Michael

[borgiafatale]

Lucrezia rose from the table when Cesare did, and he embraced her. "Do not leave me for so long again, my Lucrezia," he said quietly in her ear. And then, a nod to Michael. "I will see you later tonight." Then he swept off.

Lucrezia picked up her purse and turned to Michael. "Do you have a pressing engagement, Michael? If not, I would be happy for some company on my walk home."

Comments

[borgiafatale]

"And I was punished for it," Lucrezia said, looking away.

The baby's death weighed on her enough, but she was not entirely convinced that Paul was still alive. Supposedly he had fled to escape Juan's threats, but for all she knew that had been a lie.

[trustearned]

"The world will be unfair no matter what you do," Michael told her, looking ahead as they walked side by side.

[borgiafatale]

"At least he needn't fear me," Lucrezia said as they continued. "I should have poisoned Giovanni, but was too concerned about divine retribution. But Allan is not him." She could say these kinds of things to Michael.

[trustearned]

And if she didn't want to do it herself, she had to know that she only needed to say a word to her brother. There was no use to Michael pointing it out, if she did not want her husband dead.

"Little does he know what fate he has escaped," he simply answered.

[borgiafatale]

"He is also lucky I spared Cesare the details of my suffering," Lucrezia said with a note of bitterness. Then she looked at Michael. "But I am not the woman I was then. No man will ever treat me like that again, I can promise you that."

[trustearned]

"I am glad to hear it," Michael told her, and even though he did not particularly sound it (when did he ever), he actually was.

[borgiafatale]

They walked in silence for a few moments and then Lucrezia said, "This man that Cesare has asked me to meet, do you know him?"

It was rare that Cesare made such requests of her, to involve her in intrigue no matter how small, but she relished them, truth be told. This time it seemed quite simple. Cesare wanted to begin to ingratiate this man towards their family, in hopes that he would be a supporter of their father in upcoming elections. And he had apparently made an offhand remark to Cesare about having seen her photo in a magazine. Cesare thought that arranging a meeting would be innocent enough, since Lucrezia was married.

[trustearned]

"I've read his background check," Michael answered, glancing at her.

[borgiafatale]

Lucrezia nodded. She had not expected Michael to give her any more information than Cesare had.

"I am always happy to help, you know," she said. "I think that you may have a better sense of my capabilities than my brother does. Or at least, that he's willing to admit."

[trustearned]

Michael might very well have, if she asked him specific questions. There was no reason not to give her the intel she might want about her mark.

"He's wary of putting you in danger, that's all," Michael replied, although he was not telling her anything she did not know.

[borgiafatale]

"Yes, I know," Lucrezia said with a little sigh. "But do feel free to speak up for my capabilities should the occasion arise." She arched an eyebrow at him.

Then she asked, "So this man I am to meet, is there anything in his background check that suggests the best strategy to ingratiate myself? Shall I play the madonna or the whore? Figuratively, of course."

[trustearned]

Michael would do no such thing, of course. He knew better than to encourage his employer to put his sister at risk. He liked working for Cesare.

"Be yourself, and take your cues from him," he advised her after a second. "On the paper, it's hard to tell either way." You didn't get to be an MP by leaving your dirty laundry where anyone could find it, so there was no telling just yet.

[borgiafatale]

Lucrezia nodded. "Does he know my husband?" Though Allan was not a politician himself, his father was one of some importance.

[trustearned]

"He knows his father only peripherally, chances aren't very high," Michael answered.

[borgiafatale]

"I see," said Lucrezia.

They turned towards her and Allan's brownstone, and she led him up the steps. Though instead of opening the door, she turned to Michael. "You have always been good to me, dear Michael," she said. "You will tell me if there is ever anything I can do for you? You know that I can bend my brother's ear even farther than you can."

[trustearned]

Michael could not remember anyone ever calling him that, dear Michael. On anyone else's lips, it would have sounded ludicrous, but Lucrezia had a way about her. He had his own loyalty to her, for all that Cesare came first. So instead of turning her down (he would never take her up on her offer, after all), he only nodded. "Let me know when you want to resume our lessons."

[borgiafatale]

Even though she suspected he may not like it much, Lucrezia leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Perhaps this weekend," she said. "Thank you for seeing me home, Michael." And then she opened the door and slipped inside.

[trustearned]

Michael both disliked the gesture, and was oddly touched by it. So he failed to react in any way, and then simply turned around and walked away.