The Mistress

Chapter 15. Lucrezia

15

1493 Italy

"I understand why Micheletto had to come, but did you have to have the whole Papal Guard come with us too?" We had been riding for hours and I was already starting to get tired. Cesare wanted me to ride with him but I wanted my own horse to ride. Sometimes he treats me like a little sister instead of a lover. He protects me too much sometimes, much like how he treats Lucrezia.
"It is not the whole Papal Guard my love, just a few." He doesn't usually do this kind of thing. He would rather it just be Micheletto with us but he knows I'm scared. He isn't wrong, I am scared.
There were four Papal Guards with us in total and I thought that was too many even for me. I don't think that we need this many guards, what are the odds that something else was going to happen?
"Cesare, I am tired." I complain. My legs were numb and my hands felt raw. It seemed like all I have been doing lately is complain, but mostly I complain to myself. I can't complain in the Vatican, woman shouldn't complain, they should endure. It is not like anyone cares what I have to say anyway.
"We will stop soon, my lotus." Cesare doesn't look tired at all in fact he looks like he has more energy than ever.

We come to a large fork in the road and I stop for just a moment. Cesare begins to go left which confuses me. I do not travel much but I am sure that if we go right it would take us to a town.
"Shouldn't we go right?" I tap the side of my horse with my heel and catch up to Cesare.
"No, this way is better, trust me." and so I did, I trusted him. I have no reason not to. I look up at the sky, take a deep breath and soak in the sun. This is the first time I had been outside of my room and not felt anxious. I smiled at the sky and hummed a tune.
"Look she smiles, your grace." Micheletto points out. "I never see you smile anymore."
"I miss your smile" Cesare added.
"Don't get used to it." I tease.

It was dark when we arrived in the next town, I was ready to fall off my horse. Cesare kept making sure I wasn't falling asleep, and believe me I wanted to. The town was a good size, but there was a villa on top of a hill over looking the town. It was lit up with lanterns and it looked beautiful under the moon light. Who lived there I thought to myself. Who got to live above a town and look down at it like a god?

I just followed Cesare because he knew where to go. If he would have just gone the other way I could have been in a bed right now, asleep. "We are here." He says while dismounting. We are at a house in the middle of the town, it was dark and had two men standing out side.
"What are we doing here?" I ask.
"We are staying here for the night." My eyes we getting heavy and I was ready to fall asleep. I slide out of my saddle and one of the papal guards took the reins from me. We were here for a purpose I thought And it wasn't just to rest. Cesare took my hand and I practically fell into him. My body was so tired that I could barely stand. He held me as we walked, holding me up on my own feet.
He didn't even knock on the door, the guards just opened the door for us. When we stepped inside the air was full of smoke, the room wasn't lit very well and it smelled like sweat and perfume. There were women walking around with barely any clothing on. "Are we in a brothel?" I whisper to Cesare.
"No, my love." He whispers back. Well it sure does look like it I thought. I haven't been to any brothels in my life but this it what I imagine they look like.
A man laid out on a bed of pillows with women all around him. If this wasn't a brothel then I don't know what is. Why are we here I kept thinking. I held tight onto Cesare because I was uncomfortable and he made me feel okay.
The man rolled out from his comforter of women and walked straight for me. His hair was black as night and eyes as green as a clover. He didn't look like the type of person that Cesare would associate with. He took hold of my hand and kissed it.
"Bella" He said.
"Lena" I told him.
"La Bella Lena." As if I didn't know what he meant. He reminded me of Juan, he was making me uncomfortable.
"Brutus not now." Cesare interrupted him. The real question is, who was this Brutus and why are we here? "Can we talk in private?"
"Of course." Brutus smirks. He claps his hands twice and everyone silently leaves the room. I stand there, still clinging to Cesare as everyone retreats out. What does this man do that he can just command a whole room like that?
"La Bella Lena I would not ask this unless necessary but would you mind leaving us as well?" I look up at Cesare to see if he would say anything but he didn't. "I will have my ladies take you to a room so you may rest." He continues when I did not answer. "Christina!" He yells and claps his hands just like before. A red hair woman comes through the side door. "Take La Bella Lena up to a room and make sure she is comfortable." He orders her. She did not answer she just nodded and gestured to the steps for me to walk up.
"I will be up soon." Cesare reassures me. I really don't want to go anywhere in this house without Cesare, who knows what I might come across. I'm sure that this is a brothel and I really don't want to see anything I will regret.
I follow Christina up the steps, as I do I look over my should to see Cesare and Brutus go into a separate room. Christina did not talk at all, she just kept her head down when taking me to my room. Different women of all shapes and sizes pass us in the hall, some have clothes, others barely have anything on. One woman was missing a leg. What else would this be other than a whore house?
"You may stay in this room, it is not being used." Christina opens the door for me. "If you need anything please do not hesitate to ask, I am just two doors down." She pointed in the direction of her room.
"Thank you." I respond. She leaves me in the room alone. The room was mostly red, the curtains were velvet and it matched the bed. The candles had the room dimly lit and it smelled like lavender. It was warm, very warm but I had never felt so cold. This is just more evidence of it being a brothel.