Shamrock-green floral print on the cream-coloured wallpaper covered the walls of the spacious chamber. The enormous bay window let the early-morning sun rays pour into the room, illuminating it in soft golden light. A massive oak desk was situated in front of the window facing the large, neatly arranged garden, which impressed every visitor with its lush flora during the summertime though currently, it presented a rather sad view as it was in deep winter sleep.

Her cheeks still red from the chilly morning walk, Giustina sat at the desk, her fingers carelessly playing with the feather quill without paying any attention to it. Full of focus and anticipation her eyes were trained on the rhythmically moving lips of the young woman standing in front of her. A small smile sneaked into the corner of her own lips as she realised with pleasure that she fluently got through the first part.

The lips stopped moving when a pair of insecure dark eyes looked at her silently, asking for permission to go on. Impatiently, Giustina gestured to continue.

"Wistfully longing for the love of her consort,
His charged scent, his strong arms as they soothe,
Providing her with a familiar comfort-"

Frustrated, Giustina snatched the small piece of paper from the surprised girl without letting her finish the last line. Interrogating, she starred at the dried curvy letters – who knew that consort and comfort didn't rhyme?

Hopeful, she was waiting the entire morning for a kiss from her muse, but this whimsical lady apparently preferred to sleep in today. Giustina's eyes found the old wall clock and she grimaced. Frankly, if she was a muse, she would be sound asleep that instance as well.

With a disappointed sigh and a last longing look into the garden, she pushed the paper away and got up. It was time to come downstairs anyway.

As the young girl walked down the wide winding staircase into the parlour, she was almost certain she could feel the floor tremble beneath her feet. Confused, she stopped on the last step, catching sight of her two older sisters who were obviously arguing, not noticing her presence in the room. Trying to understand what was going on, she observed the scene.

Both girls were perfectly dressed and styled, though the dark circles underneath their eyes indicated that neither of them got much sleep lately.

Giulietta's simple cornflower-blue dress gracefully swayed when she got up from her chair, closing the short distance to Peppina. Her clenched jaw and the angrily furrowed dark eyebrows distorted the girl's youthful face. It broke Giustina's heart seeing her sister burdened by her heavy title ever since their father died, so sometimes she just wished to embrace her. Yet, she never dared.

Meanwhile, Peppina stiffly stood near the piano, barely moving from her spot. Her distinctive copper-red locks started to free themselves from her artfully tied hair, barely reaching her shoulders. Giustina wasn't sure if people still called her middle sister Peppina or if she already outgrew this name but in her head, Giustina kept calling her by the name she used when they played together as children. Seeing Giuseppina in front of her now, it was hard to believe that this girl was once a child as well.

"... can forget about that. Under no circumstances will you dare to marry me off to some puffed up slug," Peppina's lips moved forcefully as she spat out every word. Her tired features displayed nothing but pure disgust. "If you wish to secure your position, be my guest and marry him yourself. I am certainly not your puppet," the girl continued.

With an annoyed exhale, Giulietta intensively massaged her temple, leading Giustina to believe, they have been over this topic already.

"What will it take for you to understand that all I do serves the single purpose to protect and preserve this House - you and Giustina!" Frustration crept into her face as Giulietta seemingly cried out.

Just as so often when she spoke, the girl supported her words with the appropriate hand gestures even when she wasn't aware of her youngest sister's presence. It was a matter of habit, Giustina assumed.

"So only because you happened to be born first, you take the liberty to decide who I am to spend the rest of my life with? Frankly, if father were still alive, you would be the one on the market!" Peppina collected her heavy, amber-coloured skirts and crossed the parlour all the way to the window, recreating the distance to her sister. "Maybe I don't wish for a husband though you never take interest in my wishes!"

At least she has a chance to get married...to be loved.

Not willing to watch it any longer, Giustina turned away. Every time her sisters argued, it seemed like they were swallowed by a gigantic bubble from where they failed to notice anything around them.

Sometimes it seemed like a blessing that Giustina wasn't able to hear them.

A gentle aroma of fresh jasmine tea teased her nose, drawing her attention to a tea service set for three on the small round table to her left. As usual, it was prepared when her sister wanted to discuss something with them. Just as so often, it stayed untouched.

How can someone so wholeheartedly resent the idea of love while others could only dream of it?

With shoulders hanging so low her mother would frown, Giustina made her way to the small table to pour herself a steaming cup of tea.

On a normal day, Giustina often liked to daydream of a perfect world where she was just like everybody else - able to experience the world to its fullest. To hear the birds chipper outside, listen to her mother's ringing voice, and her sisters' happy laugh. Perhaps even attend an opera performance. She thought, she might like that.

