All Assassin's Creed II characters (c) Ubisoft

The sun was nearing the western horizon, signaling the end of the day in Florence. Shopkeepers closed up their stores, mothers ushered their children home for dinner, and whispers floated around the city about the sudden executions of three members of a prestigious, noble family. For one young man, dressed in strange, hooded attire as he slipped down the darkening streets, the sun was setting on the worst day in his life.

Father!

His own scream still rang in his ears, even though it seemed like a lifetime ago when the anguished cry had been ripped from his throat. Ezio's eyes and throat burned as the horrible memory played in his mind again and again. His father's thundering voice, Federico's confusion, Petruccio's terror, and then, suddenly, the jerk of a lever and all three fell the three feet to their deaths.

How…why…?

In his horror and rage, Ezio had tried to kill the man responsible, but he had been forced to run lest he share the same fate as his father and brothers. He hadn't even had the chance to look back.

Now, with the guards no longer on his heels, Ezio had the chance to do one last honorable deed for his family and give them proper burials. He had been shocked, however, to find that the bodies had already been taken down. Ezio had learned, through some forceful interrogation, that his father and brothers had been removed and left at the river. He departed quickly, fearing that his dead family members would be disgraced even further if left for all to see.

Ezio's hands were trembling, and each step seemed to drive an invisible knife deeper into his heart. He didn't know if he could do this, he was only seventeen. Why did it fall to him to lay his family to rest?

At last, he reached his destination. Ezio's knees buckled and he sank to the ground, pent up sobs finally releasing themselves and shaking his entire body. Not ten feet away lay the bodies of his father and brothers, cast aside as if they were common trash. Losing a limb would have been easier than this. That kind of pain ended…this did not.

With tears streaming endlessly down his face, Ezio crawled forward and shakily cradled Giovanni's head in his arms.

"Papá…" he sobbed, "come back…per favore,"

The pain choked him, drove him to the depths of despair. And yet, somehow, it continued to increase with every moment. His father looked so peaceful, as if he was just sleeping. It seemed impossible that Giovanni would never return, never smile, never laugh, never scold him for fooling around. Who would he turn to now for advice or guidance? Ezio looked up and felt a fresh wave of pain as his eyes found Federico.

It is a good life we live, brother.

It killed the young man to see the once strong limbs now lying limp and useless on the cold ground. He would have given anything to hear Federico taunt him one more time, or even to lose a race. If he had known that night on the church steeple would be their last adventure together, he would have never let go of Federico's arm.

Petruccio…oh God…Petruccio. He was just a boy, what right did they have to kill him too?

Ezio laid Giovanni back down and made his way over to his youngest brother. He couldn't bear to see his youngest brother lying in the street. He tenderly gathered Petruccio up and held him close, as if he could still protect him.

"Mi dispiace…mi dispiace. I tried." Ezio begged, "I tried…fratello…no…"

He could barely breathe; it was like there was a hole in his chest that was sucking his heart and soul into the void. It should have been impossible to experience this much pain and stay alive. Ezio wanted to die just to make it stop, but he couldn't. His mother and sister needed him, he couldn't lose them too.

With a strength he didn't know he had, Ezio carried each of the bodies down to the dock. They were burned, as was custom, but the flames of fury had been stirred up in Ezio's own heart and would not die away for many years. He would find the men who did this, and he would make them pay, but for now, he was allowed this brief moment of mourning for those taken so cruelly from him.

"Requiescat in pace…"

A/N - So this is what happens when I'm looking at sad pictures of Ezio's family and listening to "Infinite White" from the Transformers 2 soundtrack at the same time. Not my best work, but I wanted to get it out of my head. Yes, I know technically Cristina was with him, but I wanted to explore Ezio's personal grief without having to deal with that weird little tangent that was thrown in.

For my usual reader, the next chapter in Destiny is in the works and progressing very well, I'll have it up a soon as I can.

Please be kind!

Recquiescat in pace – Rest in peace

Per favore - Please

Mi dispiace – I'm sorry

Fratello - Brother