Author's Note: I am SO sorry I didn't update this sooner x I fell into a sort of writer's block, but it's here now :)
Enjoy!
Ratonhnhaké:ton woke up to the sound of footsteps, looking over to see that Octavia was still sleeping. He lifted himself up, picking up Octavia as well and covered her mouth, whispering for her to keep quiet and she did as asked. The two listened carefully once he moved them out of sight, though she wasn't sure as to what she was listening to just yet.
"He's a square toes—this'll be easy." the man said with a strange accent.
She'd heard it before, though. A colleague of her father's had a similar accent, Irish as far as she remembered. She never liked him, he always smelled of beer.
Ratonhnhaké:ton shifted Octavia's weight off of him and began standing up. She clung on to his arm, trying to keep him there with her. He gave her a reassuring look, that same look in his eyes that told him everything would be alright.
"That's what you said last tim and I wound up with a dead 'orse an' a dark eye." the other man said, his accent being one that she'd never heard before.
"Who are you?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked the men and they looked at him, one stepping closer to the Native boy.
"No one you need concern yourself with, little breeches." the Irish-sounding one told him.
The other funny-sounding one began stepping toward Ratonhnhaké:ton as well, "Best cut 'fore something bad 'appens." he threatened.
"No." he stood his ground.
They looked to each other before their eyes returned to him, "Can't say we didn't warn ya." one of them said, both of them preparing to fight the boy.
They unsheathed their swords and Ratonhnhaké:ton pulled out his tomahawk. One took the first swing, but he quickly countered, driving his weapon into the back of the man's neck.
Octavia looked in shock as Ratonhnhaké:ton easily evaded the other man, standing behind him and wrapping his arm around the man's neck, twisting until it cracked. His limp body fell on the floor. She looked over to see that a group of them were coming toward her friend now. She couldn't just sit there and do nothing. She ran out, grabbing the sword of the fallen man, standing next to Ratonhnhaké:ton.
"I told you to stay hidden!" he scolded her.
"And let you fight them alone?! I wouldn't let that happen!"
One man charged at her, but the ducked under, turning around in time and slicing his back open with the sword before forcing it through him when he turned around, the blade appearing on the other side.
"Impressive..." Ratonhnhaké:ton complimented her.
"Could say the same for you." she told him with a smile on her face, countering the next man charging at her.
One after the other, the two took out each and every man that attempted to attack them. Soon enough, only one man was left.
"Why are you here? What do you want?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked him as he had him pinned to the ground.
"Best as the bossman." he said.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton!" Octavia yelled. By the time he turned around to see what she was calling him for, he was struck in the face with a plank of wood.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton!" she yelled out again, running to help. The man left pinned to the floor however, grabbed her as he stood up, pulling her into a choke hold. She struggled against him, kicking and screaming.
"You workin' for the old man, then. That it?" the man who hit the boy asked him.
Octavia felt a struggle before the man holding her went limp, slumping to the ground. She turned to see the old man who Ratonhnhaké:ton was trying to get to train him.
"Maybe this'll get ya talkin'." he spoke to the boy. Octavia watched as the old man quietly stood up against the man threatening Ratonhnhaké:ton, his body also going limp to the ground.
The old man helped Ratonhnhaké:ton get up from the ground.
"Thank you." the Native boy gave his gratitude.
"Si, thank you." Octavia joined, standing next to Ratonhnhaké:ton.
"Clean this up." the old man ordered the two, gesturing to the dead bodies scattered across the ground and began walking off, turning back to them, "Then, I suppose we should talk..." he finished.
The two nodded, Octavia giving the old man a soft smile before he began wobbling back to the manor.
"Help me, Octavia?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked.
"Si, of course." she obliged, grabbing the other end of dead body.
"After you." Ratonhnhaké:ton stepped slightly aside for Octavia as he opened the door.
"Grazie." she thanked him, passing through. "It feels so comforting..." she complimented the manor upon seeing the inside. It had been a long time since she felt the warm atmosphere of a house, the lasts being her own manor.
"I believe it's this way." Ratonhnhaké:ton told her, gesturing to the room directly to the right. She followed him, seeing the old man sitting in front of a lit fire place. He nodded to Octavia and motioned to sit on a chair, only to have it collapse the moment he sat upon it.
Octavia snickered, but stopped upon receiving a glare from her friend.
Ratonhnhaké:ton stood up, eyes flickering back and forth before lowering his head slightly and apologized for the chair breaking.
"Not your fault," the old man brushed it off, "This whole place is ready to come down. God damn miracle it hasn't already." he explained, "Anyway, who are you?" he asked him.
"My name is Ratonhnhaké:ton." he answered simply.
"Right. Well, I'm not even going to try and pronounce that..." he admitted, turning to the girl, "And you, my dear. What might your name be? Something simpler, I hope." he gave a soft smile.
