RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE - The House of Dimitrescu

Chapter 23 - Something Changes

It was the third day of the Countess's second absence, and Y/N was sat upon the wooden dais in the center of the library, surrounded by the three Dimitrescu's as they leant back against the wooden pillars, listening to the sound of Daniela's book having its pages turned.

It was early in the morning, normally the time where Daniela would read to them as a group, or perhaps Bela would read in her place, but a strangely quiet cloud seemed to hang over them today. An air of exhaustion hanging from their bones that demanded they simply sit and wait for their energy to return to them, content with each others' company for the moment, and to simply sit in silence. Despite this, the occasional conversation still broke the peace.

'Are you sure you won't take a turn reading, Cassandra?' Daniela pleaded with her sister, making the second child of Dimitrescu sigh irritably.

'I told you, no.' She replied bluntly. 'It's a waste of time.'

'But you've got such a nice voice!' Daniela moaned, closing her book and swinging her legs around on the dais to lean on her other side. 'Just one chapter?'

'No.'

Y/N chuckled as the familiar bickering started up, and behind him, leant up against the other side of his pillar, Bela turned around to watch. She smiled idly at her two arguing sister, then caught Y/N's eye and grinned at him. They rolled their eyes in unison, then Y/N sat up a little straighter, deciding it was time to intervene.

'Dani, if Cassandra doesn't want to read, that's her business.' He told her gently. 'Don't force her to do something that she doesn't want to do. She won't thank you for it.'

'Damn right.' Cassandra muttered darkly. Daniela sighed reluctantly, then turned to Y/N, her face lighting up.

'You read then.' She said excitedly. Y/N started in surprise.

'Me?' He asked, shocked. They had never once asked him to read before. Hell, no-one had ever asked him to read before. Daniela nodded fervently, the idea taking firmer root in her mind as the smile grew broader, and Y/N hastily looked to Bela for help. Bela simply shrugged, a thoughtful look coming over her face, seeming to consider the idea.

'Okay, he reads, but I pick.' Bela said decisively, getting to her feet. Daniela groaned in apprehension as Bela made her way over towards a section of the library that Y/N wasn't familiar with, scanned the shelves for a moment, then selected a thin, red book from the shelf and turned back to the others, beginning to page through it slowly.

'You're making him read poetry?' Daniela moaned. 'I wanted him to read my book.'

'Let's give him something short to start off with.' Bela said, ignoring Daniela as she found the page she was looking for, then handed the book to Y/N, 'Do you know this one?'

Y/N took the book she was offering him, keeping the page with his thumb, and turned it around to see a short passage printed on the thin pages. He recognized the title.

'Yes, surprisingly.' He replied, wondering perhaps if he'd mentioned the name in an earlier conversation. 'One of the few pieces of poetry I do know.'

'What a wonderful coincidence.' Bela replied glibly, sitting down and leaning back against the wooden pillar again, their shoulders touching as she made herself comfortable beside him. 'Now you have to read it.' Y/N sighed, then glanced at Daniela, who was watching him eagerly, and Cassandra, who waved boredly in a gesture that roughly translated to "do what you like." Y/N swallowed nervously, then looked back down at the book in his hands, and began to read.