I feel a little repressed…bleh. I promise I will not do so many time jumps and please be patient because a lot of research goes into my stories…a lot of research. I am sorry if this chapter is a little rushed, but as much as I love history, there is just way too much to put in the story (I would probably have 90 chapters by the time I get done if I were to put every detail and event in) and I have to have something to make Vitoria lose her innocence at some point. Might as well be Dunmore's fault.

May 1775

She knew they would come back, but not as a sign of good faith. It wouldn't be long, she supposed, that they would leave again. Dunmore's reputation was all but nothing, either bad or worse than it was before. No sign of good faith would help keep the eyes of the colonists off of the Murray family. Will had told Vitoria to watch out for them, but he feared she would end up deeper in this than he wanted. If Thomas were still alive, she would never be tainted or heartbroken by her own hands covered in someone else's blood. Templar or not.

This night, she stood on the steeple of the church, watching the sleepy city. Vitoria contemplated her part in all of this; asking herself questions. Would she be able to kill when needed? Would she be able to do what she must without changing who she was? The answers never came and it terrified her. She knew she was born into this, but did she truly have the heart for it? Her Father, brother, grandfather, grandmother, all the way back to the Crusades, had done this because it was right. Suddenly, she didn't see it as right. She saw it as senseless.

The Creed had been spoon fed to her since she was a little girl and it wasn't until she was older, that she fully understood the meaning. From her perspective, she was a pawn in a game of chess and there was no escape. Months ago, she was begging to be prominent in the war, now she was scared to death that it would take her sanity away. She felt alone and as if she was underwater. The moment she put on the black outfit and looked at herself in the mirror, she knew she was turning into someone else, but was she prepared to fill the role?

This was not the way it was supposed to be and so, she wept.

Weeks later, she stood in the same spot, watching as Dunmore left the Palace in the middle of the night with his family. Not even the servants knew what was happening. Vitoria was the only witness and in curiosity, she followed the family.

While Vitoria followed the family from a distance on the black horse, she recounted the series of events that Dunmore was responsible for in the last two months. He had threatened to burn Williamsburg to the ground, accuse Patrick Henry of extortion, and went against the House of Burgesses. In the grand scheme of things, Dunmore had only been a martyr for the real problem.

After several hours, she found the family had boarded the HMS Fowey. It was an interesting development, but at least, she could breathe easy for a while. She was wrong. It wasn't long before Dunmore began actively siding with the British navy trying to gain control of the Colony once again.

It was nearing December when Carter Braxton called upon the Grey's for help with the Navy. Ships were amassing off the mouth of York River and Dunmore was in control. There in her father's study, it was decided against her wishes, that she help the Rebels defeat the Navy.

"What exactly do you want me to do?" Vitoria asked, frustration laced her voice as she paced the study in her dress. Will went up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"I do not like this any more than you do and I would much rather it be someone else." Will said, but suddenly, his eyes went wide. "Why did I not think of this before?!" He threw his hands up in the air and hurried to his desk, pulling out parchment and ink. "Of course."

"Father?" Vitoria watched her father frantically scribble on parchment and then sealed it with wax. She was questioning what was running in his head.

"I need you to bring this to a courier and make sure he has a fresh horse. This must go today." Will handed her the message and she nodded, running out of the study as fast as she could. "Oh please be there Old Friend. I must keep my Vitoria out of harm's way."

Two weeks later came a reply, but not the one Will was hoping for. His Old Friend said he was unable to offer help in the matter because his apprentice was focused on escorting a French ship and then was sailing to the Bahamas. Old Friend regretted not being able to help, knowing that Vitoria would not last in a battle such as this, but it must be done. Will's heart ached and broke.

"Vitoria, my Dear child, I have failed you." He said before sitting down at his desk and weeping.

When the night came for her to depart, she ate dinner with her father who was a little on edge and sweating. She had never seen him sweat so much before nor did she see him look so old. He had aged more in weeks than he had ever done in years. Something was off, but she ate her food and drank her wine. Snow had begun to fall outside the day before and hadn't let up. She feared the worst.

