A/N: Wow. Holy crap. I just find out that even after nearly breaking my brain with three of the most demanding courses in the history of my life, I'm still probably going to do summer school because I didn't take enough classes to graduate next year. Oh well, art schools don't care as long as I don't fail anything and the scholarship is still in the bag.
Er, or you know, here's a chapter.
"Months," I muttered, massaging the sides of my head against the growing migraine, "Of sitting in this hideout."
"You haven't," Adelaide muttered somewhat crossly. The grinding of the rock against her dagger only made my headache worse, despite the fact that the sound usually calmed me down. "You were out there, catching small fish."
"What is that supposed to mean?" I furrowed my eyebrows, glancing up at her with surprise. She was sitting in the new armchair beside the fireplace, sharpening her weapon with slightly more enthusiasm than usual.
"Small fish," she shrugged, "Merchants, guards and robbers. It's much like when a master painter is forced to draw drawings of children with a piece of cheap raw charcoal. It's insulting," she snorted, rolling her eyes.
I wasn't very surprised that she felt that way about my side contracts. She always did have a high opinion of my skills- well, mine and Ezio's. It wasn't too shocking considering the way she grew up, all but placing us on a pedestal and sacrificing cats. But ever since she made her way to Roma a few days ago, her patience was on an even shorter leash than before.
"You're completely right," I flicked at the map marker with two fingers, propping up my head with my other hand. "What I wouldn't give for a proper contract. It just hasn't been any fun lately. Go here, kill that guy. It's really a waste of my creativity and spare time..."
"Then why do you bother? You should find some aristocrat. I'll bet they have plenty of interesting jobs. Besides, are there really not enough Templars in the world?"
I sourly looked up to the window that was only recently freed from boards. The sunset painted the opposite wall red, giving the room a warm glow. The place looked much better than when we first arrived. The new furniture and tapestries really gave it a more welcoming look, and it felt more like a home than a passing hideout. It was reason enough for me to spend the nights here, now, versus just camping out wherever convenient, especially while out on a job.
"I can't. Not yet, anyway."
"Why? Because Machiavelli and Ezio said so? And their word is law now? We've been working for months, like you said, and it feels as though we are not moving anywhere," she curled her lip with derision, voice getting higher and higher. "So I say it doesn't matter, and this situation cannot possibly get any worse."
"We could be dead," I barely nodded, though I narrowed my eyes in warning. Something else is bothering you, I mused, But you're using this minor situation to pick a bigger fight, and I'm not falling for it."Or in the dungeons. So no, as much I'd love to try the limits, we need Cesare taken care of first. I don't want to compromise this hideout so early on."
"Is that why I have been stuck inside since I arrived to Rome?"
"Stuck? As far as I remember, no one is chaining you to the wall!" I furrowed my eyebrows. "And since when are you so eager to get into the frying pan? Do I need to make you repeat the Creed again so you'd remember why it's a bad idea?"
"Bad idea? What's so terrible about wanting to finally do something about this damned city?" Adel grumbled, eyes flashing as she tested the blade on her thumb.
"What's bothering you?" I finally asked out right.
"You mean, besides the fact that in all this time we still have no useful information or a way into the Castello?"
"Yes. You're never this short with me. Something is wrong."
"It's all good," she snapped, "Perfect. At least, according to you," she sneered.
I threw my head up in shock, but at that exact moment, Bartolomeo barged into the room. I gave an involuntary wince- I was used to all Assassins having a light, almost soundless footsteps. But Bartolomeo was as good as a bear in that sense.
"What are you two doing here?" he roared, a few chords above his usual level, which was already enough to blow one's eardrums out. I pointedly stuck my small finger in my ear, and wiggled it around.
"Barto, how pleasant to see you haven't lost your voice yet."
"You! Still alive?" he accusingly pointed, though he was smiling. Well, at least someone in the room was in a good mood…"I would have thought someone would have gotten tired of your voice by now!"
"Your humor continues to amaze with its wit," I muttered dryly, ignoring the amused look that Adel sent us. "You saw me not two weeks ago. I beat your death count in that skirmish with the French, too."
"You cheated!"
"Of course I did," I rolled my eyes. "It, of course, has nothing to do with the fact that you can't count beyond ten."
"I got fifteen, and then you started stealing my fights!"
"Oh, so you can count!" I threw my hands up in the air in mock excitement, "How wonderful! Seems like Pantaselea managed to teach you something! Good to hear!"
"Lose the tongue, girl," he warned me, seeing an insult in a compliment. I liked Pantaselea, quite a bit in fact. Despite obviously being of this time, she had zero intention of being held prisoner to the expectations of what "real" women were and were not allowed to do. And surprisingly, Bartolomeo didn't seem to mind that in the slightest. So I had no intention of insulting her personally. But Barto didn't appreciate anything that even remotely resembled a pass at his wife. Under different circumstance, I would've laughed at the sweetness of it all…maybe.
"Hey, hey, now, my tongue is my best feature," I put my hands up in a peacemaking gesture. Bartolomeo burst into laughter, and after a moment, I realized what I just said, letting out a small laugh with a roll of my eyes at his immaturity. Adel glanced between us with confusion that was absolutely adorable, her previous mood apparently forgotten. "And why wouldn't we be here? It is a holiday, after all, and I'm getting ready for the evening...celebrations."
"Didn't take you as the celebrating kind!"
The fact that I stopped drinking the strong stuff was something Ezio enforced with all enthusiasm. So soon, the entire Order knew that tempting me would be punishable by- well, not death, simply a very long and tiring lecture from Claudia after which you just wanted to hang yourself on the nearest tree in shame. Not all of them understood why on earth I would give up drinking, considering they didn't know the whole story behind my alcoholism in the first place. But these new habits stuck over the last decade.
