Richard Lowe
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
Posts: 15
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Post by Richard Lowe on Apr 1, 2010 23:41:22 GMT -5
(Pre Twilight - 1850's)
It had been weeks since Richard had last seen Antonia. Watching her go had been hard. Turning down her offer to go with her had been even harder. He had felt such a strong pull towards and felt a true connection between them in their short time together. He was attracted to her and through their days of hunting and conversations he felt there was an intellectual and emotional connection there as well. If she hadn't had to go back to Volterra, he really had thought that there may have been something growing there.
The home of the Volturi was not someplace that wanted to be. They had killed his creator, and he was wary about everything that involved them. But he had gotten to know Antonia, and she wasn't at all what he expected a Volturi guard to be like. She wasn't the cruel uncompromising figure he had imagined them all to be. She didn't seem to be blindly in their control either, as she came and go as she pleased. It took him a bit of time to reflect on it, but reached the conclusion that he needed to go after her, to change his mind on her offer and give this a shot. Maybe the Volturi wasn't all bad. What he was feeling for Antonia was strong enough to at least give it a try. If it was too hard to be in Italy, at least he could leave knowing he had tried to make it work and not live with the "what ifs" and questions of how things could have turned out. He had eternity to play with, and plenty of time to experiment to see if he could make this work.
Actually reaching the home of the Volturi guard, in Volterra, Italy, was a nerve wracking experience. He truly didn't know what to expect when he stepped inside. Perhaps outsiders were not welcome at all here and he could be punished merely for showing up unexpected. Maybe his only way in would have been with Antonia bringing him inside. As he slowly walked inside he looked around the grand hall of the entranceway. The architecture was absolutely beautiful, something he was able to greatly admire, even in the midst of his nerves of how he would be received, both by the guard and Antonia herself.
He was a bit surprised as he walked in to see a human sitting at a desk, almost like a receptionist. Her scent was definitely human, as he felt the pain of the venom in his throat. But he was not here to feed right now, and if she was here, they must be keeping her alive for a reason. "Hello...I'm a friend of Antonia's...I was hoping to see her if she's available" He said not sure of what procedures they had and sure they wouldn't just let him wander around to try to find her. The woman nodded and went back into the hallways, he assumed to get Antonia, and hoped not to get one of their leaders.
(tag Antonia)
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Antonia Adams
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
"She walks in beauty, like the night..."
Posts: 26
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Post by Antonia Adams on Apr 2, 2010 0:18:45 GMT -5
It often amused Antonia the way Aro, Caius and Marcus sat in their thrones like humans who required the need to be seated when their legs grew weary. Considering the Volturi leaders wielded such an imposing presence, it was almost ironic how they appeared the most relaxed amongst all the vampires gathered in the domed atrium. Despite her inspection of the Volturi's seated stance, she was not paying attention to the conversations being had in the large room. Her mind was elsewhere, distracted. A part of her feeling slightly empty since returning to Volterra from England weeks prior.
When the human woman who sat at the desk in the great hall's entryway, the woman who's name was unimportant to Antonia to care to remember, knocked on the door to the atrium room and was allowed to enter by two other guards standing beside the doors, she spoke directly to Antonia, informing her a man was waiting for her in the entryway, claiming to be a friend.
Antonia was perplexed and intrigued as she sensed Aro was as well by the way he sat up straight in his throne and looked at her. Antonia met his gaze and an unspoken look implied her asking permission to see who this visitor was. With a flick of his wrist Aro dismissed her most obligingly and she stole out of the atrium, the skirts of her dress whipping ethereally behind her.
The doors closed behind her and the human secretary, causing a gust of air that ruffled the scent of the human's skin to waft and curl around Antonia. She smelled good and her throat began to burn only slightly, and for a moment she wondered which member of the Volturi guard would be the lucky one to dine on this simple morsel when her number was up, as decided upon by their leaders.
Then it hit her.
The scent. The sweet, intoxicating scent that not only enriched her senses but also made her feel like her heart would suddenly tha-thump to life.
She knew who it was before she saw him. Standing several feet away, Antonia found herself staring across the entryway at Richard, as beautiful to her as ever.
