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Assassin’s Creed: Revelations Fanfiction
Familiar Face
started 10/11/12
Cursing under her breath, the Assassin gracefully slid herself amongst the crowd as she avoided yet another greedy, but sloppy, thief going for her coin purse. She nearly hissed at this one as she bared her teeth, drawing her stiletto slightly from the scabbard on her hip. The thief, seeing the threat and finding his quarry suddenly not worth it anymore, immediately threw his hands up in submission, backing away and disappearing into the rabble.
This city…
The Assassin slide her blade back in and began working her way towards a small alcove along the full streets of Constantinople. Or Byzantium. Or Istanbul. Or Kostantiniyee, depending on who you asked.
Her pale brown eyes scanned the crowd from under her dark, navy blue hood, looking for someone that she hadn’t seen in months. Of course, he sent letters of reassurance, but Arianna Auditore needed more than that. In his most recent one, he said something about these keys that showed him the past, showed him parts of the legendary Altair’s life. There was also something about a library in ancient Masyaf, perhaps the most famous of all Assassin dens, that Altair had used to hide away all he had ever known.
At that point, Arianna thought he had lost his mind. She promptly told Claudia and Maria of her departure to Constantinople, not waiting for either of their approval which neither would’ve given her, most likely. But, Arianna was an adult now. She could make her own decisions and deal with the consequences. The Assassin could only hope that Claudia didn’t send a letter ahead of her to warn him of Arianna’s arrival.
Arianna leaned against the curve in an alcove, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible in this city. It was truly nothing she’d ever seen, and obviously a lot different than her birthplace of Firenze. It was even more foreign than Roma, the place Arianna had learned to call home. The streets were equally as packed as Roma, but…it was just different.
The colorful apparel that the people donned was something that Arianna loved. It was very different from the bland, dull colors back home. The clothing itself was beautiful with the turbans and headdresses paired with long dresses and sashes. Their accents and speech entranced her, making her wish she learned to speak…Cazzo, what was their language called again?
Before Arianna could ponder more on her forgetfulness, she was jarred out of her thoughts by a touch. It was a light touch on her shoulder, immediately making her body tense up into a defensive stance. She turned sharply, drawing her hidden blade with a flick of her wrist.
“Oh, put that away, il mio piccolo fiore, before you hurt yourself.” A soft voice chuckled, putting two fingers on Arianna’s wrist and flicking the hidden blade back into its sheath.
“Papà!” The word slipped out of the 30-something-year-old’s mouth before she could stop it.
Although they had known for years, he knowing since he first took her in and Arianna nearly ten years later, that Arianna was Ezio Auditore’s daughter, the words ‘father’ and ‘daughter’ were still a bit foreign-tasting in both of their mouths. But, over the years, Arianna found that she could easily slip into calling Ezio ‘papà’, and to her delight, he didn’t seem to mind anymore. He had even called her ‘figlia’ a few times now.
Her arms followed suit, throwing them around her father’s neck. Ezio Auditore, possibly the most infamous Assassin in the Brotherhood, wrapped a safe, warm arm about his daughter’s waist. She snuggled her face into his neck, the salt-and-pepper stubble of his unshaven face prickling her skin. She had forgotten how much she missed him.
“What are you doing here, Ari?” Ezio asked quietly, pulling back to cup her face in his rough, callused hands.
“How’d you know I was here in the first place?” Arianna shot back, raising her brow slightly in inquiry and beginning to curse Claudia in her head.
“You’re not as subtle as you like to think, piccolo.” He smirked, brushing her cheeks with his thumbs before dropping his hands. “Now, what are you doing here?” His dark eyes flashed with concern. “Have you not been getting my letters? Is it Mother? Claudia-?”
“No, no.” Arianna assured, her lip pouting slightly at his subtlety comment, but sighing with relief on the inside. “Maria and Claudia are fine, Ezio.” And there she goes again, sliding back into the formal names of her family. It was still odd to her to call Claudia her aunt and Maria her grandmother, but neither minded what she called them, and they just called her Arianna, not referring to her in any family manner. As for the use of ‘Ezio’, it felt better on her tongue than ‘father’ despite it all.
“Then, what?” Ezio pressed, his brows narrowed in confusion. “Is it the letters?”
“Actually…” Here, Arianna trailed off; she still wasn’t sure of how to approach this topic of keys and being able to a have a glimpse into the past. “It is. But not the letters themselves. Ezio,” She stepped closer, lowering her voice dramatically because she figured this business was to be kept quiet. “It’s about the keys you mentioned in the letters.”
Instantly, Ezio’s hand was around her forearm, bringing her back into the jammed streets and leading her smoothly towards a tower some ways ahead, it appeared. She noticed that the flags flanking the tower were emblazoned with the Assassins’ insignia.
Arianna made a noise of protest as his fingers curled tighter around her forearm, and her father swiftly moved his hand down her arm into her hand, squeezing her fingers slightly. She grinned, squeezing back as they made their way to the base of the tower. Without missing a beat, his free hand twisted the handle, the door swinging inward.
