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[Games] Mine
Prince: Michele Rinieri Lorenzo (d.)
Regent: Caterina Maria AnnunziataDS: Pietro Cristofano [Tancredi] "Perotto"
--Dbf?: Felipe Alejandro [Álves]DD: Giovanna Maria Elisabetta "Vanozza"
--DFiancé: Valentino Ugo [Scierra]DS: Leonardo Giancarlo Luca
DD/DS: Lucrezia Ilaria Gabriella / Ferrante Ludovic CesareOf the illustrious Royal House of: Manco
In the City-State of: Salvi
Under Caterina's shrewd mind and sharp eye, the Salvi recovered the war. The citizens were still shaken by the pyrrhic end to the years-long conflict, but Caterina's steady, dependable rule gradually put them at ease. She arranged to made sure that the fallen soldiers' widows and orphanes would be taken care well of by the state--indubitably a thought that occurred to her from her own personal experience of the situation--while Vico managed the more militaristic matters. While technically, young Leonardo was almost of age to take the principality on his own, he still deferred to his mother and uncle for advice, and they in turn helped ease him into his responsibilities.One thing Leonardo was glad he was thus far spared of was marriage. Vanozza, now a fair girl of sixteen, had reached marriageable age, but due to other pressing businesses, had not yet been betrothed. It was a bit unusual for the Manco family to not have arranged future unions for their children from an earlier age, but Michele had never been eager to marry off his children for politics' sake, especially not when he, himself, had chosen to marry Caterina by his own volition. But now, none of the Manco children had determined spouses.Until, that is, Vanozza found her match. Always said to be remarkably like her mother, Vanozza stunned more men with her sharp tongue than with her plain looks, and they in turn bored her with their empty flattery and ghostwritten poems. It wasn't until she met Valentino Scierra, scion to the Scierra family which had long been friends with the Manco family, that she finally met a suitable sparring-partner. She and Valentino engaged in battles of intellect, trading commentary and witticisms on every occasion. Eventually, the Scierra approached Caterina with a proposal to marry their children to each other, and after obtaining consent from Vanozza--and, furthermore, assurance that the union will be very much appreciated--Caterina agreed, and the engagement was announced.The engagement party was a small, private one, held in the Palazzo Manco and closed off for everyone but a select number of family and friends. It was therefore something of a surprise when Perotto, recently returned from a job for the Doge of Venezia, brought with him a certain Spaniard by the name of Felipe Álves. Felipe's identity was not unknown to the Manco household; an illegitimate child himself, rumoured to be the son of a bishop, he was one of the young mercenaries Vico had set apart to train to be his web of spies. It was not highly unexpected for friends to invite each other to family events such as these; what took the Mancos by surprise was the easy proximity and closeness with which Perotto and Felipe interacted with each other. But nobody spoke a word about it, even as they harboured their suspicions.Nobody, at least, save for Leonardo. Late that night, he snuck out of his bed, crept to his brother's room, and knocked on the door. When Perotto appeared, blinking confusedly, Leonardo took his brother's hand and whispered to him: "I'm glad you're happy with him. He seems really nice." And then, before Perotto can recover from his surprise, Leonardo took off again and snuck back to his bedroom.

Mutatis mutandis. Si non confectus, non reficiat.

This message was edited 9/14/2015, 10:18 AM

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