Chapter 2 Assassin's Creed
Alexandra stared at the impending villa. Ezio's arms were still around her as he directed the horse towards the barn in the back. Once there he swung off and held out his arms for her to come down, she clutched the sattle as she slowly descended into his arms, he caught her and nearly ripped her away from the horse to set her on the ground. Then dusting her off he grabbed her hand to drag her toward the large castle like house. Once inside Alexandra was stunned by the white of the house, it wasn't like anything from the game. Ezio still had her by the hand as he trudged up the stairs and into a lavish room with a large bed and a woman who sat praying with her eyes closed oblivious to them enter and moving noisily though. She looked up at Ezio's cloaked head, wondering what expression he had on at the moment. Alexandra wasn't prepared when he took a sharp turn; it hurt her arm as he pulled her. They came to a ladder and began to climb it; heights were not Alexandra's strong suit. But with a deep breath she got up and looked around what she knew to be Ezio's room: twin chairs were in the corner with papers scattered on the small table. The desk sat in disarray more papers with maps and other valuable information lay forgotten on it. Bookshelves full of large thick volumes were placed strategically around the small room; there was a bed in the corner. Large king sized bed, with red sheets and covers. Alexandra looked for Ezio and found him hunched over a chest that contained something of interest. He took out a pair of shirts and pants and threw them at her. Alexandra caught them, barely.
"Wear them." Ezio ordered making his way to the ladder. "Your clothing is strange and that ratty cloak you wear smells, I need to make you at least decent before you meet everyone." He paused before climbing down. "Then I will explain were you came from."
Alexandra watched his back, she had been seeing a lot of it. "I'll tell them were I came from Ezio." She muttered. "It's my little issue. I'll.. attempt to explain."
There was no response from the large Italian man. Only a dismissing wave of his hand was given to her before turning to face her then climbing down the ladder, his hood covering his face; not giving Alexandra insight into his emotions. After the white of his coat had vanished beneath the wood she began to strip.
The falling away of her clothing felt strange, Alexandra gazed at her sweatshirt for a moment. Cold air caressing her skin as she picked up the shirt Ezio had given her moments ago. It was big, it was white, it would make her look very small. Trying to quell the rapid beating of her heart as she slipped it on over her head, then tied the small ropes to try to tighten the shirt across her neck. But it couldn't be tight enough; eventually she gave up letting the shirt fall open. Chewing on her lip she undid the button on her pants. Then slipping them off she quickly grabbed the simple brown pants, yanking them over her lower half. Though the light fabric giving little protection from the cold wind.
Alexandra made her way to the edge of the room; glancing down where the latter lay perched against the wall. It was empty space; Ezio had vanished.
"Egli scomparve. Idiota." Alexandra was taken back as Italian slipped out of her mouth so naturally it scared her. Placing her hand over her mouth she turned toward a window. It was open; curiosity burned through her, she hadn't seen much of the town when Ezio and her sped through it. She swung the window open all the way, Monteriggioni, its rustic roof tops, colorful courtesans around almost every corner. Mercenaries walking the streets, its thieves hiding in the nooks and crannies of its outer city; Alexandra looked on in awe, she had seen this city numerous times, but that had been through a television screen. This was with her own eyes. "Amazing." She muttered leaning out.
Noticing that a ledge was right below her, Alexandra took a quick glancing sweep around Ezio's room. Then fell silent listening for his approaching footsteps. Hearing none she hesitantly set one foot out of the window and onto the ledge, suddenly grateful that she was not wearing any shoes. Surely if she had she would have not been able to grasp the slick tile. Slipping her other leg out she was balancing precariously on the ledge; now looking for a way down onto the ground. There, across from her was a pole that stuck out of the stone at a rather odd angle. Alexandra gauged the distance as best as she could; but she was not a mathematician. The only thing she could tell from her fruitless calculating was that if she was to attempt to jump to that wooden pole she would fall onto the roof below it. Either breaking a bone or just severely hurting herself. With a quick glance behind her, she found nothing but air. Alexandra gazed back at the window.
Debated returning to the room and calling for Ezio to come take her to the meeting he mentioned earlier. Fear ate away at her mind. Unanswerable questions echoed in her heart. She couldn't go back. Alexandra sucked in a deep breathe, and jumped. She stretched her body as far as it would go but for a girl who was only five seven, a gap that probably ranged from seven to eight feet wasn't favorable, especially since she could only jump about two inches into the air. Panic rose in her as her finger brushed the pole; she couldn't grab it. She attempted to dig her nails into the wood but it was to worn from age and broke under her filed nails.
