Chapter 12: The Celebratory Ball- Part 1

Benjamin Fletcher's mansion was alive with warmth, music, and festivities.

Kira rested against the railing of the stairs leading down to the ballroom floor, enjoying her perspective on all that unravelled down below. The room was thick with people, from those that danced at its centre to those who stood aside, trading conversation and secrets she would usually have to kill to hear. Why the Assassins didn't spend more time exploiting drink and merriment as a form of espionage, she didn't know- but she made a mental note to tell Achilles that she really ought to be attending more of these things.

The fact that she enjoyed them so was merely a happy coincidence.

Her gaze- when not flitting about in search of Fletcher- was drawn to the dancing most of all. She watched as the owners of exquisite and expensive dresses were cast around by their male companions, gently, like petals on a breeze. Kira adored dancing; her profession was not one to usually humour such a fancy.

The Assassin glanced down at herself with a remorseful sigh, straightening, and resettling her dress with a few soft strokes of her hand. The patterned silk was cool to the touch- a pale pink sheen, sprawled with an intricate, darker floral design. What fabric was gathered below her cinched waist accentuated the movements she made- it would move so gracefully if she was dancing. It made a pleasant change to be free of her Assassin robes, as fond as she was of them. In this ensemble, she could at least pretend for a moment that her life was normal. Societally acceptable.

That she wasn't attending this ball for the sole reason of killing a man.

With another glance around to confirm that Fletcher had not yet arrived, Kira decided she might as well enjoy herself whilst she waited. She made her way down the stairs, hand gliding along the bannister whilst her skirts bounced gently with each step. She loved this dress; it was a beautiful dress. It shone at the touch of light and complimented both her figure and looks. It was a new dress, too. Expensive, but a necessary cost to ensure she could pass unnoticed through such an elegant setting- or so she had told Achilles when she had convinced him to contribute to its purchase.

She flashed a returning smile to a young man that passed her on the stairs.

So this wasn't her most inconspicuous look. The dress was little to blame, however, she reassured herself with an inward smile; some things just couldn't be helped.

Having reached the ballroom floor, Kira approached a waiter balancing several glasses of wine on a tray and made the considerate decision to ease his burden. Taking a glass with a word of thanks, she moved to the edge of the floor to observe the various couples in their dances. She sipped at her drink pensively as she watched. It was warmer here: closer to the throng of voices and movement; closer to the music.

She savoured the atmosphere with as much vigour as her wine. It was cheerful. Comfortable. Detached from the world she was used to, the troubles of which felt so very far away.

Finishing her drink, and making by now a tedious assessment that Fletcher was still nowhere to be seen, Kira set her glass down on the nearest surface she could find. She turned back from the task to find herself faced by the gentleman she had passed on the stairs.

"Excuse me," he inquired with a smile and a smooth European accent. "May I have this dance?"

Spanish, Kira decided, and from his bronzed complexion to the even darker hue of his hair, she was feeling fairly confident in the deduction. He offered a hand to her.

It would be rude- positively suspicious, even- to decline him.

"I'd be delighted," she smiled back. Heavens it had been an age since she'd last danced.

The man seemed to share her delight, and he led her effortlessly to the dance floor, where soon she was being glided around like the women she had observed before. She made light conversation with her partner; he was handsome, kind, and respectful in a way that had her resenting the evening plans for not allowing them to become better acquainted.

Another sacrifice for the sake of her work, and another mental note for Achilles: she really ought to be better compensated for such devotion to her cause.

Before long she had traded partners, embracing the idea that dancing afforded her a decent view of the room and its guests. She traded again, and then another time- allowing each man to guide her around the space whilst she kept a watchful eye on her passing surroundings. With every new partner, her half-hearted efforts at conversation waned. Fletcher should certainly have arrived by now. Was it too much to ask that he make an appearance at his own celebration?

Wait.

The guards had moved.

A change of music had Kira drifting into the arms of another man, though her gaze remained fixed to the entryway of the room, where several guards had surreptitiously gathered. She studied them as she danced, grateful to have found a partner competent enough to lead her without any concentration on her part. Better yet, someone wholly undeterred by her non-existent attempts at sociability.

At the room's entrance, a small group of men had appeared. Was Fletcher-? Yes. He was there- leading an entourage through the doors whilst making animated conversation. Kira tensed, breaking contact with her partner and taking a small step-

A hand tightened around her wrist and she was jolted back- wide-eyed- to face the man.

"Now," Haytham Kenway smiled down at her, "this truly is a coincidence."

