The three girls sat on the roof of the building, dangling their legs over the side as they talked under the night sky. Marisa braided her dark, golden hair while Serafina closed her eyes, enjoying the night breeze. Chiara peered out at the city from under her hood, the only one with her hood still up.
"Really, the waiting for the right time is the worst part," Risa mumbled, winding her braid into a bun and then taking the proffered pin from Chiara and stabbing it through. It held and she leaned back on her elbows like Fina.
"I know what you mean," Fina said, "But there's no helping it. Stealth missions are best done in the dark."
"Unless you're Chiara," Risa said, nudging the child-like form beside her.
"Don't be ridiculous," was Chiara's response, "I'm not invisible."
"No, just smaller, quieter, and faster than the rest of us," Fina chuckled, running her hand through the brown hair she'd released from the tail she usually kept it tied in.
"No one ever notices you," Risa complained, "You're just mistaken for a child, never taken seriously… you can learn all sorts of things without ever being found out. When you're tall and have a figure like mine… well, you can't go anywhere unnoticed."
"You're not that tall," Fina pointed out, "I'm only a half-hand shorter than you and I manage to get by."
"What about the question of Risa's figure?" Chiara asked, a haphazard grin spreading across her mouth. Fina laughed while Risa scowled.
"Ah, that we were all so cursed," Fina said with amused sarcasm. All laughed, but none missed the step on the rooftop behind them.
"Cursed? How so?" Alfonso asked.
"Risa was complaining about her glorious figure," Fina said slyly, and Chiara laughed again. Risa was trying to hide her smile, but failing.
"I draw attention wherever I go, it makes missions impossible!" she exclaimed.
"Would that all women were so cursed," Alfonso said, and the girls laughed again.
"That's what Fina said," Chiara said, and then they all looked up sharply as the bell began to toll the hour.
"Ah, the waiting's over, now I can do my blasted mission and get back to Tiber to go to bed," Risa muttered.
"Would you like a distraction? This isn't the sort of thing you're best at," Chiara offered. The other three looked at her skeptically.
"It's because I'm not good at this kind of thing that the master gave me this mission," Risa grumbled.
"Well, combat isn't exactly my strength either. I could use the practice and I get tired of constantly losing in the sparring ring," Chiara said.
"I don't think the master would like that," Fina said finally.
"No, he wouldn't," Alfonso put in, "The point of the exercise is so that Risa could learn to be more stealthy."
"And the point of my getting involved is to practice fighting," Chiara retorted.
"Chiara, I'm supposed to do it, I'll be alright," Risa said.
"All I've gotten lately were information missions," Chiara grumbled, "I need a fight to clear my head." The other three exchanged a look.
"We all know why all you get those missions," Alfonso said after a pause, "The master worries about you more than all the rest of us put together."
"That seems at odds with the number of missions he's been on himself lately," Chiara said, frowning with evident confusion.
"No, I don't think so," Fina said, "The master is the one who decides who gets what mission. He's playing to your strengths to keep you safe."
"You're not a bad fighter, Chiara," Risa added, "But you're better at gathering information. That's not a bad thing. If you were coming with me, it would make more sense to have you go in for the papers while I distracted the guards."
"Which is why she shouldn't," Alfonso broke in.
"Which is exactly why I should," Chiara shot back, "Because we'll both get a challenge." Fina pursed her lips and thought for a moment.
"Chiara has a point, Alfonso," Fina said, "And what the master doesn't know… well, either way, the papers will make it back, and that's the important thing." Alfonso threw his hands skyward.
"Of course all the women will band together against the only sensible one here," he announced, and then continued with, " Very well, I won't tell the master."
"Many thanks, Alfonso," Chiara said, rising with Risa from the edge of the roof and smiling at him.
"Then let's be off so that we may be in bed before sunrise," Risa murmured. Chiara led the way, flitting like a small white bird over the rooftops with Risa following behind more slowly and heavily.
