The Confessor
Chapter I: Insieme per la Vittoria
She was the first to awake, wrapped tightly in his arms, seeing no need to move and disturb the blissful moment. She never imagined herself in that position, and she never considered how safe she felt right there with him. If the world spontaneously collapsed, she had a strong feeling she'd be unaffected by it all.
Watching him sleep was something she always enjoyed doing. There was always something so peaceful about his expressions. And she had a warm feeling that he trusted her enough to show her such a vulnerable side of himself. Unconsciously, her hand reached out and began to gently caress his cheek. The hair of his beard tickled the tips of her fingers as she traced aimlessly over his skin. A small smile stretched across her face.
She wanted to protect him. She wasn't the only one who'd always been alone. The both of them faced their own separate demons. The both of them betrayed by those they once called trusted friends. She felt selfish for not considering that side of him. Hide as he may behind a wall of wisdom and skill, she knew Ezio better than he thought. He was terrified of losing her.
And she was terrified of losing him. More than she cared to admit, even to herself.
He stirred shortly afterward, a lazy, catlike smile stretching across his face when their eyes met.
"Salve," he said. "I actually half-expected you to not be there when I woke up."
Her eyebrow rose. "And why is that?"
"Because that is what almost always happens." And with that, his arms around her tightened even further. She sighed and began to absently draw little circles on his chest with the tips of her fingers. It didn't go unnoticed.
"You know, if you're up for it …" he trailed off suggestively, and even though she didn't look up, she knew exactly what expression was on his face. Her heart skipped a beat or two, but she retained a semblance of calm.
She threw her head back in a laugh. "Dio mio, do you ever think about anything else?"
"I am nothing if not a normal man with desires."
"I wouldn't go as far as to say normal," she argued with another laugh. "But if we have it your way I won't be able to walk for a week."
He audibly smirked, burying his face in her neck, dragging his lips across her skin. "I see nothing wrong with that minor … consequence." Oh, she was positive he'd love for her to be happily undressed and waiting for him every day for a week.
She rolled her eyes. "Sei pazzo, Ezio Auditore."
"Well then, you're in bed with a crazy man," he replied coyly, waggling his eyebrows. "How very bold of you, Gemma Auditore."
"If I recall," she drawled, "I am not Gemma Auditore yet." The sound that name, however, made her heart flutter.
"I actually wanted to discuss that with you," he said, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "What do you think of just taking on my name and just … being my wife, instead of the formality and frivolity of a wedding?"
Her eyebrows rose in confusion. "You were so excited about planning a wedding."
"I know," he replied. "I'd just … rather not bother."
She frowned. This wasn't like him. "Ezio, if I am to be your wife, you are going to have to tell me everything that worries you."
There was a long pause before he answered. "The head of the church is the man who killed my father and brothers, Gemma. He is the man who turned my life upside down. And not only that, I just cannot believe in religion after what I have seen in this bizarre life I have led. And I would feel like such a hypocrite, standing before 'God' and promising myself to you when I already have, cara. Many, many times. I do not need a God for it."
Wordlessly, she kissed his mouth. He was so good at persuasion, it almost hurt. She understood, and was not even surprised. Her own faith was extraordinarily questionable. "I understand, Ezio."
"Ah, I hoped you would," he murmured. He held her against him for a bit. "I love you."
"And I you," she said. "You owe me big time. I was looking forward to a wedding."
He chuckled, pressing his lips to her forehead, and continued down her face. "You never cease to amuse me."
"Glad I could be of service, as your humble court jester." She was on a roll with the sarcastic comebacks, and he laughed, rolling on top of her so that she lied directly under him. A hungry look was on his face – and she was positive food was the last thing on his mind. Silently, he traced a finger from the indent of her collar bone to the valley between her breasts. He never broke her gaze.
For a moment, she stopped him. "You do realize everyone in this town is going to think us to be sinful wretches for not getting formally married, yes?"
"And when have I ever cared what people think?" he replied impatiently, making a good point. He bent down and kissed her slowly, but with just enough impatience to tantalize her entire body. Realizing it'd be best to just cooperate with his insatiable lust, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him there, smiling through the warmth of his lips and the tickle of his beard.
In the distance, she heard a loud bang, freezing and breaking off the kiss. "What was that?"
