Nothing Is True [Ezio x Reader, Book 2]

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Ezio's pov

She had vanished. Truly and without explanation.

It could only have been one person. Rodrigo Borgia.

I allowed him to live for her sake and he denies me even the simple dignity of cherishing her remains as they are set into the earth, somewhere she would want them to rest.

Perhaps I would have taken her to Monteriggioni and buried her in the peaceful green hills, close enough to visit her every evening and talk.

She would probably want to be buried in her home city, Firenze. Maybe even by the creek where we first met. God she looked so beautiful when I saw her standing there, laughing with Petruccio. I can only imagine she'd be a wonderful mother, caring and protective but mostly wise. And stubborn.

The thought makes me ache.

She's really gone and her blood stains these hands.

"Stop torturing yourself, Ezio my love. She is gone, there is nothing you can do now so please, stop mindlessly dreaming of her every ten minutes." Katerina Sforza's sultry voice catches my attention and I look up to see her half naked and standing by my bed.

"Get dressed and get out." I grumble, averting my eyes and once again hunching over and resting my head in my hands.

"But Ezio, it has been months since you found the vault and you haven't even celebrated... Let me take care of you..." Her soft hand brushes against my shoulder as she pushes me to sit upright and straddles my lap.

"Katerina, please-"

"What? Can you honestly tell me you want me to leave?" She smirks as I stay silent. "I know you've got lots of pent up...frustration, let me help."

....

My fingertips tingle ever so slightly from lack of circulation caused by the weight resting on my upper arm and for a few milliseconds I can almost believe that it's her.

But my eyes open and the hair sprawling over my skin and tumbling on to the pillows is curly and red and definitely not right.

I'm immediately bowled over by the guilt. It's not cheating but it feels wrong, I don't even know why I did it.

As I get out of bed slowly, not caring if Katerina wakes, the entire wall to my left is broken down with a huge crash and the stones fly everywhere.

Merda!

Katerina gasps as she wakes and sits up in my bed, sheet pulled over her.

I don't even give her a second glance as I eye my hidden blade before taking a sword and leaping out of the hole left in my bedroom wall, landing messily on the roof of the villa.

The town is under attack?

Siege towers trundle steadily towards the walls from across the fields surrounding them and I can hear the sound of our own cannons shooting them down. I must aide them.

Sudden movement above me catches my attention just in time as I roll forwards out of the way of another large boulder, losing my grip on the roof and falling downwards, hitting the balcony bellow me on the way to the ground, where I land face down with a grunt.

"Ezio!"

A strong hand grips my arm and hoists me up, dusting me off.

"The city is under attack, it's Borgia men." Mario says, pointing to the gate as if I hadn't realised already.

"What does he want? Have you hidden the apple?" He must be after that surely.