The Ottoman Stories – The Hunt for the Ring
The early 1800's in the Ottoman Empire was the start of many reforms that would lead to the modernization of the Empire. Sultan Selim lll promised many grand changes to the Empire's military, which angered the Janissary corps. Fueled by this anger, and funded by the Templars, the janissaries dethroned the Sultan, and placed a Templar on the throne, named Mustafa IV. While this turmoil was happening on the ground, the Assassin-Templar war raged underground. The Ottoman Assassins learned that there was a mysterious Piece of Eden under Topkapi Palace and the Templars have begun excavating underneath the palace. Knowing they couldn't take on the Templars on their own, they wrote to Paris, pleading for help. Paris obliged, and sent their best Assassin to lend them a hand...
Master Assassin Elise de la Serre sat on her bed, ruffling the sheets on her bed as she moved her pillows. After moving the pillows on her bed to the correct positions, Elise pulled the blanket over her bed. She brushed the dust off of her left shoulder, and ultimately all over her black and red robes. Elise then approached her weaponry, which was laid out on the table. She grabbed the Blade of Edward Kenway, the sword that was given to her by Jennifer Scott as a gift, and placed it in the scabbard on her right side. Elise grabbed her flintlock pistol, and placed it in her holster behind her back. She also grabbed a few throwing knives and placed them in slots along her belt. Lastly, Elise picked up her hidden blade bracer, with bore the insignia of her order proudly. Elise smiled, and slid it on her left wrist. As she walked towards the door of her cabin, she grabbed a necklace, made by her son Francois, and put it on. She smiled as she looked down as her fingers ran through each wooden fragment. Elise opened the door, and walked up to the deck of the ship, which was slowly sailing into the Golden Horn.
As soon as Elise stepped onto the deck of the ship, she could feel the sun's beams beating down on her. Elise looked around the beautiful city of Constantinople, the capital of the mighty Ottoman Empire. The minarets of the Hagia Sophia mosque dominated the Ottoman skyline. Elise took in all the scenery until the ship docked. Elise thanked the captain as she walked off the ship, and onto the docks. Elise then pulled out a small piece of parchment, and examined what was on it as she was walking.
"The headquarters are located a couple hundred meters away from Hagia Sophia." Elise muttered to herself. Elise looked up to see the famous mosque tower over the buildings in front of her. As she looked up, a bullet whizzed by her head. Elise quickly turned around and spied a Templar rifleman on the the roof, and returned fire with a quick shot from her pistol, with the bullet landing flush between his eyes.
"Merde!" Elise shouted, as she ran her hands through her red hair, and continued walking. She weaved her way through the crowds of people in the streets, who were oblivious to both gunshots. Elise approached a grey building with what looked like an Assassin insignia etched in the door. Elise reached for the doorknob, only to feel a tap on her shoulder. Elise turned around quickly, to see an Assassin wearing beige robes with a black mask.
"Who might you be?" Elise asked, squinting at the masked man.
"My apologies, milady." The man replied, his voice sounding muffled. He took the mask off, and beneath the mask was a young man with a nicely trimmed beard and a buzz cut. Elise couldn't help but smile at him.
"I am Haran Alona, Assassin of the Ottoman Brotherhood." he began. "And you must be..."
"I am Elise de la Serre. Assassin of the French Brotherhood." Elise replied, with a bow.
"Ah, the sister who put that domuz de Gaulle out of his misery." Haran said, with a smile.
"Yes, you would be correct." Elise replied sternly. "On my way here, I was ambushed on my way here, by a Templar rifleman."
Haran looked up at Elise, concern clouding his face.
"I will send my brother out to do a sweep of the area later tonight." He stated. "But now, come in Madame de la Serre. We have much to discuss."
Elise nodded her head, and followed Haran into the building. She entered and saw another young Assassin, this one with long black hair, and no beard. Must be his brother, Elise thought to herself.
"Welcome to Constantinople, Elise!" The man greeted, and beckoned her to come to the table.
