"Ezio, this is ridiculous," I gritted out, "How long will this go on for, I wonder?"
He looked down to the body that lay in the middle of our room, and bit his lip, shrugging. "The meeting is in a few hours, so hopefully the Spaniard will stop the attempts afterward."
I groaned, slamming back onto the bed. "Any more of this, and we'll become as paranoid as the Templars."
He snorted before asking, "Just help me carry him out."
It was lucky for us that we woke up around an hour earlier, when the sun hadn't even thought of peeking over the horizon yet and even the pigeons slept. Borgia's man found us when we were fully equipped and awake. Bad luck for him. He must have been suicidal to come here; even if we were asleep, considering Ezio woke up at the slightest disturbance in the Force, Borgia's lackey was a walking dead man. Or rather a dead dead man, considering his corpse now currently littered our floor.
I sighed in a doomed fashion, and helped him pick the body up over his shoulder. "How are we going to do this?"
"Go ahead and distract anyone in the way, and we can go out the back door." I opened the door, making sure the coast was clear, and waved him forward. It was way too early for anyone to be up and about, but you could never be too careful of a potential weirdo in every building.
"I guess we'll have to find another place to stay at," I whispered sadly. "How did they find out where we lived?"
"I don't know. We'll figure something out," he replied as we made our way through the empty hallways, and down the stairs. Our footsteps echoed very quietly, not loud enough to alert anyone behind doors, the occasional candles barely lighting the halls.
We paused at the front, where the landlord and his wife lived. We half ran past the door, and I felt like we were in some creepy cartoon with a cheesy tiptoeing gag. Once all was clear, we finally made it outside, hurrying into the alleys and away from prying eyes.
It was still dark outside, though light began to creep around the edges of the sky, battling with the darkness on the other end. Or some other poetic crap like that. People began to crawl out of their holes - I mean houses. But they were still rare, barely paying attention to their own feet, much less to two people carrying a corpse and looking all suspicious. I liked the people here; there was nothing that would stir them, which bode well for us.
Hiding the body was easier than actually carrying it. In fact, Ezio just dumped it into one of the secluded gardens into the flowerbeds.
"Now he can become one with the Earth!" I proclaimed with the insanity of a preacher, and he snorted with laughter. "Rejoice, lost soul! Join with Mother Nature, and hope that you will come back as a beautiful flower, rather than an onion...cause that would really suck. "
"Oh, hush. No one is joining Mother Nature," Ezio chuckled, "Someone will find him and bury him properly."
"Aw, but my version is so much more beautiful! Who wouldn't want to decompose and become a weed in this beautiful garden, instead of a creepy graveyard, or whatever?"
"I'm sure everyone is just dreaming about it."
The streets were slowly filling up, despite the early hour. Regardless, no one seemed to notice the blood on us, so we walked towards the meeting in peace for a little, sniping back and forth at each other in good humor, as usual. Chatter filled up the air once again, and the remains of the night's silence disappeared quickly. The sun began to rise steadily over Venice, the last scraps of snow melting away and flowing down the streets, sinking into the cracks in between stones. The supposed winter ended as fast as it began.
"Do you ever buy them?" Ezio asked somewhat wearily as I snatched an apple off the stall. He noticed that I almost never paid for the fruits. I'd already noticed that he didn't like stealing from others unless he was convinced our need was greater than theirs. For a nobleman, it was a surprisingly unselfish standpoint. Then again, Ezio wasn't exactly your standard rich idiot…
I shrugged, biting into it when we were a safe distance away from the merchant. "I don't believe in prices. It's all so petty, you know? How can you put a price tag on a child's laughter, or a widow's tears, or the virtue of a nun..."
"Or you just didn't want to stop and get the money out," he concluded with a smirk, and I rolled my eyes.
"Well, yeah. But come on, I can at least pretend to have principles on this sort of thing. Besides, I'm the one who's going to be crawling over the roofs and dodging archers, while you get to be safe on the ground."
"Safe? Did you forget I would be tailing a whole flock of Templars? That's not exactly what I call safe!"
I snorted, "No worries. I'll try to make sure you don't walk head first into a trap, like last time."
"You went with me!"
"And I regretted it. You know, on second thought, the roofs don't seem so bad." We laughed, and continued on our way.
The plan was actually almost painfully simple. I, not yet blessed with his superhuman hearing, would follow him and the Templars over the rooftops, making sure that this wasn't just all Rodrigo's plan to finally capture and execute us - you could never tell with them any more. It wasn't like in the movies or crappy games, where the other side was a lot more stupid than you, which lead to the victory of good. Our enemy was more clever, experienced, powerful and resourceful than us. It didn't stop Ezio from killing them off, of course, but the point was that you could readily expect the worst from them.
"I still don't understand how they live with that smell," Ezio suddenly grumbled at random while we crossed over the Rialto Bridge. I sniffed the air automatically, but nothing seemed to be out of place.
"What are you talking about? Smells pretty normal."
