I looked up crossly, and humphed.
"Again?" Diana asked wearily, following my gaze up to the poster that hung above on the wall. I nodded. She sighed, opened her fan, and purposefully exposed her leg through the side-slit of her dress. The supposedly careless gesture certainly did its job, making every male eye turn in lust, and a few female ones narrow in jealousy. Diana was, as much as any courtesan, a very curvy and seductive woman. Her form, outlined within the tight bindings of her bodice and the slashed skirts of her gown, left very little to imagination. Which was perfect, because when she was around, no one, and I mean no one bothered look up at, or notice the insane woman climbing up the crates to tear down posters.
I reached up, snatching off the poster glued weakly to the wall. Crumpling it up and throwing the offending piece of paper away from me, I climbed back down cautiously. I was careful not to further rip or destroy the dress anymore than I'd already did, and so far, it was going well.
The insane idea to tear down posters in the middle of the night came to me when I realized that mask or no, Ezio's trademark hood and the Assassins' symbol were easily recognized. Not to mention, he put very little effort into changing his outfit. Aside from that, Teodora's girls were also out in droves, gathering information around the district just in case they heard any new developments. For now, though, everything was going as planned.
As had been the case for the last few days, and apparently, over the next few weeks, Venice would be celebrating all night. The fireworks lit up the entire city, the streets dressed as colorfully as its citizens. Music did not falter for one moment through all of the hours that Diana and I traveled through the district. The dancing and cavorting continued, threatening to last until morning; once the sun rose, everything would go quiet until around mid-afternoon, only to start right back up again.
Let's just say the Italians certainly liked to get their party on.
I can't say Diana was very pleased with missing the celebration. The only thing keeping her at my side was Teodora's orders. And something else that I discovered when she got over her initial fear of me, and began to ask her questions. Most of them had a very specific topic – Ezio damned Auditore. The only way to shut-up her obvious crushing over him was to tell her to go and distract a hungry looking patch of guards, giving me a moment to take down posters, or simply catch my breath. She liked her job well enough, though. If only because any proper, or simply sane woman would keep as far away as possible from the not only undressing, but devouring eyes of guards. But to her, it was almost like dinner was served.
So, basically, either she felt safe enough to remain in earshot of an assassin (oh, the irony), or she simply didn't mind getting it on in the nearest alley or haystack. I liked to think it was the former.
But I was soon tempted to scare the living lights out of her again, just so she would shut-up about the idiot I had the misfortune of falling in love with!
"I think I'm done here," I stated, cutting her off ("-And those strong arms! Jesu Cristo, what a sight, mmm-").
"Well, finally!" she grinned, "I was starting to get oh, so lonely..."
"And I'm sure there's a set of arms and pants calling your name." Before she skipped off, however, I suddenly stopped her. "Diana, could you please keep away from Ezio?"
"What? Why- Oh!" Understanding dawned on her face, and I blinked, realizing how that sounded.
"Uh….I mean…that he'll…be busy tomorrow," I quickly recovered, "And he needs his head in the game."
"Right," she grinned after a moment, shrugging and swaggering off.
Though I'd lied to her, I could still see one more piece of paper with Ezio's face on it on the corner of the building nearby. This one, unlike the others, was actually hung low, where people could actually read it. Once it was off, I sighed and stretched. I was tired. Though by now, going for days without sleep, keeping myself awake with the crappy excuse for coffee that Antonio had, and the occasional adrenaline spikes was all paying off. I didn't feel much fatigue, and was running on instinct now. I could actually probably go for a fight at any moment, even in the dress.
All of a sudden, my intuition tugged. My head snapped in the direction of an alleyway a few feet beyond me, as if someone hollered my name into my ears. A loud shriek echoed from the dark, narrow passage in between the buildings where Diana had disappeared. The next moment I broke into a run, turning into the mouth of the backstreet sharply, my fingers already caressing the handle one of my knives hidden between my bodice and the dress. She'd wandered far from the crowds by that point, and I suddenly wished I could turn on Eagle Vision by will. I could now hear loud drunken laughter, and Diana whimpering and squealing. A loud slap sounded. I continued to run, careful not to crash into anything.
My eyes finally got used to the almost complete darkness, and I saw them. The courtesan was pushed up against the wall by an armored man, two more behind him, laughing at the woman's pain. My hand tightened on the closest throwing knife, which I'd completely unsheathed.
The drunk men didn't even see me coming. I carefully hurled two knives into their throats from behind, and kicked the two down. They fell with quiet grunts, gurgling on their own blood and slowly drowning in it - speedily finishing them off ensured they wouldn't scream for help, or attract any attention. I'd just turned towards the last guard, but to my surprise, I saw only Diana. Standing by the wall, a bloody dagger flashed in her hand, the body at her feet spasming in its death throes.
"You alright?" I quietly asked, lifting up the skirts of my dress away from the blood that I was sure began to spread along the ground. It took her a moment to reply.
"Y-yes," she stammered, face deathly pale, even as she sheathed her weapon. "Thank you! I think you just saved my life..."