Elise sat down at the table, and looked around the room. Rugs adorned the walls and floors, and sunlight poured through an opening on the roof. Haran arrived at the table shortly after.
"Sorry for not introducing him." Haran started. "This is my brother, Dashan Alona. We are descendants of the great Ottoman Assassin Levi Kizi Alona." Dashan bowed his head towards Elise. Elise returned the favour and bowed her head back, before returning her attention to Haran.
"She was called the masked one, correct?" Elise asked. "I've read about her in the Assassin archives back in France."
"Correct." Haran replied, as he took his seat. "Family documents state that she was trained by the great mentor Ezio Auditore himself during his brief stay here in the city."
"A very incredible lineage." Elise replied, with a smile. "Now onto a serious note. Why do you need help from France?"
"We wrote to France because our skills alone couldn't compete with that the Templars are up to now." Dashan stated. "Even though the alliance between our countries was broken, the alliance between our brotherhoods wasn't."
"What are the Templars up to, if you don't mind my asking?" Elise asked, with a tinge of concern in her voice.
"Word has been going around the city is that under orders of new Sultan Mustafa IV, an excavation underneath Topkapi Palace began, using political prisoners brought in by janissaries as workers to find something mysterious underneath the palace. We have been meaning to investigate for months, for we have the key to this place, but with the janissary revolts going on, our efforts have been in vain." Haran stated sternly.
Elise looked up at the brothers, got up out of her seat, and placed her hands on the table.
"I will volunteer as a prisoner, and investigate the source of this mysterious object." Elise told the brothers.
Dashan shot her a look of confusion.
"How would we go about doing that?" he asked.
"You two acquire janissary uniforms by any means necessary." Elise began. "You will then place me in chains, and escort me to the dig site. I will be taken by the Templars to where they want me. You will have to follow suit, take out two Templar soldiers and steal their guises, and go from there. Understood?"
"Much clearer to me." Haran replied, with a smile. "Dashan and myself will seek out a couple of lonely janissaries tonight, and take their guises." Dashan nodded his head with approval.
"One last question, Madame," Dashan began. "You wouldn't look like a prisoner the way you look now. How will you look like a prisoner?"
Elise glanced around the room, and spied a raggy old shirt.
"Hand me that worn out shirt over there, would you please?" Elise asked, as she began to unbutton her shirt. Haran grabbed it and walked it over to Elise, who took her shirt off completely while waiting for Haran. The brothers looked away, as they did not want to look at a bare breasted woman. Elise smiled at the brothers, as she put the shirt on. Elise stretched it out a bit until she found it comfortable.
"I look the part now, don't I?" Elise asked Dashan. Dashan let out a little bit of a laugh, followed by a smile.
"You do now, sister." He replied, before Haran patted him on the shoulder.
"Come, brother. It is time for us to hunt down a couple of janissaries, plus perform a sweep of the area, for she was ambushed by a Templar rifleman on her way here. Let Elise rest, for we will take her to the dig site in the early hours of the morning."
Dashan, sounding confused by the sweep of the area, heeded his older brother's words, and followed him out the door.
"Bonne chance a vous deux!" Elise said in her native French. The brothers nodded and smiled before they closed the door. Elise spied a brown couch in their living area. She took a seat on it, stretched her legs, and laid down to fall asleep.
Elise awoke several hours later to the sound of the door opening. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes to see the brothers, who had successfully acquired the two outfits, which were bundled up in their arms.
"I take it you were successful, yes?" Elise asked the brothers.
"You bet we were!" Dashan said, holding his uniform and smiling. "As for the area sweep, there were no Templars in the area. We speculate all of them went back to the dig site."
"But we must hurry." Haran stated. "On our way back, we saw some janissaries escorting some prisoners to the dig site."
Elise let her red hair down, and ran her fingers through it.
"There we go." Elise said, feeling relieved. "Now quickly get into your costumes."
Elise turned around while the brothers changed into their janissary outfits. She turned around to see the brothers in exuberantly colored military outfits with medium sized headdresses on. Elise couldn't help but laugh upon seeing them.
