Chapter 18
Found in the Ashes
Isobel's POV
Before we did anything else, I wanted to see my home. I wanted to go back to where it all began. It wasn't hard to find either. You could tell there had been a terrible fire. The building was still standing but it would still be dangerous to go inside.
"Isobel?"
I didn't look at Ezio as I walked through a broken door. There were parts of the house that hadn't been touched by the fire.
"Isobel."
I turned and Ezio picked something up. I slowly walked forward. In his hands, was a blanket. It was dirty, but the fire hadn't destroyed it. It was my blanket. I took it from him and looked it over.
"This was mine. Luciano gave it to me when I was two." I whispered.
I walked around and then found some stairs going down.
"Ezio."
I waved him over and then carefully went down the stairs. This part had the least damage. It was a wine cellar. I smiled a bit and looked around.
"What's this?"
I looked over my shoulder and saw a wall open. He smiled.
"I still have the magic touch." He said.
I chuckled and went into the room. This room had been completely untouched by the fire.
"My father had a room similar to this. Look."
There was a chest, hidden in the corner of the room. I opened it and looked inside. There were robes, similar to Ezio's, and also hidden blades. I slowly took the blades out. I took a deep breath and put them on.
"Your father would be proud of you." Ezio said.
I looked at him and he smiled sadly.
"I never even knew him. My own father." I whispered.
I clenched my fists and took the robes from the chest.
"Do you think a tailor could refit these for me?"
"I have no doubt."
I slowly nodded.
"Then I want it done. My father will rise once again. The Ferrari's will live on. As god as my witness, I will make them feel the pain of my family. The pain of all those they've made suffer."
He took my hand. I stroked the fabric and nodded.
"Let us go. We have work to do." I said.
I turned to go but he held me where I was.
"You are the most amazing woman I've ever known. You're brave, selfless and pure. And of all the men in this world, you chose me. You chose to become my wife, my lover, my friend. Truly I am blessed."
I smiled and touched his cheek.
"Yes. Yes you are."
He laughed and kissed me before we left.
Ezio's POV
Her father's robes were fixed for her. She stood proud and strong. We would destroy the ones who murdered our family. Together.
We rode out to the countryside. Uncle's scouts had found one of Jacopo's lackey's. We fund one of the scouts.
"Ezio! About time you got here. We've found Bernardo Baroncelli."
I smiled at Isobel.
"Ottima notizia! (This is good news!) Tell us where he is and we'll see that he is dealt with." I said.
"That's the trouble. Lorenzo actually had him arrested days ago, after being returned to us from Constantinople. But he escaped! We believe him to be somewhere in San Gimigano."
"Va bene. We'll see if we can't pin him down." I said.
"How do you expect to succeed when the rest of us have failed?" he asked me.
Isobel and I looked at each other. I smirked.
"We have our ways."
He shrugged.
"Good luck. Signora Auditore."
Isobel nodded and we began our search. It wasn't too hard too hard to find him. I looked at Isobel and nodded. She ran off and I approached him from behind. As I expected, he saw me and tried to run. Isobel dropped down in front of him and put her blade through his gut. She laid him down and I knelt down.
"I knew you would come."
"Where is Jacopo?" I asked.
"So you can do to him what you've done to me?"
"Basically, yes." Isobel said.
"There's still time for you to clear your conscience." I told him.
"We gather at the church when the meeting is called…"
Those were his last words. I slowly nodded.
"Mi duole dover giungere a tanto. (I'm sorry that it came to this.)
Requiescat in Pace." I said.
I closed his eyes and then we had to run. We hid from the guards in a haystack and she laid her hands against my chest.
"I think they're gone." She whispered.
We stayed there for another minute just to be sure.