Chapter Text
Athenodora’s point of view
Judgement day was here, the Cullen's will be escorted here within the next hour. Nobody can ever truly escape death and today at least two of their clan will find that out. I was seething with anger when I found out what Carlisle had allowed his coven to get away with. Coven leaders are meant to set rules and discipline their coven when they break them but from what I have heard Edward is more of the leader than he is and Carlisle has allowed it.
Myself and my mates punish our coven for even speaking back, seeing as not only are we their queens but their coven leaders and we are here to guide them and put them back into their place if they try to step out of it. The fact that Carsile actually made them himself makes it even more shameful. After we have dealt with the Cullen's we will also need to discuss Isabella’s siblings for abandoning her, a Tribrid, a newborn so young when she could have gone off the rails and killed thousands.
It was so reckless to leave Isabella all alone after her brother murdered her father and disgusting seeing as i could see that Isabella once held so much love for her siblings. I swallowed my rage at the Mikaelson clan as I forced my mind to focus on the Cullen problem. It wasn't long until they stood before us in the throne room with Bella standing between Sulpicia and I. The Cullens stood before us disheveled and confused at the sight of Bella.
“Bella, what are you doing here?” asked Edward, practically seething.
“Nobody here is to address Isabella unless we or Bella allow it, understood?” Sulpicia said, looking straight into Carsile’s eyes with a look of steel.
“Of course” Carlisle said before explaining “We are just a bit confused at seeing her in Volterra as we left her back in forks” he said making a smile which could cut knives appear on my face.
“So you admit to leaving her behind with the knowledge of a vampire? Her, a human?” I asked them slowly, making them go pale. Edward was the only one who dared to roll his eyes making my beast seethe at the boy's audacity.
I indicated to Jane to grab him before saying “Please take Edward to the dungeon and properly punish him for his behaviour” Jane nodded and then disappeared with him before I turned my attention back to the other Cullen's in the room and then Sulpicia spoke up.
“Carsile, we have trusted you to be the monarch of the Cullen coven and so far you have let us down and allowed a boy to make decisions for you and control your coven members lives it is foolish to listen to a young boy like Edward when he should be taught how to obey you and serve the coven’s best interest" she said with authority lacing every word showing Carlisle how serious this matter was and unlike the other times he has had to be brought before this court (which has been a lot) he would not be getting out of this and it would be handled properly.
“And what are the crimes that my coven and I are being accused of?” he asked with fake confusion and a tilt of the head.
“Revealing our kind to a human and failing to turn or kill her” I said in a tone of boredom as my hand went to settle on the hilt of my sword while his eyes followed the movements closely and with a hint of fear as his jaw clenched slightly.
“Edward needed some time to .. “ he was trying to defend before Sulpicia cut him off.
“Before what, she potentially exposed us or got killed for knowing by one of our kind?” He was flabbergasted and now as white in the face as a sheet of paper.
“Well… he just…. We where” he tried saying while completely failing, making me laugh and Isabella smile from amusement.
“Isabella,” Sulpicia said, drawing her attention.
“Yes” she responded.
“Did they, or did they not tell you what they are?” she asked Bella.
“Yes”
“And did they or did they not leave you ‘human’ in forks alone after telling and showing you their true nature”
‘Yes’ she said.
‘Such a good girl’ I thought knowing how hard this must be for her.
“So not only did they leave you behind but vulnerable to other vampires and without protection putting you in danger?” to which Bella once again confirmed. She was perfectly straight standing with her shoulders squared staring right into Carsile’s eyes. It made me love her even more.
She also showed signs that when we did finally turn her she would be submissive during her first year of vampirism and would hopefully not be difficult and we would be able to sail through her newborn period together easily and then we could give her as much freedom as she wanted.
I turned back and announced "Carlisle Cullen, monarch of the Cullen coven you have been brought before us today for two crimes and i find you guilty on both accounts” before Sulpicia also says “Guilty” and then Didyme says “Guilty” to which i smile viciously and then say.
“As the war queen I sentence you and your mate to death as punishment along with Edward Cullen and what's left of your coven will be disbanded and forbidden from ever having a coven of their own because of your actions” i say knowing that both Sulpicia and Didyme agree with the ruling through the bond.
Carlie and Esme are forced to their knees and Jane the obedient soldier always comes forward as Felix tears their heads off and Jane who now has a torch lit by fire steps forward and sets them alight.
The rest of the Cullen's try to save them but are restrained by guards and dragged away leaving us alone with Bella in the room. I reach out and grab Bella's hand before pulling her to sit down on my lap and lifting my hand before starting to stroke her hair softly and slowly to keep her calm.
She slowly relaxed and her shoulders drooped and her body molded into mine. I kissed her forehead and then turned back to Sulpicia before Didyme spoke up.
“Hey Bella, how do you feel?” she asked.
“Relived” she said in a small voice with her eyes closed.
“Relieved how?” Sulpicia asked.
“Like a weight is off my chest and I can move on from this” she answers, making me feel proud at how far she has come. We felt as if this conversation needed to happen somewhere soft and comfortable where she would feel safe so we moved to our bedroom while I carried Bella and set Bella down on the bed before cocooning her in with our bodies cuddling into her. Once she has settled I ask the question that we had all been wanting to ask her.
“Do you feel safer with us now that you have confronted one of your past bullies?”
“I feel lighter” she said after a moment “I don't know about safety, at least not yet. I think I feel secure with you but I do not know how to feel safe so it will take a while to figure out if I do or not. Sorry!” she says in a small tone.
“Don't be sorry Bella” Sulpicia said softly “You have experienced trauma and it is not your fault, we will be here as long as it takes weather its days weeks or years we will not leave your side.” she finished before tears appeared in Bella’s eyes.
We laid there in silence just enjoying each other's company as we all thought about the Cullen's and how we would move forward from here. I thought about the therapy and knew that this was the right time to bring it up as Bella was calm and relaxed. I started kissing her forehead and smoothing her arm with my hand running it up and down her.
“Bella, may I ask you something?” I asked, whispering softly into her ear.
“Yes of course” she said,
“We have been talking and think it will be beneficial to you if we were to help you with therapeutic techniques” I explained, making her momentarily tense before relaxing again.
“Like what?” she asked scared but curious.
“Maybe we could make a room that is filled with soft textures. Pillows, blankets, teddy bears maybe a portable fireplace for the crackling sound as white noise to help you calm down when you are stressed and then when you are you can go into the room and relax” i suggested.
She went quiet thinking about my suggestion as her eyebrows drew together obviously from Bella's internal battle with herself. She huffed and fidgeted for a moment before releasing a long breath before asking.
“Can I help decorate?”
“Yes of course” Didyme answered for us “This room will be for you and for your benefit, we would not make it without your approval and help” she said softly with a small smile.
“Ok then” she said with a nervous look on her face, making me kiss her forehead and smile.
“Then it will be done,” I said as my enhanced hearing picked up Jane executing Edward in the dungeon making a smile grace my lips now that my beloved was safe from him.