Just something I toyed around with
"You need not worry about them Giovanni they will pull through like always."
Giovanni looked at the hooded figure beside him. "Your son has already become an Assassino has he not?"
The man sighed through his nose. "He learned at a younger age but that does not mean he is any less reckless than a Novice. His mind is still that of a child no matter his skills. You made a choice Giovanni." He replied.
"I was not thinking as I should have. As an Assassin…it should be the order first."
The man shook his head. "Have you learned nothing Giovanni?" Giovanni looked to the man, "You made a choice as a father and if I had had that choice I would have left Xiomar out of this fight but alas my hand was forced. Family and everything just is the reason our blade strikes. Did you not tell me that when we first met?"
Giovanni chuckled under his breath. "You are right Zahmir…Thank you amico mio."
Zahmir nodded to his friend and sat up from the bench while lowering his hood. "I will see you again my friend perhaps by the Auditore Residence with Xiomar and Xiomara. She misses Claudia and her antics."
Giovanni chuckled, "I'll be sure to keep Federico and Ezio on leashes then." He replied jokingly.
"No need Xiomar will surely keep them both in check." Both shared a laugh.
"You know I won't need him to Papa," Xiomara said as she finally found her father. "A letter came for you it has the seal." She handed him the letter and he nodded to them before taking off into the crowd. "I would love to visit if I may Sir Giovanni?"
Giovanni stood and offered his arm. Xiomara took the arm and they left towards his home. Federico was helping his mother with moving flower pots around when they appeared.
Maria smiled when she spotted them, "Good evening Xiomara." She greeted.
Xiomara smiled and hugged her then placed a kiss at each of her cheeks. "Good evening Signora Maria, it has been much too long."
Federico put on his charming smile and took her hand in greeting. "You grow more and more beautiful Xiomara." He kissed her hand and she giggled.
"Would you like to take a walk with me Xiomara?"
Xiomara smiled shyly, "Keep it in your pants Federico or I'll castrate you." Xiomar appeared behind Giovanni with a frown.
He wore regular civilian clothes. Well normal enough for him anyway, "Well if isn't Xiomar, you are growing quite well yourself. You are Xiomara's twin after all."
Xiomar scowled at the older teen but it turned into a full blown smile. "It is good to finally see the Auditore family."
Giovanni smiled at the teen. "May I have a word with you Xiomar?" the teen nodded and gave a sharp look to Federico who rolled his eyes and held his hands up in surrender.
"Honestly Imara you cannot scare all of the good men away from me."
Xiomar smirked, "Watch me little sister." She huffed in amusement before following Giovanni to his office.
"Xiomara?" the girl smiled widely and squealed happily at the same times as Claudia. They hugged each other happily, "I have missed you."
"How are you and Duccio been Claudia?" that's when her smile fell.
"I have heard may things from my friends…they say he is cheating on me and I did not want to believe it but I saw him myself." She cried and Xiomara led her to the bench inside the villa courtyard.
They sat and she comforted her friend, "Those girls are nothing but harpies, malditas for hurting you! If I could find them and Duccio I would surely punish them!"
Claudia laughed through her sobs. "I surely missed your fierceness Xiomara but please do not do anything reckless. You are only a woman and they will not hesitate to hurt you."
Xiomara raised an eyebrow at her, "Being a woman does not mean you should let yourself be hurt. To hell with them all you need is one good friend in your life and your family. I thankfully have both, good friends and my family." Claudia smiled some, "but I know that this with Duccio is not the only thing that is bothering you." and they talked about that.
Maria sent Federico on an errand as she finished arranging the flowers.
Xiomar sat in the chair opposite of Giovanni, "Messer Alberti this is Xiomar DeAngelo, a newly admitted member." Alberti shook his hand with a smile that Xiomar returned but Giovanni saw the guarded look in his eyes.
"It is a pleasure to meet you messer." He said and turned to Giovani. "Did you have something you needed to ask of me?" Giovanni nodded.
"Ezio should be returning shortly with the letter, I need you to take care of the name inside. Can you do me this favor Xiomar?"
The boy nodded, "I will do my best Messer Auditore." When a knock came Xiomar returned to the shadows of the room.
Giovanni introduced his son to Messer Alberti, "You can give that to Xiomar Ezio." Ezio blinked in confusion before jumping a bit at the hand that landed on his shoulder. He spun with his arm raised but Xiomar took the letter and pinned him to the wall before he could even get a look at the boy.
"Aww you've gotten slow Ezio." He purred then laughed as he released him.
"Xiomar?" he turned but he was already out the door with a quick bye to the two men.
"That boy never changes." Giovanni chuckled out. "Ezio spend time with you mother and sister." Ezio excused himself and hurried out but clashed with his brother whom was shoved back.
"What did I tell you stronzo?" Xiomar snapped a look to Xiomara who giggled and shrugged.
"Better be careful with this one Ezio he sure has grown into quite the diavolo." Ezio looked up and locked eyes with Xiomara who held out a hand for them to take.
