I awoke to the sound of Vittoria entering my room. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I rubbed my eyes, feeling the dryness and irritation from the tears shed the previous night. Yes, I had cried—I didn't know when I'll be going home and that is overwhelming, okay? Thoughts of Adam and life back home flooded my mind. I wondered if he had reached out to my family if they were worried sick about my sudden disappearance. Would they ever know what happened to me?
A pang of longing for the familiar, for the comfort of my own time, gripped my heart. Questions plagued my thoughts, tugging at the edges of my consciousness. Did time continue its relentless march forward while I was trapped in this strange era? Or did it freeze, suspending my world until the moment of my return, rendering my absence imperceptible? Gosh, I just wanted answers but I knew I'd have to be more patient.
Without much courtesy, Vittoria abruptly flung open the curtains, flooding the room with sunlight, and forcefully tugged the sheets from my bed. "Up," she commanded in a tone that left little room for argument.
I let out a groan, my attempt at a morning greeting met with a cold reception. Resigned to the fact that resistance was futile, I sat on the edge of the bed, glancing at the dress she held in her hands. Another dress. I groaned once again, longing for something more practical. "Do you have any pants I could wear?" I asked, hoping for a shred of comfort in this unfamiliar attire.
She shot me an odd look as if I had just uttered something completely out of character for a woman. Without a word, she thrust the dress forward, the implication clear. "Signora wear dress," she declared, her tone conveying a firm expectation.
"No, thank you," I said, my exasperation palpable. It felt like déjà vu from yesterday morning, but this time, I was determined not to give in. Today, I would be joining Ezio and Frederico for training, and I refused to compromise my comfort by wearing a dress. As far as I could imagine, the training involved physical exertion, and the thought of attempting it in a constricting garment was simply unacceptable.
"Si!" Vittoria persisted, her voice filled with insistence.
"No!" I shot back, my resolve unyielding.
"Si!" Her insistence grew, matching my determination.
The room was charged with a silent standoff, each of us unwilling to back down. My eyes locked with hers, an unspoken challenge passing between us. It was a battle of wills, and I was prepared to fight for my choice. I would not be confined by societal expectations.
"No," I declared with finality, hoping my firm refusal would be enough to dissuade her. However, it seemed that she either didn't comprehend my words or chose to ignore them. In her determined pursuit, she grabbed hold of my arm since I had slept in my undergarments and forcefully shoved it through one of the dress sleeves, despite my futile attempts to resist. I struggled against her, but to my surprise, she possessed a strength that belied her petite frame.
"Fuck, lady! Personal bubble much!" I exclaimed, my frustration mounting as I found myself half-trapped in the confining garment. I longed to break free, to unleash my pent-up anger, but my entangled arms rendered me helpless, a prisoner to the dress. I was honestly ready to kick her since my arms were occupied.
But just as despair threatened to consume me, a voice pierced through the tension, permeating the room with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Who's in here? Are you alright? Vittoria?" The unexpected presence offered a glimmer of hope, a potential ally in this battle against the constraints imposed upon me.
Just as I strained to catch a glimpse of the person entering the room, their presence alone seemed to momentarily halt Vittoria in her tracks. Seizing the opportunity, I summoned my strength and deftly maneuvered, delivering a well-placed hip-check to Vittoria, causing her to stumble back. With a swift motion, I freed myself from the confines of the dress, feeling a surge of relief wash over me.
"Ezio, you cannot be in here," Vittoria's voice resonated with authority, her stern tone directed at the man standing in the doorway. My eyes met his, and in an instant, recognition flooded my senses. It was the man I had encountered at the brothel, his presence now eliciting a mixture of surprise and embarrassment within me. My mouth agape, I instinctively brought the dress to cover my front, my cheeks flushed with a deep blush.
He recognized me too, his brow furrowed in confusion as Vittoria whispered urgently to him, but he obediently nodded in response. With a brief glance directed at me, a hint of intrigue in his eyes, he swiftly left the room. Now, what was that about?
Later that day: Mid-morning
Turns out the man, well, he was more of a boy, Ezio. Vittoria had given in and got him to get me pants and a shirt. So, here I was with Ezio and Frederico about to leave the Palazzo, dressed in simple brown pants, secured by a belt, and a slightly oversized, long-sleeved white shirt. Determined to make it work, I tucked the shirt into the pants to give myself a more tailored look. Accompanied by my faithful burgundy bag and unexpectedly comfortable women's boots.
