Brotherhood: The Recruits [5/?]
Brotherhood: The Recruits
Author: name_me_regret
AN: Now, I understand that it's not a castle, but when I look at the wall surrounding the town then it appears castle-like to me. So, for future reference; a Crenelation is the top of a wall or tower that has lower sections (crenels, or embrasures) for the purpose of giving a castle defender a position to fight or fire through. This protective stonework is the classic outline of the top of a castle wall.
Chapter Five: Ghita Gargani
It was morning. She could feel it because the warmth from the sun was filtering through the window and dispelling the chill in the room, since winter still lingered in the air and often times her room was freezing cold in the mornings. Thus she was content to close her eyes to find a few more minutes of sleep while bathing in the sunlight.
However, the calm was broken by the sudden roar of the cannons, and it was so sudden that it made the poor girl tumble out of bed in fright. She cursed as she became tangled within the blankets and growled in annoyance as she flailed around, trying to untangle herself from them. Finally, she was free and stood with a huff as she cast a glance at the glass doors that led to a balcony. The girl marched toward them and without bothering to remember that she was still in her night clothes, pushed the doors open and tilted her head back to glare at the backs of the mercenaries above on the castle like walls that surrounded the town, leaning against the Crenelations so she could see him through the Crenels.
"Oi!" she screamed as they were alerted of her presence and leaned through the Crenels to look at her. "Why are you firing those things so early, volgare bastardi!" Instead of being offended by the insult, they all burst out laughing that this slip of a girl raging at them, and some men started to howl and cat-call when they noticed she was barefoot and only wearing her night clothes. "I'll go up there and give you another hole to whistle from, figliolo d'un puttana!"
As they carried on like a pack of hungry wolves, a figure shoved past them with a thunderous expression that quelled their ribald laughter better than the girl's threats ever could. The man had short coarse brown hair and sharp eyes of the same color. His face only had a bit of chin hair as well as a scar bisecting his left eye all the way through his eyebrow, and others from battles he'd fought in his twenty-four years of life. The man, standing at five feet and eight inches, was stout and clumsy. However, when it came to fighting, it was like watching an art form.
Now, the man expertly jumped over the side of the low embrasure and landed with a heavy thud on the young girl's roof. He grabbed the edge of the roof and swung onto the balcony, and when he straightened it was to see her grinning at him. "Oh, teach me how to do that, Ugo!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.
The man, Ugo Ubaldi, growled in annoyance as he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her inside and away from the other men's predatory eyes. "How many more times do I have to tell you to stop going out dressed like that, Ghita?" he hissed angrily, grabbing the blanket from her bed and tossing it over her head.
Ghita gave a small yelp as the cloth obscured him from sight and wrestled with it for a moment before tearing it off her. She rolled her eyes when she saw his back turned toward her and standing at the closed balcony doors like some kind of guard dog. In reality, that is what he was, since her father left her in his care and was confident that he would never lay a hand on her while he was away.
The sixteen year old was not pleased the first time her father had gone out of town and she had been left in Ugo's "capable hands", having been fourteen at the time. When she had tried to leave to the market, he had prevented her from stepping foot out of the front door unless he accompanied her. After she had finally agreed when she realized he would absolutely not allow her to leave without him, she had to suffer his looming figure shadowing her every move. Her friends refused to come near her for two days after the man had practically interrogated them about their relationship with Ghita.
Thankfully, he started to mellow out over the months when her father had to keep leaving on more and more missions. Ugo was part of the home defense, and thus he never left Monteriggioni, unlike her father. It also didn't help when she'd managed to shake off his tail one day in the market and Ghita had the time of her life avoiding him while he searched for her in a panic. During her outing, she had gotten into trouble, and Ugo had appeared to save her ass. Afterwards, he'd dragged her back home and lectured her severely for her irresponsible actions. Ghita had gotten frustrated and screamed that if he wasn't so overbearing, then maybe she wouldn't had run away from him. It was the catalyst that finally made Ugo realize he was smothering the girl, and she had grudgingly realized that her father's worries were not just unfounded. She was already at the age that she could, and would be the target of men's unwanted attentions.
