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CHAPTER 18
As the ancient bells of the church tower rang, the long and deep hymn of thanksgiving also began to echo.
"Wisdom! You were born from the mouth of the Most High, governing all things from one end of the earth to the other, balancing both mercy and severity. Come and teach us the path of wisdom—"
Thousands of candles hung high beside the holy images in the church, while the congregation, forming a long line, sang along with the choir in prayer.
The Florence Cathedral, like a grand confessional of atonement, stood open, with the morning light falling onto its dome, as though it were God's gaze.
"—The Almighty has done great things for me, and all generations will call me blessed."
The bells rang through the entire city of Florence, like stars scattered in the sky, and even the children fell silent. Countless people prayed in deep reverence, their prayers blending and overlapping like invisible bricks being stacked into a tower reaching toward the heavens.
It was once again the Feast of the Assumption.
The statue of Jesus was lifted high, symbolizing His return to heaven alongside the Virgin Mary.
Lorenzo, dressed in a deep red robe, stood before the mechanical dove and pressed a lever. The dove let out a long cry, flapping its wings as it soared into the fireworks tower on the carriage. In the next moment, an explosion erupted, and the horse neighed loudly as it galloped forward.
The procession and celebration began, with actors dressed as angels and saints singing hymns in the long line. The stage was adorned with scenes of countless holy miracles.
"My soul magnifies the Lord, my God—"
The priests followed the jubilant procession, offering olive branches, symbols of good fortune, to the people on both sides of the road.
The farm women, eager to pray for their children, jostled and crowded forward, while thieves lurked in the crowd, taking advantage of the chaos.
Hedy was almost swept away by the crowd, stumbling for a moment. Just as she was about to fall backward, Leonardo reached out and grasped her hand.
They exchanged a glance, the joyful and loud hymns resonating from behind them.
"My soul rejoices in the Lord, my God—"
She steadied herself, gripping his hand in return, and together they moved against the flow of people toward another direction.
As the procession moved on, knights rode in on their fine horses, their heads held high. The crowd stepped back, clearing the space for a racecourse, while street vendors with wicker baskets sold berries and sugar cubes.
Strongmen flexed their muscles, tight and exposed like stones, as they carried orange trees, and children began to scream and chase after each other.
The sound of fireworks crackling faded as the carriage passed, and more spectators began waving silver coins, betting on the knights.
At first, Hedy had only intended to show up as a formality; missing out too often could lead to suspicion and misunderstanding.
But perhaps due to Florence’s considerable expansion, the population had grown in the past two years. She thought it might have been better to sit with the Medici family directly—at least, there would be no risk of broken toes on the VIP balcony.
Leonardo laughed as he led her out of the crowd, the sound of bagpipes and violins swirling in the air like a flock of chaotic birds.
They stopped in a quieter spot, and she sighed deeply before saying, "I didn’t see anything like this last year in Milan."
Leonardo pulled out a silver coin, bought a cup of orange juice, and handed it to her, raising his voice playfully, "Two or three years ago, you were grumbling that you’d never come here to join in the festivities again."
Hedy raised an eyebrow, took a couple of sips to catch her breath, and replied, "Absolutely not—by Christmas, I’ll be done with mass and out of here!"
The young man laughed and patted her back, turning his head to glance at the increasingly noisy and large crowd. He spoke with a smile, "Actually, this festival was originally established as a holiday tradition by the Roman emperors one or two thousand years ago."
The livestock—cattle and horses—were adorned with garlands and hoof bells, driven through the city to entertain the people, while all the taverns and small shops took a short break.
As they made their way back toward the palace, they began discussing their return to Milan.
