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"Master Lorenzo, wait!"
In the scorching heat of Italy, Lorenzo hurriedly dodged his father's guards who were strictly ordered to look after him, but as always Lorenzo preferred a bit of freedom. Who wouldn't? Being the son of an Medici was hard work and he deserved to have time for himself, instead of forcefully being bored to death with all the dull duties he had to perform: listening to his father talk about the bank, which he would later own; visiting great and powerful people and them showing off; having to put up with his mother's long and awkward conversations about his future wife, which he wasn't looking forward to at all.
Jogging up to the familiar wooden gate of Verrocchio's workshop he stepped inside to greet his best friends.
"I'm telling you guys, we need to meet him. He's the most influential man ever and if we pull the right strings we can get something out of him," explained Mac.
"Hey guys, what are we talking about?" panted Lorenzo.
"Don't act like you don't know Lorenzo, you father has invited the Adelfo Pisani to the Medici Palace." Mac answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Lorenzo straightened up and a frown painted his face, "How did you know? His visit is top-secret, no one in the whole of Florence knows apart from the Duke and my father. His visit shouldn't be bombarded by low-class people."
"I'm a man of secrets and talents. I have my ways." stated Mac, proudly.
Tom huffed, "We are not going to trick Pisani, he is a good man and we shouldn't use that to our benefits because it's wrong, right Mac." She returned to her job of cleaning the dirty and over used paint brushes with a tatted rag.
"Why not?" asked Mac shocked, "We're not going to trick him...think of it as a form of well-earned charity."
In a response Tom laughed and shook her head.
"WHAT! Don't you dare do such a thing Machiavelli. Adelfo Pisani is a well-respected man who works and helps poor people just like yourselves and I could get in serious trouble for knowing you lot." shouted Lorenzo.
The other three friends, all shocked, started right at him with mouths opened.
"Look I'm sorry, but my father will obviously see you and realise that you wasn't invited just by the look of your clothes." explained Lorenzo.
"Unbelievable selfishness thy name Lorenzo." huffed Mac, not believing he called Lorenzo his 'friend'.
Leonardo finally looked up from his diary, "Listen, Lisa and-" Tom interrupted quickly and hissed, "Tom. My name is Tom."
Leo tried again, "Yes, Tom and Lorenzo are right. We can't just go and meet him and act all needy to get money out of him, just because we know he will give us the money...this doesn't sound half bad though..."
Quickly, Mac got up from his wooden seat in excitement and eagerly went up to Leo, "Yes, Leo. You see what I'm thinking. It's an easy and a fool proofed plan."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing, Leo. Are you seriously thinking this is a good idea?" asked Tom.
After a moment of thinking, a quiet sigh came out of Leonardo, "Of course not, Tom. Mac, I'm sorry but we can't do this and Lorenzo is our friend, we should atleast think about him."
"Finally, some sense has been found." remarked Lorenzo.
"Fine, fine, you guys win." admitted Mac, dusting his trousers.
"Yes we have, so you can take your stupid plan else where." Lorenzo ranted, relieved that there'll be no trouble at the palace, for a change.
Mac nodded, while silently strolling out as if nothing out of the blue was being discussed which could have even had led to something big and once he was outside the workshop he whistled sharply and came little boy running towards him. He bent down and whispered into his ear.
A whole week went by and the day of Adelfo Pisani's visit had finally arrived and Mac buzzed with excitement.
He got up sharp in the fresh morning, with bright golden rays of the large sun slowly showing up and Mac dressed up in his smartest clothes.
"Today is definitely going to be a marvelous day." grinned Mac, looking at his reflection in the murky mirror and from that he rubbed his hangs together in glee and headed to the Palace.
3 HOURS LATER
Important and rich visitors began to come to the Medici Palace to meet the Adelfo Pisani. The Palace kept on becoming more busy and busy like an arena for a chariot race. The hall was perfectly decorated with elegant silk robes coming down the tapestries. Exotic green peacock feathers lightened up the place as beauty should. Carved by hand, a mahogany table stood in the middle of the room with the most luxurious, mouth-watering and scrumptious food on top and perfectly presented for anyone to feast upon.
Lazily, Lorenzo skipped along the gleaming white marble stairs to greet the guests, not knowing a fellow friend was in the middle of all the chaos.
