30} The Roof

I'm back...again! But as you probably know I'm a terrible, unreliable, lying author and I'm sorry about that but I'm trying to improve and update when I say I will so please be patient with me! I'll get it someday.

Hope you like this chapter but I may be a little rusty ☺️ thanks for sticking with me! -----------

(Y/n)'s pov

Find my stuff. Get to the roof.

Find my stuff. Get to the roof.

I repeat it over and over again, a comforting mantra. I guess it's just reassuring to have any kind of plan at all, it makes me feel productive and less helpless. I hate feeling helpless because I'm not some vulnerable damsel. I'm stronger than most the men I meet and if they piss me off I can prove it - easily. Although, at the moment I'm being seriously restricted by this stupid dress so fighting may be a harder than usual. That and the fact that I have no weapons yet. Not to mention I can't really use my arm too much without it hurting my shoulder. Maybe I'm a little helpless. But only a little!

I've reached a window but it overlooks a internal, stone courtyard as opposed to the blue waters and venetian buildings I was hoping for. Damn it all to hell!

I hear the voices of more guards coming closer and I dart behind a large column to obstruct their view of my beaten body. I can feel every bruise marring my otherwise (skin/tone) skin and the ache in my limbs and joints every time I move.

"Where does he expect us to put all her stuff? If he wants it moved from the guards room then where else can we put it? The roof!" One of the guards jokes and they both laugh like the oblivious idiots they are.

"Why not? It's not like the boss will be going on the roof anytime soon. And besides, I can't be assed to find anywhere else for it. Let's just put it in the guards' chest up there and be done with it." The second huffs, leaning over and picking up the gear I recognise as mine.

If I follow them then I can get my gear and find the roof. Then I can just get out of here.

Maybe I can find my mum back in Firenze and lie low for a while, i haven't seen her in a while as well so it could be nice to find her. And by a while i mean more than ten years. I want to miss her but somehow I don't want to. If she had wanted me back then she would have fought harder to get me back instead of just giving up and letting them take me away.

I cautious follow the retreating backs of the guards down various winding corridors, all the while avoiding the patrolling guards and other tenants of this large building, until they reach a set of spiral stairs leading to the roof. They grumble for a moment only to hoist up the chest containing my gear and stagger up the winding staircase.

They're reaching the top at an agonising pace but I need to be patient since these guards could be useful to me. Once they get up to the top and open up another door, a cold breeze slithers down the steps and caresses my weary body, soothing some of the tedious pain I've grown accustomed to.

"There, if the boss has a problem he can move it himself!" The two guards laugh again as they put down the chest and ,while they're busy staging their minuscule act of rebellion, I move onto the roof and hide behind a short wall.

"Huh, suppose we'd better go back down now, else Emilio will execute us!" They laugh again and disappear back into the building. That was all too easy.

I come out from behind the wall and saunter over to the chest full of my gear. I pop it open and a sigh of relief escapes my lips involuntarily at the sight of my familiar clothing and weapons.

~~~time skip~~~

I roll my shoulders and instantly regret it. A sharp pain shoots down my arm.

"Cazzo!" I hiss while clutching at my shoulder. Ferdinand must've ripped out that arrow with no tenderness or worry about the resulting inconvenience I'm feeling now, not that I'm ungrateful or anything. The comfortable weight of my weapons is also a relief, I don't feel quite as vulnerable as I did.

Now for my escape. To the water? Or maybe I should just climb down and get away on foot? I won't get as wet but I'm not too sure I can support my weight on my dodgy shoulder so climbing isn't a feasible option. Looks like I'm getting a little cold and wet before I can be free.

At least I'll be free. Finally.

----------Ezio's pov

Antonio's men have taken their positions on the roofs surrounding the building and there are also some men on the ground. I stand on one of the roofs among them, waiting for the guards to change shifts.

On schedule they start to swap over and ,in the brief period when there a minimal guards on the ground, I leap down and sprint flat out towards the nearest wall only to be confronted by a large squad of guards ,including two brutes, who are coming out for their patrol.

"Hey! You're not meant to be here!" One of them shouts, drawing the attention of most the guards in the vicinity. This is going to be harder than I thought.

Fight or flight? The safest option is flight, especially since it's not only Emilio I'm after.

(Y/n) is somewhere inside that building and I'm going to kill Emilio and then I'll find her. I'll kill everyone I my path.

~~~flashback (Ezio's pov) ~~~

It didn't take long for me to take care of the guards following me yet I still saw some in pursuit of (y/n) and Leo. Once I finish with the last man I 'borrow' a nearby horse and gallop on to Forlì, I just hope that they got away alright.

I make it to the docks soon after and find Leo pacing back and forth to the sound of creaking wooden planks held with rusty nails.

"Leo," I call, instantly gaining his attention. "Where is (y/n)?"

His eyes shift downwards and he opens his mouth as if to speak but closes it again in defeat.

"Leo. Where is (y/n)?" I repeat menacingly and with a much darker tone. He flinches and I feel guilt surging through me, it's not his fault. It's mine. Whatever happened to her is my fault.

"Is she...still alive?" I choke on the words but force them out all the same.

"They took her... Emilio and his men took her away and I didn't stop them Ezio. I was too weak..." Leo's eyes are glistening and he takes in a deep breath. "They've got her now and I have no idea where she is, I'm so sorry Ezio."

"But she is alive? I ask hopefully, not caring for one minute about letting my emotions show.

"Yes, but maybe not for long." He replies sullenly, silently crying.

"Not for long...? If Emilio has her she'll be in Venice! But...what exactly happened? Tell me everything." I demand, probably a little too harshly that deserved.

It's hard for him, and it takes him a while to articulate exactly what happened, but I make him explain everything to me.

I can't believe how reckless and stupid she is! If she knew there was and ambush then she should have avoided it. Does she not even value her own life? Or did she know that the Templars would take her and treat her?

That's right; I almost forgot. She's one of them, maybe she prefers it that way.

No. They shot at her so she can't be one of them. She did say her target was big and risky. She could be targeting Rodrigo, it would make sense.

"We'll get her back, just you wait Leo." I then notice a shallow cut on the right side of his chest. "You're hurt, here take this."

I offer him a small vial of medicine and he takes it, downing the lot in one gulp. He pulls a strange face, he's obviously never had street medicine before- it tends to taste like piss and ash but it works all the same.

"Eugh, do you drink this often?" He asks as he sniffs the vial and grimaces.

"I drink it five times a day normally," I chuckle and pat his shoulder "it's an occupational hazard I'm afraid."

"Let's just get on the boat. I want to get to Venice so I can have a drink and then go to bed." He says wearily, dragging himself up the ramp and showing a pass to get onto the boat. Oh, well it may have been handy to know I'd need a pass.

Leo looks at me guiltily and I can tell he's still kicking himself over (y/n)'s 'capture'.

"Go on Leo, I'll find a way." He nods and walks bellow decks, his cheeks shimmering in the sunlight. I've never seen him cry before, only smile.

-------... Hey.

Pft! I'm not going to lie I may have forgotten how to English. I hope that was still alright and sorry it took such a long time. I'm planning on updating on weekends now since I'm kinda busy on weekdays.

Thanks for sticking with me even though I'm such an unreliable author!

On a more serious note, how do you feel about your character? I kind of base it of my own personality so it's a bit stubborn and sarcastic but tell me what you're like and I can try and mush some of that in too!

Luvoo readers!

Xxx