A/N- I apologize for the delay, but hopefully this long chapter will make up for it :D

Well, this is familiar.

White. Once more, just empty, vaguely shimmering white clouds, their heavy, opaque fog swirling all around me. Caressing my skin, the barest kiss along my limbs, their feel light and mildly damp, the moisture in the air was wrought about the ghosting drizzle.

And of course, there was the inviting white bench in the middle of it.

Okay, I think I understood so far; considering this was the usual setting for my internal chats with my dear sister all those years ago, and occasional talk with Alex, this was my brain's meeting room. Original, I had to admit.

But who the hell was the guy sitting on the bench?

"Sit down." The voice was low, but attractive and strangely smoky, reminding me somewhat of Ezio's. Except the accent was completely different, a bit rough, dry and lilting with command. It certainly left little room for questioning or nonsense. "I rather despise it when people hover."

"My brain, my rules," I snapped almost defensively, still staring at the man, and trying to figure out just where I had seen him before.

He was dressed in Ezio's master assassin's robes, loose and midnight black. But this was definitely not my fiancé, even despite the two sharing the same height, build and complexion. Ezio always sat with an elegant, feline sort of grace, lulling one into a false sense of security before he struck with lethal efficiency. This one was a coiled ball of crackling, unpredictable energy, perfectly still, yet ready to strike out at the slightest provocation with brutal, deadly aplomb. Unless the guards were out in particular force, Ezio always made eye contact, charming and drawing in with his easy smiles and languid laughter. This one refused to look up, his hooded head lowered, elbows resting on his knees, and fingers thoughtfully steepled. While I could not see his face, I still felt an evaluating glare.

We didn't speak for a bit longer. Finally, I rolled my eyes, and sat down beside him. He shifted slightly, through the air about us was suddenly less grave. Immediately, the image of Ezio's smirk swam up into my mind. Though the face wasn't exactly that of the Florentine…

"Alright, now what?"

"Now?" he barely shrugged, "We talk."

The accent was Arabic, I finally determined.

"Lovely. Care to explain who the hell you are and what you're doing mucking about in my mind?"

"I do not see how harmlessly sitting on a bench could be interpreted as your so-called 'mucking about,'" he waved around him.

"And now I see how the supposed Auditore charm was inherited," I muttered.

"Shukran, ya aziza," he sounded distantly amused.

"Come again?"

"Forgive me," he breathed, "Old habits…I said 'Thank you, my friend.'"

After a moment of contemplative silence, he reached up, and pulled his hood down. A mild tilt of the head and he gave me a chance to look at him properly. Without a word, I stared at him closely; slightly ruffled, short chestnut hair, tanned skin with a scattering of freckles across the nose, nearly-golden eyes, the confident, evaluating stare, and a slight, seemingly permanent frown.

"I didn't know scars were genetic," I snorted, crossing my arms in my attempt to hide my surprise at Ezio's near-doppelganger. The man twitched the indeed scarred corner of his mouth upwards.

"Smart woman," Altair said evenly with an approving nod, still staring at me with the same interest that I was examining him with. "Those are a rarity, though there are a few... exceptions." His face brightened for a moment, only to go back to a neutral expression. "Now, you have questions for me?"

I was taken slightly aback. "Me? I never said-"

"I'm inside your head, am I not?" he raised an eyebrow, his frown deepening.

"Yes, please explain that little detail to me. How the hell are you in my head when we have never met? Not to mention, I'm nearly 300 years ahead of your time. Well, about 800, if you want to get technical about it, what, with all the time jumping back to my own time…and then there's the bouncing back to Renaissance Floren-"

"You talk a lot." I couldn't tell whether that was an observation or an insult. I decided now wasn't quite the time to get snappy, so I settled for a huff of retort as he continued, "As for why I'm in your head? It's hard to explain, shall we say."

"And as you said, I'm pretty smart." I crossed my legs as well, leaning back into the bench and staring expectantly at Altair. "Try."

"As you wish then. Sister, do you know the talents that you and my distant grandson share?"

"Which in particular? The killing things talent? Or the talent for getting elbows deep into bizarre plots and conspiracies?"

"No, those are a given to any assassin." Another hint of a smile. "But I meant things such as the Eagle Vision. And not just that. You may not realize or notice it, but that isn't all the abilities you possess."

"Really?" I raised my eyebrows, "Then I haven't-"

"Ezio is an uncannily swift study, is he not?" A flash of straight, white teeth, and his expression rapidly returned back to neutral. I could almost swear I didn't even see the smile. "I believe you were much the same when you were forced into training," Altair continued to stare at me fully, not for a moment looking away from my eyes. I shivered slightly; it was not a very pleasant stare to have looking into your soul, confident, proud, but a bit chilly. Yet I was made of stronger guts, and I returned his gaze head on.

"Well, I was the only woman that survived. But it doesn't mean that I was a faster learner," I countered.

"Modesty is a virtue, but not naivety. You were wrong before, when you assumed that your blood thinned of whatever it is that makes us special. That line has lasted for hundreds of millennia. And it will not begin to fade out for just as long."

"Then why could I not control the Apple?" I asked a reasonable question. The man let out a low chuckle, almost as though a child was asking of a simple task.

"Because at the time, you were still not thinking with a completely clear head. We've all been deceived, sister, assassin or not. Such is the gift and folly of man, and of the illusions many of us choose to accept. It is why we must pierce the veil, mastering those emotions and refusing our assumptions. Only by gaining a true understanding of our Creed may we dispel the lies."

"Nothing is true," I murmured. "The Apple's power is illusion, and nothing more..."

"Astounding, isn't it?" He could have been mocking me. But his voice was even and almost scholarly, belying no hint of disdain. Simply, acceptance of the truth.

"So if I had the Apple right now, I would be able to control it?" I asked after a long moment. Altair tilted his chin down in what could be considered a nod with some imagination. Like all of his other movements, no excess energy was wasted, every gesture sparse and efficient. "Wait, but that makes no sense. You said that I was like Ezio, and that I learned faster. But that's not true, for I remember being completely amazed at his progress."