Kira froze- all thoughts of the fact that her target was walking through the doors right now utterly squashed. Her eyes grew impossibly wider with disbelief, and acting on sheer instinct, she tried to take another step away, only to be tugged back by her wrist once more.

"Ah, ah," Haytham tutted, releasing his grip for a precious moment to take her hand. "You don't wish to cause a scene, do you?"

"It's tempting," she hissed through gritted teeth, whilst nevertheless acquiescing to being led into dance once more. It was tempting- deliciously so. She engaged in a brief fantasy of tackling the Templar to the ground, though inwardly winced at the ensuing vision: the guards tackling her to the ground a moment later. "What are you doing here?" she muttered quietly.

"What am I doing here?" Haytham blinked back ironically. "The man you are presumably here to kill has been aiding our cause. Practically everyone he knows has been invited to this little soiree- really, you should have expected me."

"Perhaps I was expecting you," she bit back. God, he was insufferable. Worse- he was right.

"Perhaps," he indulged her coyly. "Tell me then- why did you look so surprised?"

Kira had been doing everything in her power to avoid meeting the man's gaze, though her eyes moved bitterly to his at the question. He was smiling again- the smile that stated he had won, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"What if I told you I was not here for Fletcher," she said levelly: a shot in the dark. "What if I told you I was here for you?"

There was a moment of silent tension as the suggestion registered.

"I'd be flattered." Haytham raised an eyebrow as though the prospect were something he thoroughly desired. "Just how exactly are you planning to do it? Here? Or am I to be seduced and lured away by those infamous charms of yours?"

The words were dripping sarcasm. "A woman never tells," Kira forced a smile back.

The Templar's lips played into a contemplative smirk as he looked the Assassin up and down; he was considering her, clearly undecided about something. Then his expression changed- souring as though he had been dragged away from a game he had wanted to see through.

"Now, I want you to listen very carefully," he began, pulling her closer to speak into her ear. "For I am only going to say this once. Do you wish to leave here alive?"

Kira nodded tersely, finding herself incapable of doing anything else.

"Good. Then you had better do exactly as I say."

The man straightened, granting her space to breathe once more. "I am going to take you to a room," he continued pragmatically, "where you will remain for the rest of the night. Stay there until Fletcher's safety is reaffirmed, and I will allow you to leave in the morning- unharmed. Until then, you are not to speak a word or make a move unless I say so, understand?"

Kira nodded again, resisting the urge to make numerous moves and speak numerous words that she doubted would please him. There was a cold sincerity to his tone: one that was better left untested. One that frightened her more than she'd ever care to admit.

Their dance had led them to the edge of the floor, and Haytham guided her aside, releasing her from his hold at last. "I am offering you clemency for your intentions tonight, Miss Lawrence," he spoke, still chillingly austere. "It would serve you well not to abuse such kindness."

"Kindness?" Kira scoffed disbelievingly, unable to stop herself.

The Templar looked back at her, eyes narrowed in judgement before a soft smile twisted his features. There was not a hint of warmth to it.

"Look around," he said, indicating his surroundings with a tilt of his head. "I could order any one of these guards to kill you, right now- but I won't. Would you like to know why?"

It was rhetorical, but that had never stopped Kira before. "Because you don't want to?"

"Because I don't need to," he corrected, his eyes straying to where a short curl of her hair had fallen to graze the side of her face. "Disobey me…?" He raised a hand slowly to tuck it behind the curve of her ear. "And I'll kill you myself."

Kira swallowed thickly, unable to move- unable to think about anything other than the touch of his fingers and the excruciating nearness of his sheathed hidden blade. Her gaze dropped to the weapon, heart thundering almost painfully in her chest.

Seconds later the danger passed. Haytham dropped his hand to grip her arm firmly, whilst his other hand moved to press a finger to his lips. "Not a word, you hear?"

He received an obedient nod in response, and satisfied, he began to weave his way through the masses of guests, guiding her along at his side. Kira watched as all around her people indulged in the festivities of the occasion, all blissfully oblivious to the fact that she had effectively been taken captive- all frustratingly unable to help. She contemplated betraying her previous commitment to not making a scene. She could cry out. Get someone's attention. Get everyone's attention.

Haytham would kill her, but at least she would have the satisfaction of knowing she had gone down fighting. This- being dragged along as his unwitting prisoner- was no way to live.

Frustratingly, Achilles' words scolded the thought. This cannot go wrong, Kira. I am relying on you to see to that.

Fletcher had to die. She kept her head down and her mouth firmly shut.

Before long, Haytham had pulled her away from the buzz of the ballroom and down an extravagantly decorated corridor. The walls were lined with colourful portraits of noblemen and ladies, all who bared witness to her plight, and who- like the crowds she had just escaped- were unable to provide any solace. Regardless of their inanimate nature, she could almost feel their eyes bearing into her, and she found herself having to fight a swell of sudden unease.

