Chapter 2

People walked about the open market, each putting their back to the freezing wind. I walked out, knowing this wasn't a good place to work in but I was desperate. So I walked through the streets looking and waiting until the sun was hidden behind the black mountains in the distance. There was not enough people to make a clean steal so I took my chance with a young women walking in a large crowd. I walked through the group calmly. I was close enough to smell her perfume and feel the softness of her garments. I slipped my hand into her pocket and pulled out a few coins. I walked away but before I rounded the corner she screamed.

"Help! I've been robbed!"

"There in the blue."

Instinctively I took off running: I could not be caught. So I ran as hard and as fast as I could. Twisting and turning through multiple streets, down alley ways, hoping that no one was after me anymore. Hoping no one would catch me. I couldn't afford that, Dimitri couldn't afford that. I stopped. I couldn't hear the heavy footsteps of the pursuers. My breath came in short, hallow gasps.

"You know that stealing is wrong."

I quickly turn around at the sound of his voice, heavy with an Italian accent. His hood hid his eyes, shadowing half of his face. His predominate jaw lane was covered in thin black hair. His lips carved perfectly. He stood at least six foot two, towering over me with broad shoulders and muscles that could crush me easily.

"What does it matter to you? It doesn't concern you."

His lips curved up in a sweet smile, reveling straight, white teeth. He shifted his body and suddenly grabbed the coins from my hand.

"This does concern me when you are stealing from innocent people who have done nothing to you in order to have you take from them what they have worked so hard to get. You should be very careful on what you do, the city is becoming very unsafe."

"What do you mean unsafe?"

"That's none of your concern."

"It is when I am in danger. When my family is in danger."

"If I were you, I would get you and your family out of the city."

Just then the women came running up more out of breath then I was. Her face was red and her hair was messy from the wind. He didn't say anything but simply walked up to her and put the coins in her hand.

"I will take care of this criminal."

"Thank you, sir."

He turns back towards me, his face still shadowed from retreating sun. My first thought was to run, fear ran through my body, shaking my hands, teasing me with horrible thoughts. But if I did run I knew he would catch me just as effortless as he had the first time and without me even knowing.

"If I were you, I wouldn't be thinking of running. I know that look all too well. Now follow me."

He turned and began walking, expecting me to follow like a puppy but my pride got the better of me. I would not just obey a man because he was bigger or stronger than me, so I did run. I ran until I reached the docks outside the city wall and only then did I stop to catch my breath. I knew the city was unsafe, I had seen it firsthand how guards would beat people and take their things. Forcing them out of city limits or into poverty. Street rats and thieves got the worst of the guards torment. Being killed or imprisoned. He was right I had to get Dimitri out of the city, and I knew just how to do it.

"Dimitri, we need to talk."

"About what?"

The bright smile warmed my cold heart. I knew I would miss him more than anything. The way he would make a joke or his witty comments. A deep pain burned my chest as I fought back the tears that were about to spill over.

"Come with me."

We walked for almost two hours to reach our destination. When we got there the moon was high in the sky and the stares shinned brightly. We stopped in front of a small wagon pulled by two black horses.

"Dimitri, you have to leave."

"What do you mean?"

He looked at me, all the light from his eyes were gone. His face was expressionless, as if trying to hide something.

"You're leaving Dimitri. You are leaving to go and live with our cousins in Franc. You can't stay here anymore, I can't let you live like this. You deserve to be happy and have a wonderful education something I can't give you."

"Cassandra, I am happy. I don't want to leave. I want to stay here with you."

"You can't, don't you see, it's not safe here anymore. You can't live like this anymore. I will not allow you to suffer because of me."

Tears streamed down his face, sweet blues eyes red and swollen. He ran into my arms, wrapping around me, refusing to let go.

"No please don't make me go, please. I want to stay here with you. Please!"

I pushed him away, forcing him to look at me. Warm wet tears stained my face and my hands shook violently.

"You have to. This wagon is stocked with food and clothing and it will leave here tonight with you on it. Dima will be with you on your journey to keep you safe until you reach our cousins house. Dimitri they are closing the borders and no one will be allowed to pass or trade for a long time. The city is unsafe for you now. I need you to safe."

"Why? What's happening?"

"Dimitri, just please go. Please be safe for me."

I pulled him to the wagon and Dima grabbed him by the arms hauling him up onto the seat next to him. He cried and pushed Dima, trying his hardest to get back to me but Dima held tight. I grabbed Dimitri's hand.

"We will together again."

The wagon took off, forcing me back, forcing me to release Dimitri's hand. I watched the wagon until I couldn't see it anymore. "God, please let them make it across the border." I sent up a silent prayer.

I had spent all the money I had left to make sure Dimitri had food and clothing for his journey but my stomach was growling loudly. I had two choices, I could either steal money or food or I could starve. I choose food. All I needed was some cheese and bread, milk I could get from Clarissa. She had a small goat that produced the sweetest milk. So I made my way to the open market, slowly moving through crowds and evaluating which merchant I could away from easily. I kept walking just looking and thinking of everything, guards walked about frequently, some pushing people around if they didn't get out of the way in time.

"I told you not to run."

I turn around once again to face the man that had caught me before. Still his face was shadowed from my view.

"Why waste your talent when you could put it to good use."

"What do you mean?"

He began walking away and half glanced back at me as if he wanted me to follow, so I did. We walked out of the open market and into the crowded street then quickly slipped into a smaller street with less people.

"Can you climb?"

I nodded unsure why he had asked. He took off in a sprint and with great ease scaled up a tall building. I followed him but with difficulty. He handed me his hand and pulled me up.

"I have a feeling that I can trust you..?"

"Cassandra."

"Well Cassandra, I have a feeling that I can trust you. That maybe you can be a very valuable asset to the brotherhood."

"The brotherhood?"

He was silent as if thinking deeply about something as we stood there on the edge of the rooftop.

"Have you ever heard of The Assassin's brotherhood?"

"No."

"It's an underground group of assassin's that fight to protect this domain from the Templars, a group set out to control the world. The war between the Templars and Assassins have been raging for centuries. Each one of us fighting and killing for the greater good of mankind. Neither of us gaining any ground."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"We need all the help we can get. You have a talent and that is why you interest me."

He walked away a little then looked back at me, reveling half of his attractive face.

"If you're willing to be part of something bigger then yourself, follow me, if not then go home."

I wanted more, I wanted to be apart something important instead of just being little and doing so little. To stop stealing and begging. I didn't want to be a pathetic girl anymore, so I followed him. We walked or rather ran across buildings and streets, him teaching me new things and how to handle my body weight evenly so that I wouldn't lose my balance. We finally reached a building, just as normal as the rest but when we went inside it led underground into a very large room with a bridge crossing over a small pond.

"Here you will train every day and do missions that will help our cause. Doing things such as helping people or in some cases killing someone."