Just a little introspective Leonardo oneshot. It's only slash if you squint really, really hard. Enjoy!
A rustling movement in the nearby bushes caught the eye of the richly-dressed man traversing the winding stone path through the mountains. He froze, clutching his sketchpad and pencil, and slowly craned his head to see what the noise was. Out of the leafy mass hopped a tiny sparrow, barely distinguishable from the earthy colours of the Tuscan countryside, moving slowly yet unafraid. Leonardo relaxed, a small smile gracing his face as he observed the little bird stumbling its way through the scrub. I am foolish, he thought, to be so paranoid. It is a beautiful day; let me enjoy it without jumping at every sound and shadow. Leonardo did perhaps have a reason to be so on edge; his closest friend was wanted by every authority in Florence, and his constant caution had begun to rub off on Leonardo.
As a small sigh escaped from Leonardo's lips, the bird turned its face towards him and cocked its head slightly. It was an unassuming little thing; small and mostly defenceless, it's plain golden-brown coat speckled with white. As it surveyed Leonardo's form, however, its beady black eyes became inquisitive and curious. It was not frightened, nor aggressive. It looked at Leonardo with a sort of strange wonderment, and Leonardo found himself growing quite fond of the little bird as it stared at him with some degree of excitement, its small eyes innocent and endearing. Leonardo sat down on a nearby rock, rough and moss-covered but not uncomfortable, and opened up his sketchpad. Most birds he had seen were not so animated; he wanted to capture this little one's vitality.
He tried to work quickly, but found himself chuckling at the small creature's antics. It had endeavoured to eat a berry growing high on a bush, and had almost fallen off as it flapped its small wings, flew up and perched itself precariously on the thin, weak branches. A pang of worry for the poor creature struck Leonardo before he saw those small black eyes, which were filled with good-natured merriment. Next, just as Leonardo was attempting to sketch the shape of its small yellow beak, it looked at him square in the eye and began squawking, as if to say, I'm going to make this as difficult as possible for you. Leonardo had rarely seen a bird of this much character and spirit before, and was instantly glad he had chosen to work with this difficult but charming little fellow.
A few moments later Leonardo had nearly finished his rough sketch, but his work was abruptly cut short. A thundering flap of wings accompanied a piercing screech and flash of white, and as Leonardo stared through the dust and leaves stirred up by the disturbance, he managed to make out the shape of an eagle silhouetted against the afternoon sky. He was chilled as he heard the sound of his little brown sparrow chattering fearfully, terrified, clutched in the eagle's vicious talons. Before he had barely enough time to put the pieces together, the eagle's intimidating shadow had disappeared into the horizon and left behind an empty, dishevelled clearing where the small bird had been.
Leonardo was filled with pity at the thought of the tiny, spirited little sparrow, helpless in the claws of a violent bird of prey. It had so much life in its eyes, stolen in a single moment, in the wrong place at the wrong time. Though he chided himself often for his attachment to certain animals and living things, Leonardo could not help but feel sorry for the poor bird. It would most likely be flown to the eagle's nest and taken apart piece by piece, used to satisfy the hunter's ravenous hunger.
Ezio. Leonardo's thoughts somehow turned to his assassino friend, possibly a result of the eagle's magnificent white plumage reminding him of his friend's assassin robes. An eagle was an apt metaphor for Ezio Auditore; Leonardo recalled the morbid fascination he had felt as he watched his friend practice the air assassination technique- Ezio's movements so similar to the eagle's lethal dive for its prey- and felt sick with disgust. He had fashioned Ezio's blade, which had taken the lives of so many unassuming targets. He had deciphered the Codex and shown Ezio the techniques of assassination, and stood by him as he watched each of his targets fall in turn. He had aided him. An assassin. An agent of death.
Attempting to clear his head of the spinning guilt and anguish, Leonardo tried to think with some clarity. Ezio's family was murdered...surely that was enough grounds for revenge? The faces of the fallen Auditore swam to the forefront of Leonardo's mind, and he too was taken by a desire for revenge for the slaughter of Ezio's family. He thought of the kind and gentle lady Maria, who was now, according to Ezio, so consumed by grief that she was incapable of speech. The assassino was fighting for honour, ensuring that justice was served, and was driven onwards by the love of his slaughtered family. Surely had a noble goal...surely it justified the death of so many men at the assassin's hands...
