GLADIOLUS || FELIX VOLTURI

thirteen - the eve of battle.

tw: mentions of parent death/trauma from parent death

---

There were two days left before the battle, so Rowan decided to visit Paul. It was hard finding time to actually see him with how busy they both were – though mainly Paul with his duties. As she pulled up to his house, seeing him already waiting for her on the small front porch, with a smile and a wave, she was hit with the realization of what the upcoming battle meant. The true danger of it. Rowan had already lost so much, and now she could lose so much more.

For now though, as Rowan hopped out of her car, she ignored the feeling of anxiety pooling in her stomach and approached Paul with a genuine smile. "Hey, glad you could finally make it," Paul said with a grin. Before he could say more, Rowan quickly wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Oh, hey, wasn't expecting that," Paul said jokingly, though he wrapped his arms around her as well, returning the hug.

"You okay?" Paul asked after a moment passed, never loosening his grip. Rowan quickly nodded, slowly releasing her closest friend from the hug, "Yeah, I think so," she answered. Paul nodded in understanding. The two of them walked into his house, planning to have a day playing card games and watching television. There was an unspoken rule between the two to not speak of the battle. They both knew what was coming – they both knew the risks of being involved in the battle. For now, they wanted to simply enjoy a peaceful day and nothing more.

---

It was the day before the battle. Rowan was sitting in her room, staring at the packed backpack as she waited for Felix to show. She was alone in the house, since Charlie was away on a fishing trip thanks to Alice. Bella had already left the night before to stay with Edward.

Few words were shared between the two cousins before Bella left. Almost as if the two didn't want to acknowledge how truly dangerous it could be. That one of them could be severely injured. That both of them could possibly not make it out. Thankfully, Bella was camping farther away from the battle, but not Rowan. Before Bella left the night before, the two exchanged a few words. "Stay safe," Bella had told Rowan. Rowan gave her nod in return. "Until next time. Oh, and try not to be so clumsy," she had said to Bella with a playful grin.

Now, with the battle nearing so close, and Rowan sitting in the empty house alone, she wondered why it was easier for her to joke with Bella instead of truly wishing her luck and safety. A part of her regretted not being open with her cousin about her fears – about how she was scared to lose what little family she had left. When her father became sick, Rowan and her dad had a silent agreement with each other. No goodbyes with each other – instead, they said 'until next time'. It was a comfort while he was there. A huge regret now that he was gone. Rowan never truly said goodbye to her father while he was conscious, and it seems she was too scared to say it to her cousin.

As Rowan was lost in her thoughts, she processed the quiet sound of Felix coming in through her open window. Her back was to him, her eyes still locked onto her backpack next to the tent she borrowed from her uncle. He watched quietly for a moment, before speaking up once she didn't acknowledge his presence.

"Something on your mind?"

With a sigh, Rowan finally tore her gaze away from the large physical reminder of what was to come, instead redirecting her gaze to Felix. As she took in the image of him, she felt more relaxed, and safer. Rowan still didn't understand a lot about what it meant to have a mate. Though, to her, it was as if she was always home when she was with him. It was nice, Rowan thought, to find the feeling of home in a person.

"Just worried about tomorrow I guess," Rowan spoke with a shrug.

The plan itself was simple for Rowan. While Bella will go through the surrounding forest and place her blood on trees to spread out her scent, Jasper worried that wouldn't be enough. He suggested to Rowan that it would be useful for her to camp much closer to the battlefield than Bella, that way Rowan's scent itself would be an extra distraction for the newborns. Though, Jasper informed her of the extra danger this adds, since she would be camping so close to where the newborns would be. He couldn't promise that some wouldn't go seek her out. Which is why she must have someone with her at all times. Which is why Felix will be camping with her.

"There's nothing to worry about, my dear," Felix said, moving in front of her and offering out his hand to her. She looked up at him, meeting his gaze. Rowan gave him a thankful smile at his attempt to quell her fears. As she took his hand, he gently pulled her up, mindful of his strength when doing so. "I'm not worried about those pitiful excuses of immortal beings – neither should you be," Felix said, his tone gentle yet unwavering. "Geez, tell me how you really feel," Rowan said jokingly. Though, Felix only smirked in return. What he said was a tame version of how he truly felt regarding the newborn group the Cullen's were facing.