"Vitoria, if you must kill, remember that they will kill you first. You are their enemy and no matter what it takes, you must survive. I cannot guide you anymore, but I will see you home and safe." He said it with conviction. A strong but soft tone that went straight to her heart and buried itself there. "Steele your heart away for it will never be the same if you do not."

She felt a tear trail down her cheek as she stood from her seat and turned to go up the staircase to her room. It wasn't until she saw her outfit and bracers laid out on her bed that she realized she was one of many that would have to sacrifice. The black leather bracers with the Assassin symbol in silver was just one sort of weapon, she had one pistol and a bow with a quiver full of red fletched arrows. In the time of Queen Elizabeth, her family had been lead by William Grey, known as the Black Rider. He had brought down many a Templar under the Queen's reign, but in the end, had lost two sons to her wrath.

It was her turn, whether she wanted it to be or not.

It was an hour later when Vitoria came down the stairs dressed in her gear with her hair braided and weapons attached to her back. Her father had not come to say goodbye for he couldn't bear to watch her go. He worried for her, even though he had taught her since she could walk to defend herself and fight. She could kill, her brother had made sure to teach her to free run and she did so with ease. She took a deep breath and walked forward to the door.

On the other side of this door, the world is no longer safe. It is my duty, my purpose, to protect the innocent. It is the truth that is also the lie and I must know right from wrong. I will not let sorrow bring on vengeance or pain distracts me. I will survive. She thought, opening the door and letting the cold winter air hit her body like a wall. "Nothing is true." Vitoria put her hood up, the cowl in the shape of the familiar beak and stepped forward into the cold night. "Everything is permitted."

Vitoria rode fast and hard towards the York River, where a ship was waiting for her to board. She had no idea who she would be meeting, but she was already starting doubt herself. It would be close to dawn before she reached her destination and she was already feeling the strain of her emotions running her thin. She had to put her emotions aside for everything to work. She had always been able to keep her emotions in check, but in the last year, she had difficulty. She didn't know if it was because she was forced into something she really underestimated or if it was because of her father.

The thoughts had swirled around in Vitoria's head for a while and for a while, to pass the time, she went through the history of the Order. Though she had never been officially inducted, she knew the stories and the history. Her father made sure to imbed it in her head. She had never known why he drilled the Order and its history into her, but somehow, she felt it useful now. So many things were rolling inside of her that it was hard to concentrate.

She thought of many things, felt many things, and all before dawn. She couldn't allow herself to dwell on what could happen or the 'ifs' only because it was worthless to do so. Vitoria began to think logically, only looking to facts and focusing on a plan of action. It was one of the first things Thomas had taught her and she would not let him down.

As the sun rose, she could see the expanse of water before her and several ships on the horizon. One ship in particular was waiting for her to board and meet the others. She was ready, or so she thought. She urged her horse forward through the deep snow and with a sense of dread she realized she may be going to her death.

Just as the Sun made it a little ways past the horizon, Vitoria had dismounted and walked to the dock where her vessel was waiting for her. As she got closer, she realized something was off. None of the crew could be seen, so she tentatively strode up the gangplank to see what she could find. No one was there to greet her. She thought that maybe the crew was just beneath, but the sound of anything below was absent.

"It is very unusual to sneak up on an Assassin." A voice said from behind her all proper and British. Vitoria closed her eyes, feeling utterly humiliated that she managed to get into a bind already. "You can relax, I only wish to talk." She did not turn around, just stood where she was with her head hung. "When Lord Dunmore sent me a letter saying there was an Assassin following him, I was surprised. A second Assassin. He failed to mention that this Assassin was a woman." She sighed and turned around to get a look at the man behind her.

"Who are you?" She asked with as stern a voice she could muster without giving away her true emotions. She felt intimidated by this man and his pretentious air, but she would not show it.

