War and Peace Chapter Thirteen: The Words, an assassin's creed fanfic

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Assassin's Creed

Warning: Minor language.

A big thanks to my beta, Believe In Fairy Tales, who has helped me so incredibly much! Be sure to PM her and give her a big thanks for making updates possible!

PLEASE READ!

PRIZE: The book that I'm working on currently (since I've finished writing this one) has now been titled Scion , it is an Assassins Creed III novel. Whoever can 1) define 'Scion' and b) tell me who Scion relates to (hint: it has to do with spelling) will be able to read the full Scion book before it's published.

Chapter Thirteen: The Words I'll End up Eating

Day 9 – 21 days left

I drifted in and out of consciousness after I collapsed. The old man who housed us was 'tsking' lightly while taking care of my wound. He put a bad smelling salve over it and I gagged slightly.

"Well if you hadn't gone and got in a fight, you wouldn't have to smell this shit, now would you?" He castigated me thoroughly.

"Is she awake?" A soft voice asked.

I saw the old man look towards the ceiling in annoyance. "Yes. I say you got about five minutes before she passes out again. Make it quick.

"Are you okay?" Cien asked softly; doe eyes inspecting me worriedly.

I nodded slowly my eyes found the boy in the corner of the room, standing awkwardly. "Who is he?"

"A friend." Cien answered vaguely.

"And your friend's name?" I directed the words at the boy, who looked up sheepishly.

"Cahil*, ma'am."

"Call me Anima…" I fell asleep after that.

Day 10 – 20 days left

I spent the day crammed in the bed, sweating like a pig. I felt disgusting; I hadn't bathed since I left Georgia. The grit from sand an sweat and blood was still sticking to my skin like an extra layer of skin.

I was slightly grateful that Cahil and Cien tried to keep me company, but they got annoying after a while and I shooed them out. I did, however, find out that Cahil was 10, a total of one year older that Cien. He was also her cousin; bought as a slave from her mother's sister. His owner died and freed him in his will, however. They both shared the angular features and dark eyes along with light brown hair and cherub faces that wasn't common around these parts.

I groaned and glanced at my wrist. The old man told me that the knife I was cut with hit a vital spot, which made me lose a lot of blood quickly. I was also correct in my prediction that the dagger hit bone. The cut however, got infected deep within the muscle and near the bone according to the man's diagnoses. Even worse, he didn't want to dig around for pieces of dirt in my wrist and risk doing more damage. I never knew that infection from a nine inch gash could make your whole body feel like it was run over by a stampede of horses, but apparently it can.

Moral of the story: don't get in fights. That is unless you wanted to stay cooped up in bed and driven out of your mind with delusional thoughts and exhaustion.

Day 13 – 17 days left

I finally got out of bed and was deemed well enough to go outside. I knew how to do my bandages, clean my wound, and apply all sorts of medicine blind, with the rant the old man gave me. Of course, I feel like I jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire the second I stepped out of the house's immediately vicinity.

I was practically jumped by Cien and Cahil who insisted I taught them how to fight. I sighed and started running around the perimeter with two kids following me like strays.

Day 14 – 16 days left

"Keep running!" I hollered after them. "And Cahil! Watch out for that-" a loud crack! followed by a solid thump and oomph cut me off. Cahil hit the wooden beam full speed ahead and cracked himself in the ribs. "You okay?" I called out to him.

He gave me a 'thumps up' before dropping his arm again.

"Then keep going, you stupid novice!" I screamed at him.

When we got back with training the two were both exhausted, but insistent of pestering me with questions.

"Where did you learn to fight?"

"At home." I deadpanned.

"Where's 'home'?"

"South of here."

"Do other people fight there?"

"…Yes."

"Why?"

"We are call the Assassin's it is our duty to protect the people, sometimes even from themselves… We live by three rules: First, do not harm an innocent. Second, be discreet in your work. Third, do not compromise the Brotherhood." I sat down and trailed into the story I had heard multiple times throughout my life.

Cahil was silent for a long while after my story was done. "I killed my mother." He stated finally, his tone even. I glanced at him in surprise but said nothing in fear of a violent reaction. "She was sick… her mind was messed up. She'd hit me and hit me, then say she's sorry. Other days she'd scream in bed, clutching her head in agony. One day she begged for me to kill her. She told me she was sick and couldn't take it anymore." He shrugged casually, "So I did." His eyes came in contact with mine; an odd look was on his face. "Did I kill an innocent?"

I dropped my head… leave it to me to find the wise kid and the emotionally challenged kids in the village. "I do not know. I'm sorry."

"You said that sometimes you have to save people from themselves… and that's what I did."

I nodded slowly. "I suppose so. Sometimes you have to stand your ground and believe your side or people will walk all over you." I whispered slowly. "You did what you thought was right, and that's what matters I suppose."

"So… do you have any special weapons?" Cien asked slowly.

I nodded, "We have a blade that attaches to our wrist that makes assassinations easier."

"Cool! Can I see it?"

I shook my head no, "You don't get one until you're a full Assassin – level ten. I'm only a level seven mercenary. See, I have all of my fingers. When we get the blade our right hand ring finger get cut off so it may work correctly; a sacrifice of sorts."

