Thank you so much guys for your responses. I understood there were some misunderstandings around my intentions with my upcoming magazine.
My intentions will not be to publish stories through a magazine (I'd be in deep trouble if that were to happen considering how many angry author's that would chase me). Instead, I wish to create a topic based forum for new and old writers on general advise, tips and even guidelines to the thing we all love, Fanfiction. I won't publish your stories, but you can come to me and advertise your stories (much like you do here on by writing summaries) for FicReviews, so that others may notice you.
The first issue is getting closer and closer to publishing and soon countdown will start in Instagram with a few hints to what is to come. I hope to create a fun way to discover and learn new things, so I hope you will join me.
Best regards
Nina aka NorthernSunshine
Now on to the story again.
Minor swearing in this chapter.
Chapter 2
"Ouch!"
Lovino glared at the small puncture wound on his thumb that slowly filled with a tiny drop of blood.. It had been a week and a half and the ball was just around the corner.. He wished he could lay down the needle and throw the almost finished clothes to the side, but a small voice in his head reminded him that he would only need a few more stitches, then he could burn the needles and never have to prick his fingers again. What once had felt like a brilliant idea had slowly morphed into what felt like the most stupid thing ever, but it was worth trying, for Feli's sake. He had to tell himself that.
It was late and his eyes hurt. His only source of light was a candlestick on the floor and that gave barely enough light to see that he even held something in his hand, but his days were so filled with cooking, scrubbing, cleaning and serving that the only window he had to work on Feli's clothes were at night. He and Feli shared the attic above the trattoria, which was a draughty sleeping space with plenty of holes for rain to drip through and wind to tear even more holes in their already miserable existence. The candle Lovino had lit was the only candle he would be able to afford for three months, but he'd make it worth it. Once Feli found his luck, there would be more money for himself and maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to afford something descent. He loved his brother dearly, but it wasn't cheap to spend a small wage on two.
Luckily, his brother had been oblivious to his plan. He knew Feli had no ambitions to leave him behind when they both knew they might never see the other if they'd split, but it had to be done.
His brother deserved it.
Lovino yawned and looked over at the shadowy figure and wished he had been able to get them proper beds instead of the piles of hay they had scrambled to gather. Their grandfather got the only real bedroom and to be honest, Lovino would never trade for his bed, even if it meant he got to sleep in a proper bed and the only bed). The room smelled of alcohol from old empty bottles. Hay and linen, it worked well for him. No, one day he would try to make it on his own.
Feli turned in his sleep. The light snoring indicated that it would be hours before he'd wake up. If Feli left, he figured he might move to the countryside, set up a living there and start over. He'd bring their grandfather, the man could use a change of scenery. Just anything to leave this life behind.
Four more stitches, some buttons added and finally it is finished. It took a few days and a lot of stubbornness but Lovi is done. He folds the dress shirt and hides it in an old up-turned tomato crate that acts like a table. Then he blows out his candle and gets to bed.
He cannot wait until morning, to show Feli his present.
000
His brother is quite predictable. When morning arrives and they have finished their small portion of tomatoes and bread dipped in olive oil, Lovi gives Feli his new clothes. Feli's eyes shine with admiration and awe. He has never worn anything remotely as nice as the fresh linen shirt, the soft vest, trousers or the embroidered belt that Levi has spent hours to make.
"This is amazing. It will be so much fun to go to the ball together."
Lovi sighs, the fatigue of constant all-nighters catch up to him and he just wishes that the week can be over and done with.
"I guess, have fun Feli." he says with a yawn.
"Wait, you mean you are not going? Then I won't go either." his brother stares in horror. Lovino sighs.
"Yes you will!" Lovi stands up and makes sure to emphasize on what he wants to say by putting his hands on Feli's. "Feli, you're amazing and talented beyond your years. You have so much potential and I want you to find something better than this. You will go to the ball, you don't even need to see the Prince, you just need to find someone who will see you for who you are. Bring some of your sketches, mingle with the upper class. Get them interested in what you do. Get out of this miserable life."
