2 — UNCHARTED TERRITORY

Song for the Chapter: Lead Me Back by Morgan Harper Nichols

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No matter how grey the sky seems, remember; the sun always shines at the end of the storm.

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THIRD PERSON POV

Violet felt a sense of loneliness as she stood in her new bedroom. It was comfortable, yes. But, it could never be what she once had.

She still couldn't push away the feeling of being denuded of her old home—and most especially, her brother.

She recalled the conversation she had with her brother before they had left for the Ferrari's Villa.

~

"Vee, everything is going to be okay, alright?" Her brother had said in his ever-soothing tone. "This is just but for a moment. Soon, God willing, we will be together again."

He had patted the top of her head and ruffled her dark hair playfully.

That brought a smile to her face. She knew her brother didn't want to let her go. But under the circumstances, he had no other option.

"Alright," she responded softly.

"Promise me you will try your best to be cheerful every day. And don't forget, they only know we are somehow related, but, not directly as siblings."

He looked her directly in the eyes, his brown eyes ever so tender and soft.

"I know, who would think we are siblings? The beauty gap is huge," she tried to joke.

"And who is at the bottom?" he joined in.

She sobered and swallowed, giving a faint nod, "I promise."

"And also remember, even if I'm not there—GOD is with you wherever you go."

~

"So, this is will be room for now. You will be expected to help out here and there in the kitchen and with house maintenance when you return from school," the main housekeeper pointed out.

She was a stout middle-aged woman with olive skin and a name tag that read, Clarice.

The room was smaller than she was used to and much simpler, but, she felt grateful nonetheless.

As Clarice showed her around her room, she strengthened her resolve.

I have to be strong. This isn't going to last forever. The Lord will see me through.

"Breakfast preparations start at 5 AM. And, dinner preparations at 4:00 PM. I believe you will be back by then. Kindly make sure to be here on time... Violet, is it?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I don't know if the family will want you to join them," Clarice's brows knit together as she tried to think it through. "Either way, I will let you know. Rest for today, and, I will reserve dinner for you in the kitchen till this is cleared up."

The lines on her face suggested she might have had a hard life, but, she was pleasant at least.

She was the only person she had met since entering the household—besides the security, of course—having been told she would finally get to meet the members of the family later on.

Now that, was something Violet didn't feel so confident about. But she had to face it, either way.

After Clarice left her to unpack her things and settle in, Violet felt the need to speak to her HEAVENLY FATHER. For she felt deep within her that her time there was going to be quite a journey.

She knelt to pray and felt HIS Presence light up the room, permeating every corner darkness seemed to have occupied in times past.

But, the rest of the house was going to require more than one moment of prayer.

GOD is with me.

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Darkness was approaching, and Violet decided to take a walk and acquaint herself further with her surroundings before going in for her dinner.

I might as well practice before I go.

She grabbed her fencing bag and set off. As she walked, the events of her life played over and over in her mind.

She paid no heed to her environment as she allowed her mind to wander even further.

Why does this place seem so gloomy?

Her mind then drifted to the Prince she had heard so much about, the Silent Ice Prince.

Is he really as everyone else claims?

She felt like she had stepped into uncharted territory. Right from her first day in the beautiful Villa, she could feel a sort of loneliness and gloominess hovering around—and secrets.

The splendour and glamour appeared to be impotent to mask that emotion.

She decided to walk to the garden Clarice had shown her whilst giving her a tour of the place earlier on.

She had made it clear to her that some places were off-limits.

But her sense of direction had somehow deluded her that night.

She took many turns till she thought she had found it.

Is this the one? Oh, well.

Stretching a bit in the cool night air and engulfed by the fragrance of the flowers surrounding her, she finally unzipped her fencing bag and took out her sword.

She began to practice her rhythmic movements despite the sting in her shoulder when a chilly voice halted her.

"Did no one tell you this place is off-limits?"

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Violet failed to register the exquisite kitchen she found herself in and almost forgot how to eat for a moment as she sat at the table.

"What is it? Is the food not to your liking?" Clarice asked.

"Oh no," she snapped back to attention. "It is wonderful. Thank you."

Clarice might have smiled a tad bit, but one couldn't tell.

"You are a polite one, aren't you?" She went back to setting the dishes away.

Violet thought she heard her add, "Heaven knows no one here is as polite."

She tried her best to focus on her meal, mentally reminding herself of the process of eating.

Scoop some food with a spoon. Direct it to my mouth... masticate and swallow.

There, she could do it. But it wasn't her fault she had lost her ability to reason after the encounter in the garden. Where she had met... Prince Vincenzo aka The Ice Prince.

He had to be the one.

There wasn't anything strange about him, yet, there was. She could not place nor describe it. As his icy eyes had looked at her, she seemed to have forgotten how to talk—and the effect still protracted.

As she eventually grasped the process of getting most of her food into her mouth and cleaning out the plate, Clarice shooed her to her room saying she was already done with the day's tasks.

She thanked her once more and walked to her room—secretly glad it was on the down floor of the villa, hence reducing the chances of having any other surprise encounters.

Shutting her door, she headed straight for the shower.

I do not know why they call him the Ice Prince, but, I know I need a hot shower.

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Hi, everyone!

Please, please, please, do comment and let me know if you find this interesting or not. I don't know if I should continue.

Song for the chapter above.

And, (come closer for a little secret) I have trouble pronouncing some of their names myself.