"The Dirty Knife" was not a very respectable place. Actually, it was likely operating illegally, without any sort of license. Not that the patrons would be reporting that to the Doge any time soon. The people that gathered here were not simply drunks and occasional celebrating merchants. Mercenaries, thieves, whores, and basically anyone who was looking for an illegal or simply awkward and delicate job considered this their tavern. And it was widely accepted as such, an unspoken rule of this district. If a cocky or suicidal guard or noble ever wandered in, you could bet that they would not get a very warm welcome. Then again, even nobles hired thieves.
From the outside, it looked basically like any other tavern. The only hint at its reputation was the two crossed knives behind a tankard on the sign that dripped something I was fairly sure wasn't paint. I pushed the door open, and walked in silently. Eyes closest to the door shot up, and I took in the sight of a few blades glinting in the dim lights. But no one made a move towards me…at least not yet. Crossing the loud room without even glancing at the patrons, I made my way towards the barkeep, my hood drawn down far over my face. The rather rotund, sleazy looking man behind the counter watched my approach warily.
Funny thing with thieves. They didn't trust many people, understandably so. But they never tried to rough up someone until they proved that they were not good news. Until then, they just kept a close eye on them. And a steady hand on their weapons.
To tell the truth, it wasn't the first time I had to gather information via this age-old, and foolproof way. The bartenders heard everything, knew everyone, and were always willing to spread the rumors for a small price. And in a place like this, you knew that he wouldn't sell himself out to the guards about an overly curious stranger. Besides, Luca told me that the pub was also somewhat or a safe house, too, if one ever needed to hide out and lay low for a while.
"Anything for you?" the barkeep politely asked, much to my surprise. I smirked discretely in reply, though.
"Well, Antonio told me so much of this place, so I couldn't resist visiting."
Understanding dawned on his face, though he seemed surprised. Not many women aside from the serving girls and whores came around the place. "What's your deal? Looking for a job? Or are you here to order?"
"I already have a job."
"Information, then?" he smiled, which could have passed for good-natured and kind one, if he didn't have half his teeth missing. "And what are you then, a thief? Heard there was a feisty girl in Antonio's flock..."
"No, actually. Though I do have a knife that has Cecilio Maeriale written all over it." One of my hands was playing with the coins in my pocket. No doubt the man, as well as half the tavern heard the little jingling.
"Who?" he put on a careful mask of polite surprise. I continued to smile sweetly, as more money appeared on the bar, only to disappear into his hands.
"Ah, now I remember. The lawyer? Yes, he's been causing us a lot of trouble lately. This city is full of those corrupt buggers. All they do is arrest innocent people and say they're fighting crime. And the new Doge isn't helping, either - at least when Mocenigo was in charge, he thought twice about ruffling any feathers. And now...just last night, that figlio di puttana Maeriale arrested Old Man Odo for theft. Now, Odo's a strange one, no doubt, but he's never stolen anything. And then there was a boy they took away too, Marcus something-or-other, one of Antonio's flock. Which is I guess why you're here?"
The name rang a bell. A very... very... annoying bell. Bob?
Actually, I didn't take the job because of that. Mostly, it was to get away from the Seta. Antonio was still busy examining that god damned dog, most of the thieves were out doing their usual things, Leonardo was still not back from Milan. And Ezio and Adel...I was pissed at both of them.
Seems that while I was out, Adelaide came to the conclusion that she wanted to be an assassin. For god knows what reasons, considering she stated outright it wasn't because of revenge or anything like that. And while I was trying to find my jaw on the floor, Ezio stated that he approved of the choice, even though his face looked as if I was pulling his teeth.
So what did I do?
No, I didn't scream bloody murder. Nor did I smite them down where they stood, though for a long moment, I was very tempted to. No, I glared at both of them for a good measure, threatened to send Adel to a nunnery (even if a little part of me sniveled up and died at that), and told Ezio that he should not be within eyesight of me at any point in the future.
As soon as that went down, I began to find excuses to get out of the palace, giving both of them the silent treatment, which, to my amazement, worked better than I ever thought. By the end of the first week, Adel still remained firm, but Ezio was slowly caving.
Back to the present...
"What will happen to them?" I asked, tilting my head with curiosity.
"With anyone else, they would just wait in jail for a few weeks, and then pay the fine. But with Cecilio..."
"They will be executed," a man beside us spoke up suddenly.
I turned towards him, cautiously taking him in. "How do you know that?"
The stranger laughed. "He has executed every good man he's 'caught' so far. It's about time someone stepped in, but our Doge isn't lifting a finger to do so. He's obsessed with the assassin that killed that rat, Grimaldi, and Mocenigo."
"Is that so?" He nodded enthusiastically, encouraged by my interest.
"Yes. They almost got him too, they say. Escaped by a hair. But you know, I don't think anyone would mind if he tries to hide in Cecilio's bedroom next..."
"When are they going to execute them?" I asked.
"Oh, some time today. That's what those heralds preach. But, say, why are we talking on such a gruesome topic, how about we-"
"Maybe because the lady already has a suitor?" Ezio's heavy hand appeared on my shoulder so suddenly, that I nearly flinched, and let out a slow breath through my teeth. The man I was talking to looked up at the assassin, only to hurry to take another seat at least three meters away from us.
"Jealous?" I asked, my teeth clenched, as another coin flashed in the air, and disappeared in the bar keep's hands, as a thanks for the information.
"Of course." I wasn't sure whether he was being sarcastic or not, but I definitely felt myself respond to the protective note in his voice. Standing up from the stool, we moved out of the tavern, once more drawing curious eyes. "And how could I not be, really? I turn my back for one moment, and you're making eyes at some greasy-"
"I didn't do anything. He must have had a few drinks if he was that eager to share information. Besides, I told you not to follow me! "
"I really doubt that's all he wanted to share." He completely ignored the last part of my statement. We stopped in a shadow of a nearby alley to argue, and immediately, grumbling could be heard somewhere above us.
