TMWolf: Enjoy

32 – Epilogue

The Sunlit Earth

April 5, 1507

Monterigionni, Italy

The rain finally ebbed as they approached the city on horseback, gray clouds slowly, but surely tapering off. The ground was muddy and slick, but they managed to remain upright as they dismounted and led their horses through the wet, cobbled stones of the city gate. The once indominable metal barricade was broken, pieces blown apart in a battle from so long ago. Rubble and charred spots littered the streets, and the black remains of homes could be seen with but a glance. A few structures did remain intact, but like much of the outlying farmland, the city was, for lack of better word, abandoned. Oh, a few people remained here and there and some repairs were underway, but the city was nothing like what it had once been. Yet, only seven years ago it had been flush with life and countless folk making a good life for themselves, and had served as the start of an Order that had become something far greater than anyone could have imagined.

Except perhaps Mario Auditore. At least, that was what Catherine was sure of as she paused in the streets of her former home, taking in the destruction. She could recall every single house and building before it all had come crumbling down, and it made her heart ache. The blacksmith was completely gone; the Doctor's office was half blown apart, and the tailor shop was barely standing. If she looked long enough, she swore she saw the pale white of bone amidst the rubble, but she would look away by then. She could barely stand seeing the buildings destroyed, but to know that people had died in them? That they hadn't escaped? Oh, she knew many had died in the battle, but it was just too cruel to think they could have died in the place they loved most.

Monteriggioni was a ruin now, and she wondered if it might ever become like it once was again. A part of her didn't want it to; she would rather it remain this way; to remain a dead thing in her memory, but that would have been wrong. Mario had always said the city would be conquered and sieged time and time again, and yet it would rise from the ashes stronger than ever. No doubt someone would come here and see the strength of its walls despite the damage; they would see what it could be and rebuild it. Someone would bring new families and soldiers and hard-working men, and they would make it into something grand and wonderful. They would make it a home.

But not her. Not her husband or family—not anymore. Monteriggioni could never be her home again, and, in some ways, that was alright. They'd made a new life in Roma, and that was where they belonged. This place was just a memory now, and it would stay that way. Still, she knew she was right to have come here on their way back from Spain. They hadn't returned during all their time in Roma, be it they were too busy or she just hadn't mustered the courage, but it felt right to come here now. The battle had begun here, it was only right now that it was over.

"I hated this place when I first came here, you know," Ezio chuckled as they walked, stepping over stone and wood on their way towards the fountain at the bottom of the Villa's stairs. Catherine raised a brow at him, and he laughed. "I was angry with what had happened and so hurt. When Mario pushed me to stay, I hated him for it even if he was right. I went along with it, though, to protect Mother and Claudia, but I hated being here. This wasn't home. These were streets I didn't know; people I didn't care for—except you, of course. You always made it easier to be here, and, well, obviously you helped me stay."

"I always told you this place could be home for you—that it was a good place. Just look; even after the siege the walls are still standing," she chuckled, but the luster in it was dulled.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "I miss it, too. I miss all of them. It hurts to see what became of our home. We failed to protect it. I made mistakes and brought this upon us."

"Only, Cesare would have come for us even if you killed Rodrigo. He wanted the Apple more than anything, and the Spaniard didn't want to attack us," the redhead mused, glancing to one of the buildings, then looking away quickly when she saw a charred skull. Her heart grew heavier, but still she moved onward. The fountain they'd come to adore for the Assassin sigil had managed to hold up during the siege, although water no longer flowed from the spout, and the pool had grown stagnant. The walls carried overgrowth in places where the stone remained unscathed. The railings above on the upper level were damaged in some spots, and the stairs had cracked with chips missing, but were in tact otherwise.

"I used to not believe that, but… I think you're right. Let's leave the horses here," he replied, taking her reigns and looping them on a pedestal on the stairway. He held out his hand to her, "Shall we?"

