LORENZO DI GIOVANNI DE MEDICI. grand duke of florence and head of the medici bank. the medici must ALWAYS prevail, everything else ... EVERYTHING can be sacrificed.
lorenzo has never been one to ‘dress to impress’ and it isn’t out of inability to do so nor the lacking in the finances to pay for it. he dresses well but practicality has always been favoured in his eyes, especially when he always insists on travelling upon horseback and never in the comfort of a coach, and in florence this is seen as marking him as a man of the people. his father always warned him against building an appearence of a noble man, one looming above his subjects in an ivory tower with his luxurious fabrics and jewels that they could never even hope to own. instead he would dress well and present himself as a man of business, often coloured in medici blue, but with the fabrics of a man with deep pockets when the occasion called for impressing the elite.
he knows that he must not only say that the medici are servants to florence but they also must appear to be so, for the people to see and not just hear rumours of, this is why he is incredibly careful of the way he presents himself and especially by the way he dresses.
she’d been taking a moment with her baby, cooing gently over his crib. he’d been an unexpected surprise into her life, a life that had been in no way ready for a young life to join it. motherly instinct she did not have, and indeed she’d been grateful that a baby had never tied her to marius. but little giulio did fill her with an enormous amount of protectiveness, something she’d only felt in drops before compared to what she felt for the baby. every fiber of her being wanted him to be surrounded by the love and affection that she’d felt growing up, but he’d been bourne to a mother with a far less stable life. he was her biggest regret, and largest joy.
a tap on the shoulder and announcement from a servant was what broke the moment, as caterina followed the servant to the other room, mentally preparing herself to see her brother. it was a meeting she was both wholly excited for, and also dreading. he’d always be one of the people that she loved most in the world, but they’d be separated for so long she didn’t know if they could ever just fall back into the ease of their youth.
seeing his face for the first time confirmed one thing though, that no matter how thick he let his beard grow, and no matter how many silver hairs poked out from beneath the brown, she’d always only see his teenage self, hiding behind world wearied eyes. “lorenzo. it is good to see you.” she said, reaching in for a hug. how could he refuse her, after all? she was his sister, and even through everything, if she wanted a hug, she’d get one.
WHILST HE WAITED there was a sudden fluttering in his stomach that he hadn’t experienced in a very long time; nerves. standing firm upon the world’s stage was something so familiar to him that most situations failed to surprise the grand duke as he felt prepared for anything and everything that could arrive at his door in a moment’s notice. but this reunion with his sister, after so long? lorenzo found himself unusually on edge as he slowly paced the room in which he had been asked to wait, his hands tucked behind his back as to hold his posture straight and his head high.
at the sound of approaching footsteps, his pacing came to a half and heavy eyes turned towards the door as he eagerly anticipated the appearance of his younger sister after not having seen her in so long. he had never approved of the match their father had chosen for her, nor did he approve of the tales he heard of her actions since then, but from the moment he saw her his heart swelled and all that he could think of was how grown she had become. there was a smile upon his lips which grew from the stubbornness which usually held his features captive, the stern look of the duke melting away, as he immediately fulfilled her silent request in crossing the room and embracing her in the warmth of a brotherly hug. “ how is it possible you are unchanged, little cat? time has made me old and yet it has only made you taller. ”
𝟏𝟒𝟓𝟎 : lorenzo de medici ( @lorenzodemedicl ), grand duke of florence is wed to seraphina trastàmara, princess of naples — 𝐈𝐎. 𝐓𝐄 𝐃𝐎. 𝐋𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐄. / 𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐄. 𝐋𝐀 𝐅𝐄𝐃𝐄.
“ DO YOU THINK THEY SHALL NOTICE? ” tiredness lingered still in his voice as the recently awakened grand duke peered out of the window for his first glance upon portugal of the day. it was beautiful - he would admit that openly - though none could compare to the beauty of the wife god had seen fit to bless him with, whom he quickly abandoned the sight of lisbon for as he looked across the room in search of her. lorenzo de’ medici had prided himself in being a devout man but HEAVENS ABOVE, what had he done to deserve someone such as she? “ if we returned to florence, do you think they would notice? ” all thoughts of the city beyond were quickly discarded, his posture turned to entertain his spouse alone as hand mindlessly fastened to tie of his robe around his waist. “ this so called ‘PEACE’ is all good and well but i much more preferred knowing you were safe and home and mine alone. ”
location: grounds of the castelo de são jorge during the opening feast
closed for: @lorenzodemedicl
lady henrietta had only just arrived at the feast, having dawdled in the nursery, fretting over her children’s health after the long journey. she only lasted ten minutes after a few pointed looks from others who were not steeped in scandal as she. escaping outside, she was trudging around the courtyard trying to self-soothe the way she taught her six-month-old daughter to do when she fussed. pale eyes caught him in her peripheral, grand duke lorenzo de medici, holding his head as high as ever.
