Freak of Time, History's Game ( I Medici Masters Of Florence)

Chapter 6

Florence
1455

Florence became her love at first sight.
Vittoria de Benedetti was now grateful that her father forced her to take that journey to the north.
She never imagined to visit such an interesting and renewing city in her life.
Cosimo de Medici, her father's old friend, welcomed them in front of his villa.
The young lady would have preferred to keep visiting the city, but all she could do now was to wander into the villa and its gardens.

Vittoria had always been a rebel and wild spirit. She ignored her keeper's warnings and ran to loose herself behind bushes and big trees. Till she decided to climb a tree in order to try to see beyond the walls of the property.
That was all she was looking for. A nice sight, a tender breeze, being surrounded by green life.

Vittoria turned twenty just few weeks before. She was jealous of her freedom, but she knew she couldn't keep it forever.
The ghost of a combined marriage was pending over her head like a sword about to cut her.
Just few days earlier she saw her childhood friend crying at the altar when she married a man much more older than her. It was  the biggest sacrifice.
She knew that also Cosimo's youngest son was the next to go to the altar. In a couple of days there would have been a party for the engagement.
She was worried it would have been another tragic event.
Vittoria missed her mother and her little sister, gone years before. She was the last woman in her family. She would have kept helping her father with his businesses if she could have had a choice.

"Young lady!" she almost felt when she heard that male voice under here "Watch out! You can fall!".
She looked down irritated and met the worried blue eyes of a young man.
"I'm not stupid! What's the use of  hands?".
He gasped with surprise "I never meant to offend you. I just don't want you to get hurt!".
"You don't even know me!".
"Vittoria!" A familiar woman's voice made her mentally swear "Get down! Now!".
Rita, her housekeeper, stopped with a jump when she noticed the young man. She hurried a bow "Sir! I'm so sorry. You have to forgive her. She's so wild!".
Vittoria gave her a bad glance, but the man replied calmly "It's alright".
He looked back up at her "So your name is Vittoria?".
The girl just nodded.
"Vittoria! Behave yourself! He is sir Riccardo de Medici!" Rita scolded her.
Vittoria couldn't help but gasp. She thought he was just a guard or the garden keeper.
She wasn't in the right place for  meeting the son of the master.
"I'm sorry, sir. I should have asked your permission before annoying your trees".
He laughed and she felt some relief from the shame.
"Don't worry, I would have gladly given it to you. Please, lady Vittoria, let me help you".
"I can go down on my own!" She protested.
"Vittoria!" Rita called her again.
The girl stared madly at her  "What? I'm not a child anymore! Why keeping treating me like I still am a kid?".
"Because no one wants you to get hurt" Riccardo replied with extremely patient that left her speechless.
She jumped down and he helped her to straighten.
"Anyway, it's a pleasure to host you here" he said with a kind smile.
She looked at him with sympathy "The pleasure is all mine".