Alexandra fell through the air, once again she felt like if she just closed her eyes her life would be over and she would wake from this all to real dream. Time seemed to slow as she cut the air with her body; all Alexandra could do was gaze helplessly at her ring finger, only to wonder what the glow had been about earlier. Just as she thought of the soft red emanating from the base of her finger it came back. Alexandra blinked as a picture formed in her mind of how to escape her free fall. But she couldn't do what the picture suggested; she hadn't the body stamina or strength. Suddenly she felt something hard and wooden hit her back; gasping in pain she had been flipped forward, but with a quick reflex she flung her arm out catching the one thing that had struck her. She hung not ten feet off the ground. Alexandra looked around, expecting people to run to her. None came; none had seen her even fall. Slowly Alexandra let her go of the pole her bare feet hitting the dirt, her ankles tingling with a pain. Bending down she massaged her swore tendons before standing to take the first couple strides into her exploration. Tugging the shirt closer to her figure she weaved in and out of crowds. Finding it interesting they did not take curious glances at her. She passed a group of courtesans that were entertaining a group of mercenaries. Their giggles and flirting reached Alexandra's ears, making her flush and hurry on.
Passing the doctor's humble stall she debated stopping and looking for pain killing medicine, her back hurt from her fall. But remembering she had no money she tuck her hands under her arms and walked onwards. She came to the entrance of the city, in a stable there was a group of horses. All different colors, grays, browns, blacks, even a red. But she moved on, she didn't want to get lost outside the city, since she was already hopelessly lost within Monteriggioni's walls. Each building looked the same, each person became a blur. She didn't know were she was anymore. Finding some steps that many people did not use; she took the edge of one setting her face on her hands and her elbows on her knees, she began to wonder how she was to get back to the Villa. Since the roofs of the building surrounding her covered her view of the sky. She sighed; "I guess I'm the idiota."
Ezio climbed the latter. "Come on Alexandra, they are waiting for.." His voice trailed off as he noticed no one was in his room. Only her clothes littered the floor. She was gone, but how? He hoisted himself up Ezio took stock of the room, looking for the way she had gotten out. Then he saw the open window, rushing over to it he nearly threw himself out. She couldn't have gotten out this way could she? She couldn't climb anything let alone get down from a window. Gazing around he noticed a wooded beam that had been splintered; she had fallen. Alexandra was hurt. Ezio rubbed his face, she was troublesome. He would have never expected the little girl to do such a thing; she had seemed so fragile and scared. Obviously he had been wrong. There was much to learn about this girl; he hoped he could pass her on to his sister or mother to teach her how to act like a lady.
But that was just another thing he had been wrong about. Alexandra could not be a lady of this time, she had proven to him by escaping his room that she was rash. Setting himself on the pole Alexandra hand been standing on moments ago he took a leap off of it. Landing like a cat with perfect balance he stood and brushed off his white cloak, for it had momentarily been covered with brown dust. His legs were long and strong; he would find her in no time at all. Ezio was already plotting on how he was to drag her back to the Villa. He walked calmly through the alleyways and streets. Looking for this child was like a looking for his prey. Only he couldn't kill her; like he wanted to do at this moment in time. Rounding the corner he caught a quick glance of her hair color. He quickly hid behind the building he had passed; she was talking to herself. He strained his hears to hear what she said.
Alexandra leaned back to look at the ground. "Even though I cant see the sky.." She whispered. "I am still amazed at this place.." Her eyes half closed in admiration.
Ezio sighed, a foolish dreaming girl. Stepping away from the wall he blended in with a passing crowd then came to wear she sat; plopping down next to her himself. Alexandra looked up in surprise. A gasp bubbled from her lips; jumping up she blinked. "You are in a lot of trouble." Ezio scolded standing as she did. He towered over her; her surprised face gave him a sense of satisfaction. She took a step back. "Don't try it." He said with a wary look. Alexandra turned on her heel and took off. Did she have to try? Ezio set off in a light jog as she rounded a corner ahead of him. He took the easy way; he went to the roofs, now he had her in his sights, waiting till she was close enough he launched himself in a dead sprint his shadow growing as he fell.
