Under a Crimson Sky (Emperor_Nero and Frogger)

[Frogger]

Annia Galeria Aurelia Faustina​

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Fire burned in the girl's lungs, all throughout her chest...joining with the fierce pounding of her heart, and making everything hurt. Underneath the hood she glanced back, gauging the distance between the pursuers and herself. It was increasing by the minute... the fact causing pride flare up. A few curious... terrified glances were thrown in her direction, but that didn't really matter. If she was caught, who knows what will be her punishment... especially given how she has no family to speak of, no one to vouch and speak up in her defense. In other words... if caught, end of the line. Knives of panic slicing deep, going underneath to poison her blood...but she pulled out each individual blade before it could do too much damage and made her lose focus.

Besides, it's not as though I will be caught... An infinitely small smile forming, the hooded figure rushed ever faster, jumping around obstacles that stood within her path. Out of the girl's peripheral vision... she could have sworn she catch sight of a white cloak, darting from rooftop to rooftop... but that could not be right. It must be a figment of my imagination...an overactive figment. A strange feeling filling her chest... a feeling that it wasn't her imagination, but truth... she glanced about...looking for an opportunity to slip out of sight, and into the darkness... when a solid, firm arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, and pulled her into a dark alley. Her back met a wall of muscle, and a hand clamped down over her mouth, while she struggled against the man's hold.

Six men stormed past their hiding place, none the wiser. Realizing this, the girl calmed...her breathing a little labored from her exertion, but not too bad. Her heart growing suspicious, however, she jerked out of his hold...and light glinted off a sharp, deadly edge of her blade.

Annia never, in a million lifetimes, would have guessed the drastic turn her life took from that moment on. The man turned out to be an Assassin by the name Ezio. For unknown reasons, he was in Rome... and upon seeing what she is capable of, interested in inducting her into the society called... the Brotherhood. It was certainly an interesting opportunity, better than any she was offered thus far... and so, she accepted. In the beautiful city of Florence -or Firenze, as the Italians call it-, awaits the next step in her journey.

The architecture was breath-taking. Her eyes taking in the sights from underneath the cloak, Annia waited at the location indicated in the note she received, keeping to the shadows and away from prying eyes. The black cloak was a familiar weight, comforting and soothing... a weight that will probably never leave her shoulders. Numerous people were about, laughing, gesturing, and carrying on in their thick, richly accented voices... making her wonder how long it will be before she, too, starts talking with such an accent. Gongs rang through the air...indicating it was already four in the afternoon. Patience... he...or she, will be here... Her fingers playing along the handle of her blade, she kept an eye out, looking for anyone...well, much like herself.

 

[Emperor_Nero]

Nero Arcavian knelt on one of the rooftops overseeing the Duomo and the surrounding square, watching silently, eyes seeking out the student that was being sent to him from Roma. His dark hair was tied loosely back in a ponytail, concealed within the peaked crimson hood, matching the cloak that symbolized his rights and responsibilities as Master Assassin in this region. A few strands had fallen loose to dangle in front of his pale face, his dark eyes watching calmly. The red cloak camouflaged surprisingly well with the orange shingles of the buildings.

Nero had served the Brotherhood for the last ten years, since he was fifteen. Now twenty-five, he was an instrumental player in keeping the Templars from grasping hold of Firenze and the resources she possessed. Careful, surgical assassinations, destruction of certain warehouses, surveillance of communications with government officials. This city was the birthplace of Ezio Auditore, leader of the Brotherhood, and it would forever stay out of the hands of the Templars, as long as Nero still drew breath.

There. The black cloak and hood, face upturned and watching the crowd. In an instant, he scaled his way down the building, lithe muscles flexing and straining, melding into the crowd and slowly making his way over to her. He stepped into the space beside her without her noticing before turning to her and lightly taking her arm, walking her calmly to a stone bench where their backs would be against a wall. He waited for the feeling of her resisting his guidance, then giving in. Any one who might be posing as his student wouldn't give in, would be tense and would react violently. But she should know the color he was wearing, and what it would mean.

"Annia Galeria Aurelia Faustina." he said softly, his voice a blend of many accents, Italian, French, British, some Middle Eastern even. "I am Master Assassin Arcavian of Firenze. Before I take you to the stronghold, I need to confirm that you are who you say you are. Show me your mark." He said, his voice quiet but mildly threatening. The "mark" was the scar of a burned finger that any Assassin carried. No one outside of their close Brotherhood knew about the marks.

 

[Frogger]

Surprise gave way to anger soon enough, while usually fear or something on equal footing would replace the first initial reaction of being manhandled by a complete stranger. Annia did not cease resisting, not until they reached a stone bench...and not even then. It was tempting to bring out her weapon, to make the man unhand her...however, the crimson hood was a clear indicator as to who this man was...though that was no excuse for his behavior. "Unhand me at once!" the girl hissed under her breath, as to not draw attention onto themselves. The words were delivered in a thick, sultry accent, the voice very much like music... if it was not for the anger simmering underneath.

Dark brown eyes glittered from within the cloak's shadowy grip. Nothing else could be said about Annia's features, however much could be said in general. At nineteen, the girl was not like other girls, having plentiful curves and all the qualities a man finds...well, attractive in a woman. Instead, Annia is slender, from head to toe. Arm jerking out of his grasp, she glared at him outright, not fazed in the least by his position... or hers. "A pleasure to meet you, Master Assassin Arcavian of Firenze. You already know my name, and so I will not introduce myself, as is custom."

