So far she hadn't been detected and that was a good thing. Uberto was obviously a very confident man to think he could walk the streets freely without running the risk of being assassinated.
This was about to change today, Claudia promised herself. She was glad she had worn a cloak over her dress this morning as it did well to conceal the newly bought dagger in her hands. The metal felt cold and smooth in her hand. The hilt had a design of an eagle on it and when the Blacksmith had put it on the counter she had hesitated momentarily- not because she was having second thoughts of ending that Traitor's life, but because of the designed hilt. She was sure it would be expensive and out of her budget, but to her surprise the Blacksmith had taken only half of her coin pouch.
There was probably a sale going on, she thought distractedly as she watched Uberto standing by a board that advertised the opening of an Art Exhibition. Claudia crept closer. She had been a teenager when Uberto had laid his eyes on her last, so there was very little chance he would recognize her now, but she still couldn't take that risk.
She could feel the blood boiling inside her and as much as she tried to deter herself from this mission, she couldn't. Something inside of her had snapped and couldn't be mended by cowardly thoughts. Perhaps it had something to do with laying flowers on her family's grave that had brought on this decision or maybe the way Uberto had mentioned her family's name as if they and her Father's friendship had never meant anything to him.
The words 'Traditore' flashed in her mind again. The black paint had dried on their walls for ten years and had taken four hours to scrub it off completely. But in her mind, it had been forever etched.
I used to call him Uncle, she thought miserably. Her pulse raced and she watched Uberto head towards the gate of the Exhibition.
Claudia took a deep breath. There were no more thoughts in her mind; no voice telling her to back away from this. Only numbness remained, pushing her to carry on with her motives. She put her head up and walked as gracefully towards the gate.
The guards studied her for a moment, before parting and letting her pass. Claudia held her breath and tightened her grasp on the hilt of her dagger. She couldn't believe she was just let in! This lapse in security was something she could use to her advantage.
It was only when she was inside that another thought struck her. She had no plan! What did she intend to do? How would she escape? What if she was killed on the spot?
Claudia shivered when the cold wind brushed against her and she turned away. She stood next to a group of three women who were perusing a painting.
"Ah, Bellissimo!" Uberto was saying. "Da Vinci has done it again!"
"Hmmm…" The elderly man said distractedly.
"I must have him paint for me." Uberto said.
"Uberto, we still have the matter of the Pazzi's to discuss." The other man reminded him.
"There is nothing to discuss."
"Aren't you afraid that so much power will go to their heads? The man said.
"Jacopo! It's unkindly to talk of your own family like that." Uberto said, walking over to the next painting.
Jacopo made a face, but followed him quietly. "Francesco is too ambitious. He killed off the Medici family and took over the reins of Firenze. That should have been enough, but he insists on taking over Toscana."
"Let him." Uberto said. "The more lands he conquers that fatter our purses will be."
"Don't you want even a little bit of power?" Jacopo asked. "After so many years, we have still not ascended to a new title."
"It will come." Uberto said and called over the organizer to discuss the price of a painting.
"But the Pazzi's are asking for trouble. My great nephew Vieri murdered Petruccio Auditore without another thought. And now that ubriacone Mario Auditore is on our backs."
"He will meet his demise soon, just like the rest of the Auditores. They will be all gone and forgotten by everyone." Uberto handed over a money pouch and turned to him. "Now let us not upset ourselves with such trivial matters. Come; let us entertain our minds with these beautiful pieces of art."
"But…"
"Come, Jacopo. Leave the worrying to the Pazzi's and the Spaniard."
Upon hearing her Brother's name, Claudia had pushed away all her hesitations and stepped forward. With her dagger still concealed under her cloak and poised, she strode towards him. Uberto must have sensed her movement, for he turned around to grin at her.
"And how may I help you, bella donna?"
Claudia let her cloak fall from her shoulders and raised her hand. She stabbed Uberto in the chest and saw his eyes getting wide with shock. Jacopo immediately stepped away in horror.
"Remember me, Bastardo?" Claudia said through clenched teeth. She removed the dagger from his chest and stabbed him again.
"W-who are y-you?" Uberto moaned.
Claudia pulled out the dagger and stabbed him again and again. Her vision was being clouded by thick red clouds. All she could see were the faces of her family. Uberto had been the one to betray them all!
She pushed him on the ground and spat on him. "It's me! Claudia Auditore! I want everyone to know that the Auditore are not dead! I'm still here! Me! Claudia! Claudia Auditore!"
The crowd around her started to panic. Women started to scream and Jacopo finally recovered from his shock. He kept staring at Uberto lying on the ground with a pool of blood spreading beneath him. "Guards!" he cried out.
