Hidden in the Shadows(Ezio Auditore )

An unexpected save

*Ezio POV*

      Madeleine and I had walked through the streets of Firenza, doing a couple chores for my mother, as she wanted to talk. She talked about how she was doing great work in Roma but it had been secret and I couldn't know about it. First I had known Adelina doing it, then Madeleine, then Milo when I saw him, only to see Federico and father doing it as well as they snuck off late into the night, sometimes coming home with blood soaked clothes and wounds, always going into his office only to talk in hushed tones and disappear. They all had been up to something and I was going to figure it out one way or another.

    "Soooo down to business~" Madeleine purred as she looked at me with a grin "How are things between you and Adelina?"

    "They're going great, at least I think they are" I admitted as I gave her a soft smile. Today had been the same as usual, Adelina was busy and I was walking around bored out of my mind as women tried to gain my attention, huffing and storming away as I gave them none. Madeleine gave me a quizzical look.

    "What do you mean you think?" She asked me.

    "I mean, we spend time together a lot and she seems to be comfortable, even more so then before, I've seen her smile and laugh... but she's still with Federico. I know she's happier with me, I can feel it, and I've done everything like you told me and came up with my own things as well but she still won't leave him" I said, a wave of sadness overcoming me. I didn't understand it, I knew she had been happier with me because she had slowly started to bring down those walls she bit around me and with Federico, well, she still had them up, and seeing they had been getting into a few fights lately I could feel the tension. How could she put up sleeping with a man she didn't love? Besides, she had been coming to sleep with me while Father and Federico were away because she had been lonely. If she hadn't decided to call off the engagement soon then I was going to plead with father to change the arrangement around so that I could marry her instead. I couldn't bear to see her so miserable when she was supposed to be with someone who made her happy, I couldn't watch her grow old like that. I wouldn't. 

   "Well, there is a slight problem I may have over looked" Madeleine said as she rubbed her neck, her eyes scrunching  a bit in thought.

    "What do you mean?" I asked.

     "Did Adelina tell you about her engagement?" Madeleine asked as she looked up at me. I could remember the conversation perfectly due to the fact Adelina told me she had only liked Federico as a brother, remembering her toss aside her happiness. 

    "She told me that her father had connections that would help my family and that it would be strong."

    "But did she tell you how it happened?"

     "No"

      "One day her father had come home and told her that she was to be married and when the time came she would need to leave to head here to Firenza. Adelina... well, she was upset but she knew that her honor was at stake so she did just that. Didn't cry, didn't say goodbye, just left everything she knew behind just like that. Honor is important to her family, to her people, and if she does not honor that then it would bring great shame. She wants to please everyone but she's also stubborn so even if she's given in she won't do it willingly. The only option now is to either beg your father to change the arrangement or have you run off with her but to convince Adelina it will take everything you've got" Madeleine explained. I nodded as I let her words sink in, this was what it was always going to come down to. Truth be told, Adelina was worth fighting tooth and nail for even if my family disagreed with me, their hadn't been anything I wouldn't do for her. I had changed my ways: I stopped sleeping around, I payed more attention to what she and my tutors taught me, I was learning her language, I was proving myself to her. I would make her mine so that we could live a happy life, not a boring one like she was headed down. I loved Federico but he had known nothing about her. I couldn't Imagine leaving my home to meet someone I hadn't known and all because I wanted to make my family and people happy. What burden was that like?