The Confidant
Chapter 14: Luce
There was a soft tapping, just above the heads of some unsuspecting citizens. The Tuscan sun has been beating down on their heads, so they don't notice, nor do they care. It was a normal occurrence to see the thieves out and about, especially with the rising imbalance in the city. Corruption was spreading like a wild fire through San Gimignano – but the thieves, especially Il Lupo's men, found this to be an opportunity. Especially to give their new recruits some decent training.
"Hey! Venite qui, ragazzi, I have a task for the lot of you!" One of the higher ranking thieves, Cesare, beckoned forth a small group of four boys, each between the ages of seventeen and eighteen, and each close friends. They stood in a clump, roughly ranging from tallest to shortest; Dario, Drago, Elario, and Remus. "Alright you bastardi, do you see that fat woman over there?" Cesare pointed forward to a rather hefty woman standing a few meters ahead, her derriere consuming most of their vision.
"How could you not?" Drago commented, snickering and running a hand through his sandy blond hair.
Cesare rolled his eyes. "Right, well, Il Lupo wants the necklace she has around her neck, it'll fetch a price higher than all of your necks combined. Flirt with her, knock her out, I don't care as long as you do it and you do it quietly, capisce?"
"Capisco." All but one replied robotically.
"Remember, if the guards get a hold of you, they will beat you and possibly kill you, it's all depending on their mood," Cesare warned them, his brown eyes very grave, even more so with the dark circles under his eyes, "so, do with this information what you will. Don't take too long." With that said, he turned on his heel and vanished into the crowd. The boys exchanged quick looks, and wordlessly leapt onto a nearby crate, and onto the roof of a house.
"I bet Cesare is making this up," Drago sneered as they began to follow the woman, "what would Il Lupo want with a damn necklace?"
"We have to train somehow, right?" Dario suggested lithely, "Besides, we cannot refuse an order from our superiors." Drago made a scoffing sound, rolling his hazel eyes.
"Will you stop complaining already? Cristo, how do you expect to rise up in the ranks with that mouth of yours, Drago?" Elario remarked, rather annoyed with the boy's antics at this point.
"It's this mouth of mine that has gotten me where I am." The novice thief replied smugly, smirking. "Besides, if things keep as they are, Il Lupo is going to make me his apprentice." It was customary in the thieves'' guild of San Gimignano that the leader soon chose an apprentice, in order to take his place when he was ready. It was rumored that Il Lupo was deciding on a novice, rather than one of his right hand men.
Elario made an annoyed sound with his teeth. "Oh, sí, and I'm engaged to Caterina Sforza – Il Lupo isn't insane, I don't think he's choosing you."
"Don't be a jealous stronzo, Elario." A broad smirk stretched across Drago's lips.
"Sorry to interrupt your argument, ladies," Dario interjected rather impatiently, "but don't we have a task? You can bitch at each other later." They glared at the brunette, but silently agreed with a nod, shifting their attention back to the grossly overfed noble woman.
"I could exhibit my impeccable charm." Drago pitched in, waggling his eyebrows. "We'd have it in no time."
"Or scare the woman off for good." Elario grunted, eyes fixated on the large emerald pendant hanging around her neck, and his eyes widened just a bit. It did look extremely expensive. It had to be the size of about half his fist, embedded with gold and hanging by a golden chain.
"Merda," Dario cursed, his eyes narrowing, "there are guards everywhere. Someone needs to distract them." The thieves paused, contemplating this. "Who's the fastest?"
"Remus." Elario answered immediately, shifting his gaze to the green-eyed one that hadn't spoken a word to him since they'd met. "You're the fastest – this is what you need to do." Remus' eyes narrowed, shifting to the scene and scrutinizing if this could be done.
Drago scoffed under his breath. "Remus isn't the fastest …"
They easily ignored him, and Dario put his hand on Remus' shoulder. "Prove to us that you are as your name promises – swift." Remus nodded once, leaping off of the edge of the rooftop and landing silently onto the ground that sat below.
- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Remus examined the guards that kept making their rounds precariously close to the target at hand. They looked mediocre enough to the thief, so it would be simple to outrun them. That is to say, most of them. One of the guards wore much less armor than the others, a short blade in his left hand. Remus made an annoyed click, eyes narrowing. A troublesome guard was just what the thief needed. Deciding that there was no other choice, Remus dashed forward, ramming an elbow into the troublesome guard's stomach.
"You little shit!" The heavily armored guard with a spear snarled, readying himself for battle. The novice took off, pacing herself so that she didn't waste too much energy during the chase. Remus ran a beeline down the street, not daring to look back and listening to the sound of the guards bellowing and cursing at the top of their lungs. Despite the situation, she stifled a laugh at their futile attempts. There were only a few people she knew of that could keep up with her; Il Lupo, Demetrio if he was really trying, and Ezio.
The thought of him after so long warmed her cheeks, but she shook her head, risking a glance backward and realizing she had bigger problems to deal with. Well, that's another one to the list, she thought bitterly, green eyes fixating upon the agile guard that was racing towards her with a furious vengeance in his eyes. Remus sped up, shoving past the citizens of San Gimignano as best as possible. Months seemed like years ago, and she could still remember everything and everyone vividly. Including Ezio – but the reality of the situation was that he probably remembered nothing of her. Not with people like Rosa and Cristina, so in an essence, he was glad to be rid of her. He probably sighed with acute relief when he discovered she was gone, and had read the note. And yet, she felt nothing.
"You can't run from me forever, figlio d'une cane!" The guard cried angrily, attempting to weave his way through the sea of people. Seeing this as an opportunity, Remus managed to reach into the pockets of at least five different people, swiping their wallets as she bumped into them. She closed her fist around the coin purses, and smugly wove through the crowd. She was distracted enough to not notice the hard surface she soon rammed into.
"Reckless as ever, I see." Remus looked up in relief, meeting the amused eyes of her favorite mercenary. He reached backward, grabbing on to the hilt of his battle ax and brandishing it in front of his chest. Demetrio looked ahead to the guards, smirking. "Thief business catching up to you, Remus?" She rolled her eyes, and the mercenary chuckled, dashing ahead and taking care of the guards with relative ease. Remus watched him with slightly widened eyes. Sure, she could run fast and dodge properly – but her fighting skills were minimal. She just didn't have the physical strength to take on fully grown men, and it annoyed her. It was one of the reasons she had no choice but to become a thief – a mercenary's work was not something she could do without easily revealing herself.
And so, Demetrio introduced her to Il Lupo a month ago and she became one of the members of the thieves guild, and found herself to be more at home with them.
"Demetrio Continzo," a calm, familiar voice rang out, "I would like it if you did not interfere with my novice's battles. He will never be strong if others learn his lessons for him." It was then that Il Lupo leapt down to the ground, his eyes standing out drastically, even with his gray hood. Partly because his left eye was a shade of olive green, and his right eye was a piercing, icy blue.
"Come now, Lupo, he is only eighteen and I could not just–!"
"I was thirteen when I fought off the guards on my own." Il Lupo interjected coolly. "You must allow him to be a man, and take the hits of one. Interfere in his battles again and I will not take it lightly, even if you both are close."
Demetrio held up in his hands in an amused display of defeat. "Consider it done, Lupo."
He nodded his thanks, shifting his icy gaze to his novice. "Remus, do you not have a task to attend to? Your companions have, unfortunately, been taking their sweet time. I suggest you go take care of it." Silently cursing under her breath and shoving the coin purses into her pocket, Remus bowed her head and dashed off to deal with her companions.
Surely enough, the plump woman was still patiently looking over food in the market. Remus looked up to the rooftops and gave them a narrow eyed glare. Dario, seeing this, shrugged sheepishly and silently gave an accusatory finger to the two bickering behind him. Rolling her eyes, Remus realized that she had to deal with this on her own. She strolled forward, 'accidentally' bumping into one of the guards, making sure it wasn't one from before, and cried out, falling to the ground and clutching her knee in mock agony.
