March 10, 1481
Venice, Italy
After a week on the water, the waves moving the ship this way and that, and the rooms below cramped and musty, the freedom of dry land was a reprieve Catherine never thought she could know. She gladly sighed with relief and then stared with awe at the beauty that was Venezia—the city on the water. Its buildings were grander than even that of Firenze, sporting warmer, more vibrant, and more eclectic taste in colors. Gondolas ran along the outskirts of the cities or through the canals, moved by attentive rowers; some with supplies, others with people. The streets were set with light-colored stone that was kept rather clean, albeit looked wet in a few places—to be expected, of course. Yet, any dampness hardly detracted from the grandiose nature of the place, and the redhead knew she would do a great deal of gaping and ogling as she slowly learned every nook and cranny of the city.
A task, she knew, she would also greatly appreciate—if only as a distraction.
Her discomfort over the last week had not just been from cramped quarters. No, her mind had been flooded with what had gone on between her and Leonardo; her confession to both him and herself; of how she had finally accepted she was in love with Ezio. She supposed she had always known, or at least that it was inevitable she would admit to it, but now that it had happened—now that she could no longer deny it—it was all so different. It shouldn't have been, and she told herself that every night she let herself get lost in the muck of it, but still it was changed. She could no longer look at the young man the same. Any time she did glance his way, her heart raced and she ached to tell him; to not let the chance slip. She would catch him looking, too, and she couldn't help wondering if she didn't need to worry after all, but her cowardice was not yet conquered. Her caution was not yet quieted; it still silently urged her to wait for a sign—to be sure.
It had made things a little awkward on the boat, especially when they were so close to each other all the time, but Leonardo had made it bearable. He kept any unusual silence at bay with talk of what was to come. He also gave her consolation when they were alone, and encouragement, but never pushing her. It served to improve her confidence and make her feelings swell even more. Certainly, not only did her heart race when she thought or saw the young man, but her chest would fill with a warmth she only vaguely recalled feeling before. It was love, she realized, and also anxiety—that fear of it being unrequited. She knew she would have to make good on it somehow soon, although not then. Not on the boat.
In Venezia, however?
Maybe.
For now, though, the redhead took in the sight of the city before her and behind her as she and the other passengers emerged upon the stone street. She breathed in deeply, and couldn't help noticing there was a stench to the place that was none to pleasant. Her nose scrunched up slightly as she adjusted to it, but then was able to relax some. Still, the remnants lingered, and she only hoped she would become inured by the end of the day. It did little to take away from the beauty of the city, though, and if it bothered her companions, they didn't show it. Leonardo especially seem unaffected as he smiled brightly at the grandeur while he carried some of his things. Men on the boat carried the rest, and the three of them made their way over to where the luggage had been set down.
"So," Ezio hummed, gazing out from under his hood, "this is Venezia..."
"It's amazing... and... wait—you've never been then?" Catherine inquired, brow raised, and the young man shook his head. "Huh. Would have thought you had with how you talked like you've been there."
"My father came here before on business, and he described it in such detail it was almost like I had gone with him. Of course, now that I'm here in person... it's definitely far better than he told Federico and I as children," he chuckled as he rest his hands on his hips.
The redhead hummed, "We're going to be busy exploring this place, that's for sure. It's much bigger than Firenze or San Gimignano."
"Indeed. I suspect it may take many months to learn it all... and longer still to start setting up safe houses and more. We are on our own here, after all."
"Uff. Don't remind me... we'll need to find trustworthy folk, too... We may have to stay with Leonardo for a while until we can find a place of our own," Catherine rumbled, biting her lip as she looked over at the artist, whom was busy fussing over his things.
"I'm afraid you may right... I do not like putting him in such danger, though..."
"Well, it's not even mid-morning, so we have time to get work... we'll probably need to find the poorer parts of the district and work from there—they're more likely to have the most people to help with and gain their trust," the redhead replied with a thoughtful rub of her chin. She paused a second later, and then hummed. "I wonder if we can't find any groups like back home... I mean, there's bound to be, right?"
Ezio nodded, "I don't doubt it. Every city has the sort, and there's going to be courtesans. Mercenaries may be harder to come by, but the city has a militia. There's bound to be men for hire. Where I can't say... but it will be worth looking into. It would be good to have the connections, that's for sure. If we can set them up here... then we can work more like we did back home."
"Then we have a starting point. So that's good."
"Indeed... but first let's help Leonardo with his things. We should let him know a bit of what will be going on, too," he chuckled, gesturing to their friend, still fussing over his things. Catherine nodded, and with a few steps they were beside him. The man glanced up at them only for a split second before fussing again.
"Apologies, my friends, I am simply ensuring everything is as it should be. We did have that one rough night," he chuckled as he adjusted some items in his box.
"That's fine... we just thought we should mention some of our, ah... plans, to you... since you might be involved... a little," the redhead began, twiddling her fingers some. Her words gave the artist pause and he stood up, brow raised.
"'A little'?"
"Kinda like... well, we might..."
"—need to stay with you a few nights—secretly, of course... if you don't mind?" Ezio finished, flashing the redhead a quick grin at her "sheepish" way of doing it. She huffed in return, while Leonardo simply smiled and nodded.
"Of course! I am always happy to help. It will be good to have company before I might get an assistant or apprentice as well," he chuckled. He opened his mouth to continue, but a voice calling out for a "Sir da Vinci" rang out, cutting him off. The trio looked up towards the massive, wooden bridge that connected two parts of the city and was situated perpendicular to a row of buildings. From the walkway between the two structures a man appeared, dressed in rather poofy garbs—certainly more so than Catherine was accustomed to. It had to be the fashion of the city, and it was actually very well made. The man looked older than them, but not too old; his hair was still fully dark, as was his beard. He was all smiles and full of warm greeting as he held out his arms in his approach.
