The Borgia's- Natalia Borgia

Natalia Borgia - Chapter Seventeen

          

Cesare had moved me back into the Vatican. He thought it safer here for now given what was about to happen, he took precautions in case anything else that he could not control or predict were to transpire. I watched from the window, under the dead of night. The papal armies march to Forli. It had begun, the end of the beginning. I rubbed my swollen stomach and looked away. The door opened and I felt Cesare encircle his arms around my waist.

"You should be resting"

"I am always resting. I need to move around, I have a long way to go yet" I went to sat and look in the mirror before I braided my hair. Cesare began to look at plans on the bed. I removed my gown and laid next to him.

"I presume you will fall asleep looking at them." he hummed

"Well at least let me use you as a pillow, seen as it will be the last night before you leave" he moved around and I laid on his chest falling asleep.

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I was awoken by the curtains being opened. I groaned and turned over.

"You have raised a hornets' nest and it's not yet noon."

"Good. Let surprise be our secret weapon." I heard Cesare reply.

"One army in place and another one lumbering along in full public view. We would have appreciated being told" I sighed sitting up.

"Is it better to know or not to know when you must plead ignorance?"

"Well we would rather speak the truth, if truth be told"

"Then I must leave you in ignorance.

"There will be a price to pay for your French involvement"

"Naples? The French ambassador will be seeking an audience."

"Well, we would happily send Naples to the dogs if your sister could be spared any further discomfiture" Cesare kissed my head and got out of bed (huh that rhymed ) he started putting his boots on.

"I wasn't here"

"What?"

"You haven't seen me. Or spoken to me."

"No, we address a very sleepy and unresponsive Natalia Borgia" I smile a little

"Cesare close the curtains please" he nodded

"So remain invisible" His Holiness embraced his son before he closed the curtains and left "to everyone but us. And to you Lady Natalia we apologise for waking you" I nodded and he departed.

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For days I waited and there was no word of victory or of defeat. But soon the drums came and I steps out onto the balcony where I could see a cage of metal and gold with Caterina Sforza finally captured. So then I knew, I knew that Cesare would return to me. The night past, then a day and then the second night While I slept I was awoken by the door crashing open. I grabbed my blade and held it out.

"Cesare!" I exclaimed be he looked broken

"what happened."

"Prince Alfonso I dead." he informed me

"What" I slipped out of bead and went up to him "How?" I asked

"He thought I loved my sister more that a brother should. He listened to rumours and let them eat away at him. It finally became too much and he challenged me. He called our marriage a lie, our children a lie. And then when I was down he drunkenly fell onto my blade.  I pulled him into my arms.

"Lucrezia, hates me. For what I did, for what she had to do."

"What did she have to do?"

"She had to use what we Borgia's use."

"Cantonella" he nodded

"He was too badly wounded, he would have been in pain for day. For a moment there I thought....I thought she had taken it too" his voice broke and i took him to bed where I stroked his hair.

"She will mourn and she will hate, but in the end she is your sister and she loves you. Give her space and time to heal. Do not push her or you may lose her forever." he looked up at me.

"Please don't leave me" I held his face in my arms

"I will never, ever leave you. This..." I place his hand on my heart "belongs to you, you are a light of my life and my angel. Never forget that." I press my lips to his

"Come, you shall change and i will watch over you." he changed his clothes. That night I watched him sleep till I grew drowsy and fell asleep next to him.