The Mafia's Obsession

Chapter 1: House of Rossi

Principessa Valeria Rossi

"How can you imagine this to be a good idea?" I thought it was part of my dream, but it was just my brother's screaming that woke me up.

"Niko, we have no choice," I heard my father respond, staying way calmer than Niko was able to.

It was a nuisance to hear people screaming when I hadn't even opened my eyes. And this was rather strange for the king and the prince to be arguing about something in the southern wing of the palace. The one where the royal chambers were located. Usually, they would have been where the businesses were carried out.

And then, when I opened my left eye - and then slowly my right eye, the sharp rays of the sun forced them shut again. I tried to go back to sleep, but it was an impossible task to do in the midst of all the screaming and the shouting. The curtains had been opened by one of my maids, as always - an order that would always come from one of my ladies-in-waiting.

In the middle of all that yelling and whining, mostly from my brother's end, I could not go back to sleep so with an angry kick to my quilt and in the state I woke up in, I got up. Of course, as much as I wanted to go straight downstairs, as the principessa, how could I possibly make an appearance without having been properly dressed?

I rang the bell on the gold nightstand beside my matching bed and very soon, two of my maids, alongside two of my ladies-in-waiting appeared. While my ladies-in-waiting took care of my breakfast, my maids took their time bathing and dressing me. I was ever so grateful to have them by my side.

And when I had finally gotten dressed in a pale blue morning gown with my hair in a beautiful updo, and rouge applied perfectly on my cheeks, I could step outside and see to my duties. I would have to have breakfast first, but I thought to see what the fuss was about first.

As I stepped out of my room with my maids following right behind me, seas of 'good morning, principessa' were being thrown around - as they would everyday - by the servants, but also the soldati today. For them to be roaming around the palace so early in the morning was weird, but then again, we had a pressing issue on our hands. They usually did not show up until midday.

"Prnicipessa, Her Majesty, the Queen is searching for Your Highness in the breakfast lounge," one of the servants blocked my path.

"Yes, please let my mamma know that I shall be there soon," I walked past him and headed to the Principe's drawing room - my brother's drawing room, where my papá was lecturing my brother, talking to him about the House of D'Angelo.

The House of D'Angelo - one of the seven, the House that quite literally enjoyed making hearts bleed. They were vile and I knew them to be irredeemable. I would give anything to rid the earth of such pests.

It was almost sad how the Seven Secret Houses had an atmospheric rivalry between them. Once so close, and now archenemies.

"I assume he finally told you," I didn't know what made me do it, but I couldn't resist slapping the back of Niko's head - but it was out of habit, of course.

"Why must you always act so annoyingly on a daily basis? Papá, I cannot put up with this daughter of yours anymore and would like to sell her to the House of D'Angelo," he complained, annoyed, "Alright, well, whatever may be the case, you cannot invite their heir apparent in order to execute your plan. That, dear papá, is asking to be demolished."

The Re Alessio III truly believed we were in need of their help, but no, that wasn't it. That was simply what they would think we wanted but no, I wanted Romeo D'Angelo dead. With the death of the only heir, their line would fall. And with their inheritance laws so discriminatory, the daughter of the D'Angelo household could not inherit the title, no. That would be the death of their lineage.