"That really depends on what is being served," I grinned, finishing up the last drops remaining in my glass.
"What, ale is no longer good for you? What are you drinking, anyway? Cider?" He made a face that showed just how low his opinion on the weak drink was.
"Dearest Bartolomeo," I patiently began, as though speaking to a very slow child. "Sweaty, bulky and drunk men hitting on me, and then trying to pick a fight, only to end up on the floor with the humiliating experience of being beaten down by a woman? Not something I consider a good time. But chaos, panic, cut off heads in the fountain and a screaming maid covered in blood? Now that's my type of party."
"You sneaky wench, always stirring those nobles," he clucked his tongue in disagreement, "Where's the fun in that when there is real battle out there?"
"Oh, I know. And I am thanking the gods that I don't have to get in the middle of it. Being a sneaky wench and stabbing people in the back has never exactly been overrated," I curled my lip slightly, revealing my teeth in a smirk. "Now, you were here for something?"
"What? Oh. They're holding bull-fighting tournaments out in the Antico district."
I shared confused glances with Adel. "And we should care why, exactly?"
"Oh!" Adelaide suddenly beat Bartolomeo's explanation. "I've heard talk, the main event is Cesare's fight. Supposed to be a big deal, heavily guarded and everything."
"Exactly, so get off your rears and lets go!" The mercenary impatiently barreled through the door, nearly taking out the frame with him.
Adel and I shared a look of amusement and shrugged, getting up to follow after him.
Summer in Rome was hot and even more angry than the other seasons. The guards were still forced to patrol the streets while slowly cooking in their armor, and that made them more aggressive to the world. When they weren't angrily arguing between each other, they oppressed the citizens worse than ever. Merchants weren't happy with the treatment and the loss of costumers, while the civilians were simply terrified. Even the nobles were having a hard time trying to pull off their poker faces while covered in layers of expensive and heavy fabric. I didn't envy them one bit.
The Assassins were not happy at the moment either, though for different reasons. While the guards proved to be nothing but irritating nuisances, they did slow down the rebuilding of the faction buildings, and asked awkward questions we weren't yet able to efficiently silence with coin. Mostly, we tried to lay low and work without attracting attention to ourselves. Which was proven to be hard with everything considered. There were a lot of factors to keep track of, and even a small slip up could upset everything we managed to build up so far. Essentially, there was no stability in the order just yet, and that made us all a bit tense.
As the weeks passed, all was quiet, like the calm before the storm. Neither the thieves, courtesans nor the mercenaries managed to uncover any information. The Borgia remained elusive to us despite our best efforts. The guild buildings were almost completed, though not operating on their full efficiency just quite yet. Perhaps our lack of success was mostly due to the fact that Cesare was not in Roma, making him all that much harder to predict.
But eventually, he came back, which meant that we were finally close to the end.
Bullfighting was not really something I personally enjoyed, feeling sorry for the poor animals. But the fact that we got to simply sit and watch for once instead of trying to crash the event made it a welcome break for everyone. The point of this was mostly to see the situation, figure out who the Pope surrounded himself with, try to get new leads.
What the others didn't know, however, was that I was sorely missing my sniper rifle.
"What is he trying to accomplish?" Adelaide raised her eyebrows, watching the set up below. "One would think he'd be a bit more careful with his public appearances."
"Displaying his power, I'm guessing," I replied to her from where I was resting against the wall with my legs crossed.
"When it comes down to it, impressing nobles is easy enough with wealth and social savvy, but common folk are more responsive to shows of strength," La Volpe put in with a slightly bored tone.
Niccolo made a noise of agreement from my side. He was not in his place up on the rooftops with us, especially in the heat of the Roman summer, but he made no complaints. At least, not out loud. He did, however, "selflessly" allow us the sunny side of the stadium, while seating himself in the shadow of the tower beside us. I did not like the arrangement too much, so I threatened to push him off the wall while trying to get a spot in the shade, as well. He looked skeptical, but moved over.
"Is there any way to actually get close to them?" Ezio wondered, his eyes scanning over the makeshift arena. Guards made a tight perimeter around it, and archers patrolled from the rooftops. We had to get rid of two just so we could take our seats in the audience without any further disturbances.
"Doubt it," I muttered, clicking through possibilities in my head. "I'd say our chances would be two percent. The only way through would be to slaughter everyone on the field. Besides, you smell that?"
He tried. "No. Everything seems normal. Are you catching something?"
"A rather familiar little scent, reminds me of the kennels I passed working my way through the apartments in the Vatican. You get my drift?"
"Ah."
The mood darkened by a few more shades. There was an uncomfortable itch on my shoulder from where a Hell Hound once grazed me. The scars that remained were deep and were close to rendering my muscle useless.
"Then losses are more likely, not to mention we'll turn an assassination into a bloodbath," the Fox sided with me. "For now, all we can do is watch."
Ezio didn't look too pleased, but he realized as much as anyone that trying to get down below would be suicide at the moment.
La Volpe suddenly leaned forward, his eyes narrowing with curiosity. "Strange. Considering everything, I didn't think Alexander would actually show in person."
"Did he?"
"Look..."
We did. I even adjusted to Eagle Vision, though it was not necessary. The man could be seen perfectly fine from the distance, along with his daughter. I recognized him right away, with the additional feeling of deep-seated hatred that I could not move on from. The girl, on the other hand, was someone I'd seen before, but didn't take notice of because my eyes were trained on her brother as he held a gun to Mario's head.
