Chapter four: old memories
November, 1599
"What are you going to do about it?"
Alexandra sighed at the expected question, looking at Claire with a thoughtful expression and trying to decide whether there is a possible way out to avoid it. She didn't need to ask what the woman was talking about, as the blonde had been clearly anxious to be left alone with her ever since she had arrived with Giotto and Lizzie to the Cavallone's residence.
She didn't want to discuss the subject again. Not really – she would be far more happy to be able to push the matter of Samuel Lacertosa at the back of her mind and not feeling the anxiety that she came to associate with the name.
But she knew refusing to answer the question would be ungrateful to the woman in front of her, considering all she had done in the past to help her. Claire had played a great role in keeping Alexandra sane during the trial that followed Valentina's death and all of her encounters with Samuel. Out of most people involved, next to Mia, Claire had seen first-hand the repercussion the brunette experienced during the trials that had followed the events and the consequences it had on the health of the, back then, young girl – and how hard it was to help her get over it.
"Is there anything I can do, in reality?" Alexandra asked in return, making herself more comfortable on the chair. "I can't accuse him of anything, as he didn't actually wronged me in any way yesterday. At this point no one will take seriously whatever I have to say about that man."
Even if she mentioned Samuel's name passingly, some would take it as a sign of reappearing love, the fake gossips still embed strongly in the minds of their neighbours, the brunette thought to herself with a sliver of bitterness, her eyes glancing around the room absently as she lost herself in her thoughts.
She had spent so many hours in Claire's private living room that it had become a second home for her eventually, but her friend had never minded it or shown any form of resentment towards it. On the contrary, the blonde had been very grateful for the company. Especially after Lorenzo's mother passed away, leaving her and her husband living in the luxurious Cavallone Residence, surrounded by the staff responsible for their comfort and safety. Neither the Lord nor his wife had ever shown any sign of superiority towards their employees, with her position, it was hard for the young woman to find anyone to befriend amongst them, as all treated her with upmost respect. Claire's own family, as friendly and close they were, lived far enough to make the notorious trip to their daughters very time consuming and tiring, considering their age.
Meeting the Carlevaro family and befriending them was a bright sign that her time of solitude in the unknown town had ended. At first, soon after she had arrived to undergo her own bridal lessons and prepare for the wedding that would take place in her future husband's Residence, Claire had tried to connect more with Elsbeth, seeing they were more of similar age than she and Alexandra, though the bond her husband shared with the younger Carlevaro daughter had naturally been passed onto her as well. The older daughter of the House, even though polite and proper, hadn't shown much interest in becoming closer friends and all the conversations and meetings had usually been limited to the small talks.
"You have very dark rings under your eyes. Which means you didn't sleep much, instead thinking of how to deal with the situation."
Alexandra pouted at her.
Claire wasn't wrong - even though she had felt a bit lighter after her conversation with Giotto, the sleep still hadn't come to her until the early hours of dawn, leaving only a handful of time to get some rest to get her mind at its lowest possible capabilities. She had gone through a lot of scenarios, actually considering the idea of running away and disappear somewhere once again, though she had a hard time planning every details of it. It all fell short when she had tried to come up with the idea of how to get past the guards – for not being in a Mafia, the Vongola had a greatly trained and professional security around their Residence which would put many of the highly ranked families at shame.
"I thought about breaking the engagement earlier and moving to Mia." she admitted, not having enough strength to argue. "Giotto didn't seem as impressed with the idea as I was."
Claire snorted, rubbing a hand over her expanding stomach as the notion brought a qualm of nausea. While she had felt a slight worry when Lorenzo had shared the plan of engaging Alexandra to Giotto, she had to admit that Francesco had chosen the best person to deal with his daughter during his absence – he would never agree to anything that would cause the brunette any form of harm.
"I don't doubt he wasn't. He seems to be a reasonable guy, thankfully." she said with a small smile playing on her lips. "And Samuel has too much influence and respect in the Capitol. Even with Mia's and Josh's positions there."
"I know. He would probably follow me there. And cause some serious damage if a word comes out that Lacertosa and Carlevaro are openly going against each other. But that seemed to be the only possible solution. Seeing as I can't return home yet. Because that was my other idea." the brunette sighed heavily.
"The Vongola Family will keep you safe. It really is the best option for you to stay there."
The words and conviction audible in Claire's words aroused deep interest in Alexandra's mind, as she looked at her friend with freshly increased curiosity.
Both her father and Lorenzo had a deep trust in the Vongola, not doubting or questioning their strength, which had given her a certain doubt and suspicion about Giotto's family at first. It was uncommon - even unheard of if she was to admit honestly - for the Mafia to be enforced in their actions and missions by a House not belonging to the Organization itself. The investigations often had gone way over the comprehension and abilities of a human being not possessing the weapons and means to manage the consequences of it. And most importantly, didn't have the power of Flames to protect themselves when the need of it appeared during the work.
And yet, both Carlevaro and Cavallone Houses had been working with Vongola, at least to some degree, putting them in the line of danger and giving them access to the knowledge they weren't supposed to possess. Which could either give them a lot of power and upper hand in the moment of need or put a great risk on their backs, making them an easy target for the more experienced enemies.
"They aren't in the Mafia." she pointed out the obvious, curious just how much Claire knew about them.
"Perhaps. But I'm certain they have the means to protect you from any possible danger. There are certain things about the Vongola that make me sleep calmly knowing they are the ones protecting you." the blonde said with certainty, her eyes turning gentle. "And the fact that Lorenzo didn't go running to lock you in here after hearing the idea speaks volume."
Temporary amusement crossed Alexandra's face at the mental image her mind conjured at the words. Lorenzo had been very protective of his friends ever since he had been a little boy - she still remembered the time he had jumped in front of her to shield her from the rampant horse, barely coming out of it unscathed himself, and yet consoling her, five years old at that time, when tears had threatened to spill out of her eyes after the experience.
He was the same as his father had been. Protecting others at all costs, even when his own life was at risk.
It had been the downfall of the previous Cavallone Lord - protecting someone and failing to ensure his own safety at the time, ultimately sustaining to his wounds and leaving his wife and son behind. While Lorenzo had a hard time dealing with his father's death while taking over the duties he hadn't expected to gain so soon, he still understood the way the man had acted and the reason behind it.
He would do the same if the need arrived, something his wife acknowledged and was both proud and terrified of it.
"Neither I nor father would agree to do so. If there is really a spy, it would put you in danger as well, if they went as far as to infiltrate the house again. I wouldn't stand it if anything happened to you." she said matter of factly, picking a cookie from a tray. "It's enough that Giotto and his family are already involved."
She missed the way Claire smiled at her softly, before she cleared her throat. She was growing very emotional with every passing month of her pregnancy and the way Alexandra had a habit of dropping words of care on others with no previous warning always got to her. The brunette hadn't done it often, usually expressing herself more with actions than words, and whenever she had done it Claire made sure to always remember it and keep it in her memories.
"He would just need to find a way to keep both of us safe. I'm certain he is capable of doing that." the blonde said after a moment of collecting herself. .
