AN: TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY! :D
Twit Shit: twitter(dot)com(slash)alexosaurus
He was the early riser, he couldn't help it; he was a man that felt that if you rose early, more can be accomplished by the time the moon rose into the sky. He grew up in a family where you rose before the sun was up, and went to bed long after the sun set. It was a habit that was ingrained within him, as was the anger that was slowly boiling in his blood.
He was a man who didn't try to raise his voice to those who he knew he needed, and right now, he knew he needed Seeley and Temperance. They were valuable assets to their operation, but it seems that their infatuation seemed to be preoccupying them more than the jobs they needed to perform.
So as the sun began to rise, he waited. He sipped his wine, and ate his breakfast as he focused his gaze on the door to the hideout. He stalked through the clearing, and read through the multiple letters that were sent to him, before he heard that dreaded door open, and saw the two of them try and 'sneak' into the barracks.
"Seeley, I hope you aren't stupid enough to think that you can sneak past another assassin, in a house full of assassins," Machiavelli muttered, tightening his hand around the papers in his grasp, as the two of them jumped and turned to face him.
"I didn't plan on it, but hopes can get the best of a man's logic."
"Yes, well hopes will not help you here," the philosopher growled. "I understand you both are used to working on your own, but this time you need to know that there are insights you must take as orders. Mine, to be more specific. You are here to work WITH me...and I don't want to make it so that you are working for me. I can't risk you two losing sleep because you stay out all night long doing lord knows what. I don't need you instigating the guards, and I don't need you making scenes...you are here right now to gain information for both your uncle," he stated, pointing to Seeley. "And La Volpe," he finished, his finger turning towards Temperance. "I don't care what your social bindings might be-"
"Oh no," Temperance laughed. "No, it's not like that Machiavelli. We aren't-"
"I don't care," he stated again. "All I know is that there will be changes. Starting right now."
The angered assassin thrust a piece of paper into Seeley's hand, and braced them with a steely glare, until they looked down at the map.
"I was given this by one of my contacts," Machiavelli stated. "Roma is too big for one man's eye to see, and the Borgia cover our eyes of certain places that we cannot access just yet. I need you both to split up, and go to the marked places on that map. He marked them because they are important, but it was too dangerous for him to divulge all of that information to me. Pretend you are sight seeing...and use your ears. I want the information that you have found by dinner tonight. Understood?"
"Yes brother," Seeley grumbled, rolling his neck as he watched the fellow assassin stalk towards the libraries hidden in the back of the hideout. His shimmering brown eyes turned towards Temperance, and she looked at him with a slightly amused glint in her eyes.
"I told you he can't be harsh with me," she laughed, running her way up the stairs and towards the barracks, so she could change out of the clothes she had fallen asleep in.
"We only have to be here for a couple more days I'm sure," he explained. "Once the faction buildings are rebuilt, we will let them search for the information. Once we are needed again, we will be called back to Roma...but who knows when that will be."
The thought, though meant to be reassuring, brought a soft pang to her chest, and she turned around to face him with wide, and slightly hurt eyes. "Where will you go?" she asked softly. "Will you return to the villa?"
"Yes...oh," he whispered, noticing that soft mask of hurt on her face. "You...your leg is well. There is no need to drag you back to Monteriggioni . You will return to Venezia."
"And who knows when we will be called back..." she repeated, brushing her hair from her face as she glanced down at her bags. "I would offer you to come to Venezia with me...but your uncle will need your help. Your mission is much more complicated than mine. I'm simply an asset to further your attempts to war against the Borgia. And I've been away from La Volpe for so long...I doubt if I'll have the heart to come with you to Monteriggioni."
"Well...you'll have to be kept in the loop," he explained, smiling softly. "Once I return to Monteriggioni and fill my uncle in with all the information...I bet I'll be sent to retrieve you from Venezia. I'm sure La Volpe won't mind me borrowing you for just a couple days."
"Hopefully not," she smiled, moving towards the back of the room so she could change her clothes. "But I will look forward to that conversation."
Seeley laughed and washed his face, before he changed out of the clothes that were under his uniform. As his fingers worked the buttons up his shirt, he smiled as he caught the flash of skin that the fashionable white top offered of her arms. "Are you ready?" he asked, as he replaced his armor, and smoothed out the brilliant white fabric of his uniform.
"Are we splitting up?" she asked; zipping up her boots and adjusting the tie that rested at her shoulder. She smiled when he grasped her wrist, and passed his fingers over the small cuff of fabric that fell away to the opening of her sleeve that, rebelliously, offered a view of her skin.
"Of course not," he laughed, sliding his touch down to her wrist once again, until his fingers locked with her own, and he led her from the hideout, with their map tucked tight to his side.
~*~*B+B*~*~
"Good lord," she whispered, as they kept their backs pressed against the walls of the alley to keep from alerting the plethora of guards that circled the group of cardinals that walked on and off the glorious marble bridge. "So that...that is-"
"Il Vaticano," he mused. "The Vatican. Guarded head to toe with guards, and infested with cardinals dressed in red outfits that can be seen from the highest point in the sky."
"Yeah," she chuckled. "What is that building over there?" she asked, pointing to the large, circular, castle like structure, that flew a magnificent red flag behind a large angel that was settled on the top. "Is that the Castillo?"
"Yes, the Castel Sant'Angelo," he explained. "That...is the Borgia Family Mansion as of right now. Rodrigo and his children sit high on their thrones in that building. The only way to get in there is scaling the walls, and taking down a good thirty guards before you find a window you can climb into."
"That place looks like hell to scale," she muttered. "It looks as if you would have to constantly inch around the whole building until you found a place you could rest safely."
