Chapter 13

The journey to the prison cell was a muffled nightmare. Her body was overtaken by a numbing, speechless, state as the guards drug her lifeless body down the flickering halls. The air around her became thick and nauseating to inhale as the foul stench of death and urine burned her nose. The depths of her mind grew darker and darker with torment the deeper they traveled into the damp echoing maze of cells overrun with scampering rats and deteriorating prisoners. Her mind searched for her last solid memory, something to pull her from her hellish abyss. The last thing she remembered was the heart wrenching event aboard the ship, the dark eyes of her worst enemy, and the devastating stare of her brother; after that there was nothing. She began to wonder if she had simply fainted, or if shock had seized control of her mind, pulling her into madness. No, she couldn't be insane, she knew what she saw. The young man aboard the ship was Donato... and the truth had been spelled out in front of her face no matter how hard she fought to deny it. It resounded unmistakably in her head over and over... her brother was a Templar... her only reason for existence, was now her greatest enemy. She searched her heart for any loose threads of hope, some sort of ledge to grasp onto in the emptiness, but there was nothing. All she saw was Templar crimson flashing before her.

The sudden splashing of puddles and sorrowful waling echoed through the humid stone halls as her feet dragged lifelessly across the floor, throbbing from the sudden dampness of the sitting water. Her eyes burned and blankly stared at nothing as her head bobbed helplessly to the movement of the guards hauling her body away into the dim torture chamber.

She slumped to the cold floor as a loud groan of metal screeched nearby and armored feet clanked away, leaving her alone in the confines of an unoccupied cell. She was no more than a once untamable predator, left to rot in the confines of a cage. The cold dew of the floor chilled her face, dulling the sharp edge of shock that had claimed her, gradually picking away it's grasp one finger at a time. Her eyes fluttered open, her muscles heaving her trembling body from the freezing stone. The first thing she noticed was that she had been stripped of her armor and hooded cape as well as her treasured wrist weapon. She shivered suddenly, tucking her knees to her chin. She eyed the surroundings of her cell hoping to acquire anything useful to aid her in escape. The only commodities in her stone prison were scattered clumps of rotting hay and bloody, broken, fingernails protruding from the stone wall, most likely belonging to the previous occupant clawing away in agonizing madness. Having to squint in the flickering light of the glowing torches, her eyes peered beyond the iron bars of her confines. A frightened scream trapped itself in her throat as her brain registered the objects staring back at her. Unusual weapons and torture devices rested, caked with dried blood and grime, eagerly awaiting the thrill of their next gory exertion. A large scythe swung tediously from the ceiling like a ticking metronome, mocking her in her cage.

She breathed deep breaths to calm her crawling nerves which only seemed to made her trembling increase. Her lower half began to feel like dead weight as she tightly gripped her numb feet in hopes of warming them within their drenched, leather, confines. The cold pounding sent a chilling reminder of a lucky ace she still held up her sleeve. Along with the codex page, her father had left her his most prized possession, a very charming dagger passed down to him from his own father which she kept in her left boot. She patted down her comatose ankle praying the guards had not discovered the weapon while disarming her. Her hand caressed the familiar shape underneath the soaked shoe, triggering a welcoming embrace of relief. All hope was not lost as she smiled at the token of fortune in her hands. Now all she had to do was wait for the opportune moment to make her move.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Antonio, I need your answer..." Ezio pressed. Antonio had been awoken late that evening by his winded comrade asking him for the help of his thieves. He claimed it had been a matter of life and death.

"Ezio... I don't know..." Antonio's face contorted in a demoralizing frown. Ezio did not need an further response, he had gathered all the information he needed from Antonio's disfavored expression. "Ezio you must understand. That prison is a fortress! My men will never make it out alive... and... from what you described to me, it sounds as if your lady friend may have suffered that fate already." Ezio turned his back coldly without the courtesy of bidding farewell.

Rosa rushed to his side placing a warm hand against his arm, "Ezio please don't go. Just listen to Antonio... he is only wishing to help."

"She is right Ezio. Do not waste your life on this fool's errand. The forte is impenetrable. I have supported your endeavors in the past, but frankly, this is a suicide mission..."

