From the highest star

21

April
Sandro put down the chair and the two servants placed the painting covered by a bordeux cloth on it.
Vespucci watched their movements attentively.
Simonetta from her room heard Sandro's voice.
"Now you can go Botticelli...Lorenzo will make sure you receive the money you are owed."
"You misunderstood me...I beg you to believe me, my intentions with your wife were completely pure, let me take her back again, I beg you."
"No I don't want to and I won't allow it."
The sick Simonetta stood up and joined the two men.
"Are you finished then?"
"My love, you should be resting," her husband told her.
"May I see him?"
"That's why I asked to deliver it, to lift your spirits...proceed" he claimed to the master.
Sandro looked at the woman, her eyes were red and she looked painful.
He turned and removed the cloth.
Simonetta smiled.
"Master...that's it, I can't find the words."
Marco watched the happy looks on their faces.
He raised his arm and shouted at Botticelli.
"Thank you!"
"Eh no you have to cooperate in choosing its location"
"Marco...please" Simonetta asked.
"Very well" he said leaving the room.
After placing the painting on the pedestal Sandeo looked at the girl.
"Are you not well Madonna"
"It's nothing master, nothing this can't cure...I'm sorry it punishes you for our sins"
Simonetta coughed, so hard she couldn't stand, Sandeo grabbed her.
"Is it serious?"
"Promise not to say anything to Giuliano."
Marco entered at that moment, left the money in Sandro's hands and looked at him.
"Keep it and never come back" the three looked at each other and Sandro walked out of the Palace while Simonetta stayed looking at the painting.

Medici Palace
"You should have crushed him with your horse, without his vote we will lose for sure...we might as well leave Florence before they kick us out" Giuliano shouted
"No there are still those who will abandon Jacopo and support Petrucci if he made the agreement with Venice and Milan guaranteeing the safety of the city, I will have to convince Sforza in person" at the same time Beatrice, Clarice and Lucrezia entered the room.
"You are requested elsewhere, the Papal army is reaching the City of Castello".
Lucrezia said handing him the letter.
"I know, I know, Sisto won't listen."
"Then...leave Vitelli to his fate" exclaimed Giuliano.
"And the people? Florence has always protected that city" replied his brother.
"There cannot be another Volterra."
Replicated Clarice.
"She is right, too many people will die" continued Ridolfi.
"I went to Citta di Castello, you will go to Milan and convince Sforza to sign" Giuliano raised his arms.
"Lorenzo!" He exclaimed.
"Giuliano the family needs you, do as he says."
"How can I convince Sforza...what has changed?"
"I will write a letter, none of us can fail this time"
"I will go with Giuliano" everyone looked at her.
"Don't look at me like that."

Vespucci Palace
"I'm sorry to disturb you" Pazzi looked at Simonetta, he was staring at her as if to make a point.
"What do you want?"
"I'm tired" the girl stood up and Marco did the same and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
And when she left the room Marco began to speak.
"If you are here to convince me to vote for your uncle, you are wasting your time."
"When you know what I know...I won't need to convince you...it's right in front of your eyes" said the young Pazzi stopping to look at the painting, Marco approached and understood.

Shortly after, while Simonetta was looking out the window, he came in slamming the door, he was furious.
"Do you perhaps think I am a ridiculous man?"
"What do you mean?"
"Giuliano De'Medici" Simonetta trembled, walked over to the bed and sat on it.
"It's over..."
"Do you love him?...answer...do you love him? I can forgive you but only if you tell me you don't love him" Simonetta didn't answer, she just looked at him.
He grabbed her, dragged her away.
She screamed, screamed to leave her, that it hurt.
When they got to the basement he pushed her onto some flour sacks.
"You will stay here, until I decide what to do with you."

Milan
Beatrice walked alongside Giuliano through the corridors of the palace.
In front of them stood two guards.
"Giuliano..."
The boy looked at his wife.
"I know you love Simonetta, you don't need to hide it from me, I already know and it doesn't matter, if you are happy and well so am I, Simonetta is a dear friend of mine, I love her, and you are my husband, but be careful with Marco."
He looked at her, gave a slight smile and took her hand.

"This letter from Lorenzo asks me to challenge Sisto."
"He is only one man"
"He is the Pope...and if my husband antagonizes him, he will alienate his own citizens" Bona replied.
"I don't have time for this..." fixed Giuliano as he passed the three, Beatrice watching the scene from the sidelines.
"I'm not a politician and I don't have the eloquence of my brother, so I'll use simple words in case you haven't understood, if you don't adhere to this treaty now Milan will find itself in a very uncertain position."
"That is," Bona asked.
Beatrice interjected.
"On one border Venice will remain a rival, an enemy city of yours, and on the other side, you will no longer have Florence as your ally."
Sforza looked at Beatrice.
"Madonna is a threat perhaps?"
"Not at all Duke, without this treaty the Medici family will lose control of Florence within the Priori, in their place will be the Pazzi, who as we all know...despise you, for supporting the Piero and Lorenzo, and who are allies of the Pope who is about to take Città di Castello and will not stop expanding the Papal state"
"That is the choice you must make Duke" Giuliano continued looking at his wife.
Giuliano left without saying goodbye.
"It has been a pleasure Duke"
"The pleasure is mine Madonna"
"Bona"
"Beatrice"
The girl followed her husband.
At the same time Luca Soderini was being killed by a man hired by Pazzi who had been denied his vote.

Medici Palace, Florence
"So?" Lorenzo asked his brother who had just entered the room.
"Sforza has accepted."
"Good...we have a chance to stop Jacopo...well done brother."
"It is also thanks to Beatrice, without her he would not have accepted"
"I will thank her as soon as I see her."
"It will not be enough to have the support of the Priors" Lucrezia said.
"Why?" Giuliano asked.
"Soderini was killed...people believe you gave the order...they knew he had promised support to the Pazzi, Vespucci, he too sided with Jacopo"
"Why?" Giuliano asked again.
"Because of the affair with his wife" Giuliano remained motionless, his brother and mother looked at him.
Then he turned around and with his face still full of dust, he went out and headed for Palazzo Vespucci.