"Welcome! I am Alvise! Sir Dona' has asked that I escort you to the workshop. Are you ready?" he inquired, though paused as he noted the two Assassins. "Ah! I did not realize you had... guests."
'Geez, don't sound so suspicious of us,' Catherine snorted silently, and made sure to keep it that way as Leonardo chuckled. She made note how he gave her an especially odd look, too. Yet again, she would have to put more effort into blending in thanks to the "women-don't-really-wear-pants" Renaissance era. She'd make do—it was just yet another minor annoyance.
"Forgive me, they were not originally coming with me, but we met in Forlì, and ended up sailing here together. They are indeed my dear friends, though."
The man beamed, "Ah, well, very good then! They are most welcome as well. All the merrier, no? Now, come, come—let me show you the city!"
"Our thanks," Ezio replied, nodding politely, which was returned in kind. With that, they were off.
Alvise sighed happily, "Ah, Venezia! What other place is as beautiful, as stable, as perfect! Come, I will show you her wonders!"
Catherine wanted to roll her eyes, although it would be interesting to hear what the city had to offer. Even back home in her time she'd only gone to Italy once on a family vacation, but she had not visited the city on the water. She had wanted to, but it had not been planned for. Now here she was in its prime. So, although she thought the Alvise man was trying too hard to sell them something—or at least sounded like he did, which was probably his job—she listened in. At the same time, though, she made note of her surroundings. When she glanced to Ezio, she saw he was doing the same.
"Our first stop: the Rialto Bridge! Behold the elegance with which she spans the Grand Canal! A symbol of Venetian unity and pride!"
'If only he knew evil men were at work here, trying to destroy that, or at least bastardize it,' the redhead mused as they continued on, roaming through the streets. She withheld her frown at the odd looks she got, chastising herself now for forgetting her cloak. She would just make do, and held her head high, refusing to seem like she didn't belong. She did belong, after all. Sort of. If anything, she could just say she was a guard for Leonardo. Women warriors weren't impossible—just exceedingly rare. Which, of course, was just as bad, she noted to herself, but it was what it was. She would be ignored as soon as she was gone from their sight.
So instead she focused on how there were a great deal of market stands just about everywhere. Plenty of barrels and crates full of supplies and various other items. A great deal of merchants also lined the streets, along with workers. Most looked dressed well enough, but she spotted some tattered cloth here and there. Even a city so grand and beautiful suffered poverty, and while that was never a good thing to have, it did provide a means to gain them allies. They helped the common man, after all, and if there was poverty there were also thieves. That, she had learned from Giuseppe, so there was a high chance they'd find the faction here. Courtesans were also possible here, as they sometimes came to lower end areas, but she wagered they were more common in the nicer spots than the one they were in.
"It's very different from Firenze," Ezio hummed softly, so only she could hear as Alvise showed Leonardo a church—San Giacomo di Rialto, he told them.
"No kidding... it's so much more... crowded, I guess is the right word. The buildings seem taller, too."
"More archers as well," he added, gesturing with his head. She followed his line of sight, and, sure enough, two archer loomed overhead. They exchanged words for a few moments before walking off. Catherine looked to the other side and found yet another archer keeping watch for a moment or two and then turned to walk to the other side.
"The rooftops may not be good options to go here," she scowled.
Ezio touched her arm gently, "We'll make do. The streets seem narrower here—we can evade guards. We can also use the waterways if need be."
"That... probably is a good option, although the water smells terrible... God knows how many people have peed in it," she replied, sticking out her tongue in disgust.
"Better than being stabbed or shot, though, no?" the young man snickered before urging her on with a touch to her back. She snorted in reply only and followed after Alvise and Leonardo, the latter of whom was wholly enthralled by it all. She supposed she would be, too, if she were here to paint and not kill powerful, dangerous men. Ah well.
Their guide brought them to one of the larger openings, which ran with a canal on the other side of an archway. A second one was just beyond the small stretch of water, and like the former it was lined with stalls and crates and barrels full of food, clothes, and other supplies. It was cluttered with people as well—obviously a popular marketplace. Sure enough, Alvise called it as such.
"No other city can match the size of Venezia's markets. Be it spices or silk, from near and far, there is... there is..."
Catherine turned to look as the man trailed off, and spotted the guards at once. The hair on the back of her neck lifted and she made a point not to make direct eye contact. It was a normal guard surrounded by three spearman—not a fun combination. Luckily, they seemed more interested in a merchant selling fish to a customer, although the merchant wouldn't agree that was fortunate; especially when the normal guard pulled out his sword.
"You were told to stay home!" he barked, brandishing the weapon. Catherine glared, hand settling on her own blade out of instinct. Ezio did the same, she realized, but also put a hand on her shoulder—silently telling her to stay put. She knew better than to act out, but she didn't like this.
"But the rent is paid! I have every right to sell here!" the merchant exclaimed back, the fear clear on his face.
"Emilio disagrees!" the guard sneered and suddenly slammed his sword down onto the bench, destroying his fish and other wares.
"No! No! Stop! Stop!"
They wouldn't listen, though, and Catherine let out a soft curse. So this was the evil that was seeded throughout the city then? The corruption caused by Emilio Barbarigo? He was forcing simple merchants to lose their profits and drive them out? Force them into ruin? Scumbag.
