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I now give you Chapter Two of the Dreaming. I hope you love this my little Dreamers, MWAH!
Canto II
Repubblica di Firenze, Anno 1476
Francesco de' Pazzi was one of those noblemen who wish only for the highest quality and of the best for his family. It showed through the gifts he had spent on his four children, specifically his only son and heir, Vieri. His eldest daughter, Fiorella, had succeeded, to all that was possible, of her mother's rights and consequences, at the age of sixteen. Her influence had always been great, and they had gone one together most happily. His two other daughters were of very inferior value; nonetheless they were equally spoiled by their father. Viola had acquired a little artificial reputation, by being married to the son of a Roman senator; but Serafina, with elegance of mind and pristine beauty, was nobody with either father or sister, her words had no meaning to them—she was simply Serafina.
To Jacopo de' Pazzi, Francesco's uncle, she was a highly valued grand-niece and a favorite, her sense of intellect was far different than the other girls. Why, he personally saw to it that she would be educated without any other single thought. She studied Latin, Greek, and even French as request. Remarkably, Serafina spoke her words as if they were her last, she preferred the life of privacy and of closed gates, and the only person she could speak to was her brother. It was yet another year where the dark gray clouds gave the city a very dull ambiance.
Dicembre had always been a damp month, if it did not rain, it generally snowed. During this month, Serafina frequented the Pazzi chapel, her maidservant, Ursula, would come along to assist her. She gazed up at the dome of the porch before entering the cappella, its blue and gold colors habitually mesmerize her to the point of contentedly standing there, her family had chosen a very talented architect to build this building, and no doubt it showed the wealth and power of the house. She entered and greeted the monks there. Serafina sat on one church chair and diligently made the sign of the cross; she opened her personal bible, and grasped her blue rosary firmly in one hand. Ursula lit a few candles at the side, muttering her own litanies to the Lord, and later she sat down next to her charge.
"Vieri expects me to watch him achieve yet another great coup at the Arno today," said Serafina "I fear that Mamma is shaking her head pathetically at her son again." Ursula glanced at the thirteen-year-old girl then back to the pearly white floor beneath their feet. Today, Serafina wore her favored sheer chemise gown, worn over it was a violet stiff bodice with gold and silver artichoke designs, the last piece of the attire was a white gown that was parted in the middle to show off the kirtle beneath it. The tight-fitting sleeves were white and were attached to the gown by using gold buttons. Half of Serafina's auburn hair was tied into a knot at the back of her head, leaving the rest to flow down to her knees, while a long braid that had been placed over her shoulder was studded with pearls. She looks up at the statues fixed against the wall and imagined all of them were granting her a favor. Once she finished, she prudently stood up, and left.
"Will you be heading to the Arno Signorina? Your brother is quite the charlatan when it comes to such frivolous games," said Ursula. The maiden looked at her rosary and bible before handing them to her for safekeeping. "I know my brother will cheat in order to win, why else would he set up such contests in the first place? Nobody defeats him in his own game and when someone tries to defy him, they end up floating along the river. Do you remember that one man, Gregorio was his name, he won in a horse race, and the next thing he knew, Vieri had lodged his dagger right into his eye socket."
Serafina was constantly aware of her family's wrongdoings, which is why she served most of her time reading books, praying, and educating the children of other families. The latter was a humiliating choice of activity, since she knew all to well how much her father hated the rest of the social class, specifically those underneath nobility. They were born a commoner, he said and so they must remain as one till their death. She often times find herself thankful that Viola and her do not equal their father in any trait. Serafina chose a much narrow street after exiting the Santa Croce rather than choosing a wider one where you can breathe easily. She preferred confinement over socializing; she hardly had any friends at all due to her quiet and plain nature. Although, when provoked, her tongue was just as sharp as any blade her brother can wield.
Serafina emerged from Borgo Santa Croce, a look of reluctance was present on her face before strolling down Via de' Benci. The only object separating her and the gruesome contest below was a brick fence. Vieri, like always, was in the lead of his game. A few servants of the Pazzi positioned themselves below on a small pier; they were equipped with bows and deadly arrows. Some of the players noted them and gradually backed their boats away from the Pazzi boy. He saw his little sister, alongside other viewers, and waved. She waved back, knowing it was enough for him to boost his energy to win. Serafina watched as her brother crossed the finish line, undeniably making himself the champion of his game.
"He triumphs once again," Serafina blinked once and glanced over her shoulder to see a man, much older than her, standing nearby. He had a masculine figure, a very common characteristic, and he sported the long doublets Vieri wears as well. He bows to her, apologizing for his rudeness, and she somehow admired the way he articulates every sentence that he pours out of his chapped lips. He smiles at her now.
"You look quite uninterested while observing Vieri's foul play," he said and slowly walked over to Serafina's side. She remained stoic, mimicking the statues from her family's chapel, and her gaze locked into his. The older man does not falter, he is strong.
