Assassin's Creed: Chronos (Ezio x OC)

49 - Four Walls

March 12, 1481

Venice, Italy

Catherine tried to tell Ezio. Really, she did.

However, it seemed life had other ideas.

That is, Antonio had other ideas. Of course, he had no idea of her plans, but his timing was impeccable.

She had gathered all the courage she needed the following morning, and had even been ready to say something when one of the thieves—Ugo, she eventually remembered—came knocking. Evidently the leader of the thieves already had something for them to do and it was only their second day. Duty came first, though, which meant the redhead put her confession on hold and the two of them got to work. It was nothing terribly difficult, and even coincided with their scouting, as Antonio had a task for them in the sectors they hadn't really explored as thoroughly. He advised not venturing too far out of the district they were in now, but do as they needed to get things done. The task? A simple recon of where some thieves might be held or where certain people of interest would be.

So off they went, back in their proper gear. They had split up to cover more ground, but it took longer than expected to find what all they needed. The city was still new and somewhat confusing, and the archers proved another bane. They were simple enough to avoid, but the city wasn't the easiest to navigate if you didn't know it perfectly, and so Catherine often found herself back tracking until she finally got the hang of things. That, or she would make quick leaps across the canals to new areas and go from there. She would have just preferred to dwindle the archers' numbers, but they were still unknown even after yesterday's fight—there had been a ruckus during the night apparently, but no one seemed to know what had happened or who did what—so it was better to play it safe. Still, running the roofs to find people would provide a better view.

Catherine made do, though, and soon enough she located the first target: a merchant, clad in a green tunic with rims of gold and a feathered hat. She didn't really know why Antonio wanted her to find him, but she did it anyways, and made note of the location on the small map she'd brought with her. A quick etch on the paper with a piece of charcoal, and it was done. She did make sure to follow the man a little since he was out and about, and found a rather elegant house he shut himself into. She marked that down, too, and then headed out once more.

It was almost midday now, and more people were walking around. Unfortunately, that also meant more eyes to notice her, and she definitely stood out on her own. She was able to keep her eyes hidden under her hood, but she saw the looks—the glances. Mostly raised brows and hushed whispers, but there were some shakes of the head, sneers, and gazes that made her want to cringe. She could just tell what they were thinking, and if she could, she might have punched the very thought out of their heads. Thankfully none were guards, else she might just actually have to do it. She still made a point to avoid the denizens as best she could, and regretted splitting up because of it. With Ezio around, it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but a woman on her own wearing armor and carrying weapons—and God forbid pants? Of course she would attract attention.

'It's going to be a pain getting used to being noticed again,' the redhead sighed as she continued along, keeping her eyes out for a thief—one who wouldn't really be dressed like it. Sort of. Still ragged clothing, but not like the normal ones. Again, she didn't know why this particular person, but she had suspicions. Possibly an enemy thief that was a spy or even a traitor. Or perhaps a potential ally. It could go either way, but that wasn't for her to decide. In a way, that felt weird to know. She and Ezio had decided so much on their own in Firenze and Toscana, but here? Here they were guests. This was Antonio's city, and to do as they pleased would be inconsiderate and possibly make them enemies. Still; the restraint felt unusual. However, so long as it did not interfere with their work, then she could live with it.