In my bones there is dignity

Independent / Selective Claudia Auditore of the Assassin's Creed franchise loved by Lilah / sideblog to aelsell

[auditxre]

I dressed E.zio in the Dragon Armour (shoutout to the Helmschmied family, wonder what they did for a living) and now he and M.achiavelli look so fresh during the cutscenes in their color coded black & red outfits.

[auditxre]

finally finished my new playthrough of AC2 and now I am undecided whether or not I want to reach 100%/get all the PS trophies or if I want to jump right into Brotherhood...

[jxckwestgifs]

Daniel Sharman & Synnøve Karlsen in Medici: The Magnificent

[lenzimanot]

@auditxre ❤️

Even in the darkness of the room that silhouette seems strangegly familiar and the realization makes Petruccio freeze in the doorway. Until his hand instincively reaches for the dagger attached to his belt, the only weapon he's currently wearing.

"Claudia." Not sister, he quickly swallows that word, before it can pass his lips. She hasn't been that in a long time. "You shouldn't be here." For both of their sakes, really.

[auditxre]

And you should be dead. The words die on her tongue as Claudia is frozen in place, staring at the figure in the doorway. He looks different, older after all these years. But he still looks so much like himself. Her little brother, precious little Petruccio. It makes her heart ache. Is this death? A vision come to drag her down to hell for all the signs her money has paid for?

"I... I do not understand." Her words stumble upon each other as she takes one shaky step towards him. "How can you be here? Petruccio? Is that you, dear brother?" The leather of the hidden blade - a prototype she has stolen from Leo for this forbidden quest of hers - burns into the skin of her wrist as her heart pumps more blood, more pain, through her veins, and her knees tremble.

[ofsilverandblue]

Though Arwen did not know what exactly had transpired, it was obvious that the woman and her family needed shelter. Something haunted her, had possibly already harmed her, and sleep must be eluding her for quite some time. Worry for ones kind kept sleep away and only invited dark thoughts, causing further spiraling. This often pretended folk to help themselves.

Arwen stepped forward and reached out to take the lady's hands in hers. "Nobody intrudes in Rivendell. It is a place of shelter and respite. Enemies cannot follow you here." In this case Arwen suspected the enemy may in question may be of Men too, a rivalling family perhaps? She may have stumbled into the intricacies of politics, but Arwen hardly cared for taking any sides, only for protecting those in need. Her father had agreed after all, ruling that the family may stay.

She released the lady's hands and gestured towards a wide open door, leading to a balcony with a table, large enough to fit both Arwen and her guests. It was set with both drink and food. "Please, come along, my lady. You must be hungry. I would have you rest and eat, and perhaps tell me only a little more about your plight."

[auditxre]

Claudia bit her lip to stop herself from flinching as soon as the elven lady reached for her. Skin on skin, human contact, it was a strange sensation after the days she spent fleeing just that. Her mother was dissolving into a shadow, never even aknowledging when Claudia reached for her and Ezio? He disappeared into the night only to return with more bruises painting his skin. The last person that had held her, truly held her, had been her little brother. But Petruccio was burried now, locked in cold and lonely darkness.

"Thank you", she stumbled over her own words now, but the lady's reassurances did bring some comfort. Safety. While Ezio was looking for vengeance she herself welcomed the idea of being able to sleep without fear. "It truly means a lot to hear that. To me - and to my mother. I know she does not speak, so let me speak for her when I assure you of our gratitude. Home has become dangerous so knowing we can rest here... It helps, my lady."

Hungry? Claudia could not say that she was, but she knew that it would be rude to refuse her host. So she smiled and followed onto the balcony. Immediately her gaze was drifting over the scenery outside, the beauty of this place. "I must admit, I have never seen a place like this. It truly looks so peaceful. It must be a gift to grow up here." Her smile became more genuine, only to falter in the next moment. "Of course. If you wish to hear what happened to us I will be more than happy to indulge you. As I said, my mother is not a very vocal company lately and I do need to speak to someone. But I must warn you, it is not a happy tale - on the contrary. I can speak only of grief and betrayal. And the murder of my family."

[auditxre]

Wedding Bells was a missed opportunity. Having Ezio rush through the city to deliver a letter that needs to be at the chapel before the wedding starts? And then not even tell me what the juicy drama is about???

[ecglesoul]

❝ La mia bellissima sorellina*! ❞ Joy is a vibrant, soft laugh on his lips that illuminates his features in an instant the moment his amber gaze finds her. The hand reaching for her is an invitation for an older brother's embrace. It feels like it has been ages since he was last blessed with her presence, should he be honest. ❝ It’s always a joy to see you. ❞ / @auditxre

[auditxre]

"Federico!" Claudia's smile mirrors her brother's as she hurries towards him. "I thought you would not return for at least a month." She finds his arms as surely as she has done throughout all her childhood, a big brother's embrace being the safest thing on earth. "I missed you so, tell me, how have you been? Are you all right?"

