[Ezio x Reader Fanfic] May the father of understanding guide us

40} All These Markings

Here ya go, one chapter fresh off my laptop. The song that I was listening to whilst writing this chapter is above, thought it was kinda fitting for this chapter and the whole ideal of the game really; we just want to watch the Templars bleed a little 😈

Enjoy.

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(Y/n)'s PoV

"Do you know why I'm training you like this (y/n)?" Rodrigo says in his usual, calm tone as he finally unchains my wrists and I fall to the cold, hard floor. I rub at my wrists and stare blankly at the floor, careful not to anger the man standing over me still holding the cooling branding iron.

"No, father. I do not know why you're doing this to me." My voice had cracked long ago from all my screaming and I sound truly pitiful.

"I'm taking time out of my busy days to prepare you for your eventual ascension to the rank of Templar Grand Master." He throws my clothes at me and also a wet rag. "Clean up and get dressed, combat training begins in one hour, if you're late you can stay down here for another week."

As he ambles out the door and up the basement stairs, I reach for the towel and gently dab at this weeks cuts and bruises, not quite daring to touch the seared flesh in the shape of our insignia.

I shamefully start to pull my undergarments back on, although I have to stop halfway as the fabric passes over the deep lacerations on my (s/t) skin.

A hiss escapes my lips and  I bite back a scream. I won't give father the satisfaction of hearing my cries.

I hear heavy footfalls racing down the stairs toward the basement doors and immediately scurry back into the cold stone wall as far away from the door as possible, being painfully reminded of the cuts and bruises I received on my back and legs, not to mention the stinging cross there.

The door swung open and slammed against the wall, the hinges screeching and threatening to break.

"(Y/n)!"

"Fer...I though you were father." I murmur, voice still hoarse.

Ferdinand scrunches his fists up into tight balls as his eyes take in every scratch and scrape visible on my body, his eyes finally resting on the cross curving around my rib cage, already starting to blister and scab. Also noticing my lack of any clothes, he helps me put on my undergarments and clothes without disturbing the wounds. 

He grits his teeth and hangs his head low, his hair hiding his face.

"Fer? Aren't you meant to be in Rome? What happened? Why are you back so soon?" I try and stand, getting to my feet painfully and pushing off the wall to hobble forwards a few steps before starting to fall. Ferdinand immediately darts forward to catch me, making sure to keep contact to a minimum.

"(Nick/name) (like a cute one or just a shortened version of your name) take it easy, you are in no condition to be walking around."

"I have training with papa soon." I shudder at the thought, in this state he will surely beat me in all my training.

"No. You aren't doing it." Ferdinand clenches his fists and his whole body tenses. "I never should have left, I'm sorry I let him do this to you."

His voice catches and a tear roles down his cheek. I brush it away with my thumb and try to look into his eyes. He turns his head away.

"Fer. Look at me." He begrudgingly shifts his head back to stare guiltily into my eyes. My breath catches and my heart beats faster, he cares so much he's blaming himself for something he couldn't control. "It's not your fault Fer. You couldn't have stopped it even if you had been here."

"I rode back as fast as I could when I found out your resistance training was starting, I knew deep down that bastard would do it even though he said...he said he wouldn't hurt you....that was the deal!" More tears escape Ferdinand's eyes but this time they don't show sadness. The usual tranquility inside him is gone; replaced by a seething rage.

"What deal Fer?" He doesn't reply, he just shakes his head. "Tell me, tell me about this deal. Don't I have a right to know?"

His eyes lock on to mine and the intensity of his pointed stare almost makes me flinch, the anger seemingly radiating from him.

"I made a deal with him that he wasn't to allowed to hurt you until I got back, until I was there for you. But that bastard lied to me! He will pay for this!"

"What did you promise him Fer?" I ask cautiously, knowing my father's sadistic, cruel heart would want something of great value for not harming me.

"I said he could have...."

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I open my eyes.

"Are you alright (y/n)?" A deep, familiar voice comes from my left and I turn to face it.

"I was just remembering something." I whisper gently, feeling weak from the memory.

"You were crying, it must have been a bad memory." Our eyes meet and again I feel my heart start beating faster. Ezio. He's lying next to me, his hand reaches out and cups my cheek and he uses a thumb to brush away the drops running down my cheek.

"I'm fine, it was just my father..." I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed, seeing my clothes strewn over the floor and gathering them to get changed.

I feel a hand touching my back, running along all the scars and then the cross.

"Did...did he do this to you too?" Ezio hisses through clenched teeth, his anger building.

I put a shirt on to cover it up so he can't see or touch it anymore.

"Yes. When I was 14." I sigh and finish getting changed. "But that's over now and we have jobs to do; get ready and I'll meet you by the horses."

"You don't have to go back (y/n), you could stay here and be safe."

"Don't be stupid. I'm going to kill my father and take the order into my own hands. I think it's time for a change in Templar ideals, maybe something with a bit less control and a bit more free will." I grin and chuckle to myself, zipping up my boots and heading over to the window. I open it and ,blowing one last kiss back to Ezio, jump onto the roof bellow.

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It's a little short and it's very late but please forgive me I haven't had much time for updating.

also I'm sorry if you're sensitive with physical abuse, it really sucks. So if you have had bad experiences then I'm sorry for bringing it up and if you need to talk about it then I'm here for you my dear reader!

Love you guys!

GotThatEzioCharisma