“Which one?”
“Try to find out.”
He nodded and smiled. “You don’t remember any dream?” Now that I don’t need him to be happy, he is? “Not usually, but curiously I remember yesterday’s dream.” I moved toward Sunshine.
“What was it?” he called after me.
I turned. “Me and you running in a meadow with flowers,” I said, and his cheeks turned red. “See you.” I ran to join the others.
“You will drive him crazy,” Ritta said.
“He drives me crazy all the time. It’s his turn.” She laughed.
We took the ship to Italy, and Sunshine didn’t complain. There weren’t many people going to Italy, but I saw many coming to Spain. We passed our time talking and playing some card games. My mother played with us and also knitted. Midnight explored the ship but kept away from water.
When Italy’s shape began to show, we stood at the railing and watched. The ship left us in Rome, so we took the road to Bologna, which was not very far. My mother took the horse and we ran along with her; surprisingly, the horse could keep pace with us.
When we arrived in Bologna, my mother said, “It’s very beautiful and with a lot of green.”
“I told you that you would like it.” Ritta liked the color of the houses and mostly... everything.
I guided them toward Alicia’s house. I knocked and Alicia opened the door and hugged me. “Eva. I am so glad you came.”
“Hello, Alicia. I am glad too. You have grown a little since the last time I saw you.” She beamed and then I introduced my mother and Ritta. Alicia hugged them too. They were surprised, but they hugged her back, and we entered the house. “Your friend is very affectionate,” my mother said, “and very friendly.”
I laughed. “She reminded me a lot of Ritta.”
Alicia’s mother, as always, was happy to see me as was Alicia’s little brother who asked, “Where is Midnight?” I opened my bag and revealed Midnight who climbed out and sniffed everything and everyone. She meowed softly to let me know she recognized the place and the people.
My mother and Alicia’s mother became friends immediately. My mother spoke Italian fluently, and from what I gathered, they talked about cooking mostly and my mother thanked her for taking care of me.
“Ritta, can you fight too?” Alicia asked.
Ritta laughed. “We are companions in battle.”
“I want one too,” Alicia said. “How are things in Spain?”
“Well enough. Thank you for the help you sent with the merchants. It really helped.”
She smiled. “That was all Stefen’s doing. At first, he didn’t want to send help because he was helping Firenze—you know with the slaughter and all—but when he heard you asked for help, he sent help immediately. Why does he trust you so much?”
“I helped his wife give birth to the children.”
“You helped... oh. He owes you because the twins were born with your help,” Alicia beamed. “He owes you a favor.”
Ritta said, “I think he owes her forever since his wife is dead and she can’t do something to repay Eva for saving her children. No disrespect to anyone, but that’s how it goes.”
Alicia’s eyes widened. “Really? Wow.”
“How are the twins doing by the way? I haven’t seen them since their birth.”
“Just a moment,” Alicia said and left the room. She returned with some drawings. “That’s in a celebration after the war. Mama drew it, see?” She pointed at two children. “These are the twins. We can go later to Stefen’s shop. He will be glad to see you, and you can see them. They have grown up since you last saw them. They are seven.”
Seven whole years had passed already. “Did you know their mother too?”
“No, I know only what I have heard. Did she really have blue hair?”
“She did.” I smiled. “It was sea blue...”
“Oh. That’s unfair.” Alicia frowned. “I wish I could have seen it.”
“It was actually red, but she was born weak, and her father begged the Lady of the Lake to help her. That’s what she told me that day. Do the twins still have their marks?” She nodded. “Marks are unusual too. They mean that the person carrying them is going to do great things in her life.”
Alicia pointed in my shoulder. “Like this?” Of course, she had noticed it since it was no usual mark.
“Yes.”
Alicia began asking Ritta many questions: how did we meet, did she feel lucky to be my friend, if I had saved her life, and many others. I walked around the house while Ritta answered Alicia’s questions. I knew the answers to them, but I wondered who was lucky to have the other for a friend though? Her or me? Maybe both. I played a little with the boy and Midnight until Alicia’s mother called us for lunch.
We sat at the table which was once again full of food from one corner to the other. “You weren’t exaggerating,” Ritta said.
“Where is the father?” I asked my mother quietly, but she just smiled.
“At work. He will be here later.” For a moment, I was afraid something bad had happened. When Alicia’s mother sat, it was her turn to ask questions. I explained that things were better now. Her mother laughed when we told her about the theater and explained what we saw. “That is certainly unusual for a king to do for his people. Then again, he and the prince were nice and polite,” she said. I gave her their regards and she said to give theirs too.
After the meal, the cakes arrived and we each chose a different one. Ritta tried some of mine and my mother’s too. “What? I want to try them all.”
“I tried them all, the last time.”
The last time I was with Alec and Jonathan, and we were running for our lives. I didn’t know why, but I liked it—not the hiding and running away, obviously, but being with them and traveling the world. If they weren’t royals, we could do it like some people did. Why did I dream of things that were impossible?
