underlined means it's in Italian. I don't speak Italian and I don't trust Google translate, so yeah, I was kinda lazy on that. Bella means beautiful. Anyway, enjoy! (_ and (F/n) are the same thing in this story!)
. . . . . .
Feliciano usually fell when he carried dishware, so he wasn't a good waiter. He tend to forget the simplest of orders, so he couldn't work as a chef either. He didn't have the best eyesight, so he couldn't even do a good job at cleaning. His mind tended to wander, so he couldn't be a factory worker.
It seemed that he couldn't find work, but he liked music, so he played the guitar.
He fell in love with it the moment one was in his hands, he bought it with all of the rest of his remaining money and played on the streets.
He practiced with a Spaniard named Antonio for a year and could play just about anything that anyone requested.
One day, when there was only five pennies half way through the day, a large wad of cash fell into the hat, summing up to 100 dollars.
Feliciano couldn't believe it, he hasn't seen that much money ever since he left his home for a better future. He looked up to see who left it.
His eyes met with a very elegant woman's, whose actual name was _ _. She had furs on her neck and a white silk dress that hugged every curve on her hour glass body. The dress went down to her ankles, her heels were a pale pink and had real pearls. His heart beaten faster than it ever had, he has flirted with women before, but no one could be more beautiful than her in his eyes.
Her ruby red lips curved into a smile, "Can you play Bella Notte?" She asked him. He couldn't believe that she requested a song that he had heard so many times!
He smiled the usual smile that seemed to be plastered on his face "Si bella!"
He strummed his guitar and started singing while she stood in front of him. She asked one of her servants to find a chair for her, they got a barrel. She sat down gently and crossed her legs, "Go ahead." She said and she petted her small dog that she was walking.
Feliciano sung in broken English since he never attempted to sing it;
"Oh this is the night, it's a beautiful night
And we call it bella notte."
His voice brought the woman calm in her hectic life as being the daughter of an aristocrat can be.
"Look at the sky, they have stars on their eyes
On this lovely bella notte.
Side by side with your loved one,
You'll find enchantment here.
The night will weave its magic spell,
When the one you love is near!"
With every word that he sung, her heart felt as if it was beating again as if it hasn't done that in a couple of years. Well, that might have been true, she found out the news that she was forced to marry a guy that didn't respect her two years ago when she was twenty, her twentieth birthday being in six months.
"Oh this is the night!
It's a beautiful night,
On this lovely Bella Notte~!"
With the last lyric, he strummed the guitar freely for a couple of more seconds before an applause erupted from her.
_ was smiling from ear to ear, he said enthusiastically "Grazie bella!"
Since she was taught French from her teacher and Italian from the servants in her dad's house, she could reply, "You're welcome, what is your name?"
"Feliciano Vargas bella!" He said happily.
She smiled and said more to herself "I have to go, but I will come back tomorrow."
He smiled at this, she was coming back! With that though, she walked down the street with her hips swaying slightly.
. . .
The next day, _ came as promised with the same amount of money and he played the same song for her.
This happened for three months, when she was having a bad day, she would go to him and request a song. With the money he earned, he read songs that were popular in the country so he could sing them for her.
As she was looking at her father's estate, she was thinking about the events and with many servants preparing for the wedding with the person she despised, she thought that she would go into a depression, but that turned to be quite false, she was more of neutral.
She was sipping tea and before she could set it down, her eyes were wide in realization and she had let go, making the content inside spill onto the marroon carpet.
A maid asked "Madame _, is something wrong?"
"No," She said surprisingly calmly, unlike what she was feeling so the maid wouldn't be worried. "But, I wish to be left alone for a few minutes with the door closed."
The maid nodded and walked to the door, she asked "How long Madame?"
She said "F-four minutes." in a quivering yet a little alarmed voice.
The maid closed the door, _ listened carefully to the steps fade, as she was sure that she left, her hands were clamped to either side of her head.
