𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 | carlisle cullen (3)

(𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐨𝐧𝐞) everything, anything, something

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"ESTELLA CULLEN IS DEAD"

Carlisle heard a gasp, maybe a few but he didn't make a sound nor did he turn to see who had. For a moment he considered that Caius was telling the truth but it barely managed to burrow into his head. Wiped clear of any belief that would remove the stars from his life, he shook his head slowly as Caius' face broke out into a smile.

"No, she isn't" Carlisle stated confidently.

"You think so?" Caius stepped forwards again, "she cried out for you, right before she was lost... she begged for you, pleaded for you. Where were you Carlisle? Happy with your family while she was suffering"

"Liar" Carlisle yet again twinged with the possibility before he shoved it away more forcefully this time.

"It was such a shame" Caius clicked his tongue, "but there was nothing you could've done even if you had been there. Terrible sight, poor thing barely recognised herself at the end but she remembered you, through everything... she remembered you"

"Carlisle" Edward spoke slowly and that's when he knew.

"Don't" Carlisle's face broke, "don't... Aro, he's lying... you were supposed to help her!"

"We tried" Aro paced forwards with a regretful expression on his face and now Carlisle understood the sympathy, "I am so... so sorry Carlisle, I know you won't believe me but I deeply regret what happened to Estella and I wish we could've found a way to help her, to save her"

"What did you do?" Carlisle cried out, his voice breaking, "what did you do?"

"I'd been looking into her mind for months" Aro explained slowly, "desperate to find something that would help us. There was something festering inside her mind and Caius tried to help her but there was nothing anyone could've done to stop it... her mind changed, she wasn't herself anymore and she killed many members of our guard. We had no choice, it wasn't fair to keep her alive when she wasn't her anymore and this time... there was no turning back"

"But she did scream for you, in the end" Caius smiled, "right before her eyes turned pale and the fire took her... she wasn't Estella anymore but she certainly knew you"

"She's not dead" Carlisle stated evenly, "because if she were dead... I'd be able to feel it, I can still feel her"

"Delusion" Caius stated in a matter of fact tone, "I am sorry Carlisle, she did love you"

"She still loves me" Carlisle replied, "you're lying"

"Carlisle" Edward stated again, his voice filled with hurt.

"You're lying!" He shouted louder until his voice echoed over all the trees in the close vicinity.

"I wish I were" Aro bowed his head sadly, "but alas... I always cared for Estella... and I did try to save her but there was nothing we could do. I didn't want to tell you this today, I wanted to give you time but... I suppose keeping this from you is unfair... Estella Cullen died a week ago, I am deeply sorry Carlisle but... she is gone"

✧✧✧

The house was wrong. The trees were wrong, the sound of the world was wrong. The sky looked wrong, the air smelt wrong. Everything was wrong and Carlisle had a funny feeling that it would never be right again.

He could hear them, paces behind him now talking amongst themselves. Talking about him. What would they say? That he was broken? Heart shattered in the crisp covering of white snow somewhere back in the field where they'd been about to face victory.