Hello! I just realized that I seem to have some… favoritism to the Volturi. I don't why, but they fascinate me (especially Jane and Alec). So, due to one popular demand, I've written this one-shot about Sulpicia, Aro's wife, and Athenodora, Caius' wife.

Summary: Sulpicia and Athenodora talk about their husbands and the recent show-down with the Olympic Coven (the Cullens). Post Breaking Dawn.

Disclaimer: The Volturi belong to Stephenie Meyer. :(

The Wives

"Milady, is there anything else you need?" The guard asked Sulpicia in a soft tone. She absolutely despised it when anyone would talk above a whisper in her presence.

"No, you may leave," she said in a slightly irritated tone. She was tired of the guards shadowing her every move. She felt suffocated by their cloaks.

The guard bowed quickly and hastily left her chambers. Out of pure habit, she slowly changed into more comfortable attire and sat in her favorite chair by the window. She was relieved to finally be back home, but at the same time, dreading the moment the sun would come up, signaling the start of a new day -- the start of another boring and depressing day.

There would be more leaders of other covens and 'friends' to woo, and she'd have to sit right beside her husband, surrounded by all the hypocrisy and hidden hate and disgust. The only comforting thought was that Athenodora, her only and true best friend, would be there.

Just then, a light rapping on her door snapped her out of her thoughts. She saw the black, long, curly hair of Athenodora before her pale smiling face appeared.

"Sulpicia," she said in a clear, high voice. "What are you doing all alone? You look like an old woman watching the moon pass by." She joked lightly. She walked towards her with light—almost dancing steps and mussed Sulpicia's short, brown hair in affection before sitting down across from her.

"Where are they?" Sulpicia asked without looking at her. Both of them knew who she was referring to, for decades she had asked that question before talking freely.

Athenodora smiled sadly at her. "Downstairs. Caius is not quite done telling your husband what he thinks. You can even hear them from up here."

Sulpicia stopped her breathing, and sure enough, she could hear Caius' raised voice spitting out his thoughts rapidly, as if having them on his tongue too long would poison him. She still couldn't understand how someone so sweet and caring like Athenodora could willingly marry someone as cruel and heartless as Caius.

"He wasn't always like this, you know." Athenodora murmured softly. "He was so different when we met. It was the power and greed that consumed him as time went on."

Sulpicia turned to look at her square in the eye as she answered. "At least you can say that. Aro has always been the same ambitious, cruelly calculating man you see today."

Athenodora reached a hand toward hers. "Don't say that. I'm sure—"

"Don't try to defend him, Athenodora." She said firmly. "He killed his own sister, for god's sake. What excuse do you have for him now?"

Athenodora shirted uncomfortably in her seat and cleared her throat. Only they knew besides Aro himself what he did. Athenodora would never utter a word because she hated being the one to see Marcus' face if she told him the truth. Not to mention that Caius would find a way to 'punish' her. Sulpicia, on the other hand, had Renata, the girl she had found as a newborn and considered a daughter, to worry about. No doubt Aro would use her against her if she ever tried to reveal him.

Sulpicia squeezed her small pale hand in hers. "I'm sorry. It's just that… I hate this." She said with her teeth clenched. "I hate all the lies and the pretending."

Athenodora gave her a confused look. "I thought he knew that you don't love him anymore."

She scoffed lightly. "That and more." Aro's uncanny ability to read all the thoughts you've ever had made it impossible for privacy. He knew that Sulpicia didn't even care for him anymore—no, that she hated him and all that he symbolized. With his kind, cheerful exterior appearance and his cold, calculating one that truly governed him. He was that calm, playful dog you would learn to trust and love until one it would attack you. And she never tried to reign in those thoughts whenever he touched her. In fact, she would intentionally brush her arm or hand against his just as a constant reminder to all the lies that surrounded him.

She knew it was childish, but it was the only thing besides Athenodora that kept her alive. They could never leave their husbands, no matter if they were immortal; it was a rule that had been instilled in them since they were born.

"Is that what you were thinking about before I came in?"

"Athenodora, do you realize that our lives have been nothing but a cycle ever since our husbands took over as leaders of our world? It's been that way for too many millenniums—"

"Stop it, Sulpicia." Athenodora snapped as she ripped her hand away from hers. The smile had been wiped off her face and a deep frown was now set in place. "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I know what everything has turned into? I'm surer of it now than I ever was before! Especially after the spectacle our husbands put back there with the Olympic coven. I've never been more ashamed in my entire existence."

"I know. I can't believe Aro would go against someone as sweet and kind as Carlisle Cullen. All because of some idiotic belief that Carlisle was intentionally defying them!" Sulpicia knew for a fact that Carlisle would never do that. When he had come across them many years ago, Carlisle and she had conversed many times and she came to know a remarkable man who she fell in love with. Of course, when Aro found out he was beyond enraged. If it wasn't for the fact that Carlisle didn't know and didn't return the feelings, Sulpicia was sure Aro would have had him destroyed.

And now, a few days ago when she had seen him again with his mate, she couldn't help feeling sad and envious that he had found true love. But in the end, happiness won when she comforted herself knowing that at least one of them was happy and well.

"… glad that it is over." She heard Athenodora say as she came back to reality. "But poor Tanya and Kate," She sighed sadly. "They lost their eldest sister by the same hand that killed their mother. I can't believe Caius would do that. Irina did nothing wrong, it was just a simple mistake!"

Sulpicia watched as Athenodora's eyes became glassy with tears that would never be shed. She stood and wrapped her arms around her small frame while Athenodora sobbed tearless.

"God, what has this empire turned into? We are supposed to uphold our rules with honor and truth, but instead we've inspired fear instead of respect and loyalty from our people! We threaten and manipulate and control them relentlessly, and if they turn on us, I won't blame them."

Somewhere deep inside her, Sulpicia fervently hoped for that day to come soon. She hoped to live long enough to see Aro fall to his knees and pray for mercy. To see him humble himself in front of the people he stepped over along the way. She didn't care if she perished along the way, she could die a thousand deaths just to see Aro's perfect world crumble before him.

"Me neither," Athenodora whispered once she had composed herself. "Maybe Stefan and Vladimir will take over again. At least they were somewhat better." Then she paused and looked at Sulpicia with thoughtful eyes.

"Sulpicia, are we innocent victims, or are we just as guilty as they are?"

Sulpicia moved towards the window to gaze at the full moon and sighed. "I don't know, Athenodora. Perhaps it's both. Either way, there's a strong chance that we'll spend another millennium trying to figure it out."

'And if we are guilty, this is the price we must pay for our silence.' She thought with her dead heart full of sorrow.

So, what do you think? Love it or hate it? Review, please!