#Medici Fountain

[postcard-from-the-past]

Medici Fountain in Paris

French vintage postcard

#vintage #tarjeta #old #briefkaart #medici #postcard #photography #fountain #postal #carte postale #sepia #ephemera #historic #paris #french #ansichtskarte #postkarte #medici fountain #postkaart #photo

[aeishahameera]

Fontaine Medicis

Jardin du Luxembourg

#jardin #garden #Medici Fountain #Paris #jardin du luxembourg #sculpture #art #fountain #statues #France #architecture #landscape #parisian #monument #aesthetic #good day #cah’s photography

[thepaintedchateau]

...if your heart hurts a little after letting go of something... that’s alright...it just means that your feelings were genuine...

#the painted chateau #painted chateau #art #architecture #medici fountain #jardin du luxembourg #paris #france #inspired life

[postcards-around-the-world]

#paris #jardin du luxembourg #fontaine de medicis #medici fountain #spring #drawing

[wgm-beautiful-world]

La Fontaine Médicis Jardin du Luxembourg à PARIS

#fontaine #fountain #fuente #medicis #jardin du luxembourg #luxembourg #garden #jardin #paris #france #francia #europe #europa

[fehlines]

#mine #italy #europe #italia #fountain #piazza #piazza de medici #medici palace #florence italy #florence #firenze #city hall #architecture

[crescentmoons-and-stardust]

#fountain #house of medici #medici #art #sculpture #aarchitecture #my post #travel #italy #places #florence italy #Florence #photo #photography

[fullpeanutsalad]

#IFTTT #WordPress #Famous Photographers #Fountain #Medici #Paris #Sketching #Watercolor

[random-brushstrokes]

Zsigmond Vajda (Hungarian, 1859–1931) - Paris, Jardin du Luxembourg, The Medici Fountain

#Zsigmond Vajda #hungarian art #paris

[calistrae]

ville de l'amour. a trent alexander-arnold blurb

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

pairing: trent alexander-arnold x gn!reader

requested: yes

request: hii can i request reader and trent maybe in paris and he proposes under the eiffel tower in the dark?

warnings: teeth-rotting fluff, obnoxious lovey-dovey couple activities

notes: no proposal under the eiffel tower, simply because i personally think it's overrated, instead check out the luxembourg gardens and you'll see why i picked it as inspiration for this! tysm for requesting and all the love on my fics! 🧸🤍 (not proofread as per usual lmao)

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

you had no idea, what your boyfriend had planned for your holiday in paris, but his requests and suggestions had made you beyond suspicious of his plans.

why did he have the sudden urge to go to paris, despite having never shown interest in it? why had he suddenly asked you to dress up? why was he looking so formal when all you were doing was taking a little walk?

not that you were complaining. paris was beautiful and the man strolling through the gardens with you was a god. you could swear he was a divine being walking this earth. from the bottom to the top, he looked gorgeous, especially in this sunlight. what had you done to deserve this? to deserve him?

you never realized you were staring until his words brought you out of your trance. "you never realized you were staring until his words brought you out of your trance. "my love?" he spoke, his thumb gently stroking the back of your hand as he kept it in his own. "huh?" was all you could reply, having been torn away from your thoughts.

"what were you staring at?" he questioned with a wide grin on his lips and from that smile alone, you knew you'll never be hearing the end of it. he could read you like a book so you knew that he was probably aware of what you were thinking. "come on, tell me, babe. promise i won't tease you about it" he smirked and you both knew he was lying.

"it's so pretty here, trent" you said as you took the sight in, moving closer to him as you held onto his arm to avoid bumping into the large groups around you. the gardens were beautiful, truly. but there were a lot of people and this put both of you slightly on edge. your relationship had always been private, you rarely posted one another and you rarely appeared in public cozied up.

"only the prettiest place for someone as pretty as you," he replied with a gentle hum and the two of you attempted to remain serious but quickly failed when glancing at each other, bursting out into laughter. "that was so bad!" you exclaimed and he only nodded as he continued laughing. "i give you a compliment and you react like that?!" he argued back.