Antonio's hushed rambling was cut short by the assassin's stern eyes, "Rescuing Alcina is NO fool's errand! She is just as important as any of us, and I would gladly give my life to save her, as I would for any of you." Antonio lowered his gaze in guilt as Ezio gestured to him once more. "Tell me old friend... will you help me once again or not?" Rosa anxiously eyed the two men, fearing the worst. Whatever Antonio decided, blood would subsequently stain the beautiful city of Venice this night. Antonio wiped the sweat from his face and sighed loudly, "Ezio... I am sorry, but not all of us have so much to sacrifice from such small a gain."

A brief pause stung the air as Antonio's heart riddled further with guilt. "Very well," Ezio breathed, turning away in disappointment, "Capisco." He dodged Rosa's touch as she once again tried to coax him to stay.

"Please Ezio... I know you care for this woman but you are no good to anyone if you are killed. You are far too important! Please, I know you are only trying to be noble, but realize what you are up against!"

Ezio lingered briefly in the doorway, standing on the outer brim of candlelight that flickered a dividing line into the midnight beyond. "If you know me so well, you know that you will not change my mind. I will not abandon her to die." His silent step forward breached the perimeter of darkness as he was swallowed by the shadows of night, the soft sound of his running stride thrummed away into the black.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The echoing of voices began to grow louder in the muggy dungeon. Alcina listened carefully to the approaching footsteps and the inflections in their voice. There were two, maybe three, neither were wearing any loud or heavy armor due to their soft steps. She could also hear the jingle of keys and the slight slur in their voices, obviously drinking on duty, their reflexes would be slower, more clumsy. Perfect. She lay curled on her side, shivering lightly from the chill of the damp stone.

"That one still knocked out?"

"Si. I hear the puttana maledetta took one look into Salvatore's eyes and she collapsed. The man is a demon! Unholy! I hear he sends his Lieutenant to fetch him young women like this ragazza so he may feast upon their beating hearts!" the guard fumbled the key into the rusty lock as he rambled over his shoulder to his partner behind him.

"Beating hearts eh? Why l'inferno would the Patriach wish to do such a thing?"

"Don't you know? It grants immortality, you know, forbidden power! Why do you think he looks so young?"

"Zitto idiota! I am tired of your pathetic superstitions! The Patriach does no such thing!"

"Why else would he want us to bring him this ragazza at this hour of the night!"

"I do not want to know why, but those were his orders so..." the guard's words were lost within his sudden gasp of terror as he watched his partner's throat slice open in a gargling bloodbath. The fountain bubbled and sprayed as the female prisoner kicked open the iron door and struck his comrade down with his own sword. He gazed wide-eyed in fear as her long legged stride brought her to him in a heartbeat. His large eyes registered the flash of a clean blade and the fluid movement of her delivering it to his own throat. His hands voluntarily threw up in surrender as she backed him against the closest wall. Her freezing hand clasped over his gaping mouth as sweat beaded across his crawling skin.

"Raise the alarm and I will kill you where you stand," she threatened in a hushed tone. His eyes bulged in terror as he nervously nodded in agreement to her commands. "If you so much as speak one word to the other guards... " She raised a taunting eyebrow, tightening her grip on the dagger she held fastened against his windpipe. Just a little more pressure and the blade would carve into his skin. His throat expanded and retracted as he swallowed a nervous gulp and drops of clear sweat began to drip onto the shimmering blade. She cautiously removed her hand from his lips.

"Bene bene..." he choked, "whatever you say signora!"

"Did the Patriarch send you to fetch me?"

"Si signora! He told us to bring you to his office," tears began to burn the eyes of the hostage, "Please Perdere, I have a family! Please do not kill me!"

"Then I suggest you stick to our arrangement..." pointed the tip of the blade to his adam's apple. She grinned at her pawn with an unsettling charm, "So signore, care to escort a lady out?"

translations:

- Capisco- I understand

- puttana maledetta- damn bitch

- l'inferno- the hell

- Zitto idiota- shut up idiot

- Perdere- Miss