Whaaat?! Ezio shed a tear?! Yep. And I know I'm really appealing to ethos right now, almost to the point where it isn't fair, but you'll see where everything is going. Also, we're adding on another character: Leonardo! Yay! Everybody loves Leonardo. Thank you again for reading! It means a lot to me. And a special thank you to Sarafinja for the lovely review! Also, I don't own anything aside from the character, Ophelia. Thanks, and enjoy!
The trip to Florence took Ophelia all day. Night had settled in when she saw the faint lights of Florence in the distance. She was tired and anxious to see Leonardo, mainly so she could rest in a bed. Her bottom was sore from all of the riding and wanted nothing more than to be off of her horse.
Earlier that morning, Ophelia arranged for Claudia to put a letter in Ezio's room for when he got back from San Gimignano. Ophelia was sure that Ezio would make it back safely, but the small amount of uncertainty kept her worrying… What if Ezio never received the letter?
Ophelia rode up to the stable outside of the walls of Florence. She removed all of her belongings from the white horse and made her payment to the stable hand.
Ophelia soon arrived at the artist's workshop. She knocked softly on his door and was met soon with a smile from Leonardo. He opened his arms wide and embraced Ophelia.
"Ophelia! So good to see you! Please, come in! And let me take some of these things!" Leonardo insisted, taking a few of her bags off her shoulder.
Ophelia couldn't help but laugh. "Leonardo, you forget my profession," Ophelia teased, letting him take her bags anyway.
Leonardo laughed too, seeing the folly in his logic. "Well, let me be a gentleman at least!" Leonardo began walking down a hallway. "Follow me, Ophelia! I'll show you to your room!" Leonardo called. He had clearly been expecting her and was excited about it as well.
Ophelia followed Leonardo to a room at the back on the hallway. It was simple, consisting of a desk, a bed, and a dresser. Leonardo gently sat her bags on the floor before helping her with the bags she still carried. Ophelia laughed, "Leonardo, really! I am okay!"
Leonardo shook his head and took her bags anyway. "I don't care. You are a guest in my home and a lovely young lady. I will assist you in any way I can," he insisted again. Ophelia stood to the side and watched the artist put her bags on the floor. She shook her head with a smile.
"You never fail in making me smile, Leonardo," Ophelia told him with a bright smile. She suddenly felt her stomach growl, remembering that she hadn't eaten since early that morning. "Do you happen to have any food? My stomach is talking to me!" Ophelia asked with a small laugh.
Leonardo put his hand on Ophelia's back, leading her out into the hallway and to the fireplace. "Si, Madonna. Just one moment! I have some beef that I can put in a stew for you," Leonardo explained before moving into a small room off of the main living area. Ophelia sat down at the table next to the fireplace, making herself comfortable. She sighed as she relaxed, relishing in the feeling of not moving at all.
Leonardo walked out with an arm full of ingredients for the stew. He saw Ophelia sitting at the table and gasped, shaking his head. "Oh, Ophelia! I wouldn't sit there. That is my cadaver table… I have it next to the fireplace for light."
Ophelia quickly shot up and backed away from the table, a look of horror on her face. "Cadaver table?! What kind of project have you taken on now, Leonardo?!" Ophelia asked in shock.
Leonardo laughed, waving his hand before setting the ingredients on a smaller table next to the fire place. He pulled out a large pot from under the table and began placing ingredients in it. "I'm studying anatomy!" Leonardo answered joyfully. "I'm working to better understand the human body and how it operates. My studies could be useful for medicine!"
Ophelia nodded her head, still disgusted. "You never cease to amaze me…" she said as she slowly sat down at a table in the corner of the room. "Artwork and inventions weren't enough?" Ophelia asked.
Leonardo shrugged his shoulders. "I bore easily…"
"I can see that…" Ophelia teased. She began taking off her weapons and armor, setting on top of the table.
"So, tell me about your time at Monteriggioni!" Leonardo asked, creating conversation between the two so they wouldn't have to dwell on dead bodies next to the fire.
Ophelia immediately felt a sadness overwhelm her as she thought of Ezio. "Well, my time there was wonderful. Mario taught me some new techniques and the two of us trained Ezio."
"And how is Ezio doing with the training?" Leonardo asked, curious. He was well-informed of the business of the Brotherhood. The assassins saw him as a great ally and resource in the city.
Ophelia smiled, remembering their days in the training ring. "Wonderfully, actually. He's already a deadly killer, though has much to learn. He picks up on techniques quickly. His passion and desire for revenge has really driven him to excel."
"Good for him! I knew that when his day came, Ezio would be a wonderful asset to the Brotherhood."
Ophelia sighed and smiled at Leonardo. "He's in San Gimignano tonight tracking down Vieri. It's his first real mission," Ophelia explained, thinking about the well-being of Ezio.
Leonardo could see through her. He put the pot into the fire after adding some water to the ingredients. He walked over to the table Ophelia sat at and sat down across from her. "Something happened with Ezio…" he pried, listening closely.
Ophelia blushed and sighed. "Si, but I can't let myself get too wrapped up in it. We'll be away from each other for a long time."
Leonardo let out a huff and crossed his arms. "I don't see why you shouldn't! You may be apart, but that doesn't mean your feelings get thrown away! You can still write him," Leonardo suggested.
