Rather than send a notice to Lorenzo and risk discovery, Leonardo left the shop in the hands of his apprentices, locking the door to his office behind him and leaving a note for Ezio in case he should wake. He knew his apprentices would not easily bow down to the guards, if they should come knocking. They would keep Ezio safe in place of him, and he could (hopefully) get a chance to talk to Lorenzo and get a message to Mario.
It turned out Lorenzo was expecting him, which made things much easier. Leonardo saw the reason why when he entered the office; perched on the window was La Volpe, an apple in his hand. "I take it you found our wayward eaglet?"
"How did you know?"
"La Volpe has eyes and ears all over the city. Do not be surprised, child," La Volpe said with a shrug. Ignoring him for the moment, Leonardo switched his attention to Lorenzo.
"It is as he says, Altezza. But Ezio is hardly fit for a fight against the Pazzi. When I asked him where he had been these past days, he said he could not recall, he only remembered he was not well."
Lorenzo's lips pursed. "Where is he now?"
"Sleeping at my office. I've given my apprentices instructions to refuse any and all guards, and if they must speak with them do not allow them inside the house."
The regal man nodded. "I will change the guard shifts if I can, and order them to leave your home alone. But my will cannot stay them for long, Leonardo. You must get Ezio back on his feet, and soon."
"Forgive me for the assumptions sire, but I considered the possibility that he could stay with me until he gets back on his feet, and then he could possibly go stay with his uncle for a time to be trained. However, I dare not risk contacting him for fear of the letter being intercepted. You said he and Giovanni had an encryption system that Giovanni showed you -- could you use that to pass the idea on?"
The man's lightened gaze showed his acceptance. "Consider it done. I will send the letter tonight."
La Volpe spoke up. "I've nothing else to do tonight - if you want, I can have the letter run through our passageways until it reaches Mario himself. That way no one need know a letter was ever even sent."
"Even better. Amazing how you make yourself known in the most subtle of ways, fox."
La Volpe's smile to Lorenzo was all teeth. "I try, princeling."
Leonardo ignored the bickering of the two in front of him in favor of a sigh. A plan had been made -- now to get Ezio back on his feet and out of town before the Pazzi found his scent.
-------
Unfortunately, Leonardo had not considered that Ezio might have been followed. When he returned, a regiment of guards was in the process of storming his studio, and most if not all of his apprentices were dead. The shock of seeing such madness was quickly thrown aside when he saw one of the guards hauling Ezio off by his hair.
Leonardo had grown up an orphan, and knew how to fight. He did not like showing his violent side however, and so he kept it hidden. However, the sight of his apprentices dead, his home being ransacked and the boy he had promised to protect being dragged off to be hung -- it ignited his blood like nothing else. When he rolled up his sleeves and hung his hat on a nearby branch, picking up a sword from where it was buried in one of his apprentices bodies, he knew exactly what he was doing. He gave a sharp whistle to get their attention, and then went to work.
The guards were poorly trained, their speed pathetic. Despite the fact that Leonardo had not picked up a blade since meeting his master so many years ago, he was still better than the guards, ducking and sidestepping them with ease and sliding his blade home between the cracks in their armor. He was a pacifist, but right now he was also a protector and he needed to keep Ezio close. He didn't worry about the guards in the studio, instead going straight for the one holding his charge.
The blade went into the man's back with a whisper, the man coughing up blood as he dropped Ezio, the boy tucking himself behind Leonardo, eyes wide. Leonardo imagined he looked quite the demon, but couldn't quite bring himself to care. "Ezio, search the bodies, one of them may have your blade. And here," he reached down and tossed him a sword from the guard he had killed. "Defend yourself."
Ezio nodded and rushed back towards the studio, his sword clanging against the guard's. Leonardo followed, never running, merely swiftly walking, blade pointed at the ground half an instant before he shoved it in a man's throat, the blood licking his face.
The fight ended far later than Leonardo would have liked, but fortunately no more guards were roused. Ezio's blade was still on the desk, the men apparently having overlooked it in favor of the criminal in his bed. Leonardo collected his hat and piled the bodies out in the streets, burning them as he and Ezio collected a few minor items of importance. Before the night was over, both of them had vanished, traveling by horse towards Monteriggioni. Lorenzo had promised to hold down the fort until Ezio returned in two weeks time to pick up where his father had left off.
As they rode, Leonardo couldn't help but glance over at Ezio once in a while, unsure of what he saw. Every now and again, Ezio would look to him from the corner of his eye, some strange expression burning in his gaze. At first Leonardo dismissed it, thinking it only gratitude. Yet as the night went on and they rode further out, he began to realize that it wasn't gratitude, but strength. Ezio was no longer afraid, it seemed, but ready to do what was necessary.
