DISCLAIMER: The places, dates, and events that happened in this book are fictional, so any mention of historical wars or locations is not accurate to real life. Thank you.

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IN THE YEAR 1873, Fortunato de Vincenzo, a retired doctor who helped cure victims of the bubonic plague, moved to a small town called Capo di Monte with his wife.

     Due to the nature of his previous work, Fortunato was subjected to skin deformations, which caused him to be shunned by society. In fear that the people in the new town they moved in would consider him a monster and attack his family, Fortunato bought a barren land far from the main residences of the town; land just on top of a hill where all the townspeople could see.

     For two years, a magnificent structure was built on the said land. The manor was grand, a home that Fortunato dreamt of for his wife and son. But unfortunately, such a structure would spark curiosity among the townspeople who resided below them.

     The de Vincenzo lived in secrecy. It was a quiet life that they desperately wanted, but people didn't want quiet. They wanted to be part of the story. They wanted to be part of other people's stories as if they helped write them.

     Rumors started to spread that a powerful man built the manor on top of a hill to feast over the townspeople. Day by day, Capo di Monte's fear grew. The manor was used for stories to scare children, but no one dared visit the manor because you had to enter a dark forest first. It was something no one wanted to risk.

    The maids and butlers—refugees who knew and followed Fortunato even before his retirement—wanted to defend the kind couple, but Fortunato didn't want to make unnecessary noise. As long as they quietly lived their lives at their manor, everything was okay.

     And so everyone in the manor lived in peace and harmony. Every year they would add a section in the manor, and more refugees would come and live with them. But as the manor and its residences grew, the rumors grew with it. 

     Since the refugees would arrive at the manor at night, some residents in town would spot them and make even more absurd stories. One time, Fortunato even went out of their manor wearing a mask to hide the deformities on his face, but this also sparked more rumors. Eventually, people started calling the manor the 'Hell House.'

     But despite what was going on in town, everyone in the manor was happy, and this happiness grew when Fortunato's wife finally gave birth to a young and healthy boy who they named Francesco de Vincenzo.

     Francesco was kind like his mother and curious like his father. He was a boy who wanted to learn new things, so the ideal life that Fortunato wanted was far from what Francesco wanted. The young boy didn't want to be quiet. He wanted to explore. He wanted to learn and see the world. He had endless questions, questions that even his father could no longer answer.

     "Father, why did you choose to be a plague doctor?" Francesco once asked while his father was reading a book in his study.

     "Well, I studied medicine and had the ability to help. You see, son, if you have the ability to help others, that is a gift that you must share," Fortunato explains, making the young Francesco pout.

     "But because of that, you have scars all over your face and body. One of the maids told me that that's the reason why we're not allowed to go out of the manor. This gift you speak of...it has given you nothing," Francesco complains.

     Fortunato sighs and puts his book down. "Francesco, come here."

     Francesco doesn't say anything and walks towards his father before getting lifted up so he can take a seat on his lap. Fortunato then opens a drawer, showing letter after letter that came from people all over the country.

     "What are those?" the boy asks.

     "They're letters..." Fortunato answers, taking a bunch of them and showing them to his son. "Letters from the patients I helped cure during the plague. Most of the doctors I was with started leaving when the situation got worse. No one even wanted to touch them, let alone get close to them, but I did. I didn't want to abandon these patients. Even after what happened to me, I didn't want to leave them."

     "You weren't afraid?"

     "I was. I was very afraid. But I was mostly afraid of your mother's safety," Fortunato reveals, taking a letter and opening it so they could read the contents together.

     "Thank you for saving my wife and my daughter. You have rescued my family," Francesco read in the letter, making his father smile.

     "I was afraid, Francesco, but imagine how terrified these people were. I was the only one who was willing to save them. I had the gift to save them, and I gave it to them with no question. I asked for nothing, but these letters are enough," Fortunato explains, and Francesco continues reading the letters.

     "They must have been very thankful, father."

     "I think they were. This could be the reason why some of them are even living here in the manor. Other than a home, this manor is a refuge for them. Even your nanny was one of the patients I helped during the plague."

     "Really? That's amazing!" Francesco exclaimed, making Fortunato laugh and pat his son's head.

     "But the plague is not over yet, son. There are still parts of the country that are affected by it. If I did not become what I am now, I would continue my service," Francesco then tells him with a sad smile.

     The two of them continued reading the letters, and Fortunato even told him stories of his time serving during the plague. Francesco's curiosity grew even more, but this time, his perspective about his father and the world changed.

     "I want to be a doctor, father," an older Francesco announced during breakfast, which came as a shock to both his parents as well as the maids and other residents of the manor who were joining them.

     "A doctor?" his mother asks.

    "Yes, like father. I want to be like him. I want to be able to help people. I want to help cure them," Francesco insisted.

     "Well, that's a very serious thing to say, and you're only fourteen. Are you certain that you want to—"

     "I'm sure," Francesco immediately answers, making his mother turn her head to her husband, Fortunato, who was busy drinking his coffee and reading his newspaper. Everyone was waiting for his response, but Francesco took his sweet time to finish his drink before finally looking back at his son.

