Love Conquers All 9

“Are you sure that reclining chair is going to be comfortable enough for Bella?”Athenodora asked her mates as she looked over the overstuffed recliner that was positioned between her and Sulpicia’s thrones. She and the others had been spending time with Bella and Rosalie when they got word that the Cullens had arrived at the castle. Athenodora although happy that the were finally at the castle was annoyed with their timing. Bella had eaten her food and immediately went to sleep. The queens and Rosalie had spent that time watching her and only making random comments while the human dozed. They all knew that Bella was not caught up on her sleep yet and didn’t want chance their talking waking her up. When they got word Bella had been excited but everyone could tell that the human was still exhausted. Athenodora was planning on insisting Bella go straight to bed after the trial and stay there for a couple days. The queen badly wanted to torture the Cullens but it could wait until Bella was well enough to join in.

“The chef said it was the one she had and she loved it.”Sulpicia had asked about the chair when she and Didyme made Bella’s food. She had wanted her daughter to be comfortable during the trial.

“It will be fine. Although I would prefer just holding Bella on my lap.”Didyme was only not insisting because she didn’t think it would be comfortable for the girl.

“I would prefer holding both our daughters on my lap.”Athenodora would actually prefer them being within arm’s reach all the time.

“It will be nice when all this is over and we finally get the chance to know them. From the little we interacted with them I think that we are going to be very impressed with who they are as people.”Didyme thought that her daughters were extraordinary and couldn’t wait to speak to them about personal topics.

“You mean who they were allowed to be as people. I fear that both of them have been held back a lot from being their true selves but I am looking forward to seeing them grow into who they were always meant to be in the future while living at the castle.”Sulpicia expected to find out her daughters had not had the chance to do much other than what the Cullens let them do. Before anyone could reply the throne room doors open and a guard walked in.

“Your majesty I present the Cullen coven except for Rosalie Hale.”The guard announced.

“Send them in.”Athenodora told him. She watched as the guard retreated and returned with the entire Cullen coven except for Rosalie. The queen could see they all were confused but still had an air of confidence. Making eye contact with Edward Athenodora smirked at the frustrated look of anger on the boy’s face. It seemed Bella’s gift was keeping him out her head.

“Cullens welcome to Voleterra.”Sulpicia also saw Edward’s face and was feeling very smug that Bella could so easily as human protect her bond mates.

“It’s good to be here your majesty. Although we don’t understand why the guard was sent to collect us.”Carlisle didn’t have a clue as to why the queens wanted to see them. Neither did any of his children. They did plan to use this opportunity to get their hands on Bella and Rosalie. Carlisle was not willing to let the pair go. Especially Bella now that it had been revealed her gift was so powerful. She was to great of a prize to lose.

“You don’t even have any guesses to why we sent the guard instead of sending a summons?”Athenodora was enjoying toying with them and wanted to drag out the reveal a little longer.

“No as we have committed no crimes.”Edward was not happy with this situation because each of the queens was immune to his gift. It wouldn’t have been that big of a deal but the guard members he read didn’t know the reason the queen sent for his coven. That meant Edward couldn’t manipulate the situation.

“You can’t think crime any of you have committed in the last two years or the last oh I don’t know century or so?”Athenodora asked.

Carlisle searched his mind to try and link the queens to the crimes that Athenodora was hinting at. He didn’t think that anyone other than his family knew about those crimes and they wouldn’t incriminate themselves. That left Rosalie and Bella but even if they went to the queens they were still under the influence of what was done to them. Even if Rosalie acted out she wouldn’t have gone to the queens. Carlisle had made her properly afraid of them.”We have committed no crimes at all.”

“Well you Carlisle have committed and been convicted of crimes. Like the time you were sentenced to 50 years in the dungeon and received regular beatings. You also happily fed off human blood the whole time. Didn’t even complain about having to kill the humans.”Athenodora chuckled at the looks of shock on the Cullen’s faces. Even Edward hadn’t seemed to have known.”Oh yes the great and almighty Carlisle killed and drained humans for five decades. Hundreds of them.”

