"You have paled." Duccio noted.

Claudia held her breath when she realized that she was still wearing her Assassin robes and that her sleeves had a smear of drying blood on it. Vieri's blood!

She tried to pull back her hand, in case he noticed her sleeves, but Duccio held on teasingly.

"We must get a change of clothes." Cristina said abruptly. She stepped before her and Duccio had to let go of her hand.

"I can see you are dressed rather unusually." Duccio noted.

"These are just garments we were trying on for fun." Cristina replied quickly.

Claudia couldn't reply and she was grateful to Cristina for making excuses on her behalf. She let Cristina take her hand and lead her inside Leonardo's studio.

"That was clumsy." Cristina stated, once she locked the door behind her.

"Scusa?"

"Not you." Cristina looked for a clean washcloth and found one under Leonardo's desk. "I was unaware that there would be someone else. He looks oddly familiar….as if I may know him from somewhere."

Claudia bit her lip as Cristina dipped the cloth into a basin of clean water and walked over to her. She was well aware that her face had become warm and that Cristina was sure to notice her hesitancy.

"You may know him from Firenze." She said in a strangled voice.

Cristina took her hand and started to wipe away at the bloodstains on her forearm. "Oh?"

Claudia swallowed. "That was Duccio de Luca. I was engaged to him many years ago."

Cristina paused and looked up at her. "Wasn't he…didn't you…I thought Ezio had asked him to stay away from you."

Claudia pulled her hand away from Cristina's grip and walked over to a chair. "He did." She sat down and gazed at her hands. "I…met him when I came here."

Cristina folded the washcloth and put it on the table. "So I take it that you are enamored with him?"

"What? No!" Claudia replied and then found that it wasn't entirely true. Why would she have feelings for him otherwise? Why would her heart beat so whenever she laid eyes on him?

"To be honest, I never thought he was worthy of you. Not to mention, he did have the reputation of being quite a womanizer."

"My feelings for him at the moment are rather complex at the moment. I would much rather discuss something else." Claudia frowned.

"Like the death of my husband?"

"Do you have no remorse?"

"That the man responsible for my pain and misery is dead? Not at all." Cristina sat on the chair from across her and sighed. "Although, I have to make my own plans to escape. Once Francesco di Pazzi discovers that his son is dead, he is bound to come after me. What repugnance I felt for Vieri was no secret."

"Then you are in much danger." Claudia exclaimed. "Perhaps you should stay here."

"No, I would like to go back home." Cristina said. "I am not as weak as I seem, Claudia. I can take care of myself. Besides, I have full faith that the Assassins will pursue Francesco as the next target."

"Certamente." Claudia said. "Francesco was behind the deaths of my Fathers and Brothers. He'll pay too."

"He was following orders." Cristina said. "The Intelligence behind this reprehensible deed is someone else.

"Who?"

"The Spaniard." Cristina replied. "I have only seen him at a distance, but I am absolutely sure that he was the one who had given the orders." She took another deep breath, leaned in and whisper. "And I have this feeling that he is not done with whatever he is planning. He is…."

"Signore!" Duccio said, coming in. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

Claudia glanced at Cristina and saw the darkness of anger on her face; as if she intended to give Duccio a piece of her mind. "No." she answered and got up swiftly. "However, Claudia was about to change into her clothes, so if you have no problems showing yourself out…."

Duccio only smiled at her rudeness and then turned to Claudia. "Bene. Why don't you change into something more comfortable and appropriate? I would like to take the honor of showing you the lights of the Carnivale."

Claudia clasped her hands on her lap and bit the inside of her lip. "I am…I mean…"

"Of course, she will go." Her Mother said, coming in from the door.

"Madre? What are you doing here?"

Her Mother came over to her and gathered her up in her arms. "I was worried about…er…you." She glanced uneasily at Duccio then turned back to her. "Leonardo told me how Duccio saved him from the brutes."

"Si, he did." Claudia mumbled a reply.

"And I have asked her to come with me to the Carnivale. It shall be ending soon and I would love to show her around." Duccio smiled.

To Claudia he looked so charming that she couldn't complain when her Mother appeared to be quite taken with him as well.

"Claudia will go." Her Mother promised.

"I…I would perhaps like to go talk to Uncle now." Claudia hoped her Mother would understand how important it was for her Uncle to know that she had killed Vieri. The Assassins had to be alert now in case the Pazzis retaliated.

"Your Uncle is away on…business. He shall arrive quite late at night."

"Madre, you don't understand." Claudia whispered. "I must inform Zio that…."

Her Mother squeezed her hands. "Your Uncle will be informed. A thief has already been dispatched. You are a woman, Claudia, who must learn to enjoy herself as well."

"But it's Duccio." She whispered. She glanced up and saw him speaking to Leonardo.

"Who looks like a reformed man." Her Mother protested. "Give him a chance, piccina."

Claudia saw the ray of hope in her Mother's eyes and understood why she was being pressed to go out with Duccio. Her Mother had probably started dreaming of her wedding and nothing could bring her more happiness that to see her daughter settle down. Claudia could understand this as Petruccio had envisioned the same for her and it now seemed it had been his dying wish.

"Say yes." Her Mother said, squeezing her hand.

Claudia nodded and smiled.

"She will come, Duccio." Her Mother announced and went over to him to thank him again for saving Leonardo's life.

Lost in her own thoughts, Claudia cursed the day she had decided not to take up on Machiavelli's offer and confide in him about how confused she had felt after she met Duccio. Machiavelli was younger than her, but so much wiser. He would have given sound advice and told her how to deal with these tangled feelings.

"Where are you, Machiavelli." She said to herself. More than anything now, she wanted him and his guidance.