'I know what is best for the people of Italy, not a bunch of old men who wasted their energy fighting to get to the top years ago.'
'Your mistakes are worse than theirs.'
'I do not make mistakes. I am the Enlightened One!'
'Enlightenment comes through years of thought, not through blind conviction.'
'Ezio Auditore-your time has come!'
Cesare drew his sword and swung an unexpected, cowardly blow at Ezio with it, but Ezio was just quick enough to parry, carry through, and, catching Cesare off balance, seize his wrist and wrench the sword from his grip. It clattered to the flagstones.
They were on the edge of the battlements. Far below, Navarrese troops were beginning to celebrate. But there was no looting, for they had regained a town that was their own.
Cesare went for his dagger, but Ezio slashed at his opponent's wrist with his sword, cutting into it and disabling it. Cesare staggered back.
'The throne was mine!' he said, like a child who has lost a toy.
'Wanting something does not give you the right to have it.'
'What do you know? Have you never wanted something that much?'
'A true leader empowers the people he rules.'
'I can still lead mankind into a new world!'
Ezio saw that Cesare was standing inches from the edge. 'May your name be blotted out,' he said, raising his sword. 'Requiescat in pace.'
'You cannot kill me! No man can murder me!'
'Then I will leave you in the hands of Fate,' replied Ezio.
Dropping his sword, Ezio seized Cesare Borgia and threw him off the battlements, to plunge down to the cobblestones one hundred feet below.
SIXTY-SIX
It was Midsummer Day again-Ezio's forty-eighth birthday. Ezio, Machiavelli, and Leonardo were gathered in the newly refurbished Tiber Island headquarters, now a proud building for all to see.
'Very small birthday party,' commented Leonardo. 'Now, if you had let me design something for you, a real pageant…'
'Save that for two years' time.' Ezio smiled. 'But we have invited you for another reason.'
'Which is…?' asked Leonardo, full of curiosity.
Machiavelli, easing a slightly crooked, but fully healed, shoulder, said, 'Leo, we want to extend an invitation to you.'
'Another one?'
'We want you to join us,' said Ezio solemnly. 'To become a fellow member of the Brotherhood of the Assassins.'
Leonardo smiled gravely. 'So-my bombs were a success!' He was silent for a moment, then said, 'Gentlemen, I thank you, and you know that I respect your goals and will support them as long as I live; and the secrets of the Assassins I will never disclose to anyone.' He paused. 'But I tread a different path, and it is a solitary one. So forgive me.'
'Your support is almost as valuable as your becoming one of us. But can't we persuade you, old friend?'
'No, Ezio. Besides, I am leaving.'
'Leaving? Where are you going?'
'I shall return to Milan, and then I am going to Amboise.'
'To France?'
'They say it is a noble country. It is there I choose to end my days.'
Ezio spread his hands. 'Then we must let you go, old friend.' He paused. 'This, then, is a parting of the ways.'
'How so?' asked Leonardo.
'I am returning to Florence,' replied Machiavelli. 'My work there is far from done.' He winked at Ezio. 'And I still have that book to write.'
'What will you call it?'
Machiavelli looked levelly at Ezio. 'The Prince,' he replied.
'Send Claudia back to me.'
'I will. She misses Rome, and you know she'll support you as long as you continue your work as Mentor of the Brotherhood.'
Machiavelli glanced at the water clock.
'It is time.'
The three men rose as one and embraced each other solemnly.
'Goodbye.'
'Goodbye.'
'Goodbye.'
LIST OF CHARACTERS
Mario Auditore: Ezio's uncle and head of the Brotherhood of the Assassins Ezio Auditore: Assassin Maria Auditore: Ezio's mother Claudia Auditore: Ezio's sister Angelina Ceresa: friend of Claudia's Federico: Mario's stable-master Annetta: Auditore family housekeeper Paola: sister of Annetta Ruggiero: master sergeant in Mario Auditore's guards
Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli: Assassin, philosopher and writer, 1469-1527 Leonardo da Vinci: artist, scientist, sculptor, etc., 1452-1519 Antonio: Assassin Paola: Assassin Fabio Orsini: Assassin Bartolomeo d'Alviano: Italian Captain and Assassin, 1455-1515 Pantasilea Baglioni: Bartolomeo's wife Baldassare Castiglione: Associate Assassin Pietro Bembo: Associate Assassin Teodora: Assassin
Gilberto the Fox, la Volpe: Assassin and head of the Thieves' Guild Benito: member of the Thieves' Guild Trimalchio: member of the Thieves' Guild Claudio: thief and son of Trimalchio Paganino: thief at the sacking of Monteriggioni
Madonna Solari: brothel keeper and Assassin accomplice Agnella: prostitute from the Rosa in Fiore Lucia: prostitute from the Rosa in Fiore Saraghina: prostitute from the Rosa in Fiore Margherita deghli Campi: Roman aristocrat and Assassin sympathizer Jacopo: sailor Camilla: Naples prostitute Filin: ship's captain Captain Alberto: captain of the Marea di Alba Acosta: Valencian doctor Count of Lerin: Spanish count, 1430-1508 Caterina Sforza: the Countess of Forli, daughter of Galeazzo, 1463-1509 Lorenzo de' Medici, 'Lorenzo the Magnificent': Italian statesman, 1449-92 Piero Soderini: governor of Florence, 1450-1522 Amerigo Vespucci: friend and advisor to Soderini, 1454-1512
Rodrigo Borgia: Pope Alexander VI, 1451-1503 Cesare Borgia: son of Rodrigo, 1476-1507 Lucrezia Borgia: daughter of Rodrigo, 1480-1519 Vannozza Cattanei: mother of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia, 1442-1518 Giulia Farnese: Rodrigo's mistress, 1474-1524 Princesse Charlotte d'Albret: wife of Cesare, 1480-1514 Juan Borgia: Archbishop of Monreale and Cesare's banker, 1476-97 General Duc Octavien de Valois: French general and Borgia ally Michelotto da Corella: Cesare's right-hand man Luca: Michelotto's diehard Agostino Chigi: Pope Alexander's banker, 1466-1520 Luigi Torcelli: Cesare's banker's agent Toffana: Lucrezia's servant Gaspar Torella: Cesare's
