1.

Rome 1492

I brushed quickly through my hair with my fingers. The rays of the sun lidt up the dust dancing in the room. I could hear the distant ring of bells from mass in basilica. The door opened

"Good morning sister! Would you like to take a walk in the garden with me?"

I turned around and answered, "It would be my pleasure, your excellence"

Mercurio's face turned red, almost so it matched his crimson cardinal cloak. I giggled; he just closed the door behind him.

I walked over to my dresser. Our servants had their day of today, and I had to dress myself. I found one of the plainer dresses I owned. A violet dress with a yellow under dress. I stepped inside it, and "hooked" it on my shoulders. The only real work was to lace it up on the front, and make shore that the large folds of fabric lay in a sensible fashion.

My hair. Three words; Messy, Vivid and Ungodly. My chambermaid had made it her lives mission to tame it, but to no avail. The only thing to do was to brush it, and pray to god that it would work with me for the day. My mother was the only one who could tame it to some degree. I brushed out my hair so it lay in lazy curls down my back. Lastly, I looked in the mirror. I saw a heart-shaped face encased in light olive skin, wide blue eyes, a medium sized mouth with a pink tint, and a nose (not to small, but not too big).

Off to the gardens then.

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Mercurio walked with a dignity. A dignity he earned when he became cardinal. We were opposites. He had dark straight hair, brown eyes, and a Sicilian palette. Inherited by our mother. I got my look from our father's mother. We were close at heart, and was very much the same on the inside, despite our external differences. I admired him, and I liked to think that he admired me.

Mercurio gave me a grave look. I could see that this matter was serious and urgent. One could read it in his face, like a book. A little crease in between his eyes said words which Mercurio often didn't have the nerve to express.

"The conclave is starting tomorrow" he said with a serious voice.

I twisted my thumbs "Who are you going to vote for?"

"I think I'll vote for Cardinal Delle Rovere, He is a good man" Mercurio looked at the ground.

I smiled "Let's hope that the colleague decides as quickly as possible!"

Mercurio stopped and fondled the golden cross he wore around his neck, "Remember to be careful during the papal election! Rome goes to riot and ruin every time. Promise me that you'll be careful"

Moments like this made me both love and hate my brother. He was a mere six years older than I was with his 23 years. I took a hold of his hand, and kissed it, "I promise brother, I'll be careful."

I found myself amazed at his young age. He was at many times more responsible and smart than our older brothers Alfonso, Filippo, and Giorgio combined; and I admired him for it. I could not have asked for a better brother.

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The night descended upon Rome at the first night of the Papal election. People in support of each papal candidate surrounded the Vatican. They roamed the streets, howling out the names of their preferred pope. Our villa was nicely screened from this spectacle. The villa was four stories high, and raged at the end of a small court yard covered in stone. The lowest floor contained our horses, and housed our guards. The second floor had the reception-hall, and the dining-hall. Third floor contained my father's and my stepmother's room, two of my brothers, and my two half-sisters. Fourth floor contained me. Our venetian styled villa housed many, and it was always room for more people.

I leaned against the window in my bedroom. I took of my necklace to study it. The necklace had been a gift of betrothal from Leonardo Medici. Leonardo belonged to the Medici family in Florence. A rich family, who had a talent in banking, especially for the Vatican. The necklace was in silver with a pendant divided in two. The first part of the pendant was an intricate braid of silver chains and pearls. The main pendant had a blue stone called Lapis Lazuli encased in a silver drop. Lapis Lazuli was a rare stone, with a rich blue colour. I loved that necklace. My and Leonardo's wedding was supposed to stand in Firenze in a month. I'm the last unmarried daughter after my father's first wife. My oldest sister; Mariella Alexandra married a duke in Milan, A Sforza. Nencia Ana, married Jesus, and took her vows in a convent outside of Rome. Which left me after our mother died after giving birth to me. Bella and Agnella, are respectively 7 and 8 years younger than me, and they're the offsprings of my father and my stepmother. As I thought of how my mother would react of my betrothal I lost the necklace. It fell out of the window, and I could hear it land down on the cobblestone out in the courtyard. I had to get it. Now! That necklace is so precious. I hope it didn't break!

I snuck down the stairs, luring the guards to think that I was a little light headed, and that I needed fresh air, and a walk ALONE!

The humid middeteranian air filled the courtyard. I started searching for my necklace. Then I saw it, the light from one of the torches lidt up the silver chain, it lay there near the shadows. To my joy, it wasn't broken, I grabbed it. Suddenly, a hand grabbed me around my neck, and pulled me into the shadows. A man's voice wheezed into my ear "Don't scream! Don't alert anyone!" The man turned me around. My gaze met a pair of deep dark brown eyes. He took a hold of my hair, and exposed my neck. I felt his lips tracing down my chin and neck "I would like nothing more than to take you, right here, right now! The man sniffed my hair "Can I mention that I have control over you in my letter to your cardinal brother? I know that you two have a strong relationship. And you would strongly recommend him to vote for Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, am I right? I nodded careful. A knife's blade pressed against my neck. He tightened his grip around me "What's your name?" I swallowed "Lucrezia, Lucrezia Catarina, Sir" The sound of my name got his breath to change. The grip around my neck loosened. He let go of my hair, and let his fingers trace the line of my jaw. I whispered "What can I call you, sir?" He laughed "You don't need a name to call after me. I'll come when I choose to." He let go of me, and turned around. All I could see was the dark silhouette of a priest walking out of our courtyard. I grabbed my necklace, and got fast to my feet. Sleeping was hard after this minor "incident". Wonder if I am going to meet him again. It was something about him. He send out an aura, which drove me to him. I had to meet him again!