From the highest star

11

Lorenzo approached Francesco who was still on the ground, put his hand on him but he got up without help, looked at him with a distorted look "you had to take the opportunity to kill me Medici" the boy turned and went away. Shortly after the Magnificent finds himself such arms of his brother and his friends who raised him showing him to the crowd. Lorenzo raised his fist and everyone shouted applauding. Beatrice was jumping for joy and Lucrezia too would have liked to do it but her role as queen allowed her to clap her hands. But the shouts of the crowd were enough for Lorenzo to feel proud.

Lorenzo, Giuliano, Cosimo and the others reached Lucrezia Ardinghelli, they bowed, she got up, she took the helmet and handed it to her lover, he turned, looks at the people, his people and raised the helmet to heaven. They all screamed together it was an immense moment of glory, of success.

Lorenzo, Giuliano, Cosimo and Sandro entered pushing and laughing at Palazzo Medici, Beatrice was with them to see Bianca and Lorenzo was given the letter that his mother wrote and sent to him from Rome.

"My dear Lorenzo, I will stay in Rome, where I can practice diplomacy on various fronts, I promised that our family will appoint Rinaldo, Clarice's brother, archbishop of Florence and in exchange Orsini persuaded the pope, who is now ill , to grant us a delay, as for Clarice Orsini, it seems that your words at the party had the desired effect, Carlo took your place at the wedding by proxy this morning, congratulations Lorenzo, you and Clarice are now husband and wife , our family has passed this test my son we have gained time, as head of this family, now you will be alone but we will be next to you, always. May God bless you and protect you"

"This is wonderful news ... let's go to our father"
The four boys ran upstairs followed by the young woman, all four without breaking away, they seemed almost drunk.
And while they were standing in front of the open door of Piero's room, Bianca came out of it with her face streaked with tears.
Everyone looked at her, Beatrice understood and put her hand in front of her mouth, everyone understood. She was trembling, and she didn't stop crying.
"No" Lorenzo with his sweaty face managed to say only that word and dropped the letter that had brought so much joy in a moment of despair.

Giuliano embraced his defenseless sister, Beatrice approached them and with shining eyes, put a hand on Giuliano's back.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Lorenzo did not want to believe it, he entered the room but his father was in bed, unconscious, a defenseless body,
"he had flown to heaven"
is what children say so as not to disturb them and so it was for Lorenzo, he was still a child in his eyes, but the father was in bed, dead.

Giuliano, Sandro and Cosimo also entered the room, Beatrice remained outside, looked at Bianca and took her in his arms, hugged her tightly to himself, and the tears were forced to go out. Lorenzo placed the helmet beside his father, took his hand and squeezed it but like a child who is afraid, he leaned his head on the lifeless body and wept.

A few days later

Lucrezia woke up and noticed that Lorenzo was no longer in her bed, she got up on her elbows and saw him on the desk writing.
"What time is it?" She asked sleepily. "Soon, late, I don't know" replied Lorenzo.
"you should be in bed"
"I can't Lucrezia, I'm overwhelmed by opportunities and obstacles"
"What kind of obstacles?" Lucrezia approached Lorenzo.
"Shortly after extending the credit to our bank, Pope Paul died of a heart attack and this forced the curia to elect a new Pope as successor"
"But the Pope is your ally, is that right?"
"When Cardinal della Rovere was, he arranged my marriage but now he is Pope Sixtus and relatives looking for favors, while Salviati is waiting...he is waiting for his moment to strike us" "But I'm sure Father Carlo will defend your interests"
"He will hinder them as long as he can but this is my moment Lucrezia I
...I have to seize it"
the boy stood up,
"of course" the young woman said with a sigh.
"And how will you use this moment of yours Lorenzo?"
"I will make Florence a true Republic" "I don't think my husband will support this choice and neither will Jacopo Pazzi"
"No ... no ... I don't think they will" The young Magnifico got dressed and took the book he was previously writing about.
"Where are you going?"
"Giuliano and I have to go to Milan" "For what reason?"
"To understand if our alliance is solid" "Be careful Lorenzo"
"Don't be afraid" Lorenzo took Lucrezia's hand.
"I'm serious...once already you narrowly escaped death"
"What I fear is a useless life, not death" he placed his lips on those of Madonna Ardinghelli.
"Then I'll be afraid for you"

The two young men ran with their majestic fast horses towards Milan, towards Sforza.
"I don't understand why woo Sforza when we should be at home demanding justice"
"Because the future is in peace with our neighbors ... not in the quarrels of the past"

"Lorenzo De'Medici, with my brother we must see the Duke"
"This way Messeri"
The children followed the man who guided them but as they walked towards their destination, Lorenzo stopped to look at a painting.
Giuliano and the man turned around, "Lorenzo! Come or not"
His brother called him and the boy turned his gaze towards the painting in the eyes of the brother who was waiting for him.

The Medici entered the small theater, there was celestial music, Sforza, his wife and son were in the center, sitting watching the show, on the stage there were three people.
The Duke became aware of Lorenzo's presence and made that theater stop.

"Lorenzo and Giuliano De'Medici... Welcome"
"Unexpected so much beauty behind such high and dark walls"
"A wise ruler not only shows his greatness by despising splendor...he must also shed blood to protect her... precisely"
At that moment a man and a woman were thrown onto the stage by the guards.
"It's me you want...please let her go," the man shouted.
At that point Bona, the housekeeper's wife stood up "come son" lightly pushed her son in front of her knowing what was going to happen. "Stay," Sforza shouted.
The wife turned around "she's too young"
"To learn survival...you see young Medici, as the sister of two kings my wife does not understand that one must win the admiration and fear of the subjects" the woman sat back in her chair and forced her son to do the same.
Sforza went up the steps that separated the stage from the audience "this nobleman has plotted to kill me" he pulled out a sword and Lorenzo stiffened, Giuliano did so with a worried face.
The woman covered her young son's eyes.
Galeazzo Sforza placed his sword on the neck of the train woman kneeling on the stage.

"Save it, you are expecting a child... please, he begged you"
the nobleman who had plotted to kill the Duke asked desperately.
"Sir... sir, the painting in the corridor, the last judgment, who is the artist?" Lorenzo asked
"I have forgotten it" replied Galeazzo. "It does not remind us all of Christ's teaching, there will be no mercy for those who do not show it" concluded the Magnificent.
Sforza looked at him and laughed. "your concern for my soul moves me Lorenzo De'Medici" that cruel man cut the strings with which the couple was tied.
"Go, I forgive you" The noble threw himself at the governor's feet and kissed them thanking him.
Sforza, after ordering the guards to take the two people away, opened his arms in front of everyone and recited these words: "I command you to love me for my humility and kindness" words that were quite false since while the young bachelor and the older brother went out, on the ground there was the woman who had risked death, crying and had among her hands the face of her dead husband.

"He forgave him," Giuliano said
"To save face, there are those who see pity as a weakness," replied Lorenzo.

Giuliano stood looking at her for a few seconds, he had sad eyes, those blue eyes that led, whoever looked at them, into an enormous ocean.

When they were in the valley of Florence, they stopped to look at the great dome that Cosimo had wanted at all costs.
"Come on...our mother will be waiting for us...who comes first!"
Giuliano exclaimed starting quickly on horseback and Lorenzo smiling followed him.