In the afternoon, Alicia’s father came, and he welcomed us warmly. Ritta and I went for a walk with Alicia and her brother. Alicia took us on a proper tour of the city and showed us everything, even the cave, and when we entered Ritta said, “Wow. No wonder you liked it here.”
Alicia was puzzled. “You discovered the cave too the last time? How?”
“We kind of stayed here. I know about the legend now, but then...” I smiled apologetically.
“Oh. When you said you were staying in the woods, you meant here.”
The boy clapped. “You are blessed.”
I turned to him. “Excuse me?”
Alicia laughed. “If anyone stays here, they say he will be blessed. Especially someone seeking help.”
“So it’s not forbidden?”
She shook her head slightly. “It isn’t, but the legend says if someone who doesn’t need help stays here, then he would be cursed, and we take legends seriously here.”
Afterward, we visited Stefen’s shop, and he was glad to see me. He brought some beer for the adults and some juice for the children. He introduced me to his children.
The girl pointed to my mark. “We have marks too.” She looked down. “It’s bad.”
“Why?”
Her head still down, she said, “People say the bad snake bit us there.”
The bad snake? The Devil? Heavens. That’s ridiculous. I kneeled and took her hands. “It’s not bad. It’s something good. People with marks, like you and me, are going to do great things. That’s why we have marks, so people know we are special.”
She smiled and went into the shop with her twin. “That’s a nice thing you said to her,” Stefen said.
“It’s the truth.”
“My wife believed that too.” He sighed.
I gave him a drawing and he stared at me. “For you. If I am correct, they never saw their mother and can’t remember her.”
“I tell them stories, but...” He sighed again. “Thank you, is it something real?”
“It’s when she was leaving Spain to come to Italy
after their birth. I told her she needed rest, but—”
“She didn’t listen. She hardly ever did,” he said, and I could see pride and love in his eyes.
We returned to Alicia’s home, talked a bit, and went to bed. We were tired after all that running and walking.
The next day we went to see the horses. We did some circles and some riding tricks too. If Jonathan were here, he would yell at me for not being careful; yelling at me was one of his ways to show me he cared. I didn’t understand it then, but now I did. He always cared.
The days were peaceful and happy in Italy, and I enjoyed the quiet and the wind. It was nice to have some time away from work. “You know, we should take them every year, these vacations. I like it, Ritta.”
“Me too. Let’s make them a tradition. Each year we go somewhere together,” Ritta said.
I smiled and nodded. After a week, I received a letter from a pink pigeon. Was it an order? I hadn’t had orders since I had left Spain. Apparently, people were healthy or could deal with their issues without herbs. I opened the letter and it was from Alec, which made me feel more alarmed. Did something happen?
Dear Eva,
I hope you are having a good time on your vacation. Give our regards to Alicia and her family. I am sorry I didn’t come to see you off, but I was busy. We are rebuilding the palace since the workers said it’s rotten. I guess it fits his character, don’t you think? Rats came from the hole you almost fell into. Can you believe it?
Jasmine battles them fiercely, and actually, it’s funny if you think that most women fear them. I want to ask you something, and that’s why I am writing to you. I never asked you about personal advice, but I don’t have anyone else to ask, and you are my closest friend. Jasmine looks at me like she’s expecting something, but I don’t know what and since I know you want details: She is staying with us, and it’s been a week and a half. She went to inspect the kitchens, the rooms, she gives decorative tips, and well, she helps with anything she can. Am I missing something?
Thank you again,
Your friend Alec
P.S: Jonathan gives his regards too.
I slipped the letter in the pocket of my dress. Jonathan gives his regards too? I wondered if he wanted to say his love or something like that, but Alec was too polite to write it. I took a piece of paper and wrote to Alec.
Dear Alec,
I always say Jonathan is stupid, but in this case, you are. Or rather blind. Can’t you understand what she is expecting from you? She is doing all these jobs and helps you with the palace to show you she can handle hard work as well as light, for example, decorating. She stayed to get to know you better. Ritta would have called you stupider than a lamb. She is expecting you to ask her to marry her. I have to say you are one of the lucky. Usually, it’s arranged marriage; at least you got to know her. Usually, people don’t have that privilege. I am having a great time with Alicia and her family. Our mothers have become friends already—it may help that my mother knows Italian.
We send our love to all of you,
Eva
P.S: Women are not afraid of rats; royal women are. Always trust a woman who battles rats and is unafraid of them. It means they are not afraid of facing real life rats.
P.P.S.: Tell Jonathan he is promoted to stupid tiger. See the drawing enclosed.
I sent the letter and tried not to laugh at my drawing. It would be a shame that I wouldn’t get to see Jonathan’s expression when he looked at it. I had drawn a dog and written “Loyal Alec” underneath, a cat with “Smart Eva” written underneath, and a medium-sized tiger with “Stupid Jonathan” written underneath.
I thought the tiger could be protective of his family and dangerous to his enemies at the same time. It was fitting for Jonathan, but he was still stupid. I smiled and sat at the table and drew a little. I drew pictures of the city, the people, Stefen, and his children, the cave, and the plaza.
