In the end Ezio did not take him to La Volpe Addormentata. He wanted to establish some things before he let the young thief meet his hero.
For his part, the thief - who gave his name as Ciro Cavallari - did not care where he was. He was happy to sit and drink wine at Ezio's expense. He believed all of the most ridiculous myths about the old fox - who, in person, was quite ordinary! Ezio drank his wine and propped his chin on his hand, listening to Ciro rattle off the usual "facts".
La Volpe could steal anything from anyone, and see through walls. La Volpe robbed the Pope in the Papal carriage, in broad daylight, and nobody noticed. La Volpe was immortal. La Volpe could run and climb forever without tiring.
I can do that, thought Ezio. The inn was warm, and Cavallari had unlaced the collar of his shirt, showing a hint of the sparse hair on his chest. The skin over the young thief's collarbone was damp. It would taste salty.
"La Volpe can climb to the roof of the Palazzo Medici," said Ciro Cavallari. "It is said he was there, and on top of the Palazzo della Signoria, and on top of -"
On top of your mother, thought Ezio, but kept that to himself. "I know, I know,” he said instead. “The Basilica at Santa Croce. All at the same time. Think about what you're saying - no man can be in three places at once! It was probably just on the same night."
"Have you climbed the Medici palace?" Cavallari's brown eyes narrowed as he smiled. His sleeves were rolled up over his elbows, showing wiry brown arms and strong hands. He was a little on the skinny side, but his back was straight, his shoulders square. And that smirk. No wonder the guards had wanted to smack him about. Ezio would not be surprised if he could start a fight just by looking at a man, with that insolent expression on his face. He needed to be slammed against a wall and kissed. Among other things.
"Well -" Ezio swallowed a mouthful of wine. "I've been on the roof. Yes."
"You climbed from the outside?"
"...No."
"Then how did you get up there?"
"There are - certain chambers on the third floor on the eastern side. It doesn't matter. I can climb anything La Volpe can."
The thought of exactly how the old fox had got on top of the Palazzo Medici had never occurred to Ezio before. Lorenzo had never mentioned him. But then, Lorenzo had never mentioned lots of things.
"I don't know about that," Cavallari said, draining his mug. He signalled for more wine. "La Volpe is said to have the agility of a young man in his prime."
Ezio had had enough. He stood up.
"Il Colosseo," he said.
"What about it?"
"We race to the top."
Cavallari laughed. "If you want. How much have you had to drink, Auditore?"
Cheeky brat.
Ciro Cavallari really needed to be taught a lesson.
Fill: Assassin and Thief [2/6]
For his part, the thief - who gave his name as Ciro Cavallari - did not care where he was. He was happy to sit and drink wine at Ezio's expense. He believed all of the most ridiculous myths about the old fox - who, in person, was quite ordinary! Ezio drank his wine and propped his chin on his hand, listening to Ciro rattle off the usual "facts".
La Volpe could steal anything from anyone, and see through walls. La Volpe robbed the Pope in the Papal carriage, in broad daylight, and nobody noticed. La Volpe was immortal. La Volpe could run and climb forever without tiring.
I can do that, thought Ezio. The inn was warm, and Cavallari had unlaced the collar of his shirt, showing a hint of the sparse hair on his chest. The skin over the young thief's collarbone was damp. It would taste salty.
"La Volpe can climb to the roof of the Palazzo Medici," said Ciro Cavallari. "It is said he was there, and on top of the Palazzo della Signoria, and on top of -"
On top of your mother, thought Ezio, but kept that to himself. "I know, I know,” he said instead. “The Basilica at Santa Croce. All at the same time. Think about what you're saying - no man can be in three places at once! It was probably just on the same night."
"Have you climbed the Medici palace?" Cavallari's brown eyes narrowed as he smiled. His sleeves were rolled up over his elbows, showing wiry brown arms and strong hands. He was a little on the skinny side, but his back was straight, his shoulders square. And that smirk. No wonder the guards had wanted to smack him about. Ezio would not be surprised if he could start a fight just by looking at a man, with that insolent expression on his face. He needed to be slammed against a wall and kissed. Among other things.
"Well -" Ezio swallowed a mouthful of wine. "I've been on the roof. Yes."
"You climbed from the outside?"
"...No."
"Then how did you get up there?"
"There are - certain chambers on the third floor on the eastern side. It doesn't matter. I can climb anything La Volpe can."
The thought of exactly how the old fox had got on top of the Palazzo Medici had never occurred to Ezio before. Lorenzo had never mentioned him. But then, Lorenzo had never mentioned lots of things.
"I don't know about that," Cavallari said, draining his mug. He signalled for more wine. "La Volpe is said to have the agility of a young man in his prime."
Ezio had had enough. He stood up.
"Il Colosseo," he said.
"What about it?"
"We race to the top."
Cavallari laughed. "If you want. How much have you had to drink, Auditore?"
Cheeky brat.
Ciro Cavallari really needed to be taught a lesson.