"that was the cheesiest thing i've ever heard, trent. we both know it was awful, don't try that one ever again." you told him and leaned against him as he guided you through the gardens, now having reached a more quiet, private area. "you love it deep down, i know you do." he hummed and smirked to which you couldn't help but roll your eyes.

"i love you but sometimes i can't believe how i fell for you" you pointed out and chuckled at the offended expression on his face. he let out a joking huff and stopped walking in front of the medici fountain. "i was planning to propose to you just now, but you've just broken my heart. can't believe you." he mused but his tone was a clear indication he was only joking.

when you heard the word 'propose,' your eyes widened as you stood in front of him. "what?" you laughed and shook your head, throwing it back in disbelief as you glanced at the sky and took a deep breath. "what? i'm not kidding, my love." he chuckled and pressed a kiss to the back of your hand.

while you had been convinced he was joking, his words threw you into a frenzy, your eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. he had to be joking, right? there was no way he was being serious. you shook your head and looked him straight in the eye, however the playful expression remained on your face "stop playing. there's no way you were going to propose."

at this, he beamed up once again and within a single second, the man was on one knee in front of you. you felt like you had been hit in the face and you were sure your jaw was hanging open. "what are you doing, trent? get up!" there was no way this was real.

the look on his face could only be described as pure love and adoration as he took your hands in his and flashed that gorgeous smile you loved so much. "i'm not joking, love. with or without a ring, i want to be yours forever but i want to celebrate our love. i want you to be my partner in everything, whether it's a game or whether it's in life. i don't think i've ever felt more loved and i certinly have never loved anyone as much as i love you. everything about you is...pure perfection, really. i want to love you at your best, your worst and your everything in between. it sounds awfully cheesy, i know it does but i can't word it any differently because this is how i feel." he told you and kissed the back of your hand as he was holding it.

"you've shown me what love is supposed to look and feel like and i'd be a fool to not ask you to marry me. so, would you make me the happiest person in this entire world and marry me, love?" he asked as he pulled out a tiny emerald green box and opened it, revealing what must've been the most beautiful ring you've ever seen. it wasn't huge or flashy with a massive diamond but it was perfect, beautiful. you were in complete disbelief but quickly, you dropped down to your knees and smiled at him as you nodded almost frantically.

his smile only grew as his arm wrapped around your waist and he pulled you in, burying his nose deep into the crook of your neck "i love you so much" he whispered as he held you close and you could swear you felt tears against your skin. but you weren't any better as you were in tears the moment he said he wanted to love you through every moment of your life. the two of you were never serious with one another but the look in his eyes alone told you that he wasn't kidding. you held each other's gaze for a few more seconds until trent cracked and pressed a kiss to your cheek.

"we should probably get up, we're kneelin' in the middle of a park and i think people are staring." he pointed out with a chuckle. as he helped you up, he pulled you flush against himself, the muscular pair of arms tight around your midriff. he nuzzled against your temple and pressed the gentlest kiss against your skin. you observed the ring with a small smile on your lips as he led you out of the park and in your gut, you had a feeling there was more planned.

#football imagine #football one shot #trent alexander arnold x reader #taa x reader #trent alexander arnold one shot #trent alexander arnold imagine #trent imagine #trent alexander arnold #trent alexander arnold blurb #request

[osirisiii-bc]

Primo Emeritus: Florence.

This is the first of my posts where I locate each Papa in Italian cities based on the occult influences/history of each city. I hope you find it interesting and useful!

Primo Emeritus, The Old One, the embodiment of all that is sacred. A personality like his deserves to be located in an ancient city full of art, poetry, and history, shaped by the esoteric and alchemical obsessions of the Medici family, amidst the enduring shadow of centuries-old Satanic cults.

Let’s see why I have chosen Florence for Primo.

In this chapel of ritual…

From the early 70s to the late 80s, a series of murders occurred in various regions of middle-north Italy, with the most infamous taking place in Tuscany, known as the case of the 'Monster of Florence' (Mostro di Firenze), which resulted in the deaths of 14 people - officially, but it is believed there were way more.

