Hooray! We are at a turning point for Contessina! Yay! *throws confetti*
Okay I know some of you are going to spot this as we go on, but yes, the story is sorta taking an AU turn. Not by much. Like I said in the beginning I am going for historical accuracy which means one of my biggest problems with the game is going to be fixed here. That is the death of Jacopo de'Pazzi and Archbishop Salviati who both were executed by mob in 1478. Jacopo died on April 30th (only four days after Giuliano was killed) and Salviati sometime within that timeframe (He was arrested before he could assassinate the Gonfalonier of Florence and then executed within days after) so, I fixed those two things. Don't kill me! Also, I know the previous chapter was not the best one and I will fix that as well. I just wanted to get this baby going.
Hope everyone is still doing well!
Leonardo's workshop was quiet as Ezio stood at the table with a map of Firenze. La Volpe stood to his right while the artist was at his left with Poliziano standing on the other side. On the map was markings indicating where Riario had men watching every entrance from the Arno south and to the east walls of the city. On the side of the cartograph was another map of Italy that laid out where each city and village was along the routes down to Roma.
"Riario has his army here in Galluzzo." Volpe said pointing to the small village outside of Firenze. "My scouts tell me he has no more than four hundred men, but that could change." Ezio said nothing as he put a hand to his chin in thought. He had no intent on fighting a war for Lorenzo, but if Riario was as big a threat as he perceived, then there was a chance the man could pull drastic moves to secure what he wanted. "He also has men watching every gate along the walls. Two men here and here." The thief pointed to the east and west gates. "Four here." Then he put a finger down on the south gate.
"He is keeping an eye on who leaves and who is coming in." Leonardo said with a concerned look on his face. "This could be a problem." Ezio nodded.
"Lorenzo plans to move his family to Pistoia to keep them out of harm's way but doing so may make them vulnerable." The assassin said wondering how desperate Lorenzo was to protect his family he would put them in greater danger. "What of the northern gate? Is it accessible?"
"Riario has a man or two on it, but the river gate could be an option if the city comes under siege." Poliziano said pointing to where the abandoned gate sat on the east side of the city below the Arno. Ezio knew the place well having spent time playing there as a child. "We could evacuate there if need be, or somehow get supplies through."
"That is an option, but what of the roads in and out?" Volpe asked looking over the maps carefully configuring a way to move to and from the city undetected by the roads. "There is a chance there could be blockades."
"I doubt Riario will close the trade routes between Venezia and Firenze. Doing so will cut off trade to Roma as well, not to mention the rest of the Papal States." Poliziano stated without hesitation.
"Not unless Sixtus finds another port to the south." Volpe motioned to one of the smaller ports to the south of Ravenna where supplies could be brought in. "He could also trade with the Ottomans as well, though I doubt it since they are mortal enemies." One religion against the other was enough of a war to deal with, especially since the Holy Roman Empire was out of reach for the papacy.
"We are planning too far ahead don't you think?" Leonardo said knowing that the men in the room were preparing for the worst before any of it could happen. "Perhaps we should take one step at a time and plan accordingly. Who is to say there will be a war? If there is, then we do what we must and if not, then we go on about our lives. For now, the main problem is our home is being watched." The artist said with a clear head and the other three men in the room looked to him in agreement.
"Forgive us, Leonardo, we can get ahead of ourselves sometimes." Ezio said putting a hand on his friend's shoulder with a small smile on his face. Though it was evident Ezio had been thinking about how to deal with Riario's men more than what would happen if there was a blockade. "Back to the real task at hand. Volpe, is there a chance your thieves can distract the men on the west entrance?"
"If we do that it will force more attention on that gate." Volpe said with an understanding glance. "Yes, we can split the attention. Perhaps a distraction on the south gate as well?" He pointed to the south gate.
"It is worth it. I have to get back to Monteriggioni and from there I will find the location of the Pazzi conspirators. Starting with Jacopo de'Pazzi." Ezio said putting his hands on the table and looking each man in the eyes.
"You may not have to look too far; he did not go far from Firenze and he has been seen in Riario's camp." La Volpe said and Ezio's temper simmered upon hearing the information. "He is currently within the walls of the city." Although the news of Jacopo's location had just reached him, Ezio did take into account for the last couple days where he had been distracted by the Medici family. Mainly Contessina only because she was his wife and this was her family, therefore his family too, by marriage. He was not unfair in their grief.
