WE WERE GETTING CALLS INTO THE NIGHT WITH HUNDREDS OF REQUESTS TO JOIN US IN VOLTERRA. Many of them had allegedly gone home for their items and nothing else and were insistent on purchasing housing in the city in order to be close to us. The outpouring support from the elders helped sway some of the younger Covens, who sent their own messages of their alignment with our declaration.

I had frankly not been expecting this many vampires to be joining. Heidi was working, scouring the dark web for a topic that would arouse enough people to feed those who were unfortunate enough to have to buy a home or rent an apartment the human way. A few elders already held real estate, but most of it was for rentals. Everyone worked to keep rent down in Volterra so it didn't end up becoming a massive city. Investors were turned away with money.

Now it was my job to manage those who had decided to enlist in Temporary Forces. AKA, they were the new guards, who had to be taught the new rules and be put on a regular schedule. That had previously been Caius' job, but he had way too much on his plate with gathering members who had gifts that would aide in any higher roles. Aro was our public face and turns out Marcus is working on the paperwork that has to do with war.

Turns out war has a lot of paperwork attached to it. Lots of motions that have to be filed. No wonder the Volturi never wage war. Too much work for us.

"There's twenty of you," I said more of as an out loud thought. These vampires were a mixed bag. I'd seen most of them at the ball, but a few were clearly uncomfortable. "If anyone doesn't want to be here, if anyone was pressured, go home. You aren't going to put your life on the line if you don't want to."

No responses. Maybe I was just intimidating.

"I have paperwork here for you to file in the Library. Name, Coven, age, maker, year of transformation, gift, strengths. Have you already told us? Probably, but digging out that paperwork is going to be impossible." I gave a small laugh and put down the sheets of paper on the table. "Our pens do not have ink currently in them. If you know how to use a fountain pen, which most of you should since ballpoints wouldn't have been around when you were born, good. If you don't, please ask for help. Do not break our pens. Marcus will kill you."

"Where is the ink?" A red-haired woman asked.

"In the drawers. Do not leave the ink out when you leave. Close the lids immediately after refill. I do not want a mold infestation in my Library, please and thank you," I tried to retain a semi-cheery tone but realized halfway through that our new recruits were a bit scared of me. "Just ask me if you have any more questions. Or the Volturi Guards. Everyone is here to help each other out."

"Are we going to see combat?" An older-looking man asked.

"We don't know yet, but we really hope it doesn't come to that," I answered with as much honesty as I could give. I am doubtful that some sort of fight could be avoided and truthfully I was desperate to stay away from it if at all possible given what kind of psychological damage could be done if he got a hold of my memories. "For now, you will have training every day and will make rounds around the city's borders. We are on high alert, so nobody who is officially stationed in the city can come out."

That had mostly been put in place for their safety. Turns out one of the elders guarding the city at the ball had left to eat and ran into Andrei, who wiped his memories of everything from then to a week prior. Thankfully, nothing of much importance was wiped, but his mate now has to figure out all the finances since he's been quite disoriented since the incident.

How long could some of them go without being outside the city, realistically?

I hoped it was long enough for this to be over.

There's only twenty new recruits, but some of their Covens were immigrating temporarily, which meant that after this meeting, there was a whole other meeting with their Coven Masters and the records. Marcus and I were jointly handling that.

Being secretary during a war is not easy.

---

MOST OF THE TOUGH WORK WAS BEING PUT ON CAIUS. He says he can handle all of it, even offered to take on more work just so I could rest, but that did not seem fair. I didn't want him to take on the brunt of things just because I got attacked. It was tough for everyone but now that I'm healed I want to do what I can to keep things afloat.

He may not like it, but he's the one who wanted me to have more authority in the first place, so he can deal.

"Mia amore," Aro slipped a paper in front of me, "sign, please."

"What is this one?" I asked while uncapping my pen. "I thought we were done signing."

"We are never done signing." I groaned and began to sign my name. I was getting better at it, but it wasn't as fancy as any of my boyfriends and that sort of sucked. It's like placing a calligraphers next to a fifth graders. "Just the allocation of funds for some of the Covens who are requesting help with the move. Not everyone can be as wealthy as us."

"Why do you need my name on this one again?" Last time I checked I wasn't on any of the financial accounts because, well, we aren't married. Even if they consider us 'more than married' the human government of Italy thinks. Well, I'm still employed by them and I'm sure that violates some law. More money down the drain paying people off.

Aro gave a half-hearted noise and slipped out of the room with vampiric speed. Of course he would just... not answer the question. I can't be that annoyed, though, I'm usually the one dodging his questions about things relating to what I've been though. This time, I'll allow myself the assumption that he hasn't actually put my name on any accounts and that I'm a normal vampire with a very normal vampire life.

I'm not kidding myself with the last part. I've been losing it for a week.