"Let us continue the tour... elsewhere," Alvise spoke up softly, motioning for them to follow. As much as the redhead would rather stay and teach the guards a lesson, she knew now wasn't the time. She and Ezio didn't need to cause a seen and let everyone know the Assassins were in Venezia. If they wanted to get close to the target, they had to refrain from too much violence—at least, the kind that would be noticed.
"Damn... would have liked to at least punch the one with the sword," she grumbled as they continued on, moving distinctly faster through the streets.
Ezio frowned, "I would gladly do more than that... but it will have to wait."
"Unfortunately," Catherine sighed, shaking her head. Her frustration turned to curiosity, though, as Leonardo suddenly deviated from the group, his eye having caught onto something at a vendor in a building. The redhead raised a brow as they approached and watched their friend marvel at a little wooden figurine—a mannequin, she realized; not unlike the ones she'd done still life drawings of back in her High School art classes.
"Look! Is it not amazing?!" he exclaimed, holding it up with such delight he was like a little kid in a candy store. It faltered, though, as he looked at them both pleadingly. "Would you mind buying it for me? I... uh... I left my money with my bags."
Ezio let out a laugh while Catherine grinned, however the young man's amusement was cut short as footsteps rang behind them and he was suddenly jerked forward. He scowled and spun on his heel to jab a finger at the culprit.
"Hey! Mind your step, jerk!" he snapped as the figure—a woman, Catherine realized—paused to turn and look at him. Her gender surprised the redhead, having not seen many other women dressed like men, and certainly not in a thieves' garb. She was rather petite and thin, but not terribly so. Her face held a touch of boyishness to it, but was countered by her dark locks and lashes, and the full lips. That, and her chest was rather distinct in her loosened shirt and scarf. Her eyes shifted between them; taking a quick look, but then she was gone—racing after her fellow thieves.
'Wait.... Thieves?' Catherine mused, brows scrunching before she turned to the young man. "Ezio—your purse!"
"My—shit!" he growled, patting his belt and finding that, sure enough, his coin pouch was gone. He cursed again, throwing up his arms.
"Oh dear—did they... did those thieves just steal your coin?" Leonardo inquired sheepishly.
"Dammit. Yes, they did. If I find them—!" the young man barked, fist shaking in the direction the thieves had gone.
Catherine sighed, "If we can... anyways, Leo, here. I have some coin, too. Thankfully the majority is in our packs back with your things."
"Thank-you, my friend, and, Ezio... I am sorry..."
"Don't worry about it—and you, Alvise, was it? Shall we continue? No use standing here," he huffed.
Alvise perked up, "Oh! Yes, of course, and I do apologize for the thieves, Sir. They have been a nuisance lately, but I forgot to tell you... But, ah, yes, right this way. Come, come. There is plenty to make up for it."
"Yeah, right," Ezio scoffed softly, still glaring at the way the thief had gone. He only let it settle when he felt Catherine's hand on his arm as she motioned for him to follow.
"It's fine—we have plenty in our things, and we'll earn more as we work."
He huffed, "I know... but a thief stole from me."
"Oh, so you're butt hurt," she snickered, earning a confused look as he tried to understand what she meant. It took him a moment, but realization soon dawned on him and his huff became a pout.
"I am not 'butt hurt'!" he sniffed, and Catherine could only laugh, which served to bring a light smile the young man's face, too. It remained there as Alvise continued to lead them through the streets and up a set of stairs upon a short bridge. It was there he stopped and turned to the right, revealing an incredibly grand structure—far more so than everything around it. It was also a pristine white in color and the designs were incredibly intricate. It looked even more like a palace than anything in Firenze, and even had a tall, black iron fence around for protection.
"And here we have the Palazzo della Seta. Home to Emilio Barbarigo. Normally, I'd suggest a closer look, but with the way things are now..." Alvise began, catching the redhead's attention at once. She glanced to Ezio, whom also cast her a look. So. This was where their target kept held up.
"Why? What's happened?" the young man inquired.
"He's attempting to unify the merchants beneath a single banner. There's been resistance. Some of it violent."
"Violent?" the redhead mused aloud, and she didn't miss the odd look their guide gave her. First because of her attire, and now asking a question? This was going to be a fun stay. Thankfully, the man gave no more of a fuss as he looked between them all while he explained.
"They say they're fighting for the people. For freedom or some such nonsense. Foolish, if you ask me."
'Yeah, well, we didn't, dick,' Catherine grumbled silently, though wish to say so aloud. She was thankfully smarter than that, and instead made note of the man approaching the doors of the Palazzo—the merchant from before. She couldn't quite make out what was being said, but he was angry, and the guards were jerks; they jabbed him hard enough in the stomach with the butt of their spears to shove him back some. The man shouted yet again, which turned out to be a poor choice. She lamented to see him suddenly grabbed by the guards. She could hear his shouts then, but she could do nothing. She cursed.
"Well, now we know what we're dealing with," Ezio said softly so only she could hear.
"No kidding... those guards look just as corrupt as the Pazzi were... This isn't good."
"It doesn't seem so... but this resistance needs looking into. We may find our allies there."
"Definitely... and if incidents like the one we just saw are fairly common, then I don't think we'll have trouble finding those allies," Catherine added with a thoughtful hum.
