* AUTHOR NOTES: Hello, people! Trying to put an idea that I had some time ago... Hope you like it! :D
The Frontier - 1778
He felt the taste of iron as the open scar leaked over his mouth. Staying upright seemed like a human effort, and his shoulders were barely strong enough to stand. To make matters worse, Remy's breathing quickened as he saw the fall to the icy river ahead of him, ending his chances of escaping from there alive.
The idea of jumping was an unpleasant option, and anyone lucky enough to survive, at the very least, would be killed by hypothermia so soon out of the water.
Silent steps crushed the snow-covered ground and he turned back, his blade in hand, ready for any possible attack. Though he tried to tell himself that he could still fight, his hands shook too much at the simple act of keeping himself awake, and the cold that plagued his skin was more of a hindrance. Damn, he cursed himself as he looked back and saw who was approaching was Haytham. The templar was not alone.
A hooded figure joined him, and Remy recognized Kara Markov, the person whom he had long ago considered a friend. Apparently, there was no one else he could trust, and the Frenchman smiled, trying to understand how he had gotten into that situation.
Do not do anything foolish - Haytham raised his empty hands, indicating he would not attack. - We will not make any mistakes here. Enough of unthought for today.
He realized that the Templar did not carry his sword in his hands, but it would be a mistake to neglect it for a second. Then she glanced over Kara, who stood there, silent as a tigress ready to leap into her prey, and Remy felt a twinge in himself as he saw her wielding her blade. He backed away a little, taking on a defensive pose.
- Even you" he sighed, icy air spewing out of his mouth every time he breathed. - I did not expect it. Not from you.
- You chose your way, Remy - the girl replied, her green eyes staring at him coolly beneath the hood - If you choose to betray our Order, the price is paid with blood. You were once a member… No. You still being - and she held out her hand, as if to call him home. - If you choose to go back and correct your mistakes.
Remy's sarcastic laugh echoed, and breathing became more and more difficult.
- Mistakes ... Talk about this as if it were a game, but today, it was me who felt the taste of betrayal! He shouted, pointing to the blood in his suit, now dyed in a crimson red - But it's me who are here, marked by my own blood!
Kara swallowed, feeling the disappointment in Remy's voice and calmly, she lowered her hood, staring into his eyes. A faint nostalgic smile formed on her face, as if she remembered a distant time, but still so close in his thoughts. Sofly, she said:
- Your retaliation was not something we chose, Nathan. That was a punishment. I promise you that if you choose to surrender here and now, I'm sure you will not be killed – her gaze jumped to Haytham, who nodded silently.
- So you mean that by choosing to do right, is that what happens?
Kara seemed to hesitate for a moment, and she stared at Remy again, her face in disbelief.
- What is… right? Talk about what's right? Is this cold making you sick? You fool! You never believed what we did? In our cause? In our purpose?
- I believe I must protect the blood from my blood; protect my sister. That's what I believe. Anything, moreover, is disposable.
- How dare you say that when all we seek is order for this world?
- And in the end, is it all worth it? I didn't know that it was our right to eliminate innocent lives!
- Nyet! - she denied, her strong russian accent even more accentuated - There was no blood spilled, my friend! But know that everything we do, is for our purposes, that I guarantee! But what about you, Remy? That letter, your actions up to here ... You deny explanations to us!
Remy knew that this discussion would lead to nothing; They would not give up, the more Kara, as impassive as he. He just clung to the fact that he still meant something to them. If he were captured, he would, at least, be left alive.
- Your words will not turn me back - he announced - I've made up my mind.
Haytham snorted impatiently, and his gaze, soft and passive, became menacing, and Remy prepared to fight. He drew back his feet a little, and his trembling hands raised his sword, which now seemed to weigh tons. At this moment, his heart pounded so hard it looked like it would pop out of his chest any second.
He could not let it all end there. Death was not a luxury that the young Templar would embrace at that moment. He had to go back to his sister. God knows what would happen to her if the fury of the Templars also fell upon the innocent young woman, and Remy knew well how the Order acted; he was one of them, after all.
Kara remained impassive in the same place, and her face looked slightly sad, though her stoic expression stared back at him. The metallic sound of Haytham's hidden blade buzzed in Remy's ears, and as he remembered the state he was in, he found himself a fool to think he could fight the man who had once been his strode on the snowy ground and stood a few feet away from Remy.
- So, mr. Delacroix, how will we resolve this? You know, boy, the last thing I want is to eliminate a potential member like you. But if you become a problem, I will not pity you.
- I did not ask for your pity - the young Templar rolled his eyes - Besides, if you were going to kill me, you would already have done it.
- Oh, confident as ever - Haytham smiled - But do not be fooled. In the foreground, I do not wish to eliminate you, but if you do not know, mr. Delacroix, I am a man of my word. And if I tell you I can kill you, then that's what I'll do.
- An eye for an eye, my "friend" - Remy's voice sounded unconvincing when he said friend. - I'm a man of my word, too. That will not end here. I'm still coming back, and I'm going to bathe my hands with the blood of all of you. All.
He drew a last breath and looked at Kara, who, though still calm, could not hold a tear through his emerald eyes. Maybe he had hit her, and deep down, Remy did not know if those words were intentional. He slowly backed away, and stopped when he felt the floor finish.
Everything seemed to stop in Remy's eyes, and he felt the icy winter breeze on his face, drying the bloodstains that had formed. When he remembered that her arms and legs were still heavy, he wondered if it would be so bad to give up to death. He sighed, and cursed himself for thinking that way.
Forgive me ... This is not goodbye ... I'll come back to you, my sister ...
Surrendering to exhaustion, he slowly plunged down the cliff, the wind swinging his hair the closer he came to the stretch of river that lay beneath him. As he hit the water, Remy let the cold envelop him, and in seconds, his thoughts, trying to find a way to survive it, faded. With sleep consuming him, Remy slept, and had been knocked unconscious by the currents.