The Mistress

Chapter 3. The Vatican

3

1492 Rome, Italy.

I think I fell asleep for all of an hour before the sun woke me back up. A few trunks lay at the foot of my bed. They were mine, from my home. My father must have had them dropped off here after we have separated. But then I started to weep, my father was gone and who knows when I would see him again. The guards brought me to this room last night. They didn't speak to me, they told me nothing about why I was here. They only told me that this was my room at that was it. Of course being in the Vatican apartments meant that the room was grand, large silk and velvet tapestries lined the walls. Imagery of bulls on just about everything. "The Borgia Bull" I said as my eyes saw a small bronze bull statue that sat on a decorative table. It was not a completely strange place, I had been to the Vatican many times in my life but for the past several years my father has distanced me from this place and the people inside.
I get dress by myself. A light blue silk dress and white satin shoes. I take a deep breath before opening the door to walk out. Did I have any idea of where I was going or what I was doing, no but what else was I to do? Many people walked through the halls but I didn't know any of them. No one seemed to even notice me, literally not a single person. But part of me knew they were paying attention. Nothing went unnoticed in Rome.
"Who are you?" a gental voice says and I spun to look at the person. It was a young woman about 14 with blonde curly hair like mine and fair skin. This could only be one person. Lucrezia Borgia. She has gotten so big since the last I saw her. The last I saw her she was just a little thing. A few months after I turned 13 I stopped seeing The Borgia family altogether. It was my fathers doing, he kept me home all the time. Something changed in those few months and now it was about to change again.
"Lucrezia you don't remember me?" I stare at her for a moment and she smiles. I open my arms she runs in for a hug. "I was going to be heart broken of you forgot me." It would not be surprising if she did forget me, she was young the last time I saw her.
"I could never forget you Lena, you were like my big sister." I looked like I could be her sister we both look similar, blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin. "What are you doing here?"
"My father left me here." I tell her. She didn't need to know more even if there wasn't much more to tell. It was all very confusing and trying to put this together in my head was proving to be difficult.
"Papa told us that we were going to have a guest but I didn't know you were coming so soon." I didn't even know I was coming at all. It is clear now that my father was planning on coming here but not this soon. "Come on, you must be hungry." Lucrezia wraps her arm around mine as if we have been best friends forever. She had a jump in her step. It was like that when she was younger to, so energetic. She also hummed as well, a tune I didn't know. But she seemed to be merry enough.
We go into the court yard where plates and wine were already set up. "So where is everyone?" I ask Lucrezia. She sat down first and readied herself to eat, unfolding her napkin and making sure everything was in order. I sat across from her but my head still looked around at the open archways to see if anyone I knew passed by.
"Well durning the mornings everyone has their own things to do. I think Juan is in a fitting, Cesare might be with papa, and Jofré is in school." She took a sip of water from her glass.

"What's it like Lucrezia do have your father as pope and live here in the Vatican." I remember when we were kids we always imagined what it would be like to live this life. 
"I feel like a princess, but I also feel like a prisoner." She face was joyous but her voice somber as she sat down her glass.
"Why is that?" My interest peaked.
"Because I have guards and my brothers spies watching me." She paused think for a moment, her eyes avoiding mine. "Let's not talk about me. What about you, why are you here? I mean really."
"I don't know, but I'm scared that I might not see my father, he has been in my life for so long and now I am without him." In front of me a glass of wine sat and I took a drink quickly, it was a way for me to hold in my tears. Why couldn't he tell me what is going on? I would have been there for him. Why did he leave me here with nothing. Every ounce of strength I had kept me from bursting in tears at this moment. Where was my father now, is he alive and safe?
"I know that feeling a little, since Papa became Pope he is more busy than ever." I start to eat what is on my plate, it's all sweets. Not surprising Lucrezia always ate sweets more than actual food and I can see that her diet hasn't changed. She didn't eat a lot but when she did it was sweets.
My eyes tracked a man who comes up behind Lucrezia and kisses her on the top of her head. I know this man, but he was little the last time I saw him. "Who is your friend Lucrezia?" He asks while sitting down. He was in his Cardinal robes. My father kept me up to date on a few things and I remember him telling me when The Pope gave Cesare his Cardinal hat. He said the whole Vatican erupted because many were upset at this.
"What you don't remember me Cesare?" I ask while sipping wine.
"Oh I remember you very much." He says. He better remember me, we spent 10 plus years together. That long with a person you better not forget their face. "You must be the guest that father told me about." Cesare bairly even looked at me, he didn't even make eye contact. He left not long after, not even bothering to stay for the whole meal. Even Lucrezia made a comment about him leaving early. He simple put it that he had work to do. But I couldn't help but think of how handsome he had become. His dark curls sat just on his shoulders, he was tall at least from wear I sat and from what I could see through the Cardinal robes he was athletic.

The next day I see Cesare walking alone in the Vatican gardens. He is dressed in full Cardinal robes. He must have just come back from Saint Peters. "Cesare!" I call after him but he doesn't even turn around. I walk up behind him. "Cesare you're ignoring more than we used to ignore Juan."
"Why are you here?" he asks, I scoff.
"I just wanted to talk to you. We haven't really talked yet." I could never imagine him being this rude to me. It never happened before and I'm sure of why it's happening now. I have no one in this palace and it would be nice to have my best friend back. Sure we hadn't seen each other in years but how much could have changed?
"Well I can't talk now." he speeds away. What did I do? He is giving me the cold shoulder. "My lady, I have a letter for you?" The servant hands me the letter. It's from my father. I rush back to my room to read it.

"To My Love, Lena

I know this is strange me leaving and all but it was for your protection.

I hope to be back soon.

With all love, Papa."

That's it? What do I need to be protected from and why? This letter told me nothing. I want to be with him, not here. I could be helping him. What is going on?

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