Chapter 4 of The Dreaming.
Why thank you so much for the wonderful reviews and recently one person messaged me personally if I have been reading any English Literature.
Of course, I have read Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte. But the books I love the most are Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
I am a bit of a classics girl :)
I hope you love this chapter my little Dreamers, Mwah!
Canto IV
There was a constant noise moving about in his house. Familiar voices echoed in his skull till he heard the gates shutting close, as if a strong wind blew at it. Ezio, the second eldest son of the House of Auditore, awoke to the loud crash. His red ribbon loosened, allowing his long hair to flow freely over his shoulders. He turned to his window, seeing a servant from the house of Pazzi turning into the corner of a nearby street. Why were they here? They were fools to come here at such an early hour! His father or probably Federico had driven them away.
He sat by the side of his bed, his head was throbbing, and his muscles were sore from running and fighting. Ezio grabbed his chemise shirt, too exhausted to even wear his doublet today. He slipped his belt through the loops of his pants and buckled it neatly. The skies continued to be gray outside and patches of melted snow and rain have scattered all over the lanes. Ezio picked up his ribbon and tied his hair into its usual tail. He ambled out of his chambers, surprised to see Annetta walking towards the staircase carrying a tray of unfinished milk and a plate of biscotti.
"Annetta," he called out. The maidservant stopped and turned to look at her master. "Yes Ser Ezio? What might you need?" she inquired him ceremoniously. "Oh, I just wish to know if Mamma had any visitants today. I can see that she has chosen her homemade biscuits," said Ezio. The family's servant nodded civilly, "Yes Ser Ezio, she did. But it had been Ser Federico's guest, a lovely maiden from the Pazzi, she seemed too quiet for her age though, what shame." Had Federico gone mad? A maiden from the House of Pazzi, he could no longer thought of another reason why the servants came to their household.
"Grazie, you may carry on." Annetta curtsied informally and descended down the stairs, vanishing right after moving into the kitchens. Ezio hurried below too, his stomach was begging for nourishment, and he had neglected breakfast that morning. Those Vespucci guards may be idiots, but they were swift runners nonetheless. He stepped into the dining hall, not surprised to see his older brother lounging on a high chair nearby. Federico had placed his feet on the table, a position that their mother detested. He glanced up from the book he was reading to see his younger brother at the archway, slightly exhausted from his late-night duties. Federico closed his book and removed his feet from the tabletop. Ezio hailed him a good morrow despite witnessing the departure of his enemies, he took an apple from a bowl and sat across his brother.
"Annetta tells me you had a guest," Ezio said, biting deeply into his fruit. Federico simply nods, a smile gracing his face. "And she says that this guest of yours is from the House of Pazzi." Again, Federico nods, the smile never wavering. He appeared to be happy for something, as if he had drank twenty bottles of wine without spilling a single drop on the white sheets; Ezio hated that one livid memory.
He had no knowledge of what had occurred that early morning, he did not know that a young girl by the name of Serafina had slipped and sprained her ankle, and he did not know how frantic her brother was when he saw her injured. Vieri had almost threatened to slit Federico's throat, if not for the cries of his sister to elude any more encounters. His enemy had been defeated by his own sister and he had not seen it all. Ezio finished his apple in a hurry and threw the core at the table shambolically; it landed right near Federico's book.
"You have no idea how difficult it was for me to flirt with one of their maidens before." Ezio said, "Every day one servant would come up to me and instigate a brawl. I would defeat him easily, naturalmente, then return for more flirtations with the youngest member." Federico raised a thick brow at his brother, he was possibly speaking about Viola de' Pazzi, that poor girl was said to have gone off to Rome with heavy tears.
"Ezio, I am sure any man would love to hear your share of conquests but I would like to know if there has been any Serafina added in your list," Federico said, waiting patiently for a reply from his younger brother. Ezio glanced up at the ceiling, as if the answers were written amidst the motifs, then he shook his head. His older brother's smile grew wider and Ezio overpoweringly began to perspire.
Serafina fiddled with the gold lining on her brother's doublet. They were quiet as they walked back home, presumably in her case, carried back home. She rested her head against his chest, wanting more of his warmth more than anything, for she needed it to comfort her, she was definitely afraid to face her father as soon as they return. The servants opened the gates to allow the two inside. It was Jacopo who ran up to them hastily, angrily asking Vieri questions as to what had happened. He checked her bruise and turned to Francesco.
