xii. written

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia writes in curled letters, more like pictures than text, a little poetry or is it a riddle? ]

πόλυ πάκτιδος ἀδυμελεστέρα χρύσω χρυσοτέρα


[ Meanwhile she is at the laundry room, seated on the floor with her light green gown spread about her. She has both hands on one machine, watching the colors spin through the glass with amazement on her face. Yellows, blues, greens and purples! ]

[ trans.; than the lyre, far sweeter in tone than gold, more golden. ]

Comments

[assassino]

They will be enemies to the Borgia regardless, so retaliation likely is not a concern.

[heloise]

[ She nods slowly, and stands if only because her legs are starting to cramp. ]

There are no friends in this Italy of ours.

[assassino]

I'm sure that is not true. A man does not rise to power without good allies.

[heloise]

Perhaps. [ She doesn't know enough about that, she thinks. ]

Did you come here only to see my face when I deliver you good news?

[assassino]

Perhaps. [He leans against an empty dryer, folding his arms. He doesn't want to approach this topic with hostility, but he can't help but feel frustrated with her.]

I was hoping we might speak about... an important matter.

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia drops her smile, at least, and watches him warily. She cradles her hand with the other and attempts a polite smile. ]

A matter concerning...?

[assassino]

Concerning a certain letter.

[heloise]

[ She sets her jaw and keeps her eyes on him. ]

Addressed to whom?

[assassino]

Me, but delivered to Cristina Vespucci.

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia holds her breath out of fear. She can think of many who would kill for less, but she is Borgia, and he would not dare. Not here, surely.

It feels far too long before she can manage a word. ]

And?

[assassino]

I want to know why, from your mouth.

[heloise]

What good would it serve?

[assassino]

In the simplest of terms, Lucrezia, you drove away the woman I loved, a woman who I will never see again in our time. I want to know what justification you have for doing such a thing.

[heloise]

[ She inhales to hold back the tears, but keeps watching him. She shouldn't be the one weeping anyway. ]

And if I have none?

[assassino]

[He feels harsh, but it feels warranted. He's been sitting on this truth for over a week, after agonizing about it in private for months.]

Then you're thoughtless.

[heloise]

[ She bows her head and cries quietly. ]

And cruel?

[assassino]

[Well, Steph, he's sorry that he broke that promise and made Lucrezia cry.

Ezio sighs and looks away.]

Only if you didn't have a reason for it, which I'd like to believe isn't the truth.

[heloise]

[ It isn't too difficult to do. ]

You know the reason. You only wish me to say it.

[assassino]

You can do that much for me, after not only driving away Cristina for nothing but also calling my integrity into question.

[heloise]

Not for nothing. [ She would insist. ]

I can never have you for myself but if-- [ Cristina were gone, but that sounds terrible, so she just stops to collect her breathing. ] But I was wrong to hope.

[assassino]

[He approaches her and puts a hand on her shoulder.]

You are right in that you can never have me. Not with Cesare here, not with how Stephanie and Molotov feel about it, not with the way I could never make an honest women out of you. And it is never wrong to hope, dolcezza.

[Pause.]

But it is wrong to deny another for the sake of a hope.

[heloise]

[ She tenses under his touch. This would hurt much less if she had hid herself from him until she is cured of her silly infatuation and maybe after... She's hushed when she speaks. ]

What else would you hear from me?

[assassino]

What would you want to hear, if you were in my shoes? How would you compensate?

[heloise]

[ She isn't sure she would care to hear anything. ]

I can't imagine.

[assassino]

[Not even an apology?

Ezio sighs.]

Does Cesare know?