Alexandra saw the shadow before she even had a chance to call out in shock Ezio's form slammed onto hers, dragging her into the dirt. "Merda!" She screamed as her face slammed into the ground. Her back throbbed with the heavy man perched on her. Ezio got up and grabbed her hoisting her up on his shoulder. She yelled; "Oh come on! I just wanted to look around!"
"You should have asked to look around after the meeting piccolo!" Ezio growled at her. Alexandra shrank; never had she expected him to be this mad at her. She fell silent on his shoulder. His footsteps and the voices of others were the only noises between the two. Only when the white of the Villa surrounded them did Alexandra look upwards. Ezio did not stop until he went into a study; no one was in there. He set her down on a chair and kneeled down. "Now piccolo." He said reaching over into a pouch pulling out a vial. "This is ointment for wounds; I know you harmed yourself trying to escape from my room. Let me see them."
Alexandra stuck out her lower lip in retaliation. "Make me!" She growled. She was mad at him, he didn't have to be so mean with her.
He sighed in a exhausted way before speaking to her. "Piccolo." He said slowly. "Is this really what you want? Come, think straight. You are afraid no?" He waved his hand around. "This isn't your home, you must not be acting or thinking clearly." This spoiled brat was not the way she usually acted, or at least Ezio hoped. Alexandra held out her hands were scrapes checkered her skin. Taking the ointment he slathered it on her wrists. It stung.
"Ah, it hurts.." She muttered. "Sorry.. I guess I let the situation get to me.." She winced within her apology. Ezio nodded in affirmation of her apology.
"Was this all your wounds?" He queried. Ezio doubted these small scrapes were the only trophies from her ordeal. He watched as her face slowly turned a light shade of pink; then to a deep shade of red. Ezio knew he had been right. But for the moment he resisted gloating in his triumph.
Alexandra had to swallow her pride; had to amend her running emotions. Ezio had pointed out she had been acting like a spoiled child; he had been right, and she was embarrassed that she had not caught it till now. Taking off her shirt to show Ezio the now yellowing bruise, her pride went down her throat with a bitter aftertaste. She gazed at his face as shock registered on his face at two things; one how bad her bruise was, and second was the contraption that held her breasts in place. Her bra.
A strange and effective device. Ezio attempted to ignore it as he gazed at the large bruise on her back. A wound that even a Assassin would be proud of. Though it would have to depend on the wounds causes for one to be proud; this was not one of those. Gingerly he brushed his finger tips across the soft skin of her back. Gauging how long it would take to heal. She would be very sore tomorrow, but able to move, a little stiff maybe. He put a little of the ointment on the yellow mark before taking her shirt in his hands before taking her arms and slipping them through the sleeves. Alexandra let him do as he wished; she did not want to cause him even more trouble than she already had. He sat back as if to admire his work, Ezio proceeded to stand brushing invisible dirt off of his pants.
"Stay seated, I will go fetch the others." He began to walk away, stopping once to turn and scold her again. "If you even try once to escape from this room, I won't be so lenient next time." He shook his finger at her. "I will tie you to that chair."
Alexandra watched his retreating back. Blinking, startled by his promise. Then leaned back; looking toward a window she could see the sun setting behind the pane. With a scratch of her head she sat in a lounging position; voices from softly echoed from the hallway, the voices were talking about her. But Alexandra could not make out anything distinct. She heard Ezio's voice being raised from time to time but nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. No that was a lie; everything was out of the ordinary for Alexandra. Her attention turned to the ceiling, the cracks and the patterns made tempted her with the promise of answers. But they hid themselves from her all to well.
Why did Minerva say such a thing? Alexandra's destiny could not be here among Assassin's and Templar's. What did Minerva really want? The sense that the woman had been hiding something from both Ezio and Alexandra made the child's heart beat hard. What was the motive of that woman? The blood rushed behind her ears; as footsteps interrupted her chaotic thoughts. Bringing her gaze back to the door she saw them come in one by one. Ezio being the last; he stood in the corner, far away from her. Alexandra stared at him bewildered, but his gaze was on the floor. He seemed disgruntled; it was scaring her. What had that yelling been about? Suddenly she wished she had paid attention to what had been going on.