"Catherine! Ezio!" Leonardo called out, turning their heads. The artist was not behind them as he had been moments ago, but rather on the other side of the archway, having apparently been pulled away by Alvise. Their friend waved for them to follow, and they did so quickly enough. Their guide took them down an alleyway to the left, bringing them out into an open area with yet more grand buildings. To the right was one that was distinctly out of place. In fact, it reminded her more of their home area with how it was made from red bricks. It also bared a resemblance to Leonardo's workshop. Sure enough, Alvise presented it as such. In fact, they apparently had worked to make it exactly like before. Catherine had to admit she was surprised—the artist must have been more popular than she thought. Certainly far more humble than she recalled, too.
"So, here we are! Exciting, isn't it?" Leonardo smiled once Alvise left with a sweet, flamboyant parting—or at least the redhead thought it was. A little too try-hard for her taste, but she had to admit she was a little biased against him at the moment. He was gone now, though, so she returned her attention to their comrade. He looked between them both, his excitement palpable. "Care to come in?"
"Maybe later," Ezio grinned back.
"Oh, come on, Ezio, can't we take a peak?" Catherine quickly piped up, hopping over to Leonardo's side.
He chuckled, "Catherine, we need to visit the Palazzo della Seta and gain audience with Emilio. You can visit Leonardo's shop later—it's just like his old one. Alvise said so."
She pouted, "I know, but still..."
"Just come back later for supper, my dear," the artist laughed, earning a hurt look from the redhead. "Oh, come now. Do not give me such sad eyes. You both need to stay here for the night or perhaps a few anyways, no? So you will see it soon enough. Besides, your work is very important."
Catherine sighed dramatically, "Fiiiiiine. We'll see you later then, and bring back anything interesting for you."
"Please do! And be careful!" he beamed, embracing the young woman and then the young man.
"We will—she will make sure of it," Ezio chuckled and then made back the way they'd come. The redhead waved to their friend and was about to follow after when she felt Leonardo's hand squeeze hers.
"Catherine... I know I left you be on the boat, but... you will... be alright, yes?"
The redhead's heart raced a little as she realized what he meant. The talk on the boat—about not wasting her chance. Her confession. She had managed to forget once they'd made landfall because of work, but there would be no escaping it.
She sighed softly, nodding, "I... Yeah, I should be... I think I still need to... well, get a little more brave, but... I'll be alright. Promise."
"Good. Know I will keep pestering you until you do. I am your friend, after all," he smiled slyly as he released her.
She rolled her eyes, "Yes, I know. Bye, Leo."
She shook her head with a laugh as she trotted after Ezio, whom had paused in the archway. He raised a curious brow, but she only told him the artist had mentioned to not stay out too late—he wanted help with his flying machine. Not entirely untrue, but certainly a lie. Whether or not her companion could tell, she wasn't sure, but he didn't press, and instead started off.
"I still think you are both crazy with that machine of his," he mused with a wry grin.
"Please, you just have no imagination," she scoffed, lifting her head high.
He waggled his brow, "I believe there are quite a few ladies who would disagree."
"Oh, I'm sooo sure."
"Ah, such doubt. I could easily convince you, you know—if you gave me the chance," he smirked, suddenly brushing his hand along her cheek, and cupping her chin. Catherine's heart skipped a beat and her cheeks flared at once. Okay, maybe she wouldn't be okay.
"Not today," she huffed quickly, instinct causing her to push his hand and stalk away from him quickly. She heard him laugh a little and then his boots scurrying across the ground as he caught up.
"Sorry, sorry—it was just a bit of fun! You know I can't help myself."
"Oh, I know. And I also know you need to work on your tact."
He hummed, giving her a look, "You know, most beautiful women your age aren't so shy about such teases—most have made love, married or not."
"Yeah, well," she began, grumbling some as a flicker of shame went through her, "I'm not like most women."
No, she was quite the opposite and incredibly terrible at dealing with her emotions and flirting and winning a man over and making him only look and want her and keeping him. She was definitely the worst at that.
"You are going to become an old maid who missed on the great experiences of life, you know," he snickered, but it only made that flicker burn all the stronger. She knew she shouldn't, and from anyone else she could have easily brushed it off. He made it hurt, though—made it harder.
She shook her head, "If it's because I can't find a man I can trust with my life and take me as I am, then I'm fine with it."
That's what she told herself, anyways, but sometimes she wasn't so sure. Like now. The thought of being alone like he said terrified her at times. He always made it worse, too—like when he grabbed her hand gently as he did now; how he looked at her so sorrowfully and with what she wanted to think was affection in those dark eyes as he spoke to her softly.
"How can you hope to live such a life?"
"It's not like I want to," she replied, eyes downcast. "But... sometimes you just deal with what life throws at you and move on. It's just how it is, and not everyone gets lucky enough."
He didn't say anything, and she didn't know what to make of it. She looked back at him when she felt his hands tighten some, and she thought there was pity there. She only smiled sadly and pulled her hand away as she shrugged.
"Hey, someone once told me there's always someone out there for everybody... so, who knows? Maybe I'll find them. Maybe I won't, but I guess at least they are out there, right?" she asked, but didn't give him time to answer. She just wanted to get away from this conversation, and so turned back towards the path. "Anyways, come on. We have a job to do."
Ezio waited a long time, watching her silently, before he answered, "Right. Coming."
It didn't take long to find one of the actual entrances to the place, although the Palazzo really was like a palace with a moat—it was completely surrounded by water. The only way into the lavish courtyard was using the bridges, and the outside wall of the area was lined by the metal fence. It had no good footholds so they couldn't sneak in the usual way. Unfortunately, the main entrance was well guarded. There was the one with the spearman the merchant had been dragged into, and the one they kept watch by—casually, of course, to not look too suspicious—had about four guards. They all carried only swords, but they had good armor. They wouldn't be something to trifle with. No, it was going to be trouble getting into this place. And if they somehow managed to just get into the outside yard, getting inside the building itself would be even worse.
