Prompt #73 I Can't:

"Hey! Minerva let go."

She pulled you back down the block, leaving Ezio and the crowd far behind you. As Minerva dragged you, gripping too tightly to your wrist you took one last look at the man in front of the crowd. You almost tripped over your feet when you saw his was looking your way. His eyes peering pass his followers, searching. You snapped your head around before you two could make eye contact. Minerva wouldn't have been too happy if that happen, probably.

She appeared calm as she rushed you quickly into a dark narrow ally, out of sight from the city's dwellers. You heard a raspy cough farther down to street and you thought better to ignore it. When Minerva finally came to a stop the sun was almost completely hidden. The ally open in front of you to another street, empty, the town was finally going home to rest.

Surveying the rest of the area was not an option at the moment, "Listen to me," Minerva whispered catching your attention. She was leaning against a brick wall, "This is where you must be," she added, nodding to a building directly in front of you. Red fabric was draped across the high walls and the windows, which had lights pouring into the street, "What is it?"

"A brothel," Minerva answered, rather bluntly.

"Hell no, there has to be somewhere better to stay than a brothel," you couldn't believe your predicament much less where Minerva wanted you to stay. "You have no choice. Don't you get it? You have no money, no family and no home this is where you must go. Trust me, they won't ask you to do anything you don't want to," she was stern, and her face grew hard. Yet her hand was gentle on your shoulder that turned you toward the direction of your future home.

"Come, I will take you inside. Maybe it will help with your memory." You wouldn't understand what she meant until the two of you were standing near a dark colored door, unsure if it was really such a dark color in the daylight. Minerva's hand left your shoulder and placed it in front of the door. Her hand appeared so fragile and pale compared to the door in front of her. She knocked three times exactly and waited.

You were angry, a little, but you soon realized that you were more scared than any other emotion. Your world had been thrown up-side-down, pulled-and-stretched, and you felt alone. Even though you knew Minerva was there to help instead it felt she was making things worse.

"I can't do this," you whispered, admitting your vulnerability. Before Minerva could respond and woman pulled open the door. Scaring you, making you heart leap out of your chest.

It was a woman covered in red, from the hood of her dress to her scarlet covered feet, which stood between you and the room inside. She wore pearls as well, one circled around the crown of her head and the other was a necklace that also had a red jewel in the center.

"Yes?" She glanced at Minerva then back at you. Her brown eyes soften when she assumed the reasons that you were standing at her doorstep.

"Buona sera, are you Paola?" Minerva questioned, but you knew she already knew the answer to that question.

"Si, I'm Paola. Come inside." You were surprised that Paola didn't ask for your names. She showed you to a chair that seated two; it too was red with dark wooden frames. Minerva sat beside you as Paola sat in a chair in front of you. Paola and Minerva sat on the edge of the seats, their backs painfully straight and proper. Of course you sat yourself against the backboard of the chair. Paola looked amused and didn't question you as you pulled you knees up and tucked them underneath you.

Minerva didn't spared another second, "Paola, I need you to train her." What is she talking about? You thought that you didn't have to do anything you didn't want to do. There was no way in hell you were going to sell your body.

"Excuse me, but I don't understand. I can train her in m-,"

"No, I mean to train her to be an Assassin," Minerva interrupted, speaking quietly. You stared at the goddess beside you. What was she thinking you, a clumsy senior in high school, trained to be an assassin? You almost laughed…almost.

"How do you know about that?" Paola was now alert more than ever. However she appeared calm and wasn't denying the fact that she was indeed an assassin. Minerva stood and motioned Paola to follow leaving you where you sat comfortably for the first time since you got there. They walked over toward the staircase on the opposite wall whispering about something you were too tired to care about. You put your arm on the top of the chair's backboard using it to prop your head on. Your fingers buried themselves into your hair as you closed your eyes to rest.

You let your mind pondered over who this Paola woman was. When you played the game you only remembered the important details. You didn't remember minor characters other than Mario Auditore, only because he did the classic "It's me, Mario" in the same way as the classic Mario would. Of course you remember the Auditore family members such a Maria and Federico. Paola was familiar yet not, you knew she was part of the game, there was no doubt.

Then a light bulb went off in your head. How could you be so stupid? She was the girl assassin who helped Ezio after…after that. So that is why you came here, to learn. You were relieved it was to learned to kill not how to please a man in bed. Could you really kill someone? The thought never occurred to you until now. You never once thought of killing anyone. Would you have the courage to even do so if the situation called for it? Not that you were some hippy who doesn't believe in violence but you weren't all for the fact of being the one to do the killing. Sometimes war has to happen even if there's a more civilized way of doing it, but if there are people with different views and cultures there will be war.

"I can't get involve with this…." You mumbled to yourself. Should you run? But where would you go? A twenty-first century girl in the middle of fifteenth century Italy, Minerva was right you had no choice.

"{Your Name}?" Minerva's voice broke your thoughts. You looked at her, who was standing beside Paola's chair with Paola behind her. You stood, stretching your now cramped legs, "Yes?"

"Everything has been arranged, I welcome you to La Rosa Colta. Minerva says that you are to stay here and learn everything I know." Paola explained and glanced toward Minerva to finish. "You will live and work as an aid to Paola but you will learn all there is to being assassin."

"What do you mean by work?" You question, praying for work that involves buying groceries or running errands.

"Don't worry, you won't work as a courtesan," Paola admitted to your relief. "However you are not going to stay here for free."

You nodded; you weren't expecting to be a free loader to begin with. "You'll be a sort of an assistant to Paola, you will and should do anything and everything she asks," Minerva added, "she will take care of you I promise."

"Sound as if you're leaving," you held your breath. "I am, only for a while," she admitted. You were too tired to argue and you found yourself accepting what is to come.

Paola walked off going to sit at the bench in front of the staircase, Minerva must have asked her to do so earlier. Minerva once again placed her hand on your shoulder, "Stop doubting yourself, for it is me who you doubt. I chose you for a reason. I know you can do this. You were born to be a part of this order, so no holding back."

And then she was gone.

Author's note: I'm still accepting ideas, but I would like to thank the following people:

death wish girl

Sono la Notte

Psycho-Pyro-Manic

Red Jeanie (who gave me the idea to use Paola and La Volpe)

So go thank these people I dedicate this chapter to them. THANKS!