"Yes, I know. Sky Flame user and all of that."
Out of habit, Claire glanced around the room cautiously. The notion annoyed her in a way, as she knew there was no reason to except anyone eavesdropping them and passing any information to the unwanted parties – they were, after all, in her own living room. But neither of them were supposed to know about the power of Flame. None of the women from Mafia World were expected to know about it.
The power possessed by the members of the Organization was something strictly mysterious and should be kept in total confidence, away from the ears of the ones not involved directly in the matters of its usage. Even the ones possessing it weren't fully sure where it came from and what was the source of it. The idea of it could serve only as a scare for the ones not accustomed to its existence and strength. And instead of making them feel safe, just like the first Flame users had expected it to be perceived as, it would only cause fear and chaos, the suspicions of anything unknown taking better of the people.
And yet, most of the women of the Society knew about the Flame, the less ignorant ones actually trying to understand at least the basis of the power possessed by their husbands, brothers and fathers. Silently and without drawing much attention, as the consequences of doing so would be overwhelming. It would be hard not to get a glimpse of the mysterious aura empowering their male relatives at one point or another of their lives. They were prone to being kidnapped and in need of rescue, often seeing and witnessing much more than they were meant to. But the knowledge was hard to find and obtain, as the only written records of anything Flame related was securely locked in the Royal Library, the access closely monitored by the Guards and granted only to the most trusted members of the Court and Mafia. Entering the building straight from the street was impossible, just like breaking into it without anyone noticing. The place was almost as heavily secured as the Palace itself and that made a lot of people curious just what secrets the place held.
There was also the forbidden fact of some female members of the Mafia families possessing it. Though no one mentioned it as even thinking about it was treated as a taboo, despite the legends about the woman using the Flame had been shared around ever since the start of its existence. Such a stories were not shared for the heroism of it, unfortunately. They were tragic and bloody, filled with pain and death as such a presentation of power led straight to the prison and in front of the Witch Hunters. The practice of witch trials and executions had been brought down, thankfully, few decades back, though the fear and scare still lingered around it and the memory was still fresh in the minds of people. And the slightest sign of Flame usage had been an open invitation to the torturous testing. It had been perceived as a demonic possession by the Church representatives - after all, no woman was to use the power only meant for men, given to them to protect and safe the ones not able to do it themselves. The Clerics, while accepting the existence of it in the male part of the Society due to the influence of the Royal House and the protection it gave to them, were zealously targeting the ones that were not supposed to possess it, leading to many unnecessary deaths and tortures. No one really tried that hard to stop them. The believe that a woman can possess the strength and power to fight and protect was not acceptable and the matter seemed even more mysterious in such cases. And dangerous, for some.
The change, to the relief of many, came with the passing of the title of the King and with the more merciful successor taking over the throne – though the origins of Flame remained as mysterious as ever even up to this days.
There had been many studies, Carlevaro House leading in the area, though the secrecy remained unsolved. The only certain fact was that it had been developed by the first generation of the ruling Royal Family, the power shared as well by the Founding Houses. Other than that, it was believed to be the aura of a person with strong will, the type passed from generations to generations, eventually rumoured to be a form of heritage amongst the Mafia World, marking the ones that were destined to be a part of it.
There was no confirmed intel about the total number of Flame types as well - the information of the type and full abilities of the Houses was meant to be kept a secret. No one wanted to willingly share it, not keen on giving the weaknesses and intel to their foes, providing them with an upper hand in any disputes they could have had over the years to follow. But the people with such abilities were steadily growing in numbers, leading to creation of new Houses, increasing the influence and range of the Mafia, their place of operation no longer limited to the area of the towns inhabited by the Founding Families. Whether it was because of the bastards that were rumoured to be birthed through the generations, or another process yet to be discovered, was an unknown mystery that caused many headaches for the older Houses. As the growing numbers also caused a stray from the original goal of the Organization, which at this point was mostly fulfilled only by the Founding Families.
Despite it, everyone aware of the Flames had heard about the legendary Sky Flame.
It was believed to be the strongest Flame, a signature power possessed by the members of Royal Family. Discovering such a piece of information brought a wave of surprise in Alexandra, as it was also a power passed through the generations of the Cavallone House. It was cleared very easily when she had looked through Lorenzo's Family Tree and found out that he was distinctly related to the Royalty as one of his predecessor was a half-brother of the previous King, born of different mother.
"Yes. He may be a clumsy man, but he is far more skilled and powerful than both of us can probably imagine." Claire confirmed, a proud look on her face.
A smile played in the corners of Alexandra's lips as she helped herself to another dessert, not at all bothered by the fact that they had had a lunch soon after their arrival to Cavallone Residence. Claire had never tried to hide the pride and love that was overwhelming her whenever she spoke of Lorenzo, ever since they had been engaged and impatiently awaiting the wedding to join them for the rest of their lives. And while Alexandra was not a great supported of the marriage and had no intention of entering such a union of her own in the near future, she still found herself partially wishing to have such a bond of her own somewhere in her future.
The idea always seemed ludicrous to her whenever she thoughts of it.
"You are still so charmed by him." she stated the obvious, making the blonde shrug her shoulders.
"I love him. I will always be charmed by him." Claire confirmed easily, before smiling back. "And I can't wait for you to finally fall for someone as well."
"I don't think it's going to happen." the brunette said with certainty that made the other woman smile wider.
"Let's agree to disagree. You are, after all, engaged."
Alexandra refrained herself from rolling her eyes.
Both Claire and Lorenzo found themselves strongly amused by the current status of the brunette, despite the origins that lead to the creation of the temporary union in the first place. Her previous swearing to not get married had been heard many times before and neither of them could stop themselves from bringing it up whenever possible - either in letters or personally.
"Weren't we supposed to be talking about your baby and the way you want to design the child room?" she asked instead.
Claire looked at her with pity that made Alexandra grimace.
"Nice try. I don't even know what design I want in the nursery." the blonde said offhandedly, before looking at the brunette meaningfully. "Currently, I'm more curious about the impact Samuel's appearance had on you."
Alexandra turned serious, mulling the question in her head.
There wasn't a simple answer she could give to Claire, as she still wasn't certain how his presence influenced her - the original fear and anxiety turned into carefulness and caution as she run the meeting constantly in her head. She knew she had to be more alert from now on, watching for any possible action he could take, either against her or against the Vongola House. While the meeting took her by surprise, there had been no obvious malicious intent that would have had her running away at the first possibility. Her current scare was mostly caused by all of the warning she had received so far from Francesco, her father's words bringing the images from that night back into her memory, putting her on the edge and causing her to dream of herself being in Valentina's place during the tragedy that occurred.
"I think that I became too lax about it. His absence made it easy to forget that the events ever happened. I haven't asked Josh to check his location for quite some time lately." she voiced her thoughts eventually. "I am concerned about the possible rumours, though. Father isn't here to deal with them."
Alexandra didn't like the compassion in Claire's eyes when she noticed it. She was grateful for the understanding, but she didn't want to be pitied because of her experience, as she hadn't been the real victim of it.