“Ezio-“ Arianna started, eyeing the dark, smoky interior with anxiety.
Heedless of Arianna’s protest, Ezio pulled her inside before closing the door smoothly behind them. She blinked, her eyes adjusting quickly to the smoke from the incense curling up from, well, just about everywhere. Her father’s hand fell away, but he kept moving into the interior of the den.
Arianna paused, looking around her to quickly take in her surroundings: It was a two-storey room, despite the tallness of the tower. To her left was a ladder that led up to a smaller upper level where she could see supplies for bomb making, was it? On the first, main floor, there was plenty of open space for practice, Arianna guessed. Along the walls were intricate maps of the city, as well as a chalk board with names and scores written messily inside a chart. Cushions and a desk took up a corner, which was where Ezio was headed.
Jumping from out of her thoughts, Arianna hurried over to her father. He had thrown back his hood, and Arianna had to fight the impulse to suck in her breath. She knew he was getting older, but seeing his lined, yet still handsome, face and whitening hair gave her heart a little shudder. Although, she had to admit that his skills were at the best they’ve ever been. She hoped that when she grew older that it was the same for her. Yet, in the back of her mind, she thought, How much longer can he do what he does at this age?
Ezio’s dark brown eyes scanned the den as Arianna tossed her own hood back. His eyes immediately paused on her as she adjusted her now-short hair. The older Assassin blinked, his fingers reaching out to brush Arianna’s chocolate brown locks that hung just above her shoulders. She blushed, self conscious of her new appearance.
“What made you do this?” Ezio asked, and Arianna chuckled nervously at his serious expression.
“My long hair was getting in the way.” She explained, though as she played with the ends a hint of regret touched her voice. “You really wouldn’t know, would you? Or, I suppose you would.”
She tugged playfully at the ponytail at the nap of his neck. He smiled, shaking his head and flapping his hands at her as if to ward her off as he sat on the edge of the desk.
“I have missed you, piccolo.” Ezio murmured.
Arianna smiled back, suddenly fighting the urge to rush into his arms. And that was probably for the best when the den’s door burst open in a flash of light. Arianna turned sharply, her hands instinctively going for her weapons. Ezio quickly grabbed her wrist, shaking his head slightly with a grin on his face.
“Ah, there you are!” A voice shouted out as the light was shut out. “I was told you were last seen going in here with…” A man with dark hair with an orange-teal head scarf and garbed in pale Assassin gear stepped into the dim light of the room, his eyes falling appreciatively on Arianna. “Ah, yes. Beautiful, she is. Hope I wasn’t interrupting something?”
Arianna stiffened, though she had to fight back the blush creeping up her neck as she took in this man’s face. Handsome, he is. She thought, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at him regardless. Ezio was on his feet, suddenly in between them with a fierce expression, the grin suddenly gone.
“No, Yusuf.” Ezio said shortly, his face a bit flushed at the other man’s words. “I had a surprise visit from an Assassin who should be back in Italia.” He glanced over at Arianna pointedly. “This is Arianna Vespucci, one of my first recruits and now a good friend.”
Arianna started slightly at the use of her mother’s maiden name issuing from her father’s mouth so easily. So, it’s not common knowledge here that I’m your daughter. Or that you even have a daughter. She thought, hoping her surprise was hidden behind her impassive face. Indeed, Yusuf, as her father called him, didn’t seem to notice her reaction despite the fact that he was observing her very closely with hungry eyes.
“Arianna, this is Yusuf Tazim, the leader of the Assassins here in Kostantiniyee.” Ezio continued, shooting her a desperate sort of look.
“My pleasure,” Yusuf said, snatching Arianna’s hand and bringing it to his lips.
“Quite.” Arianna huffed, yanking her hand back and openly rubbing it on her tunic.
Yusuf didn’t look offended at her gesture. On the contrary, his face broke into a large smile. Arianna blinked, shifting her feet uncomfortably at this man’s frivolous attitude. Before either of them could say another word, Ezio was between them again. He shot Arianna another look, this time of stern disapproval. She merely shrugged, turning her head to the side as if to examine the den. He wasn’t her father in this situation, so why would she have to listen to him?
“Arianna was just telling me about another Assassin back in Italia.”
“Oh? Hm, yes.” Arianna said distractedly, eyeing Yusuf warily as he eyed her with what appeared to be lust. Dio mio…
“Frederico Vazzeti,” Ezio continued, hoping that speaking of Arianna’s husband would get that look out of Yusuf’s eyes.
Arianna was suddenly standing straight up very stiffly. It was as if someone had pricked her behind with the tip of a knife. Ezio quickly noted how her eyes darkened immediately, and he regretted bringing him up as Arianna’s fists tightened. Her hidden blades popped out, and then back in as she released her grip, and then back again when she tightened. And then back in again. And then out.