[auditxre]

I was not aware that bringing home half of the feathers triggers a cutscene with Mario, where he aknowledges what Ezio is doing, but tells him that it does not help and makes no difference. I get that Mario is trying to do the right thing in this moment - he has spent years watching his brother's family suffer and they have to move on. He understands that. But telling Ezio that he should focus on something else is downright mean. Focus on something else? He is trying to help his grieving mother, to put his family back together. Mario gives him another weapon, another excuse to run away and get lost in this hunt for veangeance - as if that is going to bring the others back from the dead. It may have helped Mario, to burry his feelings beneath violence and the sense of purpose that the Brotherhood and that cause gives him. But in this scene Ezio turns away. He says nothing, he does not aknowledge what Mario is saying. He turns his head into the other direction. And he continues to bring home those feathers, these small gestures that make him remember his little brother, hoping that one day his mother will finally speak to him again.

And I get Maria's grief. (In parts at least, I hope I never have to suffer the whole extent of it, to truly understand it) She lost her husband, two of her children. It broke her. But she still has two of her children left. And all she is giving them is silence, loneliness. They were young, too, when it happened. They needed guidance - more than rugged warrior Mario could give them. They needed the warmth of their mother. And she turned away.

Mario lost his brother, too. And he is throwing himself into the work of an Assassin, trying to force Ezio down that road, too. Maria is drowning, day after day, she is alone in that room, drowning in her own suffering. And it seems as if she wants it that way, as if it is the last thing she has left of her husband. She tortures herself, never even tries to swim. But she is not the only one in this villa.

Claudia is there, too. She is rebuilding Monteriggioni, finding her own purpose within the city walls, taking care of the family's fortune like the banker's daughter that she is. Maybe it helps her feel close to her dead father. Maybe it helps her forget the pain, like the hunt does to Ezio. Or maybe, it is the only thing she has left to do, all alone in the silence of these old walls because the people that should help her grief, that should stand with her, are all running away from their feelings instead.

[auditxre]

first half of my 24h shift went good, so I am going to be rewatching the Assassin's Creed movie. I remember seeing it in theatres nine (?!?) years ago and I think we liked it, but I also cannot remember much. So let's go.

[auditxre]

I have been reading up on some articles considering the upcoming show, and I am undecided whether or not I want to be excited about it. Of course, it will be different than the games, it is a different medium after all and needs a different style of storytelling. Arcane and Castlevania proved that the big N can do gaming adaptations, and One Piece proved that they can also do amazing live-action adaptations (also, one of the SOA showrunners is on board, that is a plus. I just hope they don't go for a too grim-dark setting, cause we do not want that, get that disgusting medieval filter and the "violence against women is historically correct!" away from my fantasy shows. WoT, we miss you!). But they are also known for canceling good shows after just one season. And I do not want to have to deal with a certain part of the online community raging and ranting yet again. So I think for now my stance will be the same as I had for RoP, I am positive towards it, I will try to enjoy it, I will not be mean to people who actually enjoy it - especially the new fans.

[auditxre]

@ofsilverandblue sc. [x]

Claudia looked around the room, light flooded in from the big windows, a gentle summer breeze that carassed the fabrics and colours all around her. Had the situation been any different she might have stared in amazement and wonder. But now her heart was still racing, her eyes still burning from all the crying of the last few days.

"Mylady", she bowed her head in greeting, "I hope I am not overstepping in coming here, I do not want to intrude." She bit her tongue, unsure on how to say what was on her mind. Mother should be here, mother should be doing this. But her mother was not speaking anymore and her brother had left for reasons only he knew. So it felt to Claudia, little Claudia, to step up and at least be polite. "But I did want to thank you. For helping us, for giving us a place to stay - for now only, of course." She could not wait to get back home, even if all the memories lingered there, hiding in the shadows with the devils that had come for her family.

[sugurugetos]

THE BORGIAS — 3.01: The Face of Death (2013)

[auditxre]

I am still replaying AC2 (it has been too long since the last time) and here are some more thoughts / things I love:

shoutout to the German voice of Leonardo for managing to say "Rodrigo Borgia" with so much ugh. That is the only right way to say that name. (also I love his voice so much, omg)

shoutout to whatshername and that cute little flirty moment when she gave Ezio his birthday present and then immediately switching to "have fun boys!" once Leonardo appears. Queen.

speaking of Ezio's birthday: I am sorry my boy, that you are feeling lonely and like a disappointment to your father but also maybe you should not have spent the last years cruising around Venice, only going home to your grieving family to pick up the money YOUR SISTER EARNED. Just saying. But maybe I am biased from a Claudia perspective.

this entire "I don't believe in the prophet" vs. "I am the prophet" that Ezio and Rodrigo have going on is inherently funny, because from a story perspective it is already clear that - ohh big twist - Ezio is the prophet. (And I say that as someone who hasn't played the game in a long time and completely forgot about the prophet). The confusion when everyone is appearing at the "battle" and Ezio has apparently spent the last 10 years never putting 1 and 1 together, me hanging on for dear life cause Borgia is refusing to die (because I am so bad getting back into the controls), all the while uncle Mario is taking the time to go "everyone look at my boy, look at how big and grown and strong he is". 10/10 scene.

