Ezio peered down at the rapidly congealing mass in his bowl and tried to look hungry. He could see vegetables in there, some of which he recognised, and some that he wasn't sure were even edible. Anchovies floated like slugs on the scummy surface, and there appeared to be things looking up at him from the bottom. He glanced surreptitiously upwards to see what everyone else was doing.

The sparsely furnished room was as silent as the grave, and the assassin had heard some noisy deaths in his time. Flora did nothing except sit staring at him with a steely gaze, her own food untouched. A wise idea, perhaps. Pierro was busily scribbling on some trading forms, so no help there. His skin crawled.

Gingerly, Ezio raised his spoon to his mouth and tasted a tiny, tiny morsel from the edge. He almost gagged on the strong spices that masked the rottenness, but tried to turn it into a cough, rather unsuccessfully.

"So, what kind of fare are you used to eating then, Signore Butcher?" said Flora icily.

Ezio tried not to blush. How on earth had he got into this absurd domestic situation? To be polite, he forced down a mouthful of the stew and swallowed without letting it touch the sides of his mouth.

"Er, well meat, mostly…" He grinned sheepishly, and took several large gulps of the cheap wine to wash the cloying taste from his teeth.

Flora, never letting her gaze waver, dipped her spoon delicately into her bowl and ate a mouthful pointedly.

Ezio, a strained smile plastered on his face, matched and raised her offer, coating a piece of hard bread in the fishy slime and tearing off a mouthful.

Before it could go too far, Pierro spoke without looking up.

"Flora. Stop teasing him. You know more than anyone that it isn't quite up to our usual standards."

Flora narrowed her eyes at her husband and began rolling the meal around in her mouth as it if it were the most delicious food she had ever had the pleasure of tasting.

The assassin smiled genuinely. "Well, next time I'm around, I'll see if I can't bring you a little something from our shop."

Pierro's eyes lit up, and he raised his beaker to his new acquaintance.

"If you gentlemen are going to be drinking the night away, I will retire now whilst I still can. Buona sera." As Flora walked off, Pierro gently stroked her arm as she went past his chair. "Buona sera."

As soon as they were alone, Signor Contadino glanced furtively around, and then suddenly leaned across the table and grabbed Ezio by the arms.

"Listen, I don't know who you are 'Giuseppe' but you clearly aren't a butcher, so stop pretending to be one or get out of my house!"

Ezio blinked, and opened his mouth. How had he been found out?

The farmer held up his hand. "Don't try to defend yourself man. I know Signore Taglibue, and the last time I checked, he had three rather fetching daughters."

"I-"

"Now I don't want to know who you are, because I've already guessed."

The assassin froze. He fingered his wrist guards uncertainly.

"You, my sneaky little friend, are a soldier, or some kind of mercenary. Don't take me for a fool; I know a butchers knife when I see one, and you were carrying a damn mace, cretino! And don't even get me started on that armour you're trying so hard to conceal. Mio dio, I'm not blind!"

Pierro gave him a stern look, and Ezio felt like a small child again; found out after a tall tale too many. His face grew hot and he itched to simply pull up his hood and blend into the background.

"Angry though I may be - I am curious. Is it purely coincidenza that we keep meeting, or do you have some darker motive?"

He considering worming out of the situation in his usual sleek manner, but something prompted him to tell Pierro the truth, or at least an approximation of it.

"Mi… Mi dispiace signore Contadino. I was in desperate need of company, and you have been so much more than that, even though we have met only twice. You protected me and invited me into your home, and I abused that, for which you have my sincere apologies. I'm afraid I cannot tell you who I am, though Dio knows what a relief that would be, but I hope that I can repay your many favours one day."

Ezio felt a ridiculous urge to bow, but instead blinked earnestly, trying to convey both his gratitude and his innocence. The man looked a little puzzled, but his features suddenly bloomed into a warm, trusting smile, and he released Ezio's arms. Wincing, the assassin massaged the tender stitches in his shoulder. They were still holding him together, just.

"Ha! As stupid as it seems, I believe you. A more honest speech I have never heard from a liar. Should you ever feel the need for some friendly conversation, just come and find me. Preferably with some fresh mince, if you happen to know any real butchers."

He winked.

After several more beakers of wine, he began getting ready to leave his new friend, feeling a great deal more cheerful and optimistic. At the door, he hesitated, and turned back.

"Listen, you haven't noticed any strangers around here have you? They would be tall, cloaked. I heard rumours there was bad business around these parts…?"

Pierro scratched his stubble vaguely. "Well, I must say there has been a lot of talk on the street recently. But I've never seen them myself, so I assumed they were simply condottieri passing through… or something." He hiccupped, and leaned against the cracked door frame.

"I think I need to sleep now. I wish you luck wherever you're going… And I'll keep an eye open for those dark, mysterious people." Pierro winked, then staggered back into the house.

On the way back to the Inn where he had left Leonardo, he stopped at the Sarto store to refurbish himself with the latest Florentine fashions; subtle black flowing garments topped with a long red cape. He would be more careful in future to cover his armour; a short cape was no use when there were streetwise Florentines about.

The barkeep gave him a suspicious look as he entered the main drinking area, and a few old drunks from the night before snickered into their flagons of wine. He found Leonardo in their room. He had obviously grown bored of waiting, and so had used a piece of charcoal to cover a whole wall with drawings. There were trees, strange machines, and even a man with four arms and the tentacles of an octopus.

"Ezio!" Leonardo looked up from the wall, and waved his blackened hands in greeting.

"Oh Dio… Leo how are you going to explain this to the innkeeper? I doubt his future guests will want a big octopus man on their bedroom wall.

The artist looked hurt, and protested. "I would like a big octopus man on my wall!"

The assassin laughed. "Come, it's time we should go. There have been rumours of outsiders in the Mercado. It's only a matter of time before they find us."

There was a knock on the door, and in walked the innkeeper. "I have come to collect your payme- Che cosa! What is that? Is that… a squid? How dare you graffiti my beautiful white walls! I'll have the guardia on you! Out, get out!" He rolled up his sleeves and advanced on them.

Leonardo winced. "Window?"

"Window."

Grabbing his friend by the arm, Ezio leapt onto the sill and pulled both of them onto the roof. He slammed the wooden shutters down after him and then pushed Leonardo onto a haystack below them.

By the time the innkeeper managed to heave open the heavy window shutters, the two vagabonds were nowhere to be seen.
"Merda!"

The next day, the octopus man was viciously scrubbed out of existence. If he'd waited long enough, that wall would have been worth more than all the wine in his cellar.

A.N

Sorry everyone! I've been living in Africa travelling in time composing a masterpiece procrastinating. Thanks for your patience!