The theory is that these murders were part of a large network of Satanic rituals involving influential figures from Rome, Perugia, and Florence. This network is supposedly still active. The original cult allegedly responsible for initiating these rituals seems to be the 'Rosa rossa' (Red Rose) cult. 

A fertile ground for writing Ritual...

2. The creator of Hell.

Florence is the birthplace of Dante Alighieri, the renowned author of the Divine Comedy and the creator of the now canonical structure of Hell.

Primo could have had many more things in common with Dante than we expect: indeed, it is said that Alighieri was part of an esoteric cult named ‘Fedeli d’Amore’ (Loyals to Love), probably affiliated with the Templars. From there, Dante is said to have drawn inspiration for his symbolic and esoteric tales, as well as his passion for numbers.

Keep an eye on Dante, as he will eventually come back in the next chapters.

3. The ghost behind the open window.

It’s not a Ghost story without an actual ghost.

In Piazza Santissima Annunziata, there is a building, Palazzo Grifoni, that holds a mysterious detail: a window that remains open at all times, whether day or night, summer or winter. Legend has it that a woman of the Grifone family bid farewell from that window to her lover, likely Ferdinando I, who departed for war. She waited for him by that same open window throughout her life, but he never returned, dying in battle. When she passed away, the window was finally closed. However, soon after, numerous mysterious events happened in the building, to the point the residents concluded that the building was haunted by the ghost of the woman, and they have kept the window open ever since not to upset her.

But that's not all: the Ferdinando I statue placed in the square, has his face turned to look right to that window… At the very end, he finally came back to her.

4. The Boboli alchemical garden.

Boboli represents a very particular case of an alchemical garden conceived to be ‘accessible’ only to those who have a strong alchemical and esoteric knowledge. It is built as a symbolic route where you can contemplate the principles of magical and alchemical doctrine along the way. You’ll be welcomed by two fountains, placed one on top of the other: the Mose’s (it is an indoor fountain) and the Carciofo’s (artichoke). They are believed to represent the esoteric concept of “as above so below”, but the references to esoteric concepts are present along the whole garden.

Primo would have surely loved this place.

#ghost band #the band ghost #primo emeritus #papa emeritus i #papa primo #italian cities #ghost theories #Ghost band theories

[luc3]

Mirrors. (French Folk Traditions.)

The mirror shows much more than a simple reflection of oneself and the physical world.

History : There are traces indicating that since Antiquity, the mirror has been [considered as] a window onto the invisible and a medium for revealing the future. Of course, in the Middle Ages it was demonized. The "Évangile des Quenouilles" (15th century) says : "Whoever looks in the mirror at night will see the Evil, will not become more beautiful and will even become uglier."

In the 19th century the superstition continued :

In Brittany, the woman who looks in a mirror after sunset sees the devil over her shoulder.

In Champagne, you must not make faces when you look in a mirror, otherwise you will see the devil at the moment of your death.

-

The mirror also has the property of capturing the vital essence of the person who is reflected in it, and at the time of death, it is common in France that the mirrors of a house are all veiled so that the soul of the deceased does not find himself trapped there.

Divination Mirror : It was made of polished metal (bronze, copper, silver), it is one of the divinatory instruments commonly used by the Ancient Greeks.

Pausanias relates (in its "Description of Greece") that there was a fountain near the temple of Demeter, into which a mirror hung on a wire was lowered in order to read the chances of survival of a sick person. When the mirror came back up, you just had to look in it and either it showed a healthy face, which presaged a return to health, or an agonizing face which presaged an imminent death.

Magic Mirrors were very popular during the Renaissance : Catherine de Medici claimed to see the actions of her enemies there, and the magician John Dee had a mirror made of obsidian stone.

In Popular Magic, Abbot Thiers gives a very evocative example of what had to be done : one had to write with his own blood on his forehead during Twelfth Night, the names of the three Kings (Gaspard, Melchior and Balthazar) then then look in a mirror to see the circumstances and the day of our death.

In Gironde you have to consult your mirror at the stroke of midnight to find out the name of your future husband.

