𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃

III | "I hold your happily ever after in my hands."

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IT WAS HIGH NOON IN VOLUTERRA SQUARE DURING THE FEAST OF SAINT MARCUS when Margeaux was proven correct to seeing Edward again. She stood, among the masses in a newly changed cloak. It was red as dripping blood, her favorite, and it blended in with the ordinary people enjoying the warm day.

Times like this made Marge proud of what she was. Her skin didn't brightly shine in the sun like a million little diamonds. She simply glowed. A natural radiance that attracted more to her. The sun wasn't her enemy, but her ally. She preferred it this way.

However, with Edward Cullen in his sullen form, the sun rays was not kind. Marge watched, invested, as his foot inched out of the shadows. The majority of his body was covered in darkness as he hid in the alleyway. The clock tower sung its sweet tune, marking the hour and Marge waited with baited breath.

His pale skin was kissed by the rays and he suddenly glistened. Bare chest with only a pair of trousers. Margeaux glided through the throng of people towards him, biding her time for the perfect moment to strike.

Yet, in the nick of time, a human girl just as pale as he stormed down the fountain center. Her chocolate brown hair flying through the air as she manically waved her hands about. Margeaux scowled at the sight, pushing people out of the way to get closer to the madness. This was one of her favorite holidays and Edward getting a free pass was going to spoil it.

Alas, the clock struck twelve. Edward was fully exposed to the mortals, dazzling and all. But the human girl instantly blocked it with her petite frame, prodding and pushing his out of the way with panicked words to persuade him. Margeaux's face grew dark as she allowed herself to be swallowed in the crowd, her blue gaze trained on the love birds like a sniper in the barracks.

It wasn't long before she met up with Jane. They didn't say a word to each other, but they knew their roles. Marge was slightly taller in height and with her heels, it was an impressive difference. The two women knew their direction in mind and walked in sync down the long hallway.

Jane was indifferent.

Margeaux was bitter.

The sound of disagreement easily met their ears at this distance. A high pitched woman dissuading the building confrontation. "It's a festival. You wouldn't want to make a scene." She charismatically mused.

"We wouldn't," Felix admitted.

"Enough."

Marge and Jane came into view, the latter undoing the hood on her cloak to reveal her childlike face. The raven haired hybrid stayed concealed. It was her eyes that spoke for her, scrutinizing the humane features of Edward's mate. She could feel Edward trying to tap into her mind. His hand metaphorically palming the walls of her psyche.

His ministrations reminded her of the past and it only made the sting of betrayal hurt all the more. 

"Jane... Margeaux." Edward was reluctant to utter her name and it caused a rueful smirk to curl the corner of her lips.

She felt the soulful brown eyes of the human upon her. Glancing at her dress and the vibrant color of her cloak. No doubt, she was seeing the warmth in her cheeks, the brightness of her eyes, the repetitive inhalation of her lungs. All tell-tale signs of a human and yet, Isabella Swan was still perplexed.

"What is the meaning of this hold up?" Marge inquired, flickering her eyes abruptly to the mortal, which caused Isabella to jump as if she were caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. "You delay the inevitable. Come."

Margeaux expected them to follow her lead. Their disquiet footfalls satisfying her.

"Just do as she says." The immortal pixie-like woman whispered lowly. Marge instantly figured she was the intelligent one. And they'd do well to listen to her.

The journey back to the throne room was dull. Mindless whispers exchanged between Edward and his love kept her mind reeling as they passed cobble stone walls and iron gates to the center of the establishment. An elevator took them a few stories down and the stuffiness annoyed her more than their presence entirely.

The receptionist stood as they entered, smiling widely. Marge always pitied the beautiful lady, young and naïve to think she'd get her way with ruthless vampires. They have slaughtered for far less than actually doing your job correctly. This woman would be one of a long list of casualties.

"Is she human?" The chocolate haired girl asked her lover.

Edward replied with a simple, "Yes."

"Does she know?"

"Yes," He repeated.

"Then why would... she wants to be."

"And so she will be," Demetri interrupted.

To which Jane added, "For dessert." It made her eyes roll humorlessly as she pried open the grand dragon scaled doors to the Throne room. The very same Edward had entered in earlier. It was all coming around full circle.

