Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Assassin's Creed franchise. I also am taking artistic liberties in regards to Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood story and the backstories of all the multiplayer characters.
Fiora swiftly retreated behind the corner resisting the shock that threatened to seize her heart. Ristoro was dead and along with all other souls in this blasphemous church. But her shock quickly turned into annoyance. The priest was infamous for his blasphemy against the Catholic church and his lecherous activities. Even his connection and loyalty to Cesare was no secret. Truthfully, Ristoro brought his death upon himself from his careless attitude. But how did Auditore find him? Was the master assassin aware that this man was one of his precious Creed's enemies? Or was the kill from moral conscience? Whatever the motive of the master assassin may be, Fiora could already in her mind's eye see Cesare's furious tantrum. The master Templar did not take the loss of his assets lightly. No one dared hinder his plans. Save Ezio.
The sound of boots on stone echoed through the courtyard and drew closer to Fiora's hiding spot. Cazzo! Wildly looking for a hiding spot, Fiora spotted a small alcove further down the hall. Quickly creeping down the hall, Fiora hastily dove into the alcove before she became the assassin's next victim. The footsteps continued to grow louder and soon Ezio's looming figure passed her hiding spot, the shadows of the church turning him into less of a man and more of a demon. For the first time, Fiora truly felt fear for this man. She finally understood why her Templar associates called him the devil. Auditore existed for the sole purpose of ending lives and his body radiated danger.
Fiora held her breathe, shrinking more into the shadow of the alcove. There was no sign, no pause in his step that indicated he knew she was there as the assassin exited the church. She remained still for several more seconds before slipping from her hiding place and moving to the door. The shadows cast by the high moon swallowed Ezio like the arms of a welcoming friend as he swiftly moved down the street. Do I follow? Fiora glanced in the direction of the dead priest in the courtyard. She ran back to Ristoro and crouched over his broken body. His eyes still held wild panic with his mouth open wide in a silent scream. A slight feeling of envy crept into her body. Ristoro had been a usual customer for her at the Rosa in Fiore when she worked there. During those times when she had to endure the perverted priest's antics, this was the fate she often daydreamed for the wretched man. But Ezio was the one who had the pleasure of ending this miserable man's life. Reaching forward, Fiora ripped the now bloodied crucifix from Ristoro's neck and pocked the amulet. Rushing out of the church, the ex-courtesan watched the tips of Ezio's robes disappear around the corner of a building. Curiosity rising within her, Fiora quickly ran down the street and peered around the corner before continuing her pursuit of the dangerous assassin.
After what felt like hours of dodging backward glances, blending with rambunctious crowds and navigating her way through the lively streets of Roma, Fiora shadowed the hooded assassin to a building named the La Volpe Addoramentata. Eyes furrowed, Fiora knew this old tattered building had been but a skeleton of an old inn not two weeks ago. However, currently the building was full of life, the sound of laughter and the clink of drinks echoing down the street. Since when did this ragged inn sprout to life? The ex-courtesan leaned against a tree next to a chatting group of women as she watched the hooded assassin duck into the inn. Fiora was wary of putting herself in the same small building as the assassin. Remaining inconspicuous would be much more difficult and staying alive even more so. Fiora's eyes fell on a young man of at least eighteen dressed in poor attire, leaning against the doorframe with a tankard in hand, joking with his friends and looking highly inebriated. Fiora smirked. Perhaps being less inconspicuous is what I need. Killing was Auditore's forte just as Fiora's was seduction and deception. The presence of a heavily armed man would draw attention in an inn but no one would question the presence of a courtesan. A plan formulated in her head as pushed away from the tree and slowly approached her new drunken prey.
"Buona sera, signore," Fiora cooed, fully unleashing her charm. The boy's laughing face turned from his friends and fell into awe, blushing furiously.
"M-m-madonna," the boy spluttered, stumbling into a slopping bow and spilling most of the contents of his tankard on the steps of the inn. His friends laughed at his efforts.
"Well aren't you a cute puppy?" Fiora leaned close and drifted a finger over his fair-skinned cheek. If possible, the boy's eyes widened further and the tankard was in danger of being dropped entirely.
