CH 49: Proposing

Ali gave a gentle nod :"yeah, doesn't seem that hard to pull off." Ezio beside him shrugged :"I think so..."

Rosa smiled as she pointed at the scaffolding with her head :"only one way to find out. Try it for yourselves."

The two went on ahead and did as they had seen. And it's useless to say that they learned it quite quickly and easily.

As they stood on top of the scaffolding, Ezio looked down towards her friend on the ground :"So? How did we do?"

Rosa smiled as she tilted her head :"I've seen better." And Ezio who was in the mood to joke around and be dramatic, put her hands on her heart as she looked away :"Ah! You wound me with your cruel, cruel words!"

Both Ali and Rosa laughed at her acting before Rosa replied :"Alright, smargiasso (show off), let's put your skills to the test."

"I'm all ears!" Ezio said with a smile as Ali beside her spread his arms :"and so am I! Tell us what you want us to do."

Rosa chuckled before she nodded :"Meet me in front of the Frari!" And then she walked away while limping slightly.

-

The two walked towards the Santa Maria dei Gloriosa Frari, where Rosa had told them to meet her.

After she saw them, she got straight into the point :"Climbing a bit of scaffolding is all well and good, but let's see how you do out in the open."

Ezio looked at the tower before smirking slightly at her :"Top of that tower, then? Torniamo subito (We'll be right back)."

Rosa nodded before thinking with a smirk :"how about we make it more challenging? You have... 5 minutes to climb up there and come back."

Ali chuckled before he nodded :"va bene, sfida accettata (alright, challenge accepted). But I have something to say before that. Ezio, can you walk away a little so I can tell her something?"

Ezio playfully narrowed her eyes at him :"hmm... What are you planning? Ti stai comportando in modo sospetto (You're acting suspicious)..."

Ali chuckled before he grabbed her by the shoulders and gently turned her around :"don't worry, geez. Have some faith in me, will you? You will know what I'm going to tell her in a little while."

Ezio narrowed her eyes a little more before chuckling and shrugging :"alright, go ahead. Just call out to me once you're finished."

After walking away a little, Ezio turned around to see Ali talking to Rosa with an excited but also slightly nervous expression.

She raised an eyebrow as Rosa also smiled excitedly once Ali said something to her. Ezio had full faith in Ali, so she knew that he wasn't betraying her or anything.

And besides, he is always with her, so how can he betray her. He doesn't even look at other women unless they're friends, like Rosa, so she wasn't worried at all.

After a few sentences were exchanged between the two, Rosa nodded a few times before Ali waved at Ezio.

She took that as her cue to come back, so she walked back towards them with a raised eyebrow and a smirk :"so? What were you talking about so secretly?"

Ali and Rosa chuckled before he shrugged :" questo vanificherebbe l'intero scopo di dirti di andartene, no (that would defeat the whole purpose of me telling you to walk away, no)? Come on, let's begin already!"

Seeing how excited he was for some reason, Ezio couldn't help but smile as she chuckled and then both of them began!

As they began to climb up the tower, it was obvious that Rosa had either underestimated them, or she just didn't know their full capability, because they climbed up the entire tower in less than a minute!

But just when Ezio was about to make her move and perform a leap of faith, Ali gently grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back.

Ezio turned around with confusion as she raised an eyebrow :"Ali? What are you waiting for? Is there something wrong?"

Ali cleared his throat before taking a deep breath and exhaled. He looked into her eyes with the most serious gaze that she had ever seen from him as he spoke gently but firmly :"Ezio, I have something to say to you.

When I first got here, to Italy, I had nothing but my money. No friends, no family, nothing but myself.

It was a sad time for me, a lonely time. But then you came into my world. The first moment that I looked at you, you took my breath away.

I didn't know what love is at that time, so I just brushed it off as just seeing a pretty girl. But then I got to know you.

How smart you are, how strong you are, how brave you are, how caring you are. And with each discovery, I fell more and more in love with you.

The day that we became lovers, was the happiest day of my life yet. I was with you through every hardship that you went through in all these years, but your weak moments didn't decrease my love at all.

In fact, they strengthened my love for you. Your fragile moments made me believe that I must be with you all my life, protect and love you till the end.

We have known each other for 8 years and have been lovers for nearly a decade. I want to finally ask you to spend the rest of your life with me."

Ezio was shocked as she trembled when Ali gently got on one knee and took out a beautiful box from his waist bag before opening it to reveal a beautiful ring with a red diamond on it.

Ali smiled gently but nervously as he took another deep breath and exhaled :"Ezio Auditore De Firenze, vuoi sposarmi (will you marry me), Ashkim (my love)?"

Ezio's eyes began to tear up as she gulped before nodding gently with trembling lips :"yes, by the god, yes!"

Ali's own eyes began to tear up as Ezio gently raised her shaky left hand for him. They both let the tears fall as Ali picked up the ring and shakily put it on Ezio's ring finger :"I swear on my life, I will forever love you, Ashkim (my love)."