"But..." and Lovi could tell his brother was close to tears. "But what about you?"
"I'll be fine. I've got this job, I make enough to live. Without you I might even be able to save and move somewhere nicer. Don't worry about grandpa, yes, he is an ass, but he is still family. I'll support him as well. I am already supporting all three of us."
He leaned forward and kissed his brother on the forehead.
"I want you to be happy. It will make me happy to see you happy." Tears trickled down, but he ignored those. He only took note when he felt more tears, now also from Feli, fall on top of his hands. The clothes were put to the side so that the brothers could hug.
He hated to say goodbye, but he needed to be strict. He needed to throw his brother out there. He knew Feli was strong, no matter how weak he may seem on the outside, when his brother needed it, he would go far. His talents spoke for themselves.
Feli stopped sniffling. An idea had struck his mind.
"Maybe, maybe we can buy more. Make you an outfit. Brother, I don't want to go alone."
But that had Lovi to shake his head. "There's not a thread to be found in all of town. Besides, it took me a forever to make this. There isn't enough time, material or money to do so. No, Feli, you go. If you really need to, smuggle me something back, maybe a piece of crostata if they have some."
Finally, his brother smiled back at him.
"I... I'll try."
"Good."
000
They had closed the restaurant this day. It wasn't necessary to keep it open, when the whole town were too busy to prepare for the ball rather than sit down and eat. Most girls had been on a strict diet for days to make themselves seem slimmer than they were. The prices for corsets had sky-rocketed over the last three days. With less to do than normal Lovi decided to help Feli prepare for the evening. He carried water from the well for a proper bath, picked lavender that would scent the water and helped to rinse his brother's hair a mixture of soap, egg and herbs.
To his horror he realised, once Feli was clean and dressed in his new clothes, that the shoes they wore were all tattered and worn. But after a lot of rummaging in every corner of the house he found a pair of soft leather shoes that their father had once owned, but apparently never worn. It was their best option and as the outfit was finished, it fit perfectly. The trousers were a beautiful navy blue and matched the vest that had a shade darker colour. The shirt was white, and clean, something they both joked about since their clothes were usually caked in dust. By the end he may not have been the most extravagant dressed, but he looked presentable. Lovi would have loved to make him something extravagant, but there was no way to afford that.
As the evening got closer Lovi put on his hat and walked with Feli to the castle gates and to wave him off.
Only when Feli had disappeared behind the gates, safe from earshot, did Lovi finally cry and he ran straight back to the house. The lack of sleep and sudden loneliness was too much to handle. His brother was leaving, it was what he wanted, but was he really prepared for it?
000
When their parents died only their mother's remains had been found, their father had washed away by the stream. Lovi, at the tender age of 10, had to bury their mother at the back of the restaurant. The nearby church had a weird priest that had condemned her for being besotted by the devil, not that anything like this made sense. He had planted a twig of elm at the foot of the grave and to his delight and astonishment a large tree had grown. After eight years it was a considerate size and whenever Lovi felt like he needed someone to talk to (other than Feli or their drunkard for a grandfather) he would sit by the tree and whisper his problems. He had always been close to their mother, she had always been there when he felt sad or needed a hug. When she died he missed her more than their father.
This evening was an evening like this. He curled under the tree and cried. He had tried to be brave, tried to do what he knew would be best for his brother, but not the loneliness and fear settled in like a wave over the beach. He had made an act, tried to act stronger than he truly felt. He had wished for his brother's happiness so much that he had forgotten to even think of the next step. What now?
He sat there for at least a few hours. His tears dried, he felt dizzy, but he couldn't find the strength within him to move.
As he sat in his own misery he heard something above him and he chose to ignore it. But after a while the noise kept getting louder and louder. A shaky rustle could be heard from above the branches and he looked up to see a white bird above his head. It stared at him and sadness forgotten, Lovi stared back.
