I don't own anything of the Assassin's Creed franchise. All credits to Ubisoft or wherever else they should be.
Ciao a tutti! (Hello, everyone!) Please enjoy this next chapter. Sorry, Deja doesn't make much of an appearance here but this is just to get the storyline going now as well as a feel of how I'm going to be writing. Thank you also, for all the lovely reviews and alerts! I feel so honored. To answer a question, yeshhh, there may be Deja/Desmond but I haven't decided quite yet. Also, I hope you guys don't mind long chapters. I write as if I were writing a book, generally. I mean, I figure it's better than super short chapters, right?
Anyways, I love reviews. ^_^ they make me super happy. Even if they're small. And I don't mind if you flame here. I mean, it'd make me sad but at least it's some type of review. It'll help me improve my writing. xoxo
Chapter Three: "May it Never Change Us."
"What are the odds of that?" said Rebecca's voice as if it were everywhere. Déjà and Desmond were back in the white expanse of nothingness, with the semi-transparent grid floating around them. They had just finished up their ancestors' memories of being reintroduced to each other and spent a little less then a month together. Now Déjà and Desmond were waiting for the next significant memory sequence to launch itself.
"Of what?" said Desmond and Déjà in unison, their voices echoing.
"Rebecca was referring to the coincidence of your ancestors not only being alive at the same time, but actually knowing each other as well," clarified Shaun's voice. "There wasn't a high probability that this would occur."
"I'm not all that surprised," admitted Déjà honestly, because she really wasn't. "Sounds like Trinity's and Ezio's dads wanted her to marry one of the Auditore boys."
"Clearly, it wasn't a very appealing notion to her," replied Shaun, sounding somewhat distracted with something. "…speaking of Trinity, I found it rather curious that I cannot find a single thing about her."
"I don't understand," said Desmond, walking around aimlessly. Shaun's voice sighed impatiently.
"Wait, there's no records of her at all?" cut in Déjà to clarify so that Shaun would have no reason to give Desmond a sarcastic remark. "That doesn't seem right."
"No, there's nothing," repeated Shaun's voice around the pair. "At least with Ezio, I found his school records, which cease when he was seventeen…after that, not a trace of him. His mother's extensive diary entries mention him hundreds of times as a child…but Trinity? It's like she didn't even exist. No school records, no written entries, nothing….
"For example, I found record of all the other Aldinucci children, mainly their school records. I even the two boys training to be assassins, Dante and Valente…. Normally, I'd say she was kept secret, perhaps being a illegitimate child, if there is nothing about her but clearly she was not meant to be a secret if they were trying to marry her off."
He had a very valid point.
"Strange…" said Déjà thoughtfully.
"Anyways, I'll keep Trinity's and Ezio's profile updated as we go along. Remember to note anything for me to archive."
They agreed to it just as the white surroundings dissipated. Déjà vanished from beside Desmond and he thought back to the earlier memory they wrapped up a few minutes ago while he waited for his surroundings to fill in.
There wasn't a lot that happened in the month that the Aldinuccis stayed with the Auditores. Federico and Ezio had been informed that one of them was supposed to marry Trinity Aldinucci. Ezio thought that highly amusing as well as highly revolting in every which way and immediately began doing everything to sabotage any possibility of him being tied down to her.
Trinity had made it clear that she was not interested in marrying either one of them, though Federico attempted to court her anyways in an attempt to appease his father. She was adamant, however, seeing that she would consistently refuse his advances on her, no matter how flattering he was…though, he was not all that talented at wooing her.
Ezio and Trinity were at constant odds, though most of it was not in the audience of their parents, only because they wanted to avoid a long-winded lecture from their parents. They didn't necessarily loathe one another but they did not get along as well as Trinity and Federico.