Ghita grabbed her clothes for the day with a grimace, since she had to wear one of those bulky, uncomfortable dresses. At times, she wished that she had been born a man, and could wear trousers and a shirt. The young girl was sure that she'd be so much more comfortable. Of course, Ugo would never allow it because he knew that her father wouldn't let her. She rolled her eyes as she started to change behind the screen, since it annoyed her the way the older man was so loyal to her father.
She curled her fingers around the screen and peeked around it to peer curiously at the stiff-backed man still standing at the balcony doors and sighed softly. He was so loyal that he saw her as nothing more than a child, his master's child whom he had to protect from anything and everything. Ghita grew frustrated with the man, since he never saw the attention she paid only to him. She knew he was much older that she; nine years, but that didn't matter to her. To Ghita, he was her knight and shining armor since that night he'd saved her so long ago. However, Ugo was a distant man, so she barely knew anything about him besides that her father had saved him when he'd been twelve, and taken him in. The things she did know was that his mother had been a courtesan and his father a thief, and this is the reason he was one of the few mercenaries that could free-run like the thieves. Besides that, she knew that he'd had a family and they had died in some way. Ghita had been eleven at the time had had vague memories of them, but nothing on what could have happened to them. Perhaps this was the reason he treated her with such cool indifference, but she couldn't really say for certain.
The sixteen year old sighed louder as she finally came out from behind the screen. "You know, you'd make a good guard dog," she teased with a grin as she fastened the cap to her head to cover her hair. Ghita wanted to wear her long, black hair down and then run barefoot through the town of Monteriggioni so it whipped behind her, catching the sunlight as it sparkled like starlight. She knew that saying this aloud would cause people to look at her strange, since she was supposed to be a respectable young lady.
Ghita flinched as she felt Ugo flick her forehead and whined as she rubbed the spot. "Stop daydreaming and pay attention," he chastised her. He smirked when she pouted and turned her back on him. "Now, I was saying that you won't need a guard dog anymore since your father should be arriving sometime today or tomorrow."
He watched as she spun around as a grin split her face and lit up her hazel eyes. "Is he truly returning so soon?" she exclaimed joyfully. Ghita had been scared for her father's life, since she knew he had left with Mario Auditore, one of the lords of Monteriggioni to aid his nephew. The man was well known and loved by the townsfolk, since he'd repaired the crumbling town when no one else would. Thus, he had the loyalty of not only the mercenaries, but of the thieves and courtesans as well. He was the man of a people, Ezio Auditore.
She had only glimpsed him once or twice when she'd seen her father off on his missions, so she didn't know what kind of man he was. However, she did know that her father was fiercely loyal to him and the house of Auditore. Although, loyal or not, she hated the man to some extent since he was one of the reasons her father was away from home and her for many weeks at a time.
"I have to prepare for his arrival!" she exclaimed happily, rushing out of the room so she could go to market. The house needed food supplies so she could prepare him a feast upon his return, and celebrate that he had returned from such a perilous mission. Ghita only knew the vague details, but she did know they had ridden for Roma.
It was late afternoon when the riders were spotted on the distance and one of the other mercenaries came to inform Ugo. The man had answered the door, and she hadn't bothered opening the door since he'd never allow her to do it. She had asked him about it once and he had responded that one never knew who would come knocking. Ugo was forced to stay in the house with her during the nights, and never strayed far from it during the day. The man owned a Flanged Mace as well as his Notched Cinquedea, which he was wont to wear on his person all the time, and she wondered if the man slept with them on. A small giggle escaped her at the thought and when the man unknowingly being laughed at turned, she waved him off flippantly. The older man sighed in exasperation and proceeded out the door ahead of her, eyes darting from side to side; always alert.
~o~
"Papa!" she squealed as she launched herself at the middle-age man, feeling his strong arms envelop her moments later. His warm embrace quelled the fear in her heart and set her mind at ease. "I'm so glad you're finally home." She pulled back and grabbed his hand before starting to drag him home. "Come, I have prepared your favorite meal and then you can take a hot bath."