He gasped dramatically. "You're one of them! What I mean is it smells like a gutter. And fish."
"Oh," I tried smelling it again, "I think that's the prostitutes lined up along the streets. You get used to it." I was joking. I had nothing against courtesans, but there was a rather large number of them loitering on the bridge. Ezio laughed, only to suddenly stop in mid-step. Hearing his quiet groan, I turned around with surprise.
"Okay, don't look now, but I think we have company," he informed me sadly, and I blinked in surprise, looking around. He was right - a group of guards were stalking towards us, scaring away anyone who got in their way.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me!!!" I swore loudly, and I think in English, because Ezio looked confused for a moment. I didn't bother to repeat myself in Italian. I never felt the transitions, though. "Should we run?"
"Too late," he muttered, and smoothly pulled out his sword, which made its way under Borgia soldier's helmet before he even realized what was going on. There was a shriek in the crowd. And then the plaza emptied around us in a matter of milliseconds, civilians scattering in abject fear. I ground my teeth, but pulled out my own sword and dagger, just in time to block an incoming hit.
"When will it end?!" I wailed in mock desperation, jumping away from a guard's blade that would have sliced my stomach right open. I could almost hear Ezio's quick chuckle as he ducked under the sword, grabbed the man's wrist, and switched the direction of his opponent's swing. It was a lost cause for the guard, for Ezio forced him into a swing downwards, effectively making the man run himself right through. "We can't even walk down a soddin' street without getting attacked anymore! It's all your fault, Ezio!"
"What did I do?!" he yelled back. Borgia's men didn't seem to care much for our conversation, snarling and continuing to attempt to break our defenses.
"You ate the last apple in my bag, you jerk!"
"What?!"
"That's right! You ate my apple! I know all about it! I have photographic evidence, too! How could you, Ezio?!" I was nearly bursting with laughter as I took the blade of my attacker on my own, pushing it away, and kicking him in the one place proven to be most effective against men. As soon as he let out a shriek, I added another kick to his lowered face, causing him to fly backwards and hit the cobblestones with a satisfying crunch.
"Those jokes of yours are going to be the death of me one day, tesorina," I heard him laugh. It was swiftly followed by the gurgled scream and then grunt of an agile guard as he drove both his hidden blades through his neck. The man was dead before he hit the ground.
"Oh, it's no joke. I wanted that apple," I replied gravely. "Now, on the count of three, we run."
"On three?" he asked loudly. The remaining soldiers glanced at each other with confusion, as if to ask "They do know we're still here, right?"
"Yep. One…go!" And with that, we took off, the surprise giving us a few moments to gain speed. After a few moments, we heard them yell to each other, cursing and chasing after us, once again.
We turned a sharp corner, Ezio making a path through the crowd for us, and I once again appreciated having such a broad-shouldered companion. It certainly helped us cut through the people like a knife through warm butter. The men chasing us had slightly more trouble, but still managed to keep up, even after many of our attempts to break their line of sight.
Finally, Ezio abruptly turned into a slightly less crowded street off one of the squares. His hold on my arm prevented us from separating, as if he was afraid to lose sight of me, though at the moment, it would have been a better strategy. Left with little choice in the matter, I obediently followed him around as he led Rodrigo's men on a wild goose chase. Eventually, we ducked into another garden (Venice had a lot of them) and hid around the corner, flawlessly blending in with the darkness.
"Damn it!" we heard finally them pass. Standing with my back against him, and the assassin leaning with his back against the wall, though he thankfully didn't hold a hand over my mouth, I held my breath. His comforting hand on my shoulder was reassuring as well. "Find the puttana!" they bellowed, "The Maestro will skin us alive if they get away again!"
I turned slightly, and Ezio matched my expression of confusion. Then I saw the barely visible motion of his shoulders, and he pointedly looked up at the wall. In our haste to get away from the pursuers, Ezio didn't lose track of our goal. We'd come very close to the Templar meeting.
I nodded, and scaled the wall ahead of him, climbing up fast, before anyone noticed.
---
"Where is Emilio?" The man grumbled in irritation. He seemed vaguely familiar to Ezio, though he couldn't quite place him. He was a State Inquisitor, judging from his red hood. And he did not seem in the best of moods, pacing back and forth in front of Carlo, who sat on the bench, nervously glancing around.
"I told him to be here," Grimaldi snapped.
"You told him yourself? In person?" The man did not seem to believe him. How they didn't know that Emilio was dead was beyond Ezio. Most of the market district were already celebrating his end and the change of power. Not to mention, the thieves becoming very cocky to the Templar run companies and banks.
"Yes! Myself! In person!" Carlo snapped. "I'm concerned that you don't trust me." He was not amused, to say the least.
