la belle dame sans regrets

[lucre]

Who: Lucrezia and Ezio (and Cassandra)
What: misery and heartbreak after this tragedy
When: Feb. 25
Where: Castle hallway
Rating: PG-13

Regret feels like a heavy hook latched to her chest with an oppressive burden bearing down against her heart, making it hard to breathe or think of anything other than how heavy it feels.

Lucrezia thinks she hasn't moved a muscle for hours and hours, so much so that her tears have dried and that her legs have probably forgotten how to even stand. Her friend resting on her lap is heavier than she ever was in life, but her limbs still feel warm in her arms. Maybe she can just stay here for those entire two weeks, a month, a year if need be. But this is no respect worthy of Cass, lying in a pool of her own blood with her neck torn open. She must be dressed, honored, taken care of by those more worthy than herself.

She takes great effort to reach for the journal dropped some ways from them, unwilling to move her friend's body more than she needs to. There is little to be said anyway, once the book is open. Just a familiar name (Ezio, for now there is another Auditore) and an invitation (Come to my room. In the castle). Her door is only a few steps ahead from where she sits now. They could have reached sanctuary. They could have.