In Loire - Atlantique, every first Friday of the month, the mirror placed under the pillow reveals the face of the future spouse, or of an obstacle which announces an imminent death.

In Ille-et-Vilaine, on the eve of Candlemas, the girl must light two candles in front of her mirror before going to bed. At midnight she must then get out of bed with her right foot to see the reflection of her fiancé.

-

Seven years of misfortune : Of course breaking a mirror brings misfortune everywhere. In several regions of France, the clumsy person is sentenced to 7 years. Sometimes, in the same region, for some it also predicts imminent death.

The only exception concerns oval mirrors (according to Sebillot), which when broken predict a birth in the family.

---

[Extract re-adapted by me from the Dictionary of Mysterious France by M.C Delmas.]

#Mirrors #M C Delmas #French Folk Traditions

[trofysisters]

Анфиса

Эта неделя с самого начала у Эдуарда не задалась. В больницу приехал министр здравоохранения с проверкой. После официальных мероприятий во время обеда Эдуард решил поиграть в электронную игру, оставленную кем-то из пациентов. Министр решил, что главному врачу по статусу не положено в игры играть на рабочем месте и понизил Эдуарда в должности. Теперь он снова фармаколог. (From the very beginning, this week did not work out for Eduard. The Minister of Health came to the hospital with a check. After official events during lunch, Eduard decided to play an electronic game left by one of the patients. The minister decided that the status of the chief physician was not supposed to play games at the workplace and demoted Eduard in his position. Now he is a pharmacologist again)

Давида задержали после уроков в нудном литературном кружке, и, чтобы прийти в себя, он решил выбраться в город, развлечься с приятелями. (David was detained after lessons in a boring literary group, and in order to recover, he decided to get out into the city, have fun with his friends)

Пришли только Карина и Илона. Илона сразу распознала в Карине соперницу, (Only Karina and Ilona came. Ilona immediately recognized Karina as a rival,)

поэтому предложила состязаться в боулинге: кто выиграет, тот с Давидом идет на свидание. (so she offered to compete in bowling: whoever wins goes on a date with David)

Илона была спортсменкой, комсомолкой, отличницей. Что ей могла противопоставить Карина? Только свою женственность и красоту. (Ilona was an athlete, a Komsomol member, an excellent student. What could Karina oppose to her? Only its femininity and beauty)

В первом раунде Карина потерпела поражение, (In the first round, Karina was defeated,)

Во втором раунде, который стал для Карины последним, она в прямом смысле глотала пыль. Всё же лучше надевать специальную обувь, а не пытаться играть в туфельках. “Another one bites the dust” (In the second round, which was the last for Karina, she bites the dust. Still, it is better to wear special shoes, and not try to play in shoes)

Уже в караоке Давид воспевал победу Илоны: “You are the champion, my friend!”. (In karaoke, David sang the victory of Ilona: “You are the champion, my friend!”)

Однако в конце вечера, когда ребята прощались друг с другом, к Давиду пристала вредная бабка, которая уже успела довести до слез другого посетителя. (However, at the end of the evening, when the guys were saying goodbye to each other, David was accosted by a mischievous old woman who had already managed to offend another visitor)

Зато Илона притащила Давиду в память о вечере и своей победе огромный фонтан, купленный на повышенную стипендию. (But Ilona dragged David in memory of the evening and her victory a huge fountain, bought with an increased scholarship)

Примерно в это время Ада вернулась домой после школьного бала. Она бы хотела пригласить с собой Виктора, но он был в старшем классе, поэтому Ада пригласила новенького. Возможно, парень ожидал, что она будет уделять ему больше внимания, поэтому разобиделся. Пренебречь, вальсируем! (Around this time, Ada returned home from the school prom. She would like to invite Victor with her, but he was in the senior class, so Ada invited a new student. Perhaps the guy expected her to pay more attention to him, so he got offended. Never mind, let's dance!)

С Виктором ей удалось поговорить только перед поездкой в школу. Ах, как же он хорош, но он совершенно не смотрит на Аду как на девушку! (She managed to talk to Victor only before going to school. Oh, how good he is, but he does not look at Ada as a girl at all!)

