The Secret of the Orchard (Youcanprint edition)

**The Secret of the Orchard** is the English version of the first book by Federico Carro know by his pen name Frederick A. Chariot, that he started towards the last years of high school. The book is inspired by the town of Vernazza, where both the plot and part of the characters derive from a real situation and an imaginary part. The language of the novel is highly sought after and archaic, like the plot, in many circumstances very mysterious and veiled. This manuscript is presented as the first English edition of the book: "The Secret of the Orchard", moreover it is also connected to the fantasy saga called: "The King of Light".

## **Plot**

The Secret of Orchard is Federico's first book that he began towards the last years of high school. The book is inspired by the town of Vernazza, where both the plot and part of the characters derive from a real situation and an imaginary part. The language of the novel is highly sought after and archaic, like the plot which is very mysterious and veiled in many circumstances.

The plot begins in a village with an unspecified name, chosen by the author to make the novel more aulic. Corcelsio, one of the protagonists together with Virtuoso, walks through the streets of the town, when suddenly a girl stands in front of him with the intention of killing him, at that moment the town bells ring and the girl disappears amidst the ringing of the bells. In the meantime, a mysterious ship lands in the port of the town, which the captain of the port Bonvassallo checks well, noting the fact that the ship is completely empty and without people inside.

Calling the local parish priest there in port to bless the ship before sinking it completely, Virtuoso and Michele arrive on the place. Suddenly, Ademaro, the captain of the vessel, stands next to the latter and explains his story and how he managed to land there, underlining the fact that a mysterious voice made his crew disappear by landing alone on the aforementioned island. After the story is told, the ship, attracted by a mysterious force, breaks and sinks before the eyes of the villagers and its captain.

Battered by the voyage and from this vision Ademaro collapses to the ground to which he is supported by Virtuoso, who under the encouragement of Michele to take him to retire and regain his strength elsewhere, Michele remains there as he finishes blessing the ship. During the journey Virtuoso, supporting Ademaro, they enter an inn to seek help, the villagers inside the room glared at the duo and without moving from their positions, Virtuoso decides to continue elsewhere. Outside the room, a doctor rushes to take Ademaro with him, taking him away to another place. Meanwhile Corcelsio reaches a grocery store taking with him what he needed.

Coming out of the shop all of a sudden in the middle of the street he steps on a necklace, at that moment when he picks it up Virtuoso appears and in giving him the necklace the two know each other. Corcelsio invites his new friend into his home. Therefore, following various paths, the duo exits the village and heads into an environment totally taken up by nature, where after a different walk the duo sees Corcelsio's house in the midst of the vegetation. Within him Virtuoso makes the acquaintance of Dalia, Corcelsio's wife and his son Fiordilisio. Virtuoso spends the rest of the day with them, eventually returning to his home.

    The next morning, when the day still has to wake up, Dalia sneaks out of the house seeing herself with her lover Angelo in front of a river, where in kissing they promise to see each other again the next day. In the meantime Ademaro wakes up finding himself in a bare and dark room, finding a window completely nailed down, he kicks it in, noticing that in the sky there are dark clouds approaching in front of him, puts a note on the bed and decides to throw himself down the window to escape.

At that moment Virtuoso decides to visit the hospital where Ademaro was, there he discovers the note that Ademaro left and the fact that he ran away. Virtuoso decides to continue towards Corcelsio's house to warn him about what concerns Ademaro. On the way, however, Virtuoso crosses paths with the local storyteller named Alvaro who tells him the story of a prince named Lejack. Alvaro informing Virtuoso too much about forbidden stories inside the country, at that moment guards arrive and take him away. Virtuoso observing this scene decides to continue the journey towards Corcelsio's house.

Arrived at his destination Corcelsio goes out of the house when Virtuoso is exactly in front of the door, Corcelsio asks his friend to continue the conversation by walking in the direction of the nearby woods. Corcelsio begins to tell about an alleged treasure hidden by the last king who had lived in this land, indirectly underlining to Virtuoso the truth of the storyteller Alvaro. At that moment a squirrel appears trying to take an acorn near them, Virtuoso approaches him but the squirrel retreats, Corcelsio approaches himself taking the acorn and the squirrel eats quietly. Surprised by this Virtuoso asks Corcelsio how he did it, the latter replies instead that he is late and that he has to go home.

