Hello everyone! This is my first Assassin's Creed fanfiction and I hesitated much before posting it. I hope you will like it, and I apologize in advance for all the spelling mistakes you will find (I am French), please do not hesitate to correct me. This fanfiction takes place during the events of Assassin's Creed Syndicate. Enjoy!

South France, 1668

"Hello, Mother!"

"Hello, angel. How was your day?"

She walked inside of the provincial church the Assassins used as a hideout. Her mother, she looked alike so much kissed her on the forehead. She raised her hazel eyes to meet her progenitor sweet gaze. Their voices were echoing into the empty building.

"Quite boring, to tell the truth. Contracts do not abound these days... What about yours?"

"I see. I did not do much, actually."

"How can't you miss being an Assassin?"

"Well, technically, I still am one. But as you said, there is not much to be done here…"

The girl smiled at her mother, she was right. Since they were living in the province, their life was quite boring. She missed her stay in Paris where she spent a month with the "urban" Assassins. Her days were never the same while they all looked alike here.

"Madame Dorian, Mademoiselle! MentorDeschampsishererightnow!"

The two ladies turned around to see Honoré, a young Apprentice, standing next to the stoup, his face bright red. The young boy had his hands on his knees, breathing harshly, he looked like he has just ran a marathon.

"Hey! Calm down Honoré, take a deep breath and speak slowly, please, I did not get a word!" complained Madame Dorian.

Mademoiselle took two steps toward the Initiate, put her arm around his shoulder and helped him to sit on a bench.

"Master Deschamps is apparently paying us a visit." She translated. "But why would he come so far in South-East?"

"Because there is a mission I need someone to accomplice and Parisians Assassin's cannot fit for this task."

The two women and the teenager turned to face a giant's silhouette; in the door opening was standing the muscle-bound of Great Master Deschamps, his piercing blues eyes considering the three of them.

"Good evening, ladies, Honoré. First of all, Amélie, I will need you to convene all our brothers from here, especially our young women." He said to Madame, holding her by her shoulder.

"Clémence, would you?"

"Sure Mother."

"CLEMENCE!"

A red-haired teenage girl ran through the room and fell into Mademoiselle's arms. She had the same Forget-Me-Not-eyes as her father and was wearing a blue dress. The teenager ran her hand through Clémence chestnut curly hair.

"I missed you so much! Life in Paris was boring without you; especially because papa won't let me train! Anyway. You are so pretty!" She claimed. "Is not she, papa?"

"She surely is Lucile."

{°°°¨**-~-**¨°°°}

"Brothers and Sisters from the South. You must be wondering what brought me here, today. It is actually quite simple. Our Londoners Brothers are in need, and so are we. Peter Clutcher, a British Templar is actually in Paris, looking for a young lady to marry, since his two precedent wives could not give him any descendant, he thinks that a French girl would be more fertile. He has got registers, vital to us and to the Londoners Assassins, who are fighting a man all England fears: Crawford Starrick. That is where I need you."

The twenty-three Assassins in the room looked at each other. Charles squeezed softly Clémence's hand under the marble table. The two of them exchanged a worried look. She smoothed nervously the folds of her crimson, black and silver clothes.

"So, you are telling us you are going to sell one of the girls to the Templars? Incognito? And how are you going to do that? Why not a Parisian Assassin after all? And what if whoever goes is unmasked, huh? If she is killed? Is it really worth it?" Said the young Assassin.

"Charles, please. Let him talk." Adélaïde, her mother, told him.

"What? Why? They spit on us because we are just 'beggars' from the campaign and then when they require our help, they come back, crawling." His face was red with anger.

"Enough now Charles." Amélie commanded coldly.

"People from Paris? Certainly, young Charles. Brothers? I do not think so, but I might be wrong. If you want my opinion, your jealousy about my young Initiates corresponding with Clémence affect your judgment. Now if you had let me talk, you would know that, yes she will be incognito. She will integrate a Parisian family, and will impersonate their niece who grew up in the province. Then, if I came to you, it is especially because I know you for a long time and I know the girls here are particularly able to accomplice this task. And more, a south girl would not be known in Paris and would stand out from the cold of Parisians girls. Finally, yes, there is a risk, of course, but no more than in every task you do every day; and it isworth it if I came to you."

Master Deschamps was glaring at him; he was absolutely terrifying. The young man, his face bright red looked down and let go on his lover's hand. She sighed; he was impulsive, impatient and thoughtless, a true boorish with no wisdom. All he could think about was the Creed, himself and her. Rose, another young lady interrupted the low conversations with a question:

"Would she be alone?"

"No. Lucile will go with her, as a maid and friend."

The teenager, shocked, looked at her father.

"Lucile what? … Papa… Really?"

