The Cursed Prince of Italy - Volume 1 - The Cursed

Chapter 1 The Journey

It was the beginning of spring in Rome. Amongst the once icy cold frost, there was a flurry of colour and activity emerging, almost as if life was awakening from its slumber. This included the women flocking to Rome as if mesmerised by the spell of spring. The sounds of their laughter and chatter started echoing the streets as Rome became busy and full of life again.

With a cup of coffee in her hand, Romina opened the window to feel the warmth of the sun. Her apartment was nestled close to the city centre. Below, across the street from her, was a block of eateries filled with people. Romina could hear their chatter rise up through the alley. She liked hearing it. Their chatter kept her company and didn't make her feel like she was alone in her apartment.

As she drank her coffee, Romina reminiscenced about how her life had come to be. She had been born in Sri Lanka and had grown up in the safe haven of her parents' love and warmth. Her parents had raised her in line with the traditional views they held. But even from a young age, Romina had more modern and progressive views. According to her mother, Romina held 'Western views'. Even the way she dressed had been different to other young women.

For as long as she could remember, to the dismay of her parents, Romina had wanted to study at a university in Italy. She was unsure how she had come to hold such a desire. However, she had managed to achieve her goal a year earlier and had travelled to Rome to start a university course studying Roman history and language. And as she learnt more and more about Rome, its history and language, she had fallen in love with the city itself.

Startling her from her trance of thoughts, Romina's mobile phone started ringing. A slight smile appeared on her lips as she answered it.

'Good morning mom'

'Good morning honey....are you still in bed?'

'No mom....I woke up early...I have to catch the train at ten'

'What time is your interview tomorrow?'

'At eleven. I am going to leave the house in about another half an hour; it's going to be a long journey'

'Hmm alright then. I still don't know why you have to suffer there all by yourself when you could have had a comfortable life in Sri Lanka' her mother chided her like she usually did.

'Oh mom, please don't start complaining again. I am really happy being here. Stop worrying about me too much.'

Romina's mother could not understand why Romina had left her comfortable life at home to travel to Italy. She fretted about Romina living alone and far away and was constantly asking her to return home. But she couldn't convince Romina to return.

After chatting for a little longer, Romina hung up the phone and finished her coffee. She then grabbed her overnight bag which she had packed the night before in one hand, her handbag in the other and left her apartment.

Romina was travelling to Elba, a beachy island in the Tuscan archipelago. It took a day to travel there from Rome by train, so she had decided to travel there the day before her interview and stay at a motel overnight.

Romina made her way through the streets of Rome to the train station. Her train was already at the station, so she got on board and found herself a seat. The train departed on time and she bid farewell to Rome as the train sped off.

Romina had never left Rome since she first got there. She simply had not had the time or opportunity. For the past year, she went to classes during the day and at night she worked as a waitress at one of the small restaurants. She had found it easy to get a job despite being a foreigner. She had an appearance that many locals mistook as being from Southern Italy and she spoke Italian fluently. Her parents had expected her to return home once she had finished her course. However Romina had wanted to find a graduate job in Italy and then later apply for a residency visa. She had applied for several positions and had been called for an interview for an administrative role at a historic castle in Elba.

After a few hours of watching the world go swiftly by her window, Romina took out her notebook, where she was writing a novel during her spare time. She intended to use her time on the train to add to her story further. She reread the chapters she had already written. However when she finished reading what she had previously written, she felt disheartened. She had hit a writer's block a few weeks earlier and was unsure of how to proceed with the story. Not knowing how to pursue the story next was troubling her.

Lost in thought, Romina did not even realise her mobile phone was ringing until a few moments had passed. As soon as she recognised who it was though, her face broke out in a smile.

'Lorenzo, I thought you may have forgotten about today' Romina said as she picked up the phone call from her boyfriend.

'To be honest, I had forgotten all about it until you just mentioned it' Lorenzo lied with the intention of riling Romina up.

Romina took the bait. Lorenzo's words had urged her. 'That's not very funny, Lorenzo,' and then to demonstrate her point, she hung up on him.

Unperturbed, Lorenzo rang back again. Romina was secretly pleased that he did and answered the phone again.

'Romy, baby, I was only trying to rile you up. Don't get annoyed. I'm sorry, forgive me?' Romina gave into him.

'Fine, I know you were only trying to rile me up... are you getting ready to go to work?' she asked, changing the topic.

'Yes' Lorenzo replied. 'I just came out of the shower and thought of you' he said flirtatiously.

'Um... I'm on the train. You can't say things like that when I'm on the train' Romina replied in hushed tones blushingly.

'Mmmm, okay, okay Signora' Lorenzo gave in. 'So tell me, what were you doing before I rang?'

'Oh, there's no point talking about it really' Romina said, feeling discouraged. I don't know if I will ever finish writing my novel. Sometimes I feel like ripping these pages out and starting afresh. But then, I wonder if that one would also end up half finished like this one.'

'Don't think about it too much Romina' Lorenzo said kindly.

'You're just stuck. You're not alone. Even the most well known authors have had writer's block. But don't let that stop you. You can't force the idea to come to you. You have to relax your mind and your thoughts. Look at what's happening around you, breathe it all in and then it will all come rushing to you.'

Romina found Lorenzo's words encouraging and uplifting.

'Yes, I know what you're saying is true. But I just don't know when it will all happen.'

'Let's wait and see Romy. Don't stress about it' Lorenzo said. 'Anyway, I better get going. I'm going to be late to work otherwise.'

'Yes of course. I will let you know when I get to the motel.'

Once the call ended, Romina put back her notebook in her bag giving up the idea of finishing her novel. Instead she pulled out an Italian novel she had in her bag and started reading that.