Good Evening! How are you? Doing well in the madness, I hope. I am currently homebound, and the cases are mounting up where I live as well as in Europe. Keep everyone affected in your thoughts guys, they could use the hope.

Anyway, I rewrote this chapter a couple times before posting it because I did not like what I had originally wrote. This is not a filler chapter. It has a purpose. We will get to see a familiar face in this chapter…keep in mind, this character is a good ten years younger than Ezio and Contessina (she is a few months older than Ezio with her birthday being March 15th) so enjoy the cuteness.

The sound of wood hitting wood could be heard at the small group of trees outside of Firenze where a man and woman were practicing sword fighting. The woman was slower than the man in her reactions to his swings, but overall, he thought she was doing well. Nearby, their horses were tied in the shade to keep them cool while they were able to stand and rest. The blond woman wore brown trousers with a linen shirt and her riding boots as she worked hard to keep up with her opponents moves.

"You are getting good at this." Giuliano said as Contessina blocked his swing and pushed his wooden sword away from her. "Who knew only a few weeks ago you could barely stand on your own two feet."

"And who knows Giuliano, I may be able to knock you off yours in a few weeks more." She said with a cocky smile before swinging back at him only for her sword to be knocked out of her hand.

"Right, well, when that happens you can be sure that Lorenzo will be the one to avenge me." He held the point of his sword at her chin. "Until then, you are still not that great." He said with a wink while she caught her breath.

"Not if I hide your body first." She said picking up her sword and hitting it against Giuliano's as quick as she could.

"Are you threatening me?" He said as he blocked her attack and held her there. "That sounds like a threat. Maybe I should let you walk home."

"And have Lorenzo yell at you for leaving me alone?" Contessina said grunting as she pushed her weight against him.

"I can always say you've been kidnapped by a band of misfits. I'm sure you would fit right in with them." Giuliano did not blink. He had her attention long enough to put his right leg behind her left and pull her stance apart. She yelped as she fell backwards onto the green grass and dropped her sword. "Lesson number eighty-seven, don't have a conversation while fighting." He laughed at her when she looked up at him. He held out his hand to her.

"Yes, I know." She sighed sitting up and taking his hand to let him pull her up to her feet. "Because it distracts, but you can use it to your advantage." She dusted herself off before picking up her sword again.

"Right. Only if you can get your opponent riled up enough by taunting them. The objective, Contessina, is to let their cockiness be their downfall." Giuliano pointed his sword at her again.

"Unless you are Lorenzo." Contessina said with a sly smirk as she readied herself again for an advance from Giuliano.

"Yes, unless you are Lorenzo who does not know how to smile." Giuliano took a high guard and swiped down at Contessina. She was barely able to move backwards out of the way when he went to thrust at her, however she was able to spin herself to miss being 'impaled' by the wooden sword. "Very good." He told her as she came back to block him again. She looked down when she felt something poking her in the flank to see Giuliano holding a stick he had picked up earlier like a dagger. "But not good enough." He chuckled as he put his sword down and tossed the stick aside.

"That was really dirty, Giuliano." Contessina said as her cousin sat down in the grass to take a break. "I thought we Medici are supposed to fight with honor and dignity?"

"Your enemy is not always going to fight with honor Contessina. Sometimes they fight dirty too, and you have to be prepared for their tricks. Sometimes fighting with honor will get you killed." He said laying on his back as she sat down beside him wondering what was going to happen next.

"So, you are saying that I should fight dirty then?" Contessina asked him as she began to play with the blades of grass at her sides.

"No, only when you have to." Giuliano sighed as he looked at the sky above them. "We should go home, but I don't feel like it."

"It is getting late." The blond said feeling like it was getting close to midafternoon. "We've been gone since this morning."

"I suppose you are right. Lorenzo will send someone to find us if we don't make our presence known to him before the Sun sets." The man said sitting up and then standing. "Be glad you do not have a brother like him Contessina."

"It's bad enough I have to live in the same house as the both of you." She teased as he pulled her up from where she sat. The cousins picked up the wooden swords before moving to where their horses were tied. "You are a practical joker while Lorenzo..."

"Has a post up his ass." Giuliano said with annoyance in his voice.

"I was going to say stoic and closed off, but that works too I suppose." She said as they reached their horses. "I'm going to tell Lorenzo you said that." Contessina untied the rope that she had her horse tethered to and then climbed on the mare's back.

"You wouldn't dare." Giuliano did the same.

