The Medici Girl

Closer

"You've been in there a long time." Cammillia's voice said as she opened the door. Contessina sighed as her friend moved to sit on the stool behind her. "I had time to speak with Ezio and put Renato down for a nap." There was a contrary tone to the red head's voice as she picked up a brush and began to detangle the blonde's unruly hair.

"Did he meet Renato?" Contessina asked as Cammillia pulled on a knot. "Ouch."

"You're hair is the worst I have ever seen it and yes, he did." Contessina could only picture the meeting in her head with little detail, but there was a feeling of jealousy there. She was not there to witness it herself. "He and I had a long talk. I think he means to take you away from Firenze for good." Cammillia put the brush down in order to pick up a bottle of oil for Contessina's tangles.

"Really?" The blond turned around just as the red-haired woman was about to rub the oil into the tangles. "Did he say so?" There was a feeling of excitement billowing up in Contessina's chest almost like when she was a little girl and hearing about something grand.

"He did in not so many words, but I don't think you will have to beg him to take you anywhere." There was a smile on Cammillia's face as she began to rub oil into the blonde's hair. "I am going to miss you."

"Me too." Contessina said turning back around and drawing her knees up to her chest. "I miss Giuliano and he has barely been gone a day."

"Lorenzo instructed for Giuliano to be buried in two days. He would like you and Ezio to be there." Contessina nodded silently as her friend worked on her hair. The Palazzo Medici felt different without Giuliano roaming its halls. "You should go see him while he is still laid in state."

"I will." Contessina said sadly.

Ezio remained in the garden for a while after Cammillia left him there. He had many thoughts in his head about the next course of action he needed to take and he needed Lorenzo's help in finding the conspirators. He had sat there for a long time debating on if he should leave sooner than later and if Lorenzo refused to meet with him now, then what? Time was wasting and their enemies were running away. If anything, Ezio was finding himself more impatient than usual to leave Firenze. He was not sure if it was because of his tasks or if it was because Contessina was finally going to be going home with him.

There was that feeling in his stomach that once they left Firenze together, that was it. There would be no turning back for Contessina and that she would be by his side for the rest of her life or his. Ezio did not know what Contessina thought of Monteriggioni, or even if she thought she could fit in there. He was sure the villagers would be happy to meet his wife since they adored him. Ezio had a feeling his uncle was going to give her the job of running the estate since he elected Claudia to run his business. Contessina would be good at it and it gave her something to do besides help him with his work. Ezio found he did not mind the thought of her bossing everyone including himself around.

"Ezio." Lorenzo's voice interrupted his thoughts and the young nobleman looked up at the patriarch of the Medici family with questioning eyes. "May I?" The Medici asked gesturing to the bench that Ezio sat on.

"It is your bench, I'm just sitting on it." The younger man smirked and Lorenzo chuckled before sitting down next to the assassin. "What can I do for you Messere Medici?" Lorenzo smiled before reaching inside of his doublet for a letter and then handed it to Ezio.

"I thought I would ask your opinion on something." Lorenzo said as Ezio opened the letter and read the contents. It was as Poliziano said to him earlier. Sixtus' nephew Girolamo Riario was marching to Firenze. "Riario is one of the conspirators in the plot against us."

"How so?" Ezio asked as he handed the letter back to Lorenzo who balled it up in his fists. "Unless you are not sure why yourself."

"Riario has been countering every move I made since I took over the bank from my father and his uncle became Pope. He is as ruthless as he is cunning and he has Imola because of it." The Medici said as Ezio thought carefully of what he should do next. "Your father had tried to prevent the murder of the Duke of Milan on my orders and it got him killed, I do not wish to repeat that mistake with you."