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Ch. 6
"Melina, could you help Ezio run errands for his father? I'm afraid the boy will get caught up in women again," Maria asked. Once Ezio had returned, and the awkward atmosphere still lingered, he told me that he had spoken to his father, and that Federico didn't have to look far. He'd probably only said this as another awkward silence breaker… but hey, at least he was nice enough to talk to me.
"B-bene, I will," I said.
"Grazie."
"But madre, I won't—" Ezio whined.
"Just take her with you, Ezio. Besides, it would be good for you to mingle with a girl for other reasons than your usual intentions," his mother spoke in a sly, matter-of-fact tone. Me being seventeen, I caught on immediately and tried my best to hide my laughter.
Ezio shifted his stance beside me, and it seemed as though he was blushing. "Mother…"
But his mother waved us off. "Andare (go)."
Ezio reluctantly headed out of the gate, and I followed silently behind him. "You know," I quietly began. "If you don't want me to go with you, I'll leave you be and tell you mother that I was actually with you like she wanted."
Ezio turned to me swiftly. "No! I-it's not that! It's just… what she said… I didn't want to make the wrong impression on you," he explained.
I smiled up to him. "Don't worry, no bad impression made."
Ezio smiled back, and began the journey again. I followed close behind him… Firenze was crowded. It seemed that all his father had him do was deliver a letter. However, the man whom the letter was intended for, Lorenzo Medici, wasn't there and a man who seemed like a servant or assistant took the letter instead. When the letter was delivered, Ezio said that he wanted to get something real quick, and disappeared on a roof, telling me to stay where I was. 'Damn roofs,' I thought bitterly as I lean against a nearby wall.
Ezio appeared in front of me… from the air. I nearly screamed my head off! "Mi dispiace, Melina," he said through a smile, obviously retaining a laugh. It seemed as though he had fought someone, his hair was all ruffled and he had a small bruise on his chin. 'Ah, so that's what you wanted to do.'
I smacked his arm playfully. "Don't do that! I nearly screamed like a little girl!"
Ezio cocked his head slightly, shrugging. "Well… you know…"
I rolled my eyes, giving him another smack, this time in the chest. "You're such a jerk!" Of course, I didn't mean it, and it was evident in my voice. I looked at him sincerely this time. "You know, I would greatly appreciate it if you taught me how to do that."
Ezio looked at me, stumped. "What? Jump?"
I giggled lightly. "No, idiota, climbing!" I had found it easy to be a little more laid back, more of my usual sarcastic self with Ezio. While, with Federico, I felt that I had to be more polite.
"Oh! Well I'd be happy to teach the kind lady, as long as you're willing to do something for me in return," he said, a sly smirk plastered on his face.
I glared at him, knowing exactly what the pervert meant by that. "Maybe I'll just ask Federico instead." I began walking back towards the house.
Ezio jogged to walk ahead of me. "Fine! I'll teach you, no charge," he stated, waving his hands frantically in the air.
"Mmhmm… I thought so." Ezio turned around, and we began walking side by side.
We continued walking wordlessly for the rest of the way back. For some reason, I had an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn't know what it was, and I honestly didn't want to find out. I just wanted to continue walking with Ezio. He was an amazingly fun person to be with. As we walked, he would tell me stories of strange happenings between Federico and himself, and all the ways he has played pranks on Claudia in the past. I hadn't talked to Claudia yet, but I had hoped she was a little kinder than how Ezio had portrayed her. Ezio's laugh was an easygoing one, and I found it simple to laugh along with him. But I couldn't shake that strange feeling that I didn't want to go back to the Auditore home.
"What's wrong, Melina? You've had that same look on your face since I scared you. Did I really scare you that bad?"
I turned to glare at him. "It's my face, asino." I didn't want him thinking I was crazy, nor did I want him to be worried along with me.
Ezio held his hands up defensively. "Mi dispiace. Un po permaloso, siamo? (A bit touchy are we?)"
I huffed, taking the lead. Ezio strolled up behind me. As we neared the Auditore home, I noticed Federico standing by the door. "Keep up the good work," he said with a laugh.
Ezio didn't seem too happy. "Bischero! (Penis!) (A/N: 0.0 ooh childish humor. Never gets old.) I giggled at his immaturity.
"You worry too much, Giovani. Francesco de'Pazzi is in prison. The threat is ended," a low voice mumbled from inside the home.
When Ezio opened the door, I found that there was a short, stout man standing next to Giovani.
