Carnevale (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 4

Saint Marks Square was the biggest and grandest square in Venice. Master Rizzo was holding his masquerade ball in an adjacent courtyard, which was spacious and had a large ornamental cherry as the centrepiece. Angelique pointed down towards the briefly mentioned courtyard as they passed by.

It had been four days since she had been out with Angelique and Sofia and she was itching to go and socialise. Cinzia knew vaguely what they were doing, she knew as much as they were going to walk around Venice's popular piazzas and search for cute boys that were worthy of the title as Cinzia's date to the ball.

What Sofia and Angelique hadn't told her was that they were actually going to a not very well known shop which was run by one lady who made fans to order. She made them for the price of a favour, tell her some juicy gossip or put in a good word about her to someone high up in the hierarchical scale and she would make whatever you asked for. The more difficult the order, the larger the favour needed to be.

Sofia turned down a side path that led to the shop. Cinzia looked puzzled and gave Angelique a confused glance which conveyed the fact that she knew there were shorter ways to get to the market.

"All in good time, Sofia just needs to pick something up." Angelique nodded and sped up slightly to catch up with Sofia. They arrived at a door which was dark green with deep cobalt blue lines painted on the chiseled lines. Angelique reached forwards and slid her fingers under the door knocker, pulling it up and dropped it back down, making a sharp double thud as it hit the circle of metal. The door squeaked open to reveal an average height brunette with bright blue eyes. She greeted them and ushered them inside.

"Angelique, dear! I have your things, I'll just go get them!" The lady bustled off to the back off the store. Angelique fiddled with a rack of material for a few minutes, avoiding Cinzia's scrutinising gaze.
The shop owner returned holding a few large packages wrapped in paper. Sofia and Angelique thanked the young lady and followed Cinzia out the door. The three made their way to St Marks Square and sat down at a bench. Angelique passed Cinzia one of the parcels and she took it tentatively.

"What's in here?" She asked, sliding her forefinger under the slit of brown paper and pulled the layers apart to reveal a gold and black fan made out of feathers that looked like a peacock's plumage. She gasped in delight and swivelled her head in Sofia's direction, who was currently fluttering her grey and purple fan. Angelique piped up from the other side of Cinzia,

"Don't look so shocked! We thought you should have an extra present! Oh and by the way, we already have a date for you, but you won't get to meet him until the ball!!" Angelique grinned at Cinzia.

"Eee! This is so exciting! We are definitely going to be knockouts next week! His name, in case you were wondering, Cinzia, is Sebastian, although everyone calls him Bastian. Angelique? Are you going to ask Pascal, or will Cinzia and I end up doing it for you?" Sofia directed her attention to her best friend, who grinned, albeit, slightly fakely, and replied shortly,

"I've already asked him, thank you very much! I take it you will be going with Fabian?" Sofia laughed,

"How ever did you guess?!" She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at Angelique's statement.

"Right then! Should we go home for lunch?" Cinzia pressed, wanting to get home and eat. The other two nodded and they stood up and wound their way through the throngs of people.

*AN: sorry, it's so short, the next one will be of the ball and you all get to meet Bastian, who may I say, is gonna be swoonworthy! Haha, please comment, review, read, vote and follow,
xoxo
howling-wolf