“You lie!”Edward knew Carlisle would never kill humans.

“Am I lying Carlisle? Before you give your answer many of the guards you tried to recruit including Heidi who tell people lies about are more than willing to serve as witnesses to not only your crimes but you killing and drinking from humans.”Athenodora wanted to see if Carlisle would admit the truth.

Carlisle weighed his options. He could lie but the queen would follow through on her threat and it just make it worse for him.”You are not lying as it was the only way I had to feed I drained and killed humans willingly for fifty years.”

“What the fuck?!”Emmett couldn’t believe the man who punished him for slipping was a human drinker for half a century.

“You more than willing. Why you didn’t ask us for animal blood.”Athenodora said.

“That isn’t why you are here though.”Sulpicia was enjoying Athenodora’s antics but wanted to get the trial over with. Then she could get Bella back to bed so the human could sleep.

“Yes you are here because we have been receiving many alarming messages concerning the group of you trying to find two members of you coven. Rosalie Hale and Bella Swan. We wish to hear why it is that so many are concerned?”Didyme and the others decided to let the Cullens incriminate themselves before they presented them with Rosalie and Bella.

Carlisle held back a smile. This is exactly what he wanted. This was his chance to get the queen’s help finding the pair.”You see Edward and Bella were on their honeymoon were Bella contracted a life threatening illness. The rest of the coven to include Rosalie met the newlyweds at the airport so that we could immediately administer medical care. Rosalie took the chance of being out in public to kidnap Bella and take her to an unknown location. We have been contacting everyone we know and some people we don’t trying to find them but we have had no luck. If anything you bringing us to castle is a sign from god that with your help we will find them.”

“A sign from god?!”Athenodora laughed at the very idea.

Sulpicia ignored Athenodora’s laughter.“Why would Rosalie kidnap Bella?”

“She is jealous that I chose Bella over her. Ever since she was turned she has been trying to get me to marry her. I think my picking Bella sent her over the edge and she used the opportunity of Bella being ill as a way to eliminate the competition.”Edward was positive that the queens were believing the lie. He just hated he couldn’t confirm it with his gift.

“Why would Rosalie who is mated care about who you choose? Was she not happy with her mate?”Didyme knew that no mated vampire would care about someone who they had romantic feelings for after they exchanged bites. It meant that Didyme would have known it was a lie even without already knowing the truth.

“Rosalie was extremely happy with me. She had no complaints.”Emmett wasn’t going to let anyone think Rosalie didn’t like being with him.

“So Rosalie who was happily mated kidnapped Bella because she wants to marry Edward? She willingly chose to abandoned her own mate all because of that? That is unless she invited you to go with them Emmett and if not has contacted you.”Sulpicia was going to make them admit the lie.

“Rosalie is obsessed with me. She would have thrown Emmett away in a second if I gave her a chance.”Edward fully believed without the false bond Rosalie would be in love with him.

“That’s not true. Rosalie was devoted to me and our relationship. She didn’t look at you twice. As a matter of fact she hated your guts.”Emmett was to good to be thrown away for someone like Edward.

“Emmet.”Carlisle hissed. The idiot just poked a hole in their story.

Athenodora smiled at the slip.”I think if anyone knew Rosalie best it would be Emmet who is her mate. That means that she did not kidnap Bella due to jealously reasons. Now would you like to try again. What was so important about Bella that Rosalie abandoned her coven and her mate to take her into hiding?”

“Rosalie was jealous of Bella because of how much love and attention the human got. The reason she kidnapped Bella was because she knew that Bella would be getting a lot more due to her illness. Rosalie has always been vain and ever since Bella has been a member of the coven has made comments about how much she hated Bella and how Bella didn’t deserve all the praise she got. I believe that Rosalie took this opportunity to get Bella out of the picture in a way no one could stop her.”Carlisle figured that was a believable lie as Rosalie was well known to be vain.

