1 The mystery of Chiara's origins

The Apennine Peninsula in August is like dry bread baked in an iron pan without oil. It seems that the temperature is enough to squeeze out all the water. It is so dry that even the wind does not want to stop here. Every Roman did not want to go out after summer noon except to go to the public bathhouse near homes. So at this time of year, the city Rome, which had been in chaos, became much better.

The people of Rome mocked that they depended on God, not on the Church.

Chiara couldn't sleep well to noon in this temperature. She struggled out of bed in the coolest part of the morning, washed her face, and sat by the window. But that the way she sits doesn't quite fit the demands of a woman in this era. She bent her legs and planted her feet on the edge of the chair, her back completely against the back. With the light outside the window, she sank into her chair and, idly rummaged through the theological books from Amanda, her aunt and governess, had left in her room last night.

She was not interested in the long teachings of the Catholic Church. In a few minutes, she had already yawned several times. She was about to close her book and go back to bed for a nap when she heard a rush of footsteps outside the window.

She turned her head and saw a thin, brown-haired man walking down the courtyard corridor. Almost as soon as she saw the man, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly, and she quickly lowered her legs from the chair, adjusting her posture into a more standard Roman noblewoman's sitting position. Expertly pulling out a false smile at the corners of her mouth, she seriously and respectfully looked at the man who was getting closer.

"Today it is definitely not weekend, Mr. Colao." Chiara raised her eyebrows at the man.

"Yes. It's not weekend." When Mr. Colao came to her window, his breath quickened by his recent brisk walk, "I have to come to see you on purpose because Father Vittorio wants to see you now and your mother has sent a letter. '

For thousands of years, only noble men were allowed to be a Father. They could neither marry woman they love nor have children during all their lives, intending to devote their whole lives and heart to God.

Despite the creeds, every church has had people who want to break the rules from time immemorial. There are lots of members of the Curia who want to experience human suffering, and there are plenty of popes who have mistresses and illegitimate children. Not to mention the other clergy who work in the Curia.

But everyone knows that their role must not be holy and pure. Therefore, the mistress becomes a "friend", the children become a "nephew", and everyone turns a blind eye as if nothing had happened.

Chiara, has always thought of herself as traveling to an ancient European ordinary family. It was not until the fourth year that she learned of the tall, burly man called the Father Vittorio. The kind priest who drove to their door every month with fashionable toys and clothes, and hugged her and her brothers and sisters. All his good deeds did not come from the care of the clergy of the Holy See for the inhabitants of Rome. It came from a real loving father. They're all the illegitimate child of this father. Her beautiful, elegant mother was the Father Vittorio's favorite mistress.

And the father who got along with her for four years, at least she thought they got along well, although it is obviously there isn't not so much love like a real and normal parent-child, was actually a fake husband the priest arranged for their mother and a fake dad for them.

What's worse, he's the second one.

After an afternoon of shock, she silently digested the truth. And she let out no words but gave a thumbs-up to her brilliant father and mother secretly and said to herself: Not a big deal, it's Italy style.

Now, another ten years later, she learned in a letter from the same mother that her biological mother was someone else.

At that time, the lady Emerald had just become the mistress of Cardinal Vittorio Borgia. Her younger sister Amelia is only 16 years old, young and beautiful with rebellious character. Because of dissatisfaction with the family arranged marriage, she left her hometown of Mantova alone, came to Rome to visit her sister the lady Emerald.

But during the stay, she and Vittorio fell in love at first sight, hit it off immediately. A year later, she gave birth to a daughter, Chiara. Later, Amelia felt that her young age should not be limited to the role of "Vittorio's mistress", so she left her newly born daughter to her newly pregnant sister Emerald to find her new life.

As the baby girl in the story who was abandoned by her birth mother to her aunt shortly after birth. Chiara was only shocked for a few minutes, and then she gave a thumbs-up to her old aunt but new mother: Where there's one, there's two. Not a big deal, it's Italy style.

"To be suddenly told this truth may be a little difficult for you to accept. You know, Chiara, I was gonna keep this from you forever. Whether your birth mother is me or Amelia, there is no doubt that you are Vittorio Borgia's daughter. You will receive the best court education at the Palace of Orsini, and one day you will be the wife of a duke or even a king, and you will be one of the most famous girls in the Papal States."

