Vanessa's childhood and her years in Vesuvia before the plague

Chapter twelve

A couple of days later Vanessa was sitting in her room reading when a servant walked in. "Miss Vanessa, Lucio wishes to see you" the servant said while bowing.
"What does he want?" Vanessa asked.
"I do not know. He just asked me to come and get you from your room and take you to the veranda" the servant answered.
"Alright, I'll come with you" Vanessa said, putting a bookmark in her book and placing it to the side. She got up and followed the servant who escorted her out.

Once at the veranda, the servant promptly left Vanessa with Lucio who was leaning against the marble balcony-looking over the palace gardens.
"Ahem" Vanessa deliberately coughed to catch the Count's attention. Almost immediately, Lucio swung his head to see the mermaid beside him.
Slightly flustered and becoming red in the cheeks, Lucio chuckled apologetically "Oh hello there! Sorry about that, I was just distracted...".
Rolling her eyes impatiently, Vanessa rifled "What do you want? You disrupted me while I was in the middle of reading- can you get to the point already?". Startled by Vanessa's confrontational attitude, Lucio began to nervously scratch at his head.
"Ah yes of course!" Lucio stammered as he edged slightly closer to Vanessa, "I just wanted to... apologise. I mean we haven't had the best of introductions have we?"
"You can say that again," Vanessa sarcastically muttered under her breath.
Continuing with apprehension, the Count stuttered, "I may have seemed like a creep at first especially with how I acted with you when you were in the bathtub. I don't know why I did that and I regret it sincerely. I should've kept my hands to myself,". Silence echoed in the atmosphere.
"Soooo," Vanessa uttered while staring expectantly at Lucio, "Is that all you called me for or-"
"No, no, no..." Lucio interjected with panic as he realised Vanessa wasn't in the mood for his apology. "I just wanted to make it up to you. Maybe we can start fresh and get to know each other better,".
"Start fresh?" Vanessa exclaimed, daunted by the idea after her first traumatic encounter with him.
"Yeah! So maybe we could have tea together if you want- as an invitation from me of course!" Lucio enthusiastically proposed with hope in his eyes- his heart fluttering in his chest.
Frowning with exasperation, Vanessa shook her head while mumbling, "I'm sorry Lucio but I have to decline your invitation. I just feel you're moving too fast- I don't really trust you especially with what you've done,". Rapidly, Vanessa bolted off away from the veranda- leaving Lucio in dismay.

A few days later Lucio walked past Vanessa and Asra who were sitting down having tea together when he noticed Vanessa had mentioned some books she would like to read. Lucio went to the library, found the books for Vanessa and a couple of extra ones she may like. He then went to the market and bought her a new fancy bookmark he then dropped by her room and placed them outside her door.
A while after Vanessa went to her room and found the books and bookmark confused how they got to her room but thankful that she didn't need to search the library for them.

The next day Vanessa was looking around the palace for Mischief but she couldn't find him. Eventually she found a servant holding a cage that contained Mischief.
"Um excuse me, why is that raven in the cage?" Vanessa asked the servant.
"Well he is in the cage because he has been causing too much ruckus and too much mischief around the palace. I'm going to take him to the woods and set him free" the servant explained.
"No! You can't do that! That's my raven! I'm sorry that he's been causing trouble but if someone had told me- I would have made sure he stayed with me all the time, and anyway he is clearly distressed in the cage. Can you please take him out of it?" Vanessa explained to the servant,quite upset.
Frustrated by the squawking raven in the cage and Vanessa's desperate pleads, the servant moaned bitterly, "I am sorry Miss Vanessa however the palace is not a playground for ravens! You haven't taught your raven discipline have you? Now, I must be off-". As the servant tried to weave their way past Vanessa who was blocking their way, a bellowing voice halted them and almost caused the servant to drop the cage clutched in their hand.
"Stop right there!" Lucio thundered with fury in his expression, "Did you not hear her? She said let the raven go!".
"But Count Lucio-" the servant excused but was harshly interjected.
"I said let the raven go!" Lucio boomed while snatching the cage from the servant's trembling hand and gently opening the cage door. Immediately, the petrified raven fluttered towards Vanessa's shoulder; the mermaid stroking him reassuringly. As the mortified servant scurried off, Lucio lingered back for a minute and stared at Vanessa- a warming smile flickered upon his face before he went to run off.
Vanessa called out to Lucio "thanks for dealing with the servant and getting Mischief out"
Lucio stopped in his tracks and walked back over to her. "You're welcome. It's the least i could do.I know how much you care for him," Lucio said.
"Yeah I do care for him a lot. Also Lucio i've been thinking....i would like to sit down with you and talk things out and maybe we could start fresh" Vanessa said.
"Oh that's great! Maybe tomorrow we could have some tea and talk things out. I'll get a servant to come get you when I'm free for us to have some tea" Lucio said before leaving.

