Forget Me Knot (Marcus Volturi)

Chapter 16: Another Chance.

       Felix and I head towards the staircase of the tower, the familiar route somehow still in my memories that have been a little foggy since waking as a vampire. Felix walks behind me, a gentle hand against my back as he supports me up the stairs. Meeting the wooden doors of the tower, I grimace with the memory of Vladimir and Stephan. How they tossed my dying body to each other as they continued to drain me. The screams of Athenadora and Sulpicia as they pleaded for my release. I shudder, thinking of the horror. Opening the door, to my surprise I find more than Sulpicia and Athenadora in the room. "Oh, I'm sorry to be intruding..."

Sulpicia looks to me with a smile. "Oh no, do not apologize! Aro and Caius had just come to keep us company before court. Come in." She welcomes.

I walk further into the room, my eyes subconsciously flitting to every corner, the floor where Sul and Dora were bound and gagged. The window where they smuggled us out. I back step into Felix, who steadies me. "My dear, Carena...you look frightened." Aro soothes, walking towards me he takes my hand and grimaces at my memories. "You hold so much fear...why haven't you said anything to Marcus?" He questions.

I pull my hand away. "There wasn't time to tell him. And...there doesn't seem like there will be in the future either." I laugh half-heartedly.

"Carena..." Athenadora starts, but I wave her off.

"No...don't pity me. That's the last thing I want right now is pity. I'm just...so confused." I swallow, trying not to break down.

"Sister...have you spoke with Marcus? When you had left with Felix, he seemed quite livid." Caius spoke from beside Athenadora.

I watched my feet. "Yes. He seems to have jumped to assumptions and has gotten the wrong idea. He accused me of sleeping with Felix..."

"Well, that's an easy fix—surely you told him that he is mistaken?" Sulpicia offers, but I shake my head.

"I felt so offended by his lack of trust, and with remembering Didyme—I didn't deny it." I cringe, feeling ashamed of myself.

"Oh...little bird." Both Sulpicia and Athenadora embrace me, as I finally break into dry sobs.

"I...I don't understand. After everything—after finally being together and resolving our issues, he still rather run to her..." I hold tightly to Sulpicia, my face buried into her chest.

"Little bird...Marcus has always had a devotion to Didyme. You can't blame him for acting out of shock." Athenadora rubs my back.

"I don't blame him for loving her—I never have...but he promised his love to me too. Didyme's resurrection isn't the problem. It was that Marcus didn't spare me a single glance—he thought nothing of me...and that's what kills me. He says he wants me, he says he loves me—yet, if it were a choice between me and Didyme, there would be no contest. I am unequal...but God I feel so damn selfish for being like this. I just want to leave." I finally say.

Sulpicia peels me from her, her face scrunches with sorrow of her own. "No, little bird. Do not say such things. You are beautiful. Lovely. Intelligent. You are a wonderful person in your own right—never compare yourself to others."

"And don't talk about leaving! You have us, remember?" Athenadora chirps. "Sulpicia and I moved back into our husband's rooms...perhaps you can take over the tower? Your own domain!" She tries, but I can't bring myself to pretend.

"No...I can't stay here. I'll keep thinking about...them. I would rather just go home—back to Canada." I whisper.

"Carena, Caius and I do not wish to let you leave—we cannot allow you to go when you have done so much for us. We'll find accommodations for you." Aro suggests, but it doesn't comfort me.