Still trying to shake off the last pangs of guilt clouding his mind, Leonardo closed his sketchbook, obscuring his drawing of the little sparrow, and rose from the jagged rock he was seated on. A few deep breaths of the fresh mountain air calmed him enough to be able to walk along the path he was previously travelling, and he felt his head clearing as he took in the beauty of the Tuscan countryside. The landscape was truly stunning this time of year; rolling hills painted in vivid green surrounded Leonardo, stretching out for miles and miles all around him, contrasting against the bright blue of the sky. Leonardo seemed to be the only person around, and he relished the peaceful solitude; a feeling rarely obtained amongst the hustle and bustle of his home in Florence. He walked at a slow, leisurely pace, and the further he travelled, the more his beautiful surroundings affected him, the environment working its magic in his favour.
The place was so alive, full of living and growing things, yet harmonious and tranquil. The natural world was unique and fascinating; every leaf and blade of grass had its own life and death. Birds sang and filled his ears with their sweet, sparkling music as he pondered. They, too, were alive, and free to fly, to soar, to sing as they pleased. Again, Leonardo thought of his little sparrow, taken so unfairly by the imposing bird of prey... Who was he to decide the fate of the lives around him? Who was Ezio? Humans seemed so eager to pass judgment on the existence of other lives... Leonardo shook these thoughts away, and again tried to immerse himself in the beauty of his surroundings, letting it melt away his confusion and fear.
Even while admiring the countryside's serene mix of colours and greenery, Leonardo startled himself as he remembered an incident which he had somehow forgotten. The first time Ezio used the hidden blade was in his defence, the cold steel bloodied with the life of the guard who was attacking him. Guilt was overcome with adoration as Leonardo felt a rush of gratitude towards his dear friend. How could he ever have doubted him? They had known each other for years...Leonardo suddenly felt terribly foolish for ever questioning his loyalty to Ezio.
As he stared upon the horizon, Leonardo came to a decision. He would stand by Ezio no matter what challenges he faced, and would continue to help his friend as he had done for years; if not for his tattered family, then for Ezio himself. Even though Leonardo had now left for Venice, he had no doubt Ezio would follow him. It was only a matter of time before the assassin swooped in on him again, seemingly appearing from nowhere, and always at the most convenient time. At least, he hoped so...
Thoughts of Ezio swirled around his mind as he continued his walk. It was hard to believe he had already known the assassino for four years. He easily pictured Ezio's familiar image in his mind; dark hair framing a handsome countenance marred only by a scar running through his lip, shining white against his tanned skin, and a strong, tall stature clothed in white and adorned with a variety of weaponry. Ezio moved across rooftops effortlessly, making it look as easy as breathing, and was a natural athlete as well as an excellent fighter. He was a perfect hunter, almost as if he had been born to kill. Despite their close friendship, Leonardo still found himself in awe of Ezio sometimes- and when he came back from a mission stained in crimson blood, a little bit afraid.
Leonardo realised that his trek through the mountains had taken him quite far from his horses and caravan, and resolved to hurry back before evening. Already, the sun had begun to fall in the sky, and casted a faint orange glow over the Tuscan mountains. Leonardo had begun to walk back down the mountain path, before spotting something curious in his field of vision.
He moved closer, and realised the strange mess of sticks and branches that he saw perched amongst the mountain rocks were in fact a huge nest. As he took a closer look, Leonardo saw that the nest was home to two baby eaglets, snuggled safely next to each other and awaiting their mother's return. They were doubtlessly hungry, Leonardo thought, and far too young to seek out food themselves. Silently, Leonardo wished them the best of luck, before moving on down the path towards the base of the mountain.
It was almost nightfall by the time Leonardo returned to his caravan. The imposing mountain Leonardo had just descended was silhouetted impressively against the sky, now the colour of a tranquil dusk, the sun having barely set below the horizon. Its glow was still visible, illuminating the landscape with that magical light only visible for a few moments each evening. A fresh breeze now rustled through the darkened leaves of the surrounding trees, their sounds mixing with a bird's evening song and the occasional neigh of Leonardo's horses. Breathing in the crisp, cool air, Leonardo was completely at peace. As he climbed into his caravan, Leonardo realised only Ezio's presence could make the evening any more perfect.
It was okay, though; Ezio would come soon. And when he did, Leonardo would not doubt him, or his mission. He cared for him far too much for that, and couldn't stand to risk ruining the bond which was now so dear to him.
A special thank you to my friend secretcapulet for inspiring and beta-ing this fic. Hope you all enjoyed it- reviews would be lovely!