Even The Best Have Secrets

Chapter 12: With You Gone A Weight Should Have Been Lifted

Chapter 12: With You Gone, A Weight Should Have Been Lifted. But All I Feel Is Pain

Year: 1503

Month: August

Roma, Vaticano District

I tiptoed to the door and leaned myself up on the wall beside the doorway. The door was opened, so I could hear everything. They were in Rodrigo's apartment of the Castel Sant'Angelo. I leaned my head in a bit and saw Cesare standing in front of his father.

"What has happened here?"

"I do not know what you mean?"

Cesare put out his hands, "My funds, my troops. Gone."

A small smile crept on my face. That is the work of the Assassins. I pulled my head back so that it was on the wall. I continued to listen in on the conversation at hand. Rodrigo just turned around and made a statement.

"Financial difficulties strike all of us, even those with an army."

"You intend to give me money?"

Rodrigo turned around and looked to his son, "No, I do not."

Cesare picked up an apple and talked to his father while it was in his hands, "Then I will use the Piece of Eden to get what I want. Your help is not necessary."

Cesare took a bite of the apple. I peaked my head in and saw that Rodrigo was . . . happy that he bit into the apple. Rodrigo was known for poisoning people . . . oh mio Dio! I leaned by head against the wall again.

"That has been made abundantly clear to me." Rodrigo turned around an looked to the fire-place, "Are you aware that the Baron de Valois is dead?"

"No. Did you--"

Rodrigo turned around swiftly, "What reason could I possibly have to kill him? Was he plotting against me with my 'brilliant,' traitorous, Captain General?"

"I do not have to stand for this."

There was a pause before Rodrigo spoke, "The Assassins murdered him."

"Why did you not stop them?" Cesare yelled

"As if I could. It was not my decision to attack Monteriggioni, it was yours!"

My heart skipped a beat; we thought this whole time that it was Rodrigo's idea. We were wrong, but we were also right in a way. We knew Rodrigo got what he wanted and that was power. Once he had that, he stopped playing in this game of war. We were sure it was him who asked Cesare to attack the Villa.

"It is high time you took responsibility for your actions."

"My accomplishments." Cesare corrected Rodrigo, "Despite the constant interference of failures like you."

I heard footsteps. Most likely Cesare's heading out the door to go and get the Piece of Eden. I heard another set of footsteps act quickly. I turned my head around the corner and peaked in and saw Cesare standing in front of his father. He looked at the old man in disgust. Rodrigo only looked to Cesare and replied.

"You are not going anywhere. I have the Piece of Eden."

Cesare looked to his father, "Get out of the way, old man." He almost whispered

There was a pause before Rodrigo spoke, "I gave you everything and yet it's never enough!"

I looked over to the other door that Cesare was about to go out of and saw Lucrezia running towards the door. I turned my head and leaned against the wall.