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 C CHARACTERS.

Mario Auditore: Ezio's uncle and head of the Brotherhood of the Assassins Ezio's uncle and head of the Brotherhood of the AssassinsEzio Auditore: Assassin AssassinMaria Auditore: Ezio's mother Ezio's motherClaudia Auditore: Ezio's sister Ezio's sisterAngelina Ceresa: friend of Claudia's friend of Claudia'sFederico: Mario's stable-master Mario's stable-masterAnnetta: Auditore family housekeeper Auditore family housekeeperPaola: sister of Annetta sister of AnnettaRuggiero: master sergeant in Mario Auditore's guards master sergeant in Mario Auditore's guards

Niccol di Bernardo dei Machiavelli: Assassin, philosopher and writer, 14691527 Assassin, philosopher and writer, 14691527Leonardo da Vinci: artist, scientist, sculptor, etc., 14521519 artist, scientist, sculptor, etc., 14521519Antonio: Assassin AssassinPaola: Assassin AssassinFabio Orsini: Assassin AssassinBartolomeo d'Alviano: Italian Captain and Assassin, 14551515 Italian Captain and Assassin, 14551515Pantasilea Baglioni: Bartolomeo's wife Bartolomeo's wifeBaldassare Castiglione: Associate Assassin Associate AssassinPietro Bembo: Associate Assassin Associate AssassinTeodora: Assassin Assassin

Gilberto the Fox, la Volpe: Assassin and head of the Thieves' Guild Assassin and head of the Thieves' GuildBenito: member of the Thieves' Guild member of the Thieves' GuildTrimalchio: member of the Thieves' Guild member of the Thieves' GuildClaudio: thief and son of Trimalchio thief and son of TrimalchioPaganino: thief at the sacking of Monteriggioni thief at the sacking of Monteriggioni

Madonna Solari: brothel keeper and Assassin accomplice brothel keeper and Assassin accompliceAgnella: prostitute from the Rosa in Fiore prostitute from the Rosa in FioreLucia: prostitute from the Rosa in Fiore prostitute from the Rosa in FioreSaraghina: prostitute from the Rosa in Fiore prostitute from the Rosa in FioreMargherita deghli Campi: Roman aristocrat and Assassin sympathizer Roman aristocrat and Assassin sympathizerJacopo: sailor sailorCamilla: Naples prostitute Naples prostituteFilin: ship's captain ship's captainCaptain Alberto: captain of the captain of the Marea di Alba Marea di AlbaAcosta: Valencian doctor Valencian doctorCount of Lerin: Spanish count, 14301508 Spanish count, 14301508Caterina Sforza: the Countess of Forl, daughter of Galeazzo, 14631509 the Countess of Forl, daughter of Galeazzo, 14631509Lorenzo de' Medici, "Lorenzo the Magnificent": Italian statesman, 144992 Italian statesman, 144992Piero Soderini: governor of Florence, 14501522 governor of Florence, 14501522Amerigo Vespucci: friend and advisor to Soderini, 14541512 friend and advisor to Soderini, 14541512

Rodrigo Borgia: Pope Alexander VI, 14511503 Pope Alexander VI, 14511503Cesare Borgia: son of Rodrigo, 14761507 son of Rodrigo, 14761507Lucrezia Borgia: daughter of Rodrigo, 14801519 daughter of Rodrigo, 14801519Vannozza Cattanei: mother of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia, 14421518 mother of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia, 14421518Giulia Farnese: Rodrigo's mistress, 14741524 Rodrigo's mistress, 14741524Princesse Charlotte d'Albret: wife of Cesare, 14801514 wife of Cesare, 14801514Juan Borgia: Archbishop of Monreale and Cesare's banker, 147697 Archbishop of Monreale and Cesare's banker, 147697General Duc Octavien de Valois: French general and Borgia ally French general and Borgia allyMichelotto da Corella: Cesare's right-hand man Cesare's right-hand manLuca: Michelotto's diehard Michelotto's diehardAgostino Chigi: Pope Alexander's banker, 14661520 Pope Alexander's banker, 14661520Luigi Torcelli: Cesare's banker's agent Cesare's banker's agentToffana: Lucrezia's servant Lucrezia's servantGaspar Torella: Cesare's personal doctor Cesare's personal doctorJohann Burchard: Pope Alexander VI's master of ceremonies Pope Alexander VI's master of ceremoniesJuan: Guard at La Mota Guard at La Mota

Egidio Troche: Roman senator Roman senatorFrancesco Troche: Egidio's brother and Cesare's chamberlain Egidio's brother and Cesare's chamberlainMichelangelo Buonarotti: artist, sculptor, etc., 14751564 artist, sculptor, etc., 14751564Vinicio: Machiavelli's contact Machiavelli's contactGiuliano della Rovere: Pope Julius II, formerly cardinal of San Pietro in Vincoli, 14431513 Pope Julius II, formerly cardinal of San Pietro in Vincoli, 14431513Ascanio Sforza: cardinal, uncle of Caterina, 14551505 cardinal, uncle of Caterina, 14551505Agniolo and Innocento: assistants to Leonardo da Vinci assistants to Leonardo da VinciPietro Benintendi: Roman actor Roman actorDottore Brunelleschi: Roman doctor Roman doctorGeorges d'Amboise: the cardinal of Rouen, 14601510 the cardinal of Rouen, 14601510Pope Pius III: formerly Cardinal Piccolomini, 14391503 formerly Cardinal Piccolomini, 14391503Bruno: a spy a spy

GLOSSARY OF I ITALIAN, FRENCH, AND L LATIN T TERMS.