She muttered under her breathe "I'm in love with Feliciano." She couldn't! Her dad said against it, it was forbidden! How could she ever fall in love with someone so poor? Well, maybe it was how his eyes sparkled and his cheery voice, or his-
"Stop it brain!" _ hissed and put her hands down, but kneeled on the floor.
Why was she feeling like this? Why did she feel happier with him? Wasn't she supposed to marry the rude aristocrat to get her father's estate? But, if she followed her heart, she would be ruined, she would be the laughing stock of the country!
If everything is against _ with a future with him, then why did she love him so? She couldn't see a future, but what she saw was happiness, something that felt far away for so long, but is right under her nose now!
Should _ follow her heart or her father's words? She thought about what her father has ever done for her, she couldn't find a single thing after a minute.
He has never done anything for her, he was absent from her life when she was younger and was mostly raised by the servants and maids on the estate. He never was nice to her, he treated her as a business associate instead of a daughter!
He forced her to marry that brute and the wedding was only a month away, despite her pleas! She found more anger toward her father the more she thought.
The maid came back and said to her "May I come in?"
_ realized that it has been four minutes by the tick of the grandfather clock on the other side of the room.
She sighed to herself and she said "You may come in now."
The maid opened the door, but said "Not to sound rude madame, but your fiancee is very impolite!"
"Yes," She mused "He can be a bother. I do wonder why my father picked him out."
_ was very nice to the servants as they were her friends. She always said to them 'feel free to speak your mind with me.' So they did with a lot of hesitation since they were taught from their mothers and fathers to force a smile so the master doesn't find out.
But, she politely pointed out that she wasn't their master and did not speak to him that often, therefore couldn't tell him.
She asked "Miss Elizabeta, have you ever fallen in love with someone, even if you thought the relationship would turn to disaster for you?"
The maid smiled, she said "Yes, I have. The boy was named Gilbert and we were on different plantations, mine was obvious, but he lived on the other side of town. He wrote me poems every night at eleven, our masters knew about this when it came to a year. He was sold to someone else, I never heard from him again."
They both looked down. "I'm sorry for bringing it up." _ said solemnly.
The maid, changing the mood said "You really shouldn't fret over it. Why do you ask me though?"
_ smiled sadly, said "Do you promise not to tell?"
"I wouldn't dream of telling another soul." She said to her.
"I fell in love with an Italian street musician." And laughed a little.
The maid smiled, she said to her "Do what you feel, not by what will lead you to riches since money can't buy you happiness. I know." She laughed a little at herself.
_ smiled and said "Thank you, I guess I have to find a bouquet, yes?" And frowned at the thought of the wedding, it was closer than she thought.
The maid nods and they go out of the room to one of the many wedding planners. But as the week went by, she gave in to her love. She seemed more distracted with the close approaching wedding and came to Feliciano after she was finished dress shopping, a week after her realization.
Everyone other than Elizabeta thought the reason why she was acting like she was drunk was because of the person she is supposed to marry. They assumed she had fallen head over heals in love with him, her father was relieved and so were the rest of the wedding planners.
During the time though, Elizabeta told the rest of the servants about her love and they didn't speak word about it to anyone.
. . .
Feliciano wanted to show his feelings to her, no matter what! He wanted to write a song to her, so he went to work with a bottle of wine and his bilingual friend to help him.
When she came a week later, he finished the day before she came. She didn't ask for a specific song like the other times before, so he sung the song that he worked on in better English
"(In Napoli where love is king
When boy meets girl here's what they say)
When the moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore!
When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine
That's amore!"
Her pale cheek were tinted a shade of pink, but his voice was very happy and seemed as if he was singing in his sleep. She loved it even more if that was even possible to her.
"Bells will ring
Ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling
And you'll sing "Vita bella!"
Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay
Like a gay tarantella!"
She laughed a little and he smiled more. Her heart felt as if it was going to burst with her love
"When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool
That's amore!
