Assassin's Creed: Double Life

Venezia, 1488

They had not allowed her to watch. At this point, she knew enough to hold her tongue, had learned that in some cases words would do her no good, yet it was times as these that she wished she were still something of a child, and could be excused for protesting as vehemently as she yearned to. Zio had given her a pointed look, silently asking her not to push her luck since he had already allowed her to accompany him all the way here to Venice; while Ezio had given her a sympathetic smile, assuring her quietly that she would have her turn.

Thus she had been left, watching the backs of the great Assassins as they strode off into the darkness to induct her brother into the Order. She was so close, yet still completely barred from the one thing she wished for, by the very people she longed to join. Simply, it was infuriating.

Claudia huffed as she sat on the edge of the rooftop, glaring up at the gentle firelight just visible high above her, spilling out from the high watchtower where she knew her brother stood, exchanging solemn words and rites with his teachers. She was lucky, she supposed, to even be this close, but she irritably wondered why zio Mario had even brought her with him if all she was allowed to do was peer in from the sidelines.

She had been there too, when Ezio had faced the man they called the Spaniard, had watched with subdued awe as the Assassins fought to drive him away from the treasure he sought to claim. Paola had stayed with her then, keeping her back though she wished to join them and show them that she was more than capable of holding her own.

Thoughtfully, she touched the hilt of the ornate, curved dagger set hidden amongst the folds of her shortened skirt, admitting that it may have been because she had never killed before; the farthest of her field training having been driving off some bandits that had been intent on stealing the horses from the Monteriggioni stables. It had amused her to how quickly they had fallen for her helpless, terror-stricken façade, and how quickly too they had fled from her sudden temper after they attempted to take her away as well, just like another of the beasts. Her blade had tasted blood then, but not lives.

The wind swirled around her, fluttering the short folds of her dress against the pants she wore under them—for, Ezio had brightly emphasized, it was rather inappropriate for a lady to be running across the rooftops in a gown—and she glanced up to let it brush past her face.

She no longer feared the height, Claudia reflected absently, though admittedly her brother had been less of a teacher than an example to follow. During his periodic returns to Monteriggioni these last few years, she had abandoned her books and they had run together; the young Assassin starting on level rooftops before progressing to climbing taller towers, with her in close pursuit. Simply, he had flown and she had followed, and though he never seemed to look back as they ran, he had always been there to offer a hand whenever she slipped.

Suddenly, a flash of movement from the tower startled her and interrupted her thoughts. She automatically jerked away from the edge of the roof, scrambling to her feet and pressing behind a nearby chimney, out of sight. They were leaving, she realized after a breath, watching silently as the Assassins leapt easily from their lofty perch and into a waiting pile of hay. They parted ways into the darkness, ignoring her, though she knew without a doubt that they had noticed her presence.

Ezio was last to leave the tower, and as he stood to brush the dry strands from his uniform, he glanced up to her and gestured her down with a small smile. The younger Assassin jumped to him without hesitation, noticing that her brother seemed rather distant, tired perhaps. "Are you alright, Ezio?" she asked with a frown, looking him over as he began to pace towards La Rosa Della Virtù, evidently intent on walking her back to Teodora's home, where she and her uncle were rooming.

"Of course," he responded immediately, meeting her eyes steadily, though neither of them believed the lie. After a pause, he looked away and continued resignedly, "I'm just a little exhausted. A lot has happened today that should be celebrated, yet still I was not able to avenge them."

Though it was difficult to see his expression past the shadows of his hood and those of the narrow alleyway they were passing through, Claudia could easily imagine the conflict clouding his eyes, as it so often did when the issue of their family was mentioned. In times as these, he always seemed older than he was, bearing a weight that he never should have. She worried for him.

"The time will come," she spoke confidently, smiling in an attempt to bolster her rather dejected brother's spirit. "And you will be ready. Also, maybe by then you'll actually let me accompany you."

"If you're lucky," Ezio answered, his tone light and his mouth finally curving into a tired grin.

Claudia began to answer a little snidely, teasingly goading her sibling, when abruptly Ezio halted, cocking his head slightly and staring straight ahead. She did not have a chance to speak her half-formed question when he swiftly pushed her to one side, shoving her into the cover of an arched, indented doorway. She staggered and began to snap irritably at him, until she was silenced by a cry of alarm from somewhere ahead of them.

"Assassino!"

Ezio shifted back instinctively, seeming about to bolt, until he caught himself. He straightened and wearily breathed a sigh, drawing his short blade as he slid into a ready stance. Hidden just beside him, Claudia only looked on and blinked in confusion.

