A/N: Thank you all for choosing to read this story! I hope it's to your liking! For those who haven't played Assassin's Creed III there are going to be spoilers for the game with Connor. Enjoy and please review!
Trish stood by the mantle, noticing the dust and decay. The last time she had been in this house, it had been in much better condition. So many memories flashed through her mind. She was about to meet one of Altair's descendants. Altair's and Ezio's descendant. Her heart ached at the thought of her former lovers. It had been over 600 years since Altair and Malik died, then another 200 years since Ezio.
Her lifespan was accredited to the Apple of Eden. In a fit of rage, she had tried to destroy it. To free Altair from its grip. However, when she had brought the hammer down onto it, a golden light surrounded her. Once faded, she was young again, and the Apple was gone. Trish had soon discovered where it had gone. As punishment for trying to destroy it, she had become the Piece of Eden, and was now cursed to live for all eternity. Many men sought this, but she would be the one to call them fools. She saw her lovers die. Saw her children and her grandchildren and their children die from either illness, old age, or battle.
For a time, she had distanced herself, only meaning to protect the ones she could. But soon, she found her descendants were all gone. Her bloodline was no longer. But Altair's persevered. She followed his bloodline until she met Ezio. Failing to save Ezio's family, she made herself known to him and his uncle. She had helped him become an assassin. Trained with him, guided him, taught him the wisdom of their creed. Her blade was constantly at his side. She was by his side when the last of the Borgia fell, but their love had started after he became a true assassin.
After he met Sophia, she took a step back, telling Ezio he needed to be with Sophia, to start a family. The process started all over again however. Ezio had children with Sophia and when Ezio and Sophia were passed, she blended to the shadows once again. Watching them from afar and keeping them out of harm's way as best she could. Finally, she met Edward Kenway, for a time, she thought he would fail her ideals, especially when he killed an assassin. But she saw him redeem himself and even met his son Haytham.
Trish still considers Haytham her greatest failure. Having lost him to the templars, she feels responsible for the suffering that Ratonhnhaké:ton, or Connor, has experienced. When Connor's mother died, she was trying to track Haytham and had been unaware of Charles Lee's whereabouts. She only learned of Kaniehtí:io's death upon her return. She learned that Connor had sought out the assassin symbol and decided to wait until his training was complete before she reveal herself to him.
Footsteps behind her made Trish turn to see Achilles and Connor standing in the doorway. A warm smile spread across her face at the sight of the young man. He had long brown hair that was tied back. A small braid hung along the left side of his face adorned with an orange bead and a green bead. His outfit was the one that Achilles had given him, but his weapons were that of Native American design. Even now, 600 years later, his eyes reminded her of Altair.
"Connor, I would like you to meet someone who is vital to our order. Her name is Trish. Trish, this is the young man I wrote you about, his real name I cannot pronounce, but we call him Connor." Achilles introduced.
"It is a pleasure to meet you." Connor said and Trish stepped forward reaching out to shake his hand. Connor grasped it gently but firmly.
"The pleasure is mine, Connor, truly." Trish replied. She let his hand go first, the smile still on her lips.
"I heard about your work in Boston with the Sons of Liberty. Hopefully that will slow down the movements of the templars for a time." She added and Connor nodded.
"Trish has been with our order for quite some time. I'm sure she can accompany you on your missions. She has been trying her best to keep on top of Haytham's movements for us." Achilles stated. Achilles sensed that Trish may not want to discuss her lifespan, he knew how long she had lived for and why. With Ezio she couldn't keep her secret safe. She had been with him for a long time and did not age. Now, with Connor, she wasn't sure how long she could keep her secret of what she was, but she knew the less who knew, the better.
"Do you know where he is then?" Connor asked eagerly. Trish was snapped from her thoughts, then looked away, her smile fading.
"No, he is very slippery. Every time I try to track him, he loses me. The thing is, he has had assassin training as well, so he knows all of our secrets and our fighting styles." She said softly. Connor nodded and looked at Achilles, but spoke to Trish.
"I am also curious if you know where a man by the name of 'Charles Lee' is." Connor asked her, making her look from Connor to Achilles.
"Charles stays pretty close to Haytham. So, if we find one, there is a good chance to find the other." Trish replied, looking up at him again. Their conversation was interrupted by the door bursting open.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton! Ratonhnhaké:ton!" The man called, making Connor turn towards the man. There was urgency in the man's voice.
"Kanen'tó:kon? Why are you here? Has something happened?" Connor asked. The man, Kanen'tó:kon, spotted Connor and made his way over to him.
