Hello Readers! Now, reading 'The Medici Girl: Reluctance' is not required, but you should read it anyway to help emphasize where Contessina stands in this story (for the better part of a few chapters) with Ezio. That being said, I did do a little explaining on that, but not much. With that said, here is the original story 'The Medici Girl'.
Note: Updates will be slow due to college. I do have quite a few chapters done, but my schedule does not allow me to update often. So expect maybe one to two weeks per chapter.
December 1476, Florence
The morning was unusually brisk for Florence. Contessina was warm when she woke up in Ezio's arms, but when she eased herself away from him, she felt the chill of the air. The fire had gone down to smoldering embers, so she added another cut log to the rack and stirred the fire awake. Ezio would likely sleep for another hour or so since he had come in late during the night, so she dressed in a simple red dress that hugged her figure nicely. Instead of doing her hair in an elaborate style as she used to before she married, she let it fall over her shoulder in a golden twist. She went over to the table by the bed and picked up the book of poems she had been reading before quietly leaving the room.
The sun had barely risen when she stepped into the courtyard of her new home. She stopped short when she saw Giovanni walking in from his latest adventure in the red and white attire she had seen him in on more than one occasion. Giovanni did not deny that he knew she saw what he was wearing, but Contessina did not mention any of it to him. There was a quiet understanding between her and Giovanni.
"Good morning, Contessina." He said with a smile as he removed his gloves. "It is a little chilly this morning." He told her as he walked to his study.
"Yes, a little." She told him with a smile on her face. She knew that Giovanni did more than banking. Quite a few times she had seen the hooded man walk into the Palazzo Medici to speak with her cousin, Lorenzo. "Messere, is it possible to speak with you later on a matter I've been thinking about quite a bit lately?"
"Contessina, you know you can talk to me anytime you like." He put a hand to his chest and she gave him an apologetic look. "Do not worry, we can talk later after breakfast." Giovanni bowed his head before walking through the door and closing it behind him leaving Contessina by herself. She walked over to the bench in the far corner and opened the small leather bound book to the page she had left off on the night before.
Flipping the page she began to read the next stanza as the birds began to flutter about the yard. Mornings gave her the time to be by herself. The stillness of the day before Florence became bustling with activity was the only time she had to reflect before the Auditore household came to life. Breakfast was always a mild affair with Ezio always coming in late with disheveled hair and half awake. While Federico and Cammilla were always down for breakfast right on time. Petruccio was absent sometimes due to his health, but Contessina always made sure to bring him broth later. She would often sit and read to him as she had a soft spot for her little brother.
She did not know how long she sat in the courtyard before she realized the sun was fully above the horizon. Breakfast was about to begin, but she could not find the courage to put down the book just yet. The poems were a tale of a bittersweet romance between a Goddess and a mortal, however their love was obviously doomed from the moment the mortal man saw her bathing. The goddess was merciful to him because he did not mean to stare at her naked form, but only to drink from the spring she bathed in. Thus, the tale of their love began with her mercy towards him. If only her own tale could be as dramatic as the poems.
Contessina begrudgingly closed the book before making her way to the dining room where she found Maria sitting with her own book. The matriarch loved to read just as much as her daughter-in-law, however their tastes in material were dramatically different. Maria preferred more realistic and tragic tales, such as those of the Greeks. Contessina was a hopeless romantic in any case, only because she had not had the whirlwind romance she dreamed of with her husband. That was not to say that she had not loved Ezio before they were betrothed; she did, but it was more of a platonic love. Any seeds of romance had been promptly stepped on by Ezio himself and his wanting to stay away from love. That was until he met Cristina.
When Contessina first met Cristina Vespucci, they had become fast friends. Almost sisters in a sort of way, yet they both had pined for a romantic adventure with the man of their dreams. Contessina had not expected Cristina and Ezio to find each other, however she encouraged their relationship to blossom by putting her own feelings aside along with a little help from Federico. Even though Contessina kept telling herself that she would find her knight one day, Ezio was not him. When she was just shy of fourteen she developed a small fascination with him, but it was short lived because her mother had drilled it into her that she would never be able to choose her own husband. That task went to Lorenzo de'Medici, who loved making political matches. She was one such match and now she was not sure if she was happy or not.
"You are thinking very hard about something." Maria's voice snapped Contessina from her thoughts. She had not realized she had been standing next to the table for some time with a blank stare. "Sit down, Contessina. Tell me all about it before the menfolk come in." The Auditore woman said motioning to the chair next to hers. Contessina did not hesitate to sit and put the book in her lap. "Now, what is troubling you?" Maria gave her a warm smile as she put down her own book to give the blond girl her full attention.
