It had already been a week, but Ezio still had trouble wrapping his head around what exactly had taken place in that little underwater cove. Since their first meeting, Ezio and Rosa had slowly begun to learn about each other. What they learned was that they were both drifters- Ezio due to his dead family, Rosa to the strict laws imposed by her leader. Neither had a certain future, or even a goal to aspire towards. For the past few days, Ezio had rowed them out to sea, Leonardo sitting there with his notes and charcoal, and Rosa would meet them. And they would talk. Strolling slowly down the semi-crowded streets of Venice's San Polo district, the young man went over the facts he'd picked up in his head, so distracted that he didn't notice the red-head until she was practically yelling in his ear.
"Hey!" The girl said loudly, "Italia to Ezio!"
"Hm?" Ezio shook himself, blinking as he turned to face his caller.
She smiled sheepishly at him, "You were staring off into space for so long, I was scared you'd fallen asleep! I didn't mean to wake you so noisily…"
"It's fine," Ezio replied absently, waving a hand. Sofia relaxed visibly.
Sofia Sorto was an old friend of his; a young woman with curly locks of auburn hair, soft brown eyes, and large, pink lips. As she was a noblewoman, Sofia often dressed elegantly and today was one of those days. Ezio was four-and-a-half years her senior.
Which was about the same number of years since they'd met. When Ezio had come to Venice after the destruction of his family, he'd had some trouble finding work. The Sorto household was his first job, and it paid well. Ezio worked there for almost a year and half as a librarian, as the wealthy family was very big on literature and they needed and organizer who could read. During his pleasant time there, Ezio had made acquaintances with Sofia, the household's only child. Sofia was a curious thirteen-year-old at the time, a girl who adored a good mystery. As a lover of books herself, Sofia already spent hours upon hours at the library, even before Ezio had been employed. However once he did start showing up there every day, smiling sweetly at her and helping her reach stacks of writing too high, Sofia decided she wanted to know more about this strange young man who wouldn't talk about himself.
Ezio hadn't thought much of it, and when he was let go due to a brief financial crisis, the girl almost completely slipped his mind. Only in recent years had she begun to take a more personal interest in him, which he found he couldn't shake off.
"Did you get my notes?" She asked suddenly, "Well, they're more like letters the way I keep adding more at the ends," She laughed at herself, "but you got them, right?"
"Si." Ezio answered. Distantly, his mind recalled that he had in fact discovered several pieces of paper lying on his desk (Leonardo had finally given up trying to get it back) when he'd returned to the studio, yet he could not remember having read them. He merely knew the sender and the main expression that the messages bore.
"Oh, were you going somewhere?" The red-head stepped aside daintily, "I'll walk with you- I don't want you to be late because of me."
"That's thoughtful of you," Ezio replied truthfully as the two began their stroll to the studio.
As the young couple proceeded, the only sound between them was the tapping of footsteps and the sloshing of the canal water in the distance. A seagull called now and then, or a pigeon cooed as they passed a tree. If he listened carefully, Ezio could even detect the loud advertizing of the merchants at the mercato di San Marco.
"So, Ezio…" Sofia began, breaking the silence, "I heard about your expedition. How is it going?"
"Fine." He answered simply.
"Have you… Discovered anything?" Sofia prodded.
Ezio considered for a moment, then decided not to tell her. "No, nothing too unusual yet."
"Well, I'm sure you and your friend will come up with something soon." She told him, then paused as if to form her next few words. "You know what I've been doing while you've been sailing without a care in the world?" the question was spoken teasingly, but still held some bite.
"What?" He asked.
"Scheduling interviews with my wannabe-husbands," Sofia replied, smiling. Finally, she succeeded in capturing Ezio's attention and he stared at her with arched brows.
"You're getting married?"
"Soon," Sofia nodded, "my father told me I could pick whichever suitor I found worthy, so long as he had a brain in his skull."
"And what if he has no brain?" Ezio grinned.
"Oh, I don't have to worry about that," Sofia chuckled, "I already have an idea of who I'm going to pick."
"Really?" Ezio said, surprised. Before he could ask her more about it, he'd noticed that they'd reached Leonardo's studio. He started to open the door, but remembered his manners instead.
"Eh, Sofia," he turned slightly, "would you care to come in?"
"I would be only too happy," Sofia mock-curtsied briefly and then allowed Ezio to open the door for her.
As soon as her feet had crossed the threshold, Leonardo's mad mutterings could be heard. When the door closed behind, the inventor finally addressed them:
"Ezio? Is that you?" His voice came from one of the farther rooms.
"Si, Leonardo!" Ezio replied loudly.
"Ah, wonderful! I've made some amazing finds!" Footsteps sounded, along with the rustling of many papers, "The beings are not actually fish, but are instead mammals! They live underwater, but breathe air just like the rest of us. Their lungs are similar to those of a dolphin or-"
Leonardo stopped dead when he reached the parlor to find Sofia's frowning face.
"Eh," Ezio cleared his throat, aware that he had made a mistake by bringing Sofia, "Leonardo, this is my friend, Sofia Sorto."
Leonardo dropped several papers on the floor. They landed face up, revealing full diagrams of mermaid legs.
"Hello." The engineer said in a tiny voice.
Sofia turned around, "'beings'?" she repeated with a cocked eyebrow.
"Um,"
"So you lied," She explained, not upset but clearly unhappy, "you have discovered something."
