May 27th 1498, City of Florence, Italy

White moon rose from the horizon somewhere near the tall towers and buildings of Florence. Palazzo della Signoria showed itself as a dark figure somewhere in the distance, and I felt terrible. I wasn't even completely sure how, but I just knew I felt so bad I didn't want to even think about it and my stomach felt sick. Somewhere far there could be heard horses and a rare people shouting, but otherwise the city was at ease. At least so much it could have been. I was on the rooftop, sitting around on a wooden fence while hanging my feet down. No sleeping tonight for sure.

One could still make out few fires burning somewhere down and they appeared as flickering yellow spots against darkened streets and buildings.

"...this is a one piece of shit" sighing myself I continued this empty existence of mine but then something caught my attention, kind of. It was like a small noise...like a branch cracking, stone dropping or something similar but so tiny that I barely heard it. Few seconds I thought it was probably nothing, but then decided to make sure and turned to look behind me.

He was just standing there on the edge wearing the The Armor of Altaïr and when our eyes met I just scowled unhappily and turned away. The last person I'd like to meet now. "Just leave me alone! Just do it! I don't want anything to do with you!" I tucked my closed fist on my cheek and leaned furiously on it.

"Here you are then. I'm figuring you've been sitting here whole the time, no? What is wrong? Why are you so angry?"

"No. I hate you!"

"No you don't...come on, I can not help you if you don't speak up"

I said nothing, just sat my back towards Ezio as he walked next to me to the fence. Pressing my fingers around the wood I stared at the one point in somewhere stubbornly refusing to cooperate. I didn't want to for that simple reason that I couldn't let him just know this one. He can't help me either. He always knew everything and usually I just kept bugging him with so many questions, but this was different: my bad feelings were his fault. Still though I never looked at him, Ezio didn't leave or say anything. He never did, just waited in the silence of the currently peaceful night. And waited until finally I was starting to get annoyed and opened my mouth for my own disappointment.

"Why did you have to kill him?"

"Who?"

I spun around and dropped off, of my sitting place. "Oh, just pretend like you wouldn't know! Why did you have to kill him?! Apollo was a nice guy and you just happened to...do that! I actually liked him. Where'd all that no killing innocent people went?!" my fists were so firmly closed that I felt my nails digging their way into my palms. With every spoken word my anger grew even bigger, I wanted to punch him or anything, I just wanted to hit something so hard that my arm would go through it. Assassin lowered his now more sadden and somewhat surprised eyes on me and tried to touch my shoulder but I subsequently slapped his hand away pressing my lips together.

"You knew him?! Rena, you just didn't know, he was a Templar agent...-"

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!"

"I got the letter that mentioned his name. He would have warned them about...-"

"No, you are lying to me! You don't know anything, you don't even care because only thing you care is that stupid damn Apple and yourself!"

As anyone else, I should have known many things like that it wasn't true at all, but my mind was completely blocked by rage. It banged my chest and head like a wild animal trying to escape prison and whatever came to my mind, I said aloud. I just wanted him to feel bad...to...I don't know! Go to hell! I was so mad that tears started to rise in my eyes and fall down even though try to hold them back was hard. First, I was being left alone to be watched like a kid in a day care and when I finally meet someone who actually treats me quite fine he comes and buries two hidden blades in Apollo's skull. And I even saw the whole thing! Fuck you!

Now I noticed how Ezio's eyes hardened a bit and that only encouraged me. His voice was still, as always steady, but there could be heard a slight change of tone. "Stop interrupting me. I told you the truth, he could not have been trusted. That boy was an enemy and you didn't love him"

I just happened to kick the nearest wooden thing there, those words were a dagger straight to my brain. I have no idea why it hit so hard on me, but I was starting to break and that got my inside swirling. I didn't care about what was true or how much right he was because the only thing I did care about was yelling against it whatever he'd say. I was a very bad loser and everything I had bottled up during the small amount of days were just blasting out of me in this minute: frustration, tension, fear...

"And how would you know?! HELL YEA you're just the right person to talk about me of that! What do you know about love? I'm pretty sure that fucking every moving thing that owns a vagina, hell of a sure isn't one! Do you ever care how other people are feeling or is your little world just made of, of you and your...your damn whores!"

Along my angry yelling and psychically shaking I saw straight away my words did get to him, in a way. The man's eyes flashed and for a moment I thought I saw every feeling at once in them and this was the only time I started to realize them myself as well. It got me in panic. Ezio tightly grabbed my arm and his following words were very dangerously charged, it was almost scary. Still steady, but a real real scary. Like a growing shadow he approached me, and I didn't know if he even noticed it but it was like something in one of his pouches would have been...brighter for a moment?

The Apple. Somehow I managed to recall a fast picture of Altaïr hearing his son died thinking he ordered his death, but it wasn't important now. I was messed up.