"I look ridiculous. I feel ridiculous." Dashan muttered to himself. Haran nudged him with his elbow. Elise pointed to the chains in Haran's hands.
"I'm ready when you are." Elise told the brothers, as she extended her arms. Haran placed the handcuffs on Elise's wrists, and both brothers grabbed her by her upper arms and led he out the door. While the three disguised Assassins walked through the streets, they encountered janissaries who spat on and mocked Elise. Elise shut her eyes every time a janissary spat. Haran and Dashan escorted her past the Golden Horn and to the entrance of the dig site, where two Templar guards were stationed. Elise could identify them as Templars because of the Red Cross on their left breast. The guards stopped Haran and Dashan.
"Halt, janissaries!" A guard ordered. "Why did you bring her here?"
"She is a French diplomat who was supportive of Selim III." Haran stated. "We caught her preaching the praises of Selim in the market. We arrested her as an enemy of the state, and have brought her here as a labourer."
The Templar guards smiled.
"Hand her over to us." he ordered. Haran and Dashan let Elise go, where she was harshly shoved by the guards into the hands of two overseers. The overseers roughly grabbed Elise's arms and forced her head forward. Elise grimaced as the overseer's hand grabbed her neck, his fingernails piercing her flesh.
"Forward, you frog!" an overseer ordered. Elise took a deep breath, and moved her feet on his command. After walking for what seemed a long time down a shaft that led to a large open area, where Elise observed several workers chipping away at the stone. Elise could barely see in the mine. The overseers shoved Elise into the open area. She landed on her shoulder, and grimaced in pain. A pick axe landed a couple of feet away from her.
"Get to it, woman." He ordered. Elise glared at the overseer as she picked up her pickaxe, and began to chip away at the limestone. Elise felt a great pain in the shoulder she fell on, and would drop her pickaxe and loosen out her arm every few minutes. An overseer caught wind of Elise loosening her arm. He approached her and shoved her to the ground.
"Clearly you didn't get the message, woman. Get to it, or I will pull your red hair off your scalp!" he ordered. Elise picked up her pickaxe and continued to chip away, while the overseer returned to his post. Out of the corner of her eye, Elise spied a well-dressed man approach the overseer at his post. She noticed that they were engaging in a conversation, so she eavesdropped while she was working.
"How is everything going down here?" The man asked the overseer.
"Everything is going smoothly down here, Master Kasim." The overseer replied. "Through our work down here we have located a door a couple hundred meters east of here that leads to a mysterious temple of some sorts. We have two guards trying to gain access to what lies inside."
"Very good." Kasim replied, stroking his chin. "We shall visit the door later tonight, for the Ring could be inside. The Sultan will be most pleased with your progress, kardeshim. Send the workers to their cells, for it is almost nighttime."
The overseer nodded his head as Kasim walked away.
"The Ring." Elise whispered to herself. "That is what he is after. I must stop this." Suddenly, Elise heard the voice of the overseer echo throughout the caverns.
"All workers to your cells! Time to sleep! Drop your pickaxe and line up!" He ordered all the workers. Elise got in line with the rest of the workers, and was escorted to the worker cells. The two overseers locked the cell doors. Elise couldn't help but notice one of the overseers dropped his lockpicking kit a few inches away from a gap in the cell. Elise closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
Elise awoke a couple of hours later, to see the lockpicking kit still there. Elise walked on her knees to get to the caged part of the cell, and grabbed the lockpicking kit. After a few moments of fidgeting with the lock on her chains, the shackles loosened from her wrists. The sound of the shackles awoke a fellow worker as she began to pick the lock of the cell.
"You shouldn't do this!" The worker exclaimed groggily, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "They will get you!"
Elise returned a smile to the tired worker.
"Let them." Elise replied, as she opened the gate quietly, doing the same as she closed the cell door.
Elise quietly navigated her way through the poorly lit tunnels, being extra cautious when sneaking past the overseer quarters. About halfway down the tunnel, Elise spied two Templar guards. Elise was about to move in on one of them, when he turned around.
