Page 321 of DATE
Disguised as Persian merchants, they bribed the city gate guards generously, who grinned and happily revealed the destinations of the recent convoys.
The Pope’s courtyard resembled a warren of wild rabbits, and questioning each person took quite some time.
While gathering information, one of his men hurried back with news, saying that the Borgia family was preparing for a wedding, buying up silks and fine wines in great quantities.
After numerous twists and turns, Leonardo finally infiltrated the event disguised as a maid. After much effort, he was able to get closer to the confined room where she was kept. By the time he reached her, it had been a full fifty days since the eve of the wedding.
In those fifty days, he grew progressively thinner, his complexion growing pale, and his voice becoming hoarse.
Yet that familiar figure was not far away, day after day, gazing out the window, equally worn out and exhausted.
— She had not died.
She was still alive, and she had not been tortured or abused.
The moment he saw her with his own eyes, Leonardo suddenly found himself believing in the existence of God.
If—if they could successfully escape this calamity, he would go to the church and use all his talent and gifts to paint sacred images in gratitude for this nearly impossible blessing.
This was the first time he prayed for the favor of the divine, and it would be the last.
——
"So, you've been playing the maid for almost a week, constantly timing and arranging this escape?"
Hedy pulled the large, plush shawl tighter around both of them and shivered as she lay in his arms.
In movies, lovers always cry and embrace when they meet in dire circumstances, sighing and holding each other.
But after being separated for days and fleeing from the high tower, even crawling through dog holes, they dared not speak a word.
It was hard to imagine…
That such a proud man, so concerned about his image, would disguise himself as a maid for her.
And on top of that, blow up many of the courtyards and churches of the Roman Catholic Church, turning them into crumbs.
According to his account, "There was just too much gunpowder on the road, and it wasn't convenient to bring it back."
But from the scale and power of the explosion, it was clear this wasn't a simple matter…
Hedy vaguely sensed that he was still trapped in unease and anxiety, so she lowered her head and kissed the back of his hand, drawing closer.
The carriage flew through the night like a bat, the cold wind carrying the scent of dew.
"Hedy…" He held her tighter, as though he hadn't woken up from the nightmare: "Hed… Hedwig…"
The murmurs came again and again, as if he were afraid that it was all just a dream.
She sighed softly, leaned in, and held him tightly, their cold cheeks pressed together.
Their fingers intertwined tightly, passing warmth between them, and their heartbeats began to synchronize.
"I'm still alive," she whispered. "I'm not sick or injured."
His gaze finally began to focus, and he involuntarily took deep breaths.
"I've been thinking about you all these days," he murmured.