Their father held a very dark look in his eyes, as if he had seen death standing beside him, Serafina had the sudden refusal to let go of her brother and Vieri felt it too. Jacopo rebuked his nephew, telling him how much of an irresponsible father he was, and how he cannot control his children to behave. The old man then glared at Vieri and yelled at him to put Serafina in her room. She was to have no meals, her doors and windows securely locked, and no visitors from outside. The young girl faintly furrowed her brows, no visitors, he said, she had no friends in the first place. She was too plain. A young lady raised to do whatever her family wants her to do. There had been no room for feelings anymore, no hope for her to ever smile naturally again.
Vieri followed his grand-uncle's orders and went to lock Serafina into her room. He placed her on the bed and Ursula instantly moved to her side, consoling her in the best way she could. Her brother walked over to the doors and told the maid to step out. Ursula hesitated, she did not want to leave the poor child in the room all alone. Vieri's voice became harsher as she as told once more to leave the bedchambers. Her hands left Serafina's shoulders and she turned away from her. Serafina just sat there, silent and reserved, and she did not even flinch when the doors closed inhospitably. She breathed in slowly, feeling her shoulders shiver regardless of the warmness of her room, and felt the salty tears roll down her face. Serafina laid quietly on her bed of silk and fur, she watched the world live on outside her glass window. The candles have melted into a pool of wax till its flame was consumed by the bitter cold.
Night had befallen on the city of Florence, the weather was now incredibly icy, and the fires easily die out. The door of Serafina's bedchamber opened slowly, she was asleep, still wearing her pink gown. Francesco walked inside soundlessly, holding a small oil lamp in his hand. Ursula trailed behind him, carrying a tray of food and white wine. He placed the lamp on the bedside table, giving him a little illumination to see his slumbering child on her bed. She was like Ersilia when she had died, pale and yet outright beautiful even in her grave. Serafina slept in the same position as she had been, hands neatly placed on top of her stomach, fingers threaded, and steadily breathing. Francesco removed his gloves and dithered, would a father be able to touch his daughter's face after what he had done to her for the past thirteen years? If only Ersilia or maybe even Alba were alive, they would know, they would know everything, what it was like to share familial love even to the ones you are not related to.
As he bent down, he noticed something peculiar about Serafina. Her breathing was steady hitherto her chest was heaving worryingly, her cheeks were flushed, and her brows twitched in slight frustration. Francesco placed his hand on her forehead and was shaken to find out how high her temperature was. He turned to Ursula and told her to go find the family doctor immediately. The maidservant complied, leaving the tray on Serafina's writing desk, before running out of the chamber in search of their quickest courier. Francesco quickly raised Serafina off her pillows to place her against his chest, he wrapped his dark cape around her shivering form, praying that it was enough to keep her from quivering, and he felt her hot breath against his neck.
"Mamma…" Serafina whispered. She opened her eyes; they searched for something in the dark. Mamma, she said one more time. Is this the reason why Ersilia had been crying in his dreams? She was crying because he had been in irresponsible father? If so, then he quietly told himself that he would do better, that he will give Serafina the attention she deserves. He had seen how Ersilia treated her as if she was one of her own. The girl could dance and sing, but what she loved the most was reading. She always carried a book with one hand, while the other latched onto Ersilia's gown. They read together in the family room on Sundays and they read together before going to sleep. When Serafina was young, she had tried to run up to him, to ask for an embrace and a kiss. He held out his hands, not to meet with hers, but to stop her. He would tell her he was too busy with work, that he does not have the time to play. How wrong he had been.
The dottore, Signore Carlos, rushed into the room with his two assistants. He instructed everyone to stay outside while he examined his patient. Francesco was ushered out of the room, the doors behind him closed audibly, and he could do nothing but press his temple against the wooden hindrance. Vieri appeared in the corridor, with a few servants holding oil lamps of their own. He queried, what has occurred? Why were the servants saying something awful has happened? Francesco stayed silent and waited.
