Sorry this is so over due!
Slight trigger warning on this one. We get to figure out how Ziio died. I thought about making it an accident, but I didn't think that quite fit.
Oh, and for "Ziio's" last name, I took it from her voice actor. Yes, I know, Native Americans didn't typically have last names, just bare with me please.
"Hello, this is The Sleeping Fox, Nikolai speaking." said a voice on the other line with a faint Russian accent after Haytham dialed the number he had found.
"Yes, I was hoping that I could speak to one of the residents, here?" Haytham said.
"Would you like to set up an appointment to meet in person?" asked the man.
"Now, over the phone, will do." Haytham said.
"With which resident would you like to speak?" said Nikolai.
"Oiá:ner Horn." Haytham said, hoping that he was pronouncing her name correctly.
"Can I ask your name?"
"Haytham Kenway." he said.
"And your relationship to Mrs. Horn?" Nikolai asked.
Haytham reflected for a moment, trying to decide how best to answer. Friend of her daughter? "I'm the father of her grandson." Haytham decided.
"Please wait a moment."
The line went quiet accept for the faint tune to some music. Haytham waited patiently until Nikolai's voice returned.
"She is available and willing to speak to you now."
There was a slight pause before an elderly woman's voice spoke. "Hello?"
"Ah, yes, hello." said Haytham, "I don't know if you remember me, but I-"
"Yes, I remember you Haytham Kenway," Oiá:ner said. Haytham could practically hear the smile in her voice. "Kaniehtí:io spoke of you quite often, even after she moved back to the city. Never in front of Ratonhnhaké:ton, though. I assume he's staying with you, now?"
It took Haytham a moment to realize she was talking about Connor. "Yes, he is."
"I assumed as much. I would have taken custody myself, if I weren't living here." the old woman said, "How is he doing?"
"He's... adjusting." Haytham said.
"Good, good. I suppose it must take some getting used to, especially after what happened." Oiá:ner said, her tone turning sad.
"Can- can I ask how Ziio died?" Haytham asked. He could feel his heartbeat quickening in anticipation.
"No one told you?" Oiá:ner asked sharply.
"No." said Haytham.
The old woman sighed. "She told you why she moved out to the suburbs?"
"She did." Haytham said nervously.
About a year into their relationship, Ziio mentioned that she had moved out to the suburbs to escape an old, "crazy" ex boyfriend. She hadn't gone into details, but Haytham was fairly certain that he had been abusive. Haytham didn't know who he was, he didn't even know the man's name, but he made Haytham's blood boil with fury.
"After Ziio left, he moved back out to Virginia. I suppose that, a year or so ago, he moved back over here, and found out that
Kaniehtí:io was back in the area as well.
"A few of months back, he followed her home to the apartment at which she and Ratonhnhaké:ton were living. He broke in, knocked Kaniehtí:io out, tied her up, and set the place on fire."
Haytham's eyes widened, and he stared blankly at his desk in front of him. He could see where this was going, no matter how much he wanted to deny it.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton got off of school before the police and the fire department arrived." Oiá:ner went on, "He ran into the burning building himself, bent on rescuing my daughter himself. Luckily, one of the firemen pulled him out before he could seriously injure himself."
Haytham swallowed. He opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't seem to find the words.
"They caught the man, and he confessed easily enough. Last I heard, he was awaiting trial." Oiá:ner said sadly, "Being charged with arson, one account of first degree murder, and three accounts of second degree murder.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton doesn't know all of the details, but he knows the gist."
Haytham was speechless; he knew that Ziio was too young to have died naturally, but he never expected something so... horrific.
Even now as he thought about it, he had seen coverage on the news about an arson that had targeted an apartment a while a go, where four people had died. Haytham, however, had had no idea that Ziio was one of them.
And Connor. Poor Connor. Everything he had ever known had been torn away, just because of some arsehole that was off his rocker.
It took Haytham several minutes to find his voice again. When he did, he quietly said into the receiver, "Thank you for telling me."
"You were a fine young man." Oiá:ner informed him, "Very polite, very kind. Ziio spoke of you a lot, I know I mentioned before. I often hoped that you two would stay together."
Haytham paused, not sure how to respond. So he thanked her again quietly and was about to hang up when Oiá:ner spoke again.
"Ziio loved you, you know. A lot." she added, "I suppose that is why she gave Ratonhnhaké:ton your last name instead of her own."