It had been constantly done by Elsbeth and Beatrice, with the addition of irrational anger towards her for being a part of it. Her mother due to the worry for her, her sister due to the anger that she had made their family name infamous while Elsbeth had still been in the search of a husband – not that it influenced the older sister in any way, as the inheritance that came with her hand was far too desirable to diminish the interest of the lords looking for a wife.
None of them seemed to really understand the pressure Francesco had unconsciously put on the youngest member of the House, clearly stating that he had been expecting her involvement in bringing at least one Lacertosa to justice. Her young mind had been partially proud of helping him, but the feeling had been quickly brought down once she had experienced everything that came as a consequence of her participation. Aside from the fear and trauma she had suffered from the event itself, resulting in the numerous nightmares and insomnia, she had to also fight the anxiety caused by the trials and the repercussion of it, which made the days as hard as the nights.
"He will be back soon. And Giotto isn't going to let anyone badmouth you." Claire broke her unpleasant thoughts. "For all the purposes, you are considered a part of Vongola, even if it is a temporary predicament."
"You seem to have a great trust in him." she noticed.
It was, surprisingly, Lorenzo that was more naive out of the two of them. Claire had always been more careful in putting her trust in anyone newly met, assessing them at first and carefully forming the bond, ready to back away if anything that occurred was considered suspicious by her. She had always been polite, of course, though it didn't change the fact that until someone earned her friendship, they had to prove their unharmful intentions.
"While I'm usually careful with Lorenzo's judgment of people, I trust him with this one. Giotto had helped him not once, at one point or another saving his life. That's a debt that can't be easily paid off."
Alexandra waited, but Claire didn't elaborate on the matter.
The curiosity was rising in her with every minute the conversation continued, but she knew the limitations of her friend's position - as the Lady of Cavallone House Claire had possibly more information than she had let on and that she couldn't share with anyone. Even if their families were friends and allies, the internal matters of their respective Houses were something that none of them wanted to dwell too much into.
Pushing for answers could only put her in an uncomfortable spot. One that Alexandra wouldn't like to find herself in the future and in no way wanted to make such a problem for her friend.
"He is doing that a lot, apparently. I mean, saving lives." she commented instead, continuing at Claire's inquiring gaze. "One day, I was trying to get away from the crazy old woman that my father hired as my governess and almost fell through the window."
Claire's interest visible showed on her face as she titled her head to the side, furrowing her brows while she went through the list of Alexandra's governesses, at least the ones she knew of, trying to decipher which one the brunette was referring to. There had been a few, surprisingly.
"Which governess? The one who insisted that there were cases where witch hunting should still performed?" she asked, making a blind guess.
"No, the one that believed in corporal punishment." Alexandra clarified, wincing. "She left the room to get her pointer, so I decided to climb through the window. I slipped, he caught me."
"She was the worst one. I still can't believe Francesco let her stay for so long." Claire said with a note of barely concealed anger. "And who for God's sake chose to go through the window?
Alexandra still could remember the feel of wooden pointer on her wrists whenever she had done anything the damned woman had deemed as unlady-like or unnecessary. She couldn't have had any opinion or any insight on the matters happening around her, as it had been deemed to be a punishable behaviour and the possibility of executing the punishment seemed to thrill the woman greatly. It had taken her some time to gather the courage to complain to her father, as he had seemed to be quite taken with the woman's apparent development in Alexandra's studies. Which she had gone forwards with, developing it quite well, though it had been mostly done by sitting till late with the books she had taken from the Carlevaro Library. The Governess herself chose only the basic literature for her and concentrated more on keeping her education to the minimum required from the females.
So Alexandra decided to take the matter in her own hands and Lorenzo had seen no issues with supplying her with the books of her choosing.
She had gone to her father only after she had received a stroke to her back for recklessly expressing her opinion about the total dependence and submissiveness towards her future spouse, basing her idea on the examples of Claire and Mia and their relationship. It had been strong enough to leave bruises for several days. Francesco hadn't believed her at first, despite the obvious proof, believing she had fallen off the horse and tried to cover it in fear of Beatrice's wrath and anger. She still had an impression Lorenzo and Claire had been far more furious about the matter after spotting a bruise on her wrists and that it had been their intervention that had pushed him towards firing the woman.
"It's not like he knew before I told him." she explained with a shrug of her shoulder. "Her recommendations from the previous employers were pristine."
"Whatever it was, she should have never been given any young woman under her care." Claire said with a force in her voice. "How did he catch you?"
The sudden question took her by a moment of surprise as she strained to comprehend what exactly the sudden change in subject referred to.
"In his arms." she smiled at Claire's exasperated look. "I don't know. One second I was falling, thinking my mother was going to kill me, the other I'm held by a man I barely know."
"A handsome man."
Claire was smirking when Alexandra looked at her with raised eyebrows.
"I'm shocked, Claire. You are a married woman." she said with a false sense of indignation.
"It doesn't mean I'm blind. He took the spot of the most eligible bachelor after Lorenzo released it. I can't say it's undeserved." the blonde said easily, eyeing the cookies.
"That's true. But I didn't have much time to appreciate the looks, as my mother came running and screaming." she agreed eventually. "Not to mention, I only associated him with his belief that I am, actually, a boy."
"You can appreciate it now for your heart's desire." Claire noticed with a wide smile, before adding as an afterthought. "And it was an honest mistake. None of us should call you by this nickname, now that I consider it."
The brunette snorted, not at all bothered to keep the appearance of proper etiquette. She couldn't disagree with the opinion, though, as she had not once found herself admiring the features of the man she had found herself engaged to – and many young ladies would have gladly taken over her current position if it meant spending as much time with Giotto as she did.
"I thought you would be a supporter of good character instead of looks." she said instead with teasing in her voice.
"Oh, I am. I wouldn't dare to praise a man that is rotten inside, no matter how good he looked." Claire admitted, before adding thoughtfully. "I don't tell you to regard Samuel, you know. And he is just as handsome."
Alexandra held her wince back at the mention and made sure that her face was still relaxed.
"If you told me to do that, I would be worried about the pregnancy infecting your mind." she said under her breath, observing the way brown eyes watched the desserts. "Why won't you just take the cookie?"
Claire had been interested with the tray for some time now, calculating looks in her eyes. The cook had been doing everything in his power to ensure that the pregnant Lady had no claims against the served food, getting everything and anything she could ever crave for, even before Claire herself realised what it was.
"I want to. But I'm not certain I won't throw them up in a few minutes." she admitted with a sad expression.
"Your sickness is that bad?" Alexandra asked with worry.
She was in no sense an expert in pregnancy subjects, as Claire was the first woman she had been close with going through the ordeal, but the matter of nausea was an often discussed issue when an expectant woman announced the pregnancy - making many maidens not yet planning it nervous about the future.
It was hard not to hear the ones that already tasted the motherhood complaining about the morning sickness haunting them at the beginning of the pregnancy.
