Chapter One-1473

"Aspettare!" I shouted, out of breath and losing my footing. I could see his ash brown hair and the crimson red ribbon tied in it whipping in the wind as he ran through the crowd. People turned and looked as we quickly pushed our way through. I was losing sight of him up ahead and losing my breath. The air was cool on my face but it burned my throat. I quickly glanced down at my pale pink dress and saw the dirt it had gathered. I knew that as soon as papà saw I would be in trouble again.

"You're getting better with your stamina Luna," Ezio said as I finally caught up to him. He tossed me my journal. I was sitting outside writing earlier when he came up and snatched it from me. That then led to me chasing after him. This happened almost every day that the weather was pleasant.

"You do that all of the time Ezio! I cannot stand it," I said as we began walking back home. Honestly, I enjoyed our childish games and tricks we played. Ezio had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. We met in the marketplace about eight years ago when I was only five. Now, I was thirteen and he was fifteen.

"Dai Luna, you love it!" Ezio laughed, nudging me lightly.

"I don't love going home and getting shouted at by papà about how I need to be a proper young lady and spend more time with females," I sighed, trying to brush the dirt off my dress.

"Come with me," Ezio waved his hand for me to follow. We walked inside his home and I was greeted by his mother.

"Ciao Luna. How wonderful to see you again," Maria Auditore said, as I smiled. "Oh, your dress is a mess! Please, let me clean it off for you dear."

"Oh, thank you so much! My father would yell at me if he saw," I said gratefully.

"Well, just blame Ezio," she said with a wink. "That's usually how it goes around here."

"Mamà, stop it," he said. I looked down as Ezio's mother dusted off my dress. Then I looked over at Ezio. The sun was shining from above the courtyard, right onto his face. I could see the cool undertones to his hair, and the light reflecting in his light, golden brown eyes.

"There we go, all better," his mother smiled.

"Grazie," I said. "Well I better head home for dinner so I don't get in any more trouble."

"Let me walk you," Ezio offered.

"You two be careful. And Ezio, come right home please," Signora Auditore said, wagging her finger at him.

"I will, I will," Ezio sighed, waving goodbye. I always loved going to walking through his part of the town. Ezio was the son of a nobleman and they lived in upper class Florence. As for me, I was the daughter of an urban, working class man. My father was employed at a bar but was always looking for something better. When I was only two, my mother passed away. I eavesdropped on father telling a friend the story of her death once and I remembered every little detail. Of course he did not know I heard, and I didn't want him to know I knew.

"Her mother and I were walking along the water. We had just went out for dinner for the first time since Luna was born. I remember humming 'Leys d'amors' sweetly to her as we gazed at the reflection of the moon in the water. We always found beauty in the moon, and that's why we named her Luna. I was holding her in my arms, looking at how beautiful she was. Oh mio, Luna looks just like her. I told her to wait there for only a moment. I ran to the nearest merchant to buy her a single, pink rose. I was handing him the coin when I heard her scream.

I dropped that rose and ran as fast as my feet could move. I turned the corner to just barely see a man jump into the water. I lost sight of him as he swam away and then I hesitated to look at her. There was a dagger right in her heart. The blood was seeping through her violet dress. Oh mio…I remember it like it was only yesterday. She looked at me, and gasped. 'Mi amore…' I cried. The tears were hot as they ran down my face. Oh, all I wanted was revenge on that bastardo but I still have not found him."

Before mother passed away, my family was fairly wealthy. Papà owned a very successful bakery. But after her death, it all went downhill. He began to drink which then led to his business failing. I could tell he had become very depressed but he would never speak to anyone about the pain he was in. Sometimes I had wished he would speak to me about it but I knew it was too hard for him.

Ezio and I walked up to the front step of my house. The stone walls were crumbling and there was a crack in the glass of the window.

"Well, guess I'll see you tomorrow," Ezio smiled.

I dug the toe of my shoe into the ground then said "Yeah, I'll see y-"

"Luna Ellisa Lombardi! Dove sei stato?" My father shouted, pulling the front door open so fast I almost jumped. "I wanted you home by four o'clock today and it is now five!"

"Papà, I was only at Ezio's," I explained.

"Ezio? Oh, lui. I thought I told you needed to spend more time with young ladies your age! Instead you run around and get your shoes all filthy with this scum! Oh mio, you disappoint me more and more each and every day!" Father sighed, finally running out of breath. "Come, come inside mia figlia."

"I'm sorry," I quickly whispered to Ezio with a sympathetic look on my face.

"It's okay, tomorrow we'll be home on time," he said softly.

"Tomorrow Luna will be staying home, and you will stay away from my daughter!" Papà shouted, pulling inside by the ear and slamming the door shut. That was the last time I had seen Ezio in five years. That day, my father had been more miserable and cruel than ever before. He began being more and more strict. He wanted me to focus on becoming a proper young lady that way I could one day marry someone with money and live a better life. I just didn't understand why papà would forbid me to ever see Ezio again.