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Original Sin - Cast in Stone

She sat before him, her legs drawn under her with her an arm extended behind her for support. She had been grateful he had given her the glass of wine for it had always been an excellent remedy for her nerves. Despite the unfamiliar emotions that had come over her, she was aware of the fact that she had to maintain a clear mind above all else. The consequences of making far great a mistake beyond the point of repair would be devastating not only to herself, but to the good name her father had blessed her with.

Alessandra, in spite of everything, had a reputation to maintain and though the discovery of her secret rendezvous would be detrimental, she had to remain the poised, refined young lady she had been brought up to be. She would not give herself to her lover in any way besides that of the sin she had already committed—standing before him with nothing but the flesh God had given her at birth. Even if every bone in her body begged her to do so, she could not. She had to remain focused on her purpose, for him and the sake of his work.

“As are you in mine. You are my first and last, my one and only,” she replied softly, peering into his chestnut colored eyes. A small hand then grazed his cheek, the roughness of his trimmed beard stroking against her palm. Her hand lingered there for a short time before it gracefully fell back onto her lap. Each second that passed made it easier to be in his presence. She had no reason to feel ashamed for her actions for she was the daughter of Eve and she was sure Eve did not harbor any feelings of humility before Adam. They were equals as man and woman, and together, one as humanity.

"I will never love another so deeply," she confessed, exhaling a deep breath before tucking a long raven strand behind her ear. "There is something I must tell you... I know I am a prisoner to society, bound by the rules set forth by the powerful men who created them, but know this... In my eyes, you and I are equal despite our differences and there is nothing I want more than the freedom to love you openly."
 
Ciro sighed and took Alessandra's had and caressed it. "Perhaps when we are done, when Eve and Adam stand together in stone, we will see our love captured in stone. We will see what could be, and maybe through the graces of heaven, what will be. In the meantime, however, you have to protect yourself and your family. While we may never love another in the way we love each other, perhaps it is the precious, precarious nature of our love that makes it so special." Ciro held Alessandra's hand against his face.

He stroked her arm and her hand, wanting to explore more of her and wanting to preserve the innocence of the relationship between the two of them. He sat facing her, looking into her eyes and seeing his own emotions reflected back to him from Alessandra. They were feeling the same things. Ciro felt a pang of sympathy for Alessandra. She had so many obligations and concerns, while Ciro had only his art and his desire for the woman he could not have.

Ciro wondered if the desperation of their love would be transferred into the stone when he was done. Would Adam be there, looking longingly to Eve as she offered him the forbidden fruit? Would Eve want to share so desperately, in spite of the wishes of God? Ciro thought that they would. Surely if anything were parallel to Adam and Eve's love and defiance, it was Ciro and Alessandra's love and the work based on the workings of God Almighty.
 
Ciro’s words gave her a sense of hope that maybe, if it was God’s will, they could find a way to indulge into the forbidden and allow their love to manifest itself openly and without the constraints of societal norms. It would be heaven, no less, if her father accepted Ciro as her lover and her betrothed. She imagined a world where her family would welcome him with open arms, one where they could all dine together and he would entertain them with stories of his adventures, his art and his experience; and she secretly hoped Ciro and her father would bond over their understanding of such worldly matters. In her Utopian world, her very own Garden of Eden, social standings and titles were irrelevant. Instead, intellect and love would be the most deeming qualities in a person. These would be qualities that they shared freely with each other in hopes that as a whole they would reach a higher level of understanding of the world around them.

She could only dream. As he had said, she would have to protect herself and her family. But from what? What could possibly be so threatening to her family that he had asked her to take these precautionary measures? He posed no threat to her, not directly at least. It only left her to assume that he had meant she would have to protect her family name—it would be selfish of her to do otherwise. So then what was she to do? Was she to disappear with him, with the intentions of never being found? Leaving her family without an explanation would be devastating and she did not know if she could harbor the pain of making such a permanent decision. She explored the thought further and then wondered if living the rest of her life at the side of Lorenzo Malatessa was worse.

A soft sigh escaped her rosy lips as she sat before him pondering the complexity of their relationship. "We must leave it to God's will then?" she asked him timidly, finding that even she did not know the answer to what was once a simple question. "What if I do not want to leave it to for God to decide? Clearly we must have some jurisdiction over our fate." Her eyebrows pushed together as a look of deep concern came over her.
 
Ciro pondered her meaning. What was she considering? Was she willing to... was she willing to attempt to be with him, as a lover? It was more than Ciro could ever hope for. It was at once the greatest pleasure and equally the greatest tragedy.

It was the greatest pleasure because beyond all hope she could consider being with him as his lover. She could be his and he could be hers. Their status in society no longer mattered. He did not know what her role was or the role her family played. The hope that it didn't matter resonated within the deepest reaches of his soul. She could consider being his woman and he could be her man and it never really mattered.

