Chapter 12

Year: 1799 , Age: 21

Venice, Rialto Bridge

We arrived in Venice after almost three months of travelling.

Me and Ethan are on good terms again and whenever I get all snappy he manages to calm me down.

How he does that? It's still a mystery to me. Not even Felix managed to calm me down when I was mad.

We were waiting for a 'tour guide' to come and pick us up as lead us to Leonardo's new workshop.

Ethan was hugging me tightly because I had another episode of crying after my mother.

"Mister da Vinci?"

"Yes?" Leonardo replied.

"Good morning and welcome! I am Alvis. You asked that I escort you to the workshop. Are you ready?"

We all nodded and followed him throughout the city.

"Ah, Venice! What other place is as beautiful, as stable, as perfect? Come, I will show you her wonders! Our first stop, the Rialto bridge! Behold the elegance with which she spans the Grand Canal, a symbol of Venice's unity and pride! Let us continue."

Well he seems in a hurry.

"Here we are. San Giacomo di Rialto. Oldest church in Venice. Isn't she beautiful? And her clock tower? Magnificent! Come, come! There's more to see!"

We reached a market, a big one actually. I couldn't help but feel impressed.

"No other city can match the size of Venice's markets. Be it spices or silk, from near and far, there is... there is..."

He got distracted by a group of guards walking towards a merchant's stand.

"You were told to stay home!"

"But the rent is paid! I have every right to sell here!"

"Well Davis disagrees."

Ah, Davis Arthur...Don't you worry, I'm coming for you.

The guard destroyed the poor merchant's fish stand and then walked away.

"Let us continue the tour... elsewhere."

We walked away and I couldn't help but feel my blood boil inside of me. If this is how the people of Venice are treated then we really need to do something about it.

We arrived at another stop, where Leonardo got distracted by a wooden figurine which seemed to be a model for painters to help them draw bodies easier.

"Look! Isn't it amazing? Would you mind buying it for me? I... uh... I left my money with my bags." He asked as he turned and looked at Ethan.

I chuckled as Ethan crossed his arms. Before he could reach for his bag, a thief ran by and took his money.

"Hey! Mind your step, jerk!"

"Looks like I'll be paying."

I bought Leonardo two figurines just in case he broke one and we moved on

with our tour.

"And here we have the Palazzo della Seta, home to Davis Arthur. Normally, I'd suggest a closer look, but... with the way things are now..."

"Why? What happened?" Ethan asked.

"He is attempting to unify the merchants beneath a single banner. There's been resistance, some of it violent."

"What kind of resistance?" I asked while looking at him.

"They say they're fighting for the people, for freedom or some such nonsense. Nonsense, if you ask me."

I noticed the same merchant who got their stand destroyed walk up to the guards at the front of the Palazzo.

"They destroyed my stand. I demand compensation!"

"Here you are, then." The guard turned around his spear and hit him in the stomach with the back of it.

"The Doge will know about this! report you to the Council!"

"Good luck with that, my friend."

Two other guards came and grabbed him by his arms.

"You're under arrest for disrupting commerce."

"What?! You just invented that! There's no such law!"

"There is now."

They dragged him away and I felt mad that I couldn't help him.

Ethan saw me getting tense and put a hand on my shoulder. I relaxed and we continued with our tour.

How the hell does he manage to calm me down with just a touch?!

"And now, I present to you, your workshop, Sir Vinci! We spared no expense in its design! You'll see it is perfect, as if you never left Firenze! I wish you great success and hope you enjoy Venice as much as she enjoys having you."

Alvis bowed and held his hand out to Leonardo, hoping for a tip, but only received a pat on the shoulder. I snickered and then watched as he walked away unamused.

"So, here we are! Exciting, isn't it? Care to come in?"

"Maybe later. I need to visit the Palazzo della Seta, try and gain an audience with Davis. Are you coming?" He asked, turning to me.

"No, I don't think I am. I'll stay here and help Leonardo install in his new workshop."

"As you wish, Ethan, but should you find yourself with free time or another Codex page, don't hesitate to visit. My door is always open."

"Actually Leonardo, we have two pages we need you to decode."

Ethan handed me the Codex pages and the seal and then hugged Leonardo.

"Thank you, my friend."

"It's nothing."

I watched as Ethan left and then we headed inside the workshop.

"I haven't been inside your workshop from Florence but I have a feeling this one is an exact copy of it."

"It is." He said chuckling.

"So, what do you need help with?"

"Well, until my bags arrive, with nothing. Alvis should come with them soon. Do you want some wine?"

I smiled.

"So you don't have your bags here but you have alcohol?"

"Hey, when I sent the letter confirming that I'm taking the job I specifically asked that they leave some wine for when I arrived."

"You are my kind of person. Of course I want some, you don't even have to ask!"

He chuckled and then took out from one of the drawers at his desk two glasses and came towards me. He filled the glasses and then handed me one.