The man sighed in content as he nodded. "Bene," he muttered, allowing the girl to drag him along. He turned back once toward Ugo, who was starting to go in the opposite direction since he wouldn't be needed now that his master had returned. "Ugo! Why don't you come over and join us for an early dinner?" The men had returned who had been ready just outside of Roma should they be needed. However, once they'd gotten the signal from Mario that both him and Ezio had made it out alright, than they had started back toward Monteriggioni. So, both men should be along in another hour or two after them.
Ugo hesitated before nodding and quietly following after his master and his daughter. If the man asked him to spend the night, then he would refuse that invitation. After all, he only had so much self-control, and he wasn't willingly to test how much he had.
~o~
Ghita quietly crept toward the stairs that led toward the first floor where her father and Ugo were discussing the mission he had gone on. She was very curious about what had transpired in Roma, and there was a lot of gossip going around Monteriggioni about it. The most outrageous thing she had heard was that they had gone to assassinate the pope in the Vatican City. It seemed like a preposterous idea that they would do such a thing, even despite the horrifying things they had heard from Roma and Alexander XI's rule. Ghita had never even been to San Gimignano, and thus could only glimpse the outside world through snatches of gossip and stories.
"So, is the Spaniard truly dead?" she heard Ugo inquire of her father. For a confusing moment, she wondered who they were speaking of. Then she remembered that disturbing rumor and the fact that she'd heard that the current pope had been born in Spain.
'It can't be true, can it?' she wondered fearfully. Ghita was compelled to listen to the rest of the conversation and prayed that it wasn't true.
Her father sighed and she heard him rise from his seat with the clinging of metal and recalled that he hadn't removed his armor even when they'd sat down to eat. She was sure he still had his sword strapped to his belt, and wondered at it. The man was never so paranoid as to have his weapons equipped while at home. "I do not know, Ugo," he spoke. "Messere Mario and Ezio did not ride in with us, so we do not know the details. Although, I doubt they would share such things with us when we are not officially part of the Order." His heavy footsteps moved him away from the table before stopping, and she guessed he was staring through the window as he was prone to do during a restless day when there were no missions or fighting for days at a time.
'The Order?' she pondered. The things they spoke of confused and frightened her. Ghita wondered if the order they were speaking of had to do with the symbol on the banner flying from the pole on top of the Auditore Villa. This same symbol was carved into the wall of the fountain that was half-way up the stairs leading up toward the opulent mansion.
Over the years she'd seen men and women come and go from there, which was a place she had never dared venture. One particular person had caught her eyes simply because at the time Ghita had been with Ugo and had stiffened beside her. The man wore a hooded cloak and descended the stairs silently before mingling with the crowd and seemingly vanishing before her eyes. Ghita had heard the man whisper two words that day, 'La Volpe'. She'd pestered him unendingly until he had relented with what he knew. Apparently he was an infamous thief that was shrouded in mystery that nothing was even known of him, not even his name.
Ghita gasped softly when she heard the man moving toward where she was hidden. She stood and as quietly as she could manage, she retreated to her room without being able to learn anymore. As she lay in bed later that night, she pondered over the things she had heard and feared more than ever for her father's safety. Ghita wondered what would become of her if she were to lose him, since he was all she had. Her mother had died in childbirth and thus he had been forced to raise her by himself.
The young girl knew he blamed himself on her inability to attract a suitable suitor, so she could have a family and live happily. In all honesty, she didn't want to marry a stranger that only came to call on her because he was attracted to how she looked on the outside. She didn't want anything to do with such vain reasons. Instead, she wanted someone that took the time to patiently teach her how to wield a sword and a dagger. Ghita wanted a man whose smile seemed reversed only for her, since she never saw him wear such an expression around other people. Most importantly, she wanted him even when he was too bound to his duty to her father that he'd never even see her as a woman.