"We can handle the guards, and the climb is... oh, that's not good—even I can't make that jump," Ezio frowned, and she followed his line of sight to where there was a thick rim around the building. About a man's height above it was a window sill, but that was way too much of a jump for either of them to do. They would fall and hurt themselves. "We need to find another way..."
"Maybe there's something on the other sides? We could try scouting from the roofs for better—," Catherine began, but was cut short as a chorus of footsteps reached her ears. Both assassins turned just in time to have a crowd of thieves rush by them. Nothing was taken—no "accidental" bumps or anything. In fact, it was the guards that the thieves were focused on and bumped into, catching their attention. The four men shouted and gave chase, and just as they did another thief appeared. This once was familiar, and Catherine realized it was the one from before. It had to be with the dark hair and distinctly female attributes.
"What is she doing?" she asked aloud, keeping back with Ezio. This wasn't a fight they'd started, and they needed to keep a low profile still.
"Wait—isn't that the one who took my coin?" the young man growled, though kept where he was, also watching.
"Ezio, not now—look! She's climbing. She'll never make that jump, though," the redhead mused, and then cursed when arrows suddenly whizzed overhead. "Guess we definitely wouldn't make it up or be able to scout the roofs. Shit, come on, girl..."
"Don't cheer for her! She—wait... Is she... She did it!" Ezio gasped when the female thief lunged up what seemed an impossible length and caught the window sill. She made to jump again, but was waylaid as an arrow struck her leg. Blood splattered the wall as her limb hung loose. Her grip ultimately failed under the pressure of having to bear the full brunt of her weight, and she fell. A roll prevented further injury, but blood was seeping everywhere. The arrow was stuck in her leg, too; the shaft out one end, the tip the other. Somehow she was able to get up and keep going—Catherine could only believe it was the panic and adrenaline running through her veins. Whatever the case, the thief half-ran, half-staggered towards them while arrows still shot at her. In the distance, an alarm was sounded, and soon more guards would come.
"I need your help!" she shouted as she spotted them, stumbling into Ezio as she came upon them.
"You stole my coin!" he growled, although the redhead knew he would still help her, anyways. For one, she was going to help—it was obvious they were trying to get into Emilio's home, which meant they had a common enemy. Oh, she didn't know all the details, but that was enough of a start.
"We need to go!"
"You never did apologize—."
"Now!" the woman shouted, looking beyond them. Catherine turned, and cursed. Guards. Just two, but there were always more not far behind. She and Ezio could handle them, but the woman could not, and she needed help.
"Where do we go?" the redhead asked, putting a hand on her blade hilt.
The woman looked to her, "The water."
"That doesn't exactly narrow it down!" Ezio replied, looking at the guards again, but the woman suddenly took off.
"Shit. Ezio, let's go!" Catherine barked, tugging at his sleeve as she raced after. The woman was incredibly fast for her hurt leg, but how far could she make it, the redhead wondered? Whatever the case, they were her chauffeurs and the thief would need protection. She could be a future ally, too, so keeping her alive and in good—or at least no worse than she was—health would be beneficial. Although, she was proving a bit of trouble with running off and not giving them much direction to follow behind keeping up with her and her blood trail.
"Guards!" the woman shouted, just as a trio came out from the other side of the palazzo's entryway. Catherine reacted at once, throwing a knife that struck the nearest in the shoulder. She and Ezio converged upon two—one for each—and ended them with a stab to the throat and belly. The third had gone for the woman thief, but the redhead drew her blade and reached just in time to block the weapon. She threw him off balance, giving Ezio the opening to shove his hidden blade into his back.
They barely got a moment to breathe before the woman was racing off, once again not waiting or giving them any indication. On the one hand, Catherine could understand, but on the other it was very frustrating. She only gave Ezio a shared look as such before sheathing their weapons and rushing after the woman. She evidently knew where she was going, and she wasn't going to stop, either; she did not hesitate to knock anyone in her way over as she tore through the streets. She took turns tight and didn't seem to notice the agony that had to be shooting through her leg. At least, until she cursed the archers every now and then and had to grasp her leg as she ran.
More guards came, but they were quickly dealt with. It was thankfully easy to get the upper hand, and with their focus on the thief woman it was a tad easier. Still, it required effort and the woman was losing blood with each stop and exertion of her energy. Catherine expected she wouldn't last much longer, yet they seemed nowhere near where they needed to be, which baffled her. The entire city was floating on water, so where did she mean? It would have been so much easier to know, but the thief refused to tell her if she shouted for answers—the only reply was to hurry up and shut up.
At least, until the woman suddenly began to slow. Ezio and Catherine trotted beside her, and did not fail to notice how pale she was. Her entire leg was stained red now, and she dragged blood with every step. Her gaze was unfocused as she staggered bit by bit forward until, finally, she collapsed. Her energy was spent and the adrenaline that had kept her going was empty. Her breathing was haggard as they crouched beside her, and she looked ready to pass out. Catherine was surprised she hadn't from the beginning.
"Christ, my leg!" she groaned, grasping at it.
"Ezio, hurry—pick her up. You can run faster with her than I can," the redhead urged.
"What of the guards?" he asked, but was already pulling the woman's arm over her head and slipping his arms beneath her. The thief did not resist or put up a fight at all.
"I'll manage, so don't worry—."
"Rosa!"