Unperturbed, he tilted his head to get back down to business. "Probably just training exercises." They were abruptly interrupted when something that looked like a cannon ball came crashing through the room, destroying everything in its path. Ezio shielded Gemma with his body for a moment until everything calmed down, then he leapt off the bed to put his clothes on.
"Merda," he audibly growled. "I have to find Mario and rally the troops." She did the same, rapidly pulling on a very simple dress she normally wore under her clothes and grabbed her sword.
"I'll go and get some of the men and–!"
"No!" he cried, cupping her face with his hands. And as she angrily tried to protest, he silenced her with a swift kiss. "You misunderstand, cara – I know you are capable of fighting, believe me, but I want you to help make sure my mother, sister and the townspeople get out safely. I only trust you with something like this. Please."
She paused for a moment and nodded vigorously. "Va bene, I'll do that."
"Stay safe, amore mio." He embraced her for half a second, seized her face, kissing her roughly. With a final, torn look he went dashing in the opposite direction, out the window and into the chaos.
"You too," she whispered, though she was fairly sure he hadn't heard her.
When she descended the stairs it took a little while to discern all the ruckus – but the building was collapsing and it was in everyone's best interest to leave, and quickly. She was already quick to usher Claudia and Maria outside.
"What's going on?" Claudia demanded.
"We're under attack, that much is pretty obvious," Gemma replied. "But we can discuss this later, first, we need to get everyone to safety!"
As she attempted to run off, Claudia grabbed her hand a moment. "Where is Ezio?"
"Where else would he be?" Gemma inclined her head to the front of the town. Noting the terrified look on her face, she took a hold of Claudia's shoulders and gave them a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, Claudia, your brother is the strongest man I know. He won't go down, no matter how many times his enemies try to get his head." Or at least, this is what I'm telling myself. Claudia nodded in agreement. Gemma turned her attention to the fleeing citizens, yelling as loud as she could.
"Everyone! You must go to the Sanctuary – there, you will wait until Ezio arrives, and we will lead you to safety." Despite the loud chaos, many of them managed to hear Gemma's orders and all scrambled to the safety of the Sanctuary. She motioned to follow them, but was consumed by worry. The walls wouldn't hold much longer, and Ezio was in the middle of all the confusion.
She knew he was perfectly capable of handling himself. But Monteriggioni was not exactly heavy on man power, and one man could only do so much against an entire army. And as she took in the sight of the cannonballs flying and the infrastructure crumbling before her eyes, she assumed the worst must have been out there.
Following her gut instinct, she ran into the town square, her eyes darting all around her as buildings collapsed and the screams of the people mixed into the air. Her hand unconsciously wandered to the hilt of her sword. She gripped it for a moment before dashing into battle with nothing more than a white chemise covering her body.
She would receive hell for it, but she decided that such things were trivial in times like this.
As she ran, she managed to make out Mario, of all people, storming toward the back exit of Monteriggioni. She belted at him.
He whirled when she put her hand on his shoulder, his blade unsheathed and his eyes wide and incredulous. "Gemma! Good God, child, I nearly killed you just now."
"Where are you going?" she demanded.
"I am leading a frontal assault," he proclaimed. "My men are–!"
"Take me with you!" she insisted. "I can fight, I can–!"
"Absolutely not," Mario replied sharply, shaking his head. "First of all, you have never been in open war combat before, secondly, Ezio would have my head on a silver platter, and thirdly, you're in your underwear."
Her jaw tightened under her skin. He was right, but she did not like that fact. "I do not want to stand around and be useless!"
"You have never been useless," he said. "You brought my nephew back from a very dark place, Gemma. He is more lively now. More … relaxed. Happier. What you have done for Ezio is something that I could have never done."
Their time to talk had run out, and Mario hastily grabbed on to both of her shoulders, a serious look in his wrinkling face. "If I do not make it out of this, he is your responsibility. Take care of him like you have been, make sure he does not get himself killed. He is the closest thing to a son I have ever had, and I take pride in the fact that he is in your care. Do not fail me, hm?"
The old man's harsh smile made her smile, as a result. "You can count on me."
"I know." He placed a rapid kiss on her forehead and bolted off into battle. She had an unexplainable ache in her chest as he disappeared out of sight, but she shrugged it off and snapped herself back into attention. There were still townspeople scrambling to escape, and she had to aid them.
