52 Weeks
by Wizardtho
Chapter 20:
JPOV
Though Alice is lookin’ to me curiously because of my last statement, I slyly brush my hand against Aro’s. I need his approval, ‘cause I’m not about to get my own ass in trouble durin’ a throne room meetin’.
At his slight hum and pat to my shoulder, I turn and stalk angrily over to where the guards are separately holdin’ Esme and Carlisle 10 feet away from each other. “You put this in motion, Esme. That little bug ya put in Edward’s ear? This was the result.”
Without lettin’ either of ‘em say anythin’, I batter both with the onslaught of Isabella’s emotions magnified by a hundred. All of the emotions she felt on that field -the agonizin’ pain, Edward’s frantic mania, her fear and desperation- they all get thrown at Carlisle and Esme. I let their screams and cries go on for a full minute before lettin’ ‘em out.
Once their voices die down, I say gravely, “Those were Isabella’s last emotions before her heart stopped beatin’. Your little bug, Esme? It got Isabella drained by the very son you sent to save her.”
As Alice begs me to tell her it isn’t true, tell her that Bella is still alive, Carlisle cries out in shock while tryin’ to struggle toward Esme, “Tell me it isn’t so, Esme. Tell me that you didn’t do what they are accusing you of. Please, Darling. You wouldn’t have done something so horrific.”
Esme sneers in response, “I did what had to be done for our son, Carlisle. Bella was Edward’s. I told you from the beginning she needed to come home with us, where she belonged, but no. Instead of making a plan to bring her home, you stood back and let her stay in the castle as some pet to a HUMAN DRINKER! There is no way the most blood-thirsty and ruthless king in vampire history would take a human mate, Carlisle! The very thought is ludacris! I did what had to be done. For Edward. For our family. Now, where is my son?!”
The last part is directed at Aro, who lays his hand on Carlisle’s shoulder. Aro ignores her, in favor of readin’ him. After what seems like a full 2 minutes, Aro lets go of Carlisle’s shoulder, then silently walks up the dais to speak with Marcus. Whatever they speak about must be good, ‘cause both kings have curiosity and a bit of shock in their feelin’s.
Instead of turnin’ and givin’ a sentence, Aro comes back down the dais after a final word to Marcus, then he goes directly to where Esme stands. Though she’s still actin’ defiant, she’s givin’ off waves of worry and fear as Aro takes her hand.
After takin’ a good minute or two to read Esme -and hissing in disgust more than a few times- Aro backs away, his tone serious, “Carlisle, you now have a very important decision to make. Through the life of your relationship with Esme Platt, you may have married her in the eyes of humans, but have not marked her as your eternal mate. If you stand by her actions and wish to tell me you are mated in heart, even though you have not marked her as such, you may go stand with her now. On the other hand, if your first reaction of outrage and disbelief were genuine, and you wish not to continue your companionship with her after this moment, you may now back up to join the McCarty mates near the door. Choose wisely, as this decision will be final.”
Aro’s point is made. Either Carlisle and Esme will be charged together as one mated pair, even though Carlisle knew nothin’ of Esme’s misdeeds, or they will be charged separately. The question is, does Carlisle’s love for Esme transcend right and wrong? If he truly believes she’s his one and only, his love for her would transcend even eternity itself.
There’s no indecision at all in Carlisle’s feelin’s. He immediately backs up to join Rosalie and Emmett, givin’ ‘em both a tight hug before lookin’ only to Aro. Esme rages at Carlisle for not defendin’ her, for not standin’ with her, then she calls him a spineless bastard. His only only reaction is to let out a visible breath as he focuses on Aro.
After a final nod to Carlisle, Aro says in finality, “Carlisle Cullen, you have been found innocent of aiding in the abduction and murder of a royal. You have been found innocent of conspiring with Edward Masen in any manner.”
Aro’s eyes turn to Emse, and though his eyes show his anger, his tone is controlled, “Esme Platt, you have been found guilty of conspiring with Edward Masen. You have also been found guilty of aiding in the abduction and murder of a royal. You will be housed in the dungeons until your sentencing can be held. This hearing is concluded. Guards, please escort the prisoner to her cell.”
As soon as she’s gone, Alice asks in a heartbroken voice, “Sire?”
This time, it’s Marcus who speaks, offering only a solemn, “Now is not the time, Miss Brandon. Retire to your temporary suites and enjoy the castle grounds until Miss Platt’s sentencing. Your questions will be answered then. Court is adjourned.”
CVPOV
Less than an hour after Jasper leaves the suite to meet Aro in the throne room, Jane knocks lightly on the bedroom door to tell me Marcus wishes to enter and speak to me. I take a moment to settle Isabella a bit more comfortably, then offer, “Rest, Sweetling. I will stay right here with you.”
