Cesare
How could I expect myself to accomplish anything of meaning if I can not draw a simple flower. A damn ugly flower at that. I curse and throw the flower into the water. I must seem insane to the servants again, cursing at flowers once again. Some things just can not be helped. I find myself looking into the reflection of my self. The thin pink scar on my lower cheek seems to be healing better than expected. Giovanni was so careless as to what Papa would think of the wound of course. As usual, Giovanni doesn't think. Ever. I clinch my fist as tight as I can, crinkling the paper but then drop the paper into the fountain as I see a girl reflected in the water as well. Her hair was dark gold and filled with curls while her light eyes were unmistakable. Her cheeks seemed a rose color against her light tan skin. I swiftly turn to see the angel I saw reflected in the water. But she is gone. I run my hand through my hair. I must be seeing things.
"Shit," I pull the destroyed paper from the fountain. I feel a sudden sharp edge against the back of my shoulder. "I have no sword with me." I stand sighing with slight annoyance, but also revoltingly excitement.
"I noticed." Giovanni is smirking but I see strain in his eyes.
"I thought we agreed that we would not fight when emotional, that fighting was only an educational process." I honestly have never honored that agreement. Whenever Papa is impossible with his capricious plans, I search for Giovanni the same way he has done in this moment. He shrugs dismissing the statement. His sword keeps finding its way against my chest. "You'll fight a defenseless man?"
"No," He smirks and hands me the sword that was behind his back, "I"ll fight an armed boy." I quickly strike a blow against his thin sword making him reevaluate his position. He goes for a new technique that makes him circle around my left side. My sword follows his movements carefully. We both hit each other with blows that we will pay for later through sore arms. I have managed to corner him further next to the fountain. Giovanni regretfully does not look behind him because he is watching my footing out of the corner of his eyes. I slam a quick jab unexpectedly against his right side, that was less guarded than his left. He stumbles slightly backwards but the back of his feet slam against the fountain side, making him fall into the fountain. A glorious splash hits me as I see him scramble to exit the fountain. He manages to escape the fountain rather fast but he is still drenched. I am on the ground, roaring with laughter. My shirt was wet much like Giovanni but nothing could ruin this sight.
"I think you were just undone by a man." I manage to utter while standing. I begin to the arch leading inside.
"I'll get back at you for this!" Giovanni yells from behind. I wave back my as I could care less. A leg blocks my way into the hall.
"Micheletto?" I raise my eyebrows at the young man standing in the dark. Micheletto steps into the light to display his dark green cloak. His hair has grown much like mine in the past year form the lack of shear cuttings. Stubble hints at his lips.
"You made a scene." He states as though I could understand his complete thought cycle through one sentence.
"Yes?" I continue walking up the stairs but turn back to signify the page to follow me. He pauses before following. "No one saw?" I plunge through the door to my room. I swear I left that closed? I must get a locksmith here, dammit. In my own home! My Papa's home is my home while he is not here, I declare to my thoughts to defend my possessive air towards the home.
"Someone could have. You must be more careful of your reputation." He makes me snort.
"Simple altercations barely make a mark on any reputation." Micheletto walks to the map of Europe that is hung on my wall. He trails his fingers over the Mediterranean Sea.
"Giovanni seems to bring out a less rational side of you."
"Awwww," I sigh. "So this is what your contempt attitude is towards." Micheletto has always disliked Giovanni. As Giovanni has grown more aggressive towards our brotherhood, my trusted adviser Micheletto has had a unsettling stance towards Giovanni. Micheletto is protective of me, as any good friend would be. "Don't worry about him. He is as harmful as a fly." I pat Micheletto's back and turn to my bed. "I plan to rest now, may you leave?"
"You forget that you must attend a celebration tonight." Micheletto walks to my closet to hand me clothing suitable for tonight. I groan hitting my palm against my forehead. Lucrezia is arriving.