My first proper impression of Lucrezia was that not flattering. I always had a certain tick against women with looks more akin to a perfect marble statue, rather than an actual human being. High posture, beautiful face, tempting bodies, rich clothing, and of course, most of her cleavage exposed. Surrounded by a dozen body guards, the sole intention was to say "Look, but touch at your own expense". Lucrezia distinctly reminded me of Adel's mother, from whom she inherited the noble pride, blond hair and bright blue eyes. But where Adel's hair was styled in golden curls, Lucrezia's was nearly silvery and stick straight, skimming down her shoulder blades artfully, as though there was an invisible maid beside her constantly taking a brush to it. All of her was richly decorated, including her jewelry, her gold and ruby earrings alone making my old kleptomaniac instincts flare. At the same time, so did my alarm bells, telling quite obviously that anyone who tried to get anywhere near her would be eating the ground before they could even count the guards.
"So that's what dear Rodrigo has been spending his money on," I snorted with contempt. "It's a wonder he still has any florins to throw at Cesare."
"It's the year of Jubilee," Niccolo reminded me.
"You really think I know what that means?" I raised my eyebrows. Everyone around me looked around in shock. "What? Think I'm keeping up with important dates for the church? Sorry, I have better things to do."
"The Jubilee is the year when the pilgrims come to Roma to pray and try to buy their way into heaven. It fills the Pope's coffers quickly enough," Ezio explained.
"Figures the Church would make up something like that. How convenient," I grimaced. Niccolo nodded in agreement, Ezio narrowing his eyes and letting out a muttered curse of nearly silent agreement as the rest just looked thoughtful.
"Alexander doesn't look happy," Adel noted, cocking her head to the side. Her eyes were characteristically wide as she took in the scene with mild curiosity and interest.
"Neither does Cesare," I continued the thought, "I'm guessing the two aren't very fond of each other."
"Cesare only keeps his father alive as a guarantee for funds and power," Machiavelli mused. "But you're right, he's been gaining more and more independence from the Pope. His attack on Monteriggioni shows as much."
"And how are you so well informed?" La Volpe raised his eyebrows, something distinctly hostile in his expression. Thanks to Ezio, he acted civil around the politician, but still tried to catch him on something to prove that he was a traitor. I wasn't sure if Niccolo was oblivious to such treatment or simply pretending, but the air was fairly cold between the two.
"It is logical, my friend. After his defeat-" Niccolo glared at Ezio as he said that, and I knew that the term that he really wanted to be able to use was 'death,' "-he has become as quiet as a mouse in his hole. He barely does anything but throw celebrations and spend money. It is unlikely that he would have ordered the attack, for he knows from experience that that would only serve to bring attention back to him. And he also knew that given a second time, even Ezio wouldn't spare him."
"So it must have been Cesare's decision to attack the villa," I supported him, "And I guess he was trying to do the same thing as today- display his superiority. But..."
"He's acting a bit..." Adel twirled a lock of her hair between her fingers, her voice slightly uncertain, as though she was trying to word her thoughts properly. "It was not a tactically good move, was it? He couldn't have possibly expected all of the Order concentrated in Monteriggioni. Either he is not as well informed of us as he'd like to believe, or he wanted war."
Just as she said that, the event started.
Cesare, showing off, made a lazy, confident circle on his horse, and loudly proclaimed a speech that sent the audience into divided frenzies. Not all cheered, and not all those who did showed much enthusiasm. Still, his voice charmed the people. The amount of guards in the place could have helped out, as well...
"Friends! People of Roma!-"
Once that began, I immediately tuned out his preaching, more interesting in probing around his defenses. I was left disappointed; there were little openings, and the ones that existed were covered by the gunmen patrolling the roofs. Biting my lip, I focused back on Cesare just as they let out the first bull.
The lancers on bare horses were let out first to deal with the bull. All dressed in Borgia colors, all looking as though their job in the arena was close to an angel appointed by God himself. I felt slight distaste towards the sport, as the lancers stabbed and weakened the bull, making him stagger slightly and let out furious snorts. They strapped some sort of barbed wires its neck, too, and only then, Cesare walked in front of the bull, armed with a red sheet on one hand, and a sword in the other.
It continued like this. One after another, the bulls were brought in, beaten, and finally, killed by Cesare. The crowd went wild with each display, roaring with approval as the animals died. Meanwhile, our collective mood was getting worse and worse.
Display or not, but there was no denying Cesare's strength and grace. One of the bulls was cleanly decapitated by Cesare's blade after it blindly charged at him. How he managed to keep his own arm after that blow, I didn't understand, but the animal collapsed, and his head rolled behind him...
Seven bulls, I realized. And the man looked only mildly tired. He had enough strength to push another speech to the crowds, and after throwing his father a cold look, disappeared into the tents.
"This is disgusting," I finally declared, shuddering in spite of myself, and the fact I'd killed many a man. "What kind of fight is that? Or is the whole torturing the animals bit symbolic of what he's doing to Roma?"
"No, that is just the way the Spanish like to fight their bulls," La Volpe assured me, getting up from the tiles. "Well, as nice as this was, we all have work to do. I will be going now."
"Yeah, me too, I have a very important meeting," I climbed up the wall of the tower into vertical position, and quickly pecked my husband's lips in goodbye.
"With a client?"
"Working on a day like this? Come now, caro, the birds are chirping and the sun is shining! Who wants to die on a day like this?" I threw up a hand. "Nah, I'm going to go see my secret lover, and spend the rest of the day taking long walks in the park with him," I grinned at him, my voice sweetly sarcastic.
He laughed, even as he quickly wound an arm about my waist. I admit, the mild gesture of possessiveness immediately brightened my day, "As if anyone in the city could possibly be worthy of your attention."
"Oh, so you don't think you're worthy?" I retorted, purposefully relacing the ties of his outer robe, and letting my fingers linger.
