and taking on the whole tribe wasn't a good idea.

"We keep peace with the guardian tribes to stop a war and the death of a lot of humans too."

I still wanted to kill them and was tempted to ask Peter for his help but then we received the letter asking for a meeting between myself and the guardians leader. When Peter saw it he was impressed,

"You mean the great and wonderful Johnny H is going to speak to a vampire? Fuck Bella that's like the King talking to one of the scullery maids."

"What?"

"Scullery maid, I heard it on TV the other day. I've no idea what one is, the lowest of the low I think but you get the point. Don't ask me to explain everything or I'll just have to keep my mouth shut cos half the things I say I don't have the faintest fucking idea about."

I knew that was a lie, Peter liked to appear as less intelligent than he really was and we humoured him.

"Can I be there?"

"Why? So you can start a war?"

"No, I'm just curious that's all."

"OK but you behave, you hear me?"

He nodded grinning but I knew Renee and Jasper would keep an eye on him, make sure he behaved.

Johnny H turned up three days later and he wasn't at all what I expected, he was far too young for starters but then Jasper reminded me that guardians stopped ageing when they phased and Johnny phased all the time so he'd stopped ageing as a young man. He and Jasper looked very alike, both were confident and powerful, both came across as leaders of men and I liked him straight away. He shook hands with me and took a seat,

"Thank you for agreeing to speak with me Bella."

"I was curious about what you had to say under the circumstances."

"Meaning the Quileutes inaction resulting in your fathers death?"

"Among others yes, I have no reason to like the guardians."

"That's true and normally it would not bother me that a vampire disliked us but we do owe you an apology, the Quileutes owe you an apology and I have taken steps to make them understand the disgrace of their refusal to act. Quil Ateara has been removed as leader of the elders and Samuel Uley is no longer the pack Alpha although I think you are acquainted with his replacement."

"Jake? He's the Alpha now?"

"Yes the pack chose Jacob Black to replace Sam. I have also put one of my own people on the council to make sure such a thing never happens again. None of these measures can compensate for Chief Swan's death but I hope you will accept them as some apology for what happened."

"If I were asked I would have said I wanted the tribe wiped from the face of the earth but I understand that is an over reaction. Therefore I thank you for acting to show them just how wrong they were but as you say no actions can bring my father back."

"No and every human death is a tragedy, you have my condolences Bella and once again thank you for meeting with me"

After he was gone I thought about his words, he had punished the tribe by taking away their senior elder and pack Alpha and shaming them by putting a stranger on the council with powers to change anything he thought was wrong, to educate them. It was as much as he could do without anyone being killed and more than he needed to. I understood all this and saw that he was a much wiser leader than I had at first thought, Charlie had been avenged in the only possible way and I was content at last.

That's it for another story. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I look forward to meeting you on our next adventure. Love Jules xx