A New hope

Chapter 33-A Shocking Discovery

Ciana-

Alessio steps into my room after gently knocking, "you up Piccola?" (little one)

I smile shifting in my bed, "just barely". Alessio took longer to come tuck me in today. I blush at the thought, staying awake for my brother to come tuck me in. I'm fourteen, not four, and I'm about to turn fifteen. I'm excited just with the idea, I never truly celebrated my birthday in the last ten years, this will be the first one in a while.

Alessio chuckles and closes the door gently behind him. He comes to sit on the bed beside me. He smiles, "got enough pillows there?" I scowl at him, currently wrapped in a cocoon of pillows and blankets. "Plenty thank you". He just smiles wider. I think of what Tullio told me and the warning to wait until tomorrow, but my brain keeps nagging at me, the answer just there.

"Alessio?" He hums in answer playing with my hair. "I've been meaning to ask you about why we left".

His hand pauses in my hair before continuing, "that's a very long conversation sweetheart and I had many reasons".

I frown, "you're avoiding the conversation just like Tullio did".

Alessio frowns, "I promise I'm not avoiding the conversation piccola. Here, why don't after lunch tomorrow, we can talk, you, Gio, and I".

Disappointed, I nod. He hums seeing my expression, "I don't want to hide anything from you piccola. I'll tell you now the main reason we came here is because I felt as though I could not protect you well there. I want you to be safe".

My brows furrow but I understand his reasoning. Luca and Will both attacked me within a few days, I don't really see how that is his fault though. "What happened isn't your fault Alessio". He smiles continuing playing with my hair, "you may not see it like that piccola but I do". I open my mouth to argue but he gives me a look. "Now it's late, you need sleep to heal, yes?" I grumble. He just smiles, "don't worry about it too much piccola, all questions will be answered tomorrow yeah?" I nod.

"Love you," I mumble.

"I love you too piccola," he says, bending down to kiss my forehead.

-

I'm awoken by shining sunlight cascading down into my room. I groan, grabbing a fluffy pillow close to me and burying my face into it. As much as I love this palace and my new room, they don't have any blackout curtains. Which means that when the sun is awake, I'm awake. After a few minutes I give up trying to fall back asleep. Twisting I look towards the clock on a stand next to my bed. 7:08 AM. Lovely.

The sleepiness slowly drains out of my body as I get ready for the day. I can't help but smile at my ensuite bathroom, it's so gorgeous. I think back to my house in the United States. Sleeping in an attic, with something you could barely call a bed, tiptoeing around my own house, afraid of being attacked.

My life is a dream now, a fairytale. Oh, how I dreamed of living in a house like this one when I was young, but those dreams slowly faded away from me as I got older. The older I was the crueler my kidnappers were, my dreams faded away, I had to focus on my survival. I sign, focusing on the positive, I am safe and loved now.

I hum, putting some makeup on and changing into a flowy, long white skirt, and a sage colored top. I brush through my hair, getting out the tangles. It flows into slight waves. Amara always told me I have the easiest hair ever. It's just barely not straight. Brushing it doesn't make it frizzy at all, and I don't have to put gel in it. Amara with her very curly hair was incredibly jealous. I smile thinking about her and my other friends, making a mental note to call them today. I look towards a jewelry stand on the bathroom counter; a closer look tells me they are all name brands. I frown at the unfamiliar but beautiful jewelry. I grab a small note card in front of the jewelry stand, reading it.