"I will love for me to introduce myself, I am Nicolas Machiavelli." Mac bowed to show his respect.
Suddenly, Lorenzo froze. Slowly and worriedly, he turned around to witness Mac sucking up to Pisani by his continuous compliments on his courageous work.
"So where was I? Oh yes, there are thousands, even millions of unfortunate people right here on the dry paths of Florence, who are struggling and waiting each, long and tiring day for a good man, like yourself, to help them." Mac stressed, trying to hit Adelfo's soft spot.
Adelfo Pisani nodded in agreement. Mac mentally sighed, the man wasn't giving any signs on giving money, he knew that he had to do something.
"I also started to help the sick by working with one of Florence's doctors and it would be really beneficial if someone could support his clinic." suggested Mac, cunningly.
"I'm really impressed with your work, I truly believe more people need to help the poor. If we don't help then who will?" Pisani said.
Lorenzo interrupted their conversation, on purpose obviously, "Adelfo Pisani, It's a great honor to meet you." he said as he bowed gracefully.
"Thank you, your father, Piero de Medici is a wonderful host." replied Pisani and with that he headed to Piero.
"Lorenzo. What have you done? I was talking to him." shouted Mac, irritated because he lost his golden chance.
Lorenzo dragged Mac to side of the hall, away from the guest's views and most importantly his father "First of all Mac, you promised you wouldn't go on with that stupid plan of yours and secondly, you're not invited. Now go." ordered Lorenzo.
Mac let out a short laugh, "Sorry Lorenzo, I never promised anything and nothing will happen because no one is going to find out about this." lightly slapping Lorenzo's cheek.
Out of nowhere, Lorenzo heard Mac's name coming out of his father's mouth.
"Find out about this 'Nicolas Machiavelli', apparently he works with one of Florence's doctors and he's obviously a crook by trying to get closer with Pisani. Find him and lock him up." demanded Piero de Medici.
"Stupido!" sighed Lorenzo in annoyance and stress, as he jogged towards the massive doors.
Back in Verrocchio's workshop, Leonardo and Tom were the only ones inside as form of punishment for talking.
The wooden door sprang open with Lorenzo panting furiously.
"Lorenzo, are you okay?" Tom asked, standing up worriedly.
Lorenzo tried to speak, but words came out as strong gasps for oxygen, so he tried to communicate with his hands.
Firstly, Lorenzo pointed out of the window, towards the Medici Palace.
Leo and Tom stood up and gave each other a confused look.
"Window...?"
"No!" wheezed Lorenzo.
"Piero's guards?"
"No, the P-"
"We give up." stated Tom, already fed up with Lorenzo's childish games and went back to her seat.
"Wait, I've got an idea." Leo ran to his desk then ripped a page out of his workbook and grabbed a pencil. "Here. Now write and tell us what happened."
In a nick of time, Lorenzo scribbled down everything which happened,
Mac an idiot. In palace with Pisani. Father got guards to lock him up.
"Oh my godness! We told him to NOT go." snapped Tom, furious that Mac never listened to them, "Idiota!"
Leonardo stuffed his bag with bits and bobs which could come in use and chucked Tom's jacket at her, while he placed his scruffy hat on his head.
"Maybe if we run really quick we can reach the Palace before anything happens to Mac." suggested Tom.
"No, I'll have to go on my bicycle. You two will have to reach there by foot." replied Leonardo.
"Yes, sure." Tom replied, opening the door.
She looked up at Leonardo and gave him a small smile "Be careful, Leo". Leonardo nodded and placed his grubby hand on her small shoulder in assurance that'll he would be fine.
In no time, Leonardo had whizzed off on his newly invented bicycle, leaving Tom and Lorenzo on their own.
"Come on, If we run fast enough we will be catch up with them" said Tom, while filling her own bag with something soft and pink.
"Great, more running." winged Lorenzo, he staggered behind Tom on his sore feet. "I totally love running." cried Lorenzo sarcastically.
THUD! Leonardo dropped his bicycle on the yellow sandy ground and crept up to Lorenzo's room. Quietly, he creaked open the crystal clear window, swiftly jumped in, slowly opened the door and followed the noise of chatter until he found the hall where everyone was at.
It was no challenge finding Mac, but Leo knew he just couldn't go and talk to him. So he stood next to a large potted green plant and hissed at Mac to get his attention.
