Chapter Ten: Apple of Discord

Enrico chases the old lady but she suddenly vanished like a whoosh of wind. Both of them frighten, raising their question about her disapparation. “Where’s she?” Elizabeth leans her left shoulder on the wall of the kitchen entrance. “She disappeared! I don’t where she is.” Enrico shrugs. So, they return to the bedroom and once again, thinking deeply about all these strange things happening to them. In the latter, silent moment past before they weave a conversation. It's starts when Enrico apologises once for all about the recent inconvenience they went through.

"I'm sorry ma'am─"

"Shut it! I mean its fine, can you address me as Elizabeth, please?" she rolls her eyes.

"I'm sorry once again… uhm─ Elizabeth." He hunches as he about to sit in a wooden chair. "Well, you promised me, you'll tell what those two henchmen were up to… remember?" she examines his facial expression as she brushes her hair by her right hand. "Yeah, right… well. I've told… them to… not harm you, both of you." Enrico answers candidly.

"Really─ can you tell about those terms you said?" she demands.

“Well, ahmm… Scusi per favor means excuse me, please. Bello ragazza means beautiful young ladies.”

"Oh, really, then?" she smiles.

"Then… uhm… I think they're interested for both of you. So, I told them that scusi per favor... gentiluomo. I'm their escort." Enrico strokes his narrow chin.

"So you told them, you're our escort?" Elizabeth smirks whilst narrowing her sight to his blushing face. Enrico details the recent event at the train station. He translates some Italian terms that he uttered during their conversation. Thenceforth, Elizabeth snickers as she staring at him so distinctly.

The embarrassing moment takes place as Elizabeth can't stop giggling, holding her freezing stomach like a wriggling hungry larva. Enrico dements about what he witnesses to her. Until a long thin growl of a wolf jolting Elizabeth from her interminable giggles and runs swiftly towards him, embracing him so tightly.

"Oh dear what a creepy sound! Hey, I just notice… your skin wraps with this green light. I wonder if that would be troll’s colour or perhaps an ogre─" Elizabeth raises her right eyebrow.

"A─ what…? Come on… what on earth you saying about that?" Enrico scratches his head.

"I just wonder, though." She chuckles as she escaping from him.

"Well, if I looked like a troll or Orc whatever. What about you, if a red light will illuminate you? Perhaps your face will be like─." He grins.

Elizabeth giggles, but as she recalls her latest nightmare, she terrifies, swinging her mood and shivering in silence. The freshest crystal clear details dawn her about the girl sitting in the mountain of skulls. She seemly reflects about that girl. Maybe something connects them unconsciously.

Enrico notices her, halting from her tickling giggles, hardening like an old statue of a goddess in Pantheon or shrines. Enrico bothers about the action he’s seeing towards her. He instead taps her left shoulder and assuring her once in for all that everything will be all right. Elizabeth finally leans her head to Enrico's right shoulder

"Ma'am, I mean─ ah Elizabeth, would you like to sleep again?" Enrico asks.

"Maybe, oh hang on! You don't have enough sleep, have you?" Elizabeth distances as locking her sight unto him.

"Nope… I'm fine thanks…" Enrico sighs.

"Hey, I command you to sleep… remember you're my driver and you must have enough sleep. You hear me?" Elizabeth knits her eyebrows and entangling her arms to herself.

Twenty-one minutes past one in the early dawn. Elizabeth and Enrico are resting. Elizabeth lies down on the bed and Enrico reclines on the wooden floor with bed sheet. Elizabeth narrows her glance to him, who sleeping soundly on the floor. She steps down from her bed and sneaking towards him, covering him well by blanket. She admires him, because of his courage and willingness to extend his hand to others who needs his help. She scans and caressing his tiresome rugged face that filled with youthful naivety.

Five hours past, the clock ding-dongs once again, striking at six. Enrico prepares a freshly brewed tea that permeating an aromatic scent. The dewy morning fills with fresh air and tranquility. The early birds croak leisurely whilst the other animals contending for a sunny horizon.

"Good morning, Miss Elizabeth, would you like some cup of tea?" Enrico greets her. "Oh, there you are… um… yeah… a cup of tea with cinnamon powder please?" Elizabeth mutters as she opening her eyes whilst raising her head from the bed. "Certainly, my lady…" Enrico smiles as he pouring the teapot.

Elizabeth steps down from her bed, rubbing her eyes and brushing her frizzy hair. They seat all together on the chairs opposite from each other in an artless wooden table occupied by the old teapot, a pair of a cup, two small plates, and a sugar container. The conversation speaks about Rebecca, who disapparated early of the dawn. Both of them curiously wander their sights around to at least find any clues or perhaps anything she left. A par from that, they also worry about Mrs. Clearwater, since they failed to be the mansion as expected. At this moment, Elizabeth's stunning beauty arises once in for all under the illumination of the sunlight surpassing from the glass windows and pressing against her pinkish skin. Enrico tunnels his eyes off from as they talking deeper.

