The past few days had been filled with confusion and worry for Ezio. His mind was haunted with visions of the woman in the white robes and her cautionary words. He longed to know the name that matched the beautiful, mysterious face that had saved him from the fight with Vieri. He knew that when his path crossed hers once more, like she had said they would, he would be eternally in her debt. But how did she know that they would meet again? And how did she know his father? The woman was filled with mystery. Ezio troubled with keeping her out of his mind, but knew he needed to in order to keep his family safe. Not speaking of the events with the woman in white was difficult, but Ezio knew to trust her and to listen to her.
Since the fight, Ezio had gone to get his lip stitched and medicated at the dottore. The gash was forming into a pinkish scab already. The scar that would be left behind would be large, Ezio could tell. Ezio had visited Christina, a young woman Ezio cared greatly about. He was unsure of whether to consider her a girlfriend. The two often just made love with minimal conversation. Ezio knew he didn't share much in common with her and did not plan to court her.
Ezio's father, Giovanni, had given Ezio a scolding about his fight with Vieri and his night with Christina. Ezio was then given work by his father, a wealthy banker in Firenze. Upon his return home, Ezio found his father speaking to a man named Uberto. They were speaking about Frencesco de' Pazzi being in prison and that a threat was gone because of it. Ezio didn't question his father on this, though he was very curious. The Pazzi were scum in the eyes of the Auditore, but Ezio never saw a large threat from the family aside from bad-mouthing and fighting. Additionally, Ezio knew to keep his ears alert. Ezio took the woman's warning and was prepared to protect his family.
Later that day, Ezio went outside ot find his sister, Claudia, weeping in the courtyard. Her boyfriend had been unfaithful to her. Ezio went to lay a beating on her partner. After protecting Claudia's honor, Ezio ran errands with his mother, Maria. While doing so, he met his mother's friend, Leonardo Da Vinci, a painter with great skill.
The events of the past few days had been normal and nothing to raise awareness to aside from his father's words with Uberto. Everything would change when Ezio got back from running errans for his father later that night.
Ezio returned home from a delivery and was immediately met by Anetta, a weeping Claudia, and a still and pale Maria. His face immediately went to worry as his darted between each woman. "Anetta! What is going on here?!" Ezio asked, enveloping Claudia into his arms as his sister cried on his shoulder.
Anetta explained that 'they' took Ezio's father and two brothers, Frederico and Petruccio, to the Palazzo della Signoria, to prison. Anetta agreed to take Maria and Claudia to Anetta's sister, Paola, who ran a bordello. Ezio would meet up with them later; he needed to find his father and brothers, and quickly. Ezio knew that the events the robed woman had talked about were happening. The woman had failed to prevent them.
Ezio headed toward the palazzo. The dark of night helped Ezio keep hidden in the shadows. Ezio, too was a wanted man for the guards that took his father and brothers were looking for Ezio, too. If the guards found him, he would go to prison. Just as Ezio reached the back alley of the maniscalco, a hand covered his mouth. Ezio let out a cry from behind the petite had and struggled as the other arm wrapped around his waist tightly.
"Shh!" The woman in white robes had found Ezio. "It's me, Ezio." Her voice was hushed and her grip on him weakened, finally letting Ezio go completely.
Ezio's heart was racing, but recognized to sultry voice behind him. His body relax and he caught his breath. Once let go, Ezio turned to look at the woman. "You scared me!" Ezio whispered.
The woman held a finger to her lips, commanding Ezio to be quiet. "We'll talk later. Right now, I'm taking you to the Palazzo della Signoria. I just met with your father there; he wants to speak with you. Please, be quiet and stay behind me. Do your best not to be seen, Ezio."
Ezio was confused. How had she known his father had been taken there? Had she been watching his family? Ezio didn't protest though. The woman seemed hurried and he sensed the urgency in her voice. Though Ezio was slightly angry at the woman for her plan clearly having failed, he could still only be grateful that she tried. Besides, she was clearly a killer and her protection made Ezio feel more comfortable scaling the palazzo, even if she was a woman, and a beautiful one at that.
The two reached the roof of the palazzo and began scaling the tower where his father and brothers were held. Ezio eyed the barred window above, anxious to see his imprisoned father. Ezio had questions and his father held the answers.
"Ezio!" Giovanni quietly called for his son from the bars of his cell window.
"Father! What has happened?!" Ezio asked, positioning himself into a stable position outside of his father's window. Ezio was eager to hear his father's response.
"Took a bit of a beating, but I'm alright." Giovanni looked to Ezio's left and saw the white-robed woman. "Ah! I see Ophelia has found you Ezio! Grazie, Ophelia, for bringing him here!" Ezio felt his lips curl into a small smile.
