ballerina in the music box

chapter thirteen - in Venice

 Erik's POV 

It was a longway to Venice and it was already morning when the train stopped and people started to wake up and get all their bags, I myself had fallen asleep on the seat after drawing and reading long till after midnight, and now I woke up in the same position as I had fallen asleep with a terrible pain in my neck, I stood up and yawned and looked over at Elizabeth, she was still sleeping so I went over and gently shook her, she yawned and gave me a grumpy look, I giggled, she wasn’t really the morning person, “we’re in Venice” I said and started packing my things, she signed and got up, I held back a laugh when I saw her hair, it was messy and pointed in all directions, I gave her a mirror and a comb and her tired eyes sprung open when she looked at herself, she hysterically stared to brush it while I packed her stuff too. And then we left the train and walked out on the streets,  I had the hat and the robe on, but what Elizabeth didn’t know was that I also had my mask in my pocket, she had told me to throw it away because ‘the people in Italy are far more accepting’ but I secretly kept it, just in case of that something would go wrong. But one thing I must admit, Venice was very beautiful, the street was surrounded by tall and colorful buildings, there were not many people here but there was a small group of children playing ball, one of the boys kicked to hard and it landed just in front of my feet “could you please kick it back?” the boy screamed at me, I looked over at Elizabeth not sure what to do, in France this never happened, the children there already from a very young age focused on their education, this was unacceptable!! Elizabeth glared at me and then kicked the ball back herself, I glared at her, she was a young lady and this was not how a lady should behave! “you really have to loosen up a little, this isn’t France, here people aren’t that strict all the time.” She said and we continued to walk down the streets “so, where does your cousin live?” I asked, she looked around “it should be just down the street, look for a big house” she said and looked around “does she even know that we are coming?” I asked her, she stooped walking and first I thought that she had seen something that had made her stoop but then she actually walked over to a big door and knocked “not really…” she said to me as I walked up to her and stood beside her, when suddenly a loud noise was heard from inside, a baby screaming… then the door opened reviling an angry and tired looking woman in her pajamas, she glared at us  “WHAT! It’s Saturday eight am, and I was just sleeping, so you better have a good reason to wake me up!” she screamed at us, Elizabeth giggled and I just stood there shocked, Elizabeth’s cousin was very… charming… “Cousin Verena? You have really let yourself go…” she said still laughing, my eyes grew wide, this was a side of Elizabeth I hadn’t seen jet, and I must say I think I like this side more “Eliza??! Is it you?!” Verena said and hugged Elizabeth who hugged her back “Ciao cugino! It’s nice to see you again! Oh, and this is Erik, my dear friend from Paris” she said when the hug ended, Verena gave me a hug too “Ciao Erik! Or should I say monsieur phantom! ” she said and laughed as she ended the hug, I backed away in shock, how did she know?! I glared over at Elizabeth who gave me an excusing look, “I’m sorry… I used to write to Verena, and when a mysterious phantom hunted the opera I had to tell her…” she said, I sighed but I was a little surprised that her cousin didn’t judge me, maybe Italian people didn’t judge so much…? Verena bent forwards and took the hat from me, I glared at her “that’s it? I’ve seen worse…” she said as if it was nothing, I was surprised and confused, are all of them like this?!  “So why are you two in Italia?” she said and looked at us, Elizabeth looked at me not sure what to say, honestly she didn’t even know why she was here, I never told her, and I wanted it to stay that way… “Well, we just wanted to leave Paris… it was nothing for us…” she said; a lie, or maybe not, at least I hated Paris. Verena nodded “and why are you here by my door, 8 in the morning?” she said with a suspicious look on her face, Elizabeth sighed and looked down “we… we were hoping on staying here… just for a couple of weeks… per favore...” she said, Verena sighed “Eliza honey, you know that I don’t have that much space… but… maybe… I have a guest room… just one you was place to stay there, the other one can possibly share with Rosie… okay then… come in” she said and walked into the house, we followed her, there in the big living room sat a young girl, maybe 6- 7 years old, she had long blond hair and bright blue eyes, she looked very tired “mamma, who is it?” she said tiredly “Rosie do you remember Eliza? She’s come to visit and is going to share a room with you” her mother said, Rosie’s eyes grew big as she saw Elizabeth and she ran over to hug her “Eliza!!” she said with a big smile on her lips, they hugged and then Rosie saw me… “Is this your husband Eliza? He’s very handsome!!” she said and looked at me from top to toe, then she gave me a hug too, Elizabeth started to giggle “no, Rosie Erik is just a good friend, but he is quite handsome.” She said still giggling at the sight of me with a little girl hugging me. I blushed and started to giggle too.

wow, two chapters on one day! i had alot of good ideas so i decided to post two chapters today! hope you like the story!!