When not bickering with Ezio or running from Federico's misplaced affections, she was forced to spend her time with Claudia, to her displeasure. Trinity was not so fond of Claudia because she was far too girly for her and Claudia had a tendency to be bossy. Ezio had a much easier time hanging out with Dante and Valente, the two Aldinucci, boys with Federico. Arietta and Francesca played with Petruccio when he was not feeling too ill.
During all this, Giovanni and Giuliano were always in Giovanni's office, while their wives tended to the house. Several officials from Firenze were always coming in and out of the Auditore palazzo at their fathers' beck and call. Both men spent many hours in the office, speaking in low voices and going over maps and other plans.
And then the Aldinucci's left, almost abruptly, a week before the original departure date. Giuliano was called back to Venezia on urgent business. Whatever it was, Giovanni accompanied them, leaving Ezio rather confused as to what was so important in Venezia. Then again, his father left on many trips to various cites in Italia for business.
The affair of binding the Auditores and the Aldinuccis was dropped, based on that Trinity's mindset was "too young" for marriage and that they'd wait another year. Ezio hoped that wasn't the case and that they would return later…when she was already married.
The streets of Firenze solidified in front of him, though unnoticed, and Ezio turned to smile at the dozen of teenaged boys behind him.
Ezio shouted a rallying phrase to them and they all huzzaed in approval at the statement. He let them continue for a second in their praise.
"Silencio, my friends, silencio," he said, gesturing for them to quiet. Once they did, he spoke again. "Grazie." (Translation: silence and thank you.)
He started to pace in front of them, looking as impressive as he could. "Do you know what brings us here tonight?" he asked his friends.
They didn't reply.
"Honor," he told them, before his face went dark. "Vieri di Pazzi slanders my family's name and forces his own misery on us! If-"
A rock falling at Ezio's feet cut him off and he turned to face the previously empty street before him.
It was Vieri and his own gang of men. "Enough of your nonsense, grullo! (stupid)" shouted Vieri with a scowl on his rather unattractive face.
Ezio smirked as his friends all spoke at Vieri's insolence.
"Buona sera (good evening), Vieri," he said in a mock pleasant voice. "We were just talking about you."
Vieri glared hard across the street from the shadows. Ezio, however, was not intimidated and continued on. "Although, I'm surprised to see you here," he said, walking forward in an arrogant manner. "I thought the Pazzi hired others to do their dirty work."
"It is your family that cries for gods when there is trouble!" laughed Vieri dryly. "Afraid to handle things yourself?"
"Your sister seemed quite satisfied with the handling I gave her earlier," fired back Ezio easily. He smirked and his friends behind him all laughed at the smart remark.
At the insult, Vieri looked enraged. He ordered for his own friends to go after Ezio before throwing a large rock. It hit Ezio squarely in the face, causing him to stumble back in surprise. The rock left him a large cut to the lip and it began to bleed.
Because of that rather low move, throwing a rock…of all things, Ezio's friends ran after Vieri's men.
Ezio, with a dark look in his light hazel eyes, walked forward and met his first four boys, all in fighting stances. One was quick to throw a punch at Ezio, but he dodged it easily and swung back, landing a good blow to the boy's face. Ezio didn't let up in speed and quickly knocked him out while another boy attempted to attack him from behind.
In less than three minutes, Ezio bested all four boys, though he was nailed a few times by a few punches. One was in the back of the head, which was the most painful and caused Ezio to become slightly dizzy for a moment.
After the last man had fallen, with the majority of Ezio's friends still standing, he advanced towards Vieri, who didn't take part of the fight. That didn't surprise Ezio because Vieri was a coward when abruptly, two more boys surrounded him.
Ezio could tell one was tired and had been hit a few times already so he went after him first. He pushed the other guy to the ground and threw a few punches at the boy who was weary, missing one and landing the second two, knocking him out.
"Hey, behind you!" said a familiar voice. Ezio looked up from the guy he had just knocked out and saw his older brother grinning at him.
"Federico!" said Ezio, a little surprised. "What're you doing here?"