"It's not comfortable, but it's not the worst. I mean, I was a bit worried when the morning sickness returned, but the doctor said it's nothing to be afraid of." the blonde explained with a grimace before adding. "He is checking on me regularly, though."
"Lorenzo didn't try to convince him to live here?"
"Oh, he did. And was devastated when the man refused profusely."
Alexandra laughed at the amused expression on her friend's face.
"When is the baby coming, anyway?"
"February."
Not even four months left before her friends would become parents, she realised suddenly, a small smile lingering on her face. There was no doubt, seeing the happiness of both Claire and Lorenzo, that the child, whether a daughter or a son, would be surrounded by utmost love and care, just like both of its parents had been in their own childhood. It was very believable as even now the mother kept gently caressing her expanding stomach, a gentle smile not disappearing from her face, the movement unconscious as she didn't even seem to notice the gesture.
"So what are you planning to do with the nursery? Lorenzo mentioned that you want to change it." the brunette inquired curiously, keeping the subject on the more pleasant grounds.
"That's true. It's a shame to destroy such a… regal and ancient design, but I prefer something much softer and pleasant for the eye." Claire admitted, taking a break for a moment to look for a proper word.
Alexandra didn't try to hide her amusement - even if she fully agreed with the statement.
Cavallone Residence, just like Carlevaro and Allegri, had not been changed much through the last generations that occupied it, none of the lords taking it upon themselves to linger into the long and expensive process. They had also believed that keeping the look given to the residence by their ancestor was something to be cherished and passed from one generation to another, keeping it alive as long as possible. The rooms and corridors had been kept in the same way the First Lord had modelled it according to the fashion from a few centuries back. And even though the old and sturdy furniture gave a luxurious and expensive look to the interiors, it didn't really fit well for the children's room.
Her own room in her family residence was furnished in a similar fashion - old and dark antiques took most of the space, giving sometimes an overwhelming feeling, especially during rainy days. She had tried to brighten the room with light carpets and curtains, though it hadn't really done that much when the walls covered with dark brown wallpaper were taken into consideration, accompanied by a richly coloured carpet and sturdy columns of the bed. still giving a bit of an oppressive impression, occasionally.
But she loved her room. At least, until she had been attacked in it.
"When are you going shopping?" she asked, pushing the thought away..
"I'm planning to do that after the baby is out. Once we know whether it's a boy or a girl. The crib is going to stand in our bedroom for some time anyway, so there is no rush." Claire shrugged her shoulders. "By the way, when you are pregnant and decide to do the same, do not mention it to any other Ladies."
"Mention what?" she looked at the blonde confused.
"Planning to take care of your own child."
Alexandra raised her eyebrow, watching her friend. She didn't plan on getting married anytime soon - if ever - so the idea of having a child was rather distant one. And the one she didn't want to consider too much and the subject had been a mystery to her, the education given to the girls only causing a fear at the thought of it.
"Why? Did anyone give you a hard time about it?" she inquired.
"I made the mistake of saying that during one of the tea parties. It caused a lot of outrage and sore looks as, apparently, a Lady is not supposed to have much to do with child wellbeing after giving a birth to it." Claire explained, her forehead creasing when she thought about the events.
"I know there is a pressure for independence, but that's a bit extreme. Can an infant take care of itself?"
She missed the exasperated look Claire threw her way.
"We are supposed to hire wet nurses and nannies, Alex. Not leave the child on its own. How do you imagine that?" the blonde said with a disbelief in her voice.
"I didn't. Which is why I asked." the brunette clarified with a straight face.
"You are unendurable sometimes." Claire commented, shaking her head.
Alexandra smiled at her innocently.
"So who gave you a hard time?" she changed the subject.
"Every Lady gathered at the party. Including your mother, strangely. I was quite certain she was going to support the idea."
Titling her head in thought, the brunette wandered about the subject for the first time in her life. It was something she had never considered before, but in the earliest memories she had, there was always either a nanny or a governess accompanying her around, helping her and teaching her the most basic things that she needed for further development.
And Mia, of course, that is until her aunt married and moved away from the Carlevaro Residence.
"Now that I think of it, mother started having an active role in my life right before my first season." she admitted.
Alexandra wasn't certain how it made her feel. It shouldn't make any difference, as she still knew Beatrice loved and cared for both of her daughters. On the other hand, she still felt uneasy with the idea that in her memories from childhood, she had seen more of her aunt than her mother, the realisation making her perception of motherhood shifting unconsciously.
"I still can't believe she didn't support you during the trial." Claire said with displeasure. "Not to mention the fact that Francesco put you through it in the first place."
The brunette shrugged her shoulders at the return of the subject.
It hadn't been the first time the blonde had voiced her discontent about the ordeal and her dislike of the decisions made by the Carlevaro House back then. It was only the worry of offending the old friend and ally of the family she was representing as the wife of the Lord that stopped her from confronting both Beatrice and Francesco, making them realise the full impact it had on the young girl not accustomed to the violence and gore that often accompanied the Mafia daily life. For the fourteen years old, barely done with the juvenescence period and in no way ready for dealing with such heavy experience, the ordeal had been devastating for both perception of the world and her own self-evaluation, as she had been considering herself unfitting of her status ever since, believing in the whispers that had followed her back then, the comparisons and list of mistakes happily presented in front of her.
Claire knew Alexandra had never shared it with her parents, hiding the behaviour of the society towards her from both Beatrice and Francesco. She had been partially certain that Elsbeth had been aware of it to some extent, though the older sister had barely any power to do anything about it, aside from harsh comments that had temporarily stopped the behaviour when it had been getting out of hand. .
"He expected a different outcome of it." she shrugged her shoulders. "I also thought that there was no way Samuel would be let free after that."
"Your father could still testify on your behalf, instead of putting you in the spotlight. Every judge would not give a second thought about agreeing to that, it was clear none of them was comfortable with you in the court. You were a young girl, getting over a traumatic experience." Claire stressed out. "And we both know what it did to you."
Alexandra averted her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek.
She had been waking up for a long time in the middle of the night, screaming and sweating profusely, unable to return to sleep. It had gone unnoticed in Carlevaro Residence, as she had never informed her parents about it, and none of them had witnessed it. The growing exhaustion and tiredness had been put under the excuse of the stress caused by the continuous interrogations and pressure she had had on herself. No one questioned it twice, not even when she had been growing more retracted from the daily life continuing around her.
Claire had found out about it accidently, after she had fallen asleep in Alexandra's guest bedroom when the brunette moved to Cavallone Residence to wait for the rumours and gossip to hush down partially. They had been talking till the late hour back then, the older woman sensing something was amiss with her, the motherly instinct she had always had acting up It took a long hours of consoling and comforting - and bringing Lorenzo for help, as the man had been a much more familiar figure for the brunette than she had been - before Alexandra was brought back from her nightmare induced panic.
It had taken much more time to bring her from her breakdown that resulted from the end of the trial and the process of getting over it was hard on the three of them, especially when Alexandra had been making a lot of effort convincing everyone that everything had been in perfect order, blocking her own feelings as the consequence. But neither Lorenzo nor Claire had ever given up, nor disclosed what had been happening, to not break the trust of the brunette, something that would have had devastating consequences then. And both of them had breathed a deep sigh of relief when Alexandra returned from the Capitol in a much better state, the presence and support of Mia and the lack of whispers following her around ding wanders on her feelings and mind.