It was the greatest tragedy because he could never give to her what the other aristocrats could. With him she would be living the life as the wife to an artisan, not the most noble role by society's standards. She would no longer have access to the loftier members of society and the opportunities that came with it. She could see Rome, or Venice or even Sicily or Sardinia while she was with her family and the life her family could provide. "With me; she would have this." Ciro said to himself. "She deserves a palace and all I can give her is a hovel of a workshop."

Ciro wracked himself with doubt and conflict. "If I had my way I would not leave it up to God. God helps the sick and the needy, I am lovestruck and a fool; therefore I do not need help. If I could have my way, I would have you as my own. God deals in love and forgiveness. It is not his wrath I fear though, it is that of your family. I can provide a life for you, but I cannot give you the life that you already have in my current state. There is always the hope we become rich and famous."
 
She did not see why it was for God to decide the fate of her love life when there were more important matters that, in her eyes, should have taken precedence. Every day, worse sins were committed. Peasants and the rich alike stole from their brothers and neighbors, many even commit murder. And every day more and more people die of hunger and famine. The sick and the elderly needed, deserved more of His attention than she did and it was then that she decided that it would have been selfish of her to think that an omnipotent power could care about something so minute.

It then struck her that it was not God she had been concerned with. As he had said, he feared the wrath of her family. For a moment, she didn't know what to take from this. Alessandra could not begin to imagine how they would react to this news for the fear that it was an issue so unexpected, so unheard of that predicting her father's reaction was nearly impossible.

"He would disown me," she whispered, her gaze distant. She would be a disgrace to her father's name, an exile of high society and everything she had come to know. The love for his daughter would not matter in the eyes of a man who cared about nothing more than the sanctity of his name and she imagined he would even take that from her. Her mother, out of fear, would side with her father and she could expect her sisters to do the same.

"Fame is not what I seek, but if that is your deepest desire than I shall not stand in your way," she said softly, finding his eyes again. She scanned them for a moment, hesitating to speak. "I just...I have to make my family somehow understand. There must be some way to have you both. It's not that I care for what my family can provide for me, believe me I could care less. It's just that I love them. They are my flesh and blood, and that it something I do not think I am so readily willing to give up."
 
"Fame, my love, is only a means to an end. If it is fame that allows us to be together, it would be worth it. If we were reduced to begging and living in a shack together I could do that as well. If we are to be together I need to be able to take care of you. Fame would result in money and respect, the two things any father would want of their daughter's suitor."

Ciro sighed. "Perhaps if he saw our work when we were finished. Perhaps he would see that you inspire me... Perhaps he..." Ciro trailed off pondering the ridiculousness possibilities of what he was trying to say. "Perhaps he would strangle me in the doorway. Or worse yet: perhaps he would take it out on Alessandra." Ciro said to himself silently. "Perhaps he is a reasonable man" he said aloud.

Ciro understood how Alessandra felt, but he could not relate. His family had been the Stone Mason's brotherhood since he was 9 years old. He did not have the same sense of familial obligation since his family sent him away to study his trade. He had seen his parents twice since he was 9. His mama had 7 other children to watch after and his father had to earn enough money to feed them. Ciro was out of their hair and free to do as he pleased.

Ciro sighed and kissed Alessandra. "My love, if we can find a way to be together, we will find it. If I can form stone to my will and you can provide it's shape I am certain that we can come together to find a way. If God brought us together, he meant for us to be together." Ciro kissed Alessandra again, and again and again.
 
It seemed that fame was the only way to getting her father remotely close to accepting their courtship. Though nothing had been set in stone with Lorenzo Malatessa and his family that she was aware of, she knew could still bide her time until then and hopefully, before the end of the year, Ciro would find some success. By then, she could slowly convince her father that Mr. Malatessa had wrongful intentions and that her heart truly belonged to her one and only, Ciro.

When he mentioned the bit about her father seeing his work, her eyes widened in horror, shooting over in his direction. Her father could never, ever see this statue. She would destroy it before he ever had the chance to set his eyes upon the object of her defiance. "He can never see this, not ever. You do not know my father and you mustn't underestimate him," she breathed, panic clearly present in her tone. "You do not know my father nor are you aware of what he is capable of."

His kisses seemed to calm her and as he spoke again, her eyes drifted down to the softness of her hands. "How can you be so sure of it? Maybe He has brought us together as a test so when we stand before Him on our day of judgment He can only mount the evidence against us. We were damned the moment you set eyes on me that day in the market."

And yet, it had been a blessing she had found him. She would be destined to live the same mundane life her older sister married into, one where she wouldn't be her own person but the wife of an important man, always being degraded and always second best to her husband. Ciro made her feel as his equal, as she did with him. "This is entirely your fault," she teased him, leaning in to steal another kiss from his sweet lips.
 
Ciro accepted the kiss.