One of Vieri's men ran after Federico but he easily dodged him and pushed him aside. "I wanted to see if baby brother had finally learned how to fight!" he laughed as Ezio headbutted the same guy and throwing him to the ground.
"And?" Ezio said, arms open for a good review.
Federico nodded approvingly. "You have style," he said smiling, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "But endurance is what counts."
Ezio rolled his eyes but chuckled.
"Let's see how many you can ruin before they get the best of you, eh?" said Federico as more of Vieri's men ran after them.
Ezio had no problem holding his own against the next five that came after him. In fact, he had even managed to push one of them over into the river. Federico was fairing just as well and in five minutes, all ten boys were unconscious.
"Fall back! Fall back!" shouted Vieri, turning to run away. Ezio was, again, unsurprised that Vieri was running away with his tail between his legs but it didn't lessen Ezio's anger at him.
He strode forward, having every intention of chasing down Vieri and beating him until he was out cold…but Federico stepped in front of Ezio with an amused smile on his face.
"Hold on," he said, a hand on Ezio's shoulder.
"What?" said Ezio, glancing at Vieri's slowly disappearing figure; a bit more anger rose up because he was getting away. "We almost won this!"
Federico shook his head and gestured to his little brother's face. "Your lip."
Ezio reached up and touched his bleeding wound, looking at the blood on his fingertips. "Eh, just a scratch," he said, unconcerned.
"Let a doctor decide…" suggested Federico.
His little brother groaned.
"That is not necessary! Besides, I have no money for this doctor of yours," he said, rubbing his fingertips to show the sign of money.
Federico chuckled. "Wasting them on women and wine, I see."
Ezio narrowed his eyes and smirked at his older brother. "I would hardly call it wasting," he said wryly. "…Loan me some florins then."
His brother eyed him.
"Or have you done the same with yours?" pressed Ezio. Federico only laughed and Ezio knew that he had. Federico would never be the type to admit to the fact that he had spent his florins on women, especially after his depressingly failed attempt to win over Trinity's heart two years ago.
"Search them," said Federico, turning to Vieri's men lying along the street, unconscious or too sore to get up. "They're bound to have something."
Ezio rolled his eyes and bent down to the nearest body. He found his coin purse rather quickly and went about doing the same to the next several men. Most did not have much on them so Ezio ended up searching more than he thought he would.
"Va bene (okay), that should be enough," said Federico, looking at the setting sun across the river. "Now let's get out of here before the guards arrive."
Ezio followed his brother, who started to run down the street. They dodged a few civilians as they sprinted, causing some alarm with the women and their behavior.
"Hurry Ezio!" he called, just as he started to climb up some boxes and onto a joist. "The sooner we get to the doctor, the sooner we can sleep."
They climbed up to the top of the roof and ran across it. There were luckily no guards standing watch on the roofs, because civilians weren't allowed up there.
Federico leapt across one roof to the next, checking the streets to see if the doctor he was searching for was down there. Once he saw who he was looking for, he leapt onto a ledge below. Federico dropped down, Ezio following, and walked a few feet before he saw the doctor.
He was a man with a black cloak, a strange hat, and an even stranger bird mask, a mask that Ezio always found slightly unnerving since childhood. Federico greeted the doctor, who turned to the two boys.
"Federico Auditore," he said in near monotone. "Why am I not surprised…?"
The elder Auditore smiled before the doctor saw Ezio's face. The strange birdman reached out and grabbed Ezio's chin with a leather-gloved hand, inspecting the cut. It was no longer bleeding profusely but there was quite a bit of dry blood on it.
"You have made quite a mess of yourself, young man," said the doctor disapprovingly.
"It's nothing really," insisted Ezio, not liking the idea of being tended to.
"You must help him," implored Federico, though smiling broadly at his younger brother. "That pretty face of his is his only asset."