'Ophelia….' He thought. The name was fitting. Ophelia meant helper, and a helper she was.
Giovanni turned back to look at Ezio, a hurried worry rushing over his face. "Are your mother and sister safe?" Giovanni asked, his voice low and serious.
Ezio nodded, recognizing the worry on his father's face. He was in a bad position. Ezio would do anything to help him and his brothers out. "Anetta took Maria and Claudia to her sister's house. They should be safe there… Did you know this would happen?!" Ezio became confused. His father seems to know he was in an inescapable fate, that his days were limited.
"Si, but not the way it did and not this fast. It doesn't matter now. There is little time, Ezio. Follow Ophelia home. In my office is a hidden door. Use your talent to find it. Beyond lies a chest. Take EVERYTHING you find inside. Much of it may seem strange to you, but all of it is important. Among the contents is a letter—and with it some documents. I need you to take these documents to Messer Uberto. He was with me in the office this morning. DO you understand?" Giovanni's words were rushed.
"Si!" Ezio replied. He was afraid. What would happen to his family? What was happening? Why did his father know? Would those documents be his family's salvation? A noise came from inside the cell, the sound of bars clanking.
"Go Ezio! There is no time! Stay with Ophelia! She will explain everything to you! Do not leave her side!" Giovanni quietly said to Ezio before slinking his head back into his cell. Ezio didn't know at the time, but those would be the last words he'd ever hear from his father.
Ezio and Ophelia stayed quiet as they heard voices inside the cell. They quickly scaled down the wall, coming back on the ground of the palazzo. "Ophelia, please explain what is happening to my family!" Ezio was almost enraged with confusion. He looked to Ophelia who was brushing off some dirt from her white robes. She adjusted her armor before looking at Ezio. Her eyes were filled with sorrow. Her expression showed Ezio that something bad was about to happen, really bad, and Ophelia knew about it.
"Ezio, I know you are confused, but you must wait until we are at Paola's. We cannot speak of such matters openly." Ophelia sighed and walked past Ezio, walking quickly to a dark street, expecting Ezio to follow her. He did, but continued to question her.
"No, I want answers now! My family is in danger! How do you know so much? How did you know my family was taken?!" Ezio walked quickly behind her, his voice expressing pain, confusion, and anger.
Ophelia did not turn around. She didn't even seem fazed with Ezio's begging. Instead, she remained calm. Little did Ezio know, the two of them had a lot in common; Ophelia, too, had her family taken away from her in the same fashion. "I will tell you when we get to Paola's, Ezio. Please, be patient. You'll draw attention to us and this is information you do not want the ears of Firenze to hear."
Ezio didn't know what information Ophelia was speaking of, but he trusted the tone in the beautiful woman's voice. Ezio stayed quiet and watched Ophelia as she moved through the dark, tight alleyways, directing the two of them to the Auditore home. He was anxious for answers. He feared for his family's life. What was in his father's office, behind that secret door? Ezio prayed that the answer lie in there since was not going to get them soon from Ophelia.
The two soon reached the Auditore's home. Ophelia decided to stay outside of the home and waited for Ezio to finish inside. She didn't want guards to swarm the house again and attack Ezio while he retrieved the documents, very important documents at that. After a few minutes, Ezio walked out of the house. He now wore white and red robes along with armor and weapons, looking much like Ophelia now. Was it some type of uniform? And if so, for what? Ophelia grinned at Ezio. He looked like an assassin; she was sure he'd make a good one too. He had the fire and the passion for such work. Aside from that, it was in his blood.
The two finally reached Paola's. The bordello was decorated nicely. The walls were decorated in fine tapestries and red velvet covered most of the furniture. The air was heavy of perfume and sweat. Ezio was familiar with the place; despite having Christina, Ezio found himself here many nights with the women. Ezio admitted to being a bit of a bedroom addict. That's why he wasn't surprised that the girls immediately blushed and cooed at Ezio, using their charms to convince his to come hither. He had a bit of a reputation in the bordello; the girls considered themselves lucky if he chose to have them for the night. But tonight was not one of those nights. Ezio ignored their calls and followed Ophelia upstairs and into a room. He needed answers before he could even begin to consider sleeping with a woman.
