Seeds of a Rose (The Rose and The Thorn Sequel)

Chapter 17 - Meeting the in-laws

Sophia's POV

Caius and I emerged from his room in the palace, we had jumped in the window to avoid being seen by anyone. Felix had been left at my apartment to dispose of James and we had now changed into new clothing, a black suit and turtleneck for Caius and a black knee length dress for me. I could smell my mother's blood drifting around the palace from the west corridor and prayed that she was still alive. As we entered the throne room Aro and Marcus sat in their thrones waiting for us, both had changed out of their capes into outfits not dissimilar from Caius'.

[A] "Ah Sophia, your mother is upstairs getting dressed. She asked where you were."

[S] "Thank you for showing them to their room." The air stood cold and still in the throne room, unable to look at Aro I turned to Marcus. "How was the book I heard you were reading Marcus, a modern one I believe?"

[M] "Yes, 1899 and very well written, almost takes me back in time." I nodded at Marcus view on what classified as modern and turned as I heard footsteps behind me, Demetri had arrived carrying two very sticky looking toddlers.

[C] "Take them upstairs and change them into something clean, they're about to meet their grandmother."

[S] "No they're not, my mother can't know about them."

[C] "What else are we supposed to do with them?"

[S] "Keep them upstairs, my mother doesn't even know I'm married let alone that I have two 3year olds, how do you suppose we explain that?"

[A] "Sophia my dear we will not say that they are yours, they are simply two orphans that I took in and whom now live with us."

[S] "My children are not orphans and you will never..." Two new appearances in the room cut me off. My mother had walked in accompanied by Tony.

"Sophia my sweetheart." She ran over to me and pulled me into a bone crushing hug. "Sweetie your cold and what on earth happened to your eyes, they're red."

[S] "Its contact lenses, the Italians only do them in funny colours." She nodded slowly.

"Which one of you is my daughter's boyfriend?"

[C] "I am Mrs. Hammond, Caius lovely to meet you."

"Please call me Hannah, Mrs. Hammond is much too formal. Oh my, Sophia this is Tony my fiancée." Tony and I greeted each other before we sat down at the long table and began chatting for what felt like a very long time until my mother asked me to give her the grand tour of the palace. We walked along the corridors until she stopped and turned to me

"I'm worried about you sweetheart, everybody round here has red eyes, pale skin and walk around in matching cloaks and necklaces. Tell me the truth, did you join a cult?" I laughed and remembered to blink.

"No mum, how could you think such a thing?"

"It's strange you all living together in this large house."

"We're all family, Caius lives here with his brothers and their wives and children."

"Well as long as you're happy I'm happy." We laughed and continued walking round the palace, finally everything was back where it should be.