Gahhh! I've been working on this for three days! but for some reason, I couldn't keep focused long enough to finish! anywho! here it is!


I was beating him. At least, at the moment. It was only a matter of time before he caught up to me again. I was panting- jumping from rooftops did that to a person- but I had no intention of stopping, not until I reached the gate to Monteriggioni.

As I had thought, Ezio zipped past me, leaving me to eat his dust. He leapt from the rooftops with such elegance and grace that I feared I might never reach his abilities. Although I knew I would never be as fast as him-he had longer legs than me-I could only hope I would be able to jump the gaps between roofs with such agility as him.

He made it to the gate about two seconds before me. "Not bad, Melina. A little more practice and you'll be able to keep up with me in no time," Ezio assured.

I shifted the hat atop my head. "I sure hope so."

Ezio smiled, walking past me, and back into the city of Monteriggioni, myself in tow. Over the past few months, after he was done with his own training, Ezio would show me the ropes on fighting and climbing. I had to admit, I was pretty good by now. Of course, Ezio could still kick my ass, but you get the point.

I gently nudged him in the arm. "Shouldn't you get to practice?"

It was almost as though a light flickered in his brain. "Oh! Sì, sì! I almost forgot! Grazie, Melina!" With that, we were off to the villa once more.

As Ezio trained, and I observed, taking mental notes, I began to hear an argument. This argument of which Ezio had told Mario that he was to take his family and I to Spain (although, to be honest, I'd rather stay in Italia…where I can understand people). Mario, as suspected, was furious at this, and stormed back to his office, screaming how Ezio was "throwing away his legacy"… or something like that.

"Uncle!" Ezio yelled after him. "Why is he so angry?" he asked the nearest mercenary.

"How can he not be?" And something about Vieri… to be honest, I wasn't listening. I was rather shocked at Mario's outburst. He was such an easy-going, benevolent man. To think of him blowing up at his nephew like this was shocking.

"Come," Ezio ordered, pulling me by the wrist.

I didn't even bother to ask where we were going. At this point in life, I was ready for just about anything, so I wasn't at all surprised when we went to Maria and Claudia's room. We stopped by the bed at which Maria kneeled in front of, looking almost as though she were praying. Beside me, Ezio's shoulders sagged, and I could tell he was really hoping his mother were back.

In the other doorway, Claudia walked in. "Ezio, look at her. I still can't get her to talk! She spends all day and night in front of those feathers Petruccio used to collect. She can't let him go. I don't know what to do."

"Don't worry. She'll come back to us. I know it," Ezio assured her. But it seemed like he was more so assuring himself. Underneath his hard shell of "I have to stay strong for my family" I knew he just wanted to cry, wanted it all to go back to the way it was.

But it will never go back. And he knows it. All one has to do is hold on to the ones they have left, and never let them go. To cherish them forever. And that's exactly what he's doing with his mother and sister.

When we headed down the stairwell, Ezio had told me to wait in the entranceway while he talked with his uncle. Not long after, however, did he come back, bearing news that Mario was in Tuscany, on a special mission to kill Vieri.

"Will we be able to catch up?" I asked Ezio as we left Monteriggioni.

"I hope so. If we ride fast enough we will." We came to the stables… which had only one horse. Ezio mounted it, and held his hand out to me.

Unknowing of what he was thinking, I reached for it, taken aback when he pulled me up behind him. "Isn't this bad for the horse?" I asked.

"We're not that heavy, I'm sure, for a few minuti (minutes), it'll be fine."

Ezio was right. By the time we entered Tuscany, it was already nightfall, and the horse wasn't showing many signs of fatigue. "There's my uncle up ahead," Ezio stated, hopping off the horse, and grabbing me by the waist, placing me down beside him. I was rather flustered, to be honest. It wasn't like I couldn't get off, that part was simple, but perhaps he was just being kind.

We sauntered up to Mario, who was stationed in front of a group of mercenaries. "Ezio? Melina? What are you doing here?"

"Taking responsibility. Vieri troubles you because of me," Ezio explained.

"And somehow I ended up here too," I mumbled.

Mario casted me a goofy grin but continued, "Vieri troubles us because he is a Templar and we are Assassins," he explained, laughing.

"Either way, we wish to help," Ezio stated. 'What?! WE?! Gah… Ezio if you weren't you, I swear I'd high-tail it out of here…' I thought to myself. Even though, I had to admit, all these months of training have really upped my confidence.

"Va bene. Then listen close." Mario gestured toward the city behind him. "First we must find a way into the city. Though it seems Vieri is expecting us…" Mario crossed his arms frustratingly. "He has sealed the gates and sent his men to guard them. Fortunately for us, the city is larger than his host. The southern gate suffers for this. So this is where we will strike. Pronti (ready)?"

