☩ ００８． ＶＩＤＥＯ | ＡＣＴＩＯＮ

[mansuetus]

[ Lucrezia is in one of the lounges! Sprawled on one of the sofas, fingers busy turning a pendent of gold in the shape of a sea-horse. There are no poems today, no joyful greetings, something is different. She looks more pensive than anything else but there is a shade of concern there as well as quiet annoyance.

When she speaks, her voice is devoid of any of it. Her eyes still focused on the sea-horse. ]

A riddle, Tranquility.

How to mourn for someone who does not deserve it?

If your duty demands it and you have no desire to - do all men need to be mourned for? Is it a a more grievous sin not to mourn than it is to speak false words of grievance?

[ a beat. ]

Perhaps I must fast again.

[ a moment later she puts down her necklace, smiles. ]

I would have a cup of wine with your answer, if any of you have some to spare. You will join me in the lounge.

[ and it is not a question. ]

Comments

video;

[gilding]

If the response to your riddle is any example.

[Which it is.]

And I think the answer you may be looking for lies in this: who do you believe is watching?

video;

[mansuetus]

Here? The Red Smiley, but I care nothing for them in this instance.

[ she smiles though it fades a moment later. ]

God is always watching.

video;

[gilding]

[Gold pauses, a dip of an expression, an almost of course motion, before he looks back at the camera.]

Your God - is he a cruel God, or a kind one?

video;

[mansuetus]

Above all, He is kind.

video;

[gilding]

Then you should have nothing to fear from his observations.

video;

[mansuetus]

I think I shall fear him until my death, signore. My Holy Father says there is no one who truly understands God. Not even him.

video;

[gilding]

So you'll live in fear of his judgement, even over a matter like this?

video;

[mansuetus]

No.

[ she cannot. Living in fear is not something Lucrezia can make peace with. God loves the Borgias, her Holy Father says and Lucrezia is the Pope's daughter and so she'd like to think He would be more grateful for her virtues than angry for her sins. ]

Perhaps I will simply have to accept that I will never know what His judgement must be until I face it. You cannot fear this which you accept.

video;

[gilding]

That certainly seems the happier course.

[Without doing away with the belief entirely, but he has the feeling it would take an awful lot to manage that.]

video;

[mansuetus]

Is the happier course also the safe one, signore?

video;

[gilding]

That depends on what shape your happiness takes. [But a pause.] Rarely. Very rarely.

video;

[mansuetus]

Then it is as I thought.