"If the master truly isn't giving her the challenge she wants, then perhaps this will be good for both of them," Fina said reflectively, standing next to Alfonso.
"The master has his reasons for not giving her something more 'challenging'," Alfonso answered, "But as long as he doesn't find out, it can't do much harm."
Risa dropped silently into the courtyard and melted into the house, shutting the door behind her. Chiara took a moment to decide how to distract the guards. She decided on something simple and dropped down behind an archway out of sight, then stepped into sight and waited.
"Is that a child?" one of the guards said finally, leaning on his war-hammer and frowning. The others turned to look at her. She stood stock-still and waited.
"A little tall for a child," another said, "An older child?"
"Some children are very tall," a third guard protested. "I was."
"Boy," the man with the hammer said, beckoning, "Come here." Chiara obeyed, to a point, moving forward into the center of the courtyard. She stopped. One of them frowned, no curiosity evident in his face as he studied her.
"He wears white and scarlet," the observing one muttered to the others.
"Assassins are never that young," the last one said. Chiara made the decision to dispel their confusion and extended the hidden blade on her left wrist and drew her short sword. There was a breath of silence, and then the guards began to move and make noise.
"Assassin!" The man with the hammer was the most worrisome to Chiara, but he was also bigger and slower than his comrades so she turned her attention on the three rapiers and one short sword coming at her. She was silent as she fought, slipping under their blades to dance inside one man's guard before she palmed his chin and sent the hidden blade through his throat and mouth and into the brain beyond, severing the spinal cord. She used his chest as a vaulting point, planting her feet and leaping up and back, twisting as she did so. She landed just behind another, slashing at the backs of his knees so that he fell, crying out with the pain. She ducked as a sword blurred by and slipped her blade between the ribs of the fallen man. Then she had to leap away as both a rapier and a short sword converged on the place where she had been and then twisted, hearing the ominous whistle of the war hammer as it swung by her ear. She frowned a little, spreading her attention over the remaining three guards, and then ducking beneath the guard of one and thrusting her sword through his stomach.
"Come, boy, you cannot wish to die so early in your life," the man with the hammer said, "Surrender and we will ensure that you are treated well."
"You don't have enough authority for that," Chiara answered without thinking as she threw herself at the man wielding the short sword and sliced neatly through his throat. A fountain of blood poured forth and his friend attempted to run her through, but she sidestepped the thrust and kicked him in the groin. The man nearly collapsed on top of her, but she evaded his falling body, letting him topple between her and the hammer. But the man with the hammer had excellent accuracy with his weapon and sent the body flying into her, the crunch of corpse-bones breaking loud and clear. Chiara took the fall and rolled, back on her feet in moments.
"You were lucky, boy," the guard said, "But you will not be so lucky again." Chiara backed away with swift, sure steps so that there would be more distance between them. She wouldn't admit it, but the impact had knocked the breath from her lungs and she was having trouble breathing. She couldn't suppress a short cough and the man took another swing at her. She skipped back, out of reach, but stumbled on a body, falling, and watched as the hammer swung towards her, sure of its target. Her mind catalogued the extent of the damage. At worst, she would be dead, at best, her arm would be shattered, if she could interpose it between her body and the head of the hammer. But then none of it was necessary as a wall of white blocked her view of the guard and the hammer was tossed away like so much trash. The guard slumped to the ground and she scrambled up, humiliation flushing her cheeks scarlet. Ezio spun to glare down at her.
"Where is Marisa?" he demanded. Chiara chanced a glance and saw Risa exiting the house and internally groaned. She had hoped that Risa might escape the master's wrath for the time being.
"Here, master," Risa said meekly, handing over the papers she had been assigned to find. Ezio barely spared a glance at the papers as he surveyed his apprentices with irritation.
"Back to Tiber, both of you," he growled. Both apprentices bowed silently and obeyed.