"Love, if we are truly damned, then damned is the happiest place I have ever been in my life. Let us revel in our good, damnable fortune, and share kisses while we can. I fear that one day we may become, somehow, undamned. Then my life would become a shambles yet again." He laughed at his fate. If this is what was meant to be, then meant to be it was. "If I cannot speak with your father and you would be disowned... oh Alessandra, what are we to do? I would do anything to have you as my own."

He kissed her again and again, his fingers brushing against her naked skin. He knelt over her, kissing her on the neck and resting his naked chest against her once again. Though he was willing to accept his damnation, he was not necessarily ready to force it upon Alessandra. He would be content to kiss her and to feel her naked body against his own naked chest. The feel of her breasts against his own skin was enough to make him want more. He wanted to ravish the beauty he held in his arms, but he would wait until she was ready or until they could no longer stand the anticipation.

In the meantime they had a job to do, but Ciro wasn't concerned with it for the moment. He traced his fingers over Alessandra's skin, lightly, as though the tips of his rough, strong fingers were actually the tips of a feather. He lost all thought of the statue, which would never have as much beauty and life as Alessandra did. Nor could he caress the stone and feel how it reacted to his touch. All of his love for Alessandra had to be translated to the stone with a chisel, but his skin communicated directly with Alessandra's. He could pass the desire and passion he had for her through his own touch into her skin. No words needed to be said, it was all so vividly obvious that he desired her above everything else.
 
"How horribly ironic--the thought of damnation bringing you happiness! It is a sin to think in such a way and I fear for your soul, my love," she managed to tease him between kisses, letting her sapphire eyes gaze up at him as he knelt before her. "I should take you to the cathedral right away and we shall say our Hail Mary's and Our Father's together, over and over until you are saved. And when we think you are saved we should beg for God's forgiveness until He has no other choice but to spare you of such a horrible fate," she laughed at the thought. "Maybe He could spare me as well. I'm afraid I haven't been much of a saint as of late."

Alessandra soon fell quiet as she felt him trace his finger tips ever so lightly over her delicate olive skin. The sensations his fingertips were bringing her made her shiver and she bit down on her lips as her eager eyes calculated his next move. "You are a terrible influence on me, I must say," she whispered against his neck. She had pushed all thoughts of her family aside, thinking only of him as she held him tighter in her small arms.

Those short sacred moments she had with him she would forever cherish, knowing well that each one could be her last if anyone came to know of their secret. She closed her eyes, taking in his scent as the beating of his strong heart filled her ears. She had never known such a love, and she feared she never would. Words needed not be exchanged for her to understand that he held the same sentiments towards her for his touch had spoken a thousand words. The mortal body she had been given by God at birth was the only gift she could give him. And though it was only in part, she hoped it would be enough because it was hard to imagine a man loving a woman that did not belong to him in every sense of the word.
 
Ciro kissed the top of Alessandra's head. He was in a terrible state of conflict. He lowered his body against hers, his entire body expressing urges and desires beyond words as he pressed his body against hers. He stepped in between the legs of Alessandra and lowered himself against her again. His manhood hard, pushing desperately against the crisscrossed lacing at the front of his slacks. He held his pelvis against hers, his hips gyrating against her. He wanted to take her, to make her his, but he could not. Instead all he could do was express the desire to do so.

His hands were underneath her back, supporting her on the sofa. He could smell the sweet smell of her hair and hear the soft sighs that escaped her as he ran his lips over her neck and shoulders. His lips traced their way over her collarbone and down her chest, just above the swell of her breast. He had wanted to kiss her lower, but knew the torrent of desire that would follow it would cause them to break. Taking her innocence would not solve their problems, it would only make Alessandra's life tougher.

Ciro contemplated the consequences of making love to Alessandra over and over again while he held his hips against hers when the first light of the dawn slipped through a crack in the shutters and lit a small, orange line on the plaster wall behind the sofa.
 
Her sapphire eyes watched him curiously, never leaving his eyes as he lowered himself unto her. Her mind raced with thoughts as to what he might do, but she knew he was a respectable man who was not capable of crossing the fine line that had been laid. And though the temptation was there, the burning feeling she felt at her womanhood as his hips pressed against her own, she reassured herself that he was not capable of committing such an unforgivable crime. Nonetheless, her petite frame trembled beneath him in a combination of fear and anticipation as she speculated as to what his next move would be. She wanted, more than anything, to be his in every way imaginable, but she knew well that she had certain responsibilities and a duty to her family that she could not abandon.

Exhaling a shaky breath, she closed her eyes as his lips covered her neck and shoulders, allowing her arms to wrap around him, embracing him closely against her. She could feel every breath he took, every beat of his strong heart against her chest, and she feared it only added to her mounting arousal. Alessandra wanted him, she was sure of it, but in her mind she struggled to let herself go for the consequences of such actions would far outweigh the few moments of bliss she would feel with him. It was something she would not be able to explain without the truth being told and that was something she was not prepared to do.

