A/N: The original chapter was a little different but I felt inspired today and that's what has come out. When I finish to write all that (1 or 2 chapter, feel so sad for that) maybe I will change or add something.

In the meantime, thanks again to all of you taking the time to read this.

Enjoy :)

I am sitting on the top of the mast while the Aquila sails home. It is the only peaceful place to be in that moment and no one has bothered to come up here to see me. I think Connor just warned the crew to leave me alone.

As we dock I can see the sailors going back to their houses, Mr. Faulkner being the last of them.

I spent the journey back thinking about Charles, the Templars and my actions in the last years. Something that has been in my thoughts for quite a long time, now.

I prepare myself to climb down when I hear someone near me. I turn and I see Connor watching me.

-Do you really need to sneak up on me like that every time?-

He smiles.

-How are you feeling?-

-In truth? I don't know, son. I just killed the man I called friend. I find myself between two factions without knowing which one is mine. –

He watches me deeply.

-Your actions in those years speak for themselves. Without you, there would be much less Assassins running around these days. –

He approaches, sitting next to me.

-You know, I spoke with Duncan recently. He said something about meeting you when you were still in Europe. I think he mentioned you killed his uncle at the Opera.-

That surprises me. Now I understand why I always felt him wanting to stay away from me. I think about Miko and the first time I met him on Corsica.

-He was a little upset you were with us, to put it mildly. But then he saw what you did for us, working to expand the order. Even if he still doesn't like you, at least now he doesn't want to kill you. –

-Charming.-

He chuckles.

-What I wanted to say is that I am grateful for what you have done. Achilles always told me I should have killed you without thinking twice since you were the Master of the Templars, but I always thought to speak with you before. –

-Well, I appreciate that. –

-Maybe it's time you leave your past behind and start living again. No other seems to care about the fact that you are an Assassin with Templar ideas. Only you. So maybe you just need to go on with it. –

Not that I haven't thought about that. And I know this is the right thing to do, after all.

There is another thing that bothered me though. That letter of Washington waiting for me at home.

-Maybe you should come with me. I received a letter you might find interesting.-

He watches me, curious.

While we walk towards Achilles' house I see the sunrise touching the top of the trees. It has been such a long day and the only thing I want now is to go to bed. But that letter has dug deeply in my mind and I couldn't avoid thinking about it.

-You know, I would enjoy talking with you about your ideas. – Connor breaks the silence. – Would you answer some questions, in case I have some?-

-Well, why not. –

-With your point of view there could be a chance for peace. We're the one to declare that but it has been century of war with the Templars. That makes no sense at all. –

We arrive in front of the old man house. Connor approaches the door and starts knocking.

While I wait for him to answer I think about that last phrase. Surely a lasting peace between the two factions is unthinkable. Too many differences, to begin with. Or maybe not?

Achilles opens the door.

-Ah, here you are. Did you find Lee?-

I approach.

-I killed him. –

He puts a hand on my shoulder, watching in my eyes. I know he could see what is passing through my mind in that moment and I do nothing to avoid that.

He gestures the door.

-I think you came for the letter. – I nod. – Quite troubling news I should say. –

We sit in front of the fire in the room on the left. As I take the letter from Achilles hand I feel impatient.

When I read it I can sense Connor eyes perforating me.

What it is written makes no sense. I listened to Charles saying they were at the Mohawk camp when it was destroyed. Or maybe I misunderstood all he said me? I remember at the time we were trying to discover something more about the Precursor Site. He asked information on where the camp was and, having no success, he just left?

In all those years I thought that it was a Templar action, driven by the thirst of power.

Connor takes the letter from my hand.

-That makes no sense!-

He watches me.

-I saw your friends that day, asking where the village was. I… just thought that they eventually found it, tried to talk and since my people weren't listening to them, they simply burned the village down. I saw anyone else there. -

I remember Charles wanting to say something when Connor entered the room where I killed him.

What part took that to my decision to come to Achilles, years ago? I thought my friends were going mad killing innocents like that. Things would have been different if I knew about it?

Connor says aloud what I am thinking.

-And how many things we blame the Templars that aren't true?-

He watches me, looking for answers. Only that I don't have them.

-You need to move on. – Achilles breaks the silence. – Both of you. You have chosen long ago which side to be. The past cannot change. –He watches us, passing his eyes from me to my son. – You wiped out the Templars in the colonies. That's what the Assassins always have done. If you are thinking about some kind of peace, I can assure you there's none to be found. Ever. – He watches me. – You should know better than anyone. There are too many differences. And eventually all of them become power hungry and they need to be stopped. Life is not a fairy tale and there are no happy endings. –

-"Even when your kind appears to triumph... still, we rise again. And, do you know why? It is because the Order is born of a realization. We require no creed. No indoctrination by desperate, old men. All we need is that the world be as it is. And this is why the Templars will never be destroyed."-

The words leave my mouth before I could stop them. While saying that I can feel the truth in them.

-And what was that? - Both Connor and Achilles are watching me.

-That was one of the last things Birch said me right before my sister killed him. After I asked him why he didn't tell me about my father. He probably thought I changed faction. –

I find myself smiling. Achilles is right; I cannot dwell on the past. I chose the side to live with many years ago because I was living in the doubt. There's no point in living with that right now.

-I need to talk with Washington about it. Listen what he wants to say. –

As Connor leaves the house, I watch Achilles.

-I think we should reintroduce some of the Assassins old way to join the brotherhood. Nothing invasive, just a little… something to feel more like a group and not just people who think alike. –

He smiles.

The next day we gather the recruits in Achilles' basement for the initiation. We decide to follow the methods they used in the Renaissance, leaving out only the last part.

We are gathered in circle all wearing an Assassin robe. I wear my father's one, Achilles his own and the others has a similar version of what Connor is wearing. Achilles stands in the middle with a little brazier.

I was always considered a part of the brotherhood since the day I went to talk to Achilles even if there wasn't something official about that.

-Stephane, you will be the first. - Connor points him.

Achilles clears his throat to gain attention.

-Actually, I think someone else should be the first. –

He watches me. I can feel the others watching me too.

I approach him. I can sense Connor smiling as I get near the brazier.

I think about my father. My long journey that took me to this.

-Are you ready? - Achilles almost whispers to me.

-As I'll ever be. –

He nods.

After a pause he starts.

-Where other men blindly follow the truth, remember…-

-Nothing is true.-

-Where other men are limited by morality or law, remember…-

I can feel the self confidence building inside of me as I embrace my new life.

-Everything is permitted.-

He proceeds with the heating of the tongs in the brazier. I wonder where he found that.

As he brands my finger he says:

-We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins.-

In that moment I decide to leave the past behind. They were right. There is no point in thinking about it. I have a purpose now, something to live for. And I will not lose this opportunity.