The Art of Power and Love ( A Medici Masters of Florence the Magnificent fanfic)

Chapter 1

Vespucci Palace, Florence
May 1464

Ginevra was decorating the halls with some fresh flowers when she spotted an aged man in simple clothes stepping in. Some habitual costumers were admiring the many works of art exposed and the other servants were assisting them.
The girl moved to the other rooms to fulfil her duties and later she crossed the stranger man again. He was still alone and he seemed so captured by the finest works.
She scanned him and imagined he could be an artist too, came from some far city.
Most of the costumers weren't expert in art and they were easily persuaded to pay a lot for mediocre works. And her masters grew wealthy thanks to their ability of trading anything.
Ginevra smirked when the man stopped in the corner dedicated to Roman scuptures. She saw many people turning embarrassed and nervous in front of those bodies carved into stone.

"So few men can appreciate this art. I can say you're amongst them" she whispered coming silently to his back.
He slightly startled and his deep blue eyes scanned her.
"Thank you. Do you appreciate it too, miss?".
She observed the sculptures "I do. The beauty of nature is always fascinating. But the church and its rules misled our point of views".
"I agree" he said with a smile "Are you new here? I never saw you before".

She guessed he wasn't a stranger in that place "I've been here a couple of months. Messer Giovanni thinks that I understand the world of arts".
"I agree with him. I'm here to see him, by the way".
"He's waiting for you, sir. This way" Ginevra frowned with irritation seeing how rudely the housekeeper Rosalia interrupted them. The woman bowed and flooded the man with flattering words and smiles.
The girl could just watch her leading the man away. He turned back to give her a smile before disappearing behind a door.

Ginevra pouted and glanced at the statues, resisting again to the temptation of touching the stone to prove that they are real. Her mind imagined the scuptor taking out that beauty from the mere rock, centuries before. She felt privileged to meet those valuable works, full of history.
Rosalia came back and walked menacingly to her. Before the girl could step away, the woman pinched her arm, the thing Ginevra hated the most about her.
"What are you doing, you silly girl? Ruining us? Do you know who the hell was that gentleman, you insolent?".
Ginevra glanced at her and inhaled deeply with irritation "A kind man. Can you calm down now?".
"He is Cosimo de Medici!" Rosalia hissed.
The girl frowned, then widened her eyes with dismay "Medici? Dressed like that?".
Rosalia rolled her eyes "He can dress however he wants, but you treated him like a common peasant just like you are! I don't want you to step close to him anymore or I'll send you back to the filth where you come from".
Ginevra was immune to the menaces. She was full of surprise that she talked to a powerful man she heard a lot of, but never saw before.

Rosalia's wish was soon broken by Cosimo himself. When he was ready to leave he asked to be accompanied by Ginevra, who didn't hide her grin in front of the shocked and envious gaze of the housekeeper.
"I'm sorry for being too much..talkative before, sir. I didn't know who you were" she said humbly when she walked next to the most powerful man in Florence, leading him to the front door.
"Nothing to be sorry for. I really liked your sensibility. Actually I never met a girl like you before. Can I know you name, miss?".
"Ginevra, sir" she replied promptly, keeping her head down.
"What a lovely name. So, Ginevra, can you please stop being so reverent and be lively and talk openly as you did before?".
That request made her speechless. She glanced at him confused "If that's your wish, sir".
He smiled "And stop calling me sir. I'm just a man like many others. Just a man who loves arts".
They stopped in front of the opened door. The noises from the life outside was in contrast with the quiet insides of the palace.
"It has been the greatest honor to meet you, messer Cosimo" she said heartfelt.
"Same, Ginevra. Would you like to come with me? I've already talked to Giovanni and he agrees that you can leave with me. I hope you'd like to visit my villa in Careggi and meet the Accademia".
She raised her head crossing his eyes mesmerized. She heard a lot about the Accademia Neoplatonica, but she never thought she could get a chance to meet it. She started to have doubts and think it was just a nice dream or there was something bad behind that wonderful prospective. Maybe her masters had enough of her and sold her. But after all, she recalled suddenly, the Medicis were her masters' superior. The Medicis gave them that palace that they turned into a good place for trading works of art.
"It would be really great" she said full of emotion "But I'm just a servant..".
She lowered her eyes to the elegant dress she was wearing, borrowed from her masters to attract more costumers. Out of the palace she wore just rags.
"This dress is not even mine" she added softly.
He placed a hand on her shoulder, making her startle "Don't worry about that. You can return this one and get much more beautiful ones. My family was used to trade clothes after all. I have plenty of them that are unused now".
She stared at him incredulously "But I can't afford them. I have no money. I just earn some food and few coins if I get to make some consumers buy extra works".
Cosimo laughed politely "I don't want money. Actually I'm sick of money. No, you have talent, Ginevra, and that worths more than any material properties" he pointed to the road "This is my carriage, come with me. I need to sit down".
The girl looked back at the palace one last time, she spotted Rosalia, who followed them from far and was staring at her from the staircase, but she didn't give Ginevra any hint on what she had to do.
Ginevra felt like she was putting herself into big troubles, but some thought persuaded her to go ahead and try her fortune. Maybe it was her only chance to satisfy her need of revenge.
She touched her dress to cover a bit her neckline and followed the man on the carriage, smiling with him at the thought of the adventures she was going to live.
The horses started to walk and Cosimo moved the curtains to look outside.
She lifted her eyes to nod at the giant dome that was dominating the view of the sky "That is a work of yours".
He smirked "Mastro Brunelleschi made it actually, with the help of many people".
"But you put the money" she said smirking back.
Cosimo grinned and stretched his back "So, Ginevra, who are you? Giovanni just said you are a country girl with no family nor properties, but you have a good taste in matter of art. And that you can read and write. Is it true?".
"Yes" she said shyly.
"How's that possible?".
Ginevra hated having his full attention. Her mouth dried in the effort of getting the right words "I can learn fast. I like learning, actually".
Cosimo didn't look satisfied, but he accepted her answer and didn't inquired any further.
The travel turned more enjoyable. The city was full of wonders and many of them existed thanks to Cosimo. And he didn't dislike taking credits of them.

When they moved to the countryside, Ginevra felt like she was able to breath again and enjoyed the sights. But when the carriage stopped in front of the villa's gates, worries flooded her.
Some servants came to help them, but before she could stand from her seat, Cosimo lively jumped down to help her. She smiled shyly but she noticed there was something wrong in his health even if he tried to hide it. And she understood why he dressed in poor clothes and needed not to be recognized in the city.

Her gloomy thoughts were soon washed away but the deep wonder provoked by the place she was introduced to. She didn't even want to blink, fearing that she could awake from a dream.
There was so much to see she didn't know where to rest her eyes.
She barely noticed the people they crossed, until Cosimo introduced her to the members of the accademia.
She was shivering when she shook her hand to its founder, Marsilio Ficino.
"It's such a wonderful honor to meet you, messer Marsilio" she said breathlessly.
The man giggled "Messer? Please, let it to the real masters. I'm just Marsilio for everyone".
Cosimo rested his hand on the girl's shoulder "I hope there's place for a new student".
Marsilio looked bewildered for a moment, but welcomed the more shocked girl.

Soon she realized that the other people in the villa weren't that welcoming towards her. She got many hostile glances and she had to remind herself that she was just a visitor, even if Cosimo acted like she permanently moved there.

She was still unsure when he stopped in front of her and openly asked with a warm smile "So, Ginevra, will you grant me the honor to have you here as a guest from now on?".