Lucrezia was held in her father's arms as they whirled around the grand ballroom. She had been dancing her whole life, in her mother's arms as an infant, on Cesare's toes as a child and now she was often seen in the twirling embrace of one of her ceaseless suitors. The music slowed to a stop and when her father released her she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.
"What was that for?"
"For being a wonderful dance partner and an even better father."
"And how am I at being pope?" Rodrigo asked as he escorted Lucrezia off the dance floor.
"Oh, dreadful." She teased.
"Your trip is tomorrow, how will I ever survive without my children?"
"Perhaps we will return and Rome will be in ruins?"
"Yes, perhaps." Rodrigo laughed and left Lucrezia, scanning the crowds for his mistress, Giulia Farnese as he went. Lucrezia in turn began to look for her brother for the next dance. In her brief glance around the room she saw countless handsome men eager for her attention, but none like her brother. He was the best dancer she knew, as well as her favorite partner. They had practiced endlessly together as children. She had taken turns stepping on the toes of both Cesare and Juan, Juan not taking the disturbance as amiably as his counterpart.
Cesare was in fact, on the other side of the large room talking to a charming young woman up against one of the many decorated walls. She was giggling seductively at his quips and staring up into his dark eyes, a look which he returned eagerly. He had not danced all night, nor had he thought about dancing and neither had he thought about Lucrezia. That was until he had chanced to look up and see her fervently looking about for someone he presumed was him.
"Cesare? You were just saying about the gardens…?"
"Sorry, I have to leave you now."
"What for?"
"To dance."
"I've been told I make quite a good partner..."
"Oh I already have a partner in mind." Cesare began to walk away without even a backwards glance to the disgruntled guest he left behind him. Coming up towards Lucrezia he offered his hand to her with an exaggerated bow.
"May I have this dance my lady?" She beamed in response and willingly took his hand for the next song.
"I thought you would never ask." They lined up with the other dancers and began to perform the elaborate and intricate moves, weaving about the floor gracefully. They never needed to take their eyes off each other, they knew the dance off by heart.
"May I step in for the next song brother?" Juan had appeared at their side, without either of them noticing his arrival.
"If Lucrezia doesn't mind." Juan looked at her expectantly as she slowly lowered her hand from Cesare's.
"I do not mind." Juan held out his hand impatiently and pulled her close to him as her eyes followed Cesare's retreat.
"How come we never dance together Lucrezia?"
"I do not know Juan."
"I know why, because you only dance with Cesare."
"You know that's not true."
"Ah yes my mistake, you only dance with your suitors." Lucrezia looked up at Juan's face and recognized that same expression he had been wearing often when observing his siblings. She observed the disgust and anger but could not identify an emotion deep under the surface only visible through his eyes. It was something like jealousy.
"What are you trying to say?"
"I am saying, is Cesare your brother or your suitor?" he snarled grabbing her arm tight and stopping their already irregular rotating.
"Don't be ridiculous Juan!" They had begun to gain the attention of those around them who had begun to slow their own dancing in order to better take in the scene.
Juan roughly pulled his sister close enough so the crowd could not hear his whisper. "Does father know you are the whore of Rome?" Lucrezia pulled free at his words and attempted to hastily move through the crowd without letting the outrage and hurt show on her face. Cesare had witnessed the scene as everyone else did and did not know which sibling to confront first. His affection gave out in the end and he followed Lucrezia to an abandoned side room of the hall, where she had sunk into a chair. How he dare make such a scene like that, she thought furiously.
"What did he do?"
"He is saying the most…strange things Cesare." She did not know how to express Juan's thoughts. Was she repulsed by them, though she had sometimes thought them herself in the deepest and most intimate parts of her mind? No, Juan was being ridiculous. She was being ridiculous.
"What did he say to offend you so my love? I swear I'll cut out his tongue before he can say another insolent word." Cesare growled pacing over to kneel at her feet.
"He had the nerve to call me the whore of Rome."
"Huh! He would know, he has visited them all."
"I do not know if I will be able to endure this trip with him."
"I will be there, don't worry." Lucrezia smiled at him and willed herself not to think any more on what Juan had said.