Chapter 3

Blunders a Many

Alexandra stood on the training grounds as the sun rose. She was still dressed in the grab she was the night before. She raked her hands through her hair. Trying to comprehend what it would be like for her first day of training. Nothing had been explained to her the night before; she had fallen asleep and had been woken by Ezio, who had told her to go outside and wait for him. Now the sun rose slowly, its warmth not touching Alexandra until it peeked over the wall of Monteriggioni. Its rays splashed against her face, closing her eyes she let out a breezy sigh. Her heart was beating like crazy; it almost hurt. Alexandra heard footsteps approaching her; she knew who it was, even before he spoke.

"Are you ready?" Ezio asked as he came to stand behind her. She continued to stare ahead of her before turning to look at him, finding that in his arms there was a white cloak. He held it out. "From Niccolò." Ezio said with a grin. Alexandra gazed at the mesh of white cloth before taking it in her hands.

It was soft fabric, gently pulling it on over her own slim clothing she found that it had black stripes that patterned down its front and back. Twin tails coming from the rear end giving Alexandra a flowing like feeling as the wind gently ruffled them. But more importantly; it was warm. A soft smile fluttered across her lips. Ezio came up to tap her chin.

"Now this will not stay where it is." He muttered. "I am not a kind teacher." Ezio was turning to a wooden sword that lay on the ground. "What do you know?"

Alexandra thought for a moment; her childhood had been rough housing with the boys of her neighborhood. Stick fighting and beating each other up sort of deals. But what did that account to? "I know free style?" She spoke this hesitantly, for when Ezio looked up at her his eyes held a glimmer that she did not favor. He had picked up the wooden sword and tossed it to her in a graceful manner.

"Show me." He ordered retrieving another wooden blade.

Alexandra's mouth fell slack. "W-what?" She asked, her voice stuttering.

"Show. Me." Ezio spoke with exaggerated slowness. "Show me what you, as a warrior, can do. I must see what I am working with."

Alexandra could already tell him he wasn't working with much at all. Weighing the weapon in her hand, her heart hurt as it beat hard. She looked up at Ezio who was pulling back his hood. Brown eyes staring straight into her own blue. She gulped as he leaned forward in challenge.

"What are you waiting for Piccolo? Come at me." Ezio's scar perked up at his taunt. Alexandra felt a vein jump in her forehead at it as well. To tease her was like to tease a mean dog; it will chase you. She leaned forward herself, eyes narrowing in acceptance of the challenge. Bunching the almost non-existent muscles in her legs, Alexandra lunged. Swinging the blade with all her strength, obviously not good enough, nor strong enough to take on the Assassin in front of her, for Ezio deflected it easily. She was thrown back onto her rear with the man towering over her. "Truly, pathetic." He leaned down. "Is this all you got?" Her back was throbbing from her bruise; but her ego was hurt more by the words Ezio spat. She stood stabbing at him once more, but she only caught air. "Better! Come at me!" He called as she jumped for him again. Countering her strike he retaliated this time, hitting her in the leg. She collapsed as pain sent her to the dirt. Ezio paused for a brief moment. "Perhaps they were wrong." He gazed back at the villa. "I don't think you can take this training, you have so much to learn in such little time."

"Don't turn your back to me!" Alexandra called, her attack finally making contact with Ezio's broad back. He staggered forward a bit looking back at her in surprise. "A Assassin's first asset is stealth. Just because I suck at it, doesn't mean I won't use it!" She lunged again as Ezio let out a pleased laugh. Still able to dodge and counter her attacks easy they did not stop until Alexandra couldn't move and finally collapsed gasping for air, her face pale as the full moon. She wanted to speak; to retort and give Ezio hell, but no words were able to come out of her mouth.

Ezio was not out of breath, not even panting as he kneeled down to her level. "Giving up already?" He teased, earning a glare from her. "Oh come, you can't be tired yet." She reached up and gently slapped his face. Alexandra still couldn't speak. "We cant stop yet, you have much to learn." Reluctantly Ezio sat down in the dirt along with her, leaning his head into his hand. "Have you never had any physical training?" His question was innocent; but it made Alexandra remember the world she had just left.

She shook her head, then gasped: "Not much." Between her rasps of air. Setting her head between her knees she tried to bite down on the wave of nausea she felt rising in her stomach; the taste of bile filled her throat. If she threw up now she could not move meaning it would be all over her; so she gulped the air around her hoping that it would ease the pain. It did somewhat. Dirt crackled as Ezio stood; air escaping his lips as he began to speak.

