Summary: To keep their village safe, they became Assassins, working in the dark to serve the light, to protect those who could not protect themselves. Yet, the Templar rule threatened their very existence, and they would soon see the power their enemies held as their fight intertwined with the revolution waging between the Colonists and British―but at what cost did this fight come with?
Disclaimer: I don't own Assassin's Creed. I only own any OC.
"Italics in quotation marks": Native Language
"The beginning is the most important part of the work."
Plato
1760
Kanatahséton
A little girl stood by the opening to a longhouse as her voice rang out, "Ratonhnhaké:ton, come play with us! The others all went out hunting and we are bored―"
"Tekahionwake?"
"K-Kaniehtí:io!" Tekahionwake turned red as she realized her mistake – she had interrupted her friend in a middle of a scolding! She immediately looked down and muttered an apology, far too embarrassed to look at Kaniehtí:io.
The older lady, however, was slightly amused and although she wanted to continue scolding her son for a little longer, she saw the group of children behind the girl. Looking at Ratonhnhaké:ton, she simply sighed, shaking her head at her son.
"Go on, but do not go past the valley," she said sternly. Eyes widened from both children but Ratonhnhaké:ton quickly nodded his head before grabbing Tekahionwake's arm. "Thank you Ista!" he shouted out as he ran out of the longhouse.
Their friends had gone ahead of them and as they jogged to catch up, Tekahionwake asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yes, everything is fine." He gave her a smile, finally reaching their group of friends. By the time they all ran into the forest and stopped, Tekahionwake had a great idea for a game they should play.
"What will we play?" Kanen'tó:kon, her cousin, happened to ask.
"Hide and seek!" she excitedly suggested. She bent down and grabbed six random sticks before holding them out in her hand, making sure that no one knew which one the shorter one was. They all drew one and looked at theirs, knowing that the person with the shortest stick would be it. After a few seconds of silence, they all saw that Ratonhnhaké:ton had drawn the shortest one.
Tekahionwake could not help but giggle at the face Ratonhnhaké:ton pulled after finding out he was it. "You're it!" Kanen'tó:kon shouted out. The moment he did, the group quickly ran away to find their hiding spot.
She looked around and found a large pile of leaves, it was the perfect spot to hide in. She dove right into it and stayed still, too scared of making a sound to tell her friend her location. She mentally counted until 100, the time that Ratonhnhaké:ton was also supposed to count until he began his fight.
Although it felt like forever, in reality, a minute had barely passed before Tekahionwake heard Ratonhnhaké:ton shouting, "I found you."
Judging by the proximity of his voice, she knew she had been found. Groaning, she stood up. "How do you find us so quickly every time?" she asked, brushing away stray leaves from her hair. Judging by the lack of their friends surrounding him, she was the first one he found.
"I do not know, it just…comes to me?"
She glared at Ratonhnhaké:ton at his answer. "Sure."
He simply shrugged his shoulders as he motioned for her to follow as he tracked their remaining friends one by one until all five were found.
Kanen'tó:kon grabbed six sticks off the ground and motioned for them all to pick one again. "Let's play again!"
It turned out that he was the one to pull the short one, which caused Ratonhnhaké:ton to smile. "It's your turn now!" Kanen'tó:kon just shrugged his shoulders and placed his head on a tree with his eyes closed to count to 100.
This time Tekahionwake hid between the crack in the cliff that went on outside the valley. She waited and waited, but as time went on Kanen'tó:kon never found her. In fact, the only reason why she left her spot was that of the overwhelming smell of smoke. Looking up at the sky, she saw a large pillar of smoke rising from her village. At first, she was confused until she realized what had happened. The village was on fire. She ran down the forest and saw her friends running back to the village, but one person was missing.
Ratonhnhaké:ton.
Tekahionwake quickly stopped running and looked around, hoping to see him, but there was no sight of her best friend. She internally debated with herself; she wanted to go back to the village but if Ratonhnhaké:ton was hurt and alone, she would never forgive herself. Letting out a frustrated groan, she ran back to where she last saw him.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton!" Tekahionwake's voice was disturbingly loud in the silent forest. No answer came in response and it was starting to worry her. Maybe if she climbed a tree? Her mother always told her to never do that without supervision but she could be forgiven this time, right?
As quickly as a five-year-old could, Tekahionwake climbed a tree. Opening her mouth to shout her friend's name once more, she froze when something caught her eye. It was a group of white men, laughing about something.
Her eyes widened in shock when she realized they were speaking English. "That idiotic child," the man in the weird grey clothing said. The only other time she ever heard the language of the white men was from Kaniehtí:io and her mother when they taught her and Ratonhnhaké:ton the English language.
