Elisa and Giovanni packed as quickly as they could before anyone decided to investigate the noise. Alberto's body was wrapped in the rotting rug and was put to one side. The blood was cleaned up, making sure that it didn't seep through to the floor below. That would be difficult to explain to the neighbours.
When they were ready, the pair left quietly. They hurried down the stairs and out of the door, their pace quickening as they approached the gates. Keeping their eyes down, they passed the patrolling guards easily and rented two horses from the stables outside the city, using the florins that had spare from the rent. Elisa kicked her chestnut mare into a steady trot and her son followed, urging his grey stallion to do the same. They took one last look over their shoulders, almost mournfully saying goodbye to their home.
As the morning drew into afternoon, Elisa's stomach began to rumble. She'd gone a day or so without food before so she was used to ignoring the noise, but her son wasn't.
"Here," Giovanni tossed her an apple and she caught it with ease, despite the surprise.
"How did you get this?" She asked, taking a bite.
He shrugged. "I may have inherited the Auditore skill of an Assassin, but there were things I inherited from you."
With a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, he bite into the apple he had for himself. It seemed he had inherited a pickpocketing skill as well.
Her hunger sated, they kicked the horses into a canter, shortening the distance between them and their destination. As Monteriggioni came into view, both Elisa and Giovanni felt butterflies. She hadn't seen Ezio in over twenty years, would he recognise her? Would she recognise him? Giovanni had never met his uncle, how would he react when they met for the very first time?
Suddenly, cannon fire was heard, crashing into the ground ten feet from them. The horses reared and the pair gripped on, hearts thumping as they narrowly escaped being crushed.
"Are they trying to kill us?!" Giovanni exclaimed, trying to calm the steed, thinking that they were safer back in Florence.
An apology was called over the battlements, explaining that they were practising. Elisa scoffed, her heart beat slowing from the fear of the near death experience.
As they reached the stables, they dismounted and thanked the stable boy. They entered Monteriggioni and the butterflies fluttered again. With each step, they were drawing nearer to the family that they had been apart from for so long. The market place was busy, bustling with people as they visited the tailor, the art merchant, the blacksmith. No one noticed the pair breeze past, heading for the villa above on the hill.
Before the ascended the stairs, Giovanni stopped. The stone symbol seemed to almost call him. The Assassin symbol. He knew he was in the right place.
When they reached the top, they saw boxes laden with flowers, decoration covering every surface.
"Maybe it's someone's birthday?" Giovanni suggested, looking around.
Elisa approached a woman who was sorting through the boxes and asked her what they were all for.
"Ezio is returning from Rome tomorrow, we're all organising a surprise for him!" She grinned and returned to her work.
"We're a day early," Giovanni hissed to his mother. She hid a sigh of relief, soothing the fluttering butterflies in her stomach.
Elisa thanked her and went into the villa, knocking gently on the open door.
"Sì?" Called a familiar voice and Elisa smiled.
The pair entered the room where a woman sat behind the desk, making notes in a huge book in front of her.
"I've already told you, the spare boxes are in the courtyard to the left-" Claudia said without looking up. When she did, she stopped.
"Elisa?" She got up from her work and hurried over to her long lost friend.
"It's so good to see you again," Elisa said, hugging her.
"You too, but you're a little early to see Ezio, he's returning tomorrow."
"So we've heard."
Claudia peered behind Elisa, staring at Giovanni who still stood in the doorway, rocking on his heels. Her eyes narrowed as she analysed the figure, before she stood herself, eyes widening, gazing at him as if she acknowledged a spectre.
"He looks like Federico..." She trailed off, her eyes becoming misty.
"I should explain, this is Giovanni, my son."
"Your son?!" She spluttered.
"Sì, when you left for Monteriggioni twenty two years ago, I was pregnant. I never told you, I only told Federico. He's your nephew."
Claudia grinned, recovering from her surprise and approached him.
"Ciao, Giovanni, I'm Claudia." She greeted him, kissing each cheek.
"Ciao." He responded. He was so focused on finding his uncle, Ezio, he forgot that he had an aunt, a grandmother and a great uncle living there too.
"You look so much like your father." She smiled wistfully.
"So I'm told." Giovanni glanced back to his mother.
"Now, let's get some rooms for you, you must be exhausted from the trip." Claudia clapped her hands together and led them out of the room and up the huge stairs.
The rooms were much bigger than their old apartment and they gasped as she claimed they would have one each. While Elisa and Claudia decided they needed more catching up to do, Giovanni thanked his newly found aunt and entered his room. He tossed his bag to the floor and threw himself on the bed. Before he fell asleep, he gave smile. Here, he was with family.
His family of Assassins.
