Daughters of Constantinople

Chapter 3

Daughters of Constantinople

I do not own Assassin's Creed.

SUMMARY:

Ezio is still mourning the death of Cristina when two orphaned girls catch his attention. After learning that they lost their parents in the Bonfire of the Vanities, he takes them in, however, Ezio had not been anticipating the surprises and hardship of being a father...

An hour after Maestro Taillor had left the villa, leaving the girls with a few dresses to last them until he had completed their new wardrobes, Ezio learned how difficult Isabella and Benedetta could be if the other wasn't within a comfortable distance.

He had only suggested that Isabella go investigate the kitchen and see what was for the evening meal and catch up with Benedetta and him in the gardens.

The four year old began to wail, leaving Isabella to comfort her hysterical sister.

"I'm not going anywhere, Benedetta," she promised the crying girl. "I promise."

After a brief five minute tantrum, Benedetta was back to smiling and giggling happily, leaving the nobleman feeling confused.

He watched as both girls frolicked in the back gardens, he keeping an eye on them from the kitchen, where he was asking the motherly cook a few questions about fatherhood.

"Well, from what you've told me, those girls are all they have left of their past," she was saying as she kneeded dough.

This made sense for Ezio.

After the evening meal, he was in his study, reading a book on welding and the girls were in front of his chair, giggling as they played a game with a string and their hands.

"Benedetta can't talk," Isabella announced out of the blue. Ezio set his book down to show that he was paying close attention to her. "Before... before that day..." Her voice wavered, but she still pressed on. "She would talk day in and day out. But then she stopped after what happened..."

Isabella sniffed and Benedetta hugged her big sister, resting her head against the eight year old's shoulder.

Ezio patted his knee as an invitation, one that both girls took up, scrambling to perch on his lap with his strong arms wrapped around both girls.

"I too lost someone dear to me during the Bonfire of the Vanities," he began in a soft voice. "She was my angel, sent to me from God."

"Did you love her?" Isabella asked as Benedetta rested her head onto Ezio's chest.

"Yes," he answered in barely a whisper before seeing that Benedetta had fallen asleep. He smiled. "I think it's bedtime, bambine."

He carried both girls up into their room, tucked them in, kissed their foreheads and wished them pleasant dreams before heading off into his room for the night.

bambine~ little girls