"Charles, c'mon. Haytham's waitin' for us."
Tekahionwake watched and waited until they all left. Something about that conversation worried her. Were they talking about Ratonhnhaké:ton? Her fear caused her voice to go up several octaves, panic lacing the cry. "Ratonhnhaké:ton!"
"T-Tekahionwake?" Looking behind the tree she saw her friend holding his head in pain as he looked up at her.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton, we must hurry! The village is on fire!" Jumping down onto the ground she grabbed his arm and rushed them into the village, the group of Englishmen forgotten for the time being. The moment they stepped foot into the village, however, the boy ripped his arm out of Tekahionwake's grasp and ran toward the longhouse he shared with his mother.
She was about to follow him but was stopped when she suddenly saw the brown of leather. "Thank the Spirits you are alright. I was so worried about you Tekahionwake!"
"Ista!" She wiggled out of her mother's arms and pointed to where Ratonhnhaké:ton had run off too. "Ratonhnhaké:ton, he's―"
"ISTA!" The unmistakable cry of said boy's voice rang out throughout the village, and the longhouse he had been in collapsed, the air within the village hot with fire.
"N-NO!" Tekahionwake screamed, thinking the worst had happened. She clawed at her mother, who held her back, as she tried to reach her best friend. However, she stopped her struggled when one of the village elders came running with Ratonhnhaké:ton in his arms. He was crying, muttering ista over and over again.
"K-Kaniehtí:io has...died."
Nine years later
1769
Kanatahséton
Tekahionwake watched as her long-time friend Ratonhnhaké:ton walk out of the longhouse with Oiá:ner in a trance-like state.
She tilted her head. Was he...alright?
She looked around and saw that the members of her village were talking amongst each other and paying her no attention.
Seeing that none were looking, as quietly as she could, she sneaked away and followed after them, curious about what was happening to her friend.
After walking for quite some time, they finally stopped when Ratonhnhaké:ton suddenly collapsed. At this, Tekahionwake nearly shot forward in worry but seeing Oiá:ner's calm state, she stopped herself as the village elder simply sat down, placing two mats next to her.
Tekahionwake was confused at this point, she just watched her friend walk out of the village with Oiá:ner into a forest, only to fall down? This situation was getting weirder and weirder by the second.
She remained rooted to her spot, waiting for something to happen. Her wait didn't take long, as Ratonhnhaké:ton quickly woke up. He quickly sat up and walked over to the riverbank, drawing something down on the ground. Taking a careful and light step on the branch, Ratonhnhaké:ton tried to lean forward to see what he had drawn, but his body was blocked her sight.
Oiá:ner, slowly following the boy, look down on what he drew. "Ratonhnhaké:ton, where did you see that symbol?" she gently asked.
"A spirit showed me. She said this symbol would lead me to a man that will show me the way forward," he answered. Ratonhnhaké:ton continued talking but because of Oiá:ner moved to where he sat, he had no need to speak as loud as he had earlier. Tekahionwake could not hear anything that was being said and she knew that if she moved on the branch it would catch the attention of the two―and not to mention that the tree branch she was standing on was barely able to hold her weight.
It frustrated her to no means, not being able to hear what had happened.
Their conversation finished a few minutes later, as Oiá:ner stood up, handing Ratonhnhaké:ton the blue colored mat. "Go. You will find where you need to go in the east." He seemed to hesitate but after Oiá:ner placed a hand on his shoulder, she muttered something to him. It seemed to give the boy strength, as he thanked her before running off.
Tekahionwake quickly looked back at the village before watching her friend leave. He was not running back to the village, so where was he going?
"Tekahionwake, come down here," Oiá:ner suddenly said from below her. SHe made a strange sound from the back of her throat as she fell out of the tree in front of the Clan Mother, on her back.
With her wide eyes, she saw Oiá:ner's amused ones as the old lady waited for Tekahionwake to catch her breath. "H-How did you see me Oiá:ner?"
"It does not matter." The Clan Mother pointed behind her to the drawing Ratonhnhaké:ton left.
As Tekahionwake tried to stand, she really couldn't care less about the drawing because of the pain from her fall. However, once she looked, the pain was instantly forgotten. The symbol was very similar to a triangle but rather stylized, unconnected at the bottom and two strange blocks, as she liked to think of them, jutting out the bottom of the triangle, one on each side."This symbol…" Tekahionwake whipped her head up at the old woman. "Ista would draw this for me whenever I was bored."
"This was why I brought another bedding." Oiá:ner handed Tekahionwake the other mat and pointed to the east. "Like I told Ratonhnhaké:ton, a man adorning this symbol will help you. Go to the east and follow after him."