Men, women, and children were calling out the names of their loved ones as their world literally crumbled before them. Buildings collapsed, shops were destroyed, the air was filled with dust, debris and death. Her jaw slackened in horror as everything she came to consider as her home disintegrated before her. The emotions she was feeling, all crowded together in her head, couldn't be summed up in one word.
Everyone around her had been reduced to panicked ants. All scrambling to be saved as their homes evaporated before their very eyes, forgetting about friends and neighborly alliances in an instant. All that mattered was the immediate family, and then themselves. Civilized people, turned into fleeing animals all in the snap of a finger. She could hear mothers calling out to their misplaced children, husbands to their misplaced wives, and children to their misplaced mothers.
But what struck her the most was one young woman, standing all by herself, absolutely petrified with a bulging stomach, calling out to her husband. She looked to be about in her mid-twenties with light brown hair and wide, frightened brown eyes. Her body was thin and a bit weak-looking despite her pregnant belly. Again and again, she screamed this man's name. Marco! Marco! Marco!
The poor woman, dirtied from the chaos all around her, stood rooted to the spot, despite the fact that buildings were falling around her. Gemma's eyes sharply shifted to a piece of a rooftop that was crumbling down and looked to be aiming its decent directly on top of the woman, and she sprung into action, grabbing her wrist and pulling her out of harm's way. The shards of rooftop crashed to the ground.
She let out a small yelp, but other than that, clung on to Gemma's arm with a shaking hand. The woman was hysterical, and Gemma attempted to sound civil. "Please, you must flee!"
"B – But my husband, my Marco, he told me to wait here, I cannot just–!"
Her jaw hardened. "Do you want a future for your child?"
She looked stunned by the question. "O – Of course."
"Then protect it! I'm sure your husband will meet you on the other side, and the both of you will be safe. It is far too dangerous to linger here!" The woman stood there, conflicted for many moments as she was torn between two options. Finally, she quietly thanked Gemma and ran off toward the villa, toward safety. She sighed with relief for a moment, and turned her attention to everyone else.
She screamed the same orders again and again at the confused people. Some listened, others decided to disregard her. Gemma honestly did not blame them, because she looked like a mad woman with a sword at her side and nothing covering herself but undergarments.
Suddenly, a blast roared into the air, and her eyes widened in horror as enemy soldiers began to pile atop the walls in handful after handful. But that was the least of her worries.
"They're breaching the gates!" She hastily jumped back, debris flying everywhere as the gates of Monteriggioni crumbled, and in stepped someone out of her very worst nightmares. Her heart froze in her chest as Cesare Borgia strode proudly into the town, a blond woman on his arm and several generals behind him, one of them holding Caterina Sforza hostage.
Her hands began to tremble when Mario Auditore stumbled forward, collapsing on the ground in exhaustion. No, she thought frantically. She wanted to scream at all of them and liberate the man that had given her the skills to survive, but her voice seemed to shrivel away right when she needed it most.
"I know you're there, Ezio!" Cesare bellowed, not noticing her presence. "The Pope told me about you and your little group of Assassins … and this!" He brandished the Apple, holding it high in the air with that menacing smirk he was so talented at on his face. She felt sick to her stomach.
"Give me the gun his friend fashioned for us," he continued on, snatching a golden weapon from one of his general's hands. "We've had too much bloodshed, I think a cleansing is in order. So consider this an invitation from my family … to yours."
He pointed it directly at Mario, and every single thought in her was screaming for her to save him, to do something, to stop the horrible thing that was about to happen, but her legs wouldn't move. Her entire body was as frigid as a statue – and that moment of hesitation was all she had before the shot rang off, and he was gone.
She let out an involuntary scream, falling to her knees and immediately cursing herself for it. It was enough to alert Cesare of her standing not ten feet away from him.
A sickening, twisted smile stretched across his face. "I would remember those eyes anywhere. So nice to see you again, Gemma."
"Do not just stand there!" Caterina cried out, struggling against the man who was holding her back. "Run, idiota, run!"
He pointed the gun directly at her. "We have too extensive of a past for you to simply run, don't you think? Oh, the Pope was so furious when he figured out you had escaped. And then I thought … where would she go? This is a stubborn woman, she would never return to Ezio. I stand corrected, I see. And I easily assume he's bedded you at this point …" he paused, sizing her up while taking a step forward, "… congratulations."
