Hidden in the Shadows(Ezio Auditore )

Old friends and Engagements

By the time I had gotten back to the Orphanage it was mid afternoon and I had taken both the wheat and flour into the kitchen before finding Aunt Greta and giving her the letter from Machiavelli. Currently I was standing in front of a large mirror wearing mother's dress. It had fit me perfectly, defining my curves and pushing up my breasts enough to catch men's attention, as the silks and velvet felt soft against my skin. As much as I hated dresses I had to admit I loved this one, the skirt having a slight roundness to it though no petticoat had been underneath and had a slight train to it as I kept the hood down. The only make up I had on way a very thin layer of silver eyeshadow and my lips had been painted a deep red color. I could hardly recognize myself in the mirror, I had looked like a completely different person.

"Oh my gosh" I heard a familiar female French accent say from behind me, causing me to turn around. I grinned instantly as I walked over snf pulled her into a hug "I never thought I'd see the day the great master assassin Adelina van den Sternberg in a dress. Its a miracle, really, but you look absolutely gorgeous"

"Madeleine" I said as I slipped into English "it is so good to see you again (1) Mon amie. What are you doing here? I thought father sent you to Leipzig"

"Ahhh he did, but then I joined him in Augsburg. Now he's sent me here to help you" Madeleine answered as she hugged back. I was ecstatic, Madeleine was one of my only friends before I arrived here in Firenza, her father was an English baker while her mother had been a French seamstress. She grew up speaking English and French and when she was five years old she and her family had moved to Köln. When Madeleine was fifteen she got into a fight with a few lower ranking Templars to defend a poor old man living in the streets and that was when I recruited her to join the creed in which she accepted as she wanted to get away from her parents and help people. That was a year ago. She and I had become close, damn near inseparable, and she had the makings of a great assassin. Madeleine tried her hardest to learn German- she could understand what we were saying but had the hardest time trying to answer to speak it back.

"I am so glad to see you here. And you're wearing a dress as well" I said, eyeing her dress which was in place of her robes. She wore a beautiful light blue silk dress with floral designs on it, her embroidery done in solver thread, as the corset she had on also pushed up her breasts, the sleeves and bodice clinging to her as her skirt fell loose and flat, no petticoat underneath it, as the dress suited her pale skin. Her short pixie cut brown hair had been left down as her brown eyes shimmered with hope. Madeleine was an image of perfection and seeing her like this proved it.

"You don't think I would miss my best friends engagement party, would you? Greta invited us" Madeleine said simply as she parted my hair and pulled it over my shoulders before straightening up some of the feathers tied in my hair and tightening the braids in the sides of my head. Us? Who had she meant by us? She seemed to notice my slight confusion as she said that before smirking to herself slightly as she fought back a small blush.

"Us?"

"Yes us, did you really think Milo wouldn't be coming with me?" Madeleine asked teasingly. I grinned. Milo was here? This was surely going to be a fun night, Milo had reminded me of Ezio just German, Less reckless and more responsible, and not a Casanova. Milo and I grew up together, worked the same farm, trained together, bled and fought together. He was the only other friend I had besides Madeleine in Germany. Madeleine gave me a soft somewhat sad smile "He's down stairs with Greta, he's been excited to see you again he wouldn't stop talking about you the whole ride here. "

"Let's not keep them waiting, Tante Greta wouldn't be so happy if we were late" I said as she grinned and looped her arms through mine. I shut the door behind me as we walked down the stairs and into the large living room as two distinct voices were heard, Aunt Greta and Milo. Those two had been catching up after all Milo and Aunt Greta did know each other, Madeleine hadn't met Greta yet but she heard stories of the great Greta Jäger van den Rohe. By the time we reached them the two stopped talking as Aunt Greta instantly gushed and Milo's mouth dropped in shock. Aunt Greta had worn a beautiful silk red gown with a low neckline and long loose angel sleeves, her corset covered in a beautiful black lace, rubies and diamonds dripping from her ears and neck, as her had had been let down in loose waves. Milo wore a red blouse and a black sleeveless vest with gold embroidery, black pants clinging to his somewhat large legs, as his clothes clung to his lean yet slightly pale body. His light blue eyes seemed to compliment his dirty blond hair as he wore a black bards hat, a simple yet large white feather sticking out of the side. Milo always loved hats, and since he was of Nobility as well he grew accustomed to them. I didn't think it was necessarily the right hat but I couldn't stop him. His features were much more prominent and aggressive, most people took him for a guard or even some kind of farmer it blacksmith but that was not the case at all.