Ezio immediately threw a death glare at his brother and cursed him under his breath, punching him in the arm. Federico automatically laughed heartily at this while the doctor began to clean his cut. It stung a little but Ezio said nothing.
"There we are," said the doctor a minute or two later. "Now, perhaps you two should avoid getting into fights, eh?"
"Grazie," said Federico as Ezio handed the doctor his money. The cut was cleaned and the bleeding had stopped completely, but it was clear that it would leave a scar.
They walked away, the sun now gone and it was dark. The streets were still busy in Firenze though, for many people were heading home.
"Quite a night, huh?"
"Indeed," Ezio agreed. "I only wish that all of them were like this…"
Federico eyed him, an eyebrow raised.
"Oh wait," continued Ezio, "they are!"
Both boys laughed at his joke and Federico stopped walking. "We should be heading home, Ezio. Father will be wondering where we have run off to."
His younger brother's face dropped a bit. "Right…" he sighed, thinking of his father. "I'd rather avoid a lecture…"
The older Auditore smiled slyly. "You up for a little race first?" he asked. Ezio grinned.
"To where?"
Federico looked around for a moment in thought. "To the roof of that church."
Ezio agreed to it and returned the wry look.
"Alright, on the count of three," said Federico, in a ready stance to run. "One…two…three!"
Federico was the first to go and sprinted up boxes and ran across a few beams. Ezio easily tailed him and they both landed on the rooftop of a building at the same time. Federico ran across the roof and climbed up the side, but Ezio was already ahead of him. He leapt onto a platform, cutting Federico off.
Ezio was the first to get his feet onto the church roof but Federico wasn't all that upset to have lost. He only clapped his brother on the back in congratulations. Immediately, Federico climbed the tall spire up to the very top of the church, where there was a large cross atop it. Ezio followed him closely.
"It's a good life, my friend," said Federico as he helped Ezio up.
"The best," he replied with a smile. "May it never change."
They stared out at the scenery of Firenze for a moment.
"And may it never change us."
They were silent as the night air again. There was a wordless connection to Firenze, one that both boys could never truly convey in script or words.
"Well, enough of that," sighed the older Auditore. "We really should be heading home."
He moved to the edge to climb down but Ezio put a hand to his chest. "Wait," he said, before turning to look off a few streets over.
Federico glanced over at what Ezio was and shook his head. "Ezio," he said in a slightly exasperated tone. "Let Cristina sleep…"
"There will be time enough for that…later," jested the younger brother, winking.
Federico looked resigned and sat down, leaning against the cross. He didn't reply to his brother as he made his way to the wooden blank that was jutting from the back of the tower. Ezio settled into a crouch and looked down to locate the bale of hay. Once he was sure, he leapt off the building, falling quickly.
He landed safely in the hay and he was about to get out but he heard Vieri's distinct voice come around the corner.
"Damn," Ezio hissed. "I better stay hidden."
"Keep looking!" Vieri spat to two of his friends. "He couldn't have gotten far."
Once Ezio was sure they left, he climbed out and brushed off the straws off his tunic. He didn't want to meet Cristina looking like a farm animal.
He knew he should probably avoid any of Vieri's men along the way to Cristina's, though it really was only a half a minute's walk from the hay bale.
Ezio rounded the corner and looked up at her closed window, though he could see candlelight, which signified she was still awake.
"Cristina!" he hissed. There was no immediate reply. "Cristina!"
"Who is it?" said her voice after a minute.
"Me!"
The both window doors opened and she peered over. "Oh, Ezio," she said, sounding unsurprised. "I should have known."
He grinned at her. "May I come in?" he asked with a flirtatious tone.
"Fine," she sighed apathetically. "But only for a minute."
"A minute's all I need," he replied with a provocative smirk, climbing up the vines that grew along the house.
"Indeed…"
"Wait," he hastened to say. "That came out wrong."
