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Chapter Text

The last time Mira saw her son, was the night of his sixth birthday after watching the lights of Rome just as they had done every year.

She remembers his smile and how his eyes lit up when he realized it was time to see the lights from the balcony. She remembers his voice when he yelled he had never been happier in his life. And she remembers the way his sleepy voice thanked her for a great birthday, before she kissed his curls and left his bedroom.

Unfortunately, she also remembers the deafening silence that filled the room just as she opened the door only to find his son’s bed completely messy, empty. She remembers the panic forming in the pit of her stomach and the sound of her footsteps speeding up until she encountered Giuda, her husband’s left hand and head of the Royal Guard. Remembers the pain as she pronounced a single sentence, that expressed her biggest fear.

“My son is not on his quarters…”

She wouldn’t listen to anyone after that, but it’s hard to forget the servants’ yelling, the guards’,  everyone in the castle, the tears forming in her eyes, how hard it was to breath thinking that… that…

Her little boy, her Ermal, had gone missing in the middle of the night. She remembers the expressions of tiredness and confusion from her other kid, as he asked for his big brother and why was everyone looking for him? The soft sobbing of the baby.

They had looked in each and every one of the rooms of the castle, including secret passages, the most hidden corners, without finding any trace.

That night, she didn’t stop sobbing into the arms of her husband. Only that was the day when she forgot all the fights and the tension that’s always been between them, for she had never felt a bigger pain than this one, her heart breaking.

When the sun came out, the kingdom was told that Prince Ermal was nowhere to be found.

“Most likely kidnapped by an enemy kingdom” said some rumors on the streets.  

She remembers how much he loved the lights of Rome, so she never gave up.

Each year, on the day of Prince Ermal’s birthday, everyone in the kingdom released thousands of floating lanterns with the hope that, maybe someday, the boy would see them and find his way back to his family.

Chapter Text

Sometimes, I have these weird dreams…

I see myself standing in the balcony, holding her hand as I stare into the sky waiting for the stars to appear in this special occasion. After this, I know I will be happier and I cannot help but voice my thoughts so loud and she laughs at me. And I know she’s laughing from happiness too.

As far as Ermal remembers, he has always lived in this tower and things have always been the same.

Every morning, he has woken up with the sunlight hitting his face through the big window, which allows him to observe the sea around him. He has opened his eyes in that same big bed in his chamber and has walked into a same living gallery and then to the same kitchen where there would always be food, although he didn’t know where it came from, considering there was no way out besides the windows.

However, the tower looked out over a small and lonely island in the middle of the sea, which Ermal learnt to love over the years. Even if he could jump from the tower, he didn’t know how to swim and wouldn’t know where to go. The sea and those beautiful stars appearing in the sky on the day of his birthday from the distance, where the only things he ever met from the outside world and that was enough to feed his curiosity.

It was almost at his thirteen years when Ermal understood that there had to be an escape, since that was how Miss Margherita had to arrive every three days to teach him about biology, maths, literature…

And Ermal was exhausted, terrified by the idea of living locked up in the monotony for the rest of his life.

He has days already with these thoughts on his mind and, that morning, he had decided to follow his instinct and share this interest with her: his only friend. He was hoping that she would give him some answers, since she was usually amazed with his curiosity during the classes, especially with languages.

Miss Margherita stopped her lecture as soon as she noticed that the boy wouldn’t stay still and was definitely not paying attention. Instead, he kept staring at the window, as if something there was calling him.

“Ermal, is everything okay?” Her voice brought him back to reality. Ermal looked at her and nodded. “You sure?”

He was sure that she would not judge him, she knew him since so long ago and would understand there were things he had to know: The truth. He took some air.

“Miss… do you remember that my thirteenth birthday is approaching?”

“Of course, Ermal, I wouldn’t forget…”

“And that you… told me I could ask for anything?

Listening to his words, her smile faded. When she said it, Margherita didn’t really mean anything and felt slightly scared at the thought of what he would possibly ask for next.

“Eh, yes Ermal. I said that.”

“I want to see the floating lights that appear every year on my birthday.”