“Yes, and how I sent that bastardo to Spagna to be the new leader of the Brotherhood there?” Her words were curt and biting, dripping with poison as her eyes burned with a deadly glow. “He needed a new venue.”
Ezio took her one of her fists, smoothing out her fingers and retracting the blade once more. Arianna did the same with her other blade, yanking her hand out of her father’s grasp angrily. Obviously, there was more to this than what Arianna was giving away, but Ezio knew better than to question her about it. Yusuf on the other hand….
“Oh, indeed?” His mouth was curled up into a smirk. “And do you do this to every şanslı sevgilisi, or was this a special case? And does this mean you’re available now, güzel?”
Arianna narrowed her eyes in, first, anger at the gall of this man in front of her and then confusion, her brain trying desperately to translate what he had said to her in...Turkish! That’s what it is! Ezio, though, had stepped in again.
“Yusuf, don’t you have some where to be?” Ezio’s voice was low, almost a growl as he put a forceful hand on Yusuf’s chest.
Getting the hint, thankfully, Yusuf shrugged and said some clever good-bye before bowing almost mockingly at Arianna (as his eyes trailed up her small, trim figure), and then flying out the door. As the door slammed shut behind him, Ezio turned back to Arianna to find her eyes beginning to water with unshed tears.
“Mia cara...I’m sorry. I didn’t know...” He said softly, taking her into his strong arms securely. “What happened-?”
“What did Yusuf say? In Turkish?” Her voice was congested sounding, the unshed tears clogging her throat.
Ezio pulled away. Honestly, he wasn’t sure of what Yusuf had said, even if Ezio had been in Constantinople a while. He had picked up a few Turkish words, such as efendim as sir and adi herif for bastard, but the second one wasn’t as important. Although, that last word sounded familiar. Güzel. Ah, yes. He only shook his head, deciding against telling her when he remembered: beautiful.
“Does it really matter, Ari?” Ezio said instead, tucking a piece of her loose, dark hair behind her ear.
“Ezio, don’t jump around it.” Arianna snapped hotly, stepping out of the circle of his arms.
“I don’t know what it means, morosa.” He assured, only half-lying as he spread his hands innocently.
Arianna set her jaw, her will not to cry rather strong. She huffed out a long breath, her fists tensed against her hips. Ezio put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing gently at her stiffened muscles.
“Arianna, what happened?” He tried again, when he suddenly thought of something. “What did he do to you? Did he harm you?”
The younger Assassin shook her head. Ezio brought a finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. When she did, she was chewing on her bottom lip with sad, watery eyes. Then, in a single sob of surrender, Arianna cried out. Her arms flew about his neck as she dug her face back into the warm, safe crook of his shoulder. She was shaking, tearing rolling down her cheeks at an alarming rate. Ezio wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly to him as he murmured words of comfort.
“He...” Arianna started, her voice muffled in Ezio’s clothing.
Ezio pulled back slightly, bringing a finger under her chin to have her look at him. His heart nearly broke at her expression. Her eyes were crinkled and red with tears, her cheeks damp and warm. She released a shaky breath, her whole body racking with it.
“Oh, Papà.” She whispered, dipping her head down briefly before he forced it back up gently. “He-he, there was...” She was struggling, her eyes darting around him and her hands gesturing randomly.
Ezio took her hands between his own, kissing her fingertips that popped up between. She appeared to take strength in his touch as Arianna closed her eyes and took a deep, full breath. When she looked back at her father, he jerked his head towards the corner of cushions. He tugged her hands, walking her over to the cushions. Arianna nearly collasped onto them, her eyes distant as tears began to well in them again.
“There was someone else.”
Ezio started, not expecting her to speak. And that was the last thing he expected her to say.
“Wh-what? What do you mean, child?”
Arianna’s face contorted, her lips rising in an ugly sneer. Her eyes became hard, and vemon seeped into her voice.
“He was married.” She hissed, spitting out the words as if she just ate something very unpleasant. “Excuse me, he is married.”
“Married?” Ezio paused, a bit puzzled. “Do you mean to...someone else other than you?”
“Gesù Cristo, Ezio, yes!” Arianna shouted, throwing her hands in the air. “He was engaged to her when we first met...” Her voice got softer then, her hands lowering back into her lap to wriggle restlessly. “I was just some-some side fling for him. I-I suppose I meant nothing to him at all...”
Her eyes glazed over quickly, the tears spilling over even faster. Arianna looked away, her throat burning as she tried to fight back the waterworks. Ezio was at her side in seconds, pulling her into him comfortly. Her head rested on his shoulder, her fingers clutching the midnight blue fabric of his gear.
There was a lot he wanted to say then about Frederico. Oh boy, was there a lot he wanted to say. Like, how much of a dirty pig he was, and how dare the quel figlio piccolo insolente di una cagna break his little girl’s heart like this, playing with her for all these years. If he ever saw that bastardo again...
