Dall'acqua al Vino

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Valeno was an absolute mystery to Catelina. The girl was spoiled, childish, hard-headed and stubborn, frustrating to a fault and over-confident in a way that could get her killed. She had no sense of respect for her elders and no common sense, only impulse in place of wisdom. And yet, despite all of that, the underlying force in all of her misgivings was the bloodthirsty desire for vengeance dished out to those who had so cruelly ripped her family away from her. But that is no excuse to be such a rude little brat, the Baroness thought in frustration.

Morning could not come fast enough. Catelina hadn't rested well from the events of the night before, and though dull in nature they presented threats that could tear her entire operation to pieces. She slipped from the warmth of her sheets and dressed in the provocative state expected of a prostitute, with a splash of class to add to her intimidating demeanor and altogether heightened authority in her manor. She brushed her curls and let them bounce down to the base of her spine, applying the appropriate makeup and leaving the room briskly in search of her rogue twin. As always, she found enough time to stop and chat with the daughters she passed, providing tips and telling them their list of clients for the day, but only for the most popular of girls. Catelina knew that selling flesh wasn't the most appropriate of businesses to be conducted, to be sure. But the church had yet to extradite any of the brothels around Italy--surprising, considering how many of them worked with the Assassin agenda--so she would live her life in the comfort of peace.

Well, she would have. Had her sweet brother not come knocking on her door.

Catelina strode into the dining room, clutching the floating shawl around her arms and smiling as her brother waved to her. "Good morning," he told her gruffly. "Sit. You look tired."

"Si. I hardly slept." But even a wink of sleep is more than you are allowed. She frowned, about to spout an apology until he stopped her with his hand.

"It's alright. I'm glad you got that much." He took a bite of egg and sighed, chewing, savoring the taste. It was one of the few pleasures he could have in his current, crippled state.

Catelina pitied him.
 
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Thin streams of light broke through the slots of the wooden stall Valneo found herself in. It wasn't the first time she'd fallen asleep, hidden behind piles and piles of hay, smelling of horse shit and general grime, and it wouldn't be the last either. The angry jab of a pitchfork met her waist and she yelped, gripping the tool hard before pulling the man down at the other end. She cursed the rude awakening and stormed out of the horse barn she'd fallen asleep in.

Her entrance back into the brothel was unpleasant. She smelled, was irritable from a bad night's sleep, and gods did she want a bath. But, she could never bring herself to be upset with the girls, Catelina's self proclaimed daughters, no matter how upset she was. They didn't understand, didn't have to interact with the assassin like their mother did.

"Good morning, Miss Valeno." A child called to her from an upper floor just off the balcony. The assassin gave her a wave, marching on to get a decent bath.

Soaking in the steaming water calmed her nerves tenfold. However, seeing her naked form was never pleasant. Burns covered her torso, the worst of it on her left side, extending down the matching arm. Little made it to the tips of her fingers, hardly any of the flames had found her legs thanks to her father, but the worst of it was the one mark on her side. Something she hid from even Catelina.

When she was clean, no longer smelling of manure, Valeno made her way to the small dining hall the Rosa offered. Despite the bastard of a brother being somewhere inside, she doubted there'd be a chance they'd share the same space for too long.​
 
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Dear God, please do not let Valeno tap into her temper.

"Good morning, dear. How are you?" Catelina took a bite of the egg on her fork, keeping the posture of a prominent lady, contrary to her brother who ate as if he hadn't done so in years. "I can have the kitchens whip up a plate for you. I'm sure you're hungry, and we have much to discuss." She gestured to a chair. "Sit."

The man at the end of the table groaned, but said nothing.
 
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"Bacon, a few rolls and a block of cheese, and some wine." Valeno was quick to respond, cutting off Catelina. If she was about to say anything else, the assassin cut her off again. "If we've got any pork, I'll take that too."

Whatever Catelina had to say, she didn't want to hear it. The man who'd treated her so rudely sat across from her, and she struggled to keep her thoughts to herself. All she wanted to do was fly across the table and smack the both of them. Her older sister was being a fool, where Valeno only wanted to have revenge, she would always stop her. Then there was this new bastardo with the golden eye. He clearly didn't want to work with her either, but if it was for Catelina's sake she'd at least listen.

