Artwork from the Water

[Rosa Giovanno]

Here eyebrows perked up on her face when he mentioned the Blooming Rose. "The very same." she said, "How did you come to know it?" Thinking further into her own question, she wondered what had brought him to Rome in the first place. Probably one of his missions. But what liberation had he taken part in, had he been responsible for? Liberation, of course, meant assassination. But Rosa had a very different view on it than most. And yet, remembering how sad Nicola had become when she asked him this, she withheld the question from Catone. She didn't know him well enough to press him, after all. He could offer whatever information he wanted to.

When he said he hadn't always been a gondolier, she looked at him, with a look that expected a story. It was difficult to picture him, this riddle-posing boatman, as doing anything off the water. As she had thought to herself before, he seemed to fit so naturally into the scene of things, as if he had always been there, whistling away his tunes. But she knew all too well the secret spinnings that went on under calm surface pictures, she just didn't want to believe the same about Venice.

[Catone[Inactive]]

For some reason, Catone became very hot. Shifting from foot to foot and scratching an itch under his collar. "Let's just say I've heard stories. Very descriptive stories."

It was true. The Rosa en Fiore was quite famous all over Italia. Being a chauffeur, he heard every raunchy exploit that the more confident braggards shared with their friends. Apparently, the ladies of the Blooming Rose knew some sort of move called the "Lovely Python."

Clearing his throat and rubbing his redening face, he looked down at the water as he pushed the oar into the murky canal. "Life is hard for a kid without parents. When I was a boy, I ended up stealing a gondola. Tried making a living, but I was found out. For my punishment, I became personal gondoliere for this nobleman. Ironic, really."

Catone ran a finger through his hair. "Turns out he was a Templar. That's where the whole mistaken identity thing comes in. Two recruits tried killing him in the dark, going after me instead. When I was knocked out, they panicked and brought me back to the Bureau. By the time I woke up, my face was on wanted posters throughout the city. I was put under house arrest while the recruits 'cleaned up the mess', as they called it. Think I still have a poster under there as a souvenir."

He nodded at the seat. "That was years ago. Before I found out how much I like riddles, actually."

[Rosa Giovanno]

Rosa laughed at how uncomfortable he became, twenty different jokes popping into her mind that she had to censor, which twinkled mischievously in her eye even if she wouldn't let them out of her mouth. "Only stories? What a shame." was all she teased, by far the least of her comments. She bit her tongue, stifling her laughter and other jests. She had made him suffer through enough of her inappropriate double entendres for one day.

But his story cleared the smile from her face. A boy without parents? She glanced at her shoes, not really sure what to say. "I'm sorry." she said respectfully after a few moments. At least she had had one parent who hadn't abandoned her. Well, until they parted ways a little less than amicably. But still, she hadn't been alone. Not wanting to touch too near to the subject, she bent down carefully so as not to rock the boat, and looked for the poster he mentioned. When she found the rolled up paper she pulled it gently from under the seat and examined it. "You were handsome." she gave him a small smile, rolling it back up and tucking it away. "-Not to say that you aren't still handsome, that's not what I meant." she added quickly, catching herself. "You are... still... quite..." she was babbling for a moment, having caught herself off-guard in thinking she had mistakenly insulted him, "...handsome."

[Catone[Inactive]]

Catone shrugged. "Don't be. It was all my father's fault anyway. No one to blame but him."

Watching her start babbling was strange. After all, this was a Courtesan, skilled in the art of flirting. Based on their reputation, he would've never expected such a thing. In fact, he had never expected to see this as long as me knew her. A full couple hours... Weird. Felt like he knew her a lot longer. Pondering that for a brief moment, he turned down a different watery pathway. "So, Bella, you think me handsome?"

Chortling laughter broke out before he could even see her expression, yet he somehow knew it'd be funny. So funny, he wiped a tear from his eye. "Thank you. I've never heard anyone say something like that to me in such a way."

His laughter quieted to a slow chuckle. "It's nice that you said it, even like that," he admitted.

[Rosa Giovanno]

His laughter only took her speech away further. The cat didn't have her tongue - the tongue had been taken out of the purring cat herself. If he was surprised by her voice, she was even more so. It was she, after all, who lived life every day calling to the ears and eyes of men. It was easy for her to do, to flatter and to charm. But then his question was the answer to her confusion. So, Bella, you think me handsome?

Maybe that was the reason she faltered, the reason her tongue slipped up. Because it was an honest sentence, and not the common tale she told to all of them. Yes, honestly, she did think he was handsome. And she had said so, without thinking, without trying to charm the gold out of him. The truth was so foreign on her lips, it made her stammer. "Yes... maybe I do think you... good looking." she said slowly, trying to speak a little clearer. It felt strange to use that word too, 'handsome'. Usually she called them 'Bello' or other names, but rarely handsome. Clearing her throat softly, she said it again, confidently this time, as if to prove to herself that her slip-up was just that - a slip-up. "Yes, Catone da Venezia. You are handsome." She looked at him pridefully. There. Now he couldn't tease her for it.

[Catone[Inactive]]

There she goes, the old fire was back. Her words were confident, full of that spicy flair she probably gave to any man. But just for a moment, he could've sworn he heard something when she complimented him.

"Ah, Bella, you give me such sweet nothings to my pride." He sighed with content. What could be better than this? Perfect weather for rowing. Someone who he could hold a conversation with and not worry about his secret occupation for once. Relaxing and invigorating, it was like a riddle. A paradox that both confused and excited its opponents. "You know, no matter how much you may think of my face, there is no comparison to yours."

