Venetian Moon: The Connections
By: Bunniko
Disclaimer: I own no rights to Sailor Moon by Naoko-san or "Dangerous Beauty" of Regency Enterprises.
Summary: 16th century Venice. The Lunar Court is reincarnated in a Paradise of sorts.
AN: Gomen for the delay, but life always interferes. I hope to have Part 3 out by Friday. Please review J
Note: Due to the setting, the English names from the translated manga suit my needs best. (With the exceptions of the Generals.) This is Part 2. I recommend you read the Introduction and Part 1: The Encounter first.
"Venice, 1583 - the richest, most decadent city in Europe. Its women were treated as property – few even knew how to read.
But there were some who enjoyed a different fate . . ." ~ opening of "Dangerous Beauty"
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Amy and Vincenzo rode in silence for a short while, before Vincenzo's curiosity gained the better of him. "Why did your friend react like that?"
Amy turned to him. "Excuse me?" she asked, wondering which friend and which reaction he meant.
Vincenzo noted the confusion in her eyes. He smiled what he hoped was a friendly smile. "Please, Amy, tell me something of yourself. I do hate to travel with strangers."
She looked at him curiously, that sixth sense of hers strangely quiet. She supposed that meant she could trust him. "What do you want to know?" she asked, shyly. She was unused to talking of herself.
"Well . . ." Vincenzo paused, not used to a woman who was truly shy. "Tell me the basics. How old are you? What's your life like? Those things."
Amy wondered at why he would be interested, but she complied. "I'm sixteen. I live with Mother Petrucho and my friends. My parents," she trailed off, gazing into the clear water. She dipped her hand in, letting the cool water run over her hand in a way that strangely seemed to give her strength. "Well, I don't know my parents. Mother Petrucho tells me that they loved each other, a highly scandalous thing. I think she knows more than she will say, but I don't know."
Vincenzo listened to her, watching her intently. His parents were probably as absent as hers, but at least he knew their names. "Who is Mother Petrucho, then?" he queried.
Amy turned to face him, pulling her hand from the water. "Well, she's . . . she's the woman that has taken care of us. I've been with her since I was born. I was the first she took in and the oldest of the five. She said my mother paid her to take me in. Mina and Bunny were next. They are daughters of a friend of hers. When we ask, though, Mother Petrucho clams up and her eyes grow distant and cold. Raye came next. We found her at the age of two, by her mother's body. Her mom was a courtesan who chose to become one man's mistress. Apparently she was abandoned when she bore a child. Lita was the last to join us. Her parents were visiting from Rome when she was five. They," her voice faltered for a moment, "they died in a gondola accident. They drowned. Lita almost did too."
Vincenzo tried to absorb the tale he was hearing. "So that had something to do with her actions?"
"Hmmm? Oh, yes. Lita won't get into a gondola alone, and I guess she thought Bunny was just gonna take off alone. Her panic sometimes sets aside her logical thinking. Her panic set in when your friend Jerome suggested taking a pleasant cruise in a gondola. They aren't pleasant for her. Bunny wouldn't just take off in a gondola. Walking, sure, she would have just left. But, to get home, we would need the gondola. She may not always think straight, but she wouldn't leave us stranded."
Vincenzo made a sound of understanding, then told the gondolier to turn right. They didn't speak further as the gondola scraped up against the pavement and he jumped out. Making a motion for her to stay put, he went inside a small house and emerged moments later with an elderly gentleman. No one spoke on the trip back to the Mancuso home.
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Meanwhile, Mina and Matteo were headed in a different direction, and in a much nicer gondola. Matteo was curious about Mina, but he hid it well. Mina, however, did not. She asked him several questions, but he fielded them abruptly, not really answering them. Finally, her asked her to do him a favor. "Why don't you tell me about you and your friends?"
She eyed him curiously, then shrugged. "Okay. Well, lessee. Well first off, Bunny and I are twins. We are the youngest of the group, but the second to join it. Amy is the oldest, and the most serious. She reads all kinds of dull books." Matteo was surprised.
