His memories were interrupted as he heard Caius and Aro arguing again of what had occurred with their most recent visitors, but he didn’t care enough to even sigh, much less get involved. Truthfully, he was glad that this Edward and his human had gotten away.

He wondered at that feeling. It was so rare that he felt much of anything anymore. At times he pondered if his mind and soul were becoming stiff and stagnate like his body.

Soul. Yes, he believed that they still possessed souls. He had to. His brothers would have laughed off such suggestions, but the idea that his wife was gone in all ways without a wisp of her left somewhere on some plane of existence was unbearable. The idea that he would never be with her again in some way almost made him frown.

Aro said something to him and he repressed a sigh and turned his vacant, bored gaze towards his brother and Caius, both of whom had now joined him in the room where he had been lost in his thoughts.

He was only partially listening to their bickering. Aro wanted to add Edward and Alice to their forces as well as see this human’s potential once she was turned. The thought of this human girl becoming one of them turned his thoughts to his wife again. She too had been “gifted.” It had taken some time to allow Aro to convince him to change her though.

Didyme.

His thoughts started to drift towards the day he had met her again and he was just about to close his clouded crimson eyes and lose himself in the memory when Caius said something that demanded his attention again.

He barely turned his head, more interested in the way his long ebony hair brushed against his neck the way her hand once had then in what his brother had to say. It was the same argument; Caius was always ready to jump the gun. This time he spoke of sending a spy after the group to see that the girl was indeed turned. Despite Aro’s insight into Alice’s visions, Caius still had his doubts.

As Aro and Caius continued to argue over the matter, he finally broke into their bickering and said in his calm, emotionless voice, “There is no need, Caius. Despite this Edward’s misgivings, he will change the girl.”