"I'm a different story," he confidently smirked.
"Yes, you are," I agreed easily, leaning in to place another kiss on his lips, this one not so fleeting. With Ezio, it was always pleasant to have some sort of human contact to look forward to at the end of the day. Though I did find myself sleeping somewhere completely alone for couple nights at a time, due to work.
"Can you two at least stop flirting when we are in public?"
I stuck my tongue out at Niccolo. "You really shouldn't take out the fact that you can't get any yourself out on us. No one else seems to have a problem with it."
That was true, strictly speaking. Adel was used to it, but many of the others averted their eyes, hiding smiles or frowns, while others openly grinned and sent us suggestive smirks. A few simply didn't care.
Niccolo, however, was truly invincible to my attacks. His expression did not change in the slightest. "How you manage to get any work done in between your displays of affection is beyond me."
"That's not all that's beyond you," I parried with a lighthearted laugh, "But you're right, I still have to go. I'll see you back at the hideout?"
There was slight doubt in Ezio's eyes, but he nodded with a slight smile.
Lies. I wasn't planning on coming back to the hideout tonight. And he knew that. Which was why he wouldn't be waiting. But in with our current situation, it was simply easier for both of us to pretend. And neither was unhappy with the arrangement.
"Working hard?" I cheerfully chirped as I fluidly slid through the open window. Claudia didn't even look up from the papers, the pause in the creaking of the quill was the only indication that she acknowledged my presence. "You know, considering you're been working over books over the past- well, too many years, I would have never figured that you'd jump right back them."
"What choice do I have left?" her voice was low and stony. I sighed, leaning onto the desk behind her.
"Claudia-"
"Eden, just- don't. I've heard it," she snapped, and I put my hands up in a peace-keeping gesture.
"Come on, their bodies were not in the town, you've seen for yourself. Neither Paolo or Federico were there, so there is still a chance that-"
"No, there isn't," her voice was so bitter that I winced. "There isn't anything but a fool's hope. I don't want to talk about it. Alright? Let's please just focus on business. I'm fine."
I made a skeptical grimace, my hand reaching down into the bottom drawer and bringing up the bottle to my eyes. "Wow. Let me guess, all the nicer vintages in the cellar are for something more interesting than paperwork? This cheap wine isn't very good for battling depression, you will only make it worse."
"Speaking from experience?" She said it with a bit more sting than I would have liked, but I let it go. I couldn't blame her for any of it.
"Yes. Definitely from experience. Very, very unfortunate experience that I wrote off as me being young and naive enough to believe that alcohol will get rid of all my problems. But to tell the truth, I never expected you to turn to it, especially considering you didn't the first time."
"That was then," she took the bottle away from me, but didn't drink, "This is now. Look, I know what you're trying to do, but it will not work like it did with Ezio. I need time. So lets just... not talk about it anymore. Did you get the lists?"
"Right here," I reached into my bag, and put it down on the table in front of her, "As agreed, all three of the parties. Guest and caterer lists, along with guard patrol routes. And because I am so amazing, I also lifted the keys to the kitchen of the Barniclini estate for you."
"This is good," she nodded, taking the papers into one hand, and beginning to tap the fingers of the other on the desk. I stayed quiet, looking around the room with slight interest.
The brothel was doing very well since Claudia took over. The first thing she did was hire workers to fix and repaint the outer walls, which made a much more pleasant impression than the worn out and dusted bricks that used to stand there, lazily and insufficiently camouflaged my faded streamers. Before the construction was even completed, all the courtesans were checked out by a doctor to see which girls could continue their work. Those that were infected were treated, and those that couldn't be completely cured were found other places in the building. Not all were happy with the new order, but no one left.
The door opened suddenly, snapping our attention to it. Maria gracefully walked through it, holding her hands folded in front of her. Following her were two girls, one of which was the girl that I took such fondness of on my very first visit. Even after the declaration of the doctor and the few weeks spent bedridden, she refused to leave the Rosa, claiming that she had nowhere else to go and nothing else to work for. As far as I knew, though, Claudia still hadn't come up for a spot to put her.
The other was a courtesan that I'd never spoken to before. Her black hair was tied back into a rather interesting and almost impossibly complicated knot, leaving much of her hair to fall down in curling locks on her shoulders. The dress was made from expensive material, and instead of being barefooted like nearly every other prostitute I'd ever seen on the streets, her long, tanned legs were woven with silk ribbons that kept in place the tall heel of her shoes. Claudia could afford such dress for her girls now- the brothel was making nearly record profits under her guidance, and it was meant to bring in Cardinals and Senators, for which certain things had to be upgraded. Like how the courtesans now looked more like fine ladies than half-starved and abused girls. Everyone liked that particular change.
"Claudia- Ah, Eden, welcome," Maria smiled at me. "I trust everything is alright?"
"Are there going to be guards drumming on the door within the next few moment?" I raised my eyebrows, and her smile widened. "No, everything is as right as rain. For the moment, anyway."
In all the years that she was in shock, I always somehow imagined Maria to be a stern and proper noble woman. But she had a much richer personality than I expected. Rational and kind, though with quite a bit of backbone. Ever since she came to, I had a feeling of deep respect towards her, and she seemed to be fond of my sarcastic commentary. I had the strangest feeling that it reminded her of the time when Ezio was a hotheaded and lighthearted teenager running around rooftops with his brother.
"What was that crash I heard a few minutes ago?" Claudia asked, eyes shifting from the two young girls. "Valeria?"
The courtesan hesitated, and Maria cut in. "It is nothing to worry about. Just a bit of trouble with one of the clients."