“But…” Shit, what could she tell him so he could forget about it? If Ermal kept talking… she would be in trouble. “But if you always see them, Ermal”

“Miss, you know what I mean… Closer!”

“They’re not lights. They’re just stars.”

Hoping that was enough, but the boy just sent her a look; there was no way to trick him.

“Stars are constant, Miss, and there’s no way that exactly these ones appear every year the same day” With these words, Ermal ran to one of the massive shelves that covered the walls. He remembered having learned about the stars previously. He found a book that told him everything: Stars had patterns and those on his birthday didn’t meet any of them.

Margherita watched taken aback, because the boy was really so smart being so young. Instead of being filled with joy, this caused her a feeling of fear and sadness. “See? Those are not stars!”

“Oh, it looks like you’re right. You seem to like that book very much.”

“So you can take me to see them?”

“Ermal, I’m afraid I can’t” At her words, the book fell from Ermal’s hands and his eyes immediately teared up. He couldn’t stand this anymore.

“Why not?”

“Because… because… The outside world is too dangerous for you!”

“I am a good student! I keep my chamber clean. I make my own food. I get to be here everyday on my own… do I not deserve to go out?” The teacher couldn’t bear the sight of his student, sobbing, without wanting to cry herself too.

“Please, Ermal. Don’t ask me this, I can’t”

“You can go out and come back as you like!”

“I can’t get you out of here, do you understand? I don’t have that power”

“Then who has it?”

The time had come. Margherita could only feel more guilty. She knew that, when Ermal would grow up, he’d start asking these questions and she would have to disappear from his life as well, leaving him completely on his own for real.

She just didn’t expect that moment to hurt as much as it did, neither that her heart would completely break before his eyes. And neither she expect to cry silently too. Ermal was an exceptional kid who didn’t deserve to go through all of this but she could do nothing to change it.

“I cannot tell you this” The kid’s eyes opened in shock. Then… she knew all this time why he was there?

All these years had been a charade.

“You know where my parents are…”

“I’m so sorry, Ermal”

“Why would they leave me here?”

She looked at the sunrays from the windows once again. It wasn’t time yet for their session to be over, yet she thought the best option would be to retreat from the tower.

“Don’t leave me here! I- I beg you!” He tried to detain every step she gave towards the opposite direction. But he did not move a step closer once he saw how the professor opened an enormous door that laid on the floor, with the help of a key and easily. He wasn’t able to process what was going on.

There’s a door. There’s a door. There’s a door.

There’s a door that can get him out of here.

“Ermal, please. I’m asking you to not follow me”

The instant he tried to, from the shadows emerged a man in a dark armor to push him violently to the ground. “Hey! You can’t go out!” This man held a threatening demeanor, with his black mask and a voice that for some reason sounded extremely familiar to him, along with the feeling of helplessness and weakness. He had no doubt, he knew this stranger.

“Don’t you ever dare to try and go out. Ever” He froze completely at his gaze and a sword aiming at his face, until the mysterious man vanished into the darkness.

It took several minutes for his breathing to return to normal and for the tears to dry on his face, replacing all the previous emotions with new thoughts, the understanding of many things at the same time.

Ermal was completely alone now. Then maybe he had always been.

He waited three more days, just in case he would get to see Miss Margherita again.

After that, he waited another three days.

And then, three more days.

She never appeared.

The day of his thirteenth birthday, Ermal found resting in the middle of his living gallery a white coloured lute. It was beautiful and he found himself hypnotized observing each detail, even on the inside. On a couch inside the room, there was a big book about music. Of course, he was surrounded by books and knew there were much more about music, this one held only the basics, that would take him on a journey.

Since that moment, Ermal decided to not believe anymore in those fairytales. All those fake stories, with perfect characters, perfect lives and happy endings that did not exist. He didn’t know a happy ending and his life would definitely never be a fairytale, this was the real world.

Instead, he started to believe in music. Now, he had something to hold onto besides the lights. He wrote and composed, always making him feel better. It also gave him the hope that, out there, there was a whole new world to meet.

One day he would go out and find it.