The fire crackled, casting a haunting feeling throughout the small house.

Day 15 – 15 days left

"NOOOOOVVVVIIIICCEEESSS – if you don't get here within the next ten seconds, so help me I will lock you out of the house!" I screamed at the two children.

They both dropped down from the roofs with heavy thuds. I rolled my eyes, "Novices."

Day 13 – 12 days left

I watched as the two tripped over themselves before tumbling to the ground before me. I let out a frustrated sigh and hauled them both up with my good arm.

"We have a long way to go." I stated grimly.

Day 27 – 3 days left

I had spent two weeks switching between learning different herbs and training the two potential assassins to the best of my abilities. However, there were some things this small village and I could simply not provide to further aid their studies. They needed more room to run, more teachers to teach them new methods, more buildings to climb, and more places to free run.

So far I had just worked on the basics of hand to hand combat. We had spent hours upon hours of practicing how to land and roll and move efficiently and quickly. They caught on quick, but there was not much more I could teach them and they weren't ready for using weapons yet. I could only teach them so much. They could scale three story buildings and jump from rooftop to rooftop easily, but there was still so much I couldn't do for them.

Not only that, but I had failed to mention that I needed to leave tomorrow or else there would be the devil to pay if I arrived back late.

I sat them down at the dinner table. "Tomorrow, I need to start heading home. Back to my training grounds," I started quietly at dinner. You could hear a pin drop it was so silent in the room, "I promised I would be gone for a month; no more, no less. You may either come with me and further your training and risk never coming back, or you may stay here." There was no response. Both Cahil and Cien looked bewildered. I glanced instead to the kind old man who took us in. "Thank you so much for your aid and lessons. Unfortunately I am leaving tomorrow morning. I will forever be in your debt. Is there any way I can repay you?"

He cleared his throat. "Don't be going all mushy on me. You're supposed to be a warrior. I'm old; I don't need anything. Just leave. It'll be nice to get some quiet around here. Hell, take my horse with you. Lord knows I don't need the damn nag."

I nodded before looking back at the children. "I leave tomorrow at sunup whether you are there or not. You decide. Pack all of your belongings because you will not come back."

Random POV – 3 days 'til Anima returns

It was feeling like déjà vu. This time, however, it was a fully trained and amazingly deadly fifth rank, full Assassin who was well known for being cold hearted and bad tempered to begin with. At least the Mentor was still somewhat sane when he found out the girl was gone; this one, however, looked like he had lost his mind. Ah, yes; Levantine Assassin's at their prime.

"Where is she?" He roared at the Mentor in front of the gathering audience; assassin's blade swishing in and out by angry habit.

"Where is who, Altaïr?" The Mentor remained calm.

"The girl!" He growled; the clearing was silent and tense. Every word could be heard between the two.

An eyebrow was raised. "There are multiple girls here, which one in specific?"

"Anima! Where is she, dammit!" He lunged and snarled. The older man moved with practiced ease and dodged the potentially fatal blow.

His breath was ragged and harsh. His knuckles where white and his eyes glowed an eerie gold; the whites of his eyes were showing. He was quite clearly distressed – the poor man.

"Ah, yes. Anima. She left a day after you did. Headed North. To where specifically, I don't know. Said she'd be back in one month's time. That would be… three days from now, so you're wait won't be long."

"She can't survive outside of these walls! She's too young and inexperienced! She was supposed to stay with Malik!" The tall Assassin hissed; his voice taking on an animalistic snarl.

"Malik wasn't exactly here, now was he? And you can't expect me to allow the girl to sit around and wait. Anybody who knows Anima for more than a day knows the woman knows no such thing as patience. Besides, she is well trained and knows what she's doing." A practically inhuman snarl vibrated throughout the clearing. The Mentor sighed, "If she means so much to you, you have my permission to start searching for her. Malik, I suppose you go too because she's your student. Kinja, stay here."

With that, the Mentor descended to his office and the two high leveled assassins went to ready their horses in record time.

It was Malik who spotted the signs of her first after a two day's ride out of town cut in half by a treacherous pace for the horses. A small shack used by the nomadic herders on their yearly migration had three horses near it, though it wasn't the number of horses a single person would normally travel with, it was very likely that this was where Anima was staying.

He grunted and gestured towards the shack. It was close to the middle of the night and practically pitch black. They'd check the area and move on farther North. The horses nickered slightly when the two approached the run-down sleeping area. Altaïr grunted at the flimsy state of the shack; a good gust of wind would blow it down.

Malik watched as his companion opened the door silently and a look of pure relief crossed his face mixed with something that looked almost like compassion. He tied the two horses with the others before looking over his shoulder. The moonlight allowed him to see Anima, curled up with two other children; all were sleeping peacefully. The picture brought a soft smile to the hardened Assassin's face.

Together, they stepped into the shack and kept vigilant. One of the children looked up at them with surprise after an hour of being there; as if just then sensing their presence.

"We are allies." Altaïr stated firmly before the child could react. The child rubbed her eyes and nodded before going back to sleep.

A/N: Sorry it's so short, you guys. I just couldn't pin Altaïr's attitude down.

*Cahil – pronounced: Kaw-hill