Her gaze fell back to Haytham, who had stopped at where the hallway turned and had twisted to face her. "There are two guards up ahead," he said. "Act as though nothing is amiss, and speak only if spoken to."

There was a pause, as though he expected some resistance to the instruction. Kira looked back at him blankly, and he released her arm, turning away from her with a warning glance. He gestured her to his side, and the pair turned the corner to face the two stationed guards who noticed them at once. Both stood immediately to attention. It was odd to have guards here, away from Fletcher- away from all the guests. Kira supposed Fletcher couldn't be too careful; having guards deployed in places like this would keep people from straying anywhere they shouldn't.

"Sir?" One of the guards addressed Haytham as he and Kira drew to a halt in front of them.

"Good evening, gentlemen," Haytham replied coolly with a smile. The guards already seemed at ease; they presumably had seen the Templar before. "I was just taking Miss Lawrence here, for- well, a little chat-" his smile broadened- "if you know what I mean."

The guards caught onto what he was implying, and so did she. She was in the middle of thinking up some particularly creative ways to hurt him when she felt his hand on the small of her back, and she was pushed forwards a little for inspection. Both guards were brazenly distracted as they eyed her.

Haytham gave a short cough, stirring the guard who had first spoken, and the man smirked in response. "Of course. Go right ahead, sir."

"Thank you," Haytham nodded graciously, his hand already at Kira's back once more to prompt her. "Come along, my dear."

If she hadn't been in such a vulnerable position, she'd have very much liked to strike the smile from his face. Swallowing her pride and reminding herself of her ultimate goal, she walked forwards slowly, catching the lascivious gaze of the second guard and rewarding it with a look of utter contempt.

Haytham continued to wear his smile long after they had passed out of earshot of the guards. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Kira mumbled under her breath.

"Oh, assuredly," the man confirmed, until a few moments later, he spoke again. "Stop here."

They had come to rest before a door, and Haytham moved to unlock it, turning his back on the Assassin for the first time in their short encounter. Her eyes widened as she looked between him and the empty corridor; it was the opportunity she had been waiting for.

She ran.

And made it a few, short, paces before her arm was seized, and she was being dragged back towards the door. Instinctively she turned, twisting out of Haytham's grasp and lashing out at him, trying to buy herself some time. Usually, her attacks were carefully calculated: this was messy. This was desperate.

She caught him with one of the many punches she threw, but it wasn't enough. Before long, her arms were twisted painfully behind her back, and she was thrust unceremoniously up against the door with an indignant groan.

"Really?" Haytham growled in her ear, his voice strained as he pinned her to the surface.

She shrugged, somehow, before pushing back against him in a last-ditch effort to break free. She thrashed about, feeling him struggle- feeling his grip falter, but it didn't break.

"Don't," he warned with a sharp hiss, pressing her even more firmly against the door, and repositioning her wrists into a more secure hold. Confident of his grasp, he tugged her backwards, reaching his spare hand out to twist the door's handle.

With a kick of his foot, he had the door open, and she was being pulled inside.

There, Kira was released, and she staggered away from her captor, glaring at him intensely. He was suitably more dishevelled than when she had last seen him, and that was something to be savoured.

Wary of the same fact, Haytham ran a hand through his hair with a sigh, before setting about readjusting the collar and cuffs of his coat. He glanced up at Kira in the process. "Satisfied?"

"Not until Fletcher is dead."

He sighed again, exasperated, and she revelled in another small victory. "Now," he began, apparently determined to ignore the remark, "this is where you will stay for the night. Make yourself comfortable, and if you-"

"Thank you," Kira interrupted sarcastically, sparing herself an explanation of whatever thrilling horrors awaited her should she try to escape.

Haytham smiled with just as much sincerity. "You are most welcome."

The man turned to leave. He was halfway through the door when Kira's voice called out to him a final time.

"Benjamin Fletcher will die tonight, and there is nothing you can do to prevent it."

The Templar hesitated, gaze hardening, though he refused to reward the woman by turning back to her. "No," he stated over his shoulder, "he will not."

With that assurance, he left, closing the door with a violent tug and locking it behind him.


Author notes:

Hi, everyone. Thanks for taking the time to read my story so far. Please review, follow, or favourite my story, as I appreciate all feedback, and I'd love to hear what you think. :)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and that you're all enjoying the New Year. I'm going to publish the next chapter soon, because I know it's taken a while to get this one done. Hopefully it was worth the wait!


Kittycat312