CHAPTER 14 #3
But Hedy slept soundly through the night, only waking when the morning light poured in at six o'clock.
She yawned and slowly opened her eyes.
As her awareness returned, she noticed a faint scent of fig tree near her collar, clearly not one of the fragrances she usually wore.
Hedy rubbed her eyes, sat up a little straighter, and then yawned again, saying, “Good morning, Leonardo—did you sleep well last night?”
He was still a bit drowsy but sat straight and proper as always.
“Sorry, I think I ended up leaning on you last night,” she chuckled. “You can relax now, please don’t be upset.”
Hedy understood his discomfort with physical contact and was being very considerate.
Leonardo instinctively shook his head. “It’s fine, just… not used to it.”
The night had been chilly, and he had carefully draped a soft blanket over them both. Looking at the moon, he had unintentionally fallen asleep.
The feeling of leaning against her… was very warm.
It seemed he had even had a good dream.
——
The Duke's daughter is a thirteen-year-old girl. She has rosy cheeks, long, smooth, and shiny hair, and is an elegant yet lively young lady.
Before Da Vinci's arrival, she had already generously purchased many paintings and added several sculptures to her home, all of which she had personally selected.
The Duke and Duchess pampered this child; not only did they provide her with the best education, but they also allowed her to ride horses and hunt like a man, raising her to be both healthy and knowledgeable.
In this era, the best career choices for men were either the clergy or the military, while women were expected to learn various domestic skills in preparation for marriage, such as spinning, sewing, or cooking and brewing.
In the distant East, women were bound with small feet, which were considered beautiful, while in Venice, near the Duchy of Ferrara, women also wore high platform shoes more than twenty centimeters tall, under the guise of avoiding dirt.
These practices imposed invisible restrictions on women’s mobility, forcing them to stay at home and engage in labor without participating in many external affairs.
In the Middle Ages, when the status of women was gradually declining, Isabella, a cheerful, independent, and confident young girl, was truly a bright spot in the darkness.
On the first day of Hedy's arrival, Isabella warmly presented her with several gifts. This young lady generously shared her private bath with her and instructed her maid to bring a basket of dew-covered rose petals.
She loved art, was passionate about science, and also supported the idea of women participating more in secular matters.
In just a few days, Hedy taught her some small facts from On the Four Elements and how to take care of her body, earning the Duke and Duchess's warm welcome.
“You are so kind and wise,” the Duchess gently said, “The Duchy of Ferrara will always welcome your arrival.”
This sentence was like a signal that this modest city-state would provide her with personal protection and support.
Hedy, surprised yet sincere, thanked them and then helped both the Duke and Duchess with their health checks.
One of them had mild diabetes, which could be improved with dietary control. The other suffered from insomnia and frequent dreams, but moderate walks and a warm glass of milk before bed seemed to help.
Their second purpose for visiting was to invite Da Vinci to paint a portrait of Miss Isabella. While he had previously gained fame for his impressive war machine designs, he had also created many outstanding works of art.
Da Vinci was relaxed and friendly in front of the young lady, and his efficiency in sketching was quite good.
Isabella sat by the window, occasionally glancing at the artist behind the wooden panel, curiously asking him various questions.
She asked everything from the materials used for oil painting, to whether his brushes were made from pig bristles, and even which Bible story he liked best.
"By the way," the young lady blinked and said, "Are you the lover of Miss Medici?"
The artist almost let his pencil slip off the board.
He quickly erased the skewed line, cleared his throat, and said, “Just a friend... Why do you ask that?”
Isabella gazed at the pencil, which was swaying like a sparrow’s tail, still not quite understanding. "Miss Medici is so wonderful. Don’t you want to be her lover?"
"She's not married yet," the artist corrected. "And a lover is not a very honorable position."
"Then she must have many suitors," the young lady said, swinging her legs in the chair. "How many have you seen?"
Da Vinci lowered his head and counted for a moment, uncertain. “Twelve?”
From minor lords to knights and wealthy merchants, recently in Milan, there had been people holding gifts, left waiting outside.
As Botticelli had said, people have an innate perception of beautiful things and an unconscious desire to possess them.
The young lady cupped her face and exclaimed in admiration, nodding seriously. "She's so amazing, she really shouldn't marry just anyone."