"And I'm not that type of girl," I glared at him from underneath my hood. "Don't think I'll just jump in bed with the closest stranger, unlike someone here. Besides, why the hell did you come? I can handle this on my own perfectly well! Not to mention, don't you have some little girls to damn to a life of killing?"
He muttered something so low I couldn't hear.
"Repeat that again, and in Italian this time," I chimed, crossing my arms.
"I already said I'm sorry!"
"Ezio, Adel is still a child. How can you even think-"
"She blackmailed me!"
"With what, pray tell? Your conditioner and make-up kit?" I raised my eyebrows at him.
"What is this 'conditioner' you speak of?" he asked with confusion, which only caused me to roll my eyes.
"It makes your hair soft and manageable," I snorted, reaching up and giving his hair a vicious tug, "and girly!"
"Hey!" he yelped, quickly backing out of my grasp.
"I can't possibly imagine what an eight-year old could have against you that you would even think of humoring her on this!" I snapped.
"Well-" he reached up to scratch the back of his head uncomfortably. "That doesn't matter. The point is, I was sort of forced into agreeing! It doesn't mean that we actually have to train her in anything just yet. She can still change her mind!"
"Well, you'd better be right, because I'm not going to teach a child how to kill!"
"And neither will I! Really, who do you take me fo-" Suddenly, one of the people above us decided they had enough. Dumping a bucket of water out the window, it splashed Ezio head to toe, and effectively ending the argument. We stared at each other for a moment, and then I had to lean onto the nearby wall as I broke out laughing, holding my stomach as he tried to realize what the hell just happened. Laughing even harder at his shocked expression, I was nearly in tears with glee.
As he tried to move, he slipped, made a feeble attempt to fly, failed, and fell backwards into the canal. Even the splash of water on my clothes didn't stop my laughter. I nearly sunk to the tiles, gripping my sides as they began to hurt.
Ah, sweet karma. She's a bitch, but I love her!
"Come on," I made out through the giggling when he pulled himself up from the water. "Let's get you off of these dangerous streets."
"I hat-te you," he ground out, taking off his cloak and twisting it in his hands. Water spilled onto the ground thickly. "B-back to the Seta, then..."
"And give the thieves a once in a lifetime show of a very wet and pissed assassin? They'll die laughing," I noted, not minding the fact that that I just threatened to die in the same manner. He glared at me, but looked so much like a half drowned dog at that moment, that I just burst out laughing again. Crossing his arms, he waited for me to finish, apparently not finding this nearly as amusing as I did. "Come on, Leonardo's workshop is closer," I finally gasped out. In fact, we were pretty much in the courtyard right in front of the workshop.
It took me only a minute to climb through the window which the forgetful artist left unlocked (thankfully, he was on the Thieves Guild friend list). It hadn't changed in the absence of its owner. There was slightly less stuff cluttering the place, and a thin coat of dust covered everything. But aside from that, it was as though Leonardo never left. I opened the front door, though somewhat sadistically waiting for a few minutes before I let Ezio in. When he finally came inside, I could almost hear his teeth chattering.
Still giggling, I began to rummage in the bedroom, and found a towel and some spare clothes.
"Hopefully, he won't mind," I said, coming back into the main room, where Ezio had already stripped off his armor and tunic. He immediately wrapped the towel around himself, still shivering.
"This is all your fault," he grit, but I just smiled wider.
"Hey, at least I feel better..."
"You're mean," he stated, and I sighed, melting on the inside.
"Fine, we'll assume you've suffered enough." I gave in, and came closer, hugging him. "Seriously, who has a random bucket of freezing water standing around?"
"Those who have annoying people arguing right underneath their windows?" he suggested, as he tugged me to the nearest chair, sitting down on the edge of it. I perched on his knee, as he refused to let the heat source go, holding me to him tightly.
I think my heart was running a hundred miles per hour, as seemed to be the case any time I was in such close contact with him. I was almost certain he could hear it.
"Promise you won't be training Adel?" I asked quietly.
He pulled away, and looked me sternly in the eyes. "Eden, I have no intention of doing so. Maybe we can find a family for her, or perhaps someone wouldn't mind teaching her. If it comes down to it, we can move her to either Firenze or Monteriggioni."
"So, just out of curiosity, then," I slyly narrowed my eyes, "What did she blackmail you with?"
"That…is none of your business." For some reason, he blushed, and I laughed.
"I can just ask her. I'm pretty sure she'll be a little unhappy about your withdrawal from her decision..."
"You are absolutely evil," he almost whined. "You just enjoy torturing me, don't you?"
"Of course!" He chuckled, and dropped his forehead onto my shoulder. His wet hair touched my skin, and I cringed. "Hey! That's cold!"
"No shit, Sherlock."
"And don't use my lines!"
He sighed, now making me cringe for a different reason. "Yes, dear."
Honestly, he was like a huge teddy bear. I suddenly got the urge to hug him, and cuddle him, and - stop that train of thought right there!
It was Ezio that did something I didn't expect. He suddenly tightened his hold on me, and nuzzled my neck, as if trying to bury his nose in the warmth of my artery.
My brain just about froze, as if to say "Yeah, you're on your own," my breathing hitching slightly. I hurried to even it out before Ezio could notice. Mentally, I tried counting to ten, but got stuck on "two", something that made me panic worse than seeing three squads of guards come in from all sides...
Suddenly, without any warning, the door opened, and a familiar voice could be heard muttering. I all but jumped away from Ezio, hurrying to put as much distance between us as possible.
"I could have sworn I locked - Oh!" Leonardo stared at us, blinking rather rapidly, taking in the fact that Ezio was shirtless and wrapped in a towel, soaking wet. I probably looked like a deer caught in headlights at that moment. "What are you two doing-"
"There was an incident in one of the alleys," I explained fast, ever so grateful for the interruption. "I'm sorry for breaking into it, but really, you should lock all the windows when you leave."
"Of…course..."
"Right. Well Ezio can get you caught up on everything," I said pointedly, before slipping past Leonardo and out the open door without looking at the assassin again.
"Where are you going?" Ezio called after me.
"I have a job, and it can't wait!" I called over my shoulder, all but running out.