"If he had landed that blow, it would have killed you, Chiara," Ezio said, sitting heavily in his chair, "And what would I have done then?" In the confines of his office, the fear of watching the war-hammer swing inexorably toward her was both past and muted.
"Replaced me," Chiara replied promptly with a shrug, "You'd have room for another apprentice, and there's no shortage of candidates." Ezio glared at her.
"I would replace my lost apprentice, yes, but there would be no replacing you," he growled. Chiara stared at him.
"Oh," was all she said, the word breathy and uncertain. Ezio stood, gritting his teeth.
"Is that all you have to say?" he demanded, making his way around the desk and approaching her. She shrank visibly and he stopped, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
"I-I.." Chiara began, but then her voice trailed away, became tiny, and she dropped her gaze to the floor, "I assumed that was over." He sighed.
"It was not something I would have the other apprentices aware of," he said by way of an answer.
"They already suspect something has changed now that you only give me missions that play to my strengths," she muttered, glancing up at his face accusingly. His expression grew severe again.
"I send you to do what you are good at, and also what will keep you from foolish situations like the one you found yourself in tonight," he said sternly, "You should better trust my judgment."
"If it were any other apprentice, you would be forcing them to challenge their weaknesses, not letting them avoid them the way you do me," Chiara snapped back.
"They are not as fragile to begin with as you are," he thundered, looming over her. It would have been impressive had not the truth of the statement cut so deep. She inhaled a sharp breath between her teeth that was mostly silent, and then schooled her features into indifference.
"Yes, master," she said tonelessly, moderating her voice. A knock sounded on the door.
"A moment," Ezio called, and then turned back to Chiara who stared steadily at some point behind him. "I would see you in my bedchamber. I will be there shortly."
"If you please, master," she said, excessively polite, "I would like to be abed before the sun rises, in my own room." He frowned, but decided to deal with her after seeing whoever was waiting outside his office. The door creaked open an inch.
"Master?" It was Alfonso, but when Ezio looked back toward Chiara, she was already gone, presumably through the always-open window.
"Come in, Alfonso," Ezio said, assuming she had done as she had been told.
"You're avoiding the master, aren't you?" Fina murmured, settling next to Chiara on the rooftop of the same building where Chiara had offered to accompany Risa. "He has been looking for you. Discreetly, but he lingered in all the places you might have been."
"I disobeyed him last night," Chiara admitted, "And as he was already angry, I thought it prudent to be absent today." The sun was blazing fiery colors in the sky and Chiara observed its slow changes intently.
"Risa and Alfonso noticed too," Fina said. Chiara made a noncommittal sound in response that said, "Of course."
"He cares for you," Fina said softly, "We can all see it."
"What did Risa tell you about last night?" Chiara asked, changing the subject. Fina shrugged.
"She said that you provided a distraction while she retrieved the papers and that when she returned, the master was there and ordered you both back to Tiber. And that he reprimanded you both, you longer than her, presumably because you disappeared into his office, apparently."
"The master killed the last of the guards," Chiara said quietly, "I forgot where the bodies of the others lay and the guard tricked me into stumbling over one. He was wielding a war-hammer." Fina's mouth formed an 'O' as she thought on that.
"You would not have survived a direct strike from a war-hammer," Fina said, "It would be understandable that the master would be upset."
"It was one night, Fina," Chiara protested, frowning, "And that several weeks ago. He has given no indications of his continued… affections."
"His mission selection for you would seem clear enough," Fina pointed out.
"That is unacceptable," Chiara complained, "That is treating me different from the rest of you."
"You are different from the rest of us, Chiara," Fina said, not unkindly, "It is not that you are not a good fighter, but that it is not what you are most skilled at. You lack the weight required to tip a fight in your favor without ambush or blade. It was why you learned the use of the hidden blade and the short sword before the rest of us. That you might have more options than fleeing should you run into trouble."
"Perhaps it is true, but it is not a truth that I am particularly fond of," Chiara said glumly.