"A toast, to a new friendship!"

"To a new friendship!" I repeated after him.

"So, tell me. How do you know Ethan?"

That wiped the smile on my face and I looked down.

"Helen...? Are you okay?"

I nodded and then started to tell him about everything that happened. How I met Felix, about my mother, how I played a part in Ethan's family death... the story all the way up to this point.

"Well, I can see Ethan's point of view. If Raymond is as dangerous as you say he is, then if you refused to do what he said you would have ended up in a grave eventually."

I nodded and took a sip of my wine. We kept drinking and talking about small stuff, losing track of time. A knock on the door surprised us.

I thought it was Ethan but Alvis walked in, followed by about five people who brought in Leonardo's bags, and another two who carried his giant bat.

"How come you haven't asked me about the story of how I met Ethan sooner?"

"I haven't thought about it up until now."

"I see... Need help with your bat?"

"Yes please."

"Where are you putting it?"

"Maybe there on the wall. We'll hang it up."

I nodded and then helped him put the invention up on the wall.

"Ethan should have been back by now, what do you think happened?" I asked.

"Maybe he's just visiting the city?"

"No, he would have come back and let me know where he was heading."

Leonardo looked at me for a second and then chuckled.

"What?"

"You really care about him, don't you?"

"How could I not?"

"I don't mean like a friend, Helen."

I gave him a death stare and he started laughing. "

Why do people start laughing after I give them a death stare? What's so funny about that?"

"The fact that it's more of a 'you're annoying me' stare rather than a 'I am going to kill you' one."

I scoffed and then looked around. I poured myself another glass of wine and took a sip.

"Seriously now, though. I can see you love him. Maybe you don't even know in which way you love him - maybe as a friend, maybe as something more -but even someone blind could see that."

"There's nothing going on between me and Ethan. Sure, he kissed me once, but that was it."

"HE DID WHAT?'" He almost jumped out of his chair.

"Woah, calm down! He did it to calm me down because I was mad and talking trash about myself."

"It still counts! Are you sure that's the only reason?"

"What other reason could he possibly have?"

"I can think of one." He winked.

"Look, there is nothing going on between me and Ethan, and there never will be, so just forget it."

"Why not?"

"Because I loved his brother and it won't be fair to him. It feels like I'm cheating on him."

"But Ethan told me you never actually dated."

"It still feels wrong."

"Don't you think Felix would have wanted you to be happy, no matter who the person you're building the happiness with is?"

"Even if I was in love with Ethan, nothing would change. He doesn't like me that way, he sees me like a sister, like family."

"'AHA! I knew it! You ARE in love with him!"

"You just said that, maybe I don't know the way I love him and now you're making assumptions? Where did you even get that idea?"

"You said, and I quote, 'even if I was in love with him'. That sounds like a confession to me."

"It was a 'what if' situation, I didn't say it was reality!"

Leonardo was getting on my nerves but something inside of me clicked and I couldn't help but wonder if he is actually right. Maybe I don't know what I'm feeling after all.

I heard a knock on the door and turned around to see who it was.

"Saved by the bell."

I gave Leonardo a real death stare this time and he seemed to regret over saying anything.

"Ethan! You're back. I thought maybe you forgot about your 'friend' over here."

"Seriously, shut up before I make you regret you were born."

He raised his arms up in surrender while taking a few steps back.

"Come on, I found us a place to stay."

We left Leonardo's workshop and headed towards the west part of Venice.

"What was that about?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it. Want to tell me where we're sleeping?"

"I went to check out Palazzo della Seta to see if there are any ways inside and I ran into the thief that stole my money. Her name is Rose and she got an arrow in the leg after she tried to climb the Palazzo. I helped her get back to the Thieves Guild and they offered us a place to stay."

"Always helping ladies in distress, aren't you?"

"You know me too well." He said between chuckles.

"I know you enough to know that you can't resist them."

"Somehow I resisted you." He said in a seductive voice.

I stopped in my tracks, remembering the conversation I just had with Leonardo. Could what he said be true?

"What's wrong?" He put a hand on my shoulder and looked at me.

"N- Nothing." I said while I forced my feet to move forward.

"Are you sure?" "

" You stopped at the door before entering and listened to what Leonardo and I talked about before you knocked. Real or not real?"

He sighed and looked down. "Real. What gave me away this time?"

"You didn't insist on getting to know what was bothering me, which means you already knew somehow. Why did you even bother to knock on the door? Why not just leave and go sleep? Hell, maybe go to Rose!"

"Because I got sick of listening to Leonardo pressing you about this. And what does Rose have to do with this?"

.

I scoffed and he sighed.

"Helen, listen... I am in-"

"Save it, I don't want to hear it. I just want to sleep."

He sighed again and ran ahead. I ran after him, trying not to lose him through the narrow streets of Venice.

