CHAPTER 6
Hedy instinctively reached out to hug the pair of rabbits when she saw them.
"How—how cute!"
She had been mentally strained for a while, and upon encountering these soft, white little creatures, she couldn't help but laugh even before holding them in her arms.
Leonardo da Vinci, leaning against the doorframe, watched her as she rubbed the heads of the two little creatures. Smiling, he said, "The nearby farmers just had a litter, and they gave me two of them."
"So, where should I keep them?" Hedy even thought about giving them a bath and keeping them in her room. "They're so cute, they must only be about one or two months old, right?"
"In the yard?" Da Vinci pondered. "Botticelli and I often go there to paint. We can feed them for you when we have time."
"Sounds good," Hedy smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons as her light blue eyes sparkled. "I'll leave them in your care, then."
Da Vinci glanced around to check if anyone was nearby, then lowered his voice and asked, "Are you... adjusting well here?"
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this," Da Vinci took a deep breath. "I've been wondering if I've been irresponsible. If you feel too suffocated here or want to leave, I can have a friend take you to Venice or even farther away."
Hedy looked at him, somewhat surprised.
Her former employer, although he was known to steal corpses for dissection or secretly mock Botticelli, was actually always kind-hearted.
"Actually, I think there will always be danger wherever I go," she said with a relieved smile. "At least here, I have you and a few other friends."
"True," Da Vinci said, hearing footsteps approaching in the distance. He carefully took the two rabbits. "If you ever have any problems, come find me. Also, be careful in the palace. Don’t offend those hot-tempered people."
Hedy waved her hand and smiled, watching as he quickly descended the stairs.
A while later, Dechio came upstairs with a pottery jar. Upon seeing her leaning against the doorframe with a pleasant expression, she curiously asked, "You look really good today."
"Mm," Hedy reached out to take the jar from her and cheerfully replied, "I'll be going out for a while, but I'll be back soon."
She hadn’t expected the Medici family to be so generous towards her.
Earlier, they had given her so many gold coins that even lying in bed, she was still in shock.
These past few days, Hedy had moved the location of her jewelry again, hiding them in places such as under the bridge, near the roots of the olive trees, and other secluded areas where there were few people and high concealment.
She had previously sold a ring to quickly exchange it for some cash, just in case she needed it for emergencies. That diamond ring had only fetched five gold coins on the black market, which she now regretted.
—It’s best to buy it back quickly and hide it elsewhere.
The reason she hadn’t bought it back earlier was that she hadn’t yet established herself at the Palazzo Vecchio, and she didn’t have the courage to do so. Fortunately, the lord had always paid his staff on time, and now she had much more money at her disposal.
Hedy walked through the bustling crowd, listening to the flutists practicing Easter music, while poets stood on street corners loudly reciting their works. Children were chasing each other and playing, and many women were busy drying noodles.
She looked around, lost in thought.
Should I… get myself a house?
The gold coins she had on hand were enough to secure a place for herself. However, as soon as the thought appeared, it was quickly dismissed.
The sharp-eyed Lorenzo de’ Medici seemed to instantly appear in her mind.
What if that lord grew suspicious and decided to search through her place while she was away? It would definitely cause trouble.
A city with a shrewd lord would be well-protected, but being too perceptive could be a curse as well.
Right now, she was isolated, with no family, no brothers, and no solid footing.
Another thought crossed her mind.
Maybe… I should marry Mr. Alejo.
Marriage would give her a legitimate and reasonable identity, along with the protection of a male figure and his family for her property.
Hedy shook her head, dismissing the idea.
No, that wouldn’t do.
Lost in her thoughts, she walked into a small tavern.
The black market traders didn’t just deal in swords and jewels; they sold all sorts of oddities. Some of the local women even went to him to buy strange-colored stones, claiming they would bring good luck and keep illness and misfortune away.
“Hello…” She adjusted her clothes and sat next to him, speaking softly, “I’d like to buy back my ring.”
The old man was drinking malt liquor. Upon hearing her voice, he realized it was her and immediately adopted an impatient attitude, quickly waving his hand to shoo her away. “No! Go away! I’ve never heard of any ring!”
