Chapter 10: The Gift and The Curse

Isabella's POV

I opened my eyes carefully and was confused what I saw. I couldn't see anything. My entire vision black but I was sure I was awake. I reached out to see where I was. I realised I was on a bed but the last thing I remember was attacking some templars and Jess's growl, the rest of it was funny. I turned so I was laying on my stomach and I pushed myself into a sitting position. My muscles ached and were sore as if I had over exerted myself, I suppose I had in that battle. I heard the creak of a door opening and I turned towards it, at least I think I did. I heard a quick whisper and someone stepped into the room. I could hear their lightly place footsteps on the floor as they came towards me. They sat on the edge of my bed and I coughed to clear my throat.

"Hello?" I asked. My voice sounded weird as if I hadn't used it in a long time or hadn't had anything to drink in days. I didn't get a reply. My answer was a arm that wrapped around my waist and pulled my close as if they were afraid I was going to go leave. It was a very tight embrace and I nearly slapped the person but I realised who it could be.

"Angelo?" I whispered, my tone returning to normal with the soft and quiet tone.

"Not quite right Kiddo." The person replied and I whacked there hands and pushed them away.

"Desmond. You should really ask permission when you do that. Or I and Angelo will have your head." I said. He forced me into his embrace again and whistled. I heard the padding of lighter footsteps and the door glided open and close as someone else entered the room. This someone just happened to jump on the bed and curl up and try not fall out of my lap. I stroked Jess behind the ear absently and a question came to mind.

"Desmond, my overlord." I joked, adding a dramatic tone to it.

"Is this a bandage or something? Or have I gone blind?" I asked. He sat in silence and squeezed me lightly in his grip.

"Well that Templar reopened your scar but made it longer, it nearly runs down the entire side of your face somewhat. He made it open at the top of your eyebrow and now the bottom of your scar is parallel to the height of your lips. There is a full bandage around your face." He whistled again but Jess didn't move but Desmond moved as someone else entered the room.

"Get off of my wife." A low growl came from the person. I smiled at the angelic voice of my husband and I held out my hand helplessly to where he could have been stood. A kiss was planted on my hand and I was pulled into another embrace more forcefully this time, making Jess lurch of my lap but she barked angrily at Angelo and sat next to me and pestered my hand to get me to pet her. I did and I admired the heat my partner gave off and relaxed into him. He stroked my hair gently and was kept my in his embrace tighter than Desmond had. I snuggled into his side hugged him tightly in return.

"We thought you might not have woke up." He said softly.

"The doctor wasn't very good at his job either. He nearly killed you."

I squeezed his side slightly.

"Well. I am here and kicking ass. Nothing could separate me from you." A little nibble of my fingers made me add.

"And Jess as well. How long have I been asleep?" Angelo was quiet for a moment as if thinking he should tell me.

"About 2 days." I pushed him away and if he could see my eye's they would be saying 'you have got to be kidding me' but he couldn't see my entire face so he didn't say anything more. I gently rubbed the side of my temples and closed my useless eyes.

"Really?" My voice croaked out.

"Don't lie to her Angelo." Came Altair's voice. Angelo sighed and shifted slightly next to me. I pulled out of his grip and stood up.

"What does he mean by that Angelo?" I asked.

"A week. You have been asleep for a week." The words poured off his tongue quickly. I didn't gape at him. I just opened my arms and he stood up and we hugged.

"I think I need to stretch my legs. Can you be my eyes?" I said after a moment.

"Of course my love." He kissed my gently on my lips and pulled away.

"Would you like to go anywhere specific?" He asked. I crouched down and motioned for Jess and she came to me and I whispered in her eye and I whistled another tune and got up. I heard her light footsteps pad away as she went to do something special.

"The gardens my love." I said holding out my hand.

"You seem to be good with animals. Is that true?" Angelo said.

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"I have a huge soft spot for them. Jess was a abandoned and abused dog when I took her off the streets and adopted her." I said. I squeezed his hand, to make sure he was aware of where he was going. He would always squeezed back.

