Chapter Four: A World Of Hurt

After Luciano went back to see Arianna, Rodolfo pulled Nick aside. Georgia took Tom out of the room so that Nick and Rodolfo could talk. Presently, Georgia faced Tom. " So what's your talisman?" Georgia was curious.

"What do you mean 'talisman'? I'm dreaming right?" Tom hadn't believed what everyone had tried to tell him. He thought he must have been dreaming. Suddenly, Georgia reached out and pinched him.

"Ow! What was that for?" Tom rubbed the spot Georgia had pinched.

"If you were dreaming you wouldn't have been able to feel that. Your talisman is the object that brought you here. Mine is a horse, Nick's is a ram, and Luciano's was a notebook. So what's yours?" Tom took the folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her. Georgia looked at it, shocked. On the paper was the image of a beautiful young woman about the age of seventeen. She had red and white streaks in her hair. Georgia saw the look of anticipation in Tom's eyes.

"You've seen this picture before haven't you?" Tom questioned Georgia. She explained about Guidetta and how this was supposed to be her talisman. Georgia had just finished explaining this when Nick walked out. He looked pale, and somewhat alarmed. Nick looked at Tom and told him to go and talk to Rodolfo. Tom left the two alone.

Georgia watched as Nick sat down, his back to Georgia. "My brother has a child, a son. His name…his name is Falco di Chimici." Georgia saw the tears well up in Nick's eyes.

Georgia saw the tears well up in Nick's eyes. She listened to him and heard the voice that had so often calmed her.

Soon, it had started to get darker. "We should probably go soon. It's starting to get dark and you need to fly Merla back." The two started back up to the room where Tom, Sky, Rodolfo and Dr. Dethridge were. Tom sat on the bed, mystified. Luciano soon returned, with Arianna by his side. Arianna greeted Georgia. Georgia noticed, once again, that Arianna's violet eyes seemed to see through her.

"I hope we can be friends, Georgia. I know about how you used to feel about Luciano but I hope that won't come between us."

Arianna seemed to know that Georgia was thinking about Nicholas. Arianna gestured towards Nick. "He'll need you, now especially. Georgia, Nick is hurting even though he doesn't show it."

Arianna turned to Nick. "I think you two need to talk to each other. Don't throw away a wonderful, meaningful relationship for two people who don't mean that much to you. I know how you two feel about each other. You two mean a lot to each other. Don't let that love slip away. Luciano and I almost did twice, when Gaetano proposed and when Duke Niccolò proposed." When the words were spoken, Arianna looked towards Nick and saw the hurt in his eyes.

Luciano walked the four stravaganti out to the stables. Before she got on Merla's back, Nick grabbed Georgia by the hand and pulled her close. Suddenly, she felt his lip press against hers. The embrace brought back a flood of memories. Georgia was overcome by a feeling of …what was it she was feeling? She thought it was relief, or joy. Maybe it was a combination of the two.

Georgia climbed up on Merla's back and told Nick to meet her there the next night.