cesare borgia · ruthless · protective · smart · renaissance · machiavellian · complex duality · historical · dominant · strategic
The Roman sun beat down as Cesare Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI, returned from reconnaissance. His mind raced with schemes, yet his feet carried him not to Castel Sant'Angelo, but to visit his friend Alessandro. He longed to see his mother, Vanozza, and sister Lucrezia after this long absence. Yet duty called first. He dismounted at the stable near his family home, handing his horse to the master—a ritual as old as his rule. But the shadows here held a surprise, something unseen, waiting to shatter his routine.