“You draw very well, Eva.” Alicia’s mother was behind me looking at my drawings. “I am glad you made it a job. I wouldn’t say that healing was useless, but you have to make yourself happy, not just others.”
I nodded and a pink pigeon flew in the window and landed on the table. Not on my drawings or I would have cooked it. “Love letter?” she asked.
“No,” I responded. “Friend letter. I don’t have lovers.”
“Are you sure about that?” I knitted my eyebrows. How could she possibly know that? “You seem troubled,” she said.
“I am not troubled.”
She shook her head. “More troubled than before. Maybe that’s what caused your exhaustion? It might be tiredness too, but if you are emotionally charged and indecisive, it can be a cause also.”
I sighed. I didn’t know, although I doubted it.
“Why are you indecisive?” she asked. “You don’t like him? Or it’s the other way around?”
I shrugged. “It’s not that. It’s that it’s difficult to make a decision. I know it’s silly to bother over something so simple...”
She laughed. “Simple? It’s not a simple thing, it’s your life. You must not make rash decisions that you will regret later.”
“And well, I am not a marrying type. I like trips and fantasy and drawings.” I liked my freedom.
“You are afraid he won’t want to travel?”
Maybe she was the only one who could understand me even if she was a human. “I know he likes to travel, at least he said so.”
She raised her eyebrows. “You are in good terms?”
I nodded. “We are like friends.”
“Does he like you?”
“Yes, but like might not be a strong enough word.”
“And do you like him?”
“I care about him.”
She was thoughtful. “Then what’s the problem?”
I started playing with my hair. I always did that when I was nervous. “His status.”
She stared at me. “Is he a lord or something?”
Or something. “Yes, and I am just a peasant.”
She laughed. “You were a peasant. You are a hero now. You can have whoever you want now, and in any case, even if you weren’t a hero... if there is love, then you must not let things like status hold you back. I will tell you something: I was a princess once, and we lived in a village not far from here, and everyone wanted to marry me to a prince, but I chose my husband, and he was just a peasant. We had met at a ball in a palace of Rome. It was true love then, and we didn’t care about status. We had our love, and we still have it forever.”
I looked at her in surprise. “You abandoned your place for him?” I couldn’t believe it.
“It was easy for me. I would marry a prince, but I wouldn’t be happy. We might have a big house now, but that’s the result of hard work and not of my status, I can assure you.”
If all the royals were like her, the world might be a very different place. “Thank you. I will think about these things.”
She smiled, and as she left the kitchen, she said, “Anything you need, I can advise you. I am good with relationships.” And I am terrible at it.
I opened the letter and it was from Alec again:
Dear Eva,
Why are you always right? I proposed to her while we were watching the sunset, and well... she said yes. I am so happy, thank you. We will soon announce our engagement, but we will wait for you to come back first. I want you to be here to see it and hear it. What did you mean about arranged marriages? I don’t know what this is. Jonathan says that there are no stupid tigers and that since you are a cat, he can eat you for what you said.
I hope you are having a great time, and please say hello to Midnight too. I forgot the previous time. I am so sorry. The next time we have to arrange to go to Italy all together, like the last time but without the running away.
Love,
Alec
I took a pen and responded because I couldn’t contain my happiness.
Dear Alec,
I am so happy for
you, Alec. Congratulations. You can announce your engagement. I will be there for your wedding; never doubt it. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. In three days, we will leave for Bretagne. I want to show Ritta and Mother the strange phenomenon with the sea.
Tell Jonathan that tigers don’t eat cats, and yes, stupid tigers don’t exist, but the universe has granted us with one that answers to the name Jonathan. My love to Jasmine. How is the palace building going? Please tell her to ask Ritta for help with the preparations or she will kill me—she loves those things.
Peasants marry out of necessity, not for love most of the time. Remember what I told you about Martha? And royals marry so they can escalate their status, am I wrong?
Love,
Eva
I sent a pigeon away as Ritta walked in. “Who are you writing to?”
“To Alec and I received great news.”
“The palace is finished?” She shook her head. “No, you are way too excited about this. Your aura is yellow, yellow means happiness. No clue. Tell me.”
I smiled. “Alec is going to be married soon.”
She jumped and yelled. “Oh. That’s so wonderful. I am excited. I love weddings. We will go help Jasmine with the clothes and preparations, yes?”
“I wrote that and I am sure she will be glad for the help. Your style is... unique.”
“Thank you, thank you.” She hugged me.
The others entered and we shared the good news with them. They were happy and talked about the couple.
“Mama. Another wedding. That’s really nice. We get to go to two weddings,” Alicia said.
“Two?” I asked.
“We have another wedding in Spain in some weeks,” her mother said.
“If they are close, you can stay with us so you don’t have to make a double trip.”
The boy clapped excited. “Yes. I will see Midnight again.”
Three days later, we said goodbye to the family, and we promised to see them soon when they came for the weddings. “Will you be all right with only one horse?” Alicia’s mother asked.
The Cursed Girl, #1 Page 43