Souls Through Time (EzioxOC/DesmondxOC)

Chapter 46 - Amelia

Amelia stood at the edge of the Monteriggioni walls, her eyes sweeping over the familiar landscape bathed in the early morning light. The Tuscan countryside stretched out before her, every hill and grove exactly as she remembered, yet tinged with the subtle changes of time. It had been years since she last set foot here, and the memories washed over her like a wave—nostalgia mingled with a bittersweet ache. She had always been a wanderer, never staying long in one place, but Monteriggioni had always felt like a second home. Now, she had returned, alongside Ezio, after years of searching and fighting, with hope that the answers they sought would finally be within reach.

She drew a deep breath, the crisp air filling her lungs, and turned her head to look back at Ezio, who stood a few paces behind, talking with Mario and Giovanni. His posture was relaxed, but his expression was serious as they discussed their next steps, his brow furrowed in that focused way she had come to know so well. Her heart softened at the sight of him, the man who had become so much more than just a partner in this life of shadows and secrets. He caught her eye, pausing in his conversation, and his expression softened, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

She couldn't help but smile back, warmth spreading through her chest, a feeling that was as familiar as it was new. They had been through so much together—danger, loss, fleeting moments of stolen joy—and yet, somehow, amidst it all, they had found each other. Found something more. It was a quiet understanding that had grown between them, deepened into a bond that felt unbreakable. And now, as they stood on the brink of something that could change everything, that connection was a comfort she hadn't known she needed.

Ezio's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, as if he too found reassurance in her presence, before he turned back to Mario and Giovanni. She watched him for a beat longer, then turned her gaze to the courtyard below, where Claudia and Petruccio stood near the entrance of the villa, waiting for them.

Seeing them there filled her with a bittersweet mix of relief and sadness. Petruccio had grown taller since she last saw him, his cheeks less round with childhood softness, though his bright, curious eyes remained the same. He seemed healthier, too, a relief that she hadn't dared hope for. Claudia had told her in one of their brief correspondences that he was growing stronger by the day, and seeing him now, laughing with his sister, filled her with a sense of peace she hadn't felt in years.

"Ezio, Amelia! You're back!" Claudia called, her voice carrying across the stone courtyard. She waved them over, her smile wide and genuine.

Ezio's expression softened further at the sight of his sister, and he slipped his hand into Amelia's, giving it a gentle squeeze before letting go. "We are, sorella. And look at you, Petruccio! You've grown into quite the young man."

Petruccio beamed up at them, standing a little taller as if to prove it. "I have! And I've been helping Uncle Mario with the horses. He says I'm nearly strong enough to help in the fields, too!"

Amelia ruffled his hair affectionately, her heart clenching at how much he reminded her of the boy he used to be—determined and endlessly curious. "You've grown strong indeed, Petruccio. Just promise me you'll take it easy on your uncle, hmm? He's not as young as he used to be."

Petruccio grinned, puffing out his chest proudly. Claudia rolled her eyes good-naturedly, and the four of them shared a brief, warm moment together—a reminder of the simpler days before everything had changed. But even as she laughed with them, Amelia couldn't shake the weight that settled in her chest, the awareness of what still lay ahead. They had work to do, and the past few years had taught her how fleeting moments of peace could be.

Ezio must have sensed the shift in her, for he reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his touch lingering against her cheek. "We need to meet with Leonardo," he said, his tone growing more serious. "He has been working on the Codex pages—deciphering their secrets. It's time to put all the pieces together."