Chapter Text

Sometimes, I hear her sweet voice telling me words that sound strange. Except they’re very familiar to me… it’s not Italian, that’s for sure, but I can understand her perfectly. I feel her hands run through my curls, trying to calm me down as I cry in silence. She promises me that everything’s gonna be okay and she will protect me.

“One day we’re going to escape. I promise, son… and the four of us will be happy, yeah?” I just nod, unable to formulate any word, but I know I can feel safe between her arms.

My mother…

Ever since Fabrizio remembers, he had always enjoyed travelling and exploring new places. He comes from a family of fishers, which easily allows him to take control over his life and choose which path he’s following day by day, continuing with the tradition. He felt the freedom and adrenaline running on his veins every time he arrived to a new kingdom, ready to be explored. And nothing felt more sacred for Fabri than his freedom, even if he was just another simple fisherman roaming around.

This time, he arrived to the Kingdom of Rome, the place he was born and one of the biggest he’s ever been in his life. He heard that the market got really good during this season, besides the big impulse he had to reconnect with his roots, so why not try to be part of it for some days?

Thanks to his mother’s instructions, he didn’t take long to find the humble house where he lived some months as a baby. It’s a beautiful house, and small, good enough for Fabrizio as long as he has a place to leave all of his belongings in. Adapting to the environment he would be in was never an issue to him.

In order to become familiar with the kingdom once again, he decided he would enjoy the first night by discovering its best places.

As he walks down the streets, he starts to realize that there might be something wrong with its habitants, who walk with their heads down in a total silence the whole time. They barely notice his presence. He first thinks that it’s just the night falling over Rome completely and it creates a feeling of mistrust in him, only to eventually understand that, at least on the outside, he’s surrounded now by an aura of melancholy. No matter how hard he tries to convince himself that it’s part of his imagination, this funny sensation doesn’t really go away until he enters a pub with a big sign that shows in massive letters the name of “Alessandra”

Once he’s inside, he meets a completely different atmosphere, filled with life and joy. He immediately can listen to a young girl sing full volume from the wooden stage, he sees the people drink non-stop and talking to each other just like that, not afraid, as if there was no tomorrow, between those enormous tables. That’s so weird, thinks Fabrizio, makes him believe that these people are not allowed to be openly happy out there, and that confuses him more as he approaches the bar.

He is welcomed by a beautiful woman a bit younger than him, with bright brown eyes and thin lips.

“You look like a traveller, be welcome”

“Thank you, I am” Insecure, he takes seat on a stool, which allows him to observe from the distance the several faces and emotions that fill with colors his surroundings.

“What may I offer you?”

“A… beer, please.” I don’t even drink. He’s not used to.

The woman nods and proceeds to get his drinks, trying to eye him up and down discretely. It doesn’t take long before another man slouching and eyes as big as plates joins her behind the bar, it’s clear he comes in seek of a little help.

“Giada, please, help me with the riot over there… It’s way too much people”. The guy points out to the crowd that won’t stop laughing and talking as if they wanted everyone to hear their conversation topics.

“I’m attending a customer, Marco.” She ignores him and instead leans onto the bar, making sure her attention was on Fabrizio. “What brings you here, fisherman?”

It may be possible that his clothes give him away too easily, he never was one to dress really decently and everyone could tell.

“My name is Fabrizio and… I just like to travel. Work makes it easier.”

“And where are you from?”

“I was actually born here in Rome, in San Basilio, but happened to grow up moving from one place to another.”

“Then, tell me… what are you really looking for? Why come back to Rome?” Now he becomes unsure about whether he likes the amount of questions he’s receiving from this lady –Giada, if he heard correctly- but he looks directly into her eyes, defying and smiles too. He’d lie if he said he doesn’t find her attractive in the slightest.

He pretends to be deeply thinking about what he’s about to say, even when both know they’re messing around at this point.

“And why so many questions? Aren’t we all to have a good time?”

“Mhm… I like the way you think”

“Giada, please” Their talk seems to be interrupted again by a third person’s voice. Giada gives up, irritated because of Marco’s presence, who hasn’t done much besides standing by her side sending intense looks as a way to passive aggressively put some pressure on her.

