Author's Note: For Davenportee. Hope you like it :)

Monteriggioni, 1500

Claudia sat in her bedroom, looking out the window at the moonless sky. Tomorrow was her birthday and instead of being filled with excitement and happiness, she was overwhelmed with gloom and depression. All she could think of was her last birthday when Gina had been there with her.

Claudia had long given up celebrating her birthdays, but when she had become friends with Gina, her friend had brought back the cheer in her birthday. Now she was gone and left a big hole in her heart.

Along with the memory of Gina, came fresh pain as she remembered another person she had lost last year. She had met Cesare a year ago and his companionship was something else she missed. She still remembered the day she had asked him pointedly who he really was.

Cesare had looked hurt and then angry. He had told her that if she didn't trust him now, she would never trust him. Claudia had wanted to ask him so many questions about why his friend had attacked her and why was he implying that she knew nothing about Cesare, but all those questions were buried the minute he told her they shouldn't be together.

Then when she could feel her heart breaking into pieces, he had suddenly grabbed her and punished her with a kiss so intense that she still shuddered from the memory. Then he had pushed her away and walked away.

A whole year had passed and she had not heard a single word from him. She waited for his letters and expected him to wait for her by the gates and explain everything. But he never came and each day the pain in her heart would increase.

A tap on the door, made her push away her thoughts and wipe away the single tear that had escaped her eyes.

"Madre?" She said, turning around. "Why aren't you asleep?"

Her mother walked in, dressed in a lavender nightgown and her hair loose. The grey streaks in her hair made her look graceful rather than old and the lines on her face somehow made her look more distinguished. Claudia absently wondered if she would look as elegant when she reached her mother's age.

"It's your birthday tomorrow." Her mother said and sat down beside her on the bench. "Every year, I would see you waiting expectantly for it."

Not this year, she wanted to tell her mother.

"But for months I've seen you looking despondent and distant. What's the matter Claudia? Are you not looking forward to your birthday?" Her mother asked and stroked Claudia's head lovingly.

"What's the point?" Claudia said. "Ezio was supposed to arrive and I just received a message that he had to stop on the way and spend the night in an inn. What if he doesn't make it tomorrow? He was supposed to spend this birthday with me."

"That's not why you're really upset, are you?" Her mother said.

Claudia averted her eyes and looked out the window at the city below her. Preparations were going on for a party she was going to hold for Ezio. It was supposed to be a welcome back home party along with a celebration of her birthday. Now all she could think was to run away so that she wouldn't have to spend another occasion in loneliness.

"I was thinking about Gina." Claudia said and entwined her fingers. "I miss her."

Her mother hugged her. "Oh Claudia! That was such an unfortunate incident. It's terrible that the killer was never found, but you must learn to move on from that terrible tragedy."

"I'm trying." Claudia said, trying hard to control her tears. She wanted to tell her mother about the real reason her heart was broken. She wanted to tell her about Cesare, but what could she possibly tell her? What did she know about Cesare?

How could she tell her mother that despite not knowing much about him, she had fallen deeply in love with him and it was killing her to never see him again?

"I'm sorry you had to go through so much grief, Claudia." Her mother said, kissing the top of her head. "Someday you'll get all the happiness you deserve. I pray tomorrow be that day for you."

Claudia took her mother's hand and smiled. "I hope so too."

Her mother kissed her cheek and then got up. "Now get some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day for you."

Claudia smiled at her mother's enthusiasm, but as soon as she left and closed the door behind her, she turned back to look at the window with a frown on her face. She closed her eyes and saw Cesare's face and the pain returned in full force. She opened her eyes and wiped away her tears.

"I have to stop doing this to myself." She said aloud. "I can't keep crying over him." Claudia stood and made her way to her bed. It would be better if she got some sleep. Tomorrow she would have to put on a mask of happiness to please everyone and pretend to be excited.

She started blowing out the candles when she heard a thud behind her. Her heart stilled as she heard the creak of her window. Then there were footsteps and the fear inside her intensified. Someone was in her room!

She opened the drawers quickly to look for something sharp and found a pair of scissors. She was about to pick it up when a hand closed over hers and she found herself being turned around. Another hand clamped over her mouth and her scream for help was muffled.

Dark eyes penetrated into hers and she felt her breath leave her when she saw who it was.

Cesare!

"Nice to see you again, Claudia." He said in a low growl.

Claudia raised her free hand to push him, but he dragged her and pushed her against the wall, trapping her. "Now, don't you scream." He said.

Claudia tried to wriggle her hands away from him, but he was too strong.

"Don't!" he said. "I'm going to remove my hand from your mouth. Don't scream!"

Claudia glared at him, but when he removed his hand, she didn't scream. "What are you doing here?" she asked, feeling her heart beat faster.

"I missed you, so I came to see you." Cesare replied, still not moving away. He took both her wrists and pinned them on her side. "It's been too long."

"Let go of me!" Claudia said through gritted teeth. She kept her voice low so that her mother wouldn't hear her in the adjoining room. Her heart told her that wasn't why she was talking in low tones; she didn't want anyone to come into her room and take Cesare away.