"I don't know what to say to that. I wish that it didn't happen as well, but we can't change the past. And father had dealt with the consequences of it in the end. No one really speaks about it now." she said after clearing her throat. "And you know what they say. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
The only thing the events had done was to cause Alexandra to develop a tight wall around her feelings and emotions, the withdrawal taken as a natural part of growing up, but Claire didn't bring it up this time She had been glad the younger woman had enough trust in them to not push them away, but she was concerned with the stubborn refusal to let others in her life that the brunette had practiced since then. There were a few people that Alexandra had been close with aside from the Cavallone couple, mostly in the Capitol as it had given her a place of seclusion, but she still had been guarded even around them.
The Carlevaro family had never been affectionate to start with, as Claire had observed with a dose of surprise, though it was mostly caused by her own, completely different environment of growth - many other Houses had complicated relationships and no one really bothered to question it. Francesco and Beatrice had always made it clear, though, that their daughters' wellbeing was a priority.
But the experience they both had put Alexandra through made Claire hesitant about their parental abilities.
"It still shouldn't have happened." she insisted, her hand resting protectively on her stomach. "You didn't deserve to go through that."
"It's not the experience I would wish anyone to go through, but I wasn't in the worst position. I had you and Lorenzo to help me through it. There are not many people with such devoted friends." Alexandra said matter of factly, sounding almost nonchalant about it.
Claire watched the young woman in front of her for a moment, almost snorting in laughter despite the tears that threatened to fall at the look of panic in teal eyes when Alexandra looked at her.
"Oh God, don't cry. What did I do?" she stood up from her chair in a flash, fishing the handkerchief from her pocket.
"Nothing. I'm just emotional." the blonde answered with a smile, taking the offered piece of clothing and drying the tears before they slipped down her cheeks
The lost look in Alexandra's eyes was far more adorable than it should be, but Claire had a growing preference of finding almost anything cute these days, despite the circumstances of encountering it.
"Returning to the subject at hand, Lorenzo found out how Samuel got into the residence in the first place. He wasn't invited, obviously, but came as a companion to one of Sorello's daughters." the blonde said suddenly, sniffling for the last time.
"You mean Claudia or the older one?"
Instead of taking her seat back, Alexandra moved to the window behind it, leaning against the windowsill comfortably and crossing her arms on her chest, concentrating on the woman in front of her. She was more willing to pick up the subject when it concerned the simple facts, not her own emotions.
"Older. Victoria, I think. She returned from her prolonged vacation a few months back." Claire explained, finally reaching out to take the cookie. "I think it was her first social appearance since then."
"It seems she doesn't have much taste for men." the brunette said under her breath. "I do hope for her to have better luck next time, but I doubt Samuel is a better choice."
It was a sound secret around the town, one so juicy that even the family's best effort to hide it had not been enough to stop it from spreading. And once it reached Filipa's ears, the gossip became uncontrollable.
The older daughter of Sorello became pregnant out of the wedlock, an occurrence unheard of and profoundly detestable. It could have been easily covered for, if she was wedded to the man she had given herself to - unfortunately, the young gentleman hadn't felt the obligation to make an honest woman out of Victoria, instead choosing to engage with a girl of higher position and better wealth. The wedding followed soon enough, while the future mother secluded herself on vacation to 'improve her health', as the official version said.
The Sorello Family had stayed by their version of events with an admirable steadfastness, as they had never given any indication that the rumours were actually true, their faces turning into unreadable stone every time someone said something as they ignored any mention of it.
"There's nothing we can do. Sorello knows about the trials and what he was accused of. I am not impressed with their lack of attention as to who their daughter is meeting, but they never believed in his fault, to begin with." Claire sighed heavily, her attention on the brunette.
"I know. Lady Sorello was a great support for Filipa when it came to spreading the rumours."
The bitterness in Alexandra's voice was palpable.
"Why do we keep returning to the subject?" she asked suddenly, looking at Claire with exasperation.
"Because you need to voice the thoughts that keep accumulating in your head and I'm experienced in helping you with that." the blonde smiled at her brightly.
Alexandra sighed, running a hand over her hair, not daring to mess with the hairdo prepared by Lizzie in the morning.
"I'm fine, Claire. Really. I may not be happy with the development, seeing as it adds additional problems to an already complicated situation, but I'm not going to hide under my covers and mop around. He will try to shake me, as he did yesterday, but I will do my best to stand up to him." the brunette said. "There was no clear or direct threat, to start with."
Their eyes clashed for a moment, as the older woman tried to read the truth out of her, but the teal eyes remained open and honest, as Alexandra tried to convince her that she hadn't been covering it, this time. There was no hesitation and lies in them, something she had been unable to do anyway without believing in them herself first, and she certainly hadn't had enough time to do it.
"At least you have Giotto to help you this time." she said thoughtfully.
"I still would much prefer to not have him involved in that mess." Alexandra countered immediately.
The blonde grimaced slightly, though the stubborn refusal of help didn't take her by surprise – Alexandra had an irritating habit of trying to deal with her problems on her own, instead of reaching out to her friends. She had hoped that with the man's exceptional way of gaining trust and making people open to him, the brunette would be affected by it as well, making it easier for her to open up and voice her worries.
Though, Claire thought to herself biting into another dessert, it was still quite good she didn't try to hide the events of the past between her and Samuel, instead sharing it with Giotto without much probing.
"I do hope, though, that father is back soon. If Samuel is planning something, he will not concentrate only on me. He will want to bring down the entire Carlevaro House. And Vongola as a consequence, as they are directly linked to me at the moment." the brunette continued, not noticing the expression.
"He may. But it is doubtful he will try anything immediately after his return, it would be too suspicious. For now, it should be safe to relax. Be on guard, obviously, but with no panic."
Alexandra didn't look convinced by her words, the shadows of worry and anxiety lingering in her eyes as she bit the inside of her cheek.
Truthfully, none of the women had any experience with the length Samuel would go to get his revenge. Their only clue was what he had done to Valentina. And both of them expected that if he hadn't stopped himself from gruesomely murdering his own wife, than he would definitely not held himself back from a person who – in his eyes – deserved the full power of his wrath.
Not with the bloody history of the Lacertosa family.
"There is still Gabriel and the Council to take care of anything that can potentially happen in the future." she said eventually, sighing and slumping in her chair. "That is, until they expect the involvement of Vongola House in dealing with the situation."
Claire nodded her head, hesitating for a split second, before deciding to drop the continuation of the subject. But she wasn't certain whether Alexandra tried to convince herself or her in the first place.
The brunette had already voiced more of her thoughts that she had expected before her arrival, partially preparing herself for a longer battle to get out anything out of her friend. Alexandra's openness, thought reluctant, was a pleasant surprise which made her mood brighten significantly. It gave her a hope that, this time, Alexandra would not try to conceal all her feelings inside, discarding fully the need to vent on it.