Leonardo looked pleased to be back in his natural habitat, amongst his sketches, plans, projects and inventions. He began chattering almost immediately after the surprise wore off. Ezio listened absentmindedly as the artist talked about Milan and the commission work he was supposed to finish a month ago. At one point or another, he finally remembered who he was talking to.
"I must admit, I did not expect to see you again. They say you murdered the Doge!"
"I was trying to save him," Ezio groaned. "But it doesn't matter now."
"Yes, I suppose not. And, out of curiosity, what was Eden talking about when she left?"
"Her work is similar to mine," Ezio shrugged, and understanding dawned on the painter's face.
"Of course! Well, she seemed in a hurry. Did something happen?"
Ezio thought about it for a moment, and then shrugged. He didn't exactly understand the way she thought, or why she would want to leave so quickly. "I really don't know. Oh, and Leonardo, I have another codex for you," Ezio told the artist, having decided to deal with Eden later. Leo's eyes glittered slightly at the sight of the scroll, as always.
"Excellent! Let me see it!" He took it from his hands, and cleared up the space on his table by simply sweeping everything out of his way before spreading the vellum over the surface. "Hmm, this seems to be another design for your arm, but not a blade..."
"Yes, Eden identified as much," he stated without thinking, looking over Leonardo's shoulder. The man looked up at him, surprised again.
"That's hardly possible, I haven't ever seen a design like this, and I doubt it even exists. This seems to be some sort of arma da fuoco, a firearm, but as small as a hummingbird!"
"Do you think it's possible?" Ezio knew the answer, of course. He already began to remove his bracer from his arm, laying it beside the codex page.
"Well, we'll just have to make it and find out!" Ezio sat down in the one and only chair, after transferring the stuff on it to the floor. Watching the artist work and mumbling something under his breath, his thoughts trailed to Eden once again.
"Leonardo?" Ezio asked thoughtfully. The artist looked up, and raised a curious eyebrow, tearing himself from his work for a moment.
Seconds passed, and Ezio still couldn't bring himself to ask anything. "Yes?" Leo prompted.
The assassin sighed. "Never mind."
"Does this have anything to do with Eden?" Leonardo sometimes proved too perceptive for Ezio's comfort. After hesitating slightly, he nodded.
"Things have been...confusing, I suppose is the word."
"What happened?"
"Nothing...or, I don't know."
"Well?"
"I think...I may be... falling…in love with her?" he admitted, though it sounded more like a question. It sounded a little strange to say out loud, as if he was confessing some dark secret.
"Well, that's not hard to see," Leonardo shrugged, going back to his work, leaving Ezio to gape.
"Wait, you knew?"
"Mmhm. You two were inseparable from day one, as I recall. You care for each other, no?"
"That's the thing-" Ezio dropped his head into his hands. "It's hard not to love her. At least once you get past the initial impression."
"Yes, she's really something," Leonardo nodded in distracted agreement, though Ezio swore he saw the artist smirk for a fleeting moment. "So you love her. What's the problem?"
"She doesn't love me."
"Why are you so sure of that?" the artist looked up again, bewildered. "Eden has been with you since the beginning. She went all over Tuscana with you, followed you through half of Italy to Venice, and from what she told me, has risked her life for you on many occasions. What makes you say she doesn't love you?"
"She doesn't love me the way I - want her to. She probably just thinks of me as her brother or something..."
"And you can't exactly judge her for that."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Leonardo sighed, and turned towards Ezio fully. Leaving the weapon and codex alone, he quickly realized that he wouldn't get any quiet for now. "My friend, how many women have you been with since you've met her? How many did you leave within the hour after getting what you wanted? And how many of them does she know about?"
Ezio blinked, the picture suddenly becoming more clear all of a sudden. "Wait, so you're saying-"
"She is a smart woman, and if she cares for you that much, she likely doesn't want to get hurt."
"I'd never hurt her," Ezio noted, "Out of fear, maybe, at the very least, but never intentionally. Besides, she doesn't strike me as the type to be afraid of getting hurt."
But that's not exactly true...
"But put yourself in her shoes for a moment. Have you ever woken up after an eventful evening with the sheets already going cold? I don't know her like you do, but maybe she has. Can you honestly say you don't understand why she's rejecting you?"
His mouth fell open, and then closed again as he tried to come up with a response. In truth, she hadn't officially rejected him. She most likely didn't even know what his feelings towards her were. But the many times she pulled away from what could have led to something...it felt almost like a rejection.
"So what do I do, then?"
"You're really asking me for advice? You, as in, Ezio Auditore?"
"Quit it, Leonardo. She's hardly just any girl."
"Well, do what you do best, then," Leonardo shrugged, turning back to the device, and not waiting for a response from Ezio.
"What, assassinate her? I don't see how that's going to help anything."
"Ezio, what do you want from me?" The inventor asked exasperatedly. "You love her, she loves you. And it will be all nice and lovely, and you can go off and get married, and have little children, and then move to Rome and become the pope; just for god's sake, let me work!"
Then, after a moment, the artist seemed to have remembered something, for he turned back to Ezio sharply, "By the way, I have some interesting news..."
I nodded, and the young thief flashed a cheerful smile, scurrying away with ten florins in his pocket. Crossing my arms, I leaned back onto one of the columns that ran across the perimeter of the square. The execution stage stood "proudly" right in the middle of it, blood sprayed over the boards and the nooses. There was wide empty space around it, as people avoided it like a plague, perhaps afraid of vengeful spirits of the deceased. I couldn't care less. My interest was not the amount of blood on it, or even the stage itself, but the distance between it and the roofs.
Thinking about the upcoming assassination was easier than having to think about Ezio, though his name popped up in my thoughts every now and again. I struggled to forget about it, focusing on the plan instead.
The buildings around it were tall, but easily claimable. Unlike the Ducale, they had lots of secluded balconies in which I could hide afterward. The only real problem was the archers along the roofs patrolling the area around the palazzo, as well as those on the ground. If they were dealt with, then Cecilio would be easily within my sniping range. After that, I would have no problem getting away.