Ezio and I nodded, and followed Mario and his mercenaries to the city's walls. We came to a part of the wall that was badly damaged. Mario turned to us. "Alright. Here's how it is going to work: My men and I will distract the guards. Once we've engaged them, you two get yourselves over the walls and find a way to open the gate." He turned to Ezio. "Take these throwing knives. Use them to dispatch the archers."

"I'm ready when you are," Ezio said.

"Then let us begin."

"Wait!" I yelled, halting Mario in his tracks. Ezio was already headed to the wall.

Mario raised an inquisitive eyebrow at me. "What is it, Melina?"

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Keep an eye on Ezio." Mario winked, and left me in the dust, yelling, "All'attacco (Charge)!" I would assume my face resembled a cartoon character's that looked something like this: TT_TT

I joined Ezio at the wall. "I would assume this is your first assassination," I stated.

"We'll get onto that subject later…" he muttered, scaling the wall with ease.

I said nothing as I followed him up, a knowing look on my face. I knew this wasn't his first assassination, Uberto was… but I wanted him to tell me firsthand what happened with Uberto. I didn't want to act like I didn't know anymore.

Once on the wall, I noticed three archers perched on roofs and the wall beside us. Ezio reached for his throwing knives, and dispatched of all three quickly. We hopped down from the wall, and he headed over to the lever whilst I kept watch. He let Mario and his mercenaries in.

"Well done, Ezio. We're in," Mario mumbled stealthily as he infiltrated the city. He pointed to a group of guards atop the stairs. "I want you to distract those guards, and keep them from raising the alarm. Hopefully it will buy me enough time to distract Vieri."

"Va bene," Ezio said.

"Wait nipote." He gestured for a group of mercenaries to come forth. "Take a few of my men with you… Just to be safe. Come join me once they're dealt with."

As the mercenaries had a small conversation about Vieri being scared, we sauntered to the guards. "Dispatch of them," Ezio ordered the mercenaries. They complied easily, heading forth and inducing a fight amongst the guards. Ezio pressed to the wall. He pulled me in between himself and the wall as we passed the fight. Why? I don't know. They seemed to be pretty preoccupied as of now.

We continued on the streets, the noises of the fight behind us fading into the distance. Ahead, a mercenary was on the ground, resting on a well. We hurried up to him, worried. "Ezio! Your uncle's under attack and needs help! Go to him!" the mercenary exclaimed.

I knelt beside him. "Will you be alright?"

"Sì, signorina. Please, go."

I did as asked, and left him as Ezio and I hurried to his uncle. He was engaged in a fight, alright. There had to be fifty guards! Weaponless, I could only trip the guards I passed by, as they weren't worried about some girl. Honestly, it was rather entertaining.

Mario had spotted us. He screamed, "Ah, you two. There you are! It seems my plan has hit something of a snag… Vieri's men ambushed us, and now we've got our hands full. My brothers and I will deal with these guards- I want you to go on and root out that snake! Find Vieri! See that justice is served!"

With that, we escaped to the rooftops. We snuck around stealthily, dispatching of the rooftop guards that stood in our way. Only until we happened upon Vieri and a few other men did we stop. "It's settled." The same man I saw behind Uberto that fateful day was the one who spoke. My eyes narrowed in anger. "Vieri, you will remain here to coordinate the mercenari (Mercenaries). Francesco," he began, turning to an older man beside Vieri. 'That must be his father, Francesco de Pazzi.' "will organize our forces in the city and send word when it's time to strike. Jacopo," Who I could only assume was the scrawny, elder man beside Francesco. "your job is to calm the citizens once the deed is done."

"What of that ubriacone (drunkard) Mario?" Vieri whined. The little twerp. What? I can't help it if I hate the man! "He continues to harass my forces and I fear he'll discover what we intend." 'Which is…?' I thought, hoping Vieri would spill the beans.

But Francesco spoke, backing his son up. "He's always been trouble. Just like that bastardo brother of his." Beside me, Ezio visibly seethed with anger.

"Then let me reunite them, father!" Vieri cried.

"There will be plenty of time to clean up the trash when we're finished," the man in the cloak assured Vieri, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked back up to the others. "Now, is there anything else?" When no one said anything, he said, "Muy bien." My eyes widened. 'Spanish… he's from Spain!' "May the Father of Understanding guide you!"

"May the Father of Understanding guide you!" Francesco, Vieri, and Jacopo all repeated simultaneously, placing their fists to their chests as the Spaniard did.

They all started to follow the Spaniard out, when a guard called to Vieri. "Commandante! Commandante! (Commander! Commander!)" he yelled.

"What?!" Vieri spat.

"Mario Auditore has invaded the city! He comes for you!"

Vieri smiled slyly. "Let's not keep him waiting."