"You can call me Haytham." He said with a slight bow of the head. He wasn't her enemy, at least not yet. She was no fool though; she could see he was a threat with her vision. An aura of red danced around him unlike her friends and family. Lord Dunmore, however, had the same aura around him.

"Vitoria." She said being polite about it, for even enemies could be civil to each other when having harmless conversations. Haytham's eyes lit up in surprise.

"William Grey's daughter. How interesting." He said with a flare of curiosity. It seemed he was aware of her heritage, but didn't seem to want to hurt her for it in any way. "The last time I saw William was when he tried to stop me, long ago before you were born. We have some history together, he and I. Of course he thought I was just being young and foolish, but as you can see, I knew exactly what I was doing." What he said seemed to hit something deep within her and the way he said it didn't help the feeling either.

"Templar." She said softly, holding in her emotions. She was suddenly aware of everything around her. Red aura's popping up from beneath the deck of the ship. "What do you want with me?" She blurted out, putting a hand to her chest in order to feel her rapidly beating heart. She was suddenly seized from behind, showing her weakness.

"I truly do not want to kill you." Haytham said stepping forward and removing her hood, revealing her auburn hair. "You are too beautiful to die, but I cannot have you messing in affairs that you do not truly understand." He ran a finger down her cheek and her eyes went wide. He truly did have a sorrowful look on his face and then she suddenly understood. She was going to die if she didn't do anything about it.

Vitoria started to struggle; using every ounce of her strength to free herself, but the man behind her only grunted and held her more tightly. The idea to step on his foot and try to run away was a false one as she knew this was a man that could easily ignore the pain. Instead, she resorted to the more sensitive parts of his body. Going completely still, she suddenly threw back her head, hitting the man in the nose causing him to groan. Then she lifted her heel and his him in another sensitive area between his legs, this time causing the man to howl and let go of her. Pulling out her pistol, she hit him on the head with the wooden handle, knocking him out. Now that she was free, she reached for the nearest man and pulled out his saber.

She was aware of another man coming up behind her when she held her breath and rotated the saber to where she would be able to thrust it behind her. When she did she was vaguely aware of everything around her but the splash of blood that had landed on her hand. This caused her to drop the sword in shock, but she recovered in time to aim the pistol at another man coming at her. Pulling the trigger was hard and she felt every pure thing about her become tainted. So far, she had taken two lives, who were just taking orders.

Vitoria turned just in time to duck under the butt of a musket and plunge her hidden blade into his stomach. When she grabbed the musket out of his hands, she spun and shot the next man coming at her, then used the musket like a bat to knock out the next one. It was then she saw her opening and she ran for the railing of the ship, but before she got there, there was the bang of a pistol.

Hit in the shoulder, the force of the impact threw her forward and she was only able to catch herself on the railing of the ship, almost hitting her head. The pain was unbearable and then she heard Haytham's footsteps come closer. She wasn't ready to die yet so she had her blades ready, instead though, the Templar's foot hammered down on her left wrist and arm, breaking it. She screamed in pain.

"Did your father teach you anything?" The man said, with pity in his eyes. "He sent you unprepared and it will cost you more than just your life. I imagine that this will be the end of the Grey family." Her eyes went wide and nothing could stop the flow of tears. "Please don't cry, it isn't your fault that this happened. If anything, blame your family." He said before nodding to a red coat next to him. "I'm not going to kill you, but I will make sure you stay out of this for good." She felt the red coat pick up her legs by the ankles and tie them tight. "I am truly sorry." Then there was the terrible pain of the butt of a musket meeting her skull and then darkness.

There was light all around her, sunlight to be exact. She was standing in a garden outside of a castle with fresh snow on the ground. In the distance, standing beside a tree was a man. He was tall and lean. Grey eyes danced with youth and blond hair caught the sunlight. He was dressed in black, a hood attached to his outfit and heavy boots made of fine leather. A dagger was hanging from his hip and a bow was strapped to his back. Not too far from him was a black horse and as she stepped closer, the horse looked at her with gentle eyes.

