Chapter 00: "Maria Giovanni"
Maria Giovanni was born the daughter of a very poor family on the seventh day of August. She was the tenth child, and this made the entire family hate her. She was an extra burden, something David and his wife couldn't bear. The harvest they reaped from their small field was barely enough for nine children plus themselves, and Maria was nothing but a bad omen to them. In the year of her birth, a fire broke out across the entire farm, and with it, the harvest was lost at the time they needed it most...
The children of the Giovanni family starved that year. No one helped the family; conditions that year were dire for all of Italy, especially in Florence. Two of Maria's brothers died, and her parents reached their limit with her. The father suggested killing her and watering the ground with her blood, hoping the gods might forgive them for begetting this sin, but the mother refused. Not out of love for her daughter, but out of fear that her daughter's blood might also be a bad omen. So they came up with another solution...
On a cold December night, specifically the seventh day, the couple placed their infant daughter in a completely abandoned church, leaving her fate to destiny. Despite the cold weather and the lack of food and drink, little Maria didn't die. No one knew how she managed to survive and live for seventeen years, but she grew up like any normal girl. The girl never left the church; she remained confined inside it her entire life.
Where did she eat from?
How did water pass through her?
How could she not die in that deserted place?
No creature knew the secret of little Maria, but all the inhabitants of Italy knew about the girl who possessed a sweet voice that enchanted ears in the middle of the night. It was said that the greatest men would wait for hours, hidden behind trees, hoping to hear her flowing voice. Many were lucky. Her voice was medicine for every sick person and happiness for every sad one. Maria was a cursed angel, confined in a place far from the eyes of all humans.
On her eighteenth birthday, the church burned down for no reason, and Maria was there. All the people of Florence tried to extinguish the raging fires but didn't succeed. The fire didn't subside until the young woman slit her throat, and her blood flowed into every corner of the church. No one believed that Maria Giovanni had died. The girl that the youth of Italy fought over had killed herself to protect the church where she had been confined all her years.
What made me love the story of Saint Maria Giovanni, besides its tragedy, is the legend that everyone swore was true: the church wasn't harmed at all, and no one found Maria's body. Her body had suddenly disappeared without a trace... as if her existence had been just a dream... a beautiful dream!
After her death, the church was named after her and became the property of the Giovanni family, who over the years became one of the wealthiest families in Florence...
But despite all this, everyone still believed that Maria Giovanni was a bad omen, despite everything angelic about her. And this belief led my parents to name me after the saint....
"Maria Visconti"
Yes, I was also a bad omen for my parents, and in a way, I was indebted to them because they chose this name for me. Not just because I resembled Maria Giovanni so much, and not because I was born on the same day as her, but because I loved her story since my childhood.
Who am I?
And why would I be a bad omen for my family, which is a royal and noble family from ancient times?
Chapter 01: "The Visconti Family"
Within the vast walls of the Visconti palace, under the quiet presence of three children and a couple, the grandfather struggled to keep his eyes open. The fever made his blood boil. For a week, his condition had been worsening, which kept everyone preoccupied, leaving the Lady Visconti and her impending childbirth somewhat overlooked.
Despite all this, the eyes of Suarez Visconti searched for something else amidst the hallucinations emanating from his feverish father's mouth: the inheritance... that immense wealth his father had amassed throughout a life dedicated to eliminating the "enemies of religion," as he called them.
Everyone knew that these "enemies of religion" were merely those who had violated his rules, disobeyed his commands, and failed to implement them.
The Visconti family was known for its strength, the nobility of its blood, the honor of its women, and the courage of its men...
All these qualities made the grandfather Gabriel confident that his family would never be vanquished, even if other families surpassed them. But after all, he had worked diligently to maintain good relations with the Duke's and Marquis's families.
Who didn't know Count Gabriel Visconti and his three male grandsons?