“Fine, alright. Take care of the bar and I will go.” She leaves Marco on her place and the man seems to want to hide like a scaredy cat. He’s surely new, assumes Fabri. Both observe quietly as Giada, with full security, approaches the group of people without letting their noise intimidate her and does her job as she should.

Now that he’s not facing the pretty lady, Fabrizio dares to be the one to express a certain curiosity after a slow sip from his jar.

“Aò… what’s happening with the people in this kingdom? Why does everyone look like they’re depressed unless they’re drinking in these places?”

“Ooh…” He knows it’s most likely not the type of question someone would normally make, especially noticing the guy’s reaction. “You don’t know the story.”

“No, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It actually looks like if he wasn’t a customer, Marco would easily find a way to not answer to his question. Damn, he looks tired.

“The Kingdom used to be full of festivities and a lot of peace, really. And it was like this until, at the very night of the Prince’s birthday, fifteen years ago, he was kidnapped and no one has seen him again. There’s no trace.”

“Oh, wow…”

“That’s right. Ever since, the Kingdom only keeps the tradition of letting go of the floating lanterns to the sky. They say the Prince liked them and that the Queen is sure this way they will find him.”

“That’s… horrible. It must be a nightmare to lose a kid that way, and for so long…” Now, Fabrizio can only feel guilty for joking some minutes ago about the heavy atmosphere that Rome lives in. If that were to happen to him he wouldn’t find a way to deal with it, he can’t imagine the pain the King and Queen must be going through.

“It is. People like to say that the Prince was that happiness that filled Rome with light: Without him, people don’t go outside anymore to celebrate, you won’t find people dancing on the square or playing their music, sharing their pieces of art anymore. Everyone prefers now to hide in order to do these activities freely. Even the Royal Guard wanders around more around town, only for vigilance though.”

After listening to these words, Fabrizio finds himself unable to keep talking. He doesn’t even know what he could tell Marco, starting to question of coming back was a really good idea in the first place.

The silence is broken when Giada comes back with a big, satisfied smirk, placing her hand on Fabri’s shoulder. “See, Marco? Piece of cake.”

“I still don’t understand how you do it…”

“It’s called being kind and keep calm.” At least, Fabrizio already knows nice people to be around with, and who have a great attitude, that’s good. “So, once again, fisherman… what is your name?”

“I’m Fabrizio Moro, pleasure to meet you.”

“Well, Fabrizio. My name’s Giada and… Don’t you happen to sing?”

“You’re in luck, Giada. In fact, yes, I like to sing.” Shit, why did he say that? No, hold on-

“Won’t a handsome man like you want to go up on our little stage and lighten up the clients tonight?”

She points out to that stage on the opposite side of the pub. And this is the very precise moment when he’s filled with fear with a proposal like that.

In reality, his family had never agreed with the people who decided to pursue the musical path, they let him know clearly that it was viewed as something only a slacker would do and that it held no future. It would just take him to the streets to ask for coins and starve. He never asked for a lute, as much as he wished for one during his childhood, and didn’t share either the first time he composed a song: it was the only secret he was able to keep in the deepest place of his heart.

That’s exactly why no one had asked him something like this: To stand in front of a crowd that will keep their eyes on him… and sing.

But, oh well, he had to begin somewhere.

He doesn’t even bother to finish his beer. “I guess one song won’t hurt” But he doesn’t know if he’s saying it to the woman besides him or if he’s trying to convince himself that it’ll go alright.

Once his hands touch the delicate wood of the lute, his worries fade away in a matter of seconds. Nothing else exists, other than him, the instrument and the lyrics that rise from his heart, letting him close his eyes and get carried on by a melody.

“I would like to feel free of this wave

Free of the certainty that the Earth is round

Free, actually free, not to seem tough

Free, free from the fear of future

Free because everyone is free to go

Free from a story which ended badly

And to begin again as a free man

Because freedom is as sacred as bread

It is as sacred as bread”

(It’s now when he remembers how, at his worst moments, when he met face to face with a path of dangers during his youth, it was music that saved him)

He feels happy and laughs when he hears the claps around him, joined by Giada’s energetic yelling.

He is free.