Then again, there was the problem with Marcus and Old Man Joe - I mean, Odo. If possible, I wanted them out of danger. Antonio's thieves would not enter a fight unless the way was clear. I already paid off a group of thieves to take the first opportunity and get the two accused out of there. But to clear the way for them, I'd have to get involved a bit more closely.
I mentally tried to calculate my chances if I tried coming up close and personal with Cecilio. In theory, the corrupt lawyer should be making the charges, perhaps leaving one or two guards to pull the lever, and a load of people watching (Funny folks; they wrinkled their noses in disgust and hurried away in fear when there was a fight or a dead body on the streets, but watched executions with enjoyment). And, of course, the many guards around the place, considering the close proximity with the palazzo Ducale. If I could push through the people, kill Cecilio and the guard, grab the two accused-
Dammit, I'd become a kebab as soon as I tried to flee. Then again…
I suddenly smiled, as I looked around once more from the shadow of the walkway. If I could have the guards even just momentarily distracted, then it would prove no challenge to run away, taking more of them after me, and leaving the way wide open for the thieves to free Odo and Marcus.
To tell the truth, I was excited for the assassination, if a bit nervous. It was my element, getting back to what I'd spent half my life doing. And for once, the adrenaline rush that came with the kill and escape was for me alone to enjoy. A somewhat twisted thought, I realized, but...
It was starting. I didn't have time to climb the roofs.
The people began to gather quickly around the stage simultaneously, watching eagerly for the criminals to be brought forth. The long knife slid easily into my hand, concealed by my cloak as I saw the group make their way into the center of the crowd, and onto the stage. I came closer, weaving through the people easily.
Kill. Kill. Kill- my thoughts chanted in excitement. Instinct took over, my way was clear.
I blinked, and the world went dark, the people on the execution stage beginning to shine. It was a strange, unusual feeling, but in my current state, I barely even noticed, even welcoming it a bit. One of the prisoners shone white, the other blue, Cecilio in yellow, and the guard accompanying him, in red. I recalled what Ezio told me. My target was the fat man in rich clothes, whose very heartbeat I could hear in my ears, getting louder, leading me to him with a magnetic pull. I didn't hear his words as he spoke the accusations. Words were unimportant, his excuses not enough to stay my blade.
I sped up, but tried to push people out of my way gently, not drawing attention to myself before I had to. There were guards lined up beside the stage, shining in red as well. But they didn't even notice me until it was too late.
I dodged the one that tried to push me back into the crowd. Ducking under his arm, at the same time, I cleanly sliced through his unprotected throat before I flew up onto the stage, as lightly as a sparrow. In a familiar flicker of the wrists, the two red bodyguards grasped at their throats, choking on their own blood as it spilled down their armor.
Cecilio tried to back away. Realizing too late what was going on, he tripped over his own robes, almost stumbling off the stage. But we both knew that his time was up, and he had nowhere to run now.
The moment before I struck at his throat, the Eagle Vision brightened to a nearly painful level, only to disappear, leaving me to stare at the shocked and terrified face of the corrupt lawyer I was sent to kill. I smiled with glee, insane satisfaction filling me, pushing away all the anger or frustration I felt before that moment.
The deadly, thin line opened suddenly over his throat, his bloody gurgling filling my ears as his eyes rolled back into his head. My blade was stained with more fresh blood. In the few moments of shock that followed, I heard Ezio's voice speak clearly in my mind, and I repeated the words out loud along with him.
"Requiescat in Pace."
I glanced behind me, looking past the guards to the band of thieves at the ready. Smirking, and without further lingering, I took off.
"Now...for the ammunition..." Leonardo muttered thoughtfully, "And it's done! Ezio?"
"Huh?" the man blinked, forcing everything to come back into focus as Leonardo handed him his bracer back.
"It's finished! Go on, test it out. My assistant already set up dummies for you outside." Leonardo seemed eager to find out if the weapon worked, running through the instructions fast. Ezio gingerly put the bracer back on, looking over it. The design was somewhat strange to him, not the same as Eden's firearms, though very similar once you looked closer. It was thin and elegant, made completely out of metal, but it had the same shape and trigger. As with the rest of the blades, the mechanism included a spring, which jumped out when needed, and could be easily concealed.
He found the small garden beside the canal easily, and noted the three dummies that were erected on the other side of the canal. From where he stood, they were too far away for a throwing knife. And though he had confidence in his ancestor, he remembered what Eden said. Pistols were not due to come around for another century, so perhaps this one was not even functional.
Popping the pistol out of his bracer, he raised it, feeling somewhat foolish, but still aiming towards the dummy to the left of him. Tensing and bracing himself for the inevitability of blowing for his arm off, he pulled the trigger. There was the very loud sound of a gunshot, and the leg of the dummy jerked violently.
"Your aim sucks," a familiar, thoughtful voice sounded. He looked around, and then up, not bothering to hide his grin of recognition. Eden sat on the balcony up above with her legs crossed, her eyes wandering over the dummies. "Pass it here." After a moment of confusion, he took it off and tossed it up her. She examined it, looking it over and clicking it open. When she shot, the dummy continued to stand for one moment, shuddering as if in its final throes, and then fell into the water down below, a round hole right through its head.
"It's a decent pistol, though the recoil is pretty bad," she said aloud, continuing to examine it. "Amazing that Altair could come up with it almost three centuries before it was officially invented." She looked down to meet Ezio's eyes, as he'd been staring at her since she showed up. Then she lightly jumped down to the ground beside him, giving him back the bracer. "I can show you how to use it properly, if you want."
It took him a moment to respond. "Sure," he finally nodded, "Let's just hope no one hears it."
"Yes, and lets also hope that your arm won't get blown off. I hear it's unpleasant."
"That's an - optimistic prospect," he said, swallowing. "And what are the chances of it happening, exactly?"
She smirked, her eyes fixing on the bracer. "As a colleague of mine once said, the less you know, the more enthusiasm you eat with. Now, the concept is fairly simple. You aim, you shoot. And don't forget to reload it after every shot."