"She can read?"
Mina was putout. "We all can read." she snapped. "I prefer to read plays." She sighed dreamily. "I wish women were allowed to act." Matteo merely stared at her. She shrugged, then continued on. "Bunny and I were the second to come into Mother Petrucho's care. She won't talk about it though. Then Raye joined us. She was two when she came. Bunny found her. Mother Petrucho took us out in a gondola and Bunny tugged on Mother's hand. She pointed at a woman lying on the ground with a little girl sitting by her. Raye is a little older than us, but she tries to act like she's a lot older. She can be very bossy, especially to Bunny." Mina grinned. "But I think that's cause they're best friends. I mean, we're all best friends. It's just a little deeper between them."
She looked at Matteo like he should understand, but he didn't. Instead, he merely looked back down at her, momentarily losing himself in her wide, blue eyes. Mina seemed to be lost in his grayish ones, too. The gondola jerked suddenly, breaking the moment.
Mina blushed, disoriented, then continued her tale. Matteo glanced around, displeased to note they were entering a rundown section of town. "Lita came to us last. Her parents were from Rome. They were taking a late night cruise when their gondola crashed into another. Formal clothing is so very heavy, it just soaked the water right up when they fell in. The gondolier only managed to rescue Lita. He brought her to Mother Petrucho. Ever since, Lita has been terrified of the canals. When we walk along them, she sticks close to the buildings. She used to have terrible nightmares. I only hope this incident won't bring more." Mina looked into the water, her bubbliness gone in an instant.
Matteo touched her hand, shocked to feel a connection with her. Her eyes found his and he cleared his throat. "Your sister will be fine. Darien will get the best care for her."
Mina smiled. "Oh, I know Bunny will be fine. Her head's as hard as a rock. Besides," she continued, placing her hand over her heart, "I'd know if she wasn't. I'd feel it."
Matteo glanced at her hand, definitely not thinking of feeling her heart. He caught himself and leaned back, cursing himself. Where had his control gone? Mina gave him a confused look, then became blessedly silent. He tried to keep his thoughts off her for the rest of the trip.
Finally, and yet, too soon, they reached her home. The gondola docked and Matteo leapt out of the gondola. Belatedly, he reached back to assist Mina, to find she was already climbing out on her own. He frowned. Mina was beginning to think it was the only thing he did. Matteo tried to hide his disdain for her home, but Mina could feel it. Her pride ran through her. They might not have much, but they had something! How dare he?
She strode through the house like a princess instead of a pauper, leaving Matteo in her wake. Belatedly, she realized Mother Petrucho didn't even know they had left and would most likely be furious with them. She beckoned for Matteo to wait in the common room. She headed upstairs to find Mother.
Matteo wandered the sparse room idly. He could hear sounds of anger from upstairs. Suddenly, Mina appeared, pleading. He couldn't make out the words, but he knew she was upset. Without thinking, he took the stairs quickly to find the source of her distress. An irate woman stared at him.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"My name is Matteo Luccese. I was assigned to escort Mina home to inform you of Bunny's accident."
The woman froze at his family name. She curtsied to him. "I see. Well, thank you for your courtesy."
He inclined his head. "My pleasure, madame." Then he looked at Mina, "I really must be getting back."
"I'll go with you."
"Just a moment, young lady. You tell the girls that I am very displeased."
Mina nodded and took her leave, following Matteo. "I'm sorry for that."
"No need." Matteo replied, this time insisting on helping her into the gondola. "At least she cares."
Mina looked at him oddly, but they rode on in silence.
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Darien carried Bunny to his chambers, the only place he felt certain would not be intruded upon. He laid her on his huge bed, which Raye was staring at in shock. Jerome was trying vainly to push her through the door. Unfortunately for Raye, the lavishness of the room had thoroughly overwhelmed her. Finally, he abandoned all courtesy as he heard Darien's father approaching and lifted Raye into the air. Furious, she began to splutter, but he merely clamped a hand over her mouth. Darien's father knocked upon his son's door.