Annia brought her cloak about her, hiding what could be seen...and what couldn’t. It was unnerving, being amongst so many other people...being in their line of view, even if she is concealed underneath the familiar weight. The threat lurking within the man’s words did not faze the girl in the slightest, for she’s heard many threats in the past… none of which had scared her. “Here is my mark…” After another quick glance about, making sure no one was watching...she lifted her right hand, extending a finger. Of course the ‘Master Assassin Arcavian of Firenze’ had to take such precautions, but honestly...it was quite frustrating, having to prove herself over and over again...especially seeing as how she was taken under the great Ezio’s wing, and introduced to the Brotherhood through him.

The "mark" was the scar of a burned finger...which so happened to be Annia's index finger. Luckily the scar wasn't too noticeable, otherwise it would bring countless questions from anyone and everyone she encounters. "Now that you have proof that I am who I claim...what are your plans for what comes next?" Her dark brown eyes narrow and intent on what little she could see of his face, she shifted back until there was a reasonable amount of distance between them, hands folded in her lap.

 

[Emperor_Nero]

Nero only smirked slightly at the angry tone of her voice. "Hmm. Anger. Passion. Impulsive." he muttered softly, guaging who she was by her intial reactions. "Yet still cautious, interesting." he mused softly as she produced her mark. "I'm glad to see you are who you say you are. I'll require no more proof from you now. Should I ever need to verify that you are not being replaced by an imposter, I shall ask you for a word. Your word is raven, for that is what you remind me of." he said simply. "It's not often I'll need you to prove yourself to me, but... Remember your word, and tell it to no one." he instructed, and then smiled at her slightly, all but that crooked, self-assured smirk hidden by the cowl of his cloak.

"My plans? Well, we must give you rooms at the Casa di Ombre. Then we'll see how you are with various weapons." he said. "So, try to keep up." He said with a small laugh, and suddenly darted away, much faster than you might expect, leaping gracefully up a stack of crates and onto the roof, sprinting across the shingles and jumping frombuilding to building, headed away from the Duomo and into the city. He deftly avoided the guards, hiding briefly behind chimneys until guards turned away and ignored his presence. He liked to avoid killing guards, as, after all, they were only doing their job, as he was doing his. They didn't deserve to die because they slowed him down. Not today, anyway. Perhaps if he were in a worse mood.

After a bit of a ways, he jumped from the rooftop down to a porch, then to an awning, then to the street, jogging through the crowd to a small, nondescript building. Fishing a ke from his pouch, he unlocked the door, pausing with a glance behind him to locate his follower. "Welcome to the Casa di Ombre." he said with a small flourish and a bit of a smile. "Come inside." he invited her, and held the door for her.

Inside was a common room, with a bar, like in an inn, with a few figures seated at tables talking over plans and details and papers. On the far side of the room, there was a stairway, which led up to more floors, and the walls were made of a dark wood. A polished wood floor gleamed in the candle-lit room, though a few windows were opened to the street.

 

[Frogger]

Annia's dark brown eyes narrowed further, the anger slowly rising from a simmer to a boil. The cowl of her cloak hid the majority of her face, yet those molten chocolate depths could be seen...and felt. Raven? In what way...do I remind you of a raven? It was quite a difficult task, restraining her growing anger... yet she managed it, one way or another. At the sight of Master Assassin Arcavian's crooked, self-assured smirk... something shifted inside the girl's chest...what, exactly, she had no idea. It was a strange sensation... one that before today, she has never experienced before...and quite honestly, she wasn't certain if she liked it or not. After clearing her throat, she sent a wary glance his way... debating what to say next, or what to think, for that matter.

"The Casa di Ombre..." Annia murmured under her breath, only to blink at his next words. 'Try to keep up? I do not need to try...I simply do. Her fingers curling into fists within the shadowy embrace of the cloak, she was not altogether surprised to see him suddenly dart away, leaping gracefully up crates and onto the roof. It was but a heartbeat later that she was right behind him, sprinting across the shingles and jumping from building to building. After several hours of public transportation...being stuck within walls, not being able to taste the air on her tongue...it was quite invigorating to do so now. The girl followed his methods of avoiding the guards, mostly keeping to the shadows...for it was better not to draw attention by killing innocent men.

It was not long until they were jumping from the rooftop onto a porch, and from there to an awning...and then to the street, jogging through the crowd to a small building. It was nondescriptive, having nothing to catch a person's eye, or their attention...the perfect place for two Assassins to stay. Annia met the glance with a nod of her head, almost returning his smile with one of her own...but thinking better of it. Keeping her head down, the girl slipped into the Casa di Ombre... only lifting it when she was inside, and quickly glancing about for any sign of danger...or anything worth suspicion.

After a quick survey of the room, Annia strode forward...her black cloak flowing out behind her like a raven's wing, her features remaining hidden even then. Of course little hints of her body can be seen here and there... such as a subtle curve, or a long, toned leg...but other than that, nothing. "I need a room, please," she told the man behind the counter, presenting him with gold. "How much?"