"I am in desperate need of drink and company. Care to join me inside?"
The boy nodded his head vigorously; he was completely under Fiora's spell. She smirked and linked her arm with the poor boy, his friends cheering him on as they entered the inn. The La Volpe Addoramentata's shabby outside did not reflect its interior. Richly decorated, drapes and banners of green hung around the room and the lighting was warm and low, inviting relaxation. The inn was surprisingly packed and the hum of chatter and laughter created a comfortable atmosphere. Fiora's eyes raked over the people, seeing both poor and middle class mingle along with the presence of courtesans. A ruckus of cheering and shouting erupted from one corner and Fiora spied dice and money on the floor. No inn was without gambling.
"Two drinks, amico," Fiora ordered from the bartender, who nodded and disappeared. She helped the blushing and inebriated boy to a seat beside her and scanned the crowd behind him. Now, where did you disappear to, assassino?
"What is your name, puppy?" Fiora questioned, eyes flicking between the boy and the rest of the inn.
"Filippo, Madonna," the boy whispered, snatching the tankard the barman dropped on the counter and taking a deep swig. Fiora was surprised to be handed a glass of wine and sent a questioning glance at the barman. He simply winked and then hurried to help his next customer.
"Filippo? May I ask what you do for a living?" Fiora's hand reached out to rest on the boy's forearm.
The boy seemed to grow more nervous but with his liquid courage in hand, he gathered some sense of pride behind his eyes. Shifting his gaze around the inn, the boy leaned in close to Fiora, as if he was afraid of being overheard. The boy's sudden mood change was curious and had Fiora's full attention.
"I am a courier to most people but to others," the boy glanced around again and a small confident smile grew, "I am a skilled thief."
"A thief? How cunning," Fiora purred, taking a sip of her own wine as the boy's face flushed from her compliment. "You must have interesting tales to share."
"Si, signora, I do."
That was enough for the boy to recount all of his daring steals. Fiora watched the boy thief with amusement but paid little attention to his stories. Using this time to study her environment, she noticed that Filippo was not the only one dressed in shabby, dirty clothes. Other men and a few women scattered about the inn possessed similar clothing. Were these the attire of the common thief? Was this place perhaps the main hub for thieving operations? From their surveillance and study of the assassins, Fiora and Baltasar observed the assassin's use of thieves as informants, soldiers, and distractions for most of their missions. Cesare had his own group, Cento Occhi, but she knew this inn was not run by them. Fiora grinned at the thought that she may have discovered a key hideout for the assassini. A sudden thump next to her drew Fiora from her thoughts to find Filippo passed out on the bar, his tankard empty and tipped over.
"Ah, pity. I really was enjoying your tales," Fiora sighed, patting the boy on his head as she stood up from the bar.
"The boy obviously couldn't handle such a beautiful woman."
Fiora slowly turned to find a similarly dressed man to Filippo leaning on the bar behind her. This man was thicker and taller, filling in his clothes much better than the thin boy. A cap was placed over dark hair, slightly shadowing his sharp eyes in the dim lit inn.
"And you think you can, signore?" Fiora challenged as the man walked around to the unconscious boy. He nudged Filippo and chuckled when there was no response from the boy.
"At least better than this bambino."
White.
Fiora's eyes snapped away from the man thief to the opposite end of the inn, a familiar white cowl emerging from a room at the other end of the bar. Finally. The master assassin appeared to be in deep conversation with a man in a brown cowl and cape. An ally?
"Now what is a beautiful woman like you doing in such a place as this?"
Fiora focused back to the man in front of her and flicked her hair over her shoulder to hide her moment of distraction.
"Are you assuming beautiful women do not frequent this inn? I see many women here that prove such a thing false," said Fiora, sipping at her wine and keeping one eye on the man in front of her and the other on the white-clothed man behind him.
"Not at all. I simply haven't seen your fine face here before," the man leaned a bit closer and scrutinized her.
There was something in the eyes of the new thief she didn't like as if he was trying to see too much. As if he knew she was not here for simple pleasure.
