Warning: chapter may cause anger, anxiety, worry, confutation, and headaches. (I hope not!) and contains mild language.

A gentle breeze caressed Elinana's face, and the high hanging sun blanketed her in warmth. Touching her ears was huffs, and gentle, concerned whinnies of a familiar friend. Polling her heavy eyelids open, she groaned and shied away from the bright face high above her.

Rolling to her side she met a soft, worm, muscular form. She didn't have to open her eyes to know that Hercules lied next to her, like a brave protector.

How did I get here? A small voice asked in her head. Like the sudden flood of a tide, the memories came back. The Romani camp, the poor bear, Ezio acting—. "Ezio," she whispered.

Forcing her self to open her eyes and rise to her hands and knees, she was just to the south of the Coliseum, and she was hidden from people, behind some old bits if ruins. But no sing of Ezio.

"Ezio!" panic swelled in her. It curled around her heart, and clenched her stomach. "Ezio, where? Not again." She shook her bowed head.

Awkwardly rising to her feet, Hercules rose and supported her. Managing to heave her self up on his back, they made for the south-west corner, while she kept a wary eye on her soundings. And soon, they grew near the camp.

Dismounting, she darted from cover, to cover, unseen; just the way her brothers taught her. Soon she came upon some Romani clothing in a basket, on a home wagon. An idea sparked into her mind, as she held the colorful fabric eye level. She grabbed what would fit; she then fell back to Hercules where she left him.

"Okay boy," she patted him, and began to remove her robes. "Keep on eye out for me."

Ezio

Flames touched a starry sky. The power of Hercules rippled under his lags, as he rode in a burning maze. Glancing to the left, he saw the all too familiar form of the gallows that of which his Brothers and Father died upon.

Gritting his teeth, he guided the powerful steed around the bend. He searched for something or some one, but he didn't know what or who it was.

"Auditore!"

Ezio turned his head to see Cesare Borgia, atop a stone platform, out of the reach of the flames. "Come," he called. "Die like the miserable mutt, that you called an uncle!"

The fire that blazed in Ezio, was a volcanic inferno compared to the blazing maze. But he continued to search, even when all he wanted to do was make the Borgia suffer.

Passage after passage, he searched. What am I looking for? He inwardly asked. What am I missing?

Then he saw it, or rather her. Elinana stood at the top of a tower, that looked exactly like his brother's and his favorite tower. High from the flames, she danced as she played a strange melody, clothed in a white dress that shimmered like the stars.

Something black and large moved at the corner of his eye. Turning to his left, he saw a nightmarish bat flying slowly toward Elinana.

"Elinana!" he called, as Hercules carried him closer to the tower. "Get down from there!" but she continued to dance and play, not acknowledging the flames, him, or the bat.

"Foolish girl is going to get her self killed!" He grumbled, urging Hercules to run faster. But the bat was winning, all the same.

Just as he thought he would see her die, she started to glow a radiate light of blue and white. And it grew as she played with passion that flowed, and danced like fire and water, till she shone brighter then the stars, and the moon.

A wave of water slapped his face, but the light still shone brightly on his eyes that were closed. Turning to his side, he shook the water away, and forced is grogginess away as well. He found himself staring at hay covered ground, with the smell of manure hanging in the dusty air.

"Wake up Adam!" snarled a voice he really was beginning to hate.

Turning his head he saw the black hooded and cloaked form with a wooden bucket hanging from his hand, behind dark iron bars.

Ezio sat with his lags bent before him, and he landing his back against the cold metal.

"Hello again," Gasparo greeted without merit.

Ezio glared at him, not offering any words.

"We really should stop meeting like this." He continued. Ezio finally spoke, but it was tense, and emotionless. "Mack it interesting, and come a little closer."

Gasparo chuckled without humor. "You really are not that different from the first Adam, Ezio Auditore." He placed the bucket down, and sat in a stool, and leaned on his knees with his elbows. "Tell me, have you told her?"

"About what?"

"About me; that she is being hunted, that it is practically her fault that I poisoned you. Speaking of poison; how did the two of you far?" he asked eager like a boy about to hear a story. "Did she offer words of comfort?"

"Ezio," the memory of her voice rang. "Stay with me."