"Sister, you survived what only very few have, and you were the best of your city. You have exceeded any and all expectations. The only reason you did not advance even further was because your teacher was a false idol to our dogma, a follower of deceit and disgrace, who twisted our methods to his own wretched end. Unlike you, Ezio was on the true path from the beginning. Though he did not know it until our enemies attempted to wipe out his life and memory." Altair blinked for moment, his expression hard and unreadable until he waved a hand in dismissal, "And so he taught you Eagle Vision, which is now as bright as his, I presume."

I listened with furrowed eyebrows, beginning to chew on my lower lip in thought as he finished explaining it all to me. "Alright...give me a moment to wrap my head around this," I lifted up a finger. He patiently waited until I finally gave up. "Fine," I muttered, "Maybe I can't process this quite yet…but that doesn't explain what the hell you're doing here. Or where this blood even comes from."

"I can't tell you of everything, for we do not have an eternity, I am afraid. But I am here because those hours with the Apple in your hands did not go completely without consequence. I have spent a considerable amount of time with the artifact myself, trying to unravel the concept of it, much like you. The entire process is rather complex, something far beyond the human mind to understand. All we are left to do is accept it."

"Great. I have come to the conclusion that you are either another hallucination my sister's Talisman is planting into my head…or…the result of my nervousness before my fune- I mean, wedding."

The man very suddenly laughed. "You remind me of Malik-"

"Who?"

"A most dear friend who pulled me from my own path of hubris," he smiled, though his eyes were dark with distant regret. "He had a very sharp tongue that he never hesitated in cutting me with...My dear girl, I am here because of just that. Your wedding."

"Excuse me?" I jumped to my feet in shock, staring at him with huge eyes. "Not you too! First Ezio gets the insane idea. Then Claudia won't leave me alone, trying to get me to choose tablecloth patterns and dress designs? And now my own hallucinations are talking about it?"

"Sit down," he simply stated. Just like the first time, I waited out a long moment before taking my seat again. "It is not the wedding you're frightened of."

"I'm not scared-"

"You're a terrible liar," he snorted, though his eyes glittered with amusement, "And even more foolish than I thought for daring to think you can deceive your own mind." I didn't know what frightened me more; that Altair was actually making a joke, or that I was essentially calling out myself. Or was he calling me out using the power of the Apple? He couldn't possible be here, in the Apple…could he?

Actually alive...?

"And stop trying to formulate some kind of logic out of this," he ordered, "You, sister, are terrified like a little girl in front of a band of bandits."

"I can kill a band of bandits-"

"But you can't even face marriage."

"What, now you're a psychiatrist as well as an assassin? Or a marriage counselor?"

"To the question I know you are dying to find the answer to, yes. It is allowed for assassins to marry. Normal families make things slightly problematic, of that I am fully aware," Altair grinned, "But Ezio is not a normal man, just as you are not a normal woman," he stated, leaning back against the bench.

"Gee, thanks, Einstein. I already figured we were superheroes," I grumbled, looking away, and biting down on my lip. "I'm fine," I snapped, "I have already agreed to it, and I've even put the past behind-"

"It's hardly the past that terrifies you now. Rather, the prospect of being tied to the man, potentially loosing the ability to get up and leave when you want to," he bluntly interrupted me, "Not to mention, when you have children, and the responsibilities that come with that for you. You have little desire to leave a child behind, to rarely see it, to see your family targeted by the enemy. And who better," his gaze bore into mine, "To be aware of such things than the one who has lived it?"

"What mother would want that?" I strangled, tightly closing my eyes and hearing my own heartbeat suddenly roar in my ears. "Listen…no…just...we simply can't deal with children just yet!" I exclaimed with frustration. My fingers dug into the wooden slats of the bench, threatening my palms with splinters. My cheeks were suddenly cold and clammy, a fine sweat breaking out along my brow. Indeed, that matter had been eating away at me since Eve healed all the internal scarring. It forced me to visit the doctor regularly to head off the potential, unpleasant consequence. Utilizing the Queen Anne's Lace seeds the courtesans used to continue their livelihoods uninterrupted, I too found myself without child, though by choice this time.

"And who is forcing you to have children yet?" he shrugged in response to my short monologue. "Finish what you must do. Ensure a future for your family before you start it. You know, such was our way at Masyaf. Sooner or later, each assassin would find himself a woman that would give birth to his child. If it was a boy, he would be taken from them, to never know of his parents," he quietly continued, voice dropping. "His father could pass right beside him, and he did not have a right to speak a word of it. And though they remained with their parents, the girls fared little better. For what is a life spent in unquestioning servitude to the whims and mercies of the Brotherhood?"

"I know. I read your codex," I waved my hand.

"I changed those rules as soon as I was the Grand Master," he continued, as though he couldn't hear me. "I believed, and still believe that a child needs his family. Such bonds create a nearly unbreakable cause to fight for. You already fight to protect those most precious to you, do you not?"

"Ezio," I spoke without hesitation, "His mother, his uncle, Monteriggioni. Claudia and her baby...though right now I want to strangle the woman with my bare hands," I fleetingly grinned, "And Adel."

"Hm. It seems you understand that concept better than you give yourself credit for, then. Yet I fear I cannot say the same for your pupil."

I gave a slightly confused nod. "Adel understands the sacrifice. Revels in it even," I swallowed. "But not the reasons behind it."

"She will as long as you and my grandson are there to show her," he smiled. He really had quite a handsome smile when he was not frowning or smirking, I noted. So, so much like his distant relative…"Well, I see you may figure the rest out on your own... Safety and Peace, sister."

"Safety and peace," I repeated, still a bit stunned by the encounter. The assassin stood up fluidly, pulling on his hood, and began to walk away. "Wait!"

He stopped, and looked over his shoulder with a cocked eyebrow.

"For Ezio to be around, you have to have had children too...which means you had a wife, or at least a woman. Can I ask-?"

