Padre returned home today from Bologna after having finished his business trip. My happiness knew no bounds when I heard him laughing loudly with the merchant outside. I had rushed outside and greeted him, only to be reprimanded for stepping outside in indecent clothes. And then the scolding started . . .

"Balbina, my dear child! You cannot be stepping outside the house dressed like that!" He cried, pointing at my yellow gown that I wore when I had no appointments outside of the house. "If the Auditore scums saw you, they would seduce you like those harpies that follow them around like lapdogs!"

I sighed, taking his heavy duffel bag from his hands and attempting to change the topic. "Good business, padre?"

"Ha!" He grinned happily, searching in his duffel bag. "Bene, bene! So good that I brought you a present, dear Balbina!" And with that he produced a very heavy journal with yellow parchments and a box of beautiful quills.

I stared in awe, but was weary of the cost of the gifts. Padre was an over spender whenever money came his way and these could not have cost less than -

"Balbina, what are you thinking? Take it, cara! I know how much you love to write and I especially got these quills - they are made of swan feathers!"

I smiled earnestly, my heart racing with happiness. I had never ever used swan feathers as quills for they were too expensive, but every time I would walk past the merchants selling them, I would wish for them. Now, I finally had them. I wondered if I had wished for something else in that moment, would it have come true? If I had wished for Ezio . . .

"Balbina, my dear child. You are as absent minded as that old man who falls asleep while playing chess!" And with that, my father placed the items in my hand and walked inside the house. "Oh . . . my dear home. How I have missed you . . . those inns gave me bedbugs!"

I giggled slightly and looked up at the rising sun. Today, I was content - my father was here . . .

It was around midday when I finally looked up from the new journal that I had been writing in, disturbed by the gentle knocking sound on the door. It was not common for us to receive visitors, but sometimes the old man next door would come by to have a cup of tea with father and discuss politics or complain about the disturbance caused by the Pazzi family. I thought about how lucky I was that I had never encountered the Pazzi dogs for there were stories circulating of their mischief and how many women had had their honour ripped away because they wandered late at night. I shivered, walking towards the door and slightly turning the handle.

Annetta's cheerful face greeted me and soon I found myself wrapped in an embrace that was of warmth and the smell of freshly baked bread. I gently returned the hug whispering a gentle greeting.

"Good to see you, Signora Balbina!" She waved a scroll in her hand in front of my face. "I bring very good news! There is an engagement at the House of Auditore, two evenings from now. The presence of your father and yourself has been highly requested, Signora!"

Engagement . . . at the House of Auditore?

My heart sank to the pits of my stomach. I found it difficult to breathe for a long period and did not notice Annetta leaving after she placed the scroll in my hands. I stood there letting the warm air surround me before stumbling to shut the door.

The tears that burned my eyes finally fell. After the first tear fell, the rest followed like an endless waterfall. I found myself crouching on the floor, my arms wrapping around the pain in my stomach that was followed by the bile that rose up my throat and the despair that clouded my mind. I refused to repeat the words in my mind and instead focused on the softness of the rug and the distant sounds of herald cries.

But the truth sat in front of me within reach and no matter what I did, it would not change. It would never change.

Ezio Auditore was to be engaged to the girl he loved - Cristina Vespucci.