Chapter 4
1861- Veritas estate.
"... Come on stand together... Yes that's it, Marina sweetie, you stands in the middle... Very good. Now hold it!" Their father, Giuseppe gushed as he huddled his children together for the photograph. He wanted to treasure this day- they day of his daughter's eighteenth birthday and majority ball where she came out into society. Marina counted to fifty in her head as she stood with her arms around Stefan and Damon.
"Perfect!" Her father cried two minutes later, the photograph taken and It was a good job too, her cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling for so long. She rubbed her cheeks gently attempting to restore feeling in them when her young brother Stefan turned to her, his hand outstretched. A wrapped gift no bigger than a snuff box lay flat in his palm.
"What's this, Steffie?" She asked using her nickname for him.
"Happy birthday." Stefan answered, his voice mid pitched- he was at that stage when his voice was changing- and held it out once more encouraging her to take it. She did so and opened the box to reveal a single large, teardrop shaped, gemstone set into a sterling silver pendant. It was a very bright blue.
"Steffie, this is beautiful... What sort of gem is it?"
"Turkey-wise." Stefan sounded out the long, complicated word the jeweller had told him, when he'd gone into the big city with Damon in search of birthday gifts for their sister. He had blown all of his savings on it for her and a stone that size had not come cheap. Marina looked at him confused and then worked out what he had meant.
"Oh! Turquoise. Well, Steffie is beautiful. Thank you." She hugged her little brother close, so his head was in her stomach and kissed the top of his head.
"I said Turkey-wise. I thought I would look nice against the dark blue of your gown you had made up when we visited the big city together." Steffie explained.
"It will and do you know what else?" Steffie looked at her with wide eyes. "It is the only piece of jewellery I will wear for the rest of my life. It's wonderful and you are my favourite." She teased before she tickled him and the chased each other to the house, a long way behind Damon and their father.
She had kept her promised- she had worn that necklace everyday until the day she died. She even insisted on being buried in it. Even when she knew she wasn't going to die at all.