Hey guys and girls.

My first chapter in 'The Sinister Side Of The Volturi'

Hope you like it.

Rats For Company

I'd never thought I'd say, let alone, think this.

I'm glad there are rats in these streets. They're the only things that keep me sane. I see some rats all the time. My favourite one is a pure white rat with red eyes. He's a bit dumb though. I figured he's blind. I call him Lufi. I had a cat called Lufi once.

My name is Marie Archer. I'm sixteen and living on the streets. I'm going to be seventeen in a week. I live on the streets because my Mother and Father died of an illness. Nobody knew what it was though. The year is 1810, and I have been living in this particular area for two months now, I think. The month is April and the date is the 2nd April 1810.

I was the most beautiful and rich heiress in the countryside of Volterra. I had gowns, maids…maybe even men. Though, I must say, my virtue is still intact. I used to sneak out at night, to meet a boy called Anthony. He is poor and works on a farm next to my old manor, but he's extremely nice and is probably the only genuine friend I have. I haven't seen him for a while.

When my parents died, I was left with so much money that I wouldn't have to work at all to bring money in. That was until my uncle, a solicitor and representative of my family, forged a will stating all money, home and items belong to him. I saw him do it, but it's not as if I can paint a picture of him doing it and hand it over to the authorities. He even stated himself, no one will believe me.

So, he claimed the house, all my money and items. He threw me out and stripped me of my clothes and gowns. I was left naked, on the street. So I fled away from there, wanting to loose all memory and start afresh. That would be impossible.

I stole clothes from the seamstress, just plain ones and some cheap shoes from the cobbler. Ever since, I've been living in a particular street, right next to Volterra Castle. I'm now skinny and dehydrated that I have to 'steal' water from the square fountain. I've been beaten by a guard a couple of times being caught drinking. Last time, I got 10 lashes. I had to wash myself, using someone else's ready made bath. I left a note, of course. I also watched as they emptied the bath.

And requested a guard to find me and give me lashes. Not only because of the blood from my back was in that bath, but the blood from my menstrual cycle. It was funny watching her out rage, but that also meant I would have to carry an extra cloth, to cover up my tracks. Lucky, it was coming to the end of it.

I ran again. I've now been hiding on the outskirts of Volterra. Looking through waste and eating potato peelings and carrot peelings and left over meat. I found old clothes, which have been moth bitten, and used them to make a bed, which was comfortable and also smelled.

I've been doing this for three days. For three days, rats have been visiting me. Lufi, the most common visitor, sleeps across the alley from me. He has led me, twice, to good sources of food. They're next to Volterra Castle and the food was the best I've had so far.

Because they were completely untouched. Whole potatoes, carrots, freshly cooked meat, apples, grapes and even fresh drinking water. All of this was left alone. Lufi just headed for the cheese.

I'm lying back on my spot, facing up towards the sky, looking at the stars. I'm trying to find as many constellation as possible and so far, no luck. I close me eyes, and listen to the sound of people having meals, washing and even…

"You! Girl!" I dark voice shouted my name. No one stopped what they were doing but I shot up and turned behind me. I saw two figures in black cloaks. One was very tall and muscular, the other an average size and not as muscular to the man on the left. They didn't lower their hoods. How rude! But, they didn't know who I was and thought I was some vulgar peasant. I responded in the polite way, ignoring their rudeness.

"Yes sir?" I twiddle with my fingers, avoiding the two hooded men.

The one on the right, the not so muscular one, spoke. "You are to come with us. Our master has some uses for you."

The muscular one spoke again. He was the man that addressed me first. "You will come quietly and without query."

"Sir, um, who are you?" I look at the two men directly. Their voices were perfect of a man's. It was what any man would die for. It was also very alluring. The thin one spat back.

"You have no right to ask us who we are, girl! No come with us and stay silent. Children should be seen and not heard." I walk over to them hesitantly. How dare they call me a child! The muscular one comes behind me swiftly and pushes me with a strong force.

"Ow! That hurt!" I put my hand on my back and rub it. That would leave a bruise.

"Silence!" The muscular spat. "Keep walking and say nothing!" He kept on pushing me when I got too slow or started to fall back. Eventually he had to go further. "Girl, you are too slow for my taste!" He grabbed me by the arm. I noticed that his hand was gloved, but from what I could feel, he was very cold. He started pulling me towards….

Volterra Castle. Oh lord!

The guard, who was asked to lash me, approached us.

"Excuse me gentlemen. I have been requested by numerous residences to lash this girl. May I relieve you off her?" He gestured a hand out, not to take mine, but to take me! Lucky I was with these two.

"Step aside! This girl will no longer bother you. Our master has need for her. He is very weak at late!" The thin one spoke with such harshness, that not only did I try to move away, but the guard skittered back to. Yet again, I was pulled along, finally inside the perimeter of Volterra Castle.

"Oh my..!" I looked up and around my surrounds, now inside the square of the castle. I've been here before, but that was in daylight. At night, this square looked scarily ancient. The two men led me through two large doors and now I was inside the castle. I look around. Red carpets and tapestries surrounded the entrance. A girl was on a desk to my right. Her dress was red and white and she was very pretty. She didn't regard me at all and seemed to be reply to some letters. The muscular man kept on holding me by the arm. It was starting to hurt continuously. I wasn't sure if I should ask, but I did anyway.

"Excuse me Sir, could you let go of my arm? I was tired before hence why I was slow, but I'm sure I can keep up now!" I look to my right, looking at the muscular man and smiling the best I can. He completely ignored me. I drop my smile. The thin man went up to some upcoming stone doors and pushed them open with ease. Inside was a large hall, It had white walls and a white floor with square patterns. At the back three large, black chairs. On the left, sat a man with dark shoulder length hair, his expression plain, as if there was nothing to his amusement. His skin was as pale as a dead man's and his eyes were the deepest red. In the middle was another man, he had similar futures, skin colour, eyes, hair that went just past the shoulder, but he was younger. I wanted to touch his skin. It was fascinating. On the right, was a man who looked paler than the other to simply because his hair was almost white. He also had red eyes and looked much younger than the other two. He leaned back into his seat, his expression either excited or full of anger.

In some weird way, they were all extremely handsome or should I say, beautiful. The one in the middle spoke first, addressing the two men that brought me here.

"Felix…Dimitri." The one on my left nodded to Felix, so the other must be Dimitri. "You may stay, if you wish. Felix, there is no need to hold our guest with such force. You may leave her." He waved Felix away. Felix let me go and bowed. He and Dimitri walked off to the side, watching me with eagerness. They both removed their hoods. Felix and Dimitri were both handsome, young, and had pale skin with red eyes. I looked away quickly, not wanting to cause trouble.

I was left, standing, in the middle of this hall, rubbing my arm. I watched as the man in the middle stood. He come towards me and breathed in, closing his eyes, and smiling as he looked at me again and came closer.

Dun-dun-duuu!

What do you think of the first chapter?

Should I continue or not?

Also, I put this under a Twilight story, because I couldn't find New Moon.

Love Ya

Emma 'EePee' Paige

P.S If you're a fan of 'Hush, Hush', I've written and finished a story called Red World. Read it if you want.

xx