"I had a woman, yes," he grinned again, quite contently, "Maria was one of the least likely of people to be that one, in fact, considering our circumstances...she was a Templar," he explained, seeing the lack of understanding on my face. "The only female one. Very bold, uncommonly smart and utterly determined. In other words? A good person misled by the promises of a holy mission."

With that, he simply walked away, much like my sister and Alex did on many occasions, dissolving into the white fog.~

I woke up suddenly, blinking and shaking my head slightly, the white still hovering in my eyes.

What. The. Fuck...?

"Mmm..." Ezio stirred, opening one eye slightly, "Is it mornin'?"

"No," I instinctively patted him on the shoulder to quickly assure him we were in no danger, "Not yet." I glanced out the window to make sure, but it was still dark, without any hint of sunlight.

"Oh," he nestled back into my collarbone, nuzzling it with his nose, "Bad dreams?"

"Just…weird ones," I admitted, smiling with relief as I ran hand through his messy hair and he purred in agreement. In a second, his breathing evened out again, and he fell asleep.

I was left to stare at the ceiling to contemplate just what the hell happened. Why I could still remember everything with such clarity, as if I truly did just have a long discussion with Ezio's long-dead ancestor?

"And so I have begun to wonder - might there not be a way to stop - or at least delay - death's embrace?…faced as I am with the prospect of my end, what harm is there in one last look..."

Did Altair truly manage it, then? To survive beyond his time? But what is such an existence?

Inside the Apple was only a memory of him, his concept, his mind. And it seems that as I held it in my hands, searching for my own answers, I received a bit more than I bargained for. I remembered the brief incident in Firenze, and shivered slightly. The feeling that you shared a body and brain with someone else was not a pleasant, and I dearly hoped that was not the case.

Before falling back asleep, hours later, I mentally decided that I was never, not on the life of me, ever going to handle the artifacts again. If only for the sake of my sanity...

"Again," I sighed, not even looking up from the book, orienting on the loud thunk! of the crossbow bolt against the dummy. The dummy patiently took the blow, and likely praised the gods that it was made of wood, because any man would likely hate to be in its place at that moment.

Adel obediently inserted another bolt.

"Shouldn't we take a break?" she asked as she aimed at the dummy again, and shot. The recoil must have stung her already bruised shoulder, and she was forced to take a small step back. However, she made no noise of pain. After a year of everyday exercises with crossbows, throwing knives, daggers and other weapons, she learned to take it as a given, almost refusing to complain.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why? Getting tired?"

"No." She let the meaningless jab go, tucking the loose strand behind her ear. "But there is a little important thing that we have to do today."

"Really?" I displayed sincere surprise, "And what might that be?"

"You honestly don't remember? It's rather big," Adel smirked, running the bolt into the Dummy's head. He flinched violently as if in shock - head shots were still a rare thing for Adel.

"Who taught you to talk like that, I wonder?" I narrowed my eyes playfully, flipping the page.

"You," she reminded me, and returned to the game immediately. "Now, don't tell me you actually forgot?"

"Do I have to drag it all out of you? I didn't know you wanted to get to torture and interrogation quite so soon..."

She sighed heavily, shaking her head in disbelief, "You'll find out in about five seconds."

"Find out wha-"

"EDEN!"

"That."

With a sinking feeling, I turned my head towards the rampaging doom. My book slammed shut and I held it in front of my chest as a shield, somehow forgetting about my legs and my general ability to protect myself more properly...

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, I'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU!"

"Claudia, how lovely to see you - did you do something to your hair?" I asked weakly, "You look absolutely luminous today," I swallowed. The young woman stopped only a step away from me, towering over me menacingly, her eyes all but spitting fire. If this were any other time, I would have found it pretty hilarious that she and her brother shared a nearly identical expression whenever they were pissed beyond repair. Right down to the arched brows of barely contained rage, the flushed cheeks of indignation, and the constant sputterings of disbelief.

Unfortunately, now was not one of those times.

Dammit it all to hell…

She grabbed my arm, dragging me to my feet with surprising strength. "We only have six hours, and you're relaxing here like some- seriously, sometimes I get the feeling you don't want this at all!"

I finally remembered that I was, after all, an Assassin, and Claudia was only an accountant, killer bloodlines or not. Digging my heels into the stones of the walkway forced her to a stop, allowing me to twist my arm out of her grip. "Wait, wait, wait…what are you talking about?"

"The wedding, of course! Did you forget it's tonight?"

My heartbeat just about stopped, my soul ran to my feet, and all the blood left my face.

"That- today?" I gasped out, surprising even myself with my raspy, almost inaudible voice. "Oh, fuckin...fudgicle sticks," I stammered, shooting a glance over Adel. Thankfully, she hadn't heard me, attempting to sneak up on one the stray cats that'd made the villa its home.

"Yes, today! Don't you even dare think about running away, either. I already asked zio Mario to station guards around the town," she warned me.

"I think I need a doctor, actually..." I yanked on my collar- it was suddenly hard to breath…suffocating in fact…

"Stop being so dramatic! We still have to get you ready, and we only have six hours!"

I didn't say out loud what I thought about the last phrase. Because it seemed to me that in six hours, I could change my mind about six thousand times, and/or make a run for it about roughly six hundred times...

It's hard to say what happened next. I think Claudia, taking advantage of my near-stroke weakness, dragged me to some house. I'm not sure why she didn't take me to the villa, really. Perhaps some other tradition or something? It was all a blur…one strange, mildly horrifying flash of images that I wasn't quite sure were real or not…Immediately, I was stuffed into some very strong smelling water, something that completely murdered my sense of smell. Thankfully, she was careful with the soap, muttering something about red eyes. I felt almost unnecessarily clean afterward too, thankfully.

Then, the formal dressing up of the bride began, much to my growing horror...

I will not lie; when I was a child, I had my fantasies about my wedding day. How I'd put on a white dress and walk down the aisle, blinding everyone with either my beauty (hey, anything is allowed in dreams), the dress, or the outrageously expensive jewelry. Of course, I could have never accounted for the fact that I was getting married in Italy during the Renaissance, where the dresses were a bit different. And a hell of a lot more uncomfortable.

