Song for the Chapter: RESCUE OR RESCATA (Spanish Version), by Lauren Daigle

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3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

— 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV

"...but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."

— Daniel 11:32b KJV

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A part of Vincenzo could feel the struggle waging within his soul. He had not meant the words he had spoken to Violet.

Every fibre of his being had sought to resist the harsh words he had spewed out. Yet, a power stronger than he had let them loose.

He could feel the defeat and disappointment so deep within himself as he walked away with Survivor—still in a foggy state.

But, he thought he heard someone saying something he could not quite catch.

And that was when the fog had cleared. It was like a cool stream of water had been poured over him and cleared the fog away.

And... yes, with that clearing came a sense of liberation.

"LORD JESUS CHRIST," Violet had not known what other Name to call upon.

And despite knowing the Potency of that NAME so sublime, she marvelled at the Power and effect of mentioning her SAVIOUR'S Name—though uttered barely above a whisper.

Vincenzo stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. And she could finally see the man she was beginning to know in his eyes.

For she had beheld a stranger when he had walked in.

"Have you eaten yet?" His voice was softer now.

Recovering from her shock at witnessing the Power of her LORD at work, she managed a slight smile and approached him once again.

"I was waiting for you," she replied in a similar tone.

LORD, YOU know why YOU have given me to this man. I do not know the purpose, but I will trust in YOU... And through YOUR GRACE, I will not allow the powers of darkness to snatch him from YOU.

"Shall we then?" He smiled that rare smile she was still getting used to seeing.

"I'll reheat the meal whilst you change," she began to walk away.

"Violet?"

"Mhmm?" She turned to glance at him.

"Do you read your BIBLE in the evening as well?"

~~~

"What do you mean a shield?!"

In a way, Giuseppe was glad that he was not the only one facing the brunt of their master's wrath this time around.

"Well, I thought I had managed to captivate him," Lilith boldly countered. "Yet, whenever he enters that home of his, a shield of Fire engulfs him. At first, I was able to enter once. But, this same Flame repelled my presence from him. And I have not been able to enter since then."

"Hmm..."

That was the least articulate Giuseppe had ever heard him. As though he had finally met a Foe greater than himself.

But, how can that be? Isn't he supposed to be the greatest?

"You know the rules..." their master finally declared. "If the spiritual wall is too strong, break the physical barrier first."

"You mean the girl that lingers around him?" Giuseppe gathered the courage to ask.

"Yes, plague her, taunt her, break her... kill her, if none of those seem to work. We must do whatever it takes. Strike the shepherd—the protector—and the sheep will surely scatter."

~~~

Violet had not made her status or marriage known at school, and that was just fine by her.

Stay away from the royals, and her existence will go unnoticed, she had reasoned with herself, finding comfort with that circumstance.

But, noticing the not-so-discreet glances and whispers around her wherever she passed that day caused her to go into a state of alarm and confusion.

It wasn't until her lunchtime with Alex that the perplexing mystery was solved.

Violet could not help but notice Alex glance at her with a note of... pity? Disappointment?

"Hey..." he started softly. "Are you okay?"

Remembering the not-so-concealed glances that day, she turned to look at him, eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"Why won't I be okay?"

"Well..." he cleared his throat and looked away for a moment before finally speaking.

"Aristotle has been speaking about you... and umm," he looked so uncomfortable and Violet felt a dread settle into the pit of her stomach.

She had not heard it all yet, but, she feared what was to come.

"He spoke of you being another one of Alessandro's conquests."

~~~

Noticing the mood at the dinner table that evening, in which Queen Giulia had asked the entire family—with the exception of Vincenzo—to attend, Giuseppe knew their plan was working.

Strike one, he thought smugly. What will you do now, little roach?

Violet looked miserable and had barely spoken a word to anyone.

"Umm... may I be excused?" She finally turned to ask Queen Giulia.

"Are you okay?" The latter asked with concern etched over her features.

"I think it's nothing a little fresh air can't fix," Violet rose from the table and gave a polite smile.

But Giuseppe sensed the pain behind it. He couldn't help but smile to himself as he took a sip of his wine when she walked away.

Unbeknownst to him, was the fact that his wife had been looking at him all along.

"Well, I don't think it is anything serious to trouble yourself over," he added with his charming smile.

That seemed to hearten the Queen over her concern about Violet's sudden change in mood.

Ginevra could not bear to sit and watch him any longer. For she had overheard—a thing she was becoming a natural at—the conversation her so-called husband had with Alessandro's friend, Aristotle.

Apparently, her darling of a husband had also been behind the plan to drug her younger brother and make him high that night in Luxembourg.

"I think I also need a bit of fresh air," she smiled at her mother who gave her a knowing look, having heard of her pregnancy.

Queen Giulia had been so overjoyed at the news of having a grandchild, she attributed all of Ginevra's woes to her condition.

Ginevra on the other hand, could not help but feel confused and disgusted after overhearing what her brother had done to Violet.

As she rose to leave, her mind was reeling with the knowledge of how her husband had been behind it all in the first place and what he had done with that piece of information.

Yes, I also think I need a bit of fresh air.

But as she departed from the table, she could not help but notice her younger brother's seat was also empty.

Where has he also left to? And when?

She did not know whether to pity or feel angry at Alessandro. In a way, he was also a victim.

