Months after the visit from Edward and Bella and the incident in the counsel room things had returned to some semblance of normalcy. In other words, he thought of Didyme all the time, but the memories did not make him feel as desperately unhappy as they had. Instead, the pain had become a dull ache that was always there at the very core of him. He knew from experience that it would never go away, but he had a better handle on it.

He wasn’t even that bothered when Aro brought up the Cullens, and more specifically, Edward and Bella again at one of their many meetings where matters of the immortal world were discussed. It seemed that there was some trouble in the area in which the Cullen Coven lived, newborns seemingly out of control on a killing spree. 

When the human media began to pick up on the stories they all knew it was time to get involved, but of course with Aro’s plotting and Caius’ need to tip the scales of power more in their direction by trying to avenge imaginary injustices, it was never that easy.

As they argued behind him, again, trying to decide how and when to intervene, it was Caius’ plan that caught some of his attention. The usual annoyed, angry tone was in his brother’s voice as Caius responded to Aro’s theory that the newborns might pose a problem to the Cullens. “And if they do? What of it?   Two problems will be taken care of at once: the number of newborns will be reduced by the Cullens…and the number Cullens will be reduced by the newborns.”

He turned his head to listen to Aro’s response. His brother’s voice was thoughtful as he spoke, “Carlisle was a good friend and ally and the gifts that his Edward and Alice have…” Aro’s voice had drifted off to wistful envy towards the end of his words ad he was silent a few moments before he continued again, “But, Carlisle coven has grown too large, too powerful.”

Neither of them bothered to ask his opinion, not that he was really sure that he had one on this matter. He did not need his mind to drift in the direction of this Edward and Bella again, it brought up to many harsh memories and feelings that he did not need to dwell on again.