As soon as the litter carrying Jofré and his sister Lucrezia reached the front doors their father's villa near the vatican, the doors opened, and out came their father Cardinal Rodrigo with several people following behind him. On his right side was Juan, their eldest brother, a young man of about 20 with wavy black hair like Jofré's nearly touching his shoulders, with hazel eyes, a nearly full beard, devilish eyes features like Rodrigo, an air of superiority in his body language, and dressed in fine garments and gold chain around his neck. On Rodrigo's left was their second eldest brother Cesare, a young man of 18 years, with wavy black hair somewhat longer than Juan's, a much more sparser beard save for the chin, and with devilish eye features like Juan and Rodrigo, but with less of an air of pride and more of an air of calculation, and dressed in the black robes of a priest.
"How glad we all are to see you arrive, my little ones!" said Rodrigo with enthusiastic cheer. "Bienvenidos, a mi casa ninos mio!"
Rodrigo opened up his arms and walked towards the litter as Jofré and Lucrezia climbed out.
"Papa!" cried Lucrezia giggling, as she wrap her arms around Rodrigo.
"Lucrezia...Lucia..." said Rodrigo tenderly as he cradled her head and gingerly kissed her.
When he was done hugging her, he turned to Jofré and wrap his arms around him.
"Mi hijo. Como estas? How has your mother been?" Rodrigo said as he playful tossled Jofré's hair.
"Muy bien Papa, but she is sorry over the death of Pedro-Luis. As am I and Lucrezia." Jofré replied solemnly.
A stern and pensive look came over Rodrigo's face. "Your mother has a good heart. And loves all children even they were not her own." Then his expression changed again. "But in the meantime, we must rejoice in our reunion! Come, hug your brothers you two!"
Jofré and Lucrezia walked over to where their brothers Juan and Cesare were standing and gave each of them a hug. Cesare hugged Lucrezia more tenderly as Rodrigo had done.
"Hermana...Lucia...How have you been?" said Cesare lovingly to Lucrezia.
"I've been well, Hermano. I am glad to see you, Juan, and Father again." replied Lucrezia cheerfully.
"Ah! Little Cricket!" Juan said to Jofré, growling playfully and tossling his hair as Rodrigo had done. "How is Mama?"
"She is well Juan." Jofré replied. "She does wish she could see you and Cesare more often."
"That reunion may have wait for a time longer, my lad." said Rodrigo. "For Juan has just returned from Spain not even two days ago, and Cesare the same from Pisa, and they may have to return as soon as the funeral mass for our dear beloved Perdo Luis is done. But in the meantime, come! I must inroduce you two to the rest of the household!"
And with that, Rodrigo introduced Jofré and Lucrezia to the rest of the people that followed him and Juan and Cesare. He introduced them to Giulia Farnese, a young girl of nearly 19, with a voluptuous figure, long, elegantly styled hair that was of a deep, dark auburn red(it was originally black as a raven, but she tried to dye it blonde, but it came out the wrong color, but it looked good on her despite the botched dyeing), a glamorous face with seductive dark eyes, and dressed in expensive scarlet and purple garments and decked with such jewels that she almost looked like a princess. Next was Giulia's husband, Orsino Orsini Migliorati, a scrawny man of 21 with long brown hair, scanty beard, and a noticeable squint in one of his eyes that made it looked like it almost didn't exist, making him look like he had only one eye, and for this, the family would often teasingly address him with the title "Monoculus", while he wife Giulia was often called "La Bella" by Rodrigo. Then they were introduced to Adriana de Mila, Rodrigo's cousin. They were distant cousins in blood, but close cousins in confidence. She was also Orsino's mother and thus Giulia's mother-in-law. She was a prim and proper looking old woman with stern features and graying brown hair that was tied back in a bun. Rodrigo told them that she would be their governess during their time with him. They also met Giulia's brother Alessandro Farnese, a priest like Cesare, who was visiting from the Vatican, and finally Rodrigo's chamberlain, Perotto Calderon, a young man with brownish skin, yellowish brown eyes, short, straight, black hair, and a thin chin beard with the moustache shaven.
Life at Rodrigo's villa was in certain ways the same for Jofré and Lucrezia, but in many ways quite different. Instead of jolly stepfather Carlo, there was father Rodrigo who spent most of his time at the Vatican with Pope Innocent VIII and the other cardinals, in his office discussing political and religious work with Juan, Cesare, Monoculus, and Perotto, or in his chambers with Giulia. Instead loving mother Vannozza, there was stern Adriana who proved to be quite the disciplinarian who was always scolding Jofré, Lucrezia, Giulia, and occasionally Juan and Cesare for their behavior. Instead of little Ottaviano, there were the much older Juan, Cesare, Giulia, Monoculus, and Perotto. Lucrezia at first did not get along with Giulia, but eventually they became fast friends. Jofré would spend most of his time with Juan and Cesare when they were out in the courtyards practicing with weapons, or when they were drinking wine with Giulia's brother Alessandro, and Giovanni de Medici, a friend of Cesare's from studying in Pisa, who had become a cardinal. Juan was a bit condescending in his treatment towards Jofré, always treating him like he was nearly an infant, while Cesare treated Jofré with a little more seriousness. Of the activities Jofré found that he excelled remarkably well at was archery. Juan and Cesare both were fond of sword fighting and other very combat related activities, but Jofré found archery to be relaxing and calming. Occasionally Juan and Cesare would try to make games with Jofré in his archery practice. Rodrigo very soon made betrothal arrangements for Lucrezia. It was to a man named Don Cherubino Joan de Centelles who was the lord of Val D'Ayora.. At first Lucrezia was excited, but then she was told that it would mean that she would most likely have to leave Rome and live in Spain. But then in a few weeks, Lucrezia was notified that Rodrigo decided to annul the engagement in favor of one he felt was more beneficial. The next would be-fiancé was a young man named Don Gaspare Aversa, count of Procida. At first Lucrezia was dismayed, but then she was relieved when she was told that he was more handsome and twice as rich. After Pedro Luis' requiem mass in the Sistine Chapel, Rodrigo, Juan, and Cesare were all quite pleased to announce at dinner that Juan was not yet needed to return to Spain, nor Cesare to Pisa for the next month or so. Jofré and Lucrezia witnessed several events at the Vatican: Juan being titled as the second Duke of Gandia after Pedro Luis, and the arrival of an Ottoman Turk Prince named Djem. After three and a half months of living with their father Rodrigo, one evening in mid July, a messenger came to the doors of the villa, telling Rodrigo and the rest of the household that Pope Innocent VIII was gravely ill. Rodrigo immediately left for the Vatican, leaving everyone else behind. For days they waited on what was happening. They were told that every medicinal method was being used to help the Pope recover. One rumor implied that the cardinals hired a jewish doctor to see to the Holy Father, and the jew asked for young boys to give some of their blood for the Pope and each boy was payed a ducat. This notion was unsettling to Jofré, and he was glad that he was safe in the villa and not at the Vatican. They were also told that the cardinals even hired a nursing mother with her newborn baby to give the Pope some of her breast milk. Jofré, Lucrezia, and most of the household thought the idea a bit grotesque, while Juan thought it was hysterical, even after Adriana gave him a sharp scolding. Finally, on the night of July 25, 1492, the great bell La Patarina rung loud and grimly sending all of Rome the message that Pope Innocent VIII has died.