Эдуард был честным человеком, поэтому не стал прописывать пациентам неизвестное лекарство, несмотря на обещанные от производителя богатства. Лекарство оказалось фикцией, о чем Эдуард сообщил медицинскому сообществу, Его признали самым умным и харизматичным медиком в стране, а также вернули на должность главного врача. (Eduard was an honest man, so he did not prescribe an unknown medicine to patients, despite the wealth promised by the manufacturer. The medicine turned out to be a sham, as Eduard informed the medical community, He was recognized as the smartest and most charismatic physician in the country, and also returned to the post of Chief of Staff)

Как же такое событие не отпраздновать с любимой женой?! (He celebrated this event with his beloved wife)

Конечно, они отправились в ресторан, где прекрасно провели время, видя только друг друга. (Of course, they went to a restaurant where they had a great time seeing only each other)

Мужик! Уйди из кадра! (Man! Get out of the frame!)

Как прекрасно, когда любовь не увядает с годами! (How wonderful it is when love does not fade over the years!)

А вот Виктор, похоже, попал во временную петлю: он снова и снова возвращался на школьный бал, будто должен был что-то исправить. Матрица имеет тебя, Виктор. (But Victor seems to have fallen into a time loop: he returned to the school ball again and again, as if he had to fix something. The matrix has you, Victor)

Предыдущая семья - Ранее - Продолжение - Следующая семья

#sims 2 #Devchata #anfisa

[terrainofheartfelt]

Hi okay. So opera is like. One of my biggest cultural blind spots. And I wanna start trying to get into it but at you know…reasonable prices lol. Any tips on where to start? Maybe in terms of where to watch operas online? And which operas are more easily digestible for a newbie lol

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! waking up and seeing this in my notifs made me sooooooo happy! S! there's a beautiful, wondrous, extremely problematic world of art awaiting you!

Alright, so I'm gonna try to take your question bit by bit but this is my specialized field and I love to talk about it but I'll try my best ok ok

pricing is definitely a valid concern - I totally get it. good news is there are still lots of options to see opera live that are not in A-level, top dollar houses. try googling and poking around instagram for what's called "storefront" companies, ie, smaller companies. there's less star power and production value, but you can see great performances for $20-$60 a ticket, depending on the house and your neck of the woods. another great option is the MetHD series. The Met Opera in NYC is an institution that I have....lots of thoughts about -- and we can talk about those too if you like -- but a decent thing they've done is that for about half of their season, they broadcast performances to movie theaters all over the world. I haven't gone since the Before Times (pre-covid), but I think the most I paid was 40 bucks. and it is a great way to see opera that's low stakes. wear comfy clothes, bring a big sweater, stuff your purse full of snacks. my friend and I went to Tristan and Isolde with numerous smuggled snacks and big old fountain drinks and it rocked!

online stuff: possibilities are endless. MetHD does have a catalog of past performances - you have to pay, so take that for what you will, but you can find whole ass operas on YouTube! and once you figure out what kinds you like, and which singers you like, you can get pickier and choosier. And of course, check out your local library! big city library systems likely have lots of digital subscriptions to peforming arts things. some names to look out for: Alexander Street Press; medici tv; naxos. a cursory google brought up this NYT article that has some resource possibilities too!

and, my recommendations for a new viewer!

disclaimer: I am a sucker for big, bombastic, romantic grand opera, but I understand that that can be A Bit Much for a first timer, so while I love all of these, not all are my top faves, but I think they are a great primer, and hopefully if you like them I can go on and on about the heavier-hitters later.

