The Hidden One

XV

"Sleeping again? Marcellina?" Ezio whispered as he brushed her hair with his finger tips. "Marcellina it's dinner time." He smiled as she groaned, not wanting to wake up. "I'm not hungry." She whined as she cover her head with the bedspread. "Alright, I'll stay with you then." He smirked as Marcella popped her head from covering it and looked annoyed. "Leave me alone." She whined as she threw a pillow on him. "No, I'm not going to leave you until you are fully awaken." Ezio laughed as he saw getting annoyed by him and Marcella didn't like to be annoyed when she's still asleep. "Ezio please leave me alone I'm not feeling well." She groaned as she held her head. "Are you getting sick? Is it the wound?" He started to get worried as he held her hand tightly. "No, thoughts are making me feel tired of over thinking." She said as she stood up and crossed her arms, Marcella was still thinking about what his mother, Maria asked her.

"Would you marry my son, if he wants to?"

"Why am I still thinking of it?" Marcella thought out loud which Ezio heard her and got a bit confused. "About what?" He asked her as he puts his arms around her back of her neck as she rests her head on his chest. "Is it the wound?"
"No, it's your mother." She sighed as tears streamed down to her face, to Ezio's cotton shirt. "She spoke to you?" He asked as Marcella noticed a hint of a surprising question. "You seemed surprised, she was still not speaking to anyone?" Marcella asked and he nodded. "Spoke to me as if nothing happened to any of us." Ezio looked at her and to the door and saw Claudia peeking from the door as a smile appeared on her face. "Ezio, Marcella! Madre... She is speaking!" She said happily as she grabbed Marcella's hands to dance for their small celebration. "I cannot move that much, you know." Marcella groaned as she sat down again and held her wounded stomach. "And she's calm and... how I remember my mother before what happened." Claudia cried as she sat next to her brother who patted her on the back softly. "I think Marcella knew about this great news." Ezio added, "Madre spoke to her and made Marcellina overthinking." Claudia looked at her and Marcella was not pleased to Ezio to remind her about her thoughts. "What did my mother tell you?" Claudia asked her as Marcella couldn't stand but hidden face as she laid on the bed as she started sobbing. "What did she tell you that saddened you?" Ezio asked.
"Something that she is willing to happen but it won't." She cried as stood up and went to wash her face from the cold water that once was fresh from the well. She splashed the water on to her pale skinned face, slightly on her hairline which hanged from her braided up style hair, seemed not to wash off the blackness which appeared on the bottom of her eyes, her lips were dry as she did not drink for months.
She breaking apart.
"Your mother showed me something which my mother made before she died." Marcella said and continued, "It is still hanging in her wardrobe." She said as she went out from her room, followed by Ezio and Claudia. They went into the short corridor where they passed Angela's room and Claudia's room as they made their way to Maria's room. Marcella opened the door and the first think that caught her eyes was the white fabric, still covering the dress. Ezio went next to the seven days drawers as he saw a familiar box, the box which Petruccio made him curious. He went to open it, slightly to know what's inside it. But a hand stopped him by closing it firmly. "It's Petruccio's, leave as it is fratello mio." Claudia said as she looked at signing that this all what Petruccio wanted. The lost little one who died on behalf of a lie which sentenced him and his kinsmen to death, never wanted to see the secrecy which he held in the box. Ezio nodded as he placed a kiss on his palm as he placed it on the box, for respect. They both looked on the direction where Marcella was, sitting on the armchair, holding a dress covered with humongous white cotton fabric. "I don't want to reveal it, you do the honours." Marcella said as she handed it to Claudia and she did. Claudia removed the fabric from covering to reveal the dress that Marcella saw earlier and she Couldn't hold but sobbed heavily as she saw the details again, for the last time. "Is it a wedding dress?" Claudia smiled on every delicate detail of the white satin fabric dress. Marcella nodded as she stood up and walked towards the window, spotting the sun raising even warmer for the afternoon. "And it's for me." She sighed after heavy tears where wiped away. "I was promised after my fifteenth birthday I'll get married to... to... to an." Marcella  couldn't say the person that she was suppose to name. "Come here Marcella, you went through a lot." Claudia said as she walked impatiently as she hugged her tightly. In that moment Ezio was silent, upset of listening when he heard her saying that she was meant to get married. After awhile, Marcella calmed down and looked at Ezio who was and still silent and seemed broken. "Can you tell us to who you were going to marry?" Ezio asked as he didn't want to know any of this. His heart shattered into pieces. "It was something that you always wanted right?" He asked. "So go ahead and find the man who you were dealt to be married to." He said and he stood up from his mother's bed as he felt his heart racing with emotions. "Why should I find him if he's standing right in front of me?" She shouted as she couldn't hold it back any longer. "I was promised to get married to an Auditore member, first they chose Federico for a husband but they turned straight to you when your parents head other ideas to Federico." Marcella said her final answer as it was a joke to both Marcella and Ezio when they were younger. "Aspetta, this was real?" Claudia asked and Marcella nodded. "I thought it was a joke between the families."
"I thought the same thing but it wasn't. They were taking it too serious." Marcella said as she looked at Ezio who seemed relieved. "That's great news Marcella, it would be wonderful to have a sister in my life." Claudia sang with grace as she couldn't stop hugging Marcella. "I'm the only daughter and it annoys me to be surrounded by men." She said as looked at Ezio who was still looking at Petruccio's box. "Guarda lei, stupido like any other men." She whispered as he heard her and turned instantly. "Who is stupid mia sorella? You're the one dated the stupid one." Ezio said and Marcella laughed slightly and he looked at her and smiled. "You're on the list as well."
"You're calling us stupid girls?" Marcella said as she grabbed the white fabric and tossed on him. Claudia burst with laughter as she fell back on the bed when she felt she could not stand anymore. They teased each other friendly as it sounds but rude as it looks, but Claudia remained there, breathlessly.

