For days, they have been travelling from Florence to Rome. The travel should probably make her excited, but she can't feel the uncomplicated feelings from her youth anymore. Since her mother initiated her training in the courtesan arts, she's always felt uncomfortable and unable to be herself. It's not that she think of herself as any better than her mother or the other courtesans. She just can't picture herself as one of them. She can't swirl men around her fingers to make them tell her their secrets, and even if she could, she wouldn't want to pay the price that she would have to pay in order to achieve the information. Sure, it is a way to help the assassins and their cause, in which se believe. But the way of the courtesans isn't her way. She want to be out in a different kind of field. A field where she won't be humiliated and feel used every single day for the rest of her life.
"You said we would arrive come evening, right mother?" she ask, turning to the woman who gave birth to her sixteen years ago, year 1484.
"Yes, Sienna. her mother answer impatiently. "But f you remain as impatient and double-checking as you are at the moment, you'll never succeed in life."
"You mean I'll never succeed as a courtesan." Sienna says with an edge to her voice. She's all to well aware that her mother's profession is something that will weigh her down in any other profession Sienna might try in the future. The only possible path for Sienna to walk, is one of those in the shadows. A thief, beggar, courtesan... or an assassin.
Her father is an assassin. And not just an assassin. He is the Assassin. Ezio Auditore. One of the most successful assassins throughout history. She has the heritage, and could probably walk down that path as well. Become a hero, just like him. Not a courtesan, giggling at men whom might be contagious with something she wouldn't want to catch...
The screen flickers, and Anna can hear Otso Berg telling the technician to fast forward in the memory. Images flicker past her eyes, and she feel nausea swell up inside as the scenery change and she, no, Sienna arrive in Rome."
The city smell of shit and smoke, and there are rats on the streets. People immediately see her and her mother for what they are by their clothes, and Sienna resist the urge to conceal herself. Instead she avoid meeting peoples eyes, and ignore the drunk gazes following them as they move through the streets of Rome to visit La Rosa in Fiore, the biggest assembly point for courtesans loyal to the assassin brotherhood. As the lights fade, less people are out on the streets, but those who stay are those that could mean trouble.
"Let us hurry." her mother says nervously as they move through the streets. Sienna nod and speed up the pace, cursing the dress once again.
At long last, they arrive at La Rosa in Fiore. It is an old building, and one of the buildings with candles still burning in the windows. When they open the doors, laughter can be heard from upstairs, and the smell of alcohol and perfume is thick in the air. If Sienna wasn't so used to smells like these, she would have gagged.
"We seek to talk to Madonna Solari." her mother says to one of the girls. "Is she in?"
"Madonna Solari was killed." The answer is abrupt, and doesn't offer many explanations. Both Sienna and her mother stiffen.
"Killed? By whom?"
"Slave-traders. Messer Auditore went to bargain for her freedom, but they slit her throat instead."
"I pray they paid for that."
"Oh they did, signora. They paid with their lives."
A man walk down the stairs, clad in white assassin-robes. Sienna doesn't need her mother to nudge her and tell her who he is. Messer Auditore. Of course it's him. Her father.
"I'm... I'm delighted to hear that, Messer Ezio."
"I was hoping my presence here in Roma would stay a secret." Ezio sigh, but it is clear that he doesn't care much about it. "Do any of you happen to know where I can find Claudia?"
"She is right behind you." A woman answer with an unamused look at her face.
"Ah, Claudia." Ezio answer with an edge in his voice that probably shouldn't be there.
"You clearly still do not approve of this. Just so that there won't be any misunderstandings, I still don't care about your opinion." She say this with a flat voice, and Sienna look at them in turn, wondering what it's all about.
"Okay, half an hour has passed now. Pull her out."
"No. We will wait for the memory to finish."
"If her condition get worse, she might attempt something stupid. If she does, that will mean trouble. She is a civilian, Otso."
Something changes, and suddenly she is sitting in front of a screen, wondering where her mother, father and aunt is. The people surrounding her seem vaguely familiar.
A sudden pain erupt in her head, and the world turn greyish as the eagle vision trigger. Three of the four people glow in a bright red colour, and one blue. She is captured by enemies, and she flick her wrist in a reflexive motion to arm herself against them.
"Hey, calm down!" the technician say in an alarmed voice.
"Anna?" says the man glowing blue. She stiffen, and look at him. Her ally in this madness. "Your name is Anna. Remember? You are confused, but if you calm down you'll understand. It is the bleeding effect. You still believe you are Sienna, but you are not her. Can you hear me?"
Anna nod, and look at him, slowly relaxing as the greyish vision fade and she recognize Otso, the technician, Melanie and the psychologist.
"Shit." she says. What she feel can't be described by words though. Humiliation , fear, confusion and dizziness are some of the feelings rushing through her, and when she try to stand up she fall over and collapse on the floor. She repeat the single word once more as she accept the psychologists helping hand.
"I think this is more than enough for today." he says with a chilly edge in his voice.
"You're right." Otso answer, and look at them when they leave the room. Anna lean on the psychologist, and Melanie when she catch up with them.