She was right - I doubted the men would have been very gentle with her. Unfortunately, like many rape victims, she would have probably been dead within an hour. Or maybe they'd just slit her throat after they were done to avoid any complications. My fists clenched as I added a hateful kick to one of the bodies. It made me feel slightly better. Grabbing Diana's hand, I steered her back out onto the lit streets, putting as much distance between the bodies and us as possible.
"Was that your first kill, then?" I asked absently, unsure of what else to say. To my surprise, she shook her head.
"No, I've done it before. Teodora taught us a few things..."
"Ah. Of course," I rolled my eyes. Considering Teadora was one of the apparent brotherhood, it made sense that the courtesans would contain a little bit of training on how to handle themselves. Diana seemed only slightly shaken, and from the pain rather than shock. I took a wild guess that she had her fair share of rough handling. "But it seems like the thing she failed to teach you is not walk around in the narrow alleys at night. Especially if you can wear a skirt without people laughing at you." After a moment, she giggled, and I calmed down completely. "Come on, I'll get you back to the brothel. It's dawn already, and I want to get some sleep before we start rolling."
"Where do you spend the nights?" she asked, falling into step beside me, and seemingly afraid to actually wander away from me, at least for now.
"Lost of places. Mostly Antonio's palace, at the Seta. But sometimes-" The conversation became more friendly now, to my slight surprise. She was listening to me with sudden interest, and I found myself talking more easily, now that it wasn't based solely on Ezio.
Soon, we made it back to Teodora's brothel. I didn't even bother coming in, bidding Diana goodbye, and going back to the Seta, already half asleep. I'm not sure how I actually ended up on my bed, free of the dress and curled up in the blankets. But before I drifted off to sleep, I absently noted that I missed the life-sized, and very comfortable pillow that was Ezio.
---
It was around noon, and it was more quiet than ever in the streets. The fireworks stopped as soon as the sun began to rise, because no one could see them in the daylight properly, anyway. Everyone decided to take a break from the celebration. Right now, the entire town slept, likely to get over their hangovers and back to their proper beds. However, I knew the peace and quiet would only last for about an hour longer. I had about five hours of sleep at the Seta, waking up, dressing, and then immediately heading out again. Ezio was no where around yet, though.
"Teodora!" I greeted, raising my hand to the woman as I waltzed into the square that would hold the carnival games.
"Ah, there you are!" she smiled, folding her hands in front of her. She still wore a nun's clothes, a heavy cross hanging right in between her breasts. She was looking around at the set up thoughtfully before I showed up, and it seemed that she did not come to any conclusion in that time. "And who is this?"
"Oh! This is Adel," I told her, looking down to the little girl hanging off my arm, looking around curiously. "Adel, this is Teodora."
"Hello," Adel said politely, smiling up at the woman.
"I hope you don't mind, I just thought she'd like to see the sights." I paused for a moment, looking around. They were setting up the courses and games that Ezio would participate in. "So what's going to happen?"
"There are four games, and whoever wins all four, will get the gold mask," she reminded me. "Hopefully, Ezio can do that."
"What are the events?"
"Hmm. I'm not sure, but by the look of things, a race, a fight, some sort of social competition, and something about capturing flags."
""Capture the Flag"? Are you serious?" I remembered playing that game in gym, the place where I had just the warmest memories of. Except not. "Well, then he should have no problems."
"Perhaps. But our job is to make sure that no one gets any ideas."
"Because how many assassins in white robes and armed to the teeth run around the place?" I stated sarcastically.
"Not many," she replied, and the corners of her lips twitched. Whadda ya know? The nun has a sense of humor. That's a first..."My girls are already stationed all over the district," she continued. "If anything...unexpected happens, they'll be the first to know, and through them, so will we. Your job-"
"Is to make sure no one decides that Ezio's back is just begging for a knife. Yes, got it," I said dully. "And what about Adel? I can't exactly keep an eye on her at all times, and we still think there might be someone after her."
"Hmm," she looked at the child thoughtfully. The girl did not shrink away from her gaze, but returned it head on. Then Adel looked up at me.
"Can I just play here?"
I almost forgot that she hasn't been outside for ages. Her parents never let her out of their apartment, and then we were hiding out in Antonio's palace. She'd only really seen civilization properly when I took her out to the market with me, and now when I thought she'd at least want some fresh air. Everything, from the bright colors, to the streamers and decorations along the buildings, to the jugglers, acrobats, and fire-eaters on the streets excited her.
Only one thing worried me slightly. She didn't go near any of the other children, looking at them as if from an ivory tower. Or sometimes, curious and almost afraid. She didn't care for the usual childish games of tag or patty cake, or whatever other games kids played. Instead, she preferred to play with the water of the fountains and pat the cats that walked back and forth along the streets, all in proud solitude.
"Adel," I picked her up, and lifted her onto the tall bench beside us, so that we were face to face, "I would let you if I could, you know that. But-"
"There are bad people that might hurt me," she sighed sadly, finishing for me.
"Exactly. So either you're within my sight at all times, or I'll cart you back to the Seta."
