Botticelli's Studio in the Medici Estate
***
"She was beautiful, Y/N! Like nothing I have ever seen before. A goddess from Greek tales!" Sandro gushed to her in an illusive state, smiling as he told her about Simonetta Vespucci, the fair noble woman he and Guiliano had spotted that day, "You must help me paint her!"
"In what way could I possibly help!"
"The Vespucci are having a dinner party tomorrow night and you are invited."
"I hate dinner parties..."
"Yes, but when you go you win over crowds of people -- everyone raves of your beauty and intrigue! You could go and convince the Vespuccis that it would be in their best interest for her to model for me."
Y/N stared at her best friend, truly evaluating whether or not she loved Sandro enough to attend a Vespucci dinner party. She decided she did, but she wouldn't be happy about it. "Fine, I'll go -- but you will be indebted to me, I swear. Plus, you have to go to a dress fitting with me... right now."
"Yes, let us go," Sandro declared, jumping up to lead Y/N to the closest dress shop.
***
Bianca helped Y/N prepare for the party, which was the only was Y/N was able to make it into her dress. It was gorgeous, a light green color with sleeves which flowed downwards to the ground and had cream colored accents and gold thread detailing. The golden embroidery at the bottom of the dress mimicked vines growing up the thin skirt. The best part was the cream corset, which perfectly flattered her waist.
Bianca then insisted on doing Y/N's hair, brushing it out and braiding two small strips into a crow, which she then weaved small white flowers into. Finally, there was the makeup, which Y/N insisted on applying herself in order to make sure it was as light as possible.
When she descended upon the staircase with Bianca, Y/N felt like a princess. It felt excruciatingly odd, and she felt she was missing something without a sword strapped to her waist (but she was slightly comforted by the dagger strapped to her thigh).
Leonardo and Lorenzo, who were playing chess near the end of the staircase, both turned to stare at her in awe.
"Y/N, you look radiant!" Leo declared, standing up, "You look... heavenly!"
"Gorgeous, Y/N," Lorenzo agreed with a smile.
Sandro was the next to enter, quite literally stopping in his tracts as he saw her, "Pure radiance, Y/N. Are you ready to leave?"
"Yes, and not looking so bad yourself." She remarked, studying his unusually well-kept hair and clothes clean of paint splatter. Sandro took her arm, and led her to the carriage in order to help her in. Once they were both settled, Y/N began speaking: "I will convince the Vespuccis, we will wait for Guiliano to get tipsy, and then we will leave the party immediately. I do not want to stay longer than necessary."
"Well, Guiliano won't take long to accomplish his task..." Sandro remarked, imagining his rowdy brother horsing around with half a bottle of wine in his system.
As if summoned by his name, the carriage's door sung open and Guiliano threw himself in, shaking the entire vehicle.
"Guiliano!" Y/N exclaimed, startled by the carriage's movement, "Be careful!"
Guiliano, electing to ignore her comment, looked her up and down with a smile, "You look heavenly this evening."
"Makes one of you," Sandro said, tapping the carriage walls to let the driver know he could begin pulling them along.
For the entire carriage ride over, Guiliano pestered Y/N about how she should 'dress like this more often'. She largely ignored him, despite the few comebacks which included "I could still beat you in a dress."
When the carriage came to a sturdy halt and the sounds of voices created a humdrum through the air, the three siblings (or, almost-siblings) knew they had arrived. Guiliano was the first one out, followed by Sandro and the two helped Y/N make a graceful dissent from the carriage, offering their hands to her. As soon as she emerged from the behind the door, the party came to a quiet.
The event, which was half-indoors and half-outdoors, was full of Italian noble families. It seemed every one came to a halt to stare at the beauty in front of them -- Y/N's hair, a thick copper color, in combination with her green eyes and dress seemed to paint her as half viking princess half Roman goddess. The talking did not reignite until she flashed a smile to the crowd and took Sandro's arm, the two of them walking into Vespucci party.
He was among the silenced. Francesco hadn't wanted to join the festivities, but his uncle insisted upon it -- many of their clients were in attendance, so this was a matter of work for the young Pazzi. He hadn't expected for the Farnese girl to be at the event, and found himself distracted by the sight of her.
She hadn't noticed him. She would have, except for her extreme concentration on the task at hand -- finding the Vespucci couple. Finally, among the crowd, she was able to see some golden hair and knew from Sandro's sketches that it was Simonetta. She was holding the arm of a man Y/N assumed was her husband, Marco.