"However―"
"I saw what would happen today, my child. Spirits have shown me that you are unhappy here, Tekahionwake."
Said girl's eyes widened at the accusation, before their gaze fell to the ground, ashamed. "...I am not unhappy, Oiá:ner."
Oiá:ner gave her a small, understanding smile. "You wish to fight, do you not?" Images of her village burning to the ground nine years ago flashed into Tekahionwake's head.
"Yes, but―"
"Go. I will explain to the village of your disappearance." The girl looked at the symbol and back at Oiá:ner, hesitance clear in her body language. "It is your fate, Tekahionwake."
"If it is so, then I shall. Thank you, Oiá:ner." Without giving the old woman another glance, she ran off after Ratonhnhaké:ton, determined.
Tekahionwake stayed to the trees, her only weapon being the bow and arrows she strapped to her back before leaving the village. Below on the ground, she saw several animals, some too dangerous to even stare at. Wolves, bears, cougars―she would never survive an encounter with those creatures.
She was currently taking a water break and watched as deer and foxes drank from the small river running below the bridge, when a group of men on horses rushed past her, causing the animals to scatter. Scowling at the men, she was annoyed at their disturbing of the general peace and the rude reminder that she did not have time to waste. Taking one last look at the now empty river, she gathered her things and left.
Running along the trees always made Tekahionwake feel at home. The animals, the sounds, the sights; it comforted her, particularly after her mother's mysterious disappearance a few years prior. Kanen'tó:kon and Ratonhnhaké:ton tried to help her but Kanen'tó:kon could only help so much and Ratonhnhaké:ton, after his own mother's death, had changed. He became colder and distant, closed off from everybody, no matter their relation. They still remained friends, but the warmth that was once there was replaced with a cold anger.
"Watch out boy!" The sound of someone shouting English rang out throughout the forest, letting Tekahionwake know exactly where it came from years of hunting with the men in her tribe. She jumped off the tree and rolled forward onto the ground, only to see the familiar back of Ratonhnhaké:ton jump down from a tree extending off the cliff. She rushed forward and watched as he fell into a pile of leaves, only to jump out seconds later. He ran forward along the path that led to the large house sitting alongside the other cliff overlooking the ocean.
She glanced at the distance and immediately recoiled, her muscles protesting at the thought of more exercise. "Spirits, why do you torture me so?" she moaned, rubbing her sore arms and legs. Everyone had their limits and while she was more athletic than most, running and climbing all day did nothing but deplete her energy. Making sure her things were secured to her body, she only hesitated a second before jumping off the edge of the log and into the large pile of leaves.
By the time Tekahionwake reached the house, she was tired, hungry, and annoyed. She had found a cockroach in her hair earlier, making her foul mood even worse. The sky had darkened a few minutes ago, letting her know that it was almost time to rest for the night. She took one last look at the house from her spot in the tree before jumping down onto the ground.
Hearing the sounds of neighing made her look to her right, only to see a small building meant for horses. Tekahionwake just so happened to see Ratonhnhaké:ton walk into an empty stall and lay out the mat that Oiá:ner had given them both. As much as she wanted to go forward and greet her friend, she held back in the fear of being forced to return back to the village.
Tekahionwake thought of sleeping on the ground, but after seeing – unfortunately – a familiar brown insect scurrying along the forest floor, she thought against it. She climbed back up to the tree to lay her mat down on a large, thick branch before tying herself to it so she wouldn't have any accidents while sleeping.
Laying her head against the tree, Tekahionwake closed her eyes and fell asleep not even a minute later.
The next day
"Why doesn't Ratonhnhaké:ton just go and ask the person living in the house for help?" Tekahionwake asked herself as she watched him walk out of the stall, dark circles under his eyes from what must have been lack of sleep. He then proceeded to yawn and stretched his arms above his head, only to wince at what was probably a sore neck from his sleeping arrangement on the blue mats. She too did the same thing he did when she first woke; it made her miss the bed she slept on back in her village.
It did not make any sense; Oiá:ner said that the man would help them both!
After untying herself from the tree and rolling up the mat, she climbed the house and watched from the roof as Ratonhnhaké:ton knock on what must have been the front door to the large house.
"Please, all I ask is a moment of your time―"
The window right below her suddenly opened, revealing an aged black man. "I apologize if I've been unclear and have confused you with my words. It was never my intention to mislead you so let me clarify―get the hell off my land!" the man shouted out angrily before slamming the window shut.