"I guess we should be heading out then," Rowan said, letting her hand slip from Felix's.

"Whenever you're ready," Felix said with a nod. He started to lift the packed tent and her bag over his shoulder – he did so effortlessly, Rowan noted to herself.

While she would never truly feel ready for what was soon to come, being newborn bait, she simply wanted to get it over with.

--

Rowan and Felix made camp on a flat area of land near where the battle would be taking place. The two had an agreement that Felix would set up the tent while Rowan searched for large sticks to make a fire with. While Felix was finished with his task much quicker than Rowan, she still returned within a few minutes.

As Rowan started building the fire, she attempted to make conversation to distract herself from how stressed she truly was. "Remind me to watch my step around here, there's a ton of sharp rocks and sticks laying everywhere here. Makes for a good fire though."

"I say this with respect, but I can't imagine sticks and stones are what you truly want to be speaking about currently with what's going on," Felix said, watching as she stubbornly attempted to build the fire on her own. He considered offering his help, but she was adamant about finishing her task by herself. And Felix had definitely come to learn how stubborn his mate was.

"No, actually, sticks and stones are definitely what I want to talk about with everything going on right now," Rowan said, frustration evident in her tone. Partially at the fire that won't start, partially at Felix for pushing the subject.

"Rowan," Felix said, a hint of exasperation in his tone. "You have nothing to worry about."

Rowan scoffed, shaking her head at Felix's words. "Easy for you to say. You are much more likely to survive a newborn attack than I am if they do come and find us," Rowan muttered to herself, as she continued to work on the fire.

Felix paused, staring at his mate with furrowed brows. A frown was clear on his face as he took in her words. She finally got the fire started, a sigh of relief coming from her lips. She sat back from the fire, still close enough to feel its warmth though.

"You underestimate me if you think I would ever let anything happen to you," Felix spoke, taking a seat next to Rowan.

"It's not that," Rowan said with a sigh. "I believe you are capable. I mean, shit, I saw you that one day fighting Edward. It looked effortless for you. And I realize you wouldn't have your position with the Volturi if you weren't the most capable."

"Then believe I will protect you if the time comes," Felix said surely, leaning closer to his mate while he spoke.

"You can't be everywhere at once Felix!" Rowan finally shouted, turning her head while doing so to meet her mate's hard gaze. Felix moved back slightly, partially out of surprise, partially to give Rowan space. His eyes were wide, wider than Rowan had ever seen, mainly due to the fact he had never seen her so upset.

"You are skilled, but what if we get separated somehow? What if a group of them comes? You have to accept that I could die-"

"That's not happening," Felix growled. His temper was clearly rising. The mere thought of Rowan dying was enough to frustrate him to his core.

Rowan, whose frustration had died down once seeing how upset Felix was becoming, only looked at her mate sadly. "You have to accept that it could. If I'm dying, you have to just let it be. I don't want to become like you," Rowan spoke softly.

The look of hurt that crossed Felix's face was brief, though obvious to Rowan. Before she could apologize and explain what she truly meant, or why she felt that way, Felix abruptly stood. "I need a minute," he muttered gruffly, using his speed to move to the tree line. He made sure Rowan didn't leave his line of sight, but needed space nonetheless.

With a sigh, Rowan stared back into the fire. It was clear to her that it was going to be a long night.

---

A minute turned into half an hour, a half an hour turned into a whole one. Rowan kept glancing to Felix who was staring into the forest, standing along the tree line, deep in thought. Whether it was her stubbornness or her foolish pride, she never approached him to apologize, instead retreating into the tent once the sun went down.

Once in the tent, she started doing small mundane tasks to prepare for the chilly night. She set up the heater, knowing she would need one for the night. She brought a flashlight as well, in case she needed wanted to read. She was unsure if Felix was even going to join her in the tent at all during the entire night. With a sigh, she turned her flashlight on and began reading the book she brought. Not that she wanted to, but mainly to distract herself from the tight feeling of anxiety building in her chest.

