Chapter 6

Tell Me Why

Ezio's POV

He hugged me tightly and I even came off the ground.

"It's been too long nipote (nephew)! Far too long!"

He put me down and then a serious look came to his face.

"I…heard about what happened in Firenze… Terrible. Come. Let's get you all away from here."

I nodded and I looked back for Isabel. I held out my hand and she walked forward.

"Tell me everything that's happened." uncle said..

"They executed father for treason. Federico and Petruccio too. Then they came for me. If it hadn't been for Isabel, I might have been caught."

"I'll be sure to properly thank her later. But do you know why?"

"I have no answers, uncle…Only a list of names taken from a man who wished me dead. I still can't believe they are gone…"

"Don't worry. We will make sense of this."

"I wish I shared your optimism."

"Come on, keep pace. We're almost there. I think you will find much to like in Monteriggioni."

"I thought Monteriggioni was an enemy of Firenze."

"For now. Next year it will be its friend. The year after, its enemy again. And on and on. I cannot keep track, so I've stopped trying. These are honest, hardworking people. Our shops may only carry simple goods, but they're well made and dependable. There's a chapel here too. The prete (priest) seems a nice enough fellow, but I've never been much of a believer."

I saw Isabel looking around as we walked.

"Did you know the Villa Auditore is almost two hundred years old? It was built by my great-grandfather, a strange man, who carried all kinds of secrets. Keep your eyes open and you might discover of few of them yourself…"

Isabel caught up to us and I looked at her curiously.

"With all the fighting that's been going on, this place has started to get a bit rough around the edges. I wish I could do something about it, but I just don't have the time or money to fix things up. Guess that's life, eh?"

We walked some stairs and I looked at a very old building.

"Here we are! Casa dolce casa!(Home sweet home!) What do you think?"

"Its most impressive uncle."

"She's seen better days I suppose. Believe me, I'd have her shining again…if only I had the time."

We stopped at the door and uncle looked at me. '

"Now that you have had the tour, nipote, you should go and outfit yourself. My men in the market are expecting you, and Isabel as well. Return here when you have finished and we will begin."

I nodded and looked at Isabel. She was being unusually quiet.

"Begin?"

"I thought you had come here to train."

"No uncle. I came here to escape Firenze- and I intend to take my family and Isabel further still."

"But what about your father? He'd want you to finish his work."

I frowned.

"What work? My father was a banker."

"Wait…he did not tell you?"

My confusion only grew.

"I have no idea what you're talking about…"

He looked shock and astounded.

"Ma che mi combini, Giovanni!? (What were you thinking, Giovanni!?) Where to even begin…" he shook his head. "Go and fetch the gear in the market. It will give me time to think."

"But-"

"But that's that. We'll talk more later. I've prepared a room for you on the top floor on the Villa."

He left before I could say anything.

Isabel's POV

He looked confused and frustrated. Maria and Claudia went inside, I stood outside with him.

"Ezio?"

He looked at me and I bit my lip.

"We should go." he said.

He walked off and I sighed. I followed him to the market. He retrieved the gear he needed and gave me mine. We went back and Claudia looked at us.

"We're only staying here for a little while."

"I don't like it here. I want to go home." Claudia said.

"I know." he said softly.

They walked off and Ezio looked at the ground. I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No. I must speak with my uncle."

He left and I nodded. I couldn't even begin to imagine what he must be feeling. All of it had happened so fast and all at once. I walked out and then climbed onto the roof of the Villa. I could hear them.

"No! As I said, we are leaving."

"Ezio! You barely held your own against Vieri. You won't survive a week on the road, not even with Isabel to help you. She too should train. If you want to leave- so be it. But at least do so armed with the skills and knowledge necessary to defend yourself. If not for me, then for your mother and sister…and if not for them…then for Isabel."

Something was strange about the way he said my name.

"Why do you refer to Isabel that way?"

"Hmph. You'll have to figure that out for yourself nipote."

I sighed and shook my head. I laid back and looked at the sky. It was cloudy and there were no stars.

Ezio's POV

I could not find Isabel anywhere in the house. I searched the town and went into the church. She was up in the rafters. I sighed and climbed up. She looked at me curiously.

"Why are you up here?" I asked.

"I'm going to stay here."

"No you're not. Come with me."

I grabbed her wrist and we climbed down. We went to the top of the Villa, where my room was.

"You're staying here."

She looked at me and raised her delicate brows.

"This is your room."

"So?"

She crossed her arms.

"What are your intentions Auditore?"

What happened to Ezio?

"You think I plan on seducing you?"

She didn't say anything and I sighed in frustration. I turned away from her.

"I have no intention of doing anything you don't want me to do. I know what you've always thought of me. That boy is gone. You said so yourself. You see a man now."

I turned and walked straight up to her. I grabbed her and looked into her eyes.

"Look into my eyes, you tell me what you see."

She seemed to look at me for hours. She slowly put her hands on my arms.

"I'm sorry. You're right I did think of you that way. Now I see someone different."

"And who do you see?"

She smiled a bit.

"You're a good man, a brave man. All you've thought about since that day is the safety of your family."

"Not just them. You."

Her eyes widened.

"Why me? Tell me why."

I didn't know how to answer her. I sighed and let her go.

"I can't explain it. I don't know how to answer you."

She walked over to the window and opened it. The wind blew through her hair and she sighed.

"I can't explain why I wanted to come with you. I understand, believe me I do. And I don't know how to feel about you. I've never hated you or disliked you…I don't think I've ever felt anything towards you." she looked at me. "But now I do feel something. I just don't know what it is."

"Is it a bad feeling?"

She shook her head and I walked a little closer.

"Then what?"

"I don't know, and it frustrates me."

"Me as well. I have that feeling too."

I walked closer until I was beside her. She looked out the window again. Neither of us said anything, but my heart was pounding. I had an idea then.

"Isabel."

She looked at me and I took her hand. I held it over my heart and she seemed confused at first.

Isabel's POV

His heart was pounding in his chest. That was when I felt it. My own heart matched his heartbeat. I slowly pulled my hand away and looked into his eyes. I couldn't find any words, so I did what he did. I put his hand over his heart and then the other over my heart. He smiled a bit and so did I. He took his hand away and then held mine.

"I do care about you Isabel. You need to know that. I care about you very much."

"And I care about you, more than I thought I could."

I reached up and pushed his hood back. I could see his face clearly and I smiled a bit more.

"That is better."

He chuckled and I took his hands in mine.

"I will stand beside you Ezio Auditore. No matter where or how far you go. I'll go with you."

He pulled me into his arms and I closed my eyes. I wrapped my arms around his waist and he held me tight against him. I felt safe with him, safer than I ever had in my life. He said he needed me, but it was I who needed him.