His son wasn't a great source of pride; he was a dissolute man who cared only for satisfying his desires, which only ended when he was forced to marry Fernanda, his current wife. Fortunately for her, her ability to bear only male children earned her some favor with him. Suarez found the matter cause for pride and arrogance. Having only male children, who would carry his name until their last days, made him cherish his three children while awaiting the birth of his fourth male child... Leonardo!
This was the name the Visconti family would give their fourth child, who was destined to be the last offspring of the couple Suarez and Fernanda... Leonardo. It was a radiant name, giving a powerful aura to anyone who heard it. Its meaning included the name of the lion... Suarez was expecting a strong and courageous child... the youngest and strongest child in his lineage.
On the day Grandfather Gabriel's illness worsened, he realized his son was preoccupied with dividing the inheritance and his large companies. Therefore, he summoned the small family.
The father, Suarez Visconti
The mother, Fernanda Visconti
The eldest child, Eric Visconti
The middle child, Julian Visconti
The youngest child, Marius Visconti
The five of them awaited the grandfather's decision regarding their fate. Who would succeed him, control his wealth, and assume his might?... As for the father, Suarez, he was content with anything; his three children obeyed him despite their young age.
The grandfather closed his eyes for a moment, and it was so long that his son thought he had died, but his assumption was wrong as Gabriel soon opened his eyes and spoke calmly, as he always did:
"The fourth child will take power; he will succeed me and be the head of the Visconti family when he reaches the age of eighteen... This is my will, and it shall be carried out regardless. Did you hear that, Suarez?"
"Yes, Father," he replied briefly, smiling. Deep down, he was confident that his fourth and final son would be distinguished, unique, and better than everyone else...
He didn't believe that fate could change everything and that his excitement would be shattered on the seventh day of August of that year. The grandfather didn't die; his illness didn't leave him, but with time, he improved from before and remained strong, true to his word.
Everyone stood in front of the couple's room in the large palace, waiting to hear the sound of the small infant amidst Fernanda's pained cries. And within moments, a weak and delicate sound pierced everyone's ears; it was crying, yet it was beautiful and quiet... And this made Suarez's heart contract with apprehension and fear at what crossed his mind. Could this be true?! Could his fourth child, whom he had waited for impatiently, be a girl... Impossible!!
He burst into the hall quickly, heading towards his wife, who held the child in her arms, hiding it against her chest away from the gaze of Suarez, who was approaching rapidly, his eyes burning with a frightening fire. Without realizing it, her limbs began to tremble with fear of what she was about to tell him, and her blue eyes, like ocean water, were ready to shed their jewels... This news was hell itself for the Visconti family.
The news spread quickly throughout Florence. The heir of Count Gabriel and his son Count Suarez was a female... This was enough to make my father hate me and argue with my mother whenever he had the chance. Giovanni Fernanda named her daughter "Maria Visconti" after her great-aunt "Maria Giovanni" because she knew her daughter was nothing but a bad omen.
In contrast to the parents who resented their young daughter, Grandfather Gabriel loved her more than anything else. He saw his deceased wife in her green eyes and his daughter Isabella in her beautiful charcoal hair. Maria inherited nothing from her parents; neither the sharp eyelids and harsh features from Suarez, nor the blue eyes and blonde hair from her mother. She was supernaturally beautiful, resembling her aunt and grandmother greatly, and perhaps this was the reason for the grandfather's attachment to her to that degree.
"I'll stop here, Maria, my throat is dry!!"
I woke up from my world when I heard Myrna's complaining voice. I smiled gently at her, then nodded, signifying my understanding. I let out a long sigh... Hearing my story like this makes me feel strange, as if it's a sad fantasy story, not something I actually lived.
"Should we go back home?" the girl with the beautiful red hair asked, her hand reaching for the notebook.
"Seriously, Myrna, aren't you going to give me the book?!!"
"No! When I'm completely done writing, I'll give it to you, dear."
My features became sulky. Getting that notebook had become one of my difficult dreams...
"Your sixteenth birthday is next week, any plans, little Countess?" Myrna asked cheerfully. We were walking calmly towards our homes after a nice girls' session behind the school, where our secret spot was located.