“He’s in Spain, you said?” Ezio finally asked, Arianna’s sobs having faded away to soft hiccups.
Arianna could only nod, her hair brushing against Ezio’s chin. He rubbed his hands over her back, his mind racing with rage.
“That little cazzo is lucky he’s so far away.” He cursed softly and was rewarded with a short laugh from Arianna.
“You’re telling me,” She muttered, her system now seemingly free of the tears. “If I didn’t send him away, I knew one of us would have ended up killing him. It was for his own good.”
“Still would be nice to kick him in the pene, though. Maybe even just cut it off completely...”
“Stop giving me ideas.”
Ezio laughed, and the sound of it filled Arianna with a happiness. She snuggled deeper into him, his mere presence giving her that gentle comfort that his touch always did. Her eyes were still red and itchy, but the tears had managed to come to a stand still, thank goodness.
Her mind began to wander, coming back to rest on that digusting pig of an Assassin, who actually had a very handsome face and striking eyes and an impressive physique...
“Ezio,” Arianna murmured in a soft but strong voice, her fingers curling into the fur lining his shoulders.
“Hm?” Her father answered absentmindly, his own fingers weaving between the strands of her chocolate brown hair.
She leaned out of his embrace to look him in the eye. Ezio looked at his daughter expectantly, his brows raising as a grin began to spread across her beautiful face. Arianna tilted her head towards the door, her grin breaking out into a suggestive smile.
“That Yusuf friend of yours...” The Assassin began, her cheeks flushing red with a rather adorable cute coyness.
Ezio, however, did not wish to see that cute coyness in his daughter’s eyes. His face became hard, his lips pursing in total disapproval.
“No.” He rumbled with authority as he crossed his arms stiffly. “It didn’t seem that you liked him that much, anyway.”
“Oh, come on.” Arianna argued, her lips drooping into a pout. “You of all people should understand that I need someone right now. Like, need someone-“
Her father cried out in dismay, surprising her as she realized that Ezio did not want to hear of Arianna’s sexual needs. It reminded her that he was, indeed, her father. And it also gave her plenty of leverage that she certainly planned on exploiting. Arianna gave him a smirk, leaning forward and opening her mouth to explain-
“For the love of God, just-just go.” Ezio shouted, exasperated and desperate to stay away from the topic of his daughter’s one night stands. “And make sure I don’t hear anything about it. And I mean anything.”
Arianna turned her smirk into a genuine smile, rushing forward to kiss her father on his stubbly cheek. She bounced up and dashed to the door. The young Assassin paused with her hand on the knob, looking over her shoulder with those bright eyes of her mother’s. It gave Ezio’s heart a start to see her in that dim light. It was like Cristina was standing there, not their love child. A tear threatened to fall from the corner of his eye, but the older man held it at bay.
My Cristina, my flower...
“I promise,” Arianna assured with a flashing smile, pulling Ezio back from his thoughts. “I’ll search for you tomorrow afternoon or so, alright?”
“Will you be returning to Roma soon, il mio fiore?” He asked of her, half hoping the answer to be no.
Her smile faltered, and her eyes darted away nervously as her reason for coming to him came rushing back.
“We still haven’t really talked about those keys and seeing the past, Ezio...” Her voice was beginning to take on a hint of anxiety. “I mean, are you sure you are well? Maybe you should return with me, just for a bit-“
“I cannot do that, mia cara.” Ezio replied a bit harshly as he stood up. “I must finish this task.” He paused, knowing that his next words would sting, but they had to be said. “There is nothing else.”
And, they did indeed cause Arianna to wince. She frowned, turning her head away and swallowing roughly. Her hand fell from the door knob, darting up to tug her hood securely over her face, hidding her features from her father. Ezio watched her do so with a hint of guilt, but he had to finish this.
“Alright then, Ezio.” Arianna said roughly, wrapping her hand back around the knob. “I’ll just leave for Roma right after my escapades then, hm?”
“Arianna...”
“Ti amo, padre.” She said in farewell, yanking the door open and flooding the chamber with the harsh, midday sunlight.
“Figlia,” Ezio begged, causing her to pause in the doorway and only let him see her dark outline. “Please, I can explain everything when you come back, which I hope you do.”
Arianna turned her cowled-head to look at him. She gave a dramatic sigh after a long pause, but only nodded her head in response before she was out the door. It closed with a loud bang, shrouding the chamber back into dim shadows.
Ezio released his own pent-up sigh, collasping down onto one of the cushions wearily. He rubbed his face and threw his head back, suddenly trying to not think about what his daughter and Yusuf would be doing in a few minutes.
Dio mio...
Needing to be distracted wholly, Ezio bounced back up and began to dig through his desk. It didn’t take long to find what he was looking for. It was where he kept it always, under the secret compartment in the top left drawer. The Assassin popped out the false bottom, revealing the pair of circular keys that Ezio had discovered. His fingers brushed across them, the lights beginning to pulsate before pulling back into the past.