All Giustina wished for was for at least once not to be gazed upon with this strange combination of confusion and pitifulness. And maybe, just maybe, have the slightest chance of some falling in love with her.

"It's not you who needs fixing, sweet child. You are not the one broken. The world is," she heard her mother whisper in her mind – a weak echo from the time when she still was able to hear.

Absentmindedly the girl took the small blue-and-white painted porcelain cup on its saucer and carefully not to spill, headed over to the massive bookshelf to do the next best thing she could. She picked the little book, bound in soft plain brown leather with golden lettering on it: Shakespearean Sonnets.

However, once let out of their casket, there was no going back and so the thoughts of love and marriage kept whirling in her head, colourfully painting out all possible scenarios. Giustina thought of her dear mother who was stuck in a loveless marriage for most of her life and wondered how that affected her. Was it indeed worse to be bound forever to the person you don't love than becoming a spinster?

You will find it out soon enough, mocked a familiar voice from the darkest corner of her mind.

Suddenly, the air in the room seemed too thick for average human lungs, making Giustina painfully aware of her tight corset. Mechanically, she started to blink quickly, focusing her entire attention on the air streams entering her open mouth.

Who will want to marry the deaf one? The voice changed from mocking to haunting.

Traitorous tears curled up in the corners of her eyes, escalating like oil poured into the flames of her anger. Decisively, she shook her head. No. She won't give in to the voice.

Who will want to risk a deaf offspring? It kept creeping from the dark.

Her breath quickened but it remained flat, failing to supply her blood with enough oxygen. Her head began to spin as her vision blurred.

You know your true worth, Giustina, it continued slowly spilling in her mind like black, viscous ink.

Desperately, the girl wanted to scream to drown this nasty voice, but she knew better that it wouldn't help. Instead, she returned her thoughts to the thick dusty air, deeply inhaling and exhaling it, as she stiffly pressed the sonnets closer to her heart. After a few seconds, Giustina regained her vision. She had to get on fresh air.

Slowly carrying her cup in one hand, and the book in the other, the girl couldn't gather her skirts, so she let the forest green trail carelessly lag behind her toward the exit to the cosy patio. Her legs felt like she was wading through thick waters as she crossed the room when suddenly a frosty breeze enclosed her from behind, indicating the opening of the main entrance. As if Giustina was just saved from drowning, she greedily breathed in the welcome stream of fresh air.

Then she turned her attention to the entrance.

An army of maids and slaves eagerly buzzed around the parlour, turning it into a beehive. Each one was carrying a multitude of boxes that varied in colours and sizes. Distracted from any previous thoughts, Giustina simply stood there with her mouth open, watching the women unloading their cargo around the sofa in the middle of the room, just to run out again and return with even more boxes.

After a few minutes of this spectacle, the parlour finally cleared, leaving in the centre the tiny figurine of Flavia Rerieri, radiating brighter than her sunny dress. With her small, elegant steps she approached her older daughters, whose presence in the room already escaped Giustina's mind, and greeted them with light kisses on their cheeks.

Giustina felt the heavy scent of lavender as her mother danced across the room to greet her youngest child.

"You look a little pale, ma fleur," she pronounced, accompanying her words with the appropriate signs. Gently, her mother brushed a black hair strand that used to be a lock from her shoulder. Her still cold hands softly covered Giustina's cheeks, making the girl close her eyes for a moment. Without waiting for a response, Flavia kissed her daughter on the forehead and returned to her treasures by the sofa.

"I had the most wonderful morning at the tailor today!" She declared while taking off her fruit-bowl-sized feathery hat, of which Giustina wasn't sure if that was appropriate for the cold season. "And let me assure you, you three are going to be the most stunning young ladies at the ball!"

Giustina's breath faltered. Her palms began to sweat, while her heart felt like it would jump out of her breast any second, like every time she thought about the upcoming ball.

It was her very first carnival – her very first ball!

Even though she would turn fifteen only after the carnival season, she was already invited to the festivities!

Excitement and anxiety of meeting people fought inside her like two mighty titans – each of their strikes resulting in a clench of her chest.

She put the book and her cup back on the table.

Meanwhile, her mother opened the top of the three largest boxes, displaying a scarlet fabric with orange laces, making it appear like fire flames. The locks of her blonde wig jumped like springs, barely able to contain the excitement, as she reached into the box, unfolding the most beautiful gown Giustina has ever seen. Its silky skirt swayed over the floor, as Flavia took it to her middle daughter, disclosing the long, elegant trumpet sleeves that astonishingly flooded behind her.

