Allure (Caius Volturi)

8

Trial? Or Execution?

The next few days were a bit boring. Or normal... I guess. Normal as in, things were mundane. I ate three meals a day, hung out with Jane, and read a bit, then I went to bed. I had been in Volterra for two weeks already. I hadn't even noticed. It was getting closer to spring and, consequently, my birthday. I had seen Caius, but only glimpses and I tried to forget that night. Still, those tender gestures stayed in my head. So gentle, loving. It made me feel giddy and I couldn't figure out why.

Jane and I were in my bathroom at the moment, dying my hair. Early morning because I randomly woke up at four o'clock in the morning with a stabbing pain in my abdomen. It was gone now. I was lightening my hair before putting the red in and once I was finished putting it in, Jane disappeared for a second. When she got back, in a gust of wind that blew up my baggy shirt, she held a grocery bag.

"I almost forgot, I bought these yesterday," She shrugged. "While I was getting the hair dye." I looked into the bag to find a box of pads and tampons.

"Oh. Right, I hadn't even thought about that." I said shrugging. Then I figured I'd be starting soon because of the pain earlier. Cramps. Ugh. "I figured I'd have been changed by now." I gave a half laugh and checked my phone. When I opened a certain app, my readout began.

'Make an event, so all of your friends know it's your birthday-' I shut my phone off as soon as I realized what it was saying.

"Is it your birthday soon?" Jane asked and I shook my head.

"...Yeah..." I said with a sigh.

"Aren't birthdays supposed to be happy?" She jested. I nodded.

"It's my eighteenth birthday in a week..." I said softly as I fiddled with a box of red hair dye.

"So what's the problem?" She asked.

"My friends and I were planning this big birthday bash... And since they all kind of 'unfriended' me, so to speak,... I just haven't been up to celebrate." I said and Jane nodded.

"I won't say anything to Corin then." She said and I looked at her questioningly. "She'd have the entire castle decorated whether she had the 'okay' of the masters or not."

"Yeah." I shook my head with wide eyes. "Don't tell Corin."

"Don't tell Corin what?" I jumped at Renata's voice in the doorway.

"It's Hero's birthday in a few days," Jane said bluntly. Renata looked shocked before she shook her head adamantly.

"Yeah, keep it from Corin." She nodded. "I'm still telling Felix though."

|•|•|

I loved my hair, but I dressed in a cute outfit and did my hair before I fully decided. Tight dress, tights, wicked shoes and a kimono, also some fabulously done makeup if I did say so myself. I did a bit of silly posing and Jane and I had a giggle fest before cleaning up.

When everything was done, it was around eight in the morning, about the time that Jane had to be in the throne room for a trail. Perfect timing. Demetri walked into the room with a soft knock.

"It's time." He said and Jane stood up. "The masters would like Hero to stand in as well." He said and my eyebrows rose a bit. I felt a bit confused, but not nervous like I normally would... Okay, maybe a bit... Or a lot. I definitely felt a bit happier. Maybe the new hair was giving me a bit of confidence... while not exactly taking away the nerves?

Ugh.

Anyways, we began to make our way to the throne room after Jane figured that I was dressed okay. We got to the throne room and Aro grinned as we walked in. I was more curious about Caius's opinion than anything.

"The hair is wonderful." Aro seemed to gush, then turned to Marcus. "Didn't I say it would be gorgeous?"

"Thank you, Aro. The compliment is much appreciated." I said with a wide smile. His smile only got bigger, if that was possible.

"You'll be by Caius for the day." He said and I nodded, walking over to stand beside another guard I hadn't met yet, making sure my posture was good. Caius chuckled and I looked at him with a brow raised.

"He meant beside me." He said and then beckoned me over to him, his mouth set in a slight smirk, barely an upturn of the corner of his lip. I hesitated for only a moment before walking carefully up the steps to stand beside the blonde king. Again making sure that my back was straight. "The color looks good." He said and then turned his attention to the rest of the room. It was silent for only a second before he turned back to me. "You know you can relax just a touch." He said and I felt my shoulders fall only by a hair. "More than that." He said and I studied him for a second, before slouching and taking a deep breath.

"Sorry." I said.

"You don't need to apologise, Hero." He shook his head. Silence again and I figured everyone was waiting for something.

"... Just out of curiosity, why am I here?" I asked just before the doors opened and someone was shoved through. They stumbled a bit before catching themselves on their hands and knees.

I didn't recognize the man, but I recognized the eye color. Red. Vampire. Should've expected it, they wouldn't be putting humans on trial.
The man stood up, he seemed to have a certain swagger, he looked "too cool."

"Ah, the kings." He said and his eyes trailed from Marcus to Aro and then to Caius. I expected to be invisible, but eyes also landed on me and they stayed there. "You're keeping a human in the throne room? Really? And you're trialing me because-"

"You've done wrong in our society." Aro said. The man chuckled.

"You know that keeping a human in the throne room is dangerous for it." Jerkface, I am not an 'it.' "Why someone might get hungry." He said and we had very little time to react before he moved towards me. I stepped back and put my hands up when I realized that he meant to attack me. I felt a surge of something go from my elbows out through my palms and the man was shot across the room into one of the marble walls. I stared wide eyed at what I had done and stepped back another few steps until my back hit the wall.

"Hero," Caius said standing and moving to me, he grabbed my hand in his. "Are you alright?" He asked and I nodded, looking up at him. A loud chuckle came from the man across the room. My eyes shifted from Caius to the man.

"So that's why you keep her around. Not only is she a powerful asset to the guard, Caius is banging her." He said as he stood up from the ruble that had fallen around him. "A bit hypocritical, but who isn't at some point in their life." He brushed some of the dust off of his coat and then he was grabbed by Felix and Santiago. Demetri stood before him and grabbed his head. I looked away and heard a loud crack.

First a trial, then an execution.