Chapter Text

Some nights I remember different types of laugh. Today, it’s a laugh of joy and it comes from my mother as I get closer to her, watching carefully the baby she’s holding in her arms.

“Hey, Ermal…” She says in a sweet tone, I can’t help but smile. “This is Sabina, your baby sister”

A baby sister…

Every time Fabrizio walks down Rome’s main plaza, he swears he feels chills all over his body. It’s impossible to pass by without feeling the sadness and grief on its walls. What he sees, is just a ghost. What is left, is nothing but a memory of those glory days on the kingdom.

It’s been a couple of weeks since he arrived and, occasionally, he stops to try to figure out between the rubble any trace the people could’ve left as time passed by in this place. There’s too many murals, destroyed and decolored. He can find that some people even have left behind their musical instruments, or their paintings, now covered in dust.

In the middle of the place, there’s a fountain. Instead of being filled with water, it’s fully surrounded by endless strings of plants that probably grew there by accident.

This Kingdom would be the most beautiful one, if not for the tragic history that haunts it daily, that took its life like a hurricane would’ve passed by and left nothing behind.

Today is one of those days. On the way to get food and equipment, Fabri stops to search for any other detail that could tell him by itself a little more of that lost history, anything about the old Rome. He gets closer to a wall with a painting that covers entirely the front of a house. On the superior part of it, you can read “The royal family” on cursive letters.

Just like the rest of the walls around him, time took its toll on some parts, being destroyed or covered in mold. Under all this dirt, he thinks he can make out some of the family’s faces. The king and queen, holding a baby and two kids, all with serious expressions as it is usual on royal portraits. He assumes the taller kid with bright eyes and curly hairs could be the lost prince Marco told him about, based on the descriptions he’s heard from the villagers’ mutters and based too on the amount of flowers (they look like flowers because, honestly they also look very very dead) and candles laying on the painting’s footing.

He swallows at the thought. Yes, he understands that many assume at this point that the Prince is… gone. And it’s scary. The uncertainty is. Marco said he was kidnapped: During those years Rome had many enemies, willing to cross any border and doing the most immoral just to take their revenge. Whatever really happened, the funny feeling on his stomach is not going away soon.

He feels a bit dumb too, just because he also has this slight feeling that maybe, somewhere, the Prince has grown up and is still looking for his way back home. He stares at the child’s face, thinking about how he was the victim of these cruel acts at a young age, he almost sees the tiredness and fear in those tiny eyes. He feels like he should say something, as if the kid would listen, wanting to ask him to have faith.

Fab never met him, he doesn’t even know his name because some don’t dare to say it out loud and others can’t even remember it.

“I hope you’re safe, you know?” He says in a whisper, it is probably not appropriate to speak louder. “Your family is still waiting for you”.

Fabrizio feels overwhelmed at the sudden change as soon as he gets to the market besides the Tiber river, it’s probably the only zone filled with actual noise from the people, the carts moving all types of products, during daylight. It’s necessary. However anyone could easily feel disoriented for some seconds, especially if they stop the way Fab did on the main plaza before arriving.

“Ciao, Fabri!” A familiar voice calls him from a small stand, with products especially for fishing. Fabrizio smiles and approaches his friends.

He honestly didn’t expect to be welcomed by anyone when he came back, people wouldn’t hesitate to judge him negatively based on his looks, his different clothing and the tattoo covered arms. On Alessandra and with the boys, he does feel comfortable. No one judges others based on their differences. On the opposite, everyone is welcome there to share whoever they really are.

“Aó, Dino, how’s it going?”

“Fabri, you need to know about this…” Everyone laughs at Andrea’s rush to start talking. “Talking” that usually consists of him making the announcement of the day. The young man has the tradition of hearing the words all the passersby exchange and then he wants to tell them to his friends, thanks to his job and the constantly crowded place. The issue is, the moment Vige aims to tell something, he will not stop and sometimes, reveals secrets of people he sometimes doesn’t even know.

“Don’t listen to him, Fabrizio. Andrea is going delirious again, wanna know what he supposedly heard today?”