The room was grand. Scaffolding into an incredible dome inspired by the greats. The columns which held the massive room up were five times her size. Walls decorated with fine stained glass replicated like those within an ancient church. It was absolutely expensive in here and the three kings sitting straight ahead never let you forget it.

"Sister. Send you out to get one and you bring two... and a half. Such a clever girl." Alec remarked as Jane moved to his side.

"Coquine," Marge tutted with a click of her tongue. (naughty). Margeaux decided to stay close to the guilty instead of walking to her chair. An eagerness to rush this all along called for standing, not sitting. "Have some decorum, Alec."  His glare did not deter her from teasing.

"What a happy surprise!" Aro exclaimed, standing to his feet to meet them in the center. "Bella is alive after all. Isn't that wonderful. I love a happy ending."

"They are so rare..." Taking Edward's hand out of Bella's grasp, he relived every moment up to now. The Swan gasped at the intrusion and Marge's eyebrow arched in amusement. When her father returned, his impressed expression spoke volumes. His interest in Bella had risen. "Her blood appeals to you so much. It makes me thirsty," He swallowed intently.

"How can you stand to be so close to her?"

"It's not without difficulty," Edward muttered bleakly. As if he were reliving a memory himself.

Aro chuckled in agreement, "Yes, I can see that."

"Aro," Margeaux cleared her throat to gather his attentions once more.

"Ah, yes." He grinned, back on track. "You are quite a soul reader yourself, Edward. Though... you can't read Bella's thoughts. Fascinating." He let go of Edward's hand and stretched his hand out to Isabella's. "I would love to see if... you are an exception to my gifts, as well. Would you do me the honor?"

It took but all thirty second for Marge and her father to see that Bella was a shield like one of their own. The raven haired hybrid clasped her hands together and observed the teenager with a new respect. Her ability to deflect those mind tricks around her was impressive, especially because she was human.

That's when it clicked that Edward was intrigued by Bella just as much, if not more, than he was with Marge when they first met. Her ability to block his cognitive intrusion lured him in. Annoyed the know-it-all within him that constantly needed answers for the unknown. Marge frankly realized a long time ago that she wasn't Edward's mate, his weakness or his hope.

Although, at the time she might have desired to be. For a moment, when all was peaceful and the blood was flowing -- she wondered if this was what mates were like.

When the bloodshed had gotten too inconspicuous, Edward fled the scene without a backwards glance. The Volturi came and Aro let it go simply because she was his daughter. However, she was all alone and without a good bye.

No, Margeaux wasn't his mate. But Isabella Swan was his kryptonite.

Aro turned to face his two most prized possessions. His face falsely grave and unsettled. Marge could see the cogs turning in her father's head. The greed and competitiveness to be the best. It covered his face like a thin veil, masking his eyes in darkness. The Ancient vampire held his hand out to his daughter and Jane in the same instant, urging them with compelling gazes.

"I wonder if..." He started, rambling to himself. "Let us see if she is immune to all our powers. Shall we, ladies?"

"No." Almost immediately, Edward objected. He rushed Jane, leaving Margeaux wide open. She swiftly sped the short distance to the human girl's side and clasped a hand around her neck.

The abruptness of the pain, caused Bella to cry out. Marge's grip was too tight and nerve punching. It was purposeful, because Marge knew her mind temporary distracted by said pain.

And in her quickness, Margeaux used that miniscule window of distraction to climb into her mind. Opal eyes trained, Margeaux managed to plant a seed before she was shut out completely. Her lips pulled into a sinister grin at her success. Even shields had weaknesses.

As Edward was being conquered by Jane, his body stiffening in pain as he gasped. His face contorting to that of agony. Margeaux felt a twinge of heartache at the sight. Something she did not wish to feel and instead, averted her gaze to his gentle, little lamb.

"Stand still," Margeaux commanded Isabella in a soft, clear voice. To everyone's surprise, Bella stilled inhumanely. The slight tremble of her nervous limbs completely ceased and the throne room was suddenly silent with awe. "Good girl."

"What did you do to her?" Alice worried, hands outstretched as her brows furrowed.

