The sun was shining bright over the Florentine rooftops. Ezio resting lazily in the sunlight, slowly dozing off.
"Ezio" Claudia yelled at him. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and looked up at her.
"Ciao Signorina" Ezio smiled. Claudia walked over to him and sat down beside him. "Father wishes to speak to you" she smiled at him. Ezio stood up and fixed his hair, tucking his shirt in as well. Ezio walked to the house and grinned at his sister.
"Grazie Claudia" he opened the door and walked inside. Claudia smiled at her brother and chuckled to her self. Such an idiot sometimes. Ezio walked to his father's office and checked himself out in the mirror next to the office door. He knocked on the door and opened it slightly, waiting for his father to acknowledge his presence.
"Buongiorno Ezio" his father greeted him and motioned for him to come inside. Ezio took a step inside and closed the door behind him. His father moved back behind the dark wooden table and sat down on the old leather chair. Ezio moved over to the table and sat opposite his father. The older Auditore produced a letter from a compartment in the table and placed it in front of the younger one.
"I would get Federico to deliver it but he is busy studying and your mother is looking after poor Petruccio" his father spoke delicately "Go give it to Mr Farina. He lives in the house opposite the merchant's square." Ezio stood and bowed at his father, picking up the letter and rushing out the door. He ventured out to the courtyard and looked out onto the street. The streets we're filled with many people and Ezio didn't want to waste time running into them. He began climbing the outisde of the Auditore Villa, earning a few confused glances from the patrons on the street. He jumped across the rooftops scaring the pigeons away from time to time. Ezio reached his destination and looked down, searching for a haystack to land in without breaking any bones or body parts. He looked around once more finding one closer to the Merchant's square. He prayed to himself that he would be successful. Ezio took a few steps back and then did a run up, landing gracefully in the cart. He climbed out and started picking the hay off of his clothes. Once he was finished he checked if he had the letter and proceeded to the Farina household.
Laura was sitting in the courtyard reading one of her beloved books. She looked up and saw a young man about the age of 17 approach the courtyard looking confused. She stood up and placed the book down on the bench she was sitting on.
"Ciao. May I help you?" she smiled at Ezio. He looked at her and produced a letter from his pouch.
"Si bella mia" he smiled "I am looking for Salvatore Farina." She stood up and walked over to him, stopping in front of him and gently grabbing the letter from his hands.
"He isn't home at the moment" she said softly "I can give it to him later." She stopped and looked at the young man in front of her.
"You look tired" She commented on his appearence "would you like something to eat or drink?"
"If you are offering" Ezio chuckled "Then si." She smiled and started walking towards the house, the young man following close behind. She stopped and turned around to face the man again, Ezio's body almost coliding with her own. She smiled and took a step back.
"Laura Farina" she held out her hand.
"Ezio Auditore" he grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it gently. She pulled away and led the young man into her home, weaving through hallways into the kitchen.
"What would you like to eat? Bread, salami, olives, water?" she said searching through cupboards for the food mentioned. Ezio stayed silent and said nothing, only staring at the young woman and thinking to himself, brown hair, hazel eyes, average height and a beautiful figure. My kind of woman.
"Signor Ezio, I am not food" she smiled at him. He blinked a few times before realising that he was staring at smirked and leant on the bench.
"Surprise me" he winked at her. Laura smirked and made a plate of food for the young man
"You have a beautiful house" he commented, trying to make small talk and looked around the room.
"Yes. My father chose the best men to design and build it" she said placing the food in front of Ezio.
"Ah grazie signorina" he thanked her stabbing his fork into the food that was placed there. Ezio ate his food hurriedly trying not to make any mess. He swallowed the last bit and placed his fork gently in the plate staring at the girl in front of him.
"Where is your mother?" he asked. Laura sighed and placed the dishes to the side.
"She is no longer with us" she explained "She died when I was three and my father doesn't often speak about her, so I never ask." She finished and leant down on the bench opposite Ezio. She looked down and started playing with the ring on her finger.
"I'm sorry" Ezio apologized and looked at her. Laura smiled and chuckled lightly, staring at Ezio.
"What?" Ezio looked at her confused. She grabbed a cloth from the bench and walked over to him.
"You're a very messy eater" she said cupping his face lightly and wiping his mouth. Ezio's face began heating up and he turned away fro the young woman.
"I should get going" Ezio stood stragiht "Thank you for the food." He smiled and Laura led him out into the courtyard. Laura grabbed her book from the bench and hels it close to her chest.
"Here is my father now" she pointed out.
"Buongriono, Signore Farina" Ezio greeted him. Salvatore Farina acknowledged the young man's presence and nodded at him.
"Ah Buongiorno Ezio" he acknowledged his presence and moved to his beloved daughter. She gave him the letter and he walked inside ignoring the young man. Ezio took a step back and shook his head,
"Did I do something wrong?" He looked at Laura puzzled. She chuckled
"Don't worry he isn't always like that. He does that to all visitors when they fist come here. He's a good man at heart" she smiled. Ezio nodded and looked up at the sky. Laura followed his gaze and smiled as well.
"Well I best be getting home, otherwise mother will be worried" he said looking at the young woman once again. Laura looked back down and smiled at him.
"It was nice meeting you Signor Auditore" she chuckled. He gracefully grabbed her hand and kissed it again. Laura smiled.
"Ciao signorina" he said running off. She waved and laughed quietly to herself.
Ezio ran through the streets hastily. He ran home and saw his brother standing there waiting, with his arms crossed and a look of anger on his face.
"You're late" he glared at him "Brother has been taking to Il Dottore." Ezio stopped and a serious look was drawn on his face.
"Is everything alright?" he asked concerned about his younger brother. Federico sighed.
"Mama and father rushed out earlier, I was told to wait here for you and take you and Claudia to the doctor" he explained "And why were you so happy before?" Ezio smiled.
"I think I've found the girl of my dreams" Ezio said with glee and looked for Federico's reaction. The older sibling rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"You can tell me later, we must go" he called out for Claudia. She came rushing out and they headed off to the doctor's. Ezio cast his mind back to the afternoon spent at the Farina's Villa. He smiled to himself and followed after Claudia and Federico.
Laura sat and talked with her father in front of the blazing fire. She stared into it taking the heat in.
"Ah Laura" he father started "You look so much like your mother." She looked up from her book and looked towards him, smiling at him sheepishly. She closed the book and placed it on the floor gently.
"Father, please tell me about her" she asked him and sat opposite him. He sighed and closed his eyes. Laura made herself more comfortable and prepared herself for the story.
"I was a crazy teenager" he started "I would often get into fights with other gangs and I would end up with so many bruises and cuts over my body. One time when me and Giovanni Auditore were out having fun, I saw this beautiful woman humming softly and reading. Of course I was pushed towards her and we started talking. It turned out she didn't live not too far from my house and we would secretly sneak out to meet each other." Laura smirked when she heard the name Auditore.
"I proposed to her at the fountain and she said yes. It was a quiet wedding and your mother loved it" he smiled to himself "Then of course you were brought into the world and everything was perfect, until well, tragedy struck and your mother got sick and died." Her father stopped and stared back into the raging fire. Laura yawned silently and stood up and turned to walk to her room.
"Grazie father" she turned back to her father and hugged him goodnight. Salvatore smiled.
"Goodnight, bella mia principessa" he whispered.