"Jesus Christ, you move bloody fast," I snorted as she swiftly slipped the snowy white, silk chemise over my head. That was quickly followed by her looping the corset around my torso and hooking it closed in the front. Alright, I have to admit that corset was pretty fancy. Wrought of golden silk, it was embroidered with curling green vines. Every few inches, they spouted an array of crimson and dark blue flowers. Laced up the back with gold, silk ribbons, my soon to be sister-in-law yanked them together without any warning. "Why," I let out through gritted teeth, my voice unusually high, "Do you feel the need to torture m- OW! God-DAMMIT CLAUDIA!"

"Shush," Claudia ordered, shoving me down onto the bed and even going so far as putting a foot on my back as she tightened the corset. Sure, I wore a bodice daily. But they were always laced up the front, which didn't allow for the apparent joy of lung-crushing goodness. And, uh, considering our daily activities, Ezio always re-laced it rather loosely, allowing for easier access and all…

However, now? My ribs were not expecting such abuse, my lungs squealing for mercy...

"What have I done so wrong to deserve this?" I wailed, scrambling back to my feet and holding tightly to the bedpost. "Leave me alone, you demon! Can't you see my organs can't be squished any further?" One of the maids giggled, and immediately put her hand to her mouth.

"Oh, so you can spend days at a time training and fighting, but you can't handle a corset?" Claudia taunted, spinning me around to face her and ensure the hooks in front hadn't popped open. No such luck.

Suddenly taking a look at my face and seeing the different colors of mild asphyxiation that paraded through it, she hurried to loosen the lacings. Praise God on high, I could finally breath again! "Training and fighting is easier than this," I hissed. At that moment, she either gave up trying to remove my ribs and cinch my waist any tighter, or she finally achieved the desired (in her point of view) results. So she gave me one last vengeful tug, making me choke on another groan as she finally tied off the lacings. I tried to take a deep breath, but failed immediately, already beginning to feel lightheaded.

"I still can't believe you forgot about the wedding, though. Was the drinking fest last night not good enough a reminder?" she asked me, allowing me a few moments of breath.

"Ah, yes. The drinking fest, formerly known as the bachelorette party." I had a hard time concealing a grin. The party was my idea, of course, and it turned out surprisingly fun. "As far as I remember, you got drunk almost scandalously fast, and then...something about table dancing, I think, as well as trying to pull the pants off the poor bar keep."

Claudia's face flushed deep red. It appeared that she did not remember that particular part.

"And Caterina began to sing songs that would make a sailor blush," I continued, the only thing containing my laughter being the promise of pain, thanks to the corset. "Not to mention, Paola really knows how to throw a party...I really had no idea there was such thing as a male courtesan, but there you go. You should remember that part, Claudia. You seemed to be enjoying yourself, after all."

"Alright, that's enough," Claudia armed herself with a comb, coming at me menacingly.

Really, the only thing louder than our party was Ezio's. I did not remember the details, but we did manage to cross paths a few times when the parties spilled out from the bars and into the streets. I also distinctly remembered fire crackers. And the blacksmith chasing pigeons on the roofs. While naked.

It was a good night.

The fond memories and the dreamy smile were wiped off my face as soon as Claudia brought the torture device known as "the comb" through my hair. She would have made good rank in some government dungeon, interrogating prisoners and forcing them to confess their sins, including the made up ones. Though at my jeering comment, she just yanked on a strand of hair, making me break into a hiss.

Someone's familiar face popped up in the open window, despite us being on the second story of the villa now. "How are things on this front?"

"The fortress is taken, we're trying to maintain power," Claudia answered in a routine tone, and La Volpe chuckled. I was not amused by that, but I had better things to focus on. Like regretting ever letting my hair grow out. "How are things with Ezio?"

"Mario and Antonio are still trying to push him into that outfit you laid out for him."

"And what does he say?"

"He says he looks like a ghost in it and no way in hell will he wear that as to not scare off all the guests. Especially the bride herself."

Well, there was some comfort in the thought that he was fully sharing my sentence in the torture chambers...

To tell the truth, there was supposed to be some sort of etiquette in reference to men being around a half-clothed wife-to-be. But did it really need to be said that none of us cared? The Fox, along with all the other men, were not shy of women in the slightest, and could not resist poking fun at the victims…I mean the bride and groom...

Of course with all that, let's not forget that the leading women of this "celebration" (Claudia and partially Teodora and Paola. And Rosa's whole organization of the liquor at the bachelorette party) were not left alone for a moment. People came by every minute to report, and in the next twenty minutes I heard the following:

-The priest was missing, only to be found two minutes later, sleeping under a bush while cuddling a bottle of good church wine.

-Bartolomeo had arrived, despite his earlier announcement that he had far more important things to do, and was now demanding explanation as to why he was not told that there was going to be food and alcohol. Plus, he was chasing around a particularly lazy kitchen boy out of boredom.

-The flowers were picked, but all the vases went missing…and while they were looking for them, the bouquets went missing as well.

-The horses ate the said flowers. Funnily enough, they still don't know what the horses were doing inside the walls...

Chaos. Bloody chaos. How was I ever talked into this?

But finally, the mess that was my hair was tamed and left alone until further developments. I also noticed Adel, already dressed in a pretty red dress and standing guard beside the door, watched the entire process with slightly sadistic interest. Considering the questionable pleasure of getting married would not come around to her for at least five more years, and likely much longer, she was simply enjoying watching me suffer.

At the sight of the dress, I began to rebel again.

"Shouldn't you go take care of Federico?" I flailed my arms at Claudia. Telling her to go baby her son was the one and only method that worked on her for the past three months, something that Ezio and me were using in full force anytime she came around. But this time, she was determined and unmovable.

"Paolo is taking care of him today, so you don't get the chance to make a run for it."

"In this dress, I won't get far without choking, trust me," I muttered darkly.

"Stop being a baby," Claudia brought the dress over my head, making me think I went blind for a moment, "You're only getting married!"

"I don- mrph!" All further arguments were effectively cut off the dress.

