IV
It was Benjamin who spoke up. His sire, Amun, and his coven sister, Tia, tried to hold him back as he walked to the king of vampires. He shoved them away then knelt at Aro's feet, raising both of his hands up to show that he was willing to share his thoughts with Aro. Aro gleefully took Benjamin's hands, gasping after he did so. Seeing his thoughts and emotions as everything played out caused him to sigh in relief. This boy was innocent and extremely powerful. Aro smiled kindly at the boy.
"I see. You may rise, child. You are hereby declared innocent of all charge brought against you. Would you like to take your mate with you or would you like to join us and you and your mate can be protected from those who wish to use your gifts for selfish reasons?" Aro asked, glancing at Amun as he finished his last sentence.
Benjamin stood and looked back at his coven before looking at Aro once again.
"I would like to join your coven as a guard once my mate recovers from his ordeal enough for me to leave his side. I will take your offer of protection for myself and especially for my mate."
Tia and Amun looked almost feral but Aro and the other Volturi were smiling, happy for someone new to join their ranks and family.
Aro smiled, "Oh, how wonderful! I'm so glad you've made the decision to join us! Please collect any of your things too have inside and join your mate."
Benjamin bowed then sped over to Felix, carefully taking Jasper into his arms, Jasper's body relaxing in the arms of his mate. Benjamin was in awe of his beautiful mate. He didn't look much older than he was. He had curly blonde hair and soft features that made him look peaceful even if he was nearly feral with hunger.
Elliot watched as his young mate was fitted with an oxygen mask and was cleaned up. He was carefully watching the child's face for any discomfort as the medical vampire checked his vitals.
Both happily oblivious to the chaos happening around them.
Aro clapped excitedly at the thought of more family then turned back to the ones who have yet to be interrogated.
"Now then, anyone else wish to come forward or should we just start picking at random?" Aro asked with a cruel smile.
Unexpectedly, Renesmee took a step forward. However she did not get very far before her mother started to drag her back to her side. Renesmee slapped her mothers hands away and then walked confidently up to the kings. She bowed politely then presented her hands.
Aro smirked at her bravery then took her small hand into his. Aro watched as she tried to convince her parents on multiple occasions to take care of her precious little brother. How she was worried for his well-being but not strong enough to even force the door open that was trapping her aunt, uncle, and little brother. How when she found out they were coming, she grew excited about getting her brother some help as well as asking to join them so she could drink human blood and be up to full strength, not barely surviving. He then saw what she was thinking when she saw Jane.
He smiled.
"Oh how wonderful. You are hereby declared innocent of all charges. Brother Marcus, would you examine her to see if she has a mate among our ranks?"
Marcus looked surprised but smiled in delight when he examined the young half immortal.
"Oh, yes. She is the mate of our dearest Jane as well as the female we rescued."
Aro smiled in delight then turned to the young half immortal, ignoring the screaming of Isabella and Edward.
"Would you like to be with your mates and join us, child?"
Renesmee nodded quickly then joined Jane.
Carlisle then spoke up, confused, "do you not worry of her half immortal status?"
Caius laughed, "Of course not. We have met many half immortals. In fact, our dear Demetri is one."
The witnesses were astonished. They didnt know that these half immortals were common.
"Alright," Aro interjected, "Isabella Cullen, please step forward to face your judgement."
The plain newborn walked over to the kings, refusing to bow to them. She stuck her hand out arrogantly because she knew that her gift would block his. What Bella didn't know is that Aro had been improving his powers so that he could breakthrough through her shield.
He grabbed her hand and gasped as her thoughts flooded his brain. Her thoughts about mind controlling some members of her coven. The rape of her husband. Her coconspirators in the plot to take down the Olympic and Volturi covens. Who her real mate was and the mates of the members she was controlling.
He ripped his hand out of her grasp with a frightened gasp. He motioned for Felix and Demetri to grab her and they brought her to the side to be dealt with. Aro grabbed Alice and started pulling on her head, her not fighting back as she was held by him as well as Alec and Afton.
Aro spoke lowly, "Release your mind control or I will kill your mate."
Bella screamed and fought her captors but as soon as she saw the cracks forming on her mate, she hung her head, defeated. With a sigh she released her mind control powers.
It was easy to see who was under the influence of her powers and who wasn't. Edward, Emmett, Carlisle, as well as a few witnesses fell to the ground screaming as black smoke escaped from their mouths. After a few minutes they sat up, looking around, confused as to what was happening around them.
Marcus gasped as he realized that the girl had been blocking his gift partially as well, allowing him to see the mate bonds of the vampires that were under the influence of her powers. And what was most surprising is that he had a bond connected as well. Marcus walked over to his brother and whispered his discovery in his ear.