Virtuoso mind goes to his house, Corcelsio finds a lost girl in the middle of the woods named Evelia, the latter feeling scared in front of Corcelsio decides to run away. The next morning Dalia heads back towards the river, finding no one waiting for Angelo impatiently. In the meantime Virtuoso goes towards the local church meeting with Michele who shows him the note found on Ademaro's bed, finding it written to lay a flower to a person named Alfano. At that moment Michele letting himself be taken by his memories tells the story of him to Virtuoso. Once the latter has finished listening to the story, he decides to go to the cemetery of the place to look for Alfano's tombstone.

    On finding him, at that moment a man named Efrén appears who tells him about a certain Dorian, who Virtuoso, mentioning the name of Corcelsio, gets furious and goes away. Finally Virtuoso, deciding to take a tour of the town, retires home. The following morning Evelia reveals to her father Rodoni about how she met Corcelsio, where in revealing her falsehood, an enraged Rodoni decides to head to Corcelsio's house to kill him. Once inside Corcelsio's house, he doesn't see anyone inside, so he decides to move out to the other side of the house in the direction of the owner's orchard.

Inside he sees the orchard totally crumbled by the flames, noticing the ash that made up the landscape he notes on the ground a piece of a frame of a painting, while picking it up he observes it carefully and as if enchanted by this object, he remains impassive and standing staring at it. Later, when dawn appears, Michele goes to visit Corcelsio's house to bless the houses, but on the way he crosses Corcelsio who orders him to continue somewhere else. Michele then decides to return to the village where is intercepted by Frediano the husband of his sister Aloara, who kills him and leaves him lifeless in an alley of the village.

Virtuoso sees the scene and runs home, but at that moment another person observes Virtuoso as he escapes from the alley. The next morning Michele is found lifeless by Aillen, the locals decide to call Virtuoso who rushes to Michele, at that moment Fiordilisio intervenes and while he was with Aillen to encourage her to react, Virtuoso appears and shows him where they have taken Michele. Fiordilisio and Aillen get to know each other and spend the day together, where they hug and kiss before going to their respective houses. While Fiordilisio is walking towards the house he accidentally collides with Evelia who falls to the ground, where the latter in tears explains to him that she no longer finds her father and that he is missing after he went to Corcelsio.

Fiordilisio takes Evelia to the doctor to have her examined for the fall during the meeting. Meanwhile in the village a man named Caritano dances and sings in the middle of the square giving spectacle and moments of joy to the locals, going in the direction of an alley he puts a cartoon over him and falls asleep, at that moment Frediano appears who massacres him by killing him. The next morning Corcelsio leaves the house and goes to the village tavern, at that moment his brother Zeno arrives to rob the tavern, who as soon as he sees Corcelsio shoots him and runs away.

Corcelsio in ruins wanders through the streets of the town without any help, collapsing in the middle of the road. While the town is taken by the snow Virtuoso walking through the streets meets a dear childhood friend of his named Malviano, who however turns out to be the one who observed Virtuoso during the night of Michele's killing, who blaming him for happened, he has him arrested and taken to his cell. In a short time, the hearing was created to blame Virtuoso at all costs, where even Malviano pays the judge to have the victim executed. During the hearing, however, the convict's father appears, Fausto who, taking the blame for the incident, is taken away on charges of murder and sentenced to death. Meanwhile Fiordilisio receives a visit from a doctor who informs him that his father is in hospital.

    He then rushes to the hospital to find his father on a bare bed and with nothing or anyone around. There Corcelsio tells the story of his brother Zeno and together they leave the hospital going in the direction of Corcelsio's house. Halfway through Corcelsio decides to continue alone, thus leaving Fiordilisio, the latter heads home and meets Efrén who in speaking to us discovers a lot of negative information about his father. After the conversation Efrén turns to his work in getting wood to build a house for his family, there in front of the river he observes in the flow of water the image of Dalia with Angelo as they move away together towards a horizon. Just before cutting down a tree with an ax, Efrén is caught by lightning and is killed instantly.

Corcelsio reaches his home and discovers that his brother Zeno is at the door with a gun, after a long conversation a storm arrives that prevents us from understanding the final outcome of the battle. Meanwhile in the main square of the town everything is set up to execute Fausto but shortly before being killed his wife Melissa appears in the audience, who desperately screaming to let her husband live, the boglia suppresses Fausto without batting an eyelid. Meanwhile, far from the town in an inn a girl named Verdelia prays to heaven to give him the chance to kill Corcelsio, at that moment outside the inn a hooded individual appears who tells him to meet again tomorrow at the usual time if he wants to implement his revenge against Corcelsio, so in saying the duo moves away.

