Not very action-packed, I'm afraid. I realise after writing this chapter that the pace is kinda slow; bearing in mind I skipped a lot of months while Chiara was being abused. I'll try to speed it up in the next chapter! I'm sure you'll be bored by the end of it! Kidding, you had better not be bored.

Enjoy!

She turned her back and fumbled with the vial of poison she had used to kill her father. "It is all I could do to help,"

"Grazie,"

"Actually there is more. I can tell you everything I know about Cesare's future plans and his tactics when the issue arises of keeping victims in the Castello. It is not much but it may help."

She slowly shut the open bedroom door and locked it. Then she motioned for Ezio to go out into the garden. Chiara was curious as to why wasn't allowed to know. She made a sound and raised her eyebrows.

"It will be painful to hear, Chiara. Not after everything you have been through,"

"But-"

"I do not want to hurt you even further, Madonna. This will only take a minute."

If she wasn't in an exhausted position, Chiara would have retorted. Lucrezia didn't realise that Chiara had been through the worst - there was nothing she could not already handle. Her psychotic brother had made sure of that.

When Lucrezia and Ezio left through the garden door, Chiara couldn't help but stare at the Pope's body in disgust and curiosity. The man had it coming. He corrupted the papacy and used his own children as tools. For a man of God, he was as sinful as could be. The foam resulting from the poison continued dripping from the corner of his crooked mouth. The effects of the it were painstakingly torturous. Would she ever be able to make use of it herself?
Chiara took a chance to shift herself along the floor, until she reached the table with the vial and wine. To her advantage, Ezio and Lucrezia were taking longer than they had said and it gave Chiara the opportunity to do something she would never dream of doing. The sound of the door unlocking alerted her that they were done. She sat back on the floor, avoiding the Pope's puddle of foam and took a sip from Lucrezia's glass of wine.

"My apologies. I was...I was thirsty," she lied.

Lucrezia shook her head, "If anything, I am sorry. It is alright."

With a few long strides, Ezio came to Chiara's side and unusually asked for permission to pick her up.
"We should go. May I?"

"Of course."

He effortlessly picked her up in his arms and Lucrezia stood by the door, leading them out until something caught her eye. The vial of poison was missing from her bedside table. Although it only contained just a little more than a few drops, it was enough to kill a person.

"Hold on," she stopped Ezio, "Where is..."
He asked her what it was and Chiara slowly shook her head in his arms, avoiding Ezio's gaze. The pleading look in her eyes revealed the truth. Chiara had taken the vial. She must have slipped it inside her bodice when they were out talking. Lucrezia had no use for it anymore but it still made her wonder what an innocent young woman like Chiara needed it for. The more important question was who, but Lucrezia didn't want to keep them here any longer. As soon as they were gone, she would need to hide the body and somehow break the news to Cesare hoping he wouldn't lash out. It was a long shot but excuses had to be made.

"Nothing. Hurry. There is a small tunnel to your left, behind the pots of bellflower which lead to the bank of the river. You can either continue walking to cross the waters from under, or take a boat. I warn you, the walk is long."

The tunnel was designed especially for Lucrezia's secret meetings. She could slip people in and out with detection.

"That is useful. Grazie from the bottom of our hearts, Madonna Lucrezia," said Ezio. He doubted whether Lucrezia realised how much time she had saved him. With Pope Alexander out of the picture, the focus would now be on Cesare only. This would inevitably weaken his position even further.

Lucrezia tried to smile and placed her hand on Chiara's. "My only wish is that I could have helped you earlier."

"You..you cannot blame yourself for that. You are kind. If only Italia..if only Cesare let Italia see that side of you."
Chiara squeezed Lucrezia's hand in gratefulness and bid her goodbye.

When they stepped into the flower garden, Chiara took in a huge intake of breath. The fresh air had never been more exhilarating than at that moment. She hadn't seen daylight since the Juan Borgia the Elder's pagan party and even then, she wasn't outside to enjoy the joys of nature.
There must have been more than ten different flowers - from del papas, bougainvillea and jasmines to bellflowers and roses.

"Chiara, can I ask you something?" asked Ezio suddenly.

