Lorenzo the Magnificent

Servants

,,Oh my God...it's you,'' he whispered in disbelief. I couldn't believe that moment was real. To feel Francesco's body pressed to mine...to feel his warmth...it just didn't feel like reality. I would never in my wildest dreams imagine this could actually happen. I thought I will never see him again. I wanted that moment to last forever. I just didn't want to face the reality because I knew there were still people going after me for some reason. And I knew that sooner or later I'll have to face them. But I already felt better because I knew Francesco won't let them hurt me or drag me somewhere.

When he started pulling away from me I started feeling anxios and started shaking again. I turned to him but I couldn't look him in the eyes. ,,Sorella I...if I knew...I'm so sorry. Forgive me please,'' he couldn't finish a sentence. He sounded really guilty. ,,How...no. Come, we should go to my house,'' he was finally able to say. He helped me to cover my naked back and lifted the hood the woman bought me from the ground. He looked at it and threw it on the ground again. ,,But-'' I couldn't finish because he smiled at me kindly and started taking off his luxurious coat. I couldn't take my eyes from him. I felt so happy. When he gently put his coat over me I suddenly felt his scent and the warmth of his body. 

When we arrived to his house a few servants came immediately but Francesco sent them all away. He led me through all those corridors I remembered. He opened big door and we stepped into his room together. I looked around. It was simply but luxuriously furnished room. Of course it looked absolutely different but it was the same room I remember he slept in when he was a child. I touched the wall and smiled for myself. I felt so safe and sound. He helped me to get the coat off and hanged it on a hook. ,,Wait here a minute,'' he said and left the room. I sat on a chair behind his desk. It was quite nicely organised desk. Everything had it's place. He was always like this. Just like Lorenzo. They were really similar in this. But Lorenzo never really liked me, although I did like him and he knew it. 

Francesco walked into the room after a few minutes and three servant women were following him. It felt weird. I am a servant. I am supposed to take care of someone, to take orders. They walked to the door on the other side of the room and Francesco opened it. I noticed all the women were carying buckets and when I heard watter being poured into something I realised they were preparing a bath. Francesco walked out again and the servants as well but only a minute passed and Francesco was back with new servants. They were dressed differently from the first group. ,,Enjoy your bath,'' he smiled at me, walked out from the room and closed the door behind him. ,,Come,'' one of the servants smiled at me. When I stepped into the bathroom I couldn't believe my eyes. Everything was so beautiful and shining. They started taking my clothes off and I realised they wanted me to get naked in front of them. ,,I can do it myself,'' I smiled at them and hoped they will go away but I knew they won't as servants. ,,Signor Pazzi gave us orders,'' the oldest said. ,,I know but look...I had been a servant since I was eight years old so I know what it's like. I don't need you to take care of me,'' I kindly smiled at them. ,,Just wait  in France-Signore Pazzi's room. I won't take long,'' I finished and they seemed to be happy I didn't behave to them like most of the people they have probably met in their lifes.

I was glad I was left alone in the room because I was quite ashamed of my scars. They, as servants, probably had some as well, but I didn't feel the urgency of showing them mine. I started slowly taking off my dress. It was a bit painful. As I was standing there fully naked and looking at myself in the big mirror in front of me I felt quite vulnerable. I touched my skinny, but for a woman quite musculant arms. Bruises were all over them. I untangled my hair and grabbed a brush that the servants put there for me. I slowly brushed my long, tangled hair and looked in the mirror again. ,,You're beautiful,'' I whispered the same thing my mom used to tell me every night but when I said it my eyes got wet. I am not beautiful. I am a young, broken  woman with no hope and future. I threw a piece of fabric over the mirror so I didn't have to look at myself anymore. I tried the temperature of the water in the bath and it was just great. I quickly got in and started cleaning my body. Being able to wash my hair after quite some time...was really satisfying. I stayed in the water for a few more minutes to just let the body soak the warmth and then got out, dried my body and stepped in front of the mirror again. I took a deep breath and took off the fabric from the mirror. I swiped the fogged glass and made a step back. 

I looked into the mirror again and felt a bit better about myself already. My long, wet hair was reaching a little under my hips. Should I cut it a little bit?? It might look nicer. I opened the first drawer and started looking for scisors. I found it almost immediately. I didn't hesitate for a long time and grabbed a strong lock of my hair and cut the lenght of my finger of it. I decided to cut it all into the same lenght.

When I wanted to put some clothes on I realised I only had my dirty dress. ,,Excuse me,'' I whispered when I opened the door a little bit just so the servants could hear me. One of them stood up and walked to me. I wraped a piece of fabric around me so I wasn't naked in front of her. ,,Is everything okay??'' she asked worriedly. ,,Yes but...do you think you could get me some clean clothes??'' I asked unsure. ,,Of course. Here,'' she said as she handed me beautiful red dress which was hanging next to the door. You could tell it was an expensive piece of dress just by the way it looked and how the fabric felt on the skin. ,,Thank you,'' I smiled at her. ,,Do you want me to help you with it??'' she asked and I almost immediately refused her help but in the last second I realised these luxurious dresses are difficult to put on. ,,Yes please,'' I said simply with a smile and let her in. She was really respectful because she turned away when I took off the fabric wraped around me and waited for me to tell her she can turn over.

,,You're very beautiful,'' she whispered and I could feel my cheeks getting red. ,,Oh...really?? I don't feel that way,'' I said sadly. She didn't say anything about my scars even though I knew she was looking at them when she was tying the back of my dress. ,,You are a beautiful young woman with a beautiful soul,'' she surprised me with these words because she was probably just as old as I was but she was talking like an older woman. I turned over and hugged her. She seemed to be surprised as well but I could easily tell she was comfortable.

She helped me to dry my long hair as well and when we walked out from the bathroom into Francesco's room they all looked at me and kept staring at me. They all said how beautiful I looked and made me feel so much better about myself. The girl who helped me with my new dress wanted to say something but in that moment Francesco walked into the room. ,,What's this supposed to mean-'' ,,It's alright Francesco. Don't punish them for that. It was my idea,'' I wanted to calm him down. It was weird standing there, calling him Francesco when everyone in the room would call him ''Signore Pazzi''. I mean...we were friends when we were children but it was long time ago. And now we just met after all that time and we act like we never separated...I felt like a stranger in the city I used to call my home. I felt like a stranger when talking with Francesco. Because we are strangers- ,,You look beautiful,'' he said with a huge smile on his face when everyone left and closed the door.

,,Really...you're absolutely stunning."

A/N

New part is up. I really want to say BIG THANK YOU to those commenting on this story and wanting me to update. It really helps me to write more often as I know I am not only writing it for myself but for someone who is interested in it as well. 

Also when you see an update from me, wait a few minutes before you read it because I have this bad habit of publishing the part first and doing the proofreading after so sometimes I don't only correct some mistakes but sometimes I also change a few little things or add a few little things.

<3 <3 <3