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Ezio checked on his mother and sister for the seventh time now, making sure they were both okay. The three had made it to the villa in Monterrigioni, with Mario's help, not more than two hours ago. It was late now, the moon already having made it's way high into the night sky. Its light cast an eerie glow over everything, Ezio noticed, as he walked towards the front door. His hood down, he looked up into the sky, as if searching for answers. It had been more than a day since his father and brothers had been executed, and just as long that his mother…his poor mother, had spoken a word. She still seemed to be in shock from the event. Ezio did not blame her, but he was worried. Nothing he or anyone else said had any effect on her, and she continued to sit there silently.
Claudia had taken things a little better, at least. Being given something to do helped to keep her mind off what had happened, even if just a little.

He let out a frustrated sigh, his fist slamming into the wooden door in front of him. He had felt his fair share of grief, but had re-directed it into keeping the rest his family safe and getting revenge on one of the numerous men responsible for the loss of half his family.
Now that his mother and sister no longer needed to be guarded, the true realization of events hit him. He would never see his brothers again, nor hear his father's voice. His father who had not yet explained anything of their assassin heritage. Why was he not told? Had Federico been spoken to? Had he been chosen to become the next assassin? Question after question ran through his mind, but he feared he would never have the answers.

"Why did you not tell me, father?" He nearly shouted, his voice full of emotion.

"Perhaps you weren't ready yet?" Another's voice answered, with a sigh.

Ezio turned quickly, his gaze falling onto Mario, who had just walked into the room.
"…I think he meant to tell me, but ran out of time." He said, looking down at the floor.

"He should have told you sooner. But I don't blame him. He was trying to protect you." Mario replied, walking over to his nephew and putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Ezio sighed. "He…told me there was something he wanted to speak to me about before I left to deliver two parcels. I suppose he meant this." He said, motioning to his assassin outfit. "…but by the time I had gotten back…" He trailed off.

Mario could see that Ezio blamed himself for what happened, it was obvious. "I don't want you blaming anyone but the men that were behind this. You couldn't have done anything, nipote. You would have been killed as well." Mario said, his grip on Ezio's shoulder tightened a little.

"I know that." Ezio snapped back, frustrated simply by the fact there was nothing he could have done. He hadn't even been given the chance to try.
Sighing again, he apologized to his uncle, and asked him to keep an eye on his mother, especially.

"Of course. But where are you going?" Mario replied, with a nod, and then a concerned look.

"I'm just going out for a while. I…need to clear my head." He answered, in little more than a whisper.

"Alright, Ezio, but keep yourself out of trouble. Your mother doesn't need anything else to worry about." Mario said, letting go of Ezio.

Ezio nodded, and paused for a moment, before walking out the front door.
He had no idea where he was going, but let his feet carry him.
Walking over to the nearest horse, he hoisted himself up and instantly urged the horse into a run. The dappled-grey stallion reared, and broke into a gallop.
Ezio held the reigns, his mind still not set on a destination.
The horse stayed at its fastest pace as Ezio held on. He closed his eyes and let the wind rush past him. The pale light of the moon and the steady pounding of hooves were the only thing he could hear and see.
Ezio ran the horse until it could run no more. He finally pulled back on the reigns when he realized how labored the horse's breathing was. Each release of air was a loud snort, and the stallion's head now hung low.
Guilt ran through the assassin, but with some rest the horse would be okay.
"Mi dispiace." Ezio said, quickly dismounting and then running his hand along the horse's neck.

The stallion snorted at him, an expected answer after he'd made it run for so long.