A half of an hour later, Elizabeth and Enrico's journeying back to the mansion. It goes well smoothly comparing the other day. They have enjoying so much fun in the conversation under the sun. Elizabeth opens up a silly topic about her childhood friends who stole a bunch of cookies and sweet candies in a drawer locked by Mrs. Baker. She brags about her first undercover mission aiming to set free the imprisoned cookies and candies.

Yet, Enrico narrates his hilarious experience. When he’s eight years old, he worked in a hog farm owned by a group of Jesuits priests. One day, a hog escaped from the pigsty and ran into the shrub fields. The caretaker worried about it because most probably the owners will be likely to grumble from the negligence of his duty. However, Enrico got a plan to bait the hog, and upon succeeding, he finally cantered the hog like a cavalier riding in a horse then he drove the hog like his own horse heading back to its pigsty. Elizabeth bursts into an unstoppable giggle as she listening to Enrico's ridiculous experience.

"That's funny and heroic! But I think that's so mean… silly and barbaric experience I've ever heard… ever." Elizabeth laughs continuously.

"Yeah, actually, when I was a child, I dreamt that someday, if I'll be a king, I’ll replace the knight's horses into hogs or perhaps boars, wild boars. What do you think it sounds like?" Enrico chuckles as he rolls over the maneuverer.

"It sounds like bloody hilarious! Ha-ha-ha…" Elizabeth giggles extremely.

Both of them sizzle with unpreventable bliss of euphoria under the heat of sunlight in their horizon. Sometimes, our childhood experiences were awkwardly awful, but there'll be a time you wish to try it again. Anyway, upon arrival from a long hour of travel, the whole mansion seemingly quiet. They envision few people, however, few cars parking organisely outside the mansion.

Both of them startle as they entering the mansion. They spot on the glamorous common room with royal designs and colours. Few guests situate in the VIP seats from the left side in front and aristocrats on the other side. Elizabeth astounds upon seeing the silhouettes of a group of gentlemen reflecting by the lights of the chandelier. Their sight turn into her direction, she quickly evades them and escapes away. She heads directly to her room and locking it without hesitation.

"Why this is happening? They're here… what should I do?" Elizabeth murmurs as she panics.

Elizabeth walks back and forth in her room, thinking of how she should face those suitors and guests of her parent’s faces. Momentarily, the door pounds, it jolting and rattling her from walking back and forth. She reclines herself against the door and listening outside to whom the knock originates.

"Elizabeth, please open the door. This is granny─"

Upon hearing Mrs. Clearwater's voice, she unlocks undoubtedly the door and let her in. She snakes her arms to her, asking for the reason of this sudden event. They rush inside and talk properly.

"Enlighten me! What's this sudden event on about?" Elizabeth narrows her eyes to her.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart─ I and your mother planning to surprise you… for your upcoming debut. We plan to celebrate it in a week. However, ─" Mrs. Clearwater pauses.

"However, what…? ─" Elizabeth asks.

"However, your good father invited all of his friends and your suitors to be your dance escort. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"Gran─ how long it would take this celebration?"

"Probably a week or two─ don't worry everything is all set. By the way, you're naïve─ bodyguard, where is he?"

"I don't know. It’s a long story… he's sort of idiot, funny but courageous─" Elizabeth smiles as she avoiding her granny’s eyes.

"Oh, I see… that's why you're worry because of him─" Mrs. Clearwater locks her sight unto her and smiling.

"Gran─ come on. Stop it! I'll have something to ask you. Please enlighten me!" Elizabeth rattles.

"What's happening?" Mrs. Clearwater probes.

As Elizabeth about to ask something to her granny, Mrs. Clearwater pauses for a few seconds and depicts a sigh. A split of a second later, door pounds raspingly, interrupting their hanging conversation. They halt and shifting smoothly their mood into fake enthusiastic one like an actress in a film or movie. And Misila opens up the door. She enters the room, panting and knackering.

"Ma'am, pardon…huh… the… visitors would…huh… like to see… you and… Miss Elizabeth." Misila gasps unstoppably.

"Yes, I'll come forth momentarily, just let them know." Mrs. Clearwater responds.

"What about me─ gran? Should I?" Elizabeth asks.

"No, you'll stay here, give yourself well proper rest. I'll deal with them later." Mrs. Clearwater assures.

"Thanks, gran… I owe you a lot!" Elizabeth grins.

"Don't mention it!" Mrs. Clearwater gasps, rolling her eyes and smiling.