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AMIDST THE CHAOS OF THEIR MISTAKES, THE THREE KINGS FOUND THEMSELVES IN A PLACE OF LOCAL DEBAUCHERY. For the first time since their days in the Roman Empire, they'd wandered into a bar to sort out their issues where none of their Covenmates would find them.
It was warm that night, the heat of a burning fire warming their cold, sturdy skins. Aro gripped the edge of the table, his head angled downward as he cast a frown from his mouth.
"We are going to get caught," Caius said as he glanced at the fireplace behind them, "We can't keep on doing this."
Marcus held a drink he would never take a sip of in his left hand. His dark red eyes averted from the group as he let out a sigh. "I worry that telling her, that explaining the entire Coven to her, will be far too much. We have only just met River. We should be giving her time to adjust."
"Our adjustment time for her has only pushed her away." Aro's head drooped down onto the table. "She is not searching for a lover, let alone three."
Caius raised an eyebrow. "How could you possibly know this, Aro? Has she told you?"
"No," he admitted, "but she... I don't even know."
Marcus Volturi was often the vampire with feelings so melancolic and solemn that few would be willing to spend time with him. He had felt outcast for hundreds of years. His only goal was to find a mate, to have a love to last a lifetime. Marcus believed it would be easy.
If only it were so.
"River doesn't know, she can't, but everyone else does! Her... Oh I don't even know what she is to her, best friend? Yes, her best friend confronted me yesterday and I fear she will soon understand what we are." Caius shook his head as he spoke, "Athenodora will know. She will not take it well."
"You are in a political marriage-"
Caius cut his brother off, "-A political marriage that has lasted longer than any other in our history! You know this, Aro, she does have love for me. Despite our bickering and my reluctance, at one point I cared for her. She will hate us forever. The Romanians will consider this backing out of the deal."
"Fuck the deal."
"What?" Caius questioned.
"I said, Fuck the deal," Aro repeated. "Fuck the deal, Caius, we have resources that we didn't have a hundred years ago, let alone a whole 982 years ago. I say we prepare for whatever happens. A mating bond is a mating bond. How is anyone to deny that? We cannot stay married!"
The dark-haired man felt like a fool. A rightous, hypocrytical, bold-faced fool. He knew how many he lost during those battles, the war was not fought without tremendous loss. He wanted his Coven to be safe from both potential human retaliation and the slimy Romanian vampires that wished to start war with the human population. He'd been the one to propose the marriage, he wanted it to happen.
He wanted River more.
Marcus put down his drink and placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "The chances of her accepting the bond after finding out we were dishonest with Athenodora and Sulpicia are less than if we are honest, but the way we go about this must be tactful, lest harm come her way."
"Harm come her way?" Caius interjects, "I would never allow for it. My mate is always to be safe from harm."
"You do not see it rationally, brother," Marcus pleaded, "River is a woman of the twenty-first century, she is a woman who has been through enough as it is, she is a woman who is trusting, honest, and kind. She is not well-protected from danger. We must do this so she is not harmed, which means we must do this according to my plan."
This time it was Aro who raised an eyebrow. "You have a plan and did not say? Pray tell us what this plan of yours is, Marcus, because I would like hear this marvellous plan of yours."
"There is no need for that sass. We have mitigated conflict like this before. You two must simply initiate petty fights with your wives and break up. That is all. Done. Then we can navigate Athenodora and the Romanians. It is really that simple and easy," Marcus explained as he turned down a server who was coming to check in on their drinks. "People of this day and age break up over petty things. Why can't you two?"
Aro turned to look at his brother, his fellow in this large predicament, and sighed.
"You two know that I am right about this. We have made mistakes in navigating this new bond, but I am sure this will all be handled in good faith," Marcus said, standing up from the table.
They would end their marriages. Sooner rather than later.
---
ATHENODORA WAS A WOMAN WHO HATED BEING STOOD UP. She had paid a pretty penny for this meeting, for this man to give her what she really wanted, and if she had left at this stupid garden she would throw someone into the ocean to drown.
It was half past midnight, the streets of Volterra were littered with fresh humans she couldn't choose from, and tonight she wanted information.
The blonde vampire waited for over an hour before being greeted by the tall man. He wore common clothes and had an untamed beard. Athenodora thought to herself that she wished a better looking man had given her this opportunity. At least then she could have some fun.
"You're late," she chirped angrily. "Do you have it?"
"Were you expecting a recording? I didn't make one, but I heard what you suspected." The tall man laughed as she crossed her arms. "Don't get into too fussy, pretty girl, you aren't going to like what he said."
"He's leaving me, isn't he?" She asked with false woe, "He's leaving me for the human secretary!"
"That isn't the half of it," he said with another laugh, "She's his mate. She's also Aro's mate.... She's also Marcus' mate. Don't know how she's going to last the night with all three of them fuc-"
"Shut the fuck up, you ugly bastard," she seethed, grabbing him by the collar, "What else did he say? Did he say how he was going to break it to me that the truce was off? Did he mention our arrangement? Did they mention my Sulpicia?"
He was unphased by her violence, only smirking as she held him up by nothing but her ancient strength. Athenodora hated men like him, ones that took her for nothing but a pretty body to play with. He would be done for when she finally got what she wanted.
But for now, she needed his ears.
"He'll start an argument, then break up with you during it. Aro is doing the same to Sulpicia." The tall man gripped one of her arms with his large hand and whispered, "Aro thinks he can take on your old Covenmates. He believes the Volturi are strong enough."
"They aren't," she denied.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, pretty girl, gifts are what makes the vampire overlords their thrones. Aro is a gentle collector of the best and finest men and women around. And children." Athenodora scowled at the mention of the twins. "Oh, you don't like them? They're cute."
"They're bratty and they don't deserve the time of day." Athenodora reached for his neck, gripping it tightly. "It won't work. He can't leave me. She'll be a passing fancy when I'm done with him. Mates mean nothing when politics get involved."
Athenodora revelled in the power of her fists and all that they could do. Beckon, strangle, plead, pray, hit, tear, and break.
When she let him go, she knew that her hands could make the world burn if she pleased.
