IC Time: Friday, December 13
Location: Cullen Residence: Main House
Synopsis: Stasia brings Carlisle an invitation to meet Aro
Submitted by: Carlisle
Sticking near the house today, Carlisle has been busy outside for most of the day. Keping the driveway shoveled neatly and finishing up triming the house in lights. Not that anyone can really seem them other than family or the few friends that might come by on occasion. Flipping a switch in the garage he examines it before heading up onto the porch wiping his feet and shaking off his coat from the now before heading inside putting the coat away in the closet. Moving into the livingroom he walks across it towards the stairs disappearing up them only to return a few minutes later a book tucked beneath his arm. Settling in his chair he begins to read quietly.
Inside the house, Esme has been pulling out the ornaments and decorations from where they've been stored for the last year, waiting on this moment to be put up, or at least organized. "How are the lights looking?" she questions of her husband when he walks back inside. "Not that I need to ask, you always do a wonderful job," she notes from her place on the floor.
Courier duty is also not one of Stasia's favorite tasks, ranking right down there with hotel lobby decoy and fancy ballroom dress duty. Sometimes, being among the youngest of the Volturi Guards has its downsides, despite certain previous arrangements. Still, she accepted the assignment with good grace, easily making the short jaunt from Port Angeles to Forks on foot. She appears to be alone. Which means precisely that, an appearance. It remains to be seen whether or not she actually /is/ alone. She knows the way to the Cullen house, of course, and has it well scouted before she ever gets into range. Satisfied enough that it is reasonably safe to approach, she rings the bell. The holiday decorations are given a cursory glance.
Carlisle doesn't look up from his book though answers softly, "They are all working." Hearing the doorbell he shuts the book laying it aside. "I will get that." he stands up from his chair heading towards the door. Opening it he isn't all that surprised to see a Volturi member but perhaps a little that it is Stasia. "Hello, Stasia." he steps back opening the door wider for her and whoever might be in tow. "Would you like to come in?"
Esme offers a nod. "Well, that's good," is given with a light chuckle before the doorbell is rung. The woman gets to her feet, though allowing her husband to proceed her. Stasia is given a nod, albeit brief. "Hello," she greets, simply, though her tone is light.
"Dr. Cullen." The diminutive vampire replies coolly. She does step inside at the invitation, but not without a quick glance around. And neither does she move far from the door. Esme is given a faint nod of acknowledgment as Stasia reaches into a pocket on the inside of her long duster jacket. She produces an envelope made of heavy ivory parchment. A blood-red wax seal closes the envelope, with the Volturi crest pressed into the wax as if from a signet, in a style some several centuries old. "This is for you." She offers the envelope to Carlisle.
Carlisle reaches out taking the envelope from her. "Thank you." stepping back a couple of steps he opens it reading what it says silently. After he is done carefully he folds it and tucks it back inside the envelope. "Tell Aro that I will be there as agreed." he keeps hold of the envelope between his hands in front of him. "Does he need written confirmation or is my word good enough?"
Esme crinkles her nose, just a little, but she takes a few steps backwards, before she turns and returns to sorting the decorations. The woman opts to not say a word on this particular subject.
Stasia quirks a faint, wry smile. "I don't think written confirmation will be necessary." Aro can, of course, witness the entire interaction at his leisure. "I will tell my lord that you will be there. As agreed."
Carlisle nods his heads, "My regards to Aro. Is there anything else?" Never know with the way things go from the Volturi. Even as his wife goes to busy herself with decorations he stands with their guest. "You are welcome to visit for a while if you wish."
"Very gracious of you," Stasia comments. Her eyes follow Esme for a moment as she fusses with the decorations. "I don't suppose you know who killed my brother and sister." Her tone is rather dry. But it's clear that's where her interest is focused.
Carlisle shakes his head, "Sorry to say that I don't. Though this /war/ seems to be a game between some now. Random fights are injuring innocents. I don't think some of the few ferals that might be around care if we are all exposed anymore." he shrugs his shoulders, "Needless violence won't bring back your siblings."
Esme quirks a brow and turns her head, just slightly. "Why would we know anything like that?" she questions, before shaking her head and making a nice order of the decorations. "No, Stasia, we don't know who killed your family. If we knew we would have told you," she responds, her voice is quiet, her tone light, but that's it.
"But calculated violence does lay ghosts to rest." The young vampire replies. She quirks a brow at Esme. "I was being dry. If you knew, Aro would have read it." A glance back at Carlisle. "Ferals, however, didn't do this."
