The Council of Ten

Chapter 24 - The Council of Ten (Marco D'Este)

Chapter Twenty-Four – The Council of Ten (Marco D’Este)

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My thoughts were restless, buzzing and flickering, never quite making sense. My body didn’t hide it too well, tapping feet, drumming fingers, I just couldn’t keep still. My father noticed it and he didn’t try and hide the fact either. “Marco,” he hissed as I played a tune on the table top for the fifth time at dinner, “will you stop that ridiculous noise?” I stopped, grabbed my fork and stabbed a piece of meat.

“Sorry,” I muttered, not really listening, my foot swinging lazily under the table. Alberto looked at me curiously from his seat next to his father but I just shook my head. I hadn’t told him anything yet, not that I’d really had the chance but I was reluctant. Did I really want to bring one of my closest and only friends further into this mess? No, not really. My foot swung a little too far and crashed into a table leg. Before I could do anything to stop it, my glass of water shook and toppled down, soaking my food and napkin.

“Marco!” Said Padre, angry. I could see on his face he was on the verge of yelling but was biting back his temper for the sake of the guests.

“I wasn’t hungry anyway,” I said, pushing away my untouched plate and standing. “I’m sorry, but I’d like to retire now, I’m not feeling my best. Excuse me,” I turned and left the room before anyone had the chance to object and fled up the stairs and into my room. I flung the door open, narrowly missing Basilio’s face and stopped. “What are you standing there for?” I said, more irritated than I would have normally been.

Basilio wrung his hands, “I’m sorry, Signore D’Este, I’m sorry but-“

I sighed and said kindly “how many more times must I tell you, it’s Marco.”

“I’m sorry, Signore- I mean Marco, but I didn’t want to disturb you and...well, you have a visitor and he asked to see you in private.”

“Who?” I said, all thoughts of the masks vanishing in an instant and a new, fresh confusion washing over me. Who on earth could wish to see me in private? “Basilio, did he give you a name?” The man was silent for a moment “well? Answer me.”

“No, no, he didn’t. But, he said he wanted to see you about a girl and, Signore, what I really-“

“A girl?” I mused. One of my father’s friends, perhaps, looking for a match for their darling daughter. But no, why see me in private? Why not arrange it with my father?

“Yes, Sign- Marco, but if you’d let me finish...” I waited, looking at him expectantly he licked his dry lips and continued, “yes, yes, what I really didn’t understand was he said...he said he came about your sister but, Signore, you don’t have a sister so I-“ The rest of his words were lost to me and I swallowed, my throat going dry. Nobody knew about that. Nobody but me and Lena and...her brothers?

“Send him up, don’t let anyone else see him.” Basilio nodded and left while I stood in the middle of my room, hand running through my hair. All I could think was that something must have happened to Lena, it was all I could imagine. But what actually came was as surprise and I had no idea what to make of it.

Through my door walked a man with brown hair that stuck up at odd angles. Strands of silver-grey hairs wove through it, almost glittering in the light. His suit, dark and expensive, was creased and rumpled, as if he’d slept in it more than once. The man hurried forwards but stopped a little in front of me and held out a hand. I took it, his skin was white and papery, “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure-“ But then I saw his eyes. Dark, dark eyes that pooled with such sadness, so black and so helpless. My heart thudded in my ears but I couldn’t bring myself to look away from his gaze. His eyes were rimmed with red from lack of sleep and his lips were cracked.