I'M BACK FROM MY LIKE THREE WEEKS TRIP I KNOW YOU ALL HATE ME SO I SUCK SORRY. -McKenna

Paola's Brothel

Firenze, 1476

"Ezio! Audra…were you successful?" Paola asked as Ezio bustled in, the three girls in tow.

"Si." Ezio replied curtly. Seemingly satisfied, Paola smiled and turned towards the stair case. She clapped her hands, when Ezio heard the pitter-patter of feet hitting the stairs in a shuffle towards the room. "Madre?" Ezio embraced his mother as Claudia began blabbering on about her mother's current status.

Claudia suddenly became very curious. "Where is father…and Federico, and Petruccio?" Ezio and Audra both closed their eyes in remorse.

"Something's…happened." Ezio said gently to Claudia. Her face was a mask of confusion, soon to turn to panic.

"What do you mean?" Claudia began to feel tears well up in her eyes, and began backing away slowly. "No…it's impossible!"

"Claudia…" Ezio begged, his voice filled with agony.

"No, no, no, no, no." Claudia muttered to herself, turning away as tears began to fall. Audra and Bella moved to the girl silently, heads bent.

"I did everything I could, piccolo." Ezio said comfortingly, placing a gentle hand on her back. Audra hugged Claudia to her, feeling the girl's body wrack with sobs. Audra looked pained as she felt the sadness flood back to her of her own parent's deaths.

Ezio moved in to hug his sister, letting Audra tend to her own sisters tears. "Listen, what matters right now is getting us all somewhere safe. But to do that, I need you to stay focused. Do you understand?" Claudia took three deep breaths before nodding her head briefly. "Good. Will you watch over mother for me?" Another nod from Claudia, and Ezio turned away from her. Claudia took up her mother's arm, and moved her away from the group.

"Then we are ready. Thank you again, for everything." Ezio said to Paola, who returned the gesture with a quick kiss on his cheek. Audra's cheeks flamed, embarrassingly enough.

"Stay safe, Ezio. Stay vigilant. I suspect the road ahead is yet long."

Ezio, Audra, and Bella took up the task of escorting Maria and Claudia out of Florence now that Ezio wasn't publicly known. As they walked the streets, Ezio led, Bella stayed with Maria and Claudia, while Audra trailed behind the crowd, making sure no one followed. Once they reached the gate to the city, they were a little less than surprised to see guards all aligned, guarding the only exit.

Ezio looked around until he had an idea. Cruising over to a group of Courtesans, he charmingly asked them for a favor. He asked them to make a distraction for the guards so that his party could slip out easily. More than willing to do the task, the girls eyed Ezio with lust as they went on to it.

Once the guards were preoccupied with the distraction, Ezio quickly led Maria, Claudia, Audra, and Bella outside Florence. With one sorry look back, Audra decided it was for the better. There was nothing there for her anymore. No parents, no home. She looked forward, watching Ezio as he held out his hand to Maria to help her step over obstacles. It was time for a change, anyway, she thought optimistically to herself.

As Ezio guided everyone to Monteriggioni, Claudia wondered aloud, for everyone to hear.

"How could this have happened to us?"

"I don't know." Ezio answered, his tone of voice rather frustrated.

"Will we ever be back?"

"I don't know."

"What will happen to our house?"

Audra snorted ironically. "Probably be overturned like ours." Sensing that her statement was a little insensitive, offered Claudia a sorrowful smile.

"Were they…were they given a proper burial?"

Ezio gulped. "Yes, they were."

After walking down a pathway for a while longer, Ezio could finally see Monteriggioni. "We should be close." He alerted the group.

"Grazie a Dio." Claudia said, wiping her hand dramatically against her forehead. Audra suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, and waited patiently for Ezio to begin walking again. Audra glanced over at Bella, who held an amused smirk on her face. Both girls began to giggle quietly to themselves when they head a familiar voice.

"Buon Giorno, Ezio!" Vieri de Pazzi greeted them as he walked out of the brush on the side of the road. Audra scowled, and demanded quietly that Maria and Claudia get behind her and Bella. "How could you leave Firenze without saying a proper goodbye?" Vieri asked as guards began to surround the area. Audra's eyes widened. Did Ezio have a sword on him?

"Ezio!" Claudia called as guards began to come near them. Audra pushed Claudia and Maria towards Ezio, and grabbed Bella's wrist protectively, growling under her breath.

"What do you want, Vieri?" Ezio demanded, tiredly.

"So many things," Vieri drew out, letting his eyes glaze over Audra's with a devilish grin. "A larger palazzo, two new steeds, a prettier bride," Vieri winked at Audra. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and stared at him with passionate distaste. "Oh! And yes, your life!" He declared, pulling out a sword in one swift motion. Audra drew a deep breath as she felt guards closing in on the girls.