"Wh – What?" The guard cried, confused as ever.
"How cruel!" The woman bellowed, kneeling beside Remus with a pitying expression. "You poor little ragazzo, I always knew these guards were corrupt – but to harm an innocent boy!" Remus looked up at the woman with possibly the most innocent expression known to man.
"He – He's lying!" The man insisted. "I did not–!"
"Do not lie to me, you bastardo!" She pointed a plump finger at the man. "What motivation could he possibly have for pretending to be harmed? You should be arrested!"
"Me? You are overstepping your boundaries by far, grassone puttana! Remember who it is you are speaking with, and who can easily arrest you for disturbing the peace?"
The woman smirked, then. "Could you really arrest the leader of the city guard's wife?" The guard stepped back in pure terror, and Remus could immediately recognize his low rank. It also amused her very much that he looked like he'd just taken an arrow to the jewels.
"S – Ser Domenico's wife?" She nodded smugly. "Oh – mi dispiace veramente, signora – if I had only known–!"
"And if you did not? You would treat me rudely all the same. I will make sure to speak to my husband about such behavior!" The guard made a horrified face, bowing his head in reverence and taking off. The woman let out a chortle to herself.
"Are you alright, boy?" She asked, then, looking down at her. Remus nodded once, and she smiled. The woman wasn't all that fat, it seemed to Remus, with bright brown eyes and light brown hair. "Such fools, these guards are. They'd believe anything – like I'd ever let myself get married to the captain of this shitty guard! The mere thought makes me want to lose my lunch!" The thief bit back a laugh, deciding that she liked this woman. It made it all the more difficult to having to steal from her.
Remus looked up to the rooftops, and the other thieves were looking at the scene with tense anticipation. Drago gave her an impatient look, gesturing that the thief needed to hurry the hell up. "Your friends are up there waiting for you to steal my necklace, aren't they?" Remus snapped her gaze up to the large woman, her eyes wide. She laughed. "You were not exactly the pinnacle of stealth, especially to one as experienced as me. Besides, I heard you all bickering up there." Remus groaned under her breath, making a note of whacking Drago and Elario on the heads later.
"Since I am in a giving mood this afternoon," the woman murmured, grinning as Remus' eyes widened in absolute disbelief, "I will give you the necklace, but on one condition. You, my little friend, are going to be my messenger and gatherer of intelligence until I say otherwise." Her eyebrows raised. "I am involved in quite the business, my dear, and I need a swift pair of legs to carry everything out. I have no children, and my girls are far too busy with their own business to take care of mine. Besides, I can tell you're a cunning one, the way you faked such an injury."
Smirking, she shifted her tone to something much more obviously louder. "Oh, you poor child! Allow me to comfort you!" She threw her arms around Remus. "Go on, take it, I'm not being dramatic for nothing." Pretending to look sufficiently clever, Remus reached behind the woman's neck and quietly unhooked the chain, instantly tucking it into her pocket. "Now, run and brag to your friends – tomorrow morning, one of my girls will find you and bring you to me." Remus shoved herself free, leaping onto the roof's edge and pulling herself up onto the top, and meeting the shocked expressions of the other novices.
"Well, that was certainly bold of you." Dario commented, grinning and giving her a hearty pat on the back. "Your unpredictable behavior never ceases to amaze me, Remus."
"What did she even tell you after all that time?" Drago piped in, honestly curious. "So it is true the fat ones prattle on for hours about their lives? You're lucky you made it out alive."
"I have half a mind to say she's attracted to you, Remus." Elario suggested with a waggle of his eyebrows. Remus resisted the urge to stick out her tongue in disgust.
Drago audibly scoffed, smirking playfully. "Who would want a man with the eyes of a woman?"
"I've often been told that the silent types are what attract woman these days," Dario remarked nonchalantly, snickering, "the woman probably thought Remus to be mysterious, and therefore trusted him."
"Mysterious, my ass!" Drago said. "How does one properly woo a woman if he cannot even speak?"
"It's all in the eyes, they say." Elario said. "And Remus certainly has mysterious eyes."