"And how would you find me?" she tilted her head to the side, blinking at me cockily.
"I have my ways. But as it stands, you won't go into the streets alone, okay?"
"But if you could find me, then it would be okay for me to wander, though."
Smart kid, I mused, struggling not to smile in order to get my point across. "I already have to keep Ezio safe. If there was two of me, I would let you wander around all you want." I glanced away from Adel for a moment, scanning the courtyard, and suddenly smiled with relief. "Leonardo, your timing is getting loads better!"
The artist, who was making his way towards us, probably to say hello to Teodora, looked at me with some shock. "Eden?" he exclaimed, arching a brow before giving me a warm smile of greeting, "I can hardly recognize you!"
"I'd say the same, but I think you're the only one around here with paint splashes on your mask," I noted with a smile.
"Is there, really?" he sighed, "Oh well, it doesn't matter. Teodora," He respectfully brought his hand to his lips, bowing. She offered a friendly smile, and then he turned back to me. "Now, what can I do for you?"
"Do you have anywhere to be?"
"Not…exactly, I just thought I'd come outside for once."
"Good for you!" I clapped my hands together, "Because I need you to baby-sit."
"I'm sorry?" Adel and Leonardo stared at me with the exact same look of confusion, and I almost began to laugh. I crouched down to the girl.
"Adel, this is Leonardo da'Vinci, an artist and engineer. I think you'll like him." Slowly, she nodded, hanging her head slightly. I smiled reassuringly, and straightened out. "Leo, I just need you to keep an eye on her, that's all! Please?"
He looked a little lost as he said, "Alright, I don't have much else to do-"
"Perfect!" I pushed Adel gently towards him, letting out a breath of relief. Another problem solved, then. Now, where's my main headache...?
"Teodora! Leonardo!"
Ah, there he is!
Ezio dropped down from somewhere above, and caught his breath. Adel let out a squeak, hiding behind Leonardo in surprise.
"Good day everyone - Oh, forgive me, Signora, I did not see you there." That was addressed at me…though I could clearly see how he eyed me up and down with obvious, rising appreciation. Well, time to put a stop to that…
"Ezio," I laughed, "What the hell are you smoking, and where can I get some?"
That certainly made him pause. As he stared at me with shock, I felt his eyes travel up and down me again, though this time with surprise. After a moment, in which Teodora gave a small cough and walked away, and Adel began to giggle, I began to feel a little self-conscious under his gaze. I even took my mask off for a moment to prove to him that it really was me, and not someone else.
"Dio mio! Holy mother of – E-den, is that you?"
"Holy galloping potatoes, so it is!" I pretended to be shocked, faking a dramatic gasp that made Adel laugh harder. "Seriously, no one seems to recognize me today. You should have seen Antonio's face when he realized who I was, that was just priceless..."
"You look..."
"What? Lovely? Stunning? Absolutely amazing to the point of the sky collapsing and hell freezing over?" I helped him out, still smiling cockily.
"...you're right about hell freezing over, that's for sure..."
"Aren't you the charmer?" I rolled my eyes before turning back to Leonardo. "Think you'll be fine with Adel?"
"Eden, I'm not three!" the girl protested before Leo could reply.
"You're right. You're almost seven, and that's even worse." I playfully swatted at her head before it could get any larger. "Now! Ezio, I've got some work to do…could you go and find Ugo and Rosa? They're around here somewhere. Tell them that the mansion that they wanted to break into has three guard dogs. I can hear them from the outside, so they should find some other target….Ezio?" He was still staring at me, with his jaw hanging open, and eyes growing wider by the second. I furrowed my eyebrows and waved a hand in front of his face. After a long moment, he finally batted it away. "You're getting old," I smirked, "As your reflexes are starting to go-"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it."
"What, no witty retort? How utterly disappointing!" I replied, expression comically hurt to show I was kidding. But he didn't reply, still staring. "Anyway," I shrugged, "Glad to see you're still with us. And by the way, there's a message for you in the pigeon coop. Lorenzo is taking advantage of the Carnival, it seems, and has another mission for you. Hurry up, by the way, because the games are starting in a few hours-"
"Eden!" Ezio put his hands on my shoulders, shaking me lightly, "Calm down!"
I blinked in surprise. "What?"
"You're babbling. I already got the message, the target taken care of. Just relax. Breathe," he gestured with a flourish. I rolled my eyes.
"Well, someone has to keep this show going. Antonio came back to the Seta for about an hour at dawn, and then headed straight back to the brothel. Teodora already has her hands full, coordinating the courtesans and sorting all the little tidbits of information they're turning up for us. And I still have stuff to do, people to interrogate, blood to spill, that sort of thing?" He seemed to get the message, as soon we parted ways.
The entire day was hectic. The thieves were taking advantage of the absent citizens (especially the tax collectors that terrorized the people even worse than when Emilio was around) to break into their houses. The courtesans were already filling their pouches with gold rather rapidly, while gathering information. Lorenzo's messages seemed to come in every half-hour or so, due to all the nobles and Templars coming in for the Carnivale. After a while, it really all began to feel like our side was putting in more effort into the entire affair than the nobles.