"When can I take these bandages off?" I asked before he could intervene. He pulled me gently down as if to sit on a bench but I could tell I was on his lap and not a bench. No bench had solid muscle and a warm temperature.

"Briefly. Your eye is still healing into a scar. We don't need you getting an infection." He said.

"Can I briefly take them off for a couple of minutes then? I want to see if I am complete blind in that eye." I said.

"Eagle Vision?" He asked and I merely nodded in reply. He seem to hesitate but did as I asked anyway. He slowly took off the bandages and my right eye took to the change quickly whereas my other eye remained complete black. Eagle Vision only worked in the slightest though. I blinked it away. I turned my head slowly and looked at the entrance to the garden and smiled. I whistled and Jess came bounding towards me with a friend. Her friend jumped up and smothered Angelo's face with there tongue while Jess tenderly licked my scarred eye, it hurt but it was a relief, as if she was cleaning the wound. I guess in a way she was. Angelo managed to gently push the tongued-fiend away from him. He quickly redid the bandages on my face and was quiet for a short time.

"How?" He said simply,confused all the same.

"He was abandoned and seemed pretty intelligent and friendly. Jess brought him to me though. I trained him like I have Jess. He only obeys vocal commands though. From two people." I said, if I could have I would have winked. I felt him bring me into a kiss, a long kiss. I didn't try to pull back, I just leant in and savoured the sweet flavour of his lips. I pulled away after a minute.

"Name him. I only call him 'Pup', I thought his rightful owner needed to name him." I said. I reached up and stroked his jaw line. He hummed contently and sighed. I chuckled in return and I stroked Jess's spine gently and got some gently rubs on my thigh from her head. She was growling warmly as well.

"Dani." He said.

"That's a good name." I said to him. "How did you come up with it?" I asked.

"I thought it sounded nice. Sounds nice and exotic like your name. Hello Dani." He said flirty and then nice and kindly.

"Do you have my assassin sash?" I asked. He grabbed my waist and pulled something that was on my waist off and put the fabric and metal in my hand. I tied it into a slipknot around Jess's collar and tugged on it. I tied another one and wrapped it onto my wrist. I stood up and encourage Jess to walk around a little and avoid obstacles to see if the make-shift lead was strong,sturdy and could easily guide me. Jess turned and stopped and was sniffing, Dani I think and I blinked on my Eagle Vision. I could see where Angelo was slightly but it was giving me headache. I blinked it off and turned to his direction.

"Do you mind if I go lie down? I think I am getting a migraine." To emphasise my point I rubbed my temples gently. He paused, I could tell he was staring at the make-shift lead.

"What is that?" He asked, total confusion in his voice.

"Its something we used in my time so our dogs couldn't run off. We also use them to guide the blind and partially blind. I think I can make do with it." I said. I tugged the lead lightly. I started to walk off.

"Cya later. I'll talk and we can catch up later." I said.

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I yawned after woke up. I felt better now. I unconsciously rubbed my eyes and recoiled when it trigger pain.

"Oww." I groaned out loud. I tugged on my left wrist and felt the lead and I trailed my hand down it and gave Jess and nice scratch underneath her chin and got out of bed and tugged Jess and she dropped off the bed with me.

"Let's go for a good run. You can make sure I don't deck it right?" I said in a 'talk-to-a-doggy' voice. I rocked back on my heels and I then clenched my muscles and started to fast walk instead of sprinting and walking into a door. Jess claws scraped on the door and I opened it for us and I let Jess guide me out of the door, out of the fortress and into a sprint around the local area.

