Season 4 Episode 1: Il Valentino

by Moth To A Flame 86

Cesare becomes Papal Gonfalnier and leaves to build the French army for his conquests. Cardinal Sforza is blackmailed into an extensive plot against a fellow Cardinal. Cesare discovers he has a child, and Lucrezia's jealousy of her brother intensifies.

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

Thank you for reading!

IL VALENTINO

Three months after the death of Alfonso, Cesare is officially announced as Papal Gonfalnier in an elaborate celebration at the Vatican. Alexander presses Cesare to build their empire & sends him on a conquest of Naples and Spain. Vanozza begins to suspect an abnormal closeness between Cesare and Lucrezia. Della Rovere returns to Rome & blackmails Cardinal Sforza, but seemingly not under his own interests, but that of a trusted ally whom he wants to be Cardinal. Rufio follows the Cardinal after his secret meeting with Della Rovere, yet adds his own terms to the blackmail. He gives Ascanio another chance to prove his loyalty to the Sforza family by enlisting him to help assassinate a new Cardinal, Antonelli, who presents a threat to their betrayal plot. Rufio only informs Cesare that he suspects a lack of loyalty in Ascanio and asks his permission to keep a close eye on him. After granting it thankfully, Cesare leaves for France to make new allies and begin his siege of Naples, accompanied by Lucrezia. In France, Cesare discovers he has a daughter, Louise with Charlotte D'Albret. Lucrezia, brimming with jealousy, meets her own potential suitor from Ferrara, and also draws the attention of the artist Leonardo Da Vinci. Cesare makes allies with Fernandez de Cordoba and receives his backing in a siege on Naples. At the end of the episode, a jealous fight between him and Lucrezia culminates in an intense expression of their love, with Charlotte D'Albret in earshot in the next room. Meanwhile back in Rome, at Rufio's coercing, Cardinal Sforza uses the cross weapon to murder Cardinal Antonelli.