"Like I said, the eyes of a woman, there's nothing mysterious about it." Remus rolled her eyes, standing to her feet and turning in the direction of the guild. Drago was perceptive, she could assume that much, but his arrogance clouded that sense of his. A shame. The others caught up with her, and the distinct jingle of coin purses could be heard coming from Remus' pocket.
"Did you take a detour during the distraction?" Dario asked, raising his eyebrow. She replied with a broad smirk, but made no move to nod. "You crafty bastardo – what do you plan on doing with all that money?"
"Feeding his new lover." Drago answered matter-of-factly. "All of the food in Toscana wouldn't satisfy her – I suggest you start saving up, Remus." The thief threw her head back and laughed at that.
"Let me see the necklace." Elario murmured, watching as she reached into her pocket and pulled the jewelry out.
"Dio mio," Drago commented, hazel eyes wide and incredulous, "Cesare was right about it being worth more than our necks." Remus shrugged, tucking it back into her pocket. The journey back was fairly the same as usual – Elario and Drago argued like an old married couple for most of it, and about the most needless things. Including, of course, who was going to be Il Lupo's apprentice. She tried her best to ignore it, really not caring about any of it. When they stood outside of Il Lupo's quarters in the guild, Dario managed to convince the other two that this was Remus' victory; he should be getting the glory.
"Remus? I take it you come with successful news." She nodded once, then taking sight of the hooded figure in black standing in front of the desk. Her heart skipped a few beats, clenching in horror when the man turned around, and she met the blue-gray eyes of one she'd thought she'd never see again.
"A new recruit, Lupo?" Alessio murmured, a slight smirk tugging on his lips. Remus masked the look of terror that was threatening to show on her face with a semblance of calm. By the gods, if he recognized her, her cover would be blown, and from then on … she wasn't sure what would happen.
"A promising one, at that." Lupo pointed out casually. "I take it you have the necklace on you right now?" Remus nodded once, reaching into her pocket and placing the jewelry into the master thief's outstretched hand.
Alessio's eyebrows rose when he saw it, but chose to address something else. "Not much of a talker, is he?"
"Hasn't said a word since he joined us," the thief master explained with a shrug, "I see no problem with it – our work entails stealth and silence, after all."
"True enough," Alessio murmured, taking a step toward Remus with shrewd eyes, "you remind me of someone, actually." Remus' hands clenched at her sides, but she had to make sure she didn't let her look of confusion waver. This man, as her former best friend, was sharp enough to catch on very quickly.
"You may leave now, Remus." Il Lupo dismissed her with a wave of his hand, and she nodded once, turning on her heel and silently exiting the room. Curiosity trampled over common sense, then. Slowly, Remus placed her ear on the wooden door and listened – what in the world could Alessio be doing with the leader of the San Gimignano thieves guild?
"Remus," A frighteningly calm voice called out from inside room, making her jump back in shock, "I suggest you control your curiosity, it may very well get you killed one day." Heart pounding a bit erratically from shock, she turned on her heel and retreated down the long wooden hallway. Remus descended the rickety staircase and was out the door, meeting the curious expressions of her friends.
"So?" Drago prodded. "Was he satisfied with the necklace?" Remus shrugged, her thoughts buzzing, contemplating what kind of business Alessio Esposito could have with Il Lupo. Either way, she couldn't dwell on it for all that long, because Elario casually put his arm around Remus' shoulder.
There was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Y'know what I found out while you were inside?" Remus waited with a raised eyebrow. "That lady you stole from? She's the new madam at the nearby brothel – the old one just died of old age, so, in an essence, you can get us more women than anyone else!"
Remus made a scoffing sound with her teeth, and Dario basically spoke what she was thinking. "Are you really going to use him to get courtesans?"
"Why not?" Elario said, grinning impishly. "She's sure to recall you – and besides, if I remember correctly," he patted Remus' pocket, which jingled from the many coin purses that occupied the space, "you had quite the pay day, and don't you think we need some relaxation?"
"I'm game." Drago remarked immediately, a smirk stretched across his mildly tanned face.