Pressing her lips together in a firm line, she considered how to greet him for one sixty-forth of a second and responded with, "You came?" It was a third statement, a third question and another third disbelief. "What changed your mind?"
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Richard Lowe
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
Posts: 15
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Post by Richard Lowe on Apr 11, 2010 0:01:22 GMT -5
Richard could smell her before he could see her or hear her footsteps. The scent made his heart ache for her and yearn for what he had allowed to walk out of his life weeks ago. His lips curled up into a light smile, knowing she was close by, and grateful that she was present now, and he wouldn't have to wait around for her to return from another trip or an assignment elsewhere.
As Antonia appeared before him, more beautiful and radiant than his memory of her had painted her to be, his smile grew ever so slightly, showing more by the slight crinkles by the sides of his eyes than anywhere else. He was truly delighted to see her again. Even if he was also wary of how she'd take his change of heart. Perhaps it was too late to ask for a second chance. Maybe a woman like her didn't give second chances at all, but had he not tried, he always would have held a 'what if' about the situation.
"I came" Richard said with a nod, confirming her questioning disbelief. He took a slow step towards her, though not completely closing the gap between them until he saw more whether she was pleased by his choice.
"You" He replied simply to her question. "Your left physically, but never left my mind...I guess I decided I didn't want to wonder what could have been and to come see if your invitation was still good"
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Antonia Adams
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
"She walks in beauty, like the night..."
Posts: 26
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Post by Antonia Adams on Apr 11, 2010 0:20:33 GMT -5
Antonia pressed her lips together, keeping her cool, because if she inhaled a breath and took in any more of his scent she could very well loose her calm posture and attack him in a very unladylike fashion.
"I cannot just give my heart away so freely," she spoke quickly and quietly, even for a vampire, trying to use up as little air as possible. Tempting fate, however, she moved even closer toward him, approximately five and three quarters feet away. Her eyes bore into his and she could sense the electricity percolating in the air between them. So much so that it was as if there was no need to worry about his scent but just the chemical charge. Were she a weaker being like a human, her knees would be going to butter and her voice would be shaking slightly from nerves. "How do I know you aren't going to leave if Volterra doesn't suit you? Could you just walk away that easily? I doubt it would be."
Then she couldn't help but add, "I cannot be the only one who feels like she's going to come apart at the seems right now..." Another step, 11 inches, closer. "You will unravel me, Richard, if you leave. Whether you know it or not, you own several fibers of my being now and leaving me would make me come undone as you would be taking those fibers with you. So, save me the pain now. I need to know. Are you here for good, for me...no questions asked?"
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Richard Lowe
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
Posts: 15
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Post by Richard Lowe on Apr 11, 2010 0:33:01 GMT -5
Richard was sure that was it still beating his heart would have felt some pain at her first response. She couldn't give her heart away freely. It sounded like a rejection of his current intentions. It seemed to him like he was too late and her heart was no longer available to him. He had hurt her in a way he never intended to. The smile on his face faltered, his eyes saddening and looking at her apologetically, knowing that turning her down once had been a mistake, even if he had his reasons for it. His reasons for not coming with her from the start had nothing to do with her, and he hoped she had understood that, but he saw her distance already.
"If Volterra doesn't suit me, I probably will just walk away...if your bosses don't kill me first" He said only half joking, believing in his mind that it was a pretty good possibility. He still didn't fully trust them, as much as he was trying to at least put aside past opinions on them, for her sake. " But if I walk away you could always come with me" he added.
Richard took another two steps towards her, close enough that he could reach out and gently place his hand on her arm. "The last thing I want to do is cause you any pain" He told her sincerely. "You know I haven't had the best experiences with the Volturi...but I'm trying to give that another chance, to forget all past biases...but if they're how I always imagined them to be, then I can't promise I'm here with them for good. It'd be a lie to say that now when I barely know...but I'm willing to give it a shot, for you. To try to make this work....I'm here for you"
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Antonia Adams
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
"She walks in beauty, like the night..."