~o~
It was almost dawn before she felt a hand shaking her awake. She groaned in annoyance and tried to shove it away and continue sleeping, but the shaking came even more urgently. "Papa, let me sleep a little longer," she whined, inching one bleary eye open. She stiffened a moment later when she realized that it wasn't her father, but Ugo. "Ugo, what...what are you doing in my room?" She flushed in humiliation since she'd left slept only in her Chemise that night and felt overly exposed with him there. However, she sobered when she saw the serious expression on his face. "What is it?"
"We must leave the house immediately," he urged, reaching out to practically drag her out of bed when she didn't move fast enough for his tastes. He ignored her protests and dragged her over to where she'd draped her kirtle and shoved it into her hands. Ghita paused as she heard the rumble of cannon fire close to the gates and wondered if the stronzi were practicing.
She screamed as she heard a nearby explosion, as if something were ripping through stone. "What is going on?" she yelled as she struggled to don the kirtle. Ghita grabbed a simple gown as Ugo's hand closed over her own and quickly rushed her outside. "Wait, what about Papa?"
Ugo's face was grim as she dragged the struggling girl through the streets and Ghita was momentarily shocked at the panicking people running around. Then came the cannon balls as they ripped into the building they'd just been in and both of them were momentarily thrown off their feet. The bigger man was on his feet almost immediately and lifted her up. "They were spotted just as dawn was cresting the horizon...hundreds of soldiers." He grunted as he was jostled by a fleeing civilian but managed to stay on his feet as he continued purposefully and it took a moment for Ghita to realize they were headed in the direction of the Auditore Villa.
"What about my Papa?" she asked again, her left hand clutched around her dress as the other was held tightly by the larger man. When he couldn't meet her eyes, she yanked at his hand but his hold was fierce. "Ugo, where is he?" She was desperate to know and so afraid of the answer he would give.
Ugo glanced at her and her determined face when she tried to tear her hand away from his once more. The sounds of screams and explosions surrounded them as well as the stench of blood and smoke, but he knew that she didn't care of that right now. Ghita loved her father too much to care for her own safety, but he had his duty to his master to protect his most beloved person. "He has stayed with Messere Mario while he leads a frontal attack on the invading soldiers." He started to yank her along once again as she struggled.
"No! We can't leave him! You have to go help him, Ugo!" she screamed.
The older man clenched his teeth and turned to glare at her. "I would desire nothing else but to go help him, but he has entrusted me to get you out of Monteriggioni!" It pained Ugo that he could not go and fight alongside his master during this dire time, but his loyalty didn't allow him to disobey his wishes. It didn't matter if it hurt to know he could die while he'd be unable to help.
Ghita's hazel eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. "I won't leave him," she gasped, choking back a sob. The fires burning around them had stained her face in soot and her tears cut shaky lines down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say more but a cannonball slammed into the building in front of them, causing several piece of the structure to fall around them. She screamed as she felt herself get knocked to the ground and the crash of stone sounded moments later. When Ghita finally dared to open her eyes, she realized that her face was buried against Ugo's chest and his arms were wrapped around her. He'd protected her from the falling debris, but thankfully he was unharmed except for a nasty cut at his temple that oozed blood down his face so it dripped down his jaw.
"Are you alright?" he asked, coughing as he choked on the smoke that was all around them from the fires. Ghita could only nod numbly and slowly eased to her feet. "We can't stay here, Ghita. I have to get you out safely."
Ghita's eyes closed tightly and more tears ran down her face. "No, I will not leave him," she said stubbornly.
Ugo sighed and she opened her eyes as he spoke. "Forgive me," he pleaded. A moment later she gasped as she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head, and knew no more.-
Volgare bastardi - vulgar bastards
Figliolo d'un puttana - son of a whore
Chemise - it is a simple garment worn next to the skin to protect clothing from sweat and body oils
Kirtle - a tunic-like garment worn by men and women worn over a chemise or smock and under the formal outer garment or gown
Bene - (adv.) o.k., all right, well, fine; good (n)
La Volpe - The Fox
Stronzi - assholes (plural)
PS: sorry for the cliff-hanger, please don't hate me! n_n;
Author: name_me_regret
AN: Now, I understand that it's not a castle, but when I look at the wall surrounding the town then it appears castle-like to me. So, for future reference; a Crenelation is the top of a wall or tower that has lower sections (crenels, or embrasures) for the purpose of giving a castle defender a position to fight or fire through. This protective stonework is the classic outline of the top of a castle wall.