Contrary to this, she let her hands explore along the curvature of his back, trailing along his spine until she looped her arms over his to trail her soft hands along his broad shoulders. She could stay there all night and day, for the rest of eternity, showing him the love she felt for him in her own way and yet, it was somehow not enough. Time would always come between them, and the early light of dawn served as a reminder to her that she in fact, was not his to keep.

"I do not want to leave," she whispered against the base of his neck. "Please, do not make me go. Say that I can stay with you for all of eternity," she whined, a small pout appearing on her full rosy lips.
 
Ciro groaned, he knew it wasn't designed to torture him, yet it did.

"My dearest, I would make that promise to you in a heartbeat. I do not want you to go, and I do not want you to leave me ever. You may stay for as long as you like. It is torture that we are so close and yet our lives are so distant. Perhaps one day soon we can make them all come together."

Ciro breathed in the scent of Alessandra, unsure of what to do. The only way she could get up is if he got up off of her. He groaned at the prospect, but decided that it was the only thing to do. At least he would make it possible for her to get up if she felt it necessary. If she decided she truly wanted to stay, she would let him know.

"Well, I made my promise that you can stay here for as long as you like, whenever you like, but now we must determine if we should start immediately, or if we should bide out time."

Ciro backed away and stood, somewhat embarrassed by the eagerness of his manhood. Even though he had no control of it, he certainly didn't think she would feel comfortable with it pointing at her. He sighed and backed up a little more, so that she wouldn't have to come into contact with it if she stood. He offered a hand to stand.
 
Alessandra gazed up at him lovingly when he got off of her, immediately missing the warmth his body had provided her. Her dark hair cascaded around her face, falling delicately over her breasts, as it contrasted the innocent look in her eyes. Nothing had brought her more happiness than to hear him welcome her into his life so openly. Her inner demons were begging her to stay, to forget about everything and to truly, selfishly consider her happiness before that of her family. They would be fine without her, they'd tell her, and that she would be condemned to a life of misery if she chose to marry a man that was not Ciro.

Her curious eyes traveled from his eyes down to the apparentness of his manhood. Alessandra swallowed hard and immediately darted her eyes up to his, having felt very inappropriate by her observation. She never should have laid eyes on such a tempting sight, and as he extended his hand to her, she smiled warmly as she placed hers into it. She held it there for a moment, her fingers gripping his hand before she gave it a playful tug.

"I'm not ready to leave yet..." she stated yet again, biting on her bottom lip. Even if dawn was quickly approaching, she didn't feel a sense of urgency telling her to leave. "Let me stay if only for a few moments longer. Let me have you all to myself before I have to return to my reality," she pleaded him, pulling him with more force so her lips could meet his again.

Alessandra broke their kiss with her soft laughter, kissing him again and again. "I'm not leaving," she said stubbornly, even if she had every intention on returning to her family.
 
Ciro blushed as Alessandra's eyes lit upon his erection, clearly neither of them was prepared to acknowledge that part of reality any time soon. As she tugged him back down he felt her body against his own again. The throbbing from his member was almost painful, like it had a desperation of it's own. Ciro ignored it while he kissed his model, his temptress again.

"You know I could never make you leave, not ever again. Not after last time." Ciro's expression was half playful - half serious. When she reconsidered being his muse he had nearly died from the drink. "I could never willingly send you away, but I will never hold you back my dear."

He watched her bite her bottom lip again and he felt a part of himself melt. The seductive look was enough to make him want to do anything for her. His hands roamed down her sides, brushing slowly against her ribcage. Dangerously close to her breasts, but far enough away to know definitively he did not touch them. "If you want me to yourself, you have me. I am yours."

He grinned broadly when she said she wasn't leaving.

"I'm glad you're determined to not leave, but... I fear what may become of us if you stay." Ciro winked and lowered his hips against Alessandra's again, kissing her lips - his tongue darted out, flicking against her upper lip gently.
 
"If I stay, then let us be damned together," she laughed airily, clearly not concerned with the seriousness of her words; Alessandra was much too concerned about leaving his side than to care about something as serious as the fate of her soul. She grinned against his lips, savoring the temptation that made it easier for her to stay. This breath, warm and mesmerizing, calmed every nerve in her body, soothing her to the point where the rising sun had not phased her the way it might otherwise had.

After several long moments, she inhaled softly, placing a delicate hand over her mouth as she stifled a yawn. It was apparent that she did not want to return to her home and as she stretched her hands over her head, her fingers stretching and clenching the open air around her, for those moments it appeared as though she might have stayed.

