1476

Felisa hated going to pick up medicine from the doctor. The masks they wore scared her and the medicine they gave her tasted awful and never seemed to help with the coughing. Vieri knew and avoided taking her with him whenever possible, but today the rest of the Pazzis were out and he couldn't leave her alone at home for fear that she'd have another coughing fit and panic. He looked down to check and make sure she was still with him.

She was twelve, only five years younger than him, but she was small for her age. Vieri didn't know if that was a symptom of her illness or inherited from her father. She looked stressed and was keeping right next to him.

It will be the dread of the doctor and not this illness that will kill her, he thought. "Felisa," he said out loud. "Why don't you run and get some bread while I get your medicine." He gave her a reassuring smile. "We can meet back at the fountain when we're done."

She brightened at that and nodded enthusiastically. He handed her a few coins and she bounded off into the crowd. "Be careful!" he called out after her, even knowing she probably couldn't hear him.

Felisa slowed down when the bakery was in sight. The baker always teased her if she came up running, as he put it, "like a madman". Vieri sent her out to do little things whenever he could, knowing that it did her good to get out into the town. She and the baker had become friends over the past year.

He grinned when he saw her walking up to the shop. "Ah, little Felisa, think I didn't notice you running this way, almost knocking over Madonna Grazia?" he said with a wink.

She blushed. "I… uhh…"

He laughed. "The usual I assume?"

"Yes, signore," she replied, managing to regain control of her tongue. She handed him the coins Vieri had given her. He turned around and picked out a loaf of bread and gave it to her, still looking amused.

"Keep out of trouble now," he said with another laugh.

"I always do!"

She was running back towards the fountain when she first met him. It was really less of a meeting and more of a collision but she usually kept that fact hidden. No need to strengthen her reputation of being clumsy.

She tripped over something, probably her own feet, and crashed into him, putting both of them on the ground. She quickly scrambled to her feet and began apologizing.

"I'm so sorry," she mumbled, not looking at him. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and I…"

He interrupted her with a laugh, getting up and dusting himself off. "It's fine. I've done the same thing many times."

She somehow gathered the courage to look at him and was surprised to see it was a boy only a couple years older than her. He had strangely golden brown eyes and a friendly smile.

She smiled back at him. "Good to know I'm not the only one."

"Most definitely not, you should meet my brothers, they are far worse than you I can assure you." He reached out a hand and she took it giving what she would call a "manly handshake". "I'm..." He started to introduce himself but Vieri walked up before he could finish. The boy paled.

"Get lost," Vieri said coldly.

"I, uh, nice to meet you," he stammered and turned, walking off quickly.

Felisa looked up at Vieri, completely confused "Why did you…"

"Let's go home," he replied quietly, the cold edge gone from his voice. He started walking back to their home and she followed.

"Who was he?" she asked.

Vieri sighed. "That was Petruccio Auditore."

"Oh, so I shouldn't talk to him?" she asked sincerely. "He seemed perfectly nice."

Her brother stopped and turned to face her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "He is an Auditore and you are a Pazzi. Our families are not friends, and for good reasons. The Auditores just cause trouble. You should avoid him in the future."

Felisa was still confused but she nodded. "Okay, brother. I will just have to trust you."

He smiled. "You can always trust me."

1500

Felisa, for the second time, awoke startled. This time something had hit her on the head hard. She quickly got up and looked around. Luca was standing a suspicious distance away watching her.

"You hit me last night," he said. "So this morning I threw a rock at you." He seemed a bit proud of himself, which did not help Felisa's mood.

"Come here," she grumbled and he walked over slowly. She glared at him for a moment and then suddenly hit him on the side of his head. "Don't ever do that again."

"Are you two quite done yet?" someone asked from a few yards away.

Felisa rolled her eyes and turned to look at him. "Don't you have something better to do, Manuel?"

He smirked. "Actually, I'm here to get you. Cesare wants to speak with you before we go."

"Of course he does," she muttered. "Luca?"

"Yes?"

"Can you make sure Bella Mia gets water before we go?" she asked, gesturing towards her horse.

"Of course!" he said brightly.

After Luca scurried off, Manuel laughed. "What a lovesick puppy."

"Excuse me?" Felisa said with a glare.

Manuel gave her one of his typical nasty grins. "Cesare is expecting you," he said and walked off, with the look that she so hated still on his face.

She picked up her belt and put it on quickly, adjusting her knives and her sword, the only physical possession she had that she even cared about. Taking one quick glance to make sure Luca was where he was supposed to be, she headed toward where Cesare had been camped.

"Ah, Felisa," Cesare said, walking over to her when he saw her approach.

"You wanted to see me," she said flatly.

"You still sound so unhappy. I would think that you would be happy today."

"I will only be happy once it is finished. I do not like to make assumptions as to what will happen." She fiddled unconsciously with the knives in her belt. Three knives.

"I promised you that you'd have your revenge and I plan on keeping that promise."

"I appreciate that, Cesare, but I'm afraid I don't really have time to talk. I need to finish getting ready."

He waved his hand. "Ah, yes, how silly of me. Go do what you must."

It was only been a two hour ride to Monteriggioni from where the Borgia army had been camped. They left the horses at a nearby stable, paying the stable owner a fine sum to keep his mouth shut and get out.

They approached from the east, thinking that would be the least expected attack point.

And they had been right.

It did not take them long to break past the first defenses of Monteriggioni. The assassins and their allies had no idea the attack was coming. Felisa smiled to herself as she realized how easily they had gotten in.

She pulled her blade, once pristine, now covered in blood, from the chest of a man who had gotten in their way. He didn't appear to be an assassin but you could never really tell.

She leaned down over his body. "Requiescat en pace," she murmured, closing the man's eyes.

She heard one of the other Templars snort behind her. "Really, madonna?"

Felisa ignored him and instead ran ahead back into the fray where Mario Auditore had been badly injured. The gates were opened and the Auditore had collapsed in front of a very smug Cesare, now sheathing his sword.

"I know you are there Ezio!" he yelled.

Felisa looked around, trying to spot Ezio in the town. She kept her gaze mostly to the rooftops, knowing the assassin's affinity for high places all too well. Seeing movement, she slipped past Cesare and headed further into Monteriggioni. She kept her feet on the ground, but her eyes up above.

"The pope told me about you and your little group of assassins!" Cesare continued. "And this!"

Felisa had no idea what "this" Cesare was referring to, but at this moment she didn't particularly care.

"We've had too much bloodshed!"

Someone was running across the roofs. Felisa could hear the tiles breaking. She followed the sound as quickly as she could. Ezio Auditore was fast.

"I think a cleansing is in order!"

She thought she was directly below him at this point and looked around but couldn't see him.

"So consider this an invitation, from my family, to yours!"

She heard a gunshot, but not coming from where she had anticipated. She looked up to see where the shooter was but ended up distracted by the fact that a man had crash landed on the ground in front of her.

Ezio Auditore lay bleeding at her feet.