Then without warning, the bird dove down on him and pecked him hard on the head. Lovino shrieked as the bird tugged on the curl on his head before flying off. Only then did Lovino notice that it had stolen his hat.
Quickly, he bolted after the thieving bird. He didn't even notice where he was going, he wanted his hat back. It was a present from his mother and the most precious piece of clothing that he owned.
The chase went on for minutes, up and down streets, across cobblestone and mud. Through bushes and tall grass and through a hole in a huge hedge. Finally, his hat was dropped on the middle of a paved walkway.
It wasn't until Lovino had his hat back on his head that he realised that the bird had led him all the way back to the castle and into the castle's garden.
And here he stood, dressed in his rags among hundreds of well dressed ladies and a bunch of gentlemen. It was embarrassing. Lovino hid behind the closest bush he could find. He felt panic rise and he desperately wanted to leave, but some of the guests had entered the walkway and there was no way he could leave without being seen. Instead he listened to their conversations.
"I do see your point Francis, a portrait would probably go well with my latest conquests. If not for my idiot subjugates to understand that I am not someone to cross."
"Exactly, see, I knew you'd come to your senses. Ludwig, allow me to present you you, Mister Vargas."
Lovino's heart pumped. Vargas was his and Feli's last name. It made him brave enough to peek.
Indeed, there he was. His brother did look a bit out of place between an commander of some sort, based on the medals and stars on the uniform, and a frilly dressed noble.
"Mister Vargas tells me he is a portrait painter and based on what I have seen him do, a respectable one at that. Not to mention, he will easily fill your father's quota of not spending too much on lustrous luxuries. Feli is young and new in business, but he has shown me enough to convince me of his skills."
"Oh, and why is that?" Ludwig asked.
"I admit, I have only known him shortly. But there is an innocent, how do you say it, sincerity about him. And he knows painting by heart. We've spent the last hour talking all about them."
Ludwig nodded. "I suppose, it would be beneficial not to squander money for this cause. Still, why don't you join me for a walk, Mr Vargas. I'd like to experience your skills first-hand. There is a gazebo on the other side of this road where the royal painter paints. I am sure we can find some of his supplies there. I want to see for myself how you'd portray me."
They left. Lovino wanted to follow, but at that very moment a group of giggling girls walked by and he refused to show himself. Instead he waited and didn't notice as a total stranger sneaked up to him.
He nearly jumped when a young man put his hand on his shoulder, but was never able to give a sound as he felt the man put his hand over Lovino's mouth.
"Ssssh..."
Lovino stayed quiet and watched as the man, an obvious noble, peeked over the bush. After a while the giggles subsided.. Lovino stared at this fortunate creature. He had olive skin, much like his own, but that is where the similarities ended. He wore a long red, velvet jacket with gold buttons, black trousers and a fine silk shirt. On his hand was a gold ring with some sort of insignia, probably related to his house. He looked further up and near gasped.
The man had brown locks that framed his face perfectly and stunning green eyes. Lovino had never in his life seen someone that beautiful and was now afraid of saying anything, to make himself look stupid.
Lovino heard a "Phew, that was close" and watched the man stand up to his full height. He was a little taller than Lovino was.
"Thank you for not telling on me. Those girls, they're scary." the man said and stretched out a hand to help Lovino up. Lovino took it and the mad dragged him from his feet. Never before had Lovino felt so embarrassed by his looks as he did now. He looked like a pig among swans. He wanted to make a run for it, but the strange man held him with his eyes.
"I didn't see you at the ball, I thought father invited everyone."
Father... oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit... This was the Prince. This was Prince Antonio.
"Why didn't you join?"
Lovino looked down at his dirty clogs. "I... my family cannot afford it."
Prince Antonio looked honestly surprised. "Really, I thought this ball would come for free for the public. That is, what I was told."
"It was... but clothes cost money, jewellery cost even more. My family, we manage, but we cannot supply all that for the two of us."
"Two, you have a sister?"