And as slowly as the moon was disappearing from the dawn sky, the reality of their situation began sinking into her, bringing a look of deep and genuine sadness in her eyes. She placed a hand on his chest, pushing gently against it as she forced herself to sit up. "You will never be mine and I will never truly and completely be yours, except for what you can capture in your stone," she whispered as her eyes began to swell with tears.

"You and I both know the truth, even if it hurts us to speak it. There is nothing we can do. There simply is-no-way-around-it," she sobbed quietly, inhaling softly between words. She felt completely idiotic for crying in front of him, and while she tried to wipe some tears, it they were inevitable. Her tear stained eyes glanced over at him, scanning his eyes as though they had the solution to their problem.
 
Ciro nodded, looking at Alessandra. "There must be a way, but I don't know what it is... yet." Ciro admitted. "I cannot see how god or the cosmos could conspire against the two of us, so greatly. Two people who are so small in the world surely cannot have attracted that much attention. I promise you this Alessandra: if there is a way for us to be together for ever - I will find that way." Ciro's skin was ablaze from the heat the two produced together. His lips tingled from the kissing and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. His entire body was wanting to take the next step with the beautiful woman in front of him. He reconciled by telling himself "soon. We will find a way, have faith and patience. We will be together."

Ciro kissed her again, backing his body away from hers. The morning air was cool as it crept in through the windows. The heat of the fire was beginning to die down and their bodies were nearly steaming while the room began to cool. He could feel the mist of perspiration on his shoulders and head begin to evaporate leaving a cooling sensation as it steamed off of his body. He looked again at Alessandra and smiled. He saw something that he had never seen, working with nudes before. Nude bodies gave something that a clothed one never could: complete honesty. Her body was pure and her feelings were honest. They had nowhere to hide - making him believe that she could be his. They just had to find a way. In time they would learn of it. He would have her and she would have him. With that - he would ensure she still had her family and her father.

Ciro offered Alessandra her dress back, helping slip it up and over her head and doing up the buttons slowly - with a sense of reluctance. He had at least gotten her comfortable with her nudity. The honesty of her nude frame was going to be a fine touch to the statue. Once he was finished with her body the face was the last part he was going to work on. The most important part - the part that tied it all together. Once it was done, he was going to find a way to make her his. He swore this to himself, silently.
 
Alessandra wanted to believe more than anything that God had a different fate for them, but there was something about the uncertainty in his words that made her think otherwise. Neither one had a plan to change her stubborn father's mind nor had they begun considering their options. Did they even have any? She considered running away with him again, but she knew well that she didn't have it in her heart to leave her family. She could only hope that he would come up with something, anything so they could spend the rest of eternity together without having to be secretive about their relationship. "I will pray everyday that someday you will be mine to keep. I will pray until God grows so tired of my pleading that He will have no choice but to grant me this one desire - that is the promise I make to you," she whispered before taking the heavy material from his hands.

As he began to button up her gown, she swallowed hard as tension built in her throat. "It is going to take all of my strength to leave you," she admitted as a warmth spread over her cheeks. Her gaze stayed fixed on the floor, even after the last button was done. After she took a deep breath, she turned around to face him. "-I keep asking myself why it is I am returning. I cannot make any sense of it." She drew a hand to caress his cheek, tracing his jawline until it fell gracefully back at her side. "I only hope that you are right, that we will be together, and that this day is soon to come."

She couldn't stand the thought of not being with him and she considered speaking to her father herself. Although it defied every protocol the patriarchal society she lived in set before her, she was relieved at the prospect of being with him, free of consequence. Patience was indeed a virtue, and one she never had. Smiling softly, she leaned in and pressed an innocent kiss to his cheek. She didn't know how much longer she could wait without driving herself mad.
 
Ciro repeated his promise to Alessandra. "I promise, we will find a way. We will be happy together." Ciro sealed his promise with a kiss. He dreaded opening the door. The cool air poured into the room and soon they were out in the faint light of the morning. The sun was hiding just behind the hills and would pop up to greet them at any moment. They had to hurry to get to where they parted ways without being seen by too many people. Already the shop-keepers, bakers and dairy sellers were beginning to start their rounds.

Ciro whispered to Alessandra "I will keep my promise, you will see" as they parted ways. He wanted desperately to kiss her, but knew he couldn't risk it. Not yet. He allowed their fingers to linger together just for a second, a bitter-sweet touch that lasted forever and yet felt like it never happened. As Alessandra departed he turned and fled the other direction. He fled until he had moved long enough to hide from being seen for a moment.

He followed Alessandra to the doors of her house. He was careful to make sure his comings and goings were unmarked and his walk back to his workshop was uneventful. Ciro collapsed on the bed and woke up 6 hours later to the sound of the hustle and bustle of the busy square near to his house. He went to the bath house and cleansed himself. First with steam, then with hot water, then with cold. When he got back to his workshop he had arranged for more wine and fruit to be delivered and every cell in his body was alive with the shock of the different temperatures and the cleansing.
 
