Lili Anne Cullen was not expected, but her parents and family loved her all the same. The observant tame half to Renesmee's unhinged, wild personality, Lili compliments her sister perfectly. Like her twin, she inherited gifts similar to that of he...
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Inside our tent the night before the confrontation, Ness and I made ourselves comfortable as Mom sat in between us, not uttering a word for a good beat before she dug a small box out of her pocket. As she lifted the lid in her hand, Mom revealed two golden lockets, offering one in each hand to Ness and I on either side of her. Looking at it closer, on its metallic front was a delicate, intricate crest. My eyes had been so entranced by the design I had forgotten there was anything inside. Mom took a breath, "This means 'more than my own life.' That's how much I love you." Her beautiful words immediately stole my attention from the gorgeous exterior.
Unclasping the locket, I found the fluidly etched latin she translated and a picture of her and Dad next to it on the opposite side. Mom's eyes held a serious desperation now, "Tomorrow I'm gonna need you both to stay with Jacob. No matter what. Even if I tell him that... that he has to take you somewhere." My vision blurred before refocusing as tears welled up in my eyes, processing the insinuated possibility. If the meeting with the Volturi became incredibly gruesome, Jake would attempt to run with the two of us, leaving our entire family and all of the witnesses who came to protect us behind. There was no guarantee we would see any of them ever again. Ness's sniffles followed my own as Mom took us in her arms, gently shushing us, "Hey, it's alright. You're gonna be safe. Always."
That night, I held onto the locket that hung from my neck in my grasp as I tried to fall asleep. Ness's warmth and sweet dreams along with the lighthearted conversations outside our tent made it easier than it would have been if it was silent, and yet I still struggled to sleep. Not long after I became frustrated with my lack of sleep, Dad unzipped the tent, "It'll be okay." He didn't say or think anything else as he laid next to me, not wanting me to feel left alone while also enjoying the proximity. Even he was unsure of what would occur a few hours from now and he wanted to take advantage if this was the last time he could be around us.
Eventually, I managed to fall asleep, I found, as my groggy eyes took in my surroundings, the sun shining against the tent, the fabric now somewhat translucent. Mom and Dad crouched at the entrance, "Good morning, sleepy head. It's time." Ness stood behind them quietly. Rubbing my eyes I stood next to Ness while Mom and Dad took down the tent. I whispered to my sister, "Why didn't you wake me sooner?" Ness playfully grimaced, "I would have, but Mom and Dad told me not to. Said you didn't sleep enough." I nodded my head, "How much time do we have?" Ness shrugged, "I'm not sure if anyone knows, but I'd say not that long."
We waited another hour in anticipation for any sign of the Volturi. Time had never felt so eternal before as we stood our guard, the field of snow seemingly endless and empty. Dad rubbed my back from my left, being aware of everyone's thoughts and how they were affecting me. Ness held my right hand like a death grip as Mom kept her arm around Ness's shoulders. Rose and Emmett stood to Mom's right, Pop-Pop and Nana to Dad's left while our witnesses grouped in their covens behind us. The wolves hid in the brush of the surrounding woods to take the Volturi by surprise. Dark gray clouds swirled over us as snow fell in odd angles caused by the whipping of the wind. As a sea of hooded figures emerged from the fog, Mom and Dad took a stance to hold our hands while pushing Ness and I behind them.