A few mercenaries also took initiative to patrol the backstreets in case some drunkard, or overly bold guard tried to take advantage of a girl who was stupid enough to wander off that far from the crowds. Surprising, as in my opinion, it was awfully nice of them to do so for free. Even though they were pretty much drunk for the last two days. When I asked if this was how every carnival was, I got a very uncertain answer, to which I concluded that yes, this was exactly the way it went every year.
And there were also the girls flitting up to Teodora every moment, whispering something in her ear. While some times it was nothing, a few times, I actually had to go out and hunt someone down. All while trying my hardest not to get any blood on my clothes (thank God I chose a red dress). All in all, it was exhausting, as I did not stand around idly. And then, of course Silvio was making things difficult...
Hectic, as I said.
-----
"Signora, would you like to take part in the competitions?" the announcer of the carnival games approached me, as I was standing all alone, away from the other women. I raised my eyes to him with some surprise.
"Depends on what's required of me." I didn't really pay much attention to the set up of the competitions - I was more concerned with keeping a sharp eye out.
"All the ladies of the district get a ribbon to give to the man of their choice," he exclaimed, holding out a red ribbon to me. I took it from him with a little hesitation. Well, that made things even easier, as far as blending in. I knew there had to be some perks of wearing a dress...
"If you say so," I shrugged my shoulders. I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I made one of the most obvious choices when you have no pockets, but a low cut dress neckline. The man looked at me with some surprise, but did not say anything. I took a wild guess that the other ladies didn't do something like that...
Speaking of the other women, the masked, perfumed, painted, curled, fluffed up damsels were bunching in groups, fluttering their eyelashes at every passing man. I knew the type of girls - they could blush on command, looking god-knew-why supposedly appealing and shy. They feebly fanned themselves, swooning, and smiling coyly. I didn't bother to put up an appearance, instead using my own fan (also bought off Sister Teodora) to further hide my face as I slowly patrolled around the perimeter of the square, confidently moving through the crowds as usual.
Silvio disappeared somewhere, and it was making me nervous. Dante stood in plain sight, as still as a statue, and about as responsive as one. The only part of him that was moving was his eyes - they continuously scanned through the crowds. I avoided his gaze as much as I could; I was fairly sure I was not recognizable, but I really didn't like the way they froze my insides any time they settled on me. I kept an eye on him, though I doubted very much that he'd try anything, aside from the competitions. The lifeless look in his eyes didn't exactly scream "mastermind." Silvio was the one pulling all the strings.
And...back to Silvio.
Ezio really had no idea how much effort was being put into the entire operation. Antonio had some thieves working as lookouts on the roofs. Teodora had girls stationed throughout this section of the city, keeping their eyes and ears wide open. Meanwhile, Rosa, Ugo and me patrolled the major squares in search for any sign of the Barbarigo. Granted, the thieves were a little reluctant to tear themselves away from the many empty, unguarded, and most likely, loaded houses. But they helped us nonetheless.
"No sign of him yet," I muttered to Teodora as I reached her again. "Perhaps he decided that this was a waste of time, and went home, or to some party?"
"I sincerely doubt it," she replied, holding her hands clasped elegantly in front of her, "Silvio dislikes celebrations for some reason, and there's very little that would tear him away from his work."
"Not even a woman?" I raised an eyebrow, smirking. She smiled slightly, as well.
"Considering he thinks of women as weak, pathetic wenches that don't deserve to walk the streets openly, there's little chance of that."
"Sounds like a stand up guy," I crossed my arms. "Where is Ezio?"
She looked at me with some surprise. "I'm not sure - I thought you would know."
I blinked, and looked around again, trying to focus the newly acquired Eagle Vision. Regretfully, my vision did not go dark and glowing. So instead of trying to force the elusive talent, I worked with what I had. Closing my eyes, I leaned back onto the stone rails, concentrating on the tiny strings I could suddenly feel that seemed to move in accordance to the people around me.
"I found...Silvio," I stated, my voice sounding far-off in the dull roar that'd inexplicably filled my ears. It sounded like my own, slow, steady heartbeat, or the blood coursing through my veins, though it was strangely comforting. Not to mention the fact that I could suddenly hear every conversation going on in the district, which was more than a little distracting. "He's to the west, fairly close," I said, taking a deep breath, "I…I think he's coming back here now."
"That would make sense - the games are about to be announced," Teodora replied. Her voice also sounded oddly far away, though she stood right next to me. "But where is Messer Auditore?"
"Right behind…us?" I opened my eyes, tearing away the strings and looking around. For a moment, I saw no one. And then, I nearly yelped in surprise as Ezio appeared out of nowhere. And for some reason, upside down, laughing as he gracefully and silently dropped down to the earth from the balcony directly above us.
I took a big calming breath as to not punch his face in. "Jesus freaking Christ, Ezio! Don't do that!" I ignored Teodora's slightly amused expression, even as she shot him a reproachful glare.
"I'm sorry, bella mia," he smiled, and I immediately melted, finally relaxing. "I suppose I'm right on time?"
