Year: 1476
Repubblica Fiorentina, Italy.

The setting sun warms my face as I walk down the cobble stone streets, smelling fresh bread and flowers on every corner. The streets are filled with busy people, walking in rushed steps from cart to cart buying their required goods.

I stop and look at a bucket of fresh, red roses. The man who owns the cart stares at me with anticipation, hoping I would make a purchase off him.

"Boo." A voice calls softly from behind as two hands are placed on my shoulders. The voice causes me to jump, which also causes me to hit the bucket of roses with my basket, spilling them.

"Ezio, how many times have I told you not to sneak up on me!" I say, turning around to face the snickering man. "I swear sometimes." I grumble.

"Let me." Ezio offers, walking past me. He crouches down and begins picking up the roses, but I notice out of the corner of my eye as I apologize to the cart owner, Ezio place a rose inside his vest.

"My deepest apologizes." Ezio says to the man while standing up. He quickly leads me away from the cart, and places the rose into my basket.

"You should not have stolen it." I say quietly as I walk with Ezio through the buzzing crowds of people.

"Too late now, I already have." Ezio answers with a grin as he bumps into me. "But I am afraid I must cut the fun short."

"I have never heard of you in such a rush before. Where ever are you going now?" I ask, almost bumping into several people standing in the bread line.

"I have a little something to handle." He says, speaking more quietly at the end of his sentence.

"Oh no, Ezio. Whenever you say you have something to handle, it is never small." I respond, now walking in front of him. "Do not go going into trouble now."

He laughs. "I cannot make any promises."

"You can not get into trouble again this week either." I say, looking back at him seriously.

"Valentina, when have you ever seen me only get into trouble once a week?" Asks Ezio, now walking besides me once more.

"Your Father will not be happy." I say with plead in my voice.

"You need not to worry, he will not find out." He answers reassuringly.

"I hope your right. What are you even going to handle?" I ask, squeezing past the crowds of people.

"Just a little something with Vieri de' Pazzi and the way he slanders my family's name and forces his own miseries upon us. A group of us are going to stand together against him." Ezio answers, not looking at me as he does so.

"Ezio, not another fight-" I begin.

"The sun is setting quickly, it's best time you get home, Valentina. I shall see you tomorrow." Ezio says, giving me a friendly smile.

"Please, do not cause a lot of trouble." I say with a weak grin. "But do not let him win either."

Ezio just laughs slightly, and then takes off running.

"I just need a few more things." I mumble while walking back to join the line of people waiting for fresh bread.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

"Ah, Valentina!" A familiar voice calls from behind. "Its rather late, shouldn't you be at home?"

"Federico Auditore!" I respond, while walking over to him. "What brings you out at this time?"

"Little brother needed to have a little check up with the Doctor." Federico says with a half grin. "Vieri and his men did not stand a chance. Ezio gave them quite a beating."

"Sounds like he got quite a beating as well by the way you worded that." I mumble.

"What has he done this time?" I ask, watching as the Doctor lifts Ezio's head up and down.

"A scratch across the eye, a cut above his lip." Federico begins. Ezio now makes his way over to where we stand, but his face lightens slightly as I give him a grin.

"You have made quite a mess of yourself." I say, examining his scratches.

"It is nothing, really." Ezio reassures me.

"Did the doctor help you? That pretty face of yours is your only asset." Federico says with a laugh.

"Fottiti! (Go fuck yourself!)" Ezio responds with a quite annoyed look upon his face. "My apologies, Valentina." He says after he remembers that a lady is in his presence.

"The cuts do look much better." Federico says, now too examining Ezio's face.

"They better for what we payed." Ezio says as we begin to walk down the dark street. "Shall I walk you home?" He asks.

"I think we both shall." Federico responds.

"It is not necessary." I reassure them.

Ezio shakes his head. "It is not safe for you to walk these streets alone at this time. We shall accompany you."

"If that is what you wish." I respond, now walking in between the two brothers.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

"Thank you." I say as we reach the door of my home.

"Of course." Ezio says with a smile.

"We should probably be getting home now too, Ezio. Father is sure to have wondered where we have gone." Federico says, nodding his head to me.

"Yes. I would rather avoid a lecture." Ezio agrees. "See you tomorrow, Valentina."

"Until tomorrow." I say, smiling at both of the brothers.

I shut the door and make my way up the stairs to where my Mother can be seen washing the dishes from dinner, and my Father asleep on the couch.

"Thank you." My Mother whispers as she takes the bread from my basket. Her eyes now shift over to the rose, "Beautiful rose. If you intend that it stay beautiful, you might want to take a vase and fill it with water." My Mother suggest with a smile.

"Yes. Grazie. (Thank you.)" I respond, reaching across the table to grab the empty vase. Quickly, I fill the vase with fresh water, and drop the stem of the rose inside.

Carrying it carefully, as though not to spill, I place it next to my bed. After changing into my nightgown, I blow out the candle which is the only source of light in my room, and crawl between the sheets of my bed.

•*•Author's Note•*•

New book! I am currently working on the sequel book to "The Pirates Treasure" and now also "The Assassin's Apprentice". Thanks so much for reading! Comment and vote to let me know if you have an interest in this book and would like me to continue!
( I also caution that strong language may appear in some spots the story. I'm following some of the lines from the video game Assassin's Creed II.)

•*•XxTheWritingGirlxX•*•