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

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

It's--I don't know what it is. But I do my best to keep my friends safe. That's certain.

[By now, Stephanie doubts Ezio will purposely march up to Cesare and start shit just for the sake of a brawl and/or excuse to shank him, but she can't say that he's not a threat.]

If you want Ezio to disappear from your life, then I'm sure he won't linger around to bother your brother.

Stephanie

[heloise]

[ There will be many more long silences in this conversation, and Steph isn't entirely to blame, or at all. Lucrezia isn't sure what she wants, not a familiar state of mind for her at all, on top of being simply upset. When she speaks, it is as if she has had to carve out the words from stone. ]

Would that be best?

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

Maybe for now it is. It doesn't have to be forever, but some space might be good. For the both of you.

Stephanie

[heloise]

I will trust your advice on this then, dearest friend.

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

Thanks for not being mad at me.

Stephanie

[heloise]

It is unpleasant to be so angry at so many.

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

One is your limit, huh? I'm not complaining.

Stephanie

[heloise]

[ No, she has an unlimited quota but she's stingy like that. ]

Must I give us some space as well?

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

Only if that's what you want. I hope not, though.

Stephanie

[heloise]

I hope not either.

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

Good. Then we don't need space. Carry on as usual.

Stephanie

[heloise]

And must I demand an apology from you to soothe the injury?

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

Do you want one?

[She doesn't regret telling Ezio, but she does feel bad about breaking a promise.]

Stephanie

[heloise]

No, I do not.

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

Alright. Back to business, then. And no mentions of you-know-who from me.

Stephanie

[heloise]

Is that to be his name from now on? Nessuno.

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

I like mine better because I can pronounce it.

Stephanie

[heloise]

[ At least that earns her a chuckle, brief and subdued as it is. ]

You-know-who it is, then.

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

Mmhmm. And you'll still get all your Stephanie time. As long as I get my Lucrezia time, that is.

Stephanie

[heloise]

You mentioned poetry once.

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

That I did. Good memory.

Stephanie

[heloise]

Would he see it as a sort of betrayal?

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

I don't think so. [She hopes not.] He should understand.

Stephanie

[heloise]

Understand what, Stephanie? [ More curious than confrontational, she hopes. ]

Lucrezia

[secondchances]

He shoulder understand that I don't pick sides.