The next day, Vanessa and Lucio were sitting on the veranda- enjoying some tea and snacks.
"So..." Lucio mumbled as he was munching on some delicacies, "Maybe you could reintroduce yourself to me Vanessa. What was your life before you came here?".
Abruptly stopping midway sipping her tea, Vanessa trembled apprehensively, "Oh, it wasn't very interesting. I basically spent all of my life with my courtiers, training how to rule and take over my parent's role as monarchs,".
"Oh really!" Lucio intrigued with curiosity, "I think that sounds amazing! Learning how to govern over others sounds like a dream. What makes you think it wasn't interesting?"
Laughing with a tone of pain, Vanessa muttered, "Well... it's not as good as it seems. Not at all when you are beaten for petty things and forbidden to talk to anyone else around you. It pretty much was a life of imprisonment now I think of it,". Awkward silence filled the once lively atmosphere; Lucio couldn't help but feel regret over what he said- guilty thoughts eating up at him.
"I'm sorry.." Lucio stammered while fidgeting with his tea cup, "I shouldn't have said that. Now I've brought up bad memories haven't I? I'm so stupid,I-".
"No, no it's fine!" Vanessa chuckled, slightly fascinated by the Count's reaction, "Enough about me, tell me about yourself. How come you're the Count of Vesuvia now?".
Pleased to hear Vanessa cheer up, Lucio postured himself up with pride and proudly explained, "Well long story short... I won a battle for the previous Count who I became good friends with. We were so close that he named me as the next heir, so when he died... I took over! Simple as that!".
"Wow! So you're a warrior as well, that's impressive! I guess it's an honour to be the Count of such a prosperous city," Vanessa chimed in amusement.
"Of course! How have you found Vesuvia by the way?" Lucio questioned while admiring her presence and compliments.
"Everyone's really nice here, which is surprising! I'm not the best person to be with- I mean who would want to talk to me!" Vanessa uttered.
Shaking his head, Lucio blurted "Don't be silly, who wouldn't like you! You're... beautiful!". Flustered by his words, Lucio was about to apologise before he heard Vanessa cough violently;her cheeks began to palen.
"Vanessa! What's wrong?" Lucio quivered, hurrying towards her.
Falling off her chair and onto the ground, Vanessa spluttered " I feel sick and it's difficult to breathe!". Immediately after, Vanessa began to cough up specks of blood- sending Lucio into a frenzy. Urgently, Lucio called for the servants to send Julian and Nazali who arrived immediately at the frantic scene. Nazali took over and observed her symptoms, realising she had been poisoned. From their satchel, they got out a sample of activated charcoal and mixed it with a dose of liquid- rapidly allowing Vanessa to drink the remedy.
With a bowl in front of her, Vanessa began to vomit while Lucio sat beside her, rubbing her back reassuringly.
Whispering gently at the weary Vanessa who was hesitating, Lucio murmured, "Keep going Vanessa, you're going to be okay. Just let it all out- it's the only way,". Taking in Lucio's advice, Vanessa continued to retch as the Count held her hair out the way. Eventually, the toxins had left her system- leaving Vanessa exhausted. While she was asleep, Lucio swiftly carried Vanessa in his arms up to the guest bedrooms and laid her onto the bed- ordering numerous servants to invigilate her throughout. Meanwhile, the palace investigated who may have contaminated her tea which was later discovered to be a newly introduced servant. They were identified to be a mermaid hunter who wanted to eradicate its population. After finding out that Vanessa was a mermaid, they formed an assassination plot against her. Not long after, Lucio ordered the servant to be sent to the dungeons for their brutal execution.