Dario rolled his eyes. "Remus, don't listen to them – it's your money." Remus always knew she liked Dario. Possibly one of the calmest thieves she had ever associated with, he only caused mischief or trouble when absolutely necessary, such as when he's under direct orders from Il Lupo or another superior. His appearance went almost perfectly with his demeanor - medium, straight brown hair he kept short, a light olive complexion, and light honey eyes.
Drago and Elario were opposite from this. Both of them were fair-skinned, with different shades of blond hair, Drago lighter than Elario, who was more of a dirty blond. Also, Drago had a long scar running up from the side of his jaw and ending in a curve on his cheek. The subject of where he got it never really came up. Their evident selfishness and perverse attitudes was one of the reasons they fought so often. Remus noticed their 'team' had a good enough balance. Half of them were relatively calm and had a good deal of common sense, and the other was impulsive, rash and arrogant. They were, in an essence, all each other had.
"Oh, stop being a buzz kill." Elario sneered. "What, do you not like women?"
"I'm not saying that," Dario responded coolly, "I just like the ones who haven't bedded the entire city – you know, when I know where they've been."
Drago rolled his eyes. "You're a thief, Dario. Not a single one of the pure women you seek will give you the time of day. It's all about social standing to those kind of people, and you know it."
"What of the less wealthy ones?" He countered instead. "I know of some very kind girls who aren't big on social standing."
"They aren't." Drago agreed darkly. "But their parents are. They would bar you from her so quickly; you could not even blink before she disappeared. Besides, those families are social climbers – if their child was associating with a thief, what would that say to the high society?" Remus' eyebrows tented together at the reality of this explanation. It was one of the few times Drago was being entirely serious, and they all knew it was the truth. She understood this completely because her family was the social climbing type. She envied the thieves' freedom as a child, but never so much as looked at them for too long, because her mother had told her they'd steal her away and she'd never be seen again.
She found it ironic that it was an Assassin that accomplished this feat, and she'd very nearly fallen for him.
Dario sighed. "I simply do not trust the courtesans as I would a normal girl."
"They're decent, too," Elario pointed out matter-of-factly, "their lives have just been far more difficult. Most of them didn't choose that life. It was either forced upon them or they had no choice. Do not judge them because of what fate has decided for them."
"I'm not." He deadpanned, looking up to the Tuscan sky, orange as dusk drew nearer. "Is it so horrible that I want something on an emotional level than a physical level?"
"It's not horrible," Drago remarked, making a mildly disgusted expression, "it's simply stupid. And rather concerning – what kind of man are you?" Remus herself was actually surprised to hear this. It was only ever Leonardo and Alessio that didn't openly show interest in the external aspects of women – she hadn't even heard Leonardo mention a woman in his life, and she'd been living with him for quite some time. Though she suspected that something else was the cause of this, but with Leonardo, it was hard to tell. Remus realized then that she really did miss the artist, but that was a thought for another time.
Dario didn't reply, a pensive expression embedded in his gentle features. Remus walked up to stand beside him then, putting a hand on his shoulder and nodding once, symbolizing she was with him on this opinion. A small smile tugged on the corners of his lips, and he returned the sentiment.
"Thank you, brother." Remus really did like the brotherhood between the four of them. It wasn't like the high society of Firenze – there was no needless backstabbing and two-faced relationships. With women, as well. It could get too complicated in terms of women – one wrong word, and they'd refuse to speak to a best friend for days, even months. It was one of the reasons that she found herself more at home with the company of men. The decent ones, at least.
"Come to think of it," Elario then decided to lighten the conversation and change the subject, "I have never once seen Remus stare at a particularly attractive woman." They gave her a scrutinizing look, eyebrows raised, blatantly questioning her reasoning. Her eyes widened. Think – quickly! She commanded herself, and Remus' mind began to scramble for an excuse.