I personally think the best starting point for someone looking to get into opera is Puccini. He was a bit of a bastard (weren't they all) but his music and stories all unfold in a cinematic kind of way. Opera was written to fit a specific kind of theatrical/musical structure for a long time, and Puccini and his era was where that structure kind of broke down, and he just wrote to move a story and characters and music forward, away from this speak-sing, solo, repeat, speak-sing, ensemble, rinse repeat kind of thing. for a specific title, I highly recommend Tosca. The political battle for Italy's unification is the backdrop for one hell of a story. The title character is a boss ass bitch. She sings well, fights well, dies well. I think it rocks. and it's a very popular one, so finding an online version or a live performance should be easy going!

and S, since you are a theatre kid, I'd steer you to checking out La Boheme as well -- its the og source material Larson based Rent off of, though it's considerably more tragic. music is gorgeous though. Zefferelli (yeah, that one) directed a production at the Met that they mount every other year. it's beautiful! another I think you should try is La Traviata. aka the basis of the classic film Moulin Rouge. this one is by Verdi, based off the Dumas Lady of the Camellias. a courtesan in Paris who falls in love with this young man, and the forces of fate that pull them apart. it's got that aria that you hear in Princess Diaries 2 Royal Engagement, and there are moments of music that are just so fucking SUBLIME. Puccini also wrote his own spin on Dame aux Camellias called La Rondine, and it is a delightful, gorgeous, romantic piece, definitely worth checking out.

Okay one more rec and then I'll stop myself. and this one will be contemporary! mentioning the Met reminded me that this season they've swung big and put Dead Man Walking on their list. this is an opera that's been very important to me for like, 10 years. I learned one of the arias in undergrad, and I even met Sister Helen Prejean, and a few years after that, I got to see it live in kansas city, and even though we agreed that the lead was kinda meh, my friend and I were still so moved that we were sobbing. it's so so so powerful. idk if it is part of MetHD, but if so, I highly encourage you to see it. so, it is based off of Sister Helen's memoir Dead Man Walking, about how she came to be a spiritual advisor to inmates on death row, and it follows her starting this new -- phase? i guess? -- of her nun career, through to the inmates execution. it is not for the faint of heart, and I would say read the wikipedia and mind the content warnings, but god what a great opera. and one more note about the composer, honestly I don't think anyone else is doing it like Jake Heggie. he understands this concept that I think many modern composers don't, is that he's creating a dramatic work. and whether is comedic or tragic, it's got to move people. I've dealt with a lot of shitty modern opera, and I think those are mostly composed as if they are university assignments. llike, prove how well you understand this music theory concept by writing it. I say it's more like they are writing math problems instead of music. but Jake Heggie writes music. and that's what makes DMW such a standout to me. That and a low-voiced woman plays the heroic lead (rarer than one may think rip)

I am so so happy you asked and I am always open to talking more if you're curious! (and that goes for S and anyone else reading this <333)

#strideofpride #if nobody got me i know tumblr user strideofpride got me #asks #one of my bestest friends in the world is in grad school now for arts and nonprofit management so #reaching out to people our age and sharing opera with them has been at the center of a lot of our conversations lately #so hearing from you made me so so so so so happy <333

[you-have-made-a-fatal-error]

Phantom of Venice Art ID

Rio dei Mendicanti and the Scuola di San Marco by Bernardo Bellotto, 1738. Hanging in Nancy's room at the Ca' Nascosta and it's the wall painting behind Enrico at the Casa dei Giochi.

2. Entrance to the Grand Canal and Santa Maria della Salute, Venice by Michele Marieschi, 1740. Painted on the wall in the main room of the Ca' Nascosta.

3. The Landing Place by Hubert Robert, 1787/88. Hanging to the left of the stairs in the main room at the Ca' Nascosta.

4. The Fountains by Hubert Robert, 1787/88. Hanging in the main room at the Ca' Nascosta, above Helena's desk.

5. The Rialto Bridge from the South by Canaletto, c.1735. Hanging in Nancy's room at the Ca'.

6. Fresco from the Gallery of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence (possibly titled 'the Allegory of Prudence') by Luca Giordano, 1684-86. The cover of Prudence Rutherford's memoirs as seen in the outro letter.