At our first attempt, I stared at the lacing wildly, and Claudia, with just as much shock, was staring at my shoulder blades that showed above the neckline. The next try was little better, as suddenly the only opening for my head I could find was the skirt again. We may have not been able to handle a fourth attempt, but luckily everything finally fit and closed properly.

The dress was actually okay, as it was the only part of the planning that I participated in, adding a bit more of the modern style to it. Leonardo did a bit of artistic tweaking, too, and the tailor of Monteriggioni was far from the worst.

So there it was! A beautiful, deep scarlet and white dress that clung to my unnaturally small figure at the waist, falling down in intricate folds. The bodice was scarlet and red as well, the rounded neckline cut to the top of my bosom. The detached sleeves alternating scarlet and white as well, they were embroidered with swirling golden thread and heavy, golden beads. As per the usual Renaissance custom, my crimson kyrtle was pulled and puffed out in between where the sleeves attached to the shoulder and from the elbow to wrist. Dragging slightly on the floor, that was quickly fixed by the heeled ballet flats I was forced to wear. And the fact that train was so long that I had to carry its gathered edge on a little silk wristband around my wrist. At least when the ceremony was over and the dancing began.

Claudia assured me it was the absolute height of Florentine dress. I just wanted to ensure I wouldn't trip down the aisle and land on my face, potentially breaking it in front of everyone.

"Are you going to take much longer?" Adel suddenly popped up in the window, even though I could have sworn she was still by the door. Her hair looked ruffled again, shining in the sun like a golden crown, and her cheeks were flushed. She must have given into the said chaos and run some quick errands, though considering that Caterina brought her children along, she was likely just playing with them. Well, playing was not a good term - chasing them around and scaring the living daylights (or, at least trying to do that) was more like it.

"Yes!" Claudia growled, not pleased with my lack of cooperation. "Oh, tell the girls not to hurry with the tables yet. Wait until Paola gets there-"

"Paola is busy, something about horses-"

"Then I'll do it myself as soon as I finish with our give-away bride-"

"Maybe we should give me out anywhere?" I whined hopelessly. They ignored me, and I sighed. Well, as much as the corset would allow me to. "Aaa, I'm still so young..."

"Go to the window and keep yelling," Adel jabbed with a grin, "You can scare away passersby at the same time."

"I get the feeling I already scared away everyone within a mile radius yesterday," I grumbled as Claudia moved behind me to finish her comb-torture technique.

I did not let her tie my hair up, however. Appropriate or not, I liked it better loose, and after a few moments, she agreed that it did look better. There was a reason, of course. Mostly that I looked almost astonishingly ridiculous with all the strands pulled tightly against my scalp. After a bit of hesitation, Adel got a hold of my hair, and managed to create a rather nice lovely hairstyle with little braids, ribbons, curls and tiny flowers. I certainly didn't need any jewels or precious stones in it, like most noble woman would do. In the end, it was like a natural crown of sorts that wound about my head. Intricate but still surprisingly natural looking.

"Don't worry, I think that they didn't run away immediately," Claudia replied. "But after your horrible improvisation of 'I can't believe I'm dying,' last night, I wouldn't be surprised if all of Monteriggioni runs away to a monastery..."

"Well, it's your fault! I told you I quit drinking..."

"I thought it would make you feel better!"

"And it did!"

"Something I can't say for the rest of us," Adel laughed. She was not present at the party officially, though the sly and fast girl likely managed to get right into the middle of it anyway. "As far as I remember, after that song, all the women and half the men were tearing up."

That was a lot of people, considering any time the irritated and angry neighbors tried to stop the noise that was provided by our sending me off to the next, but not necessarily better married life. Whenever we drummed on the door of the next person's house, they would open it to find quite a number of arms beginning to pull the poor women who resided there outside. All while we swore to god that we would calm down and go home…just as soon as they drank a tankard with us. The only reason we did not manage to collect the entire town was because the same depressing talents (or the lack of thereof) could be heard from the other end, where the men moved with Ezio's party. And by the time we got about a quarter of the way through town, we were taking both the women and men with us, Ezio doing the same.

"By the way, who invited those three brothers that drank more than ten men could?"

"Those were our best and oldest friends," I said without even thinking, "At least, that's what they told us. And weren't there six...?"

I refused the makeup in Claudia's composition, which was likely much like the good old noble traditions. Considering the frightening amount of different bottles and power, she was going to smother me head-to-toe. After a long-winded argument and two lost votes, I finally managed to convince her to let me do my own makeup, lining my eyes and lips, and using minimal powder to at least partially conceal the ugly scars that threw my face out of symmetry. I left it at that, almost afraid to wreck my looks further.

Once that was done, both Claudia and Adel took a step away with little breaths of awe as they viewed the entire wedding cake that I now appeared to look like. I stood in front of the mirrors, shuttering slightly on the heels, afraid to move, and suddenly feeling extremely fragile.

The only classification that came to mind was the persistent whisper of "ca-a-a-ake…"

"Adel!" someone from the outside called loudly, and one of Caterina's kids jumped onto the window sill. I remembered only the fact that the kid was not the one we rescued from the Orsi brothers a year ago. "Come on, Bianca found the wedding cake!"

Strange, I thought I was still here...

"What? Can't you see I'm busy?" Adel flashed her eyes with the irritated arrogance of a feral cat. The kid didn't take offense - I got the feeling he was already used to such treatment, as he just shrugged. It was interesting to see that Caterina's kids didn't really put on any airs, at least.

"Keep your hands off that cake!" Claudia wailed angrily. Cesare jumped down to the ground, avoiding her wrath while loudly snorting, Adel evaporating moments later. Well, if we saw chunks from that cake missing, we'd know who to blame.

Hearing a knock at the door, Claudia scrambled to answer it. "Leonardo!" I looked at him like he was my savior, and he even flinched away, not expecting such a loud and enthusiastic greeting. "Have you come to save me from the mockery of that evil witch?" I whispered, leaning into him and snatching him by the sleeve in near desperation, "Are you ready to slay the dragon and take her hoard?"