Once we had finished and I let Jess guide me quickly back towards the fortress and back into my bedroom to my weapons. I carefully traced my fingers on the weapons, looking for my sword or my dagger. I located my dagger with a bit of difficulty but I managed to grab it properly and Jess handed me the sheath and I carefully placed it in it and somehow managed to attach to my hip. I clucked my tongue onto the roof of my mouth and Jess guided me to where everyone was training. I used my Eagle Vision briefly and saw them all around the new training ring, with two people on the inside. I couldn't identify who it was, blue or gold but I knew they were pretty good. Jess stopped and I leant against the wood of the ring carefully. I already was blind temporarily, I didn't want splinters as well. I heard the clash of metal and panting as the two competitors fought each other. I heard a sword clash and glide through the air and I ducked on instinct and dropped into a crouch and got back up when I heard a clang of the sword as it hit the ground. I stroked Jess's shoulder and I stood back up and I was met with silence. I coughed awkwardly at the silence.

"How did you see that coming?" Someone, who I couldn't identify said. I laughed at the pun and I answered.

" 'See' nice one! As I am temporaily blind I didn't 'see' it coming." I joked out loud. Everything went silent as I made that sarcastic comment. I coughed and I felt for the ring and I jumped into the ring and I drew my dagger.

"Why not give these guys an easy opponent to take down? It might be entertain for you all to see your Master go down." I said coldly. I wasn't angry at that man who had said that, I was itching for a chance to get in the ring again.

"Are you sure Isabella? We could go easy on you." I heard Ezio say. I barked a laugh when I heard his voice.

"I am an assassin, in weakness we must find the strength to take down our enemy. I mean be blind but I will not show my weakness to my 'enemies'." I did the air quotations with my arms and I rolled my shoulders and stretched my arms.

"Let us begin." I said evenly.

It was a very good match. I dodged, parried and hit my hilt where ever I could and did my best to not get scratched. I did get one nick on my arm but it was a gentle scratch and I thrust my dagger into the man's rib and I snapped.

"Don't show weakness to those you are fighting. So FIGHT!" I yelled at them. I seem to be too lithe for them and I managed to dodge most of thier attacks, along with Ezio's. Being blind seem to make my hearing,sense of smell and my 'assassin' sense much greater than usual. I enjoyed being able to hear the slightest rustle as the fabric glided over there skin as they attacked, the sound of a sword flying through the air and the empty space that was once me. I could smell the sweat pouring of their faces as they tried to hit me again and again, only had that been done once. I was still full of energy and perky when one of my mock enemies fell to the floor exhuasted and Ezio, I think followed about after 5 more minutes of fighting. As soon as we were done, I flipped back over the ring and I hooked Jess back onto my wrist and I made my way to my room where I collasped out of exhaustion.

Then when my exhaustion got the bettter of me, a perky thought entered my head.

With each day that passes, I get closer to regaining my sight and to see my beloved's face lit with joy as he see's my face again.

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4 weeks later.

"Isabellla. Are you ready to see again?" Angelo said, I could detect a sense of shyness in his voice.

"What's wrong?" I said, I let concern into my voice a little so he could tell.

"Nothing" he said quickly. I heard a human-like growl come outside of the door and it slammed open. Whoever it was felt pretty pissed. I could sense it like an aura around them.

"Tell her. Now!" Altair commanded him. If I could see him, I think Angelo would be flinching.

"Angelo? Altair? Can you tell me what is going on?" I asked loudly. I nearly shouted it but I refrained from doing so. I took a deep breath and took some steps forward and touched a shoulder lightly. A arm grabbed my roughly and put me in front of them and I felt them ripped the bandages that were there and tear through them with ease. I blinked my eyes rapidly to clear them and let in some light but it didn't work.

"What?" I whispered.

"That templar got your other eye as he fell to the floor dead. We would show you his corpse but it is too mutilated for even your blind eyes to see." Altair growled threatening behind me.

"I was trying to protect her." Angelo said quietly.

"From the truth?" Altair asked darkly.

"You know I am here right?" I said.

"Yes. I was hiding the truth. Would you like to tell Maria that she was blind?" There was a paused.