The logistics of the coming immigrants were bad enough, but now I was having to handle a whole new topic that I just... don't know what to do about. My field of study was always medicine, in patient care, in learning how to discuss bad news and how to be a good future medical student. Sure, I was getting into my studies late for various life reasons, but I was an intern with Carlisle and he'd taught me what I really needed to know.

This is not medicine, this is international relations between Covens. Intercoven relations if you will.

I should have taken my courses about politics because I am completely out of my depth, trying to wing it as if I actually know what's going on. My vampire memory can only do so much in figuring out what the best decision should be.

Not only my lack of understanding on the topic, but the fact that this was happening so fast. I'd drafted the notice to the community the second that my face didn't hurt. I made it clear that I was getting it over with. Marcus wrote the copies in record time. I thought I would have at least a week. Most people were getting that message by mail. Nobody tells you how to manage all of this at once. Now I'm in the office, writing more things having to do with the schedule and wondering if they'll end up resenting me for having too few breaks or being placed with people they don't know.

Desperate times and all, but the fact is that people hate it when you put them with random people.

I can't even blame them, which makes it so much worse. I look at these numbers and I want to scream. I'm technical, I look at the numbers and I know the outcomes aren't going to be good. Aro doesn't give a fuck about numbers and Caius is too busy. Marcus doesn't understand numbers in the sense that he would try and comfort me and that isn't going to fucking work because the numbers don't match up.

Everyone is going to be mad at me.

---

HALF OF THE GUARDS WERE GIVEN THE NIGHT OFF PURELY SO THEY CAN GET TO KNOW THE TEMPS. That was the only way I figured I could make sure they wouldn't get that mad at me for breaking up their friend groups. If they get to know each other on the job there's more of an issue with tension and awkward moments. Now they can wonder if their new friends are on their post.

Thankfully Aro had agreed to the get together after a bit of convincing. I would be at the gathering in order to facilitate and break up any fights since I have the added strength of being a Newborn. Nobody would be able to get snuck up on in the Lounge since it only had one way in and one way out. Plus, the Elite Guard were staying back. Newer guards were at the posts. Seniority comes to bite people in the ass sometimes.

Jane and Alec were once again figuring out how to insult each other while being on the same team for air hockey.

"YOU'RE MAKING ME LOSE!" Jane shouted as Alec failed to block their foe's attack, "I WOULD BE BETTER OFF ALONE!"

"TOO BAD YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME FOREVER!" Her brother yelled back as he pushed her down and began playing on his own. Very ironic, very obvious it was going to happen at some point. "Just stay down you look dumb."

"Yeah well you're uglier than me," Jane sneered, "and I have boobs."

"I'M A BOY I DON'T NEED BOOBS!" Alec tried to make sure she didn't get back in the game as they thrashed while trying to defend their goal.

Considering the fact that Demetri was already out of the game purely based on the fact that he was on the floor laughing, Felix was having a hard time winning against these two kids alone. Even when they're fighting, they defended that goal with such fervor that it was no wonder how they'd risen to the role of Elite Guards in record time. I'm jealous of their ability to scream while also working together. If I scream at someone I'm either running away or standing still and then running away.

A few of the new temporary guards were staring at the scene and laughing, while others just looked on in horror. Yes, this is how the Volturi Guard act. No, they are not as scary when they don't want to kill you.

Except for Jane. Poor girl scares everyone with her humor and gift.

One of them looked at another and whispered, "Isn't she 12?"

I had to laugh. Even if her age made her pretty immature, she had a work ethic that matched pretty much any adult vampire. Alec was the one person she was really a kid with besides Aro, who spent time with them alone to make sure they didn't get overwhelmed. I liked that for them. To be able to be kids in government positions is not the easiest, but we could make it work just for them.

Thankfully most of the new guards were watching the action and didn't seem too turned off by it. I was glad by that purely because the odd dynamics from the Elite Guards was what turned most people off when it came to the Volturi, according to Caius. Most vampires who had larger Covens in denser areas or touristy places had their own small guard in order to protect their people and their land. They didn't have a separate group for 'better' guards. We don't see it the same way, as certain skills are best when used together as a team. I saw the issue from both sides. Plenty of vampires could think that we don't treat the normal guard with as much respect, but that just... isn't true.

The only dynamics that are truly at play seem to be that between member and Coven Master, which is normal as much as I don't like it. Caius has the most foreboding presence since he is the unofficial leader of the whole guard, even if Aro is the unofficial leader of the whole coven. Something about your manager is scarier than the owner of the company. Marcus is well-liked but since he's working behind the scene nobody is scared of him at all.

As for me... I don't know. I don't want them to be scared of me. Any of them. The newbies seem terrified of me, but that may just be because my boyfriends are willing to wage war against someone who hurt me. That kind of protection could make anyone a bit nervous.

If anything, me being here was me trying to be less intimidating for these people. I never wanted to be a Queen, though that crown has fallen into my lap. The best thing I can do right now is support the community of guards, gain the new guard's trust, and be on my way as we prepare for this war.