The Family Auditore – Chapter 15 – Flight from Firenze
Ezio returned to Paola after killing Uberto. It took some work to avoid the guards, but he made it before sundown.
"I think it's best if I leave Firenze." Ezio said coming to her.
Paola cocked her head at him. "Where will you go?"
"My uncle Mario owns a villa near Monteriggioni."
"You're still a wanted man, Ezio." She sighed. "Isabelle is in danger as well."
"What would you have me do, then?" Ezio asked spreading his hands.
"I've seen posters all across the district. Tearing them down will help the city forget your face. No doubt the heralds also incite the public. Bribe them and they'll speak of other things. Or you can hunt those who bear false witness against you. They traded dignity for coin. Their loss would not be mourned. Do any of these and you should be free to leave." Paola said.
Ezio nodded.
ZzZ
Ezio went about to do his tasks. He stopped to check in on Isabelle who was speaking with a courtesan who was brushing her hair. It seemed to soothe her so he did not protest, though he did not like the courtesans associating with her or the other two. He supposed there was no way around it here, being their home, not his, but still.
They girl sat with her hand resting on her belly. She had had it confirmed that she likely carried twins and by the size of her, it was no wonder. She had several months to go, but her belly was large.
She looked up at him. On her knees was a poster she had collected earlier that day. It was a wanted poster for him.
He sighed. "Where did you get that, Cara?"
"On the building nearby. Do not worry I did not go far."
He sighed. "Leaving the building is too far, Belle."
She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. "Just because you are the man of the house and my husband is dead does not mean you can boss me around."
He looked down and then went to her. "I just want to protect you."
She nodded. "I know." She looked up at him, tears in her violet eyes. "I want them back." She then looked down and levered herself to her feet.
He looked as she went to her window and gently walked behind her. He was two years younger, but he was determined to do what was best for her, for Claudia, and for his mother. Even marry her if he needed to in order to protect her and the next generation of Auditore.
He gently hugged her around her shoulders. "I know. I miss them too." He sighed. "I keep trying to think what Papa would do and say, but I find I need to protect you, Claudia, and Momma." He sighed into her hair. "That is driving me now."
She turned and he felt her belly against him and felt the movement of a baby against him. She touched his cheek. "You have grown up, Ezio." She said. Women and the pleasure of life was no longer driving him. He was the head of a household and needed to act like it. He was now. She admired him for stepping up to his new role.
He smiled and kissed her cheek. "I will keep you safe." He said. "Will you stay here though until I fetch you?"
She nodded. "Yes, Ezio. I will."
He nodded to the courtesan who had stepped back to allow them to speak. "Take care of her."
The courtesan nodded. "I will."
ZzZ
Ezio stayed in the area near the brothel. He ripped down two posters and walked to a herald who was standing speaking. Without a crowd there, Ezio was able to offer him some coin to his purse and he began to speak of other matters other than the most wanted man in Firenze near him.
Satisfied, Ezio walked back to the brothel under the cover of darkness, but he first visited Christina's home and put a note on her window to ask her to meet him as the full moon rose.
He smiled and scaled the back side of the wall and into the room on the corner, his sister-in-law's room. She was sleeping, but only lightly. Her eyes opened seeing a dark shape moving toward her. She opened her mouth to cry out.
Ezio pressed a hand over her mouth, muffling her scream as he bent close. "Hey, it is me." He said softly.
She looked up at him, panting, and then shoved him as he lowered his cowl. "Di colpo, spaventati alla morte!" She growled at him.
He spread his hands. "Sorry, Tesoro." He said.
She sat up and then rose to her feet slowly. He reached to help her and she took his hand gratefully. "Thank you. Are you hungry? I can have a meal brought up."
"Yes please." He said even as his stomach growled.
She giggled at him and nodded.
ZzZ
Ezio took Isabelle with him after they had eaten. He had made contact with his lover, Christina while he had been out, leaving a note on the pane of her window. She had found it in short order having had several communications with him so.
He stood with Isabelle beside him and he smiled seeing a familiar figure come toward them. He sighed. "She is here." He nodded. Isabelle looked up from her travel cloak cowl. She was dressed as a middle class woman and so no one paid her mind thinking her a merchant wife or some sort of thing. Her clothing did not make her of note since the guards were looking for a girl who was pregnant, but in clothing of the aristocracy. A woman clearly traveling in such clothing did not need a second look. Guards were often not the smartest of the human race which was why they took orders and did not make them. Ezio and Isabelle were aware Rodrigo was looking for her.
Ezio and Christina embraced. Both were sad at the news of the death of Ezio's father and brothers.
"Thank you for coming." Said holding her out at arm's length, gently caressing her shoulders.
"Of course, of course. Tell me, what can I do?" She said. She looked to Isabelle. "You must be Isabelle. Ezio has spoken of you often. I am sorry we had to meet so and I am sorry for your loss."
"Thank you." Isabelle said. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I wish it had been under better circumstances as well."