"Enough of this fighting let us go to something simpler." He watched as Alexandra moved her head to gaze up at him, her eyes still glazed over from the exhaustion that he knew was creeping up on her. He couldn't let her rest though, not with the others hovering around them. She hadn't noticed them watching her yet, Ezio planed to keep it that way. "Let us go to climbing and assassinations, how does that sound?" Was this a simpler task for her? Ezio couldn't tell, but one thing was for certain, he had to build her stamina up slowly.

Alexandra's ears perked at the sound of something easier than what they were doing, but the idea of killing didn't turn her to repulsion like she had thought it would have, instead it felt like she was holding her controller again, hands shaking from excitement and fear as she crept up on her first kill. "Alright." She said breathy. Then with visible effort she hoisted herself up. With a brush and a toss of the fake weapon she gazed at Ezio ready for more. A broad grin spreading over her face.

Ezio had not expected such a reaction from her, but with a wave he began to walk toward the villa itself. Alexandra in tow, until they reached the wall, he pointed to it. "Climb and attack me." Yes, attack him, meaning she had to jump. He had know she jumped from the villa's roof once before; she had the bruise to prove it.

Alexandra set her hands on the obvious footholds of the wall, slowly, weakly, she pulled herself up, determined to do as Ezio instructed. It was slow going, but finally she made it to the roof. She was so high. Her fear came back with vengeance and ate away at her stomach once more. Ezio stared up at her, then called; "Jump! Attack!" Attack, attack him. Her limbs shook with her fear as she stood. This is just a game. She tried to tell herself. You have one life left, don't loose it. Walking a few steps back she took in a breath then ran with flawed aim, to jump off the edge onto Ezio.

He watched as she fell; her eyes were trained on him. Her arms reared back as if a blade was in her hand, her knees buckled in front of her ready for a kick. She was a natural at killing. But Ezio had not moved; had not done anything but stare in disbelief that this child was good at something. Alexandra landed with a hard thump on top of him, her legs straddling his waist and her hand close to his throat; to do a slashing motion then she said: "Your dead." He blinked, dazed at the smile on her face. What had been so funny? Hoisting himself up on his elbows, he let out a surprised breath.

"That was very well done Alexandra." Ezio studied the girls beaming face. "But just because you can attack and assassinate doesn't mean that you get out of stamina training; you will have to run from Templar's." She was good, she could do this. Ezio had found the one area this girl had promise in. In fact, as her face turned down in a grimace at the mention of stamina training he could have almost laughed. He reached up and stroked a stray hair out of her face. "Do not get cocky now; you have not earned this cloak yet." He tugged on the front of the striped outfit she now wore; it was already lightly dusted in brown.

Alexandra huffed in disbelief. "Really I thought Assassin's earned all of their titles from their first kill?" Aren't you a legend yourself Ezio Auditori? She gazed down at the man that she sat on. Alexandra noticed how odd it felt with him under her. He didn't seem to mind; though she doubted he even really noticed their position. In Alexandra's mind she had always thought that the man was suppose to be on top. She honestly liked the power over him, she could harm him or bring him great pleasure in this position. But with a pat on her rump Ezio told her he wanted her off and she did as he wished. Now standing next to him she awaited his answer to his question.

"In a way, yes, we earn our title with our first kill. But Alexandra," He looked at her, his almost black hair that was once in a pony tail spiked in disarray; his hands tried to quell the mess as he continued. "You won't be killing alone anytime soon. In fact I am positive that there won't be a mission as such for a while." Ezio found it hard to tell her that he had killed so many people. That their blood was on his hands. He found it to hard; in fact he didn't want to tell her such a thing. Managing to tame the mess that was his hair he put it back onto a sloppy pony tail. All before hearing a scoff come from the girl beside him.

"Let me fix it." She muttered. "I mean I jumped on you, are you sure you are ok?" Her voice was soft, one she would have to learn that she could only use with people she trusted. Like Ezio. The large Italian man frowned for a brief second, then walked over to the steps, sitting and beckoning to her. Alexandra came and began to rake her hands through his hair. It was soft like a birds feathers. He was a predator from the sky. Just like she will be one day. Alexandra found it hard to imagine her as a "predator". It seemed just too strange. Her second day here in Italy was one of learning. Finally finished with her task of fixing his hair, she tapped his shoulder. "All done." He stood and looked down at her.

"For the answer to your question, I'm fine. I have had worse." He had been stabbed, punched, kicked; certainly being tackled by this girl was nothing compared to those things. "Come," He said with another wave of his hand. "Back to practice, you are feeling better no?"