"A prisoner has esca..." he was about to shout, before Elise placed him in a sleeper hold, and knocked him out. Elise snuck up on the other Templar guard, and as she did with the one previous, knocked him out quietly. She grabbed a torch not too far away from the body, and lit it with the fire he was standing by. After walking down the brightly lit path, she approached the mysterious entrance. Elise noticed that the door had already been opened, revealing highly advanced architecture, bearing the resemblance of those who came before.
"Haran and Dashan must've been down here." Elise whispered to herself. "They were the only ones who held the key." As Elise took a step forward, she heard a gunshot, followed by a large explosion of gunpowder at the entrance that launched Elise into the walls of the catacombs, and landing back on the ground. Kasim, the Grand Master, his two overseers, and six guards approached her. Elise saw Dashan and Haran, disguised, with pained looks on their faces. Kasim's overseers grabbed Elise by the arms, and forced her up to her knees. Kasim propped Elise's head up by lifting her chin, and examined her face.
"Red hair, round face. You can't be the one who killed de Gaulle. What's her name? Elise de la Serre or whatever that cadi is called?" He pondered, while still examining her bruised face. "You are nothing but a feisty prisoner, who is eager to get a lashing tomorrow. Guards. Keep an eye on her as we go look for the Ring. We can never be quite sure." He shoved her aside, and walked away into the temple, as the guards approached her. Elise was beginning to fade. Just before she blacked out, she heard sounds of four hidden blades meeting the necks of their enemies. As the bodies of the Templar guards fell to the ground, Elise blacked out from the immense pain she was in.
Elise awoke a few minutes later, still in quite a bit of pain. She turned to the left to see Dashan and Haran kneeling beside her, with her equipment. Haran helped Elise up, and tossed her Kenway's Blade. She caught it with her right hand. Elise extended her left arm out, and Dashan fit her with her hidden blade. Haran got up to Elise's face, up until they were touching foreheads.
"Go Elise." Haran ordered. "Kasim doesn't know we still have the key. Take it, find him, and bring him to an end. Dashan and myself will prevent any more guards from entering. GO!"
Haran handed Elise the key, and a smoke bomb. She put the key in the pocket of her breeches, and entered the temple. The temple itself was very reminiscent of the temple her husband Arno had seen in Saint-Denis. Elise stood at the temple entrance, and took in the architecture, as the stoic gray metal gleamed with white.
"Who built this place?" Elise whispered to herself, as she descended the stairs to a lower level. Elise quickly took cover, as two guards walked by her. Elise emerged from her hiding spot, and stabbed the guard on the left in the neck, and quickly slashed the guard on the right in the throat. A guard walking around a corner witnessed Elise kill them.
"PRISONER ESCAPED! SHE'S HERE IN THE TEMPLE!" He yelled. As he yelled, more guards surrounded Elise. Elise looked around, and saw Kasim and his overseers entering the room with the Ring in it. Elise swallowed, and dropped the smoke bomb she got from Haran. She quickly set her course for Kasim, ducking and sliding under objects that were in her path. No longer blinded by the smoke, the guards saw Elise and continued their pursuit of her. Elise ran up the stairs leading to the room and slid under the gate. She got up and dusted herself off. Kasim and his two overseers turned around, and all three cracked a devilish smile.
"You can't win, prisoner. Those guards will cut you down where you stand in seconds." Kasim bellowed.
"I would like to see them try, connard." Elise snapped back. As the guards were approaching, Elise cut the rope to the mechanism that opened the gate with her hidden blade, causing the gate to close before the guards could enter. Kasim drew his cutlass, along with his overseers, who drew their axes.
"So it really is you, Elise." Kasim began. "The grand and mighty Assassin. Slayer of Peter Carroll and Louis de Gaulle. I should have known it was you. Hero of the Revolution. It's a damn shame your father isn't living to see you like this, for you were born with his lack of ambition!"
"My father was born with plenty of ambition, thank you very much, and he passed it down to me!" Elise roared back. "I have more ambition in my life than ever before, and it's driving me to keep that ring out of your hands!"