"As am I," the Inquisitor looked around, as if expecting Emilio to pop up out of the nearest cart of flowers and shout "Peek-a-Boo!" Of course, nothing of the sort happened, and the man grumbled so lowly that Ezio had to strain his ears to the hardest to hear. "Perhaps he'll arrive with the others. Let's walk a while," he waved his hand. With a small hesitation, Carlo obeyed, though he looked cross while doing so. Ezio followed the pair, melting in with the crowd and focusing on them alone, tuning out all the other conversations. He knew that Eden was spotting him from above, and in case of trouble, she'd take care of it. One way or another, anyway.
Carlo was suspicious and twitchy, alarmed by Emilio's absence, and constantly looking behind them, as if feeling eyes on their backs. The Inquisitor seemed confident enough though, for he continued to question Grimaldi. "While we're waiting, you can bring me up to date on the things at the Doge's Palace."
The other man spread his hands, as if apologizing. "Well, to be honest with you, it's not easy. Mocenigo keeps his circle close. I have tried to lay the groundwork, making suggestions in the interest of our Cause, but of course I'm not the only one vying for his attention. And old though he is, he's a canny bugger."
It helped a little that the Doge was not an idiot, then. Ezio was glad to hear that, if nothing else.
"Then you must work harder, Grimaldi. You must become part of his inner circle."
"I am already one of his closest and most trusted associates. It has taken me years to establish myself. Years of patient planning, of waiting, of accepting humiliations." Carlo spoke as if he expected the other man to be impressed. Which, he wasn't.
"Yes, and what have you to show for it?"
"It's harder than I expected," Grimaldi grimly said after a short pause.
"And why is that?" The Inquisitor was openly mocking Carlo, sarcasm dripping off his words. Not much trust and friendship within the Templar circle, then, Ezio thought to himself. Perhaps I may use that-
"I don't know," Grimaldi retorted, "I do my utmost for the State, I work hard...But the fact is, Mocenigo doesn't like me."
"I wonder why not."
"It's not my fault! I keep trying to please the bastard! I find out what he craves and have it sent to him - the finest jams from Sardinia, the latest fashions from Milan-"
"Maybe the Doge just doesn't like sycophants."
"What did you just call me?!"
"A doormat. Flatterer. A boot-licker - need I go on?" Ezio found himself agreeing with this new man, to his own disgust.
Grimaldi was offended. "Don't insult me, Inquisitore. You haven't a clue what it's like. You don't understand the pressure-"
Between the Doge, the constant suspicion of everyone of conspiracy after news from Florence reached Venice, and the Templars...yes, the pressure would indeed be great. It was a wonder this man found time to eat and sleep. Or at least sleep with both eyes closed, Ezio thought. Not that he felt sorry for him, in the slightest.
"Oh, I don't understand pressure?" his tone was dangerously low. But Grimaldi, oblivious to it, plowed on.
"No! You have no idea! You may be a state official, Silvio, but I am two steps from the Doge almost every waking hour of the day." At least not every sleeping hour, as well. That would just be creepy.Ezio, realizing what he was thinking, mentally cursed Eden. Hearing her laughter in his head so clearly that his gaze automatically darted around as if expecting her to be right next to him, he rolled his eyes, even as he fleetingly grinned.
"You wish you could be in my shoes, because you think you could do better, but-"
"Are you finished?" Silvio asked coolly, not bothered by the angry outburst in the slightest.
"No! Just listen! I am close to the man. I have dedicated my life to establishing myself in this position, and I tell you, I am convinced I can recruit Mocenigo to our Cause! I just need a little more times."
"It seems to me that you've had more than enough time, already-" Silvio broke off suddenly as they paused in the square before the Doge's Palace and the Basilica attached to it, and raised his hand. That attracted the attention of two more men, who made their way through the crowd towards them.
One of them was an elderly man, dressed very expensively and showing high standing, with a flowing white beard. His companion was most likely a bodyguard, considering that he was pretty much the biggest man that Ezio has ever seen, even without much armor on him. His face betrayed no emotion, but his eyes scanned the crowd, not paying any attention to the conversations between the Templars. Ezio suddenly needed to put more effort into being discrete while still remaining in earshot range.
"Good morning, Cousin," the old man greeted Silvio, not showing much thrill in meeting his kin. "Grimaldi."
"Greetings, Cousin Marco," Silvio seemed about as happy as him. However, he quickly glanced around. "Where's Emilio? We thought he'd be with you."
Marco seemed surprised. "Then you have not heard the news yet?"
"What news?"
"Emilio is dead!" Ezio finally recognized the man. He and Silvio were a part of the Barbarigo family, if you could call it that. None of the three cousins ever showed much familiarity to each other, Silvio jealous of Marco's higher standings, and Emilio... well, being Emilio.
The assassin glanced upwards, towards the roofs for only a moment. Eden's shadow flashed somewhere up there, or perhaps it was just a trick of light. With his intuition still firmly in place, he knew that she was up there, though.
"What?! How?!"
"I can guess," Grimaldi muttered bitterly, "The Assassino. I tried to warn him...but where can he be hiding? We must find him and kill him before he does any more damage! As well as his partner!"
"He and the girl could be anywhere," Marco shrugged. "That is why I take Dante here everywhere with me. I wouldn't feel safe without him."