Y/N released Sandro's arm, and whispered to him conspiratorially, "Let me handle the conversations -- Marco's business is a benefactor of my father's. In fact, why don't you run along? I can handle this."
Sandro nodded, kissed her cheek quickly and turned to find Guiliano. Y/N turned to the couple, plastering a smile on as she moved to Marco.
"Marco, it has been so long!" Y/N declared with a smile, offering her hand to Marco. He shook it, familiar with her manly customs.
"Y/N Farnese, it is wonderful to see you again," The nobleman smiled, the blackness of his beard overpowering his facial expressions, "I had hoped you would come -- our Sienese gem."
"Thank you, but it is your wife who is the real gem. I have heard constant rumors of her beauty, but even they do not do you justice, Simonetta," Y/N said with a smile and gentle bow to the lady.
Simonetta thanked her for the compliment, but Marco quickly picked the conversation back up, "Any updates on the rumors regarding your father's involvement with the papal armies? I hear he is consulting with Rome."
"I cannot comment on my father's affairs at this time, but between you and I... I definitely think he is carving his name into history as we speak," Y/N smiled, "He has been thinking a lot about his legacy recently."
"Yes, how will history remember any of us?" Marco asked, taking a drink.
"Well, it's much easier as a man," Y/N said, "Women are quick to be forgotten by the history books, that is unless someone engraves them into it. My brother, Lorenzo, is having a painting commissioned of me. Perhaps you should think to do the same for Simonetta?"
"Simonetta? Do you think so?" Marco looked to his beautiful wife, who had wandered a few feet off during their conversation to get a refill on her drink.
"I do -- perhaps my Sandro could be of assistance? I know he was looking for a new model."
Marco turned to Y/N and put a friendly hand on her shoulder, "That sounds perfect. I will send Simonetta to the Palazzo de Medici next week, Tuesday. Does that work for your artist?"
"Absolutely. Perhaps I'll even join them for lunch."
Marco let out a ghastly laugh, "I'd rather Simonetta not be influenced by your Amazonian ways. She's a delicate flower, not a dagger with a leaf carved onto its handle."
Y/N chuckled, "People know about that?"
"Florentines who don't know your father see you as an inexplicable curiosity -- a woman with a sword and manly ways. Wayward and obscene in nature," Marco explained in a light-hearted tone, "I have only come to understand it after meeting Ranuccio and hearing him talk of you -- I think he sees you as his equal."
"Intellectually, I am," Y/N smiled at the thought of her father boasting of her skills, "We are both children of war and people of the humanities. I have never gotten along with anyone as well as I have my father."
"I hope that one day you do, Madonna," Marco lifted his glass to her, "Marriage can be happy, you know."
Y/N shook her head, "Only time will tell."
Simonetta returned to the two conversationalists, and pulled Marco away to a new conversation. Y/N bid him a goodbye and looked around in an attempt to spot either of her brothers. They seemed to be nowhere.
Feeling slightly antisocial, Y/N turned to move away the from the crowds and inside the home, where the majority of people were workers in the Vespucci household. The majority of guests had opted for the beautiful Florentine night, with a sky full of stars and a garden full of fragrant lilies in bloom. Y/N typically enjoyed the outdoors, but somehow the crowded party made it feel more stuffy than the front rooms of the estate, which were lined in expensive artwork. Y/N naturally gravitated towards a small stone statue of the Greek god Hermes. She could imagine someone painstakingly carving out every minuscule detail.
"An art aficionado?" Y/N heard a deep voice in her ear, which her whole body seemed to respond to, and the warmth of breath on her neck. She hesitantly turned to see the handsome, sharp-cut face of a stranger standing alarmingly close to her. Suddenly the largeness of the room felt intimate.
"You could say that," She finally responded, taking in the beauty of the man next to her, His features were contrasted, light and shadow, "I've been known to admire a work or two in my time."
"A swordsman and an artist, an interesting accumulation of hobbies, Y/N Farnese."
"I'm also excellent with a bow and on horseback," Y/N smiled lightly, allowing herself to be pulled in by his magnetic energy, "Among other things."
"A multi-facetted individual?"
"Exactly," Y/N affirmed, "Now you know my name, but I don't know yours. How is that fair?"
"I'm not always a fair man, Madonna." A smirk played his lips, and he moved slightly closer to her, his lips practically touching her cheek, "We will see one another again, soon."
With that, he lingered for a moment and then pulled away, walking back to the crowded gardens.