Description
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations Fanfiction
Familiar Face
started 10/11/12
Cursing under her breath, the Assassin gracefully slid herself amongst the crowd as she avoided yet another greedy, but sloppy, thief going for her coin purse. She nearly hissed at this one as she bared her teeth, drawing her stiletto slightly from the scabbard on her hip. The thief, seeing the threat and finding his quarry suddenly not worth it anymore, immediately threw his hands up in submission, backing away and disappearing into the rabble.
This city…
The Assassin slide her blade back in and began working her way towards a small alcove along the full streets of Constantinople. Or Byzantium. Or Istanbul. Or Kostantiniyee, depending on who you asked.
Her pale brown eyes scanned the crowd from under her dark, navy blue hood, looking for someone that she hadn’t seen in months. Of course, he sent letters of reassurance, but Arianna Auditore needed more than that. In his most recent one, he said something about these keys that showed him the past, showed him parts of the legendary Altair’s life. There was also something about a library in ancient Masyaf, perhaps the most famous of all Assassin dens, that Altair had used to hide away all he had ever known.
At that point, Arianna thought he had lost his mind. She promptly told Claudia and Maria of her departure to Constantinople, not waiting for either of their approval which neither would’ve given her, most likely. But, Arianna was an adult now. She could make her own decisions and deal with the consequences. The Assassin could only hope that Claudia didn’t send a letter ahead of her to warn him of Arianna’s arrival.
Arianna leaned against the curve in an alcove, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible in this city. It was truly nothing she’d ever seen, and obviously a lot different than her birthplace of Firenze. It was even more foreign than Roma, the place Arianna had learned to call home. The streets were equally as packed as Roma, but…it was just different.
The colorful apparel that the people donned was something that Arianna loved. It was very different from the bland, dull colors back home. The clothing itself was beautiful with the turbans and headdresses paired with long dresses and sashes. Their accents and speech entranced her, making her wish she learned to speak…Cazzo, what was their language called again?
Before Arianna could ponder more on her forgetfulness, she was jarred out of her thoughts by a touch. It was a light touch on her shoulder, immediately making her body tense up into a defensive stance. She turned sharply, drawing her hidden blade with a flick of her wrist.
“Oh, put that away, il mio piccolo fiore, before you hurt yourself.” A soft voice chuckled, putting two fingers on Arianna’s wrist and flicking the hidden blade back into its sheath.
“Papà!” The word slipped out of the 30-something-year-old’s mouth before she could stop it.
Although they had known for years, he knowing since he first took her in and Arianna nearly ten years later, that Arianna was Ezio Auditore’s daughter, the words ‘father’ and ‘daughter’ were still a bit foreign-tasting in both of their mouths. But, over the years, Arianna found that she could easily slip into calling Ezio ‘papà’, and to her delight, he didn’t seem to mind anymore. He had even called her ‘figlia’ a few times now.
Her arms followed suit, throwing them around her father’s neck. Ezio Auditore, possibly the most infamous Assassin in the Brotherhood, wrapped a safe, warm arm about his daughter’s waist. She snuggled her face into his neck, the salt-and-pepper stubble of his unshaven face prickling her skin. She had forgotten how much she missed him.
“What are you doing here, Ari?” Ezio asked quietly, pulling back to cup her face in his rough, callused hands.
“How’d you know I was here in the first place?” Arianna shot back, raising her brow slightly in inquiry and beginning to curse Claudia in her head.
“You’re not as subtle as you like to think, piccolo.” He smirked, brushing her cheeks with his thumbs before dropping his hands. “Now, what are you doing here?” His dark eyes flashed with concern. “Have you not been getting my letters? Is it Mother? Claudia-?”
“No, no.” Arianna assured, her lip pouting slightly at his subtlety comment, but sighing with relief on the inside. “Maria and Claudia are fine, Ezio.” And there she goes again, sliding back into the formal names of her family. It was still odd to her to call Claudia her aunt and Maria her grandmother, but neither minded what she called them, and they just called her Arianna, not referring to her in any family manner. As for the use of ‘Ezio’, it felt better on her tongue than ‘father’ despite it all.
“Then, what?” Ezio pressed, his brows narrowed in confusion. “Is it the letters?”
“Actually…” Here, Arianna trailed off; she still wasn’t sure of how to approach this topic of keys and being able to a have a glimpse into the past. “It is. But not the letters themselves. Ezio,” She stepped closer, lowering her voice dramatically because she figured this business was to be kept quiet. “It’s about the keys you mentioned in the letters.”
Instantly, Ezio’s hand was around her forearm, bringing her back into the jammed streets and leading her smoothly towards a tower some ways ahead, it appeared. She noticed that the flags flanking the tower were emblazoned with the Assassins’ insignia.
Arianna made a noise of protest as his fingers curled tighter around her forearm, and her father swiftly moved his hand down her arm into her hand, squeezing her fingers slightly. She grinned, squeezing back as they made their way to the base of the tower. Without missing a beat, his free hand twisted the handle, the door swinging inward.
