I followed the path around as instructed, until I reached the edge of a set of ruins. A low-pitched moaning was barely audible, and I could hear the clash of metal. I dashed down the stairs, almost tripping over my own feet in the process, and ran into a wall. I turned a corner, and there he was, fighting a man in a large golden suit of armor, seemingly without ease.

I took a moment to grasp my surroundings, and made a conscious effort not to get his attention just yet. If he knew I was here, then that might mean everyone else did, and I couldn't afford that. I could feel it in my legs that if I fell over again, I don't think I was getting up again. I had to sit down.

Well for starters, the theatre itself was gorgeous. There was a main corridor which, when I followed around it, had several entrances to the audience seating, which in turn led down to the stage. I could see the stage clearly from any one of these entrances. As I travelled down the far end, i could hear speaking. Just quietly, barely audible. So loud, I probably would have shrugged it off as a trick of the mind, however this time, I knew better.

A glance down at the stage told me what I needed to know; Ezio was finished, and he was hovering over one man who looked dangerously close to death. I began to make my way down the stairs, trying to be quiet, though I wasn't entirely sure I was doing too well. At about half way down, I heard Ezio's blade flick out, and he uttered a few words I wasn't quite sure was Italien. It sounded latin, of all things. Requiscat en pace. It sounded like rest in peace, only jazzed up a bit.

Holding the knife in the palm of my hand, I raised my arm and aimed, knowing very well I'd miss. I tensed, and threw it, and it hit him, hilt first on the knee. I don't know what was running through his mind just then, but he looked a mix of surprised and relieved. He picked up the blade, eyes still on me, and began to walk over. My legs on the other hand, chose that moment to crumble, and I ended up on the ground.

I felt horrible, but when he picked me up, I had a fit altogether. I refused to be carried around like a damsel in distress! I am capable of standing on my own two feet, and made sure he knew it. We only made it as far as the corridor that connected the theatre to the exit, where there was more cover, and he lent me gently against the wall.

With a single glance at my neck wound, he murmured apology after apology. I couldn't hear most of it, the edges of my vision were turning dark. I don't know whether I managed to tell him or not that we had to get back, but he got the message, and we-me stumbling, with Ezio's hands just grazing my arms-departed. The guards still hadn't returned to their post by the gate, which made passage easier. The closer we got, the more and more sleep sounded incredible. And it was so, so cold.

I almost fell, and at that point I knew I may aswell not be conscious, for all the good it was doing. I didn't argue when he picked me up, my head was in the clouds. I could hear his heartbeat, loud, and uneven against my own. I was slipping; I knew I was meant to stay awake, but something told me that it'd be alright. I'd be fine. The world was getting dark, and everything was just a hum. I closed my eyes-

"Stay awake, my dear. You must stay awake." I jolted, realizing I was still in his arms, all of me in pain, my right arm almost completely down for the count. It was suddenly so bright, and we had reached a door. I knew this place. I closed my eyes for only a few moments, and when I opened them again, I could feel his arms slide out from under me. I tried to roll over, but I whimpered as my arm twinged. It was so incredibly hot in here.

For most of the night, my eyes were closed, but constantly, whenever I tried to sleep, there were hands on my forehead, or a wet cloth on my neck. At one point, there was a wretched burning, and no matter what I did, it was there, and I couldn't stop it. It felt like a lifetime before it faded. I'd completely forgotten about the gash on my arm, I just kept falling in and out of consciousness. I just wanted sleep.

When morning came, I may aswell have been in a coma. It wasn't just because I was in pain-and goddamn, how do they live without panadol?-but I was upset. I was so tired, and I'd spent my time, a year of my time, training for something I was horrible at. I was in bed, my face turned to the window. Thick, rich red curtains covered the edges, and there was only a thin golden line that told me it was day. Dust mites floated through the air. The gold... it was pretty. Maybe even beautiful.

I heard the door creak open, but I didn't bother to turn my head. I simply closed my eyes, focusing on the sound of his footsteps as they made their way around to the side of the bed. Oh god, I so badly wanted to smile. Every part of me was fighting not to smile, but just like when I was lying to my parents, I eventually grinned, and instantly hated myself for it.

I opened my eyes, and moved to sit up, my right shoulder ginger. I really just wanted to cry; spending a long time with moderated emotions really did take it's toll, and I don't know about anyone else, but sometimes it just fixes things. I really didn't want to, though. I wasn't happy that I ended up being carried back, beaten and bloody. Or maybe I just didn't like that I barely lasted ten minutes in a fight. So maybe I wasn't too sure.

"I'm sorry." he said, regarding the closed wound on my neck. That explains the burning sensation. I smiled at him weakly.

"Don't be." And then there was silence. I fiddled with my fingers, playing with a loose thread from the blanket. When I looked over at me, he was by the window, staring.

"What happens next?" I looked over at him. In his hand, he raised a small scroll, no bigger than my forearm.

Whenever I think of the Renaissance, my mind instantly snapped to Leonardo Da Vinci. He was the reason I visited the Louvre in 2008. He was the reason I adored Italy, food aside. At first meeting, I thought he was a little bit... underwhelming. But then I really got the chance to meet him. Not his reputation, but him. And he was gorgeous. I always keep in mind the smile on his face, and how he always runs to greet you as soon as you're in sight. He would have made an incredible brother in another lifetime.