"What is it then?" She asked impatiently.​
 
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"I need you to infiltrate the old Auditore manor."

"No." The man at the end of the table shot up from his seat, his fists clenched in anger. "Catelina, I trust you, but this is something I cannot and will not do. What happened to that family was a tragedy but I will not lift a finger to assist Ezio and the assassins, you know that--"

"Will you listen instead of jumping to conclusions and shoving words into my mouth?!" Catelina hardly screamed, but when she did everyone within a mile radius was inclined to listen. Even her brother sunk back into his chair, obedient for the most part, and more willing to hear her out.

"Yes," he agreed. "Apologies, sorella. Continue."

"Grazie. Underneath the manor is a series of tunnels, one of which leads to something of great value. I don't know what it is, Ezio doesn't, the Templars don't, and while the contents remain a mystery I would only trust this mission to you. You have no side to stand on, which makes you the wisest person to hold whatever Giovanni Auditore was secretly researching under his manor." She looked briefly over to Valeno. "She will go with you."

"I don't need a bodyguard," he spat. "I can do it on my own."

"If you do not take her, I won't give you the instructions to get in."
 
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"Think of me as more of a fly on the wall." Valeno waved her hand in the air, scowling towards the bastard. She didn't even know his name, and she wasn't soon going to ask it. "Because that is certainly what I'll be thinking of you."

When her meal arrived in front of her she shoveled it down hastily, no regard to the others in the room with her. None of it spilled from her mouth, as she made sure to enjoy every last bite, from the bacon to the wine, it all went down easily until settling nicely in her stomach. She wiped at her face from bite to bite, making sure she didn't insult her guest with a sloppy appearance.

Instinct kicked in though. If the brother wouldn't be cooperative, she'd at least get a head on her shoulders and investigate alone. "Catelina, do they truly not know what is inside?"​
 
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"The information died with Giovanni. That is all I know."

"Not even Ezio knows?"

"No. Not even him." Catelina sipped at her wine. "Can I trust the two of you to get along while this gets done?"

The man stared at Valeno from across the table and scowled. "As long as she does not get in my way."
 
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"Can you be quiet on your feet? Work in stealth, and I'll be fine." So long as nothing triggers my temper. She wasn't oblivious to the red hot face she sported when she was angry. If the man across the table could bite his tongue at the right moments, there'd be no major issues.

"When do we leave?" Valeno asked. She'd just ignore the man then. "I can go when he's ready."​
 
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"Stealth," her brother scoffed. Did Valeno have no idea who he was? The man's reputation exceeded himself tenfold and any man who uttered his name was cursed to suffer a fate akin to his victims, or so the housewives liked to say. Perhaps her Spanish heritage prohibited her from knowing the stigma associated with his alias, "L'Ombre," The Shadow, but Catelina was not like to force the issue. She would find out soon enough how brutal he could be.

"It is wisest to leave by cover of absolute darkness," came her advice. "Guards still stand at the Auditore manor in fear Ezio may return. Night will be on your side, especially in the shadows."

She cast her brother a look, that he seemed to pick up on. "Fine. At midnight, then."

Without cleaning up his plate, the man left the table without another word.
 
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The assassin waited for the man to exit. L'Ombre then? Fine. Although her Italian still needed much improvement, and the rumors needed a litle more development, the name rang some sort of bell. The Shadow. Only she didn't have enough knowledge to supply her with the information she wanted to know most. How the hell her sister of sorts could keep a brother hidden for so long, not even a word of his name.

"Do not let the girls near my hall today." Valeno warned Catelina. "If we're leaving so soon, I need to take this time to prepare, si? If they want to be poisoned, then they can come."

The woman laughed as she left the room, a sick sense of humor for the daughters of the brothel. If they wanted a whiff of her collection of poisons, they could come inside and have their fill, but Valeno would be find. As her name suggested, poison was her game. Valeno, a twist on the Italian word for poison, she loved the little name she'd picked up over the years. It was must better than the easy name of Bella di Belladonna, or, woman of nightshade. It was her signature blow, a small burst of the deadly Atropa.

She was quick, to work, glad to have the space to herself.
 