Her eyes remained averted onto the gray cobblestone of the street, not wanting to make eye contact with any of the vendors that were beginning to set up their shops. She was still wearing her ornate gown from her father's celebration, without a disguise or a cloak to hide her, and she was sure she stuck out like a sore thumb. Their brisk walk eventually came to an end when they reached their usual point of departure. Turning to face him, Alessandra nodded in understanding, believing in her heart that he would indeed keep the promise he had made to her. There was a lurch in her stomach as their fingers intertwined briefly. She didn't want to let go, and she savored the last few moments she was able to share with him in secrecy. Eventually she forced herself to leave his side. With a heavy heart and her eyes full of deep sadness, she took a few steps away from him before turning on her heel and heading toward the direction of her home. As usual, slipped through the back door, quietly closing it behind her. And as she turned around, she felt something grab her arm. Alessandra gasped, inhaling sharply as she was whipped around.

"Where have you been?" she heard the familiar voice breathe in desperation as her eyes met her eldest sister. Alessandra struggle to find the words that could possibly explain her absence. If her sister had noticed, then she didn't doubt her father had too. Her heart sank at the thought. "Father was about to send the entire town out looking for you!"

"I-I know, I...I went to the cathedral. Early. I went to the cathedral early after father's celebration so I could prepare...myself for this wonderful day--" she fidgeted, tucking her hair behind her ear as she took two steps to the side and away from her sister's intimidating gaze. It was typical of her father to overreact and she dreaded the thought of having to explain herself to him, especially when she was having a hard time explaining herself to her sister. She smoothed the crinkles in the front of her dress, imprinted from having been on Ciro's floor for so long. "Alessandra, why must you lie to me? I'm your sister. You can tell me the truth... You have my word I won't tell a soul. Tell me, where you with that man father presented to you? Is that why you're just now getting back?"

"No!" Alessandra scoffed, finally pulling her arm away from her sister. "That is absurd--I barely even know the man!" she protested, finding a change in her own demeanor. "I said I was at the cathedral," she insisted again, her voice firm as her eyes scanning her sisters for the first time with a sense of complete confidence. Alessandra did not give her any more time to question her as she slipped out of the room and made a quick escape to her room. If she was to face her father, she would have to brace herself. Once she was in the confines of her room, she locked the door behind her before pressing her back against it. She closed her eyes, feeling the heavy thuds of her heart pounding against chest, aching up into her throat. She had cut it close, too close.
 
Ciro followed Alessandra to the door of her house, then immediately ducked into an alley. He waited a few moments and then ducked in behind some rich looking son of an aristocrat or a bureaucrat. The scent of his girlish perfume made him a little nauseous and he had a smug look on his face. He could overhead the conversation he was having with some sniveling lackey who was walking beside him.

"I can't wait until she is my wife. Her fool of a father will practically give her to me, then I can replace him in the senate when he retires. She's a pretty girl, a very pretty girl but she'll be old one day and I will have no use for her. Once I am in the senate I can be rid of them both. I can be the richest man in Naples."

The young man spat, hitting a passer by. The merchant turned and shouted at the young man, who quickly drew the long sword hanging from his belt. "You should be thanking me, one day I will rule over all this land. Poor people like you will line up to bathe in my piss." He turned his back with a flourish and stormed down the street.

Ciro watched with disgust and then stopped in his tracks. Her father, her father was an important man. He would want his daughter to marry well and he would want to protect his own career. "Could it be that her father is the Senator?" Ciro asked himself. His head swam. He was a popular man, but a very devout catholic as his station required and if he could find a rich man to care for his daughters...

Ciro ran home to sleep, but he was not going to sleep for long. There was going to be a conversation in the afternoon with the Senator. He could never, never leave Alessandra to that pig of a boy.
 
Alessandra closed her eyes, her hand held firmly at her chest as she attempted to control her pounding heart. Her hand inched up to her throat where she swallowed hard before throwing her head back slightly. She hoped her sister wouldn't make a fuss over her arrival, especially since Alessandra had never been one to take such a defensive tone with anyone, let alone her own flesh and blood. Her sister could easily turn to her father and inform him of any suspicions, primarily the one about the son of Constantino Malatessa. Her nose wrinkled in disgust at the thought of wasting the night with the young man.

If only her sister knew how wonderful, in fact, her night had been. The sweet aroma of fruit and wine that always lingered in Ciro's studio, the sound of the crackling flames as they warmed the space around her, making it just the right temperature--comfortable enough that it provided a blanket around her in the absence of her clothes. And Ciro, her lover, gazing upon her and accepting the sight of her nude form, the only physical gift she could give to him while still maintaining her innocence. If only she could share the happiness she felt, how liberated he made her feel without being chastised for what, in her sister's eyes, was a complete disregard for the expectations society has bestowed upon them. Her sister wouldn't understand. She was a married woman, still elated with the effects of being a newlywed, madly in love and obsessing over her new duties. Alessandra's romance would be deemed childless and irresponsible.

