TAMED

Nonna

Evening was upon them as they made their way, ever cautious, to the front door of a massive house. Levi took the reigns on this one.

He knocked on the large door, which had an immaculate stained glass window at the top, and waited.

Vince was a bit cold, the weather had taken a turn and the fresh scent of rain was heavy on the wind. He shivered a few times, though possibly from nerves, before the door finally opened.

A man who appeared to be about the same age as Arthur met them at the threshold. He was a bit taller than the weaponsmith had been, but he was just as gray. He was thin, and wore a basic comfortable maroon sweater to go with his pajama pants. Clearly, he had been prepping to hit the hay.

The moment he laid his aging brown eyes on the two strangers, he gave a heavy sigh and opened the door wider, welcoming them in.

"Well...come on in." He said with a bit of reluctance. "I don't know who you are, what ya want, or why, and I don't want to. But I know the guy you need."

"Thank you? I assume you know that Arthur sent us?" Levi urged as both he and Vince followed the man into his home.

"Ol' King? Yeah. He hasn't sent anyone my way in a long time but that box in your hand has his emblem on it, and so I know."

Vince placed the box, though a bit awkwardly, onto a large dining room table.

"Just to be clear, I don't wanna know what you're up to. My wife and I broke away from all of that garbage years ago. Arthur and I worked together for the Sanna family...and well...anyway..." He grumbled, realizing he was rambling on about something that was none of their business. "That Alejandro is the son of our old boss."

The sound of the name sent a chill down Vince's spine. That name was pinned with so many emotions.

"Here you go." The man said as he dug through a kitchen drawer and pulled out an old photograph.

"What's this?" Levi asked as he politely accepted the picture.

The man poured himself a cup of chamomile tea before answering.

"That's a picture of myself, Arthur, and my brother who passed away several years ago." He paused to add a teaspoon of sugar to the steaming drink. "The property we were on, that big mansion behind us...that's the original Sanna home. If you're looking for the "boss", then that's where you should go. Each Sanna family member takes time living there and maintaining it for the sake of respect for their ancestors who built it. It's a homing beacon for all of them."

Vince could hardly contain himself. Finally! They had a physical location to start their search for Ares.

"What's the address?" Vince quipped, trying to get a better look.

"It's on the back." Charles stated, taking another sip.

Levi delicately turned the old photograph over and laid eyes on the old cursive.

"It's in Italy?" Levi commented, more to himself.

"That's where their lineage derives." The old man added. After a moment he yawned and pushed the box back toward them across the table. "Go ahead and keep these. They could be good for bargaining chips should you need one."

Vince accepted the offer and nodded.

"Thank you."

"Yep, now go on." Charles insisted as he walked the two back to the front door. " Don't take this wrong but I don't wanna see you guys again. I left that world behind and I'd rather keep it that way. Good luck."