“Ezio-“ Arianna started, eyeing the dark, smoky interior with anxiety.
Heedless of Arianna’s protest, Ezio pulled her inside before closing the door smoothly behind them. She blinked, her eyes adjusting quickly to the smoke from the incense curling up from, well, just about everywhere. Her father’s hand fell away, but he kept moving into the interior of the den.
Arianna paused, looking around her to quickly take in her surroundings: It was a two-storey room, despite the tallness of the tower. To her left was a ladder that led up to a smaller upper level where she could see supplies for bomb making, was it? On the first, main floor, there was plenty of open space for practice, Arianna guessed. Along the walls were intricate maps of the city, as well as a chalk board with names and scores written messily inside a chart. Cushions and a desk took up a corner, which was where Ezio was headed.
Jumping from out of her thoughts, Arianna hurried over to her father. He had thrown back his hood, and Arianna had to fight the impulse to suck in her breath. She knew he was getting older, but seeing his lined, yet still handsome, face and whitening hair gave her heart a little shudder. Although, she had to admit that his skills were at the best they’ve ever been. She hoped that when she grew older that it was the same for her. Yet, in the back of her mind, she thought, How much longer can he do what he does at this age?
Ezio’s dark brown eyes scanned the den as Arianna tossed her own hood back. His eyes immediately paused on her as she adjusted her now-short hair. The older Assassin blinked, his fingers reaching out to brush Arianna’s chocolate brown locks that hung just above her shoulders. She blushed, self conscious of her new appearance.
“What made you do this?” Ezio asked, and Arianna chuckled nervously at his serious expression.
“My long hair was getting in the way.” She explained, though as she played with the ends a hint of regret touched her voice. “You really wouldn’t know, would you? Or, I suppose you would.”
She tugged playfully at the ponytail at the nap of his neck. He smiled, shaking his head and flapping his hands at her as if to ward her off as he sat on the edge of the desk.
“I have missed you, piccolo.” Ezio murmured.
Arianna smiled back, suddenly fighting the urge to rush into his arms. And that was probably for the best when the den’s door burst open in a flash of light. Arianna turned sharply, her hands instinctively going for her weapons. Ezio quickly grabbed her wrist, shaking his head slightly with a grin on his face.
“Ah, there you are!” A voice shouted out as the light was shut out. “I was told you were last seen going in here with…” A man with dark hair with an orange-teal head scarf and garbed in pale Assassin gear stepped into the dim light of the room, his eyes falling appreciatively on Arianna. “Ah, yes. Beautiful, she is. Hope I wasn’t interrupting something?”
Arianna stiffened, though she had to fight back the blush creeping up her neck as she took in this man’s face. Handsome, he is. She thought, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at him regardless. Ezio was on his feet, suddenly in between them with a fierce expression, the grin suddenly gone.
“No, Yusuf.” Ezio said shortly, his face a bit flushed at the other man’s words. “I had a surprise visit from an Assassin who should be back in Italia.” He glanced over at Arianna pointedly. “This is Arianna Vespucci, one of my first recruits and now a good friend.”
Arianna started slightly at the use of her mother’s maiden name issuing from her father’s mouth so easily. So, it’s not common knowledge here that I’m your daughter. Or that you even have a daughter. She thought, hoping her surprise was hidden behind her impassive face. Indeed, Yusuf, as her father called him, didn’t seem to notice her reaction despite the fact that he was observing her very closely with hungry eyes.
“Arianna, this is Yusuf Tazim, the leader of the Assassins here in Kostantiniyee.” Ezio continued, shooting her a desperate sort of look.
“My pleasure,” Yusuf said, snatching Arianna’s hand and bringing it to his lips.
“Quite.” Arianna huffed, yanking her hand back and openly rubbing it on her tunic.
Yusuf didn’t look offended at her gesture. On the contrary, his face broke into a large smile. Arianna blinked, shifting her feet uncomfortably at this man’s frivolous attitude. Before either of them could say another word, Ezio was between them again. He shot Arianna another look, this time of stern disapproval. She merely shrugged, turning her head to the side as if to examine the den. He wasn’t her father in this situation, so why would she have to listen to him?
“Arianna was just telling me about another Assassin back in Italia.”
“Oh? Hm, yes.” Arianna said distractedly, eyeing Yusuf warily as he eyed her with what appeared to be lust. Dio mio…
“Frederico Vazzeti,” Ezio continued, hoping that speaking of Arianna’s husband would get that look out of Yusuf’s eyes.
Arianna was suddenly standing straight up very stiffly. It was as if someone had pricked her behind with the tip of a knife. Ezio quickly noted how her eyes darkened immediately, and he regretted bringing him up as Arianna’s fists tightened. Her hidden blades popped out, and then back in as she released her grip, and then back again when she tightened. And then back in again. And then out.