"Chiudi il becco! Don't you dare to lecture me about love! You are a child, it is you who is the real wrong person to talk about it! That is absolutely nothing you know of this world and without me you would be dead"

It wasn't even just firm anger that glowed in his voice, which would have been too straight and absurd for him. Instead there was also this suffocated despair I refused to hear and letting an unmeaningful fiery scream out, I rapidly broke free from his grip while wiping away my blurred vision caused by new tears. I couldn't take this anymore, I wanted to run and that I did. A strong anxiety got its grip on me and finding the fastest way down by climbing, I left and didn't look back. Sadly I also happened to slip and hit my knee on the rough wall along the way, but ignoring the pulsing pain I kept my pace.

I am horrible. I seriously did that to him! Hit yourself, do it you deserve that!

Shoes stomped to the ground as I just ran somewhere without looking where. Anywhere where I could be without being watched was better for now. It didn't matter, why the portal couldn't appear now I could leave for once. I fuck everything up, my parents, my friends and now I did it again to Ezio! Don't caring a shit about anyone else, but he is the one I really admire and like and...I'm an idiot.

Of course I knew about Christina and I also knew he cared of nothing more than his family and friends. He'll never forgive me, at least that's how it felt...it was so like me to just say things like that and make everyone hating me. Now it even was twice as terrible since I knew all those said things otherwise, it couldn't be any excuse, but somehow just lost it. It's not like I were planning on this. I didn't stop running until my lungs, feet and every muscle protested, yelled for me to stop torturing them: I couldn't breathe and finally sweating I collapsed somewhere just to press myself next to the random wall and stay there. It took me few minutes to heal from the pain in my body, but after that I just buried my face to my knees and started sobbing.

Soon some time went on, but I didn't know how long...or a little. I had calmed down already and it felt like forever. There was a slight cold on me and the lack of sleep pressed my mind like a ton of rocks, but only now I started to make notices of the place where I was. Small alley surrounded by the ordinary looking houses of the people and laundry lines etched on walls above. More than that I had absolutely no idea of where exactly I were and that disturbed me – how was I supposed to find back?

At least I saw the Palazzo earlier so maybe I could find it again and think the right way from that? Except it was still dark, not working. A look around made me feel a little bit scared as I saw the street cats running somewhere after each other and suddenly my mind was painting all kinds of things here. I realized that even this city wouldn't be any safer at this time of the day. I didn't want to get robbed...or killed...or raped. God help me.

What on earth I was doing here anyway? Closing my eyes again for a brief moment I was just as surprised to hear friendly voice again. I jumped a bit and searched for the source of it.

"Don't you ever dare to run away like that Rena, I was looking for you. It's not safe in here you know...", Auditore approached and slowly kneeled beside me, but instead of making demands he actually sounded worried and sad. It got me confused for a moment and then again I felt so uncomfortably guilty that I had no choice but to hide my face into my hands.

"I...I'am so sorry" I muttered silently.

"I'm a jerk I know just please forgive me! I don't know what got into me, didn't mean it to get into this and...and I said stupid things and I don't hate you either! I feel like horrible person – maybe I am, but I know you do care about like...everyone, you always do an...-"

Suddenly he just interrupted me with a tight hug and again I wasn't sure what to do so I just did what felt right. Keeping it as it was and wrapping my arms around him I leaned my head on his shoulder for a moment. I didn't deserve this. For the second time it was near that I would start crying again so I tried to swallow the painful piece in my throat.

"It is okay girl, I know you didn't mean it...I'm sorry too"

"You sh..shouldn't be, it was my fault"

"I think I should and we are not looking for guilty ones here, are we? What's been said is said, but know that I'm not blaming you for anything" A moment of silence passed again and wisely Ezio let me think through of everything before saying it. It was like there was no hurry in this world now and I got a comfortable feeling when he gently rubbed my back couple of times. Shifting a little I looked at him while cleaning my probably red eyes with the sleeve of my shirt."I guess I just...felt alone...So...he really was a Templar?"

"He did. When I killed that boy he was going towards the Palazzo della Signoria and Savonarola's men trying to message about our presence. Too early, otherwise they would have taken The Apple away" I just calmly nodded. I guess I fell to my own rabbit hole, apparently there's no one you can trust here.

"...And you are not alone, I promise that one. Ora sei libero dalla paura, no one gets left behind. Come, I think we should head back. Night is long and you are tired...we all are"

Ezio's kind voice lingered in my mind and I let him help me up from the ground, but suddenly I felt my other leg giving in with a decent amount of pain. It made me yelp, but soon found myself captured by Assassins quick reflexes. "Are you okay there? You are bleeding, can you walk?"

"Yea, I think so It's just a scratch...just got me by surprise...I suppose I got that when climbing down back there" a large dark red area was visible on my pants, just above the knee where the fabric was also wrecked. Of course I eventually got to my feet, but Ezio didn't seem to buy it properly and so he still held on to my hand. I had slight problems with taking steps, but managed it pretty well. "You know...that climbing of yours. You did that a quite faster than I expected? How did you exactly learn that?" Thank god it was dark because my cheeks flushed.

