Return Of The Lost Princess

VIII

"Julianna, it's time for dinner."

"Julianna!" The voice said again.

"Julianna!" 

"Hmmm.." I murmured in my sleep.

"Julianna, I will not repeat myself again, come and have dinner in five or you won't be eating anything tonight," I heard Griffin say.

"Idiot," I muttered as I got up and followed him downstairs. Everyone had already begun, but no one was talking to each other. It was like swimming in the depths of silence with some sounds of chewing and munching coming occasionally.

I looked at everyone, one by one and saw that all of them were tensed, worry etched on their faces, thinking about something. Probably what happened in school. Even though the gossip monger inside me was dying to know what was wrong, I did not make an attempt to even ask.

After eating dinner, I went straight to my room and did my homework. Teachers always give you homework, no matter if it's just the first day at your new school. Not that I am complaining.

************************************
I woke up the next morning at the sound of someone knocking loudly on the door as if trying to destroy it. I went up and opened it to see Ezra, his messy black hair indicating he was still sleepy.

"What do you want?" My voice came out harshly, it's the devil I am talking to, can you blame me?

"It's not a pleasure to see you too, but Griffin wants all of us to spend time together as a family so you better get dressed and come downstairs," he basically ordered. That little shit.

"What if I don't?" I challenge him.

"Do you really want to mess with me early in the morning?"

"Well, that's true, why ruin my mood when I can wait a few more minutes for it to get ruined."

He scoffed and walked away. I went to the bathroom and took a long shower to cool my thoughts down. My mind kept running back to the hooded figure and what they really meant. I put on a cream sweatshirt and grey joggers. I walked downstairs when I saw Adrian get out of one of the rooms.

"How are you?" He asked, as we made our way towards the living room.

"Horrible, you must be really happy seeing me like this, given your family is full of sadists," I replied.

"Jules, please don't say that. We love you and it's your family as well."

"Families don't have restrictions, neither do they have controlling and dominating males who take away their sister's life, hell, you wouldn't know that."

"Julianna, one day you will understand everything and hopefully that day will come soon. Anyway, Griffin wants to meet everyone in the living room, so come with me," he said, salty eyed, his eyes betrayed him.

"Oh trust me I know, and I am not looking forward to it," I said.

"Good morning, Jules," Luca and Elijah chorused while Ezra sat there questioning my existence.

I heard Griffin ask me to sit and I did, as if I am going to torture my legs for his so called speech coming, probably on family.

"Good morning, Julianna, we thought it would be best if we all get to know each other better and Luca suggested we play something."

"Umm, it's not like I have any other choice."

"Ok, let's start with you Jules, what's your favourite colour ?" Luca asked.

"Umm I am not sure, it could be sage green or indicolite."

"Those are such beautiful colours Jules, now your turn to ask a question," Adrian said.

"I have none. I have absolutely zero interest in the life of my captors."

"Julianna," Griffin said brusquely.

"Mr. Russo, I think I have clarified myself several times, that this house is like an ecosystem where people from different walks of life coexist," I replied. Ezra coughed and Adrian dug holes in his body.

"We are your family, Jules," Luca said softly.

"I only ever had one family, you guys can never be that. I like being myself, rules have never been my forte, which is why my parents never had them. I think it was also because they loved and trusted me."

"Jules we do love and trust you...- Adrian said but I cut him off.

"Look, all of you do me a favour, I'll sit here being the fragile princess you, oh so desperately want me to be and in return you never intrude in my life. Deal?"

"No," Elijah replied. "Jules, please don't say that, it's completely fine if you feel like you don't belong here, but we are ready to wait. And trust goes both ways, we will show you that you can trust us.

"Oh please," I scoffed. "If you really want that then answer these questions honestly, why do you hate August so much and why did you have a meeting when that guy yesterday said those things. Can you answer those?" I asked.

I looked at all of them, one by one expectantly, but no one showed any sign of speaking.

"Thought so. Now I'll be in my room if you need anything," I said and left the living room, whispers of people arguing danced in the air.

**Curtains open*
A slender figure perched on a table slowly walks towards the spotlight. A ghost of a smirk still visible.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here," someone from the audience shouts.

"A girl can run from her responsibilities, can't she?" The now visible person replied.

"Disappear again and I kill you, understood?" Said an angry Ezra.

"Oh Ezra, Ezra, you being dominating only makes me want to kill you, so shush," she replied with a charming smile.

She looked at the others seated in the auditorium, "Mon chers, I won't disappoint y'all again. Apologies for my indecent behaviour. And without delay let's hop onto my bus so I could show you Antheia's world."

A short chapter for y'all, but don't worry, others will be longer.

Until next time,
Mal