Aro was flabbergasted. He never once thought that his mate would be someone he'd admired for so long.
"Carlisle Cullen, please step forward."
The confused male staggered forward, still reeling from the affects of Bella's mind control. He presented his hand with his head down, his mind trying to make sense of the situation he was in. Wasn't he just checking out the Chiefs daughter at the hospital? Why were they standing in a field? Why were the Volturi here? He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice that Aro took his hand into his own. He was finally brought out of his reverie when the king before him gasped then pulled him closer to himself.
"Oh that retched little newborn, what an awful thing to do to someone. I declare Carlisle, Emmett, and Edward Cullen innocent of all charges but please still come forward so we may assess the damage Isabella has caused and get you healed."
The last two male Cullen's walked forward, Edward having to be supported by Emmett who didn't look too well himself. Edwards mind was the most tampered with as he was the one who spent the most time with Isabella. He couldn't stand by himself or keep his head up. He was leaning fully into his physically older brothers chest. Marcus stepped forward and took the shorter man into his arms, leading him to Aro and the medical vampire so he could be checked over.
After a few minutes, the vampire was done then addressed Marcus, "The Royal Consort will be okay. After someone explains to him what happened, he might feel traumatized or defensive if the topic comes up. I'd keep him in bed for a few months while he digests all of the information as well as to keep him from hurting himself or others. He'll have frequent headaches and will need to drink from blood bags whilst he recovers. This goes for the other two Royal Consorts as well, My kings."
Edward looked up at Marcus with vacant eyes and smiled dopily at him before cuddling into his chest.
"Mate," he whispered reverently.
Marcus smiled serenely. After over three millenia, he had found his mate. He stroked the lovely face delicately, relishing in the feeling of touching his mate.
"Beloved," he whispered, voice soft and deep with emotion.
Aro held Carlisle close as he listened to how he could help his mate recover, running his hand through soft blond locks. Carlisle laid his head on his mates shoulder, his eyes watching Aro, taking in his features with a small smile on his face. Carlisle closed his eyes peacefully, relishing in the touch of his mate.
Emmett was curled up in Caius' embrace. Even though he was only an inch taller, he had much more muscle than Caius so it was a bit awkward. However, Emmett always had a bit of a submissive personality, he just never submitted to Rosalie because he was afraid he would be laughed at. Who wants a large and well muscled submissive?
Caius could feel the tension in his mates body. He could tell that Emmett was insecure about his physique compared to Caius because it was programmed into people that the submissive should be smaller than the dominant, but this didn't matter to Caius at all. Caius took Emmetts hands into his and looked into his eyes.
"You are perfect," Caius stated, kissing the inside of the youngers wrists.
Emmett internally blushed then looked down at the snow covered ground still a bit insecure.
"Your okay with me being bigger than you but also being the submissive in the relationship?" Emmett whispered anxiously.
"Of course. In fact, I prefer it. I've never even been attracted to people smaller than me. They've always seemed too breakable. I need a nice and strong submissive who can take me at my worst. I still get flashbacks from the war with the Romanian Coven as well as the wolf that tried to kill me. I don't want to hurt my mate accidentally because they are fragile. "
Emmett breaks into a joyous smile and then leans his head down on the blondes shoulder, brain buzzing with bliss. Caius rubs his back soothingly to comfort him through his emotional upheaval.
Aro, still holding his newly discovered mate in his arms, quickly interrogates the rest of the witnesses as well as Esme Cullen. While most were declared innocent, like the Denali Coven, Garrett, the Amazon Coven, Jasper's friends, and the Irish Coven, some were found guilty. That included the rest of the Egyptian Coven: Amun, Tia, and Kebi, as well as the last of the Olympic Coven: Esme.
Amun, Tia, and Kebi were all executed immediately due to only agreeing to keep the plan a secret as well as using Isabella's abilities to keep Benjamin from discovering his real mate, but in Isabella's arrogance she accidentally let go of her control over him when the Volturi came out with Rosalie, Jasper, and Jeremiah.
Esme, Alice, and Isabella were all coming back to Volterra with the kings so they could be punished properly and not rewarded with a quick death. These three were the main antagonists to this and even though he would like the gifts Isabella and Alice had, they committed treason, as well as there two most sacred laws.
Never imprison their own kind and that any vampires mate is sacred.
They would be made examples of as a warning to those who wish to commit the same crime.
With the trial done and the vampires saved, the Volturi sped away. The newly found mates in the arms of their dominants. The criminals being restricted from moving with one guard holding an arm on each is side of them, eyes blindfolded tightly to prevent escape as well as Isabella mind controlling someone else.