"They told me that they miss the old me, I don't. Unholy lowlife and lonely, I know."
// Ciela Luna Borgia //
I hear the dagger I was previously holding clatter to the stones beneath me and cry out once more, afraid that I'd somehow manage to land on the weapon. My eyes squeeze shut and my body tenses, bracing for the rough landing.
But it never came.
My back slams into a softer force and I feel arms wrap around my torso. The person who caught me did not completely break my fall, as I still had the air knocked out of me. I wheezed and gasped for air before realizing that I was in someone's arms.
A man's arms.
Ezio's arms.
I growl harshly and force my way out of his grip. I whip around and glare at the Auditore boy. I begin to move to retrieve my lost dagger but am stopped by the other Auditore boy, Frederico.
"You're not going to thank him?" Frederico asked tauntingly.
I feel my face heat up. "Grazie, (Thank you,) Auditore," I hiss at Ezio. I snatch up my dagger and stash it back in the small sheathe around my thigh. I look back up at the two boys, who are having a hushed conversation. I take the opportunity to spring up the wall and climb my way back to the roof.
Somehow the Auditore brothers didn't notice my disappearance, as Ezio turns around and begins to speak, "I never got your na-" He cuts himself off as he realizes I was no longer on the ground.
Frederico says something to Ezio and Ezio, after a moment of debate, turns and follows his older brother into the streets.
I watch the two run off and throw my hood back over my head. Something about Ezio Auditore threw me off. Distracted me. I began tailing the two Auditore boys, my intentions unclear, even to myself.
I watch Frederico lead Ezio to the doctor and ensure the doctor properly cleans up and treats the wound on Ezio's face. The two brothers banter for a moment before pausing at the base of a building. I watch them brace to start running. They're going to race! Watching this should be interesting.
They start running, both darting in different directions. I watch Ezio scale a wall with little effort and can't help but smile. He seemed a natural at climbing.
I shake my head. Why am I so focused on Ezio? I exhale and return my attention to the brothers.
Ezio, as I had expected, won the race. The two climb up a church tower and look out over Firenze, sharing words I could not hear. After a moment, the two begin bantering. I see Ezio start looking around until his eyes lock on me again.
I crouch on the rooftop I was on and tilt my head at Ezio. The boy's eyes turn back to his brother and they talk for another moment. Ezio then proceeds to leap down from the church tower and into a hay cart that happened to be on the street below.
I dart around the buildings, finding an angle to see if Ezio landed his little stunt. He did, as I noticed quivering in the center of the bale of hay.
I hiss as I hear a familiar voice up the street. I nimbly leap down from the building I was on. "Auditore!" I uttered toward the cart of hay.
"Mmm?" A masculine voice hums from the cart.
"Stay in there," I warn, "Vieri and his gang are coming. Sono armati. (They are armed.)"
A grunt comes from the cart and I step away from it as I hear Vieri's voice approaching. I take my hood down. Vieri knows me, he'll believe me if I mislead him.
"Ciela Luna!" Vieri's abrasive voice calls, "Long time no see, eh?" I wince at the sound of my middle name.
I step in front of him, giving him a fake smile. "Vieri! How have you been, mio amico? (my friend?)" I feel Ezio's eyes on my back from the cart of hay. I brush off the feeling and focus on distracting Vieri.
"Bene, (Good,) until today," Vieri's tone shifts, "That vile Auditore boy attacked me!"
I feign shock. "Dio mio! (My God!) I swear I saw him earlier, he was running near La Piazza! (the square!)"
Vieri smirks, and I thank myself for having self-control. He turns around, shouting "In piazza! (At the square!)" The Pazzi boy reaches and kisses my hand. "Grazie, mia signora, (Thank you, my lady,)" He purrs at me before bolting off with his posse.
I hear rustling behind me, accompanied by a male voice. "Ciela Luna, eh?"
I turn to him and raise my eyebrows. "What, did you expect me to have a boring name?"
"Not at all, mia signora," (my lady,) He began, "I just didn't expect you to have such a pretty name."
My face flushes. I huff defiantly and cross my arms. "Yea, yea, ragazzone." (big guy,)
I turn to leave but am stopped by Ezio gripping my wrist. "Ciela," he tests out my name. He pauses to form a sentence. Then, with a smooth tone, he says the words that changed my life.
"Come visit me sometime."
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862 words!
not much to say about this chapter, as it's kind of just properly introducing ezio and setting the scene for the story. hope it was still enjoyable to read though!
love ya!
-🦋
