Chapter Twelve: Plan of the Malice

Elizabeth runs hastily towards the corridor and reaching out to a swing spot. She locks her sight to Enrico who sitting on the other swing coincidently whilst staring at the waning moon. Later moments, she reveals herself by calling his attention. She spots him igniting a stick of cigarette in his mouth.

"Hey! Enrico─ hey what are you doing down here?" she walks towards him.

"Oh, hello my lady─ sorry, I'm feeling unwell may be." he hides the cigarette in behind.

"This place is one of my favourite spots Enrico. You do like this place, don't you?" Elizabeth smiles as she siting on the other swing.

"Yeah, this place is better than upstairs." he agrees.

"It's fine─ I know. I feel unwell too. Do you smoke Enrico? It's my first time to see a young man to smoke except him─" she twists her sight again.

“Your─ uhm… boyfriend?” Enrico sighs.

“Uhm… ah, actually─” Elizabeth stutters.

“Mr. Filch gave this to me. I can’t believe he’s gone." he gasps whilst gripping a silver lighter in his right hand.

Enrico shares his past to her upon receiving a box of cigarettes and a silver lighter from Mr. Filch yesterday. Mr. Filch reported that he received a parcel from his old friend Mr. Wagers. Until, a week after he received a bad news about Mr. Wagers death two days ago according to a telegram message from a certain parish at Bucharest. And the only belongings that Mr. Wagers left were the last box of his favourite cigarette brand named Wild Woodbine and his precious silver lighter that has a carved name MJC. His last will is to give these to Enrico when he’ll die.

"Enrico, are you alright? How was it going? Who's, Mr. Wagers?" Elizabeth interrogates him.

"Mr. Wagers was the caretaker I've told you about when we're driving home. He’s my best pal, supporter. He even acted like my true father. He always will..." Enrico lowers down his face as he fighting back his tears from coming.

"It's alright Enrico─ it's alright. I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure he's in a good place right now." She holds his right hand and showcasing her empathy.

Enrico tries to fight back his tears to come, but few of it manifesting from his tear duct, descending to the tear canals on his face. Elizabeth consoles him by clasping his hand and empathising with him consistently. As the scene plunging into melancholic, a voice from a far distance shouting towards their direction and suddenly cut off their conversation. Both of them shift their positions to avoid any suspicion from other Hawkeyes who’s watching covertly unnoticeable.

"Hey! Elizabeth what on earth are you doing down here? Hey, I brought you─ hang on a minute is that your─ driver? Your bodyguard, isn't he?" Julius interrupts as he walking towards them.

“What are doing─ down here? Well, I’m sorry─ if I ran away...I'm sorry I know it’s embarrassing but─" she pauses.

"Oh, my lovely Elizabeth, I am not mad at you, but I'm annoyed about seeing YOU with that filthy─ skint, poor, pity leech." Julius bumbles and mocking Enrico.

"Julius, watch your tongue─ don't try to brag yourself and insult others. You don't know what he feels rights now." She defends Enrico to him.

"Well…well ─well. It seems you’ve had a lawyer, defencing you hah ─Enrico?" Julius scorns and narrows his eyes into him.

"Hey stop it! I hate you Julius, you have no manners─ please leave him alone, you're so arrogant! I'm sorry Enrico─ please go back to the party. I have to deal with him first." Elizabeth gasps as she requesting him to leave.

"Its okay─ its okay, I leave you both, now" Enrico steps slowly, acting to leave.

"Oh, before you go, enjoy the party─ rubbish! Go away!" Julius yells as he chasing his sight unto him.

"Enough! Go, Enrico!" Elizabeth exclaims, rising her voice and clutching her hands.

Julius takes over the scene into his own advantage and Enrico becomes an impotent antagonist. However, Elizabeth frenzies with embarrassment and guilt of having Julius as her partner on the dance. As a heads up, Mr. Finnegan introduced Julius Beckett as a young boy and a son of Mr. Ferguson to Elizabeth, and that bonded them closer. Ferguson and Finnegan arranged their marriage. At eighteenth year of Elizabeth, she must be married to Julius as an agreement. So, their marriage will come soon tentatively.

At the time when Elizabeth and Julius left all alone, a bunch of young lads arrive towards them, carrying alcoholic beverages in their hands. The lads greet them as a good couple. A matter of fact, upon arrival Julius offers Elizabeth to drink with him so that they could talk for few moments and spending the night altogether, but Elizabeth refuses his offer, she instead reasons out of feeling unwell, but Julius is persistent and Elizabeth forces to drink eventually with him.

"Oh, what took you so long idiots? Where's the red wine for my, Elizabeth?" Julius corners his eyes as he offering his hand to them.

"Here, Julius." A lad named Jake hands the wine over to him.

"My princess, these are my loyal─ loyal friends of mine, idiots (he whispers) ...Jed, John, Jill, Jake, Jones, and the most id─ oh sorry about that ideal rather, Jack." Julius introduces them one by one. Elizabeth agitates about the scene she exposing with and her mood swinging momentarily into pissing off manner.

"Okay, can we just drink now? I have to sleep─ I'm so knackered Julius..." Elizabeth sighs, rolling her eyes.

"Easy, easy... my precious...oh... here your delightful wine. I'm sure you would love me forever..." Julius snickers as he handing a glass of wine to her.

"Julius, that’s not the right one. Here!" Jill smiles as he offering the other glass of wine.

"Oh, what an id─ ah ...oh, ideology... right savvy? Brethren let's celebrate our victory, for our love will live forever and she'll be your princess sooner." Julius grins sarcastically and all of them snickering except Elizabeth.

"What sort of drink─ you’re offering me, Julius? I want the other one." Elizabeth demands him as she trying to snatch the other glass of wine. "Forget that uhm─ that distasteful wine. Try this I swear, you'll not regret the taste of this one, surely excellent!" Julius smirks as he exchanging between the glasses of the wine. "Well, let's see what you've got. Let me take it." Elizabeth snatches the other glass of wine and offering a toast.

“CHEERS!!!!”