TUSCANY, 1469
ROSLIN remained in her rooms that morning. It's been weeks since they arrived in the villa. It certainly felt like an enigmatic throughout the whole week, they've been there. It's been peaceful and quiet for her that morning. Roslin soon felt her happiness blow away when there was a knock on her door. "May I enter?" A voice spoke. Roslin quickly hid the letter she received from Lorenzo the day before under her pillow.
She began to fix her posture, sighed. "Come in."
Lucrezia walked in. She began to open the curtains, smiling. "Roslin, please. It's almost morning." Roslin showed a slight smile, shrugging her shoulders. Lucrezia made her way towards her observing her. "Now, Roslin. Remember, what I said about your hair. Keep it loose," she showed a smile, placing loose hair behind Roslin's ear. "Keep it there," she finished touching the tip of her chin. "My sweet girl. You've been like a second daughter for me."
Roslin smiled softly. She loved Lucrezia, she was like a second mother to her. "Be a dear. Make sure you find Lorenzo." Roslin nodded showing a smile. Lucrezia knows Lorenzo's feelings for Roslin. How he couldn't live without her. She knows he'll be the death of her, she cannot let that happen. "Of course," she murmurs, showing a smile. Lucrezia smiled at her, she indeed looked a lot like her mother.
After her encounter with Lucrezia, Roslin sprinted to the dining hall. She would march directly to Lorenzo, who was drunk sitting in the table. "Not mother..." she spoke loud enough for him to hear. "Me." She finished flickering her eyes between Sandro and the unknown man. "I would ask you to tell me where you've been last night. It seems like the smell of your breath tells me you've been drinking." She clicked her tongue smelling Lorenzo's neck then leaned back unamused.
She watched as Lorenzo stared at her amazement. "You know, you've become more and more beautiful every day." Roslin smiled, widening her eyes, shocked by his comment.
"We have to be back in Florence by sundown. You'd better pray your mother doesn't smell your breath." She continued ignoring his comment. Taking one last look at him, she proceeded to walk along leaving him desperately longingly for a kiss.
It's been a few hours, she walked alongside Bianca. "Now, tell me. What is it with these secret love letters?" She whispered, causing Bianca to widen her eyes, pulling her to the corner. "No. You mustn't. Not now. I will tell you who they are from eventually." Roslin widened her eyes, unsure. She didn't know what to say, nodded quietly. They began to walk inside the carriage, with her sitting beside Bianca. Across from them is Lucrezia.
"Now isn't my two beautiful daughters." Bianca and she both smiled in delight, embracing her compliment. "You're the most beautiful mother," Bianca replied. Roslin nodded along, smiling. They were truly closed, she grew up under the guardianship of Lucrezia and Piero de' Medici, since she's been a little girl, she has and will always consider them as her parents.
"Oh no," Bianca gasped. Roslin widened her eyes, terrified. She tried to look through the open view to see horses running to the opposite side and bodies laying on the floor. Lorenzo appeared. "Go. Go back!" Roslin felt terrified and shocked at this moment, gasping for air.
It was an assassination attempt on Piero de' Medici. Who can it be? Lorenzo. She cannot lose him. "Oh, my boys. Giulio and Lorenzo." Lucrezia rambled on. She didn't care to hear the rest, she was having her own panic moment. Lorenzo is her first love, she couldn't bear to lose him. She loved him, he loved her. It will be the end of her.
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They had arrived back in Florence. Slowly, Piero de' Medici, tried to get out of the carriage. After the assassination attempt, Piero rode with them, the rest of the trip. She found the carriage to be rather silent due to Piero rumbling how brave and strong he was defending himself.
"Giuliano, tell them how I struck that man with my stick!" Giuliano appeared holding Piero hand slowly helping him to step on the ground. "Father you looked like a Greek god,...from one of Poliziano's stories." He spoke up. "There, you see? A gout-ridden Greek god. I'm perfectly alright." Piero de' Medici argued.
"He's not alright. Sabrini, fetch a surgeon." Lucrezia argued. Roslin tried to peek from behind watching how the servants took Piero de' Medici to another room. Giovanni had appeared, the youngest son of Lucrezia and Piero. ''Come here my son, help me,'' Lucrezia asked. Roslin watched as he hurried along going after her. "Let's get you to bed- Come, Messer Medici. Let me help." Bianca followed them behind while she was left there.
"There is my favorite red-headed." Her direction landed Giuliano. He held out his hand for her. She outstretched her small hands he held it pulling her closer to him. "Easy, love. I thought you said you didn't like me." Roslin quickly leaned back letting go, rolling her eyes playfully. "I don't, Giuliano. I tolerate you, golden boy." She taunted him, smirking. He let out a scoffed impressed by her comebacks.