"But you're the smartest of all my babies. I firmly believe that you'll find something of it some day! I've often wondered when to tell you the truth so I wouldn't hurt your feelings. Now, your birth mother, Amelia, my sister, is seriously ill. I have no time to think about. She sent me a letter days ago, saying that she wanted to see you anyway. This request may be throwing a embarrassing situation to you. But my dear girl, though Amelia did nothing a mother had to do during your growth, she went through a lot to give birth to you. If you will, if you will, I hope you can go to Florence and see Amelia. She is so sick in her bed..."

"..."

When Chiara read this, she raised her eyes and glanced at Vittorio, who was sitting opposite to her.

"Why don't you continue reading?" Vittorio asked with a relaxing tone. No embarrassment was exposed though Emerald revealed this shameful secret about him.

"That's all the letter talked about." Realizing her dodgy sight was captured by Vittorio, Chiara did not disguise herself any more. She raised her head and looked directly in to her father's eyes.

Vittorio sat behind a desk with a huge picture window behind him. The Vatican's summer sun which was excessively bright. The sunshine poured in through the Windows and seemed to be chilly when it reached the room. The sun coated the massive Vittorio with a powerful gold awn.

His study is strangely furnished. In general, everyone wants to have the best light source in the room while sitting at their desk. But he just likes to sit against the light. His body is big, with wide shoulder. When he was sitting in front of the window, almost all the light was blocked. So except that the layer of outline the sun reflected on his body, his face, eyes, expression, almost sank into the darkness, dark and unclear.

Chiara guessed it is because he didn't want people to see his emotional changes in his eyes. So he can be in the dark himself, clearly observing those who stand opposite him.

But when his children were standing in front of him, he would rise from his seat, kiss them on the face one by one, and ask them softly what they had read and learned that week.

The bishop, known to the outside world for his toughness, was extremely kind and gentle to his children.

Vittorio took his children from Emerald to the Vatican's Orsini Palace several years ago. The children were placed next to his house, cared for and educated by his cousin Amanda Orsini. Every weekend, his senior adviser Mr. Colao would bring the children to his house and spend the weekend with him.

Until the current Pope, Innocent VIII, no cleric had ever publicly acknowledged his own children. And perhaps it was Pope Innocent who gave Vittorio the courage to bring out. He not only admitted his several illegitimate children with his mistress, but also raised several children born with Emerald.

At first, Chiara would visit Emerald regularly at her residence on the outskirts of Rome. But as Amanda 's class load grew, she visited less. Now if there was an emergency, Emerald would write and ask someone to bring it to the Vatican.

Counting the days, it's been like two months since she last visit to Emerald.

She did not expect that the letter this time would bring such a big news.

Vittorio rose from his chair, and as he did so, the sun poured through the window so eagerly that Chiara closed her eyes unconsciously.

"I don't think you're shocked by the truth."

No, actually, I was shocked, very shocked. My father. Chiara control her exprssion and said, "Father said that we should conceal our angry and delight with all our might."

Vittorio smiled and walked around the desk to Chiara. He was with a smile on his face, wear the red cloak that symbolized the cardinality of the Church. He looked into Chiara's light brown eyes with a few confusion: "Perhaps, you already knew? Since you were never close to Emerald, maybe you have guessed that she is not your real mother."

Chiara's mouth twitched a little.

With her barren emotional experience, how dare she to imagine and speculate on the complicated emotional story of the Holy Father more than ten years ago?

It's just that when she came through, she was a little baby. And at that time the Emerald was about the same age as she had been in her previous life. So it is hard for her to consider Emerald , a same aged woman as her mother.

However, Vittorio has been in the complicated Church for decades. Even if he spoiled his own children a lot , but in the face of slightly older children, he can't help using his own complex experiences and thoughts to ponder each other. In his understanding, Chiara, who spoke little and was not too expressive compared to her other siblings, was precocious and silent, and moody.

Chiara silently accepted this setting from her father, and then said: "Maybe it is, there is an irreplaceable relationship between mother and daughter."

"So will you choose to visit Amelia when she is seriously ill?" Vittorio asked.

Can I choose not to go out in such hot weather? Chiara pondered very carefully.

"I think you should stay home and read. Dario broke his leg learning to ride last week. Amanda and Julia may not be able to take care of him and need your help." Vittorio suddenly thought of something, and said, "I heard that the weather in Florence is not very good recently, it has been raining for nearly a month, it is very abnormal to rain in this season..."

Before he had finished speaking, Chiara interrupted him.

"Father, I've thought about it. I'd better go."

Father Vittorio lowered down his sight and came across Chiara's eyes with begging. "Father, please allow me to see my birth mother, whom I have never known."