Once upon a time, we didn't hate each other, she mused. Every breath felt like lead, and her entire body felt like fire. The times when they once shared beloved, fond memories had been burned by the fire in his eyes. Looking into his eyes as they met hers, she could see a different fire than the one that consumed her body. No, it was a crazed uncontrollable fire. One that never resembled the brother she knew growing up. The brother she once loved. Time and individual experiences had changed them both, leaving them ash that seemed to keep burning despite itself. Fear drove her to anger, reigniting the flames inside herself.
She wanted to beat him senseless. Both of their breathing combined, heavy and loud echoed against the vatican walls. "What are you doing, Juan? What is it your trying to prove?" She whispered, her eyebrows furrowing in anger, taking a step closer to him. "That Papa will love you, no matter how many problems you create?" Juan scoffed loudly, "as if you being a whore hasn't created enough problems?"
Juan ran, knowing his words would incite a reaction in her. Lucrezia ran after him, tears stinging her eyes, "take that back! Take it back," she chased after him relentlessly, wanting desperately to gain the advantage over him. Juan ran faster than her on a good day; unfortunately for him, it was not a good day. She quickly ducked into a doorway and caught him when he ran past in the hall. Lucrezia grabbed Juan by his hair, tackling him to the floor. "I refuse to take it back, Lucrezia. I refuse to take back the truth." Lucrezia laughed coldly, as he squirmed to get the upper hand. "Well, then, my dearest brother," their noses inches away from each other, she snarled, "the truth is, there is more than one whore in the family. It is you who spends most nights away in other women's beds. It is you who slept with your youngest brother's wife. It is you who has syphilis."
At this, Lucrezia seems satisfied with each emotional blow she inflicted upon her brother. She leaned up, feeling proud of herself, "if anything, brother dearest, I've learned my whore ways from you." Juan continued to lay on the ground, watching his younger sister walk away from him, he laughed. Lucrezia's skin burned again with anger, this time, however she chose to ignore the feeling and walk away the victor. This time.