"Did she panic?"

"Ezio!" her voice called out in a desperate cry, far, far away; in his memory.

"Did you feel death, closing in?"

The hazy memory of Elinana shimmering with a blue and white light that rippled like ribbons; blossomed into his mind. And behind her, stood the dark form of Gasparo; engulfed with blackness. "You are failing, Adam." He curled his long, clawed fingers around her throat. "Remember she is a dead woman if you die. But of course, she is still one if you make it."

Leaping to his feet Ezio slammed his fist to the iron that kept him from making the Borgia suffer. "You," he growled with fire in his eyes, ignoring the pain of his fist. "Leave her alone, she poses no threat to you!"

"Oh my poor amico," Gasparo sighed, and shook his bowed head. "What flows in her vines, lays a weapon that could destroy my beloved."

Ezio stood still as stone. Her gift. He thought. Could this man hold some of the answers of her strange ability to jump from one time, to another? If so, how does he know?

"She was-is, a beautiful sight." Gasparo sighed mournfully. "But you know something about the girl." he stated emotionlessly. "Don not deny it, I saw it in your eyes."

The fire in Ezio rose again, determined to protect Elinana any way he could, and that included her secret. Gasparo opened is mouth to speak, but a plump man hurried up to his side, as quickly as his short lags would allow.

"Gasparo!" he panted.

"Mario, I said no one was to disturb me and our guest." Gasparo darkly grumbled.

"We," he panted, and glanced at Ezio. "We are having…" he leaned close to Gasparo's ear and whispered in low tones.

Sighing, he rose from the stool. "We will continue after I have sorted out a small issue." He left, fallowed by Mario that jiggled was he tried to keep up with Gasparo's long strides.

Alone he took in his dismal surroundings. He was not the only one caged, dogs of various breads where locked up together, to the far right. All with the same tormented pain in their sad eyes and faces. The cage right next to him held a large cat painted orange and white, with black stripes. It slept with his head on his gigantic paws, snoring. To his left was the poor black beast that he saw earlier licking its foot, while it made whimper like sounds.

Ezio looked to them, and felt pity for the poor creatures. Then anger seeped in, for the ones that have done this to them. And for what they could do to Elinana, if he doesn't get out of his cage and find her before they did.

Just then a shadow flashed at the corner of his eye. Turning to a pile of hay, he saw a plum hooded head pop out fallowed by a tall slender form.

"Elinana?" he whispered only laude enough for her hear.

"Hay Tiger!" she replied, glancing to the entrance of the tent, while walking up to his cage. Bending to her level, he took in her disguise; the small cloak, a scarlet skirt that reveled her boots, and a violet peasant shirt.

The color combination didn't suit her, in his view. It made her shadowed eyes look like two pail stones.

"Is this a normal thing for you? Getting locked behind iron of sorts?" she asked examining the lock, and the door.

"Until you, came in to my life? No" he teasingly replied, with his musical voice that soothed Elinana's worry, and brought a smirk to her lips. "Sere, blame the girl that is trying to save your life." she teased with a smile.

"Elinana you should not be here," he turned serious and glanced over her shoulder, and saw some Romani passing now and then; but none noticed her. "You have to get far from here as passable."

"Not without you." She placed her elegant hand over his that curled around the cold bars. "Are you okay, aside from being in a cage?"

"Sì Colomba," he gently replied. Flashing a smile; his determination to protect her rose as he fixed his deep brown eyes with her gray stone eyes.

"Listen," he kept glancing to the entrance. "You need to get out of here."

"Do I have to repeat myself?" she sighed.

"This is not up to debate Elinana, your life is in danger!"

"So is yours!"

"Not nearly as much as yours!" he hissed. She stirred at him, "What?"

He sighed heavily, and rubbing his forehead, then fixed his eyes with hers after glancing at the entrance.

"The man that poisoned me," he paused, still wondering if he should tell her. "He is here. The Romani camp, is a trap-"

"All the more to get you out of here." she broke away, but froze as her eyes met the black beast.

"Elinana," he hissed. But she ignored him.

Walking over the cage, she gazed sadly at the miserable beast. His tired black, glistening eyes, fixed with hers. He seemed to ask, "Why? Why do this to me? Why take me from my forest?"