But it didn't mean she wasn't going to keep a close eye on her, just in case.
"Look at you, already so protective over the Vongola House." she commented lightly instead, smiling at the glare of teal eyes directed at her.
"You yourself seem awfully taken by them." the brunette retorted.
"Well, they have such an impact on people."
Giotto waited patiently for the meeting to end, only partially listening to the ongoing conversation, his mind occupied by many other things that were currently happening around his own household. Nothing of great importance was discussed anyway, as nothing attention worth had been occurring lately, making the meeting completely useless and unnecessary. He would have refused it in the first place, but he was still on probation period in the society, as he liked to call the constant vigilance on his persona, and didn't want any lingering bad impression to be associated with his actions.
He had been surprised upon finding that the Lords of the Noble Houses were meeting quarterly to go over the important matters that had occurred in their respective towns - at least what was considered as important in their own sense of the word. Whether it was the need of funding some organisation, or the simple matters of social events that were going to happen in the nearest future, they had gone through it with the gathered members of the nobility that had decided to grace others with their presence - during a calm periods as these one, many decided to skip the meeting with no regrets, instead occupying themselves with much more interesting activities. So when he saw only himself, Gabriel, Lord Giovanni Allegri and Lord Gregorio Sorello attending it, he couldn't say he was very astonished.
It still didn't change the fact that he himself considered the famine and lack of better prospects in the lower classes far more pressing matters than the decision of who should organise another official banquette.
"Should we expect you to take a temporary step back from the social events, Lord Cavallone?"
Giotto looked up at Lord Allegri, wondering at first what the man was talking about at first, before moving his eyes to the man the question was directed at.
"I will definitely limit it as much as Claire's pregnancy will require." Lorenzo confirmed, nodding his head.
It would not be long, Giotto realised, for the man to become a father, the question finally making sense to him. He almost grimaced at himself for his lack of attention, considering the fact that he had eaten lunch with the woman barely a few hours ago.
"Is there really a need to rob yourself of a bit of fun? I most certainly did not stay at home when my wife was with a child." Lord Sorello said with a broad laugh. "She didn't mind it, really."
A shadow of irritation passed over Lorenzo's face, though he had immediately covered it. Keeping his expression in check and covering exasperation with a smile had been one of the first things he had been taught as a child, the requirements of keeping good relations with other Lords engraved into his mind since then by a very thorough training that prepared him for the duties awaiting him.
"I doubt Claire would have anything against me continuing my full social life, but I do not wish to leave her alone during this time." he replied, his voice as light and kind as ever.
"Leave him be. It is his first child, after all." Lord Allegri interrupted calmly. "Filipa admonished me as well whenever I left her alone when she was pregnant with Katherine. But she was more than happy to have me out of the House when the other children were on their way."
"And you were more than happy to stay away." Lord Sorello said with a smirk.
"I cannot disagree with that. Though it was not hard to busy myself with other activities."
"Ah, yes, I heard you left a small fortune for the ladies at the brothel."
Giotto made sure to keep his grimace of displeasure to himself.
He was by no means a stranger to the subject of prostitution and the existence of brothel - growing up in the environment he had been in had exposed to such a side of night life almost on daily basis as most of the Slums had been occupied by the business. Sometimes he had seen far more than he had wanted on the streets, the full impact of the deprivation settling in his mind only when he had grown old enough to comprehend what exactly had been happening. Knowing the people there personally, there had been a great disgust in him when he had realised the age of some girls selling themselves to support their families. Though he doubted Lord Allegri had been visiting such places, even if there were the members of nobility immersing themselves in their sick fantasies there.
But there had been far more elegant and clean houses of pleasure located near the main town that had been frequently visited by the local nobles. As much as he was embarrassed to admit it and would never do it openly, he himself had an opportunity to visit if a few times and the difference from what he had been used to was glaringly overwhelming, seeming almost luxurious to him.
It didn't mean, though, that he had been comfortable with discussing other men's fidelity. He was neither betrothed – at least not during his visits - nor married so, while questionable, he wasn't cheating on anyone. Especially when it occurred during the time of awaiting their child to be born.
"But, honestly, haven't we all at one point or another? A man has his needs. And while I enjoyed the innocence of my wife, some more experience is required from time to time. Much more experience, frankly." Lord Sorello continued unperturbed.
"A gentleman doesn't share his conquests, Gregorio." Lord Allegri said, apparently not much at ease with the subject as well.
"Yes, yes. But we all know anyway that it happens. You should definitely take the opportunity and get as much pleasure as possible out of your bachelor life while you can, Lord Vongola. I doubt that Carlevaro daughter would be much of a supporter of it once you are married"
Giotto looked at the man with a blank expression for a moment, before the realisation came to his tired mind. While he wasn't really going to end up as Alexandra's husband, he knew that loyalty was an aspect of importance for her entire House.
He somehow doubted she would take it lightly if her future spouse ended up betraying her in such a way. And he certainly hoped she wouldn't be in that position in her future.
"Thank you for your suggestion, Lord Sorello, but I am set on keeping my fidelity to my fiancée." he answered with a polite smile.
"You will fit with Carlevaro just well, then. They are known for their strong sense of fidelity." Lord Allegri said matter of factly.
"Or they are just good enough to keep it hidden. With Francesco leaving so often, no one knows what he is actually doing." Lord Sorello said with a shrug of his shoulders. "And if there aren't any of his bastards hidden around the world."
A spike of irritation arouse in Giotto as he sat there, listening to the discussion led by the men.
"Alright, gentleman, I think that we can finish the meeting as there are no more subjects of importance." Lorenzo broke the conversation suddenly, clearing his throat.
"That's right. Filipa will be expecting me soon." Lord Allegri agreed, standing up already. "Lord Vongola, will you have time later today for a meeting?"
Giotto kept his friendly smile on his face, though he could feel the fatigue slipping over him, enhanced by the constant need to watch over his expression. The late conversation he had with Alexandra last night and the papers delivered by Alaude had postponed his sleep for further than he had originally planned.
There was only one subject Giovanni Allegri would like to discuss with him and he himself would like to avoid it. The older man had been insistent on having him considered the marriage to Joanne Allegri on the terms he had insistently tried to push on him. The last letter touching on the matter came after his engagement to Alexandra had been announced and, despite the truthfulness of it, he had found it a bit irritating as it completely disregarded the younger Carlevaro daughter.
"I am sorry, Lord Allegri. I made plans with Alexandra today, so perhaps another day?" he replied politely.
He hoped that the implications and subtle reminder of the existence of his fiancée would bring the man's endeavours short, but it was cut short with the next words spoken.
"Of course. I will send you an invitation in time."
Giotto's expression turned into one of great relief when the room was vacated and only he and Lorenzo stayed inside, the dark haired man similarly happy with the development.
"Sometimes, I forget how frustrating they really are." Lorenzo said under his breath, straightening in his chair.
"At least they are not hiding their nature." Giotto commented, standing up, refusing the overwhelming need to stretch his muscles.
