Fitz hid in a storeroom until night fell. Her eyes had been darting back and forth, peering hard through a wooden wall, looking for any sign of the Assassins. The darker of the two men had swept by her a long time ago, but made no move to investigate her hiding place. Her heart had been in her throat for hours. She had to get back to the relative safety of the Vatican. Never thought I'd think that.

Her feet were cold and dirty and her stomach was growling loudly. Fitz took a breath and quickly exited into the alleyway. Her complete dishevelment would pass for poverty here, she thought, but getting nearer the city proper, she would begin to stand out. She continued down the alley into a small plaza, where women were watching their children play. Without slowing down, Fitz grabbed a shawl from a woman's shoulders and disappeared into the crowd before the woman realized what had happened. She wrapped herself up, hiding her bar arm and began the trek back to the Vatican.

For a moment, she let her guard down and really took in the district. It reeked of mud and sweat and blood. Children were dressed in rags and their parents not much better. Prostitutes yelled at passing men for little notice. Men sat in ruined colonnades of Rome's illustrious past and smoked and gamed. It was quite a juxtaposition.

Within an hour, she had made it to the Circo, the Coliseum. She stood in awe of it. Fitz had driven by it four hundred years from now, but standing next to it as Aurelia, a feeling of majesty overtook her. As dirty and ragged as she was, she smiled beatifically at the grandeur of the arena.

The roadway under her feet were cobbled and bricked here. She was nearing her destination. Owners were shutting down their stalls and the inns and taverns were opening. Drinking songs were being swept into the night.

"Girl! Come have a drink with us!" called one man. She looked over her shoulder as him drinking partners whooped at her.

"I am afraid I cannot join you this evening," she nodded politely. "Perhaps tomorrow."

They continued to call after her until she lost sight of the tavern. The foot traffic thinned around the palatial estate of the Borgias. The guards stood nearly one on top of the other. She could see the commonfolk huddling around lit fires for warmth away from the gates that towered over them. Fitz slipped back into Aurelia and joined a group for a moment.

"Good evening, friends, and God be with you," she saluted them softly. An old woman huffed at her.

"What do you want here?"

"Merely to keep warm for a moment, if that is acceptable."

The woman looked at a younger man, who was eyeing the stranger. He looked down, nodding almost imperceptibly. He wore a dagger at his side and hid a bottle behind his back. "You may stay a for a little while," she croaked. "But don't think you're getting any wine from us."

"Thank you. And your wine is safe. I haven't had much of a taste for it since arriving."

"Good."

Aurelia kept her mouth shut while the others tried to restart whatever conversation they were having before she joined their circle. She looked over the bridge to the gatehouse. The whole causeway was lined with guards. Turning her attention to the walls, there was little activity. The rooftops over her head would yield more interesting fruit, but with her feet aching and blistered as they were, she would not be able to climb it. She backed away from the fire and stretched her neck to see if she had been followed. Would they allow themselves to be seen so easily? Only if they wanted to make sure they were the last thing I would see.

She approached the causeway and, as suspected, was confronted by three guards.

"Are you lost? The whorehouse is the other way." One guard pushed her back, hard enough for her to almost lose her balance.

"You are mistaken, sir. I am a guest of his High Holiness, the Pope, Roderigo Borgia."

A round of laughter surrounded her.

"What madness are you under, woman?"

"I am not mad, I am Aurelia. I was sent here."

"By whom? Vincenzo, is there an 'Aurelia' at La Madama? You would know."

Another of the guards laughed. "There may, but she hasn't had the pleasure of meeting me," He sized her up.

You know what? Screw it. She shifted her demeanor to one a bit more relaxed, her voice gruffer. "Alright, alright. You found me out. But I've been hired for the evening. Antonio? He's a man of His Eminenza. I'm supposed to be taking care of him this evening." She traced the curve of the guard's chest with her finger, playing with his hilt. "Get me in and out quickly, and I may be free a little early, hmm?"

He was definitely enjoying the attention, but wasn't going to say yes. He looked over her head to his detail and she heard vigorous movements of armor behind her. "Fine, fine. But we get a group rate. Deal?"

