Lorenzo the Magnificent

Heritage

,,Really...you're absolutely stunning,'' Francesco said while staring at me. ,,Thank you,'' I whispered and started blushing. ,,Really...I can't take my eyes off you. I can't believe you are standing in front of me again,'' he said with a huge smile on his face but I noticed his eyes got wet. We were just standing there staring at each other. He suddenly reached his arms and waited for my reaction to his wide open arms. I giggled, jumped to him and embraced him tightly. He fully embraced me, pressed me to himself and rested his chin on my head. ,,You're so tall,'' I laughed. ,,You're just really small,'' he teased me. ,,You need to tell me everything. We're gonna sit somewhere together and we'll be sitting there until I'll hear everything. Every single little thing that had happened in your life,'' he smiled but I could hear a little bit of sadness in his voice. ,,Oh my God I missed you so much...'' Did he just sob?? ,,I missed you as well Francesco,'' I said back and after that we pulled away but still held onto each other. His eyes were so wet he had to rub both of them to wipe the tears away. After that he cleared his throat and looked at me like he was feeling awkward. ,,I don't know how to start...'' I sighed. ,,We'll start by eating something warm,'' he said, grabbed my hand and led me through the house into the dinning area. 

When we got there he assisted me with a chair and ringed the bell. A few second later servants started filling up the table in front of us with food. I haven't seen that much food in a while. ,,Thank you,'' I said everytime someone added something on the table.  I was raised to be polite and it's just the easiest thing you can do, to just say a few words. I was wondering if I'll see the servant who helped me with my dress here as well but then I realised she was probably in a group of servants taking care of the clothes and laundry. ,,I really don't need this much,'' I smiled at him awkwardly. ,,You don't have to eat everything,'' he laughed. ,,I know but there will be so much leftovers,'' I said quite sadly because I knew how little food I would get as a servant and how much my aunt would just throw away. ,,Yeah well...that's how it is,'' he said and started eating to kind of end this topic.

I was really hesitating what should I take and how much of it. Better less than too much. I took a small amount of a few options and before I started eating I said: ,,Thank you for your hospitality Francesco.'' He looked at me like I said something inapropriate or extremely weird, unespected. ,,Of course Sorella,'' he said and continued eating. He seemed a bit uncomfortable because of what I said before. He probably doesn't know I had been a servant at my uncle's house so he doesn't understand why I am acting like this.

When we finished our meal in silence he led me through the house outside to their gardens. ,,I want to take you somewhere,'' he simply said and smiled. I didn't say anything and just smiled back at him. When we arrived there I couldn't stop looking everywhere around myself.  It was spectacular. Everything around was so beautiful. So many colors and shades. Everything smelled and looked so good. ,,Do you like it here??'' Francesco asked after a moment and he seemed to be really looking forward to hear my answer. ,,I love it here,'' I said honestly. All my worries and fears started feeling like nothing when I was standing there with Francesco. We slowly walked toward a pond. As we sat down on a beautiful wooden bench Francesco remained quiet for some extra time because he probably understood I needed a moment to admire everything around us. 

,,Do you remember we used to play in this pond??'' he asked after a few minutes. I didn't know why but he suddenly seemed a bit sad. ,,Uhm...not really,'' I said unsure and tried to recall some of the memories. ,,I understand.'' ,,I'm sorry Francesco. I had been through a lot since I left.'' ,,Tell me everything.''

I started telling him what happened after my uncle and aunt dragged me away and forced me to stay at their house and be their servant. I told him how they treated me, like I was someone who didn't deserve to live on this planet. I told him how many times I tried to escape but it always ended up the same way. That they would always send someone after me and then let me starve in a dark cellar for many days. I told him that I thought I'd never see him or anyone I knew ever again. But I also told him about Signora Rossi and Dante, as they were the only reasons why I didn't just end it all a long time ago. I told him how much I missed my parents and my friends every goddamn day, hour, minute. I told him that no matter how hard I tried to make piece with my uncle and aunt they would just never give it a simple try and punished me instead. 

I must had been talking for hours when I finally stopped and felt like I poured out my whole hearth. Then I was just speechlees. I just stared in front of me and I could feel tears forming in my eyes. ,,But why?? Do you know why they decided to drag you away?? Why would they do that?? They never cared about your family anymore. I don't understand,'' he seemed angry. ,,Because as my parents passed away, I inherited all their money and all the art pieces they had gathered. So my uncle saw an opportunity to get everything. They dragged me away, kept me from people, stole all my heritage and slowly tried to get rid of me,'' I explained. ,,Sorella I...I don't know what to say. I can't even express how sorry I am...that's just so unfair. I-I tried to find you many times. I had sent so many people to go looking for you. I pleaded my uncle to do something, to do anything, to find you. But after some time I started thinking about things and I thought that maybe you didn't want to be found. Because it felt like you just disappeared. It was impossible to find you. But I never stopped hopping,'' he explained without a pause. ,,Thank you for telling me this Francesco. We can't change what had happened but now at least I know you didn't forget about me after a while.''  I smiled at him and hugged him. He embraced me and rested his chin on my shoulder. ,,I wasn't the only one,'' he said and I started wondering who was helping him. I pulled away and looked at him in the way to tell him I wanted to know more. ,,Giuliano...Giuliano was really young but as soon as he could he would run away from home and go looking for you. And Guglielmo with Bianca...Bianca would cry every day as she missed you. Guglielmo couldn't  just look at her like that so he started almost immediately looking for you around the town and a little bit later, as he was old enough to ride a horse on his own with our uncle's permission, he would leave and come back after days with sad expression on his face which meant only one thing, he didn't find you,'' Francesco narrated with a smile on his face because all he could see on my face was a huge smile as well. ,,And what about Lorenzo?? You didn't mention him,'' I said still with a smile on my face but when his disappeared I knew he didn't mention him because he didn't have a reason to, which made me a bit sad. I think Francesco always knew I quite liked Lorenzo. But Francesco was the one who liked me. ,,So do you think we could all meet somewhere??'' I said quickly not to make the moment awkward. 

,,Well...that's not going to be that easy.''