"What's going on in here?" Maria appeared in a sudden swift, crossed hands as she tapped her foot on the wooden floor. "Mamma, it is wonderful to hear your voice again!" Claudia said as she hugged her mother but Maria looked at Marcella smiled. "You came to see it again, didn't you?" She asked her and Marcella nodded shyly as the three young adults made their way out but she stopped Ezio as Marcella was behind him. "Can we talk for a bit I would like to explain things for you two." She smiled as both Ezio and Marcella loomed at each other as if they were caught into trouble. They sat down as Ezio moved the armchair closer to the bed, therefore they could speak better face to face. "I would like to discuss something with you two, it's about that small joke we made when you two were only seven and six years old." Maria said as Ezio faked his chuckled as Marcella gulped. "Sì mamma, but why we didn't know about it?" Ezio asked but Marcella knew why and Maria frowned. "You were too young to know, and her parents died and the plan of course was cancelled." Maria sighed and continued, "but I want to change that. I wish you for the best for both of you and I think two married assassins wouldn't mind."
"Aspetta how do you even know that we are together?" Ezio asked something that shouldn't be asked. "Do honestly think that I don't know what was going on between you two?" Running to each others rooms, take care of each other, sleep together and I don't tell what you two do in your free time and this morning I knew you helped her getting undressed and dressed up to go for a stroll." Maria said as Marcella blushed, appearing rosy red cheeks and Ezio, he seemed silent, he simply said "mother" for making him feel embarrassed. "Don't tell me that you didn't I've heard you Ezio." She strictly said to her son who was staring at his mother. "Mother, I have my own age now, I'm responsible of what I'm doing." He said and Marcella didn't notice that she wasn't breathing for a while, therefore she gasped which both Maria and Ezio heard her. "I should leave speak for awhile and I'll come back." Marcella said as she stood up but Maria didn't let her by grabbing her wrist and pulled her down gentle to sit again. "I'm afraid not Marcella, your mother and I promised each other to treat you as my child." She told her. "But I-" but Maria hushed to say no more. "What was I saying, you two sometimes can be a headache." Maria said as she looked at her son and smiled. "Ezio, I'm not asking much but this was something yet to confirmed but I can feel the confirmation from her parents, I just know it."
"If we're not ready yet?" Ezio asked. "Isn't it enough to stick with one vagina?" From that word, Marcella bursts with laughter and when she realized she stopped by wiping her tears off of her face. "Mi dispiace tanto Maria." She said as she smiles at her. That's what Maria wanted to see Marcella smile. "I'm not talking about that mother, it's because of what we've been trough and our children will be in grave danger." When Ezio started saying all the problems that they will face, Marcella got saddened and Maria stopped him. "We faced those problems when you were born? Did you know both Marcella's parents were assassins?"
"My mother?" Marcella asked as she widen her eyes when she heard her saying that her mother was an assassin. "Sì Marcella she was, you only knew your father that was an assassin but that's how they met, as assassins." Maria said as she turned to see Ezio reaction, but he wasn't convinced to be married, something was bothering him. "I'm still not convinced especially what happened to them. Guarda, not to be selfish or cruel but I'm not ready yet, give some time to decide." He said as he stood up and walked out from his mother's room and Marcella stood there as she remained speechless.