“In the two years that Bella has been in your lives Rosalie has never had the opportunity to kill Bella? We all know she isn’t against murder as she has killed many so why didn’t she just kill Bella the first chance she got. I mean Bella had to have been left unprotected more than once. Why didn’t Rosalie do it then? Why the big production?”Didyme was curious of the answer the coven would have to that.

“I had been protecting Bella with my gift. If Rosalie had tried I would have intercepted her.”Alice lied. She knew that Rosalie would never consider killing Bella.

“Your gift is something else that should be brought up. Why haven’t you found the pair using your gift?”Sulpicia asked.

“Whatever Bella is suffering from has strengthen her own gift. It’s blocking me from seeing both her and Rosalie.”Alice was very pissed about that as well. If Bella didn’t have a gift they would already have gotten the pair back.

“You keep mentioning an illness. What kind of illness does Bella have that it strengthened her gift?”Athenodora couldn’t wait to hear the answer to her question.

“I haven’t had a chance to properly examine Bella so I am unsure what illness she suffers from.”Carlisle hadn’t thought to make one up on the way to the castle because he didn’t know the queens would ask them about the situation.

“You don’t know what she suffers from but you are sure it’s life threatening. Based on what?”Didyme didn’t think Carlisle would be able to tell them something even close to convincing as an answer to her question.

Carlisle cursed himself for digging that hole.”Based on the symptoms Bella was experiencing.”

“What symptoms?”Sulpicia wanted to know what Carlisle had told people about Bella’s condition.

“She was lethargic, constantly vomiting, nauseous, irritable, had gained excessive weight in a short period of time and stop showing affection to Edward.”Carlisle listed off.

Athenodora shared a look with her mates getting two head nods in reply.”I don’t think she had a life threatening illness. To me it sounds like she was pregnant.”

“No she wasn’t.”Edward was quick to deny.

“Did you have unprotected sex with her when she was human?”Sulpicia asked him.

“What I do my with my wife is none of your business.”Edward wasn’t going to admit anything.

“That my boy is where you are wrong. Everything concerning Bella and Rosalie is our business. Including what you did to the pair of them and tried to do to their child.”Athenodora motioned to the side of the diesis causing Rosalie and Bella to walk into the room. Athenodora grinned the shocked expression on the Cullens faces.”Now then. Let’s cut the shit. You all were brought here to be tried for your crimes against Bella Swan, Rosalie Hale and Lily Rose Volturi.”

“Bella what are you doing here? Get over here right no so we can go home.”Edward was relieved they finally found Bella. Now they could be done with all this nonsense and continue their lives.

Rosalie growled at Edward. She would have attacked him but she in the middle of getting Bella settled into her chair. She also didn’t want leave Bella alone with the Cullens in the room.”Bella isn’t going anywhere with you!”

“Your majesties I don’t know what the pair of them have told you but it’s all lies. That being the case we will happily take them off your hands, go home and never bother you again.”Carlisle had no clue what Rosalie and Bella had told the queens. He actually wasn’t sure how much the pair knew.

“You will not be taking them anywhere. As a matter of fact the only place you are going is to the dungeon once finish going through your charges.”Didyme hated that she couldn’t just rush up to Carlisle and rip his head off.

“We have committed no crimes. Actually it’s you who are committing the crime of keeping my mate from me.”Edward wasn’t worried about being convicted of anything. The queens had no proof.

“She is not your mate.”Rosalie made a move to go to him but stopped when she felt Bella’s hand on her arm.

“You will regret ending him so quickly. Think about everything that could be done to him if you had more time.”Bella wanted to remind Rosalie why they were waiting.

Rosalie sighed then leaned down and kissed Bella on the head.”You of course are right.”

“What the fuck is going on?”Emmett didn’t know why Rosalie hadn’t rejoined his side. Carlisle said he was going to use the sire bond to make Rosalie his mate again and Jasper promised to alter her emotions so she would believe it was real.