Carlisle just smirks already knowing this, "I could have learned it since then but I have not. I do keep my senses aware for any information that might be useful." Perhaps now he slips into playing his part in this, "We are keeping our end of things. All ties with the wolves have been cut."
Esme makes no comment, oh, she probably wants to, but she's learned, over the years, that sometimes one must bite their tongue, as opposed to saying something they may regret in the long (or short) run.
Stasia shrugs faintly, "It's Aro that needs to be convinced of that, Dr. Cullen. Not me." She inclines her head, as if she has realized that Esme is biting her tongue. A tiny spark of amusement glitters in her eye.
Carlisle just nods his head, "Very well. Other than all of this happening. How are things going for you, Stasia?" The last conversation they ever had one-on-one was all but nice out in the woods many months ago. "Volterra is nice isn't it? One of my third favorite places in this world."
From afar, Esme will pose when she see's something for Es to pose :D
"Very well, considering that the Volturi didn't kill me." Stasia replies, that dry note creeping back into her tone. "I was brought to Volterra, allowed to present my case and offered a position in the Guard. I've found welcome acceptance into a family that cares for me. I would return to Volterra as soon as possible, of course, but that may not be for some time. There is nothing here for me anymore."
Carlisle nods his head, "They see the potential that is within you. Otherwise Aro would have had no trouble ending your existence." During his time among them he has witnessed this time and again. It was during those times he had to force himself to watch as they expected. "Hopefully the culprits that murdered your siblings will be brought to justice. I know we all will be better for it."
The back door opens silently as another of the Cullens returns home. Emmett hears a voice that's not one of his family, and breaths it trying to see if he knows the scent, he frowns and it would seem he does. He straightens out as he moves to meet with the rest of the family. He looks to Carlisle and Esme and than to the guard giving a nod in the way of a greeting.
"As opposed to those who turned their backs and would have let that happen?" Stasia shakes her head. "It was on -your- family's behalf and request that I acted, in the first place." She glances at the door, when Emmett makes his entrance. "Aro would have destroyed me if I were a threat. He has pardoned and forgiven others with no immediate benefit to him. I've seen that often enough in my short time with the Volturi."
Esme turns her head as her son enters the house and smiles. "Emmett," she greets with a smile. "Your father's put the lights up, care to help figure out what we should put up on the inside of the house?" she questions, seemingly conveniently forgetting about Stasia's presence, though it's doubtful that she actually has.
He had a feeling the conversation might take this turn, "It is all history now." Carlisle tells Stasia feeling it useless to open old wounds, after all he wasn't the one that asked anything of her. As his son enters he nods towards him though keeps his attention focused on Stasia. It does bother him lightly as to how Esme is rather ignoring her all together, "He has also erased them."
Emmett looks around the house before back to Esme his usual grin coming to his face. "Uh, ma think your asking the wrong child there." he chuckles not speaking of Alice by name at the moment. The slightly hulking figure can guess where the conversation was before his arrival. "Stasia, it's good to see you again." he says at least trying to lighten things though even he doesn't have much hope there.
Stasia flashes her teeth in a smile, but it's not a pleasant one. "All /history/?! That's a rather convenient way to look at things, I suppose." Her garnet eyes spark with sudden anger, but she refrains from saying more… perhaps like Esme, she bites her tongue. She is outnumbered here. Her gaze shifts briefly to the big Cullen. "Emmett." She acknowledges him.
Esme quirks a brow, before laughing. "I suppose so, send Rose down here and I'll have her put to work, I bet she has some ideas," Esme responds, the corner of her eye keeping an eye on Carlisle and Stasia, though she doesn't believe Stasia to have any malevolent purpose for being here, it's still habit to keep an eye out.
Carlisle clinches the envelope a bit tighter. "There is no need to go back there, Stasia. No matter how much we mull over it we can't change what has happened. It has rather seemed to work more in your favor anyway. You are part of the Volturi as the guard." Not that he would consider that a blessing but it is better than what else the brothers could put someone through.
The young vampire's face goes cool, that surge of emotion now carefully hidden. "Of course. I suppose an 'I'm sorry. We wronged you.' would have been too much to ask. I will tell Aro that you will answer his summons. Have a good evening. Enjoy your… decorating." The latter is said thinly. She has far more on her mind than hanging Christmas lights.
Emmett nods and things go as about as well as he thought they would, but still he had to try. He nods alongside Carlisle though he listens as the guard preparing to leave. He moves closer to the group but cant really think of anything to say to make things better for now.
Nothing more to say, Stasia departs.
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