Worthless (A Twilight Fan Fiction)

Chapter 2

Bella POV

I awoke with a loud scream, sitting up rapidly from my bed of straw. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves and racing heart. Every morning is like this. Wake up with a shock from the Security System Band, or SSB, get up quickly and go to your chores. It was a pattern, a system. You either obeyed or payed the consequences.

I got up from my bed and walked over to the bucket provided in all of the slaves' cells and did my business. Slaves were not allowed any type of luxuries in life. We are trash, worthless. We don't deserve such material things. Well, that's what my masters say. Whether they are right, that's another question.

I hurried out of my cell, not wanting to get in any trouble for being late. Punishments were given for the smallest infractions. If you look at someone the wrong way, if you speak when not spoken to, if you drop something. You never wanted to anger the Volturi. There was nothing us slaves could do anyways. We are all humans, either captured or born into captivity. Me, I was born here. I never knew my father or my mother. I'm alone here, and sometimes I don't want to be.

Being alone is a scary thing, especially in a place like this. You can't trust anyone around you, always having to keep your eyes open for danger. The slaves have two goals in life: serve our masters and don't get killed. I'm truly terrified of everything. I never know when I'm going to die, or how and where.

"Slave 2318! Report to the throne room immediately! Slave 2318!" A stern voice said over the intercome. That was me, I was Slave 2318.

I ran out of the slaves' quarters as fast as my thin legs could carry me and made my way over to the throne room. I pumped my legs faster, not wanting to get a beating for being late. I was still recovering from yesterday's. I had accidently scratched one of the glass windows. I guess I did kind of deserve it.

I stopped outside of the huge throne room doors made of bronze with intricate desings along the lengths of them. Two guards stood in front of them, wearing the traiditional uniform of red pants, a red shirt and tie, and a black coat embroidered with the Volturi crest.

"Slave 2318 reporting, sir." I said as I stood tall and looked straight ahead. They nodded their heads once and moved to open the doors. They swung open to reveal my masters siiting in their thrones. I walked quickly into the room and stopped at my masters' feet. I bowed and got down on my knees, arms straight at my side and head straight ahead.

"Slave 2318 reporting, Masters." I said in a monotone voice, the way I was taught to speak when in the presence of my masters. Unless, I was told to do so otherwise.

"Ah, Bella," Master Aro said as he looked at me with a smile, "You have always been one of my favorite. So obedient and respectful." I kept my eyes straight ahead as he got up from his throne and slowly made his way over to me.

"Thank you, Master Aro." I said, not moving a muscle. He laughed his hysterical laugh and patted my head.

"And so polite! Isn't she, Marcus?" Master Marcus looked up from the book he was reading and glanced at Master Aro.

"Indeed," he said in his croaky voice, "She will be perfect for the job."

"Yes," Master Aro said quietly as he returned to sit in his throne, "Yes, she will." He looked at me as he tilted his head to the side in thought.

"Bella," he began, "We will be having some visitors coming tomorrow. They will be staying for the entire summer and you will be assigned to serve them. I expect the best of your behavior and the upmost respect for them. The leader of their coven is a very dear friend of mine. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Master Aro." I replied. He clapped his hands together, laughing happily.

"Oh, wonderful!" He said in an excited tone, "Now, do you have any questions?" Whenever any of my masters would ask me that, my answer always depended on who it was. Usually Master Aro and Master Marcus liked for me to ask questions, but Master Caius and everyone else absolutely despised it.

"Yes, Master Aro," I said truthfully.

"And what is it you need to ask, bambina?" He said quietly. That was his favorite nick name for me. "Bambina" meant child.

"Will I remain in my cell or stay with the visitors, Master Aro?" He tapped his chin with his index finger, thinking about my question.

"I suppose our visitors will decide if they want you in one of their suites or not. Which one would you prefer, bambina?"

"Either, Master Aro. They are both very nice." Aro clapped his hands again and laughed. He was a very cheery person compared to the rest of my masters.

"Oh, how sweet! She thinks her cell is nice! Do you really mean that, bambina?" He questioned me.

"Yes, Master Aro," I lied, "It is very nice."

"Oh, I'm glad you think so, Bella. Not all of the other slaves agree with that. What do you think of those slaves ?"

"They are ungrateful and selfish, Master Aro. You and the rest of our masters have given us so much. Thank you, Master Aro." I said quietly.

"Oh, this is why you are one of my favorites!" Master Aro exclaimed. It was always a good thing to be one of the favorites. They were a litle more kind to you if you were.

"Yes," Master Caius said in his slithering voice, almost hissing. "You are a favorite among us, Bella."

"Indeed!" Master Aro said with joy, "Bella, you may have an extra slice of bread with your dinner."

"Thank you, Master Aro," I replied seriously. On the inside, I was jumping for joy. Slaves didn't get fed much. It was usually a slice of bread a day, and on special holidays they gave us soup. Our water came from the well outside and was quite dirty, but I've never gotten sick from drinking it. Not yet, anyways.

"You are dismissed, bambina. Go finish your work." Master Aro said with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, Master Aro. Farewell and thank you." I stood up from my knees, and bowed low before I turned around and walked out of the throne room. I heard the loud clang of the doors being shut as I walked down to the east wing of the palace, the section I had been assigned to clean this month along with a few other slaves.

I didn't talk to anyone else here. They didn't like me because I was one of the favorites. It's not my fault they don't treat our masters with respect. They don't understand that you have to earn being a favorite, you just simply don't get it handed to you. Also, the other slaves thought me as a freak. I was extremely skinny, much like them, and was never very pretty either. The fact that I get scared very easily is also another reason why they steer clear of me.

Oh well, I thought to myself as I grabbed all of the supplies out of the hallway closet and began my long, grueling day of work. As I worked, my mind began to wander and think about the visitors coming to the palace tomorrow.

Master Aro seemed to be very fond of them by the way he spoke. I wonder where they're from. Maybe the Americas? Or maybe here in Europe? How many of them are there? Is it all male or female or both?

All these thoughts passed through my head as I scrubbed the palace floor on my hands and knees. My knuckles had begun to bleed, and I was in very much pain. I was happy we were getting visitors though. Whenever a slave is assigned to a visitor, they need not do chores but tend to them alone. I at least would be getting a break from all this. God knows I needed one.

Only one thought about our visitors had stuck through my head all day.

I pray they will not be so cruel.