"Ahm...well I've been kind of...stalking you once in a while. Like observing your style, how you do it and what you are doing when climbing buildings so I picked up a few things. But I've never ever done it with that speed, actually I almost fell..."

"Hm...don't look that ashamed, I think I really admire your interest. And yes it is that visible, it's in your eyes. I also figured out as well that you have a strong fire in you..." Assassin smiled at me for a moment. "If you'd have squeezed me a little bit more I would have been crushed to death without this armor. And next time when you are meeting new guys, you really should tell me about it"

I punched his side with a disliking face.

"Stoop, that ain't fun you're terrible at telling jokes! Leave that to me and you stick with hunting Templars plus quit sounding like my dad! How on earth are you thinking I'm ever going to date anyone if you are pointing a blade at everyone's throats while yelling at them to reveal their allegiance: damn that's sure scaring boys away more effective than your sister while being angry"

As a result we both laughed a little and he took a better grasp of me so I wouldn't use my hurting leg too much. "To speak seriously, I think we could put that nature of yours in...let's say...a better use. You are not a bad person, definitely don't - you are just lost and need a direction...guidance and means how to use it. I have a feeling..."

Frown climbed to my face as I yawned. "What do you mean Ezio...Woaah!"

That last one was the sound I was making while being grabbed underneath my knees and being carried by this handsome guy, like a bride to a wedding or something. "I will tell you more once we get to Monteriggioni, but a good night sleep is what we both are needing and we aren't going to get there with this speed. Let's have a doctor look at later that knee of yours..."

"I told you already it's just a scratch!"

"Just in case"

"But...-"

"I will have no arguing on this"

"Bu...-"

"Shush! And for goodness sake keep still or I'm going to throw you in the Arno"

Somewhere on the sky we heard an eagle's sharp scream while it landed to its nest. I sighed and ruffled giggling his hair. "Alright man! Go, go! we haven't got all day...I mean night" Italian just grinned and nodded towards the door which finally led to our current destination. There would be a few others as well, but I think we can handle 'em.

As standing now on the rooftops of Constantinople watching a similar night sky, I remembered this happen so long ago. It wasn't the nicest day, but it ended up being a pretty good and what's for me and Ezio? We kind of grew closer after that and I made a promise to always talk to about everything I needed to, any problem or a thing. He wanted to know if I felt bad so he really could help me to get past my fears – it did work all along and I got more confident about my actions. In return he started to also speak to me when I got older and sometimes in Rome as well - thought being busy we used to just sit somewhere outside on the roofs hanging around and...talk or doing nothin'. Just sitting with each other's company. It was a good rip off of the world.

As you maybe could follow now, soon enough after the uniting of The Codex I was told that he would be a willing to make me an Assassin and that was literally the happiest day of my life. I couldn't believe it first and asked if he was kidding, but Ezio's face told me that he wasn't...at all.

That of course meant a bunch of changes and one of them were that I should start obeying him as well as the other Assassins (Mario, La Volpe, Machiavelli etc), which was pretty sincere, but not usually hard at all. I had respect for all of them in me, but couple of times I really had to struggle with my attitude to not bounce up again. Though we still sometimes would fight each other after that as well I never again said "I hate you". Not so that I would mean it.

That's basically how it happened all along, but as everything here there's of course more to it – maybe I'm saving these for a another moment. Who would guess that this nagging, insecure, strong mouthed, unrespectful girl would turn out to be a fine fighter and a member of a secret Order? I think no one, but here I am and pretty much knowing that there would a whole lot of people who would want to take my place.

Though my descreption sounds like I had these cliché usual more severe problems i'd rather say that my only problems were the wrong attitude towards everything, a twisted sense of reality and tough head. I thought I knew everyone of these people, I thought I knew, but I had to eventually admit that I didn't. So I learned to know. I may still be a little unrespectful, but you have to know the rules first before go breaking any of them: and it's not the same way anymore of course.

Now, I wasn't here for fun this time. I was scanning the park area with Eagle vision trying spot this certain man: Vali cel Tradat – the Wallachian traitor who I had been tracking for a while now with Istvan. Our members didn't only disappear, they were murdered by one of our own and if anything, that sure got the hell out of me. Just wait..I'm going to get him, but for now we needed to be extra careful. This man isn't one to play with, he's dangerous and slippery. Quickly signaling to my companion that this area were empty I ran forward and jumped to the next roof pulling myself up by using the hookblade, we still needed to keep looking.

I knew eventually something would happen.

So this is the third chapter. This time we got a flashback which reveals something about how Rena and Ezio started to build their relationship or how it started at least! =) (some "family" drama? why we really actually should make Ezio pursue guys along the street who are laying their eyes this girl XDD huh. "HEEY ARE YOU A TEMPLAR? INTERVIEW LINE IS BACK THERE" )

there's coming more for sure too, but for now we are going back to the Istanbul! and while tracking Vali, we'll just see if Yusuf keeps his promise to attend in that race since she got her pride whacked :P start is pretty slow but believe me you are going to see some action as well.

If you guys are wondering her age was 16 in 1498.