Wow. I actually have follows, faves and a review. Hehe! Thank you!
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"Uugh." A weak moan drifted out from between my lips. A loud knocking rattled my door.
"Daniela? Are you awake?" Ah yes. Bernardo was here to wake me for training, at my request. Not one of my better ideas. A week and a day of waking up sore from his strict instruction isn't making me want to get up, today. "It's past dawn. Are you well?" Impatient feet shuffle on the other side of the door.
My room is tastefully comfortable. It's decorated in pale greens and white. The floor is covered in Italian rugs of cool colours. The wall across from the window has a large portrait of an old woman dressed in an emerald coloured gown holding a bouquet of white lilies. My bed isn't large, but, it's certainly not small. Its wooden headboard has a wide shelf for personal items. Currently, it holds a few knickknacks that Pantasilea gave to me. There's a small desk with two wooden chairs next to it by the end of my bed.
"Yea yea, I hear you, Bernardo." I call out to him. "I'll be out in a few minutes." I roll myself out of bed and grope for my clothes. I shuck the long blue tank top for my white pants and hoodie vest. Stepping into and lacing my Nike Free's reminds me that I'm in need of clean socks. One final stretch and I head for the door. "Impatient much, Bernardo?" I sass at him, opening the door. A small grimace stretches across my lips as I roll my shoulders to try to relieve some of the stiffness.
"Buon giorno, only to see your beauty, Daniela." He dipped down into a respectful bow. When he was standing straight again he lost his habitual smile. "I had thought to let you rest after the day we had, yesterday, but Bartolomeo requested to see you. We can work on your target practice after lunch, if you want."
"Oh. Thank you. Yea, I don't have very good aim with thrown daggers, do I?" I laugh lightly. "I suppose I should go see what Bartolomeo wants. I'll see you after lunch. Arrivederci, Bernardo." I left to go find Bartolomeo. If I had to guess, I'd say that he is in his office. A few minutes later and I'm knocking on his office door.
"Come in, Daniela." He calls through the door.
"Buon giorno, Bartolomeo." I greet him as I open the door and step in. Ezio is there, too, standing next to Bartolomeo's seated form; his arms crossed over his chest. "Ciao, Ezio." I nod my head at Ezio. "Is something wrong, Bartolomeo?" My eyes turn back to meet Bartolomeo's dark gaze. This is a first, for me, to meet Bartolomeo in his office and find Ezio there, too.
"Ciao, Daniela, please take a seat." I warily sit in the chair closer to the door and he gives me a strained smile. "Perhaps, I am not sure. You have been in my home for over a month, now, and there is much that I do not know about you." His arms come up to rest on his desk and his hands clasp. Both he and Ezio look like they're ready for either a good argument or a fight. "I do not doubt that you are from Italia, but your accent is different." He arches an eyebrow at my suddenly tense posture.
"We do not wish to scare you away, Daniela. We only wish to know how far you are willing to go with your training." My eyes tear themselves from Bartolomeo's sturdy gaze to look, in surprise, at Pantasilea closing the door to the office. With my body twisted around towards Pantasilea, I can feel the heavy gazes of Ezio and Bartolomeo at my back. A hot trickle of sweat streams down past my left ear and down my neck.
"Why do you want to know?" I ask warily. "I want to help the people of Roma. Those guards are abusing Roma's citizens for no reason other than to stoke their own egos." My back and neck untwists so I'm looking at Ezio. His lips curve up into a half smirk. "Assassin isn't just a label the guards gave you, is it, Ezio. It's a title. One you carry with honour and something you do well at." My hands fold neatly on my lap while I shift my eyes back to Bartolomeo.
"The liberation of Roma has begun, Daniela." Ezio declares firmly. I keep my eyes locked with Bartolomo.
"This is not a decision to be made lightly." My back relaxes at Bartolomeo's words and I can feel the hard wood of the chair's back. "But, before you decide, we must know if we can trust you."
My lungs fill with a deep breath and my eyes close. Is this what I want? To be what Ezio is? I clench my folded hands together and let out the breath I held in. I don't feel haunted by the attack on my person and I truly do want to help. My head bows until my chin rests on my chest. There's more to life than black and white, I suppose. I open my eyes, look up at Ezio and speak.
"It's a bit complicated. What would you like to know first?" My voice is calm while I gaze at each of them, in turn. Pantasilea is sitting in the chair next to me; back straight and perfect poise. Bartolomeo relaxes a trifle and sits back in his chair. Ezio takes a seat on the corner of Bartolomeo's desk. I wipe a trickle of sweat from the back of my neck.
How in the hell am I going to explain the internet?
