Souls Through Time (EzioxOC/DesmondxOC)

Chapter 2 - Amelia

1466 - Florence Italy

"Ezio!! Wait, you're going too fast!" She yelled, running as fast as her little feet could carry her to catch up to the boy. Up ahead the boy stopped and turned to look at her.

"Come on Amelia! You'll miss it!!" He told her as she got closer. Before she could reach him though he took off again and she was forced to push herself even harder to stay caught up. It was just after dinner and after spending the day together they wanted to finish it out by watching the sunset.

"Come on little one. You can make it." She heard behind her and she didn't have to look to know that it was Federico who was encouraging her. Giovanni had refused to allow the two of them to go by themselves and so Federico had volunteered to escort them to the docks.

"I'm not that little." She protested and the elder Auditore brother laughed. He was barely winded from the exercise.

It didn't take long for them to reach the docks. By the time she caught up to her friend she found him sitting on the edge of the dock with his feet dangling over the edge. She quickly joined him and leaned her head on his shoulder to catch her breath. Once caught her breath she looked around to find that the sun was just beginning to set and the sight was beautiful. Oranges, purples, pinks and red were beginning to paint the blue sky and she smiled at the warmth it brought her just to see such a thing. It would be a while before she would get the chance to do something like this again.

"I don't want to leave." She said quietly to her companion. Ezio looked over at her with a sad look on his face.

"I don't want you to leave either. Will you visit again soon?" He asked her, looking down at his feet.

"Father says that it could be a few years before we visit again. His business is taking him away and I have to stay home to continue my studies." She grumbled, kicking at the water below her feet. She could just barely touch the surface of the water with her toes.

"Years?" He exclaimed and she nodded her head. "Promise you will write to me?"

"I will write my first as soon as I get home." She smiled at him and he returned the smile before the two of them looked out over the water to watch the sun set.

Behind them Federico gave them a fond smile. He was the eldest of the Auditore siblings and he could see that Ezio and Amelia had grown close over the last month that she had been staying with them. He knew his brother was devastated to see his friend go. However he knew that no matter how much time went by their friendship would always be there, ready to pick up right where they left off.

1474 - Eight Years Later

The clashing of metal could be heard from outside the Palazzo de (Italian surname). To any civilian in the streets they would think that the guards were fighting someone when that wasn't the case. In the back courtyard of the Palazzo two figures could be seen dancing on the cobblestone, locked in a rehearsed set of maneuvers as blunted blades clashed. A man stood in the shadows of the doorway, watching the two figures battle for dominance with a proud smile on his face.

"You are getting slow Alonzo!" The smaller figure taunted, as she landed a blow to his left side. The larger figure retaliated and returned the favor, easily getting past her defenses.

"And you, my apprentice, are getting cocky." The man replied. She laughed and blocked a blow aimed for her head, spinning under his blade. She came out of the spin behind him and jabbed the end of her blade into his back.

"Or just more skilled with age." She retorted and ducked as he spun around, waving his blade as if to cut her in half. In his distraction she managed to reach up from under him and grab his wrist, bending it to the point where he dropped his sword. For a final touch she swept her leg at him as he backed up and he fell on his backside with a loud thud. She held her sword to his throat with a triumphant smirk on her face. The man in the doorway began to clap, breaking the girl's concentration. Her head snapped in his direction and she dropped her sword to the ground and rushed towards him.

"Father!" She exclaimed, crashing into him with her arms around his neck. "Your letter said you would not be back for another week." She pulled away to look him over as she always did, to make sure he was alright.

"Well maybe I lied to surprise you." He replied and she gave him a right hook to his arm.

"What did I say about the lying?! Plus you know I hate surprises." She pouted. He laughed and put an arm around her shoulders, leading her towards the front of the house.

"You have improved greatly since I left." He told her, and she beamed at him.

"Well it has been two years since I last saw you." She replied and he gave her a look that she had seen before. He knew she didn't like it when he left her here on her own to train with the 'servants' but she didn't have much say in the matter.

"I brought you something." He told her, choosing to ignore her last comment as he led her to his study. She looked at him funny but he said nothing as he opened the door to his study.

The room was rather large with a fireplace at the far end and a desk that sat in the center. A picture of ancient ruins hung above the fireplace and each wall was a floor to ceiling bookshelf, each filled to the brim with books. What caught her attention though was the large mahogany chest that sat on his desk. She looked at her father with a questioning look and he nodded at her. Satisfied with that signal she ran forward and lifted the lid of the chest. She took a glance at what was inside and gasped.

"Father...are you sure I am ready?" She asked, turning to face him as he came to stand beside her.

"An assassin never finishes their training." He told her. "You are to go with me on my next assignment." He told her and she looked up at him wide eyed.

"Oh father, I am honored." She said softly, not sure what to do with herself.

"You need the exposure and it will do you some good to see the world outside of this palazzo." He chuckled.

"When do we leave?" She asked, reaching into the chest to feel the fabric of the robes.

"Tonight." She looked up at him to make sure he was being serious and there was no mistake in his words. "Go get changed." He told her.

She grabbed the chest and without struggle she hefted it up the stairs and into her room. Piece by piece she pulled the armor out of the chest and laid it out on her bed. In total for armor she had one set, one set of greaves, and one set of vambraces, a chest plate and a shoulder plate that would cover her left side. With the armor came a brand new sword, dagger and a set of throwing knives that would come in handy. Finally, at the bottom of the chest was the traditional assassin's hidden blade.

As fast as she could without hurting herself she changed into the assassin's robes and equipped herself with all of the weapons she had found in the chest. She stood before the mirror in her room and she barely recognized the girl she saw in the mirror. The robes were a bit big but she knew her father had done that so she could grow into them. The weapons combined with the weapons gave her a matured look that she had not expected. She quickly pulled her hair into a loose side braid and finally pulled the hood up over her head to complete the look.

She was finally an assassin.