“What is going on is that you and the rest of your coven have been breaking the law since you were changed. Likely before that a well but we don’t have any solid proof one way or another.”Sulpicia figured Carlisle had broken the law many times before and after he changed Edward and continued to after he added each member to his coven.

“What crimes are we being accused of?”Carlisle needed to know so he could plan his defense.

“You all are being charged with facilitating two false mate bonds, keeping a mated pair apart and the attempted murder of Lily Rose Volturi. Jasper you are being charged with using your gift to manipulate two false mate bonds and using your gift to make a mated pair hate each other. Carlisle you are being charged with using the sire bond to force a vampire you created into a false mate bond. Emmett you are being charged with claiming a false mate bond and numerous counts of rape. Edward you are being charged with glammering a human to force them into a false mate bond, claiming a false mate bond and rape.”Sulpicia listed off.

“I didn’t rape anyone. Rosalie was always willing to have sex with me.”Emmett wasn’t a rapist.

“You had sex with Rosalie when she wasn’t in control of her own mind. Something you were fully aware of. You took advantage of the fact that she couldn’t say no to you even though you knew without being forced into the bond she wouldn’t even look your way let alone touch you.”Athenodora thought that was the very definition of rape.

“Rosalie is my mate. It isn’t some false bond like you keep saying. We have been together for decades.”Emmett wasn’t going to lose Rosalie. She was the ultimate trophy.

“I can see that you aren’t mated. Something that I would have seen if Carlisle ever brought Rosalie to the castle Something he didn’t do because he knew my gift would reveal the truth.”Didyme knew that Carlisle didn’t bring Rosalie to visit because he didn’t want to reveal the lie.

“Your gift isn’t foolproof. Bella’s gift is probably messing with it and that’s why you can’t see the bond.”Emmett couldn’t give up.

“I know for a fact that Bella gift isn’t effecting my own. The reason being I can see her and Rosalie’s just fine and Rosalie has no bonds with you. As matter of fact she no longer has a bond with Carlisle either.”Didyme had never seen a severed bond before and was going to document everything about Rosalie’s severed sire bond when she got the chance.

“If her sire bond is gone that means someone messed with our bond.”Emmett took that as a perfect excuse for Didyme not seeing his bond.

“Nice try but I can see Rosalie’s true mate bond. Not only that my own mate is going to read you and when she does she is going to see you have been fully aware that Rosalie wasn’t your mate this whole time.”Didyme had no doubt Emmett knew the truth.

“Who is Rosalie’s mate if isn’t me?”Emmett wanted to know so he could eliminate the threat.

“That’s surprising you don’t know as it’s obvious the rest of your coven does. They were all active in keeping Rosalie away from them.”Athenodora had thought that all the Cullens knew about Rosalie and Bella.

Emmett found himself angry that he left out of knowing the secret.”They don’t know anything because I am Rosalie’s mate.”

“Darling, will you shut him up?”Didyme asked Athenodora.

“With pleasure.”Athenodora shot off her chair, rush to Emmett grabbed him around the neck and slammed him to the ground. She punched him in the face a couple times not paying attention to the rest of the Cullens who were being restrained by guards. Once his face was nice and messed up Athenodora carried him to Sulpicia ignoring his attempts to free himself.”Here you are my love.”

It made Sulpicia happy to see the boy’s face to wrecked. Taking Emmet’s hand from Athenodora Sulpicia closed her eyes and watched Emmett’s life play on the backside of her eyelids. Many things she saw enraged her, a few that featured Rosalie either fixing a car or taking about cars made her want smile seeing her daughter so happy, some things brought her deep sadness and the queen knew she would some time alone with her mates to work through everything. Opening her eyes she dropped Emmett’s hand.”He was the one to ask Carlisle to bond him with Rosalie. Carlisle agreed because he thought Emmett could keep Rosalie and her hatred and violence towards him and Edward under control.”