"This marriage." Contessina let out a sigh and let her shoulders sag. "I know Ezio cares. He has never done anything to hurt me, but I feel like I do not know him anymore. Or that I never really knew him. Mona, I feel as though we are strangers sharing a bed when we should know one another well by now." Contessina put her hands on the table in frustration and Maria reached to grab them. "He seems content with me, but I know he still loves and wants to be with Cristina. I wanted them to be together too, but that is over now." She said and Maria squeezed her hands.
"I know you didn't want this, Sina, but you must accept that things are as they are. You're heart does you so much credit for wanting my son to love who he wishes. I feel great sorrow that you are in this position, but I beg of you, try to let it come naturally. Ezio will never forget her or what he feels for her, but he has never forgotten about you and what you mean to him." Maria said looking into Contessina's blue eyes. "I did not raise my children to be fools. Trust him and he will not let you down, but you must give him time."
"Give who time?" Giovanni's voice interrupted as he strode into the dining room and sat down at the opposite end of the table from his wife. Maria smiled, squeezing Contessina's hand once again before sitting back in her chair.
"Ezio, of all people" Maria told him. Giovanni was quick to change from curious to understanding.
"Ah, well, that is to be expected of you both. An arranged marriage is not easy on either husband or wife." Giovanni did not dismiss Contessina's feeling on the matter, but he also did not address them completely. Although, it seemed he was not keen on discussing the subject at the table either. "Now, where are the rest of our children, Maria?"
"Still asleep as is their custom. The only one who is up for breakfast every morning is our Contessina." Maria spoke as she stood from her chair and placed a hand on the blond girl's cheek before leaving the room. "I will go wake them."
While Maria was going to wake her children, Contessina pulled her book from her lap and began to read again while Giovanni seemed to be reading a letter of his own. The silence was comfortable even though seconds later the sound of Federico having a small argument with Cammillia could be heard as they came down the stairs. This was a common occurrence between the two. On one hand, they were clearly made for each other with his laziness and her neurotic behavior. On the other hand, they may not be the best match because of his unwillingness to compromise and her stubbornness. Cammillia was a feisty auburn haired woman from Volterra who had escaped the siege by sheer luck. Her brown eyes were always full of fire and when Federico did something she did not like, she would raise hell about it. Federico loved every fiber of her being though and that was enough for the both of them.
The arguing stopped just before Cammillia entered the dining room with Federico right behind her. Both seemed to have put smiles on their face as if their arguing was nothing to worry about, however Giovanni cleared his throat when Federico went to move his wife's chair for her to sit. Nothing was said, but the implication that Giovanni heard everything was there and then the eldest Auditore son became a little red in the cheeks.
"Is there something we should know?" The Auditore patriarch said as Cammillia sat down and Federico pushed her chair in for her.
"No, Father. Nothing to be excited about." Federico said.
"He did not want to get out of bed this morning. As usual. I hope our children do not inherit his laziness." Cammillia blurted out as her husband went to sit across from her. "Mio Dio, I do not know if I could live with two of him." She said in annoyance.
"So you are saying you cannot live with me now?" Federico asked in offense. Contessina did not pay any attention to the two as their arguing had clearly been a misunderstanding. Of course, this was normal for the two.
"That is not what I said!" The auburn haired woman defended herself. Giovanni on the other hand, was rubbing his temples because the arguing was going on far too long for his liking. "I only meant that I do not want our son or daughter to be a slouch like you!" She picked up a fork and stood up out of her chair, pointing the utensil at her husband. This grabbed Contessina's attention and she moved to grab on to Cammillia. "Let go Contessina! I'm going to carve the laziness out of him!"
"How are you going to carve out laziness with a fork?" Federico retorted. "You can't even hurt a fly!"
"Enough." Giovanni said feeling the tension in the air moving towards his head as well.
"I may not be able to hurt a fly, but I can definitely hit you!" Cammillia was about to throw the fork when Giovanni caught her hand.
"I said enough." He said in a stern tone of voice that he rarely used. Federico immediately sat down in his chair not wanting to cross his father. "Now, if you two are going to argue again, I suggest you take it far out of Firenze and into Toscana so no one can hear you."
"Sorry, Father." Federico apologized as his wife stared at Giovanni in shock.
"What is going on in here?" Maria said as she walked in on the scene. Giovanni let go of his daughter-in-law's wrist and cleared his throat again before sitting back in his chair.
"A little argument. Nothing to worry about Mi Cara." He said. "Where is Petruccio?"
