pontificus | ( duplicity ) inbox

[She is flipping through a book of poetry that she's found, legs propped up on his couch. She hears him coming, and eyes flick up with a soft smile before she sees the look on his face.

And the name that comes spilling from his lips.]

Yes? [What is she supposed to reply with.]

On that blasted ship. It was him, was it not?

[Unless there is some other person out there named Lucrezia, something which he finds exceedingly unlikely. He's not sure how he feels yet. He just has to ask her, has to confirm to help him make sense of it all.]

And if it were? I do not come seeking out the name of the woman you lied with to gain your own form back.

[She places the book down at him. Would he be a hypocrite? As if it is not hard for her to know he lies with others.]

That is different.

[In truth, he can't really remember her name, or knows if he even asked for it. He would recognise her and give her a smile if he saw he again, but it was purely a transaction for the two of them.]

Are you telling me that it is him, or are you denying it?

I knew it. [She refuses to answer him, standing now from the couch.]

You know what this place asks of me. Am I not allow to know the soft touch of a man? Am I not allowed to feel loved? [She cocks her head to the side, daring him to answer her. She should remind him that she has not yet signed the contract.]

[He frowns hard, his tone becoming more intense than he had planned.]

Of course you may. You are loved. Mightily.

[He loves her so much, and yet she seems to think she he does not? It is foolish, and their conversation is moving to a topic that he does not like.]

Will you not ask how I know? He has been talking about you, Lucrezia.

[She still looks at him, brows furrowed. It is clear she is still cross, not sure where this line of questioning is coming from. She softens a little though when he tells her Jon has been speaking of her.]

What did he say? [She blinks, still trying to stay firm, but clearly caught off guard.]

[Her expression becomes gentler and he frowns. That is not how he meant it.]

He spoke of bedding you, Sis. We spoke of sharing you. Together. Before I realised who we were discussing.

[He sounds disgusted, horrified that anyone would say such things about Lucrezia Borgia. He's too startled and caught up in his own thoughts to realise that nobody actually did.]

What? [Her smile quickly disappears at hearing what Cesare tells her. She cannot think of Jon saying something so crude about her, not the way he revered her.]

We? [She continues to question him, raising a brow back at him. So he himself would be so crass then, too? Even if Cesare says he does not realize it was his sister he was speaking about, he would still regard another woman in that way, the same way he is wanting her to be appalled at (in the manner she is appalled at).]

[Cesare is taken aback for a moment, startled by her response. He blinks and shakes his head, taking a step towards her as if being closer to her might help her to understand..]

He is the one attempting to tarnish your reputation, Sis, not me.

[She is aware of that, knowing that she will bring it up to him when next they speak. But it doesn't mean she hasn't caught what he has said either.]

And so you would share another girl with him, talking in the same manner. But it is different when it is me you speak of? [She lifts her chin.]

I will speak with Jon later. [Or is he not expecting that either? It gives her a reason to seek him out now.]

[He swallows, pausing for a second as he frowns. But eventually, almost defiantly, he nods.]

Yes. I would. [He is not a good person. They both know that. Does she truly expect more from him?]

And it is different. You are Lucrezia Borgia, not some slattern from the streets of Rome.

[Then she says she will speak to him and he scoffs.]

You would give him more opportunity to sully your name?

We are not in Rome. [And yes, it matters. Everything matters here. His explanation does little to quell her, arms crossed and looking at him boldly, jaw jutting out.]

I would give him a chance to explain yourself. I know how to handle men, Cesare. I am not so innocent as you may seem to think. [She does not need him for that.]

[He can tell that the topic of conversation might shift away from him, and he seizes the opportunity, immediately latching his focus back on to Jon and Lucrezia's interactions.]

You are a capable woman, I am well aware. But when your family warns you of someone, it is best to listen. He is not a good man, Sis.

Neither are you by your own admission, [She shoots back, tilting her head. She crosses her arms again before shaking her head.]

Even here you still try and control who I am with. Am I to never be happy? To handle my own affairs as I wish? I am no child, brother. I am capable. Or do you not trust me?

[He frowns, disheartened by her words, and moves forward to touch her, instinctively trying to place a hand upon her shoulder.]

Of course I trust you. I would trust you with my life. But I do not trust him, not after such a crude display.

I want him to give me an explanation, of what would compel a king to say something undignified.

[She knows him in other ways. Lucrezia does not even think that Cesare would misconstrue it, but she wants to hear it from him. If he is truly that crass, she would end it. It is bad enough that they are made to participate in all manner of acts, but to then air them is another.

His touch makes her turn toward him, clearly hurt that someone she may have trusted could break it.]

[He lets out a relieved sigh and nods, before pulling her in an embrace. She wants to give him an out, but she is listening to him. That is something.]

That is a good idea, Sis. Thank you.

[She hugs him back, glad to not be alone here. It's hard enough having to forced into what this place wants, but it would be even harder without him. Not everyone has been fortunate to have family here, and she knows this. Lucrezia exhales feeling the tension roll off her shoulders before looking up at him.]

Please tell me you don't think of me differently.

Think of you differently? Why would I?

[He frowns. This has always been about Jon's poor behavior, not Lucrezia's. In his eyes, she can still do no wrong, and hasn't even come close to doing so anyway.]

You seemed so upset when you realized what I must do to regain my form. And now this? With Jon?

[Please don't make her regret her decision to sign with him. She's looking up at him, watching his reaction carefully. Her fingers slip through the folds of his shirt, holding on close to him.]

[If Cesare were the type to blush, he would do so now. Instead he smiles and looks down for a moment.]

Sis, I am aware you are a woman. My dear nephew rather gave that fact away...

It is different here-- it is out in the open. There are no scandals here. [She looks at him directly. It is simply duty, though to be touched gently and to be cared for is something she does enjoy. Is it wrong of her? Does he think less of her.]

Will you seek out any men I find favor in or do you truly find fault in Jon?

[Is it more than tainting her name?]

Jon is a cad and a scoundrel. [And he actually believes it. Perhaps deep down in his subconscious he is destined always to loathe Lucrezia's lovers. But he himself does not see it.]

I believe you deserve far better.

[There is a huff, though there is no fight behind it. She doesn't want to argue, and she did ask his opinion. She falls quiet though, wishing she had found out on her own. Pulling from him, she decides she tired now.]

Will you let me make that decision? [Since she hardly gets to make any decisions on her own. She knows it must be hard for him, so her question isn't accusing or angry. She just wants to stretch her legs here, now that the issue of her contract is over.]

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naytheist - 2018-11-11 05:49 (UTC) - Expand

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pontificus - 2018-11-11 19:10 (UTC) - Expand

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