Giovani stood up from his chair to greet Ezio. "Hello son, Melina. Ezio, you remember my friend Uberto?" he asked.
Ezio bowed. "Good morning, Gonfaloniere Alberti," he said. I honestly hadn't seen this much politeness from Ezio, it was quite intriguing.
"To you as well young man." Uberto stated. He then turned to me. "Buongiorno, miss."
"Buongiorno." I did my best curtsy.
"I trust you delivered the message?" Giovani asked.
Ezio turned to his father and explained, "Si padre (yes father), but it seems Lorenzo is out of town."
Giovani thought for a second. "Hmm… I did not anticipate this."
Uberto cut in. "What does it matter? So you wait another day or two."
"Listen, your mother and sister have been looking for you. I'll need you again in a little while, but for now- see if you can help them" Giovani explained.
"Are you sure?" Ezio asked.
"Yes. Now, will you excuse us?" Giovani turned back to his work.
"Good to see you, Ezio, Melina." Uberto mumbled.
Ezio and I did a small bow before leaving the house. "Want to come with me, mia cara?" Ezio asked.
I furrowed my brows. "Come with you where?"
Ezio laughed, placing a hand on my shoulder. "To help my mother and sister of course!"
I shrugged. "Va bene."
Maria and Claudia were both in the small courtyard. Ezio strolled over to Claudia first, and I followed behind him. "Ehi Claudia. How are you?" He gently took his place next to his sister, while I stood awkwardly next to him. ( . )
"Bene…" Cladia mumbled. Something wasn't right, and I knew it. She didn't look Ezio in the eye.
Ezio beat me to it. "You shouldn't keep things from me," he said in a low voice.
Claudia sighed, rolling her eyes slightly. "It's Duccio," she began.
"What of him?" Ezio asked. I could hear the menacing tone in his voice. Obviously, he was the protective brother type.
"I think he's been… unfaithful," she whined.
"Who told you this?" I began to wonder if this Duccio guy had un può problema with being unfaithful.
"The other girls!" she almost yelled. She began to cry. "I thought they were my friends!"
Ezio placed a reassuring hand on his sister's shoulder. "Harpies! You're better off without them!"
"I love him!"
"No Claudia. You only thought you did."
Claudia's mood changed on a dime, and I wondered if she might've been bipolar… "He should suffer for what he's done," she growled.
"Wait here, I'll go have a word with him." Ezio left his sister, stomping angrily out of the courtyard, I had to jog to catch up to him.
"Ezio! Aspettare (wait)!" I stopped by his side when he slowed down. "Who exactly is this Duccio guy?"
"My sister's lover… although I've never really liked or approved of him." He continued walking without sparing me a glance. I wondered just how much of a protective brother he was. I mean, he was just telling me how many pranks he's played on Claudia in the past, but now I don't think he'd let any man near her. I rather admired him for that, fun-loving and protective- sometimes I wished I had a brother like that.
"Why didn't you ever tell him off?"
"She really liked him… I didn't want to upset her."
I smiled up at him, even though I knew he wasn't looking. "You're a good brother, Ezio, I wish I had a sibling like you," I told him. He turned to me, looking a little surprised, but smiled warmly nonetheless.
He said no more as we continued walking. I took the time to look at my surroundings. Firenze was definitely one of the larger cities in Italia, and I wondered just how Ezio and Federico knew their way around so well. Being born here probably gave them the upper hand. Yet again, they might just have good memories. Whichever, it really didn't matter to me. All I knew was that I loved it here… but I missed my family dearly. Absently, I fiddled with the locket around my neck. How I longed to give my mom a good hug, and my sister a kiss on the head. How I wished I could've seen my dad more before I left, and that he didn't work so much. Quickly, I pushed those thoughts aside, I didn't need Ezio worrying about me when Claudia was our main concern.
When Ezio and I reached Duccio, he was playing around with some…fat whore, to be blunt. He had evidently given her a ring, of which she was now admiring. Duccio was being awful grabby for someone who already had a lover.
"Duccio, it's beautiful!" Fatty exclaimed as she gazed at the ring on her plump finger.
"Nothing but the best for you, amore mio (my love)," Duccio crooned as he stroked her face. I secretly wondered how he had left Claudia, a beautiful, strong young woman, for a pudgy, ditsy whore like her.