“your grace,” she greeted, voice soft and cool as she curtsied for he still outranked her and probably always would, “we meet again,” an obvious observation but what else was there to say to one who disdained your very existence? the attack she endured in florence was a fever dream, yet another thing lady henrietta forced herself to forget. she was practiced at slicing the darkest memories from her subconscious and once the wretched city was behind her, she did not look back, the long white scar at her collarbone the only reminder of the ordeal.
true enough, marius made for a good villain, leaving his wife in florence where she came from but henrietta’s sympathy had begun to run dry for caterina’s fall would be cushioned with medici gold. henrietta had scraped and climbed to her current position, finding happiness and family along the way, and for that, she could not be sorry. it was lorenzo who was to blame for his sister’s situation, she thought, he had miscalculated when he married her off to a prince with a long-term mistress. even all that unpleasantness had not drawn her hatred but when his people rioted in the streets and left her for dead at the side of the road her resentment finally saw the light of day. he was a ruler that had lost control of his citizens and it was she who suffered for it.
“i trust you are well.”
LORENZO HAD MADE HIS DISPLEASURE KNOWN, from the moment it had been announced that the pope requested to hold court in florence the grand duke had expressed his concern and emphasised that each party must bring it’s on means of protection. he swore to protect his people, his family, and the invasion of foreign courts only acted to threaten that. yet, who was he to refuse the pope? kings and their entourages arrived anyway and - just as he suspected - chaos had erupted as a result. understandably so too. his men had been quick to clear the streets, nobles seeking shelter due to the failure of their own guards were invited to do so within the safety of his palazzo, and justice had been quickly sought for the cordoban party; it was the best result given the circumstances they had been placed in at the pope’s command.
when the invitation to potentially recreate the events in portugal arrived, lorenzo could do little but laugh in disbelief. to know that the pope was willing to risk history repeating itself was surprising, to say the least, but there was some amusement to be found in knowing that he couldn’t possibly be blamed for any mishaps and so he agreed to attend; reluctantly, of course.
the welcoming event had been as strange as was to be expected. the events of florence were seemingly forgotten, yet lorenzo was faced with sheepish nobles who had flaunted their wealth and power in his home and in doing so caused great offence to the people. to HIS people. the idea of peace was an enticing one yet he could barely shake the lingering sound of falseness in the well wishes, in the blessings and toasts offered to one another, and so the duke took to the courtyard. the cool air soothed his warm cheeks and refreshed senses, but all were soon startled at the sight of one he had not expected to come across so soon. “ my lady, ” he addressed her with a slight nod, pausing in his casual wandering with his hands tucked formally behind his back. “ and i wish the same for yourself. you are not joining your party inside? surely they miss your presence. ”
THE SAFETY OF FAMILY WAS PARAMOUNT. once comfort was sought for his wife, lorenzo wasted little time in venturing out of the chambers assigned to the florentine party and sought the only other woman in his life who’s safety was a constant concern for him; his sister. time, distance and circumstance had all driven a wedge between lorenzo and caterina but that was not to say that she was not still held fondly within his heart, in fact his care for her had seemed to double. decisions had been made and mistakes occurres but there was a defensiveness within him that refused to burn out.
after seeking directions to where caterina was to reside, lorenzo made his way to the palace in which he might find and reunite with his dear sister. it was perhaps not the best time to arrive, with servants rushing here and there to settle in the nobility whilst similtaneously helping to prepare for the large gathering, but this could not wait for he had been deprived of his sister for far too long. catching the attention of the first rushing servant he could, he requested his presence be announced to caterina where ever she might be.