"As usual, my parents are preparing for this day with effort."
As soon as she heard the sigh in my voice, tinged with some coldness, she knew how much I hated the matter. Moments later, a devilish idea lit up in her mind, and she didn't hesitate to share it with me.
"How about we have our own special party, Maria... Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
I would have shared her happiness if I hadn't remembered my father. It would be impossible for him to allow me to leave the palace for such a reason. Although I didn't say anything, my friend understood what was going through my mind, so she put her arm around my shoulder and spoke with determination.
"After the party, at two in the morning, you'll jump from your room window and we'll go to our spot. No one will notice you!"
I laughed brightly and agreed to everything that came out of her mouth. This girl is the source of my happiness... I swear by it!
We said goodbye when I was close to the large gate of the Visconti palace, and I entered it with a cheerful face, anticipating what would happen in a week.
...
"You little devil! Where have you been for an hour? Today's lessons ended at three in the afternoon."
"You little devil! Where have you been for an hour? Today's lessons ended at three in the afternoon," my mother yelled in a whisper at my face, afraid my father might hear. She knew I wouldn't be the only one punished if Father found out I was two hours late.
"I had a biology project, and Myrna and I stayed at the high school to finish it."
My mother grabbed my arm violently and shook me repeatedly, spitting threatening words into my expressionless face with a harsh, agitated tone. "Listen, from today onwards, you will be here when the church bells ring at half past three. I don't care what you face or how long the road is... You're the one who wanted to walk and enjoy the scenery, aren't you, little Countess?"
She let go of me at the end of her sentence, looking at me mockingly. I didn't answer a word, only stared at her coldly, waiting for the same speech I heard every day to end.
"Hurry to your room! You'll go out with Catherine to the market to choose suitable dresses for the party... Everything I found in your closet is just a pile of cheap fabrics. For heaven's sake, where is the noble taste in what you wear?"
My eyes widened in shock at hearing what she said... Damn it, my necklace!!
I didn't answer her a word but walked past her, heading up the stairs towards my room. My heart was pounding violently at what crossed my mind. If anything happened to my necklace, I swear I would burn the house down with everyone in it!
I sighed in relief as I held the necklace gently. That silver chain adorned with a heart-shaped lock of the same color. Although I didn't know where I got this necklace, it was a gift from an unknown person on my fourteenth birthday... And I think I'm starting to solve the mystery of the enigmatic young man who gave me the necklace.
Of course, who else but Nicholas Giovanni... my only cousin... who carries the blood of Saint Maria Giovanni in his veins.
Just thinking that he loves me makes my little heart flutter. Nicholas is a young man like no other, with blonde hair and blue eyes, in addition to his sharp features, despite being calm and distinguished by his composure. He smiles and speaks little, yet when he is alone with me during family gatherings, he doesn't stop talking to me and asking about how I am. He cares about everything I tell him, even if it's trivial, and he smiles warmly at me when I laugh at him. We were the couple everyone envied. I could clearly see my aunt's objection to me. She didn't hate me, and I didn't hate her, but she also believed that I was a bad omen and that my marriage to her only son would be bad for him and for me. And perhaps this is one reason I haven't confessed to Nicholas that I'm fond of him. I also loved to love him from afar. Despite the clear sparkle in my eyes when I look at him, he never embarrassed me. He didn't mind my closeness to him, and this is what made me smile genuinely in front of him.
I returned the necklace to its place, sighing deeply, a gentle smile drawn on my face. Apart from my curiosity about what was inside the closed heart that needed a key, I was impressed by the story of the necklace. I sat on my bed, my feet touching the ground, my torso leaning on the bed, so my face was facing the ceiling painted white, which made the velvet walls slightly light-colored.
Suddenly, I heard knocking on the door. Of course, it wasn't my father or Marius; those three would barge into my room like bulls despite my grandfather's constant anger about it. Not only in my defense but, according to him, "Asking permission is an important rule in noble palaces."
This was the only rule I loved and the only one that was never applied in the Visconti palace.
