"You don't have too many options." Borso said. "And running away is not the answer. Deep inside, you know that too which is why you're still here."

They were sitting in her room, or rather, Borso was sitting on a stool and she was leaning against the dresser, watching the sun rays pour through her window. The light was almost blinding, but she didn't draw the curtains. The warmth felt good on her chilled skin.

"No." she said quietly.

"I will never force you to do something you don't want to." Borso drummed his fingers on the edge of the stool. "I really like you and respect you, which is why I cannot see you suffering. It will kill you if your child doesn't get the love he should get."

"Or her." Claudia kept staring at the floor.

"Of course. That's not what I meant."

"I know." Claudia brought her hands forward and rubbed her forehead. "I just don't want to marry."

"Capito. I am just a mercenary and hardly earn many coins." Borso bowed his head and then rubbed his thighs. "But I can work harder and provide for you and the child. I could find a job with the woodcutter."

"Borso…I…can't." Claudia said. "I cannot explain why."

Borso jumped up. "Bene. How about we just tell your Mother and the others that we are together? Then after a few months when you start…er…showing, they would assume it's mine."

Claudia felt a prick of pain at those words. So would Machiavelli. He would also assume that the child was Borso's.

"No!" she almost screamed.

"Claudia, you have to be reasonable."

"I am." She took a deep breath to calm herself and push away the tears she didn't want to shed. She had promised not to cry anymore and all she was doing now was crying at everything. "I can't let him think that I cheated on him. We aren't formally divorced."

Borso sat down on his stool again, but it felt as if he had fallen back into his seat. He looked surprised and he blinked as if realizing something. "Oh." He said, dejectedly. "I get it now."

Claudia folded her arms. What did he get?

"You are in love with him." He said.

Claudia wanted to open her mouth and scream that yes, she was, but the words wouldn't leave her throat. They seemed to be collecting at the base of her throat, making it impossible to breathe or swallow. She turned away harshly, to look out the window at the waters and at the bridge and then at the people coming down the bridge with bags of freshly bought goods at the market.

"You've never said it, so I thought that perhaps you didn't." Borso continued. "But why would he be with another woman?"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore."

She heard Borso walk up to her and then felt his hand on her shoulder. "You deserve to be happy, Claudia. After everything you have been through and after your family was torn away from you, you deserve that happiness and you should be with someone who can give it to you."

Claudia didn't move, although she did want to shrug his hand away.

"I will not force marriage on you." Borso said softly. "But at one point, you will have to think of your child and decide that your child will have to come first. Do you want to live a life alone somewhere, away from your loved ones? Or do you want to give your child the happiness and security that will come from marrying me?"

Borso stepped on her side, when she still didn't move. "I promise you that I will love you and your child forever."

Claudia realized that she could no longer remain quiet. Borso was waiting for an answer and wouldn't leave until he got it. She had a choice and she had to make one right now.

"I have a condition." She said, finally turning to him.

*/*/*/*/*/*

She stood at the landing of the staircase, dressed in a pink dress with white lace. It wasn't until Borso had entwined arms that she remembered that Machiavelli had bought her this dress in Venezia. They were going downstairs for the announcement, and each step that she took, was causing her heart to beat loudly.

Her mind, was strangely quiet and numb, as if refusing to take part in whatever was about to happen. She ran her tongue over her bottom lip and let out a breath when they entered the hall.

Everyone was present. La Volpe and Antonio were at the front, reading from a book and discussing something. Her Mother was adjusting the corner of a tapestry. One of the hooded recruits walked over to her and she smiled as the recruit something.

The other newly recruited Assassins had formed groups and stood waiting for the speech La Volpe was about to deliver. He was going to brief them about the Templars and then assign them their contracts- a task which Machiavelli usually undertook.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

Claudia nodded and then as they walked towards the podium, she felt her heart sink. This wasn't what she wanted, but she had no choice anyway.

Borso let go of her and walked towards La Volpe. Claudia felt her Mother's eyes on her as she walked in, but she didn't look at her. Her Mother had probably noticed the arm-in-arm gesture and that was exactly what she had hoped to accomplish.

La Volpe frowned when Borso whispered in his ear and then shrugged and with a stretch of his arm, beckoned to her.

"We have…" Borso began and then when no one paid and heed, raised his voice in a booming roar. "Silenzio! We have some important announcement to make."

"We?" Her Mother stood beside her and looked at her questioningly. Claudia folded her hands, still unable to look at her and feeling her skin getting hotter.

"I have asked…" Borso hesitated and at her nod, continued, "I have asked Claudia to marry me and she….has agreed."

As expected, she heard a loud gasp from her Mother and the looks of surprises on the faces of everyone else.

"Is this true?" Her Mother tugged at her arm and Claudia had to answer through numb lips.

"Si."

"Do you want to get married to him?"

Claudia kept her eyes down. Now she would have to lie. "I cannot spend my life in solitary. Borso and I have taken a liking to each other and I think he will be a suitable husband for me."

Her voice felt strained and tired, as if the lie had taken every last measure of energy from her. She looked up at Borso, who stepped down to join them.

La Volpe and Antonio followed.

"You are marrying him?" Antonio asked incredulously.

"Well he is better than a traitor." La Volpe said. "He will be a better husband than…"

"I have your blessing then?" Claudia turned to her Mother, purposely cutting off La Volpe. In this moment, she couldn't bear to even hear Machiavelli's name. It brought on too much pain.

Her Mother looked at her and Borso doubtfully. "If this is what you truly want."

"I do."

"And it will make you happy?"

Claudia felt her lips trembling. No it wouldn't! Being with Niccolò and having the baby with him by her side was what would make her happy. Or just seeing him. It had been a day since she had seen him, but it already felt like an eternity. Even if he was with Marietta, she wanted to see him at least.

"It will." She answered.

Her Mother put her arms around her and kissed her cheek. "That is all I want, for you to be happy."

Claudia put her hand on her Mother's arm and squeezed, feeling her tears threatening to flow. She pulled away then and took a deep breath to push back the heaviness of her emotions aside.

"I should let you get back to the announcements." She said to La Volpe and then Borso took her arm.

"And I will accompany you to the flower shop where you can buy whichever flower you desire." Borso smiled.

Claudia gave him a brief smile and then walked with him towards the door. "That didn't seem very believable." She muttered to him.

"Look at your Mother. She's so happy she didn't even notice it."

Claudia did turn and saw her Mother beaming with happiness. If she could see her Mother happy like that forever, she would tell her all the lies in the world.

"Bene." They walked out the door and Claudia stopped to breathe in the fresh air. She hadn't realized how stifling the Hideout felt.

"And now?" Borso asked.

"And now we find the traitor."