It was a long ride, and I ended up sharing a horse with Ezio, so I could sleep on the way. I didn't really understand how that was possible at the time, but it was really quite similar to sleeping on an airplane, only slightly more uncomfortable. My mind travelled alot, even to Domenico at one point. I wondered if Ezio had just hired him for the night without thought or worry of what would happen after. Maybe last night with the guards didn't go so well. I didn't dwell on him too much.

I was asleep when we arrived at the gates of Florence, and waking up, I felt completely jetlagged, of all things. I could feel Ezio's breath in my ear as he woke me up, and I knew I had some serious walking off to do about these cramps. Apparently Ezio had to talk to someone after his latest kill. Of course, more secret meetings where I couldn't be involved. I was given options, and though I would have liked to come see what's kicking in the world of Ezio's-secret-meetings-he-always-disappears-for, I decided against it, and simply decided to sit and wait at the stables.

He set off pretty much immediately, though he did seem a little reluctant to leave me here on my own. Pulling down my clothed shoulder, I tried to take a look at the wound, but only succeeded in looking like a little bit of an idiot. My cut began to get annoying, and I picked at it incessantly. It occurred to me only now that we left a horse behind in San Gimignano. Oops.

I ended up sprawled across some hay, when I heard the funniest of sounds. A caravan-everyone else and I differred greatly on the meaning of caravan-began to roll out, and just like that, something snapped, horribly loudly. I could hear cursing, alot at that, but that wasn't what made me jolt upright. I looked around for the source of the noise, and found my target. I wasn't stealthy or anything, because when I was stealthy, I knew I sucked, so I pretty much just ran straight toward him.

"LEONAR DO!" I yelled, running directly into him. I gave him a hug, but he didn't seem to respond for half a second, before gladly welcoming me back. When I pulled back, he suddenly turned slightly embarrassed, and was doing the child-like thing where you stare at the ground and pretend you have nothing to say. It took me a moment to register, that he had a caravan, full of everything. But why would he be leaving? Where was there to go that was even more at centre of the Renaissance than Florence?

He smiled at me apologetically, and disappeared around the side of the caravan, leaving me to think for a moment while he did a little more cussing and swearing. I moved over and leant on the side of the caravan, studying what he was doing. There was something wrong with the wheel, that I could even see without close inspection, and Leonardo's short arm couldn't quite get to it. I almost jumped out of my skin completely when Ezio rocked up behind me.

"What seems to be the problem, Leonardo?"

"I know how to fix it, but I haven't got the strength to lift it high enough." And sure as hell, Ezio crawled down underneath the caravan, and lifted with one hand. Using the null factor law, it meant either he was really strong, or the caravan was damn light. I got curious as to which.

A few seconds passed, and I was standing on edge, just waiting for it to collapse on top of him, or for Ezio to simply buckle under the weight. And then Leonardo declared it finished, and the caravan resumed it's original stance. I was tempted to ask, but I knew we wouldn't.

But then I was instructed to climb aboard. Ezio must've known I'd go for the reins, because I'd awkwardly climbed on with only one arm, he already had them, and was pointing at the caravan itself.

"Oh hell no. If you think that there's even the slightest chance of that happening..." but his facial expression told me exactly that. I tried to make as much noise as possible as I made my way in. Inside, it was crampt and there was little room. On the other end of the cabin was a huge wooden frame, that was reminiscent of a bat; his flying machine that he used to keep in the corner of his workshop for show. It occurred to me then that I never got to see the final batman movie before I disappeared. My heart sank as I thought about it.

And we were off. I was hugely grumpy the entire first leg, only to Ezio of course. Leonardo asked me what happened to my arm, and I told him to go ask Ezio, because he'd know exactly what happened. I put alot more venom in my words than I would've liked, but Ezio was tough. He could handle it. I can't remember what I said, but suddenly Ezio was tense and Leonardo was climbing in beside me. It took me a moment to realize that it wasn't me who said anything. There were people following us, and they really did not look friendly.

Just as Leonardo went to close the hatch on the top of the caravan, we hit a hard turn, and bashed heads. When I went to look out the back of the caravan, I saw one horseman get pretty close to the edge, and then he disappeared altogether. He was on the roof.

"Ezio..." I trailed off.

"I know, bella, I know!" he said, making another sharp turn. I poked my head out, and took a look around. Surely enough, I was right about the guy on the roof, but he was damn surprised to have me there. Still, he continued on his course, struggling to make his way up the roof of the caravan as it jerked left and right. I made a good decision, and awkwardly leant over toward Ezio, my hand quickly disappearing around his waist.

"What the hell are you doing!" the caravan jolted, and I smiled at the thought of catching him by surprise.

"Don't get excited now." My smile turned smug, and I turned to face the guard again, three small blades about the length of a chapstick in my hand. Okay, I'd never tried this before, but there was no time like the present. Using my right arm, careful not to stretch the skin around my shoulder, I flicked out the first knife, and my eyes went wide. The guard's body crumpled and fell away from the wooden surface. I'd just killed someone. Oh god.