Catherine spun on her heel and found a group of thieves racing towards them. They had knives drawn, though were unsure about whether to attack or not. She decided it was best to just act like they were allies, if only to keep from fighting.
"You! We need help with her. Follow us and help keep the guards away, got it?" she barked, and to her relief they listened and nodded. They were still unsure, but the injured woman—Rosa, the redhead made note of—was important enough to them they didn't resist. Catherine turned to their injured companion. "Can you still lead us?"
"Yes," Rosa rasped and pointed. "Keep following it. There will be a boat with one of us in it. Go!"
"Got it. Let's go!" the redhead shouted for them all to hear and took off at an easy pace. She looked back to make sure Ezio could keep up without jostling the woman, and it seemed to be going alright.
"I suppose now we can finally properly introduce ourselves. I am Ezio, and that is Catherine," she heard the young man say.
Rosa chuckled, "I know."
"What do you mean 'I know'?"
"Not now!" she snapped, back to her hot-headed attitude, which was apparently not fully gone. "Now is not the time for small talk! Or are you blind?!"
"Ezio, keep back!" Catherine barked as she saw guards ahead looking their way. She pointed to the thieves near her. "Get them away from here."
"Got it. Keep her safe—we're counting on you," the young man said and they darted forward. The trio kept back as they watched the group rob the guards, fully catching their attention. Within moments they were chasing after the thieves, clearing the way.
"Alright, let's go," the redhead called, motioning her companions forward.
"At least one of you is competent," Rosa snorted, but her words were weaker now.
"She's always been better at focusing on the task at hand," Ezio chuckled as he increased his pace to keep closer.
"One of us has to," Catherine smirked playfully, but then paused as they rounded a corner. Just barely she caught sight of a figure at an entrance to the canal. He was dressed not unlike Rosa, and near him was a boat. "Rosa, there?"
"Yes, hurry!" the woman nodded, and hurry they did. They luckily had no guards around—for the moment—and so were able to make it to the riverside without trouble. Rosa tried to lean up without much success, "Ugo!"
The thief turned, glaring and brandishing his weapon at once, "What's this?!"
"She's hurt and needs help," Catherine stated, meeting his uncertainty evenly. The thief regarded them for a moment, but ultimately he could see the blood and the pain on Rosa's face and so sheathed his weapon. He to Ezio, holding out his arms.
"Pass her here. We'll go the rest of the way in the boat."
Ezio nodded and stepped closer to transfer the woman, "Careful."
Ugo did just that, stepping down to the craft where a second thief took her next. He set her down gently, but the easy pace was not allowed to last: from across the river an arrow shot by, ricocheting off the wall. All heads turned and found the archer drawing yet another arrow, ready to shoot them properly this time.
"Go! We'll deal with the guards!" Ezio shouted, and the thieves did not waste time. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be simple. There were guards on both sides, and they would soon join in with their fellow man.
"Take that one—I'll head to roofs and go from there!" Catherine shouted back, and didn't wait to see her comrade nod as she darted to the nearby ladder. She shot up and clambered onto the tiled roofs. The archers hadn't noticed her yet, but they would soon enough. For now she made good on her element of surprise and used another throwing knife to hit one in the side. The shock made him stagger and fall off the roof before his ally could catch him. His screams drew attention, and his fellow guard was ready for revenge as he aimed at her. She was able to dodge well enough and descended upon him. He was finished which a quick strike to his throat and a shove off to the waters below. A glance in that direction showed Ezio was doing just as well, so she continued on.
Their thief comrades were going slower than she liked, but on the other hand it gave her the time she needed to go after guard after guard, managing to avoid arrows, but take blade strikes. She was able to cross over to other roofs as need be, and only had one close call where she thought they might hit those in the boat. She made it in time, though, and only managed to suffer a scraped knee and elbow. There were yet more guards, though, so she kept at it.
Catherine paused after one kill to get a scan of things, and at first panicked when she couldn't see Ezio. However, a scream from below and then a flash of white let her know he was fine. She breathed a sigh of relief and then looked for the boat. It had gotten farther ahead than she realized and was turning down a tiny canal. She quickly scanned the roofs above, but there was a lack of guards that way. Good. Their job was done here, so she headed towards where the boat had gone. Couldn't lose their allies now could she?
A yelp escaped her as a hot, needle-like pain shot across the outside of her arm. She grabbed at it on instinct, and knew there was blood. An arrow clattered off the roof tiles and she spun around to find two archers aiming at her. They fired and she had to drop to avoid being shot in the face. She cursed as she scrambled up and made a dead sprint for the edge. There was water all around, so the fall wouldn't kill her—it was just going to hurt like hell, but it was a lot better than being dead. She cursed again when an arrow barely missed, but then she was at the edge, and only just barely noting the pier didn't go out too far and so gave her plenty of room, she leaped off. She cursed louder, already realizing it was a mistake to dive from so high up, but there was no going back.
Time almost seemed to slow as she fell, although she knew the Clock hadn't activated. Yet, the surface of the water seemed to take forever, but when she hit it, she hit hard. Every one of her senses was jolted and knocked the air from her lungs. The shock made her try to suck in a breath, but water came instead. She choked at once, and instinct came to life as she swam for the surface. It was so far away, though, and her head was already heavy and aching. She had nothing in her lungs and her vision was going dark at the edges. Her body felt too heavy, and she knew somewhere in her mind her gear was holding her back. She wasn't going to make it. She could feel a warmth in her pocket; the Clock activating or trying to in her panic, but it couldn't save her from drowning. She had to keep swimming—keep kicking and pulling, but the surface was too far. Too dark. She was losing strength. She couldn't breathe. It was too much. She was drifting down.
