xxxv λ musing

[assassino]

[All things considered, Ezio has had a busy day, but now he's out and about. He's hit up a dozen or so stores in town, mostly for painting frames and books, and perhaps you've see him running errands.


Later, however, he will be sitting down at his desk to scrawl out:]

I seldom write in this journal. I think that is funny; for every boy who knows how to write, three sit without education, and here I squander my gifts and ignore books. My sister does more writing than I do, and her talent is a rarity amongst women!

It has been more than a year since I have arrived –– closer, still, to thirteen months -- and each day I learn new things about the future, history, science, and even the human body. I do not think many days have passed in the past four hundred that saw me sitting idle and failing to learn!

Yet still, when I spoke to a young woman the other week, she was hard-pressed to believe that I would return to my time, forsaking the knowledge and science and hygiene of the future. I prefer the conventions of my time, and my culture, and I have work to do. So, I wonder, then...

How many of you would go home with another, to their time instead of yours?

I'm going to miss plumbing. I think that is what you call it –– "plumbing." Even after all this time, sometimes it is fun to turn on the "tap" simply to marvel at its convenience. It is a wonder there is so much water about without the streets being flooded like the canals of Venezia.

And I have such good memories of the miracles of showers, with thanks to some of the beautiful women in this castle.

E. Auditore.

Comments

[secondchances]

Says who? Girls like men like that, you know.

--not that you need to know about that, but it's true.

[assassino]

Not girls –– women. Women like men they can patronize.

[secondchances]

And you're the expert, huh.

[assassino]

I would say so.

[secondchances]

I'll be sure to never doubt you.

[assassino]

Good, good.

[lalallaal back to the castle.]

[secondchances]

[And up the stairs of the tower!]

What made you decide to keep a war room?

[assassino]

The day will come where I will need it.

[secondchances]

The next time something invades the castle, you mean.

[assassino]

Yes.

[secondchances]

[Semi-awkward silence all the way to his room :( She's doing her best.]

[assassino]

[How awkward :(

Once inside, Ezio sets down his bags and moves to the center of the floor, where he rolls back the carpet to expose a trap door with an iron ring.]

[secondchances]

How many of these do you got?

[assassino]

A number of them.

[He pulls up the ring and the door opens with a creak; there is a steep stone staircase underneath, and he holds the door open with one hand and stands back for her to go down into the darkness.

Downstairs, of course, is his war room.]

[secondchances]

[Thank god she trusts you, Ezio. Steph's footsteps slow to a stop in the middle of the room.

This like a mancave. But of weaponry and dangerous things instead of video game consoles and cigars.]

[assassino]

[It's notable cooler downstairs, and the lighting isn't as good -- old fashioned flame torches just can't replace electric lighting. But it's easy enough to see what is in there, with all the sleek metal swords and bulky warhammers and heavy axes. They make up most of the wall space, in fact, as if the war room is supposed to arm a dozen men, instead of just one.

The fourth wall is already crammed with portraits, mostly Italian dignitaries. There's a small space left, just enough for a few more portraits.]

So this is it.

[secondchances]

[She takes a stroll around the room, hands clasped in front of her. It's tempting to touch, but probably not a good idea seeing as her stomach starts to churn when she gets to the hammers and the axes. It's not so much the images of violence in her head that makes her feel sick, but of who it is doing those acts of violence. And maybe whoever it might be on the receiving end.

She goes over to the wall of portraits and looks at each one.]

They're--they're all involved?

[Her voice is just a little strained.]

[assassino]

[He just leans against the side of the stairs to watch her.]

All of them. They are all associates of Rodrigo Borgia. Were.

[secondchances]

[She looks between him and the wall.]

They're all dead? You killed them?

[assassino]

[He nods.]

All of them. Ten years' work.

[secondchances]

[Seeing the faces of the men Ezio has killed makes her blood run cold.

But she nods, going back to looking at the wall. It's good, she thinks, to know. If she's spending time with a man who has killed, she shouldn't be completely comfortable, should she?]

[assassino]

[He lets the silence hang for a moment, letting her take it in. It's strange -- the thought that a civilian woman could never understand his work or accept him for who he is has plagued him, but he'd thought Stephanie would be different, overall.

Maybe she hadn't accepted the reality of his work. How could she?

After a moment, he says:]

I am sorry, if this makes you uncomfortable.

[secondchances]

[She doesn't turn around right away, shaking her head. It's not okay, so she won't say that.]

I'm glad I saw this.

[assassino]

[Not exactly the heartfelt answer of reassurance he hoped for, but then again, he's not really sure what he expected. For her to comfort him by not being uncomfortable? Forget it.]

Are you upset?

[secondchances]

It's not like this is a sudden revelation.