"I have heard enough!" Kasim bellowed, pointing at Elise. "Guards. End her life."
The overseers charged at Elise. Elise stood her ground, and prepared for an attack. As the overseers lifted their axes, Elise plotted her move. She quickly lifted up Kenway's Blade and impaled the overseer to the right through the neck, while she quickly slashed the guard on the left in the throat with her hidden blade. Both overseers slumped to the ground, choking on their own blood. Kasim gave a horrified look after Elise killed his overseers, but nodded his head to the side a few times, followed by a smile.
"The ring will belong to the Templars, girl." Kasim began. "You have no idea about how powerful it is. The Assassins would just play a lovely little game of keep away, while we Templars intend to use its true power!"
"We desire to keep powerful objects out of your hands!" Elise shouted back, extending her hidden blade.
"I know you have the key, Assassin. Give it to me, and you will be spared." He ordered, extending his hand.
"Come and get it, enfoire." Elise replied, snidely. Elise beckoned him with her hand.
Kasim growled, and charged at Elise. Elise was ready for him, and parried his attack. She continued to parry and dodge his attacks, until he sliced Elise's right arm open, leaving a gash which began to bleed. Elise screamed in pain, and covered up her wound with some cloth she cut quickly from her shirt. The key fell out of her pocket, and onto the ground. Kasim picked it up, while Elise was tending to her wound.
"Thank you very much. I'll be taking this now." Kasim said, as he picked the key up off the ground.
After bandaging her wound, Elise realized she didn't have the key to the Ring in her pocket, and scrambled through her breech pockets to find it. She looked up to see Kasim walking towards the box, key in hand. Elise gasped, and realized she only had one shot to get to him and the key. Elise got up to her knees, and discovered that Kasim's knees were vulnerable. She walked up behind him, and unsheathed her hidden blade. Kasim heard the click of her blade.
"Go ahead, and kill me. My death at your hands will mean nothing to your brotherhood. I will die with the ring, and you will have to pry it off my cold, dead hands." He told Elise. "Do it."
Elise turned around, and saw Dashan and Haran at the gate. She gave them a gesture indicating they climb up. They heeded her command, and climbed up to the roof of the building, and observed the confrontation. Elise sunk her hidden blade into his left knee. Kasim slumped down to the ground, grasping his knee in pain, dropping the key. Elise picked the key up off the ground.
"Didn't your parents ever teach you that taking things that don't belong to you is wrong?" Elise questioned the Grand Master, as he was on the ground, still grasping his knee in pain. Elise used the key to open the chest, took the ring out, and place it on her finger.
"The same can be said for you, de la Serre!" He roared. "Didn't your father and your pathetic mother teach you those lessons, woman?"
"They did, when I was a young girl, yes." Elise replied. "But times change. I am a grown woman, and I will do whatever it takes to keep an ageless artifact out of the hands of a tyrant." Elise pointed her left hand at Kasim, who was crawling backwards.
"Don't! Don't! Don't!" Kasim pleaded. "You have no idea about how powerful it is!" Elise looked down at the wounded Grand Master, as her hand began to glow with white. Kasim shielded his face as the white light continued to grow around Elise's hand. Dashan and Haran descended from the roof and stood behind Elise. The white light shined so bright that Elise couldn't see her hand. All of a sudden, the Ring shot out an energy blast that made Kasim freeze, and then fall to the ground, dead. Elise walked up to him, Haran and herself gave him his last rites. Haran and Dashan landed beside Elise, who watched the Ring conjure up another blast of energy, which knocked the gate down as Elise pointed at it. After knocking the gate down, Elise placed the Ring in the pocket of her breeches, and the three Assassins navigated their way through the Temple, with Haran and Dashan assassinating guards whenever they showed themselves. A guard tried to stab Elise from behind, but Elise grabbed the guard by the wrist, dropping his weapon, and stabbed him in the neck. The three Assassins noticed the door was slowly closing. Elise, Haran, and Dashan quickly climbed up the stairs to the entrance, with all three exiting the Temple before the door closed.