"That's a silver lining there. Are you staying for dinner? Claire would be overjoyed to have both of you here for a bit longer."
He nodded his head after a moment of hesitation - there were still some documents left to sign and the knowledge of it kept probing in his mind, reminding him of his tardiness in certain matters. But it wasn't anything crucial, in the end.
And he really preferred to spend time on far more pleasant talks and activities than spending the next few hours locked in his office, once again.
"Good. But before we go to the girls, I have a question for you." Lorenzo said and he took back his seat. "A little bird told me that someone from your surroundings is getting interested in the Capitol affairs."
Giotto froze in his chair and he could feel his heart stopping in sudden fear as his mind conjured unwelcomed images the notion awoke in his imagination.
"I am not sure what you are talking about." he tried, though there was no doubt his effort held no success.
"There is a certain man who, while quite careful with his actions, asked some unnecessary questions to wrong people. A background check was made and his name led straight to yours." Lorenzo continued, leaning easily in his chair, watching the blond carefully. "Cozatto Simon, was it? And please don't lie to me, I already know you grew up together."
He considered for a moment to make an attempt to get around the situation, though the set look in Lorenzo's eyes told him there was no way he would be able to distract him. Slumping slightly in his chair, he rubbed his forehead, a worry building up in his heart.
"Is he in any danger?" he asked, his voice tense in accordance with his current mood.
"No. Thankfully, he is only under vigilance at the moment, but it will be best if he sits back quietly and keeps his head down." Lorenzo advised genuinely. "It hasn't yet reached the ears of the Royal Family Guards and you would rather avoid it. For the safety of your friend and his family."
The warning, while loud and clear, was spoken in a soft and kind voice. Yet, it left the lasting impression, as Lorenzo had barely infused himself with the matters not concerning his family, unless requested to do so..
"Aren't you going to ask what it is about?" Giotto inquired.
"No, not really. I mean, it is not my area of operation, though once Gabriel or Francesco find out about it, you may be invited to answer some questions. Which would be very damaging to your reputation and name." Lorenzo continued, his eyes meaningful. "Especially if someone considers it to be a treason."
The blond felt a pearl of cold sweat running down his spine. Any form of treason was dealt only one way, with no exceptions out of the rule - the execution would be immediate and the news about it would be spread out through the country, putting everyone he had ever been accustomed with at risk.
The example, after all, would need to be set to ensure no one would try out such an action again in the future.
And considering the area of their investigation, it would be easily perceived as such. They were sniffing close around highly positioned members of the Court and some of their findings had included the name of the Royals as well.
"We don't intend to commit treason." he clarified, shifting in his chair. "It would be far too dangerous and far beyond our abilities."
The Royal Family was the strongest one amongst the Mafia - followed only by the Founding Families, though even they could have a hard time going against the King. Barely any survivors, if any at all participating in it, would come unscathed out of it, only to be executed in the foreseeable future.
"I don't doubt it. Still, be careful. It would be devastating to see you go down in such a way."
The way Lorenzo's voice turned to be concerned made the impression of the warning even more lasting than it had been previously.
Giotto had been very attentive to make sure none of his friends and neighbours would be involved in the actions they had performed in the Capitol and the investigations they had run there. It was their decisions and their goals that led them there – as their only mindset was to protect the innocent lives at risk, putting someone in the harm way while doing would only defeat the purpose of their actions.
"I will make sure we are careful."
Lorenzo looked at him for a moment, blue eyes clashing with the amber ones as he tried to read something out of Giotto, making an attempt to get the information out of his expression that the blond wasn't keen on sharing.
"So you are not going to drop it, after all." He sighed eventually, running a hand through his hair. "But, I must say, the time for them to find out about your name couldn't be better."
Giotto looked at him questioningly, not finding anything optimistic in the situation despite his best efforts.
"You are currently associated with Carlevaro House. It is enough to keep any actions against you on this level. And Alex, while closed about it, has her own influence in the Capitol. Which is, actually, why I was notified in secret to warn you." Lorenzo said, a small smile playing on his lips. "I mean, even I am not fully sure who exactly she is in contact there. But I am quite certain she will get her own information in a short time, so don't be surprised if she hints at it as well."
Giotto kept watching him for a longer moment of silence, a surprise taking over his senses and he wasn't able to conceal it. He had been aware that Alexandra had spent a lot of time in the Capitol, which resulted in her being the least accustomed to the Vongola House out of her entire family, but he still hadn't considered the fact that she would have any form of network there. Francesco and Beatrice had both mentioned the reason for her absence many times while excusing it during the gatherings, usually pointing out that she was socialising there and gaining friends, which meant she had an access to most of the news running around the Capitol.
"I have been accustomed to Carlevaro House since I got my title. Francesco was the one to introduce me with most of the nobles I know. Including you." Giotto pointed out the obvious.
"Yes, but now you are believed to be joining the family through marriage. It is a lot different. If you actually ask her, I am quite certain she will not have anything against it to get you a few connections in the Capitol."
He had obviously lacked some information about the standards of noble lives, or had been simply naïve at the beginning of their journey, as he had never considered that having friends might not have been enough to push him up the social ladder. But as it did earned him a few more friendly stares, it still didn't give him the reactions he had hoped for and many needed doors still remained closed.
Perhaps he should start considering changing his marital status sooner than he had originally planned.
"I don't really like the idea of using Alexandra's name, considering the engagement is going to be annulled upon Francesco's return. It wouldn't be really fair to take advantage of it." he admitted honestly.
Lorenzo continued watching him, his eyes calculative and thoughtful. It was impossible to get out what he was thinking from his expression, which was not a common occurrence for the man - he had usually worn his heart on his sleeve, being open about his feelings and opinion, though making sure no one could be offended by it.
"As you wish." he said eventually. "But really, make sure your friend stays out of the way of danger."
"I will. Thank you. It really means a lot."
Giotto made sure his gratitude was conveyed through the tone of his voice. There was no saying just how grave the importance of the warning was. If anything happened to Cozatto, he would never forgive himself for allowing it to occur and taking an active part in leading this to happen. Even though they all knew the risk that was accustomed with their actions, Giotto still felt responsible for everyone involved in the intel gathering on the Royal Family deeds and actions. He had already warned Cozatto, numerous times, to not get too bold in his decisions and plans, though his friend had a way of acting without thinking occasionally.
Which made him quite reckless even when it came to the most sensitive subject.
Like asking around to confirm the rumours about the Heir to the Throne. Perhaps, he realised belatedly, he should have gone to the Capitol instead, leaving Simon Family in their town. Though Cozatto had insisted on it, eventually making Giotto bend to his wish and take a step back.
"Don't mention it. It's not like I would be very comfortable with ignoring such a message." Lorenzo shrugged his shoulders, a smile taking over his features.
"I hope it won't give you much trouble, in case anything goes wrong." he continued uneasily.
He had never wanted anyone to get involved in their operation, at least no one from the outside of the Vongola and Simon Families. Both due to the safety issues of the secrecy of their actions and due to the safety of everyone.