Before either Teodora or I could answer, the Master of Ceremonies managed to climb onto the stage and announce the beginnings of the competitions loudly. "...and this year, like every year, the grand prize will be a golden mask, which will provide entry for one, and only for one, to our beloved Doge's personal ball! Who would not desire such an exceptional reward? Come! Compete! The one to prove himself champion in all of the four games today will be the Doge's personal guest tonight!"
Well, let the games begin.
---
The first competition was fairly easy for Ezio. The race went through the streets, up onto the roofs, and circled around back to the beginning. He had no trouble with finishing the course with minimal time. Others...not so much. One young man probably only joined to impress a woman or something, but he didn't even make it past the first set of crates. He couldn't reach the ledge and fell to the ground, smashing his nose, only to began to cry. Another bumbling man did not even make it to that point, but tripped over thin air in the first five steps. Another one actually made it onto the roofs, where a very confused guard tried to shoot him. The only other contestant that actually finished the course was Dante, and he arrived at the finish line a good twenty seconds after Ezio's time. His usually blank and expressionless face reddened in anger as Ezio's arm was raised in the air, and he was proclaimed winner of the first game.
Ezio looked over the crowd of cheering citizens, searching for the one person he actually wanted to see. Eden stood at the very back, in the shadow of a puppet show stand. She didn't even look like she was paying any attention, looking around as if expecting something to go wrong at any moment. She glanced up at him, though, as if feeling his gaze, and smiled.
The next game was slightly harder. It required some strategic thinking on his part, as he had to capture and keep the flag until he made it back to his base. Once again, he emerged victorious, with only a few scratches from when he tackled the opponent that made it to the flag a split second before him. The crowd cheered with more enthusiasm, clapping their hands. He caught sight of Silvio and Dante, both looking cross. Teodora was near them, continuously glancing in their direction.
The third game was one of charisma, which made Ezio sigh with relief when he realized what he needed to do. He had to collect ribbons from the ladies of the district, who were smiling coyly nearby. Most had the red ribbons woven into their hair, while others simply held on to them, weaving them through their fingers flirtatiously. Charmed by Ezio's mysterious smirk and smooth voice, they all seemed eager for him to get to them, completely ignoring the remaining participants, much to their distress.
To Ezio's amazement (or not), the only woman who proved a challenge in the entire district, was Eden. She sat beside a group of courtesans, watching his approach so warily that he almost laughed out loud. Her ribbon was tucked into the front of her dress, drawing attention to the low cut of the bodice. He kept his eyes strictly on her face, though, resisting temptation as he sat down beside her. There were still ten minutes left until the time ran out, and she was the last one with a ribbon.
"Ezio! What a pleasant surprise! And there I thought you forgot me!" she chirped, openly mocking him.
"Oh, but how could I forget you, mia cara?" he gleefully retorted, taking her hand in his and lightly brushing his lips over her fingertips in greeting. He swore he felt her flinch, but she made no move to free herself. "You stand out from all the other girls, like a shining diamond amongst pebbles, a red rose in the middle of-"
"Save it," she smiled contently, finally pulling out of his grasp, and leaning her elbows onto the stone railing behind the bench. She also faked a yawn. "You're not exactly the first one that's tried that line on me, you know. I already had three in the last hour."
"Really? I don't see anyone," he looked around. But aside from the courtesans, there was no one around them.
"That's because they gave up," she bared her teeth wolfishly, "Somehow, I managed to scare them away. I'm saddened - these are grown men, how could they be afraid of feeble old me?"
"Feeble?" he knowingly chuckled.
Reaching over, he ran a hand up her side, and thought he felt her shiver. "Hmm. Let's see. Five throwing knives on each side, si?" Still sitting, but positioning himself in front of her so that no one could see what he was doing, his hand swiftly traveled between the layers of her skirts. However, he made sure not to touch her skin. "One…no, make that two daggers concealed under the skirts." Moving downwards, his allowed his fingers to fleetingly graze each of her calves before he came to her boots, though his eyes never left hers.
"And…here we go! Two more in your boots. Of course, let us not forget…" Withdrawing, he looked up to her braided hair. "Right!" he crowed in triumph, reaching out and briefly twirling a loose length of it his between his fingers, "Also, extremely sharp hairpins. Is that comb poisoned, too?"
"Shut up," she breathed, finding her cheeks suddenly burning. Thank God the mask concealed most it. "And no, it's just a comb," she stuck her tongue out at him, "I'm not stupid enough to put that in my hair."
"Well, I guessed most of them, piccola," he smirked, "Can I have the ribbon now?"
She pretended to think about it. "Well, this was supposed to be a test of charm. So far, I'm not charmed in the slightest."
He noted that the courtesans stopped giggling and cooing for a moment, listening to them intently, as if watching an interesting play. He sighed. "I figured you'd make this difficult."
"Oh, Ezio, it can't be that hard!" she teased. "You have about five minutes to convince me to give you this ribbon, when I've told every other man to basically go to hell and never come back."
"Eden, I'm not every other man, though, remember?"