"Come in," I said calmly, straightening my posture. The door opened, revealing Eric behind it, my eldest brother and the only one who shows his pure love for me, unlike the rest of my siblings. Eric had black hair like mine and blue eyes like my mother's, handsome with a sharp jawline and sword-like eyes, always smiling and cheerful, wise and never rash, with a long-term vision and a handsomeness not unfamiliar to the famous Visconti family... This was Eric.
"Maria, are you okay?"
I nodded, asking, "Why do you ask, brother?"
"I learned from one of the maids that Mother yelled at you again."
I smiled calmly at him. He thought the source of my smile was his concern for me, but I was thinking about something else, the maid Elit Medici, the daughter of my father's driver. I was the only one who knew about my brother's relationship with this maid, without him knowing that I had heard about it.
"Don't worry, the usual talk."
He nodded understandingly. Everyone in the palace knew that Fernanda Visconti harbored hatred for her only daughter, because of my birth, my father accused her of cheating, believing that only males could come from his loins and that she had an affair behind his back, and I was the sin that exposed the infidelity. But after undergoing numerous tests in various hospitals throughout Italy, it became clear that I was the daughter of Suarez Visconti and Fernanda Giovanni without the slightest doubt.
"By the way, Eric... Mother wants me to go out to the market with my governess to buy clothes for the party and..."
I stammered at the end of my words, or rather, I was embarrassed to ask him for the thousandth time for the same request. I always felt like a burden on Eric, but his features always denied my belief. He made me feel comfortable and reassured whenever things were difficult for me in this palace.
"You want to go with Myrna and me instead of Mrs. Catherine."
I nodded with blushing cheeks. I don't know what's embarrassing about wanting to go shopping with my older brother and my best friend, but I always felt heat rising to my head when I asked Eric for something... even if it was a glass of water.
He patted my hair gently and whispered calmly, "I don't know if I can go with you, but I'll ask Marius to do it and take Myrna with you."
I clung to his hand, widening my eyes in shock... Me, Marius, and Myrna... This is the worst nightmare ever!
"No, brother, I'd rather go to hell with the black devil than go with Marius... Ask Julian instead of that fool."
He was about to tell me he agreed, if not for that raging bull barging into my room.
"Who are you calling a bull, you mother of forty-four?"
I clenched my fist, controlling my nerves, for if my father heard our shouting, I would be punished alone, and he would escape as usual.
"You're not the only Marius in this world."
"But I'm the only Marius you're afraid to go somewhere with!"
"Good that you know," I whispered in a low voice so he wouldn't hear me. Marius was the spoiled child, the rash one, who loved annoying me as much as he loved playing basketball with me...
Our times of alliance were few, but despite that, we loved each other, I think!
"Anyway, I'll ask Julian to go with you, Maria. Get yourself ready... Call Myrna to get ready too!" he whispered the last part. No one knew I had a phone except Eric. It was my dream to have my own, and he fulfilled my wish on the condition that no one else knew about it, and of course, I found no reason to be bothered.
About two hours later, I left my room. The maid had informed me that Julian was waiting downstairs and that Myrna had arrived just moments ago. I stopped at the main door. When I opened it, Julian's black car would be in front of me. I turned to the mirror to check my appearance. I was wearing a white dress that extended below my knees, a chain with white beads around my waist, my hair flowing down my back, contrasting with the light color of the dress. My family didn't object to what I wore. From my parents' perspective, they wished I would attract attention and marry quickly before the age of eighteen so I wouldn't inherit my grandfather's position as stated in his will. Among the unbreakable traditions in marriage among noble families is that the wife gives up her surname after the marriage in spiritual rituals, and her name changes. For some reason, I was convinced deep down that I would remain the little Countess Maria Visconti... even after my marriage.
I took a deep breath before smiling calmly and opening the door. Being with Julian was the most stressful thing I could do, especially when we were alone. Myrna, without a doubt, would be in one of her family's cars, and I would have to ride with Julian by ourselves, meaning I would spend nearly half an hour with a piece of ice that doesn't talk. My middle brother is another exciting mass, with very dark blonde hair and blue eyes, his eyes slightly sharp, and a frozen expression that has never been adorned with the emotions inside him...