"I am bored easily and always in pursuit of new entertainment," Fiora lilted, her eyes straying back to Ezio and then to the gambling crowd next to the master assassin. Fiora's attention focused back to the man thief in front of her with a smirk.
Showtime.
"How about you entertain me in a game?" Fiora suggested, gesturing towards the gaming crowd with her head. The man glanced back at the table and then back to her, a smirk creeping onto his face as well.
"Oh, I dunno about that, bella. I wouldn't want you to cry when you lose," he said, his stance confident and sure. Fiora liked his forwardness and smiled.
"Try me."
Abandoning her wine, Fiora allowed the man thief to guide her through the inn, a hand at her back. The hand felt both inviting and cautious. He did not trust her. Good, he shouldn't. Passing close by Ezio and his companion, the man in the brown cowl and cape flicked his eyes in her direction, wariness clear in his eyes but he quickly resumed his conversation with the assassin. Too bad the inn was too loud for her to eavesdrop.
"Hello, boys," Fiora said, her voice low and rich as they approached the gambling crowd. The men had organized themselves into a circle, rolling their dice and placing their bets on the floor. Despite the heavy gambling, some of the men had courtesans on their laps and every man had a tankard in hand. At the sound of her voice, the gambling men's eyes fell on her.
"Mind if I join you, caro?" The ex-courtesan ran her hand through the closest man's hair, whose hand was down the front of a courtesan's dress. Fiora felt the man shiver under her touch and the courtesan on his lap scowled.
"You may not enjoy us taking all your money, bella mia," a man with an eyepatch sneered from the opposite side of the circle, his remaining eye focusing on her chest.
"Funny," Fiora placed a finger to her lips in thought," I was about to say the same thing to you."
Eyepatch man's mouth twitched in annoyance.
"Come, amici!" cried the man thief who escorted her to the crowd and pulled a chair over for her to sit on. "Shall we see if this woman is as fearsome in her gambling as she is in beauty?"
The gambling began and Fiora paid little importance to whether she was winning or losing. It wasn't her money after all; having convinced the man she had previously stroked his hair to pay her bets. The crowd half cheered and half booed as she won twice in a row. Smirking at the man thief in triumph, another bet was placed and Fiora waited for her turn. The back of her chair suddenly creaked and shifted. Fiora stilled as she sensed a light breathe against her ear.
"I did not take you for a gambler, Madonna."
Fiora resisted the urge to shiver as the man's breath tickled her neck and smirked without looking at the velvety-voiced disturber. The master assassin had taken the bait. Too easy, Fiora sighed in her head.
"And what if I am? Do you look down at me, Auditore?" Fiora whispered, tossing her dice into the circle.
The crowd cheered and booed again. This time Fiora had lost and the eyepatch man gloated over his new earnings. She turned her eyes to Ezio and found his face inches away from hers, hoodless and amused.
"Gambling is only terrible when you go too far. But that is also the fun of it," Ezio replied, straightening and pulling a chair over, flipping it around to sit on it backward. The man thief was watching their interaction with a mixed expression of awe and curiosity. It was obvious that most the men in the circle revered Ezio. Therefore, Fiora came to the conclusion that most the men in the circle knew who Ezio truly was.
"Does that mean you are a gambler, signore?"
"Only when the stakes are interesting enough to catch my eye," Ezio replied, watching the next men places their bets and roll. Ezio looked at Fiora with a sly smile and then did a double take, his expression turning into concern.
"What?" Fiora asked, taken back from his sudden mood change.
Ezio reached forward and caressed her wounded cheek. Fiora winced as his thumb grazed the fresh wound and slightly pulled away.
"Who did this to you, Fiora?"
"What do you say we make this next round a bit more 'interesting' for you then, Auditore?" Fiora deflected, pulling away from the assassin's reach. Ezio did not need to know about meeting with Cesare.
"What do you have in mind, Fiora?" Ezio said lowly, drawing out her name and retreating his hand back to his side.
Fiora reached forward and toyed with the collar of his robes, purposely letting a finger graze exposed skin.
