For Eternity II: Clandestine Preceding (Vampire! 2p! Italy x Reader)

Chapter Nineteen - Bloody Tea

        Tea time had approached quickly, which led to Anna and Lauren retrieving both you and Luciano from library a few minutes before the actual set time. The two maids escorted the two of you to the gardens and to the table that was set up in a secluded area. There were a few trees around to provide shade from the moonlight on warmer nights, and rose bushes filled in the gaps between trees as well as some neatly kept hedges. The table was in the center of it all on a patio created by pieced together polished stone. A white linen table cloth adorned the table as well as a blue glass vase. Inside the vase sat a bouquet of red roses in the center with a circle of pink roses, then white ones around the pink. A tea set was already placed on the table, ready to be used. Florentina and Giovanni had already been seated when the two of you arrived.

        Florentina gave you a warm smile, as did her husband. She got up and walked over to you and her youngest son. Luciano exchanged cheek kisses and a hug with her first before she moved to you, the two of you doing the same procedure. Giovanni was right behind his wife to greet you and Luciano. You smiled as he kissed the back of your hand gently. The elder Vargas male offered you a kind smile back as he led you to a chair and pulled it out for you. Luciano did the same for his mother, then took his own seat next to you. Giovanni sat down beside Florentina before she poured everyone a cup of tea laced blood.

        "Well," Florentina began as she set the tea pot down. "Giovanni and I know pretty much everything about you since your father makes all of the blades for the royal family and the guards. How about you ask us some questions to get to know us?"

        "Very well. How did the two of you meet?" you inquired.

        The two older royals looked between each other lovingly, Giovanni grabbing Florentina's hand closest to him as they did so. "I was 344 years old when I met her," he said.

        "I was 235 years old," Florentina added.

        "She was part of a noble family that my father appointed. Her family had attended a ball for the announcement of my eligibility as a bachelor. Unlike Luciano, I couldn't wait for marriage and wanted to marry before my thousandth birthday. My eyes landed on her as she stepped foot in the room, carrying a confident air about her and a small smirk that told me all I needed to know. She was my one and only in that very moment, and I was hers. We danced the entire night, and I showed her the true love and passion that an Italian man could hold for the woman he cherished without going against the traditions of his religion."

        "He had me captivated by everything he did. I didn't care that he was a prince. I only cared that he treated me properly and didn't think of me as some object. He saw me as me, nothing more, nothing less."

        "That's sweet!" you gushed as you hugged Luciano's arm excitedly. The two nodded with smiles before you spoke again. "What was your maiden name before you were married, Florentina?"

        "Marcucci," she said.

        "I've heard of your family! I won't speak of what happened though out of respect for your late parents..."

        "Grazie cara. I appreciate that."

        "You're welcome." A small silence wedged itself between the four of you. "So, what do the two of you like to do in your free time?"

        "I enjoy gardening and horseback riding," Florentina told you.

        "I also enjoy horseback riding, but I'd prefer to play my harpsichord," Giovanni added.

        "You play the harpsichord?" you asked.

        "Sì, I do. I find it relaxing."

        "I have no doubt that it is relaxing for you. Music is a rather calming element of the world."

        "I couldn't have said it better myself, (y/n)."

        Another silence washed over the area. The four of you sipped on the tea laced blood. Florentina set her cup down on its saucer gently. She then looked to you.

        "I've been meaning to ask you something, (y/n)."

        "What is it?"

        "Well, I was wondering whe-"

        She was cut off by a gun shot. Blood splattered all over the white table cloth, roses, and the other three occupants of the table. Florentina's head flew down against the table, crashing on it with a loud thud. More blood seeped out of a bullet hole in the back of her skull. Giovanni was in shock for a brief moment before panic set in. He quickly stood up and gently shook Florentina by her shoulders. Meanwhile, Luciano and you were completely out of it, both out of shock and anger.

        "Florentina, il mio amore, smettere di sconvolgere ... Vieni ... ti stai frugando fuori ... Florentina, scuoti! Per favore! Non puoi essere morto!"

        Giovanni was then silence by a second gunshot. He too crashed into the table and smeared it with blood from his head. The weight of his body caused the table to tip over, the vase and tea set flying and shattering into multiple pieces. The flower petals were soon soaked in the blood of Luciano's parents. Luciano had finally snapped out of it and went to his parents, shaking them both and yelling to the in Italian. Guards showed up quickly thereafter. A few were sent back to get medical staff as the others stayed with the two of you for protection. Nurses that worked in the medical wing came back in a rush with stiffened cloth stretchers. They placed the two elder royals on the stretchers before having the guards help them carry back to the medical wing. A few other guards escorted Luciano and you back into the castle. The young prince looked broken. His eyes were glassy as tears pricked his magenta orbs. He could barely see as he walked next to you silently.

        Luciano's hands were stained with blood from touching his parents and the stones of the patio. You kept you gaze down, catching glimpses of smatterings of their blood staining your dress. You could feel a few drops of the substance trail down your cheeks. A guard handed you a handkerchief, and you took it to wipe your face. You thanked him, your voice coming out as a whisper. He told you that you could keep the handkerchief then. You thanked him once more, your voice still quiet. The guards then split the two of you up, escorting you back to your separate rooms to clean yourselves up and have some alone time to let what just occurred sink in. Even you agreed that letting Luciano have a bit of time to himself would be beneficial. After all, it wasn't every day that someone saw such a horrific scene play out right before them.

~Author's Note~

DreamsForDays here! Sorry that this is on the shorter side again, but I hope you all enjoyed it! For the most part... I hated to write this, but it was what I had planned for the story since the beginning. I don't really have much to say, so here are the translations.

Translations:

Grazie cara. – Thank you dear.

Sì – Yes

Florentina, il mio amore, smettere di sconvolgere ... Vieni ... ti stai frugando fuori ... Florentina, scuoti! Per favore! Non puoi essere morto! - Florentina, my love, stop messing around... Come on... You're freaking us out... Florentina, shake it off! Please! You can't actually be dead!

That's all of them! Thanks for reading! Feedback in the comments is always appreciated! Until next time!