Chapter One:

Falling Towards the Sky

1193

"Get lost! We do not need you here!"

Another fist slammed into my face, but I couldn't move. Two boys were holding me still, so it was all I could do to face them.

"Three thirteen-year-old boys… picking on a… seven-year-old girl?" I mused. "The odds don't seem… to be in my… favour…"

Mohammad slapped me this time. "Shut-up, rabble! You are nothing more than trash! I have no idea how you got into our Order!"

His friends, Talim and Damir, laughed and encouraged Mohammad to hit me again, which the boy did. By now, I was sure my face was bleeding, and my nose might've been broken And then Mohammad pulled a knife, and that's when I decided that it was time to stop him.

I shot my leg out and hit Mohammad in the sweet spot, and then elbowed Talim in the nose. With one of my arms free, I brought it around and slammed my fist into Damir's face.

I put some distance in-between us and raised my fists, ready to fight. I decided not to do what I'd been doing for the past three years, but instead use whatever I had learned from Altair and Malik during the last few months. It was time to see if it'd be at all useful.

Damir was the first to me. He jumped at me, as if he was going to tackle me, so I turned sideways and shoved my elbow into the dead centre of his face, then kicked his ribs when he was lying on the ground to encourage him to stay on the ground. Talim got up and grabbed me from behind as Mohammad raised the knife. I brought my leg out again, this time kicking the knife from Mohammad's hand, and then I slammed my head against Talim's with enough force to break his nose. Talim released me, and I brought my fist around and connected with the side of Mohammad's head. Lastly, I thrust my elbow back and hit Talim in the sternum, sending him flying a few feet away.

There was a bit of blood on my robes, mostly around the collar, but it was evident that I'd won this fight, and for me, it was an incredible bolster of my confidence in my abilities and myself.

I heard Mohammad laugh a bit. "You are only proving my point, you idiot! Just wait until the Grandmaster hears of this!"

"Then you will have to admit to your own part in this fight," I said. Mohammad's face contorted in rage as he realized that. "To save you the humiliation, I will keep my mouth shut about this. Next time, maybe you should pick on someone your own size, Mohammad."

"I will kill you one day, Suna!" Mohammad blurted. "One day, I swear it!"

"Perhaps, but you will first have to best me in a fight."

1452

"Sofia!" Vanni exclaimed excitedly. "How good it is to see you!"

Vanni embraced me in a quick hug, and was quickly followed by his brother Mario. I hugged them back, ignoring all the blood on my clothes from my enemies.

"How was it?" Vanni asked. "I cannot believe that you killed all those Templars! It has been a long time since I have seen something like that!"

"Liar. You go out all the time." Mario clapped his younger brother on the shoulder. "Do not think, little brother, that I am so stupid not to see what you have been doing around Firenze."

Vanni frowned, but only slightly. "So, Sofia, what will you be doing?"

"I am going to explore Firenze for a time. I wish to reconnect with the city." I ruffled Vanni's hair. "I will see you later, but for now, I want to be alone."

The look in Mario's eyes told me that he would take care of Vanni while I was gone. He proved it when he whispered something to Vanni as the younger man was going to argue with me. So, I set off into Firenze, exploring the streets, the colours, and the stones.

I changed out of my Assassin robes and hid them in an abandoned well. There, that should keep them for a while, I thought with a smile. I headed deeper into Firenze, where I came upon a quaint little bakery. Curious, I entered the shop. Many people were there, eating all sorts of pastries and breads.

"Hard to believe this place opened only six days ago," one man remarked to himself.

Six days? This place seems like it is quite popular… I stepped in a bit more and saw that there was only one person behind the counter—a woman, probably eighteen. She noticed me and smiled.

"Salve, friend. What can I get you today?" she asked.

I smiled back. "What do you have?"

She pointed to the menu. "Anything there."

I observed it for a moment before I decided to get some milk and a piece of bread that had melted cheese inside of it. She went to the back for a moment and then presented me with what I ordered, and I gave her the necessary florins to pay for the treat. I then sat by the window and raised my glass to the chair opposite me, where no one was sitting.

"Here's to you, Altair," I said, and then downed half the glass. "I miss you, father."

"I did not think that someone would be making toasts of mourning in my shop," the woman who had previously been behind the counter said. "It is strange, to say the least. If I may ask, to whom were you toasting to?"

I smiled and gestured to the chair opposite me; one that she took respectfully. "My father," I told her. "One day, he came to my rescue, and ever since that day my life has been nothing but exciting." I held out a hand. "I'm Sofia d'Alviano. And you are?"

"Maria de' Mozzi," she replied, taking my hand and shaking it gently. "I own this bakery. Or, at least, it owns me, as it preoccupies all of my time."

"Well, from what I can tell, it is a popular place. You are doing well." I took a bite of the pastry and smiled. "And this is all very delicious."

"Alas, I do not want to stay here," Maria said quietly. "I just… I want to see the world. I don't want t simply grow old and die without having any adventure at all."

I laughed. "Adventure comes in many forms, Maria. Just wait—you will have your own soon enough. Of that, I am sure." I finished up the bread. "I think I will return tomorrow with some friends. You will be here?"

Maria nodded. "Count on it."

1193

"Suna, where did you get those bruises?" Maria asked me.

"What bruises?" I asked innocently.

Maria pursed her lips. "Suna…"

I shrugged. "I must have fallen."

"Yes. And pigs can fly." Maria put a hand on my shoulder. "Suna, what happened? I know you have not been getting along with some of the other Apprentices. What is wrong?"

"Nothing," I answered in a steady voice. "Nothing is wrong. I'm fine, Maria."

"I will be the judge of that." Maria took my hand and led me into the towering fortress, into her chambers where she sat me on the bed. "Now, sit and stay there. I need to examine the damage of your 'fall'."

I waited patiently as Maria dabbed a wet cloth against my wounds and would sometimes comment about "kids these days". I took to examining the paintings on her wall, each one a portrait of a place she'd been. It ended with Masyaf, though there was room for more.

Maria saw me looking at them and smiled. "Life takes you many places when you grow. I am just sad to see that so many of the places life took me were controlled by the Templars."

"I still don't understand," I admitted to Maria. "Templars are the enemy, so why don't we just attack them in full force and make them surrender?"

"The Templars are spread out all across the world," Maria explained. "They have many bases, and I only ever saw the one in London."

I paused. "Were you a Templar?"

She nodded. "I was, yes. And then Altair showed me truth through words and actions. He is the kind of man one would want to follow for their entire lives." Maria smiled and patted her stomach, where her baby was. "And the kind of man one would want to settle down with."

I reached out and touched the bump and felt the kick of the baby. "He's going to come soon," I said.

Maria raised a fine eyebrow. "… 'He'? What makes you think that?"

"I can just tell." I rubbed her belly for a second longer. "Am I free to go?"

Maria nodded. "Just don't get into any fights with the wall or the ground. I don't want to see you lose again."

I stopped just for a second, turned back, and smiled. "Who says I lost?" I smiled mischievously and hurried out of her room, back to the training courtyard.