The assassins follow Achilles back into the house and sit down at the table to hear what he has to say.
"The riddle you had spoken to me of Aveline, I think I may know whom it refers to." Achilles says. "I believe it refers to your stepmother, Madeleine de L'Isle."
Aveline stares disbelievingly at Achilles, the riddle repeating itself over and over in her mind. The answer has been in your backyard all along.
"Are you sure?" Aveline asks, staring intently into Achilles eyes.
"I'm so sorry child." Achilles says, putting his hand over hers.
"Then I must return to New Orleans at once." Aveline says.
"I can take you back on my ship at first light tomorrow and help you." Connor adds.
"No Connor, I need you here. I have received information on some Templar's that have arrived recently and are after Washington. You need to take care of them." Achilles says. "I will give you instructions tomorrow morning." He says, standing and leaving the room.
Connor's hands ball into fists on the table as he stares after the old man.
"Connor, be at peace. This is something I need to do on my own," Aveline says, her hands uncurling his.
"Tell me, do you not think that sometimes the Creed is not as effective as it claims to be? Are we truly doing good?" Connor asks, turning to her.
"You know I do. But it is as you said, trust yourself to do what is right," Aveline says, giving his hands a squeeze before releasing them.
As soon as the contact is broken Connor feels a weight of emptiness settling in his heart. Aveline will leave for New Orleans and may never return. In the short time they have spent together he feels a companionship he hasn't felt in years, a connection that soothes his weary heart and tears down the walls around it.
"Will you return here once you are done?" Connor asks, searching her eyes desperately.
"I would like that. This place seems more of a home to me now than New Orleans does," Aveline says, turning aside.
"Because of what Achilles said?" Connor asks.
"There is just...too much heartbreak there. Any pleasant moments of my life have been tainted." Aveline says.
So she tells him of her mother and father, how her mother vanished and she was ripped apart from the life she knew. She tells of how Agaté rescues her and teaches her the ways of the order. She mentions her fathers passing and of how little she knew of him. Her shaky relationship with her mentor and now the news that the Company Man is her stepmother, little remains for her there.
"I understand. Life has not been kind to either of us," Connor says. "When you return I wish to take you to meet my people, maybe you can find some belonging with them. Until then take this," He says, pulling his bear claw necklace over his head and handing it to her.
"Thank you, but will you not miss it?" Aveline says, moving to give it back to him.
"I will but I know you will find your way back to me." Connor says, closing her hand around it.
Pretty short but this is the turning point where I start returning to the cannon plot of the games for a bit. Anything else I wanted to add would feel weird and choppy, but no worries we will see them together again shortly. :D