He climbed up into the window and she was sitting at her vanity table, only in her nightgown and looking stoic. She didn't look at him, and he realized she was playing the hard to get card.
"Come here," he said, gazing at her with an outstretched hand.
Cristina rolled her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. She pushed out her chair noisily and walked over to her.
Immediately, she noticed something. "What happened to your face?" she inquired, looking concerned. He averted his eyes away for a moment before smiling, almost sheepishly.
"I got into a fight with Vieri," he replied honestly. Cristina gave him a dark look.
"Ezio…" she said disapprovingly.
He put a finger to her lips and smiled. "Shh…" he whispered.
Ezio let his fingers brush across her rosy cheeks and her cold demeanor immediately vanished at his touch. After a moment of gazing into her beautiful, brown eyes, he gently kissed her waiting lips.
Cristina pulled away for a second to breathe and Ezio took this opportunity to push her sleeves over her shoulders. She didn't stop him, letting her nightgown fall to the floor and leaving her bare.
Ezio let his eyes linger down her body before he smirked at her. He saw her blush and kissed her once more, only this time with a more force and fire.
They fell back onto her bed and both were lost to a world of passion…
Needless to say, Cristina's father chased Ezio out of her room the next morning. He sent guards after Ezio too but they were unsuccessful in apprehending him, as they always are. Cristina's father found this aggravating.
After a minor lecture from his father about his son's reckless behavior, Ezio was sent to do a few tasks. He delivered a few letters for his father around Firenze for him and when he came back to the palazzo, he found his little sister, Claudia, weeping in the courtyard.
Ezio had to pry it out of her but he found out that Claudia's suitor, Duccio, was cheating on her. Enraged…Ezio ended up beating up Duccio, especially because he was seen with not only a hideous woman, but she was quite large in stature, or also known as fat.
When he came back to tell Claudia of his successful "talk" with Duccio and that he would never bother Claudia again, Ezio found Petruccio staring up a feather on the roof. Ezio didn't want his little brother to get into trouble for being out of bed because he was incredibly ill so Ezio collected some feathers for him and then sent him back to bed.
Now…he was asked to run an errand with his mother. He followed her out of the palazzo, his mother casually walking.
"I know about your fight with Vieri," she said in a knowing tone.
Ezio swallowed. "What fight?" he asked innocently.
"Let's not play these games, my son," she said, glancing behind her to give him a motherly look. Her son averted his gaze, looking guilty.
"He spoke ill of us," he replied, wanting to justify his irresponsible behavior. "I could not allow him to continue."
"I'm sure he is having a hard time dealing with the accusations against his father, Francesco di Pazzi," explained his mother. "He is many things, and none of them good."
Ezio glanced at his mother as he walked alongside her through the bustling streets. She looked thoughtful for a moment or so.
"Although, I've never suspected Francesco to be capable of murder," she admitted.
Curious, Ezio pressed. "What will happen to him?"
"I imagine there will be a trial," she said unconcernedly.
"Will father speak at it?"
His mother sort of frowned. "He'll have to," she replied. "He's the one with the evidence."
Ezio figured as much. "Still," he sighed. "I wish there was another way."
"You have nothing to fear, my son," she assured him. "Everyone wants justice done…. It's an unfortunate state of affairs but it will pass."
They fell silent as they continued on to a large opening in the streets, much like a courtyard. It was rather busy here, with many civilians talking amongst themselves. As they walked, Ezio walked by a group of courtesans, who all made provocative gestures when he passed. Immediately, he flashed them his patented flirtatious grin. His mother was unsurprised with this but did not comment on it.
She walked up to the largest building in the courtyard.
"Here we are."
Ezio's mother went up to the door and knocked politely a few times. After a moment, the door opened and a pleasant young man with a cape and funny hat stood there.
"Hello, Leonardo," said his mother with a gentle smile.
"Madone Maria!" he said, returning the look with a brighter one of his own before kissing her on the cheeks. Ezio eyed this man's enthusiasm doubtfully.