He was out in the farther regions of the Tuscan countryside, and when he realized he was finally alone, he let out a frustrated cry. He'd been carrying an invisible weight on his shoulders ever since seeing his father and brothers hung. He'd taken up his father's work, killed a man, gotten his mother and sister to a safe place, been branded a traitor and an outlaw, discovered part of a much bigger conspiracy than he could have imagined…all this and more, in the span of less than a week…

Description
Ezio checked on his mother and sister for the seventh time now, making sure they were both okay. The three had made it to the villa in Monterrigioni, with Mario's help, not more than two hours ago. It was late now, the moon already having made it's way high into the night sky. Its light cast an eerie glow over everything, Ezio noticed, as he walked towards the front door. His hood down, he looked up into the sky, as if searching for answers. It had been more than a day since his father and brothers had been executed, and just as long that his mother…his poor mother, had spoken a word. She still seemed to be in shock from the event. Ezio did not blame her, but he was worried. Nothing he or anyone else said had any effect on her, and she continued to sit there silently.
Claudia had taken things a little better, at least. Being given something to do helped to keep her mind off what had happened, even if just a little.

He let out a frustrated sigh, his fist slamming into the wooden door in front of him. He had felt his fair share of grief, but had re-directed it into keeping the rest his family safe and getting revenge on one of the numerous men responsible for the loss of half his family.
Now that his mother and sister no longer needed to be guarded, the true realization of events hit him. He would never see his brothers again, nor hear his father's voice. His father who had not yet explained anything of their assassin heritage. Why was he not told? Had Federico been spoken to? Had he been chosen to become the next assassin? Question after question ran through his mind, but he feared he would never have the answers.

"Why did you not tell me, father?" He nearly shouted, his voice full of emotion.

"Perhaps you weren't ready yet?" Another's voice answered, with a sigh.

Ezio turned quickly, his gaze falling onto Mario, who had just walked into the room.
"…I think he meant to tell me, but ran out of time." He said, looking down at the floor.

"He should have told you sooner. But I don't blame him. He was trying to protect you." Mario replied, walking over to his nephew and putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Ezio sighed. "He…told me there was something he wanted to speak to me about before I left to deliver two parcels. I suppose he meant this." He said, motioning to his assassin outfit. "…but by the time I had gotten back…" He trailed off.

Mario could see that Ezio blamed himself for what happened, it was obvious. "I don't want you blaming anyone but the men that were behind this. You couldn't have done anything, nipote. You would have been killed as well." Mario said, his grip on Ezio's shoulder tightened a little.

"I know that." Ezio snapped back, frustrated simply by the fact there was nothing he could have done. He hadn't even been given the chance to try.
Sighing again, he apologized to his uncle, and asked him to keep an eye on his mother, especially.

"Of course. But where are you going?" Mario replied, with a nod, and then a concerned look.

"I'm just going out for a while. I…need to clear my head." He answered, in little more than a whisper.

"Alright, Ezio, but keep yourself out of trouble. Your mother doesn't need anything else to worry about." Mario said, letting go of Ezio.

Ezio nodded, and paused for a moment, before walking out the front door.
He had no idea where he was going, but let his feet carry him.
Walking over to the nearest horse, he hoisted himself up and instantly urged the horse into a run. The dappled-grey stallion reared, and broke into a gallop.
Ezio held the reigns, his mind still not set on a destination.
The horse stayed at its fastest pace as Ezio held on. He closed his eyes and let the wind rush past him. The pale light of the moon and the steady pounding of hooves were the only thing he could hear and see.
Ezio ran the horse until it could run no more. He finally pulled back on the reigns when he realized how labored the horse's breathing was. Each release of air was a loud snort, and the stallion's head now hung low.
Guilt ran through the assassin, but with some rest the horse would be okay.
"Mi dispiace." Ezio said, quickly dismounting and then running his hand along the horse's neck.

The stallion snorted at him, an expected answer after he'd made it run for so long.

He was out in the farther regions of the Tuscan countryside, and when he realized he was finally alone, he let out a frustrated cry. He'd been carrying an invisible weight on his shoulders ever since seeing his father and brothers hung. He'd taken up his father's work, killed a man, gotten his mother and sister to a safe place, been branded a traitor and an outlaw, discovered part of a much bigger conspiracy than he could have imagined…all this and more, in the span of less than a week…