#nancy drew #clue crew #the phantom of venice #ven #nd art id #i also have a thing on the works of art the 'phantom' steals #i'm putting it together; it's a work in progress; etc etc

[thesongofthegreens]

FLORENCE, ITALY | IL DUOMO OF FLORENCE

Imola had been lost. More importantly, so had Francesco. He felt the latter's loss more, however surprising that might have been. Imola could be won again, despite the Pope's purchase of it, but he was not so sure that the same could be said of Francesco. What had Jacopo said for him to turn against them so quickly?

While Lorenzo could play as naive as he desired, he knew it was not only Jacopo's doing; his business dealings with the Pope and what truly been given to the Pazzi's had not entirely an innocent slight. Francesco had even questioned his motives then, but Lorenzo had never believed it would tear them apart. His own dismissal had only served to prove what lie Jacopo had fed his friend.

For the good of the Medici bank.

It echoed in his mind, when he would find a moment to rest, or when he believed he was more alone than he had ever been. With Giuliano mourning Simonetta, he had no one to bear the brunt of things. There once had been a time where his brother's absence would have nearly been missed, or even unnoticed. Not to say that he had not loved his brother, only that his own loneliness had been a shallow fountain then - it had become a sea.

With the Pope preparing an army to Imola, supposedly to set upon Florence, he knew he needed more than his family by his side. And for that, he would have to admit his sins and possibly those of his fathers before him, no matter how difficult it would be for him to do so. Republics could not be built without a cost.

As the carriage rode along the stones, there were bumps along the way, yet the carriage was never set off the track - it still persevered. I will become the carriage, if I must, he thought, though he was less sure that his path would be so easy.

He passed the many doors surrounding the cathedral, and the many people making their way to mass. There, in the many pews that were held there, they would still be separated by status, but God would see them as equals. They would dip their fingers into holy water and bless His name as equals. Such a small thing set a smile on his lips, for he wished the rest of Florence could be so.

Lorenzo dreamed for it to be so.

When he arrived, his coachmen knocked on the wood, pulling him from his daydreams and to the mouth of the cathedral. He found his brother there, waiting for him, as he exited the carriage. He spoke a few choice words to Bastiano, before encouraging his brother to believe in the good of othes, that words could bring peace before the sword.

As they turned and walked the steps, his heart grew heavy at the sight of his friend, a small smile set onto his face. In the months that had passed, Lorenzo had not seen such a sight, despite the many times he had seen the Florentine banker.

He found himself stopping, with Francesco met his gaze; there was regret there, but there was something else, something ready to take on a life of its own. Lorenzo felt it, in the very fiber of his being, that the mass service would change the tides, though he could not say whether it would be in any of their favors.

"I know our families have had their disagreements, but I hope from now on, we can bury that, start new, for all our sakes." The smile that touched his mouth was friendship, his arms held out for an embrace. It was one that had not been shared in many fortnights.

Lorenzo could not help but think of his grandmother, her wish to see their families at peace, for eternity. But it was not just her, but the shadow that had been hanging over both of them that reminded him to let the past live there, to make anew with what they could.

After a moment, he moved forward, his own arms wrapping around his friend, though he could not claim his heart remained entirely whole. For both of their sakes, he whispered, "I always meant for us to be friends, Francesco."

"We shall be again."

While Lorenzo would not admit it to his brother, to the many seeing them at the mouth of the cathedral, he had sunk right into the embrace at the promise, relief flooding through him. Whatever spat had risen from Jacopo, whatever unthinkable had been requested of the Florentine banker, Francesco had stood against him, one last time.

As they pulled away, to face one another again, Lorenzo touched the back of his neck, a smile being shared between them both - for a moment, all transgressions were forgotten.

"I am glad to hear it," he began, looking down to the ring he'd been given when he had removed his father from the Priori. He twisted it around his finger in thought, a sigh leaving him. "I don't want to simply begin another chapter of our friendship, Francesco. I would see our banks united, again." Brown eyes searched his, there was that secret in them again. "Truly united, not in word, but in deeds and parchment."

| closed roleplay with @all-that-is-gold-is-now-gone , sorry for the long starter, i wanted to set the scene! |

#lorenzo de medici rp #medici rp #francesco pazzi rp #francesco de pazzi rp #lorenzo medic rp #historical rp #history rp