Posts: 26
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Post by Antonia Adams on Apr 11, 2010 0:49:19 GMT -5
The feel of his hand on her arm was like a static shock. As if a jolt of the eletricity between them had just shot through her body and kickstarted her dead heart for a moment. Her eyes followed his hand to her arm, slowly making their way up his and then back to his eyes. She saw his apologetic gaze, his sincerity, the yearning for a second chance and despite her reservations of being left in the near future, rejected at all by him, she could not deny that the possible heartbreak would be worth it even if they shared only a short while together.
She didn't respond with words so much as she did with her eyes and then by reaching her right hand out and gripping the sides of his face with her fingers, firmly; forcing him to look her square in the eye.
"First, they will not lay a hand on you. Ever," of that she was certain. She didn't need any gifts to know that. If the Volturi ever planned on ending him for whatever reason, she would leave with him without a moment's notice and never look back. "Second, I think they might surprise you. They aren't all doom and gloom as you judge them to be. You might find it rather enjoyable here." She smirked, leaning her face closer to his. "I have." Then, "And it's just gotten a lot better."
Pausing for a moment, she then proceeded to touch the tip of her nose against his, brush it slightly, before pressing her lips against his.
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Richard Lowe
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
Posts: 15
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Post by Richard Lowe on Apr 20, 2010 22:03:21 GMT -5
Richard wasn't sure how well she'd receive him trying to touch her now. He had already hurt her once by not going with her when he first offered. And now he was admitting openly to her that he might very well walk away from it all if he ended up not liking it. But he was willing to give it all a try, for her. Which was something he hoped that she could see. He also hoped that should things not work out, she would consider going with him, seeing that he wasn't so blatantly willing to walk out on her, just the Volturi.
Richard looked into her crimson eyes, hoping that she understood where his hesitation had come from, and what a huge deal this was for him to even step foot in a place that he had once wanted so little to do with. He knew if he hadn't risked it all, he'd always wonder about the woman who he'd let slip away who held such a strong draw for him. For all he knew right now, maybe the only reason the two of them even worked before was because there hadn't been the chance of it lasting as long as she was going back here and he was staying a nomad...but perhaps they did have a chance of lasting. He had to find out.
Richard had almost been expecting a slap in the face, but instead she grabbed him by the side of the face forcing him to look directly at her. He gave a half smile as she so spoke so determined that they'd never lay a hand on him. She sounded so protective. His smile grew to a full one as she said how it had gotten a lot better for her. "Its already better here than I had thought, I hope they do surprise me, if they and you give me the chance to see"
The pause had been brief, but his eyes remained locked on hers as she closed the gap in a graceful movement and surprised him with a kiss. He leaned in, putting his arms around her as he returned the kiss, his lips meeting hers, and feeling complete again.
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Antonia Adams
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
"She walks in beauty, like the night..."
Posts: 26
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Post by Antonia Adams on May 2, 2010 17:54:19 GMT -5
As a vampire, not requiring a breath to survive made it more enjoyable when it came to kissing as there was never a need to come up for air. It could on and on...for hours if those parties involved so chose. Antonia's hands moved up the sides of his face, pallid fingers curled within the unruly tendrils of his hair, grasping firmly as she reveled in how soft and supple his lips were to her. When his arms snaked their way around her body, she could've folded like a like a deck of cards or happily wilted like a lily in the night.
"Were I not already familiar with the lack of air in my body, I would be entirely convinced you have just taken it away," she whispered so quitely against his lips that it would be barely audible to any nearby vampires.
Antonia pulled her head back to look his face over, her eyelids drooped slightly in contentment. She had never known whether or not she would find her mate in the eternity before her, or how long it would take...and she was more than glad it was him, and only a mere forty years after changing. She knew many went centuries without a mate. She was one of the lucky ones, indeed.
"Aro, Marcus and Caius will want to meet you. Aro, mostly, as he is more so the leader of the three. He will need to get a feel for you, but if they should not want you here and turn you away," she spoke, her crimson eyes dancing with passion and a new brand of loyalty directed toward him over the Volturi, "I will leave with you. I will follow you wherever you want to go."