Any girl could easily fall in love with the grandsons of the Visconti family. Their strong physiques, their extraordinary handsomeness, and their wealth which I would take control of at the age of eighteen. Despite the will which somewhat wronged them, they didn't hold a grudge against me because of it. Even Marius contented himself with teasing me to satisfy his ego and his playful, provocative personality only. Other than that, I was my brothers' favorite, and no one could bother Countess Maria without three strong, handsome young men getting in their way.
"Girl, I can't look at you... You look radiant with beauty!" my friend groaned playfully, covering her eyes. I laughed at what she said... Myrna had always been a source of joy, the spoiled daughter of the Duke of Florence's family. For God's sake, who hadn't heard of the fame and wealth of the Orsini family worldwide...
A black sleeveless top with thin straps extending around the neck instead of sleeves, and slightly wide blue jeans with white heels added splendor and elegance to Myrna's look. I was forbidden from wearing trousers; according to my mother, "trousers clearly show my flaws to the public." But Myrna had a completely different opinion; she would always give me some of her trousers, and I would wear them during my escapes from the house for our secret trips, her and I.
"Did you see yourself in the mirror? I think we're going to be kidnapped because of your beauty."
Myrna leaned close to whisper to me. She had always been taller than me, and wearing high heels made it even worse.
"I don't think Julian would care even if we were tortured in front of him."
I laughed lightly at what she said, trying to look like a refined girl since Julian's and my father's eyes were watching me from above. I didn't want to take lessons in etiquette; I had tried it three times, and it was terrifying!
Inside, I was sure that Julian wasn't like that. If anyone touched me with a single word, he was ready to turn the world upside down in secret. When my mother would yell at me when I was little in front of him, he would stop her indirectly by calling me, saying that my grandfather needed me, and when my father would confine me to my room or the basement, he would secretly open the door and give me the spare key. When one of the school kids would bully me, he would have to enter the hospital for a week, for Marius would hit him directly, Julian would burn him without anyone knowing he was the culprit, and as for Eric, he would prevent hospitals from receiving him... or rather, receiving his corpse. And finally, my cousin Nicholas would kill him without my knowing also and without telling me.
"Maria, hurry up, I have work."
We froze in our places at his terrifyingly calm tone, so I nodded quickly. Myrna got into her car, ready to drive, while I headed to the passenger seat of the driver. She had gotten her driving license a year ago, unlike me who received a slap on the face the moment I asked my father to learn to drive.
I was excited to go to the mall. I don't like shopping much, but going with Myrna isn't something that happens often, for our escapes from the house mean going only to our secret spot, so wandering around means getting caught in record time.
And going shopping with my governess Catherine was nothing but a horror movie. I was forbidden from leaving the palace alone, especially when it was useless things like shopping and attending parties. Aside from going to high school, walking outside the iron gate was completely forbidden, for everyone knew I was the heir of Count Gabriel Visconti, which constantly exposed my life to danger.
Julian's car sped off, followed by Myrna's SUV. My mind wouldn't stop weaving ideas about what I would wear to the party, for the chance to choose my own dresses isn't something that happens often...
...
My shopping trip ended with buying three dresses, all competing with each other in luxury and elegance.
The first dress was a dark red dress, reaching below my knees, its sleeves surrounding my shoulders, allowing my clavicle bone to show. Myrna said it would be best to save this dress for the end of the party, as it would suit the last dance with the young man who would invite me, coinciding with the striking of the bells announcing midnight. Frankly, the matter seemed beautiful... The magnificence of the dress proved that its fabric deserved to be what encased my body while I danced with the handsome young man, whom I hoped would be the one on my mind.