Time passed, and eventually, Felix approached the tent. He gave a few taps on the tent to alert Rowan that he was entering before actually doing so. The tent wasn't very large, so he sat on the opposite end, giving her space. The air was still tense between the two after their argument, the two unsure of what to say at the moment. A moment of silence passed, the two only staring at each other. Rowan took a deep breath, clearing her throat in an attempt to break the awkward tension.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier. Looking back, I can see why it was upsetting," Rowan stated.

Felix gave a sharp nod in acknowledgment. He continued to sit in silence though, his expression void of any emotion.

"If I can just explain myself, so you can understand why exactly I don't want to become immortal-" Rowan continued, before being abruptly cut off.

"You truly believe you have a choice?" Felix asked, his tone gentle with melancholy. It was his mistake, he realizes, never fully explaining the rules of the vampire world. He assumed the Cullen's had explained them, or her cousin at the least. He now realizes it was a mistake to have assumed that.

Rowan's brows furrowed in confusion, "I just assumed you could advocate for me. Make it clear I would never tell anyone about your kind."

"For your sake, I wish it were that simple," Felix stated.

Rowan stared in silence, her expression shifting into a grim one. The realization of what Felix was insinuating hit her hard. "I don't want this though," Rowan whispered, her voice filled with fear. Fear of what was to come. Fear of how powerless she truly was in the situation.

"Many of us didn't," Felix admitted. It had been so long since Felix had felt grief for another person. The feeling of grief was one that Felix, in his many years of existence, had cut off from himself. Though, as he watched his mate grapple with the fact that she truly never had a choice to begin with, he could practically feel her despair. Felix always viewed himself as a selfish man. In his many years, he never cared much for others' feelings, only those closest to him. It was out of selfishness he wanted nothing more than for his mate to become immortal, so he would never lose her. But as he watched Rowan furiously bite her lip, eyes blinking desperately to fight off unshed tears, he could live with a short time with her if that meant she was truly happy during all of it.

"I'm sorry," Rowan apologized, wiping her eyes quickly. She shifted her body away from Felix, so he couldn't see her as she quickly grew more emotional. Felix slowly inched closer, reaching his hand out once he was close enough to gently grip her own hand. "You never have to be sorry for this," he replied.

Rowan let out a soft laugh, mainly out of relief, but also at herself. She rarely showed this side of herself to others, and now she was showing it to Felix. "I'm not religious. I've never believed in anything after death. That's why his death was so hard, you know, the idea of him being gone," as Rowan continued to speak, she finally allowed her tears to freely flow.

Felix knew of Rowan's father – not much, but had picked up a few important facts regarding the man from Rowan's room and from what little she had mentioned about him. "But still, I was hoping – at least in death I may somehow see him again. But now, I don't even get that," Rowan said, thinking about the inevitability of immortal life. "What if I start forgetting things about him? Living so long, you must start forgetting eventually, right?"

With a shrug, Felix spoke with a gentle smile, "The unimportant things, maybe. But I still remember my mother's face after all these years. I'm confident you won't forget," Felix said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Rowan smiled at Felix, thankful for his words of comfort. She inched even closer, closing the gap of space between the two. She laid her head against his shoulder. "Thank you for dealing with me through all of this. Looking back, I was naïve to think what applied to Bella didn't apply to me. Out of fear, probably, is why I thought that. But still, thank you regardless," Rowan said.

"There is no 'dealing with you', Rowan. I've spent more years than I can count waiting for you, and I didn't even know it at the time. Only now do I realize that," Felix replied.

---

It was the morning of the battle. As the sun started rising, Rowan woke to the light seeping into the tent. She was never a morning person. With a huff of annoyance at how bright it was, she buried her head into the hard surface she was laying on. Odd, she thought for a moment, since it clearly was harder than her pillow. Her sleep-deprived mind didn't care much though, since the hard object did the job of blocking out the sunlight as she buried her face into it. It was then she heard a small chuckle, and felt the object she was laying on shake along with it. "Good morning," Rowan heard a deep voice speak. With a groan, Rowan took her hand and gently placed it on top of Felix's face. "Snooze," she grumbled into his shoulder, never opening her eyes. Connecting the dots, she realized she must've rolled over onto his shoulder in her sleep. His arm that she was practically laying upon pulled her body closer to his side. "Sorry, doesn't work that way," Felix said, a clear playful look of amusement on his face as he watched Rowan struggle to wake up.

