Diary Entry #43

Today Franco led a small group of new initiates and ransacked the fish market during the early morning hours. Luckily for them, the guards on duty were a bunch of culos and didn't know how to use their swords. They got out unharmed and brought a large catch – probably the biggest one we've had in months. The newcomers appear promising…but I fear their faith in us will not hold for long. Rosa is still in denial about her condition; I wish that little mouse would listen! Just because she can walk again doesn't mean she could climb, and we can't afford to make mistakes.

Ugo raised his quill to begin another sentence, but hesitated. The scene between Rosa and Ezio's first encounter at the palazzo flashed in his head, along with her teaching of the climb leap technique.

Bah, girls and their dreams, he thought, placing his quill down.

Outside, Rosa sat at the edge of the docks facing the canal. As she observed a pickpocket running from the guards in the distance, she was reminded of the good times to be had when the city was free of the assassin's presence.

Ugo and I would go running from street to street, taunting the guards at every corner and laughing…

She watched as the sun made its first appearance over the horizon, while merchants gathered their catches and set up stands to prepare for the day's business. The pungent smell of fish and seaweed hung in the air, and a brisk, salty wind blew at the lines of drying fish hanging above several posts behind her.

"Rosa, there you are," said Antonio as he approached from her left.

"Toni! What are you doing here?" Rosa asked, startled.

"Just checking, I was worried about you. Is your leg faring well?"

"Oh, diavolo about the leg already!" Rosa waved her hand. "Why can't I go a day without you guys nosing in about my leg? It is well now, and I can walk."

"I've seen you do more than walking with it lately, piccola – "

"Ugh, and what of it! I am well enough. Besides, thieves don't just sit around and be useless."

The two of them paused, watching the seagulls dive in and out of the shimmering waters.

"Rosa, I want you to come with me. I have something important to give you," Antonio beckoned.

Inside his office at the thieves' quarters, Antonio removed a roll of parchment from a shelf.

"Take this. It is a map of all the possible trading vessel routes around the city, as well as to Cyprus. I've been meaning to make use of it for a while now, but seeing as we already have a well – built model of the entire city here, I decided you could keep it," Antonio explained.

"Bene. This will no doubt be useful," Rosa said happily, taking the parchment.

"Now, I know you still wish to be running free like the rest, but I must remind you to be careful. No doubt Ezio has given us valuable aid, but we mustn't go risking lives unnecessarily."

Antonio nodded knowingly at Rosa, and then proceeded to make coffee.

Outside, Rosa found Ugo waiting for her.

"Here to play doctor again?" Rosa quipped.

"No. I have breakfast," Ugo raised the bag of dried fish in his hands and beamed. "Why don't we go to the Campanile for a picnic?"

As the two of them walked along the edges of the city munching on their meal, they noticed several assassin posters offering an increased reward of five thousand coins for the assassin's captor.

"Why the sad face?" Ugo asked.

"What? Oh, it's nothing…morning blues," Rosa commented, blushing.

"You can't be worrying about that Ezio. He's more than the guards can take."

"I just…wish we could be running freely again," Rosa said, taking a bite off of the sardine in her hand.

"Who doesn't? Look, we just have to remain strong and think positive. Sure we've lost several people, but since when has our lives not been a battle? It's just tough now because we're in the middle of a transition…one which I'm certain we'll emerge victorious." Ugo stood confidently.

"Funny hearing that from you amico. You weren't singing the same tune when the guards took your brothers captive the other night and Ezio had to go and free them," Rosa replied.

Ugo paused.

"It was a mass raid at the palazzo. Of course there would be complications," he retorted.

"And you were certain things wouldn't turn out well. They had Franco and half of our forces in there," Rosa pointed out.

"Wouldn't you have thought the same?"

"I would. But I admit I have never guessed that we could be rescued within a fortnight."

Ugo chewed off the head of a sardine and spat it over the bricks into the canal.

"Look Rosa, Antonio may be rallying us, but I have the welfare of the guild in mind. I will not sacrifice another one of our members to our enemies, and neither should you."

"Tough talk," said Rosa, taking the last sardine. "Let's hope you're right."

"Anyway, what did Antonio speak to you about?" Ugo redirected the conversation.

"An old trade map. Nothing too special," Rosa replied.

Ezio will no doubt need this, Rosa thought. If anything it would give him a better outlook of our city so he can navigate the streets unharmed.

"As you say amica. Just try not to go breaking anything this time, okay?" Ugo rolled up the empty wheat sack and put it in his jacket.

"Si. I will go and check on Franco's team. Meet me at the bell tower near the palazzo after sunset."

The sun broke over the horizon, casting its rays across the surface of the ocean. The two of them parted ways while a steady stream of buyers began to occupy the market to signal the day's activity.

Chapter 3…