Dino, on the other hand, enjoys making fun of Vigentini and saying he has a limitless imagination. Maybe, yes, he gets to take sentences without context and exaggerate them, but Fabri knows the real reason Dino does that ever since Vige accidentally told some of their friends that he used to be friends with the lost Prince when they were kids. That’s really not the type of story one wants to spread around the crowd, even if that crowd is made up by friends.

When Fabrizio heard Dino’s furious answer that day, he chose to never touch the topic again, for the sake if their friendship. He prefers to join the joking around and keep them all relaxed.

“Vige, you always make things up that people never say…” At this point, he doesn’t need to tell the guys why he came for. They move some nets, some baits, almost automatically and Fabri takes seat besides smiling at himself once he appreciates the beautiful view of the river reflecting the sunlight.

Always the most amazing one. The thing he treasures the most from Rome ever since he was a kid.

“I swear I’m not making it up!”

“Fine, then… what did you ‘hear’?”

“I heard some old men muttering and saying there’s a massive lake on the woods-“

“A lake… in the woods?” Before Andrea even finished his sentence, both friends share looks of disbelief. Right, he could come up with interesting things but there was no way to believe in any of this.

“I told you he’s making things up again. If there really was a lake as big as they say don’t you think the kingdom would already know about it? It would be on the map!” A map with the full kingdom gands on the wall. Nope, no lake in sight. They know their lands enough.

“But!”

“Besides you’re really going to believe any words all people who pass by will say? Maybe they’re messing around.”

“But they were fishermen, Fabrizio. Fishermen never lie!”

“Who said so?”

“Ehhh, you? What if you’re lucky there and there’s many fish waiting for you?”

“There’s no lake, Andrea. In the woods there are trees and that’s it. Please get it in your head.”

“Have you ever explored the woods? Are you hundred percent sure Dino, huh?” Dino blinks, taken by surprise by the question. He doesn’t take long to recover and keep arguing.

“I don’t need to explore the damned woods to know-“

“I THINK YOU DO!” His partner smiles before giving him a couple of pats on the face, just to make fun and turns around, to end the discussion as if he just won the battle. Fabrizio never took his eyes off the river: He might be this close to taking a stupid decision. The possibilities of this lake actually existing in the most hidden parts of the woods are practically… none, he’s seen the maps, his friends have seen the maps, created by masters.

But it also sounds terribly tempting for someone like Fabrizio Moro.

Before he regrets it (he fucking knows he will) he stands up, making sound with his boots just to call for his friend’s attention.

“Look, Vige: If you’re so convinced and want to explore, let’s do this.” Andrea’s eyes open even more and he smiles showing his teeth just like a child.

“Are you for real?”

“Sure, I’m in the mood to take a long walk” Before he realizes, two arms surround him with strength and he hears endless thanks. Andrea is so happy Fabri gets a bit of that energy, both laugh as they separate and shake hands to pretend they’re selling a deal.

“See, Dino? Fabri is willing to leave his comfort zone, wouldn’t hurt you to try that once in a while.”

“I knoooow, I’m a teeeeerrible friend” He doesn’t try to hide his sarcasm as he drawls each word, rolling his eyes at the same time.

Chapter Text

Sometimes I can hear laughs across a hall.

I’m running with my friend and we just laugh. Until a voice stops us, yelling and asking for silence.

“This is a castle. You want to play, go to the garden.” We both nod, scared of being yelled at or even worse if they continue to disobey. As time passed by, I learn that disobeying would’ve probably kept me safer.

Safer… Who could’ve guessed… Disobey… Remember it’s forbidden to di-

“Ermal, remember to disobey”

The words and letters spin and spin around Ermal’s mind until they consume him. They mess with him.

He turns around and yells and asks for help but they just. Won’t. stop.

And everyday, they haunt him until he jolts awake.

When Ermal has nightmares, he remembers only fragments of them and he won’t try to hold on to them, he learnt that it was better than letting them hold him down during the day. However, some of those indecipherable pieces are a source of inspiration: He takes them and writes them down, allowing him to build his own puzzle, taking shape until it becomes a song.

Most of the time it’s his dreams, some others it’s the books that invite him to compose. The origin doesn’t matter, Ermal finds everyday a new path back to his passion.

