Instinct Assassins

A thick atmosphere surrounded Miguel’s palazzo, Acario’s soft cries echoed in the halls, sounding more mournful and pained at every moment. They were long and drawled, but Miguel had had enough and went to his room. It was still locked like it had been for most of the night. Cracking his knuckles, he managed to open the door and saw Acario huddled in a corner. A sly smile smeared across his face and he slinked over to him.

“Just like your mother, always trying to adjust and making a racket,” he said, ruffling his nephew’s head.

“This is how much pain every Instinct goes through with their first time? How do they survive it?” Acario asked in a shaky voice, trembling with pain.

“Not many of us survive, you’re a lucky one, from a strong lineage,” Miguel said, comforting him.

“What about the Auditore?”

“I don’t know what’s going on; I just hope not an execution.”

Aphrodite had raced to the palazzo, searching for both Miguel and Acario. What they both had heard was slightly unnerving. Giovanni and his sons were to be hung in public. She wouldn’t tell them where she heard it, but she would tell them when.

“Early morning, and hurry, they should be setting up by now!”

And they made no delay in getting to their destination. Acario was still adjusting to what had happened the night before, but he was able to keep up some distance. His Uncle had made his way onto the rooftops, and Acario in the streets, blending into the crowds. It wasn’t long before a considerable amount of people had come. Constantly looking to the rooftops, Acario was noticing the particular hand signs were given and codes.

Before long, the crowd was in an uproar as two people stepped out on the platform, one being the Gonfaloniere and the other, a dark hooded man, who watched the crowds carefully. Shrinking into it, his gaze was very disturbing to Acario’s making sure he didn’t give away any startling features as to what he was. Miguel spied him too, watching like a hawk spying prey until something white caught his attention. Ezio had come, and he wasn’t too happy about it, sending quick messages to Acario.

Understanding them, he tried to mauver his way to his side when the crowd was cheering, making him spin. Giovanni, Federico and Petruccio were being led out, the nooses around their necks. Now Acario had a reason to panic, his blood was racing to his heart, and he tried to push his way to Ezio, but he was being kept back. Miguel was also watching in horror, an ally being killed off.

“Alberti, you son of a bitch,” he growled, carefully noticing the fact Giovanni was cursing just as much as him.

Still pushing his way through, Acario shoved a few, getting the attention of the guards. They barged through and grabbed him, dragging him off, ignoring the protests when a single cry peeled from the crowd. The man beside Alberti snapped his attention to the direction of Ezio. He whispered something and Alberti’s voice was loud and commanding.

“Seize him! He’s one of them!” he called and the guards dropped Acario, making him land on the ground.

Groaning in pain, he staggered to his feet, watching the guards’ movements. Swinging around and turning his gaze to the roof, Acario noticed his Uncle had moved out if sight from archers. But now Acario was in the thick of the action and he wasn’t in a state of fighting, but he had to manage. Lowering himself, he rammed a Brute Guard from behind, making him stumble as Acario swung his arm and disarmed a few of the lower ranked guards. They tried to find the new target, but it was proving difficult, as Acario had found his speed again. Before long, Ezio came into sight, but something had jumped him and he fled.

‘Run Ezio, run now,’ Acario tried to tell him, before a guard came up from behind him and knocked him forward, making him crash to the ground.

“ALRIGHT ENOUGH!” bellowed a voice from above the crowd, Acario trying to turn to see it.

Miguel came forward and roared at the guards to back off.

“Clear off or all of you will be demoted before you can go home to cry about it!”

Sitting up, holding his head, feeling the wound from before tear at his mind in pain. Crouching down, Miguel hoisted Acario to his feet, holding him up for support.

“Urberto Alberti! What is the meaning of this? You dare call guards on my nephew?!”

“I didn’t know he was in the crowd, Miguel. Forgive my ignorance, I shall make it up to you Captain,” he said, bowing respectfully and began walking off the platform.

Ignoring his words, he lifted Acario onto his back and headed to the palazzo, careful of any suspicious people. The walk was long, as Acario kept nodding in and out of consciousness every few minutes, till he was awake when they arrived. The door opened, and the particular servant he had asked to watch Acario yelped with shock. Smiling, Acario waved slowly, going limp again. Her face was smeared with fear as she turned and faced Aphrodite, who panicked and raced towards Acario, lifting him off Miguel and holding him in her arms.

Caressing his head, she tried to calm herself. While Miguel walked off with the servant, relaying the situation.

“Templers, off all people, I was wondering why when Urberto was here he seemed sketchy. I guess you noticed too Messer,” she said, walking beside him, fixing her hair.

“And now when Acario is starting to grow into himself, He isn’t safe. We’ve been safe all this time, but I have a feeling Acario is going to blow it for us. We need to keep him inside, or nearby, so nobody suspects.”

“That will be hard, considering how close Acario is to the Auditore family. He’ll try to help Ezio no matter the cost. Unless we have some of the Assassins watch him as well? Who do you think he’d see first?”

“Paola, he'll see her first.”

“A courtesan, why her of all people, it doesn't seem right"

“The very same, She'll teach him what he needs to know.”

That night, Aphrodite had stayed with Acario, keeping her eyes on him. He was still in and out of being alive close to death. She didn’t want to leave him. She knew it wasn’t an injury, she knew it was something else. He’d mumble things, words from memories, past events, she wasn’t entirely sure. Her hands were wrapped around his, feeling for his slow and barely felt pulse. She wished she could do something, leaning on the bed, eyes tearing up.

It wasn’t long before Miguel walked in, noticing her and she had fallen asleep beside him. Giving a short laugh, he left quietly, not wanting to disturb the moment as Acario opened one eye, watching him leave as a small smile wiped across his face. He tried to move, but winced in pain again, before Aphrodite woke up, looking around, slightly out of place until she looked to Acario and kissed him.

“You’re such a moron, doing something like that. I could have lost you,” she said, pressing her forehead against his.

“I would never leave you, you know that,” he whispered back, his voice weak and uneasy.

Stroking his hair back, she kissed him again, long and deep. His eyes were dreary with exhaustion, as he tried to hold her against him but he smirked and let her come to him.

“I would put more effort into it, but I don’t think I can,” he said, a humorous tone in his voice.

“I understand amore mio,” she said, sliding beside him, cuddling him closely.