     Francesco was worried, and he thought his father would disprove of his decision, but after looking at him, Fortunato smiles and nods his head, giving him his approval. "Whatever you wish to do, you do it, son. Just make sure to do it with no bitterness in your heart," Fortunato explains, and Francesco immediately stood from his seat and tightly hugged his father.

    "I'll be just like you, father. I will share my gift and change lives as you did. I promise."

     And so, Francesco started reading books and started studying at a very young age with the help of his father. Fortunato taught Francesco everything he knew, but everything he knew came with a price. A prince that Francesco would have to pay in the future.

     "This mask is designed to protect us from airborne diseases," Fortunato explains before handing his son the mask he wore during the bubonic plague that affected their city in the past. "Inside this mask contains herbs and flowers that block the poison. It doesn't entirely protect you, but it slows the process down."

     "Wait, are the flowers the one mother is growing in her greenhouse?" Francesco asks, and Fortunato nods his head to confirm it.

     "You'll need to know all the herbs that will help you with different types of poisons. Other than that, you'll need this."

     Fortunato pauses and walks towards his bookshelves before pulling out a notebook from the very top. He blows the dust off it and places it down on the table while Francesco stands beside him.

     "What is that, father?" Francesco asks.

     Fortunato doesn't answer him but instead opens the notebook to show it to him. The notebook contained notes and ingredients that Francesco wasn't familiar with, but after some time, his eyes widened when he realized what it was.

     "Father, this is—"

     "One of the soldiers found this at the enemy base when I was still under the military. These are some of the poisonous gas and plagues that they created. You see, son, when you want to make a cure of something, you have to understand how it's made so that you know all of its properties, which will help you counter it," Fortunato explains.

     Francesco couldn't help but feel something in him as he skimmed through the notes. His chest was beating fast, and sweat was trailing down his forehead. Something about this felt terrifying to Francesco, yet he couldn't understand why.

     "Remember, this information is not given to us because we will use it for evil. Do you understand?"

     "Yes, father."

     "Now, let me teach you how to treat an open wound properly."

     Fortunato continued teaching his son the things he learned from the war, explaining that most of the things you learn in books won't be enough when bombs are exploding outside your tent while you perform surgery. Experience is always the best teacher, and that was something that Fortunato realized along the way...

     "Your mother and I have talked about this, and we've decided that we're sending you to a medical school," Fortunato said to Francesco while he was taking notes in his bedroom.

     As soon as Francesco heard what his father had to say, he immediately dropped his pen and looked at him with complete shock. "What?"

     "I can only teach you so much, and I can see the passion you have for this field. I have a friend who is a medical professor at Verona Università. It's far from where the battles are so that you can study there safely."

     "Wait, father I—"

     "You're leaving tomorrow by train. Gabriele will drive you to the station. I want you to pack your things and—" Before Fortunato could even finish, Francesco stood in his seat and hugged his father, surprising him.

     "Thank you, father. Thank you."

     Fortunato takes a deep breath, and then he hugs his son back. "I've been to wars, and I've seen people die because of a plague. Wars are full of noise, which is why your mother and I decided to live in peace and quiet. But you do not have to live as we do. Explore the world and see its greatness, its cruelty, its pain, and its beauty. But always remember that this is your home, and you can return whenever you want to."

      It was a bittersweet farewell, but Francesco left with a smile on his face regardless. He was fearful, but at the same he was excited. The curious young boy inside him felt free, and he could not wait to see the world with his own eyes.

     Francesco went to the city of Verona and studied for years with his father's friend, professor Benedetta, who also took him under her wing. Francesco studied everything he could in university until he was assigned to a hospital. He eventually became a well-established man, which was expected thanks to his skills, passion, and talent.

     He would visit cities affected by the plague and was once asked to help soldiers who came back from war. He experienced the horrors of the world and saw things he never expected to see, but he didn't give up. He continued on with his dream despite the constant doubts and met different kinds of people. 

     But beneath the horrors of the world, he also saw the beauty his father promised. There, he met a woman who was as breathtaking as the sea, and this woman later on became his wife.

     Throughout his years as a doctor, Francesco was not able to return to Capo di Monte. He would send letters to his parents, but while he was away, he finally understood what his father meant when he said that wars are filled with noise.

     You hear bombs that would shake you to the core, screams that would wake you up at night, and cries that would make you feel helpless. Francesco understood that noise, and that was the reason why he didn't want to return to the manor. He didn't want to destroy his parents' quiet.

     Well, not until...

     "I'm pregnant," Adele—Francesco's wife—announced when Francesco was shaving his beard in front of a mirror. The news came as a surprise that Francesco ended up bruising himself because of shock. "W-Wait, is this true? Did you get tested?" Francesco asks, washing the blood off his chin.

    "You don't seem happy."

     "No! Heavens no," Francesco quickly defends, running to his wife and holding onto her shoulders. "I am very happy. In fact, I'm thrilled! But Adele, I can't help but be afraid. The world we are in, it is too—"

     "Noisy?" Adele finished, and Francesco took a deep breath and nodded his head.