"Is everyone alright?" Dashan asked, dusting himself off.
"I'm fine, yes." Elise replied, to his question. Haran stood behind Dashan, relatively unscathed.
"We must leave these caverns, quickly." Haran stated, patting his brother on the shoulder. "Take the lead, Elise. You know these caverns better than us."
Elise nodded her head, and beckoned the brothers forward. The brothers followed Elise through the caverns, which were empty after everyone had left. As Elise, Haran, and Dashan exited the caverns, Elise felt around in her pockets to check and see if it was still there. She smiled when she found it, and continued the walk underneath the light of the crescent moon.
The next afternoon, Elise changed into her Assassin robes, and met Dashan and Haran in the living area as all three Assassins gathered around the ring, which was still sitting at the center of the table.
"The ring contains an incredible amount of power, even though it is damaged." Dashan stated. "What shall we do with this priceless First Civilization relic?"
"Do you have a place you can store it for safekeeping?" Elise asked.
"Hmmm, I may know of a place." Haran replied to Elise's question. "Yeteraban Cistern, underneath the old Polo trading post. Formerly owned by Sofia Sartor."
"Sofia Sartor, the woman who would become Ezio's wife?" Elise asked, sounding puzzled. "Why would you store something of value like this under her former shop?"
"Elise, you don't understand." Dashan interjected. "The cistern is a safe place to store it. It is where Ezio told the Assassins to store the Masyaf Keys, the keys to the library of Altair Ibn La'Ahad. We will make sure it stays safe. That much we promise."
Elise nodded her head, and smiled. There was a knock the door. Haran answered the door, and a courier was standing in the doorway, panting.
"Hello there. Is Haran Alona here?" He said between pants.
"I am Haran Alona." Haran stated. "Why are you here?"
"I have two letters here. One for you." He said, handing Haran his letter. "...and another for Elise Delaserre."
"De la Serre." Elise told the courier, pronouncing her last name correctly as he handed her the letter. He nodded his head, and scurried away.
Haran opened his letter, and began to read it.
Dear Haran and Dashan Alona,
It is as I have feared. The janissaries have ousted me as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and have placed my corrupt cousin, Mustafa, on the throne. Mustafa had begun the search for a powerful artifact, one that can kill, and make him untouchable. If I can't stop him, then I trust in you two and whomever may help you to bring his reign to an end.
Sincerely,
Selim bin Mustafa.
Haran held his hand over his mouth.
"What is it, brother?" Dashan asked, peering over his shoulder.
"Selim III is no longer Sultan of the Empire." Haran replied to his brother. "It seems the janissaries have placed his cousin, Mustafa, a known Templar, on the throne. Selim used his real name in this letter."
Dashan looked back at his brother, a frown coming across his face. Elise approached Haran, and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"If you ever need help, just write to me. I'm sure France will send me again, and I would be glad to help again." Elise told Haran.
"It'll be a while before we strike again, Elise." Haran replied. "He is hiding behind his janissaries, who would cut us down in a heartbeat."
"Just write to me when you plan to strike, Haran. Take your time." Elise said. "I will anticipate the arrival of your letter." Haran shot Elise a smile, and walked into his quarters. Elise walked over to the couch, dusting off her black and red robes, sat down, and opened her letter.
Hello Elise,
Here is that letter you wanted. I hope this letter reaches you in Constantinople in due time, and that you succeeded in helping our Ottoman brothers. I have left Francois under watch of Beylier, as I board a ship for Constantinople to see your flaming red hair, and beautiful face again. That is the main reason I am coming, the other is to bring you home.
See you in a couple of days, my love.
Sincerely,
Arno Victor Dorian
Elise smiled, folded the letter, and tucked it into the pocket of her breeches.
"See you in a couple of days, my love." Elise whispered to herself. She stretched out her legs, yawned, and laid down on the couch to fall asleep.
Elise was awoken by Haran late in the morning, talking to another courier. Elise rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, and got up to talk to Haran.
