19A short A/N, even though I promised not to make any (which is a promise I intend on keeping). This is reuploaded with longer chapters and some more plotline, but will probably be pretty much the same as the original version in the begginning... If you find some flaws in my writing, I would love some criticism! I will try to update onc every week, but it can be hard when you're in your second year of high school (soon) plus and elite swimmer... But I'll do my best! Enjoy!
The Rise of Jane
Prologue:
Turkey, Juny 1492
Jane sat in the dark, staring into the flames, watching as it shot out thousands of small sparks into the cool, Turkish night. She sat in the port of Ephesus, waiting for the next day to begin. Her travel party would set sails towards Italy as soon as the sun rose.
"I think I shall leave you now, sis," Alec said, rising from the pavement, "the sun will soon rise."
Jane looked up at him and nodded. "I will follow you soon, but first I will have to speak to Ebecen," she told him. Alec nodded and turned around. Soon, he had dissappeared in the night's shadows.
Jane turned back around and looked into the black eyes of the young, Turkish man. He had a dark, clever face, covered with black hair. He looked like a man with a consciousness, but you shouldn't be deceived by his looks. Jane had found that he was ready to do nearly anything to raise money and respect to him and his company– which was one of the only things about him, that Jane was unsure about. She actually had no idea what the actual work of his company was. She knew that he travelled a lot, and that he did business with two of the states of Italy and with Greece. What business, he wouldn't tell her. For her, he worked as a travelling companion and as a guide.
"When was the last time you were in Italy?" she asked.
"I have only just returned from my latest travel there," he answered, "I left Naples about two weeks ago."
"Can you tell me something about it?"
"What would you like to know?" Ebecen's voice was cool and calm.
Jane knew that with this man, you'd have to be straight-forward and therefore she said: "tell me, who is the most powerful person in the entire country – in all of the Italian states?"
"The Pope of Rome," Ebecen answered with no hesitation, "he is probably the most powerful man in all of Europe."
"The head of the Church? Yes, I would have guessed so. Who is the Pope now?"
"Right now, the Pope is called Pope Innocent VIII, but when I left, he had just gotten down with fever, and I am doubtful that he will survive. After all, he is an old man. If luck is with you, you might even be in Rome for the election of a new Pope. That is always very exciting," said Ebecen, "never are the streets of Rome as filled with blood and treachery, as they are during a Papal election."
Jane nodded. "Who do you expect to win the election?"
"I don't expect anything," he said, "but whoever wins stands with power enough to crown and uncrown kings."
"Then he must be a good ally to have," Jane said. But the gleam in her eyes, as she rose to find rest in Ebecan's ship, said that soon she would find out exactly how good an ally, this Pope was.