Ezio broke in. "My family's bodies... I can't just leave them hanging from the gallows. I need to give them last rites. Send them on to the next world..."
"Capisco. Lead the way, Ezio." She took Isabelle's hand gently.
Ezio lead Christina and Isabelle to the Piazza della Signoria, where the two discovered that the gallows were empty. They also spotted a lone guard standing near the gallows.
Ezio gasped. "They've already been cut down!"
"Oh no!" Isabelle gasped.
"What are we going to do?" Christina asked.
Ezio took a breath. "Hide yourselfs. I'm going to have a little talk with that guard."
Christina hid pulling Isabelle into an alcove.
"Where are the bodies that hung here!?" Ezio demanded as he came up to the guard.
"They've already been taken!" The guard hissed.
"Where? Tell me where they are!"
"I don't know!"
Ezio growled and hit the man until he dropped down before him and lifted a hand. "Mercy."
"Where are they?"
"I think they were taking them down to the river to dump them."
"No...!" He took a breath. "Christina! Belle! Vieni con me!"
Ezio lead Christina and Isabelle to the river, where they saw the bodies of Federico, Giovanni, and Petruccio under guard. Isabelle controlled a sob seeing them laying on the cobbles of the street like garbage.
"What will you do?" Christina asked Ezio.
"Only one thing to do. Kill them—" Ezio said grimly.
"No! Don't do that. They did nothing wrong—" Christina said horrified.
"They follow orders unquestioningly. That makes them—"
Christina and Isabelle gasped together. "Ezio!"
"Va bene. I'll sneak behind their backs. Get my family, one at a time if I have to, and carry them down to the river."
Isabelle took his hand. "Be safe." She whispered as she took Christina's hand and led her to a side alley.
"Be careful." Christina whispered.
Cristina and Isabelle departed, leaving Ezio to tend to his family's bodies. Belle was looking for a way around the guards downstream where they could meet Ezio.
Ezio carefully sneaked behind the guards' backs, carefully hiding and retrieving the bodies. Quickly, yet gently, Ezio tenderly carried his loved ones to a small boat docked on a pier at the river.
As he laid the last body, his father down, he felt someone near. He turned and saw Isabelle and Christina on the pier.
He helped Isabelle into the boat with him as she knelt gently folding Petruccio's arms over his chest and closing his eyes. She kissed his cool brow. "I will miss you baby brother." Next she did the same to Giovanni and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Papa. I know you are watching over us." A tear dropped onto his cool hands. Lastly, she went to Federico and fussed with his collar to hide the bruising from the rope and made sure his head was stable. She pressed a kiss to his cold lips as her tears freely flowed from her eyes. "Oh, Federico." She whispered. She caressed his thick hair after closing his eyes. "I love you. Watch over me and the babies. You will be proud of them."
She rose to her feet awkwardly and Ezio helped her to the pier. He held a touch and some pitch. Handing her the torch he shifted and threw the pitch on the boat as well as some dry kindling he had found nearby.
She looked at him and realized his plan. Tears running down her cheeks she nodded to him. He pushed the boat into the river current and she dropped the torch into it. The flame caught after a moment as the current carried the bodies from shore.
They stood together. Ezio held Christina's hand and had his other arm around his sister-in-law. The flames grew and overtook the whole of the boat. The Vikings had buried their dead so as did the Celts of Ireland, Ezio had read. It was far easier to bury them so, with honor, than have them dumped into the Arno like garbage.
Isabelle was weeping. He could feel her shoulder heaving, but no sound came from her. He had his own tears that ran down his cheeks. He still could not believe his brothers and father were gone. Worse, his sister-in-law was heavily with child, his sister was a teenage girl, and his mother was not speaking to anyone. The play boy needed to be a grown-up, more than he had been in the last two days. He was not sure he was ready to be, but he knew he needed to be, for their sakes.
Ezio led them to the shore a ways downstream where the guards were not. They had not noticed the boat either, too busy having been called to a brawl of some kind.
Ezio looked at his lover. "I have to leave the city... Christina, I want you to come with me."
"I want to... But I can't... My family..." She looked up at him.
Ezio gave Cristina a crest-shaped pendant. "So we'll always be together, Christina." He said softly.
"Ezio..." The girl said.
Isabelle withdrew a moment. Ezio nodded and then took his lover in his arms. "I love you. Remember that." Ezio said. They kissed, deeply, and Ezio turned, gathering Isabelle with him and left the area.
Christina stood there a while before returning to her home. She was not sure she would see her lover again.
Ezio found an inn for the pair to stay in until morning. The owner assumed they were together and gave them a meal. Isabelle snuggled into the bed, but it took a long time for her to sleep. Ezio was beside her on the bed, idly caressing her hair as she lay in her side.
It eventually soothed her so she could sleep. Once she slept, he checked the doors and then laid down on his back looking at the ceiling before sleep claimed him as well.
He and Isabelle were emotionally overwrought and any sleep they got would help them later.