"I want to say no, but… yes, let's," she half-smiled, entwining her fingers with his, and made their way up the stairs. The training ring was a mess, the dirt unkempt and green growing in any place it could. Amazingly, the marble rails were untouched by the battle, and she couldn't help recalling the countless years spent gaining bruises and welts. Like Ezio, she'd hated it once, and wanted to quit so many times, but Mario wouldn't let her. He'd pushed her to always be better, promising she would come to greatness if she did. While some part of her had never believed it, another did, and now she knew for certain he had been right.

God, she missed him. He'd been like a father to her for so long, and he'd been gone for seven years now. It felt only like a moment ago he was embracing her warmly and looking upon her with such pride. If only they'd had more time—if only he could had lived.

But he was gone, and so were many others. They lived on, though, in their memories, and so long as they didn't forget they would never truly die.

"Damn. I almost forgot they destroyed our room. I liked that bed," Ezio chuckled, looking up at the Villa as they entered the courtyard.

"I wonder if your old armor is up there?"

He raised a brow, "What? Don't like the one I found in Roma?"

"Oh, no, the red looks good and I like the fur, but that armor was special."

"It was definitely something else. I suppose we can go look," he grinned, and left her side to begin to scale the walls. Despite enduring the siege, the building remained strong and sturdy all the way up. Catherine followed him, of course, and stepped gently through the opened hole to the room. Everything inside was essentially ruined, having been exposed to the elements. Carpet, rugs, paintings, books, and more were all ruined and molding in some places. Metal was rusting, and in some spots dust had caked on. Wood was rotting and creaking, and she couldn't imagine how it was still standing. She suspected it might fully collapse one day, but for now it would support them.

Ezio grunted, "Damn… it's ruined."

"Really?" she sighed as she came beside him, and, sure enough, the armor he'd inherited from Altair was in shambles, destroyed no doubt by the cannonball that made the hole in their room. "Well, it served you well. I suppose it was its time."

"Yes, it seems such things apply even for armor… ah," he replied, though paused as something caught his eye. His wife raised a brow as he crouched down and brushed away small pieces of wood and ruined cloth. From the floor he picked up a familiar necklace—one made of leather twine and four, rectangular pieces.

Catherine gasped, "My necklace!"

"I can't believe it survived. It looks like the leather is alright, too," he laughed, holding it up for her. "Shall I return it to it's rightful place? It doesn't feel wet."

"Of course. I've missed it," she smiled, and happily bent her head forward some so he could place it over and let it lie against her collar. A light glimmered in his eyes.

"It still suits you perfectly."

"Well, it was from you. Claiming me. But I still liked it," he teased, nudged his stomach playfully. He growled softly, taking hold of her hips to bring her to him.

"Good, because I loved it," he purred, kissing her cheeks and then lips playfully, causing her to giggle.

"Now, now; save it for when we get back to Roma. Besides, we did come here for an important reason."

"Don't worry, I know. I just miss the life we had here is all," he chuckled, kissing her brow, and heading back out through the hole. There was nothing more for them there, so they ventured towards the back of the Villa where the only entrance remained. They slipped through and avoided fallen sections of the upper banister into Mario's old study. It had managed to survive too much damage, with the bookshelf almost completely spared. Catherine ran her hand along a few of the book spines, recalling the countless hours they spent scouring the pages for information—anything that would tell them more about the Assassins, her Clock, and the other Pieces of Eden. She had learned so much from them, and she hated to see them abandoned.

"Do you think we can bring some back with us? It'd be a shame to leave it all…"

He hummed thoughtfully, "We have room in our packs, so we can bring some, but not all… we'll need to pick and choose."

"Want me to do that while you leave the 'sign'?" she asked, and he nodded. She left him to move to the opened way to the sanctuary below the Villa while she inspected the books, searching for ones that would prove most useful. While some pertained solely to Assassins, others were more about history and the world, which she was able to leave out from the list. They could be replaced with new sources while the ancient texts of their Order could not, so she prioritized those. She made a point to grab the make-shift booklets of notes made by various Assassins over the years, Mario and Giovanni Sr. included. They had helped pave her and Ezio's way on their journey to fully understanding what it meant to be an Assassin, although that was theirs to walk and make their own.

