The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide (32 page)

The uncle discovered Benjamin’s strange ability to control fire and taught him to do tricks with his gift.

As a human, Benjamin grew up in the slums of Cairo. As a young child, he lost his mother, and he had no knowledge of his father. He was raised by his mother’s extended family, handed around from grandmother to aunt to cousin—whoever was able to feed him at the time. Eventually he ended up in the hands of his mother’s uncle, a street performer who took in unwanted young members of the family and taught them to dance and sing for money, sell trinkets, or pick pockets—whatever they were most adept at doing. Sometimes, he also profited from selling the children if they were no good at earning him money. The uncle discovered Benjamin’s strange ability to control fire and taught him to do tricks with his gift. Benjamin became the most profitable member of the uncle’s family, and therefore very dear to him.

Among the children in the uncle’s care was a girl named Tia, a distant relative of Benjamin’s. Tia was an intelligent, serious child, and she and Benjamin grew very close. They watched out for and confided in each other. When Benjamin was fifteen and Tia was twelve, they decided that someday soon they would run away together.

Benjamin’s audience was growing; more and more people heard about the amazing boy who could control fire. One night as he was performing for a large audience, Amun observed the show.

After so many frustrating losses to Aro, Amun did not hesitate. He snatched the boy from the street that night, in the process killing the uncle, whom Benjamin was walking home with.

Amun kept Benjamin hidden in his undiscovered, buried temple for five years. He and Kebi took turns hunting and bringing food home to Benjamin. Benjamin was never allowed to leave, so there was no chance someone would see him and mention him to the Volturi. Amun was honest with Benjamin to an extent; he told Benjamin that the Volturi existed and would want to steal him for themselves. He explained that the Volturi would use their gifts to enslave Benjamin, to take away his free will. However, Amun did not tell Benjamin why he himself wanted the boy—as a talent that could be added to his own coven in the hope of one day defying the Volturi. Amun treated Benjamin as his son, and never let on that Benjamin’s talent was what he was really after. Benjamin responded to Amun’s apparent kindness. He respected Amun and loved him as a father. His response to Kebi was less strong, mostly because Kebi did not show much affection for the boy. Amun was the center of her world, and all she really cared about.

Benjamin was not only able to control fire easily; he also developed the ability to manipulate other elements.

It was clear to Amun that Benjamin was an unprecedented find. No one else like him existed in the vampire world.

Amun spent a great deal of time developing Benjamin’s talent. He was overjoyed that the promise he’d seen in the human boy was more than answered in the young vampire. Benjamin was not only able to control fire easily; he also developed the ability to manipulate other elements. Wind came to him first after fire, then earth, and finally water. It was clear to Amun that Benjamin was an
unprecedented find. No one else like him existed in the vampire world. Amun was cautiously hopeful that his luck had finally turned.

After Benjamin had completely outgrown the newborn madness, he began to think more and more of Tia. Though his memories of her were dim, he remembered enough to worry about what would become of her without his protection, or his uncle’s. Amun tried to convince Benjamin that human problems no longer applied to him, without success. Amun kept him as busy as possible, developing his talents and educating him in the arts and sciences, but Benjamin still found ample time to privately agonize over Tia’s fate. He asked permission to look for her, but Amun was adamant. He told Benjamin it was far too dangerous to risk discovery, and that the Volturi would destroy Amun and Kebi to get to Benjamin.

About five years after his transformation, Benjamin disobeyed. One night when Amun was hunting, Benjamin briefly trapped Kebi with a small cave-in, and then escaped. Though it was his first time aboveground in five years, Benjamin remained totally focused. He was determined not to be responsible for putting Amun in any danger. He searched at night, questioning anyone connected to Tia, himself, or his uncle. He was careful to hunt inconspicuously, leaving no traces that might be reported to the Volturi. To avoid notice during the day he hid underground, in crevices he created himself.

“H
E’D STREWN PILES OF BOULDERS IN NATURAL
-
LOOKING
,
NOW SNOW
-
COVERED HEAPS ALL ALONG THE BACK OF THE MEADOW
. T
HEY WEREN’T ENOUGH TO INJURE A VAMPIRE
,
BUT HOPEFULLY ENOUGH TO DISTRACT ONE
.”

—Bella, on Benjamin (
Breaking Dawn
, Chapter 35)

Eventually he found clues to Tia’s trail, which led him to the port city of Suez, where she had been sold for a modest dowry to a much older man. She’d been fifteen at the time; she was now seventeen. Benjamin was conflicted. Tia was safe. She had a home and a husband. His plan to save her seemed unnecessary now. He watched her for two nights, wondering what the right course would be. Finally he decided to ask Tia.

He waited until an evening when her husband stayed late in the city, and then he called to her from her small garden. He was afraid to have her see him in the lamplight inside, afraid that she would be horrified by the changes in him. When Tia saw him through the window, she raced downstairs to meet him. Though she was momentarily shocked by his pale, hard skin, she was overjoyed to see him again, having thought for five years that he was dead.

Benjamin told her the truth right away, and explained why he’d come to find her. He said he realized now that she did not need rescuing, and told her he would go away. Tia was awestruck by the revelation that her best friend was an actual vampire, and yet still so compassionate and so much the boy she remembered. She asked for more details. As they talked, they walked away from Tia’s house, through the dark city streets, so that her husband would not discover Benjamin when he returned. Benjamin told her all the details about his vampire life, Amun, Kebi, and hiding from the Volturi. They talked all night. When dawn was close, Tia worried that Benjamin would die. Benjamin told her about the sun’s real effect on vampires. He offered to take her home before he had to hide, but Tia didn’t want to go home—she’d already made up her mind. Benjamin needed her; she wasn’t going to leave him to face the dangers of the Volturi alone. Benjamin warned her of the pain, but she would not be dissuaded.

Benjamin guessed that it would be wiser to convert Tia before taking her back to Amun.

Benjamin guessed that it would be wiser to convert Tia before taking her back to Amun. He created a deep fissure in the desert outside Suez and carried Tia inside. There he bit her, and then waited with her through the three days of her transformation. As soon as she was transformed, Benjamin took her hunting. When she was satiated, they went back to Amun’s temple.

Amun was at first enraged, but quickly calmed down as Benjamin explained. Clearly, no harm had been done. Having Tia with him as a vampire would remove Benjamin’s one tie to the human world. And Benjamin had proved that he could be relied upon in the outside world. Amun’s coven began to
live a little more normally, though always with the greatest secrecy possible. Benjamin was very happy in his coven, with Tia as his mate. He did not question Amun’s motives.

K
EBI

Kebi was chosen by Amun from his human slaves because of her beauty and total loyalty to her master. Even after her conversion, their relationship was never one of equals. When Amun decided to bow to the Volturi’s demands, Kebi followed his lead without question. She would have done the same had he decided to defy the Volturi and end both their lives.

Kebi has little emotion for anyone besides Amun.

Kebi has little emotion for anyone besides Amun. Benjamin she tolerated because he made Amun happy, but she was somewhat jealous of the boy. When Benjamin brought Tia home, Kebi was pleased; she hoped Amun would be less entranced with the boy when it was clear he loved Tia more than Amun. Kebi’s hopes about that rift were not entirely fulfilled, as Benjamin continued to love Amun as a father. But Amun’s jealousy of Benjamin’s affections, though well concealed, was enough to make Kebi content.

T
IA