Dear Killian,
I can't believe it's been a year since sharing your birthday with you for the first time. In the comparatively short space of time that I have known you (a lifetime, in Twific terms) you have taught me more than I could ever have dreamed to learn. And not just about commas and character development and snappy one liners - about inspiration and life and doing (and writing) what you believe in.
I thank you for that, for being you and for never giving up on me (for always making time for my whims as well).
I also thank you for this, one of my fondest memories in our friendship:
and
Now, time for gifts :)
I wrote you something (yes, shocking, I know. You may close your mouth now). This is a bit of AU to Will You Be Ready When It Comes. A sort of "How would Sekh have learned of the Cullens in the Fix You universe," which links to the one shot you wrote for my birthday :)
Please forgive any gaping holes in WYBRWIC canon. I am not worthy.
She paced the Volturi’s wretched waiting room brusquely, infuriated that she - The Lady of The Flame - been kept waiting by a bunch of immature children such as them. It had always been a power play with them; the constant push and pull between desiring the Goddess’ power and fearing her ability to destroy them all.
What they did not know, in large part due to her refusal to let Aro near her during any of their brief meetings in the past, was that Sekhmet had never harbored any ill will towards any of the Volturi. She had always felt that they served an important role in preserving the tenuous peace of the volatile vampire underworld.
However, after recently coming to learn of a certain key piece of information through one of her sources, she had travelled to Italy without hesitation, wishing both to demonstrate her appreciation and her wrath towards the Volturi at their acquisition of Sorin’s diamond - her diamond. The necklace had been stolen from her in the Sixth century and had found its way, through some demented twist of fate, into the hands of those she had chosen to avoid for centuries.
She felt a momentary twinge of regret for being so impulsive as to face them directly instead of sending one of her contacts to negotiate the safe return of her long lost prized possession. Instead she quelled her doubts by reminding herself that this was not some arbitrary artifact that she desired for her collection. This was something tangible that connected her to her slain lover. This was much too important a task to leave to anyone beside herself.
The heavy wooden doors to the chamber opened and the small girl child that Aro insisted on keeping at his side appeared. “Aro will see you now,” she announced softly, extending an arm to Sekhmet to invite her inside.
Sekhmet didn’t deign to speak to the child and strode inside with an air of annoyance. She wanted to make this quick. Aro sat on his throne in the centre of the chamber, flanked by Caius and Marcus, and over a dozen of their guard. They were obviously wary of their visitor. As they should be.
“M’lady,” Aro welcomed with his usual sing-song tone, “what an absolute pleasure. What br-”
“I’m going to stop you right there, Aro,” Sekhmet interrupted with a dismissive wave of her hand. “This is not a social call. I have a business matter which I wish to discuss with you.”
“Whatever kind of business could the Goddess have with us?” Aro asked, his eyes widened in exaggerated innocence.
“I have recently learned that you have acquired a piece of jewelry. A diamond necklace of ancient design?” she prompted, not wanting to reveal too much.
“We know the one you speak of,” Caius answered, suddenly suspiciously interested in the conversation.
“You wish to acquire it for your collection?” Aro chimed in benignly.
“I do indeed. I think it would make an excellent addition,” she responded, keeping her tenor carefully neutral so as to not allude to its importance to her.
“It is yours,” Aro announced without hesitation, almost causing Caius’s neck to rip from his shoulders as he whipped his head around to cast a scathing glance at Aro. “Consider it a gift - a show of goodwill, so to speak.”
“You can’t be ser-” Caius began but was stopped mid-sentence by Aro’s single silencing finger.
“That is very generous of you, Aro,” Sekhmet said gratefully, “but I cannot accept. I would prefer if this remained a fair business transaction.”
“My dear lady.” Aro shook his head almost condescendingly, “you know that money has no appeal to us.”
Sekhmet felt foolish for a moment for thinking that she would be able to get away with paying for the necklace in any kind of conventional currency.
“If that is the case, I have no choice but to accept your gift,” she said stiffly. “However,” she continued emphatically when she saw Aro’s hands clasp in a joyful gesture, “you cannot think me so naive as to expect that it comes without any strings attached.”