"Hey, I don't think we've been formally introduced," I extended my hand towards Ezio for a handshake, momentarily forgetting that we had both seen each other without clothes. I silently hoped it wouldn't make things awkward. "I'm Brielle."
"Ah, bella," he took my hand and unexpectedly placed a kiss on it, causing me to freeze. Okay, yep, this was definitely going to be awkward. "Mi chiamo Ezio."
With a wry smile, he flashed that devilish charm once again. Disengaging my hand from his, I shook my head and shifted my attention to Frederico.
"So, what's the plan for today? Your father was rather vague," I inquired, determined to ignore Ezio's lingering gaze.
"Well, I thought we could start with an assessment of your abilities," Frederico suggested. "Since Padre mentioned your speed in running, we can begin there."
He guided them to a secluded, narrow alleyway, its desolation emphasized by a scattering of dilapidated balconies.
"Alright, let's race to those crates over there," Frederico proposed, gesturing toward the objects positioned roughly 600 meters away. It seemed like a straightforward task.
"Okay," I replied, mustering my confidence.
Side by side, Frederico and I positioned ourselves, anticipating the signal from Ezio to commence the race.
As Ezio's countdown reached its end, he shouted, "Go!" Without hesitation, I sprang into action, my legs carrying me forward with purpose. Initially, I let Frederico take the lead, conserving my energy for the perfect moment. Approaching the midpoint, a surge of determination coursed through me, propelling me to increase my speed. With a burst of agility, I surpassed Frederico beating him to the crates, and dare I say he looked a little surprised.
"Well done, bella," I heard Ezio's voice behind us as he caught up.
"Thanks," I replied, taking a moment to catch my breath. "By the way, it's Brielle," I corrected him, dismissing any notions of being called 'pretty' shit, despite the flattering sentiment.
Ezio smirked, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Ah, Brielle. Well, how about a race between you and me? I am faster than Frederico. Let's find out who's truly the fastest."
His challenge caught me off guard, but I couldn't resist a friendly competition. "You're so on, Ezio," I said, a mixture of determination and excitement in my voice.
Frederico chose a new target, approximately the same distance away, and took charge this time. "Go!" he exclaimed, signaling the start of the race. Instantly, it was evident that Ezio possessed remarkable speed, and my previous tactics wouldn't be enough. I had to give it my all and sprint at maximum capacity. The competition remained fiercely close throughout, but as we neared the finish line, Ezio surged ahead, claiming the victory. Panting heavily, I gradually slowed down, feeling a mix of exhaustion and admiration for Ezio's skill.
"Fuck, you're fast," I complimented, placing my hands on my knees as I caught my breath. When Ezio remained silent, a puzzled expression on his face, I looked up at him.
"Quite the foul mouth for such a lovely lady," he finally remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
I scoffed and chuckled at his comment. Right, women in the 1400s weren't supposed to swear or wear pants.
"You have no idea," I grinned mischievously at him. At that moment, being out here with them felt refreshing, carefree, and enjoyable. It was a feeling I hadn't experienced in a long time.
As Frederico caught up, I retrieved my bag from him and took out my metal water bottle, which I had refilled this time. The bottle had originally sported a pink and purple marbled design, but I had covered it with leather to give it a more "modern" appearance. Well, modern by their standards, at least.
"You've got some serious speed, Brielle. Almost beat Ezio," Frederico remarked, impressed.
"Thanks, Fred. I'll get him next time," I replied with a grin, taking a swig of water before passing the bottle around. Unbeknownst to me, I had unintentionally given Frederico a nickname, but it seemed to fit naturally in the moment.
"Perhaps I'll consider letting you win next time, but only if you can come up with a nickname for me as well," Ezio teased, a playful glint in his eyes. His attempt at flirtation didn't sit well with me, actually, it kind of annoyed me and I wanted to make it clear that I wasn't interested.
"Don't even think about it, buck-o, I like to win fair and square," I replied, using "buck-o" as a lighthearted way to dismiss his advances. His confident smirk remained unchanged, indicating that he misunderstood my intention and took it as a compliment.
Shrugging off his flirtatious remark, I redirected the conversation. "So, what's our next move?"
Frederico chimed in with a suggestion, "How about we grab some lunch?"
I nodded, feeling hungry myself. "Sounds good. I could definitely use a meal."