"You are going to have to stop me!" She kicked the grey mare into a gallop towards the gates of Firenze. She looked back to see if Giuliano was behind her and she laughed when she saw him fighting with his red stallion before the horse finally listened. She looked back ahead as she galloped with a laugh at Giuliano's expense. Contessina reached Firenze's gate in no time at all before slowing down and giving the mare a pat on her sweaty neck in appreciation. "Good girl."

"I suppose the race is over then, Signora Contessina?" One of Volpe's thieves met her at the gate with a grin on his face.

"That it is. What is it Matteo?" The young woman asked the thief.

"La Volpe would like to speak with you tonight in the Merchant Square if you are able." The young thief said.

"Si, I will be there." She said before kicking her horse into a trot as Giuliano caught up to her. "Having an argument with that devil again?" She asked him as the stallion wanted to prance the whole way back home.

"If he wasn't such a good jousting horse, I would have sent him to the breeders already, but he is steadily getting on my nerves." He jerked the stallion's reins to make the horse pay attention.

"Maybe that is his problem. It is the season for breeding, why not try to get a few good colts off of him?" She reached over to pet the red stallions face as he tried to nip the mare on the neck. "I know someone who would love one of his colts."

"He has a few offspring out there already, but from what I hear they are fire breathing dragons instead of wild horses." Giuliano said with a chuckle as the stallion hopped underneath him in protest of being held back. "Come, let's go home, I am tired of fighting with this...dragon."

When Contessina entered the atrium of the Palazzo after taking care of the mare, she could hear Lorenzo yelling in his study, and it drew her attention. She quietly walked up to the door to try and hear what he was yelling about only for the door to suddenly open and a young man walked out with a red face followed by an older man who seemed just as upset. There was an atmosphere of trouble that came from the room as she could hear Lorenzo pacing back and forth.

"To think they could stoup this low and try to take over San Gimignano!" She could hear Lorenzo's angry tone as he threw something across the room. The sound of the object hitting the stone wall and then falling to the floor made Contessina wonder what on Earth happened for him to be this angry. "Francesco and Jacopo de'Pazzi have returned to Firenze leaving Vieri stationed at San Gimignano."

"They have grown bold. Who knows what else they are planning."? The voice of Bernardo Machiavelli said in response. Contessina was about to move away when she turned to see a boy standing there. He was maybe seven years old and looked exactly like Bernardo.

"Who are you?" He asked her and she smiled.

"I am Contessina, and you?" The blond could not help but to admire his serious tone.

"Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, Signora." Contessina watched as the little boy bowed to her with a formal greeting. She was impressed at his manners. "It is a pleasure." He walked up to her asking for her hand and she gave it to him willingly. "And an honor." He kissed the back of her hand and she giggled a little at the scene.

"Well, Messere Machiavelli, I am touched by your greeting. Would you like a sweet roll from the kitchen in reward?" Contessina could not help but to be sweet to the charismatic little boy who acted older than he was. She could see him growing into a very wise man one day.

"Si, signora. I accept your offer, but you must tell me why you are wearing men's clothing." The boy asked as he held on to her hand. "I thought you were a man, then I saw your face and realized you were not a man."

"Well, if you can keep a secret, Niccolò, I will tell you all about my adventures today." She said before she heard the door opening further as Lorenzo and Bernardo stepped out into the atrium.

"I'm afraid that will have to wait for another time Signora Contessina." Bernardo told her as he walked over to greet her. "Unfortunately, I must bring Niccolò home to his mother."

"Oh, well then I suppose the sweet rolls will have to wait then." She leaned down to Niccolò. "And the stories." She winked at him before turning the boy lose to his father.

"Perhaps I will see you again Signora, someday soon." The boy said sadly before taking his father's hand.

"I would like that. Good day Messere Machiavelli." She curtsied to the attorney and then started to head up to her room to change. Contessina could see greatness in the boy just by the manner of his actions downstairs, but she knew that he was going to cross her path again. There was no doubt about it.

After dinner that night Contessina went up to her room to make ready for her disappearing act to the Merchant Square. This was not the first time she had snuck out of the Palazzo to meet with Volpe in order to get the letters back to him, but he wanted to speak to her for another reason. At first, she was hesitant to go out in the night on her own, but after the weeks went by, she was more comfortable with it. Especially since she had learned to defend herself. She put her boots on and took the stiletto knife Giuliano gave her for her birthday out from under the bed before sticking it into her boot. She changed from her evening dress into one of the wool dresses she kept for occasions such as this as it was easier to move in.