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Richard Lowe
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
Posts: 15
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Post by Richard Lowe on May 17, 2010 22:02:59 GMT -5
A kiss between two vampires held unmatched passion. The lack of necessity to come up for air was a perk, as was the years of experience that each of them could hold, unmatched by any human. But the strength and fire behind it was on a level of its own. He gave a satisfied grin as she told him how he would have taken her breath away if she wasn't sure she didn't have any. "The feeling's mutual"
As she pulled back he enjoyed the moment to just look at her and take in the fact that he was going through with this. He had found the one person that he was willing to change his life for. And he knew that truly, he would do even more than this to try to keep her. It was almost hard for him to think back to a time when he had been alone, without knowing of her existence, she brought such life back into him.
Richard frowned as Antonia mentioned the leaders wanting to meet with him, especially Aro. "I guess I didn't really think just sneaking into your room at night and hoping not to get caught by the homeowner would really work in this situation..." He said giving a light sigh, knowing it would be so much easier to just be with her than to try to gain approval of the Volturi guard. He tensed a bit at her wording of Aro, getting a feel for him, knowing from what he'd heard of the man that he would get a lot more than that in one feel. "How worried should I honestly be about that...?" He asked her.
His expression turned to a warm smile as she voiced that she would leave with him should they turn him away. "Thank you. I will do what I can to convince him to let me stay so that you don't have to leave your home, but it means so much to hear you say that"
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Antonia Adams
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
"She walks in beauty, like the night..."
Posts: 26
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Post by Antonia Adams on May 23, 2010 22:24:58 GMT -5
The sneaking into her room at night comment made her grin. When he tensed up about being worried whether or not the Volturi would accept him, she placed the palm of her hand to his face. "As long as you are respectful and hold a civil tongue I do not see how you could give them any reason to detest you. They have eyes. They will surely see how much I am cleaved to you. Marcus has the gift of sensing attachments and bonds between people, sensing where their loyalties lie. Aro has the gift of seeing everything you've ever seen or felt or are currently thinking or feeling just by touching you. Caius, he has no gift like the other two. He is, position aside, just like us."
Turning to look over her shoulder, she glanced in the direction she had come from. Turning back she gave Richard an assuring smile and pressed her lips to his for a short but deep kiss.
"We should go into the grand hall so I may introduce you now."
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Richard Lowe
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
Posts: 15
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Post by Richard Lowe on Jul 12, 2010 22:52:54 GMT -5
As reassured in her feelings that she would leave with him if he wasn't allowed to stay, he still was not reassured of the situation. He wasn't convinced that should he not be welcomed, that they would just allow the two of them to walk out. He'd fight for Antonia and try to protect her, but perhaps they'd rather see the both of them dead than have a guard member walk out. He didnt think it was all too common for Volturi members to just leave and start a new life. He wasn't sure it would be accepted, but he hoped it wouldnt come to that.
"My tongue will be civil but its my past thoughts towards them that I'm worried about them hearing...not sure they'll be so happy to hear those" Richard shook his head, knowing the major downfall of Aro's ability. Richard nodding taking in the information she gave on all three and what they could do. He wondered what Marcus would see between them and if that would be more threatening. Would he see Richard as having the potential to be loyal to the Volturi? He himself had never disobeyed them or gone against their rules...so maybe he had a chance.
Richard returned the kiss with matched passion hoping it wouldn't be their last and fearful of what he was about to do. He nodded knowing they had to go into the other room and he had to pay his respects but he leaned forward with lowered voice. "If things turn bad in there...look out for yourself" He told her, hoping she would listen.
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Antonia Adams
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
"She walks in beauty, like the night..."
Posts: 26
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Post by Antonia Adams on Jul 12, 2010 23:10:02 GMT -5
Antonia flashed him a momentarily withering look. "Please do not worry about me. Aro knows I am loyal and when Marcus senses your attachment to me, he will most likely tell Aro something along the lines of you being loyal as long as you are with me, and if I am with them, they have another loyal guard. And I don't plan on leaving this place anytime soon except for the random jaunts I take about the globe every so often to see how the world progresses."
One last kiss upon his lips, she took him by the hand and lead the way. "They are not the barbarians you may fear they are. They will not incite a massacre upon us should they for whatever strange reason deny you, and by denying you, forcing my exit from their service. If anything they would look for you to make the first move."
As they reached the large double doors, she paused and looked over her shoulder at him. "One last thing before we go inside, watch out for Jane. She's the small, childlike one with blond hair and a scowl on her face unless she's inflicting pain on someone."
