War of Hearts || Reign || REWRITE

29- The death of Ottavio

March 25th, 1563

After the coronation, there was dinner and dancing in the ballroom. Mary and Francis sat at the main table with the happiest expressions on their faces. The rest of us sat at the tables on the sides of the room.

I had danced that night with the women and with Max and Francis. When my feet started to hurt, I withdrew to the corner of the room.

Ottavio was in deep conversation with some ambassador and seemed to pay no attention to me.

Francis walked up to me and I made a curtsy. "How does it feel to be a crowned king now?" I asked laughing, I was slightly tipsy from the wine and did not notice that Ottavio was watching me. "Wonderful," said Francis. "You're leaving tonight?" he asked seriously.

I nodded "Yes I don't know how long it will be before I see you again" I said sadly "Don't worry I'm sure it will be very soon If you'll excuse me" he walked out of the ballroom , leaving me amazed.

Ottavio walked up to me and roughly pulled me by the arm to our room.

"What's going on Ottavio?" I asked when we got into the room. Anna was in the room packing the last things.

"Why did the king speak to you?!" he yelled at me. I felt myself shrink. "He spoke to everyone Ottavio" I said softly.

"Liar!" He screamed, he was furious "During the party you both looked like a couple in love. Have you become his whore? Are you a whore?" he shouted. He walked over to me and roughly grabbed my shoulder "You whore!"

I felt tears rolling down my cheeks from the pain. "Please let me go" I whimpered, something I shouldn't have done because he lashed out hard at my cheek in anger causing me to lose my balance and fall to the ground.

"Madonna!" Anna shouted as she started to walk towards me I motioned her to stay away for fear that he would do something to her too.

"We're leaving right now" he said as he roughly pulled me up by my arms. I nodded quietly and followed him into the courtyard where the carriage and his horse were already waiting. The two guards he had brought with him from Italy were also waiting for us.

I got into the carriage with Anna and closed the door behind me. When the carriage started moving and Ottavio rode ahead of us, I burst into tears. I felt a wave of emotions go through me. I was anxious, sad and worried.

I was now sure that Ottavio would lock me up in the palace.

"Please calm down" Anna begged as she rubbed my back. "We need to do something about your cheek" she said concerned as she rubbed a handkerchief over my cheek.

I hadn't noticed that my cheek had turned bright red from the blow Ottavio had given me. There was even some blood coming out.

"Don't worry about that" I sobbed "I'm used to it".

Anna nodded and pulled them back, her gaze still concerned and in shock.

I looked out the window. The palace was no longer visible and I knew we were already more than a kilometer from the palace.

I looked up at the sky, which was so dark I could hardly see anything, and thought of Francis. This was the second time I left without saying goodbye to him and I felt terrible.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice the driver had stopped driving until Anna woke me from my thoughts.

"Why did we stop?" She said. I looked startled out the window and saw a group of 6 men walking towards Ottavio and his guards.

"This is not good" I said before opening the door of the carriage and walking to the front of the carriage "what's going on?" I asked the driver, "Go back inside, Madonna. They look dangerous." said the coachman. I hurried back into the carriage but kept looking out the window.

"What do you want?" Ottavio shouted to the men. His two guards stood protecting him "Is the gold you want? Because I have it"

One of the men laughed, it was a nasty sound "You are the Pope's son, aren't you?" He asked Ottavio, "Yes, I am indeed" Ottavio said proudly.

He should have lied.

"Then there's only one thing you can do for us," said the man, taking his sword from its scabbard and the other men did the same.

Before I knew it they stabbed the two guards in the stomach causing them to fall from their horse groaning in pain. I soon saw a pool of blood around their bodies. Ottavio didn't have time to run before he was stabbed too.

I looked away from the carnage. They would come for us now.

Anna was crying next to me and I took her hand comfortingly.

I wanted to tell her everything would be all right, but I couldn't, knowing the men would kill us now too.

But to my surprise, they got on their horse and rode away. Leaving me, Anna and the coachman behind.

I breathed a sigh of relief and then got out of the carriage. The coachman was already with Ottavio and when I came down he took off his cap that he had worn on his head all along.

"I'm sorry Madonna, but he's dead," he said. I stopped and looked at Ottavio's lifeless body.

I don't know why but I burst into tears again. Not out of sadness, but out of relief. I finally got rid of him and he could never hurt me again.

The coachman probably thought I was sad about his death because he escorted me back into the coach. "What are we going to do now Madonna?" He asked.

I took a deep breath and wiped the tears from my face. "Take the clothes out of my chests and put in his body and those of the guards. We are going to the papal state where the guards are given to their families and Ottavio would be buried. Tie the horses to the carriage so that they can return home to the stables" I commanded.

The coachman nodded and did as I asked him to before we continued our journey through the night.