"It's Solari's brother again, isn't it?" my sister-in-law glanced at their expressions, and sighed. "Either that man is incapable of getting it through his head that I am not going to give this place up for him to ruin, or-"
"Or he has a death wish, which I would be all too happy to grant him," I offered helpfully. Claudia looked at me as though she was seriously considering it, but shook her head.
"No, I can deal with him."
"Oh, alright. Is there anything else I can help with? I have the rest of the day off and you know how much I enjoy being idle."
"Can you come up with placements for the girls?"
"Sure. The kitchen."
It was a joke, actually, residue of my modern humor. But Claudia's face suddenly brightened. "Anna, can you cook?"
The girl with syphilis looked slightly startled. "Yes- yes, I can."
"Good. Then your first assignment is to stock the kitchen."
"Where the hell have you been keeping food before?" I raised my eyebrows with slight surprise.
"Nowhere- I mean, aside from the refreshments for the clients. There is a tavern not far from here that I usually eat at, and the girls know how to survive. Besides, with all the renovations and business, I sort of lost track of the most basic things," Claudia shrugged. I narrowed my eyes slightly, wondering since when Claudia missed small details, considering that she ran an entire fortress for years and did a pretty damn good job at it. "But a kitchen would make things easier."
She started writing something, and Maria addressed me suddenly. "Eden, I've noticed that you haven't taken any money from the bank accounts."
"What?" I looked at her with confusion. "Oh- I sort of forgot."
"You forgot?" She raised an eyebrow, her face amused.
"Well, I never really used bank accounts. Ezio usually took care of them, and I guess I just got used to relying on what I can earn at the moment instead of using saving funds. So yes, I forgot. Though now that I think about it, that would have made quite a few things easier."
"Ezio did take out some of it when he wanted to save Madam Solari. But once that fell through he put the money into this brothel, instead," Claudia informed me with a slightly sour expression.
"And you're unhappy about that why...?"
"Because they are still acting like little children," Maria cut in with a pointed tone, but truly maternal patience.
"I could have had this place up and running properly without any of his help, thank you very much," Claudia snapped, and so did her quill. She let out a small curse, throwing it into the trash, and mopping up the blotch of ink that began to spread on the parchment.
"You're still not talking?" I raised my eyebrows. I was almost unsurprised.
"There is nothing to talk about."
Maria didn't like that. "Claudia, he is your brother. He only wants-"
"What's best for me. Except he still can't get it through his thick skull that I can determine what's best for me just fine on my own."
"Totally," I agreed with her, smiling a little. "He'll come around, though. Then again, the stubbornness does sort of run in the family..."
"Which side are you on?" I finally achieved the desired result- Claudia smiled. Though it was more confused than anything, it was still nice to see.
"Yours," I didn't hesitate with my answer. "You are completely right. You can take care of yourself, and you do not need him to look out for you all the time."
"Good," she said with satisfaction, "I'm glad you see sense despite him being your husband."
"Whoever said that a woman should have the exact same opinion as her spouse never took women like me into account," I snorted, "As if a wedding band can change me that easily. Look, I'm on your side of the fence, but you have to admit, you not talking to each other properly after months is sort of-"
"Like what you do when you give him the silent treatment?"
"Once," I raised a finger. "And I forgave him pretty quickly."
"Well, considering that I do not have the option for make-up sex, I'm afraid this is a bit more complicated." At my slightly shocked expression she smiled again. "What, did you expect me to run a brothel and not learn a few terms?"
"Okay, who are you, and where the hell is the noble-woman Claudia that hated alcohol and was furious when she heard that I ended up in bed with a man after a night of drinking? I'm appalled at your behavior, young lady! Simply shocked!" I pitched my voice, speaking with mock authority that got another smile out of her.
"Eden. Things change," she sighed, "Especially after..." She made a vague gesture and a grimace, glancing towards the drawer with the bottle in it.
I suddenly noticed that the only one in the room aside from us was Maria. The two girls disappeared, likely ushered out by her.
"That doesn't mean you should shut your brother out because he's being a tactless dick." I caught myself on the last word, suddenly realizing that Maria might not appreciate me using such terms, especially in reference to her son. But she was doing a fairly good show of having selective hearing, and only picked up on the first part. "And by the way, I resent your implication that I use sex as a way to break the ice. Because that is totally untrue."
She raised her eyebrows.
"Okay, it's a little bit true," I admitted, "But I'm me. I don't deal with these things very well."
"Whoever said I'm using you as a role model, anyway? This is my decision, and until Ezio realizes that I am not a helpless girl who pines after her suitors anymore, and that I can actually survive on my own without getting kidnapped or killed, I will not do anything about this."
"Fine," I crossed my arms.
"Fine."
"So how about instead, we break out a better bottle? I'll even help you with paperwork."
"You hate paperwork," she reminded me.
"I'll make an exception for a few hours if it'll make you feel better," I bravely offered.
She actually let out a low laugh at that, grinning, "Liar. You won't last five minutes."
"I'll take you up on that bet."
"Fine. You last two hours reading through the papers and forging my signature, and I will talk to Ezio."
Of course she would have never made that bet if she thought I would actually last that long. I broke at exactly thirty minutes when my hand was beginning to cramp and the words about doggie tails (or was it dress tailors?) and balloons (That may or may not have actually been 'ball rooms'") were beginning to swim in from of my eyes and doing very funny little jigs.
Why did words swim, anyway? Who was the bastard that forced them to swim? They're made of ink, they should be melting.
Poor words. Never stood a chance.
Okay, I also may of may not have fallen asleep.
I woke up to a loud scream, and sat up sharply. It took me a few moments to realize that I was still in the brothel, where screaming was not that uncommon.