I took a turn and didn't notice the group of guards coming my way. I ran into them and knocked one on the ground. The other three pulled out their swords and I sighed.

I took out my sword and went into first stance. I waited for the first guard to attack. He aimed for my side but I dodged and hit him with the sword at the back of his knees.

He fell and I put my sword through his chest.

I wanted to attack the second guard but it was harder because he was an agile. I decided to wait for him insead and get him with a counter. I put my sword back in its sheath and extended my hidden blades.

He seemed to hesitate at first but I knew he was just trying to make me think it would be an easy kill. When he attacked, I took a step forward and sliced his chest, then stabbed him in the neck to male sure he is really dead.

I didn't even notice Ethan fighting with the other two guards. Before he killed the last one, I saw two more groups coming our way. They ran towards me and one managed to cut my calf before I ran away.

We managed to outrun them for a bit but after a while I fell down to the ground because of the pain.

Ethan stopped and came to help me. He kneeled next to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Come on, Helen. We need to go."

I kept leaning back and forth.

"Go without me, I'll just slow you down. I'll distract them, just leave me behind. You don't need me."

He cupped my cheeks and then kissed me.

"Stay with me."

I looked at him and that's when I realized. Leonardo was indeed right.

I am in love with Ethan. How could I have been so blind?

"Always." I replied.

I got up and put my hand around his shoulder and we started running through narrow streets again in an attempt to lose them. When we finally didn't hear armour rattle behind us anymore we slowed down.

We reached the guild before midnight. Outside, next to a fountain, a man in dark clothing who was wearing a cape greeted us.

"Oliver! This is Helen. Helen, meet Oliver, the leader of the Thieves Guild in Venice."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Likewise, but please, call me Oliver, no need to be formal. I'm guessing you want to sleep?"

"Oh yes of course. I'm very tired from today."

"Do you want to share a room or do you want separate ones?"

"Separate, please." I answered before Ethan could and when I looked at him, I saw disappointment.

"Hey Frank! I need you to take Alessia and Ethan to their rooms."

"Can you please get a doctor to check on her wound as well?"

"I'll send Bianca to her right away."

A boy a little younger than me showed up and motioned for us to follow him up the stairs. I went inside my room and found some fresh clothes waiting on the bed.

A woman entered the room and greeted me and I lifted up my pants. She cleaned my wound and told me that I need at least 3 stitches. After she was done with closing the wound, she wrapped it so it wouldn't get infected.

She then left and I took off my Assassin robes and set them aside, making sure they are nicely folded.

I heard a knock on the door shortly after and I saw Ethan's head pop through.

"Don't you know you need to wait for me to say 'come in'? A few seconds earlier and you would have seen me naked."

"Damn, I'm always late."

I looked at him like he just digged his own grave and he apologized.

"I was only joking."

"Yeah sure."

"Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something..."

"About what?"

"Something important... You cut me off before we reached the guild and I didn't get to say it..."

He didn't say anything after that and instead just looked at me. "

Well? Be out with it, I told you I want to sleep."

He took a step towards me.

"I'm sure you can find some time for me."

He took another step. I backed away, putting more distance between us.

"And I'm sure that whatever it is you want to tell me can wait until tomorrow."

He took two steps this time and I took two steps back. I was almost pinned against the wall and I didn't like it, I felt cornered.

"No, it can not. I got you cornered now, what are you going to do?"

"What do you want, Ethan?"

"I want you."

I didn't even have time to respond because he leaned in and pressed his lips against mine.

It felt like I was frozen, I couldn't move. He pushed me against the wall and put one arm around my waist and the other pinned my left arm next to my head.

I pulled away and looked at him. I pushed him off me.

"What are you doing?"

"Making you pay for throwing water on me when you slept in my room."

"But that was a long time a-"

He kissed me again, this time more hungrily and passionately than before. I tried to push him off me again, but I failed, so I decided to kiss him back instead.

He pulled away, trying to catch his breath. I lowered his hood and saw the desire in his eyes.

"Fuck this." I said as I pushed myself off the wall and wrapped my hands around his neck, giving in to my lust, crashing my lips onto his.

I took him by surprise, because for a few seconds he had no reaction, but as soon as he realized what happened he wrapped his hands around my waist and lifted me up, still kissing me.

He lay me down on the bed and looked into my blue eyes, smiling.

"What happened to you wanting to sleep?"

"What happened to you not being interested?"

"I never said I wasn't. You just hadn't payed attention to the very obvious details. How come Leonardo noticed but you didn't?"

"Maybe I didn't want to notice because I was sure you couldn't be interested in someone like me."

"Please, you are the girl of my dreams."

"Not in my head."

"Has this proved you otherwise then?"

" I don't know, I might need some more convincing." I said in a playful tone.

He leaned down on me and kissed my lips first, then my neck and then focused on getting me out of my clothes.

This is going to be one hell of a night...

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