Chapter Five: Ghita Gargani
It was morning. She could feel it because the warmth from the sun was filtering through the window and dispelling the chill in the room, since winter still lingered in the air and often times her room was freezing cold in the mornings. Thus she was content to close her eyes to find a few more minutes of sleep while bathing in the sunlight.
However, the calm was broken by the sudden roar of the cannons, and it was so sudden that it made the poor girl tumble out of bed in fright. She cursed as she became tangled within the blankets and growled in annoyance as she flailed around, trying to untangle herself from them. Finally, she was free and stood with a huff as she cast a glance at the glass doors that led to a balcony. The girl marched toward them and without bothering to remember that she was still in her night clothes, pushed the doors open and tilted her head back to glare at the backs of the mercenaries above on the castle like walls that surrounded the town, leaning against the Crenelations so she could see him through the Crenels.
"Oi!" she screamed as they were alerted of her presence and leaned through the Crenels to look at her. "Why are you firing those things so early, volgare bastardi!" Instead of being offended by the insult, they all burst out laughing that this slip of a girl raging at them, and some men started to howl and cat-call when they noticed she was barefoot and only wearing her night clothes. "I'll go up there and give you another hole to whistle from, figliolo d'un puttana!"
As they carried on like a pack of hungry wolves, a figure shoved past them with a thunderous expression that quelled their ribald laughter better than the girl's threats ever could. The man had short coarse brown hair and sharp eyes of the same color. His face only had a bit of chin hair as well as a scar bisecting his left eye all the way through his eyebrow, and others from battles he'd fought in his twenty-four years of life. The man, standing at five feet and eight inches, was stout and clumsy. However, when it came to fighting, it was like watching an art form.
Now, the man expertly jumped over the side of the low embrasure and landed with a heavy thud on the young girl's roof. He grabbed the edge of the roof and swung onto the balcony, and when he straightened it was to see her grinning at him. "Oh, teach me how to do that, Ugo!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.
The man, Ugo Ubaldi, growled in annoyance as he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her inside and away from the other men's predatory eyes. "How many more times do I have to tell you to stop going out dressed like that, Ghita?" he hissed angrily, grabbing the blanket from her bed and tossing it over her head.
Ghita gave a small yelp as the cloth obscured him from sight and wrestled with it for a moment before tearing it off her. She rolled her eyes when she saw his back turned toward her and standing at the closed balcony doors like some kind of guard dog. In reality, that is what he was, since her father left her in his care and was confident that he would never lay a hand on her while he was away.
The sixteen year old was not pleased the first time her father had gone out of town and she had been left in Ugo's "capable hands", having been fourteen at the time. When she had tried to leave to the market, he had prevented her from stepping foot out of the front door unless he accompanied her. After she had finally agreed when she realized he would absolutely not allow her to leave without him, she had to suffer his looming figure shadowing her every move. Her friends refused to come near her for two days after the man had practically interrogated them about their relationship with Ghita.
Thankfully, he started to mellow out over the months when her father had to keep leaving on more and more missions. Ugo was part of the home defense, and thus he never left Monteriggioni, unlike her father. It also didn't help when she'd managed to shake off his tail one day in the market and Ghita had the time of her life avoiding him while he searched for her in a panic. During her outing, she had gotten into trouble, and Ugo had appeared to save her ass. Afterwards, he'd dragged her back home and lectured her severely for her irresponsible actions. Ghita had gotten frustrated and screamed that if he wasn't so overbearing, then maybe she wouldn't had run away from him. It was the catalyst that finally made Ugo realize he was smothering the girl, and she had grudgingly realized that her father's worries were not just unfounded. She was already at the age that she could, and would be the target of men's unwanted attentions.