"Vai al diavolo," she snarled, though still hadn't found the strength to move. This was the man that single-handedly stole everything she was looking ahead to. For once in her life, she could actually picture the future for not even a full day. Was she never allowed to be hopeful? Is this what fate had decided for her?
She knew only one thing at that moment. She hated Cesare more than she hated anyone else in the entire world, and she would have liked nothing more than to shove her blade straight into his throat.
He laughed. "You know, I was thinking about what kind of information I could get from Ezio's ally and occasional whore, Sforza – but with you, oh I'm sure you have so many secrets hidden in your mind. And this time … we won't be using the basement. So tell me, Gemma, are you going to come to me quietly or am I going to have shoot your leg beforehand?"
He was close enough that he extended a seemingly friendly hand to her, and with a shaking hand, she took it, slowly standing to her feet with his help. But that wasn't before she'd managed to shove her hand into the ground, collecting the dirt into her palm.
"I am glad to see you are reasonable," Cesare said smugly.
She met his eyes. "You seem to be misinformed. Ezio tells me I am the most unreasonable person he's ever met." And with that, she flung the collected dirt and dust from the palm of her hand into his eyes, and as he roared with the unexpected sting, his grip on her released. She turned on her heel, running a beeline in the opposite direction.
Cesare barked orders that she be tracked and seized – painfully – but she paid it no heed, instead running in the direction of the villa.
"Signora!" She turned at the sound of a mercenary calling her, and they gestured with much strain to a crumpled figure.
No, no, no, no, her thoughts began to scramble like a pack of angered bees as she made out Ezio, and she dashed over to him. He was bleeding from the shoulder and at the hip. He'd been shot. She crouched at his side and slapped his face softly about three times.
"Ezio!" she cried. "Ezio, Dio mio, wake up!" He groaned, and that was enough consolation – he was alive. Injured, but alive.
"We must move him to a safer spot, signora," one of the mercenaries informed her in a hushed tone. "They will find us if we linger." She nodded once and let the two men take either of Ezio's arms, dragging him across the ground. She bit her lip at how painful that must have been, but decided that was the least of Ezio's problems.
They managed to get him near the crumbled remains of the church until Ezio suddenly became very animated. "Basta! I can walk." He shoved them off, struggling to his feet. Their eyes met and he gave her a look of shock before he was cut off.
"Look out! They are coming – everyone, retreat to the villa!" a mercenary ordered, pointing with terror at the advancing Borgia troops.
Ezio audibly groaned in pain, clutching his gut. She cringed. "I cannot fight like this." He glanced to the fleeing men. "Stand with me!"
"No!" she snapped, standing in front of him with her sword unsheathed. "I'll fight. Stand back, Ezio." Had the man finally lost it, running into battle with two gaping holes in his body?
"Gemma, I swear to God–!" he began to growl. The furious look in his eyes startled her.
She stepped mere centimeters from his face. "I need you to shut up and trust me with this for once in your life, Ezio." She whirled on her heel as the troops cried out in unison and came charging at her. She nodded once at the other men and lunged at a nearby soldier, landing a jab into his throat.
Gemma turned her attention to another, this one actually having a chance to talk. "So the Assassins send women to do a man's job!"
"Women tend to do men's jobs a bit better." And with that, she ran her blade through the man's chest and with a gurgle, he fell to the ground, dead. The other men took the rest of the soldiers.
She looked to one of them that had just finished off a soldier. "You! Help Ezio walk."
"I can walk, Gemma," he snarled.
Ignoring him, she continued. "Correction: make sure he does not try to swing that sword around. You answer to me right now, not him, capisco?"
He looked dumbfounded for a few moments before nodding his head. "Y – Yes, signora, whatever you say, signora."
She smiled. "Good." She ran ahead with the rest of them to fight off the remaining soldiers lingering around the entrance to the villa, disregarding the charming slew of curses that Ezio uttered upon realizing he was being babysat.
She fought her way through the guards, feeling a bit confident in her abilities after only really practicing with the occasional mercenary in the training ring. She mistakenly paused a moment to catch her breath when one of the soldiers swung his sword, and it cut a horizontal gash across her stomach.
