Shivers

chapter 2

Arianna tried to wrap her head around that whole sentence. He would accept her back. Her uncle- the traitor- would accept her back. Arianna wanted to scream curses, but she also wanted back her old life. Her old honor. Her family had gained respect from many clans for many years and after Arturo declared her "Nessuna Relazione" she had lost that respect. She wanted that respect back. That family pride she had lost.

"I'll consider it." She proposed to Iolev.

There was a long and exaggerated pause that shook her. "I am glad you are at least considering the offer. I hope to have an answer from you soon, Arianna." He hung up just as she did and the silence enveloped her.

Her uncle, Arturo? What desperation would bring him so far as to swear on his mark to accept her back? She tried to remeber the last time she saw him. And the first time.

***flashback***
Her father pulled her close into him and grinned. He adored his daughter more than the moon and the stars with it. He finally looked up to his wife who slowly sauntered over to them. Still in his arms, Arianna tried to smell the sea on him.

"I see you have been climbing the trees again, piccolo ucello." He teased his daughters hair.

She looked up through thick eyelashes and grinned mischievously. Even though he did not like her climbing so high in the trees, he still could not bring himself to tell her so.

"I hope you are not too scratched up to walk because we have a guest coming." He beamed, reflecting back the grin his daughter shined up at him.

"Who is it, baba?" She implored of him. She loved having guests over. It meant music and food and new faces.

Her father took her hands and took a breath. "Your uncle."

The girl was stunned. She had an uncle? Absolutely baffled, she turned to her mother. Her elegant features struck with concern. "Arturo?" She asked her husband. There was no disguising the concern and amazement in her eyes.

"Yes, my dear. Arturo has finally decided that now is the best time to put the past behind us. He will be coming here with another guest of ours." He looked pointedly to his daughter.

She beamed again. "Another guest?"

"Yes, piccolo ucello." He beamed back at her. "Your grandfather."

That caused her mother to place her hands on her daughter's shoulders and pull her back from her father as if he had gone mad. "Francesco, you can not be considering this?"

"Carina, this is about The Table." He whispered.

The innocent minded Arianna spoke up from her mother's embrace. "The table? Are we going to be eating together?"

Her father beamed at how innocently her mind worked. "Yes, and I think you should go decide the menu with Gabriella in the kitchen."

The girl took off in a sprint to speak to the head of the kitchen about the meals. She had been too caught up in planning the extravagant meals that she never heard the cars in the drive. Her mother was the one to grab her attention.

"Go and get dressed." She grabbed her daughter's hand and hurried her up the stairs.

She was all ready dressed in a white gown reaching to her ankles, her hair pinned up in an elegantly braided bun with turquoise beads pinned into it. Around her neck was the same turquoise beads and small shells from the sea strung into a necklace.

Her mother sent her up the stairs quick and called for a servant to dress her similar to her mother. After the servant girl dressed her in an ocean blue dress, she braided her hair and placed a turquoise droplet necklace around her neck. Arianna was full of excitement. She had never met her grandfather or uncle. And she was unsure why.

After she was finished, she came down the stairs and was met by her mother standing dutifully by her father. And in front of them standing two full arm lengths distance was two other men. The one ,who she assumed was her grandfather, had salt and pepper hair that was combed neatly like her father always had his. He wore a black overcoat, black shirt, black slacks, black loafers, and a purple tie. The other had the same black hair as her father and wore a white shirt, red tie, black overcoat, black slacks, and black loafers.

Her father's eyes finally came up to her and he beamed. "Ah there she is."

The two men's heads turned and both took in the little girl's appearance. She stepped down and noted that her grandfather, uncle, father, and she all had the same eyes.

"Hello, Arianna, I am Arellio, your grandfather." He grinned at the little girl. "And this is your uncle, Arturo."

Arianna grinned up at her uncle and he grinned back. "Hello, little one, my you are a wonderful combination of your mother and father. Much too lovely to not be a princess."

                                       ***end of flashback***

     He was so flattering at that time. Arianna slammed her fist into the bed and stomped into the living room where Lukas was reading on his phone. His eyes came to meet her's and she could tell he was worried. She shook her head, calming him. "It's not that, Lukas." she assured the poor boy. 

"Then what was it about?" he jumped up from the couch. Arianna leaned up against the wall that lead into the dining room. "What did that scum want?" he begged her. 

"He wants me to watch after his nephew until the coronation. Alessio Petrov will be his successor to his seat at The Table," she informed him while turning to the dining room. 

She glanced down at the bottle of bourbon and began to pour her another glass and drank it down in a matter of seconds. She was still contemplating the situation. After everything Arturo ever did to her, he was desperate enough to ask her this task. "Is that it?" Lukas implored from her side. She looked up into the mirror in front of her. She could see her father in her eyes, the forest green that faded into a lighter green on the outer edges. She could see her mother in her cheekbones and her nose. And she could see her father again in her stern grimace that she was giving herself now. She remembered when he had that face pulled tight while working in his study. These were all she had. 

"He said that if I protected Alessio until the coronation, then Arturo would allow me back into the family." She explained lightly. Lukas did not know why this was dire to her and she hoped he would not for some time. 

"That's wonderful news. Does that mean you will become his successor again?" he crowed happily. His blue eyes were gleaming with excitement for her and his smile reminded her of herself at eight years od. 

She decided not to crush the boy's excitement and grinned slyly. "Maybe..." 

Lukas laughed. "Hammon is going to be thrilled. His best friend at The Table with him," he paused all of sudden. As if he had just remembered something. "Wait, why aren't you packing?" 

"I told him I would have to think about it. Which is why I am going to consult with someone who may know what is going on." She poured another glass for herself and one for Lukas. She handed it over to him and smiled kindly at him. "Let's celebrate the moment while we have it." 

Lukas swirled the glass around in his hand and inspected the contents hesitantly. "Arianna, I'm only fifteen, I can't drink this." He was about to hand it back to her when she scorned him with a deadly glare. "I guess one can't kill me." 

Lukas tossed back the contents into his mouth and swallowed. This then ensued a fit of coughs and sputters. Arianna burst into fits of laughter at the sight of her apprentice bent over at the waist trying to hack up the awful liquid that he had just downed. Lukas's eyes began to water profusely and he pointed up at her accusingly. "Are you trying to kill me?" 

She laughed. "No. Just trying to teach you a habit of mine." 

"Is it a good habit?" he asked while following after her. 

She slipped around the corner and into the foyer where she collected her car keys and began gearing up. "For me it is."