Song inspiration: "Home in Florence" by Jesper Kyd/Assassin's Creed 2 OST

Florence, 1476

"Father? Federico?" Ezio Auditore shouted into his empty home.

Sensing a body behind him, he dodged an attack and turned to face the Auditore maid.

"Ah! Ser Ezio! Thank God," the young girl sighed happily. She reached out to him as he searched her eyes for answers.

"What happened?" Where is everyone? Ezio demanded, confusion twisting his emotions.

"They took your father and brother to the Palazzo della Signoria, to prison!" the maid, Annetta, explained, her eyes wide with fear. She held her hands pressed against her heart.

"My mother? My sister?" Ezio asked her again.

She nodded behind him.

"Ezio. . .?" a voice sounded.

"Claudia," Ezio said. His sister ran to him and hugged him tightly.

"Are you alright?" he asked, holding her away at arms' length.

"Yes, but mother. . .she's in shock."

Annetta added, "They. . .when she resisted. . ."

"It's not safe here," Ezio declared. He turned towards to Annetta, "Is there some place you can take them?"

"Yes. . .," she began, unsure of her thoughts. "Yes! To my sister's."

"Good. Do that," Ezio nodded.

Claudia ran into Annetta's open arms. Annetta held her tightly while looking at Ezio.

"In the meantime, I'll go see my father," he stated.

Claudia and Annetta both turned to face him. "Be careful, Ezio. The guards were looking for you as well," Annetta warned.

Ezio Auditore immediately began scaling the walls of his home to reach the familiar rooftops of Firenze. He dashed across the tops of buildings with fury and determination. The prison tower was just within his sight as he bounded and leapt from structure to structure. Night had fallen upon the city. Not a single cloud in the sky prevented the moon from glowing brilliantly amongst the buildings. The moonlight touched the Palazzo della Signoria as Ezio sailed across the open to land, with a strong grip, on a window of the Palazzo.

As he neared the top of the landing, he glanced above the stone wall. He defensively ducked behind a block as a patrolling guard strolled past. With a quick breath of hope, he leapt over the side and silently climbed onto scaffolding. Higher and higher he pulled himself, his father's holding cell only a few grips away. . .

"Get down! Don't lose him!" a guard shouted.

Ezio turned to face the guard. He swiftly hit the man in the gut; the guard doubled over in pain. Ezio grabbed his shirt collar and sent him flying over the walls of the prison. He swiveled around to make sure no other authority had learned of his presence. He began scaling the tower once more. As he neared the barred windows, he heard his father's detached voice call his name.

"Ezio. . ."

"Father, what's happened?" he asked, desperate for answers.

"I took a bit of a beating, but I'm alright. What of your mother and sister?" his father, Giovanni Auditore, gripped the iron bars of his cell.

"Safe, now."

"Annetta took them?"

"Yes-wait! You knew this would happen?" Ezio questioned.

"Not the way it did and not this soon. It doesn't matter now," he replied, lowering his eyes.

Ezio frantically asked, "What do you mean? Explain!"

"There is no time, listen closely," his father replied. His voice was stern and direct as he gave his son directions. "Return to the house. In my office there is a hidden door - use your talent to find it. Beyond lies a chest, take everything you find inside. Much of it may seem strange to you, but all of it is important. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Ezio confirmed.

"Good. Among the contents is a letter, and with it, some documents. I need you to take these documents to Alberti. He was with me in the office this morning."

"The gonfaloniere, I remember. Now please, tell me what's happening! Are de'Pazzi behind this? There was a note for you at the pigeon coop. It said-" Ezio pleaded.

A sound interrupted Ezio as his father ushered him to leave. "Go, Ezio. Go now!"

The young Auditore returned to his deserted home at his father's command. "Hmm, father said there was a door here," Ezio thought aloud. He remembered Giovanni's instruction: "use your talent to find it." Ezio concentrated on the room, using his Eagle Vision to locate the secret chamber. A slab of the wall lowered and he found himself inside his father's hidden room. The chest was on the far side of the room, against a wall. He slowly knelt down to open it. As he lifted the marble lid, he uncovered a secret his father had been keeping from him for years. Inside the chest lay a collection of robes; fabrics with stripes and belts. A large metal symbol was attached to a red-silk belt.

Ezio lifted the robe from the chest and held it in front of him. He looked the garb up and down before taking off his vest and leather pants to put the robes on. He assembled the belts, tied everything into place, and slid the sword into its sheath. Slowly, he pulled the hood from his shoulders and placed it on his head. But the chest was not empty. Still to be uncovered was a scroll and a contraption of which Ezio had no knowledge of.

"I've to bring these to Uberto," he stated to himself.

He ran through Firenze in search of Alberti Uberto's home. The rooftops provided him with, not only a familiar route, but easier access to the streets. He remembered the man from yesterday after seeing him in his father's office. He was slightly short and extremely chubby, near balding, but he was an important man in the city. Ezio was sure that Uberto could be trusted with removing the accusations against his father and saving his family's lives.

After sprinting across the city rooftops, he managed to locate Uberto's home. He hurriedly knocked on the intricately engraved door. Alberti slowly opened the entrance to his home.

"Ezio Auditore? What are you doing here at this hour?" he asked, squinting into the darkness.

"It. . . I. .. I don't. . ." Ezio stammered.

"Wait, child. Take a breath. Collect your thoughts."

"My father and brothers have been imprisoned. I was told to bring you this," Ezio finally said. He handed Uberto the letters.

"Ah, I see now," Uberto sighed. He shrugged, "It's a misunderstanding, Ezio. I'll clear everything up."

Behind him, a mysterious hooded individual stopped and listened to their conversation. He paused before continuing on.

"How?" Ezio pushed.

"The documents you've given me contain evidence of a conspiracy against your family, and against the city. I'll present these papers at their hearing in the morning and they'll be released," Uberto explained.

Ezio clasped his hands together. "Thank you, Signore!"

"Of course, my child. Do you need a place to stay? You're more than welcome here," Uberto motioned to his home.

Ezio held his hands up and shook his head. "No, grazie. I'll meet you at the Piazza."

"Don't worry, Ezio," Alberti Uberto assured him as he closed his door, "everything is going to be fine."

Thanks a bunch to my amazing friend (and new official beta!), Coeur de Lis!

So, here is the preface for the new story that I've been dying to actually write. I really hope it turns out to fit, not only mine, but your expectations as well! Please feel free to review/message with ideas or questions. I appreciate anything given to me to work with. :)