Through an Assassin's Eyes
It was a hazy day in Boston, unusually warm for so early in the morning. Looking up into the sky, Connor predicted the rains would come, most likely soon. He rested his back against the brick wall of the general store, waiting on his newest recruit, Sarah Dawson to retrieve her materials. The girl had true potential. Like most citizens, she wanted to fight for her freedom, for her liberty. She wanted to cast aside the iron chains England had wrapped around the New World and live for herself...yet she was also driven by something else, something more personal.
Her father was murdered, fallen at the hands of the Red Coats. What Connor had at first assumed was a grave accident, that the poor farmer was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, proved to be false. James Dawson was an informer, a good one at that. A simple farmer by day, yet when darkness cloaked the city streets at night, his real expertise came out. After some digging, Connor was able to learn that Mr. Dawson was in fact an agent for General Washington. Unfortunately, James had stepped on someone's toes...the wrong toes, apparently, and ended up with a hatchet in his back.
Sarah, having shown up on the Homestead dirty and disheveled was quickly taken in by the other land owners and shown hospitality. She was shy, scared, beaten. She did not wish to open up...but with some prodding, by Connor and Achilles as well, Sarah was finally able to explain what she had been through and that she had nowhere else to go. Seeing the fire in her eyes, Achilles advised Connor to take her on as a recruit. Being wholeheartedly against this idea, Connor refused from the start. The girl had just lost her father, she sought nothing but revenge, and he knew that that would cloud her judgment. She wouldn't be careful enough, would blaze in, not taking caution at who she swung her blade at and would probably end up getting killed herself.
Yet Achilles believed in this girl, so Connor did not have a choice. He approached her with the subject of joining the Order, and was not surprised when she agreed to join. From that day on, Sarah never left his side. Connor taught her everything that Achilles had previously taught him. He taught her how to track her targets, how to blend, how to see without being seen, and, most importantly, how to kill effectively.
"You cannot just stab someone. You must know where to place your blade, you must know how deep to push without it getting stuck. You must be effective, yet merciful." he remembered telling her.
And she was. They practiced on straw dummies first and then moved on to animals, small and then large. Connor explained how to use a bow, how far to pull back your arm to achieve the best distance, when it was appropriate to use a bow instead of another weapon and so forth. Sarah was exceptional with all of her weapons training...but there was one above all else that she was skilled with.
The tomahawk.
"Can't you teach me how to use that one?" Sarah had asked on spring morning.
Connor looked down at his arsenal to find which weapon she was pointing to.
"This? You want to learn how to wield a tomahawk?" he asked as he took it in his hands.
She nodded eagerly.
Connor shook his head.
"I am not sure that is best. This weapon is native to my people, I do not believe,"
"But you're using the hidden blade and that certainly isn't native to your people, it's been passed down for centuries!"
Connor opened his mouth to reply but closed it tightly. Achilles walked up behind Sarah and chuckled.
"The girl has a point, Connor." he stated.
Connor frowned at Achilles before turning his attention back to Sarah. Although she was eighteen, she had the curiosity of a child, it seemed. Realizing he wouldn't win this argument, Connor let out a sigh and said,
"Very well. It could not hurt for you to be trained in another weapon at any rate. Let us begin..."
To his great surprise, Sarah was very adept with the weapon of his people. She was quick, light on her feet, and effective, all that she should be. She did not overkill, she did not let her revenge cloud her vision. As Connor sparred with her in front of Achilles' home, he knew that she was indeed an Assassin.
Well...she almost was. There was of course one thing she had to do...
Connor pulled himself out of his memories as Sarah exited the general store, restocking her quiver with more arrows.
"Have you seen him?" she asked.
Connor nodded.
"Yes. He disappeared across the street down an alley. Track him. Do your duty. I will follow you on the rooftops and provide assistance if you need it."
Sarah nodded and pulled up her hood, covering her dark hair. She turned to leave but stopped and took a deep breath.
"Connor?" she asked.
He looked up at her.
"Yes?"
Sarah looked over her shoulder and gave him a small smile.
"Thank you, for everything. The skills you have taught me...they will not be wasted."
Connor nodded.
"Good. When you are done, meet me atop the bell tower. And Sarah...good luck." he added as he patted her shoulder.
Without another word, Sarah walked away and disappeared in the crowd. Connor followed her briefly before turning down a side street and climbing a building. Once atop the tall structure, the assassin had view of his pupil. She was keeping to the dark corners and large crowds. The man she was going after was a lowly officer, a rat for the Templars. Even they probably would not miss him, as he wasn't very valued. Connor decided it was best to start her off small. This man, however, was responsible for numerous deaths of many innocents. 'Twas he who spread the lies to the other Red Coats about who was late on their taxes. He'd caused the burning of so many houses, Connor had lost count. Sarah had to tail him and end him before he reached his next contact. As Connor continued to follow her on the rooftops, he had a good feeling that she would reach her goal. The assassin jumped into a nearby tree and watched his pupil closely. She was using every technique he had taught her to her advantage. Her movements were swift, yet not so much as to where she would alert anyone. As she neared her target, Connor found himself becoming slightly worried.