She stared meaningfully at the three scarlet-eyed vampires before her, seated in the lap of disgusting luxury, beginning to petrify from decades of boredom with their kingdom, and felt utter revulsion toward them. They could have done so much more, been so much more, had it not been for their comfort and complacency in the face of their autonomous, unchallenged rule.
“I am hurt that you would think so little of us,” Aro said with a disapproving click of his tongue. “We are merely trying to bestow a token of our respect.”
Sekhmet narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, saying nothing and challenging him with her gaze.
Caius squirmed slightly in his seat as Aro began to chuckle heartily. “Well, since you mention it.... there is a piece of intelligence which we have gained which we would like to run by you.”
Sekhmet merely quirked her eyebrow in reply, her irritation growing in light of this game that Aro insisted on playing.
“Are you aware of a vampire coven in Northern America that goes by the name of Cullen?” Caius asked, obviously equally impatient with Aro’s tactics.
“I do not fraternize with your kind,” Sekhmet scoffed, wishing they would arrive at their point before they all petrified waiting for it.
“Carlisle, the head of the coven served as part of our guard centuries ago. His coven is large and they have eschewed human blood altogether. It is a very strange situation, to say the least,” Caius informed, his lips curling in disgust when mentioning their odd lifestyle.
“I fail to see how you could think that I would have any knowledge of or interest in this.”
“It has come to our attention that they have had a new addition to their coven, a female named Sashmara,” Caius said pointedly, announcing the name as if it were some sort of revelation.
“That name has no meaning to me.” That was not entirely truthful. The name stirred a vague recognition within her that she was unable to place, and wholly unwilling to share with the likes of the Volturi.
“We have reason to believe that she is neither vampire, nor human. You have knowledge of this kind of creature, do you not?” Aro interjected.
“There are many beings in this world that fall within that classification, Aro. I have knowledge of some of them. So do you. Which is why I find it perplexing that you would need to make enquiries of me.”
“Demitri, the picture,” Aro ordered the guard standing by the door closest to Sekhmet.
The vampire approached her, pulling an enlarged photograph from a manila envelope. The image was grainy, obviously taken with a mobile device from a distance, but the girl was unmistakable. Sekhmet instantly recognized the bright cerulean eyes and flowing, wheat-colored hair. It had probably been five hundred years since she had seen the child, who appeared largely unchanged by the passage of time. The day on which she had met the Sultana of Suleyman’s empire had been a memorable and enlightening one.
Sekhmet hoped that Aro had not noticed her gaze falter momentarily. She had barely looked at the image for a second before she announced, “Sadly, I find myself of no use to you today.”
She saw Caius’ nostrils flare with carefully suppressed rage and Aro’s kind smile waver for a split second. Even Marcus’ eyes narrowed fractionally.
“We then find ourselves at an impasse, my lady,” Aro said, rising from his throne to approach the Goddess. Sekhmet clasped her hands behind her back protectively, not wanting to fall prey to Aro’s tricks in a misguided sense of propriety.
Aro held his hands out for a moment before realizing that Sekhmet would not oblige his gesture.
“I hope you will still accept our gift. We will not withhold such a piece from a collection as magnificent as yours,” Aro said brightly, his eyes still searching for a trace of recognition.
“I thank you, Aro,” Sekhmet replied courteously, “and I do apologize that I could not be of assistance to you.”
Aro merely shook his head. “Gianna will arrange to have the piece delivered to your hotel within the hour.”
Sekhmet nodded in acknowledgement and bowed her head slightly in the direction of Caius and Marcus who were watching the scene from a distance.
She left the chamber without another word, eager to find some solitude in which she could consider this newfound information and its impact on her existence.
Aro resumed his seat after the Goddess had left the chamber. Caius was practically boiling.
“You let her go,” he seethed, “while you know she recognized the girl.”
“Why do you doubt me so, brother?” Aro asked emphatically. “This meeting went far better than I ever could have hoped.”
“When were you planning on filling us in on your hopes?” Caius spat angrily.
“Her interest has been piqued,” Marcus said quietly, speaking for the first time in months. “She will investigate.”
Aro shot Caius a self-satisfied grin, indicating his pleasure at Marcus’ announcement. He loved nothing more than having his dirty-work done for him.
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