Florence
The carriages slowly arrived pulled by horses to Palazzo Medici, Lorenzo entered and gave his gloves and his cloak to a servant.
"Brother" Giuliano exclaimed as he left the room where he was with Sandro, Cosimo, Poliziano and other friends.
"How did it go?" Sandro asked
"A disaster ... complete failure"
"We are ruined" said Poliziano "our mother remained there ... she hopes to negotiate my marriage ... with Clarice Orsini"
"Ah, I saw her ..." Cosimo leaned against a column, next to Giuliano.
"And how is she? Bella?" Asked the young blond-haired boy
"She is a rare pearl Giuliano" Giuliano made a captivating grimace.
"Lorenzo" Bianca came out of nowhere "ah ... Bianca" she approached him quickly and without making him speak she slapped them, a beautiful slap in the face.
Everyone looked at them
"You promised to marry me without even asking me"
"Bastiano Soderini is a good match and he can benefit the family"
"But I didn't choose it"
"Does it matter? Our mother wants me to marry a noblewoman from Rome and I didn't even choose her" Giuliano came up "but she's beautiful" the boy said softly, joking, the two brothers looked at him, "Giuliano" he nodded and moved, "Listen, I don't want to marry Bastiano and I have nothing else to say" the girl left "white!"
Rome
Lucrezia was in a large garden with Cardinal Orsini, not far from them was Carlo.
She approaches the priest and Orsini went away.
"Well?" "The cardinal would support the wedding if we were to appoint Aldo, Clarice's brother, cardinal of Florence"
"So you have a deal?"
"Clarice still intend to take vows"
"How can you make her change her mind?"
"I can't" Carlo looked at Lucrezia
"eh ... do you expect me to do it?"
"Her mother says that Clarice respects you more than anyone else in the world"
"I can't take her away from God"
"I understand Carlo, eh if you won't be able to help this family, I'll forgive you * Lucrezia came up and placed her hands on her shoulders * But it is a forgiveness that it will be necessary to ask"
Carlo, without other choices, nodded.
Florence
Lorenzo walked the streets of Florence quickly, passed among the poor, among those poor people he loved to help.
He stopped in front of the door of the Ardinghelli house.
Lucrezia opened the door, she looked at him took her arm and dragged it inside her "How I missed you!"
Lorenzo kissed her, they were naked in her bed, then overtook the body of Lucrezia while their lips were still joined, the fire that warmed them crackled behind them.
"You know, you will be rightfully so, the queen of the tournament Madonna Ardinghelli" the girl laughed lovingly.
"Thank you Messer Medici"
"it is a pleasure"
"Have you ever thought about how different things could have been for us"
"What do you mean?"
"Maybe if I had been richer ... or you poorer ... now maybe we will be together"
"maybe it's true ... but now my mother wants to see me married to the Roman nobility" on the girl's face there were signs of discouragement "married !?" Lucrezia stood up covering her body, went down and took the slip "now I'm at the head of the family"
"and you didn't think to tell me before we made love" she tossed them the clothes.
"Does it bother you?"
"Why shouldn't he?"
"Maybe because you are already married?"
"I married a man I don't love"
"yes, I don't love my betrothed either ... I hardly know her" continued Lorenzo
"If you marry her, things will change between us"
"they must not change ... they must not" they looked into each other's eyes and Lucrezia had so much contempt for her.
"Get out!"
"Lucrezia what did I say?"
"Please go away" Lorenzo remained still and sitting where he was, sighed and got up.
He took clothes, looked at Lucrezia one last time and went out.
Rome
Clarice was in the hospice serving the sick. Father Carlo approached her.
"Father! Is everything okay?"
"Er ... well well"
"Have you talked to Madonna? Medici wants you to persuade me to marry Lorenzo, yes ... you refused" said Clarice "did you refuse?" She continued worried.
"Clarice are you really ready to give up the possibility of being a mother, of having someone to love, someone who cares about you"
"To serve God father privilege"
"sure, but there are ways to serve God that don't require these sacrifices"
"certainly not marry Lorenzo De 'Medici"
"The Medici ... They are not a family like any other ... The doctors have changed Florence, and I am convinced that Lorenzo can really change this world ... And if he fails because you refuse to give him your hand, the consequences they will fall on generations to come so serve this Clarice family ... and you will serve God "they were then interrupted by a nun, Calrice did not know what to say, he stood motionless looking at the earth beneath his feet.
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.