Ghita grabbed her clothes for the day with a grimace, since she had to wear one of those bulky, uncomfortable dresses. At times, she wished that she had been born a man, and could wear trousers and a shirt. The young girl was sure that she'd be so much more comfortable. Of course, Ugo would never allow it because he knew that her father wouldn't let her. She rolled her eyes as she started to change behind the screen, since it annoyed her the way the older man was so loyal to her father.
She curled her fingers around the screen and peeked around it to peer curiously at the stiff-backed man still standing at the balcony doors and sighed softly. He was so loyal that he saw her as nothing more than a child, his master's child whom he had to protect from anything and everything. Ghita grew frustrated with the man, since he never saw the attention she paid only to him. She knew he was much older that she; nine years, but that didn't matter to her. To Ghita, he was her knight and shining armor since that night he'd saved her so long ago. However, Ugo was a distant man, so she barely knew anything about him besides that her father had saved him when he'd been twelve, and taken him in. The things she did know was that his mother had been a courtesan and his father a thief, and this is the reason he was one of the few mercenaries that could free-run like the thieves. Besides that, she knew that he'd had a family and they had died in some way. Ghita had been eleven at the time had had vague memories of them, but nothing on what could have happened to them. Perhaps this was the reason he treated her with such cool indifference, but she couldn't really say for certain.
The sixteen year old sighed louder as she finally came out from behind the screen. "You know, you'd make a good guard dog," she teased with a grin as she fastened the cap to her head to cover her hair. Ghita wanted to wear her long, black hair down and then run barefoot through the town of Monteriggioni so it whipped behind her, catching the sunlight as it sparkled like starlight. She knew that saying this aloud would cause people to look at her strange, since she was supposed to be a respectable young lady.
Ghita flinched as she felt Ugo flick her forehead and whined as she rubbed the spot. "Stop daydreaming and pay attention," he chastised her. He smirked when she pouted and turned her back on him. "Now, I was saying that you won't need a guard dog anymore since your father should be arriving sometime today or tomorrow."
He watched as she spun around as a grin split her face and lit up her hazel eyes. "Is he truly returning so soon?" she exclaimed joyfully. Ghita had been scared for her father's life, since she knew he had left with Mario Auditore, one of the lords of Monteriggioni to aid his nephew. The man was well known and loved by the townsfolk, since he'd repaired the crumbling town when no one else would. Thus, he had the loyalty of not only the mercenaries, but of the thieves and courtesans as well. He was the man of a people, Ezio Auditore.
She had only glimpsed him once or twice when she'd seen her father off on his missions, so she didn't know what kind of man he was. However, she did know that her father was fiercely loyal to him and the house of Auditore. Although, loyal or not, she hated the man to some extent since he was one of the reasons her father was away from home and her for many weeks at a time.
"I have to prepare for his arrival!" she exclaimed happily, rushing out of the room so she could go to market. The house needed food supplies so she could prepare him a feast upon his return, and celebrate that he had returned from such a perilous mission. Ghita only knew the vague details, but she did know they had ridden for Roma.
It was late afternoon when the riders were spotted on the distance and one of the other mercenaries came to inform Ugo. The man had answered the door, and she hadn't bothered opening the door since he'd never allow her to do it. She had asked him about it once and he had responded that one never knew who would come knocking. Ugo was forced to stay in the house with her during the nights, and never strayed far from it during the day. The man owned a Flanged Mace as well as his Notched Cinquedea, which he was wont to wear on his person all the time, and she wondered if the man slept with them on. A small giggle escaped her at the thought and when the man unknowingly being laughed at turned, she waved him off flippantly. The older man sighed in exasperation and proceeded out the door ahead of her, eyes darting from side to side; always alert.
~o~
"Papa!" she squealed as she launched herself at the middle-age man, feeling his strong arms envelop her moments later. His warm embrace quelled the fear in her heart and set her mind at ease. "I'm so glad you're finally home." She pulled back and grabbed his hand before starting to drag him home. "Come, I have prepared your favorite meal and then you can take a hot bath."