"One round, you and I. If you win, I'll give you my special attention for the night."
Ezio raised a brow.
"And if I lose?"
"You owe me supper." This made Ezio laugh heartily.
"What? You do not want my special attention as well?"
"I get men's special attention all the time. Yours wouldn't be any different than the rest."
The assassin's eyes flashed with a challenge. He tapped the man thief on the arm while keeping his focus on Fiora and the thief passed his die to Ezio's open hand. Shaking the dice around in his hand, Ezio smirked at her.
"Shall we?"
Fiora's and Ezio's little challenge had gained the attention of everyone in the gambling circle. The air was thick with anticipation and no one dared speak. All the men were sick with envy for Ezio's position and all the courtesans wished they were Fiora.
"At the same time?" Fiora suggested as she crossed her legs and lazily shook her own dice.
"1, 2, 3."
The die flew across the circle and everyone stood up. Cheers erupted from the men and Ezio was assaulted by back slaps. Fiora showed no physical change except a small smirk on her face. Ezio, as well, kept his attention on Fiora, success gleaming in his eyes.
"You win, Auditore," Fiora hummed and fake sighed in defeat. Bedding the master assassin had not actually been part of her original plan but sex was her best weapon. Many men told their best secrets after a rough tumble in the sheets to a woman they thought could never hurt them. Reputations were destroyed and even lives ended after men entered Fiora's bed. It was the reason Cesare kept her around and spoiled her with gifts. She was his deadly beauty.
"Lucca!" One of the inn attendants appeared at Ezio's side. "Prepare a table for us." The attendant nodded and disappeared. Ezio stood and offered a hand to Fiora, the smirk of triumph still on his countenance. Fiora had a childish desire to slap it off.
"Come, let us have supper," Auditore said and not waiting for her to take his hand, he grabbed her own hand to pull her to standing.
"I did not win for me to enjoy supper," Fiora said, crossing her arms and tilting her head at the assassin.
"No, you did not. But I never deny a woman her desires," Ezio whispered into her ear as put a hand on her back to guide her toward the table the inn attendant was currently shooing poorly dressed thieves away from. Ezio's hand on her back felt much different than the man thief from earlier. Where the man thief's hand was stiff with caution, the assassin's was warm and heavy with intent. Fiora could not help but pride herself in captivating the master assassin. They would eat; she would bed him and get some information about the assassin order. Then she would kill him in his sleep.
"How long are you going to keep this act up, Fiora?"
Fiora's eyes snapped to Ezio, his dark eyes trying to pierce into her very soul. Ezio pulled out a chair and Fiora gracefully took her seat. As Ezio walked around the table, Fiora retorted.
"And what act are you referring to, assassino?"
Ezio slowed his movements as he lowered himself down into his seat, his expression giving Fiora a silent warning.
"I would be careful using that word around a public place such as this, cara mia. Guards frequent this inn and would not hesitate to assault either of us."
"I can handle myself," Fiora shrugged and leaned back to let the inn attendant bring plates of bread, cheese, and fruit to the table.
"That is not how I remember last night."
Fiora froze mid-motion in putting a grape in her mouth when she recalled their scuffle in her abode last night. A small scowl flashed across her features.
"Ah, there she is," Ezio hummed, stealing the grape from her hand popping it into his own mouth. "Now this is the Fiora I remember: the fiery minx."
"My injuries were severe yesterday and you took advantage of that," said Fiora, reaching for another grape. "It wasn't a fair fight to begin with."
Ezio halted her motion by seizing her wrist. Fiora fought the desire to start another fight between them. It amazed her how easily Ezio got under her skin. Not even Cesare could break her courtesan act like the master assassin. It was frustrating and it made Fiora feel powerless. She hated being at the mercy of someone else and she had a feeling Ezio felt the same way. Thus their entertaining power struggle. Even now, with Ezio's firm grip around her wrist, Fiora could not decide whether she wanted to charm him or slit his throat. Ezio pulled her hand towards his mouth and painfully slow, placed his mouth over the grape in her hand, his lips and teeth grazing her fingers as he stole the grape.