"Then he must be dealt with before I leave and maybe this could be the distraction we were hoping for." The assassin knew this plan was at best unrefined, but it was a plan, nonetheless. He wanted Riario to think he was still within the walls of Firenze for a time and once Jacopo was dead the rest would follow. "Poliziano, go back to the Medici and make sure Contessina is prepared for a long ride. Inform Lorenzo of Jacopo's location and if you can, make it known publicly."
"You want to incite a riot in the streets at night?" The Medici steward asked unsure of what Ezio was wanting but then the smirk on the assassin's face said everything. "Ah, I see. Consider it done."
"I will have my thieves spread the word as well." Volpe said moving to leave the workshop.
"Such haste requires better planning." Leonardo said as the other two men left his workshop. "Are you sure this is necessary and not overdoing it?"
"I'm improvising." Ezio told his friend as he began to roll up the maps. "Jacopo's location was a surprise, but if I can hit two birds with one stone, then everything else will fall into place." He hoped that was going to happen, especially when Lorenzo wanted the Pazzi dead as soon as possible.
"I hope that is the case and we are not making a mistake." The artist voiced his concerns to which Ezio nodded putting a hand on Leonardo's shoulder. There was not much that Ezio was concerned with other than eliminating Jacopo de'Pazzi that night and he would be damned if the old man lived to see the sun rise. By then Ezio wanted to be long gone from Firenze and let the people do as they will. "Good luck, my friend." The two men clasped arms before the assassin left.
Out in the night air, Ezio let out a breath knowing if he could not find Jacopo that night, it would be a long time before the man made himself known again. Therefore, Ezio had to act quickly and force the old man to come out. He did feel that Jacopo did not truly deserve the fate of Francesco only because he was a pawn in a much bigger game, but that did not matter. Borgia and Riario were likely pulling the strings. They knew their puppets were expendable and it seemed as though they were counting on it.
Ginevra's room was warmer than usual for Contessina. The blond girl stood behind her mother as the old woman sat before the fire trying to keep the chill from her skin. It seemed as though Ginevra was growing ill again, but this did not keep Contessina from leaving Firenze. She had made up her mind the moment Ezio came back to the city following leads on his family's murderers. She knew the moment she saw him again after only seeing words written on paper she was done. There was no turning back now that she had placed her heart in his hands. However, Ezio was unaware of the precious gift Contessina had given him and she hoped to tell him the truth someday soon.
"Don't just stand there staring at the back of my head, Giulia." Her mother said before turning around in her chair slowly to look at her young daughter. While Ginevra's hair had greyed, there was still streaks of blond running through it and Contessina remembered a time when her mother had golden locks like hers. She was a small child then, but her mother had taken care of her silken hair religiously. "Come sit with me one last time." Contessina did not say anything when she sat in the empty chair next to her mother.
"Mama," She said turning in her chair to face her mother who still stared into the fire. "Did you love my father?" Contessina had never asked her mother that question, at least, not that she could recall. If she had, she did not think Ginevra answered truthfully. The woman was full of secrets and the only person who knew them was God himself.
"Our marriage, like yours, was arranged." The old woman spoke before looking at her daughter. "When I was married off to the Medici, everyone expected me to do as I was raised to do. I was barely older than you were." Ginevra said clasping her hands together recalling her memories. "Giovanni was a handsome man, but he was stern, and he had a lot of weight on his shoulders. He treated me well, but there was never enough time for me to truly know him. When he wasn't home, he was at Cosimo's side learning all he could, and Piero was jealous of him for that." Ginevra sighed. "Cosimo was a great man, but he pit his sons against one another. Piero was first born, but as you know he was sickly so Cosimo decided Giovanni was to take over the Medici banks. This put the brothers in a war against each other and it was a sorry sight to see when they were together."
"Mama, I never knew Grandfather to be like that to his own family." Contessina had only known Cosimo de'Medici for a short time, but what she did remember of him was that he was old and worn. Ginevra leaned in closer to her daughter and put a hand on top of the young woman's.
"There is nothing Cosimo de'Medici did not do to ensure his vision for Firenze stayed alive. Even if it meant tearing his family apart." Ginevra said gravely knowing that Lorenzo was about to be guilty of the same acts. "If Lorenzo is not careful, he will do the same to his family." Contessina felt dread rise up in the back of her mind as she understood why her mother had not liked the Medici family. "Giovanni had ambition, but he was not willing to sacrifice his family for it. I knew he had affection for me, if not respect, but to call it love was far-fetched. We were good friends and sometimes the worst of enemies to each other. I still stood by him even after the death of your brother." There was a far-off look that came over Ginevra's face and Contessina understood why. She had only been an infant when her brother died from illness and she knew it had devastated her mother beyond measure. "Such a fair boy, my Cosimo. Not a day goes by where I do not think of him."
