CHAPTER 18 #2
Day after day, writing in her journal, reading books in her room, watching the rain from the window—completely disconnected from the rest of Florence.
That entire winter, she had spent alone.
Lorenzo clearly remembered this as well.
He seemed as though he wanted to explain something, but after a long pause, all he could do was sigh.
"I understand," he said calmly. "You may go now."
——
Hedy wasn’t sure how to conduct the pathological experiment, but in this era, there were certainly no suitable laboratory mice.
If she openly kept mice in the palace, she would undoubtedly be considered a freak and sent to the church.
The vineyard’s gatekeeper had told her about a mischievous child who once climbed over the wall to steal grapes, only to end up eating several of them—even those that had been soaked in copper sulfate solution.
But two months had passed, and the children were still running around, seemingly showing no signs of poisoning.
She let out a quiet sigh of relief and made further adjustments to her formula.
Quicklime, copper sulfate solution, and an appropriate amount of diluent.
If she could effectively control downy mildew, it might help accelerate the economic development of Florence.
Leonardo had already gathered the new equipment for her experiment, and the carriage for their return to Milan was now much more spacious.
Raphael had already said his goodbyes to his parents, reminding them to seek out the nuns if they fell ill, as they had learned much from the Medici ladies.
Michelangelo did his best not to show his excitement about going to Milan, but in truth, he had already gotten up before dawn to add straw to the stable.
When everyone had gathered, the lord's party had not yet appeared. Instead, Cosimo hurried over, saying, "We need to leave quickly—leave now!"
"What’s going on?" Hedy frowned. "Has something happened with the lord?"
"No, this is about you," Cosimo said, helping her into the carriage and quickly closing the door. "We leave now—don’t stop along the way. We’ll send someone to inform Sforza—"
Before he could finish, another carriage suddenly appeared around the corner, pulling up right in front of theirs.
Hedy instinctively gripped Leonardo's hand, a bad premonition rising within her.
Meanwhile, a young man rode up on a fine horse, arriving late, and as he looked toward them, a smile appeared on his face.
"This is what the lord meant, no one here?"
Hedy narrowed her eyes slightly and focused on the person on the horse.
The boy looked about twelve or thirteen years old but already seemed tall and mature.
He wore a black velvet doublet in an inverted triangle shape, draped with a white fur-trimmed cloak.
His eyes, filled with a playful smile, and his slightly curly shoulder-length hair were as black as the night.
He shimmered with countless pearls and gold and silver embellishments, making him appear almost luminous.
"Sir," Cosimo went over and blocked his way, "Aren’t you supposed to be at the Palazzo Pitti?"
"I’ve sent people three times, and each time I was told she wasn’t here." The young man interrupted without hesitation. "This is what you call ‘not here’? Are you planning to sneak her away from me?"
He appeared aristocratic and arrogant, as if accustomed to carrying the demeanor of one who had always been above others.
Yet, throughout the conversation, his dark eyes remained fixed on the carriage, showing no sign of retreat.
Leonardo’s expression darkened as he turned to Hedy and whispered, "I’ll delay here for a moment. Let’s wait for Cosimo to bring the lord over."
"No... Who is he?" Hedy took a deep breath and then stepped out of the carriage.
She didn’t think she had any issues with such a boy; it could all just be a misunderstanding. If things like penicillin or other substances had reached foreign lands, it would still be something that could be rectified.
But the moment she stepped out of the carriage, she suddenly saw the crest on the opposing carriage blocking their way.
Eight light green leaves, a deep red curled-tailed bull.
—Borgia.
The young man had already spotted her, letting out a long whistle.
"Do you remember me?"
Hedy froze for a moment, then looked up at him and asked, "What is it that you want?"
"For you." The boy replied bluntly. "Come with me to Rome."
Botticelli, who had originally intended to bid them farewell, couldn’t help but laugh out loud. He rubbed his forehead and waved at Da Vinci.
Hedy controlled her emotions, responding coolly, “We’ve never met.”
The servant beside her couldn’t hold back, speaking up, “The young master has refused marriage proposals several times. He just wants to take you back with him—”
The sound of a carriage approaching from behind interrupted them, clearly the lord arriving with his men.
The boy glanced up at the carriage that hadn’t yet stopped, then swiftly dismounted and walked over to her. He leaned down and gave her a light kiss on the hand.
As he bowed, his long, slightly curled lashes caught the sunlight, turning them a pale gold.