"How are your injuries?" Ezio asked, his mouth a hair away from her fingers,"You were not in good shape when I left you."
"Bene. As you can see, I am able to walk around on my own and not be carried around like a damsel in distress," Fiora replied, removing her hand from his grasp and deciding to pick up a slice of bread and cheese. It was a lie. After her little adventure in tailing Ezio around Roma, her feet ached. There were times she had felt a sharp pain and knew that her bandages were well past the point of needing to be replaced.
"Most women enjoy being saved by dashing men," Ezio commented, picking up another grape and tossing it into his mouth. Grapes must be a favorite of his.
"I'm not most women," Fiora said, taking a bite of her cheese and bread while giving Ezio a proud look.
"Si, this I know."
Fiora held his gaze for a moment and then looked down at the plate of fruit.
"Are the grapes still off limits?" Fiora teased, leaning forward and resting her arms on the table.
Ezio chuckled.
"Perhaps I'll allow one," Ezio teased back, picking up a grape and holding it in front of her lips, tempting her with his golden eyes. Fiora narrowed her eyes but couldn't help smirking. Following his example, the ex-courtesan slowly leaned forward and rolled the grape into her mouth with her tongue. Before further flirting could continue, however, Ezio took this opportunity to put a hand on her wounded cheek again, this time not touching the raw gash.
"Fiora, who did this to you?"
The ex-courtesan sighed; he was not going to let her run away from this question.
"Why do you care, Auditore?"
"Is it a sin for a man to care for another woman?"
Fiora scoffed, "Please. In my line of work, men seriously caring for women is a rarity. Men enjoy dominating everything they touch. Especially if it is a woman." She then attempted to move her face away from his hand, anger now stirring in her belly as she recalled the backhanded slap Cesare dealt her earlier. Ezio's hand lowered to rest on the crook of her neck and halted her retreat, his eyes narrowing.
"Every woman should be treated like a queen."
She could not bring herself to say anything. The sincerity in his eyes was suffocating and drained all anger from her body. Ezio was too intense at this moment and she wanted to run. Not in fear but because this man made her feel vulnerable and naked. But not in a good way.
"I hope I am not interrupting something."
Fiora's attention snapped to the brown hooded and caped man standing next to the table, the same man Ezio was so closely dialoguing with earlier.
"Not at all, Gilberto," Ezio said as he removed his hand and leaned back in his chair, taking a healthy swig from his wine glass. "Gilberto, this is the lovely Fiora. Fiora, this is Gilberto, owner of La Volpe Anddoramentata."
Fiora was grateful for this interruption and extended a hand to Gilberto. The brown hooded man placed a light kiss on her knuckles. Having a closer look, Fiora noted that the man was much older than Ezio and possessed striking green eyes, eyes of cunning and sharpness.
"A pleasure, Messere," Fiora purred.
"Indeed," Gilberto agreed and he motioned around the inn, " How are you enjoying Anddoramentata?"
"Very beautiful. I remember when this place was just an abandoned inn. Now it has been transformed into a lovely den of thieves."
All humor vanished from Gilberto's face and his eyes flicked towards Ezio. The man thief from earlier suddenly appeared behind Gilberto's shoulder, his stance stiff and defensive. Stealing a glance in Ezio's direction, she could not read the emotion in his eyes but he had frozen in eating his half-eaten slice of bread. Fiora couldn't help the satisfied smile spread on her face and smugly took a sip of her own wine. All three reactions from the men confirmed her declaration, even though she had not been completely sure herself if her accusations were true.
"And why, Madonna, would you think this inn is such a place?" questioned Gilberto, his posture one of precaution and his eyes full of mistrust.
"May I suggest training your young ones to keep more tight-lipped about their professions?" the ex-courtesan tilted her head towards the still passed out boy at the bar from earlier. "He was much too eager to share with me his daring tales of thievery."
Gilberto turned to look at the pitiful boy and then back to Fiora.
"A woman's charm can loose the stillest tongue. I will make sure Filippo is more fortified next time he is in your presence."
"A wise decision."