Putting her navy cloak on, she poked her head out of her door to make sure no one was awake before quietly leaving the room. She made sure to go down the concrete stairs that went to the atrium before sticking to the shadows to get to the garden. Contessina was able to make it to the garden without alerting anyone since Lorenzo kept the guards in the front of the Palazzo and not in the back. She sighed as she opened the gate quietly before going into the streets of Firenze.

The spring air was filled with the fragrances of jasmine and lavender that came from the stands near the market as she approached the quiet square. Most of the merchants had gone home for the night while the night watchmen were busy lighting torches in the streets. She was lucky that no one had noticed her as she went to stand by one of the columns that held up the bazaar. Sneaking around Firenze at night was not something a noblewoman did, but she was no ordinary noblewoman.

"Contessina." Someone whispered from the shadows across from where she stood. She looked to see Volpe standing in the shadow of one of the buildings that lined the square. She looked to see if any of the guards were around before making her way over to him in a hurry. "I had feared you were not going to come."

"I'm here and I brought you some of the letters you requested. I read through all of them, not one mentions anything about what the Pazzi has planned." She pulled the small stack of letters she had tied up with twine from the pouch at her hip. "I have forged some to send out via your messengers to the people listed in one of Giovanni's letters, but I am not sure this is going to work."

"It must. It has to. What else have you discovered?" Volpe pulled her along to walk with him after taking the stack of letters from her. Contessina sighed.

"Francesco de'Pazzi is back in Firenze. He and Jacopo both, but they left Vieri in San Gimignano to hold the town." Contessina told Volpe but he stopped short.

"Your information is a little late, Contessina." He told her grabbing on to her shoulder to stop her as well. "Vieri de'Pazzi was killed last night." Contessina's jaw dropped at the news. She felt a little surprised by the news and relieved at the same time because Vieri had been a thorn in her side just as much as the Auditore's. She did not feel sorry for him and she wanted to praise his killer.

"Who killed him?" She asked Volpe who chuckled before patting her shoulder and walking forward.

"Who do you think killed him, Contessina?" The master thief of Firenze asked her as she followed him down the street. She thought about who could have gotten close enough to Vieri de'Pazzi to kill the stronzo where he stood. She hoped the killer was able to do the same with the rest of the Pazzi family. Then it hit her.

"Ezio." She said to herself and her eyes widened in realization. Ezio decided to follow in Giovanni's footsteps after all it seemed and perhaps, he would continue to do so.

"Si, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the Assassino as he is being called by Francesco de'Pazzi." Volpe told her as they walked. "Now, there is something we do need to discuss. With Francesco back in Firenze, I do not think it wise to meet here anymore. Instead I shall come to you at the Palazzo Medici and we will speak in the garden. It is better you stay there for your own safety, Contessina."

"I see. If that is what must be done, then so be it." She consented to his plan with a little hesitancy. "I must be going home then."

"Be careful, Contessina." He said grabbing her hand and kissing it in formality before letting her leave.

Even though it felt good to leave home without having an escort, she knew that Volpe was right. With the Pazzi and their conspirators in Firenze, it would be hard for her to not be attached to Ezio now. Not only had her husband taken the life of Uberto Alberti, but now he had killed his longtime rival Vieri. Two kills within months of each other and now if he were to continue tracking down the Pazzi, the list would grow. Contessina was not sure how she felt about her husband killing people, but ultimately, she was involved in his life now whether Ezio knew it or not.

It did not take her long to reach Palazzo Medici and when she did, she noticed something unusual. There were lights coming from the windows and it seemed that there was a commotion going on within the house itself. She quietly slipped into the gardens before she removed her boots and cloak to throw them behind the hedges before she sat down on the stone bench near the fountain. She knew that something was going on, so she laid down on her back looking up at the sky, pretending to be asleep as the door to the atrium opened.

"Contessina!" It was Lorenzo still in his robe and with a lantern in his hand. "Contessina!" He said as he roamed the garden before coming to a stop at where she laid. "There you are. Where have you been?" She opened her eyes groggily and moaned.

"Lorenzo? What is going on?" She said pretending to be sleepy and sat up with her hand rubbing her neck. "I couldn't sleep so I came out here to watch the stars. I guess I fell asleep."

"No time for words now, girl. Cammillia is in labor, come." He held out his hand to her and pulled her up from the bench before escorting her inside. No doubt that he was fooled by her acting as he had no idea, she had even left the Palazzo at all. She had to get to Cammillia as fast as she could though because she had promised to be there for the auburn-haired woman through her troubles.

"Move out of the way Lorenzo, I have to be there." She said moving ahead of the Medici patriarch and into the atrium before going to Cammillia's room. She wasted no time in opening the door with a gusto that had not been seen in ages. "Milia!"