"Well, it's nothing too strange-"
"Nothing too strange?" Sofia said flatly. She pointed a finger at Leonardo's sketches, "He just said they 'aren't fish', yet these drawings show a tail."
"No, these are of something else!" Leonardo answered quickly, gathering all the pages together in a frayed mess, "What Ezio and I found is completely different!"
"Really?" Sofia asked. She didn't sound convinced. "Why don't you tell me what really happened, Ezio?"
"Okay, okay," He sighed, "Just don't tell anyone, alright?"
"You have my word," Sofia smiled victoriously.
"When Leonardo and I went out to sea the first time," he began, "we found something. It was… a fish. A very, very large fish with a shape you can't imagine. It looks almost nothing like the fish we see here in the market. We are pretty sure this fish is completely undiscovered, so we are keeping it secret until we know exactly what it is."
"I see," Sofia relaxed, "And what Leonardo announced so brightly when we entered was-"
"Not at all included in our expedition," Ezio covered quickly, "it's just one of his projects. I can't explain, I don't even understand it."
"I have one more question," The red-head inhaled. Ezio braced himself:
"What will you call it?" The hostility and distrust appeared to have faded from Sofia's face, and now she looked only curious.
"Um," Ezio lightly scratched at the hair on the base of his neck, "I…haven't really thought about it."
"Well, if I am ever to see this 'fish'," Sofia smiled, "I would like to name it. Or at least to suggest something to you two brilliant explorers."
"That's… considerate of you." Leonardo told her emptily.
"In fact, I wonder…" Sofia tapped her lips, thinking, "Do you boys plan on returning to Il Mare today?"
Ezio shifted uncomfortably. He'd wanted to see Rosa again this afternoon… But lying to Sofia twice in a row would prove extremely risky.
"We do." He answered.
"Ah, perfect," She beamed, "do you have room for one more?"
"I suppose we do…" Ezio replied. In truth, he did not want her to come- with Sofia on board there was no way he'd be able to visit Rosa. But he knew he had no good reason to deny her, and Sofia was nothing if not persistent. Yes, allowing her to come would be the right move.
"Wonderful!" Sofia giggled.
"Ezio," Leonardo began, moving closer, "I can't go with you this time."
"Why? What's happened?" Ezio wondered, frowning in concern.
"I have a patron to work for," Leonardo explained sadly, "I'll come tomorrow, but I haven't even started on the commission and it's due next week."
"Capisco," Ezio nodded. "Good luck, my friend."
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Ezio never claimed to be a sailor, but even to him it did not seem like a good day to be out on the water. The sky was overcast, the wind was more unpredictable than ever, and the sea was choppy. Nevertheless, he stuck the gondola's only oar deep into the thin liquid, propelling them forward again and again and again, all the while searching for Rosa's green tail. This was not their usual meeting spot, but Ezio had taken care to stay close, as it was the only random stretch of ocean he knew how to escape from without getting lost.
He was so busy searching for that flash of green that it took him a while to realize that Sofia was speaking. Flustered, he shook his head and forced himself to pay attention.
"…For as long as I'd like, but…I trust you, Ezio." She laughed at herself again, "Isn't that crazy? I've only known you for four years, and I feel I can tell you anything."
"Sofia…" It was the only thing he could say.
"I hadn't known a true friend until I met you. All the other rich girls," she scoffed, "couldn't stand me. I was so…different. My father always told me that was okay, that I should be proud of myself for who I am, but I don't even think he believes that merda. Everyone laughed at me."
Ezio stared into the water. Not to find Rosa, but to avoid the terrible longing that softened Sofia's features.
"But then I met you. Every day I could count on you to be there, waiting for me with a smile. Always with a smile. You were the dawn of a thirteen-year night. Suddenly I had the strength to endure the teasing and sneering, so long as I could come home to you. Without you…" She paused.
He didn't know what to say. It had only been a job. Was it possible that just by giving someone a friendly 'hello', he had completely changed her life?
They had reached their destination. Ezio climbed down from the oar and sat across from Sofia on the gondola's bench. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes.
"Ezio," She said, keeping very voice steady, "I know I have to marry, my father has forced me. And I know that you are a smart, resourceful man. And I know that even if you don't love me, I will always love you."
"Sofia, I…"
"Please, Ezio," Sofia crept closer, placing her hand over his. Her eyes pleaded with him and her cheeks were flushed, "say you'll marry me."
Shock. He was just shocked. His body went stiff and his eyes widened.
"I can't love anyone other than you," she continued, shaking her head, "I've tried. But all those suitors were just…They couldn't…" She stumbled in her desperation. "You lied to me before, but it's okay. I know why, and I don't hold it against you at all."
Ezio thought. He thought hard. Sofia wanted to marry him… She was pouring her heart out right before his eyes. How could he possibly refuse her?
But Rosa…
"Please."
He would say yes. He loved Rosa, truly, but he knew that they would never be together. Even if he did convince her, somehow, to betray her people and live with him, she would never be human. Her legs would always bear those terrible scales, a constant reminder that she is not one of them. He couldn't marry her.
Sofia was rich, to put it bluntly. If he married her, he would never have to work again. But not only that- it would make Sofia happy. She clearly loved him more than anyone else, probably even more than Rosa ever did. They would be happy together, and he knew it. It was for the best.
"Of course, Sofia," he whispered, taking her hand, "I will marry you."
Under the boat, Rosa's eyes stung brutally, and it wasn't the water that caused her such pain.