The next day Frediano, remembering his past, approaches Caldero's door which, recognizing Frediano barely, understands that it wants to kill him. At that moment the clouds envelop Frediano, who frightened Caldero returns to the house. Then, without hearing anything, he opens the door and instead of Frediano he finds a rose on the ground that takes it with him and brings it into the house, at that moment he knocks on the door and terrified Caldero screams to go away, but at that moment his daughter appears Aillen reassuring her father. After the situation calms down, Caldero tells about Frediano and his wife Violanda, Aillen's mother. The next morning, Melissa goes to church and going into the confessional, she confesses that she no longer wants to live to Virtuoso.

After the conversation she goes to the cemetery and through a powerful poison her life rises in front of the tomb of her husband Fausto. Subsequently Verdelia finds himself at the same time that the mysterious individual had promised him, at that moment outside the inn he meets her husband Ademaro, who by bringing out the memories, we understand the fact that Corcelsio was the son of Ademaro and Melissa, as well as this' last is Verdelia's sister. While Ademaro went on with the memories it turns out that it was he who brought Corcelsio home after the hospital where he was born collapsed, where in believing Melissa dead, he takes Corcelsio home to Verdelia.

Furthermore, Verdelia tells of the fact that one day the house went up in flames and Verdelia observing the figure of Corcelsio in the midst of the flames, hatred arises in her, slowly turning into resentment. At that moment, however, during the memories of man, the mysterious individual appears in the false and lifeless guise of Alfano, Ademaro's father, where the latter turns out to be a very different essence from a simple human being. Ademaro firing on the ground near the being, the latter collides with Ademaro, where Verdelia running away falls into a swamp, disappearing away in the middle of the mud. Later Aillen runs in search of Fiordilisio in revealing her love for him, but she meets the figure of Fiordilisio controlled by the being who tells him he doesn't love her at all.

    While Aillen runs home crying, the essence heads towards Virtuoso who tells him about Miriam, Lejack's sister and part of the history of the island. In the meantime, Caldero receives a letter at his house with the written word to gather everyone in the main square, where all the inhabitants of the place gathered, find Fiordilisio and the mayor. They announce that the absolute evil of the country is threatened by Corcelsio himself, where all together go to his house to kill him.

Virtuoso observing this scene rushes to Corcelsio to warn him. Inside his house Corcelsio reveals himself without any scratch intent on drinking wine, while at that moment the supernatural being appears, noting the fact that they are the same thing. Virtuoso appears informing Corcelsio of the incident. The latter, not at all shaken, heads towards his orchard waiting for the inhabitants of the place who arrive in a short time devastating the house, thus proceeding inside the Corcelsio's orchard. Suddenly at that moment a dark and terrifying being appears who covers all the inhabitants with a dark cloud, who after disappearing Corcelsio appears in front of Virtuoso who begins to tell the last missing piece of King Lenoire, Miriam's father and Lejack, explaining how it all began.

## **Structure**

The work is a fantasy novel written in a fairytale key and presents itself with a aulic style that differs greatly from the common use of words, as it turns out to be a highly sought-after language but less dynamic than the other novels, where the plot takes place here slowly. For example, novels such as: "The King of Light of the Order of the Dark Gods" plays a lot on the dynamism of events, is rich in plot and details, as well as metaphors, oxymorons and sometimes prevails in an Italian baroque style of the seventeenth century, even if in these last points Il Segreto del Verziere also presents these characteristics, this latter novel presents a lot of description and accuracy in the landscape details.

The book is divided into four chapters:

* Capitolo I – Il veliero ed il monile
* Capitolo II – La chiesa e le memorie
* Capitolo III – Il presagio
* Capitolo IV – Il segreto

## **Characters**

* Corcelsio
* Bonvassallo
* Michele
* Ademaro
* Virtuoso
* Doctor
* Elsia
* Dalia
* Fiordilisio
* Angelo
* Patient
* Alvaro
* Prince Lejack
* Leblanc
* Evelia
* Florencio
* Efrén
* Rodoni
* Frediano
* Aillen
* Caritano
* Host
* Zeno
* Malviano
* Judge
* Fausto
* False doctor
* Melissa
* Mayor
* Verdelia
* Alfano
* Caldero
* Aloara
* Violanda
* Sigismond
* Brando
* Miriam
* Being supernatural

## **Places and settings**

* Village
* Port
* Tavern
* Corcelsio's house
* Hospital
* Wood
* Church
* Court
* Main square
* Inn
* Corcelsio's Orchard

## **Structure of the island**

    Inside the structure of the island there is the small village taken from the author's first novel: "The Secret of the Orchard", where the other places that reveal themselves within the work are mentioned. The island in question is called: "The island of the perennial heart" and is located slightly north - west of the Forbidden Empire.