"I didn't think so Altair. Now, why don't we get the guys and have a nice long discussion about this?" Angelo said. A hand was put on my shoulder, it was gentle grip but the hand was rough. It pushed me gently to the floor and I complied and crossed my legs and sat and stared at the darkness around me. It would be there forever. And ever.

"Wait? Why didn't you use the replica?" I said in a rush. A hand pulled me into there embrace and gently stroked my spine, making me shiver.

"It didn't work. I tried. I am sorry Isabella." Altair said, his voice was sad. I leaned into the body next to me and I sobbed sadly into them. I tried not to sob out load but I sobbed quietly with my whole body shaking and trembling as I did. I think Altair moved to my opposite side and put an arm around me and pulled him towards me. I cried regardless but I could sense the tension between the two men but I couldn't care for now. Altair gently caressed and moved my hair until it was neat.

"Hush, its okay. Al Malium was blind child. In one eye but you managed to dodge a flying sword that not even he could." He cooed in my ear and was whispering words in Arabic that were soothing and after a while I calmed down and pushed out of his embrace and brought up my knees near my face and I rocked back and forth gently.

"I'm okay with it." I said slowly.

Something began slowly began licking my face, it was soft and gentle and more comforting than ever. Another one joined it but it was rougher,but it was still comforting.

"Jess. Dani." I said with a little trouble with their tongues running over my face. I reached over and hugged them and pulled them closer slightly. I picked up Jess and I hugged her close to my body, she snuggled into my embrace and her soft fur brushed comfortably against my exposed skin and it made me feel extremely comfortable and my grip went slack but she didn't fall out of my arms. I heard Dani whimper next to me as Angelo stroked him, probably and I basked in the feel of Jess's soft fur and comfortable and warm presence. I sigh slightly and I got up with Jess still in my arms and I found my bed and I sunk onto it and I laid down with Jess still in my arms and I held her close. I didn't want to let her go, scared of losing her as well. I sobbed a little on Jess but it didn't last so long. I stopped and I let her go but she didn't move. She just moved so she was curled next to me with her against my body. I heard something move through the air and I grabbed the wrist of the person in front of me and I snarled at them.

"It's okay. You can trust me Isabella." Angelo said. I let go off his wrist and let it sink so it was next to me and Jess again. I felt Angelo sink into the bed behind me and put his around me as well. He kissed me on the back of my neck and I sighed in pleasure and I let myself relaxed onto his form as he pulled me in. I closed my eyes and felt myself fall asleep as I used Jess and Angelo as my pillows but neither seem to mind at all.

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I had a lovely dream as well. Not a nightmare but a lovely dream where me and Angelo were in my time and we healthy and wealthy and we lived in a mansion and had children of our own. We were happy and playing with our children. We had, had twins. Both girls with lovely black-brown hair and sparkling eyes. One had a chocolate brown eyes like me and the other had hazel eyes. We were in a field and playing tag with them. I could see the pure joy on there faces as we chased each other around and then I heard the bark of a dog, dogs. I looked around to see Dani and Jess coming into the field with some lovely mix-breed dogs in their jaws. They must have been 'twins' as well as they looked quite alike but they were opposites of each other. The creamy brown one, like its father, had got more dog like features and probably the same in temperament but it still would have wolf like qualities. The other, a silver white, like its mother, looked more like a wolf and the opposite to its brother/sister. I smiled and I felt full of joy until I realised something.

I felt disheartened by the thought and I snapped out of the dream and out of Angelo's arms and nearly flew out of the bed altogether.

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"What's the matter My Love?" He asked, concern clearly in his voice.

"Do you love me?" I said, nearly choking on the words. He pulled my back into his embrace and I tensed at the feeling.

"Of course I do. I love you as I love my time on this world. All I dream of is spending it with you and only you." He said gently. That hurt me on the inside but I kept it bottled up on the inside.