     Adele smiles and leans close to kiss his husband on his forehead. "We can find our quiet. You, me, and our child...there is a place for us somewhere. I just know it."

     Francesco was still unsure, but he smiled and kissed his wife back, hugging her and spinning her around. "I'm going to be a father!" Francesco finally shouts, making Adele laugh with glee.

     The news about the baby changed everything in Francesco. The thought of having a child finally gave him a full understanding of why his father wanted to live in a far and small town like Capo di Monte.

    Because of his fear of getting his family in harm's way, Francesco made a very important decision, and that was to move back to his hometown where his parents lived. Francesco was willing to put everything on hold for his family's sake, so without any hesitation or second thought, they left.

     Capo di Monte was the same when they arrived. It was still the small and quiet town that Francesco remembered when he was looking over it through the window in his bedroom, and it was a town that Adele would soon learn to love.

     "Looks like we're here," Francesco says, holding onto their suitcases with both hands while his wife followed behind him.

     "Darling, why did we have to walk all the way here? Could we not have taken a carriage? My legs are killing me," Adele complains, her shoes now covered in mud after walking in the forest.

     "I apologize, but our manor is very exclusive to our family. Other than the fact that refugees live here, my parents do not wish to get their quiet disrupted," Francesco explains. The two of them made a turn, and finally, a large structure welcomed them, leaving Adele in shock.

     "T-This is your home?"

     "Yes. And it will be our home. Do you not like it?"

     "W-Well, it's massive!"

     "It was actually bigger, but a couple of years ago, my father said that a missile struck the hill, causing the grounds to shake and destroy a portion of the manor. But it's still big enough for us," Francesco explained as the two of them walked towards the door. He was about to knock on the door, but Adele immediately stopped him.

     "Francesco, wait. Do you think your parents will like me? Will they get mad that we just got married and now we're moving in with a baby?" Adele asks with a worried expression.

     Francesco chuckles and puts their suitcase down before holding onto Adele's cheeks and giving her a quick kiss. "Amore mio, they will adore you and our child. They are old, but they are lovely and kind people. There is nothing for you to be worried about."

     And he was right.

     Fortunato and his wife welcomed Adele like she was part of the family, and they were happy to have them in the manor, which was something that everyone was thrilled about.

     The outcome was better than they expected, but with a new home and a baby on the way, Francesco didn't want to just stay in the manor while his father provided for his own family. With his parents' permission, Francesco decided to look for a place to work. Fortunately for him, there was a clinic in town, just below the hill.

     A clinic owned by a son of a very wealthy family.

     "Hello, is anyone here?" Francesco calls out, holding an envelope as he enters the small clinic.

     The clinic was quiet, but after a while, a man wearing a doctor's coat emerged, welcoming him. "Oh, hello, how may I help you?"

     "My name is Francesco de Vincenzo, I just moved to this town and I'm here for work," Francesco revealed, lying about moving as per his father's instruction.

     "You specifically moved to this town? Not a lot of people would want to move here since it's relatively smaller than the other towns," the doctor says.

     "W-well, the view of the ocean is magnificent, and it's always quiet here."

     "Francesco, no one likes being quiet all the time, don't you think? Too much quiet makes you crazy." he then asks, but this time, Francesco does not answer. "Anyway, what work are you looking for? If you're here to be a helper, this isn't the right place for you."

     "I'm actually a doctor. You may check my resume and my accreditations here," Francesco reveals, handing him the envelope. The doctor looked at the file, and he couldn't even hide the surprise on his face when he saw what was written in it.

     Francesco was a well-known doctor from a big city, and that impressed and envied the doctor at the same time.

     "Why on earth would you like to work here when you've worked at the biggest hospitals in the country? You can even open up your own clinic!" The doctor explains, but Francesco only laughs.

     "Titles mean nothing to me. Where I worked and what I've done is nothing compared to the patients I've cured. Besides, I want to work in this town where I will raise my child. This will be our home, and I want to know the people so that he will grow to love them, too," Francesco explains.

     The doctor was still confused, but he took a deep breath and handed Francesco his envelope back. "Well, I would be a fool not to hire you. Besides, I do need the help. I'm the only doctor in this town, and it may not look like it, but many people get sick here."

     "Thank you. I'll do my very best," Francesco says with a wide smile.

     "You're strange, Francesco," the doctor comments before showing his hand. "By the way, my name is William Romano. Welcome to Capo di Monte."

     "Thank you," Francesco replies, shaking William's hand.

     "Oh right, since you're already here, why don't you come to the party tonight? This town may be small, but we love to celebrate and make noise. There are three major families in this town, and they're all going to the party. If you want to meet people, I suggest you meet them first. They're the important ones, after all," William explains with a smug look on his face.

     "I don't think you can put a level of importance on anyone, even if they're the king. We are all equal, are we not?" Francesco asks, making William laugh even harder.

     "You really are an interesting one. The others will definitely love you. I'll introduce you to them, and bring your wife too. The other wives will be thrilled to meet her," William explains, which was something that Francesco was excited about as well.

     "I'll definitely come."

     "Good. We'll see you there." 

 to be continued...