"Um…no?" he cautiously disappointed me, and I hunched again, a moment later getting wacked on the back of my head by a comb. Damn, apparently the whole, "I have extremely heightened senses thing," ran in the Auditore blood…"But Teodora asked me to pass you the flowers-"

"Ah, thanks!" Claudia took them out of his hands and looked at me critically before handing it to me. I grasped at the stems awkwardly, almost like they were my life line. After a few long moments, she nodded in satisfaction. "It'll do."

"I need to sit down," I mumbled, ready to dramatically roll my eyes to the back of my head and lower myself into the nearest seat in the good memory of those weak-nerved ladies I always made fun of here in this era.

"No time!" The likely uncertified and definitely unwanted Fairy Godmother just couldn't let me take a breath to fully realize exactly why this was happening... "The wedding is in half-an hour, we have to get you to the chapel, stat!"

"Wait, the chapel?" I put both my hands up, "Hell no! The day is beautiful, and there is no way in hell I will let my death happen in a stuffy little chapel!"

She looked at me with some doubt, and then sighed. "Well, the last will is sacred. Where would you like?"

"How about in front of the villa?" Leonardo suggested, noticing my slight hesitation due to the lack of oxygen and blood getting to my brain. "The view is beautiful, there's plenty of space, and all we have to do is move a few benches and convince the priest-"

Claudia looked like she was mentally calculating it. "Is the priest even sober yet?"

"Ah-"

"Nope," Adel bent over the window again happily. I noticed traces of whip cream on her cheeks... "When we tried to wake him up, he yelled and screamed and threw the bottle at us, but he didn't get up."

"That's a problem..."

"Can't Teodora do it?" I suddenly asked. "I know a nun isn't the same, but it's not like this is an orthodox wedding anyway. We could make an exception, right?"

"Well," Leonardo scratched his head, "She is close to God. I doubt the priest wants us spreading rumors that he was too drunk to perform the service, so he'll happily just sign off on the wedding contract. Hopefully, Sister Teodora wouldn't mind..."

"To tell the truth, I'd rather a friend get a license on the internet and do it." Everyone paused and gaped at me, causing me to quickly add, "But since that's not an option, we can still have a friend, right? It's not that bad a violation, considering women can do it back in my birthplace."

Leo looked like he was about to ask me what internet was, but my stern glare made him get back to the point. "We don't have much choice, either way, so I'll go ask her."

"Also, get Bartolomeo to help out with those benches!" Claudia called after him, and then turned around to me, planting her fists in her waist and looking over the entire composition once again. "Are you ready to get married?"

"I want my mommy..."

"You don't get a choice," she told me, not without a doze of sadistic amusement.

Then I was somehow transferred into the villa - I really have no idea how we got there, I think I was too far gone in the horrors of my imagination to really see what was happening. Especially as the outside the noise only grew. I was already near a stroke, wanting nothing more than to climb up to the chandelier, grab onto it with both my legs and arms, and swing out of the window, musketeer-style. Like hell they'd get me down!

I did not get the chance, however. Before long, the women were once again pushing me out the door. I got stuck in the wide frame however, and began to quietly moaning in terror, my legs barely holding me and forcing me to clench my fingers on the frame in desperation.

The public, that being the entire town, happily met me with loud cheers, densely filling not only the space around the villa, but also the streets down below. Apparently, they all somehow found my funeral an entertaining event. Then again, I heard some mourners that wouldn't be so against an actual funeral tonight, as Ezio's fangirls were still depressed. The music began immediately and all at the same time, wolves and dogs within a mile or so radius enthusiastically joined in. Everything was dressed in ribbons and flowers, as if there was some colorful explosion, making my eyes water slightly. My teeth began to chatter...

Claudia finally succeeded in pushing me out the door, almost putting a knife to my back (and no, I didn't doubt she had one hidden somewhere on her person…). Traditionally, my father was supposed to give me away and all that. But I had no escort, except for rabid Claudia, for three reasons. First of all, I didn't have a father. Secondly, I boldly claimed that I belonged only to myself and that I could perfectly well step into my own coffin. And lastly, this way, I could still make a run for it, as opposed to someone holding me on the right track. Like Mario, who was the closest thing I had to a father…kind of.

I took a few steps forward...and then a few more... I'm going to fall and break my legs…that sucks…but wait a minute, that would be there wouldn't be a wedding...another step...

And then I saw Ezio.

Looking as a pale as a ghost, no less.

I think I must have been the luckiest bride alive in the fact that he was the one waiting for me to approach up there by the railing! Questionable luck, of course, considering that moments ago I felt like that instead of stepping through the door, I was stepping into my coffin...

The luckiest bride…corpse. Whatever, at least he was there. The color drained from his face, he looked just as terrified as me, something I noted with sadistic pleasure. So, I see he finally realized exactly what he convinced me into!

But at the sight of me, all panic left his face. I don't know what he was thinking, but suddenly he smiled in recognition (quite a feat in that outfit, I must say). The same warm, charming grin that made me fall in love with him...

Wow, I was being super-cheesy. And I didn't give one damn about it.

I did not need any more pushing from Claudia at my back, my feet carrying me towards him themselves. When I took my place beside him, I realized with relief that I could finally feel my legs again. Hell, my tongue too, as I was beginning to get worried that I wouldn't be able to speak the vows properly.

Sister Teodora, looking slightly torn between being disgruntled at the violation of rules and feeling pleased at herself and the situation, began the ceremony.

Or at least she tried to.

I didn't realize immediately what was happening. One moment, things were still going fine. People were still quietly laughing while remembering the horrified look on my face when I came out of the doors, Claudia got a hold of her baby boy and was cooing over him while sending me occasional glares of warning, and Adel was rubbing at her cheek, hastily trying to get some dried cream from the cake off.

Everything suddenly went deathly silent for a few moments, the distinctive sound of blades being drawn inexplicably ringing in my ears. I shifted my eyebrows together, looking up at Ezio with surprise, but he was looking around with the same confusion. The sound of blades was now coming from our guests, my mind screaming with warning as we both caught the tangy, acrid whiff of danger.