"No, you're worse!" she narrowed her eyes playfully.
He let out a frustrated breath. "You're impossible."
"What a coincidence, that's what they said, too!" She continued to smile cheerfully. "Actually, they also noted how my heart can't be melted by the warmest of words. And that they don't really care whether or not I give them the ribbon anyway, because there are better, and easier fish in the sea. Please! And those retards expect me to be flattered by that statement. How sad."
A different approach then?
"Please?" he made the best puppy look he could possibly manage, making the girls beside them coo and "aw". Eden just began to laugh loudly.
"You're an idiot." She took the ribbon from her dress, and handed it to him, getting up. The moment after it was in his hand, the loud bell rang over the district, signaling the end of the competition. She laughed softly, reaching up under his hood to pat his hair, "I was actually going to just give it to you, but this was a lot more fun. Come on, I've been taking a break anyway, as it was impossible to work with all of you crowding around me like flies."
As he followed her back to the square, he thought that the Master of Ceremonies was right - this was definitely the most enjoyable competition yet.
Sadly, the next one was a huge disappointment. The contestants were supposed to fight each other, unarmed, until only two were left. It was supposed to be based on brute strength, and that was where Dante excelled. Ezio, using a different tactic, was so fast that no one could even land a hit on him, and most of the contestants barely even knew how to fight properly. He made it into the final pair easily, confronting the gigantic bodyguard. There were no breaks in between rounds, and he could see that Dante was tiring slightly.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something interesting, in the moment that the brute charged at him. Eden was making urgent gestures to Teodora, who turned towards the jury stand, where Silvio was talking to the judges and the Master of Ceremonies.
---
"I'm sorry Ezio," Teodora finally said, but Ezio did not even pause in his pacing to glance at her, "We couldn't predict Silvio would cheat as he did."
"Yes, but you should have!" Antonio was not very pleased the turn of events, either. I crossed my arms, and glared at him, feeling strangely protective of Ezio. I could tell he was pissed enough as it was; he didn't need any more antagonizing. I, myself, had half a mind to go and kill all of the bought juries, along with Silvio and Dante, ideally in a very bloody manner.
"Well, we've got to do something!" I snapped, "The party starts in a few hours!"
Ezio turned to us once again, the familiar expression of grim determination on his face. "I'll tail Dante on his way there, then, and get the mask back."
"What? By killing the poor stronzo?" Antonio was not impressed.
"Yes. You know what's at stake-"
"No! If you kill him, they'll cancel the party, and Marco will retreat back into his palazzo. We would have wasted our time again!"
I reluctantly agreed with the Master Thief. After all, Dante was Marco's personal bodyguard. It would be easy to figure out what the assassin wanted, and there was no other chance at getting to Marco if they canceled the party.
"My girls are going to the party as well, as entertainers!" Teodora put in, "They will be all along the route. You can use them to distract Dante and steal the mask!"
"Va bene," Ezio sighed.
"It won't stop them for long," I noted, worrying my lip. "Knowing the brute, he'll barge in anyway, and alert the guards."
"Yes, but by then it will be too late," Ezio countered, and I slowly nodded.
Antonio just waved his arm in the air in annoyed agreement, and went back to the room, while Teodora gave out orders to her girls. I pulled Ezio's arm, making him sit down on one of the couches, and asked a passing girl for some water.
"You know," I said thoughtfully as I carefully cleaned the blood off his chin, "You can at least try not to split your lip open."
"I don't really get a choice on where I'm hit, Eden," he ground out, still pissed.
"Where did you get that first scar, then?"
"Remember old Vieri?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Vividly. What did you fight over?"
"Lots of things. Our families, our pride, his sister...you know the drill," he shrugged.
"He had a sister? Poor dear..."
"Vieri or the sister?"
"That really depends on how sexist you are," I grinned. "By the way, I think I knew a man with the exact same scar as you," I continued to babble, mostly to distract him from today's disappointment.
"Really?"
"Yep. He was a bartender. Kind of looked a bit like you, in the right light...what was his name? Meh, it doesn't really matter, since I'm pretty sure the name was fake..."
"How do you know?"
"Intuition," I smiled. "Anyway. I only remember him because I asked where he got the scar. Said something about a bar fight...he was a strange guy. Made a good drink, though..."
"Why would he use a fake name?" Ezio didn't seem to understand, and I shrugged.
"The same reason I have fake ID in my bag! You never know when you need to disappear, and it's always easier with a fake name and no traceable connections," I explained, putting away the cloth. Without really thinking about what I was doing, I traced the scar that was right beside the scratch, running my fingers along the corner of his lips. To my surprise, I felt him shudder slightly, and I pulled my hand away, sighing. "Well, I guess you better get going if you want to catch Dante."
"Yes," he spoke a lot more calmly now as he stood up, and I followed him out the door, back into the cool evening air. I immediately straightened out my posture, fixing my step to be more elegant. He put his hand on the small of my back as he steered me through the streets, and I found myself instinctively leaning into him.
"Are you attending the party, then?" he asked at one point. I thought about it.