"This is my son, Ezio," she said, gesturing to him.
Leonardo grinned at him and greeted him warmly with a deep bow. Ezio bowed at him and returned the polite greeting to him.
"Let me go and fetch the paintings," Leonardo said to Ezio's mother, turning to his workshop. "I'll be right back."
She turned to him, looking pleased. "He is a very talented artist."
Ezio shrugged, unimpressed. "I imagine," he replied indifferently.
"Self-expression is vital to understanding and enjoying life," she said firmly. "You should find an outlet."
Ezio figured she would say something like that. His mother loved art and always was patron to some of the leading artists of the moment.
He looked at her with a bored expression. "I have plenty of outlets," he assured her.
She gave him an unconvinced and dark look. "I meant besides vaginas," she said bluntly, now slightly irritated with him.
Ezio's shoulders slumped. "Mother…" he groaned, though slightly surprised at her audacity with the statement.
Leonardo had just stepped out of his workshop with a crate of paintings. "Back to your house then?" he said cheerfully.
"Sí, sí," said Ezio's mother. "Ezio, help Leonardo, will you?"
Ezio half-heartedly glared at the back of his mother's head and took the crate from Leonardo's arms. The pair began to walk back the Auditore palazzo with Ezio leading the way.
"So, Ezio," said Leonardo pleasantly, "what do you do?"
"He's been working for his father," his mother replied before he could.
Leonardo seemed interested. "Ahh," he said thoughtfully. "You're going to be a banker?"
"For now," said Ezio honestly, though he wanted nothing to do with banking. If Ezio could spend the rest of his life like he was now, that would be perfect…. But he wanted to get off the topic of himself so his mother wouldn't have a chance to embarrass him as of the moment. "But you…art, was it?"
"Truth be told, it's been difficult for me to settle," Leonardo replied after a moment. "Painting is nice…but I often feel like my work lacks…I don't know…a purpose."
Ezio secretively rolled his eyes, not all that interested but he continued to listen while he adjusted his grip on the crate.
"Does that make sense?" asked Leonardo. "I'd rather contribute more practically…more directly. Like architecture perhaps or anatomy. I am not that content to only capture the world…but I want to change it."
"Oh Leonardo," said Ezio's mother with an impressed air, which made Ezio want to gag himself. "I have no doubt you will go on to do great things."
"Grazie mille (thank you so much), that's kind of you," laughed Leonardo, a little pleased.
By now they made it to the palazzo, to which Ezio was grateful for because he was tired of listening to his mother praise Leonardo over something, in Ezio's mind, as useless as art. He put the paintings down in the courtyard in front of the door.
"Thank you for your help, son," said his mother. "Don't let me keep you from your other duties."
"It was nice to meet you, Ezio," said Leonardo sincerely. "I hope our paths will cross again."
Ezio agreed with a forced smile while nodding his head in respect. Leonardo took the paintings inside and his mother followed. Ezio expected by now, his father would be needing him again so he went to go find him.
He heard his mother speaking even more praises to Leonardo down the hall but he ignored it as he knocked on his father's office door. His mother may as well adopt the painter at this point.
"Come in, come in," he heard his father's voice. Ezio opened the door and found his father standing behind his desk, looking rather anxious or something similar.
"I need these packages delivered to associates of mine in the city," said his father without delay, carefully sliding a few envelopes towards his son on the desk. Ezio glanced at them before returning his gaze to his father's face, still holding an expression of deep concern.
"I also need you to retrieve a message for me from a pigeon coop not to far from here," added his father.
"Va bene," said Ezio with a small bow. "I'll get it done."
His father nodded approvingly before crossing his arms. "Come back here when you have finished," he continued, distracted. "There are some things we need to discuss."