As she peered around the edge of the darkened doorway at the small contingent of guards that had intercepted them, she wondered why her brother did not simply run. Though the walls about them were admittedly too smooth to climb, she would easily be able to keep up with him if they fled back in the opposite direction. It would save time, and besides, Ezio was doubtlessly fatigued—not only had he admitted it, how could he not be after spending the entire day locked in chase and battle? This was not the time to be picking a fight.

"I am not in the mood for this," the Assassin spoke coldly to his enemies, the threat more than evident in the flash in his eyes and the tension in his stance. "Leave now and I will stay my blade."

"Bold words for someone who's been surrounded." This second comment prompted Claudia to look back sharply, realizing that the voice had come from behind, from the street they had just left. Of course, she realized with blank horror. They were trapped, there was no option left but to fight.

At this comprehension, though she reached carefully for her weapon, and though she was sure that her chance to prove her worth had finally come, inwardly she knew she was frightened. She wavered a little as the terrible battle cry was raised, the stone walls reverberating with the many voices, bolstering their own faltering spirits, as they rushed towards their motionless quarry.

Gritting her teeth against the almost paralyzing fear, Claudia began to rush brazenly to Ezio's side, when her brother turned towards her abruptly, catching her gaze. The Assassin's eyes blazed with a dangerous glare that she had rarely seen, warning her into stillness before flickering away, and turning instead on the oncoming enemy.

She faltered and pressed back into the shadows, struck into startled silence as she watched Ezio meet the guards head-on, his blade dancing across throats and chests and scattering lingering mists of scarlet. She counted about ten engaging him at once, and realized that none of the men's eyes even drifted towards her, focused as they were on staying alive.

The hand on the hilt of her dagger was trembling, and though she hated the fact that she was still so afraid, she found she could not move, even with the potential danger on her life. For herself, she could do nothing, however, upon seeing a guard with a halberd coming at her brother from behind, upon realizing that Ezio—locked as he was against two of the other men—did not even realize the danger, a spark seemed to go off within her.

For her own life, she could not fight, but for her brother, she was willing to risk anything.

Her fury was silent as she leapt suddenly from the doorway that had been shielding her, her curved blade steady in her hand as she threw her entire weight upon the man readying to stab into the Assassin's back. The two of them fell noisily against the wall, and she stumbled away from the corpse a little vacantly, her dagger and sleeve heavy with blood. She dragged in a quick breath, shaking off the weight of the red life, and turning her attention to the rest of the fight.

Even after her intrusion, no one seemed to have noticed her, thus she swiftly took advantage of this and of the deep shadows of the alleyway, flickering quickly around the edges of the battle. She slipped past staggering bodies and dealt lethal, unseen blows from behind, driving her blade in accurate stabs through unguarded backs and legs and flanks.

Ezio glanced towards her more than once as she wove between the flying swords and lances, but said nothing, either unwilling to waste his already gasping breath, or simply in fear of drawing attention to her. She met his disapproving glare with one of her own.

It was not long before silence fell upon the alleyway once more, the final spear clattering to the ground, and its wielder joining his fellows in the dirt, already so crowded with bodies and fallen weapons. The older Assassin drew a rather shaky breath as he leaned against one wall, tiredly gathering his calm. Though obviously worn, his voice was still wrought with frustration as he snarled gratingly, "What were you thinking?"

"What? This is what you were training me for, wasn't it?" Claudia bit back a little unsteadily, leaning against the bricks opposite him and wiping absently at the blood on her blade.

"You could have been killed."

"So could you," she cut in firmly, her tone sharp. "Just because you've been formally accepted into the Order doesn't suddenly make you invincible, Ezio."

Her brother frowned at her, meeting her unyielding gaze before sighing resignedly, "You're just as stubborn as I am, aren't you?"

"Naturally," she said with a quick grin, holding out a rather impatient hand. "Come on, we'd better get back before zio begins to worry."

The two Auditore left the side street in companionable silence, the younger pulling the older forward into Venice's passive streets. When she was sure her brother wasn't looking, Claudia glanced down at her hands, noticing her palms and nails well tainted with blood and dirt and remnant traces of ink. Once perhaps, the blemishes would have bothered her, but by now they were merely badges, reminders of her role. By now, she looked upon the stains, and smiled.

Ending.

Author's Note: As you've probably noticed, unlike my other stories, this one is rather episodic. Since it started as such, I've decided to keep it this way, as simply a series of one-shots. To follow are possible chapters centered in Forli, Florence or Rome.

Edit: Story discontinued, thus no chapters are likely to follow.