"Mama, if he had lived, what do you think he would've been like?" Contessina was curious about her brother having never met him and the look on Ginevra's face changed from sadness to contemplating.
"I'd like to think he would be like Giuliano was. Golden and fair with an adventurous personality and a passion for life. Like you." The old woman gave her daughter a smile and put a hand on the young woman's cheek. "Like me." Contessina said nothing more before she moved from the chair to kneel before her mother and grabbed the woman's hands. "Leave this city, Giulia, before it consumes you and takes your spirit away. Don't become like me in my old withered body and look to hope where there is none." The older woman leaned forward and kissed her daughter's forehead. "I am blessed to have such a daughter as you." Ginevra said as tears came to her eyes. Contessina felt her own eyes water as she placed her head on her mother's lap one final time.
Ezio had found La Volpe in the alley way beside the Santa Croce before midnight right as the full moon was rising above the mountains to the north. The two men hid in the shadows watching for a sign that their target was indeed where Volpe's thieves had said. The church was where anyone could seek sanctuary if they had not harmed a living soul, which Jacopo had not done directly. Yet, Ezio knew there were friends of the Pazzi amidst the priory within the Croce. That in itself gave Jacopo a leg to stand on and a place to hide while in Firenze.
"Tino said the lap lighters return about this time and when they do, Jacopo leaves going towards the south gate." Volpe assured Ezio while looking down the alley towards the side entrance of the church where the Pazzi man had been seen coming from. At first, the assassin had been peeved to hear that La Volpe had been keeping an eye on the old man the entire time, but he realized that he had been busy as of late. "What will you do?"
"I will follow him. If he is going to the south gate, he is going to speak to Riario's men." Ezio looked at the older man next to him before turning his attention back to the door. Thankfully the location they were in kept them well hidden in the shadows of the buildings around them. "I can gather information from there and when Jacopo retreats back within the walls, which is when I will strike. I am sure the mobs will handle the rest."
"No doubt." Volpe said quietly as the silhouettes of the lamp lighters came down the alley to the side entrance of the priory. There were four of them talking about the latest rumors going around the city without any basis and the mention of a new friar coming to stay in Firenze. Ezio looked at Volpe with an interested glint in his eyes but turned his gaze back to the four men standing at the door. The man in front with a lantern knocked on the old wood door before chuckling in response to the other three.
"Let us in already Alberto, we are hungry!" The lamp lighter said before knocking again. "About time, my feet were hurting." He said when the door finally opened, and the four men walked inside without another word.
"Not much longer then." Ezio said before turning back to Volpe.
"Yes, I will go make sure my thieves are ready. When Jacopo is dealt with, give the signal and we will do the rest." The master thief said before putting a hand on the assassin's shoulder and squeezing it. "Good luck, Amico."
"Same to you." The younger man responded with the same gesture as Volpe took the time to disappear into the shadows completely. Not long after Ezio watched as a figure in black robes walked out of the door without putting his cowl up. The assassin barely managed to catch a glimpse of the man's face in the light of the open door before he closed it behind him. Jacopo de'Pazzi was indeed in Firenze and he was not going to leave it alive.
Santa Croce was logistically closer to the east gate and to go to the south gate, Ezio knew he would have to trail Jacopo across the Arno. The closest bridge was the Ponte Vecchio making the trek take a bit longer for both. Going to the south gate did not seem right as to get there he was also going to have to pass in front of the Palazzo Pitti and its many guards. Nothing made sense at this point, but Ezio followed Jacopo anyway. The assassin stuck to the shadows as much as he could as the light of the full moon made it almost impossible to not be seen.
A spring moon was bright, especially on a clear night with not a cloud in the sky. There were advantages to the night as when Ezio could leave Firenze with Contessina, at least they would be able to see where they were going. At the moment, Ezio found it irking that the moonlight made him practically glow in his assassin white robes. He decided that when he crossed the Arno it would be a good idea to trail from the rooftops instead of on foot, especially since the Pitti guards did not have the agility to scale the rooftops.
It had to have been past midnight when Ezio followed Jacopo across the Vecchio with the old man none the wiser to who was trailing him. Of course, with the hood up people would mistake him as a monk out on a nighttime walk with God himself. No one questioned it and that was why the disguise worked well. The gates were not that far off in the distance however there were several guards positioned to where no one could leave or enter without good reason. Ezio found it easy to climb onto the rooftops and follow Jacopo past the Palazzo Pitti, however there was no way for him to get to the wall without having to climb down the buildings and then find the footholds on the wall itself.