"How soon?" I start undressing quickly to change while Micheletto turns to look away while still handing me clothing.
"In a hour or so." I quickly glance out the window to see the sun provide a more orange tint to the days events, informing us all of the becoming late hour. After I dress, I run my hand through my hair. Is there anything I can complete quickly before the hour ends? I rush to my desk to retrieve a small vile. Micheletto stays silent for a moment before commenting once again. "How close are your sister and brother?" I stare up annoyed at his sudden question.
"I suppose very?" I questioningly reply. The vile almost tips in my hand and I curse before sifting the contents of the vile around to smell it. It reeks of almonds, making my nostrils curl.
"How close are you to your sister?" He prods more openly.
"I have not seen her for years," I reply dodging the exact question. I did not speak of Lucrezia since I left Spain. It hurt too much, which was unnatural.
"And before you left?" Micheletto steps closer to peer over my shoulder to view the vile.
"What are implying!" I turn on him, gripping the vile still. "It would do you well to not forget that I am the master here. You answer my questions, not the other way around." Micheletto steps back, raising his hands in a form of desired peace.
"I meant nothing. I understand nothing. I'll utter no other words." He says before respectfully bowing and leaving my quarters. I carefully place the vile on the desk before sitting to hit my leg in frustration. I need to control my temper! He must think that I am hiding something. Why would he not? That is the truth. Not the desired truth, but one nonetheless a truth. I sigh once again. Lucrezia must be here already, as Giovanni is here. I do not wish harm to her, I just wish she'd have stayed in Spain. I stand to look out the window to be repulsed to find myself looking at other windows in the structure to see her face.
"Lucrezia," I repeat in disgust. Giovanni may bring out a more aggressive nature to myself, but Lucrezia brings out a side that is . . . I'm unsure how to describe it. I groan. I must not even think to describe such a thing! I expelled mother's guidance long ago along with communication with Lucrezia for good reason. Papa is now the only one who as hold over me. Or as I would like to believe. After almost a hour of working on perfecting putting the poison undetected into fruit, I realize that I must actually have a trial to ensure that it is working. A servant knocks.
"The celebration is starting." They call against the door before leaving. I quickly put the vial into a bag concealed in my clothing and then stand, leaving. The celebration seems to have conquered the entire bottom floor. Music played obnoxiously through percussion instruments which has seemed to encourage everyone to dance wherever they were standing, but in formation with the ones around them. It was quite entertaining usually, if I was not so distracted by thoughts of higher importance. My Papa is in the garden in front of a huge table filled with cuisine of great taste. There were open chairs beside him at the front of the crowd. I take one of them.
"Good evening, uncle." I smile curtly. He said that we must pretend that we are his nephews. I wouldn't care what he called me, as long as Giovanni didn't have the same title. Papa's face revealed his age but his actions surely did not. He, at times, seemed more alive than myself.
"One of true beauty." He smiles, brown eyes twinkling. He was been working very hard lately for the cause, which shows in the dark circles under his eyes and becoming wrinkles.
"How so?" I ask, already knowing the reason. "This evening is as dull as the one before it and the one after. It barely ever changes."
"No night is dull when my family is almost whole once again." He smiles, clasping my shoulder with warmth, which was rare for me. Not Giovanni. I try to turn away but his grasp on my shoulder prevents me. "With one's family around, he feels peace of mind." I would have nodded but the crowd departed for Giovanni as though he was Moses. I rolled my eyes until I noticed the girl that came to join him by looping her arm through his. Her gown was a vibrant red that had golden lacing which seemed to have been spun my King Midas himself. Her white undergarment contrasted with her lightly tanned face. But she could not hide her pink burnt cheeks that almost seemed to make her more beautiful through modesty. Her golden hair hung in long curls that ran to just below her shoulders. Her lips, even visible from here, were full and bright red. The angel has reappeared. I choke slightly on my wine. "Lucrezia!" Papa calls out to her as they make their way to us. No. Please, no.