The Forgotten Child-Twilight

Chapter 35 - Part 1

Visitors Arrive

Carlisle had deeply mourned Christopher for over a week now. He felt that he needed to get his head out of the clouds once and for all. But just how was he supposed to get his head out of the clouds? He wasn't sure exactly how to accomplish that.

Carlisle decided to go alone for a walk in the forest...he secretly knew where he was heading...he just wouldn't admit it to himself. Soon Carlisle stepped out into 'Edward and Bella's' meadow.

Carlisle knew what he was doing...hoping to catch some scent...or any kind of remembrance of Christopher in the meadow.

Suddenly Carlisle caught a scent...a scent of 'Minstrels' nearby. Carlisle looked towards an opening in the forest and was surprised at what he saw there.

Stepping out into the open meadow was Arvil and another man who looked somewhat like Bynjin. Only Bynjin now looked taller and more muscular. A manly handsomeness seemed to flow from Bynjin that Carlisle had never noticed before.

Arvil eyed Carlisle and said, "Thanks for sending the email after Christopher passed away. It gave us time to prepare ouselves.

Carlisle walked closer to Arvil and said, "Welcome back, Cantor."

Arvil/Cantor's violet eyes looked into Carlisle's golden eyes and replied, "So...you finally recognize me now? You finally know my real name."

"Yes," said Carlisle, "Now that Christopher's 'wall' is down, I clearly remember who you are."

Arvil gave him a perplexed look with his violet eyes and said, "Yes...and I remember how you laughed at me that first time I saw you...when Demetri slapped me across the throne room."

Carlisle's eyes filled with regretfulness as he said, "I apologize for that Arvil... I was trying to find my wife, Helena, and was only masquerading and pretending to be a part of their loathsome Volturi cult."

"Please forgive me, Arvil," Carlisle begged.

"Of course I forgive you." said Arvil, "That's the reason why I've come... but only if you forgive me for treating you and your family so horribly. I was angry and hurting... afraid for Christopher... and I took it out on you and your family," Arvil confessed.

"How did you mange to kill Emmett then bring him back to life?" asked Carlisle.

"Everyone has a life spark... what you saw me do was take Emmett's life spark," admitted Arvil.

"Why were you so upset when Bynjin tried to return Emmett's life spark?" asked Carlisle

"Because, Arvil began, "Bynjin was going to replace Emmett's life spark with his own...this would have killed Bynjin. That's why I had to quickly give it back, so that Bynjin wouldn't have given his own life spark in order to restore Emmett."

"Can all of you take a life spark from somebody?" asked Carlisle.

"No," said Arvil, "Remember long ago when we escaped from the Volturi together?"

Carlisle nodded in answer.

"I had told you about the arclings of my people. Being an arcling gives me greater powers than the Minstrel norm. I alone of my kind can rob somebody of their life spark. However, most Minstrels can replace some or all of somebody's life spark with their own," said Arvil.

"I merely replaced Emmett's life spark with his own before I absorbed it into myself. Bynjin would have died using his life spark to revive, Emmett. That's why I had became so angry and upset," Arvil informed Carlisle.

"I think I understand now," said Carlisle, "I once saw Christopher restore a hummingbird to life using some of his own life spark."

Carlisle shifted his gaze to Bynjin, who smiled a warm hello with his green eyes. 

Bynjin looked beyond handsome or beautiful to Carlisle. There were only very few times that Carlisle harbored desire for another man. Carlisle had to shake his head to straighten himself out.

Carlisle knew Bynjin, like most Minstrels, had trouble speaking...so he asked Arvil instead.

"Why does Bynjin look so different...so tall, muscular and handsome?" Carlisle asked.

"Because," Arvil began, "Bynjin is in his estrus or fertile cycle for the time being. It will wear off in a few weeks and he'll again be the Bynjin of your memories."

"Shouldn't he be with his mate then?" Carlisle replied.

"Bynjin's mate is dead....and has been dead for quite some time now," said Arvil.

"Besides," Arvil added, "Most of us don't even bother with mating any more...we've not produced a Minstrel child for many years now."

Carlisle eyes widened in disbelief.

"It's true unfortunately," Arvil said, "In fact, Although Christopher was a bit older than myself, we're among the last child Minstrels to be born that I'm aware of."

"Arvil, why did you decide to come back?" asked Carlisle.

"Because I know how badly I behaved the few times I was around you," answered Arvil.

"I was just jealous...that's why I've always been so rude to you when I was in your presence," Arvil admitted.

"What would you be so jealous about?" asked Carlisle.

"I was jealous of your closeness with Christopher. I'm sorry but I loathe vampires and it killed me to know that he loved you above anything else. I was also jealous that your race is going to outlive my own. Already there are just a limited number of us...soon the Minstrel race will be dead and extinct," admitted Arvil.

"Why?" Carlisle asked.

"We thought we could live and survive on this world...unfortunately we've never thrived here...so we interbred with humans knowing that we'd only have Minstrels. We were hoping that these new Minstrels would have more of a immunity to this world...but it didn't work. Over time we've diluted our blood until we don't even give birth to Minstrels anymore," acknowledged Arvil.

"Then what exactly do you have?" Carlisle asked.

"The few children we're able to bear any more are totally human. Even Christopher had human aspects being born with 'human' blue eyes. Even Christopher's children were born totally human," answered Arvil.

Carlisle's eyes opened even bigger as he asked, "Christopher has children?"

"Had," Arvil stated, "His human wife and his three children have been dead for ages. After all of them, except for his youngest, died eventually of old age...Christopher came looking for us...and he finally found us."

"Can you tell me where his descendants are? Maybe I could be of some help to them," Carlisle begged.

Arvil gave a serious look with his violet eyes and said, "I don't think that would be wise. They're hidden and are unaware that vampires or Minstrels even exist."

A realization hit Carlisle as he said, "You're the one....you're the Minstrel that Rachel said tried to heal Christopher. You're the one who recognized him and tried to get his time-shift power to work properly."

"Yes," Arvil admitted, "that was me. However I never could get that particular power to function properly for him."

- continued -