Working for Francesco Pazzi was the last place she expected to find herself. She expected even less to grow to like the job. Falling for him was the biggest surprise of all.
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Word Count: 1400
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My name was Alice. Just Alice. But I went by many names, actually. Some of my favorite aliases were Bella Rossi, Gianna Conti, Adriana Moretti, or Izabella Parisi. Frankly, not even I could keep track of all the names I had used in my lifetime.
To make it on my own, I lied, swindled, and stole. I figured myself a noble sort of criminal because I didn't cheat the poor and destitute, only those who could do without.
One day though, my crimes caught up to me. It didn't matter how many times I had changed my name or moved to a new city. I was inevitably caught, and by the Duke of Milan, no less. The harsh, brutal man gave me a choice at least. He made me choose between execution or a life in service to him.
I chose the latter.
So, on my eighteenth birthday, I swore allegiance to Galeazzo Sforza. Duke of Mulan. Brutal tyrant. He branded me—a small burn on the inside of my wrist that could be easily covered with sleeves, ribbons, or other adornments. The intertwined GS marked me as the property of Galeazzo Sforza.
I hated it. It was ghastly. But at least I was still alive.
Over the next few weeks, I proved myself little by little to the Duke by accomplishing small tasks for him. My greatest tactic was to slip into crowded gatherings such as parties, operas, or street celebrations. I had a gift for disappearing, and the Duke exploited that heavily. I learned secrets of all manners for him. I rooted out traitors, confirmed spies he wasn't sure he could trust, and mostly kept an eye on the general mood of his court.
Truthfully, I became bored after a time, and the Duke took notice. He summoned me for a private audience one fateful afternoon on what was supposed to be my single day off each month.
"Alice," he rasped as he looked me over and smiled possessively. I was grateful that even though he took advantage of me in every way, he never used me in that way. There were other women more eager to appease him in the bedroom, so I escaped that duty.
I curtsied low even though I was wearing my preferred gentleman's clothes. Pants and a flowing shirt and jerkin were so much more comfortable than a restraining corset and cumbersome dress. "Messer Sforza," I greeted politely.
"You must be wondering why I've summoned you today," he intoned.
I didn't dare talk back. He hadn't asked a direct question, and I had seen him kill men over smaller infractions. However, my eyes did flicker up to peek at him and gauge his expression.
Sforza smirked. He sat up in his seat to lean forward, steepling his fingers together as he laid out the details of his latest plans for me. "You may have heard through the grapevine about some of my dealings going on in Florence. Have you not?"