Machiavelli.

I always dislike Shaun (and I am pretty sure he was written to be disliked, as an antagonistic or rival force to Desmond - and also I get you Shaun, I hated my new younger co-worker, too) and I thought I could not hate him more, but the fact that he is part of the research team and FORGOT ABOUT BORGIA BEING POPE??? that is like, the one thing you need to know. And it just kind of slipped his mind??

Niccolò friggin Machiavelli

I am good at sneaking. (I say with my whole chest although it took me six attempts to do the sneak part of the sequence before The Prophet scene and that was legit just climbing one (1) wall. And for every 20 hours I play I spend 5 minutes undercover, my stats do not lie)

[lenzimanot]

"For neither, actually." While she has started to take care of the people in the villa and eventually even the order, the pay from those service alone would hardly suffice.

Intuition makes Klara clutch the basket more tightly, planting herself firmly infront of the door. "He will be. But your brother lost a lot of blood and needs to rest." Not that the stubborn idiot wanted to hear that. And judging by the determination in her face, Ezio's sister shares that particular trait. The healer silently braces herself for yet another argument.

[auditxre]

Claudia fights the urge to bite her lips and instead tries to keep her expression neutral - a feat she seldom achieves. Growing up in her father's palazzo no was a word she hardly heard and ever since they left the city not many are left to teach her such manners.

"I am his little sister", she almost pouts at these words, "You cannot truly think that I will disturb his rest? On the contrary, seeing me will lighten my brother's mood and raise his spirits." She is not one to admit how worried she has truly been. In fact, Claudia is rather angry that she got left behind again. And Ezio will have to listen to that. But this healer does not need to know that. So she points to the basket again. "I can help, you know? My brother might not realise it, but I am no child."

[nosestealer]

"Forgive me for thinking so but yes, I did. I know well enough that even the ones among us that are well-practiced in tranquility wear masks that belie something else entirely." But that is neither here nor there. "I'm glad to hear that I was wrong." In other words: both of them will need each other to survive an unsanctioned quest. "We do indeed. Don't know if you've got another person lined up. For things do come in three's more often than not. But if I have to take a gamble and go with..." Here she flashes a 'v' sign with her fingers. Not so much for victory or peace but the number two. "...that, I'd be cool with it, too. Time is of the essence, after all."

[auditxre]

Her face distorts as she hears Eleusine's words. Things do come in threes... The faces of her brothers flash before Claudia's eyes, bringing that old familiar ache, the pain, and the anger. She focuses on the last part, the hot burning flame, it is - after all - what keeps her going.

"We were four once, not three." She lingers on that thought for a moment. Federico, Ezio, Petruccio, and her. "Now we are only two. So two will suffice. Or do you have a third person in mind that could be willing to bend the rules beyond the point of breaking?" She knows she should look for someone Roman, not another Camper here, but someone closer to her... way of life. But campanilismo will not get her any further, not while she is so far from home.

"And thank you, I should say that, too. Thank you for not asking any questions but simply agreeing to help." Claudia knows that Eleusine has her own reasons, her own motifs. She knows she should not trust so easily, but a companion that she has to keep an eye on is better than none, right?

[auditxre]

perks of an over-night shift at the hospital? I can watch the lunar eclipse / blood moon from the helicopter landing space, thinking about Claudia in her PJO verse and the connection to Luna as an absent mother, shrouding herself in mystery, and dripping blood red tonight.

[auditxre]

thoughts wile playing / wishlist part 1

the fact that Claudia's parents could think of only one thing to deal with the fact that she scared away all suitors... 1000 Florin. give it to her and see how she turns the city into her thing.

I need a modern nobility verse where they live in Monaco or something, but Ezio discovers the Templars and when they have to flee to Monteriggioni Claudia thinks it is because of something like tax fraud. And then she is the one discovering the secret crypts beneath the city (maybe after Ezio has done so) and that they aren't actually nobility. The two of them never speak of it.

I was thinking about thread ideas and I would love to write a thing where Leonardo Da'Vinci taught Claudia use of the hidden blade in secret and Ezio is not very amused about that. (given that they obviously met when Leonardo visited Moterrigioni in 1488)

I also had the idea of Petruccio surviving his execution and being raised as one of the templars, but I guess that is just me being a bad person, woops.