Ezio heard the story of Marco's bodyguard, formerly the captain of the city guard. Something about surviving a wound to the head that should have been lethal, but just put him to a permanent state of a mindless child. But the man still remained dangerous, having retained all his skills in battle. A perfect guardian. Extremely dangerous, didn't require to be paid, and didn't ask questions.
"We must act fast, then," Silvio concluded. He did not seem at all sad at the loss of his cousin, though.
"You're right," Marco agreed easily as they began walking again in the general direction of Saint Mark's Square.
"But Marco, I am so close! I feel it! Just give me a few more days, and-" Grimaldi pleaded. Apparently, he put a lot of importance into his work, and did not want everything to go to hell.
"No, Carlo, you've had quite enough time. We no longer have the leisure for subtlety. If Mocenigo will not join us, we must remove him and replace him with one of our own. And we must do it this very week!"
The walked in silence for a few moments before Silvio asked, "Will the Master agree to our new strategy?"
"He'd be a fool not to."
"You're right, we have no choice," Silvio said acidly. Looking to Grimaldi, he suddenly cheered up. "Well," he snickered, "That kind of makes you redundant, now doesn't it?"
"That is for the Master to decide," Grimaldi retorted in disagreement, "Just as he will decide whom to place in Mocenigo's shoes - you, or your cousin Marco here. And the best person to advise him on that is me!"
"I wasn't aware that there was a decision to be made," Marco raised an eyebrow. "Surely the choice is obvious to all."
"I agree," Silvio said, but showing clearly that it was not what Marco had in mind. "The choice should fall on the person who organized the entire operation, the one who came up with the idea of how to save this city!"
"I would be the last undervalue tactical intelligence, my good Silvio. But in the end it is wisdom which one needs in order to rule. Do not think otherwise."
"Gentlemen, please," Grimaldi retorted. Nonetheless, he seemed pleased at the disagreement between the two cousins. "The Master may be able to advise the Committee of Forty-One when they meet to elect the new Doge, but he cannot sway them. And for all we know, the Master may be thinking of someone quite other than either of you..."
"You mean yourself?" Both Silvio and Marco, as well as Ezio, found the idea laughable.
"And why not? I'm the only one who's put in all the real graft!"
It was Dante who stepped into the argument when they stopped to argue in the middle of a secluded courtyard. "Signori, please, keep moving. I feel eyes on us."
"Of course," Marco nodded, and they hurriedly resumed their pace.
"He's a good man, your Dante," Silvio seemed to appreciate the quiet gorilla. "How much did you pay for him?"
"Less than he is worth," Marco replied, "He's loyal and trustworthy - saved my life on two occasions. But I wouldn't say he's exactly loquacious."
"Who needs a conversation from a bodyguard?"
"Anyway, I am sure the Maestro will come to the right decision."
"Of course he-"
"Stop your chattering," a cold voice joined the conversation.
Ezio recognized it right away, and his fists clenched by themselves. Rodrigo Borgia, wearing his usual dark robes with the hood pulled down over his face, appeared as if out of nowhere. And beside him...
That was the first time that Ezio saw the large mutant dog that Eden described, possible one of the pack that ripped apart a heavily armed squad of soldiers. It's short, rough hide was as black as night, its ugly head slightly squashed, the eyes glowing a dim, bloodthirsty red. The assassin shivered involuntarily, suddenly feeling a whole lot more nervous. It seemed as though it'd been bred through a few more changes, however. Eden said that when she saw them being paraded through Firenze, they were attempting to rip their chains out of the guards' hands, growling menacingly at the closest passerby. But this beast was standing alert beside its master, only moving when he moved, despite the lack of a leash. It didn't even make a sound, aside from its heavy steps, its eyes set dully in front of it. A mindless beast, under the complete control of Borgia.
Ezio was not the only one uncomfortable with its presence. Grimaldi grimaced nervously, and Marco's bodyguard took a small step closer towards his charge. Meanwhile, Rodrigo continued to talk with irritation. "No one has given you permission to make plans. This is my decision, and it will be carried out! The new Doge will be elected next week, following the death of Giovanni Mocenigo. The man is old, and his death will not rise suspicion. Marco Barbarigo will take his place." He paused for a breath, during in which Silvio tried to carefully hide his disappointment, Grimaldi clenched his teeth, and Marco's expression remained implacable, without any sort emotion at the news.
Only Dante and the dog didn't really care, continuing to stand guard. The irony of that certainly wasn't lost on Ezio. He would've laughed to himself, if not for the fact that his attention was trained on that demon's beast at Borgia's heels. He found one hand instinctually coming to rest on his sword, his other silently flicking out his hidden blade, though it was concealed under his cape.
"Grimaldi. Walk with me," The Spaniard gestured, and they began to move once more. Ezio made sure there was considerable distance between them - Dante was bad enough, his eyes searching for any disturbance or threat. But the dog most likely had much more superior senses. "When are you closest to Mocenigo?" Borgia asked Grimaldi.