"No, a brother. He is here, I sent him here myself. He is quite talented, an artist, but he needs to be seen. I figured someone would notice him here."
"I see, I had no idea it would cause such problems for everyone. Thank you, eh..."
"Lo- Lovino."
"Lovino... Thank you, Lovino. I wish I could repay you somehow, maybe... yes, wait here."
Prince Antonio left and Lovino was left to stare dumbfounded on the place he had been standing in. But he didn't have to wait for long. After a while Antonio returned with a silk napkin in his hand and in that napkin was a ripe, fresh, red tomato.
"As a small thank you for not telling the girls where I was. It was a pleasure to meet you, Lovino."
Lovino nodded. Prince Antonio waved as he walked back towards the castle and for the rest of the ball. Lovino stayed a bit longer, watched as the ball continued with music, dance and in the centre of this was Antonio. Dancing with them.
For a moment, Lovino wished he had been the one who went to the ball, if not just to get the chance to dance with the prince. No, stupid Lovino, he was a stranger to all these people. He didn't belong here.
With sad steps he walked back to the house, clutching a silk handkerchief and nibbling on the most delicious tomato he had ever eaten. At night he dreamt of music, dance and the touch of Antonio's hand as he spun him around on the ballroom floor.
TBC
I know, Lovi may seem a bit out of character here, but there are good reasons:
To explain the events of this chapter, because I didn't know where to go more in depth, Lovi is at a breaking point in this story. Here is the first chance in ages to get his brother out from poverty and a bad future. OK, in all fairness, he is not that poor after all they own the trattoria. But it is still not enough to his brother, whom Lovi knows will go far as soon as he gets that chance. This is the moment to grab it.
And of course he loves his brother. Being a sister myself I cannot imagine what it would be like not to love your sibling.
000
Trivia: Feli's bath is inspired by older traditions of bathing in flower petals and milk. The recipe for Feli's shampoo is a mix of recipes I saw, but the basics seemed to be egg and soap. Soap would likely have been quite expensive, so I gave him most of their meagre rations.
Feli's clothes are inspired by traditional folk costumes from Northern Italy (from what I could tell by pictures). Naturally, there are variations, but I wanted him to wear something simple.
Review responses (anonymous reviewers)
Guest (1): Thank you for your concern. Yes, I am very careful when it comes to copyright materials and copyright infringements. All material I have is handwritten and as for pictures and photos they will be selected from royalty free stocks and possible fanart donations. As for fanfictions themselves, I will not post stories but writing tips, genre discussions and other writers will be able to advertise (but not write) stories for the magazine. I hope this helps to clarify my intentions.
Guest (2): Oops... I changed Lovi's age mid writing... guess I forgot a section. Thank you for notifying me.
Also, thank you for your concerns. Do not worry, I have no intentions of getting sued and FicReviews, despite the name, will post articles on writing, genres, discussions about different sub categories and other things that are commonly associated with fanfiction. I have no intention, and I probably should have made this clear, to steal others work and post it. When I set out to start this project, now nearly two months ago, it was due to my experiences discussing writing on forums and chats, not to publish other people's work. And I have full respect for those who don't want me to.
I am very careful to take everyone's opinion into consideration, so it will be an open magazine where others can give their input. Also, I will create pages were you can advertise (but not publish) your story and look for Beta readers/advertise yourself as Beta. I am currently extra careful in regards to copyright infringements, hence my pictures are taken from royalty free sites and should I ever need category specific pictures not found in these, I hope to eventually get donations through fanart. I will also eventually discuss copyright, because this is something I studied as a Media and Communication student and why it is important for even us fanfiction writers to follow those.
I hope this can settle your paranoia. I have no wishes to battle bigger companies, and should someone want to publish something about companies or anything else (as I plan to accept articles written by readers), I'll probably refrain from posting those since the subject is difficult. FicReviews is more similar to a newspaper/press material than an outlet for stories and will also follow similar guidelines as .