“Yes, and how I sent that bastardo to Spagna to be the new leader of the Brotherhood there?” Her words were curt and biting, dripping with poison as her eyes burned with a deadly glow. “He needed a new venue.”
Ezio took her one of her fists, smoothing out her fingers and retracting the blade once more. Arianna did the same with her other blade, yanking her hand out of her father’s grasp angrily. Obviously, there was more to this than what Arianna was giving away, but Ezio knew better than to question her about it. Yusuf on the other hand….
“Oh, indeed?” His mouth was curled up into a smirk. “And do you do this to every şanslı sevgilisi, or was this a special case? And does this mean you’re available now, güzel?”
Arianna narrowed her eyes in, first, anger at the gall of this man in front of her and then confusion, her brain trying desperately to translate what he had said to her in...Turkish! That’s what it is! Ezio, though, had stepped in again.
“Yusuf, don’t you have some where to be?” Ezio’s voice was low, almost a growl as he put a forceful hand on Yusuf’s chest.
Getting the hint, thankfully, Yusuf shrugged and said some clever good-bye before bowing almost mockingly at Arianna (as his eyes trailed up her small, trim figure), and then flying out the door. As the door slammed shut behind him, Ezio turned back to Arianna to find her eyes beginning to water with unshed tears.
“Mia cara...I’m sorry. I didn’t know...” He said softly, taking her into his strong arms securely. “What happened-?”
“What did Yusuf say? In Turkish?” Her voice was congested sounding, the unshed tears clogging her throat.
Ezio pulled away. Honestly, he wasn’t sure of what Yusuf had said, even if Ezio had been in Constantinople a while. He had picked up a few Turkish words, such as efendim as sir and adi herif for bastard, but the second one wasn’t as important. Although, that last word sounded familiar. Güzel. Ah, yes. He only shook his head, deciding against telling her when he remembered: beautiful.
“Does it really matter, Ari?” Ezio said instead, tucking a piece of her loose, dark hair behind her ear.
“Ezio, don’t jump around it.” Arianna snapped hotly, stepping out of the circle of his arms.
“I don’t know what it means, morosa.” He assured, only half-lying as he spread his hands innocently.
Arianna set her jaw, her will not to cry rather strong. She huffed out a long breath, her fists tensed against her hips. Ezio put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing gently at her stiffened muscles.
“Arianna, what happened?” He tried again, when he suddenly thought of something. “What did he do to you? Did he harm you?”
The younger Assassin shook her head. Ezio brought a finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. When she did, she was chewing on her bottom lip with sad, watery eyes. Then, in a single sob of surrender, Arianna cried out. Her arms flew about his neck as she dug her face back into the warm, safe crook of his shoulder. She was shaking, tearing rolling down her cheeks at an alarming rate. Ezio wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly to him as he murmured words of comfort.
“He...” Arianna started, her voice muffled in Ezio’s clothing.
Ezio pulled back slightly, bringing a finger under her chin to have her look at him. His heart nearly broke at her expression. Her eyes were crinkled and red with tears, her cheeks damp and warm. She released a shaky breath, her whole body racking with it.
“Oh, Papà.” She whispered, dipping her head down briefly before he forced it back up gently. “He-he, there was...” She was struggling, her eyes darting around him and her hands gesturing randomly.
Ezio took her hands between his own, kissing her fingertips that popped up between. She appeared to take strength in his touch as Arianna closed her eyes and took a deep, full breath. When she looked back at her father, he jerked his head towards the corner of cushions. He tugged her hands, walking her over to the cushions. Arianna nearly collasped onto them, her eyes distant as tears began to well in them again.
“There was someone else.”
Ezio started, not expecting her to speak. And that was the last thing he expected her to say.
“Wh-what? What do you mean, child?”
Arianna’s face contorted, her lips rising in an ugly sneer. Her eyes became hard, and vemon seeped into her voice.
“He was married.” She hissed, spitting out the words as if she just ate something very unpleasant. “Excuse me, he is married.”
“Married?” Ezio paused, a bit puzzled. “Do you mean to...someone else other than you?”
“Gesù Cristo, Ezio, yes!” Arianna shouted, throwing her hands in the air. “He was engaged to her when we first met...” Her voice got softer then, her hands lowering back into her lap to wriggle restlessly. “I was just some-some side fling for him. I-I suppose I meant nothing to him at all...”
Her eyes glazed over quickly, the tears spilling over even faster. Arianna looked away, her throat burning as she tried to fight back the waterworks. Ezio was at her side in seconds, pulling her into him comfortly. Her head rested on his shoulder, her fingers clutching the midnight blue fabric of his gear.
There was a lot he wanted to say then about Frederico. Oh boy, was there a lot he wanted to say. Like, how much of a dirty pig he was, and how dare the quel figlio piccolo insolente di una cagna break his little girl’s heart like this, playing with her for all these years. If he ever saw that bastardo again...