"Calm down child, she has many hours to go yet." Ginevra said as she sat in the corner leaning against her cane. Contessina ignored her mother and went straight to her friends' side, grabbing the woman's hand.

"When they told me you weren't in your room, I knew you had gone out again." Cammillia whispered with a smile on her lips even though it was evident the woman was in a decent amount of pain. "I am told that I have a long way to go before my true pains start."

"I have to admit, Milia, this is the first birth I have ever attended. I was considered too young with the last one." Contessina did not really know what to expect when it came to childbirth. She knew that it was painful, but the pain was worth it, at least that is what most women told her. The blond was not ignorant, she knew the workings of her body and how children were born into the world, but she had never been allowed into the sacred world of a woman's confinement.

"That is alright, maybe you will be prepared more for when you finally have your own child." Cammillia said before sucking a breath as her pains came again. "Stay with me?"

"Always." Contessina smiled as she allowed her friend squeezed her hand.

Ezio sat on the steps of the villa with a bottle of wine in his hand and a letter from Contessina in the other. He thought killing Vieri would feel better than it did, but what else could he expect from killing a rival? There was a party and it was a good one, but there was more work that needed to be done. Of course, the wine was in celebration of Contessina's news about the birth of his nephew who was born the day before the letter reached him. The infant was healthy and so was his mother, which was a miracle considering childbirth was a very stressful endeavor for many women.

Contessina had also relayed to him that she knew of Vieri's death and Ezio's involvement in it. From now on the Assassin knew that there would be no secrets kept from her and she was doing her part in this war that she did not know she was a part of. Somehow the thought of her helping him gave Ezio a great comfort and he could not have been happier with how she endeavored to gather information for him. If anything, she could get word to him faster on the status of the Pazzi.

"Nipote? Why are you out here by yourself?" Mario's voice came from above him on the steps and Ezio turned around. "And drinking already? It's only midafternoon."

"It's a celebration drink for my nephew." The young man smiled at his uncle who came down the steps to sit with him. Ezio handed the bottle over to his uncle for him to take a swig of the sweet wine himself. "He was born the day before yesterday."

"Federico has a son. Well, I am a grand uncle!" Mario took another swig from the bottle. "This is cause for celebration, we must have a dinner tonight." Ezio coughed as Mario threw an arm over his shoulder.

"Why don't we wait until Contessina and Cammillia are here in Monteriggioni?" The young man suggested. "Why have a celebration when they are not here to enjoy it themselves?" Ezio made a point and Mario shrugged on it before removing his arm from his nephew's shoulders.

"Perhaps you are right. Though, I was looking forward to having a good meal for once. I am starting to get sick of eating the same thing over and over again." The older man said with a laugh before he quieted down and handed the bottle of wine back to Ezio. "I'm sure Giovanni would be very proud of you right now Ezio. Taking up his work was not an easy decision for you, but it was the right one. From now until the end, you will find yourself in situations where you may not come out alive. My brother knew that, and I believe that was why he was hesitant to tell you of this life." He put a hand on Ezio's shoulder to comfort the young man.

"Sometimes I wish I could go back in time to stop everything, but then I realize that it is impossible. Contessina reminded me of that in her last letter. She told me that if I stayed stuck in the past, I would never be able to overcome anything and that moving forward was better than staying stagnant in the past." The younger Auditore said before drinking from the bottle. "When I was on my way to San Gimignano, I kept thinking about what she said and then after I killed Vieri her words came back."

"I think you need her more than you realize, Nipote." Mario said speaking the truth and Ezio almost nodded knowing his uncle was certainly right, but he did not want to admit it just yet. He needed more proof of Contessina's feelings as well. "You love her, don't you?"

"I do, in a way." Ezio was reluctant to say that he was feeling more than just friendship towards Contessina these days. "We have been friends since children and for a while before we married, I loved someone else. Contessina changed so much in that time. She went from this lioness to a kitten willing to sacrifice her own happiness for mine and the woman I loved. She stopped being the Contessina I knew, and I did not realize it was my fault." Ezio finally felt a weight lifted off of his shoulders admitting his thoughts to his uncle.

"The important thing, Ezio, is that you realize where you went wrong. Women can be funny. When you ask them what they want and they say they don't want anything, it usually means they do want something. The other thing is admitting when you have made a mistake." Mario said before standing up with a grunt and then stretching. "Remember that when you see her again." He patted Ezio on the shoulder before making his way up the steps and leaving the younger man alone.