"Of course. What...what is it you want to ask?" replied Chiara. She immediately thought of the most radical ideas of what he could ask like 'Do you love me' or anything absurd along those lines. She had the most odd sensations ever since she saw him again. It was almost as if she saw him in a new light but concluded that she had been trapped for months in a castle where the only face she saw all the time was Cesare's so it was natural for her to see a friendly face. When would she be able to get over the hurt he caused? Cesare's face was fresh in her mind still, as if he was stood in front of her with a malignant snarl on his bearded face. Behind that facade, she knew he was just a young man who wanted nothing more than his father's praise. The way his face dropped when his father commented patronisingly in front of them both was proof enough.

"I am no expert when it comes to picking flowers,"

"That wasn't a question." retorted Chiara, a faint smile playing on her lips. When was the last time she had the urge to smile?

Ezio noticed it, as faint as it was and decided to poke some fun while he could.

"I am more of an expert when it comes women," he claimed, examining the garden. Chiara narrowed her eyes, clearly seeing a comment like that coming.

"There. They are there," she simply said pointing her finger at a pot of lilac coloured flowers. Even in a situation such as this, Ezio could find himself to let loose his boyish charms. Whether he was doing it to attempt to cheer her up or make her jealous, she would never know.

"What is?"

"The...the bellflowers."

Chiara swore the assassin blushed, slapping himself mentally for his flirtatious side speaking. He kicked aside the clay pot containing the bellflowers and there lay the entrance to Chiara's escape. She braced herself for the outside world which when pictured in her head was unfamiliar and dangerous territory. Without warning, her heart began to pound against her chest. Words echoed inside her head and she gave in to the panic attack.

"I cannot do it!" she gasped. Ezio's eyes turned from playful to serious the second he stepped into the tunnel.

"Chiara, it is just a tunnel. I am carrying you."

"Ezio...Ezio I cannot face it. The world...the people. What will people say? What am I going to do? Where am I going to go? The brothel...being a courtesan. I cannot do it! Please don't make me do it!"

She began to stammer, babbling incessantly. Jumbled thoughts ran in and out of her head and she banged her fists against her forehead.

"Hey, hey, listen to me," said Ezio clasping her hand, "You will stay with me. With us, in the assassin hideout. I promise, nobody will make you do things you do not want to,"

Ezio felt pity for Chiara - entrapped in a cell for months was unhealthy but above all, frightening.

"Machiavelli! How will I face...face Niccolo? I am a mess! Claudia! She is...was a good friend. Now what will she think?"

Now Ezio was definitely concerned about Chiara. She was so innocent yet so fragile. Her paranoia made him feel helpless He lifted her chin and made sure his gaze was fixed with hers.

"Chiara, listen! Do not worry about Machiavelli. I will deal with him. Claudia too. She will take care of you. We all will. You just...you just need to take a deep breath, mia cara signora (my dear lady). We will get out of here as soon as possible."

Ezio had reached the peak of sympathy by this point because the poor girl genuinely cared about what her betrayer would think. Machiavelli's lies would cost him the woman he loved. He carried on walking through the dark tunnel. It was cold and surprisingly the air was very clear. Chiara was breathing in and out as he walked but she trembled greatly. It was obvious that she was trying to stay calm but the anxiety was overpowering and Ezio did not have any idea on how to comfort her. Any action he could take would be out of place and inappropriate. The trip to the river bank was quick but the sun had risen and it was noon. Rowing a boat with a beaten up young woman would be the most suspicious way of getting to the hideout. It would put Borgia guards on his case like there was no tomorrow.

The tunnel it is, he concluded as he scanned the crowds of civilians from behind a wall. He approached one of the hideout tunnel's iron gates and slipped inside it, utterly grateful that he and his allies had discovered them when they did. Otherwise, he would have to take the risk of walking in public.
It was going to be a long journey back to the hideout through the dark tunnel but Chiara was calm and it made things much easier. He needed to use one of his hands to trace the walls of the tunnel but he couldn't; not with the way he was carrying Chiara.

