From the highest star

10

Florence, Palazzo Ridolfi
Cosimo, Beatrice and Jacopo were in the library, in the evening Beatrice read to them in books, from an early age, then the father burst into the room, followed by Fiammetta and a girl.
"Cosimo come, she is Madonna Agnese Borromeo, your future wife" Cosimo kissed the hand of the young woman with red hair.
"It is a pleasure to meet Madonna"
"The pleasure is all my Lord, must you be Beatrice and Jacopo?" Beatrice quickly approached the girl.
"Yes Madonna, it's an honor to have you here, really"
"Will you show me the Palace?"
"Sure"
The girls left the room and visited the palace.

Lorenzo entered his father's room and sat down next to him.
"Father"
"Lorenzo, has your mother found you a wife?"
"Girl is more interested in learning grades"
"We need a few days to save the bank"
"Not long ago Beatrice reminded me that my grandmother said -if we lose today, we must believe that we will win tomorrow-"
"That girl is wise, and the thought of your grandmother Contessina is very noble"
"I ... will participate in the carousel, I will wear the colors of our family"
The father took his son's hand and Lorenzo with shining eyes squeezed it.
"Forgive me father, forgive me, I was hoping to write a happier ending for you"
"Don't forget, every man is the author of his own life"
"But a man's life does not end with his own ... not if he has a son" Pieto smiled and stroked Lorenzo's cheek "Prove that your grandmother was right, win the carousel, and bring the silver helmet to myself"

Next morning
The crowd cheered enthusiastically, the drums were playing in the square, Lucrezia was the queen of the tournament and she was sitting on her throne waiting for Lorenzo's turn and was worried that she might harm herself.
Beatrice was going to Giuliano to give him her good luck charm, but Francesco demigods on his own path and it was not the case to be among them, especially if she had run away with Giuliano to avoid marriage with Francesco. "Giuliano de 'Medici"
Lorenzo turned and saw six madmen that Beatrice, he looked at her as if to tell her to stay still where she was
"where were you hiding?"
"Careful Francesco, you don't want to fight without your jokes around"
"The finals will see the doctors fight the madmen"
"First you will fight with my brother Guglielmo * the two doctors looked at the two crazy brothers * I came to wish you good luck ... You will need it"
The two smiled wryly, they went away while they did Beatrice out of her hiding place but she tripped and fell right in front of Francesco.
"Madonna Ridolfi what a pleasure" Beatrice looked up, Francesco held out his hand to her, but Beatrice didn't grab it and got up by herself.
"I'm sorry Messer Pazzi, I'll do it alone"
Francesco looked at her with a piercing smile and Beatrice continued towards Giuliano.
"Are you okay Beatrice?" Medici asked.
"yes, yes, I brought you my lucky charm" Beatrice opened her hand to Giuliano who took the necklace and put it on.
"thank you "
"I'm going to sit down, good luck sir,"
Beatrice ran to sit next to Bianca and Agnese.

"You know she will try to kill you right?" Giuliano said sure of his words
"last year he won, I promised our father to get the helmet, and I will!"

Sitting with her husband and her lady was Simonetta "Will the Medici fight against the Pazzi?"
"Doctors are arrogant peacocks ... they show off"

"Guglielmo Pazzi and Giuliano De Medici to horses"
They were ready and Beatrice was very worried, Giuliano got on his horse, put on the helmet, took the shield and the spear.
"To the places ..." The man in the middle of the field crossed it and the horses set off.
Closer and closer, the worried looks of Lorenzo, Lucrezia, Bianca and Beatrice were the background in that glorious moment.

Draw.
Bianca was relieved unlike Lorenzo, Sandro and Lucrezia, Beatrice was interested that Giuliano was okay.
The two young men bowed to Lucrezia.
"You are a more skilled knight than me Giuliano"
"yes it's true ... but my sister would not have forgiven me"
William froze, as he let him know!
People loved Giuliano and everyone cheered him.
Now it was Lorenzo's turn.
"He's too good for me" the boy leaves his helmet to Lorenzo.
"Touch you brother" he continued then walking away.
He still walked with Bianca's thoughts.
Beatrice ran after him and hugged him from behind.
"For me you won"
"Beatrice ... your lucky charm" he passed the necklace to the girl, but she closed Giuliano's hand and squeezed it.
"I'll give it to you, I hoped nothing would happen to you and it did, keep it"
"Thank you ... you are a true friend"
The two returned immediately to the tournament, remained side by side while Lorenzo mounted his horse.
"Be careful Lorenzo," Beatrice repeated to Lorenzo.
They were all tense, they fixed the equipment and left.
They ran fast, looked into each other's eyes with spears aimed.
And then BOOM Lorenzo's shield broke but he didn't fall.
Lucrezia got up to see the condition of her lover.
He was fine, he was whole.
But it was a draw, again.
Giuliano, who arranged his brother, looked him in the eye.
"This time it's your brother"
And again they left.
But as they came against each other one of the stirrups and the saddle of Lorenzo's horse broke and Lorenzo fell to the ground.
Giuliano, Sandro, Cosimo and the other friends ran to him, Beatrice looked worried from afar.
But she didn't resist and she too ran to the poor boy.
Lorenzo tried to get up.
"Lorenzo!" Cosimo exclaimed.
Beatrice slumped beside him.
"Lorenzo, are you okay?"
"Yes Beatrice"
Giuliano instead checked the stirrups, and the saddle, someone had tampered with.
"They cut it ... I told you so"
Giuliano said angrily.
Lorenzo with the broken armor, decided to compete without.
"Lorenzo you are crazy, if you fall again you will get hurt, and if the spear hits you, you can't, remember that you have a responsibility, to lead your family"
"If I were to die there is Giuliano for that"
"We all know that Giuliano would never even think of doing it"
"Beatrice I have to, I promised my father that I would come home with the helmet, I have to do it for him"
"We could have Lorenzo arrested," Giuliano said.
"If we could try it," replied Lorenzo who got on his horse again.
Beatrice approached him "Lorenzo are you sure"
"I made a promise"
And he left.
And at that moment, when the distance between the lotus was a few meters, the spear hit the shield of Francis who fell to the ground, Beatrice smiled unwillingly, Giuliano rejoiced like a child, looked at her and embraced her, taking her in his arms and kissing her on the cheek.
"There he did it"
Lucrezia stood up and smiling happily and enthusiastically she applauded.
The crowd screamed her name, screamed the name of her family, of her house, of the people she loved most in the world, THE MEDICI.