"It probably is. Even though whoever built that building probably didn't think about assassins and thieves climbing the walls, I'm sure they made it hell. It's supposed to look as smooth as possible...as if it's impenetrable."
"Well the heavily armored soldiers, and the guys with the really long, pointy spears just add to the effect," Temperance grumbled, pressing her back tighter against the alley when a group of soldiers passed the small space. "We need a floor plan of that building. If we don't...when it comes to having to get in there, we'll be screwed to high heaven."
"I know about some of it, but I can't tell you the whole floor plan. That door right there," he said, pointing to an opened door at the far end of the wall that hugged an archway that led to a Vatican plaza. "That door leads into a courtyard type thing, that leads into the grounds around the Castillo. Small buildings line the walls, along with a few stables here and there, but there is no way you can move in those areas without being seen. There are window ledges that can be accessed by the height of the walls around the Castillo, but formally, the front door is just at the side of the building; encircled with fencing that can't be climbed. Inside, it's a labyrinth of circular staircases that will lead you up into the gardens, the apartments, or the library. Then there is a dungeon like prison that sits below the higher section of the building, but that's just what I've read in books, I've never been inside, and obviously without any sort of floor plan...we'll have some trouble."
"Oh yes," she whispered. "Mostly, a Castillo is built to keep people out, and if people get inside, to keep them confused. They are lined with secret entrances and easy ways to escape for those who know where they're going. Do you think Machiavelli's contact will be able to help us? This is a high stakes place...even for the guards."
"I have no idea," Seeley muttered. "But we better get going, I think that guard over there caught a glimpse of us."
"Shit," Temperance laughed, ducking into the tight spaces between the houses, until they found themselves in an open, and less hostile part of Rome. "Where is it we have to go now?"
"I'm not sure...but, it's far away. Here," he said, motioning her towards a nearby stable, and offering his hand to help her up.
"I can get up by myself," she laughed, holding onto the horn of the saddle, and taking his hand though she had no real need for it.
"Yes, but I'm chivalrous. You get used to that, and I'll get used to you being right."
"Fair enough," she said, as she turned her horse away from the straw, and smiled at her partner. "Lead the way."
~*~*B+B*~*~
"What the hell is it that we're looking for?" Seeley asked, as he looked down at the map that was sitting in his lap.
Temperance chuckled at his side, and kept her eyes forward, clearing her throat in an attempt to gain his attention. "Alright...how about we take some time to enjoy the scenery...I'm sure you'll figure out EXACTLY what we're looking for."
"Why is tha-" he started, before he looked up and followed her finger, noticing that they had been led to the towering amphitheater known as the Colosseum. "Oh. Alright. Why the hell is the Colosseum important?"
"I have no idea," she said, urging her horse forward. "But we might as well explore it some."
They left their horses outside, and walked into the large theater with slightly crumbling walls, and vines that accented the stones. They walked into the main circle of the Colosseum, and glanced up at the stage that was set up; three crosses resting against the stone steps that led up to the stage.
"Is there a play going on?" Seeley asked.
"Most likely a reenactment of The Passion," Temperance explained. "Why else would there be three crosses?"
"Why would a play about The Passion be important to the Borgia?"
"I have no idea. But...it's information that we might as well keep. I'm sure it'll mean something in the end. If it was marked by that contact, it has some importance."
"Would you like to explore some more? Or are you satisfied with what you see?"
"I believe I'm satisfied for now," she smiled. "Let's go. It's almost dinner time anyway. By the time we ride back to the Island, the hall should be rich with the smell of fine cuisine."
"Good because I'm hungry," he said enthusiastically, breaking out in a brisk jog towards their horses. "Want do you think the chef made tonight? I really hope he made his famous steak dish. It's delicious!"
Temperance turned her eyes to him, and regarded him with a blank face, smiling when he muttered: "Vegetarian" and nodded his head. "Well, he should have made something special for you," he amended, smiling at her as they let their horses move forward into a trot.
"I really think you should think about cutting out red meat from your diet. You'll be so much healthier and have so much more energy."
"It's not going to happen."
"But, listen to logic."
"Taste trumps logic. No."
"Seeley."
"Nope."
"Bu-"
"No."
~*~*B+B*~*~
"So the Vatican is most accurately described as the 'Borgia Apartments' and the Colosseum..." Seeley drowned out as he looked to Temperance before turning back to Machiavelli. "Is just the Colosseum...as of right now, we couldn't tell that anything important was happening their other then the play."
"I'm sure we will find its meaning in due time," Machiavelli assured; sipping his wine thoughtfully. "I'm glad you two decided to take my advice for once. You did well on this assignment."
"Yes, but we have one thing to ask of you, and your contact," Temperance said. "There is no way that we can know the Castillo. We need your contact to try and find the floor plan of the Castel Sant'Angelo so that we will know where we are going when and if we have to infiltrate such a building."
"I will do my best," the philosopher assured. "Any news on the progress of the factions?"
"The mercenaries are fighting with the Borgia, the courtesans have their eyes open, and the thieves are being thieves," she laughed. "I spoke with them today when I went to visit my uncle, they said that they haven't heard much, but are scattered throughout Rome and keeping their focus entirely on the words of the people."
"Good, once the faction buildings are built, you two will be free to return to your homes. Unless something serious arises, you will not be required to stay within Roma. Do you guys know how the building construction is doing?"
"I give it two days at most," Seeley estimated. "We checked them on the way back home. The architects we found are amazing. The construction has come along exceptionally fast."
"Then I believe you should find a way to leave the city without alerting the Borgia of your presence," Machiavelli ordered.
"When will we be released?"
"Tomorrow," the philosopher stated once again. "The ferry for Venezia will leave tomorrow."