She stuck her lip out, mock pouting. "I'll be closing quite a bit of coin," she drawled, mulling it over. "But three at half price is better than nothing…" The men laughed conspiratorially; sure to see they got what they were paying for. They brought her to the guard house fully covered. The guard who had struck the deal led the way into to servants' quarters and told her to wait. Aurelia winked at him and sat down. Most of the servants were finishing the night's final work. Sewing buttons, polishing brass. Two maids at the fair end were staring at her and whispering madly. For an odd moment, she felt exposed, and brought the shawl up tighter around her shoulders.

Almost half an hour passed until she heard the armor clinking down the hall again. She had been trying to brush her hair out with her fingers. Antonio's voice echoed through. His boots clicking against the wooden floor more and more rapidly, almost running to her. She stood, eyes still turned down. Her heart was beating in her chest. She was returning to a place she was hostage, to a man who drugged her and handed her to the Assassins. She had to follow through.

He stopped in the doorway, a slight gasp left him. "Aurelia!" The guard behind him grinned lasciviously, hand on his sword belt. The valet crossed quickly to her and caught her in his arms. Instinctively she tried to push away, but that wasn't the game now. He whispered quickly "Dear Lady, forgive me," and kissed her roughly. Aurelia wasn't sure what to do, but Fitz knew. She pulled one of her hands free and held his face lightly.

"Have a good evening, Sir," the guard coughed and made a noisy exit. Aurelia pulled away, breathless. Antonio was turning a comparable shade of red. A kerchief came out of his left cuff and dabbed at beads of sweat that were threatening to run from his greying hair.

"You betrayed me!" she whispered.

"He held up his hand to silence her. "My Lady, please! Not here! We need to see you to your rooms, please! His Eminence needs to see you are returned." She opened her mouth to say something, but he was right. These walls had ears and would do anything to move up. She moved past him and made a show of how barefoot she was. Aurelia thought she heard him sigh, "Lady, forgive me." Fitz was furious and scared, but Aurelia could not be.

He took her up the servants' entrance to the guest wing. The halls were quiet and the light from sconces flickered in the drafts. He kept looking over at her, but she wouldn't meet his gaze. She was frightened and embarrassed of what had happened. What she had to make those guards believe to get to safety. He wanted to speak, but the words would not leave his mouth. She knew what he was thinking.

Fitz had nothing to say. The problem was, how to say it. Back in her own time, she could easily just punch him in the nose and call a cab. Here, however, she had to go with what the time prescribed. She did have the "Messenger of God" card to play, so that might give her some leeway.

The came to the door of her apartments. They both stood there, silently, waiting for the other to say or do anything. She turned to face him, finally. He would not look. She swallowed and reached for the door.

"M-My Lady Aurelia," he spluttered, wringing his hands. "I humbly beg your forgiveness. Touching you like that, kissing you..."

"Antonio, please."

"It was absolutely obscene. No man should deign to spoil an angel like that."

"Antonio…" She tried to gesture for him to calm himself. "Let us discuss this inside. Please."

"No, my Lady, I cannot. That would be unseemly."

She smiled tiredly. "Antonio, over the past few days, I have seen much you would call 'unseemly'. This is hardly that. Please, come inside." She opened the door and waved him in. He bowed obsequiously and entered quickly.

The fire had been allowed to die down to embers in her absence. He quickly went to work stoking it again.

"May I offer you some wine?" she said, standing over him.

"I'd be honored, Lady Aurelia." She poured him a cup and offered it to him when stood. In the firelight, she could tell his hair was going grey and his face soft. She gestured for him to take a seat opposite her. Again, he bowed and sat. She lit a candle and set it between them.

"Let me render my judgment and then you may speak. Do you understand?"

Antonio's eyes went wide and he nodded his assent.

"You drugged me to hand me over to the Assassins. That was your doing. I awoke in their custody bound by the hands and feet to a chair." He swallowed hard, but did not look at her. "That was their doing. They questioned me as to my authenticity. I left them with no doubts to that matter. That was my doing. I walked this city all the way here to be accosted by guards who thought I was a whore. That was the guards' doing. By lying to them and telling them I was, I gained entry to the manor and access to you. That was my doing again. To keep my secret, you treated me like I was one. That was your doing."