When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet
You're in love!"
She realized, she felt more of these things with him. She was more distracted with him on her mind and gave her money to him like she was the richest person in the world.
"When you walk down in a dream but you know you're not
Dreaming signore.
Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli
That's amore!"
He did fall in love with her, hard. It seemed as if he floated when he walked with her on his mind, he wanted to sing her songs even with his last breathe.
The song repeated again and he finished by strumming two of the smaller strings three times.
She clapped at the end, but a love-sick grin was on her face instead of a normal one.
Feli stood up this time, unlike the other times. He cheered "I made that for you bella~!"
She blinked, him talking got her out of the spell and she asked "Really?"
He nodded and she said "That is so sweet." Her hand placed on her heart and she smiled at him.
His smile was bigger, he said "It's because ti amo _!"
She gasped, but she smiled wider than she had in a very long time. She wrapped her arms around him and she whispered "I love you too Feliciano."
He immediately wrapped his arms around her, making her step back, but keeping her arms around him.
She saw a clock in a shop and said "I have to go Feli."
He let go, but said "Ti amo." Yet again to her.
She smiled "Ti amo Feliciano." Before she turned her heel and walked down the street her hips swaying.
. . .
The next time when she came, he brought her flowers. They were her favorite, daffodils he sung the first song that he sung to her.
This kept going for two months until tomorrow was the wedding, he had enough money to get tickets to Italy. He wanted to run away with her and spend all of his time, spoiling her with every second and not where he would only see her for four minutes at a time.
_ realized that even though she would have a lot of money if she married the aristocrat, she would have a gap in her heart. She truly did love Feliciano, but she couldn't start a future with him here, her father would find out and they would never speak to each other again! The only way she could was to run away somewhere far.
He put her ticket in a envelope in the bouquet that he gave her every time she came, this time, it was a dozen red roses.
She came in a wine red dress and fox tails around her neck and a smile on her face. She said "Good morning love."
He jumped up and replied "It is when you're here bella!"
She blushed and said "Feli, you're so sweet."
He gave her the roses, but there was a note. She found it odd, he couldn't write in English. She opened the envelope and she found the ticket.
He said "Bella, I want to spend every minute with you, will you go with me to Italy?"
Tears spilled from her (e/c) eyes as she said "Yes!"
She kissed his cheek, a first for her and said "I've been wanting to run away with you! When will the ship leave?"
Feli looked at his ticket and said "Tonight at twelve!"
She realized, that was five hours away and there was so much planning at 'her' wedding. She broke the hug and said "I have to pack Feli, until tonight!"
He said goodbye to her and with that, she pulled her skirt upward so she could run properly to her house.
. . .
She packed secretly and stole a thousand dollars at ten at night, as that was her bedtime and climbed out the window. The servants knew she fell in love with Feli, so they kept it a secret and let her escape the estate.
She found him on the vacant street corner and she ran to him, he kissed her cheek "Ready to go my love?" She asked him.
He nodded with his bag in his hand, he said "Let me carry that bella~!"
She smiled and handed him the bag, with that, they walked to the pier where they saw their ship. They boarded on before the ship horn honked, she was relieved, running away was the best decision she has ever made in her life. Not that she's made many, but still.
Feliciano couldn't be happier, his girl traveling with him to Italy and soon, meeting his large family. It seemed like a fairy tail ending.
. . .
They made it to Italy safely and he showed her Rome and Venice and Florence where she converted the money, it came to over ten thousand liras. He had a letter sent to him recently about where his family now lived, they said that they found a place in Tuscany.
So, asking people for carriage rides, they finally made it to the place that was written on the letter. They were amazed at how big the house was, his being as all thirty two family members used to live in an apartment.
He knocked on the door and his mother was at the door. She cheered "Feli!"
Feliciano hugged her and said "Good to see you mama!"
