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I am bruised, battered, wet and bedraggled but the video is finished. View it here on YouTube:

Enjoy and feel free to rate and comment.

Duchesse Skye )

Dear Audience,

I offer my sincere appreciation for your continued support. We've enjoyed exquisite music of many different genres throughout the year. Your generous contributions at the Benefit Gala and the Arts and Music Festival provided a handsome budget to fund a spectacular music program for next season. We are now able to include a wider variety of music throughout the season. Many new musicians will join us and I am sure you will enjoy their music and style.

I am excited about a new series, "Enchanted Evenings" that will take place at the homes of residents with substantial estates. Please contact me, the Duc or the Duchesses if you are interested in hosting an "Enchanted Evenings" Concert in your home.

It all begins with Opening Night at the Opera House in late September. Be sure to check back for exact date and time.

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer!

Rosaria follows the tunnel until she reaches a place where there are several tunnels all leading in
different directions. Its very dark, thewalls are wet and slimy and there is a very strange smell.

But which corridor should she choose?
She begins to feeluncomfortable. Its very creepy. Then she hears voices and chanting, and decides to follows the sound.

She reaches a very large door, slightly ajar, just wide enough for her to squeeze through.

Staying close to the walls Rosaria creeps forwards and sees the hooded figures, surrounded by
candles and strange statues of dragons and other weird creatures.

The figures are standing in a white circle filled with foreign looking writing and numbers. They are chanting strange words in a language she cant understand.

As Rosaria leans forward to get a better view her foot brushes against something furry and warm
which scuttles away and Rosaria lets out an involuntary squeak.

One of the figures turns and looks in her direction. She holds her breath and hides herself behind a barrel, making herself as small as possible

..to be continued..

Rosaria finds herself alone in the square. The Boys have gone to the farms to help with the harvest, and she has been left behind. In her boredom she watches the house opposite the Taverna. There seems to be something going on.

Never being the sort of girl to let a question go unanswered, Rosaria decides to go and investigate. As she peeks into the beautiful room she sees some mysterious figures.

She watches the cloaked and hooded figures in fascination, as they approach the large picture in the centre of the wall. Rosaria tries to climb into a better position.

But when she turns to look the room is empty!!!

Now Rosaria absolutely has to know what is going on and breaks into the house by climbing onto the terrace. She quietly makes her way through the empty house.

When she reaches the Library, she very slowly approaches the painting. Rosaria gently touches the frame, and the painting opens like a door into a dark and clammy corridor, which turns into a tunnel.

From the Summer Villa of the Principe Melioria

August Year of our Lord 1779

Vostra Eccellenza Reverendissima, Monsignore Federico Maria Giovanelli

I trust this letter finds you in good health.

Again I thank you for your last letter, which I received just before I left for the French

coast. I do not know if you have
received the letter I sent from my Fathers Villa near the Villeneuve estate.

I have now returned to Melioria, but am leaving once more. I
am sure you would advise against my decision, but I have to go back to Venezia
and see the situation there for myself.
Be assured I shall be accompanied by Tita, my Fathers man servant, from
La Malcontenta.

If I cannot stay at CaFoscari, I shall stay at the house behind the Frari church.

I have recently received a letter from a dear friend from England. He writes to me about something called The

Blue Coats Schools.

These Blue Coat Schools, are a type of elementary school, erected and maintained by the parish, through the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants, for teaching poor children and orphans to read, write, and other necessary parts of education.
They are usually maintained by religious organizations, which provide clothing
and education to students freely or at little charge. In most charity schools,
children are likewise put out to trades, services, etc.

I have a mind to create something similar for our Orphans, and have, to this end rented the

empty floor above the Taverna.

There is ample space for both sleeping quarters and teaching space.

With the kindest regards be assured of my sincerest feelings of respect and friendship, I remain your faithful

daughter in CJ

Elena Marina dei Conti di Foscari

Dear diary,

Today is a day I will reveal you a secret. Well, its not realy a secret because everyone is supposed to know. So, its a.. ehh.. public secret! Yes, public secret! That sounds good, doesnt it?

