The Cursed Prince of Italy - Volume 1 - The Cursed

Chapter 17- The beginning

After what seemed like an eternity, Romina's tears finally stopped. As her sobs quietened, she could hear Ronaldo's heartbeat. If Romina did not know any better, listening to his strong steady heartbeat, and shielding her face against his warmth, Ronaldo would have been just like any man in the world. You would not think that he was only visible to her. Thinking about his circumstances made Romina's heart break.

'I was watching you. You haven't had anything to eat since you started your shift. Can I take you somewhere with a view where you can have something to eat?' he asked, noticing that her cries had quietened. She lifted her head to look at his face.

'Don't worry, there's no one there to think you have gone crazy coz you're talking to yourself' he said, with a knowing smile. It felt good knowing he could read her mind. Romina smiled back at him as she nodded her head. Remembering what to do, she closed her eyes and held on to him.

When she opened them again, she was standing next to some large rocks at a beach. Romina shifted her gaze along the beach both ways. Not a person or building in sight. While she was checking, Ronaldo had moved away from her and had started a fire on the beach. Although it started small, the fire with the help of the seabreeze caught on to the dried driftwood and came roaring to life.

Romina settled herself on one of the rocks and enjoyed its warmth. She watched Ronaldo as he stepped closer to the water. He stood so close to the water that Romina was certain his feet would have been wet by the tide. He raised his arms towards the ocean and several fish jumped out and hurled towards him. He caught them and turned around and walked towards Romina. Dressed only in white, his chiseled face content and happy and his hair tousled by the seabreeze, Romina thought he played the part of a male adonis perfectly.

'I am going to smoke some fish for dinner for you' he said with a smile. His smile was hypnotising. She felt drawn to it, to him. She could tell, he was happy. His happiness was infectious. She smiled back at him.

'That sounds great' she said, watching him conjure up from thin air, utensils to help him cook. As he went about preparing the meal, she took off her shoes and walked towards the tide. She let the waves wash over her feet and looked towards the horizon.

'Are you cold?' Ronaldo asked, not wanting silence to separate them. He had watched her as she dipped her feet in the water. He was mesmerised by this woman. He watched her face, her eyes twinkling, her mouth curved into a smile and her sun kissed skin glowing in the light. Happiness filled his heart as he looked at her smiling. His gaze caused Romina to look away embarrassed. She was blushing, he thought to himself in merriment.

'No, it's not that cold' she said, keeping her gaze away from him. She turned her eyes back towards him, about to say something when she saw he had opened his mouth to say something too.

'You go first mi amore' Ronaldo invited, with a smile on his face.

'Today, at the restaurant, who was that man with you? You told me I was the only one who could see you. You lied to me' Romina asked, studying his face.

'I didn't lie to you Romina. I said you are the only woman who can see me.'

'So, what? Men can see you?'

'Not quite. Only men part of the cursed Visconti line can see me' he said, confusing Romina further. Ronaldo saw the confusion on her face. He sighed. He thought there was no point keeping anything from her any longer.

'If you want, I can start at the beginning and explain it all to you?'

'Yes, please. I would like to know everything.'

'But you have to promise me something' Ronaldo asked, looking away.

'What's that?'

'Once you learn the truth, can you promise not to hate me?' he asked in a low voice.