Title: And so I Raise my Head
Fandom: Assassin's Creed
Rating: General Audiences
Length: 184
Summary: It is a comforting thing, to have a daughter.

Claudia has such lovely hair. Maria does so enjoy spending the evening seated before the mirror of Venician glass, separating the strands with the blade of her comb, working her way through each of the stressors of the preceding day, either out loud or internally until the two of the are fit for retiring to bed.

Slowly uncoiling the braided portion from where the embroidered linen cap - that had been a lovely afternoon spent, just the women of the family - sits as she goes about her day, twisting each of the strands free of each other, running her fingers through the healthy length to dull the strain of where the weight of it all has pulled at her sculpt. Everything in its place, and a place for everything.

Giovanni is an attractive man, in form as well as manner, but Maria is pleased that all of their children got her hair.

Claudia sighs, leaning into her touch; for a moment, she is not a young woman courting suitors but simply a child with her mother.

It is Maria's favourite time of day.