Blinking and forcefully rubbing my eyes, I was luckily fully dressed and sleeping on top of the covers. Judging by the scenery outside the window, it was early morning and the sun already up. Wow, I must have really been tired. Carefully lying back down onto the impossibly soft and comfortable bed, I wondered what the hell I wanted to do today.
The only answer I could come up with was "Absolutely nothing."
There were always days when we just didn't want to move out of bed. Or anywhere. To just stay in the same spot, burrowing into the warmth of the sheets and throwing pillows at anyone who wanted to disturb us.
Unfortunately, today was not one of those days. That was partially attributed to the loud thumping in the next room (it's freaking morning, what clients?). Partially because I missed having Ezio lying next to me, pleasantly warming my side and evenly breathing into my hair.
Oh, and the whole deal with beginning the attack on the Castello now that Cesare was back. It's important, I had to remind myself, though at the moment, I didn't really care about my own movements and need for food, much less some attack.
After a bit of struggling with the soft mattress that refused to act as a support, I managed to get up. My feet bumped my boots that lay on the floor, and I wondered if Claudia took them off, or if she got one of the girls to do it. It didn't particularly matter, but I was curious as to who the carried me from her office into this place. My sister-in -law was strong (such skills seemed to run in admittedly talented Auditore bloodline, I learned long ago), but not quite so much that she could easily do something like that without dropping me a few times. And I was sure I would have remembered that.
The mystery was solved when I came downstairs, carefully avoiding the general public, and slipped immediately into the kitchen. Well, more like a cellar, really, where most of the wine was kept. But there was a corner that Claudia ignored up to that point. But this morning, Anna was already making use of the food she bought at the market the day before, the smell of pastries pleasantly tickling my nose.
The solution to the mystery of who dragged me to bed was sitting at the table, nursing a cup with coffee as though it was filled with liquid gold.
"There is absolutely no way I'm believing my eyes right now," I grinned with pleasant surprise.
"Madonna," he inclined his head, keeping a poker face, though I noticed the slight smile on his lips. "You're a lot more bearable when you're asleep, you know."
"I've been told," I sat opposite of him. "I gotta say, though, of all the people in Roma, you are probably the last person I expected to see here."
"And I was under the impression that you were back in Monteriggioni."
"That didn't work out so hot. Or, there was a lot of heat with the town burning, but you know..." I let the sentence trail off with a wave my hand. His expression didn't show much surprise, which meant he probably knew. Machiavelli did say the news was spreading. "But all in all, I could almost say I'm glad to see you again, James."
"I'm afraid I cannot return the sentiment, but so far I've got no complaints." His grin was surprisingly sly all of a sudden. "I don't suppose you're willing to let me hand you over and get that nice little sum over your head? Temporarily, of course."
"Any time. Though not today; as much as I'd like to be inside the Castello walls, I'd rather not be behind bars. Hey, Anna, any more coffee left?"
The steaming cup along with a plate of something resembling pancakes (as in, it looked good, but I wasn't sure if the round, flat bread could be considered that, at least not by modern sensibilities) was placed in front of me, and I gave her the most bright and grateful smile as I possibly could. I was definitely liking her more and more.
"So you've been in Roma all this time?" I asked with a mouthful of food.
"Not exactly," he shrugged. "I've actually been in Venice for the last month, and then Sienna for a week. We just got back."
"'We'?" I raised my eyebrows with sudden surprise. "A bounty?"
There was a loud, excited shriek from somewhere behind me, and for a long, confused moment I thought I was attacked by a cat. Then I realized that that was not the case, because at the same time as two long and elegant arms closed around me, a female voice began babbling into my ear.
"-I cannot believe this…I mean, I knew you were around but I thought you didn't like brothels, and-"
"Diana?" I craned my neck in disbelief. "Is that you?"
And sure enough, it was the courtesan that I'd last seen years ago at a carnival in Venice. She beamed at me over my shoulder, finally letting go.
"Your hair is even longer now!" she breathlessly said, taking the ends of my messy braid and twirling it through her fingers. "I swear, you never cut it! That's not healthy for it, you know, you should at least trim it every once in a while. Oh, I know this amazing barber, the things that man can do with hair, mmm! Talented fingers, and I mean that in more ways than one... Oh, don't look at me like that, I was off shift."
"Can someone please explain to me what's going on?" I finally cut in, though my surprise was very pleasant.
"Oh, well, we heard that you needed help with running a brothel, and I was already trying to get a place of my own, so I figured I'd come and help out a bit," Diana airily waved. "But Claudia took charge before I got here, and now I think that I simply like Roma better than Venice, so I'm staying."
"Uh-huh," I nodded slowly, then looking over to James, who was suddenly very engulfed with the black liquid in his cup. "And you're traveling together," I waved a finger between the two of them, "Why?"
"Oh, I hired him," she answered. "As a bodyguard."
"A bodyguard?"
"Yep."
"How do you two even know each other?" I was getting more and more confused.
"I was visiting some friends in Venice," he shrugged, "Some other 'old friends' showed up, and I was just a little bit less lucky than them."
"You still close your eyes before you leap, then?" I smirked, and he sent me a glare, though it looked only half-hearted.
"Oh, you should have seen him when we found him outside, he was a horrible mess! I thought he was dead at first, with all the blood on him, but then he started coughing, so we got him inside and called a doctor."
"It was not the worst condition I've been in, but I would have died pretty quickly without attention," James muttered without any sort of embarrassment in his voice. I thought, and not for the first time, that I really liked the way he grew up from the stuttering teenager. He was honest and calm, no longer letting taunts and his own mistakes to get to him. It was admirable. "It took me almost three weeks to get back on my feet. I offered Sister Teodora money for my keep, But she didn't take nearly as much I thought she would."
