Eight
Eight
Ten years earlier – Greece
The butterflies swirled around me in the garden. Lucas leant over my shoulder and scooped up a red and blue one from the flower in front of me. He held it out and I stared at it in admiration. “It’s so pretty,” I exclaim. My brother nods his head.
“Like you,” he added. At that moment a guard appeared in the entrance to the palace.
“Eleni, Lucas, you are needed in the throne room,” the guard said. Lucas nodded and grabbed my arm, leading me out of the garden and towards the palace and its throne room. Auntie Lucinda was sat on the throne and my mother and father were sat in chairs just to the side.
I pushed Lucas’ arm of me and ran at my auntie. “Auntie Lucinda,” I cried as I wrapped my arms around her in a hug. She embraced me back.
“Little Princess Eleni,” she said. She hugged me a little tighter. “I love you so much.” She pulled away. “But your mother and father have some news for you.”
I stepped away from her phone, confusion in my eyes as I looked at mother and father. “We have to leave Greece,” my father said. “Your mother is in danger,” he said before pausing, “An Italian group of rebels have arrived in the country and they want to bring down the monarchy. Starting with harming the next in line to the throne – your mother.”
Lucas took the five steps towards me and wrapped me in a hug as I tried to process what was being said. I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks. “We have to leave? What about Auntie Lucinda?” I ask.
“I’ve got to stay here princess. But I’ll be safe as long as you are out of the country,” Auntie Lucinda says. I nod. “Now, go pack,” she says. I nod again and hurry out of the throne room, worried I’ll start sobbing in front of everyone. Lucas comes with me and we head up to our rooms.
“Eleni,” he says as we reach our doors. “I’m going to make sure you are safe. I promise,” he adds. I nod and head inside my room to pack.
That night, under the cover of darkness, me, my brother, my mother and my father depart on foot out of the palace. We move silently and quickly. I’m slower than the rest and start getting too far behind. I feel a hand grab my waist and I let out a scream. Arrows fly out of the darkness towards my family. I’m squirming and kicking and twisting in the arms of my kidnapper.
“Leave my sister alone,” Lucas yells, charging towards me. He tackles the man who lets go of me. I drop to the floor and see my brother fighting an adult man in the colours of the Roman army. Lucas pulls out a knife from somewhere and slashes at the man’s face, who howls in pain and grasps his face where the knife has cut his skin. Lucas and I hurry back towards our parents who are beckoning us towards them. We are almost there when I hear a grunt from Lucas. I freeze. Staring at the arrow sticking out of his chest. I look behind and the man is now aiming his bow at me. Lucas collapses to the ground and my father sweeps me off my feet and begins running with me. I squirm trying to get down, trying to get to Lucas. Lucas. Who died trying to save me. I’m screaming and crying but my father ignores my cries and keeps running. Eventually, I exhaust myself and fall asleep in his arms.
Present day – Italy
There he was. My brother’s murderer. My kidnapper. The scar down his face, red and angry even ten years later. There was no denying it. It was definitely him. I would never forget that face. My heart pounds a million miles an hour. I pray he doesn’t recognise me but even as I think that, I see a twinkle of realisation in his eye.
“You must be my daughter’s new ornatrix and teacher. I hear you are Grecian,” he says. I nod once and look at the floor. There is no sound for a few seconds, before he steps forwards a few steps and grabs my chin, forcing me to look up. “What a wonderful coincidence you are here,” he whispers in my ear. He lets go and walks out without a backwards glance. I wait a few moments before composing myself and heading back down to the kitchen, nowhere near ready to face the evening of serving ahead of me.
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