The Medici Girl

Friend or Foe

There were seventy bags of grain lining the walls of the small warehouse on the banks of the Arno. Each bag weighed approximately twenty-three kilograms and every morning they were counted twice to make sure no one had stolen any. Over the last couple days Poliziano had been making deals with the merchants to keep commerce flowing. The grain was being sold at the lowest price, which would compensate for the farms in Toscana who were willing to keep the grain going to Firenze. All in all, the plan was going well. Thirty bags had been distributed throughout the city in the last day while the rest sat there in front of Ezio. 

"How long do you think this will last?" Ezio said motioning towards the sacks of grain as Poliziano counted them for the second time. The man barely missed the well aimed dropping from a pigeon up in the rafters and gave the bird a glare. Ezio held back a chuckle upon seeing the normally formal man give a bird a devils look. 

"Hard to say really. Maybe a week if the merchants keep it to themselves." Poliziano wrote the time and date down in his little notebook with a charcoal stick before placing it in his robes. "We will be lucky to make it to the next load if someone says something." He huffed before moving over to the assassin. 

"If the merchants say anything they will lose florins over it. I doubt that they would be willing to forfeit income over gossip." Ezio may not be a banker by trade, but he was still a banker's son and he knew how to manage money. After all, his father made sure he and his brother had the proper tutoring for it. All the lessons in Spanish and French, plus mathematics, writing, and everything else a nobleman needed to succeed in life were not for nothing. "It is a poor move on their part." 

"Indeed." The strict man responded. "My concern is more over the rumors that may spill over into Riario's camp. We do not need him watching for mysterious shipments of grain arriving within Firenze's walls." That was the last obstacle they all needed and Ezio nodded in agreement just as the door to the warehouse opened. "Ah, just who I wanted to see." Volpe did not smirk or smile at either man as he walked up to them and judging by the urgency in his steps, Ezio knew something was off. 

"That bastard had spies watching Lorenzo's family for the last two months." The master thief said as he came to a stop before Ezio and looked him in the eyes. "He knew they were in Pistoia all this time." As soon as the words left Volpe's mouth, dread sunk into the pit of Ezio's stomach and Contessina's face flashed across his mind. "One of them returned late last night after being seen." 

"Seen by who?" Poliziano asked with a curious look on his face. 

"Tito said the spy mentioned a blond woman with the Medici." Volpe looked directly at Ezio in confirmation of what they both suspected in that moment. There was only one blond woman they both knew and she was hardly the standard dark haired Italian woman. "Riario is sending out his best spies to assassinate the entire family and they leave at first light tomorrow." 

"Are you sure?" Ezio went defensive knowing that Volpe would never lie to him about something that involved Contessina. Poliziano stood there watching the young assassin suddenly become ridged and ready for a fight. 

"There can be no doubt about it, Ezio. Riario has played us for fools this entire time." The stern man spoke up. "Did your spy say anything else?" He asked Volpe who only shook his head. 

"Merda." Ezio did not know if he should be angry or frightened. He began to pace as he was known to do in stressful situations. He knew it had been a mistake to let Contessina go to Pistoia and now she was in mortal danger. This was probably why he stayed in Firenze instead of staying home in Monteriggioni. He was closer to Pistoia and if needed, he was a days ride away from his wife. 

"There is no way Lorenzo can leave Firenze without becoming a target himself." Poliziano mentioned as the younger man paced with Volpe's eyes following the assassin's movements. He too had a very worried look on his face. "Volpe, tell us everything about what Tito heard."