Dario, thankfully, came to her rescue. "I assume it's the same reason I don't." She nodded almost too quickly, and in a way, it was. She was awkward when it came to physical intimacy of any kind. Especially with a certain man she'd dealt with for over a year. Remus supposed that it had something to do with her age – but he'd always 'led the way' in an essence, when it came to things like that. And it always left her unable to process coherent thought and flustered – but she never let it show. Inflating his ego was not something she felt the need to do. He was always patient, though, and gentle enough to–
Remus furiously shook her head, metaphorically torching such thoughts from her mind. Now was not a time to stroll down memory lane. The others seemed to notice her mental struggle, and were staring at her if she'd just done a complete dance routine in the middle of the street.
"You're so strange." Drago commented, shaking his head and laughing. "Seriously, Remus. You're about the most abnormal man I've ever met." At this, she grinned, winking cheekily at him. Being strange was what Remus specialized in.
"It's better he's strange than to be like the novice idioti I've seen in the guild." Elario pointed out, patting Remus reassuringly on the back. "All they talk about is puttane and how much their lives are terrible. All the moping gives me a goddamn headache. Remus doesn't sulk, and he's loyal to us. He is more of my brother than my own brother." Elario's brother was a mercenary alongside Demetrio, she remembered his name being Gerardo, and was the type to think with his muscles. That is to say, not think at all. He barely acknowledged his little brother, ashamed of the fact that he chose a life that meant to hide and run, rather than 'fighting like a man'.
Remus thought it to be utter bullshit, and so did the other two. A thief's work was a bit more complicated, as they could not be seen by their victims. They had to have stealth, speed, cunning, and endurance. Strength as well, but not as much, and this was why Remus found it easier to become a thief, rather than a mercenary, where she would've stood out horribly. As they apparently weren't going to the brothel, much to her relief, the four of them adjourned to the small corner in the outskirts of San Gimignano that they called home. The guild didn't provide any form of housing for its members – Il Lupo expressly said that they needed to figure out where to sleep on their own, he wasn't running an inn.
She silently stretched herself out on a dirty old cloth that was her designated bed, and stared at the sky as the stars began to appear. It was then that Remus began to wonder if she was ever going to be Gemma again.
- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
"Ragazzo!" A brunette courtesan in a bright red dress appeared before Remus, and the eyes of the thief's companions widened in surprise. "Come, my mistress has a task for you."
"I'll pray for you." Drago called out, laughing alongside Elario and Dario. She rolled her eyes, but silently followed after the prostitute, who led her to a beautifully decorated building, and as she entered the brothel, she was confronted with a rather familiar smell. The portly madam from before, donned in a bright red gown that showed off quite a bit of cleavage, trotted up, her round face calmly content
"Good morning, boy." She said, smiling and gesturing to a small table where there sat a piece of parchment, a quill, and ink. "Since you do not seem to talk, at least write down your name for me." Remus obeyed, smiling to herself at the sheer sharpness of this woman.
Ge – she paused, furiously scratching out the first two letters – Remus.
"Remus … an old name. Unique. I like it. Well then, Remus," she gestured to herself, "I am known as Valeria. Your task for me today is simple. I had a few paintings done by a renowned artist, to make my bordello a bit prettier, and the paintings are too heavy for me to carry all by myself. You will accompany me to his workshop." Valeria wasted no time in strolling out the door as soon as she was done explaining, and Remus trailed after her.
"Your appearance is a bit off for a boy, you know," she pointed out casually, making Remus' hand twitch out of nervousness, "your eyes are more fit for a woman – count your blessings. No one will suspect you're up to no good too quickly with those eyes." She laughed at her own observation. "You're a bit scrawny too, come to think of it."
"Oh, don't give me that look." Valeria said, giggling and mussing the top of her head. "You're young, you still have growing to do!" Remus laughed quietly, knowing that really wasn't the case. Nonetheless, they reached the artist's house, and Valeria knocked on the door. It was a fairly small workshop, actually. The door soon opened, and Remus' breath caught in her throat.
"Signora Valeria! How nice to see you!" Leonardo da Vinci exclaimed, happily kissing her on both cheeks. "I have the paintings right inside, I will get them for you."