"Ah, well, we all live with those. I wish I had Risa's figure, Vittorio wishes he had Alfonso's speed…" Fina trailed off, pausing for a breath before continuing, "And the master wishes he had not been so harsh with that truth last night."
"So he did send you," Chiara muttered, "I wondered. Did he follow?"
"He will not reveal himself unless you promise to stay."
"I would gather that the master is behind the chimney on the next rooftop over." Two pairs of eyes flicked toward the aforementioned chimney.
"Yes," Fina said, "But he grew more worried about you throughout the day. Stay and hear him."
"I will stay," Chiara said, sounding weary. Fina gave her an encouraging smile before dropping down onto an awning and climbing down the building before slipping away through the streets. The sight was immediately followed by the sound of Ezio's soft landing behind her. Chiara pulled her knees to her chest.
"And what words would you have with me, master?" she asked softly, "Another reprimand? Scolding? A lecture perhaps?"
"Or an apology?" Ezio returned, coming to sit beside her, "I would apologize for last night."
"You are forgiven," Chiara replied.
"You forgive too quickly," Ezio answered.
"I do not forgive quickly enough. Had I not been angry, I would have waited in your bedchamber rather than leading you a not so merry chase today. My apologies. I know that other matters of import require your attention," Chiara said, her eyes drifting over the city, resolutely looking away from him.
"I meant what I said about not being able to replace you," Ezio said, changing the subject.
"I assumed you meant it when you said it, but as I told you, I thought that was over. One night, weeks ago, and you did not indicate that you had any desire to continue," she said, hesitantly, "And so I believed that it was simply that, one night."
"And would you want one more?" he asked, and she glanced at his serious expression, gauging and then dismissing it.
"Don't tease me, Ezio," Chiara said, weariness creeping back into her voice, "I did not sleep last night and am liable to believe you."
"Then believe," Ezio replied easily.
"It has never been about what I wanted," Chiara said firmly.
"Had you not wanted one night, it would not have happened," Ezio said with a hint of a smile, "So what you want matters very much." She was mute, but she turned her face toward his, resting her cheekbone on her drawn up knees, watching him carefully.
"If you do not want to continue, then you need only say so," Ezio said. Her eyes went wide.
"I never said that," she asserted swiftly, and then blushed when she realized that he had said it to draw her out. He smiled softly at her.
"Ah, there's the Chiara I know," he murmured, caressing her cheek with the back of one finger, "And would my little Chiara be interested in returning to Tiber with me?"
"To rest, I hope," Chiara said, eyeing him from her peripheral vision as she stood. He followed swiftly.
"Resting may be involved," he agreed, "After all, I had a long night too, waiting for dawn to come so that I could summon you."
"I had assumed you would sleep and still attempt to summon me in the morning, which was why I left, so that you would not summon me while I was still sleeping," Chiara said, bemused
"And when had you planned on returning,?" he asked, tilting his head.
"Tonight," Chiara admitted. His smile was pleased and he drew her closer so that he could kiss her softly.
"My bed awaits our arrival," he said teasingly, "So we had best hurry back to it." She looked away, embarrassed.
"Will it be welcoming?" she asked, strolling to the other side of the roof and then leaping across the narrow gap. Ezio followed after landing almost as softly as she had, an impressive feat given his size.
"I don't see why not," he said. Her laughter was answer enough as she picked up the pace, flying across the rooftops as he followed close behind, trying to match her pace.
He loosened her braid, combing his fingers through her hair while she snored softly on his thigh. He rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes, the overwhelming sense of relief still lingering, keeping him awake. He wasn't sure what he had feared more in the past day: Chiara's death or the thought that he'd driven her away. She shifted and he turned his attention on her, but she settled and sighed in her sleep. Asleep, she looked even more vulnerable than she did when awake, the tension that she carried always in her face melting so that she looked more like a child than ever. He shifted the both of them and drew the coverlet over their bodies to sleep.