There was fierce fighting on the ramparts, but already hundreds of Navarrese soldiers had got down into the town itself, and the Spanish trumpets were sounding the retreat into the citadel at the centre of Viana. The town seemed as good as retaken.
Cesare would be triumphant, and his wealthy brother-in-law would doubtless reward him richly. Ezio would not allow that to happen.
Running along the high wall, Ezio ducked and dived among the fighting soldiers as the Navarrese cut down the Spanish troops who had been left behind in the retreat. Ezio located Cesare, cutting his way through enemy troops as a child uses a stick to smash through tall grass. Cesare was impatient to take the citadel and, once clear of the men who attempted to block his way, he sped down a stairway on the inner wall and through the town, with Ezio seconds behind him.
Ahead of them, the citadel had already opened its doors. All the fight had gone out of the Spanish, and the Count of Lerin was ready to parlay. But Cesare was not a merciful man.
‘Kill them! Kill them all!’ he shouted to his troops. With superhuman speed, he ran into the citadel and up the narrow stone staircases within it, cutting down anyone who got in his way.
Ezio kept pace with him until they reached the topmost battlements of the citadel, where Cesare stood alone, cutting down the flagpole bearing the Spanish flag. When he turned there was but one way out, and there stood Ezio, blocking it.
‘There is nowhere for you to run, Cesare,’ said Ezio. ‘It is time to pay your debts.’
‘Come on then, Ezio!’ snarled Cesare. ‘You brought down my family. Let’s see how you settle your debts.’
Such was their impatient fury, they closed on each other immediately, man to man, using only their fists as weapons.
Cesare got the first blow in, his right fist swinging wildly at Ezio’s head. Ezio ducked under the punch, but a fraction too late, so that Cesare’s knuckles glanced off the Assassin’s temple. Ezio staggered, giving Cesare cause to cry out in triumph: ‘No matter what you do, I will conquer all, but first I will kill you and everyone you hold dear. As for me, I cannot die. Fortuna will not fail me!’
‘Your hour is come, Cesare,’ Ezio replied. Recovering his composure and stepping back, he drew his sword.
Cesare loosed his own blade in response and the two men began to fight in earnest. Ezio swung his blade viciously towards his foe’s head, the blade sweeping a lethal flat arc through the air. Cesare was shocked by the speed of the attack, but managed to raise his own blade in a clumsy parry, his arm shuddering with the impact. Ezio’s sword bounced away and Cesare thrust with his own attack, his balance and focus regained. The men circled on the parapet, flicking the tips of their swords in a swift burst of swordplay. Ezio stepped quickly forward, leading Cesare’s blade off to the right, then twisting his wrist and aiming the point of his sword towards Cesare’s exposed left flank. Cesare was too quick, though, and slapped Ezio’s sword aside. Then he used the opening to flick his blade at Ezio, who responded by raising his wrist and using the Bracer to deflect the blow. Both men stepped back, wary once again. Cesare’s skill as a swordsman had clearly not been hampered by the New Disease.
‘Pah, old man. Your generation is finished. It is my turn now, and I will not wait any longer. Your antiquated systems, your rules and hierarchies – all of them must go.’
Both men were tiring, and they confronted each other, panting.
Ezio replied, ‘Your new regime will bring tyranny and misery to all.’
‘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 slashed with his sword, striking an unexpected and cowardly blow, 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, sending it clattering to the flagstones.
They were on the edge of the battlements, and, far below, Navarrese troops were beginning to celebrate. There was no looting, though, for they had regained a town which was their own.
Cesare went for his dagger, but Ezio slashed at his opponent’s wrist with his sword, cutting into the tendons so that it hung limply, disabled. Cesare staggered back and his face grimaced with pain and anger.
‘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.’
Seeing that Cesare was standing inches from the edge, Ezio raised his sword: ‘May your name be blotted out. 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, with a single deft movement, threw him off the battlements. He plunged onto the cobblestones a hundred feet below, but Ezio did not look down – the weight of his long fight against the Borgia was lifted from his heart.
66
It was Midsummer’s Day again – Ezio’s forty-eighth birthday. Ezio, Machiavelli and Leonardo were gathered in the newly refurbished Tiber Island headquarters, which was now a proud building for all to see.
‘It’s a 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,’ smiled Ezio. ‘We have invited you for another reason.’
‘Which is?’ asked Leonardo, full of curiosity.
Machiavelli, sporting 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 for as long as I live. I will never disclose the secrets of the Assassins 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, and 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.’
Author’s Note
Most of the translations from foreign languages in the text are my own, but for the quotations from Machiavelli’s The Prince and Virgil’s Eclogues (thoug
h I have adapted the latter very slightly). I am indebted to the late scholars George Bull (1929–2001) and E. V. Rieu (1887–1972) respectively.
