Assassin's Creed: Youth

Prologue

Florence, Italy, 1441.

The soft pitter-patter of the rain grew to a heavy shower, drenching the street on a sorry afternoon. Through the flooding streets, a cloaked figure hurried, leaping from step to step, as if to dodge the falling raindrops. A clap of thunder growled, and the dark storm clouds thickened. A little toddler tottered behind the cloaked stranger, wearing tattered grey rags, soaked in rainwater and dirt. The black hooded and cloaked stranger stopped at the stone steps of a large, rectangular building.
This building had ornate windows, and was painted a light sky blue. There was a small courtyard in the middle, patched with dark, verdant grass. Vines adorned the pillars on the lawn. Soft singing could be heard inside as the figure turned behind her, to see if her young daughter had successfully followed her. The figure was now a woman, with light brown hair, and shimmering green eyes. Having spotted her toddler quickly rushing to her side, she turned to face the door of the building. She read the plaque on the left side. 'Masini Casa della Sera'. Masini house of night. It was engraved into a stone plate, chiseled with great skill, the letters so clear it was impossible to get the name wrong. The woman, now reassured this was the right place, reached her hand into her cloak.
From her cloak came a cry, and the woman held a basket, with a baby inside. She laid the basket down on the stone steps, and turned to her oldest daughter.
'You be a good girl now,' she said, ' And stay here with your sister. Take good care of her.'
'Yes, mama,' the little girl chirped. The woman pulled out two metal bracelets from her pocket. She gave one to the toddler, and wrapped it around her arm.
'Wear this in my name.' She said, holding the girl's hand. The girl nodded, not knowing what was happening. She bent down to see her baby girl, who was blissfully unaware of the situation. She laid down the bracelet in her basket. After taking one last look at her two children, she raised her hand to the door knocker, and banged twice.
The sound echoed through the empty street. As soon as she knocked the door, she ran away, and disappeared within a flash of lightning. Slowly, the door opened, and a woman with blonde hair and a red silk dress peered outside. Her pearl necklace glimmered in the skylight, and her face was like a painted portrait, plastered with makeup. She looked to her left and right, and then down at the children. She carefully approached the toddler and the basket, bending down to look at the girl's face.
'Hello, little girl,' she said softly, trying not to scare her away. ' What are you doing here?'
'The girl hesitated, before replying, 'Mama told me to stay here. '
The blonde woman nodded, and picked up the baby basket and grabbed the toddler's hand, before leading her inside. The children were greeted by a tiled marble floor, long curved staircases and a trio of chaise longs. The woman walked up a few steps, and placed the basket on a wooden table. The toddler stumbled behind.
Siting down on a red chair, she turned the basket to get a closer look at the baby. She had sweet, rosy cheeks and was fast asleep. The toddler came up to the woman.
'Where's mama?' She said, her voice full of anxiety. The woman held the girl's palm in hers, and noticed a silver bracelet on her arm. She carefully lifted it off the girl's arm, and held it to the light, examining the silver edges which were flickering brightly. Engraved in capitals, was a name. Candida.
'That's a very nice name,' the woman said, her eyes not leaving the bracelet. 'My name is Daniela.' She paused, before placing the bracelet back on Candida's arm. Daniela turned to the baby's basket, and dug around the sheets. Sure enough, a jingling noise was heard. She saw a glimmer of silver light, and found the second bracelet. She took it out the basket, and read the engraved name.
'A beautiful name.' She said. 'Flora'.