"Good woman," Diana agreed with a dimpling smile, speaking very fondly of the Madam.
"So wait, even after he was injured, you still thought he was a good escort?" I looked at Diana with surprise. Despite her exterior, I thought she had more sense than that.
"Well, not exactly. I mean, I was going to go to Roma alone, but he said he had to get there too, and I thought it would be a lot easier if we just went together. And I thought he'd be one of those proud, professional types that wouldn't travel with you unless you paid them, so I did."
"You saved my life, I didn't need any sort of payment," James grumbled, but there was still a note of fondness.
"Yet you still took it."
"And you wanted to get sidetracked by Sienna instead of heading straight here. So I think the money is well deserved, considering the number of stores I had to accompany you through."
"That was the worst part?" I asked with surprise.
"In comparison to the two groups of bandits and a small pack of wolves we encountered in the woods? Yes," he snorted, "Yes it was."
I laughed. And then suddenly asked, "Wait, Diana, you were going to travel alone? You realize how dangerous it is out there, right? I mean, I'm all for independence and self-reliance, don't get me wrong, but that's just reckless."
"Oh, right, you don't know." Diana suddenly looked almost awkward. "I sort of branched out."
"Excuse me? What, you're not a courtesan anymore?" That was definitely news.
"No, I still am- except, you know, not exactly."
"Okay, please, explain before my anticipation kills me."
"Well, I've been a whore for years," she counted on her fingers, "In fact, more than a decade now. It came to the point where I was directly under Teodora. I was getting rich, too," she motioned down to her dress. Taking a look at it, I realized that it was not a standard courtesan dress, not even what Claudia got for her girls. This one was red and black, made of such expensive silk and shot through with genuine gold thread- even some noblewomen couldn't afford that. Diana stayed with her habits, and her shoulders were completely bared to the world. But aside from that, the bodice was laced pretty high and the skirts full and sweeping, layered as any other woman of a high social station would be. Her shoes were tall, tightly fitted leather boots with frequent lacing, on a heel that I could not imagine walking on without getting stuck in the smallest cracks in the roads.
"So what, select clientele?" I took a guess, "Pick and choose, charge a thousand florin, that sort of deal?"
"Well, sort of. See, at that point, I didn't really need to continue. I could have easily gotten out, got married, or even opened my own brothel. But I didn't want to anymore. I guess I sort of... got used to the job, but I didn't see the point in continuing with the way I was. Then Teodora made a suggestion. You know, she's an Assassin and all that, so-"
"You're telling me you're one too, now?" I was really taken aback by that shock.
"In a way... I guess... I mean, sort of. But it's more like an assassin for hire than anything, I'm not officially part of your order." she shrugged, looking at me with blushing embarrassment, looking a little bit like an amateur pickpocket running into a master thief. "I'm rather good at my job, and there is a lot of call for something like that," she added as though in defense.
"Really." I wasn't sure how to react. "But I thought you wanted out. You said you-"
"That was then," she cut me off with a shrug. "Things change. I guess I lost my fantasies started seeing more from your point of view. I didn't want to be tied to some man anymore, or let anyone control me when I know that I can easily be the one in charge."
"So you became an assassin?"
"Hey, it pays more than whoring myself out for the hell of it," she spread her arms, "And you get used to it. It's sometimes fun, too, like I found this one poison that can kill the target hours after I left! You really don't know the satisfaction it brings, seeing this man abuse you and treat you like a common wench while knowing that soon he'd be choking on his own blood." Her green eyes seemed to almost glitter at her words, something I'd never seen in the admittedly flighty courtesan. And, I really wasn't sure whether I was fine with that or not.
"I never thought you would get a kick out of that," I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Like I said, times change," her voice dropped, becoming more serious. "At one point you realize that you have been playing by the rules for too long, and it's gotten you nowhere. Right James?" she looked over to the man. For the last few moments he was pointedly staring out the cellar window. But at her question, he sighed.
"As much as I hate this, I agree. There is a turning point for everyone," his gaze darted to her, his reaction similar to what I was thinking about her admission, "But only a few follow up on it."
"Like when you got sick of playing a farmer's son and decided to get something done by hunting down bounties?" I said that with a heavier tone than I had intended. "Or after our encounter when you finally decided to progress in your career of choice right rather than pulling stunts out of your ass?"
"Between those, yes," he bluntly dropped. "Also a few other presents of clarity from life, but I imagine you're no stranger to those, either."
"Wait, so you two know each other too?" Diana suddenly exclaimed.
"Um, yes, I thought that was obvious. What, did you think I chat up any male bodyguard that shows up in the brothel? Who do you take me for, really?" I mockingly asked. She blushed, but it looked like a habit rather actual embarrassment.
"James, you never mentioned you knew Eden!"
"And you never told me Sister Teodora was an assassin," he parried. "Not exactly our secrets to reveal, especially when it comes to their little order. Eden made sure that little lesson stuck."
"You're not still bitter over that incident, are you?" I wrinkled my nose. "Come now, so you tried to kill me, and so I held you off the roof of the church when you failed. These things happen. I practically forgot about you the next day after we tore your employer a new one."
"What if I managed to kill you? Would you hold a longer-lasting grudge then?" he said with almost surprising snarkiness.
"Honey, if you killed me then I would have readily moved onto the afterlife knowing that the money you got off my bounty was well-deserved," I replied with dignity. "And as far as I remember, you wanted to capture me to hold over Ezio. Which was one of the most insane and stupid plan I have ever heard."
"Yes, you made that...clear."
"You tried to kill Eden?" While I wasn't looking, Diana's eyes widened to the size of saucers, "And you walked away?"