Oliver Bowden, Paris, 2010
Glossary of Italian, French Spanish and Latin Terms
aiutateme! help me!
aiuto! help!
albergo hotel
altezza highness
altrettanto a lei also to you
andiamo let’s go
arrivederci goodbye
Assassini Assassins
attenzione be careful
ayúdenme help me
bastardo, bastardi bastard/s
bellissima very beautiful
bene good, well
birbante rascal, rogue
bordello brothel
brutissimo most horrible, ugliest
buona questa good one
buona fortuna good luck
buona sera good evening
buongiorno, fratellino good morning, little brother
calma/calmatevi calm down
campione champion
capisci? do you understand?
capitano captain
caro padre dear father
cazzo prick/shit
che cosa fate qui? what are you doing here?
cher ami dear friend
che tipo brutto what a brute
che diavolo? what the devil?
comè usciamo di qui? how do we get out of here?
commendatore commander
campanile bell tower
compadre comrade
condottieri mercenaries
con piacere with pleasure
consummatum est it is finished
contessa Countess
corri! run!
cosa diavolo aspetti what the devil are you waiting for?
Curia the Roman law courts
déclarez-vous declare yourself
diavolo devil
dio mio my god
dio, ti prego, salvaci Lord, I beg you, save us
dottore doctor
Excellenza Excellence
el médico the doctor
Eminenze Eminence
figlio mio my son
figlio di puttana son of a whore
Firenze Florence
fortune fortune
forze armate armed forces
fottere fuck
fotutto Francese fucking Frenchman
furbacchione cunning old devil
gonfalon banner
graffito graffito
grazie, Madonna thanks to Our Lady
Halte-là stop there
idioti idiots
il Magnifico the Magnificent
insieme per la vittoria together for victory
intesi certainly/understood
ipocrita hypocrite
ladro thief
lieta di conoscervi pleased to meet you
luridi codardi filthy cowards
ma certo but of course
ma che meraviglia but what a marvel
Madonna my lady
madre mother
maestro master
mais franchement, je m’en doute but frankly, I doubt it
malattia venerea venereal illness
maldito bastardo damned bastard
maledette cursed
mausoleo mausoleum
medico doctor
merda shit
messer sir
mille grazie a thousand thank yous
miracolo miraculous
mis piernas my legs
molto bene very good
molte grazie thank you very much
momentino, Contessa one moment, Contessa
morbus gallicus French Disease
nessun problema no problem
Borgia nomenklatura influential Borgia
nos replegamos fall back
onoratissima most honoured one
ora, mi scusi, ma excuse me
padrone father
papa Pope
palazzo palace
perdone, Colonnello sorry, Colonel
perdonatemi, signore sorry, sir
perfetto perfect
pezzo di merda piece of shit
piano nobile the principal floor of a large house
piazze square(s)
pollo ripieno stuffed chicken
por favor please
pranzo lunch
presidente president
puttana whore
requiescat in Pace rest in Peace
rione district
rocca fortress
salve, messere hello, sir
sang maudit blood curse
scorpioni scorpions
Senatore Senator
sì yes
Signoria governing authority
signore sir
signora lady
si, zio mio yes, my uncle
sul serio? seriously?
tesora mia my treasure
tesora, tesoro sweetheart, treasure
torna qui, maledetto cavallo come here, damned horse
un momento one moment
va bene all right
vero true
vittoria agli Assassini victory to the Assassins
virtù virtue
Volpe Addormentata, La The Sleeping Fox
zio uncle
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 and an Assassin
Ruggiero: master sergeant in Mario Auditore’s guards
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli: Assassin, philosopher and writer, 1469–1527
Leonardo da Vinci: artist, scientist, sculptor, etc., 1452–1519
Antonio: 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
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 Fiori
Lucia: prostitute from The Rosa in Fiori
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 Forlì, daughter of Galeazzo (1463–1509)
Lorenzo de’ Medici: ‘Lorenzo the Magnificent’, Italian statesman (1449–92)
Amerigo Vespucci: friend and advisor to Soderini (1454–1512)
Rodrigo Borgia: Pope Alexander VI (1431–1503)
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 (1476–1497)
Général Duc Octa
vien de Valois: French general and Borgia ally
Micheletto da Corella: Cesare’s right-hand man
Luca: Micheletto’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 personal doctor
Johann Burchard: Pope Alexander VI’s Master of Ceremonies
Juan: Guard at La Mota
Egidio Troche: Roman senator
Francesco Troche: Egidio’s brother and Cesare’s chamberlain
Michelangelo Buonarotti: artist, sculptor etc. (1475–1564)
Vinicio: Machiavelli’s contact
Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere (1443–1513)
Cardinal Ascanio Sforza (1455–1505)
Agniolo and Innocento: assistants to Leonardo da Vinci
Pietro Benintendi: Roman actor
Dottore Brunelleschi: Roman doctor
The Cardinal of Rouen: Georges d’Amboise (1460–1510)
Pope Pius III: Cardinal Piccolomini (1439–1503)
Pope Julius II: Giuliano della Rovere, Cardinal of San Pietro in Vincoli (1443–1513)
Bruno: a spy
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to
Yves Guillemot
Jeffrey Yohalem
Corey May
Ethan Petty
Matt Turner
Jean Guesdon
And also
Alain Corre
Laurent Detoc
Sebastien Puel
Geoffroy Sardin
Sophie Ferre-Pidoux
Xavier Guilbert
Tommy François
Cecile Russeil
Christele Jalady
The Ubisoft Legal Department
Charlie Patterson
Chris Marcus
Eric Gallant
Maria Loreto
Guillaume Carmona
Oliver Bowden
* * *
ASSASSIN’S CREED®
The Secret Crusade
Contents
Prologue
Part One
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13