To Italy, to Italy, andiamo (That means 'we go')

Chapter 9

The children were buzzing with excitement. In a few hours, they were heading to one of the two most esteemed spell houses in Caprona, nay, in Italy. They were all in the playroom, discussing if they'd remembered to bring everything, and if Mr and Mrs Montana would mind the Goddess coming along, and (Julia and Janet) if Tonino would still be quite as handsome as he was last year. The door opened. Millie walked in. "Kitty." She said quietly. "Can I speak to you for a minute?"

"Huh? Umm…sure, yeah." The Goddess replied. She stood up and followed Millie glancing back at the others, who were looking just as mystified as she was.

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They were in a room that wasn't even used anymore. Millie looked at the Goddess. "Kitty, love, is there anything you haven't told us?" she asked frankly.

"Err…no, no there isn't." The Goddess replied warily.

"Nothing at all?"

"No."

Millie sighed. "Kitty, oblige me and show me the sole of your right foot."

The Goddess tensed. "Why?" she wanted to know.

Millie just looked at her.

The Goddess slowly took off her shoe and lifted her leg briefly to show the birthmark. She stared at the floor the whole time.

"You hated your life at the temple. It was so boring, and then one day…one day a strange boy came along, strange but nice, and not too bad looking either. You thought to yourself 'He's the one who's going to get me out of here!' But he never did. It's nearly your birthday, and the boy comes again. You talk, he leaves, and you follow him back into his world. You insist you are named after the character in your favourite book so that his – and later your – guardian never finds out who you are. Is that about right?" Millie asked kindly

The Goddess looked up, surprised. "How…how did you know all of that?" she demanded.

Millie surveyed her for a few moments, and then seemed to decide she could be trusted. Millie said four words then, just four, with amazing power behind them, and not the magical kind.

"Been there, done that."

Now the Goddess was really surprised. "You-?!" she asked incredulously, and then suddenly found she was not so surprised. She remembered the first day she'd met Millie, that strange feeling…"Does Chre-your husband know?" she asked, looking downwards again.

"About me? I certainly hope so."

The Goddess laughed. "No! About me!"

Millie said, "No, I don't think he does. Tell you what. You keep my secret from Julia and the others, and I'll keep yours from Christopher. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Alright." Millie said. "Now hurry along to the playroom, I'm sure Julia and Janet are both dying to discuss Tonino's big brother Paolo with you."

The Goddess nodded and went to the door. She turned back for a second hesitantly. "Thanks." She said, and then closed the door behind her.

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"Well, this is more like it!" The Goddess exclaimed outside Casa Montana. "Warm, beautiful...and the boys are considerably more attractive." She added as a young boy about Cat's age approached them.

"Hey!" Cat and Rodger both said indignantly.

"Tonino!" Janet and Julia both exclaimed, taking turns to hug him.

"Julia, Janet! Ciao!" Tonino replied, smiling. "And Cat and Rodger too! And you must be…Kitty, no? You are very pretty."

The Goddess blushed and the two other girls giggled. Rodger snorted and Cat looked rather irritated.

"Tonino. Come siete?" Chrestomanci asked, finally catching up with the children along with his wife and Conrad.

"Benissimo, ringraziamenti!" Tonino replied. "And you?"

"Sono molto bene. Ciò è la mia moglie, Millie e questo è Conrad" Chrestomanci replied, introducing his wife and Conrad.

"Could you please stop that? We all know you're fantastic, but some of us can't speak Italian, Chrestomanci." The Goddess demanded in her usual blunt way.

The others all laughed.

Chrestomanci blinked. "Chiedo scusa, Kitty."

The Goddess glared at him.

"Won't you come inside?" Tonino asked.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea." Millie agreed.

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"Wait here." Tonino said, leading the group into a large lounge room. Before he left, a cat came trotting into the room curiously. Julia put out a hand, but it ignored it. It headed straight for the Goddess, curious about her. It let her stoke it, and Tonino paused.

"What's wrong, Tonino?" Julia asked, rather .put off by being shunned by a cat.

"Benvenuto never allows anyone but me to pet him." Tonino said incredulously.

"Don't worry about it. Kitty has a way with cats. They all seem to be attracted to her."

Cat glared at her and the Goddess blushed.

Benvenuto didn't like this, and trotted back out again.

Millie seemed to find this rather funny and laughed from her seat.

Tonino smiled. "Alright. I will go and get my mother now."

Ten minutes later, Tonino returned with a pretty blonde woman in tow.

"Conrad!" she exclaimed, running to him.

"'lo, Lizzie!" Conrad grinned, standing up so she could hug him. "Can I ask you a question? Did you like me back in the Castle?"

Millie sighed, but couldn't help laughing.

Chrestomanci raised an eyebrow.

"Of course I liked you, Conrad, until Antonio came along." Elizabeth replied. "Who wouldn't, when the only others I had to choose from were Jason and Bernard. And him!" she laughed, pointing at Chrestomanci in the corner.

"Nice to see you too, Elizabeth." Chrestomanci replied irritably.

"Oh, I love you really." Elizabeth replied, wiping her eyes. "And Millie, how are you doing?" she asked, letting go of Conrad and going over to Millie instead.

The two women hugged. "I'm alright. You?"

"Well, I can't get any sleep thanks to Susana, but that aside I'm fine."

"Oh good Lord." Millie moaned.

"What is it, Mummy?" Julia asked.

"Eh…just thought I'd be catching up on my sleep here, that's all." Millie replied quickly.

Tonino was looking irritated with all the English that was going on so fast around him, so none of the five children had time to question Millie on this any further as Tonino took them to meet Paolo. He was outside, with two girls about the same ages as Tonino and Paolo.

"This is my brother, Paolo and these are Renata and Angelica Petrocchi from the Casa Pettrochi. Angelica, Renata, Paolo, these are Cat, Julia, Janet and Rodger and their friend Kitty." Tonino said.

"Pleased to meet you." Angelica replied, smiling shyly at Cat, and it was the Goddess' turn to look annoyed.

Rodger looked equally irritated when Paolo winked at Janet.

Julia just laughed at the whole lot of them.

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Later, they all went inside for dinner. It was packed; there were Petrocchis and Montanas alike. (Although, more Montanas obviously). Near the end of the table sat Rosa and Marco with a small baby, who they assumed was Susana. They all ate for a while, and it was delicious. Suddenly, there was a strong feeling, a sort of rush and the spaghetti they were eating turned into macaroni.

"What's going on?" mixed with calls of "Che cosa sta accendendo?!" (Which means the same thing.) Conrad, Chrestomanci and Millie all looked at each other in alarm.

Everyone headed for the doors. Suddenly, Chrestomanci stood up. "Stop! Arresto!" he called.

He wasn't very loud, but everyone heard him and slowed to a halt, turning around to face him. He was standing on a chair to let them all hear. "No one go outside!"

"Why not?" demanded Marco, standing beside his wife who was holding Susana, who was screaming.

"Can't the children go outside?" A Petrocchi woman asked. Everyone started muttering between themselves, and it was obvious noone was listening to Chrestomanci anymore.

"Oi! YOU LOT!" Cat yelled, and even those who didn't understand what he was saying looked around. Chrestomanci looked at him in surprise, but he kept on." No one an go out, especially not the children. Not if you want to keep them."

Everyone looked frightened by this teenager saying such ominous things. Slowly, they all milled around to find a seat again.

"Well done, Cat." Chrestomanci muttered.

Cat shrugged. "All it means is you have to explain to me later." He replied.

Not my best chapter, but there you have it. Review?