Well, like I mentioned before the dauphin and dauphine are having some problems in the bedroom. And with problems I mean the only thing they do is sleeping. Now, the doctor Lasonne came to talk with the dauphin and he gave him some advice. And apparently it was some good advice because Marie Antoinette told me that something has happened! She already told the king who kissed her and called her his daughter and obviously also her mother the empress.

Today I told my two cousins, the comtesse de Provence and de Artois, at the dejeuner because Marie Antoinette wants me to spread the secret. Now, obviously, there is no way that they wont tell it to anyone else and so will soon the entire palace know. Perfect, isnt it?

My two cousins who dont seem to like my friend reacted both different. My cousin the comtesse de Provence became all red in her face! She was like a tomato with a wig! It was hilarious, though, I did feel sorry for her. My other cousin seemed to be in some kind of way happy for the couple because she wants a heir. Well, at least thats what she is telling me.

At the dejeuner happened something else besides the gossiping. The weather became terrible at a certain moment. And with terrible I mean HORRIBLE! I was so scared I suddenly fainted. However, there was enough chocolate to calm down again!

Au revoir my diary,

See you tomorrow!

Well it's been a long day but very exciting and fun! Here are some pics from the rest of the Saturday venues. We have an entire day of festivities tomorrow also so drop on by! We listened to artists ZeroOne Paz, Seba Sideways, Miles Eleventhour and Ichie Kamachi all simply wonderful!

We are presently at the Elvera Performance at the Languedoc tavern. We have almost 40 people here! People are dancing , sitting in the courtyard and in (and on) the audience seats. See Pics! ZeroOne will perofrm next at 2:30 at Lieu de Foret in Provence come on by!

We had a blast at the festival today! It started in Provence at the art contest, browsing all the paintings then off to the dock in Aquitaine for the artist colony grand opening. We then took the carriage over to the Languedoc beach for Sandia's performance. Unfortunately she had technical problems and it had to be cut short. We made up for it later though with Joaquin Gustav's great guitar playing. I set my viewer to sunset and I felt like i was really there on a hot summer night! After that I took a short break then went over to the Pavillion in provemce coeur for Waltkeys Faith's Performance. what a great way to end the evening, so romantic! Here are some pics and be sure to drop by the Duchy tomorrow for another round of great performers!

From the Villa "La Brouette"

July Year of our Lord 1779

Vostra EccellenzaReverendissima, Monsignore
Federico Maria Giovanelli

I trust this letter finds you in good health.
It was very fortunate that I received your letter on the morning of my departure, as I had received an urgent message informing me that my Father had been taken ill. So I left the children in the excellent care of the Principe and Cece.
I was most surprised to find my father here, as I had no idea that he had a Villa and lands here.
Sadly I found him very unwell, suffering from an affliction of the lungs. I wish I had Devi's knowledge of herbs and healing. I have, however, been greatly aided by Monsieur Claude-Alexandre Villeneuve the Count of Vence, who has arranged for the infermary sister, from the local monastero to come and administer to Father, and his breathing seems to be better.
The Contesse de Villeneuve also seems to be a regular visitor and seems very familiar with the Villa, which is beautiful, although rather delapidated, and has a magnificent view.

I had some concerns for the children when I left Melioria. As I wrote in my last letter on the surface the children seemed to have settled in well. However, I must now inform you that Santi seems to have disappeared. No one is sure where and when, but there is some talk that he has stowed away on one of the ships that sailed from the port last week.
Rosaria seems unconcerned, so I am unsure what to think.
My greatest concern is for Fiorino. He amongst all in the group, seemed the most active participant in life here in Melioria, yet when he thinks no one is looking I catch him staring out to sea with a sadness in his eyes which is heartbreaking. As soon as he sees me he becomes his usual cheerful and helpful self. I remain most concerned.
With the kindest regards be assuredof my sincerest feelings of respect and friendship, I remain your
faithful daughter in CJ

Elena Marina dei Conti di Foscari