His mother looked behind him and said "Feli, you didn't tell me you brought your girl here!"
They let go and she hook her hand, she said to her in the best English she could "Hello _."
_ smiled and said "Hello Miss Vargas, you don't have to speak English if you don't want. I learned Italian when I was younger, also French."
His mother sighed in relief, yet laughed. "Thank goodness!" She said "I thought the family would have to say things in a language that we barely understand!"
_ laughed, but said "I have been wanting to meet your family for a long while."
She smiled, but then hugged her. She said to Feli "She's a keeper, I can tell!"
_ smiled widely at this, it felt great to be accepted by his mother. He said to them "Hey, (f/n) should meet all of the family!"
Mrs. Vargas said "That's a perfect idea Feli!" With that, she grabbed her wrist and lead her to the living room. They were eccentric as Feli, that's for sure.
They were in the middle of talking when Feil and his mother popped out front the foyer. The mom gave him a thumbs up and Feli announced "Hello! I would like to introduce all of you to my girlfriend!"
Everyone turned attention to him and waited patiently. He said with putting her in front of him "The love of my life's name is (f/n) and she came from America. Even though she fell in love with me, her father wanted her to marry someone else that was rude to her and she didn't want to marry. So, she ran away with me to here!"
You could hear a pin drop it was so silent in the whole house. Her mother said to Feli "Wait, you're trying to tell all of us that she was going to marry someone else until you came into her life?"
She asked the girl in question "Is this normal in America?"
_ needed to lie on this one, she wanted to be accepted here more than anywhere she could think of, even in her own home. She whispered "My mother was pregnant with me before she got married, so for my family it is."
The older woman was wide-eyed at this, she has never heard of something like that, especially in her generation. She coughed in her fist, but said "Well, I've never been to America, so I trust you."
The family found it at first not chivalrous of their family member that recently came to the country, but then it turned out to be 'normal' in America, so they accepted it, as odd as it sounded to them.
Feli almost forgot something, it was a surprise to the rest of his family that he could remember what it was. He asked his grandmother to help him and he helped her up the stairs.
. . .
During that, _ met the rest of the family, hugging all of them kissing the elders on both cheeks. She met his brother Lovino who wasn't as sociable, but he shook her hand anyway.
Feli came down the stairs after a while, but wanted his grandmother and grandfather to meet her before saying what he almost forgot.
Feli grabbed her by the arm to lead her to his grandparents, when they got to the other side of the room, he introduced them to her.
They circled her, she was still smiling because of how happy she was, meeting an incredibly big and amazing family gave her the best feeling ever.
His grandmother said "She's perfect for you."
"Yes," His grandfather said "I can't believe you got someone as amazing at her, the nick of time too!" He joked and elbowed him in the ribs lightly.
Feli couldn't be happier when they said that. He came up to _ and got something from his pocket and got out a velvet box, he got down on one knee and opened the box, it was a family ring that had a small diamond on the middle. She couldn't believe it, he was proposing!
"Now ve~," He started "I know you've only met me months ago, but I want you in my life! You light up my life and you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, inside and out. Will you marry me?"
She said, in tears "Yes! I will marry you!"
He slipped the ring on her finger, she helped him up and attacked his face in kisses, showing many dark red lip marks.
The entire family cheered and with that, they shared one of the biggest meals she's ever seen and she helped with the wedding preparations happily, unlike the last time she was preparing for one.
. . .
Looking back at it, she was a crazy child back then, but without running away, she would already feel dead.
Even when they were old, Feliciano always sung to her and gave her flowers. He showed her all of Italy and even other countries. She felt loved in this family, how they took her in as their own immediately still baffles her, but she wouldn't have her life any other way.
. . . . . .
First song was from the Lady and the Tramp. The second is from Dean Martin and I don't own either songs! I know they aren't from 1840 where this is taken place, but still, they were cute for the story! Later guys and dolls! (oh wow, I seriously need to get better with these notes.)