"William Johnson has returned – with all the money required to buy our land. He meets with the elders as we speak. I have begged them to resist. But I fear he shall have his way unless you intervene." Kanen'tó:kon said, making Connor tense with anger. Trish looked to Achilles, then joined Connor.
"How is this possible? We destroyed the tea." Connor stated. Trish sighed, she should've known that this wouldn't slow them down. She had failed to see another channel they used to get money.
"The Templars are nothing if not resourceful. You should have heeded my warning!" Achilles admonished.
"Please, you have to stop him!" Kanen'tó:kon begged.
"Of course." Connor said, walking towards the door. He paused and looked to Trish.
"Come with, I may need help." Connor said and Trish nodded.
"You have me as long as you need it." She replied, following Connor and Kanen'tó:kon.
"Can you tell me where they are meeting?" Connor asked his old friend. Kanen'tó:kon gave them the information they needed as they travelled off the Davenport property. They stood, overlooking the river and Kanen'tó:kon pointed towards a white building.
"Johnson Hall is just across the river. The water is well guarded, Ratonhnhaké:ton." Kanen'tó:kon said in Mohawk. Trish didn't tell them she understood them. What surprised her when she first became the Apple, was how she could understand, speak, read, and write all languages. Not wanting to give herself away, Trish pretended to be out of earshot as she looked for a way to Johnson Hall that would give them the element of surprise.
"Wait for me here." Connor replied, gently touching his friend's shoulder. He moved up beside Trish.
"Kanen'tó:kon says they are at that building, at Johnson Hall. We need to find a way there that will not alert suspicion." Connor said and Trish nodded, looking at him then the water again.
"There. See that dock?" She asked, pointing at the dock where several guards stood on the opposite side of the river. Connor nodded.
"Yes." He replied.
"We create a distraction there. I think I see gun powder barrels. If we ignite them, they will explode and cause the guards to come running. We can slip by then unnoticed and make our way up to the hall. From there, I'll distract them on the ground giving you enough time to get to William Johnson from above." Trish said and Connor nodded.
"I can do that. Trish, please ensure my people are not harmed." Connor said making Trish smile.
"I will protect them, Connor, you have my word." She replied. They made their way down to the dock, hiding in the reeds. Trish dispatched two guards nearest them, hiding their bodies so they wouldn't be discovered too quickly. Connor aimed his pistol and fired. The explosion rang in their ears, but once the guards ran to see the trouble, they both climbed the hill, hiding in bushes so they weren't detected. Once near the hall, Connor climbed to the top, while Trish made her way to the opposite end of the courtyard.
"Brothers, please! I am confident we will find a solution." Johnson was saying.
"We are not your brothers." Said one of the elders, obviously annoyed that Johnson would assume they were that close.
"Do we not seek the same things? Peace, prosperity, fertile land." Johnson asked, ignoring the statement from the elder.
"You seek land, true enough. Land that is not yours, nor any person's." The same elder replied.
"I only wish to keep you safe! There are those who would betray and manipulate you. Or worse yet-take the land by force." Johnson replied, trying to make himself out to be their savior. Trish hid a scoff. She knew the templar's true plans. It seemed the elders wouldn't give in either.
"We are all too aware of the expeditions your people send against us." Johnson seemed to take great offense to this.
"What do you mean, my people? We are all ONE! We should act as such!"
"How? By signing our lands over to you? Then we'll be as one-in your debt forever." The elder replied. Unfortunately, William's words seemed to be getting through to some of the other elder's in attendance. Trish had to act soon.
"Sir William may have a point... What hope have we against their black powder and iron?" One of the other elders asked.
"The spirits will guide us as they always have." The older man said.
"Did they not guide us here?" The younger asked.
"Yes. That we might unmask the great betrayer."
"This is a mistake! We should sign!" The younger replied, his tone desperate. Trish was looking for something to draw the guard's attention, when she saw one by himself.
"Peace! Peace! Have I not always been an advocate? Have I not always sought to protect you from harm?" Johnson asked, trying to gain the favor of the other elders.
"If you wish to protect us, then give us arms. Muskets and horses that we might defend ourselves!" The older elder replied.
"War is not the answer!" Johnson replied, shaking his head sadly.
"We remember Stanwix! We remember you moved the borders! Even today, your men dig up the land-showing no regard for those who live upon it. Your words are honeyed, but false. We are not here to negotiate. Nor to sell. We are here to tell you and yours to leave these lands." Trish only wished it was that easy. She took out her poison dart and threw it at the guard, watching for it to take effect.
"So be it. I offered you an olive branch, and you knocked it from my hand. Perhaps you'll respond better to the sword." Johnson said, taking a step back as the guards levelled their muskets at the elders.