Out of the two of us standing at the makeshift altar, I reacted a split second earlier when I saw the first unfriendly scowl in the crowd. I made a lunge towards him, almost forgetting about my heels and dress. Before he could realize what was happening, I snatched his drawn dagger out of his hand, slamming it into his throat without hesitation.

And then? Well, all hell broke loose.

Villagers began to shriek as the dead man fell to the ground, Ezio literally leaping across the rails and down the stairs as I took a defensive crouch, the sense of impending doom forcing me compensate for the unwieldy nature of my clothes. All the Assassins present followed my example, though not before yelling for the citizens to flee as they oriented themselves into a defensive circle, almost too fast to see. Within seconds, we were all surrounded by...

Normal people.

No, not normal, I thought grimly. Their clothes may have been ordinary, but I had never seen anyone with such glazed over eyes and blankly aggressive expressions. They all wielded similar swords, which they held with in amateur grips. But they left no doubt to their intentions.

Mario yanked Adel inside the circle we formed, much to her protest, and Caterina ushered her own family to the villa, fortunately staying there with them.

"I am so glad I didn't miss this wedding now," I heard Bartolomeo growl, though I did not share his feelings on this one...

"Do you realize what just happened?"

Ezio really never knew that Eden could screech so loudly. He looked her over, from the bleeding cut on her cheek and her tangled hair, to her slashed dress and bloody sword. He quickly came to the conclusion that things were not too bad, and she was more angry than in physical pain.

"Yes, I was there," he muttered defensively, completely understanding her fury at the ruined wedding.

"I don't think you do! Those idiots were trying to capture me!" she pointed to the slice over her neck where one of the men attempted to make a grab for her, "To hold me over you! Do you not realize that?"

"Amore," he murmured, moving to her side and attempting to put an arm about her waist, "There is no way they could have ever gotten their hands on you. Even if they hadn't miscalculated, I'm sure that-"

"We couldn't even have one normal freaking day to get married without getting attacked!" she snapped, shoving back away from him.

His confusion was beginning to grow and he stiffened. "Eden…don't you think you're overreacting-?" She stared at him for a long moment, eyes wide and distant, only to then turn and began silently walking away. "Hey! Come now, where are you going?"

"This isn't going to work, Ezio," she growled angrily over her shoulder.

"Listen, we just have get cleaned up and get this place in order, and-"

"No, I mean this," she strangled, voice rising, "This marriage!" she frantically waved her arms about. "Don't you get it?" she paused to stare at him as he felt his stomach drop, "This entire relationship can bring us both down, something that'd been proven on many occasions. It can kill us, even." Her gaze was looking everywhere but him, seeming to focus on finding any more potential attackers. "I'm sorry Ezio, but this is…this…I can't…this is just…the last straw," she spoke almost apologetically as she continued to walk away.

Ezio was left staring after her, trying to digest what he had just heard. Did she just...

...call off the wedding?

"Those bastards could not wait five minutes, could they?" Claudia grumbled somewhere beside him, still trying to calm down her crying son at the same time as directing the clean up of the bodies.

"I should go…talk to her...?" Ezio asked no one in particular in a lost voice. However, Claudia quickly saw the way his fists were clenching and unclenching at his sides his fingers flexing and twitching. In other words, absolutely itching for a weapon. His checks were beginning to turn crimson, and he snapped his mouth shut, a thin line of mounting fury. His eyes were narrowed, glittering golden and sharp. Reaching out, she gently took his hand in hers, refusing to let go, even as he flinched at her touch.

"Are you kidding? Ezio, I know you're her best friend, but she sort of needs girlfriend right now," Diana put a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, because you did such a lovely job the first time," he nearly snarled, easily ducking out of her grasp as he remembered what happened the last time the courtesan meddled; Eden nearly left Venice completely to get away from him.

"That was a low blow, if ever saw one, brother," Claudia quietly spoke, "And no, she's right." Head whipping around, his gaze was confused, as though seeing her for the first time. Arching a brow, he gave her a noncommittal shrug, though he tried to yank his hand out of hers.

"I don't think so," Claudia steadily commanded, fingers tightening around his with lightening fast reflexes. She handed Federico off to Adel so that she could wave her hands around at Bartolomeo, who was staring at the large bouquet in his arms with confusion. Eden had shoved it into his hands at one point or another, and now it was looking very out of place in his bear-like arms. "If she had a mother or a sister around, it would be perfect, but considering the circumstances-"

"We also might need someone who can handle her if she's going berserk," Ezio muttered lowly, "She gets a bit violent when upset."

"I'll go," Mario bravely suggested, everyone present looking at the man with some doubt. "And I'll take Adel with me."

That confused everyone further, but Claudia suddenly nodded, momentarily dropping her brother's hand and taking her son back from Adel. The girl broke into a run, already catching up with Mario.

"We have to train her for dangerous, unpredictable situations, so this is perfect," La Volpe commented to their backs.

Meanwhile, Claudia took Ezio by the wrist and pulled him with her. "Let's go find the nearest tavern."

"Why the hell do we need to-?"

"NOW, EZIO."

I hit my fist on the stone wall.

It didn't help, my hand just began to hurt. But the frustration and bitter sadness was still echoing in my head, refusing to budge and allow reason and logic in.

Why did I ever agree to this?

If those lunatics succeeded in taking me hostage, what would have happened? They nearly did, too, because my movement was restricted and painful thanks to the dress and shoes. If La Volpe didn't throw that knife from behind, the madman could have very well dragged me off to wherever! And then there was no doubt that Ezio would do something noble and extremely stupid!

"Why the hell did we allow it to come this far?" I tried to punch the wall again, but stopped at the last moment, sparing my knuckles and allowing my arm to drop.

"Eden!" I blinked, looking around - I didn't expect anyone to come look for me this soon. Adel ran into me at full speed, throwing her arms around my waist. I had to take a small step back as to not fall. "You can't just leave Ezio like that!"

"She's right," Mario crossed his arms, surveying me with his one good eye, "I figured you'd enjoy adding spice to that party, like Bartolomeo."

