Absolution (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"No, you would be dead by now if it was you." Vincenzo wrapped his arms around her in return. "She's young and strong... she has a better chance than most to make it... I just have to remember that."

 

[heartofcourage]

“You’re allowed to be worried. You’re her papa. You’re also the only man in this crazy world that can probably guide her through this.” Kitty said softly, trying to build up his confidence.

 

[KieranSoares]

Unable to say more and unwilling to debate, Vincenzo simply nodded and kissed Kitty before parting from her to continue his work. Sure enough, other doctors and healers began to stop by for advice and help, and Vincenzo gave each one a copy of his notes and directions. However, he didn't let anyone enter the house or even get close, for fear that they might spread or catch plague in the cleaned and quarantined cottage.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty did her best for Valentina as the little girl suffered through, holding her when she let her and making sure that she ate what she could and drank what she could hold down. One morning as she changed the bedding that was soaked in Valentina’s sweat, Kitty was surprised to heard a small voice calling for Ma.

“What’s wrong, love?” Kitty asked, turning to look at Valentina as she sat in a chair.

“My tummy hurts, Mama.” Valentina muttered and Kitty was soon lifting her daughter into her arms and holding her tightly.

“I know, my love.” Kitty said softly as she kissed Valentina’s burning brow. “I promise it’ll be better soon.”

Kitty looked up as Vincenzo entered the room and she gave him a s small smile, reveling in the fact that Valentina had called her mama after so long.

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo paused as he saw Kitty smiling even as she held their ailing daughter. He stepped over, laying a hand on Valentina's forehead. "It won't be long before that fever breaks, bambina," he murmured. "Your appetite is already getting better."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I don’t feel good, Papa.” Valentina muttered as he told her that she could be alright soon.

“And that’s alright. You complain all you like, little love.” Kitty said softly, kissing Valentina’s cheek.

That night, Kitty rocked Valentina by the fire as Carmen’s cooked in the kitchen when a knock sounded at the door. Kitty watched as Vincenzo moved to answer it, one of his healer colleagues standing on the other side.

“Step outside. We need to talk.” Maria said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo's brow furrowed as he saw Maria there so late. Glancing back to Kitty to make sure Valentina was still resting, he stepped out and closed the door behind him. "What's happening?" He asked quietly.

 

[heartofcourage]

“It’s mild, but there’s an outbreak. A few cases by the docks, but the plague doctors have suspicion that there are more.” Maria said, knowing that Vincenzo had done his best to hide Valentina way from everyone. “And they’re talking about boarding up houses or taking people back to Poveglia.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo's gaze darkened. "They just won't listen no matter how much I tell them that it's the fleas and rats, not the people who spread it. They're all too focused on bloodletting and waving bibles at everything." He combed a hand back through his long hair. "Give me a moment, I'll gather my things and head to the docks. If I can get it under control, it'll be more evidence to what I've been telling those fools all along. Keep spreading the word, baths and flea checks for people and animals, and rat traps everywhere. And once the rats are dead, they need to be burned immediately and the rat catchers need to be most aware of the fleas."

 

[heartofcourage]

“They know about your daughter.” Maria said softly. “I don’t know who told them but they know she’s got it too.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"And she is quarantined away from any other citizens of Venice susceptible to the plague. If they push, she will disappear," Vincenzo promised quietly. "I'm not losing anyone else to those monsters. They think that they can decide who lives and dies just because some high Catholic priest stands behind them."

 

[heartofcourage]

“God speed to you in that. They can lie and cheat their way into something as we al know.” Maria said, placing her hand on Vincenzo’s arm.

 

[KieranSoares]

"... She may have to disappear before they even begin to make their way to take her." Vincenzo glanced back toward the house. "If we all do go missing suddenly along with all our things, don't be too worried. I'll be back to help in the city once Valentina is safe."

 

[heartofcourage]

“The rest of us will take care of the patients I’d you disappear. You won’t have anything to worry about but her.” Maria promised him.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Thank you, dear. As soon as she recovers, I'll be back helping you and the others." Vincenzo took her hand and kissed each cheek in their typical friendly goodbye. "I have to figure out where we'll go." He let her go before heading back inside.