STUART MARTIN, THIRTY-TWO, LORENZO DE’ MEDICI. ❝ ⤚⟶ EUROPE, 1458. thanks is given by the GRAND DUKE OF FLORENCE, LORENZO DE’ MEDICI, from FLORENCE. they are at best ACCOMPLISHED, and at their worst SKEPTICAL. whilst abroad, their ambition is to EXPAND THE GRAND DUCHY. HE seems to remind everyone of STUART MARTIN & UNCHANGED MARBLE, A TOWERING CUPOLA & GOLD COINS UPON A BALANCED SCALE. ❞ penned by BEE; GMT, SHE/HER, 24.
introduction
Choose two of four prompts to answer. Each response must be a minimum of 150 words and reflect understanding of both the character and surrounding plots.
What current conflicts does your character face?
at home, the largest conflict lorenzo faces is the future of the medici family, the grand duchy and the bank. whilst he feels secure in his marriage, not yet having an heir is an uncomfortable position for any man in his position and it leaves him on incredibly uncertain ground. he trusts in god’s will and believes that they will one day be successful, but that does little to help stifle the insecurities he feels. further afield, facing the people of france and particularly being reunited with the former prince regent in the wake of the separation and looming annulment from his sister is to certainly be tense. lorenzo does not seek conflict, after the damage caused to florence during the last summit he sees the safety of his people as paramount, but he is not afraid to use the money of the bank to make the pockets of his enemies bleed.
Provide a blurb introducing your character generally. This should include an overview of strengths, weaknesses, aspirations, and set backs.
lorenzo is an extremely determined man, shaped by the weight of his family name, he holds nothing closer than his family, the city they call home and, last but certainly not least, his faith. to those closest to him he is known to be a fiercely protective man with a warm heart, to none more so than his immediate family, but on the outside he is an entirely composed individual who holds himself and others to the strictest of standards. he has been known to be presumptive in his judgements of others, particularly those he would consider to be ‘outsiders’, but it only comes from a place trying to remain one step ahead as opposed to a place of malice.
three bullet-points.
as the oldest of the medici siblings, lorenzo grew up with a great weight of responsibility upon his shoulders and learnt in time to carry it with pride and dignity. by the age of eighteen he had made his first trip to rome along side his father on business grounds, watching from the background as the great giovanni de medici made his way amongst nobles and cardinals alike gaining both their respect and business as a fish took to water, inspiring a great deal of admiration and envy in the heart of his son. it would only be two years later that lorenzo undertook a similar journey alone, travelling to rome where he felt to have finally found his feet, to be worthy of wearing the medici colours that he so proudly displayed, and seemingly came into his own as both a man and a member of the medici family.
in the year of 1447, giovanni de medici saw a steep decline in his health (both physical and mental) and, with great difficulty, it was decided that he would take a back seat in terms of family matters and retired to a life inside the guarded walls of the florentine palazzo, leaving the public image of the medici family in the hands of his children. it was in this year that lorenzo took his first step towards becoming the head of the family. whilst he acted only in the absence of his father, he took a front seat in matters of the bank and the governing of the city as well as - perhaps most life-altering to the man himself - he set about to choose the woman whom would be his partner in all things; a wife.
over the years, he has been accused of caring too greatly for the fate of the bank, some even would say over his own kin, but in truth, he believes that to care for the bank is to also care for his family. the nights he has sat at his desk or the weeks and months spent travelling were never intended to cause distance between lorenzo and his loved ones, in fact, he believes it to be for them instead. for the good of the family. as his marriage strengthens and the family grows, he is determined to become the figure that will secure both their safety and their futures even long after his departure from their lives; in doing so he also hopes he might set a good example of what it is to be a man for his future son and to teach his potential daughter that she should never settle for less than greatness.
@rosalindinwaiting asked:
✿ Would they ever trust dark or wicked magic?
that would be a hard no from lorenzo. he does not fear many things in this life but he is an extremely god fearing man with no desire to change that, especially not for something his faith forbids. he would not dabble in such things even for all of the riches in the world.
over a year ago, i made this meme & since then, it’s blown up. so, over a year later — i thought i would make a new one. so here it is, after several requests & a pile of brains, THE PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP MEME 0.2
send me a ✿ and i’ll fill out the template below. bold for things i could definitely see or want, italics for things i could see or am unsure of and striked out for things i don’t want or cannot see.