With that, she pushed the doors open effortlessly and entered in first, stepping closer toward the center of the grand, circular room with it's writings in Latin engraved all around.
"Masters, I would like to introduce you to Richard," she spoke respectfully. "I met him during my last visit away from Volterra, while in England. I had invited him to join and he has just now made the decision to find me and be here." She was suddenly unsure of what else she should say. She was avoiding eye contact with "the help" so to speak and focused only on the three leaders, mainly Aro and Marcus. One glance over at Marcus and she could already tell he was trying to sense out the attachment between Richard and her. "I am here to ask you formally, if he could be permitted to stay on as one of us." And then she added, "With me."
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Richard Lowe
New to Town
Volturi Guard German Coven
Posts: 15
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Post by Richard Lowe on Jul 12, 2010 23:31:29 GMT -5
"You may not see them as barbarians my dear, but you have been the only thing to give me a glimmer of hope that they are not" Richard told her honestly, but tried to remove the thought from his mind as best as he could. He had made this decision before coming here that he would try to stay here with her, even knowing who they were. He wanted to have an open mind, even if it had been tainted by his past experiences.
Richard raised his eyebrows slightly as she gave her added warning about Jane. He wondered if she were the one who was charged with destroying vampires who had broken the rules. Or maybe she was another gifted one, but hers involved suffering of some sort. Better in battle perhaps? Ability to shock someone? He wasn't sure but knew that he didnt want to find out. He stared at the doors in front of him, fighting off the urge to turn back and tell her he couldnt do it. He could, he had to, and he would..for her.
Richard stayed back letting Antonia in first and keeping his head somewhat lowered attempting to be respectful. He slowly followed her inside but remained one step back from her but at her side as she spoke on his behalf and requested he be allowed to stay. He stayed quiet, in an attempt to be polite and also not knowing if perhaps there was an unspoken rule for outsiders to only speak when spoken to. He definitely knew he didnt want to say something now and interrupt any of the three in front of him.
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Aro
New to Town
Volturi Leader
"I love a happy ending. They are so rare."
Posts: 9
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Post by Aro on Jul 13, 2010 0:23:58 GMT -5
Aro's eyes were instantly alight with curiosity when he heard the two pairs of footsteps approaching the door and soft murmuring of what he could figure to be Antonia's voice. As soon as she entered with the man behind her, his curiosity increased threefold, those crimson orbs of his darting between the twosome.
As Antonia spoke, he listened carefully to the manner of her speech; any telltale signs of anything out of the ordinary, any unusual inflections in her tone.
"Richard," Aro let the name roll off his tongue as he moved his gaze away from Antonia as she still spoke and focused solely on the male now; this Richard who looked very unsure of his being here.
When Antonia finished with the words "with me" he glanced over to Marcus who was slouched and looking ever so bored in his throne as usual. Aro shared a look with Marcus, darting his eyes toward Richard's direction and mouthing the words "Is there an attachment here?" and receiving a gentle tap from Marcus' right hand to his throne's arm rest as code for "Yes."
Aro returned his gaze to Richard once again and immediately stood up from his own throne, moving toward the pair. "You want him to stay here, as one of us, as Volturi..." he repeated the basis of her request. "You love him." It was more of a statement than question. Without reaction and as if she was expecting it, Aro was able to take her hand and hold it in his, seeing the images from her mind's eye dancing in front of his own mind's eye, playing every memory she'd had of meeting Richard. He witnessed in his mind the English bar maid she brought for him, the hunting they did side by side, the conversations they had and felt how strongly she was attracted and enamored with him. Dropping her hand, he glanced at her. "Your passion for this one is fierce and you also are willing to leave us for him if we do not accept him." His lips pursed in contemplation. "Quite an ultimatum it leaves us."
Looking back at Richard, he held his hand out for the younger vampire to give to him. "But how do you think of all this? What are your feelings toward her and why is it she fears you think us monsters?"