"You don't."
"It's a different type of gun. Yours isn't designed to hold more than one bullet at a time."
"Va bene."
"Now, raise your arm." He complied. "Hold it aligned to your target. Aim for the head, or the heart. Though with humans, the stomach is good too, even if it takes longer. Before you pull the trigger, make sure it's dead on, because you don't want to waste bullets. And keep your hand out of the way, like you would with your blades."
He did so, aiming for the second dummy's head carefully, as she did. With throwing knives, you hardly ever got the exact target you were going for, which was why sometimes one needed to aim higher or lower. But the pistol was completely accurate - you hit exactly what you aimed for. With another gunshot, the dummy fell into the water. A dog somewhere nearby began to bark, almost as though in response.
"And there you go," she stated. He finally looked her over, his conversation with Leonardo still in his mind. She looked tired, but strangely serene, even with the blood coloring her shirt and skin.
"How did everything go?" he asked, guessing what the change in her mood was brought on by.
"As good as can be expected," she smiled. And then she looked away from him, towards the city. He realized it was completely dark by now, but lanterns were lit all over the streets, the sounds of music and revelers carrying on not far away. "The Carnivale had started. And I think it's time to get to work. Marco is not wasting time."
"Let's get back inside, I think I still need to find myself a mask," he stated. She nodded in silent reply, contently falling into step beside him once again.
"I'll have to wear a dress, won't I?" Eden seemed to dislike the idea, though she stated before that she didn't have a problem with dresses.
"I'm afraid so. They are most likely looking for you now, too. And you'll just stand out even more if you're the only woman that's not in a dress."
"I really don't like the look of those dresses, though. They seem so uncomfortable, and probably as restricting as hell," she grumbled under her breath, eying a passing woman with distaste. Ezio shrugged, unsure how to help out in that topic. Considering the most he knew of dresses was how to take them off women, he never contemplated that part of it. But for obvious reasons, he did not comment on that.
"You said you wore dresses before."
"Yes. But if I wear them in this time, people will think I'm a prostitute. Things are a bit more simple in the future, you see." She crossed her arms, and he tried his hardest not to blush at that mental image.
"Leonardo, lookie what I brought," he called to the artist as they walked through the doors. The man looked up, eager to find out the results of his tests. He nodded to Eden in greeting, before his gaze focused on the bracer.
"Well? How does it work?"
"Like a charm. You've done me good, brother!" Ezio smiled, clapping Leonardo on the back. Leonardo's face lit up with enthusiasm, proud of his work, and he hugged Ezio in return. Eden couldn't help the smile that came to her face, genuinely touched by the show of friendship. Ezio was very happy with the new addition, though he needed a bit more practice with it until he could use it as fast as Eden could. "Now," he continued, "About that mask."
"Of course - let me see here..." Leonardo handed Ezio back the codex, and began to search through his drawers. Finally, he pulled out a small stock of masks. At Eden's raised eyebrow, he gave a little cough. "I was trying something."
"Right," she smiled. "Before we go, can I wash this off? Mask or no, I think people might notice," she gestured to the blood stains on her face. Leonardo nodded, and she walked off towards the internal rooms.
"But you hardly came here to play with new toys, right?" Leonardo asked as Ezio put on the simple black and silver mask, pulling his hood back on. "Is this about this horrible new Doge, si? Then you'll want to see your friend Antonio." Ezio actually hasn't seen Antonio for around a week, as he seemed to be spending a lot of his time either buried in paperwork, or out of the Seta. Though Eden somehow managed to scrape a contact off of him, openly taking advantage of the fact that Ezio couldn't even show his face on any of the major streets without setting the guards off.
"Actually, I've been seeing a lot of him at a - mutual friend's," Leonardo nearly stammered, giving another cough. "Just ask for Sister Teodora. She lives south of here, in the Dorsoduro District."
"Sister?"
"You'll see."
"Are we off, then?" Eden walked back into the room, her skin now clean of blood, though there was quite a bit remaining on her clothes. "I don't suppose she would have a dress I could borrow?"
"Well, talk to her, though you might not like her...selection." Leonardo was dancing around some point, and Ezio was intrigued.
"How far away is it?" I asked, gripping my cloak around myself tightly, "I feel like we aren't even going in the right direction."
"That's because we aren't."
"What?"
"Well..." his voice suddenly became thoughtful, and distracted, "There's- someone I want to see."
"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow, curious. "You look nervous. We aren't going to meet a Templar right now, are you? Because we already agreed that's a bleak prospect."
"Uh, no. Just an old friend." He offered me his arm, which I accepted with a sigh.
"An old friend? Here, in Venice?" I wasn't sure what he was getting at. "Listen, Ezio, if you want to ditch me, just say so."
"No! Actually, I think it's better if you come with me," he hurried to say.
"Then who the hell are you meeting?" I was starting to get a little impatient.
"Oh, fine. Leonardo told me that Cristina Vespucci - or, Arzenta, now - is in Venezia."
"Cristina?" I didn't remember him ever mentioning her.
"Yes…she and her husband are guests of Leo's patron. They're here for the Carnivale." He visibly winced at the word "husband".
"And why do you care?"
"I-" That stumped him, and he hesitated in replying, so I connected the dots by myself.
"You slept with her, didn't you?"
"Well…yes. But it's not what you think," he stated. I felt unease grow in my stomach ever since it was established that his "old friend" was a woman. "I - Can you please wait here?" he suddenly asked as we entered a large square that was filled with colorfully dressed people. I shifted my eyebrows together under the mask, but nodded.
I wasn't sure what he was doing. But I stayed on my spot for a moment, pretending to be engrossed in the minstrel's hoarse, the-cats-are-dying sort of singing as I watched Ezio out of the corner of my eye. He walked gracefully past the dancers, heading to the church that stood towering over the square.
I was curious, maybe too much. I knew this was none of my business, and yet I followed him. I didn't know who Cristina was. Or why he wanted to talk to her, how he would even get her to come, and who she was to him. But hell, I wanted to find out. He was distracted, which made it easier for me to follow him as he met up with someone in front of the church.