Then, like lightning, realization struck and ruined the perfect moment. Her time with him was almost finished. A few more turns and they would arrive at the gates. It was fate, finally figuring out the puzzle and coming to the solution. And like that, their time would be up, lost to the waves of the universe. His oar felt heavier in his palms, the stroking slowing to a mere paddle as he rounded a bend. "I must say, I'm enjoying this."

Such seriousness. He was surprised at the tone of his own words. Odd...

[Rosa Giovanno]

How many times has she smiled that day? Smiled so genuinely? More than she could remember, she decided, as again he made her smile. Mostly it was more jokes that she bit back, since he left himself so susceptible to them and gave her so many opportunities to make them. Opportunities, that for the condition of not knowing him quite well enough she had to let pass by her yet again. Still, though, she had a feeling she would be seeing this Gondoliere again, and would have the chance to make up for all of her suppressed humor.

When he complimented her, her smile became more polite than happy. "You are to kind, Messere." she said. It was nothing new to her, nothing she hadn't already heard a thousand times. Men always complimented her looks, so often that it became just another ordinary thing to hear. She knew he was being kind, and perhaps he meant it. But beauty was just a fleeting thing, like everything else that didn't last forever.

Like her time in Venezia. Rosa turned as he began to row slower, and noticed the gates becoming larger and larger and the edge of the water coming nearer. "I've enjoyed this too, Gondoliere." she said, turning back to face him. She noticed the somber expression on his face. And no, her occupation may have made her unaffected by simple flattery, but it didn't make her blind to men's emotions. She reached into the water and caught his oar delicately, which wasn't difficult to do at the pace he was taking them. "You must promise to contact me if you're ever in Roma. If you're ever in need of a companion..." she winked at him, sparing herself one last flirty gesture, "...even an innocent one. There is more to what I do than what goes on in the Blooming Rose. I can show you around the city, conceal you in a crowd, distract the guards... and maybe have a glass of wine or two." Rosa let go of his oar, allowing him to continue the last stretch of Venezia she would see for a while.

[Catone[Inactive]]

"My thanks in advance, Bella." Smiling widely at the prospect, he reminded himself to remember that. Now, he actually had a reason outside of the Brotherhood to visit Roma again. But she didn't have to know that.

As he pulled up to the dock, he whistled to a nearby worker and gestured to the box. Waiting until the cargo was unloaded, he asked her. "Bella, would you give me the honor of two things?"

Clearing his throat, he continued. "One, just a final riddle. What is beautiful to look at, but painful to touch?"

This should be easy. After all, she worked at a place named after one. It wasn't to test her mind, only distract from his intention.

[Rosa Giovanno]

She grinned and nodded pleasantly, and then gave him a quizzical look when he asked for honor. He really was a comedian, asking a prostitute for honor. But she smiled and consented anyway, and set to trying to solve his final riddle. "Many things are beautiful to look at but painful to touch, Gondoliere. That's not fair." she complained. "Your eyeball, for one." she jested, smirking, and then continued. "Fire, is another one." she said. "A rose..." It was her final answer, as somehow she felt she had known this riddle before. And not only was it in the name of her livelihood, it was her name - Rosa - the name which in their long conversation, she had failed to give him. No matter, though. He would have it before she left. She watched the box of artwork on the stone steps, but remained in the gondola, reluctant to leave just yet. "And the second?" she questioned.

[Catone[Inactive]]

Watching her with interest, he grabbed the wooden carving he worked on earlier and presented it to her. It was a small round token, embedded with the shape of the very flower. In the middle, a hole was present for a piece of string to run through and make it a necklace or whatever the owner wished. "For you. Think of it as a way to remember that promised glass of wine."

He held it out to her as his other hand flourished into holding up two fingers. "My second wish: your name?"

The gondoliere shrugged as he cautiously smirked. "I mean, unless you wish for me to call you Bella forever..."

[Rosa Giovanno]

Gratefully, she accepted the little wooden flower. "Thank you," she said, turning it over in her hand to look at it. It really was a lovely carving, with pretty petals and a strong stem that was proportionate. "It's beautiful." And it was, it truly was. But inside, something stirred, as it always did when men gave her sentimental gifts. Maybe not so much a fear, but a warning, something telling her to be careful of what she did.

She pushed the feeling down and lifted her gaze back to him from the little flower. "Rosa." she answered, proudly. "Rosa Giovanno da Roma." The feeling twinged at her again as he mentioned calling her Bella forever, and again she pushed it away. She knew the feeling well; it kept her in check, told her to save her affections for work and not to put merit and stock in the affections of men, especially those who gave such affections who weren't clients. It was responsible to keeping her safe and sane all these years, but was also responsible for annoying her from time to time. She ignored it and smiled at him. "You may call me whatever you please, Messere." she told him. "So long as you are kind." There was, of course, one name she could not stand. But it wasn't important now.

Standing slowly, she reached out for his hand and climbed onto the steps before handing him another twenty-five florins for taking her to the gates. "Until next time, Catone, in your city or mine."

[Catone[Inactive]]

Catone watched as she walked away. Leaning on the oar, he smiled to himself as she disappeared.

Turning away, he punted into the nearest canal, testing her name to himself. "Rosa."

Chuckling, he pulled up to a hailing citizen. This time, he offered no challenge or any talk. The gondoliere just rowed, whistling all the while.

He knew he would see her again, someday. And the very thought of it made a dazed grin makes it home on his face.