"I am Octavia Violette D'Egidio, signore." she answered, giving a nod in respect just as she was taught to upon meeting new people.
"A well-mannered young lady. Now, tell me why you two are here." the old man gestured to continuing their conversation.
Ratonhnhaké:ton pulled out a map, showing it to the old man, "I was told to seek this symbol. I found her alone along the journey here." he explained.
"Do you even know what that symbol represents? Or what it is you're asking for?" the old man asked.
"No." Ratonhnhaké:ton admitted.
"And yet here you are."
"The Spirit said that—that I've—"
"These 'Spirits' of yours have been harassing the Assassins for centuries. Every since Ezio uncorked the bottle...ah—but you don't even know what an Assassin is, do you?" he asked Ratonhnhaké:ton.
"I have an idea of what they are." Octavia spoke up, catching the old man's attention, "I know of Ezio as well, Ezio Auditore da Firenze."
"And how do you know of him, my dear child?"
"My mother always told me stories of our ancestor; a great man who faught for the freedom of Italians. He had fought against the Borgia to stop their attempts in taking over the world."
"A predecessor of the great Italian Assassin. Imagine that." he said, looking back to Ratonhnhaké:ton, "Well, best you both settle in, then. I've got a story to tell...and it's gonna take a while to get it all out..."
"...and so this is why the Assassins have dedicated themselves to the pursuit of th Templars. Because if they succeed—your Spirit's visions will become reality."
Ratonhnhaké:ton stood up, "Then I will stop them." he said, confident as ever.
"Oh, I have no doubt you two will try." the old man said, standing up and putting his weight on to his cane, "Come on. I've something to show you two."
The two followed the old man out of the room. "Careful. Wasn't a joke when I said this place was coming apart." the old man commented to the creaks of the manor.
"Why don't you repair it?" Ratonhnhaké:ton suggested as they continued through the home.
"What the point? Besides, I don't have the materials for the job."
"So buy them." he told the old man, only to receive a chuckle from him.
"Look at me! You think I can just march into some store, purse full of pounds and go shopping?"
"Yes. Why not?" the Native boy innocently answered.
The old man gave out a small sigh, "So naive..." he said as he pulled down on a candle holder mounted to the wall. He pushed against the wall next to it and it opened some sort of secret passageway, "This way." he told them and they followed down the stairs.
"Magnifico..." Octavia gasped out.
"You're just fascinated by everything, aren't you?" Ratonhnhaké:ton glared at her.
"Be quiet." she sneered back.
"No fighting, you two." the old man said, "I feel like a father all of a sudden..."
The three walked down the stairs into some sort of area that Ratonhnhaké:ton nor Octavia could make any sense of. Their eyes fell on a sort of dummy dressed in what seemed to be robes. They walked up to it, examining and admiring the clothing. Ratonhnhaké:ton's eyes fell upon a box on the floor, leaning to pick it up, but was stopped by the old man's cane smacking his hand away. He stepped back, being startled by the cane.
"Don't think you can just come in here, throw those on and call yourself an Assassin." the old man informed him.
"I...did not...I would never presume—"
The man lifted his hand in a gesture for the boy to calm down, "It's alright. I know they've a certain...allure."
Octavia stood by Ratonhnhaké:ton's side, placing a hand on his shoulder in hopes to comfort him.
"Very well. I'll train you both." the old man agreed, "Then we'll know if you've the right to wear those robes..."
Ratonhnhaké:ton and Octavia smiled.
"Thank you...uh..." the boy spoke, but was halted by the fact that he didn't know the old man's name.
"Name's Achilles," the old man clarified.
"Grazie, signore Achilles." Octavia gave her gratitude, receiving a nod in return.
"Come on, then." he spoke up to the two, "We've work to do." he continued as he walked to a table. Using his came, he gestured to Ratonhnhaké:ton to lift up the board that was sitting on top of it, blocking something.
Octavia gasped and the two looked at her. She glanced at them and back at the portaits, saying nothing. She knew each and every one of the men painted in those portraits. Most notably, Master Haytham Kenway.
"What do the Templars want?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked Achilles.
"What they've always wanted: Control. They see an opportunity in the colonies. A chance for new beginnings, unfettered by the chaos of the past. This is why they back the British. Here, they have a chance to illustrate the merits of their beliefs: A people in serve to the princeples of order and structure." Achilles explained.
"I have seen what is to come if they succeed." Ratonhnhaké:ton commented, "They have to die, don't they? All of them. Even my father."
"Che cosa?" Octavia muttered.
"Especially your father. He's the one holding the whole thing together." Achilles agreed.
Octavia looked back up at his portait, "So...Master Kenway is your father, Ratonhnhaké:ton?" she asked the Native boy, which he nodded in confirmation. "Well, then. This should be fun..."
≺) [ṃȧƌạṁeḤuɲʈǝrr]