"Am I interrupting something?" Lorenzo appeared getting closer to her. Roslin smiled upon seeing him. "Nothing. Actually, Giuliano is being a pain," she smirked. Lorenzo laughed, raising his eyebrows amused. Roslin smiled till she noticed he winced in pain. "Oh god. Are you okay?" She leaned to touch his forehead.
"You're hurt," she whispered. He leaned back. "I'm okay, Roslin. Are you hurt?" He replied. She shook her head still concerned. "Oh, please, Lorenzo." They were interrupted by two knights appearing. "You don't look dead to me - Hungover, more like it. Look, Roslin by his side curing him of his hungover."
Roslin peered a smirk. "I still have my freedom unlike you. Now, we wouldn't want to lose Lorenzo, don't we? I'm sure you wouldn't find your pleasure somewhere else with those dirty jokes." Lorenzo's eyes widened gulping, Roslin knew of his naughty behavior.
"I can explain," Lorenzo argued. Roslin rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Lorenzo. You act like you aren't the only one." She watched as all the men laid their eyes on her, shocked but with admiration. "They said you killed a man." One of the knights interrupted.
"Yes, and he was stupidly brave doing it, too. He ran straight through a hail of arrows." Sandro came forward informing them. Wait? Something was missing. She leaned in Lorenzo's ear whispering something. Suddenly Lorenzo's eyes widened, turning to look at them.
"Have the Priori been informed?"
"Jacopo Pazzi called an emergency meeting at his palazzo." One of them informs them. "Why his palazzo?" Giuliano asked. Roslin couldn't understand either, then it hit her. She wouldn't be surprised if Jacopo Pazzi was behind the attack. They have every motive to do behind it. What could be the motive that they possibly can have? Then she figured it out. Power. They lurk for power. They always do. "To seize power behind closed doors."
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She had spent her afternoon helping Bianca and Lucrezia with Piero. Giovanni had to gone off somewhere. She bit her lip, she knew he must be visiting Catherine Borgia. It was getting darker, she watched the sky with pure sadness within her. Suddenly she watched Lucrezia jolted on her feet, heavily breathily. "Bianca, Roslin stay with your father." Quickly marched out of the room leaving her in despair to know more. Can it be Lorenzo? Has he returned this quickly? Taking one last look at Piero who was sleeping, she turned to Bianca. "I must see if it's them. I'll be back, Bianca." She got up leaving her to nod at her response, getting closer to her father. She turned once more to look at Bianca holding Piero's hand, praying. She closed her eyes, to try at least to remember her father. Her biological father but nothing came to mind. She didn't remember him, nor will she ever. She made it down the stairs to see Lucrezia run after Giuliano leaving Lorenzo alone.
"Lorenzo?" She questioned earning his look. She made her way towards him smiling out of happiness. He carelessly touched her cheek, smiling seeing the sight of her. "I'm glad you're here." He whispered to her stroking her hair. "I'm happy you're okay." He trembled his words. Roslin noticed something was wrong. "What's wrong?" She asked, placing her right hand on his right cheek. He refused to look at her. "Don't shut me out. Talk to me." He looked at her once more.
"I killed a man today. I watched the life drain from his eyes." He spoke, calmly. It looked like he had a hard time processing what he had done. She smiled carelessly, touching his cheeks. "Listen to my words, Lorenzo. It was self-defense. As soon as you killed the guards, you had no choice."
"I know, I know. And yet, I took a life. Everything that that man was, everything that... Everything that he will ever be, is gone from this world. Forever." Lorenzo blue eyes sting into hers, shaking. She didn't know what to say but only bit her lip, he was right but it wasn't his fault. The man tried to kill him. It was self-defense. Lorenzo can never be a killer. The boy she grew to love can never be a killer. "It weighs on you. As it should. But you made the right choice, Lorenzo." She paused looking into his dark- blue eyes closely. "And in the eyes of man and God, you must make peace with it." After she finished, she leaned in placing her lips onto his lips, she leaned back gasping for air. Her lips were swollen, she gulped. They both smiled at each other leaning to kiss each other once more. "Lorenzo!" They leaned back hearing voices calling for him. They began to laugh sighing at their short-lived passionate moment.
"Shall we?" He asked, offering his hand. She gladly took it, smiling.
"You'll shall."