Da Vinci paused, lowering his head and smiling as he continued to paint the portrait.
Yes, she had already said it herself—she would never fall in love with anyone.
When he thought of Hedy, his heart felt like a robin, nervously circling the bushes, as though it had just smelled blueberries. He wanted to probe further but dared not take another step.
Meanwhile, the subject of their conversation was wandering in the garden, unable to stop sneezing twice.
...It’s already autumn, how can there still be pollen in the air?
Hedy had made an extra sketch and handed it to Atalante, asking him to help her find that plant.
The garden was vast and exquisitely designed, with even the layout of the hedged maze seeming perfect for a film shoot.
In her youth, she had played the role of the French queen, and now, waking up in the Middle Ages, there was always a feeling as though she had stepped into some set piece.
Hedy pondered aimlessly, when suddenly her fingertip seemed to brush against something smooth and small.
She paused, crouched down, and parted the mint and daisy leaves, finally spotting something that resembled it.
Was this what litmus looked like five hundred years ago?
“Atalante— I think I found it.”
The young man responded with a shout and hurried over to examine it, looking somewhat surprised. "So this is it? I thought it would be something really expensive."
He said an Italian word, one that sounded rather unfamiliar to Hedy.
“This stuff grows all over the place. Are you looking for it to make medicine?”
Hedy asked him to gather more of it and, in the meantime, grabbed a glass bottle. After crushing the leaves and adding the juice, she left the mixture to sit in water.
By the next day, the water in the bottle had changed color—
A tranquil, noble, translucent purple.
It was so beautiful that one could almost be tempted to dye an entire new outfit with it.
Hedy had slept restlessly the night before, but at that moment, seeing the solution, she clutched her face in sheer joy. She quickly changed her clothes and went to fetch Da Vinci to show him.
“It’s purple!” Da Vinci exclaimed, looking utterly astonished. He curiously leaned in to smell it.
There was absolutely no foul odor, and in fact, he could detect a faint, herbal bitterness.
Hedy tried dipping some of the solution onto a piece of white paper and found that its coloring effect was still relatively weak—though it was better than nothing.
They were scheduled to return to Florence that day, and after breakfast, they would have to say their farewells to the Duke and his family.
Along the way back, they could gather more of these plants and compare them in further experiments.
Both of them were so excited about the purple solution that they almost felt like dancing around it.
Hedy went back to grab a small bottle, poured some of the litmus solution into it, and then, in front of Da Vinci, dropped a few drops of apple juice into the liquid.
The transparent juice, the moment it touched the liquid, caused the rich purple solution to instantly turn into a full, deep red, almost as though by magic.
Da Vinci stood frozen for a moment, almost speechless.
He listened as she explained the general principles and then took another glass dish, attempting the same experiment.
“By the way—there’s also soap water!” Hedy quickly brought out her homemade essential oil soap, made an alkaline solution, and tried adding that too.
This time, the liquid changed again, turning into a light, airy shade of blue.
Da Vinci stared at the three colors, then turned to look at her. “This truly... is a miracle.”
Hedy patted his shoulder gently, her tone kind. “Now you can freely use purple to paint, isn’t it wonderful?”
“Me?” He paused, then asked hesitantly, “Did you create these colors just for me to paint with?”
Hedy chuckled softly, surprised at his question. “Of course! Do you remember when I worked as a maid in the workshop?”
Back then, I used to think, if you could freely use these colors, what magnificent works you would create.
“Purple, blue, red… and maybe one day, I’ll even find peacock green and send it to you.” She smiled at him, eyes sparkling. “It’ll be my gift to you, for your birthday this year. Do you like it?”
Suddenly, Da Vinci felt his heart race, and even his breathing grew slightly erratic. A subtle yet intense emotion surged within him, like a tide, both unfamiliar and unsettling.
She had remembered all those little things... and had truly gifted him the rarest of colors.
The bright copper sulfate blue, the deep Prussian blue, and now this soft, beautiful litmus purple.
“I…” He was momentarily at a loss for words. “Thank you…”
If I wanted every color in the world, would you stay by my side forever?
——
When Lorenzo came to Milan this time, his physical condition was clearly not as good as it had been before.