After telling Marcus he may enter, he comes directly to the bedside, choosing to sit in the chair as he gently takes my mate’s hand. “It was Esme Platt, as Major Whitlock had suspected. Her relationship lines were skewed severely. Aro said what caused the skew was the death of her infant child not long before her transformation. Edward became her whole mothering focus after her newborn phase, and anything her 'son' wanted, she made sure he got it… whether the want was rational or not. Even though Edward abandoned Isabella, in her mind, she would never belong to anyone else. Esme Platt is now in the dungeons, until Isabella has woken, fed, and is able to attend the sentencing.”
He then pats my mate’s hand in his, and promises, “All three will be punished for what they did. On another note, Aro said Alice Brandon’s thoughts -before their return- were about hoping Isabella would be willing to rekindle their friendship after the 100 year sentence. He also confirmed my thought that Alice was truly broken up about Isabella’s supposed death. Her relationship lines revealed she truly cared for Isabella. As for the McCarty mates, there was nothing of note. Though the relationship lines had been broken by the abandonment, neither meant Isabella harm, and they were cleared by us both. The most surprising was Carlisle.”
Though I raise an eyebrow in question, I stay silent. Marcus smirks, “Esme Platt was Carlisle’s companion… not his marked mate. Though Aro confirmed that they had been married by human standards more than once, Carlisle still had not marked her. He chose not to stand with her, confirming what I had seen in his relationship lines. Carlisle only contented himself with Esme, and he abhorred the thought of Isabella being abducted or hurt. Aro’s reading proved he knew nothing of Esme’s deception or planning, so once he chose not to stand with Esme as his mate, he was cleared.”
I let out a breath as I take in this new information. Aro and Marcus have made sure that all those in league with Edward have been caught. My mate is no longer in danger from that sorry excuse for a vampire. They will all pay with their lives, which soothes my beast for the moment.
After a sincere, “Thank you, Marcus,” from me, he then takes the next 10 minutes to quietly sit at Isabella’s side while holding her hand. When he deems his visit at an end, he stands, places his hand on my shoulder, and gives my mate a heartfelt smile, “Your bond is incredible to witness, Brother. I’m happy for the two of you, and I'm eager to see how it flourishes once Isa awakens.”
I look down at Isabella with a smile, but as I went to say something else to Marcus, he was already closing the bedroom door behind him.
JPOV
Though Alice is lookin’ to me curiously because of my last statement, I slyly brush my hand against Aro’s. I need his approval, ‘cause I’m not about to get my own ass in trouble durin’ a throne room meetin’.
At his slight hum and pat to my shoulder, I turn and stalk angrily over to where the guards are separately holdin’ Esme and Carlisle 10 feet away from each other. “You put this in motion, Esme. That little bug ya put in Edward’s ear? This was the result.”
Without lettin’ either of ‘em say anythin’, I batter both with the onslaught of Isabella’s emotions magnified by a hundred. All of the emotions she felt on that field -the agonizin’ pain, Edward’s frantic mania, her fear and desperation- they all get thrown at Carlisle and Esme. I let their screams and cries go on for a full minute before lettin’ ‘em out.
Once their voices die down, I say gravely, “Those were Isabella’s last emotions before her heart stopped beatin’. Your little bug, Esme? It got Isabella drained by the very son you sent to save her.”
As Alice begs me to tell her it isn’t true, tell her that Bella is still alive, Carlisle cries out in shock while tryin’ to struggle toward Esme, “Tell me it isn’t so, Esme. Tell me that you didn’t do what they are accusing you of. Please, Darling. You wouldn’t have done something so horrific.”
Esme sneers in response, “I did what had to be done for our son, Carlisle. Bella was Edward’s. I told you from the beginning she needed to come home with us, where she belonged, but no. Instead of making a plan to bring her home, you stood back and let her stay in the castle as some pet to a HUMAN DRINKER! There is no way the most blood-thirsty and ruthless king in vampire history would take a human mate, Carlisle! The very thought is ludacris! I did what had to be done. For Edward. For our family. Now, where is my son?!”
The last part is directed at Aro, who lays his hand on Carlisle’s shoulder. Aro ignores her, in favor of readin’ him. After what seems like a full 2 minutes, Aro lets go of Carlisle’s shoulder, then silently walks up the dais to speak with Marcus. Whatever they speak about must be good, ‘cause both kings have curiosity and a bit of shock in their feelin’s.
Instead of turnin’ and givin’ a sentence, Aro comes back down the dais after a final word to Marcus, then he goes directly to where Esme stands. Though she’s still actin’ defiant, she’s givin’ off waves of worry and fear as Aro takes her hand.
