i. arrival

[borgiararity]

[ There is a lady in flowing renaissance garb wandering down your hallways, Paradisa.

Lucrezia is peeking through doors left ajar and knocking on closed ones. She has stowed her device in her coat pocket and it turns on to catch her muttering timidly through the open doors. ]Pardon me, I have been searching for the--master of this house. Only to

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[cricketycricket]

[when Five opens his door, if Lucrezia peers over his shoulder to the room beyond, she might see that it resembles an indoor jungle: plants have overgrown all the furniture and crept up the walls. the only sign that it may once have been a furnished room is the hint of carpeting and wallpaper.

oh and uh, there are two identical boxy blue structures with windows that look a bit like standing wardrobes.

the Doctor, however, doffs his hat and smiles]

Hello...!

[borgiararity]

[ Her gaze is quickly drawn toward the lush greenery, though she turns back to him to be polite and even curtsies a little. ]

Hello, good sir. I am sorry to have distracted you from... your business.

I wish to know about this place and perhaps you could help me.

[cricketycricket]

Oh, that's quite alright. Around here, my business usually is being distracted. [he smiles, and bows a bit in response to her curtsy. a quick glance at her clothes lets him assess that she's certainly nobility of some stripe, as well as the general time period and location. perks of being a Time Lord]

Firstly, my lady, might I introduce myself? I'm the Doctor, and it's a pleasure to meet you. I'd be more than happy to assist you, though I must warn you: I'm quite sorry, but this is going to be a far cry from fifteenth-century Rome. You may want to come in and sit down...

[borgiararity]

[ She grins with some glee, holding back a chuckle at his retort even as she offers him a hand. She hazards he would know what to do with it, judging from his bow. ]

Doctor, my name is Lucrezia Borgia.

It does seem--different from Rome, and the people seem foreign to me, if it polite to call them so.

[cricketycricket]

[he does, indeed, kissing her knuckles politely - but as soon as he has, his eyes widen and he lets go of her hand. HE KNEW she looked familiar] Borgia? Oh! Goodness, no wonder you're feeling a bit displaced. Far less intrigue and politics here than in Rome, certainly.

[he ushers her inside and closes the door - there's a small stone bench lurking quietly among the bushes]

[borgiararity]

[ She laughs as she steps inside, wandering around the strange room instead of taking a seat. ]

My reputation has preceded me then. Or, perhaps, my father's name?

[cricketycricket]

Your family name, to be more precise. But I'll explain that a bit later. You should know the basics of things, first - especially where you are, and why, and how.

[even if there aren't concrete answers to most of those.]

[borgiararity]

[ She nods, making her way slowly toward the bench even as her eyes continue to take in all the lush greenery. ]

My father, then. I would prefer to know what you know about me first.

[cricketycricket]

Oh. Well, you see, that's rather a tricky subject, because, honestly -- things being what they are, I may know more about you than you know, yourself, at this point in time. ... What's the last thing you remember about being at home? That is to say, I mean - the last significant event in your life? It has relevance and bearing, I promise you.

[borgiararity]

[ She stares at him for a moment longer than might be deemed polite, then she drops her gaze. ]

I have heard of this. You are--an American? From five hundred years in the future?

augh this thread is too amazing, I don't wanna go to sleep...

[cricketycricket]

[gently] No, I'm afraid it's nothing that simple. But if you can grasp the concept of an American from the future, I think you should do quite well for yourself, here in Paradisa.

I'm a selfish selfish person and imma keep you up all night, bb

[borgiararity]

That is reassuring.

[ Gentleness. It feels like a caress over a wound, painful yet comforting at the same time. She offers a meek smile. ]

I recently married into the Sforza family. My wedding was but a season ago.

bahaha, I escaped and slept. her wikipedia page is still open tho.

[cricketycricket]

[so that's only the first marriage, then, though she's already got a couple of betrothal annulments behind her. good to know. he'll be sure to avoid "spoilers".]

Well, allow me to offer my belated congratulations, then. If they are welcome, of course. ... As for your father, history remembers him as His Eminence, Pope Alexander the Sixth ... but it remembers you, too, for your legendary beauty. Which is quite well-founded, might I say, now that I've seen it for myself.