Aiutateme! Help me! Help me!Aiuto! Help! Help!albergo hotel hotelAltezza Highness Highnessaltrettanto a lei also to you also to youAndiamo! Let's go! Let's go!arrivederci goodbye goodbyeAssassini Assassins AssassinsAyudenme! Help me! Help me!

bastardo, bastardi bastard/s bastard/sbellissima very beautiful very beautifulbene good, well good, wellbestiarii gladiators gladiatorsbirbante rascal, rogue rascal, roguebrutissimo most horrible, ugliest most horrible, ugliestbuona fortuna good luck good luckbuona questa good one good onebuona sera good evening good eveningbuon giorno good morning good morningcalma/calmatevi calm down calm downcampanile bell tower bell towercampione champion championCapisci? Do you understand? Do you understand?capitano captain captaincaro padre dear father dear fathercazzo prick, shit prick, shitChe cosa fate qui? What are you doing here? What are you doing here?Che diavolo? What the devil? What the devil?cher ami dear friend dear friendche tipo brutto what a brute what a bruteChiudi la bocca! Shut your mouth! Shut your mouth!Come usciamo di qui? How do we get out of here? How do we get out of here?Commendatore Commander Commandercompadre comrade comradecondottieri mercenaries mercenariescon piacere with pleasure with pleasureConsummatum est! It is finished! It is finished!contessa countess countessCorri! Run! Run!Cosa diavolo aspetti? What the devil are you waiting for? What the devil are you waiting for?Curia the Roman law courts the Roman law courts

declarez-vous declare yourself declare yourselfdiavolo devil devildio mio my god my goddio, ti prego, salvaci Lord, I beg you, save us Lord, I beg you, save usdottore doctor doctor

Eccellenza Excellence Excellenceel medico the doctor the doctorEminenze Eminence Eminencee vero it's true it's true

figlio di puttana son of a whore son of a whorefiglio mio my son my sonFirenze Florence Florenceforze armate armed forces armed forcesfottere fuck fuckfotutto Francese fucking Frenchman fucking Frenchmanfratellino little brother little brotherfurbacchione cunning old devil cunning old devil

gonfalon banner bannergraffito graffiti graffitigrazie thank you thank you

Halte-la! Stop there! Stop there!

idioti idiots idiotsil Magnifico the Magnificent the MagnificentInsieme per la vittoria! Together for victory! Together for victory!intesi certainly, understood certainly, understoodipocrita hypocrite hypocrite

ladro thief thieflieta di conoscervi pleased to meet you pleased to meet youluridi codardi filthy cowards filthy cowards

Ma attenzione! But be careful! But be careful!ma certo but of course but of courseMa che merviglia! But what a marvel! But what a marvel!Madonna my lady my ladymadre mother mothermaestro master mastermais franchement, je m'en doute but frankly, I doubt it but frankly, I doubt itmalattia venerea venereal illness venereal illnessmaldito bastardo damned bastard damned bastardmaledetto cursed cursedmausoleo mausoleum mausoleummedico doctor doctormerda shit shitmesser/e sir sirmille grazie a thousand thank yous a thousand thank yousmiracolo miraculous miraculousmis piernas my legs my legsmolte grazie thank you very much thank you very muchmolto bene very good very goodmomentino one moment one momentmorbus gallicus French disease French disease

nessun problema no problem no problemnomenclatura influential influentialNos replegamos! Fall back! Fall back!

onoratissima most honored one most honored oneora, mi scusi, ma excuse me excuse me

padrone father fatherpalazzo palace palacepanpepati e mielati pepper and honey breads pepper and honey breadsPapa Pope Popeperdone, Colonnello sorry, Colonel sorry, Colonelperdonatemi forgive me forgive meperfetto perfect perfectpezzo di merda piece of shit piece of shitpiano nobile the principal floor of a large house the principal floor of a large housepiazze squares squarespollo ripieno stuffed chicken stuffed chickenporco pig pigpor favor please pleasepranzo lunch lunchpresidente president presidentputtana whore whore

requiescat in pace rest in peace rest in peacerione district districtrocca fortress fortress

salute (to your) health (to your) healthsalve hello hellosang maudit blood curses blood cursesscorpioni scorpions scorpionsSenatore Senator Senatorser sir sirs yes yessignora lady ladysignore sir sirSignoria governing authority governing authoritySul serio? Seriously? Seriously?

tesora, tesoro sweetheart, treasure sweetheart, treasureTorna qui, maledetto cavallo! Come here, damned horse! Come here, damned horse!

un momento one moment one moment

va bene all right all rightvero true trueVi ringrazio di tutto quello che avete fatto per me, buona Contessa. Addio. I thank you for all you have done for me, good Countess. Goodbye. I thank you for all you have done for me, good Countess. Goodbye.virtu virtue virtueVittoria agli Assassini! Victory to the Assassins! Victory to the Assassins!La Volpe Addormentata The Sleeping Fox The Sleeping Fox

zio uncle uncle