"Then what do you wish for me to do Messer? Cheer for my brother when I know what he did was wrong?" she inquired and the man seemed taken aback. "Oh, you are Vieri's younger sister! If I am not mistaken, you are Viola, am I right?" Serafina shook her head negatively and clasped her hands together on her front. "You are gravely mistaken Messer, Viola is not my identity. My name is Serafina de' Pazzi." Her established converser quirked a thick eyebrow and she waited for his initial reaction.
"Serafina de' Pazzi, I have not heard that name before. Are you sure you are a Pazzi?" said he. "If I was not, I would not have shared to you my house Messer." Serafina saw her brother coming up the steps and eventually ended her dialogue with the stranger.
Vieri came up to her and kissed her cheek thoughtfully, she returned the gesture, and enquired if he was hurt, he shakes his head. All was well. That is when he spotted the eldest son from the house of Auditore standing behind his sister. Serafina looked at him questionably and turned around. The man was still there by his lonesome. "What are you doing here, Auditore scum?" Vieri reprimanded, putting his younger sister away from danger. Serafina rejoined Ursula and the two young maids watched the scene divulge. It will turn into a brawl and an acquitted life will be caught in its dangerous fire.
"Fratello," she muttered, though it was soft, Vieri heard it and he turned to her "Per favore, not here, not at this hour. I recently came from church." Her brother clenched his gloved fist tightly; she nearly trembled in Ursula's grasp. The Pazzi heir inhaled and heaved a heavy sigh. The man he had called Auditore scum stared at them curiously, he finally grasped the situation and laughed coherently. He grinned and shook his head.
"Oh dear Vieri, you surprise me day by day. Anyhow, I must head back to my home. Father might be in need of me." He then faces Serafina, grinning still, he bowed deeply at her and she modestly bowed her head at him. When he left, Vieri walks the other way, and grabs his sister's wrist bitterly. Ursula did not know what to do and just trailed after her masters. The palazzo greeted them all too well; no such house could ever give Serafina a nostalgic feeling. She had witnessed her mother's death right in this very cold edifice.
Vieri drew her into the courtyard and forced her to sit on one of the stone benches, the very same bench where he had seen her for the very first time. She yelped upon sitting down briskly and angrily stared at her brother. Vieri looked down at her and ordered his servants to leave them in privacy. They complied and now the two were left alone. He paced about amongst the arcading before taking a seat close to his sister. She was quiet; she had nothing to say in the current matter. She rarely smiled a sincere and true smile. Their mother would have disciplined her for wearing such a frown.
"Forgive me if I had been too cruel," said Vieri. He took Serafina's wrist and rubbed the reddening skin lightly. The young girl gradually withdrew her hands as would a cat does with its claws. "I have forgiven you so many times for that; I fear my prayers are nothing but irritating favors nowadays." He sighed and removed his iconic hat to run his fingers through his hair. "Your faith in God is stronger than mines sorellina, your patience and clemency towards me is very astounding indeed," he mumbled.
Serafina blinked once and her gaze fell on her lap. "My spiritual patience differs from my physical patience brother," said she and witnessed Vieri's endless fiddling. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder, she felt his warmth and with it, his anger too. He had gotten himself into numerous affrays since the day he turned fifteen. She always thought he had a reason to do such a thing when several years ago, he had more vanity than their older sister.
But of course, he was a man and he had to display this aura of masculinity whenever he had the chance. If attainable, Serafina could have stopped these brawls herself and make sure Vieri was well-behaved in the presence of his superiors. He turned to her, a new expression was visible on his face, and placed his hand over hers.
"The house of Auditore, I am sure you have heard of them in the past." Serafina tried to comprehend but could not, so she asked him who they were instead. "Like us, they manage a bank. You can see them almost everyday at a festivity or at some maiden's house, tangled in both sheets and legs." She then recalled crying, it was not a mournful cry, but a mad exclamation about a certain boy who whispered so many lies in one night. Viola de' Pazzi was said to have fallen for the second eldest Auditore son, his name remains anonymous to Serafina, he in turn swooned her into crawling into his bed.
The morrow came after and so did the gossip. Viola had failed to note the others who preceded her and it broke her fragile heart when she overheard about him bedding yet another young maiden. Serafina comforted her dear sister and she received a scolding from her father. She deserved it, they say, she is a senseless little girl who opened her heart to a leech. They sent her away to a relative's home, to recuperate both her heart and observance, and there in Rome, she married a senator's son.
It was not out of pity, but out of love, he was a passionate young man and his money was insightful as any senator's family. Francesco certified the matrimony and the two had been living happily together since then. Now marriage was a different subject to Serafina, many of her peers married out of wealth while others were for familial reasons. She had yet to choose her own path in the nearest future, if not married till then, she will devote her life to God.
