Something Wicked

Something Wicked is the fourth episode of Series 1 of Leonardo and was first broadcast on 25th April 2011 on CBBC.

Synopsis
Leo and Tomaso have an unusual commission. They are to paint the wedding portrait of Petronella, the unhappiest bride they have ever seen. Small wonder when they meet her husband to be, the evil loan shark Lucio, and understand that Petronella is sacrificing her own happiness to save her father, who is heavily in debt to Lucio.

But Machiavelli recognizes Lucio, who figured in his own past, and he encourages the gang to carry out an exciting sting, which will not only save Petronella from the marriage, but help them to restore to his victims all the money he has stolen from them.

Plot:
''The episode opens on a large man walking away from a child, a boy, on the floor. The building around them are in flames. The child picks up a nearby rock and they stare at each other... The boy pulls his arm back and throws the stone....''

Florence 1649: Some years later, the man, Lucio Zangari, is stood before Luminari. Piero de Medici is congratulating him on his work in Masetto, wonders if his "style" will work in Florence. Lucio replies "fear will work anywhere". The Luminari give Lucio ten thousand florins to buy weapons with.

Leonardo da Vinci (Leo) and Tomaso (Tom) are sketching a wedding portraite of a sad looking woman, Petronella Conti. Maestro Verocchio enters with Lucio, the groom. On seeing Tom&apos;s efforts, he yanks the woman&apos;s head up so they can see it better. Both Leo and Tom are alarmed by this. When Verocchio and Lucio leave to discuss payment, Tom questions Petronella about her engagenment tell it&apos;s the 1460&apos;s and she can marry anyone.

Lorenzo de Medici and Machiavelli (Mac) are walking through town, when Lucio bumps in to Mac. He instantly recognises him as a man from his past, when he was a child. He was the boy throwing the stone.''We see a young Mac throwing the rock at a younger Lucio. Lucio catches the rock in his hand and throws it back at Mac... ''Lorenzo asks if he knows the man, but Mac replies that he does not.

Tom is angered at the way Petronella is treated and say&apos;s she can&apos;t marry Lucio. Lorenzo tells her that they must respect the wishes of their parnets, forgetting that Tom, as Lisa, had been pushed into an arranged marraige. Mac arrives and tells them all about who Lucio and Petronella are, and how she was forced to marry him as payment for her fathres debts. Deciding that something must be done, MAc tells them to stay out of they way, as it is to dangerous. They refuse to let Mac do it alone and come up with a plan.

In a gallery in town, Leo and Mac are staring at a painting that is being watched by a nearby Museum Guard. They decide that this is the one. Back in Verocchio&apos;s (who is away painting a chaple wall) the gang are all working on the plan. They are going to make Lucio believ they can turn lead into gold by using alchemy. Leo and Tom are making reproductons on the gallery painting and Lorenzo is painting blocks of wood to look like gold bars. In order to make the plan more convincing they tell Lorenzo they will need a real gold bar... from his father.

The following day Lucio and Petronella arrive at the studio. Tom tells them the portraite will be ready tomorrow. Lucio see the two forged painting lying on the floor. Leo tells them they are parctice pieces.

Back in the gallery, Leo and Lorenzo manage to distract the guard buy telling him he has royal features and that Leo would like to sketch him as he looked like and ancient Roman king. As they are doing this, Mac sneaks in and lifts the painting they need.

Back at the studio, Petronella is about to tell To about her past when Luci bursts in and tells Leo thar Florence is a buzz with news of the stolen painting, of whice he saw coppies of earlier. He demands one so he can sell it as the origional. Leo tells him he is to late. His master "Niccolo DePornado" has the painting. Lucio then demands to meet him. Leo leads him out into the street.

At the Medici palace, Mac is in full noble dress, compleat with fake beard. He is "Niccolo DePornado" Lorenzo is dressing him and tells him that his Mother is away in the country with the servents. Mac tells him to keep his father out of the way and also to steal a gold bar for the plan.

Leo arrives with Lucio. Mac, now as Niccolo, is threatened by Lucio but responds by telling him he is one of Florence&apos;s elite and no one would believe his forgery story. Lucio asks if he is willing to take the risk. Mac tells him the last painting is sold, so Lucio says he will take one of the many gold bars surrounding him instead.

In the Medici bank, Lorenzo is skuling around a pile of gold bars when Piero walks in. He explains that he just taking an intrest in the bank as one day he would be working there. Piero begins to tell hime the very long and very boring history of the bank...

Mac instructs Leo to give a gold bar to Lucio as they would never miss one. Lucio sermises that they are forging gold as well.

Piero excuses himself for a moment and Lorenzo seizes the chance to lift a gold bar. Piero once again cathes him, but he explains he is just learning the weight of it. Piero tells him to take the bar and learn the touch, weight and smell of gold.

Mac tells Lucio it is expensive to make gold. Lucio offers the money the Luminari gave him for arms. He is told there is a scientist in the town who can create gold from molten lead by passing it over a stone, Lapis Philosophorum, that has magicle properties. Leo, seing Piero and Lorenzo arriving home, reprts back to Mac that the painting&apos;s buyer was here. Leo is instructed to sho Lucio to the scientis that evening. They leave just in time.

Later that evening, Tom, disigused as an old witchy woman is demonstraiting how to turn lead into gold in front of Leo and Lucio. He demands more, but Tom tells him the power of this stone is gone. For ten thousand florens they can provide a bigger stone. Lucio agrees.

The next morning, Mac and Lorenze are walking through the town. Mac has the perfect stone to use. The stone that was thrown at him years earlier. Lorenzo wants to replace the stolen painting, but Mac tells him it still has a use. Seeing a city guard nearby, Mac goes and sits next to him and tells him when and where to find the thief.

At the studio, Lucio has come to collect the painting. While he is paying Verocchio, Leo stwitche the portraite for the stole origional, all wrapped up. Petronella watches with intrest. Next Lucio goes to Tom to collect the stone. He hands over the florins and tells him he will be back in the evening. On leaving, he is surrounded by city guards and caught with the stolen painting. He is dragged off to recieve scentance. Mac is watching from the shaddows.

The money is given to Petronella who tells them it will rebuild so many lives. She is reunited with her father and tells Tom she knows her secret and that she is brave for sacrificing her self for her love. The gang watch as the father and daughter walk off.

Music Tracks

 * Gorillaz - Dracula
 * Lisa Gerrard - Gloradin
 * Fleet Foxes - Mykonos

Cast

 * Leonardo da Vinci - Jonathan Bailey
 * Lisa/Tomaso - Flora Spencer-Longhurst
 * Machiavelli - Akemnji Ndifornyen
 * Lorenzo - Colin Ryan
 * Piero de Medici - Alistair McGowen
 * Verocchio - James Cunningham
 * Lucio - Michael Richard
 * Petronella - Jay Anstey
 * Young Machiavelli - Mororise Papole