"But what about Claudia? I thought you had been promised to her." She pushed Duccio away. 'Well at least she has some sense in her…' I thought. Beside me, Ezio shifted. He was waiting for the right time to mess Duccio up.
"Father said I could do much better than an Auditore," Duccio said. I scoffed, the Auditore's were a strong family, and Claudia a brilliant girl. Duccio went up behind the whore, and put his hand on her round butt. To be honest, I didn't really know why I detested the girl so much. Probably because Duccio was cheating on Claudia with her. And, although I hadn't even spoken to the girl, she was definitely one of the small group of people I was close with in this era. In fact, the Auditore's are the only ones I'm close to.
The woman squealed. "Birbante (naughty)! Come, let us walk a bit." She began to stroll away, but Duccio caught her first.
"Walk? I had something else in mind…"
"Oh Duccio!" And she placed her mouth on his.
At that moment, Ezio mumbled to me, "Stay here" before going off in their direction. "Ehi, lurido porco (dirty pig)!" he yelled as he neared the couple. I stay stationed as I was told, for I knew Ezio would need no help in this fight, not that I could help him anyway.
Duccio turned to Ezio, a fake smile plastered on his face. "Ezio, my friend!"
Ezio had none of it, punching Duccio swiftly in the jaw. Duccio stumbled back, holding his injured face and screaming, "Ah! Ma che ti piglia (what the hell)?"
"You insult my sister, parading around with this puttana (Whore)," Ezio growled, pointing an accusing finger at the fat woman, who seemed shocked.
"Wh-what are you talking about?" Duccio stuttered.
"I saw the gift you gave her, heard the things you said."
"Maybe your sister shouldn't be so stingy with her virtù (virtue)," Duccio barked, pointing at Ezio who swatted his arm away.
"You broke her heart…" he growled again.
"Ha! And now I'm going to break your face!" And just like that, a fight broke out. One I knew would end as quickly as it did. Ezio was much stronger and more nimble than Duccio, and made short work of him.
Ezio strolled back to me, an angry scowl still plastered on his face. "Don't ever let a bastardo like that into your life…" he told me.
I giggled as I walked along side him. "Wasn't planning on it," I said as I laughed. "Same for you, Ezio. Whores like that are bad news."
"I already have someone…and, as far as I know, she is nothing like that puttana."
"Oh?" I asked as I gazed curiously up at him. "And who is this 'special someone'?"
He laughed under his breath. "Christina Vespucci," he stated.
"Hmm… she sounds beautiful," I said in a cheery voice, anything to get him out of this grumpy mood.
It seemed to have worked, he smiled down at me. "And how would you know of her beauty just by her name?"
I pretended to look around suspiciously, holding my hands behind my back. "Oh I dunno… special name-face-seeing-beauty powers?" I said whimsically.
Ezio let a hearty laugh bellow from his chest. "But of course, maga (sorceress). I should have known," he said, pretending to bow at "the all mighty sorceress". I laughed loudly, earning a few questioning glances from passerbys. But Ezio and I paid no mind, after he joined me in my laughing fit, we laughed hysterically for a few more minutes. When we finally settled down, we had huge goofy grins plastered on our faces, and an occasional laughing spasm would rack our bodies.
Ezio and I continued on, back to the Aditore home. We continued to giggle in small fits, and when we walked by the tailor who had given me my dress, he called out to me. "Ehi! Aren't you the girl I sold that dress to? The one who asked what year it was?"
Ezio and I stopped laughing immediately. He looked curiously at me, his brows furrowed. "S-sì… " I slowly took a few steps towards the tailor.
"Why is it that you're with an Auditore?" he asked as he leant through the small window in his shop.
I furrowed my brows, Ezio stood stiffly beside me. "Why do you ask?" I said cautiously.
"The Auditores are a noble family, figlia, are you perhaps the boy's lover?" A look of pure shock flashed on my face.
"No. I am not," I stated blatantly, grabbing Ezio by the wrist, and pulling him along with me as I stomped towards the Auditore home.
"Melina…it's alright, I'm sure it was a misunderstanding," Ezio assured me as we continued on.
"No. It's not. You have a lover, and that girl is not me. I feel like I'm doing some wrongdoing if people think I'm yours," I explained.
"Whatever you say." Obviously, Ezio knew he would never get anywhere in an argument with me.
Melina doesn't like to act like a whore (⊙ヮ⊙) and she is a sorceress ( ಠ◡ಠ ) (i love these faces... can you tell?)
Review Please! (◕‿◕✿)