Most of the island is rich of vegetation, especially woods and paths hidden among the trees, as well as other secrets that are hidden at the ends of the island that still remain mysterious. Finally, the Tower like the rest of the village recall the features of the Ligurian town of Vernazza.

## **Language and tribal symbols**

    Some characters among the various novels have tribal symbols that have a specific color that identifies their belonging. Therefore such symbols placed on certain subjects identify that they are possessed by another identity much more superior to it.

They are magical symbols which, however, do not give powers to those who possess them, however they make it clear that they are not ordinary beings, since those who possess the symbols still have a magical gift in themselves. Furthermore, these tribal symbols are part of an alphabet created by the author, which underlines the fact that they are not random symbols, but that they have a context of language and expression, symbolizing an order or simply a word that can make people remember something specific. who owns such symbols.

The tribal symbols were invented by the Creator realizing as the first expression the White Language, spoken initially with the angelic order and later with Syslomaour and Enkelstar, when Dar Queen was born it realized as a counter expression the Dark Language, defined tribal mainly to indicate the first tribes and orders existing with the first archaic language available among the deities.

### **Tribal symbols**

#### **Golden color**

They are symbols that have the meaning of rebirth and are the first tribal symbols that appeared for the first time in the author's first novel: "The Secret of the Orchard". The first to possess them was a doctor who appears before Fiordilisio, as well as Alfano later on with the same tribal symbols on his arm. In that case the meaning resumes that of rebirth and possession since the supernatural being that governs within the structure of the Secret of the Orchard is an individual who possesses the person both alive and lifeless as in the case of Alfano. So the rebirth takes place in another form and in another aspect, understood as a new life managed by the supernatural being.

#### **Silver color**

Tribal silver symbols identify the time. The first time such symbols appeared was during the first appearance of the supernatural being in the novel: "The Secret of the Orchard". The second time they appear instead in the author's second novel, namely: "The King of Light, the Order of the Dark Gods" when Fedrick finds the sacred vestiges of Lyjos, when precisely the brightness of the armor falls, the tribal symbols in silver color that represent time, but also individual growth as precisely identified in Fedrick's path but also refers to the evolution of the supernatural being, evolution in that case negative while positive for Fedrick.

#### **Amaranth color**

These symbols represent slavery and identify that they can be exploited and sold as a jester in Scauri. The first time that this tribal symbol appears is in the author's second novel: "The King of Light the Order of the Dark Gods", when Fedrick in Malta hears the words of Aglaval who tells the story, at that moment Florjan shows such symbols on his body, revealing his past membership in his slave state.

#### **Purplish color**

This symbol expresses the highest evil in the world, it is the undisputed symbol of absolute evil possessed by Dar Queen. This symbol appears in the author's second novel: "The King of Light the Order of the Dark Gods" both on Dar Queen and on Raour, Fleyrd's father who, before the fight, takes off his armor, highlighting the evil symbols on his body, this identifies the fact that the Knights of Lefi also have tribal symbols in their bodies, branded by Dar Queen himself as well as present on Fleyrd and General Madow.

#### **Spring green color**

These symbols appear in the author's second book and are shown briefly by Madilim when she takes off his cassock. This symbol identifies his belonging to his native tribe.

#### **Midnight blue color**

Such symbols were hinted at in Federico's second novel: "The King of Light the Order of the Dark Gods" when Florjan on Malta spoke of the fact that those who were under the oppression of the Night Master were branded with the tribal symbols in midnight blue, identification sign of belonging to Dar Jack.

In the author's fourth novel: "The King of Light the Rise of Destiny" when Fedrick meets Dianora the evil part of Isabel, to which the tribal symbols of midnight blue are manifested on the girl, Federico makes it clear that the tribal symbols of midnight blue identify the part of the shadow of the individual, consequently Dar Jack is none other than the part of the shadow of Dar Queen himself.