A tight grip engulfed her waist, and suddenly she broke the surface. Her lunged sucked in air greedily while at the same time coughing out the water she'd choked on. She clung to whatever held her; whatever moved her through the water. Then she was out of it. Her back hit a hard surface and she turned to throw up the rest of the fluid. She coughed roughly; her chest aching and sparking with sharp pain. A hand hit her back to help, but stopped when she rolled over, gasping for air with eyes squeezed shut. Things still ached, but she could feel hands cup her face. Her ears rang, but she thought she heard a voice shouting out to her. Her eyes shot open and she found a pair of dark ones staring back, wide and full of worry. For a moment, she didn't know who it was. She didn't recognize her helper, but as they kept asking her something—if she was okay, she realized—she understood. It was Ezio. He'd seen her fall. Probably saw her not come up. Dived after her. Saved her.
"I-I'm," she started, but had to suddenly turn to cough up more water. He rubbed her back again, and she groaned as she sat up. "I'm okay. Fuuuuuck that was not one of my better ideas."
"No, it wasn't—I can't believe you did that!" Ezio chuckled, keeping a hold on her arms to help steady her. He frowned, though, when he noticed the wet, red stain on her arm. "You're hurt."
"Yeah—stupid archers got me. Would have shot me if I didn't jump. I thought it was my best bet... until I hit the water... shit, that was awful... but I think I can get up now—help me up?" she asked, holding out her hand for him to take. However, much to her surprise—a pleasant one—she was suddenly embraced. His head buried into her neck, and she grasped at the back of his shirt to steady herself some.
"Shit, don't frighten me like that, Catherine!" he suddenly rasped, clutching her tighter.
Her heart raced a little as she pressed her face into his shoulder, "How could I ever scare you?"
"You went under but didn't come out—I thought I'd lost you," he whispered this time, and at last she understood. Her hope flared as well; to know he feared losing her so much. He cared, didn't he? She dared to let herself think it was as much as she did him, and so pulled him closer. She brought her hand up to stroke the back of his head.
"You won't lose me. I'm here," she replied softly into his ear, and let him hold her there. She held him right on back, stroking his hair. Briefly, she thought she could feel guilty for wanting this—for enjoying this closeness; to have him hold her so tight. To feel his warm breath on her neck; his firm arms wrapped around her. Was it wrong, though? Wasn't this normal? Surely, it was.
He pulled away after what felt forever, but only so he could press his heads to hers, and meet her gaze. It was as if he was making sure she really was there. Her cheeks grew warm as her heart raced yet again. She recalled how this wasn't unlike all those moments before; their bodies close. Their lips even closer. She wanted to close the distance so badly. She wanted to release the emotions she held within her that no longer had a proper seal. Already they squirmed and threatened to be her undoing; screaming and yowling for her to kiss him right then and there. To let him take her; show her all those things she wanted and acted like she didn't; to show her what it was to be loved, because surely he loved her, too? But was it yet time? Could she be sure?
God, they were so close, but he must have sensed it—her hesitation. He increased the distance instead of closing it, and her desire grew to embarrassment. She coughed lightly and looked to where the boat had gone. There was a path not far away.
"We should, uh... catch up to the ones we're supposed to protect, huh?" she chuckled sheepishly. Ezio chuckled as well while he nodded, finally removing his arms from around her and standing. He made sure to help her up slowly, and she was glad to find her legs still worked despite having been jarred during the landing. Only after making sure she was completely alright did he have her begin walking along the pier, and once she was confident enough, they headed off at a jog after their nearly-forgotten companions.
They luckily found the place soon enough with the help of quite a great deal of shouting. It was of a familiar tone, and as they come upon an opening of shoddy, run-down buildings they saw a group of what could only be thieves standing around a table. On said table was none other than their female friend being tended to by an older woman and a man that wasn't nearly as old, but not so young as Ezio, either. He wore all dark colors that matched his even darker hair, although his attire was in far better shape than his cohorts. He was incredibly thin and lanky, and he appeared to hold some affection for Rosa—perhaps a lover or family? Catherine decided on family when the woman cursed him out as she was taken away to one of the buildings around them. Rosa was not happy at all, but she was slowly losing consciousness despite her fiery temperament. Sure enough, her shouts died all together by the time she went inside with the older woman and those carrying her table. The lithe man watched her go, and only turned to regard them when the door closed and they were just steps from him.
"Thank-you," he began, nodding to them both. "Rosa is most dear to me. If I had lost her..."
"I've always had a soft spot for women in distress," Ezio chuckled, looking over to the redhead. She blinked, not sure she actually heard that, but then rolled her eyes with a playful smack.
"So I've heard," the man mused in a way that made them both pause and share an uncertain look. The man's lip curved upward slightly. "Don't look so surprised. We know all about you, Sir Ezio. Lady Catherine. Your work in Firenze and the rest of Toscana. Good work, too, if a little unrefined."
"So if you know all about us..." Catherine began.
Ezio finished, "Then you know why we're in Venezia?"
"I can guess," the man chuckled, and then suddenly bowed. "And forgive me; I know you both, but you do not know me. I am Antonio. I lead the thieves here, such as Rosa and Ugo, whom you met. You have my thanks for protecting them both."