"Yes." She said with a smile following him eagerly. "I'm ready to learn Master Ezio!"

Master Ezio. It had a ring to it that he liked. He turned to the girl, her smile beamed for him only; her excited voice rang for him only. She, for the moment, was his only. "Alright." He said scooping up the wooden blade and tossing it to her. He stopped when he heard a "eek". Ezio turned to see Alexandra flailing to find were the blade had fallen, it was behind her. He laughed at her innocence; her naivety. Doubling over he pointed to were it lay, he heard a grumbled response that caused him to laugh more. Glancing upwards he saw her rushing toward him, a devious smile stretching across that soft face of hers. He nearly fell back with surprise at the sudden lunge of her attack. But catching her hands he did what came on instinct, heaving her into the air her face was one of shock; it was obvious she did not know how to land. Ezio released his hold and dropped his fake weapon as Alexandra came crashing down on him once more. This time it had hurt Ezio a little more than he would have liked to admit. She was quick to jump up and apologize for her zealous attack. Ezio looked at her confused; this, this girl was innocent yet not conscious of her own lust for blood and violence. But, maybe she was, this thought provoked the question from the Assassin's mouth. "Are you usually so violent? Or is this just a special day?"

Alexandra was rather stunned at his question, but proceeded to answer. "I'm.. violent… by nature.. I.. protect my friends, I'm.. protective.." Why was she having such a hard time explaining herself to this man? She wanted to open up to him, but found it hard to.

The weight that Minerva had been hiding something from them weighted heavily on her mind, making her reluctant to grow attached to Ezio.

Its to late for that child.

The voice rang in her mind; it sounded male, and as quickly as it came, it had gone. Alexandra could not bring the sound nor the words back to the fore front of her mind. She looked at Ezio again, he was still processing the small amount of information she had given him. He was plotting again. She got up close and in his face. "What are you thinking bout?"

Ezio rubbed his beard. "What skills you would be good at.." He said absentmindedly. "You seem to have a knack for killing; yet you love to protect. You are a very complicated person Alexandra." Ah, as he rubbed his beard Alexandra wanted to touch it. She reached up and tugged a strand; Ezio looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing?" It was not spoke in irritation, just curiosity.

"It looked soft." Alexandra muttered standing on her tiptoes to stroke it. "I just wanted to touch it." Ezio leaned his face closer a chuckle escaping his lips. They were inches away from each other.

A loud cough was heard from behind them, bringing them back to reality, Ezio looked up in a half glare to see his Uncle frowning at them. Looking down at the girl he noticed she was gazing were he was; toward his Uncle. "He is rather annoying at times but he means well." He encased her hips in his arms and plopped his head on hers. Half was to annoy his Uncle, the other to see what she would do. Alexandra did not shrug him off, so he spoke: "Say, what was your world like eh?" He did not expect anything from her but, felling arms wrapping around his arms and her weight on his chest she answered him, though softly.

"It was, home, to say the least." Alexandra sounded hesitant, like she was hiding her true feelings. "But it doesn't matter, I'm here now. What training are we doing next?" Suddenly, her stomach grumbled. Even Uncle Mario heard it from wear he stood at the top of the Villa's steps. Then Ezio's stomach responded to hers. Both their faces flushed. Alexandra cleared her throat; and Uncle Mario turned, grumbling, and disappeared into the villa.

Ezio released Alexandra with a laugh; he had never laughed so much in his life. "Come, there is a apple tree out back, we can get some fruit, it is bearing." He began to walk a head, then felt a small freshly scraped hand grab his. He glanced down at the smiling girl.

"Do you mind?" She asked, quietly, as if she didn't want to be turned down.

Ezio couldn't do that to her. He squeezed her hand and dragged her along to the back; to their dismay Caterina stood next to the very same tree in question. Almost instantaneously as she came into view, Ezio released Alexandra's hand, his pace becoming more brisk as he called out to her. Alexandra fell behind, as the woman who had spouted mean things about her the night before embraced her Master and kissed him lightly on the lips. It made Alexandra feel jealous. Even though she shouldn't.