"Scusi but I have business I must return to. I'm sure we will encounter each other again, Fiora."
Of course. Send your thieves to monitor me. I dare you.
Gilberto nodded at Ezio and then lead the man thief away.
"You have interesting friends, Auditore," sighed Fiora, starting to get bored with the simple food in front her.
"And you are the most interesting of them all," Ezio replied, finishing off his glass.
"We are friends now, are we? I do not remember crossing that line."
"I did save your life from the guards-"
"I didn't need your help."
"- Succored your wounds and provided for dinner. I would say that makes us more than just strangers."
"And then what happens when you take advantage of your winnings from our game?"
"Very friendly friends."
Fiora laughed. Eloquent.
Ezio abruptly stood and flipped a few florins onto the table
"Unfortunately, I will have to take advantage of my winnings another night."
Damn it. "Do you have a different appointment for tonight?"
"I have some business that I too must attend to, unfortunately. However, I do know where you live," Ezio seized Fiora's hand, bringing it to his lips, "And I will show you that I am not like any other man you have met."
The look in the assassin's eyes caused Fiora's heart to flip.
"Buono sera, bella mia."
As she watched the assassin raise his hood and walk away, annoyance and disappointment rose inside Fiora. Disappointment because she had learned nothing new from Ezio. Annoyance because Ezio was the first man in many years to beat her at her own game of charm. The assassin had an irritating habit of keeping Fiora the subject of the conversation. She was hoping to use a night in bed together to get more information but Ezio deferred her advances for another time. Fiora wanted to follow the assassin, see what business stole him away from her but she caught the eyes of the man thief who was lounging against the bar. She leaned back, still keeping eye contact with the man thief and sipping her wine.
Not tonight.
A few more, then the captain.
Ezio melted from one shadow to the next, dispatching guards as he went. It was not difficult to hide in the vast shadow of the Borgia tower. Especially when half the guards on duty were lethargic and unaware of the predator stalking all of them. Coming up behind a yawning guard, Ezio swiftly and silently shoved his hidden blade into the back of neck. The guard, however, did not die quietly. The injured man scrambled and scrapped at the back of his neck, flipping around to stare at Ezio in horror. Ezio cocked his head in confusion as he noted that his blade had not punctured completely through the guard's throat. Correcting his mistake, he lashed out and slashed the man's throat from the front. Catching the guard and lowering him to the ground, the master assassin brought his hidden blade into the moonlight to examine it. Cazzo. The blade had not extended fully and jammed halfway out.
Fantastic.
Not only did he not have his blade from the codex pages but also his remaining blade was broken. Ezio tried to sheath the hidden blade and first, nothing happened. Patience evaporating, the master assassin banged his bracer against the wall and flicked his wrist. The blade sheathed but when he attempted to draw the blade again, nothing happened. Sighing in irritation, Ezio concentrated and allowed his vision to blur and morph into his Sight. A gold aura was making its way around the base of the Borgia tower with two red auras in tow. Switching back to his normal vision and crouching low, Ezio's muscles coiled as he drew his long dagger. The captain appeared around the corner and Ezio pounced. Jumping high, Ezio used his weight to bring the Captain to the ground and slashed the man's throat at the same time. Rolling to the side, he slashed one of the following guard's knees and shoved his dagger into his chest once his body hit the ground. The last guard had only enough time to draw his sword before the guard found a dagger in his heart. Wasting no time, the master assassin deftly scaled the tower to finish his task.
Ezio watched from afar as the tower was gutted by the raging fire he began and then glanced down at his hidden blade. Unfortunately, Leonardo was out of his reach and unable to help him. Tomorrow, he needed to find someone who would be able to fix it. As he turned his back to the burning tower, his thoughts turned to a certain brunette beauty with a marred cheek and quick tongue.
The little minx. Perhaps I'll pay her a visit tomorrow...
Please review! I appreciate feedback and open to hearing ideas. Thank you to ValeriaEpicMomo, Hamhjolf Stormcrown, shahZaib, busoshwe, and nighten-gale1720 for the follows. And thank you to EverMystical for the review.