Gemma hissed sharply, kicking the bastard in the gut and burying the blade directly into his neck.
"Gemma!" Ezio called out when the soldiers were all dead, limping up to her. "You've done enough, let me–!"
"I – am – fine," she growled, willing herself to forget about the sting of the wound right then, for the battle had only just begun. She very much wanted to force him to believe in her for about ten minutes, but that was the equivalent of sprouting wings and flying away. The both of them were too stubborn to give in.
The injured woman ascended the stairs, her mind snapping to attention at the sight of enemy soldiers surrounding several of Monteriggioni's own defenses – one of them ending up being Claudia.
One of them advanced on her, and she screamed, grabbing the enemy's arm, rendering his blade useless in the air as an attempt to hold him off. She looked past Gemma to her brother. "Ezio!"
He sprung into action faster than she could register, brandishing his sword in the face of the man who dared harm his little sister, and she chose in that moment not to distract everyone by commenting. She herself lunged at a soldier, their blades ringing threateningly against each other.
"Get inside the Sanctuary!" Ezio barked to both Claudia and Gemma, emphasizing his every word.
"Follow me!" Claudia cried, running toward the safe haven. She wanted to stay back and fight with him, but she was also afraid for Claudia, who had just run off all by herself while the opponents were surely waiting to attack any and all citizens of the town.
"Seize the whore – Ser Cesare wants her alive!" She swore to herself when a handful of soldiers jumped down from the walls, effectively surrounding her. She stabbed her blade into the chest of the one directly blocking her way.
Some of the men managed to help her, one of them stopping her with a hand to the shoulder when her pursuers were dead. "What do they want with you?"
She scowled. "They believe that I am the key to breaking Ezio." He nodded, and roared orders to make sure none of the Borgia managed to overwhelm her. She sighed to herself, looking ahead to see that Claudia was safe and that Ezio was running toward the both of them.
They finally made it into Mario's study – the thought of him made her heart twist painfully in her chest – and into the entrance of the Sanctuary. There was a man there with a cloth covering one eye and wearing the garb of a thief.
"Stop! Wait for us!" Ezio said as the man attempted to run off, placing his hand on the book case that was closing, motioning the both of them to go through.
"We thought you had been killed, Ser Ezio!" the thief replied quickly.
There was a brief pause. "Not yet."
"Where does this passage lead?" the man asked.
"To the north, outside the walls," Ezio answered.
"I am surprised it exists!" She did not understand why, but the man gave her an unfortunate feeling. There was something very uneasy about the way he stood. His voice up shot up an octave when he spoke to Ezio. Often, he glanced back and forth between the exit and the tunnel to the Sanctuary. Something about the man made her skin crawl, but she could not pin point how or why.
Ezio stepped on the stone block that would close the door, and the man bent his way out before it closed. "Let me through, I must go help the troops!" With his only working hand, he barred the doors shut.
"Hurry, Ezio!" Claudia cried, already down the stairs, and with a grab of Gemma's hand, the both of them descended the many steps. He held onto her so tightly that it was almost painful.
"Where is Mother? Is she all right?"
"I am here, Ezio!" Maria's voice called out from the bottom of the steps, and he sighed with acute relief.
"Grazie a Dio." He squeezed Gemma's hand when they finally reached the inner Sanctuary to see both Claudia and Maria patiently waiting for their son while the rest of the townspeople filed into the escape route.
"We could not leave without you," Claudia said in explanation as to why they hadn't fled beforehand.
"The way out will be dangerous," he said instead. "Protect our mother."
He motioned to leave with the rest of them before Gemma stopped him. Wordlessly, she tore off a shard of the bottom of her chemise and began to wrap it around Ezio's wound, ignoring his protests. "Ezio, please, let me handle this. You're hurt and–!"
"Are you asking me to stand back like a child while the life of my family is in danger?" he demanded darkly.
"Of course not," she whispered, shaking her head vigorously. "But you cannot even move your arm. And I can fight."
He sighed heavily. "I know you can, but consider my position. It is my duty to protect my mother, my sister … and you. I cannot let you get yourself killed because of my enemy." He placed his hands over the wound on her stomach, and she frowned.
"He is my enemy, too," Gemma reminded him sharply.