“Do you really not remember me?” He held her hand and didn’t let go, his dark eyes staring intently into hers.
Lorenzo quickly stepped down from his carriage, and Leonardo was already by her side.
“You are—”
“Caesar Borgia,” the boy lowered his voice and said.
“We once danced a waltz together, do you remember?”
No—that boy from a few years ago...
Suddenly, Hedy understood many things.
Why the waltz had come from Rome, why someone had been searching for her.
The boy she had danced with at that banquet—was Borgia.
No, this was not possible.
Hedy took a deep breath, trying to pull her hand away.
But the boy gripped her hand tighter, not intending to let go. “I’ve been looking for you for four years.”
“Mr. Borgia,” Lorenzo’s voice turned cold. “Please mind your manners.”
“You’re not married, are you?” the boy pressed, “Isn’t it because you’re waiting for me to grow up?”
“No,” Leonardo took a deep breath, "She’s already engaged to me."
Hedy felt her cheeks flush slightly, but she dared not reveal any sign of weakness.
She exchanged a glance with Leonardo, both of them feeling more resolute.
Botticelli chose to lift Raphael, who had been leaning curiously against the window, out of the carriage.
Lorenzo gave Leonardo a meaningful look before speaking again. "There's no need for a tea party in front of the gates."
Hedy tried to pull her hand away again, but the boy’s grip tightened.
"Yes," she said, her tone filled with frustration, "I am already engaged to Mr. Leonardo. I already have someone I love. Please don’t put us in a difficult position."
Since the boy was a distant visitor, certain truths, half-truths, and misconceptions didn’t need to be fully clarified. She didn’t appreciate this forceful, no-room-for-negotiation approach to communication, and there was no way she would marry a boy she had never met in Rome.
"Is that so?" The boy smiled, looking at Leonardo. "Do you love her, as I do?"
"We have loved each other for a long time," Leonardo said, frowning. "Please let go of her."
"Kiss her," Caesar demanded, his eyes locked on Leonardo. "Now."
The young man’s expression faltered, just for a second, but it was enough for everyone present to notice.
"Then it’s fake," Caesar sneered. "Given my status, I can have you imprisoned for violating the church’s doctrines."
"Mr. Borgia," Lorenzo said flatly, "This is my diocese."
"And," he stepped forward and gently removed the boy’s hand, signaling Da Vinci to take Hedy further away, "As head of the Medici family, I must once again warn you: mind your place."
"Hedy," the boy’s tone suddenly softened, as if they had always been close. "Come with me."
He took a step closer, his voice becoming more intense. "We’re equals, we belong together, don’t we?"
"I’ve been looking for you... for four years."
"Do you remember that dance from that night?"
Hedy tightened her grip on Leonardo’s hand, looking directly at him. "You might have some misunderstanding about me."
She had never believed in love at first sight, and she certainly couldn’t accept such a fervent and extreme kind of love.
"I’ve always just seen you as a boy."
She stressed the words, not intending to leave any room for doubt.
"And with your age, you could still be my son."
Caesar froze for a moment, a vulnerable, hurt expression flashing across his face.
Lorenzo could see that this was just another of Caesar’s tactics to garner sympathy. He silently signaled to Leonardo to take Hedy and leave.
“The French are preparing to attack,” Caesar said quietly. “If the church also offers sufficient support…”
“This country will be caught between enemies, unable to stand firm,” Lorenzo replied, his voice flat.
"By the way," Caesar paused for a moment, then flashed a charming smile. "The Sforza from Milan is also waiting for the approval of the Roman church."
"Do you think they will consider helping?" he asked, his tone casual but laden with meaning.
——
The situation at hand was undeniably complicated.
The young Borgia was taken to the nearest Old Palace for a brief rest, but his two servants remained close to Hedy, clearly with no intention of leaving.
Hedy didn’t unpack her luggage; instead, she decided to return to the palace and discuss matters with the others first.
The servants and Cosimo were blocked at the main gate, but there was no need to escape through a window. There were simply too many unexpected events occurring right now. Even if they were to tackle them one by one, it was clear none of them were simple.
First, there was the Pope’s illegitimate son—young Mr. Borgia.
A few years ago, he had danced a waltz with her at a ball. Now, having reached the age of engagement, he had traveled all the way from Rome to find her.
Hedy didn’t feel flattered. In fact, she found the situation much more complex than she had imagined.