Page 11 of The Valiant (Spy Girl 4)
"Dang it," I said, mad at myself for not noticing. But I was so enthralled by the Medici chapel that I stupidly forgot to take note of my surroundings.
"You're in luck, my darling; your favorite chocolate croissants are on the menu!" Lorenzo yells from the other room.
I close my eyes, take a deep breath, as my memory ends with a bullet to my mother's head.
After a delightful breakfast, going over my plans for the day with Lorenzo, and so many kisses that I lost count, I leave the castle the way I entered--by sneaking through the tunnels and out to the docks. It's a glorious, clear day, and I half-wish Lorenzo
and I could say screw it, live in a bubble, and take his beautiful yacht that is just sitting idly in the harbor out to sea. We could have lunch, soak up the sun's rays, and worry about nothing but the way his lips feel on mine.
I briefly consider it, but it's hard to be frivolous when you know the country of the man you love is in jeopardy.
So, I go home, change, and meet up with my brother.
"I'll allow you to accompany me on one condition: you don't speak to me."
"Why not?" Ari challenges.
"Because I had a flashback this morning, and as soon as Lorenzo said something, it was gone. If we're going to figure this out, follow me, if you must, but let me go where my memories take me without interruption."
"Deal," he says, grabbing a set of keys and leading me to a new Range Rover.
"Did you get a new car?" I ask him. "This doesn't seem flashy enough for you."
"Yeah, well, this bitch is armored. Built by a German company that makes the most protected custom vehicles in the industry. It can take armor-piercing bullets and can handle six kilograms of TNT or three hand grenades. Not only are the doors armored, but so is the frame, firewall, and hinges. It has run flat tires and can even withstand the explosion of a DM32 anti-personnel mine under the floor with no injuries. After what I saw in London, I'm not driving anything else."
We arrive at the castle, park with the visitors, and line up along with about forty others. We're given the option of a self-guided tour with headsets or a guided tour. I don't think, just step in the line for the guided tour. The self-guided group is allowed to enter a large ballroom while the six of us who went for this option are led around the corner.
"My name is Katarina, and I'll be your guide for today. My job is to regale you with stories of the past. And you're in luck; the Hall of Kings has just been reopened after its refurbishing, and it is here that we will begin our tour--starting with Lorenzo the Magnificent." She points to a painting of a handsome man atop a horse. "The painting you see here was done by Botticelli, who thought Lorenzo to be so dashing that he often used him as a model.
"Lorenzo's grandfather was one of the wealthiest men in Europe, and Lorenzo was raised in luxury and surrounded by art. He was given the land that is now Montrovia and became known as the Duke of Vallenta. Lorenzo arranged for his descendants to marry into royal families from all over Europe, keeping the bloodlines of nobility and allowing Montrovia to live without war since the fifteenth century. The hall is so ornate because, at one time, it led from the court of honor to the throne room. The living arrangements have changed a lot over the years, and now, the hall leads to the private areas of the castle."
She moves us down the hall where large paintings of Lorenzo's various ancestors are featured, but something else catches my attention.
"Is that the Medici family crest?"
"Very good," she says to me, gesturing toward the inlay on the floor for the rest of the group, including my brother, who has been bringing up the rear and keeping his promise not to say anything. "This is the only place in the castle that I'm aware of where Lorenzo's family crest is displayed."
She speaks to the group, "Many of you might recognize the Medici family crest with its unusual colorful spheres and fleur-de-lis. From Florence, Italy, the Medicis were the bankers of the Vatican, which gave them prestige and power. The story goes that, while Lorenzo wanted to respect his family, he was also very ambitious. He didn't want to be just the Duke of Vallenta. He wanted to be king. If Lorenzo the Magnificent were attempting this now, he'd be a social media star, meaning he was both a good leader and a marketer. He did everything he could to make this land feel like its own country, including creating a regal crest."
The tour guide leads us out of the hall and into another room. "And you will see that crest throughout the rest of our tour, but it is prevalent here, in the throne room."
My eyes widen. It's hard not to be impressed by a room like this.
"Throughout history, the throne room of a monarch tended to be one of the most lavish in the castle. This is where they faced their public--whether in official ceremonies or granting audiences. The room is supported by massive blue marble pilasters, the wall coverings are made of the finest of silks, the moldings are gilded, and the massive chandelier is crystal. The blue, golden, and red colors used here match our country's flag and symbolize our maritime roots." She points to the actual throne. "Before King Giovanni passed, there were two thrones, one for the king and one for his queen. When Lorenzo Giovanni Baptiste Vallenta V was crowned king, the second throne was removed."
"What will happen when he marries?" an older woman on the tour asks.