"The one whom you have recently met at the Arno was Federico Auditore; he fools around most of the time, so you must be careful upon seeing him again." Vieri told her. Serafina removed her hand from her brother's shoulder and returned it to her lap. "A fool like him is most likely to cause any trouble, not unless he is motivated." She stands up and looks down at her older brother. "Worry not my sweet Vieri, Ser Federico and I will not meet again, I swear to you and our house," she said and her look showed no more expressions. Vieri follows her; he lightly takes her small face into his large hands, and leans down to kiss her forehead, silently sealing their vowed promise. Serafina gave away a passing smile that could have artists beseeching her to repeat it over and over.
"Natale is nearing, have you inquired father of what was to be your next gift?" Vieri said as they climbed the staircase leading to the numerous rooms of the palazzo. He could even recall himself, young and spirited, running down these hallways followed by an all too eager Serafina. Their mother had ordered fresh roses for her room. He plucked one rose bud from its stem then handed it to his sister like the gentleman he was. Serafina pondered that memory too; the rose bud was still kept in between the pages of her journal.
She excused herself to resume her daily routine. Vieri held her hand in his and lightly kissed her smooth knuckles. Till we meet at dinner, he said and then exited. Even though she had a lot of things crossing her mind, she could not help but think about his well-being. She worried he might get involved in another gruesome brawl. Nonetheless, Serafina had to seclude her being once more and indulge herself in books.
Serafina was reluctant to take a stroll around the city the next day. It was too wet outside and she disliked wearing those Venetian clogs to keep her gown dry. She sat by the window seat, her elbow propped on the sill, and her mind wandering about in adventures she wished she had. An open book of Hesoid's works lay upon her lap. A plain chemise, a pink bodice with gold embroidery, and a dark pink over gown were her clothing for that day. Her floral schemed sleeves had gashes along the arms where the chemise was tucked out and around her waist was a thin pearl belt. As always, her long hair had been brushed back to show her face and holding it in place was a silver crown, hand-picked by her grand-uncle.
She tapped her cheek absentmindedly and decided to leave the house on her own for a while. No one will even know she had gone out. Serafina wrapped her white fur cape around her shoulders, silently uttering a prayer before stepping out. The streets of Florence were quiet during this hour; many were in deep slumber due to the cold winds that they refuse to leave the comforts of their warm beds. The only figures she saw in the morning mist were the street sweepers and bread vendors. Cool winds brushed against her brows and she pulled her cowl over her head.
Florence was still as a painting and it soothed Serafina in some way. She arrived at the Piazza del Duomo and saw the gigantic façade of Santa Maria del Fiore. Its dome was the largest of all in the city. She ventured more, having less caution in her thoughts. She waited for the sun to come up and engulf everyone in its light; the roofs gave the city a bright orange color that is sometimes painful to the eyes. Then, for a moment, everything was quiet. Serafina heard a pot breaking in one alley, was she imagining things? She felt a chill run up her spine and her temperature dropped, almost cold as a stone as she stood there.
Abruptly, she saw something drop onto the ground just a few meters from her, it was dark in figure, and she was afraid it was a cutthroat. All those accounts of murders in the streets had Serafina turn back too quickly, her cowl fell off her head, and she came face to face with a group of guards. She recognized the emblem on their shoulders, they came from the house of Vespucci. One of the servants questioned her if she had seen a man coming through here. Serafina recalled the retreating form and wondered if she should speak of it or not. She kept her lips sealed, and the guard, impatient and haughty, threatened to hit her if she does not tell.
"And you would dare hit a maiden from the house of Pazzi?" The guards looked back and Serafina was surprised to see Federico Auditore. He smiled at them and he held his arms out, he was unarmed and it would be unfair if they attacked him now. The guard turned back to Serafina. She simply bowed her head at them; the crown she wore had the insignia of the Pazzi forged onto it. The Vespucci guards apologized and retreated the other way. Federico laughed at them and approached the young maiden Serafina. She had her gaze to the ground yet again, she had promised Vieri not to meet this man.
"Are you not going to thank me?" Federico asked. She held her chin up, but refused to lock gazes, "Thank you Messer Federico Auditore," she said curtly "Will that be all?" He looked at her small physique. She had beauty and charm; however she was like an ice maid, so ferocious and so strident. Federico circled her once and tapped his own chin.
"Why do you refuse to look at me?" he queried. "Because I was taught not to look into the eyes of my family's enemies," Serafina replied. He chuckles softly and peers into her young face. "Not all enemies are fierce cara, your family just chose mistook the certain people to be their opponents."
She almost broke her shield, her head bowed a bit, and her shoulders slumped. There was right in his words, and yet there was wrong. It is in the wrong because it involved her family, her name. It is in the right because not every opponent had a dark heart. Evidently, the Auditore, the name her brother cursed was on both sides of the fence. Federico waited and doubted the girl was too lost in thoughts.
"You are awfully quiet little Pazzi maiden, shall we continue your stroll elsewhere?" He offered her his arm and she hesitated. Maybe Vieri had been wrong, maybe he was just lost in his anger that he had no time to observe the family even more. Gradually, Serafina linked her arm around Federico's and the two walked together down the stone streets.