#event thread 002.

the other two men had jaunted off early in the morning, saying something about an old friend of sorts that they must meet - though julian had half a mind to believe they were simply going to drink, considering the rougish wink that cecil had tossed him as they left. there'd been an uncomfortable silence between the pair left behind, as if neither one of them dared to speak considering their last encounter had ended with them both far more upset than they'd been before meeting. foresight had granted julian the ability to see later that perhaps he'd been too harsh on sibella, she was a young girl compared to her father and uncle, and it had been cruel to needlessly taunt her when he knew talbot's warrant was already signed. his eyes had half watched her across the rooms they occupied, curious as to why she was writing so fiercely in a journal, though he hadn't dared to interrupt her to ask. the silence carried on for another hour while julian ruminated on the task that thomas had thrust upon him before leaving, half considered if he could negate it entirely and tell thomas that she had not desired to leave.

yet, julian could never lie to thomas like that and it was evident to the other men how restless their young translator was getting, only leaving for brief moments to translate bits of information. his voice had been steady but devoid of most emotion when he'd finally shattered the silence to inform her that he'd be accompanying her to the city to give alms, her request granted by the other two council members who held seniority over julian. her face had been a conflicting mask that nearly made julian chuckle, as if a war waged within her over the hatred she surely felt in her heart for him and the passionate desire she had to leave these stuffy rooms and walk the streets. 

it took only a few quick moments for them to set off, an odd pair of sorts that descended upon the city of florence with an uncomfortable sort of gap between them. julian minded his pace, so that he did not leave sibella behind with his larger strides and gait. when she paused for a moment to speak with a merchant, julian did as well, eyes drifting shut as he basked in the warm sunlight, faint smile on his lips. he remained a thick blooded english man, but julian had never been one to shun the beauty of a sunkissed cobblestoned path.

his ears tingled slightly as sibella spoke in italian to the man, an inclination that sounded effervescent and lilting on her tongue, but stirred an unfair insecurity in julian that he did not understand the language that they shared. when she returned to his side, julian inclined his head in mild question, miffed slightly when she simply nodded and continued onward. " you know, i find it quite odd how italians accept charity in this city," he said quietly, a teasing jest in his tone. " for that exchange to an english man looked rather more as if you were buying a bauble to hide away."

the history of their families had mattered very little to edmund or william in their boyhood, faithful companions that seemed to have endless mischief and grew around each other as saplings did. their roots remained briefly entwined with one another, even as william soared to status and heights that edmund was never fated to follow to. if he was a less complicated man, edmund would've rejoiced in the knowledge that a catholic england seemed destined to return, perhaps if the man who stood in the way was not the same one that edmund still considered a brother of sorts. despite the blood that now rested at william's feet, like a slowly creeping shoreline, edmund saw him still as the same cheeky friend who chased skirts with him, or gambled with him as if they were peasant boys. this was not the visage of enemy as pippa so greatly wished him to see, it was william. as it always had been to edmund. 

while court back home remained locked in a tentative state of in between, edmund would be a fool to to pretend that he was not reveling in the jaunt to dover castle, if only because it granted a semblance of misguided fragile peace. there was no looming walsingham to question his actions, though he prayed nightly for the safety of his youngest sister, that she may return to them in one piece again. the amount of eyes elsewhere meant that it also afforded a bit of safety to edmund to indulge in a sinful desire, richard boleyn. his eyes basked in the glory that was richard, the sun casting a radiant near halo around the other man as they rode alongside one another, far from others that may have listened too closely to his words or the way his eyes lingered.