Fratelli Auditore

Fratelli Auditore vs The Guard

Federico: 8, Ezio: 5

"I am boooorreeed." Ezio whined loudly, tugging on his mother's sleeve while Federico nodded his agreement at her other side. Maria Auditore was quite used to this, and so easily ignored them as she continued perusing the threads in the shop. It was not the first time the second child had said as such, and it certainly was not going to be the last. Claudia stuck her tongue out, tiny hand tucked into her mother's. She was certainly enthralled by everything she was seeing and had no problem with waiting. Maria's other arm was rather occupied by baby Petruccio and so her two eldest children's boredom was of her least concern.

Unfortunately it made her arms rather too full to be able to swat at the troublesome boys when Federico grabbed a rolled bundle of cloth and began to try to smack Ezio with it. She sighed heavily, wishing not for the first time that Giovanni's 'work' had not taken him out of the city. Really his boys were becoming a handful for the entire Palazzo.

"Federico!" She snapped in a tone that told him a cuff would be coming if she were so able.

He grinned up at her, his face a picture of innocence as he held his chosen weapon behind his back. "Yes mother?"

Her glare should have been enough to get him to drop it, but the eldest was a cheeky pain, and clearly understood that with two of his siblings occupying her, his little rear was entirely safe for the time being. So he stared right at her, grin still full-bore, raised the roll, and smacked Ezio upside the head with it.

"Hey!" Ezio rubbed his head with a pout while Maria let out a muttered string of phrases that involved some rather choice words. This was what she got by telling Annetta to take the day for herself and that she could handle her own children.

"Do you need any help signora?" A male voice asked and Maria turned, startled somewhat but relieved to see a Florentine guard standing behind her with a rather amused look on his face.

"Depends." She huffed a little, "Think you can defend me from two obnoxious boys long enough for me to get my shopping finished?"

He glanced around her, a brow raising as Ezio turned to tackle his older brother, an unraveled bolt of cloth in his hands with the intent to blind Federico with it. The guard laughed, "I have three at home Lady Auditore, two should be no trouble. Marco Rossini at your service. I can take the little ones until you are ready for them again."

Maria released a relieved sigh. Claudia and Petruccio she could handle just fine, losing the two eldest for an hour or so would perhaps make it possible for her to accomplish something. "Grazie. Federico, Ezio, you are going to go with Marco for a little while. Behave for him and I might get you some sweetbread afterwards."

A little bribery could always work for them, although the appeal of going somewhere else was enough to get them both to drop their chosen weapons (and each other, as Federico had gotten his brother into a headlock) and come to attention before their mother, both looking up at the guard with curiosity.

"Do you have a sword?" Ezio asked, peeking at the weapons that hung on the man's belt.

"Can you teach us to use it?" Federico questioned with excitement, shoving Ezio out of the way.

Marco's grin widened as he threw a wink to the woman before stepping out of the shop and back into the sunlight, "Perhaps, if you prove to be good little soldiers."

Both boys marched after him in an attempt at perfect unison (a failed attempt but one nonetheless) and soon Maria found herself with only two children to look out for and a much quieter shop. Already she could feel herself relaxing, maybe...just maybe she could slip in a few more stops before locating the rascals again.