She look a long moment for that to sink in. He was balancing scales in his mind.

"You ask my forgiveness for touching me, but not for the initial deed that led to it, your handing me over. Why? Do you feel justified in doing it? Answer me truthfully."

Again, more silence stretched out. The candle cast hard shadows on his face. The wrinkles beginning to sink around his eyes looked more severe. His eyes darted back and forth on the table, trying to read whatever answer there might have been. Antonio took a long, deep drink from his wine and poured another, drinking it down almost immediately. Aurelia sat silently.

"I do. I did what was necessary to bring the secret from the hidden places." He carefully took her hand in his, that feather light touch. "You are the Messenger. They need to know that. Damn me for my method, but not the action. Damn my touch, but not the safety it afforded you. Damn me for killing, but not for being a soldier for you."

Aurelia looked him in the eye. His eyes were clear.

"I forgive you."

For a moment, Antonio was shocked. Perhaps he expected a lightning bolt to come through the window and strike him. His body relaxed and he slid his hand from under hers. "Grazi, my Lady. I shall continue to serve you, if you would allow it."

"The men you gave me to are indeed the secret. They need to be made ready for what they must do. The time is nigh."

"Yes, my Lady." He stood quickly and made for the door. "Shall I send for Paola to make you ready for bed?"

Aurelia stood stiffly, not having sat down in some time. Her feet were throbbing. "No. I will make my own preparations. Have her to me in the morning. I must meet with His Eminence."

"Yes, my Lady. Sleep well." Antonio bowed and closed the door behind him. She waited a moment and listened. He had not stepped away yet. She went to the door and locked it from the inside. Boots moved away down the hall.

Aurelia pulled what was left of the dress off of her. It was stained with sweat and traces of blood from the mob. It was done for. She stripped down to get into her nightclothes. Bruises and scratches covered more of her than she thought. The bed was far softer than she remembered it was from the day before. How many days have I been gone? That was not important now. What was next was getting Ezio's blade into Borgia's neck, hopefully stopping the schism in the Guild to come.

Antonio had never considered himself a lucky man, but here he was, on the receiving end of a miracle. The angelic lady had forgiven him his trespass against her. He moved only to help her find her way to those who needed her most. His lips burned, his stomach was in knots. The deafening heartbeat in his own ears measured his steps back down the hallway. He stopped a moment, trying to collect himself. The cool stone of the wall felt like ice against his back. Antonio inhaled slowly, closing his eyes, but all he could see was her. Those bright eyes that saw all of him. Those eyes had seen his heart and forgave. He opened his eyes again to escape them. Just the flicker of the sconces met him. With a quick adjustment of his coat, he continued on his way to his master's.

Borgia was still awake, cup of wine in his hand, staring into the fire. He seemed bored by it. "Enter," he sighed.

Antonio stepped inside quickly and bowed. "Eminenza, she has returned."

Roderigo almost choked, but regained his composure. "What do you mean? Alive?"

"Yes," he nodded. "She had been swept up in the crowd and manhandled a bit. She's uncertain of how long she's been gone. However, she seems intact. She said she had walked the whole way from the outskirts. She'd like to see you tomorrow, if your schedule permits."

Borgia sat a long time, jaw clenching and unclenching in fury. The large ring tapped idly on the rim of his cup with a dull clunk. He polished off the last bit in it and threw it to the floor. "I'll see her tomorrow. When I have time."

"Yes, Eminenza."

Roderigo shifted his weight and went to his desk, idly looking through some ledger. "Make sure Cesare takes care of her while she waits."

Antonio looked up. Roderigo's face betrayed no clue what 'take care of her' meant.

"Yes, Eminenza."

He cleared his throat. "Thank you. That will be all, Antonio."

The valet bowed once again. "Good night, Eminenza." He took his leave. As he shut the door, he could hear a muffled roar and papers flying. Aurelia was not safe. She would be killed before the next night came. He had to get word to the Assassins. The time to act was at hand.