The man sighed in content as he nodded. "Bene," he muttered, allowing the girl to drag him along. He turned back once toward Ugo, who was starting to go in the opposite direction since he wouldn't be needed now that his master had returned. "Ugo! Why don't you come over and join us for an early dinner?" The men had returned who had been ready just outside of Roma should they be needed. However, once they'd gotten the signal from Mario that both him and Ezio had made it out alright, than they had started back toward Monteriggioni. So, both men should be along in another hour or two after them.
Ugo hesitated before nodding and quietly following after his master and his daughter. If the man asked him to spend the night, then he would refuse that invitation. After all, he only had so much self-control, and he wasn't willingly to test how much he had.
~o~
Ghita quietly crept toward the stairs that led toward the first floor where her father and Ugo were discussing the mission he had gone on. She was very curious about what had transpired in Roma, and there was a lot of gossip going around Monteriggioni about it. The most outrageous thing she had heard was that they had gone to assassinate the pope in the Vatican City. It seemed like a preposterous idea that they would do such a thing, even despite the horrifying things they had heard from Roma and Alexander XI's rule. Ghita had never even been to San Gimignano, and thus could only glimpse the outside world through snatches of gossip and stories.
"So, is the Spaniard truly dead?" she heard Ugo inquire of her father. For a confusing moment, she wondered who they were speaking of. Then she remembered that disturbing rumor and the fact that she'd heard that the current pope had been born in Spain.
'It can't be true, can it?' she wondered fearfully. Ghita was compelled to listen to the rest of the conversation and prayed that it wasn't true.
Her father sighed and she heard him rise from his seat with the clinging of metal and recalled that he hadn't removed his armor even when they'd sat down to eat. She was sure he still had his sword strapped to his belt, and wondered at it. The man was never so paranoid as to have his weapons equipped while at home. "I do not know, Ugo," he spoke. "Messere Mario and Ezio did not ride in with us, so we do not know the details. Although, I doubt they would share such things with us when we are not officially part of the Order." His heavy footsteps moved him away from the table before stopping, and she guessed he was staring through the window as he was prone to do during a restless day when there were no missions or fighting for days at a time.
'The Order?' she pondered. The things they spoke of confused and frightened her. Ghita wondered if the order they were speaking of had to do with the symbol on the banner flying from the pole on top of the Auditore Villa. This same symbol was carved into the wall of the fountain that was half-way up the stairs leading up toward the opulent mansion.
Over the years she'd seen men and women come and go from there, which was a place she had never dared venture. One particular person had caught her eyes simply because at the time Ghita had been with Ugo and had stiffened beside her. The man wore a hooded cloak and descended the stairs silently before mingling with the crowd and seemingly vanishing before her eyes. Ghita had heard the man whisper two words that day, 'La Volpe'. She'd pestered him unendingly until he had relented with what he knew. Apparently he was an infamous thief that was shrouded in mystery that nothing was even known of him, not even his name.
Ghita gasped softly when she heard the man moving toward where she was hidden. She stood and as quietly as she could manage, she retreated to her room without being able to learn anymore. As she lay in bed later that night, she pondered over the things she had heard and feared more than ever for her father's safety. Ghita wondered what would become of her if she were to lose him, since he was all she had. Her mother had died in childbirth and thus he had been forced to raise her by himself.
The young girl knew he blamed himself on her inability to attract a suitable suitor, so she could have a family and live happily. In all honesty, she didn't want to marry a stranger that only came to call on her because he was attracted to how she looked on the outside. She didn't want anything to do with such vain reasons. Instead, she wanted someone that took the time to patiently teach her how to wield a sword and a dagger. Ghita wanted a man whose smile seemed reversed only for her, since she never saw him wear such an expression around other people. Most importantly, she wanted him even when he was too bound to his duty to her father that he'd never even see her as a woman.