Stunned as she was by the gesture, Giuseppina didn't seem to know what to say. She held the delicate artwork to her small figurine, looking down on herself.

Their tailor counted to the best ones in the Republic and this time she even surpassed herself.

"Thank you, mother," Giustina could read from her lips as the girl finally raised her head. Her face beamed with gratitude.

Dramatically, Flavia brought her hand to her cheek, gazing up and down on Peppina. "You are most welcome, my child. I just wish at least one of you girls had inherited my fabulous sense of fashion," she gestured as she sighed theatrically.

Thrilled to see what hid in other boxes, Giustina came closer to the sofa. Happy to please the curiosity of her daughters, Flavia lifted the lid of the next container, revealing a midnight blue fabric in the shade of their family's coat of arms. Saving any further spectacles, she snatched it by the shoulders unravelling the gorgeous masterpiece, without noticing a small shred of paper that now slowly sailed through the air, landing at the foot of the sofa. Confused, Giustina tried to make out the meaning of the sharp black letters:

"And only for the Ancient House Rerieri,
This mortal world forever will stand still."

A split second later, Giulietta appeared by her side. She immediately picked up the tiny piece, crumbled it and hid it inside her décolleté. With a mix of alarm and worry, she looked at her youngest sister. Puzzled, Giustina furrowed and raised her eyebrows, wondering if she should be worried but Giulietta quickly brushed it off with a head shake. To avoid any further questions, she turned her attention to their mother who was still marvelling at the dress without noticing the little incident.

Giustina's anticipation rose, as Flavia reached out to the last container, revealing the breathtaking emerald-green fabric. Overwhelmed with all the feelings bubbling insight her, Giustina couldn't say a word. She let her fingertips carefully brush over the soft texture.

"Happy first carnival, ma fleur," Flavia gestured as her eyes sparkled full of love. "Would you like me to unfold it for you?"

Giustina glowed in excitement. Eagerly she nodded.

The light texture of the gown seemed like a water stream, naturally flowing with every move. The eggshell-coloured bodice of the same fabric brilliantly contrasted with the shining green. The cut of the dress narrowed around the waist, which would certainly bring out her female curves. Giustina couldn't wait to try it on, to see how it hugged her physique, how it moved with her when she walked, when she danced.

Unable to contain her gratitude and excitement any longer, the young girl wrapped her arms around her mother. Flavia warmly returned her embrace.

"You will get to see the masks and other accessories on the eve of the ball, my dears," Flavia announced to her daughters.

Giustina nodded eagerly in anticipation of the imminent night. With her imagination fired by the events of the morning, she gestured a few quick orders to her slave, asking her to bring her tea and the quill to her favourite spot. In her mind dancing with her prince charming, she flattered out of the parlour, waltzing through their pergola, and traversing the garden until she found herself in front of the orangery.

She noticed nothing of her way as the only thought that whirled through her head was a combination of hope and wonder: what if she was worthy of love? Even if she wouldn't love her future husband, she could, just like her mother, adore her future children.

Her heart seemed to be bursting with love, as she sat down at the table in the centre of the orangery, where her fresh tea and her breakfast were already served. She also found her quill and the paper from the morning neatly put in the corner. Ignoring the food, she pulled the writing tools closer to herself. With new inspiration, Giustina crossed out the lines which displeased her before and got to work.

The words were flowing from her heart as she scribbled them down, faster than ever before. Satisfied, she looked up seemingly a few minutes later and took a small sip of her already cold tea. Finally, she added the heading at the top, careful not to smear the bottom lines and re-read her writing.

Of Juno and Jupiter

He sneaked away the early morning,
As golden rain weaving her gentle pale skin,
Ignoring his wife's unambiguous warning,
In silent prayer for the human to accept him.

Torn to shreds by the claws of resentment,
Juno curses the divine unborn,
With flames of jealousy, hate and embarrassment,
Devouring all, as her love is long worn.

Wistfully longing for the lapsed matrimony,
His charged scent, his strong arms as they soothe,
That she held for a love-testimony
Though it was not meant to outlive their youth.

Jaundiced at mortals like a relentless jury,
She frowns upon them from her splendid throne above,
While eternal Gods are damned to have their love to bury
The mortal humans bear the power of immortal love.

Fulfilled, Giustina sighed, sipping on her tea. She doubted she would be able to find sleep until the night of the ball. 

A/N: Dear reader, you might have noticed that this chapter once again contains a small piece of poetry. If you are reading it on a mobile device, please flip your phone to make sure the verses align correctly. I hope you are enjoying the story so far! Thank you for all your support through reads, feedback, and votes! I am endlessly grateful for you all!