It was a bright summers day in Rome, 1508 and the Assassins Guild was at the height of its power, they had driven the tyrannic Borgia leaders from their land and only the guards remained, the Assassins allowed them to stay so as to enforce a sense of order among the people and so they did not have to do it themselves because who would have the time? But even as the guild rose to unfathomable greatness, there was a darkness settling in on the horizon and Ezio couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was to happen, and the course of events would be unstoppable. He tried to ignore the feeling as best he could but everyday it grew stronger.

"Ezio! Join us!" Fedele exclaimed from table where the entire Assassins guild was seated. They were enjoying a feast after a great victory in a foreign land. Ezio often sent them on missions to help fight for the citizens in other lands as Rome was all but liberated.
"Maybe another time Fedele, I have some business to attend at the moment."
"But Ezio, you never eat with us, come on just once, here have a drink, it's on me!" to which Fedele erupted in laughter from his own joke.
"All right, one drink, then I must leave." Ezio was simply trying to make sure Fedele would leave him alone for a little while, not that Ezio was isolating himself from his Assassins, it was mostly because Fedele was loud, the reckless one who would call Ezio out in the street just so he could fight with him against nearby guards alerted to his presence. So to please him, he sat down and enjoyed a drink with his fellow Assassins, and then another, and another, until they were reminiscing on times when they were recruits studying under Ezio as they exterminated the Borgia from Rome.
"And the time when Augusto had just been recruited and went to climb a rooftop to protect Ezio from a Borgia archer and they both ran head first into each other and fell off the building?"
Fedele recalled and everyone laughed out loud while Augusto blushed.
"Cazzo, I didn't even remember until now, at least it was only the first story and I still took him down before he could get to Ezio!" Augusto retorted with a smile.
"Yes, you protected him, then we had to protect you from your injuries for a week!"
And the group erupted into laughter once more.
"But he became one of the finest Assassins I know, and I am proud to have you as my partner." said Fedele, eyes as genuine as his words.
"To the guild! May we forever liberate the people we walk among." And as everyone raised their drinks to Fedele's toast Ezio thought fondly how he appreciated these moments and smiled.
"To the fallen! May they never be forgotten." And everyone toasted again.

After the meeting Ezio went home to relax, he secretly wished he had someone to come home to, but he was content to keep admiring Emiliana from a distance. She was the adopted sister of the first member Ezio inducted into the Assassins guild, Ezio and her sister Alessandra had held feelings for each other before Ezio sent her on a mission with five other recruits that they never returned from. He never told any of his new recruits but one. His right hand, Fabiola Fornari, she was the only one who knew of Ezio s past recruits. She was the only one he treated as his equal, and she was humbled by his feelings, though she had a secret desire for his affection she accepted that she could not, as she was his first in command she did not want anything to jeopardize their friendship because she cared too much for him now to let him out of her life. The two lived one room away from each other mostly out of a sense of security but partly because they enjoyed each others company. They spent most nights on the rooftop talking with one another, sharing stories of their past, and eventually the conversations led to talks of romance, past and what they wanted.
"Do you know that feeling? You wish you could tell someone of your feelings so bad, but your professional life is in the way." Ezio of course was referring to his affection for Emiliana, but Fabiola found herself wishing Ezio would think of her like that someday.
"No, I have never felt for someone who I work with." Fabiola lied, she felt a sinking in her heart whenever she had to lie about her feelings to Ezio.
"Well what about Orfeo, I've heard he holds feelings for you."
"Haha, what woman in charge does he not hold feelings for?" and then she caught herself admiring Ezio's thoughtful eyes as he looked into the distance.
"What are you thinking of?" Fabiola asked.
"Nothing, I just have had this foreboding feeling lately, like something dark approaches, but it is probably just a feeling" he laughed. Even as he laughed the feeling of dread grew stronger still. Still only an inkling of a feeling but he couldn't shake it no matter how hard he tried not to think of it.
"Well, get some rest tonight Ezio, we have a lot to do tomorrow, I hear there is a rebellion in Sicily against some Borgia captains who refuse to leave."
"Rest well Fabiola." replied Ezio, smiling as he got ready to climb back into his home.
"Rest well." she replied, and for a moment as he watched her climb back into her residence, Ezio felt something different than friendship for Fabiola, but, only for a moment.