Best Man
Best Man is a repressed Cristina Memory in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.
Description
Ezio returns to Florence two years after his departure, in 1478, and meets with Cristina, only to be told that she had thought he would never return, and that she was already engaged. Upon discovering that Cristina's fiance, Manfredo Soderini, was being attacked by men whom he owed a gambling debt to, Ezio goes to his aid.
After rescuing him, Ezio dangles the man over a bridge and demands to know if he truly loves Cristina. Manfredo sincerely replies that he did, and if he died now, he would die still loving her. Thus Ezio makes him promise to be a faithful husband to Cristina, and to stop gambling, otherwise he would hunt him down and kill him.
Ezio then returns to Cristina, telling her that he had made sure Manfredo would be a good husband to her. He then takes one last, long kiss from Cristina before abruptly leaving, much to Cristina's confusion.
Dialogue
Cristina is fixing her hair until Ezio comes by her room.
- Cristina: Ezio! What are you doing here?
- Ezio: I only just came back to Firenze... Look at you! As beautiful as ever.
- Cristina: But... Oh, Ezio... I... It's been two years!
- Ezio: And I've thought of nothing but you.
- Cristina: Oh, but, Ezio...
- Ezio: What is it?
- Cristina: I'm engaged to be married!
- Cristina: My father kept asking me to choose... I thought I would never see you again!
Suddenly, a couple come by Cristina's house.
- Woman: It's Manfredo! He's going to kill him!
- Cristina: What!?
- Man: Un tale (Some guy) he lost money to! He's dragged him out to the end of the new bridge!
- Ezio: Who the hell is Manfredo?
- Cristina: My fiancé...
Departing for the new bridge to find Manfredo, Ezio sees him and his attackers. Ezio hears their conversation.
- Manfredo: I'll pay you back, I swear!
- Guard: It's too late for that now.
- Manfredo: It wasn't my fault. I was going to have the money for you today... But a payment came in late!
- Guard: I do not care about you troubles. Only my money.
- Manfredo: But I can pay you!
- Guard: Now?
- Manfredo: Tomorrow!
- Guard: You'll be dead tomorrow.
- Manfredo: Wait. Please. I'm about to be married tomorrow.
- Guard: You should've thought of that before you started gambling.
Ezio comes to Manfredo's aid and defeats the guards.
- Manfredo: Grazie, Messere! You don't know how close--
Ezio pushes Manfredo towards the edge of the bridge, grabbing onto his collar.
- Manfredo: Whoa! Hey! Aspetta! (Wait!) What are you doing!?
- Ezio: Do you love her?
- Manfredo: What!?
- Ezio: DO YOU LOVE HER? Cristina! The woman you're about to marry!
- Manfredo: Yes, I do! I swear, I do. Kill me here and I will die still loving her.
- Ezio: You are never going to gamble again.
- Manfredo: Never, Messere.
- Ezio: You will be a good husband to her. Or I will hunt you down and kill you myself.
Ezio throws Manfredo to a wall of the bridge, then leaves him. Cristina was looking for the two, but Ezio grabs her and kisses her intimately on a side of a building.
- Ezio: He's fine. He'll make a good husband. I made sure of it.
- Cristina: What-- What!?
Then Ezio leaves her, confused of what he just said.
Outcome
Ezio finds out that Cristina is to be wed to Manfredo Soderini. After ensuring that he would make a good husband, Ezio leaves Cristina to be with Manfredo.
Trivia
- Ezio rescues Manfredo in under a minute.
- In this memory, almost all of Ezio's equipment could not have possibly been obtained this early in the timeline. This includes the Sword of Altaïr, Medici cape, Notched Cinquedea, and the metal plate armor.