"He and I may not be from the same area," she mumbled mournfully, as if she felt the beast's pain. "But we are from the same wild, free land. Both vary far from home." she turned to Ezio, with a tear sliding down her cheek.

"He is a Bear, a Grizzly. I know this because he doesn't have a white patch on his chest." Her eyes found the Tiger and she walked over to his cage. She had never seen a Tiger in real life before, and she never thought it would be like this; in a poorly kept cage, old, and so tired of living.

"Do you know what he is, Ezio?" she quizzed.

"Elinana, now is not the time." His tone was tense.

"He is a Bengal Tiger. He belongs in his jungle, in the het and life of India." She rose. "No King should wither away in a cage."

Whimpering caught her attention, and she turned to the poor dogs crammed together. Walking to the last cage, she saw them cowering away from her, and her heart fell as she leveled to them. Slowly reaching her hand through the bars, she let them smell her hand. She soothed each of them, and they kissed her hands. Poor things must have never known a smidge of love till now.

Slowly backing away, her back found the support beam of the black and crimson striped tent. Turning in a circle, her sadness turned to anger.

"Elinana," Ezio grew restless, any secant Gasparo could come back. And find his prey right before him, and Ezio would be useless to protect her.

"I'll find the keys, and then we make them pay for this." She growled darkly.

"Run!" Ezio yelled, as a shadow grew over her. "Get out of here!"

She turned and came face, to shadowed face with Gasparo. Before she could react, a hand tightly curled around her throat, and pouched her hard against the support beam. She stomped on his foot, but he slammed his body hard against hers, knocking the air out of her lungs.

"Let's get rid of this," she heard the blade of her knife strap against leather, and a slight clatter as he threw it to his side.

"Let her go!" Ezio growled loudly. "Do what you whish to me, just let her go!"

Gasparo ignored Ezio, who forcefully polled and pouched on the door. Pouching her hood away, he took in her heated storm gray eyes, her chestnut hair, and her elegant build.

"Greetings Eve,"

That voice. She thought. I know that voice.

Seeming to see her question in her eyes, he smirked, and then lowered his hood. Her eyes grew wide, with terror, and shock.

One blue and one amber eye starred into her. His black mustache crept down the sides of his lips, to his chin.

"No," she squirmed, her throat tightened with fear as her insides turned to ice. "You can't,"

She felt sick, as she remembered black water shimmering with moonlight. Babbles danced as she struggled to get free. But even in death, his hold was iron. And her lungs burned for air.

Gasping, she pouched memory away. "You remember." He mused slowly. "How?" he forced her to look him in the eyes.

Forcing her fear away, she glared at him. "Andare all'inferno." She spat into his face.

Ezio gawked in surprise. I didn't teach her that. He thought. Oh Elinana, too brave for your own good.

Glaring at her, his lips curled up menacingly, making him look like a demon. Backing away he slammed his fist into her gut.

Ezio watched helplessly as Elinana collapsed to the ground, gasping, as Gasparo kicked her again and again.

"Bastardo!" Ezio slammed his shoulder into the iron, but they would not yield.

She heaved sharp breathes as he forced her up, and dragged to Ezio's cage, and was slammed against the cold bars.

"Let's try that again," he leaned in against her quivering body, as she coughed and breathed sharp breaths. "How do you remember me?"

Ezio gritted his teeth, and leaned close to her ear. "Tell him," he whispered. Knowing that giving in to his demands would get her killed, but at least this way she would not suffer torture. He reached his fingers through the bars to her cold quivering hand.

Elinana remained silent. She knew what Ezio wished of her, and she knew the outcome of both fighting, and giving in. I spent my life letting fear bully me. She thought. No more, no more will I submit to fear. Stand or die girl! Her thoughts yelled with such fierce, a Spartan would have flinched in fear.

"Not, any, more!" she growled. Then like lightning broke his grip, slammed her knee into his manhood, punched him the throat, and slammed his head into the bars.

Panting he fell to the ground, and monad in pain. Quickly searching his pockets, she couldn't find the keys. Rising, she looked to Ezio who looked worried, surprised, and pleased all at once. "He bloody, stinking, doesn't have the blooming keys!"