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The day did not pass soon enough. The sun set in a glitched spot of moving light across the sky, assessed with numbers and angles and all points of reference as to the time of day and when the moon would rise. It often gave L'Ombre a headache to the point where functioning in his duty was impossible, but over the years of developing his skills and coping mechanisms to deal with the machinery he had developed an ability to control the pain and the urges to seek assistance. He thought of the assassin wench and her hoard of poisons, within the stash must be a painkiller of sorts, but he was far too proud and egotistical to ask. So many things rode upon his superiority these days and he would not give in to the will of a girl, of the throbs in his head.

There were more important things to be dealt with.

Slipping the last of his throwing knives on the thick leather belt that wrapped around his torso and shoulder, L'Ombre donned his pitch black cape and covered his nose and mouth with a mask that defined him, that stories could not decipher but never seemed to leave out. It was his trademark of sorts. An added aura to his mystery, one that none could solve, and that was exactly how he preferred it.

The sooner he could be done with this task, the sooner he could leave.
 
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There was always one.

No matter how many times the assassin had to warn the girls to stay out of her halls at certain hours, there was always someone who would pass by. The afternoon was no different. She roused the girl to, applying several antidotes all at once to get her feeling less than sick, and sent her on her way. As it was, Valeno dealt with a variety of poisons, and she wasn't always sure which one affected them the worst of all.

By now they must have worked up some immunity, dios mio...

Night came all too quickly, Valeno loaded her belt with various needles and bombs. The more deadly strains were hidden deep inside a leather pouch at her side, else they were stowed away in her boots. The worst of them all though, the Atropa poison, even she wasn't immune to it's deadly kiss. Nightshade, some other countries called it, a last resort if the worst were to happen.

She sat on the roof of the Rosa, unsure of where she was supposed to meet this L'Ombre for their little mission. At least from the tops of the buildings, she could see around the streets, waiting for the dark man to come.​
 
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It didn't surprise him in the slightest that she had missed his presence completely. L'Ombre's title was earned, not given, and The Shadow was entirely concealed by the night's generous cloaks on the building adjacent to Valeno's current perch. Upon noticing her keeping an eye out for his appearance, he made himself known, though still clutched tight in a shadow's grasp.

"You're late," he said, almost a tease if she understood his sense of humor. "Do you know where the Autidore manse is? If not, let me lead. I can see it from here." He looked out upon the moonlit horizon to locate the building in question, a fair distance from them without a single light to signify its inhabitance.

He did not supply the knowledge that the mansion was far from average sight, miles away, as he did not want her prying questions as to how he could see it from their position.
 
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"I had to revive one of Catelina's daughters." She said grimly. "I tell them not to come down the hall, and what do they do? Ma la signorina, stavo passando solo da..." She uttered, irritated. Valeno wasn't used to his type of humor and didn't see the joke at all. Sure, she was a tad late, but it wasn't too dark yet. Just enough to conceal her face behind the white hood.

Of course she knew where the house was, its significance beyond his understanding. Ezio had often tried to break back into his own home, not that he had the time for nostalgia. Had he not been away in Rome, the man himself would have been crawling through the tunnels they'd discovered to grasp at the knowledge he wanted. Ezio had always been a man of honor and understanding, far from his fiery Spanish disciple.

"I know where it is." She scowled. "But I'd rather go through the tunnels, more private, less light. You may not stand out, but I do." Valeno stood from her perch and was quick to jump from the roof to another, scrambling down until she was on the streets and more able to blend in. There were countless tunnels, but, she'd rather enter from afar, risk being caught too close.

"Now come on piccola ombra , before I beat you there!"​
 
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The taunt would have warranted a reply had he been a different man at a different point in his life. Critical, calculatory. He thought of Catelina in their younger years and secretly wished for those more innocent times, though L'Ombre didn't allow himself the pleasures of reminiscing too far. It brought him pain. Pain made him rash, and rashness brought only trouble. He had no desire for trouble tonight. The sooner the job was done, the sooner he could continue his investigation without an assassin on his trail. It was hard enough having to deal with her, knowing what she was, who she fought for. He only wanted it to end.

The Shadow slipped from tile roof to tile roof, keeping sight on Valeno until the Auditore manse peaked over the small stone courtyard in front. He didn't seem to care if his temporary companion preferred the tunnels--he had unfinished business with the Templars that guarded the place, and wouldn't let them slide away from his vengeful grasp.
 