"Parasites have plagued this tree. It will not bloom in the spring." The blond man said as she approached him. "Pity, it was a very beautiful tree, but…" He bent down and pushed some snow out of the way to reveal dirt and picked up an acorn, showing it to her. "It left behind seeds of hope." He put the acorn in a pocket above his heart.

"I knew I was going to die. I didn't have the heart to do it like I thought I did." Vitoria said softly and sadly. The man picked up on this tone and looked at her with sorrow etched on his face.

"You blame yourself?" He asked and she nodded looking away and down at the ground in shame. "You shouldn't. Someone else is to blame and you will find out who it is." He gave her a smile. "When everything is done, come find me."

"Who are you?" She asked for the second time that day, confused.

"You know the answer to that." He gave her a smile, the same smile she had seen on her father's face many times. "You will know where to find me, but now is not the time." He said putting his gloved hands on her shoulders and kissing her forehead. "Now, time for you to go back, it's getting colder." He said softly as the sun went away and snow started falling. She closed her eyes as he walked away.

When she opened them again, he was nowhere to be seen but the tree had changed into one of full bloom with white flowers. The air started to get colder and she could hear thundering booms in the distance. There was a wet feeling on her shoulder and pain began radiating up her arm as though she were injured. She looked down at her hands as darkness descended on her.

Blood; red as the darkest of rubies and wet like red wine.

Opening her eyes, Vitoria noticed she was in a very small space. It was wet and very cold, so cold that she shivered. She looked up and saw the gray sky, no sign of the sky. The steady rocking motion told her she was on a ship, but the taste of salt was on her lips. She couldn't stand, her ankles where tied and so were her hands. What had happened? Where was she? She did not know. She knew she was in a barrel from the slats of wood and the cork. She knew if she could pop the cork out of the airing hole, she could see where she was and she very slowly raised her tied hands to push against the cork.

She yelled out in pain as she pushed against the cork with her broken arm and after several tries she managed to pop the cork out. She painfully moved her head to look out and with chattering teeth, she saw nothing but cold gray sky and a cold sea. She began to realize that she wasn't on a ship, she was in a wine barrel in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Cast adrift to die so Haytham could have a clear conscience. He left her to fate and this set her in a panic. She began to cry, to scream, to yell and thrash. None of this did no good and slowly but surely the cold began to freeze the tears she shed on her face. There was no warmth, only a cold wind and a colder sea.

Vitoria shivered and counted the hours. Surprised that she had made it this long and soon it would be dark. She knew that the darkness of night would be the last thing as the daylight took her life with it beyond the horizon and so she closed her eyes, giving up.

"Poor Lass." The Irish accent pulled her out of sleep and the feeling of arms around her. "Who would do such a thing?" The voice questioned. She groaned as she felt someone pull the ropes off of her ankles and wrist.

"I don't know, we best get her inside before she catches her death." Another voice said causing her to groan again. She was so weak she could barely open her eyes and when she did she only saw shadows against the light of the moon. How long had she drifted? "What do you say Captain?"

"She can have my quarters." A gentle voice said, one that held strength and confidence. She felt someone drape a wool blanket over her providing instant warmth and then someone picking her up.

"You're safe now Lass." Another voice said and she felt someone put a gentle hand on her head as a sign of comfort. "The Captain will keep you safe."

I know what you are thinking, why put my characters though so much crap? Because, it just works out that way.

Anyway, I see that no one has even reviewed this story (which is way better than the original version) and I am a little upset about it…tears. Lots of tears. Jk. Oh and the guy in her 'vision' is based off of Tom Hiddleston (Loki from Thor if you have no idea who he is, he is naturally a strawberry blond) For some reason I can see him as an Assassin in the time period of Elizabeth, which is also what inspired my next story. Okay gotta go. Enjoy. More twists and the moment you all have been waiting for!