No. She was not daft. Alessandra would never want to sacrifice such a sacred secret, risking her lover to the wrath of her father.

She regained her composure, opening her heavy eyelids before she took a few effortlessless steps to her mirror. Her eyes were sulken and almost had a gaunt-like appearance due largely in part to her lack of sleep. Her olive skin, though smooth and flawless, had lost the glowing appearance it always seemed to have. She barely recognized the image before her and she wondered how Ciro could marvel over such a sight.

The knock at the door startled her, sending her heart on a frenzy. She hesitated to speak and even if she tried, she knew the words wouldn't come out. "Y-Yes?" she managed to blurt out. "Mi bambina, your father would like to speak to you before his departure," she heard the woman, her dear caretaker say. Alessandra did not respond, wanting nothing more than to crawl into the safety of her sheets and sleep until her healthy and natural beauty returned. Then it came to her attention that she could not present herself to her father still adorning the same gown from the night before. Panicked, she ran into her closet and undressed. She washed her face, powdered her nose and reappeared in a much simpler dress of the palest shade of blue.

It had taken her less than ten minutes before she was in the parlor and in her father's presence, trembling and waiting to hear the choice words he had for her. He was a busy man, impatient even for his own daughters, so she wouldn't doubt if he got right down to the point he was going to make. "I'm here, father," her voice trembled as she took a step closer to the man.
 
Ciro woke somewhat refreshed. He had to be prepared for what he was going to do. He couldn't just ask her father for her to model for him, especially not in the way he wanted her to. He honestly doubted that the daughter of a senator would be allowed to be accompanied by a lowly craftsman. Not even the finest artists in Italy were allowed to accompany the daughters of Senators. Although to be fair, many of the artists were more interested in the sons of the senators.

Ciro went to the public baths and was cleansed. He paid extra for additional grooming services, an extravagance he could barely afford. His hair was combed free of knots, his beard shaved and his fingernails were trimmed and cleaned. He felt cleaner than he had in his entire life. His clothing had been washed in lavender and dried on fresh straw. His clothes smelled fresh and the fabric felt soft and clean to the touch.

Ciro marched towards Alessandra's house. Perhaps he could convince the father that Alessandra provide the face of the statue. Surely the senator would be pleased to see his daughter as the face of Eve. Perhaps he would not recognize the body of his daughter when he was finished. Perhaps he would allow her to be in his company. Perhaps was a dangerous word. Ciro nearly froze as his hand clasped on the large knocker on the front door. He lifted the ring and brought it down on the steel plate on the large oak door. "It's not to late to run." He said to himself to lighten his own mood. As the torture of anticipation of the door opening built he nearly considered running, but stood fast as the door swung open.
 
One of the house attendants opened the door to find a cleanly looking fellow before him who could have easily passed for nobility had it not been for the appearance of the fabric he wore. The attendant stood poised, arching an eyebrow as he gazed down his pronounced nose unto Ciro, pursing his lips as he calculated him in his entirety. For a second it may have appeared as though he would question Ciro's intentions of being at the residence. Nonetheless, he did not hesitate further as he ushered Ciro inside as though they had been, in fact, waiting for his arrival regardless of what he may have appeared like. "Right this way," the man said in a clear monotonous tone, leading him to the parlor.

In the room, Alessandra stood frozen before her father, holding her breath as the tall man turned to address her. Her knees trembled underneath her dress and she hid her sweaty palms behind her back as her bright sapphire eyes met her father's matching ones. "Papa, forgive m-me if you think I left your celebration-" she stuttered, but was immediately silenced when he raised a hand. The expression on his face was not one of anger or disappointment. Instead, it donned a look of relief, mildly teetering on a feeling of euphoria. It was as though he had been upset with her, but something appeared to have distracted him from whatever frustration he had towards her. Her eyebrows pushed together in confusion as he began to speak.

"I have already spoken to Angelica. Consider the matter forgotten...because it is obvious that is not the reason I have asked you to see me. Alessandra, I am a very busy man, and as you know, I worry about you and your sisters. Fortunately, I already know Angelica is in good hands and Andrea....mi Andrea is marrying into one of the best families in all of Sicilia. I could not be more proud," Augustin paused and it became very clear to her where this was going. Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach as the realization hit her and as if by some divine miracle of God, there was a knock at the door.

Augustin and Alessandra's eyes darted towards the door. "Yes?" his voice boomed loudly, startling Alessandra. She could tell her father had been annoyed by the interruption. The door cracked open and the attendant peered inside. "I'm sorry to disturb you master, but the young man from the council is...here," he said flatly. Alessandra then gazed back at her father, never knowing him to turn down business. Augustin paused for a brief moment as though pondering whether or not to finish his conversation with his daughter. When he muttered the words "send him in", Alessandra knew she had been saved.