"Do you...do you mind if I put you over my shoulder instead, Chiara? I cannot find the walls without the use of both hands,"
There was a five second pause and Chiara agreed with wary. Being ever so careful, Ezio shifted his position and gently placed Chiara on his shoulder, freeing one of his hands. Then, tracing the bricks of the tunnel, he resumed walking.

"I never asked..." started Chiara in the dark after a while. The question she wanted to ask had bothered her for some time.

"Si?"

"How did you...why did it take you so long to find me?"

There was another pause but it was much longer than five seconds. Ezio wanted to lie to Chiara, desperately. He wanted to make an excuse and not admit that it was all Machiavelli's doing. Telling her the truth would break her and she was much too fragile for him to let that happen. He did not know how to lie directly.

"Please tell me," Chiara pleaded with desperation in her timid voice.

"I cannot. The vital thing is that I did find you. Whether it be now, or even weeks into the future."
The warmth of Chiara's body against his sparked up emotions inside him he had long forgotten. He was close to telling her everything but he had to resist; for her sake.

"I beg of you. You owe me the truth, at least. Please!" she begged. Her head throbbed with a hammering ache especially now that she was no longer resting it in Ezio's arms but hanging off his shoulder.

"Why are you so stubborn, Chiara?" asked Ezio. He stopped walking to clear his head. The acceleration of walking kept the flood levels of emotions at a standstill.

"Did you forget about me?"

He despised this sudden interrogation,"Why can't you just thank me and get over it?"

But Chiara was determined. She would get an answer out of him one way or another.
"...or maybe you came for another reason. Lucrezia?"

"A Borgia? I would rather die than-"

"She saved me! I owe her...I owe her my life," defended Chiara. Now that Lucrezia's true colours had been shown, she would see her in nothing more than a positive light.

Chiara had another answer on her mind - one which she dreaded to say. One which she knew Ezio would dread to hear too.
"Caterina?"

"I learned my lesson with that one when my uncle's head was on a stick, grazie," replied Ezio with a bitterness Chiara had never detected before.

"I give up," sighed Chiara, admitting defeat.

Ezio concluded the matter almost annoyingly, "Good."
He did not like his personal matters being discussed, especially with a girl who was a potential candidate in placing herself in those exact matters. The rest of the walk proceeded in silence because unbeknownst to Ezio, Chiara had fallen asleep on his shoulder and her head lolled to one side. The heat was becoming unbearable especially with the full armor on. "It is hot in here. Are you alright?"

He received no response from Chiara who he assumed was giving him the silent treatment due to the way he handled her questions.
"Look, I am sorry. I should have just told you from the start. The only reason I did not come to rescue you earlier was because of Niccolo. God knows how anybody could be as cowardly as him. His actions were driven by emotions and although that happens to us all, it was no excuse to do what he did. Love...love does make us do wild things."

His footsteps were the only sound in the tunnel.
"Chiara?"

He paused in his step and heard a very light snore. When he stood still, he could sense her breathing - all was well, and she was perfectly fine. If he could visualise the tunnel with light correctly, he was still a good distance away from the hideout.

It took him hours of silently treading the rank tunnel to finally calculate that they were almost at their destination. He put his hood down and approached the hideout unnoticed.

The first face he saw was Machiavelli's, whose eyes lit up with molten desire but one look at the scars on her skin impelled him to turn his head away in shame. "You found her,"

"She was not hard to find. You know why, don't you?" remarked Ezio coldly.

Niccolo hung his head in shame and wanted to see Chiara closely but Ezio refused.

"Do not even think about it. Not even for a second, Niccolo. The very last thing she needs is to find out one of her dear friends stabbed her in the back."

"I have already explained my reasons, Ezio."

Ezio stared at his friend in awe at how reserved he could be at times, "Buona fortuna explaining to Chiara why you let Cesare rape her for months. You think she will love a scoundrel like you?"

Machiavelli, clearly offended, attempted to justify himself, "Watch your words, amico."

"You saw this charade as a contest, Machiavelli didn't you? Good news, you win."

Niccolo played Judas, thought Chiara. She heard the whole conversation from the second she was in the hideout. The bright light aroused her from her short sleep and she wished for nothing more but to put back into that dusty cell. Back when she did not know that the man she trusted deeply turned into a traitor.