Ophelia sat down at the small table in the room, dropping her hood. She motioned for Ezio to sit across from her. Ezio obeyed and eyed the woman's face. He had only seen her once before but was once again choked up in her beauty. She looked young and around seventeen in age, like Ezio. Her skin was the perfect shade of olive. Her hair was like dark waves of silk. Her eyes pierced his own with the luster of polished emeralds. Her teeth were perfect and straight and were accompanied by slightly rosy cheeks and a petite nose. Ezio couldn't help but move a corner of his mouth into a small smile. He got a hold of himself before dropping his own hood. "Ezio," she began, "the events of tonight happened because your family has many enemies that are very powerful. It all links to the brotherhood…"
Ophelia told Ezio about the assassins and Ezio's own lineage. Ezio's father had been an assassin though his work slowed down once Maria and him began having children. Ezio's older brother, Frederico, was due to begin his own assassin career. And after Frederico, it would be Ezio's time. The events of the night told Ezio that his time would be sooner than his father anticipated for him; his time would be now. Ophelia also explained to Ezio Altair, the mission of the assassins, and their enemies, the Templars. Ezio began piecing everything together. His family had been a part of a plot to eliminate the assassins. His family was wanted dead by the Templars. Ezio tried to soak it all in, breathing out a large sigh.
"Ezio, I know this is hard for you. I went through the same struggle only two years ago," Ophelia explain. Ophelia reach across the table to take Ezio's hand in her, clasping her other hand around his knuckles. "I am here to help you and we will do everything we can to save your father, Frederico, and Petruccio." Ezio looked up to Ophelia. Even though he was angry and upset, Ophelia's voice and words soothed him enough to keep his wits.
"What happened to your family, if you don't mind me asking," Ezio questioned. He was curious. Maybe knowing about his savior's family would allow him to be the savior to his own family. Perhaps something didn't happen when Ophelia's family was attacked that could happen in Ezio's situation to save his family.
Ophelia's face stayed strong, but a certain sadness filled her green eyes. "My family, the Moretti's, were also a family of the assassin brotherhood. I was out at Carnival that night with friends…" Ophelia's eyes started to well up with tears. Ezio quickly moved his chair next to Ophelia, putting his arm around her shoulders. Ophelia moved her palms to her face, letting the tears fall. Ophelia had essentially been alone since her family was murdered. She had been trained by her cousin who she did not know well and rarely communicated with. Ezio seemed compassionate and it felt nice to let her emotions flow. His touch soothed her and she knew that she would be able to let loose around him. "I came home with my then lover, Adriano. My family was to have a great Carnival feast that night. I smelt burning from the kitchen. I called out my mother's name, but she did not answer. I then called out my brother's name. He did not answer. I last called out my father's name. I heard a muffled cry coming from the stairs beyond the kitchen. I looked to find my mother, my brother, and my sister with linens wrapped around their necks, hanging from the banister, their bodies lifeless as they swayed. I shrieked in horror. Adriano grabbed me before shouting my father's name. My father was being held by a man you probably know… Francesco de' Pazzi. Linens were ties around his neck in a noose. Before I knew, my father was thrown over the banister, the fabric tightening around his throat as he cried out for me." Ophelia's face was running with tears. Even though she cried hard, she was a beautiful crier. Her eyes didn't become swollen and her face only became mildly red. It was a very sad, quiet cry that seemed almost worse than a loud bawl. Ezio rubbed her back with his palm, watching the tears run down her face. The other hand moved to wipe tears from her olive skin. "Francesco wasn't happy with that, though… He moved to hope down across the banister. He chased after me and Adriano. I managed to run out of the house but Adriano… he tried to fight Francesco, but one of the Pazzi's men came up behind him and moved a dagger through his chest… Adriano looked back at me through the doorway, his hand grabbing out to me. I wept, but I knew I had to run. These men were after me and I couldn't let them reach me. That's when I met La Volpe, another assassin. He found me in a gondola in a smelly corner of a canal, hiding underneath equipment. He explained my father's work and said that someone in the family needed to continue his unfinished work, and that person was me."
Ezio felt the pain in her voice and wet droplets on her cheek. He wrapped his arms around her petite, but fit, frame. Ophelia allowed her head to fall to his chest and she cried out the feelings she had built up for so long. The two of them stayed this way until Ophelia cried herself to sleep. Ezio looked down to the beautiful woman and wiped away the last few tears to fall form her eyes. He moved to put one arm around her back, keeping her close to his chest, and the other underneath her legs. He picked her up and carried her over to the bed. He gently removed her armor, weapons, and robes, leaving her pants and shirt. He neatly stacked the equipment on the desk. He left his on and sat down next to the bed, his back against the wall and his legs out straight. he sighed, looking up to the sleeping Ophelia. He didn't want his fate to match hers. He was determined to save his family and avoid the unthinkable pain the woman had gone through. He smiled as he began focusing on her serene features. Her thick eyelashes were hiding her green eyes and her full lips parted slightly as she breathed heavily in what seemed to be a much needed slumber. Ezio's lips curled one last time before he felt his own eyes flutter shut.