ｖｉｄｅｏ.

[matre]

[ vanozza is no less beautiful in the darkest gown she owns, a grey so dark it is almost black, with her dark hair plaited over her shoulder. there is no pearly hairnet today, no jewelry present. though her smile is steady and her manner never falters, she seems to have aged years in the space of a few days—and it is immediately apparent why. ]

My son, His Eminence, Cardinal Cesare Borgia, and my daughter, the Lady Lucrezia Borgia have returned to Rome.

[ they had played it too safe too long. let any snakes in the grass reveal themselves now. vanozza could trample one underfoot. ]

I wish to extend my most heartfelt thanks to those who showed my children kindness while they were here. A mother could ask for little more.

As well, if you came to an agreement with my children that would go unfulfilled due to the abrupt nature of their departure, I give my word I will honor it to the best of my ability.

[ she takes her time to breathe and look down at the simple wooden horse in her lap. her fingers run over its finely carved head. she smiles, a mother's smile, loving and warm and tinged with loss. ]

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Epiphany. When a star, brighter than any other, shone in the sky to announce the birth of Jesus Christ, and three wise kings followed the star to Bethlehem, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When my children were young, they would polish their shoes and leave them out in preparation for the Three Magi to arrive and leave them their presents. My youngest, Gioffre, would insist upon leaving out water for their camels, as well, and his brother Juan would laugh and tell him they needed grass too and so they would collect it together. [ she laughs quietly at the memory. her hand splays over the horse. ]

I would ask a gift of a kindly Magi here: I require an escort into our frozen world. A walk tomorrow would suit me well.

[ no one will say they saw vanozza cattaneo grieve. ]

Comments

video; place holder yooo.

[wolfskin]

[ he knows already what to say before he even speaks. to soften the tide of apologies and condolences he is certain she would not wish to hear. ]

Your dear friend has been missing your presence greatly. [ as if in agreement grey wind huffs off screen. ] He will not leave me be until he sees you again. So Lady Vanozza; Grey Wind and I would be grateful and honored if you allowed us to escort you on your walk tomorrow.

I AM SO QUITTING YOU!!!

[matre]

[ her expression softens somewhat. not quite happiness ( she can pretend, and pretend so well she can almost fool herself, but it, like so much else in her life, remains a lie ), but a lessening of her unhappiness.

whether in rome or exsilium, that seems to be the best she can achieve. ]

Your Grace is generous. I shall bring along something for your grand companion as an apology for my absence.

[ only living thing in exsilium she would apologize to: the direwolf. ]

video

[inafadingcrown]

You already have an offer of an escort, I see, so instead, I will ask if you would care to join me for a glass of wine. [She knows what it's like to see a child leave, not to know what will become of them. And she knows that no one should go through that alone.]

video

[matre]

How could I turn down such an offer? [ wine is the magic word this post. ] I would be glad to.

Though I am afraid I do not know where you reside. [ and she's not stupid enough to go tramping out in the snow in the dark alone. ]

text

[lazyinlove]

[It's tempting to try and weasel something out of this lady. Maybe say that her family promised big stacks of sandwiches. Any sort of food. He almost considers it for a moment...but no, it's too douchey. And oddly enough, he has some idea of how it feels to lose a child now. It's not something to toy around with. Even if you're sick and tired of stealing sweet grains from the livestock.]

Sorry.

permavideo on this end! buttons are tiny :c

[matre]

[ it is cruel. yet she would have done it regardless. she is no stranger to hunger. ]

There is no need. [ there is no hint anywhere of her impotent rage. vanozza remains placid and unfailingly polite. ] My children have returned home.

Did you meet either of them?

video

[fintastic]

[ The girl on the video actually looks very human -- Feferi has been out, and has forgotten to turn off her holo. ]

I'm sorry to hear about your children. Some of my friends left recently, too. Can I ask you something though?

video

[matre]

Of course.

[ she is mildly curious, and glad for the question. sorry is rapidly becoming a despicable word. ]

video

[notpeterparker]

I'm sorry about your son.

[Carol hasn't lost anyone yet, but it must be really sad to be separated from your loved ones.]

video

[matre]

Why, dear? He is home again. Surely that is a gift.

Permavid

[governorkang]

I never met your son and daughter, but I know what it's like to be separated from your children, and not knowing when you'll see them next.

