《Seabound》Chapter 4. True friend Pulcino
Advertisement
"Here we go." I shrugged indifferently and sat down on the chest, trying to unfasten my veil.
"I really don't know what you mean, auntie. Has the sun gone to your head?"
Her trembling finger, all covered with old brown spots, suddenly appeared in front of my nose.
"You're not Julia. She was as spoiled and naughty as her mother! Oh, I remember her engagement ceremony very well! That mad girl tore off her dress and screamed that Ricardo could drag her to the young Count just like that!"
I couldn't help but smile. That's my Julia!
"I had plenty of time to think about it at the convent. I've changed, auntie."
"You could trick that stupid boy but don't even think of tricking me! A man could make the Brent turn back than change that hot temper of hers. Did Ricardo find you? Are you colluding? Where's Julia?"
I raised my voice.
"You've gone too far, auntie. I'm not a little girl anymore, and I'm not going to listen to this nonsense! Now I ask you to leave. I need to stay alone and pray. And I promise I'll pray for your disturbed mind as well."
The words completely escape my aunt. He cheeks blushed bright red as she turned her back and slammed the door. I heard the lock clack. If you wish it, auntie. I'd feel even more at ease. Didn't want anyone to disturb me in the next few hours. I didn't worry about my pray rest, though. In fact, I wasn't going to pray at all. But my magic needed a great deal of concentration.
I made sure that the door was really locked and no one was peeping through the keyhole. Then I returned to my place on the clothes chest, closed my eyes and tried to distinguish a distant husky voice of Pulchino in my head. Little by little I could see the stone quay, green water and white splashes of seagulls over the waves.
Advertisement
That was what we called chiamata − a link, a connection, to be precise. Not everyone possessed this gift – extremely dangerous yet really honorable power. Many noble families sent their daughters to a convent in the hope that the fasting and prayers would inspire the ability to feel. For some reason, young girls were more likely to have it. That gift had nothing to do neither with mannaro, who could take any shape they wanted, nor with the turnskin, who lose themselves every time the moon turned into a perfect circle.
My body was still in the room but in my mind I could fly over the whole city with my feathery friend as if I could borrow its seagull-eye and quick wings.
Thanks to Pulcino, I were able to see the places I couldn't even dream about: magnificent sunsets over the ocean, secluded aquamarine-blue lagoons and scattered beads of the islands from high up in the sky. Before Julia came to the convent, Pulcino was my only friend. We'd never been apart since the day I found a frail little bird on the dock. And I would never let anyone restrict his freedom.
"Let's not dwell on the past, shall we?"
Pulchino's mocking voice plucked me from a dark stuffy room into a deep-blue sky. His wings carried me along the canal past Argento and on to signor Granacci's house. As I circled the tiled roof, I saw Ricardo standing with that man-with-a-scar on the spiral staircase that led to the patio. They were both arguing. About what, I wonder?
"Do you want to kill two birds with one stone?" Pulchino asked with a bit of sarcasm – which he has learnt from his sharp-tongued human sister. Well, he was right. Now it was more important to follow the Count. Luckily, he was about to get into their huge gilded gondola. Enrique was gesticulating by his side. Both looked excited. Were they talking about me?
Advertisement
"Poor thing, she's changed a lot!" Enrique went on paying no attention to a seagull on the stern. "When we first met two years ago, she was full of hope and... life! You should have heard her laugh – she made the whole house fill with joy. The moment I saw her I realized that we were soul mates..."
"And that's why you proposed her the same day, right?"
"Yes, and I thought she was happy! But the next day she told me that we should never meet again and returned the ring. I had no idea what I did wrong. Really, it's easier to catch a cloud than to understand a woman!"
"Luckily for us, the nuns on Terra dei Miracolo set her straight."
Enrique shook his head.
"I'd say they sucked the life out of her. You can't expect anything else – I bet they don't even have a grass-blade in their gloomy yard. That was definitely a bad idea to send her there before a wedding."
"Nowise," don Asago grinned. "That was very sensible. Just wait a bit longer, my boy, and you'll appreciate the pleasure of having a quiet, submissive wife. Besides, the nuns had taught her something really useful. My men told me that Julia has a gift. Which is rare nowadays."
"I didn't choose my wife for her magical power," Enrique's voice broke.
"She has no value but that gift!" the Count raised his voice. "Don't think I'm interested in being related to that family, especially with that rascal Ricardo? But Julia's gift can make you the most respected person in the whole Venetta. For that I gave you my blessing so don't be silly!"
A sharp squall pierced the air just above their heads. High in the sky Enrique could see a sunlit silhouette of a seagull disappear among the clouds.
