Ike watched, amusement on his face under his hood as a group of five courtesans approached the guards at the main bridge, their chests practically falling out of their low dresses as they approached with wine. "Hello there handsome," one cooed, her blonde hair shining in the lantern light as she stepped up to one, "could you and your handsome friends perhaps help me and my lovely friends?"

"How may we be of service?" the guard asked, eyes flicking down her body.

"Do all men think with their cocks?" Sheik asked and Ike gave her a grin.

"These ones do... Which works for us, I'd rather not swim over."

"There's still three guards at the main door," Sheik pointed out as the guards started to walk off with the courtesans.

"Are you suggesting we can't take out three men silently?" he asked as he drew two throwing knives.

"I bet I can hit two of them halfway down the bridge," Sheik taunted and Ike shook his head, waiting for the guards to be out of sight before they moved forward. Ike stumbled, feigning being drunk, Sheik laughing at his side loudly.

"Halt!" the men at the door barked in unison and Ike swayed as he stopped. "Turn around now unless you wish to spend the night locked up in the bowels of the prison."

"Well," Ike called, letting his words slur, "we wouldn't want that..." He launched a knife, Sheik mirroring him with two of her own. The guards fell, hands uselessly going to their now pierced throats.

"Pathetic," Sheik sighed and Ike stepped forward. The walls were rough, handholds visible even in the low light. "Up we go?"

"Unless you feel like knocking," he taunted and she leapt up the wall, scampering up quickly. Ike followed behind her, ready for anything, his mind only on finding Zelda.

XxX

The guards walking near the edge of the wall proved to be no challenge to the climbing assassins, one fell over the side after a knife to the leg from Sheik, the other took a knife to the throat as Ike stalked up behind him. "Where do you think she is?" Sheik asked as she pulled another knife from her belt.

"In a cell by herself, Cesare wouldn't put her with the others," Ike said firmly, knowing that even in their current state as enemies the young Borgia wouldn't be so bold as to leave his woman to the mercy of the disgusting men locked away. Sheik nodded, trusting his judgment and together they hopped through a window, senses on high alert for roaming guards and wayward inmates. "Kill anyone that gets in your way," Ike whispered as he pointed down one hallway. He received a silent nod in response before Sheik took off, her feet silent on the stones beneath her. Ike went the other way, looking for a stairwell leading down.

XxX

Zelda shivered in the darkness, feeling the cold throughout her entire body as she sat there. The patrolling guards carried a torch as they passed, the light momentarily blinding her. She focused through the urge to shut her weakened eyes, seeing her tiny cell and noticing the foolish decision on Cesare's part to not bind her. She stood up, the world swaying as she stumbled to the door of her cell. Zelda may have been the daughter of a rich man, but she wasn't some weak damsel, she could and would fight her way out of this.

"Guard please," she called out weakly, "a glass of water I beg of you." The torch came back and hovered before her face, the angry eyes of the guard glaring at her through the metal bars.

"Fine," he sighed and moved off, the sound of water being poured into a cup following in the darkness. Zelda stepped back from the bars, trying to think of the best way to disarm and incapacitate him. A moment later he appeared, unlocking her door and stepping into the small space. "Don't know why Cesare insists on you being locked up... You could entertain me while your-" Zelda lunged forward and lashed out with her foot, catching the guard in his groin. He doubled over and she grabbed the clay cup from his fingers, bashing it into his face. The cup shattered, slicing her hand as the guard collapsed.

"Consider yourself entertained," she spat as she grabbed his sword and the keyring from his limp form. She stepped out of her cell and locked the door, holding the sword at the ready. "Find a way out," she said to herself, her eyes roaming over the other cell doors lining the corridor. Two options lay before her, go left or right. After deliberating for a moment, she chose to go left, her feet silently slapping the stones as she moved.

XxX

Ike hated prisons. He had had the misfortune of being locked up once in his life. A scuffle gone wrong had led to him fighting off much bigger men than himself for food and water for a week before Cesare had come in, dressed in his church clothes. Cesare had bargained for his freedom, Ike did a less than moral job, and since then had tried to avoid the Borgias and their schemes.

Ike moved through the darkened halls like a shadow, his blade ready to sink into any unsuspecting guards. "Ike," Cesare's voice made him whirl. There the son of the most unholy man to take the papal throne stood, his own sword in his hand.

"Surely you aren't this foolish friend," Ike said. "Give me the girl and you live."

"I expected you to come, but alone?" Cesare tsked and stepped forward.

"I'm hardly alone," Ike said, watching Cesare tense at his words. "Give me the girl, tell your precious father some tale of the guards running off with her, that's completely out of your hands."

"I'm sorry Ike, but we both know I can't-"

"How's Juan?" Ike asked. "Still frequenting that opium den? And Lucrezia... Does she still walk around the gardens without an escort in the afternoons?"

"Not Lucrezia," Cesare almost whined and Ike moved forward.

"Give me Zelda or even your precious little brother Gioffre won't be safe in his bed. Now my friend, shall we discuss your mother or-"

"Ike," Cesare's voice was begging, "she's just one girl... A man such as yourself surely has others-"

"I," Ike got in his face, "want only her, as odd as that may be for you to understand." He glared into his eyes, the blue scouring the brown, finding the fear Ike wanted. "Where is she? Tell me know and I'll let you pick which one of your beloved family members dies at the hand of one of my people."

"She's in the bowels, locked in a cell by herself."

"Take me there, now."

"Juan," Cesare whispered the name and Ike nodded once. "Make it quick friend?"

"I know just the woman," he said and Cesare smirked despite the fact that they were discussing the murder of his brother.

"Sheik then?"

"Who else friend?"

XxX

Zelda froze on the steps, brandishing her ill gotten sword at the form of Cesare Borgia. "It seems you've taught her some bad habits friend." Zelda tensed, preparing to run.

"No," Ike stepped into view behind Cesare and Zelda felt her heart leap, "this is all her."

"Ike," she barely breathed his name as he came down the steps. He stepped up to her, kissing her swiftly.

"Let's get you out of here," he said and she nodded, taking his free hand with hers. "Lead the way Cesare."

XxX

Sheik stood, a smile on her lips as she watched Juan from the shadows. He stumbled out of the opium den, moving through the streets unaware of the woman trailing him. He made it to a small bridge, leaning over the side with a low moan.

"How the mighty have fallen," Sheik called out and he whirled, stumbling a little in his current state.

"Who're you?" he drawled out.

"You don't recognize me Juan?" she cooed as she stepped up to him, pulling down her mask. His eyes narrowed, his sluggish brain trying to place her face.

"You're-"

"Sheik," she spat out, drawing a dagger. "You might remember my sister, had she not died on your orders when you found out she carried your child..." she moved faster than Juan's brain could process. She jabbed her knife into his stomach, twisting it slowly. "I've waited years for this Juan... It's far more than you deserve," she snarled out of her gritted teeth as she shoved him over the side, his body splashing in the icy water below. "Burn in hell you bastard," she said as she sheathed the still bloody knife.

XXX

The much awaited (in my mind) next chapter! Tada! Anyway, thanks for reading and to my reviewers last chapter (CowTits the Udderly Glorious and concisponci) thank you. You make my day. Let me know what you think. Much love, Leigh