What if fate played them a different card today? What if this officer was aware of her presence and cut her down before she could even hope to defend herself? Sarah was the only recruit Connor had ever personally trained, and even though Achilles did help here and there, she was his soul responsibility...meaning if she died, her blood would be upon his hands. Over the months of training, Connor had grown fond of Sarah's company. She was bright and charming. If anything happened to her...Connor was not sure what he would do with himself. He shook his head, trying to remain positive about the situation, but realized that thinking positively was something he never really did. He jumped to another tree and building, keeping his eyes peeled for any guards atop the roofs. Spotting one, Connor deftly hurried towards him and knocked him out, propping him against a chimney. Once finished, he returned his attention to the ground below and slowly felt a knot form in his stomach. Sarah was nowhere to be seen, yet her target remained down below, casually smoking a cigarette. Connor grabbed his tomahawk, ready to jump down from his vantage point and finish the job before he saw something slip into a nearby hay stack. A smile tugged at the corners of Connor's mouth as he realized Sarah must've whistled to alert her target. The man moved over to investigate and quickly met his end. Seconds later, Sarah emerged from the hay stack. Connor's smile faded slightly as he noted her face. She'd gone pale and, narrowing his eyes, he could tell she was shaky. Moving into another tree, Connor dropped to the ground below and walked towards her.
"You did well. Even I had lost sight of you for a time. Come; let us get you away from this place."
Connor placed his hand on Sarah's back and urged her to move forward. She did so, but her nerves betrayed her and her knees buckled. Connor quickly held her up and helped Sarah walk to a safe distance.
"You have to clear your mind and remind yourself that you are doing this for the greater good. The man that you killed took the lives of many others. Innocent people fell to the Templars because of his poisonous lies. By removing him from this world, you have done a service to the people of Boston. Perhaps soon we will be able to rid them of the Templars completely, but I need you to stay strong."
Sarah only nodded in response. Connor drew his brows together, at a loss of what to do next. He took a breath and said in a softer tone,
"Come with me, I can take you to a place where you may clear your head."
Connor led Sarah down a few winding alleyways before stopping at the bell tower.
"Go on and climb up, I will meet you there." he stated.
Sarah did so and climbed the building. Connor followed her and pulled himself atop the roof. He looked to his side to see Sarah sitting with her back propped against the wall, hugging her legs to her chest. Connor eyed her curiously before sitting down next to her. Nothing was said for a long while. Connor removed his hood to allow the wind to catch the strands of his hair and to feel it's cooling breeze against his cheek. The clouds had formed and the first few drops of rain began to fall.
"Did you feel like this...when you assassinated your first target?"
Connor looked at Sarah to find her staring at him, her intense green eyes searching his.
"Many people have fallen by my hands, Sarah. While I do remember my first assassination, it was some time ago. I suppose I did feel...something. That something was not remorse, nor guilt. I do not know what it was...perhaps I am not meant to. After that first assassination though, I never felt it again. It is something you learn to live with and to bury, so much so you do not feel it anymore."
Sarah furrowed her brow.
"You feel nothing? You are able to shut out your emotions, your conscience as easy as you blink your eyes?"
Connor nodded.
"Yes...I thought you were able to do that as well, Sarah. You cannot let your feelings interfere with your mission; it will do nothing but cloud your judgment and sway your blade. If you cannot do that, you are not fit to be an assassin."
Sarah drew her brows together and sighed. Connor shook his head and turned his gaze forward. The rain was falling steadily now.
"It is a harsh world we live in, Sarah, filled with unimaginable evil and corruption. It is our duty to try and ensure that the land is not blackened by the Templar's control. Being an assassin is not simply something you 'do', Sarah. It is what you are."
Silence consumed them for a few moments. Connor studied Sarah intently. If she backed out now, after being taught all of their secrets...well...he couldn't be sure she would not tell someone else of their ways.
"It must be so difficult seeing the world through your eyes. You see only the black and white, yet what of the other colors? There is more to life than just the struggle between the Assassins and the Templars, Connor. I suppose I will have to accept your ways and become an assassin for the sole purpose of teaching you how to see the world."
Connor blinked, confused.
"I...I do not understand what you mean."
Sarah turned to him and grinned.
"Then I suppose you'll just have to induct me into the order to find out."
Connor stared blankly at his companion. Her tone had changed from serious to...playful, teasing almost. He stood, taking her words into account and offered her his hand.
"Very well, there's one last thing you must do."
Sarah took his hand and pulled herself up. The wind blew her hood back and caught her dark locks for a dance.
"Well, I've already killed a man. What will you have me do? Jump from this building?"
Connor nodded.
"Yes. To fully accept your place among us, you must execute a leap of faith." he explained as he walked her over to the edge of the building.
Sarah swallowed as she looked precariously over the edge.
"I...I'm not so sure about this, Connor." she stated.
Connor raised his eyebrows.
"Oh? So you can take out a target without consequence yet you are afraid of a short jump?"
Sarah frowned and looked over her shoulder at him.
"Can I not have fears as an assassin" she asked sarcastically.
Connor chuckled slightly. He stood behind her and lifted her arms.
"Spread your arms like the eagle's wings. Feel the wind catch you, carry you..."
Connor released her arms and rested his hands gently against her waist.
"Caress you. Close your eyes. Empty your mind. Take a breath. Have faith, Sarah...and leap!"
Sarah jumped and dived off of the building, landing skillfully in the carriage of hay down below. Connor smiled as he watched her climb out of the hay. She looked so proud of herself, and she had every right to...Sarah was an assassin now. Connor looked up to find that the rain had stopped and a beautiful rainbow had painted itself against the distant sky. He smiled warmly and conceded that perhaps he could indeed learn something from his companion.
Connor had taught Sarah how to see the world in black and white...and now it was high time she taught him how to add color to that vision. It was time Connor took his own leap of faith… perhaps in more ways than one.