Advertisement
- In Serial22 Chapters
Draugr Cell //Layer 01-- Investiture:
With the end of the only war to ever reach mainland Australia I found myself living out of a small room in an old military compound that had been handed over to the jurisdiction of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The end of the war, unfortunately, didn't mean the end of hostilities. The terrorism trend that had started back in the early 2000's with the attack on the world trade center over in America, had spread to just about every country on the face of the planet. Over time the constant threat from various groups meant the civilian police force was quickly undermanned, under equipped, and overwhelmed. They were simply unable to respond to the daily threats in any reasonable time frame, and in many situations lacked the both the skills and equipment required to deal with the threats to put them down in a 'safe' and expedient manner. Veterans of the war that were being reintegrated into society however, were just about everywhere, all the time. We have the training and the skills required to deal with just about any threat you care to mention, all we needed was access to the equipment to do so. In a world first, under the new Veterans program, the Australian government had taken the rather controversial step of allowing specifically selected veterans to go armed in public. Sure, with Australian weapons laws being very, very strict there were a number of hurdles to get over first, but that's where the selection part comes in. Tangentially that's actually how I met Brianna, my current partner. We work as ringers in Victory City, I thought being thrown into imptomtu combat operations and risking my life on a daily basis for barely livable wages was excitement enough. Then I met her... it... I don't know. An AI unlike anything else out there has wedged itself into my life and decided it needs to... look after me. What could possibly go wrong? **** This is the first book I have released, and my first entry into a cyberpunk universe. There is minimal drug use, a fair amount of sex, a bit of gory violence, and a sultry AI that has decided the main character needs a harem.
8 170 - In Serial37 Chapters
Perpetual War
For thousands of years, the Primordial Towers stood with their secrets. The world looked on with curious eyes until the cracking of the first led to millions of deaths. The nations of the world fight to take control of the other Towers and use the power to rise above the pits of conflict, their actions causing the land to be engulfed by unspeakable horrors. After countless centuries none can remember the start nor see the end. The wisest souls have chosen death before birth, yet far more continue to grow up to enter the slaughter. Among this endless cycle stand four young souls set to enter the fray to end all wars: The sniper who fights for survival at the chance for freedom The captain that wants to fix the world to his image The ace pilot clinging to the azure sky And the mechanized driver eager for death Each of them connected through their powers as espers, fighting for separate nations trapped in Perpetual War. *** Expect an update every other week! If you want to see more stories from CardForge and learn more about this one then head over to the blog - https://cardforge.net/
8 207 - In Serial35 Chapters
White Rose - A Peter Pan Fanfiction
"Do you know what a white rose symbolizes?" Felix said, my eyes staring directly into Pan's. "No," I simply said, the clogs in my head pausing as I focused on the rose and his eyes. "Purity and innocence." Baffled, I pulled my gaze from Pan's and met Felix's. "And what's that supposed to mean?" I asked, a tad too harshly than I expected. Felix just chuckled, tapping my chest. "He sees you as the light in his world of darkness." --- Serena wakes up on the mysterious island of Neverland without any memories and is instantly drawn towards the devilish Peter Pan. With his heart of blackness and hers of light, will love find a way or will it be destroyed by fate? A Once Upon A Time love story between Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) and Serena, an OC character I've cherished for years but only now bringing to the public surface :) I hope you all enjoy this as much as I have loved writing it!!
8 172 - In Serial23 Chapters
Monstrous
A man wakes up in a world entirely unlike his own. One where the wildlife has taken a decidedly weirder evolutionairy path than he is accustomed to. Stumbling through his first moments in this monster filled world, he quickly comes to one conclusion: Something is very wrong with this situation. === The less pretentious version: The main character wakes up a monster, in a monstrous world where magical creatures roam the land killing and eating each other to increase their strength. Humans survive in this world by capturing and taming these creatures, using their magic for their own ends. Basically, he wakes up a pokemon. A very, very, weak, pokemon.
8 110 - In Serial76 Chapters
|Faceless| ~(Ranboo x OC)~
Dream asks his younger sister, Willow, to start streaming, and they finally agree. However, no one is allowed to know that she's Dream's sister.She eventually moves in with hey brother, Nick, and George. They're idiots, but they're like brothers to them.Ranboo one day asks Dream for some small streamers to collab with and Dream secretly gives him his sister's username. What will happen as Willow's channel grows and when the world finds out she's Dream's sister? Will Ranboo and Willow's collab just be a little something, or more?cover by @hmugogy ty **Updates are usually every 3-4 days, but it's pretty inconsistent lmao**1st book in the Skylit Universe ;)
8 103 - In Serial21 Chapters
Ruby • Woozi ✓
Everytime I look at you I keep turning red - JihoonWritten by - MintyStarted on - 4th January 2022Ended on - 8th January 2022Published on - 8th January 2022Wherein the colour red caught his eyes
8 127