Slowly, she made her way past them to the tree, trying to reach for an apple; Alexandra heard Caterina giggle as Ezio said something witty. It reminded her of the courtesan's laughs and flirting. Retracting her hand she pressed it to her chest, it throbbed in pain. Suddenly a large shadow encased her form as Ezio reached for an apple, handing it to Alexandra with a smile. He had seen her reach for it? Then he turned away from her back to the other woman. Leaning against the tree, Alexandra bit into her ripe apple and tried to tune the conversation out; she resided to looking around the villa. The small statuettes on their pedestals, how the villa rose to the heavens itself; she noticed a beam on the high tower that was were Ezio's room was. A hawk perched itself there. Alexandra wanted to go to it. But glancing at Ezio she only rubbed her neck in dismay. She couldn't; he would notice. Instead she slid her rump down onto the damp grass and pulled the warm cloak around her. Remaining in the curled position until Caterina queried her.

"Alexandra… how old are you?"

The girl looked up at the woman whose lips bubbled out with a giggle even as she asked such a serious question. Alexandra quelled the anger that threatened to appear. "I'm eighteen." She answered. Instead of an adult like response, Caterina let out an even greater laugh. This startled Alexandra a great deal, and it showed on her face. Caterina let out another laugh and turned to Ezio.

"She is so young! How old are you now Ezio?" Her hand raked down his chest. Alexandra's heart stirred in anger; Ezio pondered this question. Then shrugged, Caterina now set her hand on his shoulder. "Have not kept a track on your birthdays have you?"

"I see no point." Ezio shrugged. "Why? Must I?"

"No no, of coarse not, you are an Assassin; we don't retire." Patting the Italian man's chest the woman retreated away from them. She waved her hand. "Train hard Alexandra!"

The anger that had been building its way up in Alexandra's chest disappeared as Caterina walked away. Placing her hand on her face Alexandra sighed. It was foolish to feel like she was; jealousy was not the smartest move for her to make. Ezio was far older than her, she was certain of that, and Caterina was a much better match for him by far anyways. Looking over at Ezio; who was gazing at her with worry, Alexandra spoke: "Let's get back to training. We've taken so much time up talking to her." Yes, she must abandon her thoughts of romance. She was here to train, to learn to kill; to be an Assassin. Not to fall in love with the man who was her master. Alexandra dragged her feet as she walked back to the training ring. Ezio walked swiftly and was next to her in no time. He let out confused questions and prodded at her to try to make her spill her feeling to him. But she could not; she would not.

Alexandra refused to.

With the wooden blade now back and balanced in her palm she faced Ezio with new zeal. She had to forget about her feeling towards him. The ones that were just budding; she would tease him; she would bother and annoy him. But she could not fall in love. How hopeless was this quest? What had Minerva wanted from her when the glowing woman pulled her from her home? Around Alexandra her training had begun anew, Ezio attacking her and she attacked him. Push and pull. Cause and effect. Action and reaction.

What had that woman expected? The question hung in the air, even as time flew around Alexandra. It remained unanswered. She grew, her training changed, the girl became more than what she had been when she had been taken from in front of her Xbox a year before. She had change, even now as she stood were the hawk had beckoned her those many months ago.

Hearing Ezio call for her the girl closed her eyes, reached out her arms, and fell; her body cutting through the air like the dagger she wore on her belt. She didn't have to open her eyes to know were she fell; the hay just encased her. Now her eyes were open; now she saw as her master walked by.

Her heart still throbbed.

It was painful, she still cared; they had grown closer in the year he had been training her. But, now from her hiding place were she had planed to attack him, he had turned and spotted her. "Found you." He grinned lunging. Alexandra had no time to react as the man grabbed her and heaved her over his shoulder. "Come! Stop your struggling! Must we go through this again?" She stopped.

"Nah," She said patting his rear. "Just wanted to see that nice piece of ass you got Master Ezio." Alexandra grinned cockily as he huffed; she was positive his face was bright red.

He muttered profanities and how she was such a child; just before he decided to share a little bit of important news with her. "We have a mission." Ezio said, his wide back straightening as he spoke. "In Venice, a friend of mine is having some problems and needs me to come over. You are coming with me." He emphasized that she was to accompany him. She hadn't left the villa over a year it, the very idea mad her smile.

"Alright." She kicked her legs softly as she noticed that Ezio was now approaching the entrance of the city. "To Venice we go?"

"To Venice we go." Ezio said as he chucked her on a unsuspecting horse; hoisting himself up as well. "Hold on tight and don't fall off again." He muttered. The memory of her falling off the horse during one of her training days; Alexandra had refused to get back on a horse unless she didn't have to control it. Willingly giving control to Ezio was not an easy deal for her, but she did it. He kicked the beast sides and they set off to the boat that would take them to Venice.

Her first misson.