Pst. Pst. PSST!
Mac finally took his time to turn around towards the strange noise he kept on hearing. Smiling, Mac grandly walked up to Leo, "Leo, I'm glad you came. The tarts here are to die for. Delizioso."
Leonardo shook his head, "No. Listen, Piero had got the guards after you, we need to get out of here as soon as possible."
"La mia solita sfortuna!" Mac deeply sighed.
"We must go now"
Mac stood still stiffly and finally nodded.
Quickly, they both headed to the Lorenzo's room, dodging every guard who were on patrol.
As soon as they entered the room, Tom and Lorenzo were climbing through the window, who were in the middle of a heated argument "Are you saying there are times where you three have come to the palace without even me knowing?" asked Lorenzo angrily.
"Maybe." replied Tom, fed up with answering questions.
"I will not stand up for this. Are there other places where you creep into my home? I sleep in this room, if you can crawl in this window that means anyone bad can!" ranted Lorenzo.
Leonardo turned to Mac and arched his brow at him, while moving his head to their friend's direction. Mac walked up towards Lorenzo, "Lorenzo, you're a good mate, Leo's told me all about the guards. Thanks for looking out for me."
"It's fine...besides you're going to make it up for all the trouble you've caused." smirked Lorenzo, for once feeling superior to Mac.
Mac furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and let out an unsure breath of laughter "What do you mean, mate?"
Lorenzo and Tom, for a change, both stifled a laugh "There a line of guards all waiting for you outside, mate."
"It's fine, we can go through the back." shrugged Mac.
Lorenzo shook his head and threw Tom's bag at him. "I don't understand what you're on abou-" as he opened up the bark brown bag, he revealed the familiar pink dress he's seen Lisa dressed in. He tightly grasped it, "What is this?" he demanded, sick of not understanding what was going on.
"A disguise."
"A disguise for what?"
"For you to escape."
From that very second, he released the dress out of his hand and backed away from it, "Very funny, but I don't dress up...especially as a woman. I can't. I have a serious reputation to hold. I won't."
Dramatically, Lorenzo sighed "Well I guess you rather prefer to be locked up then. Very well, I'll call the guards."
Mac didn't budge, there was no way he would be seen in a pink dress, but then he heard loud leather boots outside the room and he didn't think twice when he bent down to grab the dress from the floor. "Fine." he grumbled.
One by one, they all jumped out of the window and decided to head for Mac's house, safe from the Medici guards.
As they were walking Mac decided to turn around to face the Palace, making sure he was well hidden from the scarf which was securely wrapped around his face and he witnessed an unoccupied Palace with no sign of threat towards him. He decided not to say anything to the others, not wanting to a make a scene with his dignity drenched in mockery in broad daylight, from first being dressed as a girl and being fooled by Lorenzo.
In a matter of minutes, which felt like a long and agonizing week for Mac, they reached their destination. Embarrassed, Mac quickly got changed into his comfortable and most clothes for men.
All four friends sat together in silence, but it wasn't long until they all started laughing until it hurt, all apart from Mac.
"You make pink look bruttoa!" laughed Lorenzo, uncontrollably. "Oh dear, my eyes are tearing up just from the memory of you wearing that dress"
Leonardo held his stomach which was aching from hard laughter rolling out of him, "I think Mac even scared out of every man on the street."
"I believe we need to start calling Mac, Marcella instead" giggled Tom.
"Marcella! Good one, Tom." howled Lorenzo, hooting in his laughter like a maniac.
Mac glared at each and one of them "Fine. You've had your fun, now stop."
Leonardo finally calmed down and chuckled "Sorry, Mac. But did deserve it."
Rubbing his face, Mac let out a laugh "Alright, you're right. I was stupid for thinking I could scam him for his money. So, when did you think of this plan?"
"I had nothing to do with it." replied Leonardo, "Unfortunately."
"It was all Lorenzo's idea, I think all your plotting and scheming has rubbed off on to him" answered Tom.
Surprised, Mac shook his head in astonishment "You thought of this all up. Wow, I'm impressed...but you're still going to pay for it."
"We'll see Mac, you big girl."
Italian to English:
Stupido - Stupid
Idiota - Idiot
Delizioso - Delicious
La mia solita sfortuna - Just my luck
Bruttoa - Ugly
Hope you enjoyed reading this. x