Dark Paradise

Chapter 4


'Mia cara-' Mario exclaimed, shock and a piteous tone clear in his voice.

'Mario I-' she struggled trying to find the right words to say, 'I'm sorry' She apologised, though it sounded like a question as she uttered the two words out.

'Mia cara, if your father-'

'He would know soon enough Mario, this, is hardly a scratch.' Letizia interrupted while grazing the slice on her cheek, wincing as she felt a deep incision protrude against her fingertips despite the callous on her hands.

'He would not forgive me that I let you do this.'

'Mario, I chose my fate, he may have turned his back on the Order but I refuse, it is not what I want. You know that! I know I have still yet a lot to learn but you must let me continue, please.' she begged, her eyebrows knitting together pleadingly.

'Letizia, you cannot use the Order to solicit revenge, it is not what we do!' Mario's voice rose, she knew that it angered him, knowing that he felt guilt from training her against her father's wishes, 'Look at you! What were you thinking?'

'I could not wait any longer Mario I needed to find out! I am very sorry about your brother's death- Giovanni's death... but I know that Ezio would keep you occupied; I know that you want to train him as much as you have me. And our original plans will be postponed, forgotten, so I took matters into my own hands.' Her voice faded at the last few words, feeling ashamed for defying Mario.

'Let us admit this has not been the first time you have come back from such a spree Letizia, what would your mother say?' Mario soon regretted what he had shouted as soon as it came out. Seeing Letizia's worry and shame turn into anger made his face soften, knowing that what he had said had been below the belt.

'She would not say a thing because she is dead.' She spat, venom dripping from her words; she turned around to leave but Mario gripped her forearm to refrain her from leaving his office angry with him.

'Letty, mi dispiace, please, but you must understand that belonging in the Order means you cannot fight your demons alone.' Mario pleaded with her, anger fading, with his tone now much more soft spoken, 'Your father lost trust, he grew hell bent with revenge, and I do not want to see the same happen to you.'

'I'm sorry Mario' Letizia whispered as the tears fell silently down her cheeks, stinging her cut as the salty tears seeped into it. Mario pulled her into a tight embrace, knowing full well how the death of loved ones can easily influence and embody your person with wrath and revenge, killing every being associated to the wrongdoing, believing that every kill was justified. Without stopping to contemplate whether your moral fibre was in fact slipping away and killing will never bring your loved ones back.

Mario knew all too well of her stubbornness, a dangerous trait in the line of work she was training for, she was unpredictable, though not unstable like her father. The death of her mother and brother were still raw to her, like the deep cuts and body numbing bruises she sustained, she had seen them killed in front of her eyes while she was bound and helpless. They had wanted the whereabouts of her father, her mother refused costing her- her life, and Letizia had been next, not knowing of her father's role as a member of the Order she could not tell them, though even if she did she was sure she would have died a martyr. She remembered each of their faces that night, every wrinkle, every imperfection and every sound; and swore that she would find them.

She sighed against Mario's embrace, tears spilling on his shoulder, 'Letty, I know that you want nothing more than to find the people who have wronged you, but I'm afraid it is not as easy as you may think. You have only killed the pawns in the game, a game that has been played between our kind and the Templars for centuries. It is a full blown game of cat and mouse. I am afraid the men who had tried to find your father weren't just out for revenge as you had firstly concluded, but rather to wipe out the entire Order and those that stand against them.'


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-Unicorn Princess