[matre]

[ no, you do not. no one knows what losing a child before he or she is ever gone from one's life and one's arms. only another mother could, and what mother could be as wretched as she?

she swallows her bitterness and nods once. ]

It is no stranger to me. A mother learns quick her children do not belong to her, but to the world.

Voice;

[totallytrustworthy]

Might not be the best suited to say it [She'd only just begun to know them, after all.] but I'm sorry.

Once you've finished your stroll-- if you're up for it-- I'd like to drop in and say thank you for the gift. Not your kin I know, but you're still responsible for my neck so it's like the next best thing, right?

Voice;

[matre]

[ oh, chloe. she made a good choice with you. ]

Kin or no, you are always welcome.

[ she doesn't want to be alone it sucks :c ]

audio

[vaccination]

[First Tess, then Jesse, and now Cesare and Lucrezia. She'd grown to like Cesare, and Lucrezia had been pretty and nice in a way she'd never encountered before. It's disappointing. Ellie takes a few moments to decide how to feel about this, decides to just bottle it up and push it down, then speaks.]

I'm... really sorry to hear that. You okay?

audio

[matre]

[ ellie gets a rare genuine smile. vanozza has come to dote on her. ]

I am well, my dear. Missing them, but I missed them every time they left my house. I am no stranger to this.

What of you? Have you had any adventures recently?

voice.

[mortuaria]

[ Borgia? Nico was ten when he left Italy, but still, he recognizes that name. He can't quite place it, only that...it was important. It's enough that he actually switches from the text option to the voice option to reply.

And anyway, speaking Italian again feels good. It feels almost a tiny bit like home, like Bianca and Maria, even if it's not his home anymore. It's unintentional, but his greeting reveals more of how much of a boy he still is: that he remembers the holiday for songs and candies than any religious significance (and besides, he's not even Catholic). ]

Buona Befana, signora.

[matre]

[ she laughs. how not? between the surprise to hear italian and the chosen greeting. she continues easily in italian, a tongue that has become more familiar to her over the years than her native spanish. ]

Oh, I did forget her, did I not? What a terrible oversight.

voice

[mallarkey]

[ He sounds a little surprised and disappointed. ]

He's gone? D-- [ That was going to be a "damn," but he's couth enough to catch himself. He means this as a sort of gesture, when he goes on: ] I had something to give him -- maybe you could hang onto it. Or even have it.

voice

[matre]

I will keep it for Cesare, of course. [ vanozza cants her head in mild curiosity. ] Might I inquire as to what it is?

[deadlybanker]

[Just listening]

[Rare was it when a message earned such rapt and instant attention from him, but this one stood out above all the rest.

Borgia.

That name had come to represent great evil to him. He had already tried and failed twice to kill the man named Rodrigo Borgia, to see an end to his wicked plans for Italia... And now this name had appeared again. If the children had been here, might the man be as well?

Careful madam, some snakes have deadly fangs.]

[Video]

I am sorry to hear of your loss, Madonna. I know how difficult it is to be separated from family.

[This sympathy was still genuine. He missed his own family a great deal so it was not difficult at all to imagine how a mother must feel at the disappearance of her children. ]

I presume they some how manged to return home? You want to be happy for those who are able to leave but they are still greatly missed. I hope this does not mean you are alone here?

[matre]

[ whatever, bro, jesus loves her family. ]

That is what I said. Were you known to my children as well?

video; private

[beardedflannel]

[ no one will say they saw her grieve but joel will know, for he's no stranger to grief. the loss his marriage and his wife, years later his daughter, then his brother when they had parted ways. tess. henry and sam. tess again.

no. he will know and while she might now show it in her expression, joel will see it reflected in her eyes.

he would ask her how she's doing but by the message on the network, she's managing despite it all. even if barely. ]

Where should I meet you?

[ it'll be like a dance, cutting in to have his turn, but with whomever ends up escorting her. ]

[matre]

[ with joel, her smile relaxes into something barely there. just a faint hint of one at the corners of her lips. ]

You know where I live. Shall I leave the door open come evening?

voice

[ready_to_bloom]

I am sorry to hear it. Lucrezia was a friend and I will miss her.

voice

[matre]

As I am certain she would you. I am glad to hear she made friends whilst here.