"He is not feeling well this morning." Maria told him as she went back to her seat and settled in the chair. "Ezio, will be joining us soon."
"I'll go see to him." Contessina said composing herself after letting her sister-in-law go. "He may have trouble waking up this morning." She said before walking out of the room herself and up the stairs. When coming to their bedroom door, Contessina did not bother to knock and when she entered Ezio was doing his best to get dressed. "How much wine did you have last night?" She said grabbing his black vest off the chair by the fireplace and bringing it to him.
"Enough. Why?" Ezio said with a half awake expression on his face as she helped him put the vest on. "I can dress myself."
"I know, but your family is waiting for you to eat breakfast." She said tying the laces on the front of his clothing. "I know you are hungry as much as I am." Contessina did not say anything as he looked up while she continued to make sure the laces were in good order. She paused for a moment before saying what she knew was true. "You went to Cristina's again last night, didn't you?" She held her breath waiting for the answer she dreaded.
"Yes." He told after a long moment.
"I understand. You love her and if everything were different, she would be standing here, not me." She stopped what she was doing and backed away from him with a smile. "This is just an arrangement for the benefit of our families, not for our benefit." Contessina told him before turning away and moving towards the door.
"Contessina, wait." Ezio called to her and she stopped, but did not turn to look at him. He could not find the words to say to make her feel accepted. He knew that she was distancing herself from him, further than he thought possible. Sure they shared a bed together, but that is all they did. She let him hold her in the night if only to make her feel less miserable or to make her feel as though she did matter. When daytime came they hardly saw each other unless it was during meal times. "Let's talk about this."
"What is there to talk about? We are still friends Ezio, the only thing that is different is that we shared a vow. I don't expect you to treat me any different than before or even stop your adventurous ways with women, but please don't think I am stupid. I knew that you and Cristina were talking again." She sighed before turning around. "Nothing has changed except you keeping this from me and that does hurt me." She was not some fragile maiden who could fall apart with the drop of a pin. Other wives would be furious that their husbands were sleeping with other women behind their backs.
"I do not think you are stupid, Contessina." He approached her but she held up a hand to stop him. "I should have told you when Cristina and I started to see each other again. I know you told us you were willing to let it go on if only for our happiness. I don't know why I did not want to tell you."
"I meant what I said and I still mean it even if it costs my own happiness." She said nothing else before turning to the door and opening it. "I would do anything for the both of you." She said as she left Ezio there to think about what she said.
For once, Ezio felt like he had doomed any chance of making Contessina feel as though she were part of his life. Cristina was all he could think about and it was costing him his friendship with Contessina. The last thing he wanted was to have a bad relationship with his wife over his lover, yet he could not get the Vespucci girl out of his head, or his heart. Cristina was still unwilling to make amends with the blond girl over the marriage. Not only did she humiliate Contessina, but she broke the Medici girls heart. Ezio felt shame in that as well because his wife was alone. All of her friends had turned against her because of Cristina.
"I do not deserve her." He said to himself before leaving the room and joining his family for breakfast.
Breakfast went as usual with all of the commotion between the Auditore children, save for Petruccio, who was too sickly to join. The bickering between Federico and Cammillia continued well into the meal while Contessina stayed quiet. Ezio could read her face clearly and saw that she was picking at the cheese and sausage on her plate. Claudia was being as boisterous as usual when Federico halted the argument with his wife for a moment to pick on her. While the family was carrying on, Annetta came in with a letter in her hand and gave it to Contessina.
"Sorry to interrupt, Signora, but a Medici messenger came with this. He said to give it to you immediately." Contessina nodded and took the letter from the servant before breaking the seal and opening it. Ezio watched the blond girls eyes dart back and forth as she read the contents of the letter with a hint of concern in her face. He looked towards his mother who had the same intense look as she waited for clarification. When Contessina put the letter down she sighed.
"My mother would like for me to go see her today, but this letter is from Giuliano." She did not elaborate exactly what was said in the letter, but the look she gave to Giovanni at the end of the table suggested that she had something to discuss with him after breakfast. "He would like for me to go riding with him next week if I have the chance. He could just come here himself and ask me in person instead of sending a long winded letter." She said folding the piece of parchment and placing it inside her book.
"He is just as lazy as Federico." Cammillia announced and Ezio couldn't help but to chuckle at the comment. The face his brother mad was priceless.
"I take offense to that." The eldest Auditore said.
