A New hope

Chapter 31-Why

Ciana-

After introductions we all move to the dinner table and eat a wonderful dinner that was made by Nonna. I'm sitting next to Nonna who practically shoves food into my mouth. Tullio manages to convince everyone that I need rest and talks them out of a tour; he tells me that it would have been four hours long. I can see why this place is massive.

My brothers lead me to our wing, yes wing. Crazy. When we are out of sight of our family, Alessio picks me up, taking the stress off my leg. We walk for a good five minutes, and I realize that I am one hundred percent going to get lost in this place. We walk through countless corridors and closed doors, and I find myself asking, "who needs this much room, are these all bedrooms?"

Alessio chuckles. "No not all bedrooms, these are sitting rooms, ball rooms, libraries, music rooms, drawing rooms, studies," he continues rambling, "galleries, conservatories, gyms, offices, family rooms, powder rooms".

"What's a powder room?" I interrupt him.

Vani answers, "it's like a fancy bathroom".

I nod, shifting in Alessio's arms, "how many are there, bedrooms?"

"I don't even know, I don't think anyone has ever counted. Maybe around 30? 35?" I gawk at Alessio. Lucio laughs from where he's ahead of us. "Haha yes I knew this is where it was" we all look towards him; he's pointing towards two random flowers on a golden frame of a painting. He frowns when he sees our expression then turns towards the painting. He pushes the two flowers before clicking something on the side of the painting frame. He grins as one side of the painting opens up.

I gasp, "are there hidden passageways in this place?" Lucio grins before opening the painting fully. "Of course, sorella! this is The Ambrosi Stazione (Ambrosi estate). Hidden rooms too, I remembered that there was one around here, but I forgot which painting it was. I guessed right," he grins and moves to walk into the passageway. Vani grabs him by the back of his shirt. "No way, they are dangerous," Lucio pouts as Vani closes the painting, but he winks towards me. I have a feeling we are going to be exploring them later.

A few minutes and turns later, we finally make it to our wing. The rooms are in similar order to at home. Alessio, then Gio, and then Elio on one side. Tullio, then Lucio, then Cassio, and then mine. Mine across from Elios' room.

Alessio walks me into my room, and I once again am gawking. The place is straight out of a storybook. Large windows shine the room with light, highlighting the white marble around the room. Gold and white furniture is spread throughout the room. A massive bed sits in the center of the wall to the right of the door, a white bedspread and pillows supported by a huge headboard. Opposite of it is a huge white marble fireplace. Couches surround the area. Two open archways incase the fireplace and a closer look tells me its huge bathroom and closet. I look up and find that my room has a second floor. A literal second floor.

Alessio sees where I'm looking and carries me up the spiral staircase. There are mainly bookcases up here surrounded by fancy marble moldings, there is a small alcove that holds a circular bed and a sitting area on the other side of the second level. "This is crazy," I tell Alessio, and he hums and walks closer to a bookcase. "Don't tell Gio that I showed you this," I look towards him curiously. He smiles before pulling on a book on one of the wall bookcases. I gasp as it opens up the wall, a secret door. Inside is a small room that holds another staircase.

excitement fills me and I beg him to go up it. He grins and compiles, climbing up. The room is a smaller circular room that houses a bunch of different sitting areas. The walls have no windows, but the ceiling itself is a window. "Woah".  We stay up here for a minute before he takes me down the two staircases. "I also didn't tell you this but there are at least two other hidden things within this room". I look towards him, surprised and excited.