FRIENDSHIP. childhood friends / work buddies or coworkers / family friends / friends with benefits / smoking buddies / adventure buddies / fake friends / recently friends / party buddies / friendship of need / dying friendship / circumstantial friendship / partners in crime / old friendship / [ your muse ] is the good influence / [ your muse ] is the bad influence / [ my muse ] is the good influence / [ my muse ] is the bad influence / opposites attract / ride or die / frenemies / roommates or flatmates / penpals / exes to friends / enemies to friends / other .
ROMANCE. childhood sweethearts / [ your muse is mines ] childhood crush / [ my muse is yours ] childhood crush / exes / exes to lovers / forbidden lovers / highschool sweethearts / secret relationship / opposites attract / long distance / unrequited [ from your muses side ] / unrequited [ from my muses side ] / unrequited [ from both sides ] / skinny love / friends to lovers / enemies to lovers / spurious relationship / power couple / newly entered / soulmates [ metaphorical ] / soulmates [ literal ] / awkward / turning toxic / toxic love / cheating [ on your muse ] / cheating [ with your muse ] / other .
FAMILIAL. siblings [ half ] / siblings [ step ] / [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure / [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse / [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours / [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse / guardian figure / legal guardian / adoptive child / foster child / [ your muse ] is taken under mines wing / [ my muse ] is taken under yours wing / other .
ANTAGONISTIC. dangerous to each other / dangerous to others / unpredictable / rivals / petty / developing into sexual or romantic tension / based off family matters / based of off circumstance / based of professional matters / based off misunderstanding or lies / conflict of ideology / betrayal / hero - villain dynamic / enemies / fight club / friends turned enemies / lovers turned enemies / exes turned enemies / other .
Send a symbol for a headcanon about my muse. All horror/angst/scifi related.
✘ Have they ever committed a murder?
▼ What is their greatest fear?
✿ Would they ever trust dark or wicked magic?
△ Name one thing from their past that they regret.
✂ If they had to choose one weapon to carry forever, what would it be?
☣ Would they kill someone close to them if they had to?
☢ Would they survive an apocalyptic situation?
❣ If someone had the power to bring them back after death, would they want them to?
☠ Do they fear death?
♱ What do they think awaits them after death?
¿ Are they easily frightened?
╳ How would they react to seeing a loved one become possessed?
☹ Name one person they would kill for.
☼ If they had the choice to be immortal with one other person, who would they choose?
☎ How would they react to being contacted by a deceased love one?
★ Do they have a favorite scary story?
♣ Do they believe the world is made up of good and evil?
♥ Have they ever acting out of heartlessness?
☾ What is their favorite and least favorite thing about the night?
ψ Do they think they deserve punishment for their wrongdoings?
ϟ Have they ever gotten pleasure from causing others pain?
♚ Do they consider themselves to be evil?
♒ If they could choose how to die, how would they want to go?
™ Are they possessive?
✔ Are they holding a grudge against anyone?
◯ Do they believe in ghosts?
✦ Who is their favorite villain?
웃 Do they believe in aliens?
IN THE DAYS SINCE the riots, Aularia’s schedule had been erratic. Sleep was inconsistent, sometimes dragging her down with little choice, and at others, all too illusive. The hours when she was awake were often filled with trying various tasks, one after another, to entertain herself only to find that most of them were either too frustrating or too pain inducing to continue. She did not understand how a simple knock on her head seemed to inhibit her entire functionality. She grew impatient with her own frailty, and when she was not irritated with her circumstances, she became depressed, for surely such severe discomfort could only be a punishment from God for her gluttony and dishonesty. The princess could not help but believe, for she had slighted the hand of God time and time again, through one betrothal after another, and now she was failing in her marriage and God was saying enough. If Marius’ exile would not teach her humility, the almighty Lord would thrust it upon her. And so when Aularia gave up on trying anything else for the day, she asked her Lady’s maid to read to her from the bible, hoping that it would grant her some insight.
As of yet, she had not managed to find any comfort in it, and an hour ago she had sent Manilla away to call for her evening meal instead. It was simple fare. Tea to calm the princess’s ailments; Christ, she was beginning to miss wine; and crusts of bread with a simple broth and a cut of venison. It was the most she had tried to eat since her awakening, and consuming the food had been a slow process. When even fighting her nausea had become to exhausting, though she still had not consumed nearly a sufficient amount of food, Aularia abandoned her less than half eaten plate at the small table in her chambers and made the arduous journey with the assistance of her Lady’s Maids over to her bed. They had only just gotten the princess settled in when a gentle knock came on her door as it creaked slowly open. At first she assumed it to simply be the steward come to clear the meal away, but when she heard her brother’s voice, her heart leaped with excitement. As she saw him peek his head around the door, she wished she could jump up and run to him, throwing her arms around him as she had done when she returned home from travelling as a child. But even just the pick-up of her pulse with her joy at seeing him sent a sting through her temples and her delighted grin at seeing him was marred with a hiss of agony.