"I have the run of the Palazzo Ducale. Mocenigo may not like me much but I do have his full confidence, and I'm at his beck and call most of the time."
"Good. Poison him at the first opportunity."
"He has food testers," Grimaldi began to whine.
"And you think I don't know that? You Venetians are supposed to be good at poisoning. Get something into his meat or wine after they've tasted it."
"Of-of course." There was only the slightest stutter in his voice, but he realized that there was no turning back now.
Rodrigo turned to Marco. "I take it you can lay your hands on a suitable product for our purpose?"
Marco smiled politely. "That is rather my cousin's area of expertise."
"I should be able to lay my hands on enough cantarella for our purposes," Silvio put in. The name of the poison was not familiar to Ezio.
"And what is that?"
"A most effective form of arsenic, very difficult to trace."
"Excellent. See to it."
They walked in silence for a few moments. Then Marco spoke up once again. "I must say, Maestro, we admire that you should associate yourself personally so closely to this enterprise. Is that not dangerous for you?"
Borgia let out a low, grating chuckle of apparent amusement, though he quickly fell silent before growling, "The Assassin will not dare come after me. He is clever, but he will never outwit me. In any case, I feel inclined to involve myself more directly. The Pazzi disappointed us in Florence. I hope sincerely that the Barbarigo will not do the same..."
Silvio seemed amused by the reference to the Templar family of bankers. "The Pazzi were a bunch of amateur-"
"The Pazzi," Rodrigo interrupted, "were a potent and venerable family. And yet they were brought to their knees by one young Assassin. Do not underestimate this troublesome foe, or he will bring the Barbarigi down too." Ezio couldn't help but the grin at that. Good, he snorted to himself, Let them learn to fear me. I'm some pesky little child-
"And what of the woman?"
"She is one of them, too, and perhaps something more. Capture her if you get the chance. One way or another, she could prove beneficial to us. Now go, and get this done. We cannot afford another failure!"
"And what will you do, Master?" Borgia picked that moment to look around, just as they were crossing over the Rialto Bridge. Ezio hurried out of sight.
"I return to Rome. Time is of the essence!" That was all Ezio heard, and when he looked in their direction again, there was no one but the usual crowds of Venezia, who quickly got over the shock of the monster dog.
"Ché idiota sono!" Ezio cursed under his breath, "Damn it, I should have kept my eyes on them!" In a moment, Eden lightly landed beside him, startling away some of the passing people.
"What's up?" she caught on to his grim expression.
"They're going to poison the Doge. Some sort of arsenic, cantarella. Any insight?" She seemed to think for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip, and then nodded.
"Yes, actually. Secret poison of some sort, though probably made of copper, arsenic and phosphorus. I don't know the exact chemistry behind it, I think the secret was lost. There's two variations of a similar poison, though."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I have it in my bag right now," she stated grimly. "Well, close to it. It's a toxin that puts the victim to sleep for around five hours, making it seem like they're dead. But that's when it's refined, at this point in history, the elements in chemistry are pretty crude, so..." He barely understood half of what she said about elements and chemistry, but listened closely, nonetheless. She seemed to be mentally calculating something. "Delayed effect, most likely lethal. Hard to detect, dissolves in water and wine. Wait! That's why the name Borgia was so familiar!" she suddenly exclaimed. A few people looked at them strangely. "Cantarella was supposedly his specialty! But that means-"
"What?"
She licked her lips, suddenly uncertain. "I don't think - no, I can't say. It's not important, anyway. What else did they talk about?"
"He mentioned something about sending out a final attempt at our lives. But considering so far he failed, it's hardly worth mentioning. We should get to Antonio, maybe one of his men-"
"Is that smoke?" she interrupted him, looking away, and upwards. He followed her gaze, and realized she was right. Thick black smoke was pouring from somewhere in the depth of the district. And now that he was brought back to reality, he noted that the noise level had definitely increased. He didn't see how it was their problem at that moment, though, considering they had little time to act, and a Doge to save.
"Must be a fir-" he didn't finish the sentence, however, as Eden suddenly took off, pushing through the crowd, heading right towards the center of commotion. He stared after her for a moment, and then ran after her.
---
I came to a sudden stop in front of the building, pushing through the yelling crowd. Someone was screaming at someone else to get water. The chubby landlord and his wife stood not far off, gaping as the house burned, the bright flames standing out in the gray clouds, and sparks flew in every direction. The sign at my feet looked awfully familiar, and I realized this was the house that we stayed at.
"There's still someone in there!"
That's when I heard the scream come from one of the windows, where the frame has already fallen off. I recognized the voice.
Adel.
Anger and fear began to hum and buzz in my brain, the sudden rush of adrenalin drumming against my nerves. I didn't think about what I was about to do. And I was ready to launch myself into the flaming doors, when someone stopped me, two strong arms wrapping around my waist.
"Eden, don't you dare!"