Claudia knelt beside Uberto and plunged the dagger into his heart. "Si meritano di andare all'inferno, Uncle!" She got up and spat on him again. From the corner of her eye she spotted the guards racing towards her. Claudia stared at them, suddenly realizing she still hadn't planned her exit.
Someone behind her gave her a nudge and whispered. "There's a back exit. Make a run for it!"
Claudia turned around to see a young man in a beige cap and a scarf wrapped around his neck. He wore a green shirt and short pants. She had seen men like him before- in Monteriggioni. "You're a thief?"
"Run!" he said and nudged her towards the exit. Claudia didn't need to be told again. She picked up her skirts and ran as fast as she could. She looked over her shoulder to see the thief knocking over one of the guards. The thief then took out his dagger and in the next instant, another thief joined him.
Claudia kept on running until her lungs burned. She stopped only when she saw the door to her house. She turned around and saw no one behind her. She burst through the door and slammed it shut behind her.
She leaned against the door and heaved for breath. She had done it! She had killed that traitor! Claudia rested her head on the door and closed her eyes. Her mind was at peace and she felt lighter.
Suddenly she heard the sound of glass shattering on the floor. She opened her eyes to see her Mother with her hands on her mouth and moaning.
"Mother!" Claudia said and came towards her.
Her Mother started to weep and shook her head. She kept looking down and when Claudia followed her gaze she saw why her Mother seemed so upset. There were large stains of blood on her dress- right from the bodice to the hem of her skirt.
Claudia muffled her own scream and put her hand on her Mother's shoulder. "It's not mine!"
Her Mother started to sob loudly. "It's not mine! It's not mine!" Claudia kept saying. She stared at her hands and saw them covered with blood too. "I'm fine Madre."
Her Mother gathered her in her arms and wailed. "I cannot take it if anything happens to you!"
Claudia gasped. Her Mother had spoken! Had she heard right? Had her Mother finally said something?
"Don't leave me!" Her Mother was crying. "I will not be able to bear it if you are taken away from me!"
Claudia pulled away from her embrace and found that she was crying too. She blinked away her tears and managed a smile. "I won't! I promise!" She hugged her Mother tight.
They stood embracing each other for a few minutes when her Mother pulled back. "Where did all this blood come from?"
Claudia started to wipe her face when she saw blood splatters on the sleeve of her dress. "I…I killed him."
"Killed whom, piccina?" Her Mother asked. She could see the fear etched on her face and Claudia realized of what the repercussions of her actions could be. They would come after her now. Jacopo would tell his superiors and come after her and her Mother.
"Whose blood is it?" Her Mother asked.
"Uberto Alberti's." she said. "I don't know what came over me. I saw him in the Mercato and he was talking about us and I remembered the betrayal and I couldn't stop myself." The words were pouring out of her mouth and she couldn't stop herself. "I bought a dagger, followed him to an Art Exhibition and plunged it into his heart. I kept stabbing him all the while remembering Father and Federico and Ezio and Petruccio…."
Her Mother took her firmly by the shoulders. "Claudia! Enough!"
"I killed him!" Claudia told her dumbly. "And now they'll come for us!"
"Possibly!" a man's voice said from behind them.
Claudia turned to see her Uncle enter the door followed by the cloaked man who had given her the blood-stained money bag in Monteriggioni.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Admiring your handiwork." The cloaked man said.
"Mario, what are you doing here?" Her Mother asked.
Uncle Mario walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek. "You have finally spoken, Maria."
"You haven't answered my question." Claudia said stubbornly.
"I was coming here to ask for forgiveness nipote." He replied.
"Petruccio is dead because you couldn't take care of him!"
"Correction." The cloaked man interrupted. "He died by Vieri di Pazzi's blade."
Claudia scowled at him and crossed her arms. Uncle Mario put his hand over her head. "I can only hope you will forgive me one day. But I will not press you."
"Si, we have more important things to discuss now." The cloaked man said. "Like a certain murdered gentleman."
"He deserved to die!" Claudia said.
"He did." Her Uncle agreed.
"A good job too. Although it lacked a bit of…finesse." The cloaked man said.
"With a little bit of training…" Uncle Mario said and then stopped when he saw her glare. He raised his hand. "Alright. But at least allow me to help you."
"I don't need any help!"
"Not even with the horde of guards heading towards you?" The cloaked man said.
Claudia gasped and looked at her Mother. "I will not allow them to hurt my Mother."
"Then let me help." Uncle Mario said.
Claudia bit her lip and then sighed. "Bene. But just this once!"