"Remus, go on and help the man." She kept her head down and her eyes glued to the floor as she silently trailed into the workshop, noting its lack of the same clutter and spontaneous projects as his Venetian house had.
Suddenly, a hand presented itself in her face. "Remus, is it? My name is Leonardo, it is nice to meet you." Out of impulse, she met the kind blue eyes of her old best friend, and his facial expression froze in shock. He quickly collected himself, shaking his head and muttering something under his breath. "Forgive me for that, you look terribly familiar, is all, almost … scarily so." Remus smiled nervously, scooping the heavy box of paintings into her arms, thanking her lucky stars that he didn't recognize her.
"Remus, come, I am a busy woman!" Valeria called from the doorway, and she risked a quick glance back at the artist before retreating to the exit. It didn't last all that long, because soon she heard him fluttering off to do what he did best. A tiny part of the thief wanted to turn around and hug the living daylights out of him – but she was content with at least seeing him after all this time. "The look on your face tells me you know Leonardo."
Remus quickly shook her head. Valeria's eyebrow rose, but she left it at that, instead then explaining that she wouldn't be needing Remus' assistance everyday, but on spontaneous occasions. The madam then warned the thief that whatever the terms and whatever the circumstance, she had to accept them.
- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
"Remus," Drago's impatient voice rang out, rousing her from her uncomfortable slumber, "wake the hell up! Il Lupo wants to see you." This caught her attention, and she slowly rose to her feet, stretching her arms into the air.
"I wonder what he wants." Elario mused from his corner of the room, his voice tired.
"Hell if I know," Drago replied, his voice irritable, "now go before he gets impatient."
"Why the attitude, Drago?" Dario called out, his voice profusely amused. "Afraid Remus will be asked to be his apprentice?"
His pale face grew a bit red, and he scowled. "That isn't happening, goddammit. Besides, he does not speak, how can he lead us?"
"I'd teach him to speak again, if he wanted it." Dario offered calmly, shifting his gaze to Remus. "Now go, do not keep him waiting." She nodded quickly, exiting the area and making it out into the gray, cloudy morning, turning in the direction of the thief tower, wondering what Il Lupo wanted. In this speculation, she also began to wonder what his actual name was – Il Lupo was a title given to each thief leader of San Gimignano. Only those extremely close to that person were then allowed to call them by their given names. It was a fascinating tradition.
Remus reached her destination in no time, ascending the stairs to his office, knocked on the old door and waited. A quiet voice granted her entrance, and she quietly obeyed, taking in the sight of Il Lupo's mismatched eyes leering at her. She also noticed the fact that his hood was down, and noted his fair skin, young face, and brown hair that seemed black in the dull lighting. Il Lupo's face was one she thought more appropriate to be on a prince than a thief master, as his face was elegant and beautiful.
"I'm glad you're here," he said lithely, taking a few steps forward so he stood in front of his desk, rather than behind, "I'd actually like you to clear something up for me." She waited anxiously, her mind beginning to race. "That man I was with yesterday … his name was Alessio, and he seemed to be acquainted with you." Merda, Remus thought, but knew it was better to vehemently deny it until he had stated enough evidence than simply giving it all away with a single look.
"He told me strange things," Lupo continued on, "stranger than usual, as I am involved in a strange business. You may already know of it – the ongoing, secret struggle of the Templars and Assassins. If what I have been told is correct, you were in the middle of all of it while in Venezia not too long ago." Remus gave him a clueless look, tilting her head in ignorance. He laughed, taking casual steps forward. "I do not know who to trust, you see. You, my talented novice, or him, a fellow Templar. And since I am a man who is not inclined to trust many, I have decided to take matters into my own hands. Thus, I am going to ask you a simple question, and I require an honest answer. Are you a woman, Remus?"
She shook her head, putting on the expression of one who is offended, rather than terrified. "He tells me otherwise," in that instant, the master thief appeared directly in front of her, "do not begrudge me this, Remus – I see no other alternative." Then, he grabbed the cloth of her dirty green tunic, ripping it in clean halves, revealing the breast bindings underneath. She wasted no time in shoving herself free of him, her hand instinctively going for the dagger she had at her side.