Ezio's heart dropped a little, hoping it had nothing to with his behavior in the last few days. He knew his father had been upset with him earlier but Ezio didn't think that there were going to be repercussions. Hopefully, it would regard other matters, especially since Ezio thought the issues had been resolved this morning.
"And please, my son," his father said, putting his hands together as if praying. "Stay out of trouble, hm?"
He looked very seriously at Ezio and Ezio understood that he was not joking. He didn't want to cross his father anymore than he had.
"Of course father," he replied, taking the packages and heading out. Ezio slipped them into the inside of his shirt so he could free-run across the buildings.
Once he was outside, Ezio broke out into a sprint, immediately scaling the building blocking his progress. He ignored the blank stares from some of them people below, though Ezio heard someone comment on his lunacy. He found that amusing and continued to climb. At the top, he jogged across the roofs, leaping from building to building to where his father had indicated the first delivery.
"Over here!" a voice hissed as Ezio was running. He came to an abrupt halt, looking for where the voice had come from.
"Here, boy!" it repeated.
Ezio looked to his left and saw a man trying to flag him down across the way, hiding in the shadows of a corner of the roof. From here, Ezio could tell that he was not of nobility, which was surprising. Ezio didn't know his father had associates of his status. As Ezio jumped down and quickly walked across a narrow beam over an empty street, he noticed that the man was a little dirty and disheveled.
In fact…he sort of reminded Ezio as a thief.
Ezio reached into his shirt and pulled out the first envelope to give to the man, though he was wary of handing it over to someone who looked like him.
"I have a delivery from-"
"Giovanni Auditore?" the thief cut in quickly.
Ezio eyed him, wondering why he looked frantic. "Yes…" he replied slowly.
The man kept looking around Ezio's shoulder almost anxiously, and it was beginning to unnerve Ezio. He wondered why the thief was behaving this way…as if he were going to be caught or something.
"Were you followed?" asked the thief urgently.
"No…" Ezio said, confused. He looked around him to see if he could see what the thief was searching for. "Why would I be followed?"
The thief ignored him. "Give me the package."
Ezio pulled it out and the man practically swiped the envelope from Ezio's hand.
"Tell your father they are moving tonight," he said quickly, as he was turning to leave. "He should to."
"Who's moving?" questioned Ezio, thoroughly mystified. "What's going on here?"
The thief did not reply as he was already sprinting across the joist that Ezio had arrived on.
"Wait!" he called to the man. "Come back! Explain yourself!"
The thief did not stop and disappeared when he jumped down from the roof. Ezio exhaled heavily, wondering what the hell that was about before he continued on with his next delivery.
The whole way to the designated courtyard that his father had instructed him to be at, he wondered just what exactly the thief had been speaking of. He had seemed so worried, just like his father had….
Something wasn't right…
Ezio climbed down a metal balcony, covered in vines and flowers, and dropped down to street level. He was in the courtyard now, but no one was in it. Ezio approached the fountain, still pondering.
Maybe it had something to do with the upcoming trial for Francesco di Pazzi.
"You Giovanni's kid?" said a gruff voice behind him where the entrance to the courtyard was.
Ezio turned to see two figures, one of an older man and one of a woman. The man looked very similar to the thief, with the same haggard look, torn and dirty clothing, and scruff on his face.
The woman however, was a little cleaner and Ezio was very familiar with her kind. She was a courtesan, not one he had ever encountered before, but he had friendly company like hers many a time.
She was wearing the emblematic dress of a courtesan, one that showed off more skin than proper women would wear. Her dress was cream as he eyed her. The woman was not attractive really, as far as facial features go, but Ezio could see the appeal in her body.
"No, idiota (idiot)," she was saying irritably. "He just happens to look exactly like the man…"
The older thief growled at his companion and she scowled back.
"Give it here," he demanded, holding it hand for the package Ezio was holding. Ezio was again, wary to hand it over to these types of people but he trusted his father and what he was doing….
Ezio didn't step forward but leaned over to hand it to the man, trying to make sure they had little contact. The thief found this amusing.