After takin’ a good minute or two to read Esme -and hissing in disgust more than a few times- Aro backs away, his tone serious, “Carlisle, you now have a very important decision to make. Through the life of your relationship with Esme Platt, you may have married her in the eyes of humans, but have not marked her as your eternal mate. If you stand by her actions and wish to tell me you are mated in heart, even though you have not marked her as such, you may go stand with her now. On the other hand, if your first reaction of outrage and disbelief were genuine, and you wish not to continue your companionship with her after this moment, you may now back up to join the McCarty mates near the door. Choose wisely, as this decision will be final.”
Aro’s point is made. Either Carlisle and Esme will be charged together as one mated pair, even though Carlisle knew nothin’ of Esme’s misdeeds, or they will be charged separately. The question is, does Carlisle’s love for Esme transcend right and wrong? If he truly believes she’s his one and only, his love for her would transcend even eternity itself.
There’s no indecision at all in Carlisle’s feelin’s. He immediately backs up to join Rosalie and Emmett, givin’ ‘em both a tight hug before lookin’ only to Aro. Esme rages at Carlisle for not defendin’ her, for not standin’ with her, then she calls him a spineless bastard. His only only reaction is to let out a visible breath as he focuses on Aro.
After a final nod to Carlisle, Aro says in finality, “Carlisle Cullen, you have been found innocent of aiding in the abduction and murder of a royal. You have been found innocent of conspiring with Edward Masen in any manner.”
Aro’s eyes turn to Emse, and though his eyes show his anger, his tone is controlled, “Esme Platt, you have been found guilty of conspiring with Edward Masen. You have also been found guilty of aiding in the abduction and murder of a royal. You will be housed in the dungeons until your sentencing can be held. This hearing is concluded. Guards, please escort the prisoner to her cell.”
As soon as she’s gone, Alice asks in a heartbroken voice, “Sire?”
This time, it’s Marcus who speaks, offering only a solemn, “Now is not the time, Miss Brandon. Retire to your temporary suites and enjoy the castle grounds until Miss Platt’s sentencing. Your questions will be answered then. Court is adjourned.”
CVPOV
Less than an hour after Jasper leaves the suite to meet Aro in the throne room, Jane knocks lightly on the bedroom door to tell me Marcus wishes to enter and speak to me. I take a moment to settle Isabella a bit more comfortably, then offer, “Rest, Sweetling. I will stay right here with you.”
After telling Marcus he may enter, he comes directly to the bedside, choosing to sit in the chair as he gently takes my mate’s hand. “It was Esme Platt, as Major Whitlock had suspected. Her relationship lines were skewed severely. Aro said what caused the skew was the death of her infant child not long before her transformation. Edward became her whole mothering focus after her newborn phase, and anything her 'son' wanted, she made sure he got it… whether the want was rational or not. Even though Edward abandoned Isabella, in her mind, she would never belong to anyone else. Esme Platt is now in the dungeons, until Isabella has woken, fed, and is able to attend the sentencing.”
He then pats my mate’s hand in his, and promises, “All three will be punished for what they did. On another note, Aro said Alice Brandon’s thoughts -before their return- were about hoping Isabella would be willing to rekindle their friendship after the 100 year sentence. He also confirmed my thought that Alice was truly broken up about Isabella’s supposed death. Her relationship lines revealed she truly cared for Isabella. As for the McCarty mates, there was nothing of note. Though the relationship lines had been broken by the abandonment, neither meant Isabella harm, and they were cleared by us both. The most surprising was Carlisle.”
Though I raise an eyebrow in question, I stay silent. Marcus smirks, “Esme Platt was Carlisle’s companion… not his marked mate. Though Aro confirmed that they had been married by human standards more than once, Carlisle still had not marked her. He chose not to stand with her, confirming what I had seen in his relationship lines. Carlisle only contented himself with Esme, and he abhorred the thought of Isabella being abducted or hurt. Aro’s reading proved he knew nothing of Esme’s deception or planning, so once he chose not to stand with Esme as his mate, he was cleared.”
I let out a breath as I take in this new information. Aro and Marcus have made sure that all those in league with Edward have been caught. My mate is no longer in danger from that sorry excuse for a vampire. They will all pay with their lives, which soothes my beast for the moment.
After a sincere, “Thank you, Marcus,” from me, he then takes the next 10 minutes to quietly sit at Isabella’s side while holding her hand. When he deems his visit at an end, he stands, places his hand on my shoulder, and gives my mate a heartfelt smile, “Your bond is incredible to witness, Brother. I’m happy for the two of you, and I'm eager to see how it flourishes once Isa awakens.”
I look down at Isabella with a smile, but as I went to say something else to Marcus, he was already closing the bedroom door behind him.