The first person Alexandra noticed was a woman; a nun of sorts, her brown hair pulled back in a white veil, a cross hung around her neck, her clothes ones of a courtesan. Alexandra found herself at the receiving end of a judgmental stare from the woman's bluish green eyes. Of handedly Alexandra noted that the woman had a mole on her right cheek; the little girl dug around the reassesses of her mind for the woman's name. Suddenly Alexandra remembered. The woman's name was Sister Teodora. Turning her attention away from the Assassin nun Alexandra found herself staring face to face with the one person she would never forget; La Volpe. He had his fading red hood over his aged face; but his eyes stared at her with a glare that she would never forget. It caused her to fidget in her seat. Alexandra quickly turned her attention to a wiry man that just looked at her oddly. She didn't like the way his mustache and oily brown hair hung around his face. He had a smirk on his face, she ran though many names in her head, coming up with the one that fit this lanky man. Antonio de Magianis. She didn't like how he was looking at her either. Glancing back towards Ezio she saw his face in his hand. He looked like he was almost in pain.
"Were did you come from child?" A voice asked her. Alexandra looked around for the source; finding it with a well groomed man whose name she couldn't place at all. He had very short brown hair and stern brown eyes; they were not judgmental but innocently curious about her.
Alexandra stuttered out a response: "My room, I-I was pulled from my home." She was going to sound insane, she knew it. The man gave her a fleeting smile.
"Do not be so nervous child we are only here to find the truth. Call me Niccolò, my full name is Niccolò Machiavelli and I do not want you to be afraid of us." The smile vanished; Alexandra knew they needed her to be afraid of them.
But she was not afraid.
Her eyes wandering caught sight of a man that she also knew by name, Mario Auditori. His scared eye stuck out like a dead tree during spring. He stared at her disapprovingly. Alexandra could only wonder what was going on through his mind. Then, he spoke. "Your room? Bah! I have heard better excuses come from my nipote!" Alexandra cringed inwardly. How was she to explain this?
"Must we deal with this child? Send her to someone else. We do not need to bother with her!" Alexandra heard the critiquing voice and turned to face a woman with red hair and blue eyes that stared at her obviously wanting nothing to do with her. Alexandra sat for a while listening to the woman rant about what to do with her. Alexandra, fed up with the insults clutched her fist.
"You need to shut up!" She screamed standing. "What do you know about me?" Rage was boiling over; so what if her back would hurt tomorrow, she would protect her pride. "You," She said point an accusing finger. "Just need to stay out of my life. I don't give a shit, about what you think. I will choose my own path! Don't decide it for me!" First Minerva, now this woman, Caterina Sforza, Alexandra thought it was. She almost didn't notice the man in the corner who whooped at her reproach on Caterina's assault.
"This girl has strength!" He said with a booming voice. "I say we train her!" He stopped and rubbed his face in thought; then turned to Mario. "I say Ezio trains her. He found her after all." All arguments and discussions stopped with the mans comment. "Look at her Niccolò! So full of life!" The man turned to her. "Child what is your name?"
"Alexandra." She puffed her chest out in pride with her name.
He scratched his chin again. "A Greek name meaning "Mans protector and defender" How interesting." The man once again did something that caused all to look at him; he pounded his chest. "Well it is a pleasure to meet you Alexandra! I am Bartolomeo d'Alviano!" The girl blinked and nodded as he turned back to Mario. "Come Mario! Cant you see her potential?"
Niccolò was obviously studying Alexandra; suddenly he had come to a conclusion. "I agree with Bartolomeo. She has potential. Lots of it, we are low on Assassin's." He turned to Mario. "She could be a valuable asset."
The women were chattering deciding amongst themselves. Ezio in the background had his mouth open but covered with one hand; as if he did not believe what was unfolding in front of him. Alexandra blinked; had her origins been forgotten? They were arguing if she would be a good Assassin or not, dazed and confused, Alexandra tottered over the window placing her hand on the cooling glass.
Her first day in Italia had ended.
And a new one was a long way off.
A hand had patted her shoulder. She glanced over it and saw Ezio standing by her back. Silent, and watching the others argue. Alexandra turned to stare at them as well, wondering when Ezio had come to stand beside her.
"Tomorrow you will start training. That's what they have planed." Ezio said matter of fact tone.
"I see.." Alexandra whispered. "What a day that will be.."
The arguing went through the night; Ezio and Alexandra fell asleep in the chairs of the study as the voice's rose