As for the second dress, it was a design resembling a spring coat, in a beige color leaning towards being dark, surrounded at the waist by a thin black belt showing the slenderness of my torso, with an open collar decorated with a gold pin matching its buttons extending almost to its end, the dress reaching the crook of my feet with a small slit starting from my knee downwards on both sides of the dress, below the collar showing a white shirt reaching the beginning of my neck. Myrna asked me to wear white gloves too to complete the formal look, and we decided I would wear this at the beginning of the party for receiving guests and showing the extent of the well-known Visconti family's nobility and sophistication.
And for my performance and giving a welcoming speech to the guests during the dinner table, we chose a nice dress, very similar to the Victorian era dresses I was fond of. Its color was creamy white, adorned with blue ribbons on the sides, in addition to a blue ribbon around the waist and at the collar. The dress was very long, which forced me to buy high-heeled shoes to avoid falling in the middle of the hall... that is, if I didn't trip because of the shoes.
Myrna and I discussed the party details at length. She knew about my crush on Nicholas, which made her serious about the smallest details. A girl with a wide imagination like her and many experiences of falling in love from afar made her confident in her choices.
"The second fastest way to a man's heart after his stomach is what his eyes see... When he first sees you in your formal dress, he'll think inside that you are the noble girl his family needs, and then you surprise him with that cute dress of yours, and a second time he says to himself, 'These are the angelic features I'm looking for.' But he'll lose his mind in the end when you meet him in your last dress that takes the breath away from anyone, sane or insane. He'll lose his mind, and without realizing it, he'll step forward, extending his hand to you... 'Miss Maria, may I have this dance?' You take his hand and walk to the center of the hall as those calm melodies begin. He dances with you skillfully, and suddenly he whispers in your ear in his calm and masculine tone... 'Little Countess, will you accept to be the beloved of my heart and the companion of my loneliness, my light in the darkness and my warmth in the frost, to complete me so we become one body and one heart forever and ever...' And of course, your cheeks will blush as usual, and you'll smile gently at him expressing your agreement. Our Nicholas loses his mind and kisses your mouth wildly... Wow, won't this be so romantic!!!"
I would laugh at her when she talked like this, but deep down, I wished this would happen. According to my analysis of my cousin's personality, he is poetic despite his cold features, and if what Myrna imagined happened, I wouldn't be too surprised. But the possibility of having a heart attack still remains despite everything... What! Your dream guy confessing to you isn't easy after all...
I entered my room exhausted from walking. The day was very long, yet the hour still indicated half past seven, which meant there was plenty of time until dinner. Although my eyelids were struggling to stay open, I preferred to go up to the attic... When we hear the word "attic," the first thing we think of is a dark place filled with old tools we no longer need, but the attic of the Visconti palace was different. It held a secret within that not many knew about; it hid a kind, neglected human being who had been there for many long years...
"Here I am again!!"
I declared with a smile as I opened the door. Going up here required great effort; servants were everywhere, and if anyone found out that I had come back to this room, I don't know what punishment might fall upon me. After all, one of the most important rules of the Visconti palace is not even to think about approaching the stairs leading to this wing... And here I am... Maria Visconti, breaking the rule despite everyone, despite everything!
"Maria, my dear!"
🖤 Done 🖤
Do you know I spent the whole morning writing, and suddenly the part got erased? My heart ached, and I couldn't express it. Anyway...
What do you think of the part?
The story of Maria Visconti.
I have to confess something.
My plan for the novel was for the three brothers to hate Maria except for one, but because I LOOOVED the characters, I couldn't make them evil.
The grandsons of the Visconti family are not insignificant.
By the way, which type do you prefer?
Cheerful Eric
or
Cold Julian
or
Playful Marius
And of course, let's not forget "Nicholas the handsome knight ✨✨"
The hero hasn't appeared yet, but very soon... very, very soon.
Who do you think is the person held captive in the palace attic? Could it be a young man, or could it be the hero?
Your predictions for the birthday party? Will Nicholas confess to Maria as planned, or will the dress plan fail?
What do you think of Myrna's character as well?
Any question about the novel you can ask, and I will answer with extreme happiness.