She pulled a pair of books free, next, and from it fell a thin, hidden booklet—just a few pages thick. She raised a brow, not recalling ever seeing those parchments. She recognized the symbol on the front as that of the Auditore, and it had been folded and sealed shut with twine. Glimpsing between the sheets, she was fairly certain the handwriting was similar to her father-in-law's, and wondered if this was one they had missed even after all their years. She couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her. To think, after all these years, it seemed they still had much to learn about their lineage—still so many secrets to uncover.

"What is it?" Ezio inquired, emerging from the Sanctuary and sealing the door once again.

She held up the booklet, "Here. I found something we missed. I think it's from your father."

"Really? How? We've read everything in here at least twice," he guffawed, taking the parchment gently.

"Evidently we decided the Bible and proper etiquette books were too boring to read. I mean, I doubt they'd help us learn anything about the Assassins," she snickered.

He chuckled, glimpsing through the pages, "Yes, I supposed we would think that… Ah… My God… It really is his…"

"What do you think is in it?"

"Hmm… I'm not sure. I thought we knew everything he did truth be told," Ezio mused before handing it back to her. "Mind keeping it safe until we get back to Roma?"

"Of course. And I think we have most of the important books now. I'm running out of space, too," the redhead hummed, glancing at the shelves for any more tombs that would be useful or hidden booklets. She glanced back to grin at her husband, "Is it bad I wouldn't mind finally making good on that adventuring we thought about the night before we were attacked? Don't suppose Giovanni knew about any Pieces of Eden?"

He laughed, "Well, he knew something. I wouldn't be surprised if there's something about another Vault or Sanctuary or some secret library teeming with ancient knowledge, which, naturally, would send us off on a new adventure at some point."

"As long as we don't have to take on anymore Cesare's," the redhead snickered before turning back to the bookshelf.

She searched a little longer—this time with help—but in the end they left with what they already had. They could come back for more if they truly wanted to, but they'd stayed long enough. In truth, the real reason they'd come was now etched into a wall behind the Sanctuary entrance, and so there was nothing more to do.

So, they left the way they'd come, circling around the back of the Villa, and descended the stair to where their mounts waited patiently. Securing the pouch of texts to the saddle, they took up the reigns once more and headed back down the rubble-filled path. Catherine kept her eyes forward this time, deciding to spare herself the twist in her gut. It was still quite a journey to Roma, and she'd rather let her mind think of what was waiting for them.

"We need to stop by Firenze," Ezio spoke up, stealing her from her thoughts. He glanced at her before continuing, "We need to let Claudia and Federico know the good news, and finally visit them. And… I admit… I hope they'll come back with us. She said she missed being there with us all in her last letter, anyways."

"She might, now that the danger is over. It would be nice to have her back. Giovanni would be very happy," the redhead hummed. "But you're right—we need to tell her it's done. I can't wait to tell everyone else, too."

"I imagine there will be quite the celebration."

She snorted, "I don't know about you, but I am going sleep. After hugging Diana and Mario until they never want me to hug them again, of course."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be right there with you. I don't want to move for a whole day if I can help."

"That sounds perfect," she laughed lightly as she looked towards the sky. The clouds were thinning, and sunlight was trying it's hardest to peek through. She returned her eyes to the ground, and meant to focus on the gate ahead, but had to double back as a glimmer of metal caught her eye. The light hadn't been strong, but it stood out amongst the rubble. She topped right in her tracks, chest constricting as she dropped her reigns and dismounted. She ignored Ezio's call as she walked over slowly, not sure it was real. Yet, when she crouched down and touched the steel, it was very much so.

Gingerly, she picked up the handle and caressed the blade, which had become chipped and rusted on the edges and covered in soot and dust. Despite its suffering, it still held together strong—like it's owner.

"What did you find?" Ezio inquired, coming up behind her. She stood up to show him the blade in her hands, and he visibly paused. "Is it…?"

She nodded, fresh tears coming to her eyes, "Yeah. It's Mario's—your Uncle's sword. He dropped it when he… I… I can't believe it's still here."