"Don't worry, boy," he smirked. "We're not contagious."
Ezio wasn't so sure with how dirty he looked.
"At least…I'm not," he jested, looking at the courtesan. She glared at him, hitting him in the chest before they turned away to leave.
Once they left, Ezio did too.
He was beginning to question his father's business practices as he made his way to the pigeon coop near his house. Was he really dealing with thieves and courtesans on a regular basis? Ezio, at this point, needed some answers. Maybe this was what his father was talking about when they had things they needed to discuss. Whatever it was, Ezio would make sure he would find out about these thieves.
He reached the pigeon coop in less than seven minutes.
There was only one pigeon in it, one with a small slip of paper attached to it. Ezio pulled it off and thought about reading up but decided not to, not wanting to intrude on his father's business, as curious as it was.
Once he closed the cage door the pigeon coop, he climbed up to the top of the roof. As he turned to leave, he saw a handful of guards, maybe seven or eight, sprinting across the town square, where the gallows were.
Ezio watched them cross the square, wondering what they were up to and trying to discern their shouting…but he was too high up and too far away to catch any real words. Plus, there was just too much din from the city as it was.
He shrugged, thinking nothing of it, seeing that it was a common sight for them to be running around anyway. Ezio glanced at the sky, noticing that the day was waning to a close, for the sun was beginning to set.
Ezio wasn't quite sure how his day had gone by so quickly. He really didn't feel like he had done much at all. Maybe he had left Cristina's later than he thought.
By the time he made it back to the palazzo, the sun had set, though the sky was still lit up with light. Ezio, upon entering the courtyard, noticed that the front door was ajar. It was rarely left open, if ever.
"Father?" he called when he entered the house. No one answered him and he looked around. It was far too silent.
"Federico?" he tried again, hoping maybe his brother would answer him.
Again nothing.
He stepped towards the stairs when he heard soft movement behind him. Instinctively, he leaned back as an arm came flying in front of him, missing his head by a few inches.
It was the Auditore's live-in maid, Annetta. "Oh, messare Ezio," she said with relief. "Thank god."
"What happened?" he asked, seeing fear in her dark eyes. "Where is everyone?"
She shook her head, on the verge of the tears. "They took your father! And brothers…" she choked out. "They took them to the Palazzo della Signoria. To prison!"
Ezio was caught off guard by this news; he didn't even know what to think.
"My mother?" he demanded abruptly. "My sister?"
"Ezio!" said Claudia's voice on his left before Annetta could answer him. Ezio looked over and saw her come out from her hiding place, her face holding a frightened expression. A small wave of relief washed over him as he quickly embraced her, thankful she was okay.
"Claudia…are you alright?" he asked urgently.
"Yes, but mother…" trailed off Claudia, turning to show Ezio their mother. Maria Auditore was sitting in a chair, her dark eyes glazed over. She didn't look at Ezio…it was like she wasn't alive. "She's in shock."
Ezio had to remain level headed, though inside he was heavy turmoil. The women needed him though, they needed him to be calm when they themselves were not. After what he had seen today, after all the questions he had…this was only adding to his confusion.
His family was clearly in trouble.
"They…" began Annetta, looking down at the floor. "When she resisted…"
Annetta couldn't bring herself to finish the story but Ezio didn't push her. "It is not safe here," he said. "Is there some place you can take them?"
"Yes," said Annetta automatically. "Yes! To my sisters."
"Good, do that," he replied as Claudia went to embrace Annetta gratefully. "In the meantime, I'll go see my father."
"Be careful, Ezio," warned Claudia, looking a little fearful.
Annetta agreed. "Messare Ezio," she said, "the guards were looking for you as well."
Ezio nodded and hurried out of the palazzo, darkness having enveloped Firenze. He was incredibly worried…not just for his mother and sister…but the fate of his father and his beloved brothers.