Ascendants: Tides of the Morn

Chapter 9

(A picture of The red Count, Amedeo, Sovereign of Torino. Here comes chapter 9, enjoy!)

Christmas came and went as the snow fell from an overcast sky. On 23 January in the year of 1951, I was summoned by the Sovereign back to the Palazzo Reale di Torino for my first task. Carlo had been distraught as he thought it was too early for me to be summoned for a task. Alessandro was overjoyed as he told me that receiving a summon from the Sovereign was a badge of honor. The Sovereign showed his support for me which would resonate with the other clans to give I Soli more status.

I was nervous as my fear of bringing calamity over Alessandro and my clan was in my mind while I was driven to the palace. A blond haired, beautiful woman with light blue eyes greeted me with a polite but rigid demeanor. She introduced herself as a Monarch named Leonara Birch from England. She had the honor of serving the Sovereign of Torino. She brought me to a luxurious office where she left me at the mercy of Umberto Biancamano and a man I could only assume was the Sovereign.

I gawked at the Sovereign who was rigorously handsome, but young. I had expected an older man or at least someone who looked older. He must be in his twenties. It was a great contrast to Umberto who looked like he was in his mid-thirties.

Umberto chuckled as he noticed my startled gaze. "It seems, Signora Di Santis, is rather astonished by your age, my dear kin."

The man looked up from his papers and the emerald eyes made my face turn crimson as I averted my gaze.

"Well, I did officially die when I was twenty-nine but I have feeling our you lady has a far worse fate than mine as she cannot have reached twenty yet. You will curse your fate when in a few hundred years you will still have the appearance you have now," the Sovereign mused and rose from his desk to walk closer to me. He gave me a charming smile and bowed to kiss my hand.

"My name is Amedeo VII of Savoy, but people call me the Red Count. I prefer Amedeo though, and you are welcome to use my name. Your father was a close friend and a loyal servant. I grieve for him an give you my consoles for his departing."

"Thank you, Signor Amedeo," I said politely and tried not to curtsy as Alessandro had warned me that Ascendants do not bow to the Sovereign. He is chosen by them as they are not needed to bow to the Sovereign.

"Though I must ask about some... Concerns I have of his death. It was far from natural and then here you are, the only survivor, as an I Soli. So, I must ask, who turned you?"

Both Amedeo and Umberto watched me with a hawk's eyes as a squirmed under their gazes. I knew I could get my revenge by telling them but... Alessandro and Carlo's faces haunted me as my decision was far from settled.

"I cannot tell you, Signor!" I said slowly as I considered my words carefully.

"Can't or won't?" Umberto asked and watched my reaction. I gave him a firm smile.

"I won't. This is a complicated matter and it's personal for me. This is my burden to bear and a task only settled by me. I will not allow outsiders to settle this for me," I unyieldingly said and Amedeo folded his arms across his chest while leaning against the desk.

"Then there was a matter of foul play," He said and Umberto nodded. They both exchanged a gaze before returning their attention to me.

"We will not interfere as it is your wish but I must warn you. If something comes to the surface, like evidence, no matter if it is false or not, we will have to act. It's better that you bend this case to your advantage before it's too late and someone else has done so to theirs," Umberto said slowly.

Amedeo stood straight with a soothing smile. "Well, either way. We did not summon you to interrogate you but to give you a task. Have you read about the disappearances in Torino?"