"Ezio, so help me god, if you don't let me go-" I yelled at him, and kicked at him, twisting out as best as I could.
"There's nothing you can do to help!"
"I'm not letting her die!!" And with that, I ripped myself out of his arms, wrapping my cloak tightly around myself and running through the flaming doorway. Intense heat greeted me, the fire almost welcoming, my vision obscured. But it was not the time to panic, especially as I ran through the hall, dodging the flames as best as I could.
---
Ezio was about to run after her, desperate to get her back out into safety, when her voice rang through his mind.
"Don't do anything stupid."
Apparently that only applied to him, because she continued to do stupid things like run right into a building that was of fire in search of a little girl. He stared after her as she disappeared in the fire, and clenched his jaw, his fists tightening.
He hasn't felt this desperate and helpless since he had to watch half his family executed.
---
I broke through the door, which easily dropped off its burnt hinges, and ran inside. There was less fire in here, the smoke gathering at the ceiling thickly.
"Adel!!!" I called loudly, trying not to choke. I heard a replying cry come from somewhere in the corner, next to an open window. I rushed over there, crouching down as I went. The girl looked up at me, frightened out of her mind, with tears of pain on her cheeks, and her blue eyes looking at me as if doubting I was real. She was mostly unharmed, except for a few angry burn marks on her skin. "Oh thank god," I muttered, snatching her up. She weighed next to nothing as she gripped my neck tightly, hiding her face in my shoulder. Hurrying to cover her with my cloak, I was about to run out the way I came, when I heard a low groan coming from nearby.
Time. Something I needed the most in this situation, and something that I had the least of. At a closer glance, I found Adel's father, who I never seen up to that point. A burning bookcase trapped him, and knocked him out. It would take me way too long to help him in his condition.
I also noted that he was lying in a position to suggest he was running to the door when he got squished. He wanted to just leave his daughter in the fire. Without much regret, I left him lying there, and ran out the door before my way could get blocked again.
The stairs had already collapsed in a flaming mass of timber, so I tightened my hold on Adel, and jumped down, landing a lot heavier than usual due to added weight. The hallway that led outside was straight, the doors wide open, but I couldn't see day light yet. I took a hasty breath, and began to run, gaining speed in a matter of moments. The fire continued to sing merrily, as excited and dangerous as a kid with sharp scissors, except much more dangerous. The song jiggled in my ears with pressure.
"Burn, burn, burn! Everything burn to the ground! Burn, burn, burn... Can't run, can't hide! Burn, burn, BURN!"
I wasn't even sure when it was over. One moment, the door seemed so far away, unreachable with the flames roaring from all sides, and suddenly, it was already behind me. Someone caught me, and flung the flaming cloak off me. Fresh air was a breath of relief after the heavy smoke that tightened my lungs, suffocating me.
"Eden!" Ezio's voice came through a pillow. Why are there pillows tied to my head, anyway? I groggily thought, What kind of stupid idea was that? But his voice got louder with every word. And with that, the yelling around me, the falling debris... "Everything is fine, let her go! Come one, Eden, focus!" I felt a warm, calloused hand first feel my forehead and then press to my cheek.
"Stop yelling," I finally breathed out. I realized that I was holding Adel way too tightly for her comfort. He gently took her away from me as soon as my hold loosened. Adel easily agreed to the new arrangement, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her cheek into his shoulder
When I was able to think clearly again, I made a mental check. All limbs still intact, my clothing burnt slightly, but most of the damage went to the cloak. I couldn't feel any burns on myself, but then again, it was probably because of the adrenaline. "Where's Aurora?" I realized that she was not in the building.
"I'm not sure, she's probably with a doctor, though. How are you?" Ezio nearly demanded, "Are you injured anywhere?"
The concern in his voice made me break into a weak smile. "I'm alright. Just disoriented. And in need of a new cloak."
The doctor's shop was not far away from the building, which was already almost extinguished with the joined efforts of the men that were close enough. Luckily, it didn't have the time to spread any farther, due to the fact that it stood alone. The doctor greeted us as we walked in, and it only took a quick explanation for him to order us to lay the girl down on a cot in the section of the shop behind a curtain reserved for examinations.
Ezio did the talking and explaining as I sat down beside Adel. The doctor examined her burns, gently probing at the red skin and shaking his head with understanding as Ezio continued. Apparently this wasn't his shop, as he was visiting relatives in town. Since the actual doctor was busy dealing with other guest of the inn, he'd offered his services.
Adel he was still awake, though her eyes were half closed. Looked up at me, still scared and surprised, I felt another painful tug. "Eden?" she muttered lowly, and I nodded, reassuringly running a hand through her hair. It was singed at the edges, but still intact.
"It'll be alright," I whispered, for the lack of anything better, even though I very weakly believed in my own words. I felt like I was trying to convince myself more than her. She tilted her chin slightly, in acceptance.
"Yes, Signora Nevalle went into labor, and my wife is taking care of her in the other room, though her condition puts both her and the baby at risk," I heard the doctor explain to Ezio. "It might be a while before she's fully recovered from this, however."