Still she threw her arms open to him where she sat nestled into her bed, and cooed joyfully, “Lorenzo, at last! For you, I have all the time in the world,” Aularia could not imagine the last time she had been so pleased or relieved to see a member of her family. She had always been the lowest priority, the black sheep, and she had shunned away the opinions of her kin, but now all she wanted was to know that they cared for her at all. Admittedly, it had been nice to be visited by Phil, and Marius’ appearance had been purely obligatory, but it was Lorenzo who she had been waiting for. She had a million questions for him, about their family, their city, their people. She beckoned him close, for once desperate for physical contact with another human. “Afterall, I have so much more to spare now, and I am certain you have so much less. Tell me what has become of our dear Firenze?”
HIS FRUSTRATIONS ASIDE, to see his sister’s condition with his own eyes was the greatest of reliefs for lorenzo. to see her taken to her bed was upsetting, igniting his anger at the whole situation in such a sobering manner that he was forced to remember that the medici were not in fact INVINCIBLE. they too were human. though, to see aularia appearing somewhat comfortable in her bed, the same bed she had called her own through her younger years, did manage to bring warmth to his heart to know that he could now see to that she was SAFE and CARED FOR; since it seemed her husband was entirely incapable. “ are you certain? i did have to fight away the hoards of french courtiers at your door, seeking to pester you for one thing or another. ” he found the bravery to speak with humour in spite of the current state of the city as he crossed the room quietly, perching upon the edge of her bed where he was careful in welcoming her into his arms in a brotherly embrace.
“ the people are angry at the heavy presence of royalty, a fact i warned his holiness on multiple occasions, and of course the nobility lashed out in return. fortunately, there seems to be a calm amongst the people and universal wish for you to REST and RECOVER. ” he mused with mush insistence, leaning back so that he might seek to look upon his sister much more closely and ensure she was at least on the road to recovery if she was not yet well. “ what can be done to aid your comfort? i apologise for my absence but i hope you have had pleasant company? ”
there was no festival or celebration to note remund’s arrival into florene. he arrived on horseback with a guard by his side, dark eyes shielded by the cap he wore as he watched the aftermath of the uprising that took florence by its tender parts. he had been sent to bring a defence to aragon’s honour ( or what was left of the aragonese deposed royal family; scattered amongst the countries but most hidden behind portuguese lines ), to stand beside his sister who was more the talker than he. she was always good with telling others what to do, doing what remund should’ve when all he could do was linger like a shadow or a sign that all was well. yes, remund was not particularly the BEST for the job… but he was born into it, and there was little choice on the matter. it was time for him to take a stand, and that was what he planned to do.
“you there,” he called, pulling on the reigns of his white stallion, bringing it to a stop as he lingered his gaze upon the other. “what way to the palazzo where the portuguese family are staying? we have just come from a long and tiresome journey… is there a tavern near by?”
it was by chance that he did not stutter, a curse that lay on his tongue like a boil.
FROM STANDING UPON THE STEPS OF THE PALAZZO VECCHIO, pleading with his people to cease their anger lest it bring war upon florence’s walls, lorenzo de medici had split his time evenly between squabbling nobles and alarmed florentines in a bid to pick up the pieces caused the riots. it was a complete shambles. many looked and pointed their fingers towards him when seeking a soul to blame and yet lorenzo had never approved of his beloved firenze acting as a stage to this CHARADE, he never wished for the world’s nobility to invade his streets with their pomp, but what choice did he have? when the pope calls one must answer with a yes and a yes only.
making his way from one palazzo to another, he came to a halt as an unfamiliar voice called upon him and turned to see an even more unfamiliar face gazing down upon him. “ you are to go straight onwards - though the nearest tavern is just upon the street you just passed. i’m afraid i am not inclined to direct you any further towards the palazzo you seek without knowing whom you are. i am lorenzo de medici, and you... ”