There were footholds on the wall, but they were next to the gate where Ezio could be seen. This in itself was a problem because of the moonlight casting its white glow all over Firenze. The goal was not to be seen, yet the pale orb in the sky had it out for the assassin. Luckily, Ezio knew the walls of the city well and there was a small portion of the south wall by the Palazzo Pitti that had a few cracks in its façade. The cracks were big enough to cling on to and Ezio made his way there as quickly as possible before Jacopo reached the gate.
Once up on the walls the assassin was able to see the Pazzi man walk through the gates without interference from the guards. This in itself told Ezio there was a serious lack of security within the walls of Firenze and he was sure Lorenzo would be furious about it, however below the man in the monk robes walked a good distance away outside. Ezio watched as Jacopo moved into the trees about three hundred yards away from the gates and then the assassin made his way down the wall as quickly as he could.
Moving through the trees as quietly as possible, Ezio followed the old man from a good distance so that he could not be seen or heard. Then there was a whistle, almost like the sound a barn owl makes when it is flying overhead. The assassin watched as four men came out of the dense bushes to surround the Pazzi. They all had their arms crossed as the old man shrunk away in fear as the men were strong enough to deliver a killing blow without breaking a sweat. For Jacopo, it would not be hard.
"What news from Salviati?" The man in front of Jacopo said as Ezio ducked behind a bush. "Did the decoy work?" So, it seemed that Salviati was still alive even though there had been rumors that he had been hanged outside of Firenze.
"Si, he is safely back in his villa in Toscana." Jacopo said timidly. "As for Baroncelli, he has fled to Constantinople while Maffei fled elsewhere. I have not heard from Bagnone, though I heard he was in Roma." This was something to go on rather than guessing at least. Ezio could feel successful in gaining that information and it was one step closer to vengeance along with completing Giovanni Auditore's work.
"And what of the Assassin?" The burly man asked pressing the old man for more information. With luck, Jacopo was oblivious to Ezio's whereabouts, however the man knew the young Auditore's face well enough. They had several encounters in the past, none were unpleasant though.
"He is still in the city, but I believe his wife's family keeps him occupied with trivial matters." That is what Jacopo believed having not seen the young man doing anything other than staying by his wife's side as she mourned her cousin. Ezio gave the old man credit for that. "Lorenzo de'Medici has changed though. He has become vengeful as you can see and wishes my entire family wiped from the face of the Earth." The old man sounded like he was terrified, and he should be. He was being hunted down by a ruthless force. "When can I leave Firenze?" Jacopo pleaded. For a moment there, Ezio debated if killing the old man was worth the trouble his conscience would give him, but Jacopo was guilty.
"Not yet. Riario wants to know when the Assassin leaves and who he takes with him." The old man's head hung low in disappointment as he had been ordered to stay in the same city as Ezio Auditore. The assassin himself was fine with this. "Come back in two days' time and make sure no one follows you."
"Si, I will see you then." The old man said before walking away slowly and sadly making Ezio feel a bit of pity for him. The four men disappeared back into the forest without a trace while Ezio followed Jacopo from a distance.
The debate between killing the old man and letting him be devoured by the mob that was to swarm him was going on inside Ezio's mind. On one hand, he did not have to take the life of a pawn who had only been part of a conspiracy and not acted in it. On the other, that sweet nagging for revenge was begging for the feel of impaling Jacopo with a blade. Ezio was a levelheaded man who took no pleasure in killing, but was very good at it when need be, but there was that inner demon within him. It was the demon that all men carried around within them asking for the temptation of something sinful. Morality be damned when it came to that demon and sometimes the young man let that demon get the better of him.
To take a person's life was to play God in the eyes of a human being, yet Ezio acted upon his conscience most of the time. He knew that Templars were out to harm many lives without a second thought, but were they all as evil as his uncle made them out to be? Contessina knew the answer to that as she always saw the good in people, but she did not know the history of the war she was now involved in. In one moment Ezio decided Jacopo was not worth sparing as he could tell Riario something to endanger Contessina's life and that did not sit well with the young man.
Making his way back to where he came from, Ezio scaled the wall as quickly as possible before descending right as Jacopo came into the gates. The young assassin followed the old man for a while before they reached the Ponte Vecchio once again and that was where Ezio was going to make his move. Doing his best to blend in with the shadows, he found a place to grab Jacopo and quietly sink his hidden blade into the man's ribs. This would give Ezio enough time to speak with the old man before he died. Lowering Jacopo to the ground gently, Ezio held on to the dying man as he began to speak.