"I'll find something to wrap it with," her husband offered, but while she stepped towards him at first, she stopped. Her gaze fell to the steel, her reflection muddled in the dirt-stained metal. The blade was a piece of her former Commander—of the man she considered a father. Ezio's Uncle. Her children's Great Uncle. By all means, it was their right to keep it. It was a family heirloom at this point. Yet, she hesitated. This place was Mario's home. He had lived here all his life and he had died here defending it. This sword had been with him all the way to the end and even beyond. Though his body was gone, his soul remained here, in the city he helped build. To take the sword away from it felt wrong.

"Catherine?"

The redhead didn't reply as she walked towards a small, circular garden in the middle of a courtyard between buildings. It was nothing much. Only a bit of grass grew, but in the center was a small tree growth. How a seed had managed to take root and sprout was beyond her, but it was a sign—one of hope. Life still lived in this place, despite everything it had endured. And it was there she pressed the sword down deep into the earth, ensuring it would stand upright for a long time to come. That, she was certain of. It was Mario's sword, after all. It was bound to be as stubborn as he was.

A smile creeping onto her face, she finally turned back to her husband, "Time to head out. Claudia's waiting for us, right?"

"…Yes, she is," Ezio smiled gently, holding out her horse's reigns. She took them and together they passed through the gates. High above them, the clouds parted, and sunlight beamed down to the city where golden rays settled upon the chipped, rusty silver of steel. It shone bright and true, though the two Assassins would never look back to see it. Their gaze was on the road ahead, where loved ones waited to be met in Firenze and further still to Roma. There was still a long ways to go, but they did so with a smile on their face and a peacefulness in their hearts.

And all the while, the sunlit Earth shone brighter.

-O-

April 10, 1507

Rome, Italy

Diana sighed as she sat at her mother's desk, flipping through her reports and documents. They'd all been left in a neat stack, anything out of place was most likely not hers. Francesco probably had made them or received them, being he was handling most affairs for the Order in her parents' absence. He'd done a pretty good job, or at least, she was pretty sure he had. She wasn't allowed into it much despite being the Mentor's daughter, but she forced herself to remember she was still a novice. She hadn't earned her place among the masters, although she was already fifteen now and plenty grown. Hell, she could even court now if she wanted—not that any of the boys around here were worth her time. They couldn't even best in her a fist fight! How could they expect to impress her if they went crying as soon as she clocked them in the nose? Only Giovanni, her "brother", was really any match, but they just couldn't see each other that way. That, and he fancied another girl.

"Ugh, I hate down days. Leo is gone, too, so I can't even take art lessons," she huffed, slumping back into the desk chair before pushing up and making for the library. Her younger brother always found his way there, burying his nose in the books. He liked them more than she expected—even more than training. She was starting to worry he wouldn't become more than a novice at the rate he was going, which wouldn't do. He was an Auditore! They were fighters! Mother and Father might be alright with it, but she wouldn't let any little brother of hers not know how to fight proper!

She set her hands haughtily on her hips as she barked, "Mario! I know you're in here!"

"Over here," he replied plainly, and she spun to her left to go around another corner where he'd set up a place to read and write notes peacefully. "Hey, Diana."

"Hey, little bro. What're you reading today?"

"About poisons."

She scrunched her nose, "Why that?"

"Papa and Mama and the others use them sometimes. There's lots of them. I like to learn about 'em. They can heal, too," he replied, eyes never leaving the text.

"How can something bad for you heal you?" she frowned, lounging in a chair next to him.

He shrugged, "Has to do with the amount, I think. Still learning."

"I don't see how you like to read so much. Don't you want to learn to fight like Mother and Father?"

"Mmm… Not sure. It's hard," he replied softly, and the redhead teenager winced some. While she disliked he shied from fighting, she'd forgotten he felt bad about it himself. They both knew how proud their parents were to have them become strong, although their mother and father were always proud no matter what.

"It's okay. Aunt Claudia is an Assassin, too, but doesn't do what Mama and Papa do. So is cousin Gio and Volpe. I think Uncle Machiavelli is, too. So, it's okay," she replied quickly with a shrug. Mario hummed, glancing up at her finally, then back to his book. It went quiet for a bit—which she wasn't a fan of, but her brother wasn't one to talk much—but then he set his book down.

"When are Mama and Papa coming back?"