"I appreciate the vote of confidence," he sarcastically muttered. "Yes. Though to this day, I have no idea why the hell she let me go."
"If it didn't let you sleep at night, you could have just asked," I snorted. "Simply speaking, you were too incompetent and terrified of me to be anything but an innocent."
"Madonna, I was many things back then, and almost none of them good," he nearly groaned, "But I wasn't scared."
"Please, I can smell fear just as well as I can tell that Anna is using oregano in that meat she just put into the fire, and the fact that Diana really likes French perfumes, but she hasn't put any on for at least two days."
"That is incredibly creepy," Diana noted, but didn't disagree with me. "What else can you tell?" she added with sudden curiosity.
I sniffed the air. "Hm. The doctor beside the brothel is trying to pass off mint-flavored water as a tonic for weight-loss. Aside from that, just routine scents." I thought for a bit, and then added, "I don't like brothels because they mess up my sense of smell for a bit. But I seem to be getting used to it."
"Wow, you're like one of those hounds," she uttered with some awe.
"Well, in case I ever drop down on all fours and start sniffing corners, now you'll know why," I joked.
"Do you ever do that?"
"No."
James looked at me with a new expression. After a moment, I realized it was something between anger and contempt.
"What is it that makes you assassins so special?" he nearly hissed. I was honestly taken aback, and so was Diana. Even Anna looked over her shoulder with some surprise.
"Problem?" I asked coldly, remembering myself quickly.
"Jamie, don't get upset because that bandit got away," Diana suddenly stepped in, putting a hand on his arm.
"'Jamie'?" I asked incredulously. They ignored me.
"If I could do magic focus-pocus like her, I could have found their entire nest. Instead, I lost the trail, and those bastards are still out there, stealing, raping and murdering." He was trembling slightly. It seemed like I unknowingly touched a nerve.
Diana soothingly ran her fingers up his arm and into his hair. She was babbling some sort of words of comfort, and he seemed to be relaxing at her touch.
"I'm sorry. That was uncalled for," he apologized to me, his voice still a bit stony.
"Are you two together?" I asked, narrowing my eyes with sudden realization. "I mean, like, together, together."
"What? No, no!" Diana shook her head with a smile. Her fingers faltered, though, and she moved away from James. If he felt the loss, he didn't show it. "But you know, after a bit of traveling with each other, people become friends."
"Right, I know. Because that is exactly how I fell for Ezio," I reminded her. "And besides, I would have figured-"
"Oh, I tried, of course," she waved her hand with an easy laugh, "But James is as stoic as a statue. With just as much experience with women. So no, no relations other than talking and cuddling. No angry, gentle or even comfort sex. That was a hint, if you didn't realize."
"How many times do we have to have this conversation?" James asked almost wearily.
"Yeah, yeah, you respect the hell out of me and you don't want to sleep with me just because I'm a courtesan and you're a man. But a woman has needs, you know! And you're very handsome, what with you manly scars and that muscular body..."
"I so do not need to be here for this conversation," I cut in, my cheeks getting hot and beginning to edge towards the door. "Thanks for breakfast, Anna. Have you seen Claudia?"
"I think she was going to leave today," Diana suddenly said. "She's leaving me in charge for the day, that's mostly why I'm here instead of in that lovely little dress shop I saw on my way through the Vatican."
"More fabric?" James quietly groaned.
"I'm not asking you to come with me," Diana rolled her eyes.
The look on his face plainly said that he was not going to let her wander off alone into the Vatican, assassin profession and poison mastery be damned. But instead of voicing it, he turned back to me.
"Are you beginning to move?"
"I'm not sure I trust you enough to answer something like that," I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"Growing paranoid with your old age?" he smirked. That was not something that he did often now days, and I didn't like it.
"This old lady can still kick your ass five ways from Sunday, so watch your tongue."
"I meant no offense," he put his hands up, "I simply want to say that my offer still stands. I want the Borgia gone as much as the next person, and I'm willing to do some work for it."
"For how much?"
"About the amount on your head, perhaps."
"Since when are you so obsessed with money? I can understand back then, you had a family to feed and all that. But you said you didn't need money anymore."
"Everyone needs money," he replied seriously. "Almost everything is paid for with it. And life is so much easier when there are some florins in my pockets."
"Don't I know it," I snorted. "What makes you think we need your help, though?"
"I may know a few people, not to mention they know me. I can give you information on who's putting bounties on your heads, and you can take care of your business as long as I can take care of mine."
"That's actually not a bad offer," I said after a moment of thought. "So what, you want me to play dead fish so you can hand me over, get the money, and then casually slip my bindings off so I can kill them?"
"It worked very well a decade ago with Ezio, wouldn't you say?"
"Alright, deal. But later. Right now- well, yes, we are beginning to move. And there are a lot of things to take care of. So until it's over..."
"I will be here," he bowed his head in a surprisingly respectful gesture, "And good luck with whatever you're planning."
"Are you kidding? It's the Auditore family!" Diana laughed. "If they set their minds on something, it will happen. I think more luck is the last thing they need!"
"You always did have an inflated sense of our importance," I grinned somewhat modestly. Then I corrected myself, "But you're right, we're awesome. Or at least we used to be, but we must be getting a little rusty in our old age."
"Did James touch a nerve with that?" Diana chirped with more happiness than should be associated with an insulted friend.
"Not really, but I'd lay off all age-related jokes around Ezio. He gets defensive. It's not a pretty sight."
She laughed again, and then suddenly told me, "But I'm with James; if you ever need any help, give me a shout out. Free of charge, too, for old time's sake."
"What did I just say about the jokes?" I loudly complained, already walking out the door so they wouldn't catch sight of my wide grin.