Unwillingly, he had already made Lorenzo's name involved. And Alexandra's possibly as well, if she really would receive any form of information like her friend predicted.
"I doubt it will. The person who passed the message won't come forth with it and there is no evidence of it even being sent. So don't worry about it."
Giotto nodded his head, though the uneasy feeling didn't leave his mind through the entire time he had spent in the Cavallone's Residence.
"You look concerned about something."
Giotto looked sideways at his Storm Guardian, shaking himself out of his thoughts. He hadn't been able to concentrate on any conversation going on in the living room, where they were all gathered in the evening, the habit learned by the Vongola Family with the growth in their numbers. It was something Giotto had insistent on doing and was very persistent in keeping it. No matter how much work they had and how occupied they were with their missions, they would still find time for their family.
"We need to send someone to Cozatto. He caused some concern in the Capitol." he admitted, glancing in the direction of Elena and Alexandra, though both women were occupied with each other.
"That idiot." G scowled with irritation, though the worry shone in his eyes as well. "Do you want me to go there?"
As much as the Storm Guardian was more than qualified to do the job of passing the message without raising any suspicions, Giotto had no idea whether the murder wouldn't be committed at one point or another once he was left alone with Cozatto.
The Storm Guardian's short temper and the reckless easing of the Lord of Simon House did not mix well together without Giotto being there to separate the two of them.
"No, I think I will ask Ugetsu and Knuckle, they should be home in a few hours. Ugetsu has always wanted to see the biggest city, after all." he answered after a moment of consideration.
G nodded his head, not saying anything more, though the crease on his forehead told Giotto he wasn't as calm about the news as he tried to let on - deep inside, the Storm Guardian had a very soft spot for his friends. And with the grumpy and irritated expression, the redhead was already considering the way to support Cozatto in the Capitol, ensuring there was a way to safe him before it was too late.
"How did he give himself out?"
Giotto gave him a short summary of what he had heard from Lorenzo - even though it hadn't been much, it still gave them feedback of what was happening with their friend.
They both knew that having connection with the Founding Family would be beneficial for a small family such as their own - at least, from the perspective of the social influence in their new circle of operation. However, he had never expected that it would come to the level of saving their lives from the possible consequences their investigation could have resulted from the mess created.
"I am curious what exactly had brought him under suspicion. And whose exactly, as it seems it isn't the Royal Guard yet." Giotto said in wonder at the end, rubbing the back of his neck.
"You can ask those guys to ask him once they are in the Capitol. I hope it wasn't something stupid. Going down because of an idiotic thing would be pitiful." the Storm Guardian confirmed, fishing out his lighter and playing with it, the obvious sign of his discomfort.
"I doubt he is that reckless. Maybe if it influenced only him. But not when both of our families are at stake here." the blonde pointed out.
While the three of them had different characters, their goal was still the same - to protect the weaker and the ones they held close to the heart. And their families, grown and developed through the time, were one of the most important things to all of them. The fact that they had never had one before, the three of them always roaming the streets on their own until finding their corner in the world, only increased the feeling as soon as the responsibility came to them.
None of them wanted to lose something precious, something that they had been stripped off before.
"What about the guy from yesterday?" the redhead asked suddenly.
"You mean Samuel Lacertosa?" Giotto asked to clarify and continued once G nodded his head. "He can be bothersome, if what Alexandra said about his character is true. Though I doubt he will actually try to harm her."
"It would be too obvious if something happens to her so soon after his return." the Storm Guardian agreed, running a hand through his hair. "When is Francesco coming back?"
The question had been haunting him as well since the previous night, as Giotto couldn't shake the ominous feeling that had followed him even since he had noticed the anxious and absent look in Alexandra's eyes when she had returned to his side with Elena during the banquet. He was glad she hadn't gone into panic during the event - while it was justified, considering the past of her and Samuel, it would still bring too much unwanted attention onto her, most possibly resulting in the enhanced intensity of the gossip that were going to be exchanged anyway.
"I don't know. He said that he will be gone for a few weeks." he admitted eventually. "But the exact date was never given. Until then, it will be best if Alexandra is not left alone for Lacertosa to approach her."
G scowled once again, a sound of a clicking tongue the only answer he had provided. If Giotto didn't know him by now, he would believe that the redhead was angry with the need to protect the unexpected house guest. However, he knew that it wasn't the case in reality.
The Storm Guardian was simply terrible at expressing his worry.
"She is supposed to go out with one of us anyway. So we will watch her." the redhead said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Thank you. Even though that is the new development, I don't want to fail at fulfilling Francesco's request." Giotto said, biting the inside of his cheek.
"I didn't know she was the girl from the rumours." G continued with a wander, her forehead scrunched.
"Me neither. It was surprising. I have never expected Francesco to actually agree to let her go through that."
His eyes travelled unconsciously to Alexandra occupying the coach in their living room, lost in the conversation with Elena, her legs tugged comfortably under her. He really couldn't understand Francesco's motives in the case - with how protective the man had always been towards his younger daughter, using her in such a way to bring another family to justice just didn't sit right with him.
"What was she back then? Ten or something?" G asked under his breath, making Giotto smile.
"Fifteen. You really need to stop making fun of her age." he said, looking meaningfully at his friend.
"Why? Are you not comfortable with being engaged to a child?"
The smirk made its way on G's face as the teasing of the blonde brought obvious pleasure to him. It was rare, even since they had become the noble family, though it reminded Giotto of the old times.
"She is only five years younger, you know." he pointed out, still smiling.
It wasn't the smallest age difference when it came to the betrothed couples, though it was still a standard one. There were many marriages with differences over ten years old. And glaring examples such as Lacertosa senior, whose wife was almost at the same age as his son.
"I'm going to Slums tomorrow." G changed the subject rapidly once again, breaking the silence that fell between the two of them.
"Why?" he asked, astonished.
"Gemma wrote that there are some problems and no one takes any actions for it. I want to check what it is about."
Giotto furrowed his brows, a worry taking over his mind once again as he considered the subject. It wasn't anything unusual for the Slums to experience a problem - from gang wars to an unexplained disappearance of its inhabitants. The local authorities had never been keen on investigating any of it, the idea of visiting such a place too revolting for them to take any action. So it had been left in the hands of the Slums to take care of anything that endangered them.
Which often resulted in the inflaming of the situation, instead of actually solving it.
"Be careful. And let me know if you find anything." he requested, not trying to oppose the idea of his Storm Guardian.
G nodded his head, his lips forming a thin line as he became lost in his thoughts. It wasn't going to be easy, though if there was anyone to deal with it, he was definitely the best out of all Guardians to do it.
He and Giotto had been, after all, recognized as their own – though the understanding had grown thin towards the blond once he had become a Lord, as the jealously and often hatred took over. Which is why Giotto had been forbidden to stroll to the Slums on his own by all of his Guardians.
He had done it once. And faces Alaude's wrath after that. For causing unnecessary trouble, as the Cloud Guardian explained.
Out of all them, G would be the safest to snoop around in the most dangerous area of the town.