The sun shone through the windows of the court. Catherine slipped off her black veil and sat down at her desk. She pulled a letter out of the drawer.
"He gave it to me to give to you in case he... died," Philip had told her after Alexander's funeral. Catherine had looked at the envelope, enchanted. Then she had looked up at her lover.
"You're going back to Italy, aren't you?" she had asked.
"I have to check on the situation," the man had replied, "After the death of the Medici Duke of Florence, who knows what will happen?"
There had been a moment of silence.
"I will write to you every day if you wish" Philip had sworn to her.
The queen had smiled sweetly.
"I shall look forward to your letters."
Then they had kissed for a long time with the sunset behind them. The man had left that morning. Henry had disappeared after the funeral, but Catherine did not mind too much. Now, in solitude, she began to read her brother's last gift.
My beloved Catherine,
if you are reading this letter, it means I am dead. But that was to be expected: the Pazzis never miss a beat. I am writing this letter to you just a month after my return from the French court, in a rare moment of serenity.
To see you again has been for me an infinite joy, to meet your younger children has been a pleasure. I have wonderful memories in their company. In each of them I saw a part of you again, both in physical and character traits. I hope they all have wonderful lives. I wish I could have had three times as much time with you. However looming threats have deprived me of that. You know better than I do the cruelties that can come from bearing our name. That said, I will never cease to ask your forgiveness for my absence at the most important and most painful times of your lives, leaving you at the mercy of horrors that though you faced heroically have scarred you to the core. I have seen the aversion of the court to your being Italian and to your intelligence. I have seen the evil that your husband has done to you, even though you continue to love him. But I want to tell you one thing: they can humiliate you, despise you, take away your dignity with petty acts, cover you with shame. But as soon as you enter the throne room, with your royalty and your crown, everyone, courtiers, favorites, bastard children, nobles, will be forced to bow to their queen. I love you with all my heart, my lily.
Forever your adored brother,
Alexander.
Catherine finished reading with tears in her eyes. She looked softly out the window, smiling. There would never be anyone who could break the bond between her and her brother. Not even death.
End
A.N. Thank you all for reading this fan fiction. I hope you enjoyed it very much and I hope you will enjoy reading it again when you want to. A kiss T.L.Q.