"Go," Ezio ordered sternly, watching Gasparo rise to his hands and knees, coughing and clutching his manhood.

"I," cough "will rip you to peaces!"

She backed away to the entrance, and grabbed her knife from the dirt and straw covered ground. "Go, and don't look back!" he yelled.

In a split secant, she looked Ezio in the eyes, and promised through her gaze: "I will come back, but next time, I won't leave." Then she ran.

The colorful tents blurred as she ran, ignoring angry shouts, and yelled curses. She ran to where she left Hercules. Jumping onto his back, they took off like lightning over the rolling hills.

"Don't look back!" Ezio's words forced her to look forward, never looking back. Then soon she found herself in a familiar stable. Trembling, she gazed around the aria, but saw only common folk. Her body took hold, and guided her into Leonardo's workshop. Darting in, she leaned most of her weight on the closed door.

"Tu chi sei?" demanded a slightly angry Leonardo. Elinana slowly turned to him, feeling weighed from shock. "Non si può semplicemente ch-! Elinana?" he placed down his brush and paint pallet down, and hurried over to her.

"Leo," she murmured.

"What is wrong, has something happened to Ezio?" Concern was in his voice, eyes and face. She felt weak and sick, and her lags threatened to give under her.

"Caged," she nearly sobbed a whisper. "Caged by the man I thought was dead. And he should be dead; he died with an arrow to the head, and dr-," she pouched the memories away, and started to slide down the door.

"Elinana!" Leo wrapped his arms around her, and gently polled her to his side then guided her to the bed. Setting her down, he kneeled before her. Pouching her hood away, he saw that she was pale, and her gray stone eyes starred blankly, save for fear.

"Leo, I ran," tears swelled in her eyes. "I ran, again. Why is it so hard for me to stand? Why can't I be brave as my mommy, daddy, brothers and sisters? I'm tired of running, tired of being a cawed, tired of being the punching bag."

Leo was struck by her words, and didn't really know what to say, but he managed to find some words. "I you have suffered greatly, and will suffer more on your road. But know this, you are strong, you have stood, and you deserve so much better then the path that has been set before you." He whipped away her tears with a handkerchief he polled out from a pocket. "Come young assassin," he polled her to her feet. "We will rid to the barrack, and make a plan to rescue Ezio." he supported her as they make for the door.

Outside, she polled her hood up over her head. "Everything will be all right, you'll see."

"I wish I had your optimism." She muttered.

Ezio

Ezio sat with his lags bent before him, wondering if his apprentice had escaped. She must have. He thought. Otherwise the bastardo would have brought her before me to watch helplessly as he beat her, even kill her.

But what if she was injured, where is she now? He closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the cold uncomfortable bars, facing up.

If Elinana's God is out there, He inwardly prayed. Please let her be well, unharmed, and in good hands.

He raised his head, and opened his eyes to the sound of foot steps. The shadowy form of Gasparo limped into the tent, alone. Ezio found that a great weight was lifted, and he breathed the stuffy air, deeply. "She got away." He couldn't help but smile, even before the Borgia.

"Don't sound so pleased," Gasparo snarled. "I let her go! Because I know your weakness; and it mirrors hers!"

Ezio's smile remained, but was no longer true. "Insanity seems to run through blood." He mused. "Who are you really? You can not be the same person the tried to kill her in the past."

"You are right," Gasparo sat on the stool. "He was not I, however, if you look at it in a certain light. It was."

"Like I said; insanity."

Gasparo laughed, which nearly sounded like a true laugh. Nearly being the word.

"I remember glimpses, and certain truths of different lives, different eras. Take Julius Caesar! Granted he was stabbed 23 times, however. It was a poison that took his life. And it was delivered by an assassin much like you, Auditore; an Adam."

"And you remember my apprentice."

"Yes, I remember. I remember finding her a bloody mess, nearing death, by the hands of your order." He evilly smirked, then continued after not getting any response. "Then my comrades and I brought her to the Cathedral in Acre. Where the monks that work with us; healed her wounds. But they refused to let us question her to much. We where planning to move her to a more secure location, but her Adam came and spirited her away the night before. But I watched it happen, I watched her heal back to Eve. When I finally took action, it was then that my suspicions where correct. But I was rash, and underestimated her and Adam. But this time, I have a plan. And when she returns," he rose. "She will not slip through my grasp again." He left; leaving Ezio alone with his thoughts.

