Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries

Contestably

Contestably - con·tes·ta·bly - /kənˈtestəblē/

1. used to indicate that something is open to question or debate

Standing in the throne room, Odessa couldn't help but feel like she was standing in a lion's den. Every time she stood in front of the leaders, she was in trouble or being ridiculed for speaking out of turn. Any time she talked in that same exact spot, she was shouted at with malice and disagreement. After everything she had gone through being in the castle, she knew not to open her mouth in front of them in the throne room. She had spent too much time contemplating things in her imprisonment to be stupid now.

She knew she hadn't taken as much time as she should have to contemplate her decision in letting Vera stay with her - had been too fast in confiding in her. Sometimes she felt like she had been too slow. If she had opened up quicker, would Vera have told her about her plans sooner? Odessa was confused. How should she approach living with the Volturi now? Was she being too careful? Not careful enough? Should she use her time with Vera as a lesson, or should she write it off as a fluke? She knew that when she joined the Volturi she had been cautious of the prospect of living with others, yet she had also been as open as she could allow herself to be. She had been up front with her feelings on certain matters, and while their response had been none too pleasing, they were up front with their feelings as well.

She hated that she had to even go to them to get her arm back. She was still mad at everyone involved in the situation. People she had hung out with and laughed with acted like she was a stranger. They hurt her with no remorse and didn't even blink when she cried for help. What kind of friends did that? Were they her friends? She was being petty, she knew that, but she didn't want her emotions to flare up too much while she was trying so hard to contain them. Based on the smells wafting through the area, Santiago, Felix, Demetri, and Renata were in the room, as well, meaning, no one she wanted to see.

"Ah, my dear, Odessa," Aro said stiffly and pleasantly. He tried to hide it but he was slightly offended by her dirty appearance. She stiffened at the endearment. "How have you been?"

"Fine," she said quickly.

"Are you sure?" he pressed. "You seem a bit off lately."

I wonder why, she thought. "Yes," she said sharply.

He paused for a moment and shared a look with the three male guard members before addressing her again. He wanted them to talk with her if she was unwilling to talk to him. Keeping peace between him and his brothers and the guard was important. It was true that he used Corin and Chelsea's gift occasionally to keep some of the guards in line, but it was mostly used on the lower guard members. There was only one time he had to use it on a higher-ranking guard member. Jane had adjusted to their new life nicely, but Alec had started to feel lonely as the years passed. Aro had read several times in Alec's mind that he wanted to find his mate. He had little qualms about leaving his sister to explore and find what he believed was the missing piece in his life. He knew his sister was safe within the Volturi, and no matter where his search took him, he'd always know where Jane was. Aro had been defensive about him leaving and had ordered Chelsea to strengthen his ties with Aro, Caius, and Marcus. He'd never asked to leave after.

If Odessa was unwilling to get over her grudge and continue to ignore and deplete the ties she'd already made with the other Volturi members, Aro would be forced to use Chelsea's gift again. He wanted the guard members to want to be in the Volturi on their own volition, but some members were too valuable to let go.

"Very well," Aro said. "We asked you here to give you back your arm."

She perked up at that. She was excited to finally have two arms. She was slightly off-balance due because of her missing appendage. The feeling was foreign, and she hated it. Aro asked Santiago to retrieve a vat of ice. The ice covered all the sides of the vat, but she assumed her arm was in there.