Season 4 Episode 7: A Plague On Their Houses

by Moth To A Flame 86

Cesare and Alexander remain ill with fever after the switched poisoning during the Cardinal's dinner. Della Rovere uses the opportunity to return and sway the papal vote in Todeschini's favor. Lucrezia takes matters into her own hands to avenge the attack on her family, and Alexander offers Cesare his own last confession.

Disclaimer: The following is a fictional writing depicting my imagination of the events that could occur if there was a Season 4 continuation of "The Borgias". I own no rights to any of the characters, and the historical aspects of the story have been enhanced or tweaked using creative license to make for an enjoyable story.

This is temporarily being presented in a summary format until further details can be written in.

Rated M for Mature Teens

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A PLAGUE UPON THEIR HOUSES

Cesare and Alexander both become ill with fever after the Cardinal's dinner and once again the papacy hangs in the balance. Despite several attempts at remedies, Lucrezia is unable to administer cures for their sickness. Cardinal Adriano and Sforza have disappeared, and Cardinal Borgia seeks a way to help. Cesare sends him to find Micheletto, and tells him the truth they discovered about the conspiracy between Cardinal Adriano and Cardinal Sforza to murder Alexander, with Lucrezia in earshot. While Cesare drifts in and out of consciousness, she leaves his bedside and plots to find and kill both Cardinals. Vanozza returns to be with Alexander, but curses him for the plague brought on their family. With the damage done, Cardinal Sforza seeks Della Rovere to free his family, but he finds them slaughtered instead. Meanwhile, Della Rovere seizes the moment once again to return and presses the college of cardinals to sway the vote in Todeschini's favor, intending for his ally to become pope. He insists on the urgency of a quick vote in Cardinal Borgia's absence. Lucrezia gets Da Vinci's help to find Cardinal Adriano, in hiding. Instead of using poison, Lucrezia draws her first blood by killing him with the weapon made by Da Vinci (arma segrata). Cardinal Borgia discovers Della Rovere's hideout and frees the wounded Micheletto, and they both leave to find Cardinal Adriano. En route they meet Lucrezia, covered in his blood. While she confesses to killing him for the good of the family, she faints. Cardinal Borgia intends to search for Cardinal Sforza next, but upon seeing Lucrezia's condition, Micheletto insists that they bring Lucrezia safely back to Rome. In Rome, Lucrezia's pregnancy is revealed, she goes into premature labor but the child dies, and Lucrezia slips into a comatose state. Sickened by the disgrace of her family, Vanozza tells Cesare of the events at his bedside, then leaves Rome– begging him only to pray to God for forgiveness. Micheletto informs Cesare of what Lucrezia has done and that they know the whereabouts of Cardinal Sforza and Della Rovere. Pained with despair over the imminent loss of his family, Cesare musters enough strength to say his final goodbye to Alexander on his deathbed. Alexander confesses his sins openly to Cesare and after a bitter and tearful exchange, dies in his arms.