"Are you threatening us?" The younger elder from before asked. Johnson thought about it before nodding.
"Yes." It was then the poison began to work and all attention shifted towards the guard.
"You? What's wrong with you?" Johnson asked him. Several guards moved closer to the poisoned one. Trish sprang from her hiding spot, taking out two guards with her hidden blade.
"Kill her!" Johnson shouted. It was then, Connor leapt down, his own hidden blade drawn and he buried it into Johnson's neck. Trish kept killing the guards, until finally, they all lay dead.
"Ah no. What have you done?" Johnson asked, looking up at Connor. Trish made sure all the elders were unharmed.
"Ensured an end to your schemes. You sought to claim these lands for the Templars…" Connor replied.
"Aye, that we might PROTECT them! Do you think that good King George lies awake at night hoping that no harm comes to his native subjects? Or that the people of the city care one whit about them? Oh, sure, the colonists are happy to trade when they need food or shelter or a bit of extra padding for their armies. But when the walls of the city constrict-when there's crops that need soil-when there's…when there's no more enemy to fight-we'll see how kind the people are then." Johnson said, gasping for breath, his death fast approaching.
"The colonists have no quarrel with the Iroquois." Connor said, kneeling beside him.
"Not yet. But they will. 'Tis the way of the world. In time, they'll turn. I…I could have stopped it. I could have saved you all…"
"You speak of salvation, but you were killing them." Connor replied.
"Aye. Because they would not listen! And so, it seems, neither will you." Johnson said. He closed his eyes and his body relaxed as death took him.
"May the Faceless One grant you the peace you claimed to seek." Connor spoke in Mohawk as he stood up. Trish moved to his side.
"What do you think he meant?" Connor asked, looking at her.
"Templars often speak in cryptic words. They believe in their purpose and it usually isn't clear until we get to their grandmaster."
"My father." Connor responded and Trish nodded.
"Thank you." The older Elder said from behind them, making both turn.
"You should return to the village. It will be safe for now." Connor replied. The elders nodded and left.
"Thank you, Trish, for keeping your word." Connor said. Trish looked up at him and smiled.
"If it is important to you, it is important to me too. I'm with you until the end, Connor." She said and held her hand out to him. He took it and nodded, giving her a small smile. They went back to meet Kanen'tó:kon, informed him that all was safe and once he left, they continued onto the homestead.
"How long have you been with the order?" Connor asked as they walked. Trish sighed, trying to think of a way to tell him without giving herself away.
"I was born into it. My grandfather was the master of the order. I was raised with the beliefs, but didn't become a full assassin until much later." Trish replied. The memories of her grandfather, Altair, and Malik flooded her mind and it took all she had not to let her emotions show.
"You have a little bit to learn yet, but from what I've seen, you can handle yourself really well." Trish said, changing the subject.
"Thank you, I learned all I know from Achilles. Where are you from? Your accent seems…different than any I've heard. You are not from the colonies, your skin is too pale for Native American, but you do not seem British either." Connor asked.
"I'm from Syria. I trust Achilles has taught you geography?" She asked and Connor nodded.
"That is in the Middle East, correct?" He asked and Trish nodded, smiling.
"What made you come to the colonies?" Connor asked her.
"I was in England, trying to track down Haytham. He sailed here and I came to ask Achilles for help. Instead I found you." What Trish didn't tell him was she arrived in the colonies 18 years earlier. She had meant to follow Haytham after he left Connor's mother, but something told her to stay by. Nine months after Haytham left, Connor had been born.
"I never knew him. He left my mother before I was born. She said that he only had eyes for the future and she felt that his future didn't have her in it." Connor said, making her look up at him.
"Achilles has told me some of the things he's done. Some of which I've witnessed first-hand. When I was four, his subordinate, Charles Lee, burned down my village and in turn my mother was killed." Connor said quietly.
"I'm so sorry." She said. Connor said nothing as they neared the homestead.
"I will put an end to their schemes. I will keep my people and our lands safe." He said after a few moments.
"I will help. You have my blade as long as you need it." She replied, making Connor look at her finally. There was sincerity in her eyes and her voice. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like he could trust her.
"Thank you, I appreciate it." Connor said. They stood on the cliff, overlooking the homestead, the wind gently playing with their hair and clothes. Trish felt something. Something burning faintly in her chest. She felt like her world was changing. She had felt this once before, with Ezio. Was it the Apple? Was it reacting to Connor? She didn't know. But she knew she was in the right place at the right time.
And maybe she could still save Haytham.