"My condolences for the loss of your father and brothers!" Vieri called as his guards began attacking Ezio. Audra defended Maria and Claudia as best she could. One guard's sword came to close, and sliced her palm. She cried out in pain, which distracted Ezio for a moment.

"Who will help you now? I have so many wonderful things in store for your mother and sister! And especially your 'little Audra'." Vieri called to Ezio, as he killed off guards one by one with his blade. Audra felt sick at the Vieri's mention of Ezio's pet name for her. It felt loving and friendly when Ezio used it, but when Vieri used it, it was perverted, and nothing more.

"I grow tired of this game! Finish him, and do not spare the women!" As guards charged forward, arrows whizzed into the field, puncturing three or four guards. "What sorcery is this?" Vieri demanded, his gaze flickering back and forth from Ezio to the opposite side of the road.

"Not sorcery, boy, skill!" A man called, as him and his men immerged from the brush on the right hand side of the road. The man had long, black hair, and scars running up and down his face.

"Kill them! Kill them all!" Vieri shouted, as the mysterious man charged him. Vieri, frightened, ran away from the fighting, leaving Ezio and the men to battle the rest of the guards.

"Here! Use this!" The man shouted to Ezio, thrusting him a sword. Audra shuffled Maria, Claudia, and Bella to the other side of the road, and waited out the fighting. Once the fighting expired. Ezio approached the man, with Audra on his flank.

"You have my thanks." Ezio said, holding out the sword for him.

"Keep the sword, Ezio." The man replied, his gaze moving to Audra, and back to Ezio.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Ezio asked, confused about how the stranger knew his name.

"Don't you recognize me?" The man laughed, nearly stunned. "It's a-me! Mario!"

"Uncle Mario." Ezio muttered to himself. Mario embraced a stupefied Ezio, while Audra giggled at the scene.

"It's been too long, nipote! Too long!" Mario placed a hand on Ezio's shoulder. "I heard what happened in Firenze…terrible. Come, let's get you all away from here." Mario said, ushering Ezio and the ladies into Monterigionni, happy to have family around. "And, do not think I do not remember the Paravicini girls just as well!" Mario shouted as he gathered Bella and Audra into hugs. "Last time I saw you, little Audra, well, Ezio still called you that! He was chasing you around." Mario winked at Ezio, to his horror.

Mario showed everyone around and into the villa. Maria and Claudia immediately went to their rooms, tired from the days events. Bella followed suit, while Audra hung around, listening to Mario and Ezio argue about the groups next few steps. Mario left, to go ponder what to do next with Ezio.

"Would you like me to join you to the market, Ezio?" Audra asked, rather timidly. Although her and Ezio had been life long friends, she felt that connections go slightly awry lately. She sighed, waiting for Ezio's answer. She was surprised to see him smile gently at her under his white hood.

"I'd love some company, little Audra." Audra cringed at the use of the nick name, but followed Ezio down the stair case and into the market silently. Once they reached the blacksmith, Ezio purchased new leather grieves, and a small dagger.

Audra walked contently at Ezio's side as they made their way back to the villa. Ezio glanced at Audra, smiling at the fact that her beauty wasn't hindered by the fight at the side of the road. He glanced down to her small hands and-

"Audra! What happened to your hand?" Ezio shouted at her, causing her to jump. He grabbed the injured hand and inspected it. "This needs to be tended too. Dressed properly." Ezio said, sweeping Audra up into his arms and carrying her quickly into the villa. She protested, but all to no avail. Ezio was a stubborn ass, after all.

Once they reached the villa, Ezio had a maid of the villa tend to Audra's hand while he talked with Uncle Mario. Audra rolled her eyes as Ezio made a dramatic scene about her hand, but he was only concerned about her. He saw to it that she had someone dress the wound immediately, and that she was aware that he would make it up to her. She grinned like a fool, knowing that Ezio cared much about her.

Ezio walked into his Uncles office, feeling a bit better now that he had a moment to clear his mind with Audra. "Salute, Uncle. I did what you asked."

"And quickly, too. Ben fatto! Now, let's teach you how to fight." Mario jumped into his teachings quickly, giving Ezio a head rush.

"No! As I said, we are leaving."

"Ezio!" Mario shouted, frustrated. "You barely held your own against Vieri! You won't survive a week on the road. If you want to leave-so be it. But at least do so with the skills and knowledge necessary to defend yourself!" Mario begged of his nephew, who reconsidered. Audra did need time to heal, and wouldn't hurt to learn a bit in that time…

"If not for me, then your mother and sister…or perhaps…" Mario paused, and lowered his voice. "Audra. I noticed she was injured in the fight earlier?" Ezio mashed his lips together, ashamed.

"Fine!" Ezio shouted, giving into his uncle's nagging.

"Ottimo!"