"Kitty," he murmured. "We need to move Valentina."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Where?” Kitty asked as Vincenzo declared that their time to run had come. “You know I’m with you every step of the way.”

Valentina had fallen to sleep, exhausted from the pain that was constantly racking her body. Kitty wasn’t about to wake her up if they didn’t need to.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Out of Venitian jurisdiction... Maybe Sicily. It isn't too far and it'll be fairly secure so the other children won't be infected. It's Mama's homeland, so there are friendly faces there."

 

[heartofcourage]

"The other children can stay here if needed. They understand." Kitty said softly, knowing that Vincenzo would never leave them all willingly. "But it would be an unexpected adventure, no matter what we decided."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd rather they come with us. If they do get sick, I don't want some plague doctor looking for them. The plague doctors here don't treat outsiders, they just send them away and write cold letters back to their families."

Vincenzo shook his head as he began gathering his and Valentina's things. "Venice is normally so safe and friendly... But not once the church's higher-ups get involved. No doubt the local priests gave them a fight, held them off a few days, but word probably reached the Vatican."

He looked to Kitty. "Pack your things. I'll wake Mama. She'll probably want to come with us. I want to be gone from here by dawn. If they already know about us, they're coming within the next couple days."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty nodded and lay Valentina on Vincenzo's padded chair, draping a warm blanket around her before she turned to pack her things. Wherever Vincenzo wanted to go, she would follow. Especially if it meant that their daughter would be safe.

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo fetched Carmena and soon they had everything together in the wagon outside, including a soft spot for Valentina to rest where she wouldn't be jostled too much. In the dead of night, Carmena cleaned out all the food in the larder and bundled it up, and locked everything securely before they headed out with no lights so not to attract attention.

When they arrived at Vincenzo's cottage, he helped Kitty gently wake the children and get them ready with a simple explanation that they were going somewhere for Valentina's health's sake. It brought back memories for all four, of when they'd all suddenly fled to Greece. But Brogan and Boar kept the twins in order with promises that it wouldn't end like the last time. By dawn, they were several miles from Venice with the wagon and extra horses rented from a local inn open early, and Vincenzo began to relax knowing that the plague doctors wouldn't follow them too far behind Venice's border.

 

[heartofcourage]

Ashien and Kayla were both very nervous in spite of their brothers telling them that things would be alright. Kitty focused on Valentina as Vincenzo focused on guiding the wagon to the South. The little girl was so exhausted that she didn’t make a peep, sleeping though the entire ordeal.

 

[KieranSoares]

Much like when they had fled to Greece, they found a ferry down the coast to a port, where Vincenzo found passage to Sicily for them and their cart and horses. It would be safer than crossing the Italian Peninsula, and be less rough on Valentina. Over the course of four days, they sailed down the coast. In that time, Valentina's fever broke finally and she began to sleep better with less tossing and turning. Despite her seeming onset of recovery, Vincenzo knew she wouldn't be out of the woods til she was entirely healthy again. And besides that, he knew it'd be best if he kept Kitty and the children away from Venice. By the time they decided to head back to Scotland, the plague would be in full swing across southern Europe if Vincenzo's theories held. Sicily would take much longer to infect, being separated from Italy by a strait.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty spent most of her time at Valentina’s side, making sure that the little girl had everything that she needed. She slept most of the time, waking long enough to eat and drink before she went back to sleep. Everything seemed peaceful now that the fever had broken and her hallucinations had stopped.

 

[KieranSoares]

Along the way, the ship's crew once raised concerns about Valentina and her illness being contagious, but Vincenzo smoothed everything over with carefully-chosen words, and probably a coin or two here and there. The family was left in peace until they finally arrived in Syracuse. They stayed only a night before making their way southwest to a small fishing and farming village with a roomy inn. Vincenzo purchased four rooms, two family members in each. He'd brought Ben along too and put a kerchief around his neck to mark him as a pet.

Once they were all settled in, Vincenzo slept for nearly twenty hours, only waking a couple times, while Carmena and Kitty cared for Valentina. Vincenzo had hardly slept on their journey, always taking long nights to make sure his daughter recovered with no lasting damage.