~~~

Sitting underneath a myrtle tree overlooking the vast valley below the Ferrari's Villa, Violet felt as alone as never before.

She could not confide in Isabella without revealing her deepest feelings of utter humiliation. Her mind was drawn back to the pity she had seen in Alex's eyes earlier that day.

"LORD? Are YOU still there? Or YOU can't also stand the sight of me?" She called out, knowing she was far out of anyone else's hearing range.

But, her LORD was silent. The pain was so deep she could not muster up the courage to even cry.

"Why are YOU silent on days like these, FATHER?" Her voice was more subdued now, even broken.

She had shut her eyes so tight and was so focused on her grief that she had not heard the footsteps that had approached her.

"Why call out to a GOD Who does not listen?"

She was startled from her despair by the voice of one she did not have the strength to face that day—Alessandro.

True enough, her LORD had helped her to forgive him. Yet, she felt in no mood to face him of all people that day.

Though the grotesque details of that night had been stifled into a different scenario altogether—that she had become one of his prey. Another trophy to the litany of women Alessandro had been with, she just could not face him.

But, his question had triggered a sense of defence within her. She knew that though her LORD had not replied... HE was still there—JEHOVAH SHAMMAH.

Else, she would have jumped off the edge aeons ago.

"HE is GOD," she finally spoke and acknowledged to herself. "And HE is my LORD. I have given myself in reckless abandon to HIM. Whether HE decides to answer me or not, is up to HIM. I dare not question HIM."

Finding a spot beside her, Alessandro sat down, though uninvited.

"Even after..." he took a moment to take in a deep breath before uttering the next words. "Even after all I did to you, you still trust in HIM?"

Violet knew it was the moment of truth. Though she did not understand why HE was silent that day, she knew her GOD.

"Yes, even after all that..." she smiled the smile of the broken yet undefeated as she turned to finally look at him—no rancour in her heart towards him.

"I have given HIM my all," she continued softly. "And whatever HE chooses to do with it, is up to HIM. Let HIM break me into multiple pieces. But, I still want those pieces to remain in HIS Hands alone. For there, I am secure—broken or not."

"You are a strange person, you know that?"

She chuckled and found it was her first on that day of woes. And it was then that she also realised, her LORD was not silent, only testing her faith.

And HE had reminded her of where her strength lay—in HIM—through the most unimaginable vessel.

"And I am finding my sister is turning into the same strange nature you possess."

Violet finally gave a full laugh which further befuddled the young man sitting next to her.

"But," he continued, seeming to ponder as he looked farther ahead towards the valley she had been facing. "It is a nice kind of weirdness."

He stood up abruptly and appeared to have the thought to walk away when he stopped to face her again.

"And Violet? I never really apologised, yet you forgave me."

"Mhmm?"

"I am truly sorry about that day."

He looked down for a moment before glancing up into her eyes. And she found something strange about him also. She could see it in his eyes.

And she found herself hoping what she saw was not false.

"If your GOD can work in one's heart as HE has in yours and Bella's," he took in a deep breath before continuing. "If only HE will have me, I want to be HIS also."

But watching them from afar, stood a lonely maid, with her arms crossed over her chest.

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I feel like singing a song at the end here.

"What the enemy meant for evil,
GOD has turned it around,
HE has turned it around..." 💃

We thank GOD so much for how far HE has brought us by HIS GRACE AND MERCIES.

Please do share your thoughts on this chapter as well. I love to read them all. 🥰

Love,

Phela 💕