ZzZ
The next morning the pair woke to the smell of fresh bread. The owner offered a breakfast of fresh bread, fresh churned butter, some thick sweet honey, and some tea. The man even had some fresh milk for Isabelle who drank it down. It was still warm and she sighed in delight.
Ezio ate his hungrily, but he noticed his sister-in-law was picking at it until he looked at her and put his hand over hers and held it a moment. "You are no use to anyone without your strength up, Tesoro." He told her gently. "I know you are not hungry, but the little ones are." He looked at her, his golden eyes tender as he lifted her cool hand to his lips.
She nodded and managed to finish the meal. He nodded and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. She looked at him. He was really becoming far more mature than he really should be at seventeen, but she was grateful as well. He was a rock she could lean on now.
They then walked the streets toward the Duomo. It was early and very few people were on the streets. However, the guards took no notice of the man and his pregnant wife moving. Perhaps they had just come to town and were looking for family.
Ezio and Isabelle entered La Rosa Colta. Ezio was worried.
Paola greeted them. "Bentornato Ezio. Were you successful?"
"Yes." He looked at Isabelle's tear stained face as she stood nearby. She looked pale and held her arms about herself protectively.
Paola nodded and clapped her hands as she called Ezio's mother and sister. Annette escorted them to her.
"Madre?" Ezio said looking up. Maria's face was blank.
Claudia was excited and relieved to see her brother and embraced him. She ran to him. "Ezio! Where have you been?! They wouldn't let us leave. And mother... Uch! She hasn't spoken a single word since we left the house. Father will need to sort things out..." She said.
Maria embraced her son as well, but said nothing. It was as though she seemed to know what had happened. She went to Isabelle quietly.
"Where is father? And Federico? And Petruccio? Hmmm?" Claudia asked.
"Something's happened." Ezio stammered.
"What do you mean?" Her question was answered when Ezio looked at her with sorrow. His eyes flicked to his mother and Isabelle. Isabelle seemed on the verge of tears again. Maria refused to meet his gaze.
"No. It's impossible!" Claudia said.
"Claudia..." Ezio said lifting his hands.
"No, no, no, no!" She said turning from him.
"I did everything I could, piccina…" Ezio said. He went to her. She turned to him and he held her close. She cried into his shoulder.
After a few moments, Ezio put her from him. "Listen, right now what matters is getting us all someplace safe. But to do that, I need you to stay focused. Do you understand?"
She calmed herself, and nodded at Ezio, though she still sniffled a little. "Good. Will you watch over mother for me?"
She walked to her mother and Isabelle as Ezio spoke to Paola.
"Then we are ready. Thank you again, for everything."
Paola smiled and embraced him. "Stay safe, Ezio. Stay vigilant. I suspect the road ahead is yet long."
Ezio walked through the city, not drawing any attention to him or his family. He bought some food supplies and put them in a knapsack for them to eat later. Isabelle and Maria said nothing.
Claudia moved beside him and spoke softly to him.
On reaching the city gates, Ezio paid a few courtesans to distract the guards. Isabelle moved slower than the others. Once outside the city he adopted her pace. He hated to move so slowly, but Isabelle and his mother were unable to go at the pace he wished to. It would take them a couple days to reach there they were going, but Ezio realized it was all the better.
It was sunset. Ezio found and abandoned barn. A rainstorm came up.
The roof had leaks and so they crowded together and ate their meal in silence.
Claudia tried to take the box of feathers that Maria carried and Maria swore at her like a fish wife. Claudia allowed her mother to settle holding the box. Isabelle sat with her travel cloak watching the rain.
Claudia slept and Ezio watched as Isabelle looked at him and then rolled to her side, tears in her eyes. He could only imagine how lonely and sad she was.
ZzZ
They were walking the Tuscan road and the air was warm and still.
They had been traveling for two days. It was slow going with Maria and Isabelle. Isabelle was often tired, but pushed herself harder than even Ezio wished her to. He had them take frequent breaks and made sure she had plenty of water to drink.
Isabelle was walking a little ahead. Her body had shifted to balance the weight of the babies she carried before her. Though not huge, she was far larger than Maria had been at this point with any of her children. She leaned backwards and walked in an awkward way, but she never complained. It was always Claudia who wanted to take long breaks to get out of the sun or eat.
Ezio was near her watching for trouble.
Claudia walked with Maria.
"How could this have happened to us?" Claudia finally broke the silence.
"I don't know." Ezio said.
"Will we ever be back?" She said looking back toward Firenze.
"I don't know."
"What will happen to our house?"
Ezio responded in an irritated manner. "I don't know!" He barked turning to her.
Claudia was quiet for a moment. She then looked at him as he walked away from her a bit. "Were they... Were they given a proper burial?"
Ezio nodded as he saw Isabelle stiffen and take a breath to calm herself. He wrapped an arm about her shoulders and she leaned back against him needing comfort at that moment.
"Yes. They were…" Ezio said, his own grief showing for a moment before he urged to group to keep walking.
They were nearly there.