From the highest star

4

And what is she, my beauty,
the one who does not get tired of praising,
I will spend later in your contentment:
softly joined by your side,
I will make you taste the delights of love,
when he is well learned on the missing side;

and this is where I could take such delight,
that you could call each other for content,
and the advantage of falling in love.

(Veronica Franco)

Florence, January 6, 1469

"Good morning father, you look happy" Beatrice was in the garden reading a book when her father gave her that news.
"I'm happy Beatrice, because I found a husband for you and two wives for your brothers" immediately Beatrice's face changed expression, she lowered her face to her book.
"And who would my future husband be?"
"Francesco Pazzi" hearing that name Beatrice felt the earth collapse beneath her, her breathing gasped, she dropped the book and ran away crying, while her older brother Cosimo stopped her and looked into her eyes as she arrived in her room "what happened?"
"Our father gave me in marriage to Francesco Pazzi" Cosimo clenched his fists, left his sister and ran to his father.
In his study, Fiammetta wept and quarreled with him, Cosimo threw open the door.
"You can't give it to the Pazzi"
"Cosimo stop it, it's me who decides and that's how I decided"
"You don't understand, they'll hurt her and then you'll regret leaving her in their hands, but it'll be too late." Cosimo only had a place where he could be listened to and understood.
Medici Palace.

He knocked on the door of Lorenzo's study.
"Come in" these were the first words of the Magnificent "Lorenzo ..."
Lorenzo was intent on reading some papers and Giuliano, lying on his chair, was playing with a dagger in front of Lorenzo's desk.
Cosimo kept his eyes down, played with his hands.
"What I'm about to tell you will change our relationship" Lorenzo looked up at Cosimo and Giuliano continued to swing the weapon,
"What happened Cosimo?"
"My father ... gave Beatrice in marriage to Francesco Pazzi" at that point Giuliano raised his face and the blade of the dagger penetrated the wood of the desk, Giuliano got up and walked towards the garden.
He got on his horse and followed by Cosimo and Lorenzo arrived at Palazzo Ridolfi.
He saw Giulio and ran to meet them.
"You cannot marry her to Pazzi" The head of the Ridolfi family looked at his son behind Lorenzo "I decide who to leave my daughter with"
"Where is she?"
"Giuliano don't do crazy things" "Where is it!"

"at Palazzo Pazzi"
G

iuliano wasted no time and on horseback reached the Palace.

He entered and saw Jacopo Pazzi, attacked him, took the edges of his jacket and pushed him against the well.
"Where is Beatrice"
"Medici, come and get things that are not yours" answered Jacopo
"They are not even yours yet, tell me where it is" shortly after Giuliano heard Beatrice's voice.
"Giuliano ... what are you doing"
He left Jacopo and went to her Beatrice took her hand and led her towards the exit.
"Guards!" Giuliano turned.
"Pazzi stop the guards, Beatrice is not yours yet"
The man looked at the Medici with a longing look, Giuliano took Beatrice out of her residence, made her mount her horse and looked at the two men behind him.
"I'm taking her away, safe," said Giuliano sitting astride the horse which he forced to leave quickly.

Beatrice was holding on to the body of her hero, she thought she was safe, but what would happen the following days she could not know.
Shortly after Beatrice embraced Giuliano, they arrived in Pistoia, in the Medici residence.
Giuliano got out and made Beatrice get off.

He guided her inside the house, she looked around her, she had never been in such a big house, alone with a man, with her Giuliano her.
She liked that place, she started running around the building, and Giuliano followed her laughing.
In the minds of those boys the memories of when, as children, two simple children destined to a cruel destiny ran around Palazzo Medici.
Happy, carefree, with the joy and love of two great families, with the desire to grow up and become as great as their parents, to make them proud.
Not anymore, now they would like to go back to those beautiful days when all evil was just a bad nightmare.

Beatrice stopped, turned and looked at Giuliano, he smiled, came closer, got so close that there were no more barriers between them, it was not possible for a woman to do such a thing, she would have been scarred for life, no one there, 'she would marry.
She placed her hands on his chest and kept her gaze down, only then did she raise it and when she did she was flooded with a sea of ​​love, her lips were on Giuliano's, Beatrice immediately broke away, caressed Giuliano's face and looked at him , but he said nothing, turned and went out into the garden.
Giuliano followed her and stood beside her.
"Giuliano, you said you never fell in love, but do you believe in love?" Giuliano looked at her "it's just a nice word to describe some petty impulses of man, desire, jealousy, craving for possession"
"Your words are always so beautiful, you will make poets envy" Giuliano smiled and in an instant he turned around, looked at her and noticed her great beauty.
He had never noticed her, but the magnificent sight of her did not last long, Beatrice disappeared into the Palace and Giuliano continued to look at the garden of that magnificent villa.