"Of course," the redhead nodded. So. Antonio. A thief—like La Volpe. She wondered if they knew one another. She didn't doubt it, but then she wondered why the thief master didn't tell them? She already didn't like how the thieves knew all about them so easily. How could word of their work travel so quickly? The Templars wouldn't have talked to these thieves unless he was one of them, but they were fighting a Templar, so that didn't make much sense. Had they spied and heard? But then how would they know so much? Surely they had to be more deeply connected to their ally factions in Toscana. Why all the secrecy of it, though? She wished she could ask, but she didn't want to press, and she didn't trust this man yet, and she didn't want to do so hastily.
"And as such, I offer my hospitality, which you seem to be need of," Antonio chuckled, eyes looking them over in the wet state. "I would have you come see me once you are dried and have time—there is something I wish to discuss."
"We might as well do it now and dry later—otherwise we won't be dry for a while," Catherine mused, much to the thief leader's amusement.
"My hospitality does include fresh clothes, but perhaps now would be better. Come then," Antonio grinned, gesturing for them to follow him towards a wooden door to the right. Inside was a rather homely place, lined with decent furniture, a warm hearth with a roaring fire, and a large table where a model of the city was. She recognized a building or two, and noticed he had colored figurines—no doubt to represent their forces. He ignored it in favor for a small table where he prepped a drink and a few cups.
"Can I offer you both anything? Biscotti? A coffee?"
'Coffee? They have that already?' the redhead mused silently as Ezio inquired about it. 'Well, definitely not having that.'
"An interesting concoction, brought to me by a Turk merchant. Here, have a taste," he urged them both. While Ezio took it, Catherine waved her hand. The man raised a brow.
"Er—no thanks. I don't like it."
His brow went higher, "You've had it before?"
"When I was very little," she quickly replied, which actually wasn't a lie. She had tried it as a kid and always hated it—even in college where it was the life blood of students.
"It's a little bitter if you ask me, though. It just seems lacking somehow... I don't know. Have you considered adding sugar maybe? Or milk?"
Antonio shrugged, "I suppose it is something of an acquired taste, but enough about that... for what I wish to discuss..."
The man led them to the table where the city model stood. He gazed down at it, his mind obviously already at work. He was no doubt incredibly intelligent to be able to run the thieves. His eyes roved the display, probably calculating all the moves and all the new information gained from today's events. Catherine watched as he gingerly picked up one of his little figurines, placing it in his other hand and closing his fingers gently around it—as if burying an ally.
"Our failure at the Palazzo will cost us dearly. It will take time to recover. No doubt Emilio will use this pause to strengthen his defenses...," he began, reaching for another figurine. "...and continue his oppression of the district. You may not share out motive, but I know you share our goal."
"Why not gather your forces and try again?" Ezio inquired from the other side.
"To act in haste would only bring more losses. No—we must resupply and draw new plans."
"We can ill afford to sit around and wait..."
"But he's right, Ezio. And we had to wait before—bide our time. It's like that," Catherine piped up, bringing pause to her friend as he considered.
"Indeed, we must wait to attack, but there is still much that can be done. I would ask you both work with us instead!" Antonio added, walking around towards them. "Already my men begin to mend today's wounds. Seek them out. They'll put you to work. The sooner you aid them, the sooner we can strike."
"That sounds like a good idea—build up your forces to match Emilio's. That will give us time to learn the city, as well, and find more and possibly new allies. Not to mention there's bound to be people who need help. If we can make them sympathetic to the cause, the aftermath of the Emilio's death will be easier to deal with," the redhead nodded.
The thief grinned, "Exactly. The people here often look down upon the thieves—consider us rats... but you have a chance to help those Emilio oppresses and open the eyes of others."
"That is essentially what we have done before. Although... I worry how long it might take. We already waited a long while before coming here to make Emilio and his allies complacent—I fear what may happen if we wait too much longer," Ezio rumbled, and Catherine couldn't help but agree a little. His concern was not unfounded; the Templars could make a move at any moment.
"I'm afraid I cannot give a proper answer for that. It could take months or even years—however long is needed for my thieves to be at full strength once more, and for Emilio to be vulnerable again."
"Damn..."
"Damn is right... but I'm guessing we don't have much choice—we can't take him on our own... at least not right now for sure. We need allies—we need the Thieves' help... just as much as they need ours," the redhead mused, meeting Antonio's gaze.
"Right you are, my dear Lady. Thus, I ask you have patience. Venezia is not the same as your home, and I would be honored to give you a safe place, but I cannot afford it if you become a danger to my forces and cause. I wish for us to be allies, but we must work together."
Ezio looked to Catherine, whom grasped his bracer with a nod. He nodded back and looked to Antonio.
"Very well. We will help with whatever we can, and we will wait as need be."
"It is the right choice—you will see, and I am honored to call you my allies," the man smiled, opening his arms. He chuckled a moment later, though. "And as my allies, I happily give you a warm place to stay and access to my bath house. It seems you both need it."
"Oh, so you noticed," the redhead mused, flicking a hand so that water came off her glove.
"Indeed... you should go speak with Fontina just down the road. She is in charge of our care and the bath house—the one with the flower carved on her door. She will provide a warm bath and new clothes for you. Let her know you are to have your own place to rest as well; she will prepare it for you and give you want you need. I would suggest your first task, before even helping my men, be to learn the city some, too."
"Don't worry—we already planned on that. And you said it was the house with a flower carved on the door?" Catherine inquired as she stood, and the man nodded.
"Thank-you, Antonio. Together, we will bring down Emilio and stop his oppression," Ezio stated as he held out his hand to the man.
The thief clasped it tightly and then Catherine's as well, "Indeed we will. Now, go, before you are soaked to the bone."
"Too late," Catherine snickered before turning away and heading out the door.