Chapter 4

Kiran blinked wearily as she looked around her room on the main level of her shop. She blinked again and noticed Matteo hovering over her with a shocked expression. He quickly looked over his shoulder and shouted for some people to come over. Kiran tilted her head to see Araceli, Gema, Cencio, Savio, Marco, and Ezio flood into the room. Ezio sat at the edge of the bed and rested a hand on Kiran's right shoulder, "How are you feeling, my friend?"
"Been better, been worse." She chuckled before wincing in pain, "What happened?"
"Your words must have reached the people," Savio smirked, "Because as soon as you hit the ground the crowd turned on the Templars and the guards who sided with them." He laughed heartedly, "You've been out for a little more than a day and the citizens have sent anyone who was allied with the Templars running. The guards who stayed as trying their best to keep things calm."
"Wait... My words had that effect?" Kiran gaped in surprise.
"Well, Sparrow, you always have had a way with words." Matteo chuckled, "I guess your words struck all the right chords."
"Matteo could have killed that Templar when he saw you drop." Ezio said, "It took Araceli and Savio to hold him back from going after the Templar and killing him."
"No one tries to kill Sparrow and gets away with it while I'm around." Matteo huffed, "I would never let anyone like those scum harm a friend and get away with it. I swear, if she didn't make it... I would have tracked them down," His fists clenched, "Those bastards almost killed my cousin and then they tried the same stunt on my Sparrow?"
"Calm, calm." Savio chuckled as he patted Matteo's shoulder, "It's okay now. Your little 'sparrow' is safe now."
"My-?" Matteo blinked, "Wh-who said she's was my Sparrow?"
Savio chuckled as patted Matteo's head, "We can discuss it later. It seems one reveals more about themselves then they may intend to when worried for someone."
Kiran looked at Ezio, "He had the sword of Attila..."
"It looks like it is as bad as we imagined..." Ezio nodded before looking at everyone, "We cannot let them get the swords..."
"I will go and make sure they don't succeed." Kiran said as she sat up.
"You are in no condition-" Matteo began, his tone holding a note of concern.
"I am one of the best, I have to do what I can to stop them... And this has become personal." Kiran stated, "No one threatens my friends and home and gets away with it."

After a long debate Ezio cut in, silencing everyone. He said that Kiran, Araceli, and Matteo would go out and get the swords. He looked at Kiran and smiled gently, suggesting that she go to the city center and talk to the people again. Kiran arched a brow before agreeing. Once she was ready she went into the city center with Araceli and Matteo. They were greeted by their guard allies. Kiran stood in front of the platform and looked at the crowd of people who were starting to gather. She looked at Ezio before smiling at the crowd, "H-hello. I see everyone is doing well." She cleared her throat, "I heard you all fought off the Templars. I want to let you all know that my friends and I thank you and we won't let you down. I, along some allies, will be leaving to stop these Templars. While gone I trust that the guards will watch over you and protect you as they always have. Also, the Assassins, and our allies, will help defend the city if the Templars attempt to return."
She paused when she saw a small figure run from the crowd and stop in front of her. She paused and looked at the young child and knelt down, "Is everything okay, little one?"
The child look at her before throwing their arms around her, "Please be safe."
"Ah-!" Kiran blinked in surprise before hugging the child, "I promise my friends and I will return safely." She looked at the crowd, "And I trust everyone will work together to keep this city safe."

She spoke to the guards who remained behind and found that they had all chosen Cencio to be their new Commander. She told them that she had faith in them and new they would keep the city safe. After that she spoke to Araceli and Matteo. From what Ezio had found out, the Templars were close to obtaining Hrunting and the sword of Damocles. Their main objective would be to find the swords Joyeuse, Durendal, and Excalibur while they still had a chance, then they could try and get to the other two swords before the Templars did. He said suggested that they trio take a day to prepare and leave first thing in the morning.

