Chapter 1

Caterina put her helmet on as she walked the streets of Milan towards the castle. The last thing she wanted was for one of the peasants to recognize her especially since she was dressed in trousers. A couch was waiting for her when she had got off the ship. She took the couch all the way in to town from the sea but decided to walk the rest of way. She hated being confined in such a small space. The streets of Milan were filled with all kinds of characters; artists, peasants, blacksmiths, intellectuals, scholars, Cathy even recognized a few people from court. The air smelled of freshly baked bread, basil, and shit. Good god we need to improve the sewage system. She thought.

Seeing enough of the city, Cathy took to the back roads where the trees danced in breeze. Her peaceful daydreaming was interrupted by a cry from a little boy. Cathy looked ahead and saw down the road a few men dressed in black with white crosses stitched to their sleeves grabbing a little boy. Soldiers from the Vatican, in Milan? That is odd. Cathy immediately ran towards the boy, drawing the sword that hung at her side.

"Unhand him!" She shouted in her most manly voice pointing her sword directly at the tall soldier holding the boy.

The two men laughed. The shorter fat man that stood next to the tall one drew his sword. Cathy threw herself in the man's direction quickly smashing her silver blade against his, it took all but a few second before Cathy had disarmed him.

"Now if you would please let the boy go before someone is hurt." She said firmly.

The man on the ground began to laugh as the other soldier drew his blade and began to swing it in Cathy's direction. Her sword flew up in defense to block the man's blade. The taller man was much more skilled in fighting, and too add to the trouble the fat man had picked up his blade and began to swing at her again.

"Run!" Cathy shouted catching a glimpse of the little boy.

The little boy ran to the nearest tree and hide behind it watching the three swords clash against each other. He cringed as the blade of his hero plunged into the stomach of fat man. Staggering the defeated solider fell to the floor. Cathy smiled and continued to face her other opponent. He was quite a challenge and one of the most skilled sword fighters she had ever encountered. It was as if he knew her every move before she had even made it. In the heat of the fight, Cathy noticed the ever-growing amount of soldiers from the Vatican surround the road. Out of the corner of her eye she saw one of the soldiers on a horse with his hand raised to stop the others from engaging. Her opponent noticed this distraction and knocked her to her knees. The men cheered. Cathy glanced over to see her sword out of reach. Her heart began to beat rapidly with fear instead of adrenaline. She instinctively kicked the man in the groin, rolled over on her side, and knocked his feet out from under him. She jumped up off the ground to then catch his sword that was about to fall to the dirt road. Cathy sighed in relief.

"Now if you don't mind, I shall be leaving now with the boy." Cathy turned around and motioned for the boy to come out from behind the trees. The boy looked at her with wide eyes and pointed behind her. Turning around again, Cathy saw silver metal flying towards her. She ducked, the blade barely missing her head. She swung the sword in her hand as hard as she could towards the neck of her opponent. She winced as she watched the the tall man's head roll onto the ground.

Silence filled the road as the Vatican soldiers stared at Cathy in awe and hatred. The little boy had made his way towards his hero and grabbed onto her leg. Cathy counted at least fifteen soldiers. She was doomed. The best she could do was the give the little boy a chance to run.

To her surprise Cathy watched the man on the black horse clap his hands in praise as he gracefully jumped down to dirt road. He was a man of relatively average height, and carried himself with a manner of aristocracy. He walked towards her.

"Bravo. You have defeated my very best soldier. Now if you would please take off your helmet so I can see the face of the…"He paused and looked intensely at Cathy with dark eyes "brave peasant…who has decapitated this man."

He proceeded to kick the head of the dead soldier so it landed between Cathy's feet. Cathy looked down at the head and began to feel remorse. She did not even know this man and she killed him.

"We can gladly remove it for you." The man from the horse said growing impatient.

Cathy removed her gaze from the head and looked at the man in front of her. She ungloved her right hand and removed her helmet. Gasps and whispers soon filled the quiet air. The little boy even stood back in surprise.

The man in front of her smiled. "What is your name woman?"

Cathy gulped. "Andrea."

"Well Miss Andrea, you are one of the best sword fighters I have ever seen. If you were not a woman I could use someone like you."

Cathy blushed despite the half insult inserted in the man's remark. She looked up into his brown eyes that stared at her intensely. Something in his eyes unsettled her, then again it was probably the fact that he was from the church.

"Sir, if we don't continue, we are to be late." A man on a white horse said.

The man with brown eyes looked once more at Cathy, before walking over to his horse. With grace he mounted the horse and began to move down the road. The rest of the Vatican soldiers followed him.

Cathy watched until all of the men disappeared out sight.

"Thank you milady."

Cathy looked down to see the little boy tugging on her pants. He smiled up at her.

"And thank you for not blowing my cover." She winked down at him.