"I knew you would find me one day." Jacopo said looking up at the face of his killer. "I wanted to help change the world like they had promised, but now I have made a mistake."
"We all make mistakes, Signore Pazzi. That is what makes us human." Ezio said before the man's eyes faded from living to the blank stare of death as blood trickled from his mouth. "Requiescat in Pace." The young assassin said as he closed the old man's eyes. There was nothing left to do but to leave the body where it lied as the sounds of an angry mob spurred on by vengeance for the Medici. This was Ezio's signal to leave Firenze.
Contessina was dreaming when she felt a hand cover her mouth and see the warm glow of a candle from the inside of her eyelids. Opening her blue orbs, she came face to face with Angelo Poliziano who slowly lifted his hand from her mouth and put a finger to his lips. The rest of the house had gone to sleep, and it had to be in the early hours of the morning, but she was ready. She had not changed from her form fitting dress before falling asleep on her bed waiting for Poliziano to come whisk her away to her husband.
She nodded as she moved to put her boots on and place her dagger within them before throwing the red velvet cloak over her shoulders. Taking her satchel, she put it on so it would cross her chest. She did not feel tired in that moment, only excited and terrified at the same time. For all she knew it was a twelve-hour ride to Monteriggioni and she did not know if she would be welcome there by its people. However, she nodded to the steward before following him out of her room, down the stairs, and out of the gardens to the east gate. There was a commotion going on through the city as people were running towards the Piazza della Signoria.
"What is going on?" Contessina asked Poliziano as he led her through the narrow streets. The man did not stop, but he answered her the best he could.
"Jacopo de'Pazzi has been found and executed." He told her as he moved into an alley nearby to where the gate was located. "They hung him from the Signoria next to Francesco de'Pazzi." Contessina could not believe the words she was hearing and somehow, she knew Ezio had something to do with it. This made her hesitate for a moment before following Poliziano to the gate where her husband was standing with two horses.
"Contessina?" Ezio looked at her with concerned eyes and she shook her head to cast the doubts away from her mind. Ezio had not lied to her about what he did and what he was going to achieve. So, why did she doubt him all of a sudden? "Contessina?" She looked up at him having not noticing him coming to stand before her. His hand on her arm made her blink and look up into his eyes where she saw nothing but concern if not worry.
"You killed him, didn't you?" There was no lie in Ezio's eyes when he nodded in response to her question. She shook her head again before coming to accept that Ezio was killing only people who harmed others as he told her before. "On Lorenzo's orders?"
"No. Lorenzo's goals may align with mine, but I do not work for him. If anything, Contessina, I did it for Firenze and that is all." He gave her a small smile of assurance and squeezed her arm to back up his emotions on the matter. Ezio's eyes were genuine and that was all Contessina needed to know that he had the right goal in mind. "I hope you are ready for a long ride."
"Are you?" Contessina said perking up with a smile as she reached up to give Ezio a kiss. The man answered back with a kiss of his own and he pulled her to him. However, when Poliziano cleared his throat they pulled apart with Contessina blushing madly.
"We will continue this later." Ezio said giving her a quick kiss on the forehead and pushing her towards a bay gelding he had bought earlier in the day. She scampered up on the smaller horse that seemed to be quite gentle, but this was a horse that was on loan most likely. Poliziano bowed his head to her as Ezio climbed onto the other bay gelding he had ridden from Monteriggioni on. "Poliziano, if Firenze goes to war send word to Contessina. Use the name Giulia." She snapped her gaze to Ezio as the guards opened the small gate in front of them. "Let's go." Ezio told her as he kicked his horse into a trot out of the gates with Contessina doing the same but slightly behind.
Contessina's little gelding was slower than Ezio's big bay, but he did the trick. The little horse was hardy as they crossed the river heading south and up the hill overlooking Firenze. She stopped and spun her horse around to look upon the city she grew up in for possibly the last time. Ezio had stopped and wheeled his horse around to look at her gazing down at the city where the massive dome of the Santa Maria del Fiore stood out above all else in the moonlight. Firenze was practically glowing in the light of the full moon. She heard Ezio ride up beside her and she looked at him with a tear coming to her eye along with a smile on her face.
"Is it possible to be so happy and so miserable at the same time?" Contessina asked him and he smiled back at her before turning his horse around and trotting off. Giving Firenze one last look, Contessina said goodbye to the Medici and the troubles of Florence before following her husband into the night.