However, this time he just can’t understand where does this new piece fits, even if it’s not the first time he’s heard these words in particular before waking up breathless and sweaty.

When he doesn’t find a solution, he lets the paper sheet with one single sentence fall and watches it. His lute lays on the floor, practically untouched for the day. That’s how the hours pass by without him realizing, filled with this emptiness he hasn’t experienced in a long time. Missing something he knows never was in the first place.

When Fabrizio began his adventure into the woods, he recieved one only warming courtesy of his friend Dino. He didn’t want to listen to him, which is why he realized way too late that, yes, Andrea will never stop talking at all during the trip.

“Really, Fabri, there are not enough words to thank you for this.”

Oh, but there are. There definitely are.

There’s way too many words. Fabri is always sure he has listened to them all already and he feels like this walk has taken an eternity but never ends. The woods outside of Rome are huge and a bit scary too, to be honest: They haven’t found their goal, his body is slowly asking for a good rest for fuck’s sake. Fabri guesses he can forget about it now that he knows Andrea’s life history and probably half of his genealogic tree.

“Uncle Tomasso always used to take me with him when he went fishing, anytime he had the chance, you know it was him who taught me everything I know about fishing? But he wanted to be a baker, he occasionally baked some cakes for his wife, aunt Carina… She used to say she fell in love with him everyday over and over again… But never make uncle Tomasso sit on the same room as aunt Antonia, they will never stop arguing about the best recipe in the family… that’s why they stopped making the traditional spring family reunions, we just get together on winter, on the biggest house just to avoid any troubles…”

He’s not mad, he doesn’t mind knowing new things. Vige looks happier the more he talks about him and his family. And of course he feels good as he notices the way his eyes get brighter as he speaks of his dreams.

“I really admire aunt Antonia, she knows several languages and has studied more than any of us ever could… sometimes I too wish to leave everything behind and get to know the most hidden parts of the world, like now! Fabri, you’re an amazing friend, I don’t think I’ll stop saying it.”

Most of all, he feels excited about helping Vige to feel a but of that freedom that he himself treasures. If he’s honest, though, he probably would’ve preferred to find that mythic lake and then later sit down to have a chat about anything.

“Dino really would’ve never accepted to come with me, I feel like he has a really closed mind when it comes to any adventurous thing, he probably doesn’t like leaving his comfort zone, you know? Sometimes I know I really annoy him with my behavior, but I guess he’s also scared of losing another friend since the Prince was kidnapped. And, to be fair, I would too feel like that considering how many time they spent together. What should I think on these cases? Maybe Dino feels like he has no other choice but to stand me just because we’re colleagues…”

Both stop, for different reasons. The youngest, who is leading the “expedition”, finally catches a glimpse on the distance and between many trees, what seems to be the most minimum sunlight reflection. After him, Fabrizio stops as soon as he hears the way the other genuinely thinks he’s a bad friend and says it in such a normal tone.

Suddenly Andrea doesn’t seem to care at all about his words, because he disappears out of Fabrizio’s sight when he launches himself running against the plants just willing to get to that sunlight. He has no option but to follow him.

That beloved adrenaline comes back to his system as the little light keeps growing, it takes shape until it finally becomes one of the most beautiful lakes he’s ever seen. The wind brings an odd sensation of peace and relief, because it’s real… it’s so clear he can see some of the fish swimming.

“I knew it…” Exhales Andrea, showing his teeth in a full smile. “Fabrizio! The lake is real!”

“It’s unbelievable…”

“We’re not the first ones..” He says in a barely audible whisper. The wind hits the coast making it roar. Fabrizio feels the raspy texture of the boat made out of wood, it’s laying on the shore.

“I don’t care! We need to tell everyone about this! How could anyone know about this beauty and live without telling it? I feel outraged by the mere thought…”

“Yeah, okay but… I think we need to know what we’re going to talk about, right? Let’s use this baby.”

Ever since Miss Margherita left him behind, Ermal had found a way to accept his reality as years passed by: Everything he find around him right now, is everything he can possibly ever find. There’s nothing more. The walls of the tower are the limit he will never be able to defy.

