“E adesso? What is it now?” I asked as I sat down on the empty chair in front of my client’s desk.
“I need you to dispose of someone before he disposes me.”
I looked at the nobleman’s table, on it, the title of “Giuliano de Medici” can be clearly seen in bold letters. Ah, yes, the brother of the most powerful man in Florence, Lorenzo de Medici. Giuliano has assigned me to several tasks during the two years of my stay in Florence. That includes delivering letters to several people in the town and retrieving messages from pigeon coops and the like. The menial ones, I suppose.
I serve him and he serves under his brother. As long as the motive is money. It’s always money. They’re filthy rich, they own a bank, they can give it. But now, it’s about killing someone. How long has it been since I spilt blood of others on my own hands? Can’t remember. But all I know is that it was horrifying. It wasn’t glorious like men defeating good and evil. Battling in wars is not pretty. Something like that would scar you for life.
“Who threatens you, my lord?” I asked, getting interested in the matter.
He was standing with his back towards me, facing his window overlooking most of Florence. The light from the outside gave him a mellow aura as his shadow covers my face. He then turns around, looking at me with insecurity.
“Vieri de Pazzi. He is becoming an inconvenience to me. And I fear his family may come for me and Lorenzo.” He held his hand over his chest. As if he could feel the future ahead of him with the Pazzi’s blade through his heart.
“Just tell me where he is and your will be done.”
“Last reports of him were on the outskirts of Monteriggioni. You should start there.”
“Monteriggioni… You know I have a notoriety warrant there!” I immediately remember that time where I killed a guard that was getting on my nerves.
“Oi! If you know what’s good for you, I suggest you take your stroll somewhere else!” he said as he poked me hard on my right shoulder, causing me to stumble back a little. All I wanted to do was see if I could take the shortcut to the nearest exit.
I said nothing. This guy’s not even worth it for an argue.
“You should turn around before I scratch that pretty face of yours!”
Another poke.
“Giving me the look, eh? Well let’s see how you’ll look with my knife through your head if you’re not out of my sight in a—“
Before he could give me another poke to the shoulder, I whipped out my dagger and thrust it straight to his heart. His body weighed heavily on mine as he gave out his last breaths of blood-splattering demise. I took back my knife from his body as he fell lifeless with a thud on the granite floor. I wiped the blood on my dagger on his clothes then sheathing it back to my holster. I didn’t bother putting away the body, knowing me, I don’t really clean up after my jobs. The government cleans them up for me.
I walked faster towards the new, open route towards my destination, pulling my scarf up higher to hide the lower parts of my face. What I didn’t see were two guards of the same uniform running towards the corpse I had left behind, taking one quick glance at me before I turned around the corner to escape from their field of vision.
“Valerie!” Giuliano snapped at me, his palms leaning on his desk to get a good view of me. “You were drifting away for a moment there.”
“I’m fine, Messer Guiliano. I just wanted to know if there are other people concerning this task.”
YOU ARE READING
Book of Ezio Auditore da Firenze One Shots.
FanfictionThese are mutliple one-shots of the same man in this book. Each one-shot has a different character and a different role. WARNING: They are a tad long to be one-shots, really. I'll try to try to think up of more roles and stories for Ezio in the...