"I think I can sneak in with Teodora, though I'm not sure if that's gonna fly."
"Actually, it would be better if you were not there."
"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?!" I gripped his sleeve, pulling him to the side.
"Don't get offended. I just meant that it would be better if you kept an eye on the surroundings. Maybe give me a bit more time," he hurried to explain reassuringly. I relaxed.
"Oh, then sure. I don't really want to be there, anyway. There's only going to be a whole bunch of fluffed up nobles talking about politics." I stuck out my tongue to show what I thought of them. He chuckled, and suddenly leaned down to kiss my forehead, before pulling me into a hug.
"What would I do without you?" he asked quietly into my hair.
"Well, go insane, for one thing," I smiled at him brilliantly as he withdrew. "Now go, you have a party to attend! I'll be close by, and Teodora already left for the party. She'll probably meet you there. Stay safe."
"Always."
"...The feeling you get when you fall in love is indescribable. Like falling somewhere headfirst, not really knowing if you're going to hit the bottom or not, and just enjoying the emotion as you speed up..."
He began to walk away, and suddenly, I called after him again, making a split second decision. "Ezio! Wait!"
He turned around, and looked at me with some confusion. After a moment of hesitation, I took a few hurried steps towards him. Reaching up, I swiftly took off his and my masks, and then stood on my toes to kiss his scarred and scratched lips gently.
...Realizing you love someone is like reaching the bottom. But instead of a crash landing, you find that comfort you maybe didn't even realize you were looking for. You just know when you get there. It's a feeling that seems too large to fit your body and mind, filling every little bit of you, healing wounds that you never saw but felt. There is no pain in that moment, even if you're mortally wounded. Only salvation. Hope...
Ezio stared at me with shock as I smirked at him, and handed him back his mask, taking a step away. He blinked at me, and slowly brought his hand up to his lips, as if unsure if I really just did that. I turned away to leave, when suddenly, he caught my wrist and pulled me back to him, his lips meeting mine once again. Except this time, it was a lot less chaste than the first time. His hands flew to my waist, closing the space between us as I found myself all but yanking him closer by the collar of his doublet.
I had to hand it to him, I decided as I watched him smile, and walk away to his target.
He really knew how to make a girl's world spin.
About freaking time, a voice that sounded exactly like Eve's laughed in my head, the usual bitter bite missing. I couldn't hold back a wide grin as I felt my spirits lift even higher.
I was never one to regret something that felt so right. At least, until someone convinced me otherwise...
---
Leonardo let out a frustrated breath as he frantically searched for the little brat Adel. She'd gotten away from him, again, openly rebelling against the fact that she still needed supervision. He didn't question Eden's request, keeping the girl within eyesight. But as soon as he got distracted, she would decide to play some hide and seek, where he was graciously given the role of seeker. And it was starting to get a little out of hand...
To think, he crawled out of his workshop for this...and he still had two commissions that were supposed to be done three days ago, just standing there. And now that he thought about it, there were so many things he'd rather be doing instead of searching for a little girl who found it amusing to make him fall into the hay while looking for her.
He finally found her in the square, clapping at the fire-juggler, watching the lights with childish fascination. As Leonardo tried to get to her through the crowd, another entertainer noticed the girl, and did a swift movement, drawing out a bouquet of flowers for her. She took it with musical laughter, and the jester smiled widely through his makeup.
"Adel!"
She turned around, startled slightly, and greeted Leonardo with a wide grin as she clutched the flowers to her chest. "There you are, Leo! You're missing all the fun!"
He spluttered, "I-you-but-" only to give up, slump his shoulders, and decide that the next time he'd see Eden, she'd get an earful.
---
I found Diana as she sat on the railing that bordered the canal, showing off as more skin than the most loose girls of the twenty first century would even dare. She and a few of her friends were flashing suggestive smiles to men, taking pleasure in watching as their wives smacked and slapped their respective partners. It was actually quite entertaining to watch, actually...not that I ever did anything like that. At least, not too many times...
I sat beside her, and crossed my legs. She glanced at me somewhat sourly, but her face cleared when she realized I was not about to drag her through more streets to tear down posters.
"How goes it?" she asked, and I leaned my chin on my hand as I watched a man getting yelled at by the woman that he was dancing with. The courtesans giggled, and I smiled as well, though it felt like I couldn't keep a grin off my face anyway.
"I'm technically supposed to be patrolling around here, but I can't see a damn, so I might as well watch the entrance from a pleasant conversation."
"Aw, all work and no play!" she cooed almost patronizingly, "Get yourself a drink, find a man, and enjoy the Carnivale. Or you'll crack down the middle."
I sighed dramatically, "I think I already cracked. Mentally."
"Does this have anything to do with Ezio?" she raised an elegant eyebrow, cocking her head.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm sure," I smirked evasively, and she rolled her eyes.
"Not fooling anyone, sister. A blind man can tell you're smitten." She fluttered her eyelashes, and I shrugged.
"Hmm. Then here's a riddle for you. Who's more blind than a blind man, then?"