The moment he put the ring on her ring finger, Ezio immediately jumped into his arms as she hugged her while crying as they kissed!

After spending a few seconds to just show their love in that kiss, Ali pulled back as he smiled fondly at his crying lover and wiped away the tears with his thumbs :"my love, why are you crying? Shouldn't you be happy?"

Ezio leaned on Ali's hand without the tears stopping as she shook her head :"I-I'm happy, very happy! I just can't stop the tears now that I know we will be together forever."

Ali smiled gently as he pecked her lips :"it's alright, I'm the happiest I've ever been as well. From now on, we will be together till the end, my lovely wife."

<I'm not married, nor do I watch any romance movies, alright? Please just be satisfied with this>

Hearing the words, Ezio's tears intensified as she hugged Ali as tightly as possible. But Ali wasn't complaining, he hugged her back while comforting her with a huge, happy and excited smile on his face.

After a while of crying, Ezio pulled back with a sniff as her tears stopped :"I'm alright now, my love. I'm already, il tesoro (honey)..."

Ali's smile somehow grew even bigger when he heard the words of his now slightly shy wife :"oh? Haha, you're making me happier and happier, Mia Amata (my beloved <for women>)."

After a few minutes of them just hugging each other, Ezio finally smiled up at him with fondness :"we should go back now.

Hai detto a Rosa cosa avevi intenzione di fare, vero? (You told Rosa what you were planning to do, didn't you)? That's why she was so excited then."

Ali nodded with a gentle kiss to her plump lips :"yup, I did. She was really excited to hear that I'm finally planning on proposing to you. She also said that the time limit is just for reaching the top of the tower, so we're already finished."

Ezio nodded with a smile :"va bene allora, non dovremmo farla aspettare oltre (alright then, we shouldn't keep her waiting any longer). Let's go back now."

Ali nodded before Ezio performed a leap of faith and Ali did as well after her. Once they both walked towards Rosa hand in hand, she smiled at the two before raising an eyebrow at the excited Ali :"so? How did it go?"

Ezio smiled brightly as she raised her left hand and showed her the red diamond ring on her ring finger :"he proposed to me and I said yes!"

<Guys, this is what I found in Google, so don't expect a ceremony or whatnot: Before 1563, when reforms enacted by the Council of Trent systematized and formalized the process, the only requirement for marriage was the mutual consent of a man and woman not already married to someone else. Priests, ceremonies, and even witnesses were unnecessary.>

Rosa leaned on her cane as she clapped gently with a beaming smile :"congratulations then, you two!

Auguro una vita felice e prospera a voi due sposi novelli (I wish for a happy life with prosperity for you two newlyweds)!"

Ezio nodded happily and excitedly :"mhm, thank you, Rosa. So? How did we do in this little test?"

Rosa chuckled before nodding :"Looks like you've learned all I have to teach. I'll let Antonio know about your progress. Finish your other tasks. We're almost there."

They both nodded before Ali smirked :"beh, se vuoi scusarci, ora andiamo (well, if you'll excuse us, we'll go now). Because I'm planning on fucking a healthy baby into my wife now! Bye now!"

"Ali!" Ezio called out in embarrassment as he dragged her away while Rosa laughed as they parted ways.

-

Quite a long time had passed since Ali's proposal to Ezio. That night, they went at it like rabbits in heat and Ezio successful got pregnant.

Rosa who had already recovered, also lived with them on Ali's request since he didn't know much about it.

And thankfully, Rosa agreed and began to live with them so that she could help her friends whenever they were in need.

Ali made it quite obvious that he wouldn't let Ezio go on a single mission in her time of pregnancy, so he did all of the tasks and missions himself.

Rosa would also hardly leave Ezio's side, worrying that something might happen to her friend. So Ali wasn't worried.

Other than the times to sort out a few missions, he would hardly leave Ezio's side. Always spending time with her and cuddling with her.

And now, Ali was walking towards Antonio's office because he had informed Ali that he has a mission for him.

After knocking on the door, Ali opened the door once he heard Antonio's permission to enter :"please come in."

Once he entered, Antonio smiled at him :"ah, hello, Ali. It's nice to see you again. I want your advice on something. by the way, congratulations once again to you who will soon be a father."

Ali chuckled as he nodded in appreciation :"thanks, Antonio. Now go ahead and tell me, what troubles you, my friend?"

Antonio sighed with a troubled look as he began to explain :"Emilio has turned some of my own men against me." Ali sighed as he nodded in understanding :"bribery, blackmail and threatening, eh?"

Antonio nodded with a serious face :"Yes, and we cannot strike until the traitors are dealt with. They're still somewhere in this district; keeping tabs on us and reporting back to Emilio."

But Ali chuckled as he shook his head with an evil smirk :"not for long. Leave this to me, I will take care of these traitors for you. Goodbye now."