Ezio turned to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Stay here," he ordered.

"Where are you going?" I was concerned, actually. He could get seriously hurt!

"To kill Vieri," Ezio said cryptically.

Taken aback but the bluntness of his statement, I said nothing as he climbed the walls of the city, and up a tower to where Vieri waited. As expected, a fight ensued. No matter how good he was, Ezio still was outnumbered, and at any time a guard could sneak up behind him… which one was doing. Hurriedly, I scurried behind me to where a rooftop guard's body lay, and I took the only weapon on him: A bow and a quiver of arrows. Knocking an arrow, I aimed it at the guard. Now, mind you, I've never shot an arrow in my life, so you couldn't blame me that I was nervous. Nevertheless, if I didn't act then, the guard would either seriously injure, or kill Ezio. And I couldn't let that happen.

Whistling as if to attract everyone's attention, I shot the arrow. When Ezio saw me with the bow, he ducked immediately, just in time. The arrow whizzed past my target. That made a perfect distraction, though. Ezio took care of the two remaining guards, the one I shot the arrow at included, and was now left with the task of Vieri.

I took off, headed for the tower Ezio was on. Just as I reached the top, Ezio dealt the fatal blow to Vieri. Ezio crouched beside his victim, grabbing him by the collar. "What are you and your allies planning? Is this what my father discovered? Is this why he was killed?" he hissed.

Vieri grinned an evil, malevolent grin. "I'm sorry, were you hoping for a confession?" he growled.

Ezio was enraged, he began shaking Vieri violently. "Pezzi di merda! Vorrei solo che avessi sofferto di piu! Hai avuto ta fine che meritavi! Spero che bru- (Piece of shit! I only wished you'd suffered more! You met the fate you deserved! I hope you-)—" But Vieri was already dead, and Mario had come up behind him.

"Enough, Ezio! Show some respect!" he exclaimed.
Ezio threw Vieri's body to the ground. I flinched. I've never seen this side of him before… and frankly, it was terrifying. "Respect? After all that's happened? Do you think he would have shown either of us such kindness?" he spat.

"You are not Vieri. Do not become him," Mario warned in a low tone. He made his way over to Vieri's battered body, kneeling beside it. "Che la morte ti dis la pace cercavi. (May death provide the peace you saught) Requiescat in pace (Rest in peace)." He placed his hand over Vieri's face, and gently closed Vieri's eyes. He lifted a parchment from his body and handed it to Ezio. "Take this, read it when you have the time. Our work here is finished, let us return to the villa."

"Ezio…" I muttered once Mario had left the tower. I was quite apprehensive… Ezio was really angry just now, and I was actually scared of him.

He turned to me with that feral look, but his eyes softened once they landed on mine. "Melina, I—" he reached out for me, but I flinched away. I could visibly see the hurt and worry in his eyes as he brought his hand back to his side and sighed. "You know I would never hurt you." He turned to leave the tower. "I'm sorry you had to see that, and I'm sorry I acted that way. I understand if you're scared." He went to leave.

"Ezio, wait," I started, continuing when he paused. "I know you wouldn't hurt me…and I shouldn't be scared. You're still the same Ezio," I explained, smiling at him.

He returned the smile. "Let's go home."

When we arrived, Mario was already at the Villa, at the training ring. When we showed up behind him, he spun around, exclaiming, "And here he is! Our campione (champion), Ezio! And his partner-in-crime, Melina!" I beamed at the fact that Mario thought that highly of me.

"All hail Ezio!" The mercenaries standing behind Mario cried. One even shouted out, "And his accomplice, Melina!"

Ezio laughed, sauntering towards them. "I see you've wasted no time starting the celebration."

"And why not? You've done us a great service, nipote! With Vieri dead, la Toscana (Tuscany) will grow quiet once more. Do you know what that means?" Mario chirped.

This time, the mercenaries piped in. Saying things like: "Basta lavorare! (No more work!)" "Si passa tutto il giorno a bere! (We can drink all day!)" and… "E a puttana! (And with whores!)" Everyone looked at him funny. "What?" he muttered. "It's true!" We all laughed.

"Come, Ezio. Walk with me," Mario ordered, waving Ezio behind him.

"Yes, uncle?" Ezio said, following behind, not surprisingly grabbing my forearm and pulling me behind him. Something tells me it won't be often that I leave his side… not that I minded. I shifted the bow that I slung across my shoulders, and the quiver that rested behind it. Something also told me that this will be my weapon of choice.


And no... i did not get the bow and arrow idea from Connor... I actually use one... so i got the idea from that. Anyway! it was longer than expected... and i can only assume that it will all go uphill from here! Things are about to get way more exciting~~

Reviews are always welcome ^_^ Arrivederci e buona fortuna!