When Serafina awoke the next morning, she found Ursula wrapping new bandages around her damaged ankle. The table adjacent to her was packed of steaming hot food, fit for monarchs. Her stomach groused, she had not eaten anything since yesterday, and now she just feels dreadful, she could not even move appropriately. Ursula patted her leg smoothly and smiled upon seeing her young maiden awake. She asked her of the occasions prior to her breakdown; the maidservant told her she had a fever. It was not threatening, just a fever, that is all. Ursula inquired her if she wanted to eat and she promptly nodded.
The maid helped her to sit while another servant fetched the food for her. Ursula placed a thick pad on Serafina's lap then gave her the bowl of clams and white wine soup. Serafina stared at her reflection on the consommé, she recalled Federico for some reason, as well as Maria, Claudia, and Petruccio. She did not know why they suddenly came into her mind as she sipped her soup. It went down her dry throat and she nearly coughed it back out. Ursula took the bowl away and stroke her maiden's back and shoulders.
"Why have you fallen ill my lady?" she inquired her. "I do not know Ursula," Serafina replied after clearing her chest of any matter. "Disease can come and go as they please; perhaps it is because I had experienced something I ought not to, my body could not have controlled such overwhelming sensation." She asked for the soup again and Ursula conformed.
"And what might be that sensation signorina?" Serafina paused, her slender fingers held on to the cold spoon in her grasp while her gaze fell to the roaring fireplace across her bed. "The love of family and of friends, it is what I have seen and experienced while I was at the Palazzo Auditore, they love each other greatly as much as any other family." Ursula made a sincere smile and stooped to kiss the top of Serafina's head. She advised her to finish the meal set for her, and finally told her to drink the medicine the good doctor had left behind.
Serafina had her long hair released from its confinements; it flowed down the edge of her bed like a running spring. She had finished her soup and moved on to another meal. It was her favorite, young tender oven-roasted chicken. Ursula sliced some of it into small pieces for her to swallow easily. She was then given a glass of boiled milk to drink. Once her stomach was full, she declined anymore meals. Her maid kindly fetched the medicine and spoon. The streets were bustling with people and mule-pulled carts, a few small birds found a temporary place to rest on the window sills and they eventually flew away.
Il Duomo rang its bell to signify the time, it will be the middle of day soon, and she had slept for so long. Serafina rested her head on the downy pillows, a servant, Amelia was her name, was gathering the used dishes into a large bucket. She had scruffy locks of hair tied to several knots on her head, her brows were thick as her brother's, and her hands resembled those of an old woman even though she was two years older than Serafina. The doors and windows were fully opened to allow fresh air inside the chamber; some say it was not advisable due to the strange illness she had contracted. Vieri appeared at the doorway, with dagger and sword close to his hip, he removed his hat and placed it in the care of his servant. He might as well be at least formal to her. He greeted her a good morrow and beheld her pale face. She remained plain and stoic like she always had been.
He smiled, which she did not return. "How goes my little sister?" said he. Serafina gazed blankly at the corner of her room then returned to her brother. "I am fine at this moment; forgive me if I have been a burden to you all," she replied. Ursula returned with her medicine and she grimaced at the very smell of it. Her maidservant scolded her, telling her to do what the doctor advised. Vieri chuckled at the sight of her face after taking the outlandish dark liquid.
"Your sickness was too sudden my dear sister. Tell me, did the Auditore feed you anything?" Vieri questioned her. It was then that she glared at him, "And why would such kind people try to harm me after I have been treated with so much respect and care?" said she. Her brother looked down at her, gloved hands twitching upon the hilt of his dagger. He was not afraid to do any bodily harm on her, which is what she knew. He had came in once, drunk, their father was away on business, and he had almost plunged a dagger right into her face. Luckily, there had been a few servants who were strong enough to pull him away just before he could kill her, intentionally or accidentally.
"I merely want to know, did they feed you something? Anything that could have gotte you ill?" he queried again. She looked at him, still wondering what had changed her brother so immensely that it was soon terrifying her too. "Nothing fratello, they gave me nothing else. They treated my wound that is all." Vieri observed her, hoping to find even one bit of a lie on her pretty face, but there was none, she was too apathetic to be read.
He let out a low grunt then gently pats her injured ankle. "Get well then Serafina, who knows, maybe this will be a great turn of events for you." Vieri stood, saying a very swift farewell before leaving the room. She sat there quietly and finally told Ursula to retrieve her books.