"Who was that you were talking to?" Elise asked.
"Just another courier, telling me that there is a ship docking with a passenger for you on it." Haran replied. "A man by the name of Arno Dorian, from your country of France."
"Arno is here?" Elise asked Haran, eagerly. "He's my husband. Would we be able to head down to the docks?"
"Certainly." Haran said, holding the door open for her. Elise smiled as Haran shut the door behind them. The two Assassins walked down the street towards the docks, with the sun high in the sky, beating down on them. Just as Elise and Haran got to the docks, Elise spied a ship with the French flag sail past the Golden Horn, amongst crowds of other ships. The French ship docked. Elise looked up to see a man with fair brown hair, done up in a ponytail, come down the ramp that led down to the docks. Elise recognized his purple and gold robes anywhere.
"Arno!" Elise shouted at her husband. Arno turned around.
"Elise, I..." Arno was about to say, before Elise hugged him. Elise held on to him for a little bit, before letting go.
"Elise. I am glad to see you." Arno greeted her. He shot a look at Haran, and looked down at his hidden blade.
"Who is this friend of yours?" Arno asked, smiling.
"This is Haran Alona." Elise introduced him to Arno. Haran bowed his head to Arno. Arno did the same in return.
"Pleased to meet you, Arno Dorian." Haran replied.
"Haran and his brother, Dashan, helped me in the mission." Elise told Arno. Arno smiled, and kissed his wife.
"Were you successful?" Arno asked. "What did you find out here?"
"We were successful." Elise replied to her husband. "We acquired a First Civilization Ring that possessed great power from a Temple that was similar to what you encountered in Saint-Denis, and that the janissaries overthrew the Sultan and replaced them with his cousin, who is a known Templar."
Arno whistled.
"What did you do with this said ring?" Arno inquired.
"Dashan plans to store it in the Yeteraban Cistern, underneath the shop of Sofia Sartor, and the former Polo trading post later today, to protect it from the Sultan, and his janissaries." Haran told Arno.
Arno looked out into the Golden Horn, and spied the Great Chain going across the Horn.
"I would like to think that we won't be getting out of here for a while." Arno quipped.
"It's probably until they find out who killed the Grand Master." Elise added, with a smile.
"It seems as so." Haran walked up beside Arno, who was staring out into the Golden Horn. Elise stood at her husband's right side, and joined them.
"Usually, the Great Chain stays across the Halic for a couple of days, so that no ships can enter or exit the ports." Haran told Arno. "Mostly on Sultan's orders."
Haran spat on the ground. Arno looked at Elise. Elise returned the look.
"What are we going to do, Elise?" Arno asked, sounding confused. "We are stuck here with nowhere to stay."
"I've got you covered." Haran replied to Arno. Arno glanced over his shoulder. "There is a hotel not too far away from the docks here that you could stay at, and they support the Assassins. You can see it there." Haran pointed at a yellowish building in the distance. Elise had to squint to see it, but she was successful in seeing it. Haran beckoned Elise and Arno to follow him to the hotel. After a lengthy walk, the three Assassins made it to the hotel in the early evening. Haran showed them to the room they would be staying in. Elise and Arno bowed their heads in thanks.
"If you need anything, you know where I will be." Haran told them, as he left the room. Arno looked up at Elise.
"So Elise," Arno began. "What power was this Ring capable of?"
Elise returned a look to her husband.
"When I wore it, it shot out an energy blast that stopped the Grand Master, Kasim, in his tracks. It ultimately killed him." Elise told her husband. "It is also capable of shattering metal gates to pieces."
"Fascinating." Arno replied. "I bet you are eager to share your discovery with the Brotherhood."
Elise flashed a smile at her husband, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. She put her bracer and sword on a desk in the room, only to see her husband, shirtless and under the covers of the bed. Elise smiled, took off her shirt, and joined him in bed. One gaze into Arno's eyes, and Elise was lost in them. Arno caressed her face.
"I missed you, Elise." Arno told her passionately. Elise gave Arno a smile in return.
