There was a sudden noise, that sounded like it was coming from my window, that woke me up. My eyes were wide to the incoming intruder. When the figure

neared closer she saw that the intruder wore a mask. A golden mask of the Party Guests downstairs.

"Party is downstairs not up here."

He started looking around for something, "What?"

"Party is downstairs." I repeated.

The mask turned to face me, "Who are you?"

I looked at him, "I live here, who are you?"

He didn't answer me, "I was told there was a treasure in this room."

"What kind of treasure?"

"Monetary. Gold. Jewels."

"There's never been anything like that in this room. It's just been me."

"And you are?"

"The Doge's Daughter."

"Why aren't YOU downstairs?" He stressed.

"I can't walk."

"Why not?"

"It has something to do with my disease."

"Disease? You're sick?"

"Yeah, but don't worry, I'm not contagious." I sighed and shrugged, "So this has been my world."

" How long?"

"Since I was sixteen. My friends" I shrugged, "what little I had all moved on with their lives but I've been here."

"But you're twenty-two."

"Uh-huh." I nodded, "and until you fell though my window the only men I've seen have been doctors."

"I'm no doctor."

"Indeed."

I brushed my fingers along his arm.

"Careful."

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

"it's not like that."

He held the inside of his arm between us and triggered a mechanism and I jumped when a blade that looked like an icepick shot out of it.

"The Party is downstairs?"

I nodded, "Downstairs."

He walked to the door and pressed his body against the wall and peeked out, "Okay...well..." He closed the door, "I was promised treasure in this room."

There is no treasure." I reminded him.

Depends on your definition of treasure" He grinned, "and the Doge's Virgin Daughter is definitely a treasure." He turned to me and began to unbuckle the

blades from around his arms, "My name is Ezio Alturi and I came here to fulfill a mission and I aim to keep my word."

"And your mission was?"

"To take the treasure, in this room, of course. So...where should we begin Princess?"