The Pope was not at all what he expected. Although he had the external look and aura of a Pope, his insides were as dark as coal.
“Is this the boy?”, he asked in an authoritative voice.
“Yes, he is”, Don Vito replied, pride gleaming in his eyes.
“Why is he wounded?”, the Pope asked.
“He is to be the Don, how else can he learn without training?”, Don Vito asked looking around.
The other family leaders nodded in agreement.
“I see, stand closer to me”, the Pope beckoned at Leonardo.
He did as he was told.
Getting a close up view of the Pope was more intimidating than he expected. It even surpassed his grandfather’s.
The Pope was recognized by his distinctive attire, which included a white cassock—a long, flowing robe—complemented by a white zucchetto (a small skullcap) and a white p