He also learn to live with that. The thing is… there are days when it will be unbearable still.

Just like now, when he’s done the best possible to distract his mind from those senseless words. When music just doesn’t cooperate with him, there’s this restlessness and a need to do more. A routine begins, he knows it from heart, unfortunately.

First, he looks out the big window. Not to stare at the sea, no, but to look at the birds that occasionally stop by his balcony and stand there. Ermal leaves a tiny bit of bread in order to keep him at his side, in case maybe one of them wants to stay a bit longer. Eventually, as always, the bird flies away to meet the world again and leaving the boy disappointed once again.

He’s fine, he will sweep his room now. A bit of cleaning won’t do any harm once in a while. Make the floor shine again, the dishes, the pillows and the sofas.

Maybe it’s time to check out that geography book he left half read. For the second time. Yes, it’s important to refresh his memory about the types of weather around the world. Or practicing again with his English book.

After that, he makes sure his lute is perfectly tuned.

He studies once again that chess game just to make sure he has the perfect strategy. Playing against himself always means you can improve, right?

Possibilities continue: Trying some new recipe, or trying to finish his old sketches laying all around the room, or finding a blank space in the wall he likes to paint in, just stretching, fixing his hair-

The possibilities continue.

Except as every day goes by, especially days like today, he can’t stand to go though each and one of these possibilities. He has a list, once he finished it he reads it again.

He’s not sure about how much time he’s spent now, and he doesn’t care. Ermal lays on one of the couches and stares at the mix of lines and random shapes on his ceiling: It’s his best interpretation of the stars.

He’s learnt to live with it. But…. He wonders on days like today if what he does means living, if it’s worth to keep going like this.

He wonders, if someone out there actually misses him.

He doesn’t know how to swim. No one ever was to teach him, he knows he can jump and if he makes it out alive, get out of this island.

There’s no way he makes it out of the sea alive.

Ermal stands there, on the balcony trying to think of even more possibilities, but tired enough to barely think about how his days have been an eternal hell recently.

He used to look from this same window, at the stars and asking for a wish. If he could see the stars right now, he’d wish for a sign that he should keep waiting and not give up.

Any sign.

“Well, Fabri, seems like Alegra was right after all… we’re making history with this big discovery.” Andrea doesn’t stop bragging as the sun hits perfectly over the boat, he’s laying with his eyes closed as if they were really living the greatest moment of all Rome, or the world, when Fabri find it to be just a lake. Of course, a really pretty lake, clear enough to see the rocks laying at the bottom of it.

However, Andrea will not stop reminding him about Giada’s close friend, Alegra, and what she told them. More specifically, told him. She was a traveller and stopped by to visit Giada. The moment she had spotted Fabrizio, she smiled brightly at him and immediately asked him to talk in private to “hear her predictions more clearly”.

To be honest, Fabrizio probably never lived a more awkward moment, at first because him and his friends were a hundred percent sure it was a scam, and even more once the lady said she perceived a really powerful energy from him and that the signals told her he was meant to change Rome forever. Which was… a bit of an exaggeration to him.

But Giada insisted that Alegra never made a mistake when it came to her predictions.

The only real reason he still has some doubts it’s because Dino once told him, she predicted some time ago that the Prince of Rome would come back to his real home eventually. Not telling when, or how. He knows his curiosity over the prince and the story Rome carries is what keeps him faithful about it.

Still… how could someone like him impact that much on a big kingdom like Rome?

All he really knows is, after that, everyone annoys him and makes fun of “Italy’s chosen hero”. The only one who genuinely believes it is, of course, Andrea. He gets to be adorable sometimes.

“It could’ve been anyone, Andrea” He answers calmly, as he keeps admiring the fairytale-like lake.

“But it was us! Really, Fab, there’s something about you that never stops impressing-“

“Wait a minute… you see that?” Andrea sits again to follow his gaze.

“What is it?” “Vige… that’s a tower. A tower at the end of this lake.” Both exchange looks, even more excited now.

A fairytale-like lake is now less interesting than a tower.

Oh, they definitely need to see this with their own eyes.