"You would not be saying that if you were not provoking him Federico." She giggled out.
Federico smirked charmingly, "I cannot help that Xiomara after all you are a rare beauty."
Ezio had also taken the offered hand, "I do not blame him Xiomara you are very beautiful." Both kissed her grasped hand.
"Seems I got more than one head to knock around," Claudia giggled softly and grasped his arm.
"Did you not have somewhere to be brother?" Federico grinned at Xiomar, nodded at Claudia, and left the courtyard. "Now who is this bastardi who have hurt you Claudia?" Ezio turned at last to Xiomar but only saw the back of his head as he walked Claudia to the bench again.
"It was Duccio Xiomar…those harpies told her he was cheating and then she saw him as well with a…a puttana!" Xiomara said fiercely.
"He is one man Claudia you should not be taking this so hard." Ezio said as he too walked over only to sit before his little sister on his hunches.
"But I love him!" she exclaimed.
Xiomar sat next to her and took her hand, "You are too young to be saying such things Claudia." Ezio glanced a look at Xiomar and saw his long black auburn hair shielding his face.
"He should pay for what he has done." She stated with a glare. Xiomara beamed with some pride that Ezio missed but Xiomar did not.
"And he will, I will take care of it." Ezio stood up as did Xiomar, Xiomara taking his place beside Claudia.
"I will handle the latter then." Claudia's eye glistened up at him.
"He is dangerous Xiomar I do not want you getting hurt." Xiomar snorted. "Would you rather I traded with Ezio then? Duccio can be just as dangerous." Claudia nodded. "Come we need to find our targets." He drew his long hair into a ribbon and let it hang over his shoulder.
Ezio followed him out and onto the roofs, "It had been long since we have been up here Xiomar." Xiomar hummed and turned to Ezio.
"I did not think you remembered such times Ezio." Ezio stared a long while at Xiomar before answering.
"I do remember those things," Xiomar turned around.
"Good then you should also remember how much you despise me. Now that that is cleared up let's part here. I have something from your sister and your father, good day." He took off and located the scum that dared to touch Claudia who he saw as another sister. He was leering at the courtesans and tried to touch them when he clearly was not wanted. Xiomar jumped down, rolled and threw the man back from the scruff of his neck.
"Having fun attacking women are we?" the man stood up and sneered at Xiomar.
"What's it to you boy?" Xiomar looked back at the Courtesans and gave a smile. "I will deal with this filth I apologize for the trouble ladies." He gave a small bow to them and they giggled then went on their way. "You touched someone you should not have trash, I am here to warn you. If I find you causing trouble with women again, especially with Claudia I will castrate you." The man laughed and waved him off.
"Claudia Auditore, she should not be so stingy with her virtue. Nobody wants a woman who is so inexperienced!" Xiomar slammed the man to the wall behind him.
"You do something idiotic again you will be added onto my list of things to get rid of. Am I clear boy?" The man growled and pushed the teen back. Xiomar flipped the man over and punched his twice in the face.
"You are dead Assassino." Xiomar looked at the cross hanging from his neck.
"Assassin?...You are full of madness!" he said and kicked him for good measure. "Do not cross me again." The man groaned and glared at Xiomar.
"Bastard," Xiomar walked away and went home for his assassin's clothing. He changed and opened the letter for the mission.
He snorted and tucked the letter away, "Bad luck for you then." He pulled up his hood and left through his father's secret door. He made it outside and managed to find his target. He tailed the man and found a thief doing the same. The thief nodded at him, a signal telling him he got the information they needed so he could be killed.
The target moved away from the other man and when he turned Xiomar had to snicker in amusement. "Really bad luck for you," Xiomar stalked after his prey and when he finally got him alone he leaped from his perch and sunk his dagger into his flesh. "Requiescat in Pace filth."
Xiomar returned to the Auditore house to report when he noticed Ezio's voice was panicked. He jumped down and removed his hood as he walked into the house.
"Who did this?" Claudia was holding her unmoving mother who was clutching the box Prechuccio was putting his feathers in.
"The guards took away my father and brothers…" Ezio replied.
"They took your sister Messer Xiomar for wounding one of them for touching Claudia." Xiomar's breath hitched and he closed his eyes to calm himself.
"They said something about your father as well…I do not know if he is dead or in prison." Claudia looked to Xiomar who was taking deep breaths.
"Is there someplace safe you can take them Ezio?" he asked.
"Annetta has a sister…" he began and she nodded furiously.
"I can take them, they will be safe there." Xiomar looked out at the scurrying guards.
"They will need a distraction to get there." Xiomar said.
"I need to see my father to make sense of all of this." Xiomar nodded.
"Will you deliver a message to my father and sister?" Ezio nodded and repeated what he was told before Xiomar ran out of the house and drew the guard's attention. Ezio raced to the prison and Annetta took his mother and sister to Paola's place.