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Then the next morning arise sooner than anybody could expected. She made her way downstairs alongside Lucrezia. "And your beautiful mother." She paused when she noticed a man, dark reddish beard, wearing an over-sized coat. "There is my beautiful daughter, Roslin." When she heard those words her heart broke. He got closer to her grabbing her by the arm. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "You have grown very tall like your mother."
"General Sforza..." They both turned to faced Lucrezia. "Madonna." Her father responded. "Surely you've not forgotten your kind invitation...you see. I had to see how my daughter was doing here." Roslin didn't know any of this. She looked at Lorenzo, ready to murder to him for not telling her of her father arrived.
"No, no... Certainly not. We'll ready your rooms at once." Lucrezia demanded the servants that were nearby. "That is by that young-artist, Botticelli, isn't it?" Galeazzo peered his eyes on a painting not far away.
"Magnificent."
"Where's your father, boy?" He asked changing the topic. She still stood by her father's side feeling uneasy. "I'm right here." All of them looked to see Piero walking down, weakened wearing a oversized red gown. Simply shocked, he could walk. "You should rest, father." Lorenzo made his way to Piero only to be turned away. "I'm rested." He continued. "Come, Galeazzo."
"Perhaps your son is right, Messer Medici. You should rest. Seeing you here puts my mind at rest." Galeazzo looked once more at Roslin. "We'll catch up some other time, my daughter." He left leaving her merely confused.
Meanwhile, Szfora and Medici had begun talks. "We hear a Venetian ordered the assassination attempt. In an effort to disrupt our alliance. We'll get to the bottom of it soon enough." Galeazzo told Piero. "In the meantime, you and I have a business to discuss."
"Do we?" Piero merely sternly asked. "You don't think I asked you all this way to socialize?"
"You refer to my father's debt..." Piero lost his words.
"Your noble father died three years ago. Now you're the Duke, the debt is yours." Galeazzo spoke, calmly. "I'm afraid it must remain unpaid," Piero replied. "But its obligation is due. Past due, in fact."
"I don't have it." He simply informed him. "All our funds were invested in weapons and soldiers. "Soldiers...?" Galeazzo asked, uneasy.
"Milan is surrounded by enemies. Surely you understand that security must come before all else. I see I've put you in a difficult situation... Never mind. It's not your concern."
"But it is," Piero informed. "The Medici are allies to Milan. And if your family is weakened, we are weakened too. I did not hand you over my firstborn daughter for no reason. As peace." Piero tensed up on the mention of Roslin. "She's been like a daughter to me."
"Good. I do recall our agreement was one day she'll be married into the family." He decided to inform Piero once again. Piero knew very well what the agreement was. He had plans to marry Giuliano to Roslin. "If your debt is unrepaid......then our assets will be seized and our power is gone." The Galeazzo tone darkened. "Is it as bad as that?" Piero asked. "I cannot repay my debt with money, Messer Medici." Galeazzo finished. His eyes widened. "But perhaps I could repay it another way."
"What other way?" Piero leaned forward. "Your position is threatened. So is mine. To preserve the power of your family." Piero listened to his demands unknowingly what danger can lead ahead. "Well?"
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"You can't possibly stand there and tell me that you didn't know my father was coming?" She questioned Lorenzo. "I was going to tell you. Then my father got hit." She then leaned closer whispering in his ear not wanting Bianca to hear. "What about all those nights you spend in my bed? You didn't think than to tell me?" Lorenzo shrugged his shoulders, unsure.
"I was going to tell you. Roslin, I wouldn't hurt you this way." He sounded so sincere leaning forward for a kiss, she leaned forward. Their lips were about to meet, till she pulled away when Sandro and Giuliano marched in.
"Thank goodness, you're here,'' Giovanni spoke up earning eye rolls from Roslin and Lorenzo. Bianca steps forward. ''What is it?''
"Woah. Am I interrupting?" Giuliano asked. Roslin was first to speak. "No. Go ahead. What do you have to say?" Giuliano gulps proceeding to enter another room. All of them followed behind. "We went to an inn where the assassins were staying,......and found this hidden in their bags." Lorenzo immediately went forward taking a silver coin from his hand.
"The Pazzi seal," Giovanni whispered. Could this mean? "Which proves Jacopo Pazzi hired them." Sandro finished. ''You don't know that. Not for certain.'' Bianca spoke up earning stares from everybody. She is right. There is no proof as of now. "Giuliano, you can't accuse them without any proof." She warned him. "There is proof." She leaned closer to Lorenzo who held it, observing it.
"We must take this as evidence to the Priori right away," Giuliano announced. "No," Lorenzo spoke loudly, shocking everybody.