"Then, a throne will be added for his queen. And when that happens," she says, dramatically opening a large set of French doors, "they will stand on this balcony and greet their countrymen. If you'd like to form a line, you can pretend to be royalty."
The group starts taking turns standing on the balcony. The tour guide makes it fun by asking them to give a princess wave to the nonexistent crowd below.
"Maybe, someday, you will be a princess," my mother said as we walked out onto the balcony.
"That sounds boring," I replied.
"Are you telling me you wouldn't like to live in a castle like this?"
I glanced around. "It is very beautiful."
"Oh, look!" our tour guide said excitedly from our perch. "There's Prince Lorenzo and Her Royal Highness down there in the rose garden."
"Prince Lorenzo!" my mother yelled out, waving like a lunatic and causing me to cringe.
The prince heard her shouts and turned toward the sound of his name.
When he did, our eyes met, and we held our gaze. I couldn't take my eyes off him; he was so beautiful. Even at this distance, I could tell there is warmth and kindness in his eyes. I was rooted in my spot, too mesmerized to be embarrassed. After a few seconds, he broke our connection, waved to our group, and then continued with his mother into an area of the garden that was hidden from our view.
"All right, let's make our way into the Great Hall," the tour guide says.
But I'm stuck here like I was back then. Tears fill my eyes--not because I see my mother being shot, but because I can't believe that, when I first met Lorenzo, I couldn't remember the moment we'd shared years ago. But I do remember my heart pounding in my chest the same way it does now whenever Lorenzo is near.
I feel a hand on the small of my back. Turning around and expecting to see Lorenzo, I find my brother instead. He doesn't say anything, just nods his head toward the door.
We catch up to the group as our tour guide shows us an intricately designed navy-and-white marble floor, colorful tapestries set atop yellow marble walls, and Venetian glass chandeliers.
"Next up is what we call the Velvet Room. Over three hundred meters of velvet-covered walls set atop a blue marble floor. The velvet was specially woven in India and depicts the Montrovian coat of arms, and you'll see it repeated in the moldings atop the room. Also of note is the large nautical compass with the royal crest inlaid with what appears to be pure gold but is rather gold gilding over wood. Earlier, we discussed how Lorenzo the Magnificent created his own crest. You can see it here in all its glory."
"What does the crest mean?" Ari asks. "Like the symbolism of it?"
"That's a great question," the tour guide says. "The gold background of the shield symbolizes generosity. His ambition is noted in his motto with the word regium--Latin for royalty. You will also see virtute and non vi, which roughly translate to virtue by glory, not force, and is probably why Lorenzo was so greatly adored by the people. He became king because he was worthy to rule in a time when rule was often taken by force. The other interesting thing to note is his choice of the prancing horses on the sides of the crest. They symbolize readiness for all employments for king and country, but most people joke that they symbolize our world-class polo team. For years, this was the king's bedroom."
I wander around, trying to absorb every detail. There
's something important about this room. I find myself near the bed, glancing down at an engraved box on the nightstand.
"And this symbol?" my mother asked.
"What is this?" I ask our tour guide.
"Oh," she says, "that is a replica based on a drawing found in the royal archives from Lorenzo the Magnificent's time. It's believed the box held his compass, for Lorenzo loved the sea."
"Right, but what is this symbol on top of it?"
The tour guide grins, like she hoped someone would ask this very question. "Legend has it that Lorenzo the Magnificent created a secret society. Lorenzo was a master statesman. Who his heirs wed was very strategic. If you married off your children to countries who might attempt to overtake you, it would lower the risk. Same goes for his supposed secret society. If you gathered a group of like-minded men in places of power, you could effectively control the world--or so Lorenzo thought.
"Supposedly, that is the group's symbol. While some believe it survives even today, historians and symbolists suggest that this was simply his personal signet. It's believed that he took the five balls from the Medici crest and split them, symbolizing slashing the family ties. Over it, he placed bands in the form of a cross, defeating the circular or cyclical nature of the universe.
"Throughout history, all great empires eventually fall. Scholars believe that Lorenzo hoped to defeat that cycle and maintain a long-standing, peaceful society. Others suggest that the cross is the simple pagan Sun Cross, which represents the four directions, an early compass of sorts, tying into his love of the sea."
While I'm intrigued, the patience of the others seems to be wearing thin. Our tour guide notes this and moves on, eventually finishing the tour outside the chapel.
"To your left is the gift shop, which offers trinkets as well as picnic lunches. You are free to dine in the garden behind the gift shop, which contains ruins of the original castle walls."
"A picnic sounds lovely," my mother said. "You find us a good spot to sit, and I'll go buy us a basket."
We ate in a comfortable silence, enjoying the view of the ocean.
When we had finished, I asked her a question, "Why were you so interested in that symbol?"
"Because the idea of secret societies intrigues me."