Cristina was a beautiful, richly dressed woman with artful, dark curls falling to her shoulders, the back partially pinned up. Like many noble women at the Carnival, her mask was colorfully designed, in perfect harmony with the rest of her outfit. When Ezio approached her, she looked up at him, and took of the mask, revealing her slightly confused expression. Whoever she was waiting for, it was not him.
I felt another pang of jealousy. The girl was younger than me, with a face that one would expect to see on an angel. I could swear I'd seen her before somewhere. A painting from this era that'd survived into my time, maybe? Great, she'd probably been some famous painter's model who'd been committed to the ages, in oils on canvas…interesting "old friends" Ezio had.
The said assassin slowly reached up, and pulled off his own mask, making the girl do a double take. Then she let out a small gasp.
"Ezio?"
"Cristina," he nodded in confirmation.
"What the hell are you doing here?" She seemed too stunned to remember that such language was unbecoming of a young lady.
"I'm sorry. I was afraid you wouldn't come at all if the note told the truth," he bowed his head slightly.
"I - Of course I wouldn't have come! Ezio, I haven't heard from you in nearly a year!"
"I was - busy."
"That's not what you said back then," she argued, "You said you would leave Italy with your family."
"I intended to, but there was a change of plans. And I see you married Manfredo." I noted with surprise that his voice shook slightly.
"You left! And my father was quick to find me a suitor! And you didn't even bother to come back or even write when you heard about the engagement!"
"He loves you-"
"And I loved you!" she interrupted. "Cazzo!Don't seek me out again, Ezio! It's just…just…too hard. You obviously lead a different life now!"
She was about to leave, but he desperately reached out, catching her elegant wrist lightly. "Cristina, I-"
She pulled out of his grip. "No, Ezio. There was a time you had me in the crook of you finger, but now – Goodbye, buena fortuna."
She put her mask back on, and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Ezio standing alone. I licked my lips, uncertain how to react to the scene I witnessed.
"And there you go," he muttered, turning towards me. He didn't seem too upset, but generally disappointed. This certainly did not go the way he wanted. "I guess I should have expected that," he sighed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. I didn't think I'd ever seen him so…emotionally exhausted.
"Why did you assume it would go differently?" I quietly asked. It was not the most sensitive thing to open with, but I was curious.
He chewed on his lip as he watched my face carefully, before saying, "I thought it was all for the best. I just wanted to end it on good terms. Not…like that."
"Do you still love her?" I asked, my voice hardening slightly.
"I don't know. Maybe I never did. Maybe I still do. It doesn't matter any more, though." He looked up at the sky. I followed his gaze automatically. Little sparks suddenly shot up from the city, exploding in the air above with a loud pop. Many people looked up with amazement, children began to laugh excitedly, and a few dogs barked somewhere in the background.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" I asked, smiling as I watched the colorful showers that brightened the sky.
"Yes, they are." When I looked back at Ezio however, he was not looking up anymore, but staring intently at me. I fidgeted under his gaze slightly.
"Well, we best get going, then. We still need to find this Sister Teodora." He nodded, sparing the fireworks another glance before taking the lead, me falling into step beside him.
I crossed my arms, looking up at the colorful building that had a very familiar scent to it. "You know, I did not figure Leonardo to be the type of guy."
"What makes you say that? He's a man, isn't he?"
I shrugged. "I read somewhere that he was - Actually, never mind, it's really his business. But let's just say, I doubt that there's anything in this building to interest him aside from the food."
He froze for a few moments, and then looked at me in shock. "What?"
"Nothing at all. Come on, ladies first," I gestured for him to walk inside, and after a quick glare, he complied. The inside of the building was much like Paola's brothel back in Florence, complete with the smell and girls with most of their cleavages hanging out of their dresses. They paid Ezio special attention, their eyes longing and their movements very suggestive. I clenched my teeth when I saw he was eying them, as well. I really needed to get the whole jealousy thing under control...
"I really think we got the wrong building."
"I really think we didn't," I jerked my head towards the corner of the room, where Antonio was enjoying the company of two pretty girls and a goblet of wine. Beside them stood a woman, who was indeed dressed as a nun. Though I really, really doubt nuns showed off that much skin.
Generally, I did not like women like her, with the sleek shiny hair, expensive jewelry, lace and frills, and a generous bust she was only too willing to show off to everyone. And I didn't like priests or nuns, either. Mostly because the ones I'd met wanted to either "put me back on the path" of something, or tried to kill either me or my friends. But Teodora was not exactly someone you'd call a faithful supporter of the church, considering she owned a brothel. Besides that, she had a kind smile, warm eyes, and an overall aura of comfort that I'm sure her...customers appreciated.
"Antonio!" Ezio called, and the thief and turned towards us, detaching himself from the girls for a moment. Then he furrowed his eyebrows. Ezio took off his mask, showing his face, and Antonio's expression cleared.
"Ezio! Teodora, let me introduce you the most talented man in Venezia!" he introduced with enthusiasm, toasting the assassin. I crossed my arms and snorted, but didn't add anything.
"Madonna- Ah," Ezio finally understood. "Sister Teodora. Antonio, I never imagined you as the religious type."
"That depends on how you view religion, my son." Teodora's voice was deep and musical. "It's not men's souls alone that require solace."
I wasn't sure what she meant by that, even after spending a few moments trying to chew it over. Ezio seemed to be just as confused, but he didn't show it. Meanwhile, the woman's eyes slid over to me, and a small smile quirked on her lips. There was recognition in her eyes, and I assumed that Antonio told her of me previously.
"Now! Ezio, we have to-" Antonio was suddenly interrupted but a loud scream, as one of the doors flung open, and a dirty, blood soaked man with wild eyes darted across the room towards the doors. Ezio and I tensed the moment the noise began, Antonio sobered instantly, and Teodora shifted her eyebrows together, surprisingly cool with the situation.
"Someone, stop him! He slit her throat and stole her money!" a woman yelled from the room.