"We shall continue this talk upon my return from Firenza," he said, agitated but showing that his frustration had not been directed towards his daughter. Alessandra nodded in acceptance, giving her father a timid smile before excusing herself. When she turned at her heel, she inhaled a deep breath of relief. His absence would give her a few days to see Ciro without having to worry about her father discovering where she went during her late night outings. When the man walked into the room, her gaze traveled from his shoes to his face and a mechanical smile came upon her lips, a natural reaction to anyone her father did business with. This time, however, she was taken by surprise when she registered the identity of this mysterious councilman before her.

Her eyes immediately widened as she stared upon him and her mouth opened slightly in a silent gasp.
 
Ciro saw the look on Alessandra's face and looked away, hoping not to give away his secret. Instead he stood stock still and turned his full attention to the large man who represented all of Naples at the senate. Clearly he had never been in the presence of someone of such high office before and while his manners certainly were at their peak, his complete and utter lack of protocol or custom was obvious. Ciro knew he had no hopes of trying to fit in as someone of importance in this room. Instead he opted for the station in life that he currently possessed: that of a stone-mason.

"Hello sir. I have come to talk to you briefly about a small matter I am hoping that would be of great help to me." Ciro paused, looking for the correct words without trying to sound presumptuous or anything other than humble. "I am a sculptor, sir, and I have been working on a piece for a patron of the church. I have had plenty of opportunity to work on the bodies of my pieces, but I need a face. The piece is of great, holy significance and I was hoping to find a devout catholic to portray the face I am seeking. I have not found a face shapely enough for my statue to befit the subject. I was in church seeking guidance when I saw your daughter. She came into the chapel as I was walking away, having just confessed. I noted her beauty but knew nothing of where she lived or where I could find her. I have been told that she lives here. I can see she is your daughter and not a servant, like I had hoped. Still, I am asking for your permission to use her face as the final part of my statue. It is nearly complete sir, I simply need her face to adorn the marble. I assure you she will be pride of Naples when I am finished. Perhaps we can talk about it at some point in the future?"


Ciro hoped that at least he would have the opportunity to talk to the Senator over the matter. If it could be discussed it could be reasoned, it if could be reasoned it could be done. Ciro knew the risk he was taking, but he had to take it. He could not go forever on a wish and a dream. At least if he could get his permission to simply carve her face he could buy time. With time a man could do anything, even drink up the ocean.
 
Alessandra's eyebrows pushed together, holding her breath as he spoke. She was in complete and utter shock, though she attempted to act as though she had never seen the man a day in her life. It was not clear to her if it was anger she felt, but at Ciro's request to her father, it became more evident that she had found his visit intrusive. Nothing good could come from it. If anything, it would bring more suspicion unto them, especially if she was able to openly come and go into his studio as she pleased. It would send the entire city into a frenzy and the news would spread like a wildfire, engulfing anything in its path. For one, it would call into question her family's financial stability and secondly, their complete disregard of the simple fact that nobles do not work petty jobs and Alessandra was certain that Augustin Caratini would never allow any daughter of his to be take any part in such a taboo. At that moment, her gaze shifted to her father and she immediately recognized the look in his eyes--the look of complete disinterest mixed with confusion to find the man before him was not the man whom he was supposed to be meeting with. She was mortified. Nonetheless, she relaxed her facial features for it was unbecoming of a lady to appear disgruntled and she took it upon herself to address him directly before her father had the opportunity to do so.

"No thank you Signore, but neither my father nor myself are interested in your petty offer," she replied coolly, surprising herself at how calm she had sounded. The only thought crossing her mind was the promise he had made to her the day that they had met. She had told him never to speak her family's name in fear that her actions might damage their reputation, and though he had not broken this promise in a literal sense, it was inferred that there would always be a separation between the two--Ciro and her family. Perhaps she had not made herself clear.

"Alessandra Maria, per favore," Augustin responded, his tone demanding she show a little more respect for the visitor. Alessandra's cheeks immediately flushed and bit the inside of her lip to keep herself from speaking further. Even if no harm had been done, it still did not take away from the embarrassment of having to stand before her father and her lover as he asked for permission to use her as a his model.

Augustin gave the young man a calculating gaze, his eyes narrowing onto him. "Do you mean to tell me you are not the newly appointed councilman I have been scheduled to meet with? That you are, indeed, a victim of mistaken identity?" His question had been rhetorical, and he gave him no opportunity to reply. "How fortunate you must be then if you made it as far as to ask me personally. However, one man's fortune may be another man's misfortune...especially when that man is preoccupied with the task of running an entire city," he said pompously, almost loving the sound of his voice as it boomed through the room. "-and whether I am in agreement with your offer or not, it appears to me that my daughter has already decided upon this matter."
 
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