"Ezio?" she giggled and I nodded in confirmation.
"How the idiot didn't see it before, I really don't know. Because it seems like the rest of Italy has already picked up on it."
"Oh, we haven't just picked up on that, either." She thought for a long moment, and her face suddenly became serious, contrasting with the playful expression she usually wore. "Want some advice, dear?"
"I think I'll live without it, grandma," I crossed my arms, not amused by her calling me "dear" in a patronizing way. She had to be younger than me by at least a few years. She waved my comment off, and continued anyway.
"He looks and acts like he can show a girl a good time, and he's a real gentleman when he talks to women, of that there is no doubt. But that doesn't mean he'll be there in the morning. Take it from someone who's had her share of heartbreaks."
"Um," I looked at her curiously, "No offense, but don't people pay you for one night stands?"
"Doesn't mean I like it," she shrugged her bare shoulders. Her general attitude told a slightly different story. "Maybe I want a husband and child as much as the next girl? But who would want a whore, really?" She looked away from the celebrations, and into the water down below. "Eden, have you ever had to act to make things easier? To convince yourself that you're happy with your life?"
"Plenty. But you get used to it." That was what being in a gang for the first year felt like. Just clenching your teeth, and pretending you were grateful to your boss, and enjoying the life. Again, though, you got used to it after a few years, the act becoming more real.
"Exactly. It becomes everything you know, and then..."
"That's some deep thinking there." I stated, almost defensively, "But what does it have to do with Ezio and me?"
She looked up at me again. "I've seen his kind before. Charming, handsome, dangerous. Sometimes, they're the nicest people ever. But they still leave as soon as they're done, and they will never think of me as anything more than a whore he paid to spend the night with."
"I'm not a whore-"
"No, you're not. But they don't exactly limit themselves, do they?"
I swallowed hard, my previous state of euphoria suddenly crashing down as the reality rushed through my head. Very crude reality, but nonetheless, true...
Ezio was, for the entire time I've known him, a player. Perhaps more so before his family was slaughtered, but he still had his share of women afterward. I'd sort of lost count, admittedly. The handful of girls in Monterrigioni, one in San Gimignano, that horse racer, Amelia in Forli, and then Rosa...this painter's model Cristina. Not to mention, however many girls in Florence before I even met him...he'd mentioned somewhere along the lines of ten or so during one of our drunken talks in Monteriggioni…
What was I to him, then? Another conquest, like Caterina Sforza, who he filed away for the next time he was traveling through the port town? Just another check mark in his list?
Diana was watching me with sad understanding as I got up sharply.
No more thinking. God knows where that would get me.
I needed a drink.
---
Slipping into the party was close to effortless as the courtesans distracted Dante and his guards. Ezio even had a few moments to catch his breath inside, before they burst in anyway. It was too late to do anything more than search for him, but that was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Working with Teodora's girls, he evaded eyes easily, and came as close to Marco's boat as he dared.
And then...it was almost routine work.
Eden was on his mind the entire time, though. Mostly barking at him to start aiming better, as he'd only get one shot. But as hard as he tried avoid it, his thoughts continued to wander to her, the way she kissed him, and what could happen when this was over. He found himself eager to finish the assassination, the craving to go and seek her out again pulling at him with every move. His impatience almost cost him his cover once, but he recovered swiftly.
The fireworks boomed somewhere above, and Marco suddenly choked on his words, beginning to sway and looking around wildly, as if trying to figure out what just happened. No one even noticed it at first, as there was no hint of a blade in sight. Before anyone could recover, the assassin muttered "Resquiescat in pace," and successfully dodged the distracted guards, making it out of the party with as much ease as he entered.
"Wonderfully done," the courtesans back at La Rosa Della Virtù cooed softly, gathering around him and taking him into their arms as Antonio cheered.
"The saviour of Venice!" he exclaimed, swinging around a bottle of wine happily as he pulled up his pants. "What can I say? Perhaps it was wrong of me to doubt so readily. Now, at least we'll have a chance to see where the pieces fall..."
"Enough of that now," Teodora interrupted, smiling at Ezio warmly. "Come. You've worked hard, my son. I feel your tired body is in need of comfort, and succor."
He was quick to catch the double meaning, and would have played along. But at that moment, there was only one person he wanted to see. He sighed, and shook his head. "Grazie, Sister. And ladies," he fleetingly smiled, taking each of the courtesans' hands and gracing them with a chaste kiss. They sighed with admiration, even as they looked forlorn, almost as though immediately sensing there would be no merry-making with the Assassin tonight. "While normally I'd take that offer, it's not today…have you seen Eden?"
Teodora blinked, and then smiled with understanding, opening her mouth to say something, only to be suddenly interrupted.
"She left." He turned to the voice, and the woman crossed her arms, staring him down sadly.
"What? When?"
"While you were at the party."
Something began to drop in Ezio's stomach as he asked, "Where did she go? Did she say when she's coming back?"
The courtesan shook her head, "She probably won't come back."
It took him a few moments to fully realize the weight of the statement.
Not coming back...
Cazzo! Damn it, Eden!!!