Diana's gaze fell and away, "Soon. I think. They promised to come back when they took care of that bad Cesare Borgia guy. It shouldn't be much longer."

"I miss them."

"Me, too, baby brother. Me, too… but they'll be back, so we have to make sure to grow up a lot for when they do."

"I know, I just…"

"I know, I know. Keep reading then. You'll impress them with your smarts and me my fists," she smirked, punching lightly at the air. A shy smile came over the young boy's face, making her own grin go wider. "Anyways, find me a book to read so I can join you, alright? It's still a while before dinner."

"Here, you'll like this one," he beamed, pushing a thin book her way. It was about techniques used to assassinate targets. Diana couldn't help laughing, wondering if her brother was being funny, sincere, or both. He was clever, though, and she loved him for it. She did enjoy the book, though, letting herself become entranced in its instructions and pictures. She couldn't wait for the day that she got to try them. For now, though, she would train and read and grow.

Beyond the walls she could hear the entryway door open, followed by the echo of boots on stone. The latest training session must have been over, or someone was dropping off a report. Either way, Diana let it be, content to spend precious time with her brother. Some of the echoes came close, but she didn't mind them; everyone used the library at some point, and they would let them be.

"Diana, Mario."

Both her and her brother's face shot up, staring at one another with wide eyes. Hearts raced and they turned their heads slowly.

There, standing at the entrance to their little hovel were Catherine and Ezio.

There was no stopping the rush of tears as they discarded their books and threw themselves at their parents, whom happily wrapped both their arms around them. They looked older and tired, but they were alive and real and they were back. The brother and sister sobbed loudly as they were held close, and Catherine never wanted to let them go. It felt like a dream to have them in her arms again, but here they were. They'd both grown so much, and she couldn't wait to hear what they had done in their absence.

"You're back! You're back!" Diana cried.

Ezio chuckled as he kissed her brow, "Yes, we're back, my sweet girl. And we're not going anywhere."

"You're staying this time? For good?" Mario hiccupped, wiping his eyes. Catherine smiled as she stroked his head and Diana's cheek. Her heart swelled at the sight of them. It had been far too long.

"Yes, for good," she replied, and the two children wrapped their arms tight around her and Ezio, burying their faces into their chests. The two parents laughed lightly, rubbing their children's' backs gently, and looked to one another. Her smile softened, "We're home."

He sighed contently, "Yes. At last… we are home."

The End

TMWolf: Whelp. That's it. It's over.

This is the end of Catherine's story with Ezio. I won't be writing any more for it, although I do have a fun AU in my head and one shots, but... I have other things I want to work on, so this is where it will stop. It was something I'd wanted to write because it was such an important part of both their lives. They went through quite the trial in Brotherhood, and their lives are better for it. Revelations won't differ too much from the game for Catherine or Ezio, although Yusuf will live, saved by her children. But otherwise, the epilogue in Chronos shows all that needs to happen for that game. So, this is the very last chapter for Catherine in Assassin's Creed :)

Thank-you all you have stuck with me all this time for reading. It's meant so much and I couldn't ask for better readers. Your reviews always give me that gooey feeling inside and I loved hearing how much you enjoyed Catherine and endured the journey with her. It does my heart good.

And I want to give a shout out to FARK2005 for giving me all the details about Machiavelli. Without them I wouldn't have figured out he had a wife and lots of kids (many did not live long, sadly, although that's not uncommon for that time). It was a huge help, even though I don't put too much about him in there. But it was fun to learn and add the details when I could. So thank-you again for that information you gave me!

So.

I guess when or if you all come to read the story again, both this one and Chronos, I hope you will enjoy it as much as you did the first time. If you have any questions about Catherine and her family's fate or wonder about things I don't touch on or leave their fate unknown just ask! I'll be happy to give you an answer. Otherwise, I have no intentions of a new fanfic, but rather wish to work on original stories. I have one in the making that's fantasy, so we'll see how it goes! I hope to publish on Wattpad before for real one day, so keeping fingers crossed 'cause I know how hard it can be to get published. So just keep on a look at there (under same name TMWolf) for anything new.

Once again, thank-you all. It's been a pleasure and honor.