"Damn it," Ezio cursed. I bit my lip.
This wasn't right. She was too young for this...too innocent. I felt like crying from helplessness. And all of it was our fault. The building was set on fire most likely because of Borgia's orders. He thought we'd be inside. And even if we weren't, it would give us a big enough distraction, so they could pull everything off. Unfortunately, it worked. My energy was drained with the adrenaline rush gone, and I wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball, and cry like a little girl.
I stood up, crossing my arms. I didn't even realize Ezio was beside me. Without saying a word, he pulled me to him, draping an arm around my shoulder and hugging me tightly.
"I'm sorry I ran off like that," I whispered, "I just-"
"I get it. You did a good thing, Eden, don't regret it," he replied soothingly, and I felt him press his lips to the top of my head.
"I left her father to die in the fire. He was going to leave her behind, but he didn't deserve to be left there like that-"
"Shh," he interrupted the beginning of my rant. He pulled away, gripped my shoulders, and looked me in the eyes. "We can talk when everything has calmed down. But right now, I need you to focus. You saved one life, but we have another one that's on the line."
I took a deep calming breath. This wasn't like me to just break down. Not now, not when there was still work to be done. I needed to pull myself together, and make sure the ones responsible paid in kind.
"Let's go to Antonio," I said firmly. He stared back, and then nodded. I took a step away from him, cold determination replacing all uncertainty as I turned to the doctor. "Can we take her home for now?"
"Yes, she's in no danger. The burns are not severe, and I already applied ointment. She's still scared out of her mind, so be careful not to shock her anymore. She just needs rest," he confirmed. "What about her mother?"
"Keep her here, and keep her alive. When you're sure she's safe, have her come to the Palazzo della Seta, and tell Signora Nevalle her daughter will be there, as well," I ordered, tossing him a healthy amount of florins from my money bag for his trouble. Ezio meanwhile, picked Adelaide into his arms again. She was already asleep when we walked back outside.
I walked closer to him than usual, my arms crossed tightly across my chest. "What are we going to do?"
"I don't know," he sighed, "We can leave her in the thieves' care for now, until her mother is back on her feet. There's nothing else we can do right now, but focus on saving the Doge before it's too late."
"Alright." He looked at me with sympathy. I didn't know how he knew what I was feeling at that moment, but I was glad he did. It was hard for me to watch this happen all over again. Once was enough for three lifetimes. And then with Ezio...
"What kind of idiot lights a fire in the middle of a city as tightly knit as Venice to get a few assassins distracted?" I asked, watching the gray swirls of smoke on the cloudy clouds. "If it had spread..."
"I'm surprised that it didn't. It seemed like it was lit from all sides at once, it's lucky that it wasn't attached to the other buildings, or this would have taken a lot longer to fix."
"It's also lucky that no one else was caught in it. I think we were the only occupants aside from Adel's family and the landlord himself.
"This creates a strange time paradox," I suddenly stated.
"How so?"
"Considering I'm not even supposed to be in this time, and I saved a girl that no one else was going to save. That means historically, she was not supposed to survive."
Ezio shifter his eyebrows together. "Or maybe you were supposed to save the girl. Maybe you were meant to be here to save her, even if you were born in a different century. We'll never know, but Adel is alive, no matter what happened. Let's just be happy with that fact."
"I don't know...Let's just... talk to Antonio, and figure this stuff out, I can't think properly," I rubbed my forehead. I was more exhausted than I realized, having woken up in the middle of the night, fought what now feels like a hundred assassins, ran away from them a lot, then followed him and a group of Templars over the roofs, killed an archer in the process, saved a little girl from a fire...
Yeah, it was an eventful day.
Rosa greeted us at the entrance of the palazzo, smirking at Ezio. However, she quickly took in the tiny girl in his arms and our grim expressions, raising her eyebrows in confusion.
"We need to talk to Antonio," Ezio said bluntly. He was probably pretty tired, himself. She nodded.
"Antonio!" I winced slightly at her very loud, commanding voice. I glanced up to see the man lean over the railing, and then come downstairs.
"Ezio, Eden - and who's this?" he noted Adel, and raised an eyebrow. As I explained, Antonio nodded along, his expression changing to one of concern and understanding.
"I don't suppose we can leave her here for now? We can't exactly take her around with us."
"Yes, of course!" He nodded to a few of the servants that remained in the palace, and they fluttered over the girl, cooing slightly. "Find her some clean clothes, and feed her when she wakes up. What did you say her family name was?"
"Nevalle, I think it was," Ezio informed him, and Antonio furrowed his eyebrows.
"Sounds vaguely familiar. But, were there any other reasons for this visit?" he asked, and I glanced at him with suspicion. He sounded almost as if he knew why we were here...
"Silvio, Marco Barbarigo, and Carlo Grimaldi are planning to poison the Doge and replace him with one of their own." Ezio was speaking so fast, I forced myself to concentrate. In reality, all I wanted to do was fall on the ground and go sleep right then and there.