Master Deschamps sighed and took the hand of his young daughter, looking at her with his magnificent blue eyes.

"Sure, love. Only if you agree of course, this would be the first step of your initiation, considering the 'she' as your Master."

Lucile made a great effort in order not to jump everywhere in the circular dark room, which was at the back of the church.

"Oh yes, Father! I would be proud and honored! Thank you, thank you so much."

"You will thank me later, child. For the moment I need a volunteer. I have thought of either Louise, or Clémence, since Rose is engaged."

The two girls exchanged a look, half-worried, half-sad. Louise arranged her blond braid and closed her blue eyes for a few seconds, her pale skin making her look like a doll.

"Louise is prettier; she will be perfectly able to seduce him! No offense Clémence, you are pretty too but…"

"It is fine, Honoré." Clémence smiled, amused. She did not really care, and, she knew Louise was prettier than her anyway, it did not really matter to her.

"Honoré!" Louise claimed. "It is not true!"

"Oh yes it is. But Clémence is smarter, tougher and a much better actress than Louise is." Master Deschamps intervenes.

"Yes, and she also speaks English way better than I do!"

Everyone but Clémence looked surprisingly at Louise, she was a proud person and seeing her depreciate herself was unexpected. But it did not shockClémence. Obviously, Louise did not want to go to London, and she could not hold it against her. The young lass closed her eyes for a few seconds. What would have her father and her grandfather done? They would have gone, they were both patriots and particularly attached to the Creed. She looked at her mother, on the other side of the table. This one, nodded once silently at her.

"Fine. I will go." She finally said, taking a deep breath. "For the Brotherhood."

Next to her Charles' all body tensed. Lucile's face lightened up and she gave her a big smile.

"Clémence…" He whispered.

"When do we leave?"

She totally ignored him, she did not have the strength to face his look now. She swore allegiance to the Brotherhood, she had to do everything to protect it, it was her first sacrifice but not her last, she knew it. And after all, was she really in love with him? She was eighteen, how could she know what love really was? And however, if she really was, it would survive.

In the room, a respectful silent fell, as every Assassin welcomed her act. At this moment, it almost felt like a death sentence to her and she fought a few seconds not to laugh nervously.

"Thank you Clémence for your devotion. We will leave the day after tomorrow, at dawn."

{°°°¨**-~-**¨°°°}

"How could you do this to me?"

Charles blocked her way out. He did not seem angry, no, but rather overwhelmed. His handsome face was crooked with distress as he ran his hand in his dark blond curly hair. Uncomfortable, she put on her hood. The sun was setting and the sky got this beautiful orange shade.

"I do not have time to talk about it. I must prepare myself."

Charles, desperate, tried in vain to catch her look, looking for her hazel gaze. He could not let her leave, he thought she was his true love. His soulmate.

"NO! I refuse to limit myself to this answer! How dare you?"

"Excuse-me? How dare I? How dare I?! Are you freaking out of your mind? You think this is a choice? Because it is not! Hell, Charles, I am going to marry a Templar and move into a foreign country for the good of the Brotherhood! And you are acting like I AM the egoist? I am the one that dares? You cannot be serious."

She pushed him away and tried to leave but he took her by the wrist and brought her to his muscular chest. She kept her head down as he took off her hood.

"Clémence, look at me. I am sorry…"

She finally raised her eyes to meet his green look. He bent on her and pressed his lips against hers.

"I am sorry." He repeated. "We will figure this out. I will wait for you. Will you?"

The young Assassin relaxed and snuggled into his arms. She was dubious as to his promise but did not say anything. Too tired to fight and too kind – or too loose – to tell him it was going to hurt one of them at some point.

"Yes, I will. I promise I will."

Confused, she finally escaped from his embrace and reached her house after he stole her one last kiss. She found Louise, sitting on the porch, waiting for her. When the blond girl saw her, she stood up.

"Oh 'mence, I am so sorry, I feel horrible for what happened."

"Oh please, of course you do not feel sorry. You shoved me well, about my command of English."

Louise looked down and tears started to run on her pink cheeks. Clémence passed her hands on her face, embarrassed she made her cry. She was the one leaving, and people seemed more upset than she actually was.

"That is what I feel sorry about… I do not know what happened to me, pardon me, I beg you…"

"I am not mad at you, what you did was human, a little bit loose, but still human."

"Oh thank you, thank you so much! I am sure you will be okay."

Louise took her in her arms, sniffing. Clémence did not lie, she could not be mad at her, Louise has been her best friend forever and it was definitely not a good time to argue with everybody.

"I hope I will… I have a lot to do now, excuse-me."

That's it for chapter one! Thank you for reading it! I hope you guys liked it, don't hesitate to comment/review/anything!