With that last question of his, a slight bit of resentment crept up Aro's spine as he simply grabbed Richard's hand without waiting for it to be offered willingly. Holding it firmly between both his hands, he peered into the caverns of Richard's mind searching back to the source of Richard's obvious uncertainty about the Volturi. And there it was, a lot of anger over the destruction of his maker, a woman named Crina. Suddenly Aro remembered her well. One of the ones who had broken their universal law of no creation of Immortal Children. They had learned of the offense and dealt with it swiftly. Richard had of course taken it to heart and felt because of the punishment that the Volturi were...barbarians? Aro nearly giggled at the word that had crept into Richard's mind. He'd held the grudge for a long time, until recently upon meeting Antonia.
Aro felt the strong unfailing passion Richard felt for Antonia as if it was his own passion for her. He had to lean back and blink, forcing himself not to falter his focus from Richard's mind to look at the female beside him.
"Amazing, your dedication to our Antonia after knowing each other only a matter of two weeks' time. So much passion, though there has been no consummation of the relationship yet. And your hatred that you felt for us. Did your maker, Crina, never tell you how very illegal it is to create Immortal Children? There is absolutely no forgiveness for such an offense. Immortal Children have not reached maturity or attained the sense to know right from wrong, and to turn them, they are forever stuck in that state; unable to be taught. They are dangerous to our kind, our existence. You were fortunate to be excluded from that punishment for not being aware of what she'd done. You should be grateful, for it has brought you to this point, to Antonia. And everything is ironically come full circle in that it brings you to us, and your willingness to put aside your past feelings to be wherever she is and see that we are not barbarians as you see us as, is quite a wonderment."
Abruptly, Aro giggled as he looked between the two. "I am not sure how to respond to this predicament. For, on one hand, I have a loyal member of the guard, who makes up for her lack of special gift with a talent of painting fine pictures to adorn our walls and of course the sheer loyalty to assist in whatever bidding is deemed necessary. On the other hand, she would leave us if you are not accepted here. It is a win-lose situation. Take in a skeptic or lose a loyal member and a potential member."
He turned on the heels of his feet, his back to Antonia and Richard and looked to Marcus and Caius. "This cannot be my decision alone, brothers," he stated referring to the others affectionately as he placed the palms of his hands together and rested his lips on the tips of his fingers. "What should we decide? Lose two, or gain two?"
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Sulpicia
New to Town
Even angels can have red eyes.
Posts: 3
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Post by Sulpicia on Jul 20, 2010 0:59:53 GMT -5
Sulpicia had been watching silently from the doorway leading into the hall of thrones. Her lips pursed silently beneath the hooded black cloak, casting her pale face into shadows. She moved gracefully forward, the cloak and the crimson red gown gliding across the marble floor. "If I may, there is always a chance that by being here his skepticism will fade. Perhaps then you will gain a new loyal member," she whispered softly. She let the hood fall away from her face exposing filmy red eyes and pale porcelain face.
As always being a fool for love she hoped to convince not only him but the rest of the Volturi trio as well. Having watched her lover's facial features from the doorway she'd been able to see the slight annoyance at being thought a monster. She moved towards him, a soft smile breaking across her features, her fingers brushing gently against his hand, she didn't think of him as a monster. It lasted only moments and then she was walking away from him and towards Caius and Marcus.
"Aro said it himself, Antonia makes up for her gift be decorating the walls with her paintings. Perhaps this newcomer can also bring something to us," she suggested, those scarlet eyes glancing between her lashes from Marcus to Caius in the hopes of seeing something there. It was such a small matter to them, Marcus appearing almost bored and Caius probably already forming a denial in his head.
It was such a rare occasion that she offered her two cents, only coming forward when she truly felt that she could make a difference or to guide the trio towards a reasonable judgement. Though she wasn't a fan of Richard for thinking the Volturi monsters, they did what was best in the case of his sire. Immortal children were forbidden, even she, who so desperately wanted a child knew that it would be wrong. She took the cloak off completely and drapped it over her arms. She waited for one of them to speak, standing directly before them, her back to Aro, Antonia, and Richard.
She listened for any sign of approval or denial, was it truly such a big deal to them that they would turn down the prospect of a new arrival? She also listened to what was happening around her, listening for Jane, the violent little sadist to make her arrival. Though she did love Jane from time to time, her approach to delicate matters left much to be desired. She wouldn't have put it past the child to inflict her immense pain on Richard for nothing more then annoying her Sire.
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