"Well, Ezio, let's see just how talented you are!" Teodora spoke fast just as the maniac reached the doorway. I left the situation to Ezio, and hurried to the bedroom, where two girls were, one clutching the other on the floor, weeping loudly. The bed behind them was soaked with blood. I dropped down, pushing the crying woman away, and making a quick check, but it was too late. The courtesan was dead, and even if she wasn't, there wasn't much I could do - the cut on her throat was shallow and uneven, but nonetheless lethal. I let out a short breath, picking her up after a moment of effort.
I heard a gunshot, much louder than any of my guns, a yelp, a heavy thud, and then another short scream of surprise. Ezio was recovering from the recoil, while everyone in the room tried to comprehend what just happened.
"Is she…is she dead?" one of the courtesans asked, as if not believing her eyes. I nodded, gently lowering the body onto the table that was hastily cleared of everything. I immediately took a step away as the idle girls fluttered around their dead sister, crying all over the body while cleaning up the blood.
Antonio was not very impressed with the turn of events. "Why is it wherever you go, trouble follows? And what sorcery did you use to bring him down?"
"No sorcery, just a secret." Ezio reloaded the weapon, and tucked it away, seemingly proud of himself. "Antonio, I trust you know why we're here?"
"I assume you want to rid us of Marco Barbarigo. But really, Ezio, we've done this once already!"
"Then we will do it again!" I muttered, looking at the man sourly. I wasn't sure what crawled up his pants, considering he trusted Ezio and me just fine before.
He ignored me. "The man is scared stiff. And with the recent murder of Cecilio - by the way, my thanks, Eden - right in front of him, he's even more paranoid. He surrounds himself with guards, and barricades himself inside the palazzo, never leaving it."
"No - except for the Carnivale," Teodora suddenly intervened, "He wouldn't dare to miss it."
"How do you know this?" Ezio raised an eyebrow, coming closer.
"Teodora has her finger on the very pulse of Venice," Antonio waved a hand, dropping back into his seat.
"In fact," she continued, "He is throwing a massive party. No expense has been spared, as he wants to buy the people's favor, even if he cannot earn it. According to my spies, he has even ordered fireworks from China!"
I caught Ezio's eye and looked away, smirking discretely. Considering the pistol that Leonardo easily developed in a few hours, neither of us had doubts that he could create fireworks for the Doge for a whole lot cheaper price.
"How do I get invited to this party?" Ezio asked the woman.
"You will need a golden mask to get you in. And before you think of forging one-" she seemed to be reading his mind as he opened his mouth to say something, and then shut it again. "Each one is numbered. But I think it's possible that we can win you a mask. Come, walk with me. Both of you." She noticed that I was unsure whether or not to follow, and made the decision for me.
She led us away from the others, leaving Antonio to sulk in a corner. We all made our way into a secluded garden at the back of the brothel, not unlike Paola's, except with a fountain in the middle. The peaceful sound of water flowing down over the multicolored stones inlaid in the white marble washed over our ears. Teodora took a careful seat on one of the benches, while I climbed onto the border of the fountain, charmed by the reflection of the colorful lanterns bobbing on the water.
"The are holding special carnival games open to all tomorrow," she stated. "There are four events, and the winner will be awarded a golden mask, as well being an honorary guest to the party. You must win it, Ezio, for access to the party gives you access to Marco Barbarigo. And when you go, I'd advise you to take that little spitfire of yours, for you won't get close enough to knife him, be sure of that."
"May I ask a question?" Ezio inquired. I played with the water, listening to the conversation going on. Until I was needed, there was no point in interfering.
Oh, how low I've fallen...
"You can try. I cannot guarantee an answer."
"I am curious. You wear the habit of a nun, and yet clearly you are no such thing."
Well, some people have a fetish for this sort of thing...I spared their ears of my thoughts.
"How do you know that? I assure you, my son, that I am married to the Lord."
You must not be a very faithful wife, then.
"But I don't understand. You are also a courtesan. Indeed, you run a bordello."
"I see no contradiction. How I choose to practice my faith, what I choose to do with my body - those are my choices, and I am free to make them."
And that, ladies and gentlemen, was how witch burning started.
"Like so many young women, I was drawn to the Church." I looked around at her, shocked. You mean, girls actually picked it on their own free will? She ignored my look of bewilderment, and continued. "But gradually I became disillusioned with the so-called believers in this city. Men only hold God as and idea in their heads, and not in the depths of their hearts and bodies. Do you see what I am getting at? Men must know how to love in order to attain salvation. My girls and I provide that knowledge to our congregation. Of course, no imaginable sect of the Church would agree with me, so I was obliged to create my own. It may not be traditional, but it works, and men's heart grow firmer in my care."
"Among other things, I imagine."
I snorted loudly, mentally applauding Ezio. And they say jokes like that didn't come in until the twentieth century...
"You are very cynical, Ezio. Come back tomorrow, and we'll see about those games. And Eden, we need to find you proper wear. You can't very well walk around looking like you massacred a small village." I looked down, and agreed with her. Considering all of my murderous exploits over the last few months, blood continued to build up on my clothes. Soon, even the cloak wouldn't help hiding it.
"Well, I guess I will look like a prostitute after all. Just so everyone knows, if someone tries to pay me for a night, I am going to castrate him," I declared, hopping off the fountain and shaking the water off my hand. I had a pretty clear idea of the dresses in a brothel. But hey, at least I wouldn't have to worry about them restricting my movements. "That includes you, Ezio," I offhandedly added.
He almost looked disappointed. "Oh, please, signorina. As if you could." The retort was somewhat childish, and I flashed him a huge smile.
"You really don't want to find out. And besides, you couldn't afford me." I followed Teodora back inside. "I'll see you later."
"Wait, how long is it going to take?"
I paused, turning around slightly, and raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to know?"
"-Yeah, I'll see you later," he surrendered, and took off.
Once we were inside, Teodora turned to me, and smiled, as if seeing me properly for the first time. "Safety and peace, sister."
