Festina Lente

Chapter One: Papal Planning

Clarice de' Medici had been left orphaned when her mother had died six year earlier, it had come as a great shock to them all especially as she had always been such a healthy woman. 

Knowing that there would be many who would wish to take advantage of Giuliano's only legitimate child; Pope Clement had stepped in to ensure that she was well cared for until she married.

There had been many suitors for young Clarice de' Medici but Pope Clement had held out wanting to find just the right match for her; she deserved no less since her father had been Duke of Nemours before his death. 

The title had since passed to Clarice since both her parents had now passed on, her illegitimate half-brother was no threat to that since he had recently become a cardinal on Pope Clement's command. 

"She is well breed. Cousin to the King of France. Cousin to Your Holiness. A Duchess in her own right," one of his advisors mused, he remembered Clarice well and she would certainly catch the eye of any man and a King would be no different. 

She was a rather beautiful woman, if he was honest and would certainly have no cause to betray her cousin if this task was asked of her. 

Clarice was the granddaughter of Philip II, Duke of Savoy, and Lorenzo de' Medici, both men had left legacies that could not be ignored especially by the noble houses of Europe. 

Pope Clement nodded in agreement, she was the obvious choose and would be a fine match; she was well educated and he had no doubts that she would settle well in English court. 

Having spent several years at the French court under her aunt, Louise of Savoy, Clarice had flourished there and Pope Clement knew that she had been rather disappointed when he had summoned her back to Rome to his side upon his release. 

The last thing that he had wanted was for her to get caught in the war between Emperor Charles and King Francis; she would have become a pawn in their games. 

"She'd be a fine match for any man," another noted not sure if they should waste such a potential alliance on bringing the King of England back to the fold. 

It would be such a waste and there would be no dismissing the stain against her name if she did succeed; she would be tainted by this and no man would want her afterwards. 

"Summon Cardinal Ippolito de' Medici, I wish to hear his thoughts on the matter," Pope Clement said waving his hand, he was certain that Ippolito would have some thoughts on what he wanted to ask the man's older half-sister. 

Despite the fact that the two siblings had different mothers, they were considerably close especially after the deaths of their parents; they only had each other now and they wrote to each other constantly.

If Pope Clement was to ask Clarice to do this then he would need Ippolito's support, he had no doubts that the other man would cause him no amount of trouble if he did not consult him on his plans for his sisters. 

Pope Clement did not have to wait long before Ippolito arrived, he hurried inside looking rather confused about why he had been summoned while he had been managing his accounts. 

It still upset he greatly that Pope Clement had taken away his birth right and gifted it without thought to one of his cousins, he did not for a second believe that Alessandro was the leader that Florence needed. 

His father had once ruled the city and if they had not been expelled when they had then Ippolito would have continued on with his father's legacy, he longed to make his name amongst those Medici that had come before him. 

"Your Holiness," Ippolito greeted, he bowed his head out of respect while he eyed the other men that were seated around the table; he was even more confused when he saw them.