[BamaFan121s]

Aro did not hesitate long enough to allow a response from any of us. Instead, he took the remaining similarly wrapped package from Heidi and placed it on the table in front of him. “Bella, I am well aware of your strong abhorition of accepting gifts and I would not dare knowingly insult one of our guests. I am hoping that you will allow me instead to give your daughter a gift…a mere small reminder of her first visit to our great city.”
I nodded in consent, “And I would not knowingly insult such a gracious host. Considering the extravagancy of his past gifts, I doubted any gift from him was merely a “small reminder.” However, his convincing argument and carefully worded request deemed his offer impossible to refuse without seeming rude.
He gently pushed the package across the table to Renesmee who excitedly began to tear the paper from the package. As she did so, Heidi moved to stand behind her and peered over her shoulder. Renesmee lifted the lid of the ebony box concealed within it and her eyes widened in excitement as she peered inside.
Heidi reached forward and lifted from the box the diamond encrusted necklace and fastened it around Renesmee’s, who stared in amazement at Aro...as did the rest of our group.
“Heidi has informed me that you rather liked this piece in particular? Nothing would please me more than to give it to you precious little one.”
“Aro, it is a very generous gift indeed…” Edward said, unsure how to finish his statement.
Aro nodded in acknowledgement and continued speaking. “The large diamond you see there is one of three cut from a single, larger diamond once known to have served as the eye of a temple idol on the Coleroon River in India. The three diamonds were originally part of the crowned jewels and kept in the tower of London. The largest of the three sister stones is now referred to as the Hope Diamond. Regretfully, it adorned the neck of Marie Antoinette on the day she was beheaded and we were unable to trace its whereabouts as to acquire it…” He paused and shook his head regretfully before waving dismissively and continuing. “In any case, it seems only appropriate that she should become the rightful owner of this second diamond now—her mother after all, owns the third.”
I gasped involuntarily. “Me?!”
Aro seemed to find amusement in my reaction and chuckled lightly to himself as he nodded. There were low murmurs of amusement around the room as I regained my composure.
“Aro,” I began tentatively. “If you would be so kind as to tell me more about my necklace?”
“My dear, I thought you’d never ask.” A kind smile spread across his ancient face. He settled back in his throne like chair and cleared his throat, pausing for a moment as he allowed the anticipation to build. As last, he slowly inhaled and began. “I think it best to begin by telling you about your diamond itself. Your diamond, my dearest Bella, is the third largest flawless diamond in known existence. It was set in the necklace you now own long ago by some of our Egyptian colleagues.”
“Amun?” I asked. My mind effortlessly recalled what Heidi had shared two days prior regarding the Egyptian coven’s hand in the reconstruction of the Basilica.
“Yes, Amun,” Aro confirmed. He and a few of his…former coven members.” I noted Aro’s tone in which he referred to the Egyptian coven and pondered silently the details regarding the former members. However, I didn’t interrupt him and waited patiently for him to continue.
“The necklace was made as a gift for my dear sister, Didyme, to be worn on the day she and Marcus were wed.” I stole a brief glance at Marcus at Aro’s mention of his late wife. I was surprised to find that he seemed to be uncharacteristically intent and hanging on Aro’s every word. “After her unfortunate death, we kept it here in our museum. That is, until I recently discovered another of our kind who seemed worthy enough to possess such a meaningful treasure.” He smiled at his own compliment as he gracefully gestured in my direction. I fought the urge to roll my eyes as I forced myself to return his smile. How ironic that I was deemed worthy enough to possess such a valuable item mere months before Aro had led his followers to destroy not only myself, but my entire family as well. Worthy enough indeed! Across the table, I noticed Jasper’s uncomfortable shift. I willed myself to relax as I pulled back on my shield that was now threatening to blur my vision around its edges.
