"Where are you going?"

She turned her head just a fraction. "Visit a friend." With that, she made it obvious with her posture that he shouldn't follow. And he didn't.

Teodora had insisted that she pay a visit to him now that things were more, calmed. Recalling the directions she gave, but took a couple of wrong turns here and there, Luca finally stepped through the front gate of Palazzo della Seta. Already she heard the chit chats of thieves loitering at the front steps. Almost immediately all turned their attention to her. Some smiled mockingly, some neutral and turned back to whatever they were doing. A handful of them stared with amusement, the way she carried herself hinted that she wasn't just a girl who lost her way.

Two thieves leaned against the left wing of the great door, while another, playing with a coin, squatted opposite them. From the looks they gave as she neared the door, Luca assumed they were the watchmen. She nodded and met their gaze.

"What's your business?" One of the thief leaning against the door spoke with an airy manner.

She lowered her hood. "I'm here for Antonio."

The thief frowned, directing his gaze to his friend squatted on the marble floor, who soon straightened himself and stretched. He pocketed his coin and beckoned at her. "Come in."

She followed him passed the great door, and he told her to wait when he fetch for the said person. Luca took her time taking in the architecture, the hustle and bustle of activities going on in the compound. This building was once a solemn palazzo, but now the thieves practiced their moves and skills, gambled and resided in this very same place-

"Watch out!"

But Luca had already moved from her spot, and a knife bounced off the wall were she once was. She evaded not by the warning but the customary 'swoosh' of blade tearing through the air. Her mind registered the cry only after the knife fell.

On the first floor, a figure leaned out of a balcony, hands gripping hard on the rail. She vaulted over the rail with perfect ease and grace, jogging towards Luca.

"Good to know you're not scratched. Hey culo! Watch where you're throwing!" She threw the words back at a thief retreating into on of the many rooms, but Luca didn't miss his face. Two scars ran down his left cheek bone, another one cut down the right side of his lips. And the way he met her gaze, as if cowering before a greater being...

"Now, back to you. I've never seen you around here before." The woman smiled, her voice velvety and low, the type that Luca liked but would never be no matter how old she grow. She brushed off the face of that disappearing thief from her mind and thought of nothing but showing a nice first impression.

"I arrived in Venice onl-"

Her speech was interrupted by two pairs of fast approaching foot steps and a man's voice issuing orders. "...check every possible spots, report back to me at dawn." A pair of foot steps shuffled the opposite direction. Luca turned her head aside at the new comer. And the latter slowed to a stop when their eyes met.

Both were silent, until Luca started beaming. "Antonio!"

The said man was rooted to his spot, and it took him a moment to come back to his senses. "Luca? Is that you?"

The girl jogged forward and gave him a hug. "I never thought I would see you again!"

Antonio laughed heartedly, replying the hug. "Look at you! All grown up!"

"Guess I should leave you guys alone?" Rosa interjected, crossing her arms with a knowing smile.

"Forgive me, do you mind taking care of things for me for the time being?" The thief chuckled sheepishly, while Rosa merely wave them away. "Come!" He put a hand on Luca's shoulder and steered her to the stairs. "I heard that you've joined us once more, glad to have you back. It's been...seventeen years, was it? We never see each other again ever since you started training."

"Fifteen actually." She corrected him. "I see you've got yourself a pretty partner." She grinned. It felt like they were back to the time when she was still in the old thieves' guild.

"You mean Rosa? She tried to rob me a couple of years after you left. I knew she would be a great thief when she grow up."

"Now that doesn't sound very proper." She frowned at him, and they both laughed. Luca heaved a sigh. "It's been so long, so much to tell you that I don't know where to start!" They ascended to the second floor towards the east wing.

"Not to worry, we have the whole night. Come on in!" He held open one of the wooden door for her, which led to a guest room. When she had taken a seat and made herself comfortable on the couch, Antonio strode to the cupboards. "Anything you would like to have?"

She gave a long thought. "Do you still have some of those ale you once gave me?" To be precise, Antonio didn't give her any alcohol at all when she was still a child under his care, she was merely curious at every and anything that can be consumed, and wouldn't stop trying until she get a taste of it.

"You choked pretty badly on that, are you sure?" The thief chuckled on the same memory, his expression softened and relaxed. "And you accused me of trying to poison you."

"I just thought it will be nice company for the long night." She shrugged, glancing away sheepishly. Her gaze travelled out of the opened window, to the canal and the building on the other side of it, until she felt a presence close beside her.

Antonio pressed a goblet into her hand, and knocked it lightly with his, producing a soft but stiff sound. "To health, may we drink together in ten years time and a few in between."

With a tempo slower, Luca raised her goblet. "To health."

They exchanged tales late into the night. Antonio filled her in of the changes in Venice since she was gone, and she told him of her days from being a novice to a full-fledge assassin, and losing everything in a blink. It was never easy for her, but with a presence of her former guardian, she felt strangely at ease. Perhaps the alcohol contributed as well, since they have lost count how many times they have poured from the bottle. And another empty bottle sat forgotten at the foot of the table.

Each time there was a long pause, the girl would brace herself for the question about her red scarf, but it never come. Then she remembered, only a handful of assassins know its meaning. It was like a protocol that was always there, not known publicly, unless you ask, you will never know about it. Though she thought it wouldn't hurt to be ignorant of it.

When she put down her goblet, the thief reached for the bottle again, she held her hand. "That's quite enough for one night." She almost felt her head floating, barely attached to her body. "You wouldn't want to see me drunk." Moreover an assassin should never be drunk, unless you want to die in bed.

Antonio chuckled. "Al'right, piccolo. It is late, rest here for the night. He threw some pillows on the couch, and she crashed into them gracelessly, mumbling "...think I'll do that..."

She just pray there wouldn't be headache the next morning.

- To be continued -

Since this chapter revolves around Luca's encounter with Rosa, Antonio and a certain thief that she might never forget, hence the title. Yeah, it's boring I know...

I'm trying to think of a link from this part to the start of her next expedition. Almost didn't touch this for a week now that new semester started... I'll try my best to upload next week!