"I've missed you too, my love." Elise replied, running her finger down his chest. Arno smiled back at her.
"I love you, Elise!" He exclaimed. Before Elise could say anything, Arno planted a kiss on her lips. Elise caressed Arno's head, returned a kiss to him, and both exchanged a passionate moment with each other.
The next morning, Elise and Arno changed into their robes, walked down to the docks, and met Haran down there. Haran showed Elise a smile as the three Assassins watched the Great Chain lower, allowing ships to start passing through the Golden Horn.
"I guess this is where we part ways, Elise." Haran told Elise.
"For now, Haran." Elise replied, placing her hand on his shoulder. "If you need help in taking down Mustafa, write to us. France will always be there if you need a helping hand." Arno nodded his head approvingly.
"Thank you, Elise." Haran told her, as the French ship sat waiting in the docks. Elise smiled, and nodded her head as she boarded the ship, alongside Arno. Haran nodded back to her, and saluted her as the ship began to sail out of the Golden Horn, and on to France.
Nine Months Later - Paris, France. March 16th, 1808
The Master Assassins of the French Brotherhood gathered around the bed of Elise de la Serre, who was about to give birth. Arno was at bedside, holding his wife's hand, as she began to push. Francois, their son, was about to walk up to his father, but was held back by Beylier. Elise screamed out in pain as she pushed, the nurse gave her positive words of encouragement.
"You're doing excellent, Elise." the nurse said. "I can see the baby's head!" Francois went around to look and see the baby's head, and returned with a repulsed look on his face. Beylier grabbed onto his hand, and held on. Elise let out another pained scream with another push. Arno rubbed Elise's hand.
"It's going to be alright, my love." Arno told his wife. "Everything will be just fine."
"Almost there, Elise!" The nurse said, with glee. "Just another push and the baby will be out!" Elise took a deep breath, and gave another push. Along with the push, she gave another painful scream. Francois held his hands over his ears, trying his best not to hear his mother's screams. After she let out the scream, the baby was out, and in the nurse's arms. The infant began to cry in the nurse's arms.
"The baby is out!" The nurse exclaimed. She placed the infant on a white cloth, and wiped it clean. She beckoned Arno to come over and cut the umbilical cord. Arno smiled, and unsheathed his hidden blade. His blade separated the infant from Elise's umbilical cord. She then grabbed a fresh white cloth, wrapped the baby up in it, and placed it in Elise's arms. Arno helped Elise sit up, and fixed her blanket. Trenet and Quemar left the room. Beylier stayed to keep an eye on Francois.
"It is a girl." The nurse told the couple, with a smile.
"She looks beautiful, Elise." Arno said, rubbing the infant's tiny hand. "She looks just like you."
"She sure does, Arno." Elise replied to Arno, as she tickled the infant's stomach. "What should we name her?"
"I'll let you choose, my love." Arno replied, with a smile. Elise looked back at her husband, back down to her daughter, and paused for a few moments in thought.
"I have a name for her." Elise announced. "Her name will be Juliette Marie Dorian. Referencing the names of our mothers in her name."
Arno smiled. Beylier let Francois go to his parents.
"I love the name, Elise." Arno replied, and looked down at his daughter, Juliette. "Hi there, Juliette!"
Juliette began to cry. Elise hushed her down, and began to breastfeed her. Juliette began to suck on Elise's right breast. Francois hopped up onto his father's knee, and looked up at his mother. Elise returned a smile to her son.
"Francois, say hello to your sister, Juliette." Elise told her son. Francois looked over to his newborn sister, and crawled up on the bed beside his mother.
"Hi there Juliette!" Francois said with excitement. Juliette ignored him, and continued to suck on Elise's breast. Arno scooped up his son, and placed him on his knee. Elise finished breastfeeding Juliette, and cradled her in her arms. She then fell asleep, with Juliette in her arms. Arno rubbed the hair out of the way of her forehead, him and Francois smiled, and left the new mother and daughter alone to rest together for the very first time.