The Deathly Scream - 𝟙

༒ Sixty-nine ༒

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'These young man make such a mess around here. Look at those bookshelves! Nothing is organized', Madame Orsini sighs when she takes a look of the study room. To me, it looked fine but of course she had a better eye for detail. I walk over to the bookshelf, glaring at the hundreds of books when it is my time to sigh.

'You want them organized on title?' I ask.

'Author', she mumbles and I nod, taking a few books out of the shelves. We keep quiet most of the time, for once, silence feeling horrible to me. I knew she had something on her mind, probably the same thing as everyone else. It was hard to talk to Madame Orsini about these kind of stuff. She had already gone through so much.

'That war becomes our death', she notices after a while. Two of the many shelves were organized and I looked at her questionably.

'Why does everyone think that?'

'Dear, in the last war they didn't even come in the castle. This time we will all be in danger, not only me but also Jade and the other maids', she explains. I say nothing, realising I hadn't even thought about that. I was too selfish.

'Ivory doesn't exist, I don't believe that. Your father has gone mad also', she keeps on babbling.

'My father finally saw the light, and it would be helpful if you did too', I remark. She catches my glance, nodding her head in disagreement.

'It could be another Kingdom', she disagrees.

'Who? Syrilia or Parisha? Maybe Tugoa?'

'They were all here that night', she sighs.

'But the Shadow Woman is only a part of Ivory', I notice carefully. She drops a few books, clearly not focused on her work. I stand up to help her but she declines my offer, her eyes full of confusion.

'What do you know about her?' I ask when she is calm again. Madame Orsini starts laughing a little, as if I just asked the most idiotic question.

'Probably as much as you do, Rosalia'. If that was the truth she must know nothing more, maybe my father hadn't told her as much as August and I knew. I would rather keep as much to myself also. I take another few books out of the shelves and look over my shoulder to Madame Orsini who leans with one arm against the wall, staring out of the window.

'You have seen that woman, don't you have any idea who it might be?' She says soft after a moment. I shake my head, thinking back of the visions I had.

'She wears a dark cloak, but I've never seen her face', I whisper.

'You are sure?' She asks again, this time facing me.

'I am', I answer a little stunned. Madame Orsini sighs before she starts organizing the books again, leaving me in confusion. Maybe if I knew who she was I could save our Kingdom before a war started. I could almost hope for another vision, but maybe this time it wouldn't be pleasant.

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My brother was trying to fight for the first time in his life, tutored by Levi who learns him the techniques. If it wouldn't be for the cameras pointed at them, I would help him also. But staying at the side line with Cameron seemed better at this point.

'Fight like a man!', Levi commands him, the sarcasm sparking of his voice.

'Why not like a girl?' I yell back and get a wink from him. Both Cameron and I laugh for a moment, not quite sure what to tell each other. A few nights ago we had stayed up until the sun rose again, reading through a book that explained our lives. Forbidden love, it was horrible.

We kept our distance with the cameras around. Valentina still hadn't chosen a crown prince and we couldn't take the risk to get caught in the daylight. My sister and I hadn't properly talked since the last war and I could find her nowhere in the castle. It was like she disappeared during the day and showed up at dinner, not quite talky. My brother was trying to win from Levi, but he had no chance. Even I had trouble with that.

'You need some more practise, little brother', Levi laughs at him and Elliott shakes his head quickly.

'Learn me more', he demands Levi who seems to enjoy this. You could see that Elliott was only trying to learn this in order to be able to safe the people he loves. I was proud of my brother, imagining him on the battle field, saving all of us. He could do this.

'Fine', Levi sighs. 'But only half an hour, I have other priorities'.

They start fighting again, Elliott fiercely trying to get Levi down. We all could see that it wouldn't work after only one day of practise, but I loved his courage. I had never seen my brother like this, I think everyone of our family had misunderstood him.

Cameron touches my shoulder softly, trying to get my attention when the journalists are talking between themselves.

'Do you have any princess duty's this evening?', Cameron whispers when I keep staring in front of me, looking at my brother.

'I have an interview after dinner', I mumble.

'Maybe after that you could join me in the library. It is annoyingly quiet there if I'm alone', he jokes and I shake my head a little, laughing also.

'I thought that was the point of a library', I try to irritate him. He sighs, a smile playing on his face when he looks over to me.

'It is more fun when you are there', he finally says and stands up from the bench.

'I hope I have the honour to meet you there', he adds and bows, still a little clumsy. I stare at him when he walks away, his leg seems healed but still not as it used to be. Elliott sees right through me when I try to hide my smile, but Levi doesn't even notice.

'Come on, Elliott, fight me', he dares him and I smile at both of them. Their fighting looks horrible.