"And to you," I replied as I realized that she was not just a contact to us, but another assassin. I suppose Mario and Antonio told her that I was allowed to know who I was dealing with. Of course, I didn't know everyone, and I met them at about the same time that Ezio did. However, I already learned to check their ring fingers for proof, where they had a burn mark (hey, it could have been worse. Altair wrote something about loosing fingers as part of the initiation...). Teodora's hands were adorned with rings, so I didn't notice it at first.
"Was Cecilio your work?"
"Yes...I guess it was a little stupid to act that close to the Doge, but there was no other opportunity," I wrinkled my nose slightly. "Marco will be on high alert."
"That's something I wanted to talk to you about." She gave instructions to a couple of her to prepare a bath for me, and led me upstairs, into a large bedroom. "While Ezio attempts at the golden mask, we will need to keep the suspicion at bay. Silvio will most likely be supervising. He doesn't like to hide, unlike his cousin, and prefers to oversee things."
"Silvio. The man in the red hood?" I remembered him from the Templar meeting.
"Yes, he is an Inquisitor of the State."
We were momentarily interrupted as the girls brought in a large copper tub. Another group of them came in with large pails of water, and soon, the tub was over half-filled with steaming water. Along with some sort of rich, spicy-smelling, herbs. It was almost as though Teodora knew me from before; the scented water didn't smell flowery or cloying, but surprisingly refreshing and mysteriously enticing, in a good way.
"Shouldn't Ezio know about this?" I raised an eyebrow, pulling off the bloodied clothes, quickly stepping into the tub, and beginning to wash the rest of the blood off myself with relief. I had no issue with Teodora, and I was pretty she couldn't care less about my lack of modesty, as well.
"No, I think it's best for him to concentrate on the events, instead of looking over his shoulder."
"Good thinking. Still, I don't like keeping secrets from him."
"Don't think of it as keeping secrets. Think of it as withholding unnecessary information." I admit, for a nun and "faithful" wife of god, she really knew how to turn supposed sins to mere technicalities. She would've been a great lawyer in my time…
"What do you want me to do?"
"My girls will try their best to distract any of the Templars. But if it comes to it, they will not fight."
"So you want me to cover his back while he plays those carnival games?"
"Yes. We can't afford mistakes right now. The longer Marco lives, the higher risk we're running."
One of the girls brought in a few dresses, laying them out on the bed. I picked out the dark red one that had the most material, though it covered only slightly more than the traditional clothes of courtesans. At the very least my chest would not be hanging out of it. And it was unlikely for people to mistake me for a whore, though I'd hardly pass for a respectable lady. But this was disguise, nothing more. I really couldn't care less what people thought. Hell, if one of the drunk idiots on the streets tried anything, I'd hold to my previous threat, and castrate him.
The dress came with a short, white silken chemise, which I was apparently supposed to put on first. Then came another layer. It was a sleeved, finely woven, long cotton smock, or something. Teodora called it a kirtle, as she laced it up the sides for me, from my waist to my underarms. The courtesans never wore them, preferring to go bare-armed. But again, the nun seemed to know me too well, sensing my reservations about showing so much skin. The slightly billowy sleeves would at least cover my arms, up to the elbow. Affording a sliver of modesty, they would be gathered and puffed in between where the pull-away sleeves were laced separately onto the sleeveless dress, at the shoulders. If anything, I was lucky the sleeves would allow a lot of movement, being just tied on.
Over the kirtle came the bodice, which was essentially a corset. It looked…well, like a lace-up tortured device that I stared at with great dislike and mistrust.
"Do I really have to wear that?" I sighed to Teodora, pointing at it accusingly and wrinkling my nose in annoyance.
"Yes," she grinned with a dismissive wave of her hand, "Otherwise, the dress can't fit properly. And you'll look like a mess, unable to blend with the crowd."
"Gee, thanks," I muttered. Apparently, like all women's clothing of the time, the dress was made for a certain, extremely feminine form. Teodora, thank the God, took pity on my ribs, and didn't tighten the lacings at far as they could go. I also had decent posture for the years of running around, and the bodice looked a lot worse than it felt. So as she laced me into that, though it was constricting at first, I grew used to it, settling in. It was also surprisingly useful, as I could easily hide my knives within the layer between the bodice and the dress, which laced up the front as well (I doubt that was the intended benefit, but whatever...). The bodice also did some admittedly…nice things to my general chest area.
Not that I was paying much attention to that.
I also ran a brush through the mess that was my hair, which now was past my shoulders in length. Moving behind me, Teodora quickly braided it, winding it through with a matching, red ribbon. Then I placed my mask back on, and took a look in the mirror on the wall.
"Well, not the best, but as good as I can be bothered to put the effort into," I stated. At the very least no one would recognize me.
"Can I assume that this dress will not make it back to me in one piece?" Teodora asked, eying it with some regret, and I smiled in apology.
"I'll pay for it." Teodora did not wrinkle her nose and politely decline, but accepted the money graciously. With a sigh, I lifted up my original shirt, making a mental note to burn it later. I didn't have to buy so many clothes in New York, as most of my work was done from a distance.
The first thing I did when I'd finished dressing was create long slits in the sides of the skirt, leaving the kirtle freely peeking through. It allowed me far more freedom of movement, and various places to hide my weapons. It was common for courtesans to wear daggers on their hips, just in case, but I didn't feel safe with just one blade on me. Teodora frowned slightly at the mutilation of the dress, but didn't say anything.
"Well, I should be off, then. I still have things to take care of tonight," I stated. Then I stopped for a moment, thinking. "Teodora, can I borrow one of your girls for a little bit?"
"Of- why?"
"Oh, no! Nothing like that!" I hurried to explain, finding myself blushing, though I quickly waved it away. "No, I just need some help with avoiding the guards while I make sure everything is secure tomorrow. The Templars know we'll attempt something, and it's like them to set up a trap."
"Then of course," she seemed to sigh with relief. Probably not a lot of requests of that nature from females. "Is there anything else?"
I considered it, but shook my head. "No. Thanks for…well, everything." She returned my smile, and I made my way outside once again.