Darien groaned, and pulling the door to his bedchamber mostly closed, he went into the sitting room and opened his main door. "Yes, Father?"
Signore Mancuso cleared his throat. "Just wondering if you plan to join us for dinner?"
Darien groaned inwardly. "No, Father. The guys and I plan to have a rather full evening planned." He gave him one of those "you-know" smiles. Signore Mancuso merely nodded, amusement in his eye and walked away. Darien closed the door and shook his head, re-entering his bedchamber.
Jerome released the furious woman, who turned on him with the fury of ten nuns. He held up his hands. "Would you rather have been seen by Darien's father?"
The fight went right out of her suddenly, but not because of Jerome's comments. No, it was Lita's moan from across the room that drew her attention and she rushed over, pushing the hapless Netheniel from her. Both Jerome and Netheniel bent over Lita as she whimpered. Raye murmured soothing syllables softly as she stroked her brow with cool hands. They watched amazed, as the young girl seemed to become calm beneath her friend's ministrations.
Darien, however, was nothing but calm. This slip of a girl somehow made him feel fiercely protective. The need to help her burned his insides. All he could do however, was dab at the wound to staunch the bleeding. He found himself intently watching her pale face for signs of awakening. He glanced into the sitting room, relieved to notice that no one was watching him. He was sure his friends would stare in wonder at him, if not pack him off to the nuthouse immediately. He held one of her small hands in his and willed her to fight. It was as if some of his energy, his will was flowing into her.
Mere moments before the doctor entered the room, followed by Amy, Mina, Vincenzo and Matteo, Bunny stirred. She opened her impossibly blue eyes and stared up at him in confusion. A tiny frown marred her brow as she blinked to focus. Shock filled those gorgeous eyes as she recognized him, but in that instant, the doctor swooped in.
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The doctor looked at the men. Lita had been moved to the large bed as well and the three girls were gathered about the bed. Lita had come around and seemed to be better, especially now that Bunny was fully awake.
"The cut is not bad. Not bad at all." The doctor confided. "The blow to the head and her subsequent black-out were serious, but she should recover just fine. Her head may ache for a day or two, but unless she has any other fainting spells, I think she'll be just fine." Darien nodded and paid the doctor.
The man left, taking the gondola the girls had used to come here. The five men circled up, discussing things.
"The state of the house they live in is disgusting! They are very poor." Matteo confided.
Vincenzo nodded. "The girls are orphans as near as I can tell. They're damn lucky, that's what. At least someone took them in."
Matteo agreed and both men quickly shared what they had learned with the other three. Each seemed affected by the stories.
Meanwhile, in the bedroom, the five girls were discussing the trouble they were in.
"Mother Petrucho is furious with us for sneaking out." Mina reported. Bunny only sighed. Amy frowned and Lita groaned.
"Well," Raye justified, "we needed to get out, to think. And besides, I've made my decision."
"You have?" Bunny asked incredulous.
Raye nodded, her eyes sparkling. Bunny looked at her first, then at Mina, who seemed to be shining oddly. Amy and Lita also were smiling and blushing. "I'm gonna do it." Raye announced.
The other three chorused the same. Bunny looked down at the sheet she was twisting in her hands. She had to admit that courtesans knew luxuries she'd only dreamed of and lived lives of more freedom than wives did. But still, she didn't like the idea of giving herself to someone she didn't love. But that was months away, she rationalized. After all, training would take at least through the fall. Maybe by then, the idea wouldn't repel her so. She looked up at the girls, knowing they wanted her to go with them, to experience the same things. And it was this or the convent. She forced a smile of her own and added her own agreement, praying she was making the right choice. But was there a right choice? She could be a whore and earn money to help Mother Petrucho, who had given her so much. She could abandon Mother Petrucho and her friends, and live a miserable life in a convent. Or she could become practically a slave, working from dawn til dusk for barely enough to eat, forever hungry, forever easy prey. What else would Venice let her be?
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Note: To be continued!