"I assumed control." Margeaux annunciated. "You'd be amazed how distracted one can get when their mate is hurting. Isn't that right, Edward?"

"Let her go," Edward gritted through his pain, crumpling to the ground. Alice knelt down beside him, golden eyes wary yet her temperament was calm. It seems she worked best under pressure or maybe she wasn't that worried at all.

The hybrid pursed her rouge painted lips. "Why? When I hold your happily ever after in my very capable hands." She smiled, looking childishly joyous, much like her father.

That is, until her mannerisms switched in a blink of an eye. It was like whiplash to those around her. "Now, get up," She sneered.

Edward stood rigidly with Alice's help. His face screwed into a mask of hostility and menace. It excited her that much further.

"Margeaux, my dear." She faced Aro with a barely noticeable displeased curl of her lip at his patronizing tone. "Now, you've had your fun. Release them."

The Bellerose thought long and hard, contemplating whether to listen to him. Her heart was beating faster than lightning strikes, causing her cheeks to flush a warm hue. She had never felt more riveted and wrong at the same time before. Her anger was in alliance with her heartbreak battling against her mother's memory. Clenching her fist, her blue eyes challenged Aro instead of submitting.

"Only if you allow me high judge over this trial."

A uproar of whispers echoed around the room by the royal guard. The three king met eye contact at her lashing out. Marcus was less bored than usual, slightly sitting up on his throne. Caius was not pleased in the slightest, his face pulled into a dark grimace. Then, there was her father, Aro.

Who stood there, caught off guard by her request despite knowing her and Edward's history together. At first, he was elated she was starting to get more into ruling. The responsibility was flourishing within her. However, another part of him, which was addicted to complete control, wished to punish her for speaking out of turn.

How fitting that the monster of control bred a daughter who desired it just as much, but couldn't cultivate it within herself.

The guilty two vampires and the mortal stood more wary than ever. Their likeliness to escape this conundrum unharmed was even slimmer now. And with Isabella successfully under control of Edward's scorned ex-lover, it didn't seem to be going in their favor any time soon.

Aro raised his hand to silence the guard. The tension could be cut with a knife. It saturated every living space, pressing down on those self-conscious, yet bolstering those confident enough to withstand the weight. Margeaux stayed quiet as Aro neared her.

The sight was unnerving.

His silence.

Her stubbornness.

Finally, when he stood but a breath away. His venomous, violent red eyes oozing with aggressive tenacity, he parted his lips and... smirked in hilarity. It was cruel, but it was one she saw often. "You would defy me." He whispered. It wasn't a question but an accusation.

"It's what I was taught," She rebutted, lifting her chin slightly higher. Margeaux would not buckle or bend.

A beat passed agonizingly slow.

Then... Aro giggled a shrill sound, grabbing her hand with a soft pat. "Ah, molto bene. You were taught well... Release them and you will assume your responsibilities domani." (very good/ tomorrow)

Inhaling with relief, Margaux gave Bella her free will back. Her stronghold on the girl had dissipated just as quickly as she got ahold of it. Like the open window she had a golden string drawn through had snapped shut, snipping the golden thread in half. Isabella was a very interesting shield, indeed.

"Go now. Make your preparations for the trial tomorrow." Aro shooed with his hands towards the three, a gleam of pride shiny in his blood red eyes. 

"I do advise you to stay somewhere close. We have eyes everywhere and hands who are not afraid to decide your fate early," Caius hissed at them with venom, leaning forward from his throne for emphasis.

Marcus stood from his place, opening his arms wide with a snails pace. "Thank you all... for coming."

"Margeaux, Felix, see to it that our lovely friends have proper lodging for the duration of their stay." Marge nodded to her father's instruction, satisfied all the same.

As she waved a hand towards the exit, the others had no choice but obey. "After you," She gloated with flourish.

Margeaux was going to enjoy this.

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Written Unedited 28 November. 2021

This girl is relentless and honestly has nothing better to do than make sure other people's lives are miserable... well, Edward's life lol

Bet you're wondering when she'll meet Jasper right about now...

Let me know what you thought of this chapter! Comment, Vote! Xx