“You bastard! I’m going to enjoy making your death painful.”Rosalie was going to brainstorm with Bella before she went after him.

“I treated you like royalty! I put up with all your shit. You should be running into my arms begging me for another chance.”Emmett didn’t know why Rosalie was so angry. He treated her like a princess.

“Rosalie is royalty so you didn’t treat her special you treated her like she deserved.”Bella thought everyone should have been treating Rosalie like royalty her whole life because Rosalie was better than all of them.

Rosalie squeezed Bella’s shoulder softly.”Thank you sweetheart.”

“I’m telling the truth. All the Cullens are beneath you. You have always been to good for them.”Bella told her.

“Rosalie is not better than me.”Edward was far superior to Rosalie.

“Rosalie is better than you in every way. To include her being a better mate and in the future she is going to a better parent to our child than you would have ever been.”Even if he lived Bella wouldn’t have let Edward near her and Rosalie’s child.

“That monster needs to die.”Edward wouldn’t rest until it was dead.

“It’s not a monster you idiot. It is vampire human hybrid that is rather common in our society. The baby will grow up like a normal human and will not have any problems adapting to the world. It poses no danger to anyone.”Athenodora didn’t owe Edward an explanation but she wouldn’t sit there and let him call her grandchild a monster.

“If that is true then Bella needs to come home with us so Edward can raise his child.”Carlisle took this as good news because the queens wouldn’t keep a parent away from their own child.

“Edward may have provided some of his dna to create the child but he is not one of her parents. Those title being to myself and Rosalie.”Bella told him.

“Rosalie will not raise my child.”Edward would never let Rosalie take a parental role in his child’s life.

“Not only is Rosalie the child’s other parent I named the child Lily Rose Volturi after Rosalie and the queens. You will never be mentioned in front of her and if she asks after her father I’m going to tell her he was a one night stand who tricked me into having sex with him even though I didn’t want to.”Bella smiled when Edward tried to lunge for her and the guards holding him slammed him to the ground.

“Let me go.”Edward struggled to get free.”I’m going to kill you and that monster. Then I’m going to kill Rosalie for trying to claim what is mine!!”

Didyme looked to Bella and saw that although the human was having fun her body was starting to sag. That meant Bella was tired.”As much fun as this has been Cia will you please read the rest of them so Bella can get some sleep?”

“Good idea. Bring them to me in a line.”Sulpicia was having fun but her daughter was more important. One by one the remaining Cullens were brought before her and Sulpicia used her gift on each one. Nothing she saw surprised her. Confirmed some suspicions she and the others had but didn’t surprise her. Once done she she look over the group. They didn’t look confident anymore. They looked terrified. Edward was still on the ground but Sulpicia bet he still thought he was going to walk free.”Now that that’s done. I will give you our final ruling. Based on your own statements in this room, testimony from Rosalie and Bella plus what I saw with my gift the entire Cullen coven except for Rosalie and Bella are found guilty of the crimes you are accused of.”

“We committed no crimes!”Carlisle didn’t know how he could get out this situation. Hell he didn’t even know how he got into it because he doubted it was Rosalie or Bella’s idea to meet with the queens.

“No you and your coven have committed many crimes and because you have all of you are being sentenced to death.”Athenodora smiled when the group erupted in sound and action. A few of the tried to flea but the guards got them before they could make it to the door.

“Your majesties I have done nothing wrong. All I ever did was act like a loving mother to both Rosalie and Bella.”Esme told them.

Sulpicia scoffed.”A loving mother wouldn’t go out of her way to reassure both her daughters about their mate bonds when they had doubts. A loving mother hearing those doubts wouldn’t have sought out Jasper to use his gift to reinforce the bonds.”

“Enough of this. Guards throw them in the dungeon. Keep Carlisle away from Edward and the mated pairs separate.”Athenodora didn’t want to deal with the Cullens anymore. If she wasn’t allowed to beat on them or kill them she didn’t want to be around them.

