Destined for Fate

The beginning of the end

(above is Alec and Jane in Eclipse and a pic of witches burning at the stake)

Europe 1593:

Sleeping peacefully a girl lays on her cot. The moonless night darkens her room. All is quiet. The stillness creates a tension that none would dare break. Suddenly, the girl's door creaks open. The sound jerks her awake and she goes to scream but a hand stops her. She looks up to see her brother Alec peering over her, his finger to his lips in a silent ssshhh.

The girl looks to the door to see her sister Jane in the doorway. Her hair has been crudely cut and her tears leave tracks down her cheeks. Soon the odd trio is sneaking out the back door and down the small wooded path behind their house. They have to make it to the cave. It'll be safe there. Weird things have been happening lately. There have been people being snatched in the night and ending up swinging in the trees.

The three hurry deeper into the woods. The crunching of dead leaves crunches under their feet. The sounds of shouts and footsteps start coming from their right. "Hurry up Jane." The boy says "And keep a hand on Alexia you know she is clumsy. We can't get caught" as they quicken their pace going deeper into the woods.

They hid in the cave, the darkness a comfort rather than a fear. Lights overhead flashed across the ground as the mob passed by. Tears fall down Alexia's face as she realizes that they aren't making it out of there. Suddenly an arm appears out of the darkness latching on to Alexia's ankle. She screams as she is dragged out of the cave by the men of the mob. The rest standing in a half circle around the cave. There was no escaping this.

"Alexia!" Alec cries as he rushes out Jane not far behind him.

"Alec! Don't let them take me please!" She screamed as they dragged her away. The last thing she sees is them knocking her siblings out and dragging them to the pyres.

Alexia cries as she is taken to the judge's house. They walk into the main room and throw her to the floor. Then they proceeded to walk out leaving the girl sprawled on the floor. The judge eyed the girl from across the room.

"Your siblings have been burned at the stake." He states. Alexia's eyes widen as she screams the pain of heartbreak roaring threw her as she mourns her brother and sister.

"They are gone now..and you are mine," the judge says smugly. He starts advancing on her his intentions clear in his lust-filled eyes.

"No!" Alexia yells scrambling back til her back hits the wall. There is nowhere left to run as she sees his grubby hands reach for her. Then...
..........
I suddenly snap awake from the memories. Even now I can still feel his hands. I shiver from the cold dampness of the jail cell the judge has created for me. I can feel the wetness on my cheeks. Damn. I have been crying again. I miss my siblings dearly, their deaths were but mere days ago. And our birthdays were but a week ago. We are all of age now. (ages were 17, 18, 19) (they were born a year apart but on the same day of the week)

I look up through the cell bars at the stars above me. They are beautiful. This pit he built for me is outside. It has been my home for three days since that vile man assaulted me.

All of a sudden a blonde head pokes out over the bars.

"Alexia" it whispers shouts. "Are you alive?"

"Jane?" I answer. "Jane?! You're alive! How? Are you an angel?" I cry

The figure shakes as she giggled. "Hello sister it'll be one moment Alec went to get the others"

"Others?" I answer puzzled. Alec?! He is alive as well! How did they escape the fire? No one has ever escaped it before. I hear screams in the distance. And then another head pops over the cell.

"Dear sister, are you alright?" It cried.

"Alec?" I say my voice shaking as I cry.

"Don't cry sister we are here to save you. Your captors have been slain" he said cheerfully.

"Slain?" I ask puzzled.

"Who killed them? Whoever has done it I am grateful, but they are gonna face consequences when it's found out." I say frantically.

My siblings simply looked at each other and laughed. Then Alec proceeded to rip the bars from the ground with unprecedented strength. He then reached in and lifted me out as if I weighed nothing.

I looked into his face beaming searching for his warm brown eyes...Then I screamed. My brother's eyes were no longer the warm brown I used to find comfort in. They were a dark blood red.

"Alec! What have you done? What are you?" I screamed as Jane walked up to me with her eyes the same shade. That's when I was finally able to look at my surroundings. Everyone in the village was dead, including the judge. Their blood drained from their faces. I screamed for the last time before I passed out.
__________________________________

Warm I was...warm. I awake with a start. I'm no longer outside. Where am I? I get up slowly. I'm in a castle of some sort. I wander through the halls searching for my siblings. My silver dress flows behind me. When did I change? Who changed me?!

It was then at that moment I noticed I had ended up in a throne room of sorts. There are three thrones. Each is on its pedestal. That's when I noted the jet-black-haired man sitting on the middle throne. Just gazing at me.

"Hello child," he says. His voice was smooth and cool. He stands gracefully and moves towards me at an unnatural pace. Instantaneously he was standing in from of me. I gasped.

"May I," he asked. Reaching for my hand. I snatch my hand away looking at him suspiciously. His eyes are the same blood-red as Jane and Alec's.

"What are you?" I ask eyeing him.

"A logical first question my dear. I am what you call a vampire. One of the oldest beings in existence." he answered smiling, brightly his snow-white skin stretching across his even brighter teeth.

I stare at him for a beat before asking.

"Is that what my siblings have become? V-vampires?" I repeat sadly as my eyes well up.

All at once, he was holding my face wiping the tears away.

"Oh! My dear doesn't waste those tears. Your siblings have accepted a wonderful gift. They now will never be sick and never age." he explains.

I stand there my mind running in circles as I try to wrap my mind around the situation I have found myself in.

"And you say they chose this?" I uttered.

"My dear. I would never lie. They chose this fate as a means to save you." Aro spoke.

His eyes flicked over to a painting. It had been done a few days ago by the looks of it. Four beings stood on a balcony overlooking the crowd. One lone being to the side had ash blonde hair and looked to be fitful compared to the other three. How..odd.

"Now may I?" he said reaching for my hand again.

I put my hand in his and he let out an audible gasp.

"My child. The things you have been through. The innocence of a child is precious and yet yours was ripped from you. I am truly sorry that you weren't the one to enact your vengeance." he said his eyes wide.

"I'd now like to offer you the same choice that I gave your siblings," Aro pleaded. "I want to give you the ability to protect yourself and others from those who would harm you. I want to give you a gift and a promise," he vowed.

"A promise?" I mused. "What kind of promise?"

"I promise that no one will ever harm you. EVER again!" he vowed. "Are you ready my dear?"

"I am," I said. I made my vow that day. I vowed to never let a man treat me any less than what I was worth. That was the day my whole life changed. For the better? Guess we will find out.