~o~
It was almost dawn before she felt a hand shaking her awake. She groaned in annoyance and tried to shove it away and continue sleeping, but the shaking came even more urgently. "Papa, let me sleep a little longer," she whined, inching one bleary eye open. She stiffened a moment later when she realized that it wasn't her father, but Ugo. "Ugo, what...what are you doing in my room?" She flushed in humiliation since she'd left slept only in her Chemise that night and felt overly exposed with him there. However, she sobered when she saw the serious expression on his face. "What is it?"
"We must leave the house immediately," he urged, reaching out to practically drag her out of bed when she didn't move fast enough for his tastes. He ignored her protests and dragged her over to where she'd draped her kirtle and shoved it into her hands. Ghita paused as she heard the rumble of cannon fire close to the gates and wondered if the stronzi were practicing.
She screamed as she heard a nearby explosion, as if something were ripping through stone. "What is going on?" she yelled as she struggled to don the kirtle. Ghita grabbed a simple gown as Ugo's hand closed over her own and quickly rushed her outside. "Wait, what about Papa?"
Ugo's face was grim as she dragged the struggling girl through the streets and Ghita was momentarily shocked at the panicking people running around. Then came the cannon balls as they ripped into the building they'd just been in and both of them were momentarily thrown off their feet. The bigger man was on his feet almost immediately and lifted her up. "They were spotted just as dawn was cresting the horizon...hundreds of soldiers." He grunted as he was jostled by a fleeing civilian but managed to stay on his feet as he continued purposefully and it took a moment for Ghita to realize they were headed in the direction of the Auditore Villa.
"What about my Papa?" she asked again, her left hand clutched around her dress as the other was held tightly by the larger man. When he couldn't meet her eyes, she yanked at his hand but his hold was fierce. "Ugo, where is he?" She was desperate to know and so afraid of the answer he would give.
Ugo glanced at her and her determined face when she tried to tear her hand away from his once more. The sounds of screams and explosions surrounded them as well as the stench of blood and smoke, but he knew that she didn't care of that right now. Ghita loved her father too much to care for her own safety, but he had his duty to his master to protect his most beloved person. "He has stayed with Messere Mario while he leads a frontal attack on the invading soldiers." He started to yank her along once again as she struggled.
"No! We can't leave him! You have to go help him, Ugo!" she screamed.
The older man clenched his teeth and turned to glare at her. "I would desire nothing else but to go help him, but he has entrusted me to get you out of Monteriggioni!" It pained Ugo that he could not go and fight alongside his master during this dire time, but his loyalty didn't allow him to disobey his wishes. It didn't matter if it hurt to know he could die while he'd be unable to help.
Ghita's hazel eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. "I won't leave him," she gasped, choking back a sob. The fires burning around them had stained her face in soot and her tears cut shaky lines down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say more but a cannonball slammed into the building in front of them, causing several piece of the structure to fall around them. She screamed as she felt herself get knocked to the ground and the crash of stone sounded moments later. When Ghita finally dared to open her eyes, she realized that her face was buried against Ugo's chest and his arms were wrapped around her. He'd protected her from the falling debris, but thankfully he was unharmed except for a nasty cut at his temple that oozed blood down his face so it dripped down his jaw.
"Are you alright?" he asked, coughing as he choked on the smoke that was all around them from the fires. Ghita could only nod numbly and slowly eased to her feet. "We can't stay here, Ghita. I have to get you out safely."
Ghita's eyes closed tightly and more tears ran down her face. "No, I will not leave him," she said stubbornly.
Ugo sighed and she opened her eyes as he spoke. "Forgive me," he pleaded. A moment later she gasped as she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head, and knew no more.-
Volgare bastardi - vulgar bastards
Figliolo d'un puttana - son of a whore
Chemise - it is a simple garment worn next to the skin to protect clothing from sweat and body oils
Kirtle - a tunic-like garment worn by men and women worn over a chemise or smock and under the formal outer garment or gown
Bene - (adv.) o.k., all right, well, fine; good (n)
La Volpe - The Fox
Stronzi - assholes (plural)
PS: sorry for the cliff-hanger, please don't hate me! n_n;