"I know," he replied. "You cannot imagine how stressful it is to watch the woman I love, in battle, dressed in little more than her underwear."
She snorted in brief laughter for a moment. "Do not get me started." He cracked a tiny smile, taking her hand and leading her into the passage.
Green eyes squinted as the sting of sunlight was finally visible on the other side of the tunnel, and as they emerged, she had such an urge to collapse on the nearest pile of hay and sleep. But such a luxury had long since past – what mattered then was figuring out where to go from there. Monteriggioni had been lost, but the real battles were only beginning.
"Where is Mario?" Claudia asked at one point. "I thought he would be waiting for us."
Gemma's heart sunk as Ezio answered the question in a voice so devoid of life, it almost made a shudder run up her spine. "Mario is dead. You must leave this place – take mother to Firenze."
She could see the pure hatred burning in his eyes, but also the crippling exhaustion from his injuries and the loss of the battle. His normally confident, healthy stride was now something of a limp, and he clutched his wounded hip, but she could see him attempting to hide his pain. In his other hand, he held onto her hand, and his grip was tight. Much more than usual. He was afraid; petrified, even.
"Get me a horse!" he bellowed to no one in particular. Her heart froze.
"You are not coming with us?" Claudia demanded, and Gemma could see the outrage on her face. "Where are you riding?"
He spoke with a chilling finality. "To Roma." Roma? All by himself? When he's barely able to walk?
Maria stepped forward, her arms crossed neatly in front of her waist. "Go, my son. Destroy them. But remember for whom we Assassins fight." His mother's eyes weren't as confident as Gemma thought they would be, however. As if she didn't support the idea.
He mounted the horse, but she was quick to run at him, grabbing his arm.
"I'm coming with you," she insisted.
"No," he deadpanned. "Let me go, Gemma."
"No!" she fumed, furious that he had the slightest delusion that he could handle the situation on his own. "You're hurt, Ezio, I am not so foolish to let you go by yourself."
He sighed heavily, as if she was a child that spoke out of turn. "This is not a matter of discussion. In Firenze, it is safe. And I need you to protect my mother and sister."
"But what about you?" Gemma hissed, her fingers curling around the sleeve of his shirt.
"I am going to do what I must," he said darkly. "And if I do not come back, then so be it."
She wanted to slap some form of sense into him. "Ezio, Mario did not die in vain! Please, see reason, we can plan this, we can–!" He silenced her with a hand over her mouth, brushing his thumb across her lips and resting his hand against her face for a few fleeting moments. He was silent, an expressionless look on his face. As if he was studying her for one last time. His lips, soft and warm, pressed against her forehead.
"Protect them, Gemma." And he snapped the reins, riding off to what could likely be the death of him.
"Bastardo," she snarled to herself when he was out of sight.
"Bastardo is right," Claudia agreed, a scowl on her face. "He expects us to go quietly to Firenze while he rides to Roma, wounded as he is?"
"You know your brother, Claudia," Maria pointed out calmly. "He wishes to protect us, but perhaps it is too much."
Gemma's hands clenched into fists. Ezio might think he could handle everything himself, but she knew him better than that. She made a promise to Mario to protect him, and she would surely die than break such a promise. "I intend to follow Ezio to Roma."
Maria cracked a small smile. "I expected nothing less."
"I will not make you both accompany me," she continued, "because … let's face it, we don't know what lies in that city. It will be dangerous. I can steal to survive, but it will be risky."
"Of course I'm coming with you," Claudia replied sharply, putting her hands on her hips with a firm, unshakeable look. "I have been coddled and protected by my brother for years. It's high time he sees I am a capable human being."
Gemma put a hand on her shoulder. "He barely thinks I'm capable."
She remained unflinching in her resolve, something Gemma noted the Auditore were quite famous for. "I guess we have to prove him wrong."
"That won't be too hard," Gemma agreed with a slight shrug. "I'm always right in arguments with him."
Both women laughed just a bit, despite the dark mood of the situation. Claudia straightened up and looked ahead to two villagers. "You! Fetch us horses!"
"I hope you two don't think you're going to Roma by yourselves," Maria interjected, raising an eyebrow. "I love my son, but … ever since our lives changed … he has been convinced that the only possible way he could get things done is on his own. We must change this mentality."
And so an agreement was made, and their destination changed from Firenze to Roma.
