A game, or real life? (Ezio x reader)

Tumultuous years

A/N: So! Before you read, there's something you need to know: there were little to no records about Claudia's husband. Only that he dies somewhere around the time of the attack of Monteriggioni. So, I took the liberty to associate his death with the attack.

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Things went on much better after that revelation. Now that our children knew, we didn't need to hide anything from them. That night, Ezio sat next to us and told us everything he knew: the man who killed Mario was called Cesare Borgia. Having lived here with him for over 23 years, of course I had heard of that name. Head of the Papal guards. Son of Rodrigo Borgia, and it was even said that Cesare and his sister Lucrezia were rather close, in an intimate way seen only between the most passionate of lovers. The thought of that made me gag. Incest.

But what Ezio told me next made me freeze in surprise. Leonardo was with them? He was inventing for the Borgia? "Impossible." I shook my head. "He was loyal to the Auditores. He sheltered and worked for us for years. Never would he do anything like this willingly."

"I think so too." He nodded. "Perhaps, he could have been threatened with his life? I know the Borgia are more than capable of doing that to accomplish his goals."

"Sfortunatamente (Unfortunately)." I sighed out. How many more innocent people would the Borgia throw into this war?

"It is crucial for us to make sure that he is still on our side. The weapon that killed uncle Mario was one of his inventions." He shook his head, covering his face with his hands.

"Do we know where he is now?" I asked, but I was quick to receive the answer as Ezio shook his head. Merda (Shit)...

The following day, Ezio left early in the morning, to "make some friends". I realized soon enough, as he came barging in in an enraged frenzy, that he had gone to Madame Solari. From what I gathered, he hadn't liked the fact that Claudia wanted to take over La Rosa in Fiore after Madame Solari's sudden death. I tried reassuring him, that she knew what she was doing, but I was only making it worse. And that's when I decided to tell him something I knew he wasn't aware of: that Ruggiero, Claudia's husband, still hadn't appeared after the attack of Monteriggioni. That most likely, he was dead. That shut him up instantly. "Still. I will not accept the fact that my little sister is taking over a brothel." He told me before leaving the room. Ugh, why was he so damn stubborn?! I growled in frustration just as Aurora showed up from behind me. Fuck it. I told her to wake her brother up, before I went to grab my Hidden Blade and my sword. I was going to have them practice climbing.

The entire year of 1500 was a difficult one for our family, as we were mostly busy tending to the Brotherhood and diminishing the Borgia influence in the city to a minimum. However, it wasn't easy as plenty of Templar towers still remained intact, continuing its poisonous hold on the surrounding businesses and citizens. Things have been getting easier over time, of course, as we were no longer fighting alone. After destroying our first Templar tower, citizens began to stand up against their oppressors. Ezio even began recruiting people into the Assassin Order. So, throughout most of the year, I either sat behind a desk alongside Machiavelli, tending to new missions the recruits could go on, or I was out there, teaching the rookies how to climb like a true Assassin. Aurora and Leandro were of a great help in that aspect: only 14 years old, and already prolific climbers. They were as good as Ezio was when he first became an Assassin: strong, agile, fast, and careless. But, seen as they got most of their personality traits from their father, they were also fast learners. And so, it was with a heavy heart that on their 14th birthday, October 3rd, 1500, I sent them on their first mission. Though it was a small one – a recon mission in Venezia – I didn't let them go on their own. Instead, I asked a higher-ranking recruit to accompany them should anything go wrong – a Discepolo (Disciple).