“Good riddance.”Rosalie said as she watch her former family being dragged out of the room all of them yelling and fighting the whole way. Turning to Bella Rosalie caught the human yawning.”Come on love let’s get you to bed.”

“I want to fight you on it because I want to know what mom saw but I am too tired to fight.”Bella didn’t have the energy for talking.

Sulpicia smiled brightly hearing Bella call her mom. It seemed like the human didn’t know she did it was just that natural.”I promise I will tell you everything once you have gotten caught up on your rest. These couple hour naps you have been getting aren’t enough to keep you going.”

“I agree. You should probably stay in bed for the rest of the day and all day tomorrow.”Athenodora was jealous Bella didn’t call her mom and just hoped it would happen soon because the queen would love to hear her daughter give her the title.

“They’re right. You really should spend as much time as you can resting.”Now that the Cullens were in the dungeon Rosalie could relax and spend time enjoying pregnancy with Bella. The first step to doing that was getting Bella caught up on her sleep.

“As long as you three visit me for my meals I’ll stay in bed. I just don’t want to be away from you that long.”Bella figured it was the bond that was making her crave the company of the queens.

It was Didyme’s turn to smile brightly.”We don’t want to be away from you either so we will make sure to visit for every meal.”

“Thank you.”Bella said.

“You don’t have to thank us for something we want to do.”Athenodora was relieved that Bella invited them to visit. She would have missed both her daughters if they had been separated the whole time Bella was resting.

Rosalie leaned over and picked Bella up bridal style holding her close to her chest.”Let’s get you in bed.”

“I don’t have the energy to walk so I’m not going to fight you about carrying me.”Bella wouldn’t make it three steps.

“I wish you wouldn’t fight me about it anyway.”Rosalie enjoyed carrying Bella everywhere.

“I’ll have Rosalie let you know when to visit.”Bella told the queens.

“We look forward to seeing you again.”Athenodora was going to sneak in to check on Bella in a few hours. She wouldn’t be able to stop herself.

“The chef is on call so no matter what time you get hungry she will make you food.”Sulpicia would make sure she helped the chef so the queen could provide for her daughter.

“Rosalie if you need a book or anything else let us know and we will bring it to you.”Didyme offered.

“I like watching Bella sleep so I won’t get bored but thank you for the offer.”Rosalie enjoyed keeping an eye on Bella when she was vulnerable.

“See you later.”Bella waved good bye as Rosalie walked out of the throne room. Once they were in the hallway she laid her head on Rosalie’s shoulder and sighed.”I don’t think I’m going to make it the whole way.”

“Just close your eyes and I’ll try my best not to jostle you.”Rosalie told her. She felt Bella nod her head in reply. Adjusting Bella in arms so she would be more comfortable Rosalie made her way down the hallway surrounded by guards. The guards didn’t bother her that much. She actually appreciated having them because they gave Bella extra protection why Rosalie was carrying the human. When Lily was born Rosalie might even ask to have a few extra assigned to them. Thinking of Lily Rosalie smiled. She loved the fact that Edward now knew that the child wasn’t a monster and that Rosalie was going to be its other parent. Rosalie definitely liked Bella telling him what they would say when she asked about her father. Rosalie had thoroughly enjoyed Edward’s reaction. She could almost taste his anger. Rosalie who had rejected him in both her human and vampire life took away the woman he chose to be his mate and was going to raise his child as her own with the child never knowing about him. She couldn’t come up with a better plan for revenge. The fact that she actually didn’t plan anything and it his fault she was in the situation she was in was even better in Rosalie’s opinion. She couldn’t wait to bring it up to him again when she was beating on him. That would have to wait though. Looking down at the sleeping Bella in her arms Rosalie knew it would be a couple days before they could even talk about punishments. Not that she cared. Bella needed rest and Rosalie would always put her mate’s needs above everything else. Even revenge.