### **Language and expression**

The language expressed by some characters identify their belonging to a certain rank, such as Dar Queen and the Creator who express themselves in Latin, such as Dar King who speaks to his subordinates in Cyrillic. From this over time has given rise to two styles of languages that can only decode certain individuals.

Dar Queen speaks in dark Latin such as Dar King, this type of language can only be conceived by the subjects of Dar Queen such as Dar King and Dar Jack, it cannot be understood for example by the Creator who has the language itself instead White. These types of language are mainly used to make certain expressions not understood by the other opposing faction.

Therefore the white language cannot be understood by those who instead speak with the dark language, but both can dialogue through the Latin that the author identifies as the divine language, to which only the divinities use it, such as the Creator, the same Dar Queen and the King of Light.

#### **The white language**

    The White Language is the form of expression spoken within beings belonging to the world of good. It was created from the dawn of time by the Creator as a form of language and communication through the angels and other organs that manage it all.

This language is expressed vocally as if it were Latin, but in written form it is presented in the form of tribal symbols which thus hide its meaning and significance.

Subsequently with the birth of Dar Queen this language was used by the Creator and the other beings of light to communicate with each other in a way not to be understood by those who use the dark language, to conceal orders and important information that could damage the balance of the created.

#### **The dark language**

    Dark language is the expressive and speech form used by those who exercise evil. This language was invented by Dar Queen to counteract the white language, to conceal important information and projects through which the Dark Master shares within his evil order.

Although vocally this language is expressed in ecclesiastical Latin, the written expressive form is presented with tribal symbols very different from the white language. Both languages are used to counter each other, but they maintain commonality that they are used by divine beings such as the Creator and Dar Queen and semi-divine beings such as Syslomaour and Enkelstar.

However, both languages do not allow to be assimilated by people of lower rank than the semi divine, this will lead to the Order of the Dark Gods to create another language with which to communicate with their subordinates. For example, Dar King speaks through the expression of Cyrillic, where it also appears in written language with the various symbols of that language, while Dar Jack speaks and writes through the Greek language.

## **Editions**

* Il Segreto del Verziere - Sacco Editore Edition (2015)
* Le Vestigia dell'Antico Splendore - Luigi Pellegrini edition (2019)

## **Differences between other editions**

Unlike the Italian version, in this edition there are the artworks and the cut parts that do not appear in the first version of the novel.

## **Trivia**

* Initially the book had to be called simply: "L'Orto" later it was called by the author: "Il Segreto dell'Orto" where in the last draft the final title dates back to: "Il Segreto del Verziere". Federico's choice to look for the most sought-after words as the title recalls that narrative and aulic style present within the novel.

* The names of the characters are totally invented by the author, while their personality and physical appearance instead take their cue from certain characters that actually exist in Federico's native village, that is Vernazza. Mostly the village to which the author refers is Vernazza but in a fantasy key.

## **External links**

* Federico Carro website
* Frederick A. Chariot website
* Federico Carro IMDb
* The King of Light the Order of the Dark Gods IMDb
* The Secret of the Orchard IMDb
* Federico Carro Stage 32
* Federico Carro TMDB
* The King of Light the Order of the Dark Gods TMDB
* The Secret of the Orchard TMDB
* Federico Carro TVDB
* The King of Light the Order of the Dark Gods TVDB
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* Federico Carro Letterboxd
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* The Secret of the Orchard Letterboxd
* Federico Carro Ratehouse
* The King of Light the Order of the Dark Gods Ratehouse
* The Secret of the Orchard Ratehouse
* Il Re della Luce Wiki Fandom
* Federico Carro Wiki Fandom Eng
* Federico Carro Wiki Fandom Ita
* Vernazza Wiki Fandom Eng
* Vernazza Wiki Fandom Ita
* Federico Carro Facebook
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* Frederick A. Chariot Youcanprint
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* Frederick A. Chariot

## References

this page was last edited on 21-10-20231. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV6AFip2j-I
2. ↑ https://youtu.be/zV6AFip2j-I
3. ↑ https://www.metropolitanweb.it/?p=23003
4. ↑ https://www.arduinosaccoeditore.com/prodotto/il-segreto-del-verziere/
5. ↑ https://www.lafeltrinelli.it/libri/federico-carro/vestigia-antico-splendore/9788868227760?channel=desktop