Hey all! Well it has defiantly been a while since I last posted anything so here is something!

I thought of this while I was on holiday, it's going to be a multi-chapter fic so expect more soon Chapter 2 is already written so that should be going on in a few days and i shall be beginning chapter 3 shortly :D

Chapter One

The sun shone in the sky over-head cascading rays of bright light over the small crowd. A clergyman finished his speech before the group of morning people began to filter away, back into their lives, their grief hanging thick in the air like a cloud of smoke. The crowd thinned until only a hooded man stood looking down upon the burial sight of the famous Leonardo da Vinci. He stood, aged eyes tracing the words carved into the stone over and over, but not really reading them. The priest, while packing up his belongings, noticed that the hooded man had not parted with the other guests and approached him asking "Were you close to Messer da Vinci?" with a look of sympathy clouding his face.

The hooded man replied without taking his eyes off the headstone "He was my closest and most trusted friend and I cared for him greatly." The cowled man's voice was deep and thick with his aging years. It revealed to the clergyman that the stranger was a man of authority and wisdom. The priest noticed that the stranger was no longer staring at the stone in front of him but seemed to be lost in his memories.

-Flashback-

The golden glow of the morning sun filtered in through the window of the palazzo Auditore. Its warm rays played over the eyelids of the young Ezio Auditore and slowly woke him from his peaceful slumber. Eager to begin the day the young man threw himself out of bed and adorned himself in some clothes before exiting his room and making his way to his father's study. Upon hearing his father had no immediate business for him he found his mother, Maria Auditore, in the garden pruning her beautiful flowers. The sight made him smile pulling at the scar on his lip with the action.

"Madre, buon' giorno."

Maria turned from he work as she heard her son's voice and gave him a warm smile.

"Ezio! It is good to see you up so early this morning. How are you today?"

"I am good Mother, and you?"

"I am well my son, thank you. Has your Father sent you on business?" she asked walking towards her son and embracing him in a motherly hug.

"No, not today but he said he would send for me should something come up."

"In that case would you mind accompanying me on an errand I have to run?"

"I would be happy to Mother." Ezio replied offering his mother his arm as the began to leave the palazzo together.

They walked together through the busy streets of Florence, lit by the early morning light but already alive with people rushing about. They entered a small quarter of the city where many of the artists of Florence had their workshops and studios. The smell of paint traveled on the breeze and many assistants could be seen mixing pigments and grinding coloured powders ready for their masters. Maria walked through the street until she came to an ornate carved door which she then knocked. After a few seconds the door flew open to reveal a handsome, well-dressed young man with a lither but athletic build and dark blond hair under a red cap. Ezio studied the man with interest. He had a strong defined jaw, slightly sun-kissed skin adorned with a few freckles, but what caught the young Auditore's attention most was his eyes. The brightest blue Ezio had ever seen, he felt as though he was drowning in crystal clear water, they were so full of life and held a thirst for knowledge and understanding that Ezio couldn't quite unravel.

"Madonna Auditore! It is always a pleasure." he spoke with enthusiasm before taking Maria's hand and placing a gentle kiss atop the skin.

"Leonardo, buon' giorno." Ezio watched silently from behind his mother until the painter's eyes landed on him. Ezio felt pierced to the spot by those blue orbs.

"This is my son, Ezio," continued Maria.

The artist smiled and gave a small bow. "Leonardo da Vinci" he said, the excited smile never leaving his face. Ezio gave a small smile of his own.

"Maestro."

"Not quite, but thank you. Ah yes the in! Come in! I will only be a moment." Ezio watched as the strange painter rushed about his studio before dashing up some stairs and disappearing out of sight.

Ezio began to scrutinized the room. It was not large but the amount of sheer clutter made it feel much smaller than it really was, but it felt lived in, homely and warm much like the artists personality or what Ezio had deduced from watching him. Tabletops were covered in paper with sketches of all sorts, birds and small mammals. An easel held an unfinished painting, darker than that of the common style of the time, while on a work bench in the far corner was a curious structure carved out of wood but Ezio could not make out what it was and even as he looked at what he thought to be the plans it only confused him more. After a moment Leonardo reappeared with a box containing the paintings Maria must have wanted.

"Ezio take that for Leonardo will you." Maria asked.

Ezio grudgingly took the box from the artist and was surprised at the weight of it, so much so that he nearly dropped it.

"Careful!" Leonardo warned "It's heavier than it looks."

As they walked back towards the palazzo Auditore, Ezio found himself thinking about his first impressions of the artist, he had pinned him as some air-headed painter who saw the world as something it wasn't, with his head in the clouds, but as they walked he listened to how Leonardo talked about the world and realised that there was more to this man.

"So Ezio what do you do?" Leonardo asked him, snapping Ezio out of his thoughts.

"I work for my Father." Ezio replied.

"Banking, well you are in the best city for it!" the artist said with a smile towards the young Auditore.

"Do you only concentrate on art?" asked Ezio thinking back to the array of different things he had seen in the artists studio.

"Hmm that is a tricky question." replied Leonardo tilting his head and scratching his stubbly chin. "I would have to say no, but I love painting, it's just most of the time I see the end before I'm finished and thus I get ... well bored and I have to push myself, but thats not all I also feel like my work lacks ... I don't know ... purpose. Does that make sense?

"You should have more faith in yourself Leonardo." said Maria kindly placing a tender hand on the artists shoulder.

"Thank you, but there are times where I think to myself I want to do something more practical. Something that has an impact on people and life. I want to understand life - how it works, how everything works." said Leonardo, his eyes, Ezio noticed, sparkled with that thirst for understanding again.

"You'd have to be at least one hundred men in one to accomplish all that." joked Ezio

"If only!" laughed Leonardo "I know I want to explore more, understand more, not simply capture the world, but change it!"

The artist was so passionate that Ezio couldn't help but be impressed. This strange artist seemed so tortured by the ideas that simmered within his mind that Ezio wanted good things for this man he had just met.

-end-

The clergyman noticed that the hooded stranger seemed to come back from within himself, he asked "Would you like to come inside Signore?"

Ezio turned to look at the priest and the man was startled to see the hooded figure's face. It showed signs of age but he still looked strong and powerful, but his eyes conveyed the truth, tired, worn and had seen too many tragic things.

"Grazie, Messer but I would like to stay for a while."

Well what did you guys think?

Reviews are always lovely so please feel free to post one, and i do try to reply to them :)

Thanks for reading see you all in Chapter 2!