If Leonardo had known at the time what and where that strength and fearlessness would bring them, he might have reconsidered his emotions on the subject.
FILL: The Lost Eaglet 4/?
It turned out Lorenzo was expecting him, which made things much easier. Leonardo saw the reason why when he entered the office; perched on the window was La Volpe, an apple in his hand. "I take it you found our wayward eaglet?"
"How did you know?"
"La Volpe has eyes and ears all over the city. Do not be surprised, child," La Volpe said with a shrug. Ignoring him for the moment, Leonardo switched his attention to Lorenzo.
"It is as he says, Altezza. But Ezio is hardly fit for a fight against the Pazzi. When I asked him where he had been these past days, he said he could not recall, he only remembered he was not well."
Lorenzo's lips pursed. "Where is he now?"
"Sleeping at my office. I've given my apprentices instructions to refuse any and all guards, and if they must speak with them do not allow them inside the house."
The regal man nodded. "I will change the guard shifts if I can, and order them to leave your home alone. But my will cannot stay them for long, Leonardo. You must get Ezio back on his feet, and soon."
"Forgive me for the assumptions sire, but I considered the possibility that he could stay with me until he gets back on his feet, and then he could possibly go stay with his uncle for a time to be trained. However, I dare not risk contacting him for fear of the letter being intercepted. You said he and Giovanni had an encryption system that Giovanni showed you -- could you use that to pass the idea on?"
The man's lightened gaze showed his acceptance. "Consider it done. I will send the letter tonight."
La Volpe spoke up. "I've nothing else to do tonight - if you want, I can have the letter run through our passageways until it reaches Mario himself. That way no one need know a letter was ever even sent."
"Even better. Amazing how you make yourself known in the most subtle of ways, fox."
La Volpe's smile to Lorenzo was all teeth. "I try, princeling."
Leonardo ignored the bickering of the two in front of him in favor of a sigh. A plan had been made -- now to get Ezio back on his feet and out of town before the Pazzi found his scent.
-------
Unfortunately, Leonardo had not considered that Ezio might have been followed. When he returned, a regiment of guards was in the process of storming his studio, and most if not all of his apprentices were dead. The shock of seeing such madness was quickly thrown aside when he saw one of the guards hauling Ezio off by his hair.
Leonardo had grown up an orphan, and knew how to fight. He did not like showing his violent side however, and so he kept it hidden. However, the sight of his apprentices dead, his home being ransacked and the boy he had promised to protect being dragged off to be hung -- it ignited his blood like nothing else. When he rolled up his sleeves and hung his hat on a nearby branch, picking up a sword from where it was buried in one of his apprentices bodies, he knew exactly what he was doing. He gave a sharp whistle to get their attention, and then went to work.
The guards were poorly trained, their speed pathetic. Despite the fact that Leonardo had not picked up a blade since meeting his master so many years ago, he was still better than the guards, ducking and sidestepping them with ease and sliding his blade home between the cracks in their armor. He was a pacifist, but right now he was also a protector and he needed to keep Ezio close. He didn't worry about the guards in the studio, instead going straight for the one holding his charge.
The blade went into the man's back with a whisper, the man coughing up blood as he dropped Ezio, the boy tucking himself behind Leonardo, eyes wide. Leonardo imagined he looked quite the demon, but couldn't quite bring himself to care. "Ezio, search the bodies, one of them may have your blade. And here," he reached down and tossed him a sword from the guard he had killed. "Defend yourself."
Ezio nodded and rushed back towards the studio, his sword clanging against the guard's. Leonardo followed, never running, merely swiftly walking, blade pointed at the ground half an instant before he shoved it in a man's throat, the blood licking his face.
The fight ended far later than Leonardo would have liked, but fortunately no more guards were roused. Ezio's blade was still on the desk, the men apparently having overlooked it in favor of the criminal in his bed. Leonardo collected his hat and piled the bodies out in the streets, burning them as he and Ezio collected a few minor items of importance. Before the night was over, both of them had vanished, traveling by horse towards Monteriggioni. Lorenzo had promised to hold down the fort until Ezio returned in two weeks time to pick up where his father had left off.
As they rode, Leonardo couldn't help but glance over at Ezio once in a while, unsure of what he saw. Every now and again, Ezio would look to him from the corner of his eye, some strange expression burning in his gaze. At first Leonardo dismissed it, thinking it only gratitude. Yet as the night went on and they rode further out, he began to realize that it wasn't gratitude, but strength. Ezio was no longer afraid, it seemed, but ready to do what was necessary.
If Leonardo had known at the time what and where that strength and fearlessness would bring them, he might have reconsidered his emotions on the subject.