"Spice!" I snorted, "That was not the seasoning I had in mind for my wedding! Me possibly running away on my own accord? I would have expected that, though you and Claudia made that thought impossible. The cake being half-eaten by the children before we got to it? Totally anticipated. A dozen of charmed lunatics coming to capture me as a hostage and ultimately kill us all? Oh, wait a minute," I frantically waved my arms about, "I don't have a contingency plan for that!"

I completely ignored tears threatening to spill down my heated cheeks…why the fuck was I starting to cry any damn way? It's not like I hadn't been through worse….

"Is it wrong that I wanted a single normal day in my life?" I bellowed.

"No, of course not. But Eden," Mario paternally patted my on the shoulder, "We're assassins before we are normal people. You should be used to that already."

"Seriously!" I snapped, "I don't ask for much. All I wanted was one day. ONE. DAY. And I can't even get that much? So much for Altair's theory, then," I rolled my eyes. "I can't fucking believe-"

"You're being weird," Adel informed me, sternly planting her fists into her hips, "Don't you love Ezio?"

"I do, without question-"

"Then why are you calling everything off because of a tiny little setback?"

"And have you even thought about my nephew's feelings?" Mario joined in on the guilt trip. "From Giovanni's letters, I was beginning to think the boy was never going to find a girl he could marry. What, with him being, well, Ezio. Then he finally somehow manages to work himself up to surprise us all, and you are going to just…ditch him?"

I slowly looked between them, and suddenly realized that the two were people who should never be allowed to bond, Adel and Mario, we doing just that. The world was going crazy after all.

And who the hell was I to disappoint? Besides, where would the fun be in that?

"Alright, let's get this over with before some more jackasses show up to ruin everything!" I marched up the stone rails with determination. Everyone was still present, and staring at Mario and Adel as if looking for any hints of violence before they then settled their eyes back on me. Ezio, who was sitting hunched on the stone railing, perked up as Claudia looked up to heaven and mumbled something.

I let out a huge sigh of relief at still finding him there. And not looking quite as pissed at me as I would be with myself…"Teodora, mind picking it back up where we left off?" I called out.

"Not at all," the nun, smiling widely, took her original place.

"Right. Someone, find those rings…Bartolomeo, throw that monstrosity out, you look really silly…and someone please get this away from me?" I handed the stolen sword that I was still holding to the nearest maid, who was just finishing up with the last of the bloodstains. Lisa, though looking thoroughly calm about the bloodied weapon, still held it with only her fingers at arms-length as she took it away.

I stretched my hands out to Ezio, who looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, though I could see the relief in his eyes. Then he gave me a boyish grin, to which I replied, and stood up.

"Sorry," I muttered, letting me pull me into him as he took my hands, "For everything. I swear to God, I never meant to worry you-"

"You can beg forgiveness all you wish…in our wedding bed," he smirked, giving my hand a quick squeeze of reassurance. "I hope," he whispered against my ear, "That you got plenty of sleep last night. Because you're certainly not getting any after I'm done with you."

I brightened, a weight lifted from my shoulders as I pinched him in his side, causing him to bite back a yelp of surprise, "Oh, I like the way you think, signore."

"Get used to it, bella," he chuckled.

Okay... maybe this was not the wedding I expected. With the battered dress, bloody cuts, messy hair and slight adrenaline still present in all the remaining guests. But then I realized I really couldn't care less. Nor could Ezio.

"Shortened version this time," I muttered to Teodora as we took our places.

"Before someone attacks and the bride tries to run off again," Ezio couldn't help but add.

"Then we'll skip right to the vows. Ezio, you first." Everyone stared at him expectantly.

Nodding, he took a deep breath, never letting go of my hands as he began. "Eden, I love you. And I will kill anyone who tries to capture or kill you, si? So just please stop running off like that, because it's becoming a bad habit," Ezio told me tiredly, though still wearing the same smirk. "Deal?"

I suddenly realized I did not remember even a word of the ritual vows that Claudia tried to push into my head a week before. So I decided to improvise, too.

"You really suck," I assured him, shooting him a teasing glare, "But amazingly enough, I believe you. And every other promise you made me, including the ten pounds of chocolate and five bouquets of sunflowers. How you're going to fulfill those promises is your problem. But I promise I'll try not to run out like a little coward anymore."

Teodora stepped in again, not even thinking about scolding us for such straying from the ceremony. "Do you take each other, in sickness and in health, during war and peace, until death and beyond, as fate and God shall decide?"

"I do, and like hell you'll get rid of me now," I grinned.

"Wouldn't dream of it…I do," he nodded.

My hands didn't shake like I expected them to. And to my own amazement, I managed to put the ring on his finger from the first attempt, as he put his on mine.

The simple, gold ring became all but welded onto my ring finger. Just over the burned seal of Assassins, the extra weight felt surprisingly pleasant.

Teodora, with much pleasure and relief, allowed him to kiss the former-bride-made-wife and finally finish this entire nerve-wrecking occasion.

I had no veil to speak of, so he simply leaned down, capturing my lips gently, sliding his arms around my waist. I kissed him back, of course, sealing the agreement. In front of his family, the townspeople, and the other Assassins. In front of our most dear and closest friends.

And I did not feel at all sorry for any of it.

For right now, we could simply enjoy this day and the years to come. If only because as today proved, we still had larger, darker concerns to deal with. This was not the end of the attacks, all of us knew. It was only a matter of time before things would once again take a familiar turn, and we'd be pushed into another hunt, into another struggle, and back into this bizarre plot we followed and weaved.

But not today.

A/N- Once again, this is not the end. But I'm afraid that the next chapter will be after the ten-year time skip, because I feel like I've strayed from the plot far enough. There are a few side stories I've written that happen during the break that I'll be posting in a separate story, hopefully filling in the gaps that I'm making here. But in this main story, I'm heading straight to the Bonfires of the Vanities.

So, next time, be prepared for a few unfamiliar faces and other huge developments... Hopefully not too big. Those confuse the hell out of everyone, including me...