A mere fraction of a second had passed since Aro had spoken his backhanded compliment when Marcus raised his voice to address our group, completely recapturing my attention. “Didyme held the friendship of those around her with utmost regard. She treasured any token, regardless of value, that symbolized those friendships. His eyes swept across the faces of my family before stopping to hold my gaze. I stared back into his milky red eyes and found a trace of a very human emotion I was all too familiar with—pain. Not pain of a physical nature, but something much more intense and emotional. This was the type of pain that ripped your soul. It was a pain so severe that the greatest flow of tears couldn’t wash it away this was a pain I had known to well during the darkest months of my human life, even through the clouded veil of memories. I tried unsuccessfully to pull my eyes from his which now bore into mine. I wanted desperately to find an excuse to look away—Alice whispering in Jasper’s ear, a sleepy Renesmee who was drifting to sleep at my side, or Aro whose head now hung in obvious grief. However, I was entranced by Marcus’s mournful gaze and found it impossible to break the connection.
“Isabella,” he pleaded. “Not many of our kind can be considered to be creatures of pure love and goodness, but my Didyme was just that. Ask anyone here!” His voice boomed and echoed in the now silent room. He waved his arm across the Volturi crowd, daring anyone to contradict his declaration. No one did. “Her only desire in her life, both human and immortal, was to bring happiness and share her love with those around her. If an of her colleagues were able to experience even a fraction of the joy she brought to me while I was fortunate enough to be able to call her my wife, then they should consider themselves among the most blessed individuals to have ever existed!”
I reached across the table to take his hand, now outstretched towards me. “Please do not think ill of my demeanor, Isabella. I have seen the bond that you and your mate share. I know that you are one of the few who can fully comprehend the magnitude of the loss I have suffered.” I swallowed hard and nodded, unsure of what to say, but fully sympathetic to his suffering. I felt Edward’s hand tighten around mine under the table, felt his posture stiffen beside me and heard his teeth snap together. “Only a creature from sent from the darkest pits of hell, bearing the blackest of souls could take from this Earth a creature as pure and good as my Didyme.”
Suddenly, Edward shot to his feet beside me. In a blur of movement, he circled my chair and scooped Renesmee up into his arms just as her body want completely limp. His sudden action sent a tiny ripple of movement through the Volturi guard and seemed to startle Aro, who rose to match him on the opposite side of the table.
Cradling Renesmee in his arms, he locked his gaze with Carlisle’s for a fleeting moment before he turned to face the ancient leader. “Aro, my apologies. I thank you sincerely for the generous hospitality you have shown myself and my family. However, if you will be so kind as to excuse me, I think it best if I take this little one back and put her to bed. She has a long trip to endure in a few short hours and will certainly need her rest.” His voice was as smooth as velvet and never wavered, but I couldn’t be fooled. Something was wrong. My muscles tensed defensively at the realization. Cautiously, I rose beside him, staring into his eyes questioningly as I did. “No Bella. You stay and continue enjoying yourself. Alice can help me get her back to our room.
“Oh yes!” Alice exclaimed, quickly gathering our gifts in her arms. “So much to pack before we leave. It has been a great honor Aro, thank you.” She danced over to join Edward’s side, her arms now equally as laden as Edward’s.
“Oh, so soon?” Aro sounded disappointed. He glanced at the small sleeping figure Edward held in his arms for a long moment before conceding with a sigh. “Very well, young friends. I hope your travels bring you our way again soon.”
Stepping to momentarily join Edward under the pretense of bidding my daughter good-night, I narrowed my eyes in suspicion as I met his and drew closer. As I brushed her curls aside and leaned forward to kiss her forehead, Edward whispered urgently, “Stay with Carlisle and meet us back at the suite, Love?” He posed the statement as a question, but I understood it for what it was—instruction. The urgency in his voice was breaking through. My eyes shot upwards to meet his. A quick nod of his head prompted me to hold my tongue.
He leaned forward to kiss my cheek lightly. Just before he pulled away, he whispered two brief words of explanation, low enough so that only I could hear. “Aro slipped.”