"But it is true. There has to be at least one lazy child in every family. Giuliano is the lazy Medici who loves wine and women just as much as you." Contessina took her turn at poking fun of Federico, but she did it with the slightest smile on her face. "I know you and him have gone to the same holes in Florence together before."
"He was the one who showed me how to flirt with the girls." Federico said with a goofy grin on his face and a little pride. "Which is how I met you Mi Amore." He said in the sweetest of voices which only served to get him kicked under the table by his wife.
"That is a lie and you know it!"
Contessina did not say anything more before she politely excused herself from the table. She held her book in her hand as she walked outside into the courtyard to wait for Giovanni to be finished with his own meal. While she waited she sat on her bench and read the stanzas in her small book of poems. The Auditore family was louder, more vibrant than her own family. The Medici had always been about stature. No toe out of line, no boisterous affairs at the table, and definitely no arguing in front of one another. She could see why her mother did not like the idea of her marrying into the family at first, but she could also see why Ezio was chosen. It was because of Giovanni Auditore.
Contessina knew little of what Giovanni did when he was not working on finances. She knew that he was more than just a banker for sure and that he worked closely with Lorenzo and Uberto Alberti. The three men were close friends, but what did Giovanni do for them? She picked the letter out from between the pages of her book and read the contents again. The letter had been written by Giuliano, but they were Lorenzo's words. She could tell that much because Giuliano would come to get her if he wanted to see her. The letter mentioned more than her mother wanting to see her, it gave specific details about the Pazzi and how they were planning something. The Pope was also mentioned in the letter, but she did not understand why it would be addressed to her, unless it was actually meant for Giovanni.
"Contessina?" She looked up to see the man in question. "Please, come inside." He motioned to the door of his study and she got up in a haste to move into the room. "What is it you want to speak with me about?" He said going to sit in his chair. Contessina took the letter from her book and handed it to him.
"What I have to say is not as important as this. I think it is meant for you, but they addressed it to me. It is clearly written in Giuliano's hand, but I know Lorenzo's words when I see them. If Giuliano wanted to see me, he would not send a letter." The blond girl said as Giovanni took the letter from her and began reading it himself. She felt that there was more to her marriage into the Auditore family than political reasons and this was proof of it.
"You are very observant, Contessina. You see things others do not and that does you credit here, but outside of this house it could make you vulnerable. The letter was indeed intended for me, but the only way to get it here without our enemies knowing was to address it to you. You have done well." Giovanni gave her a smile along with his praise of her aptitude. "Now I am beginning to see Lorenzo's mind a lot clearer." He said also confirming her own thoughts.
"Messere, I have never asked about this, but you are not just a banker. Are you?" She did not hesitate to ask the question out of her own curiosity, but more along the lines of confirmation.
"No. I am more than a banker." He said not elaborating on anything more. "I ask that you keep this information to yourself, Contessina. Do not even speak to Ezio about it." He said knowing she would not dare to mention it to her husband. "I do not want to put my family, including you, in any danger. Although, I fear that danger is coming sooner than we think."
"What danger?" Contessina scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "The Pazzi?" She looked down at her hands feeling dread at the name. "They mean to destroy all of us. Your family and mine."
"They will do anything to gain control of Firenze and I need you to be ready for it, Contessina. If something should happen to our families, I am counting on you to make sure my work is continued by my sons, should they survive this." The Medici girl did not fully understand what Giovanni was communicating to her, but she felt that it was a cryptic warning of something to come that involved the destruction of Florence as a whole.
"I have a confession to make." She said looking up at Giovanni. "When I was a child, I saw you visiting Lorenzo in his study one night after he had taken over the Medici bank from Zito Piero, I could not understand why there was a man standing there in strange attire talking to my cousin. He had to be some mercenary or a thief, but when he placed his hand on the man's shoulder, I knew it was a friend. Lorenzo thinks highly of you, Messere Giovanni. Whatever it is that you do, it is vital to Florence's success, if not all of Italia. Not just the Medici. So, I place my own trust in you, just as I do Ezio."
"Your words touch me, Contessina. I do not know what is going to happen, but it is good to know that I have your support and it gives me comfort." He gave her a smile and put a hand on his chest in thanks. "As for Ezio, I will speak with him. I know about his little affair with Cristina and I also know that even if you agreed for it to happen, it should not out of respect for you. You are too good of a woman for this to happen."
"Thank you, Messere Giovanni." She said before getting up and bowing her head to him in respect. "I think I will go ask Claudia if she would like to go to the market with me. I need to find some new material for another dress." She smiled at him.
"I will see you later then. Enjoy your time and have fun, Contessina." He said as she turned to open the door and left the study.