"How can you love me? We can not have children? I don't want to risk it if I can't see anything! What happens if I die in child birth and the baby is on the floor dying with no warmth of it's father or mother? I can't even see so I wouldn't help the process along! You might as well ditch me for one of my lietenants! You probably will go to Elise or Kylar when I am asleep so you can get the pleasure of doing it with someone before you die!" I exclaimed at him. I got of the bed and I went to one of the walls and I cowered there, waiting to here the door open and close as he left to take advantage of what I had said. I heard his boots clank against the floor but the door didn't open, I felt an arm pull me onto my feet and pull me into a kiss. I felt reassured but it still didn't help so I tried to recoil out of it and away from him but he had a really tight grip and I couldn't even move out of the kiss. After a while, he let go of my lips and I think he stared into my eyes. My unseeing eyes but I could tell he did.

"Elise is a whore on wheels. She has wanted me. Told me I was better for her than you. I nearly put her in the infirmary for that and all I did was throw one punch. I know it's not what a gentleman would do but I did it for you. I helped Jess make that mans last minutes of life like it was already hell. The man who blinded you was torn apart by me and Jess, still alive before Altair laid his eyes on him. I stood up to Desmond when he said that he was going to take you on our first night. I fought to the death for you. I want my last remaining life on this Earth with you. You may be blind but you are still a wonderful and unique individual who needs her fire again. You have taken quite a few blows in your life but your fire remained. Even now, in your darkest hour your fire still burns. Your eyes that are blind and unseeing still spark with the same fire as your entire being does. Not as bright as it was before but it's still very bright. I don't care if we can't have children." He spoke with passion in his tone, the last sentence was said very softly.

"Love is for love, not children." He whispered. I searched with my hands for his jacket. He seem to pause and I could almost sense his confusion. I pulled him into me and I kissed him. I pulled away eventually.

"Thank you." I whispered. He hugged me tightly and guided me back to my bed and we both sank into it with our faithfully companions in front of us. We held hands in our sleep and slept for the rest of the night without a problem.

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I woke up and I blinked bearily. I was confused at first and then I hit sudden realisation. I grabbed Angelo's shoulder and I shook him awake.

"Angelo! Wake up!" I said excitedly. He grumbled and went to turn over when I slapped him. That woke him in an instant.

"What was that for?" He complain rubbing his face. He stopped for a minute and looked at me confused. I looked at him in a confused way.

"Gold." He said. What?

"You can see?" He said excitedly. I nodded and I got out of our bed and I headed to the door. I could finally see! I was so excited I wanted to jump around like the little girl that I used to be, but I refrained from doing so. I ran down to the guy's quartors and I asked Angelo to get the guys together while I waited. Once he was out of sight to get the guys, I couldn't contain my excitment and I did a back flip and a front flip as many times as I could to release my pent up energy.

They all came and looked at me with disbelief but Altair looked at me with recognition as if he knew what was happening. I looked at him in confusing when my eye's started to burn and I let out a yelp in response. My vision turned more golden and I couldn't see anything and it continue to burn and burn with more pain than ever before. I was grabbed by someone roughly, probably by Altair and pulled unto a hug with him and the guys and Angelo. I was confused until it burned with more intensity of a fire and I screamed with the pain and I couldn't remember what happened or if I stopped. I just remember that after a while that the darkness again, after about 5 weeks of none of it, consumed me again but I even felt pain in here.

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A/N: OMG! It took me three days to write this and I was going to continue it but I think you guys got a treat enough already. Now that I look at this chapter the start of the next could be two options but I am going for my default and original option. I hope you guys like this chapter!

Also. I am such a hopeless romantic person! This made me go 'Awww!' So many times when I re-read it to myself! I can't believe how okay my romance writing skills are! I also have school now so the updates might be as slow as this and I check them before I post them. For some reason I like my voice when I read it out loud. Maybe it's cos I know how to say the lines. Maybe I for a laugh should go back and record myself saying this and put it up on youtube! That would be one good laugh! Hahaha

Please review guys and I thank you for checking out my story and reviewing!
Have a nice Day/Night!