Chapter 7

(Pov: Peter)

As my sisters, Emilia's brothers and I walk out to the gardens, I am able to hear laughter coming from the direction we are walking to.

"Hey, that is not fair. You threw a branch at me. How am I supposed to run when I get things thrown my way. That branch could have killed me!" That was Edmund but what is he doing down here? And who is he talking to?

"Ha, as if. That tiny little branch could not even have hurt a fly. You are just searching excuses for your miserable catching skills." Was that Emilia? What catching skills? I need to find out what is going on and that fast.

"My miserable catching skills? Are you kidding me? I am a champion in this game. How dare you insult my awesome catching skills?" After that I can hear more laughing coming from Emilia. I don't know why but the thought of Edmund making Emilia laugh arouses a weird feeling in my stomach. Am I jealous? Of Edmund? Impossible.

"Yeah right. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

We are almost there. Just a few more steps and we will arrive in the gardens. Suddenly I hear a surprised scream, followed by Edmund's booming laugh.

"I told you that I was going to get you. Once a champion, always a champion. What is my price?"

Finally we are there and I am able to see what exactly is going on in the gardens. I can see Edmund and Emilia standing in front of a rather old looking tree, surrounded by beautiful roses. Edmund has both of his arms wrapped around Emilia and Emilia has hers wrapped around his neck.

"I don't know. I wasn't aware of the fact that you would get a price for winning. What do you have in mind?" Looking away from them for a short moment, I am able to see the others looking at Edmund and Emilia with glee in their eyes. Right now the only thing I can think of is how close my brother and Emilia are standing to each other and how well they seem to get along. They seem so comfortable around each other that it makes me sick to my stomach.

"Hm… I would have quite a few things in mind." Edmund responds and leans down ready to close the distance between him and Emilia. Ok, this is enough. I won't let that happen in front of my eyes. I take a step closer to them and clear my throat. They jerk away from each other and start to blush.

"May I ask, what exactly you guys are doing down here?" I look at them with a bewildered expression on my face.

"Oh you know we just walked a bit through the gardens and after some time I made Edmund catch me. That's it, nothing more to it, nothing less." Emilia looks at me with innocent eyes and I start to forget why exactly we are here in the first place. Her eyes are just so hypnotizing, so gorgeous. I can't even describe them with words.

"Well, if that is settled then. We should go now, otherwise the market will be closed when we arrive there." Antonio interrupts my thoughts about Emilia.

"Right, we should go. I totally forgot the time" With that being said, Emilia walks past me and enters one of the awaiting carriages. Maybe I am lucky enough to catch a ride with her. With that thought in my mind I walk over to the carriage Emilia is sitting in and ask for permission to join her.

"Of course Peter. We haven't got the time to catch up yet. It's been quite a while since we've talked to each other." She smiles at me and I sit down opposite to her.

"So do tell me how life has been since I last saw you!"

"Truth be told nothing too exciting has happened. The last few weeks have been filled with one ball after another. It was rather exhausting if you ask me but I still do enjoy them. I was rather surprised when I got the letter from your father though. The last time I saw him he was rather annoyed with my presence."

"I was rather surprised myself when father told me that visitors would come. He hasn't been so joyful for a long time Peter. The father I once had is slowly starting to show again and I am so thankful for that. It was so hard to see him, to look him in the eyes because that showed me that I did not only lose my mother but also my father. It made me second-guess myself and it made me doubt hope."

She looks at me with sad eyes when she tells me this but I can also see happiness in them. Happiness because of her father's change.

"It may take him a while but I am 100 percent sure that your father will become himself again. He will be the father that he used to be … And you know why I am so sure of that? Because his very strong and brave daughter is sitting in front of me and she did not give up either. She fought and stayed strong and now, look at you… Your mother would be so proud of you if she was still here."

As I say this, I see tears running down her cheeks. I want to embrace her so badly right now but I don't think that that would be appropriate.

"Thank you Peter . What you just said means a lot to me."

For the rest of the ride, it was silent in our carriage. No words were spoken and none were needed.

(Pov: Edmund)

That idiot! He totally did that on purpose. I wanted to join Emilia in her carriage but Peter had to ruin my plan. He is probably just jealous because Emilia and I get along so well. Well, bad for him, not everyone can be as awesome as me. I know that I should not think like this about my brother but it just makes me so angry… Fortunately we will arrive at the market in half an hour and then I will be able to talk to her again.

"What is up with you? You look ready to murder someone." Antonio is sitting in front of me with a questioning look on his face.

"Oh just forget it, it's nothing."

"Sure whatever you say." For a moment it seems like he wants to say something else but he quickly closes his mouth again.

"Just say it. I am not going to bite."

"I just…I wanted to…What is going on between you and my sister? When we arrived in the gardens you two looked pretty cozy."

"There is nothing going on between us. We just enjoy each others' company. Emilia is just a good friend to me, don't worry." I can feel the heat on my cheeks rising.

"If you say so. Just let me tell you that she's been through a lot. I did not see her smile or hear her laugh like this since our mother died. You make her happy and if she is happy then I am happy. And please don't even think about denying it. Even a fool could see the looks you two give each other when you guys think that the other one isn't watching."

"No really. There is nothing going on except friendship."

"Yeah whatever. Keep telling that yourself. Just don't be mad about her taking off with your darling brother because he got the guts to tell her how he feels before you."

"You also think that my brother fancies her?"

"I do not just think that, I know that. He is pretty obvious about it. I just don't think that he's the guy my sister is looking for."

Wow, so I am not the only one who noticed my bother's behaviour towards Emilia. But why does that make me so angry? Is Antonio right and I like her more then I want to admit? I really need to figure things out before realization hits in too late…

(Pov: Antonio)

Who is he trying to kid. Even Sandro noticed the way Emilia and Edmund react towards each other. This moment in the gardens today, is only the proof to our suspicions. Sadly both, Emilia and Edmund, are too blind to see what is standing in front of them. Maybe they just need a little push in the ride direction… and I know someone that would gladly assist me.