Lorenzo the Magnificent

Fortune

,,So once again. What will you do when we come back home??'' I heard one of them saying. ,,Apologize to Sorella. Even beg her for forgivness,'' I instantly knew who they were. My heart started beating so fast again. Do not look at me...do not look at me. I kept staring below me on the ground and didn't even breathe. I knew I wouldn't be able to ride away from them if they recognized me. They were examplery good riders. I wouldn't stand a chance. I hope they will not recognize the horse either. I started slowly passing by. 

,,You got to understand that she is different. You know...her life was probably real awful. Being a servant her whole life. Then being sold like she was a slave...'' fortunately they were occupied with their conversation, ,,I just can not see the reason our mother forces her to marry you,'' Giuliano continued and grunted. ,,You do not know...she inherited many...many expensive paintings that her parents had collected when they were alive,'' Lorenzo simply explained and that was all I could hear. 

Well now I see I was even more naive. Lucrezia only saved me to get my heritage...I can not believe it. I knew it was the reason for my uncle and my aunt. But as I understood they were not able to withdraw anything. So I do not know what makes Lucrezia think she will be able to do so. 

I just realized I didn't even really know where exactly my uncle's home is. I knew it was somewhere not so far from Rome. I guess I will need to speak to a lot of people. I am sure a lot of people in the area know my uncle or if better...they even know Dante's father or Dante himself.

The journey was long. Extremely long. My whole body ached from sitting on the hard saddle for many hours. And I knew there were so many more hours even days in front of me. I stopped the horse and jumped down. I was wearing men's pants and a white shirt and that all was covered under a heavy black coat with a huge hood. The sun was burning me alive. I needed to rest in a shadow and so did my horse. I was lucky enough to even discover a little pond. The horse started drinking the cold water and I took off my boots and stepped into the pond. I just stood there for a few minutes and then put on the heavy, hot boots again and led my horse to the path to continue in our way.

I looked around but I was the only person on the road for miles forth and back. No one is stupid enough to go anywhere in this killing weather. I tried to stay in the shadow as much as possible but there weren't that many trees along the path. I tried to give a rest to my horse every now and then but I also knew I needed to continue in the way or else they'll catch up with me pretty soon.  

I was already in Sienna and the sun slowly started going down. Should I stay here for the night or continue further?? I decided not to stop and keep going. I managed to go for a few more hours when everything started getting really dark. I had passed maybe two small settlements since I left Sienna and now I cursed myself for not staying in any of them because I couldn't see anything in front of me what would mean a roof above my head for the night. I yet kept going further when I finally saw a small light in distance. I made the horse go faster and reached the place in a few minutes. It was a simple stone house with half collapsed roof. I jumped down from the horse and walked to the house's door. I knocked on the door and couldn't even put the hood over my head when it already opened and a small, wrinkled woman was standing there looking at me. ,,Buonasera Signora...I am so sorry to disturb you this late but I am in kind of emergency. Do you think I could spend the night in your barn?? I will not make any trouble to you,'' I asked and tried to smile. She didn't say anything at first and just kept staring me down and up. She was probably wondering why is there a young woman dressed like a man standing this late at her threshold.

,,Oh my poor daughter. Take your horse into the barn and come here. The water and fresh hay is in there so give him as much as he needs.'' I was really surprised how nicely she took me in. 

When my horse was happily fed and secured I left the barn and knocked on the house's door again. ,,Come on in!!'' I heard from the inside this old voice. I entered the house and a beautiful smell of warm food almost hit me in the face. ,,Come, come. I bet you did not eat the whole day,'' the woman said as she was helping me to sit down. ,,You are absolutely right,'' I smiled and my mouth started getting flooded because of all the nice smell. She put a huge plate with pasta in front of me and handed me a glass with wine. ,,What are you waiting for?? Start eating before it gets cold,'' she warmly smiled and sat at the opposite side of the table. ,,I can not...thank you...enough for...all...of this...'' I managed to say in between bites. ,,I would normally not let you talk while eating...but I believe you will want to go to the bed right after this meal and then you will want to leave first thing in the morning...even before the sun starts rising. Am I right??'' It seemed like I wasn't the first person who have knocked on her door in the middle of the night. ,,Absolutely.'' ,,You are not the first person I hosted for a night. Nor the last one...I believe. But none of them had been this young or beautiful like you are. And I sure do not remember a woman all dressed up like a man as well,'' she laughed about the last part, ,,so tell me. What is your emergency?? Are you running from your husband?? Or have you commited a crime??'' she asked curiously. ,,Is it not the same thing?? I mean...running away from a husband...is it not considered a crime??'' I grunted, my mouth full of the meal. ,,Well you are right. It might be. But not for us woman. What else is there left to do for a woman who lives with an abusive man who does not waste a chance to hit. When no one else is willing to help. Of course the court will not help. The court is always favorable for men. We have to help each other,'' I knew right there, right in that moment that this woman had been through a lot. I also noticed a huge scar across her cheek and realized she was missing a finger on each of her hand. I wondered how that happened but I did not have the courage to ask. ,,I can not say anything to oppose,'' I started. ,,Of course you can not darling,'' she said with a smile on her face but she meant it seriously. ,,Well...I guess you could say I am running from a husband. Or more like...to be husband-'' ,,Who is he?? Is he known for his violent temper that you decided not to even give him a chance??'' she stopped me. ,,I would not say that. Although I know he can be violent sometimes. It is a bit more complicated...'' I was almost finishing my plate and I was quite glad because I kind of didn't really want to talk about this with her. ,,What is his name?? Is he somehow known??'' she asked almost like she already knew the answer. 

I remained silent for a moment. ,,Lorenzo,'' I started and her eyes went wide, ,,Lorenzo 'de Medici-'' ,,THAT Lorenzo 'de Medici??'' she almost yelled. I just nodded and finished the last bite of the meal. ,,So there is probably a heritage involved,'' the woman mumbled. ,,Are you a prophet?? A witch??'' I asked almost scared. ,,Of course not dalring. I am just an old woman who had already lived through her time and now is just waiting for her last days to come to an end,'' she paused, ,,anyway I will not keep you any longer. Come. I will show you your bed,''she said and showed me her toothless smile once again. 

A/N

Hello readers!!

You probably noticed I uploaded quite soon this time. And it is because I was tested positive for covid and so now I have more free time than I even need haha. Working as a nurse...it was only a question of time. But I am totally okay so yeah...anyway...

I also decided to update this story once a week!! Because now I am able to write quite a lot in advance. 

The updates should be on friday-monday.

Hope you are all okay and safe!!

<3 <3 <3