If not for him, she would be dead. He thought. But if he had known who she was, he would have let her die. How could he know about Caesar? I had no inkling that one of the Order was behind it.

"I remember glimpses, and certain truths of different lives, different eras…"

He is something else. Elinana gift is dangerous, and shrouded by unanswered questions, but there is a beauty to it. But this man, he is old; he is a danger that lies solely on his whim. Elinana purely wishes to be reunited with her Father. But like the Borgia the he is; he naturally seeks blood.

How does he see what others have seen? He contemplated as dusk grew closer.

"You want to know another thing about me?" she asked, not taking her eyes from the sight.

"Nothing too strange I hope." He replied, taking in her fiery ribbon hair, and her eyes that turned to a shad of violet, in the light of the setting sun.

"My favorite time of day," she replied. "Dusk, and dawn." He smiled at the memory. Midnight; if we make it out alive, I'll tell her I always liked midnight.

Elinana

Pacing back and forth, in the roof of the barrack wall walked Elinana. The pale light of the first quarter moon lit her steppes. Millions thoughts swirled in her head, and her heart felt heavy by each of them.

"Elinana!" Leonardo's call broke the spell. "Every one is here. Come, they are waiting for you!"

"Be right down!" she replied. Breathing heavily, her armpits where cold from sweating in the cool night air, and her body quivered, despite her robes.

"God, please be with me, for I am terrified. What if they agree that I am guilty? What if Ezio dies because of the mad man that wishes to see me dead?" she looked to the winking stars, and the moon, but no reply, just the gentle touch of a cool breeze. "Still, I can't do this on my own. I thought I could, thought I could forget… but I can't. If this works, or not, I may be meeting you soon." with that she murmured. "In your name I pray, amen." Crouching by the edge of the roof, she swung, and turned to face the wall. Clambering down, she nimbly leaped down to the cobblestone ground with a small clap. Rising up strait, she marched to the center the barrack. Placing her hand on the handle, she froze as cold fear curled around her heart, snaking up her spine, and tightened around her stomach and throat.

Closing her eyes she forced her fear away. Now is not the time for fear! Her conscience snapped. You want to be brave as your brothers? Then open the door. Obeying, she pouched up and forward. Light of the fire, and candles greeted her; along with the faces of the Masters of the Italian Assassins.

She uneasily made to the center of the grope that ringed around her. She couldn't look at them, not even to Maria, and Claudia that stood next to her.

"Ezio has been captured by a mad man, who tried to kill me long ago. The Romani camp is a trap…" she paused as Leonardo translated for the ones that didn't know English.

"A trap for whom?" asked Machiavelli. Her head bowed lower. "For me."

This is it. She thought. "He was behind Ezio's poisoning, and now this; all to get to Me." she kneeled down. "I broke the third tenet."

When Leo didn't translate, Machiavelli did, and then some. Then came a single word from every one of them, each in turn. She searched for the translated word but she couldn't find it. Machiavelli grabbed her shoulders and polled her to her feet.

"You have broken no tenet, because this was not of your doing. Leonardo told us you were deeply troubled by what has happened, and I see that it is true. "

She glanced over to Leo who gave her a sheepish smile. Smirking, and felling a bit lighter, she shook her head. "Grazie, fratelli." She said to all of them, with a hand on her heart.

Bartolomeo stepped up to her side, said something she didn't understand, and slapped her back. Stumbling forward, she regained her balance, and smirked at him.

"Come," Machiavelli waved her over to the table. "Tell us everything you can of this man, and of the camp."

Nodding she, then told them what she knew, and some of her theories; but left out the bit about different eras, of cores. "And if it's any constellation, I have a plan." She proclaimed at the end of the tale.

"What sort of plan?" Machiavelli asked.

She smirked, but the heaviness returned. "Well give him what he wants-"

"No," protested Leo. "We can not allow you to such a dangerous thing."

"Believe me. If he wants my life, he is going to have to work out my little idea. And it's similar, to a simple little game that anyone can fall for." She smirked to her won puzzle.