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Valeno may have had a temper, but she was wise enough not to slay the men in her path. Countless Templars guarded the way to the old manor, and she knew their faces from run ins in the past. A German man with a hobby for cannons, another Spanish native like herself, they had a bit of a soft spot for each other, but the murderous intent was still strong. Many strong enemies stood guard, making her wonder what could be so important? She was worried they already found a way in, already captured the prize she was after.

She spied the air for the shadow man following her. He had better eyes, but she was too proud to ask for help.

The assassins slipped around a corner and into the darkness. Calculating a way to get inside, there was only one good path she knew of. Caterina had told her once. An old tunnel below the streets, and she knew the area well. Valeno spied the cover and was gone in an instant, swallowed by the tunnel, and glad to be out of sight.​
 
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L'Ombre made short work of the fools that attempted to thwart him. He was much more merciless than any average Assassin or Templar and while the guards had mistaken him for the former, he supposed it was just as well. If they knew who their attacker truly was, they would certainly not be so sure of themselves. One strike after another saw them wiped clean from the world and left soaking in their own blood, a pool of regrets and idiotic misgivings. The Shadow would have chuckled and stolen what they had, if he were as heartless as the Assassins he claimed to despise.

All of them were his enemies, and every single one of them would reap their just rewards.

L'Ombre melded into the tunnels shadows quickly after his poisonous companion, approaching behind her and keeping pace from their small distance. He had no desire to be closer to her than necessary. When this is over she will be my enemy once more. Why then, did he allow her to live in the moment? He was certain that his hesitation had something to do with his twin's misplaced fondness for the girl. Damn my connection to Catelina, he thought bitterly as he watched the back of Valeno's vulnerable head. Damn her, or I could kill this middle-woman right now and be done with it.
 
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It was far too easy to sneak into the lower levels of the old Auditore home. Not a templar in sight, not even a hired thug, and that worried Valeno beyond measure. Her nerves ran high as she slipped from the tunnels and into the basement. There wasn't even a lock on the door, and her suspicions were growing with each silent step. Her shadow behind her made no noise, although he was enough company in the dark.

She stopped. Sniffed the air, and immediately threw her hand to cover her face, and another to cover her new companions.

"Gas. Here." Valeno slipped her hand into her pocket at handed the man a small capsule. She was immune to most, but took just the same thing as a precaution. "Just take it, unless you want to let your nerves rot, hm?"

Once all was said and done, she wrapped a red cloth around her face and continued down the tunnel. She felt oddly relieved knowing there was at least one trap set for intruders, it made the effort feel more worthwhile. Something had to be down there then, if the halls were filled with poison. They must not have known she'd be coming either, else such a blockade would not have been put up in the first place.​
 
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He dropped the cloth as soon as the woman had handed it to him, chuckling at her insolence. L'Ombre would've gripped her wrist and broken it for touching him in such a way, but he remembered Catelina's words of warning and was able to control his temper for the time being. Poison was child's play, in his mind. If the Templars truly wanted to stop him they should know to use more effective methods and remember who exactly they were dealing with.

The uncanny duo came upon a three-way split in the tunnel's possible directions. The Shadow took one look down each way and pointed to the left, dashing forward without so much as pausing to listen to Valeno's input. The thick wall of poison seemed to be thicker the more he moved towards the eventual destination, but it didn't bother him a single bit. There was no difference between poison and oxygen to the lungs of a cursed man, a broken soldier. He would survive with his body in tact.
 
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"Are you serious, bastardo you'll rot!" The assassin called after him angrily as he decided on their path. Poison to most people was a major problem, and Shadow or not, he would surely be engulfed by the fumes without some sort of aid. Still, she followed after him, compelled to trust him by only Catelina's word.

She had to wave aside the fog with her hands, keeping her eyes on L'Ombre's back. How he was even able to let her presence go despite his hatred for assassins, Valeno was utterly lost. He'd show her a weakness, or maybe he was too cocky, convinced he'd be able to stop her even with his back turned. It was a small consolation to think maybe he trusted her the smallest bit, but that was probably a lie.​
 
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