That was a close one, if she was another step down on the roof, Ratonhnhaké:ton and the man would have seen her. No wonder why he was not able to sleep in the house last night; the man had refused to even see him!
"I am coming up!"
Her eyes widened once again and she had to rush to the back of the roof to make sure he didn't see her. For some unknown reason, Tekahionwake was scared that if Ratonhnhaké:ton saw her he would make her return to the village, something she did not want to do.
Slowly climbing to the edge of the opposite side of the roof, she saw her friend trying to open the door to the balcony. "Just hear me out, what are you so afraid of?"
The door suddenly opened, again to the black man from earlier. "Afraid? You think I am afraid of anything, least of all a self-important scab like you?" He tripped Ratonhnhaké:ton and placed his cane against his neck. "You might dream of being a hero, of saving the world but stay this course and the only thing you'll be is dead." Removing the cane, the elderly man walked back into the house but stopped at the door. "The world's moved on, best you do too."
Ratonhnhaké:ton stood up and that was when Tekahionwake knew he was angry, his fists were balled and forehead furrowed. "I will not leave, you hear me? I am never leaving!" Hearing those words made Tekahionwake wince and shake her head.
Well, it seemed that she was spending another night in the forest.
Later that evening, instead of camping in the tree she stayed in yesterday, Tekahionwake had to take refuge in the stall with the horses because of the sudden storm that was passing.
At first, she decided against it but after hearing the thunder and seeing lightning fall, she knew staying in that large tree was a bad idea. Not that any other tree was better; all the trees in the area were oaks. That was why an hour later she found herself lying down on the uncomfortable mat, trying to ignore the stench of the horse she was sharing the stall with. She had her eyes closed, trying to fall asleep when she heard heavy footsteps approaching the stall. It was too heavy to be Ratonhnhaké:ton's and it there was no telltale sign of a cane hitting the ground, which meant it wasn't the elderly man's footsteps either.
She needed to hide.
Looking around the stall, Tekahionwake saw a large pile of hay, enough to hide her body in. As quietly as she could, she sneaked by the hose and crawled into it, waiting anxiously for the men to pass. Tekahionwake tried to ignore the smell and what was probably a large insect―with her luck, most likely another cockroach―crawling over her foot. She heard no voices, which led her to believe that the English men had left, but when an angry shout rang throughout the stall with a strange accent thick in the voice, she knew she was wrong. "Can't say we didn' warn ya!"
Tekahionwake's eyes narrowed before she realized what had happened, Ratonhnhaké:ton had gotten into a fight with men that were most likely larger and stronger than him. "You f– you idiot!" she hissed, biting her tongue before worse curses slipped and revealed her location. Tekahionwake―deciding to risk her neck for this naive person that she called a friend―quietly crawling out of the hay and grabbed her bow and arrow that she left leaning against the wooden wall. She watched anxiously as Ratonhnhaké:ton managed to bring down the two men, but it seemed that they were not alone. Soon, a group of the strange Englishmen came out and attacked him all at once. "Damn it!" Realizing that she had to do something, she tightened her grip on her bow and notched an arrow onto the bowstring. Raising it up, she pulled her arm back at the same time and aimed the arrowhead at the man trying to sneak up on her friend.
The key to shooting arrows was control and patience. Of course, shooting the arrow had to be quick in order to have the most effect but you couldn't just shoot blindly and hope to hit the target. The easiest way was to time your aim and release with breaths.
Inhale.
Time slowed down as Tekahionwake gazed down her arrow and adjusted her aim, the man now at the receiving end of the projectile.
Exhale.
She let the arrow go and watched as it soared through the air successfully hitting the man on his shoulder. She then pushed herself against the wall of the stall to hide.
"Why are you here? What do you want?" the familiar voice of Ratonhnhaké:ton asked.
"Best ask the boss-man." Tekahionwake peeked her head out at the exact moment a large man―who was probably the so-called boss-man―came up behind Ratonhnhaké:ton and hit him on the head. A cry left her mouth and realizing her mistake, Tekahionwake brought her hands to her mouth. However, the damage had been done. Ratonhnhaké:ton may not have heard her but the man standing above him did. He motioned to one of the other men to look at the stall she was currently hiding in.
Panicking, Tekahionwake rushed to the corner and grabbed another arrow, quickly notching it to her bow. But there was no need because she saw the old man from earlier suddenly emerge from the shadows, killing that man and the one towering over Ratonhnhaké:ton.
"Thank you." Ratonhnhaké:ton said to the old man.
"Clean this up." He pointed to the bodies. "Then I guess we can talk."
It took Ratonhnhaké:ton a few minutes because of the rain but the bodies were disposed of, letting him meet up with the man. Tekahionwake followed him to the house but stopped when he walked in from the front door.