"No, we'll take it to Jacopo Pazzi."
"Whatever for?" Roslin and Giuliano spoke in a monotone."Well, if he's innocent,......then giving him the chance to prove it binds him to our cause. If not, then we go to the Priori...having already shown that we're fair-minded.." Lorenzo finished. "We care about justice for Father, not old man Pazzi," Giuliano argued. "But if we want justice then we'll treat others justly," Lorenzo replied, earning stares from everybody in the room.
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"The Medici boys grace us with their presence. The lovely Szfora at their side," Roslin lips curled seeing the sight of Francesco Pazzi. A boy she used to be best friends with.
"The last time we saw each other we had words over a lady." Immediately all eyes fell on her, she gulped standing alone. Lorenzo began to make his way towards her standing beside her almost like he was guarding her. "Let's let bygones be bygones, shall we?" Francesco taunted Giuliano. "Let's not, Pazzi."
"Now, now, boys. How can we help you?" Jacopo spoke up. Giuliano stepped forward and decided to speak. "Sandro Botticelli and I found this...in the assassins' chambers."
"How did that get there?" Jacopo asked, shrugging his shoulders. "We were hoping you could help us out with that..." He was interrupted by Jacopo. "You can't think I had anything to do with it...?"
"Well, the medallion bears your seal, does it not? Can you explain that?" She watched as Jacopo took a closer look. "Giuliano must have planted it. In an effort to distract from his ridiculous father." Francesco spoke loudly earning the attention of everybody. She watched as Giuliano began to take his sword out, winged it against Francesco.
"No!" She called our running after Giuliano alongside Lorenzo. They stopped when they noticed he hit Jacopo instead. "Messer Pazzi, I---" Giuliano paused, noticing what he had done. "Guards!" Francesco yelled out.
"Stop! Please!" Lorenzo stood in between them. "Please!" Giovanni begged to stand in front of Francesco. "Put down your weapons! We come here in peace!"
"And your brother leaves in chains! Arrest him!" Francesco continues to yell frustratedly.
"It was an accident! It was an accident!" Lorenzo demanded. "It's alright, brother. I don't mind spending a night in jail. Not if it means the Priori get to see... ...what Pazzi justice is really like!
"You'll hang for attempted murder!" Francesco shouted out. "Francesco, please!" Roslin begged once more getting closer to him. He turned to look at her one last time. "You sided with the wrong family, Roslin." He then turned away leaving her wandering in thought.
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All four of them made it out. Roslin hid under her long black-cloaked. They were on their way to their horses and walked into the crowded marketplace. It was bustling with activity. There were merchants selling silk, fishermen gutting their catch, farmers selling their product. "We are the wounded party, and now Jacopo gets to play......the victim," Lorenzo said, trying to speak. "I'm telling you, Giuliano's temper..."
Suddenly they were stopped. An unknown man stopped in front of Lorenzo. "Medici? Piero de' Medici's boy! Look it's the youngest one, as well.'' Roslin stood in front of Giovanni protecting him. ''Stay back, Giovanni.''
"Yes."
"Thank God that arrow didn't hit your father in the heart." He spoke to Lorenzo.
Lorenzo sighed in relief. "Thank you, friend." He then continued to walk only to be spitted on. Sandro was ready to fight leaning forward. "No.'' Lorenzo pulled him back. He pushed both of his arms, pulling both of them back.
"Oh, I'm no friend. If it had hit your father's heart,...it would have bounced off stone. He gives a working man a loan,...and two years to pay it off,...and then demand it all in a week? I graft and graft,......and with a flick of his quill I lose my business,...and my family is living on the street!" The peasant began speaking. Crowds began to formed around them yelling and screaming at them. This isn't right. Lorenzo shouldn't be confronted like this. "I think there must be some mistake." Lorenzo whispered in his ear. The man only got angrier leaning back. "There are plenty of mistakes! I know a dozen merchants...chucked out of their homes thanks to your father." The man stared at him shocked.
''Lorenzo, we must go." She began speaking trying to get his attention. She looked around to see the crowds getting bigger. She kept Giovanni close to her. ''Roslin??" He asked unsure trying to getaway. No luck. Lorenzo stood there like a statue.
''Let's go. We need to go." This time Sandro spoke trying to get his attention. "Your grandfather would never have done this...He fired those arrows! They came from the heavens!"
A/N:
Thank you for reading this. I hope you like it, please feel free to correct me on my spelling errors or comment down below at any favorite part. Giovanni is a shy boy but we will know more about him in the next chapter ✌️ There is plenty more to come. So stay tuned and don't forget to vote!!