Hedy froze for a moment, trying to respond, “Could I offer a bit more money? Please don’t be in such a hurry—”
“I really don’t know anything about any ring! Women shouldn’t come to places like this!” The old man even shrank back a bit, shouting as if trying to shoo away a fly. “Go on, go on!”
What’s going on with him?
Hedy had been prepared to be extorted and had brought quite a few gold coins with her. Now, she truly felt a sense of emptiness.
She had originally exchanged the cash for her safety, but now, hearing that the ring was gone, she couldn’t help but feel regretful.
After all… it was one of the few remaining connections to her past life.
Easter was quickly approaching.
Since the sixth century, people had been parading and celebrating at the church gates, dressed in various antique-style robes and costumes.
Not only would many Persian merchants flood into town to do business, but gypsies would also emerge, offering fortune-telling and selling strange and unusual items.
Additionally, people would gather to boil eggs and dye them red, symbolizing the mythical swan’s blood tears. Children would often receive many toys and rewards, spending the whole day happily playing in the noisy crowds.
The grandest public event was the Easter exploding cart.
In front of the church, a cart filled with fireworks and firecrackers was set up in a pyramid shape.
The bishop would press a lever to release mechanical doves into the fireworks, igniting the entire cart, which would spin and explode with a loud roar.
If the doves hit the cart and the fireworks exploded completely, it was considered a good omen, signaling a year of abundance and good fortune for Florence.
Thanks to the Medici family's recent penchant for grand celebrations and festivals, more trade and gatherings had taken place, with people from nearby city-states coming to join in the festivities.
When Hedy followed Da Vinci to the square to see the spectacle, she saw strongmen lifting orange trees in strength contests, with many people cheering them on.
Many nobles in the palace had their own special viewing platforms, sitting elegantly with their fans in hand.
Meanwhile, chefs and maids, after finishing their work, joined the crowds to enjoy the show.
The whole square was as lively as a carnival.
There were so many instruments playing together, and various languages filled the air in a chaotic, indistinct blend of sounds.
Hedy stood beside Da Vinci, watching the festivities with interest, almost tempted to buy a crystal ball to take home.
Turning her head, she noticed that Da Vinci wasn’t indulging in the fun or laughter, but instead, he was holding his notebook, quickly writing and sketching something.
"Mr. Da Vinci?"
"It’s Leonardo."
"Leonardo—what are you doing?"
He leaned slightly to the side so she could see better.
Da Vinci had a habit of always carrying a notebook with him. The small notebook was usually attached to his belt, and when it was filled, he would immediately replace it with a new one.
Although Hedy had always been curious, she had never seen this before.
She leaned over and glanced at his sketchbook, realizing that he was drawing a quick sketch.
"I'm studying the scattering of light." The noise outside was so loud that he had to lean closer to her ear to explain. "I’ve been unable to continue with that painting of The Adoration of the Magi...”
Beams of light were casting over the crowd, and the resulting outlines were completely different.
The shape of a person's head, shoulders, the texture of their clothes, and the smoothness of their hair—all of these would make the light refract and change in strength and intensity.
Even if a beam of light was cast on a plaster statue, the interplay of light and shadow from the nose to the lips would follow certain patterns—some predictable, some not.
Da Vinci wasn’t interested in the fireworks soaring and whirling in the sky. Instead, he hurriedly made quick marks of everything he observed.
The light would pass through various objects, either becoming blurry or more distinct, and how white light would interact with red clothes, creating different colors—he noted it all with precision.
His writing and drawing speed resembled that of a court stenographer, capturing even the smallest details clearly.
Hedy stood beside him, helping to block the drunks and thieves, her eyes instinctively drawn to the Medici family on the viewing platform.
Five children attended in total, and the lady of the house was laughing and chatting with the other women.
Mr. Medici appeared approachable and kind, but that smile—she was far too familiar with it. It was the kind of official, politician’s smile that everyone used.
The Easter celebrations would last several days, and at night, many people would be drinking and making merry.
After a couple of days of watching the festivities, Hedy finally lost interest and retreated back to her room to continue studying the glass jar and review her somewhat unfamiliar Italian.