What should she do?
She scanned the front of the house and saw a window that looked into what must have been the living quarters of the house. The old man from earlier sat in front of a fire while Ratonhnhaké:ton walked towards him. She placed her hands against the windowsill and despite knowing that this was rude, Tekahionwake started watching.
Of course, the rain that was falling bothered Tekahionwake, but she did not really care at the moment. As she watched them talk, she started considering her options. Should she stay or should she go and wait until tomorrow to introduce herself?
"Before you sit down, do you mind telling me about the girl that's watching us from my window?" The old man's voice drifted through the window, and her mind went blank at the sudden inclusion to the group. Only two days without proper human contact, and she was flustered.
Tekahionwake did not have the time to bring her head down, meaning she met with Ratonhnhaké:ton's brown eyes. When she looked at her friend, she saw shock and anger in them making her give him an unconvincing smile with her hand raised in a hello. "Tekahionwake?!"
"Bring her into the house then." Ratonhnhaké:ton shot her another glare before walking out the room and house.
"Tekahionwake, what are you doing here?"
"Ratonhnhaké:ton, I can explain." She stood up and rubbed her cold arms. "Oiá:ner caught me following you after the meeting. She said―"
Holding a hand up to stop her, he sighed before motioning to the open door. "It does not matter at the moment. Let us go into the house."
Tekahionwake followed him and stood awkwardly at the opening to the room. "Hello," she said, the English feeling weird on her tongue.
"Oh, you speak English too?" She nodded her head in agreement with the old man. "That makes things certainly easier. Sit."
Ratonhnhaké:ton moved two chairs in front of the fireplace, but when she sat down on the chair it immediately broke, causing her to stand up and apologize with a red face. "I am sorry."
"Not your fault. This whole place is ready to come down – it's a goddamn miracle it hasn't already." She grabbed another chair and sat down, luckily this time, it did not break when she sat. "Anyway, who are you two?"
"Her name is Tekahionwake and mine is Ratonhnhaké:ton."
The old man's eyebrows raised. "Right. I'm not even going to bother trying to pronounce your names. Now, why are you here?"
Ratonhnhaké:ton pulled out a paper with the symbol from the riverbank written down on it. "I was told to seek out this symbol."
"Do you even know what that symbol is, what it represents?" The old man asked.
"No."
He sighed. "And yet, here you two are." He looked at Tekahionwake. "What about you? The boy seems to be talking about himself."
"My intention is the same. I, too, was told to seek that symbol." Ratonhnhaké:ton gave her a surprised look, leaving Tekahionwake to just shrug her shoulders. He blinked for a few times before turning back to the old man, pointing at the symbol.
"The spirits said that―"
The man raised his hand, interrupting Ratonhnhaké:ton. "These...spirits of yours have been bothering the Assassins for centuries, ever since Ezio uncorked the bottle, but you two don't have a clue to what I am talking about or what an Assassin is, do you?"
Both Ratonhnhaké:ton and Tekahionwake shook their heads.
"Well, best you two settle in. It's going to be a long story."
"...And so, this is why the Assassins have dedicated themselves to the pursuit of Templars because if they succeed, then your spirits vision will become a reality." The old man finished but Ratonhnhaké:ton quickly stood up from his chair, his tone and body showing that he was determined.
"Then I shall stop them."
The man chuckled. "Oh, I have no doubt that you'll try. But what about you, my girl? You haven't said a single thing yet."
Tekahionwake fiddled with her beaded strand of hair, one almost identical to the one Ratonhnhaké:ton had. "I want to protect my village and if this is what I need to do to fulfill what I desire, then this is what I will do. This is the path I will take to protect them."
Achilles nodded his head at her decision."Well, I have something―"
Ratonhnhaké:ton turned to her and switched to their native language, interrupting the older man. "Go back to the village, Tekahionwake."
"No, I will not. I want to fight, to protect our village," she argued, standing up.
"It is too dangerous―"
"But you can walk this path while I can not?" Tekahionwake stood her ground. "That is not fair Ratonhnhaké:ton. If you can do it then I certainly can too."
"Please―"
"Well, I don't understand a single thing you two just said, but your argument can wait. I've got something to show you."
A/N: So this was a story I uploaded a few years back and I got the Assassins bug again, and this story was calling to me. I edited the first chapter quite a lot and changed the main character's name. I hope it doesn't offend anyone!
Anywho, I'm working on the next chapter as you read this. I hope to have it uploaded soon but with College applications soon, I can't promise. (that goes with my other stories as well.)
Anyways, please review!