-The Carnival is drawing closer by each day and I still have no idea of how to earn a dance from The Duke...- I whisper to myself, seating on the edge of the stone platforms, with my legs swaying in the air and the sea water just beneath me...
Looking at my reflection I see a very pitiful person behind those colourful layers of fabric with odd designs, they all say I'm beautiful but as of now all I can see is disgusting.
No job, no family, no shame, no genuine relations, no money, no purpose... The only task I've been given, to try and survive, seems impossible. A task given by a weird apparition in the night that could be lying or even be just inside my head... What a joke.
I sigh and advert my eyes from that laughable waste of society, looking far ahead I see the cemetery of San Michele... Just over the sea, close enough that I could reach out an arm and touch it -Maybe... A change of scenery will do me good- I murmur, barely moving my lips and finally stands up as the heavy rain begins to quiet down and the gray clouds dissipates.
I reach the nearest dock and look around for a free ship to take me there. Obviously the public transportations are not running anymore, as the sun is already setting, and as for the private ones I have no money to pay for the transportation fees...
With a bowed head and a drenched coat I turn around and make my way back on the wharf -Oh well... It's fine... I didn't plan a trip to the cemetery to being with. I haven't visited since "then" so I might as well not go at all- my eyes begins to water and I sniffle my nose, trying to hold back the tears -No need to get emotional, c'mon get a grip- I half laugh -Let's go and waste the night somewhere, need to earn some money for my mother. At least the rain stopped...-
I see a pair of perfectly polished shoes coming into my field of vision and instinctively I move aside -Excuse me...- I try to leave more space for the other person but those beautiful black shoes remain unmoving, making me wonder If I'm seeing things again... Looking higher I immediately forget everything else, the Duke appears in front of me with an umbrella in his hand and perfectly near clothes on.
The moment our eyes meet I realize how everything has turned into a beautiful shade of orange, the sunset peeking through the clouds and the warmth coming back onto my shoulders.
He looks as surprised as me, the mouth slightly open in a gasp and the eyes warmer than this winter sun... He is too beautiful, in a way that it hurts and makes me want to cry even more while begging for redemption.
-I heard you talking to yourself- he says with that astonishing voice of his that I've been lucky enough to hear before -Oh... I apologize for bothering you with this uncommentable sight of mine, Your Grace- I bite the inside of my cheek when talking, digging the fingers inside my arms, still hugging myself from the previous despair
-There are no more ships running ar this hour- he says calmly, ignoring completely my words -I'm headed to the cemetery, my boat is wide enough to accommodate more than one passanger, if you're in need of going there-
My heart could pretty much have stopped working and I could be dead after hearing such words. The Duke... Just invited me on his boat and offered me a ride? Me? Why would he even waste his breath to talk with me?
He rises an eyebrow, asking for a reply seeing me in shook -Uh ehm... Y yes, if I don't bother I would... Gladly accept the offer-
He nods and pass behind me, showing the way. The boat, which isn't his only one it seems, is not too big as the public ones or the fancy boat the nobles own... It's wide enough for a bunch of people to board onto and seems to be only used for quick transfers.
I seat at the far edge of it, away from the commander, trying to be as invisible as possible. Yet the other man decides to come and take place right in front of me, he sit elegantly and watches at the water ripples just below us with the wind moving his hair and the hem of his loose scarf... We don't share any more words to each other during the trip and simply appreciate the silence.
Enjoying the oddly calm atmosphere and tranquilizing presence of another living person.
...
Once reached the island's dock, the duke's the first one to set foot on land. I hesitate a second and take a deep breath before climbing out of the boat.
Once in front of the open gate of the cemetery I come to a stop, just looking at that brick arch I feel my heart tightening... I reach one hand to my chest and grip the clothes tightly. Flashes of that damn night come back to my mind, I see myself drowning in the deep black sea... I hear the screams and the heavy rain from back then, the thunders echoing in the night's sky, the ships clashing and the pieces of wood flying all around me... The...!
With a gasp I come back to reality, feeling an hand on my arm -Are you alright?- the vice of the other man reaches my ear and I hear myself panting with short breaths, I close my eyes and calm myself down -Yes, just... Memories- he nods and lets go of me, entering the cemetery first...
-I can do it... It's all in the past- I reassure myself before heading in.
...
I look around and search for my father's tomb... After some walking I find it, it's not along his relatives where all the other Nobles have been buried. It's just one average piece of stone, no flowers or emotional sentences on it... Just a dirty stone in between hundred others, never been cleaned before or received a single offering.
Frgotten by everyone. By his family too...
Wasn't it for the name on it, I wouldn't be able to tell it was a Lord's tomb nor my family's. A place I wanted to avoid for years, a place my mother probably doesn't even remember it exists.
-Hi dad...- the warm tears start streaming down -I've finally came to see you- I managed to say and ends up falling on my knees right after.