"And they call me a criminal!" Antonio's expression became grave. "With their own man as Doge, they'll have the entire Venetian fleet and trade empire in their grasp!"
"We need your help," Ezio dropped the bomb.
"Of course! You have my word, and the support of all my men."
"And women," Rosa soundly reminded everyone present, causing the corner of my mouth to quirk up slightly in agreement.
"Grazie, amici," Ezio replied.
Ezio seemed relieved, though I was not as optimistic. I got a good look at the ruler's palace while waiting for the Templars to move. From the very first glance, I could tell that the only way of getting it would be dropping from the sky, and as far as I know, humans didn't have wings. We were pretty awesome, but getting in alone would be beyond our capabilities
"But, this will take some planning," Antonio thoughtfully replied, "The Palazzo Ducale is the most heavily guarded building in Venezia. It makes the Palazzo della Seta look like and open park." Antonio seemed to be reading my mind.
"Nothing is impenetrable," Ezio smirked, and Rosa let out a soft laugh.
"And that's why we like you."
"Let's just have a look at it first, though. We might need another strategy."
"Then let's go," Antonio nodded, and ushered us out, me following. "I must say, though, treachery like this no longer surprises me. When I was a child, we were taught that the nobles were just and kind." I almost snorted at that. I knew well from experience that even gods became corrupted, causing even a child's fairy tale can have a gruesome end. "I believed it, too. And though my father was a cobbler, and my mother, a scullery-maid, I aspired to be much more. I studied hard, I persevered, but I could never make myself one of the ruling class. So - I ask you, who are the true nobles of Venice?"
"Trick question. Don't answer it," I whispered so lowly, only Ezio could hear. He glanced at me with amusement, and I smiled slightly. The shock of the fire was finally wearing off, though the joke was still feeble.
"Men like Grimaldi, or Marco and Silvio Barbarigo? No! We are! The thieves, and the mercenaries, and the whores! We keep this place going, and each one of us has more honor in his little finger than the whole pack of our so-called rulers!" I think Antonio was too deep in his truly inspiring monologue to notice I was biting my lip hard against a retort. There were so many ways I could contradict him, I was nearly bursting. But I actually liked the man, so I kept my mouth shut. "We love Venice, while others merely see it as a means of enriching themselves."
I half expected the people on the streets to stop their routines and applaud. But I guess he was right. It was in my time that you turned to crime if you wanted freedom, to prostitution, thieving, and being a hired gun because you had no other choice. We would never band together to seek the greater good, for we would not see beyond our own needs. This was a different era, and it was about time I got used to it.
Eventually, we made our way back to the Doge's palace, and stopped in front of it. It was less crowded here, most people scared away by the grim looking guards that patrolled every few meters. Both of the men crossed their arms, evaluating the building.
"Look at that," Antonio shook his head, "How do you propose we get in?"
"I guess the front gates are out?" Ezio asked, and the thief laughed.
"Alright, smartass, let's check that first."
"Eden, can you climb up, and see if there're any weak spots?" I nodded, looking at the wall sourly, and took it at a run, climbing up quickly. Ideally, I should have climbed the bell tower, which was significantly higher than the palace, allowing me a dollhouse view. But I didn't have the time or energy to climb that high. This would have to do...
The look from above was about as promising as from the ground. Archers were posted every inch of the roof, and a large metal fence was erected around the perimeter. The basilica attached to it was taller than the fence, but jumping from the dome would be like suicide. The Venetians really took guarding their Doge to heart - I could see absolutely no weak spots aside from the large hole in the middle. But as I stated previously, you'd have to be able to fly to get in there.
I saw both Ezio and Antonio coming back, having circled around the entire thing as I lightly climbed down. From their grim expressions, I could tell that they found no way in.
"If I had to guess, our chances are about one hundredth of a percent," I sighed.
"Cazzo! There's no way inside for people, just those damned birds," Antonio kicked at pigeon, startling it and causing it to flap its wings at him reproachfully. If we couldn't find a way inside, then the Doge would die soon. Of the Doge died...well, it wouldn't be pretty. And a whole lot more work for us to clean up.
"Wait..." Ezio furrowed his eyebrows. "That's it! Eden, let's go!" He pulled my arm away from palace, and confused, I let him.
"Where are you going?" Antonio seemed to understand as much of this as I did. That is to say, nothing.
"To see my good friend Leonardo!"
I allowed him to drag me through the first street, still thinking hard, but coming up with a blank. Finally, I resisted, wrenching him to a stop.
"Okay, spill. Why the hell are we going to Leonardo?!"
"The only way to get to the palace is from above!"
"And you think Leonardo has a parachutes and a plane to drop us off?"
"What are you talking about?…no, his flying machine, idiota!"
My eyes widened as I finally realized what he was getting at. Actually, I was surprised he had to spell it out for me. It'd been a long day...
"Ezio, you're a genius!"