"I know, but our time together was very enjoyable. Being with him made me very happy and really allowed me to come out of my shell."
Leonardo chuckled. "And that shell is thick," Leonardo teased. Ophelia was known by those she had met to be very reserved. Ophelia didn't reveal her true self to people quickly and without apprehension. It took her months to warm up to Leonardo while she tracked the Pazzi before Ezio's father and brothers were murdered.
Ophelia rolled her eyes and gave Leonardo a small shove. "I warmed up to you, didn't I?"
"Yes, but it wasn't exactly quick," Leonardo teased again.
"Just remember, you have to sleep sometime, and I've been trained not to sleep," Ophelia warned jokingly.
Leonardo put his hands up in front of him in defeat. "You win!"
Ophelia looked over to the pot in the fireplace and put one hand on her stomach. "I'm sorry to whine, but when will the stew be done?" Ophelia asked. She was very hungry. Her high activity levels allowed her to eat like a man without putting on the weight. She was often hungry, and Leonardo knew this.
"I'll go check on it now, but it probably won't be for a bit. The meat has to cook through. I drew a bath before you got here. The tub is in your room. If you'd like, you can bathe while you wait for dinner," Leonardo suggested, motioning down the hallway.
Ophelia stood up from her chair. A bath did sound nice. "Grazie, Leonardo. You are an excellent host," she thanked before walking down the hallway.
Ophelia shut the door to her room and shed her robes and undergarments. She located the tub in the corner of the room. A few bottles of oils and a chunk of soap were placed on top of a wash cloth. Ophelia smiled. The artist really did know how to welcome people into his home. He had the kindest heart of anybody she ever met. Ophelia gently lowered herself into the water. It was still warm, to her surprise. She sighed as she relaxed in the tub, closing her eyes. In a few minutes, Ophelia found herself in a deep sleep.
Leonardo removed the stew from the fire after inspecting a few pieces of meat. Ophelia hadn't come out of her room yet, so Leonardo assumed she was enjoying the bath and some quiet time. He proceeded to put the stew into two wooden bowls which he sat on the eating table. Leonardo decided to go knock on Ophelia's door to notify her that dinner was ready.
He knocked twice. "Ophelia! Dinner is ready!" Leonardo called through the door. He heard no reply. His brow furrowed, wondering what Ophelia was doing or if she was even in the room. "Ophelia?" he called again. After no reply, he knocked loudly once more. He let out a sigh and slowly turned the doorknob. He cautiously peeked around the door to see Ophelia in the tub, her limbs hanging off the sides and her head back.
She was asleep.
Leonardo slowly approached to wake her up but froze in his tracks when he made out her shapes. His mouth hung open at the sight of her naked body.
Such beauty… Leonardo thought to himself. As an artist, he saw her figure as a masterpiece. He took a moment to selfishly take in the sight, knowing that what he was doing was immoral.
Something Leonardo wasn't about to confess to Ophelia was that he had feelings for her. He knew that he could never have her; she liked dangerous, mysterious men with dark features, or, in other words, Ezio. Leonardo, though handsome, was no Ezio, and he knew that Ophelia didn't share his feelings. Despite that knowledge, he still cherished her company and their time together. Knowing that she and Ezio were involved, he wouldn't dare try to spark a relationship with the beauty. Instead, he'd continue to be inspired by her beauty, charms, and humor.
Leonardo snapped out of his stare and quickly covered his eyes. He didn't want her to catch him staring, so he'd pretend like he never even looked. He leaned down to put a hand on Ophelia's shoulder, shaking her gently.
Ophelia jumped and gasped when she saw Leonardo above her. "Leonardo!" Ophelia shouted in shock. She quickly moved to cover her features, not wanting her friend to see her intimate anatomy.
"Ophelia! I'm not looking! I was just coming to say that the stew was ready!" Leonardo turned around, keeping a hand over his eyes.
Ophelia trusted him and slowly got out of the tub. "Thank you, Leonardo, and thank you for waking me up. I would have turned into a prune if I stayed in there all night!" Ophelia quickly grabbed the towel next to the tub and wrapped it around her frame. "I'll meet you at the table in a moment," Ophelia assured Leonardo.
Ophelia and Leonardo ate Leonardo's delicious stew and carried on small talk about Leonardo's endeavors, Ophelia's missions, and the news in Florence. After finishing dinner, Ophelia and Leonardo both agreed that they were tired and parted their ways to bed.
While lying in bed, Ophelia thought about the day's events and what tomorrow had in store for her. Before leaving earlier that morning, Mario instructed for her to find a man named "La Volpe." He also said that Leonardo would know of the man and may have an idea of his whereabouts. Ophelia would speak to him about La Volpe, or the Fox, tomorrow.
Ophelia turned over onto her side and looked to the wall. Last night, she was in bed with Ezio. She was lying as she was the night before, except Ezio wasn't behind her and his arms weren't wrapped around her. She didn't feel his skin against her back, his breath on her neck, and she didn't hear his little snores. Though the night before was Ophelia and Ezio's first night together, they would often stay in one of their rooms for a long time, laying down and talking together. Ophelia felt lost without him and she knew this was a feeling she needed to get over and quickly.