Kiran arrived home and quickly got to packing the things she would need, which included spare daggers, food, and medical supplies. Araceli would be bringing extra maps just in case as well so she didn't have to worry about that. Kiran rubbed her left shoulder and winced slightly. While the pain was subsiding, it still hurt depending on the movement she performed. She looked up as the shop door creaked open and saw Matteo walk into the shop carrying a bag. He set it down and arched a brow at Kiran, "Still preparing?"
"Just finished." She said, wincing as she pulled herself to her feet.
"You sure you want to do this?" He asked.
"Easy, Guppy, someone might thing you care if you keep talking like that." She teased before nodding, "But yes, I'm sure." She looked away, "Ezio can't, and I don't want to risk any of the others leaving the city and being put in danger." She looked up when she felt a hand come to rest on her head. She blinked as she looked up at Matteo, "Hm?"
He motioned for her to go take a seat somewhere. She looked at him in confusion, "What are you doing?"
"Making supper. It's late and I doubt you've eaten, and neither have I." He stated as he walked into the kitchen.
"Matteo, you don't have to-" She began as she followed him into the small kitchen.
"Sparrow, go sit. That's an order." Matteo said, smirking at the look Kiran returned to him.
"And I have to obey you... Why?" She asked, crossing her arms and keeping her feet planted firmly on the floor.
"Because I'm a man." He smirked, trying to hold back a laugh at the smirk that appeared on Kiran's face.
"Well, Captain," She said casually, "We shall see how much of a 'man' you are when I chop off that twig you call a penis."
"Eh, jokes like that aren't funny." He said, his face paling slightly.
"Who's joking?" She grinned mischeviously.
He rolled his eyes and set to making supper, "Fine, just... Do what you want while I cook."
"Can I help?" She offered.
Matteo looked around before nodding at some vegetables, "Cut those up into small pieces."
"Done." She said before setting to work.

After the stew began to cook over the fire Kiran noticed the sky starting to darken. She chuckled as she dropped some vegetables into the pot, "I take it you brought your bag over thinking you would be staying the night."
"I brought it over incase you needed anything extra, or if there was something I would really need that I didn't already have." He replied quickly, "A gentleman staying in a lady's home, especially a young, single lady-"
"It's fine by me." She said, trying to stifle a chuckle, "I doubt the neighbors would gossip about me letting a friend stay the night. They already know we're leaving in the morning so..." She winked, "Plus I think people would trust me if I said I don't plan on giving myself away easily."
"Beg your pardon?" Matteo asked, his cheeks tinting pink.
"People know I take stuff like that seriously. I don't intend on giving myself to anyone unless I know I will be with them and they will be faithful." She said before chuckling lightly, "Plus I'm really family oriented, and I doubt many guys my age are really interested in family matters and all."
"What's your family like?" He asked, stirring the pot slowly.
"Nice family. My immediate family are... Well off. We have some nobility that are family, but my family lives a decent life. My parents are farmers, they own their own farm and vinyard, and my siblings were too young to work last time I saw them. I think my younger brother might be working as an apprentice in a smithy." She glanced at Matteo, "What about you?"
"I..." He fell silent for a moment, "I do not recall much about them. My mother couldn't raise me, since she was a young mother in a poor family, and my father didn't care about her or myself. Last I heard he was with yet another woman." He stared into the stew and sighed, "Savio raised me as his own. My mother is his younger cousin, so I still got to be with family... She handed me over to Savio when he was visiting... I haven't seen her in years..."
"Where is she?" She asked.
"In Syracuse... I think." He murmured.
Kiran fell silent for a moment, "Would you like to go visit her? After we get the swords, we may be able to go find her."
"Maybe..." He shrugged, "I wonder if she'd even want to see me."
"If she didn't care she wouldn't have handed you over to someone in the family." She said gently, laying a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sure she'd be thrilled to see you."

Matteo shrugged as he poured some stew into two bowls, passing one to Kiran. "So..." He began, "I any idea where the swords may be located?"
"Araceli and I did some digging... Damocles is the closest, but the Templar's may be close it already... Our best chances would be to go to Rocamadour and track down Durendal, then move to Joyeuse, Ardéche, then to Cornwall." Kiran explained, keeping the change of topic in mind as she watched her friend.
"So we are going to give up on the Damocles sword so easily?" Matteo chuckled.
"They may already have it. At least we have a chance getting those other three." She explained as she began to eat.

They soon finished their supper and went to bed. Kiran told Matteo that he could take the room on the main floor while she went up to her room on another level in the tower. She was about to head upstairs when she looked back at Matteo, "Matteo?"
"Yes, Sparrow?" He looked up.
"Savio is immensely proud of you and what you've accomplished... I'm sure your mother would be as well..." She hesitated before continuing, "And it's your father's loss in not being part of your life. He missed out on being the father of a great man." She paused again before turning to head upstairs.
"Sparrow?"
"Oui?"
"Thank you."