He had it in his hand, and she cursed under her breath. "Such a pity. You were so skilled for one so young." The office was too high up for her to escape without killing herself, and the door seemed like it was definitely out. "Do not give me the look of a trapped animal, Remus – ah – or, would you prefer being called Gemma?" She viciously glared at him, unable to predict his movements. "Now, there are roughly … two choices you can make – one; you can tell me all that you know about Ezio Auditore and his current movements, in which case I will not mention a single sliver of your true self to a soul, or two; you can refuse the first offer, and I will reveal your identity to the entirety of this guild, and leave you to their mercy."
"Come, Gemma, would you rather give up your entire life to preserve the safety of the man that did not even love you enough to chase after you?" Green eyes widened, and she met his eyes. "Oh, I know that is the case here. You ran from him in order to 'protect' him, so that his enemies would not seek you out as a weakness. Do not think you are the first to do this," Lupo's eyes grew dark, then, and malicious, "my fiancée not too long ago did the same thing, before I became a thief. Her name was Lucrezia. She was a brave woman, just as you are, and ran from me in fear of her direct involvement in my life. I, unlike your Assassin, loved her enough to give chase almost immediately. I searched as if the hounds of hell were upon my heels."
"I found her a week or so later," he said, and it was almost silently, "raped, mutilated and trashed in the hills of Milano. And so I ask you, what would Ezio Auditore do if he saw you in such a state?" She did not have an answer to that question, and they both knew it. "Exactly. So think wisely. Consider your choices carefully." Her eyes shut, and her hands clenched tightly at her sides. She did think, and she did consider. It was extremely frustrating. She was not about to compromise the core reason she became a thief, however. It was to keep him safe, and she was fully prepared in never seeing him again, if meant protecting both him and her country in general.
As her answer, she raised her fist and slapped her bicep on the same arm, giving him the most defiant look she could muster. Il Lupo sighed. "Alea iacta est. You're foolish, but I admire your spirit." The thief master strode up to her, effortlessly ripping apart her breast bindings and shoving her backward into the chamber behind them. Losing her balance when she stumbled backward, she fell, and a large bed cushioned her fall. "Perhaps a little physical persuasion ought to make you reconsider." Within seconds, he was tearing at her clothes, cold, smooth hands running up her bare skin and breasts.
A feeling of disgust and fury washed through her. Her mind was crying out, screaming that only the devastatingly warm hands, rough from hard work, she knew all too well were allowed to do such a thing. A brief command, said in his voice, whispered something in her mind. Catch him off guard, let him think he's winning, cara. And so she did, not uttering a single cry of pain or lust, keeping her face as neutral as possible as Il Lupo's hand began to wander south, to dangerous territory. He noticed, and she could see slight lines of frustration on his face, and his assault got more powerful. Emerald eyes soon came upon a dagger sitting at a bedside table. She wasted no time, reaching out as far as she could, her fingers brushing the hilt of it. Finally, her hand got a hold of it.
"Could you really?" Il Lupo whispered, forcing her to look at him. "Could you kill me, Gemma?" The hysteria in her mind whispered she couldn't, but she did not come all this way to be a vulnerable child. There was no Ezio to save her – and so she had to save herself. With that established, she raised the dagger and buried it in the back of his neck, her bottom lip quivering slightly as Il Lupo's blood splashed on her hand and face.
Remus stood up, then, leaning against the wall and clutching her half naked body as it trembled and shook like a wet kitten. She didn't cry, though, and was only disturbed.
As just as she was about to deal the blow, she heard him whisper a thank you.
- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
A/N: Damn. This just kinda … flooded out. Like a tidal wave of words, in a way. I almost feel as if it might be a bit too long, but at the same time, all of it was necessary. XD Let's hope it wasn't for nothing – I hope you enjoyed and will stay linked for the next chapter. Reviews of what you think will be greatly appreciated.
Alea iacta est: The die has been cast – a Latin phrase meaning roughly meaning fate has been decided.
Grassone puttana: Fat whore.