Cesare smirked. "Is that what you really want?" He was mocking her, Claudia realized. He didn't love her and he was just toying with her emotions. He didn't really come here because he missed her. He was here to play with her heart.

"Si!" Claudia said boldly. "Now let me go and leave my room this very instant or I shall call for the mercenaries!"

Cesare gave a low laugh and pushed himself against her. She could smell his scent- leather, smoke and musk. Her senses were being overloaded by being too near him and all she found herself imagining was putting her arms around his neck and kissing him.

Cesare seemed to read her thoughts, because the next thing he did was exactly that.

When his lips made contact with hers, they were rough and unforgiving. His hands left her wrists and grabbed her face, crushing her against him. Claudia couldn't breathe and couldn't move. His teeth bit down on her bottom lip and she let out a cry.

When he finally released her, she could taste blood. Claudia put one finger on the cut and felt a scream lodge in her throat.

"You bastard!" she managed to say.

Cesare used his thumb to wipe at her lip. "It's just a little blood."

Claudia raised her hand and slapped him hard. "Get out!"

Cesare wiped his thumb on his red coat. "Not yet." He said, casually and looked around her room. "Your room isn't very well decorated. Do you actually read those many books?"

Claudia clenched her hands. "What are you doing here Cesare? You were the one who walked away and said we couldn't be together."

Cesare looked thoughtful and nodded, the smirk never leaving his face. "I did say that."

"Then why are you here? What do you want from me?" Claudia asked, reminding herself to talk softly so that her mother wouldn't hear. Or any of the servants for that matter.

Cesare raised an eyebrow and his eyes held a predatory gleam. This wasn't the Cesare she had met a year ago. There was nothing kind in his features. He looked ruthless in his red coat and black breeches. There was a sword hanging from his belt and he bore the grace of a noble.

He wasn't a blacksmith, she thought to her horror. Cesare didn't look like he had ever labored at a workshop.

"You know what I want from you Claudia?" he asked, touching her hair. "I want you."

"What do you mean?"

He touched her cheek lightly with the back of his fingers and she shivered. "But the timing is all wrong. In the interim, there is some advice I wish to give you."

Claudia narrowed her gaze. Why was he talking in riddles?

"I want you to leave Monteriggioni tonight. Pack your belongings, your books…whatever matters to you. Take your mother with you and leave immediately."

Claudia put her arms around her. Cesare looked so cold and menacing; she wondered how she had ever fallen in love with him. Regardless of his words, all she could think of was how happy she was to see him. What was wrong with her?

"Did you hear me?" Cesare asked in a condescending tone.

"I'm not leaving." She said. "There is no reason for me to. Why are you telling me to leave?"

"That I cannot say." Cesare said. "It would be better if you do as I say."

"I'm not your servant!" Claudia cried and then tried to swallow her burning rage. "Just tell me exactly why I should leave. What's going on, Cesare? Who are you?"

"Who am I?" Cesare asked. "That troublesome question again."

"Why don't you just answer it?" Claudia said. "Surely you're not embarrassed of your identity are you?"

Cesare reacted with an enraged look that made her feel queasy. Her stomach clenched with fear when he moved toward her. Then he stopped himself and she could see he was trying to control his anger. She had touched a nerve…

"You'll know soon enough who I am." Cesare said, ominously. Then his face softened and she saw a glimmer of the person she had first met, who had been charming and thoughtful. "Just trust me this once, Claudia. Leave Monteriggioni tonight."

"Tell me why?" Claudia said. "I'll do exactly what you say if you tell me why."

Cesare grabbed her shoulders and shook her in frustration. "I can't!"

"Why?" Claudia asked, tears springing to her eyes. "Please…tell me."

Cesare put his hands on the side of her face. "You won't like the answer. I just want you to know that I have to do something because it's being asked out of me. I'm expected to react this way. I want you to know that I would never intentionally hurt you."

"You're scaring me." Claudia said, putting her hands over his.

"I wish things weren't the way they are." Cesare said. "It has to be done. I want you to know that I regret it."

"I don't understand." Claudia cried in frustration. "Tell me what you're talking about. What are you going to do?"

Cesare took her in his arms and hugged her and she could feel him trembling. But when he moved away, he had composed himself and she wondered if she had imagined it all.

Cesare opened his mouth and she saw the fear in his eyes. Then without another word, he walked over to the window and put his leg over the ledge.

"You're leaving?" she asked. "Cesare, tell me what's going on?"

Cesare jumped down and landed on a hedge. He looked up, the fear still in his eyes. It seemed as if he was trying to tell her something, but didn't dare to.

Claudia looked down at him, wanting to scream at him and then cry her heart out. She wanted to jump down herself and make him stay and say what he had come to say but couldn't.

But before she could move, he was climbing the ramparts and grabbing a rope. Then he was gone and Claudia was looking at the space where he had been and feeling her heart ache terribly. She slumped to the floor and after a few minutes of numbness, collapsed into sobs.