Allure (Caius Volturi)

20

He Expected More

My life was weird. Even I could admit that. I woke up pretty much everyday to a beyond luxurious room, with bodyguards outside it. I got dressed in outfits that I never dreamed of being able to afford on my own minimum wage salary. I had a best friend slash bodyguard that met me at my bedroom door, practically every morning to chaperone me to the kitchen to cook with fresh ingredients. Not that I actually made anything that didn't scream college student in the morning times. Still I had the option.

Today was laid back, as if every day wasn't. What I meant was that today we didn't have any audiences scheduled and everyone had already fed yesterday, so there were no tours. Nothing to worry about and nothing to do.

"I'm bored." I mumbled as I closed my phone and put it facedown on the counter top. I grabbed my dish and brought it to the sink, where I washed it by hand and then put it away.

"What do you want to do?" Jane asked walking with me down the corridor. I hummed and then stopped.

"I saw a flyer for a spring festival on the secretary's desk yesterday. Do you think they would let us go?" I asked Jane. She paused and then shook her head.

"Probably not. They wouldn't want us outside of the castle." I sighed at her forlorn tone, linking our arms. Down the hallway I spotted a certain gaggle of kings.

"King Caius!" I said loudly jogging over, sliding the last few feet in my fuzzy stockings. The kings surrendered their attention immediately. I curtsied, more in the act of being jovial than for actual respect. "My kings. I have but a modest request."

"Let the lady's demand be heard." Aro said, blatantly playing along and I hardly fought my wide smile.

"I long to go beyond castle walls for a mere few hours today. There's a spring festival near here and I long for warm blooded interaction that is not doomed to a gory fate." I said in my best old English. The kings watched me. "... Please."

"I don't see why not-"

"No." Caius cut off Aro abruptly, shaking his head and then turning down the hallway again. I floundered for a second in disappointment and then quickly followed.

"Caius, please? Just three hours." I said following closely.

"Request denied, princess. I appreciate the polite manner, though. Keep that up." He gave me a dry smile. He turned to go before I stepped closer.

"Please, Caius. All I'm asking is for a few hours. I'm going stir crazy. Very little could happen if Jane and Demetri are with me," I pleaded. "If it's safety you're worried about, then-"

"The answer is 'no', Hero. Respect my decision." It wasn't a shout, but a firm even statement. His word was final. He gave the rest of us a nod and then continued on his way. I didn't follow, standing still in the hallway. My lips pursed and just as I opened my lips to shout after him, Jane turned me to her and shook her head.

"Come on, Ro, Let's go to the library." Jane said smiling softly as we linked arms. With that, she whisked me off to the library.

A few hours of reading later and Jane had gone to grab another blanket. It may have been the beginning of a warmer climate, but the castle was still drafty. I sighed, standing and walking to the piano not far from our little cushy reading bench. I opened the piano to the keys and decided to test a few notes.