“He’s in Spain, you said?” Ezio finally asked, Arianna’s sobs having faded away to soft hiccups.
Arianna could only nod, her hair brushing against Ezio’s chin. He rubbed his hands over her back, his mind racing with rage.
“That little cazzo is lucky he’s so far away.” He cursed softly and was rewarded with a short laugh from Arianna.
“You’re telling me,” She muttered, her system now seemingly free of the tears. “If I didn’t send him away, I knew one of us would have ended up killing him. It was for his own good.”
“Still would be nice to kick him in the pene, though. Maybe even just cut it off completely...”
“Stop giving me ideas.”
Ezio laughed, and the sound of it filled Arianna with a happiness. She snuggled deeper into him, his mere presence giving her that gentle comfort that his touch always did. Her eyes were still red and itchy, but the tears had managed to come to a stand still, thank goodness.
Her mind began to wander, coming back to rest on that digusting pig of an Assassin, who actually had a very handsome face and striking eyes and an impressive physique...
“Ezio,” Arianna murmured in a soft but strong voice, her fingers curling into the fur lining his shoulders.
“Hm?” Her father answered absentmindly, his own fingers weaving between the strands of her chocolate brown hair.
She leaned out of his embrace to look him in the eye. Ezio looked at his daughter expectantly, his brows raising as a grin began to spread across her beautiful face. Arianna tilted her head towards the door, her grin breaking out into a suggestive smile.
“That Yusuf friend of yours...” The Assassin began, her cheeks flushing red with a rather adorable cute coyness.
Ezio, however, did not wish to see that cute coyness in his daughter’s eyes. His face became hard, his lips pursing in total disapproval.
“No.” He rumbled with authority as he crossed his arms stiffly. “It didn’t seem that you liked him that much, anyway.”
“Oh, come on.” Arianna argued, her lips drooping into a pout. “You of all people should understand that I need someone right now. Like, need someone-“
Her father cried out in dismay, surprising her as she realized that Ezio did not want to hear of Arianna’s sexual needs. It reminded her that he was, indeed, her father. And it also gave her plenty of leverage that she certainly planned on exploiting. Arianna gave him a smirk, leaning forward and opening her mouth to explain-
“For the love of God, just-just go.” Ezio shouted, exasperated and desperate to stay away from the topic of his daughter’s one night stands. “And make sure I don’t hear anything about it. And I mean anything.”
Arianna turned her smirk into a genuine smile, rushing forward to kiss her father on his stubbly cheek. She bounced up and dashed to the door. The young Assassin paused with her hand on the knob, looking over her shoulder with those bright eyes of her mother’s. It gave Ezio’s heart a start to see her in that dim light. It was like Cristina was standing there, not their love child. A tear threatened to fall from the corner of his eye, but the older man held it at bay.
My Cristina, my flower...
“I promise,” Arianna assured with a flashing smile, pulling Ezio back from his thoughts. “I’ll search for you tomorrow afternoon or so, alright?”
“Will you be returning to Roma soon, il mio fiore?” He asked of her, half hoping the answer to be no.
Her smile faltered, and her eyes darted away nervously as her reason for coming to him came rushing back.
“We still haven’t really talked about those keys and seeing the past, Ezio...” Her voice was beginning to take on a hint of anxiety. “I mean, are you sure you are well? Maybe you should return with me, just for a bit-“
“I cannot do that, mia cara.” Ezio replied a bit harshly as he stood up. “I must finish this task.” He paused, knowing that his next words would sting, but they had to be said. “There is nothing else.”
And, they did indeed cause Arianna to wince. She frowned, turning her head away and swallowing roughly. Her hand fell from the door knob, darting up to tug her hood securely over her face, hidding her features from her father. Ezio watched her do so with a hint of guilt, but he had to finish this.
“Alright then, Ezio.” Arianna said roughly, wrapping her hand back around the knob. “I’ll just leave for Roma right after my escapades then, hm?”
“Arianna...”
“Ti amo, padre.” She said in farewell, yanking the door open and flooding the chamber with the harsh, midday sunlight.
“Figlia,” Ezio begged, causing her to pause in the doorway and only let him see her dark outline. “Please, I can explain everything when you come back, which I hope you do.”
Arianna turned her cowled-head to look at him. She gave a dramatic sigh after a long pause, but only nodded her head in response before she was out the door. It closed with a loud bang, shrouding the chamber back into dim shadows.
Ezio released his own pent-up sigh, collasping down onto one of the cushions wearily. He rubbed his face and threw his head back, suddenly trying to not think about what his daughter and Yusuf would be doing in a few minutes.
Dio mio...
Needing to be distracted wholly, Ezio bounced back up and began to dig through his desk. It didn’t take long to find what he was looking for. It was where he kept it always, under the secret compartment in the top left drawer. The Assassin popped out the false bottom, revealing the pair of circular keys that Ezio had discovered. His fingers brushed across them, the lights beginning to pulsate before pulling back into the past.