With a loud groan, Rowan lifted her head from his shoulder, finally opening her eyes to glare at Felix. "Give me five more minutes," she muttered, laying her head back down against his shoulder.

"Apologies my love, but it's time to get up," Felix stated, shifting his body to start sitting up. Rowan's eyes snapped open at the sound of the pet name, her face growing red instantly. She quickly sat up, grumbling to herself as she started to wake up more. Felix watched his flustered mate with a smirk.

"Go outside, I'll be out in a minute," Rowan muttered, rubbing at her eyes. She then grabbed for her bag of clothes, pulling out a warm sweater and pants for the chilly weather to change into. She turned back to Felix, a look of confusion on her face as she realized he was still in the tent.

Felix raised his brows as he glanced at her clothes, flashing a playful smirk toward Rowan. "Oh, don't start that now," Rowan rolled her eyes, though an amused smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She playfully threw the unused pillow that was in the tent at Felix's head for good measure. Felix caught the pillow, a laugh escaping his lips. "Just teasing, don't worry," Felix said before making his way out of the tent.

Once Rowan finished changing, she stepped out of the tent, joining to sit next to Felix where he sat in front of the tent. She glanced around the area, her eyes taking in the surrounding tree line. Felix immediately picked up on her anxious movements, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You're safe," Felix reassured her.

Rowan nodded, shifting her gaze to her mate. "So, it hasn't started yet?" Rowan asked. While Felix could hear and sense things miles away, they were still camped just a bit too far away for Rowan's safety for him to be able to tell if the battle was truly starting or not.

"My guess is no if we are trusting the vision that the Cullen's are relying on," Felix stated. "I would've let you sleep longer, but I wanted to make sure you knew all of your options," he continued.

"My options?" Rowan asked in confusion.

"We could leave. It would be the safest option. We've been here long enough; your scent will last here for a while – long enough to do its job at least. If you want to be sure, we could spread drops of your blood around the site as well and then leave," Felix offered, part of him hoping she takes the offer to leave with him.

"My blood wouldn't bother you?" Rowan asked, a surprised look crossing her face.

Felix smiled at the question in amusement - she asked as if her scent didn't affect him already. One positive to being immortal for so long is that his self-control had grown immensely in his years of existence. Of course, her blood smelled phenomenal. Though, more than anything, her scent had become a thing of comfort for him.

"No, not yours," Felix said surely.

While Rowan was surprised to hear that from Felix, she focused more on thinking his plan through. "It could work," Rowan considered for a moment. She then shook her head, "But I'm staying. Everyone else is somewhere around here doing their part – I want to do mine."

Felix sighed, mainly in annoyance at his mate's self-sacrificing attitude. "Just because your cousin is reckless does not mean you must be," Felix muttered in frustration.

"It's not that," Rowan said with a shrug, "I trust you. I feel safer with you than anywhere else."

Felix stared at Rowan, taking in her dark brown eyes – how beautiful they looked in the morning sun. He gently leaned his forehead against her own, closing his eyes as he spoke. "You may see a side of me you do not like," Felix warned.

"Never," Rowan answered, her hand raising to cup his jaw. He opened his eyes for a moment as he felt her caress his face. The touch was so warm and gentle, something he hadn't felt in many years. He then moved forward, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. It only lasted a brief moment, before he pulled away. "I will keep you safe if anything does happen. I promise you that much," Felix stated, his eyes staring into her own.

"I believe you," Rowan replied with a soft smile.

The two then sat and waited for what was soon to come. Mostly conversing in casual mundane topics. Rowan couldn't help but talk about the plant life she had noticed in the area, Felix happily listening even though that topic was one he was not familiar with at all. It was the calm before the storm.

---

a/n: i hope you enjoy this chapter! i'm not sure how to feel about it but i tried delving into rowan as a character more. and showing some more felix + rowan moments. sorry it's shorter than usual but the next chapter is A Big One so i wanted to end it before it got into all the vampire drama lol. anywho, as always thank you for reading and for all the support! it means a lot! wishing everyone well!