AssassinsGurl2012: I know, I'm really unhappy that Ubisoft aren't bringing out another Connor game like they did with Ezio. I mean it only took me barely over an hour and a half to finish the Infamy =/ BUT it was good. (Shirtless Connor yummy yummy! :D)
TAyukii: Thank you! I really try to put in as much feeling as I can, as if it really was Eleanor that was writing her biography. And I'm happy that you understood the feeling the ocean gave her, it was tough to write. And don't say that! I had a look at your DA account and you draw really well! :)
edgaryg: Don't be depressed! There's much worse coming yet XD The fresh start is slowly seeping it's way in, Eleanor's finally starting to think for herself rather than trust what everyone else sais.
LurkingLady: Yes! And here he is x) I can't stay away from Haytham too long, I mean urrrgg he's too perfect! Haha send your nieces over in the post then! XDD
GracieClaire: Thank you for your support, it means a lot :)
Shudderfly23: Thank you for your wonderful review :3 I hope this chapter is up to standards!

This chapter would have been up yesterday but I got distracted with the Tyranny of King Washington... Which URRRG hit me right in the feels. Aaaanyway, I didn't spend too long on Eleanor's travelling because it'd be rather boring to read. And repetitive. But anyway, here it is. Thank you to everyone for reading, following, favoriting and reviewing. You're all so precious :3

The very next day I started my search for Pierre Duchateau. Bordeaux was internationally renowned for being one of the biggest slave ports in the world so I asked around. It took me three days before anyone had even heard of him, and then the man could only tell me where he had slept. I made my way to the inn I was told about, and asked the patrons there. They refused to speak until I produced some coins, and they informed me that Duchateau was a regular customer and had last been seen three weeks before. They sent me to the stable boy who told me he had bought a horse and headed for Limoges. So I purchased a horse from the young boy despite my fear of the smelly things, and raced north-east for three days and arrived at Limoges.

It took me two weeks in Limoges before I found trace of the man. He was proving very effective at being a shadow and I was growing tired and thinking of giving up when I overheard two men arguing by a fountain and his name popped up in the conversation.

" Pierre Duchateau will never buy your merde, your esclaves are sales and disgusting! " One of them shouted in a terrible English.

" Oh will you shut up. " The other man was British and had the same posh accent as Haytham. " Just tell me where to find him, I did not ask for your opinion. "

" He has gone to Tours. He will not be back in Bordeaux for another three months. "

I smiled to myself and the next day I headed north-west to Tours. Amazingly, the first person I asked knew who he was. I was paying for my room at one of the inns and the woman told me that he had stayed in the same room as I not a week before. She didn't know where he had gone but told me that he was in good contacts with the local land lord just outside of town. So I headed to his large house that dominated the region the next day, and paid him for information about Duchateau.

And that's how I found myself traveling to Auxerre. I was growing increasingly… Exited? Was that the word? I couldn't put my finger on what I was feeling. But being so close to him, so close to the man who had effectively destroyed my life, was making me feel nervous, exited, scared, and a bunch of other emotions. What would I feel when I finally came face to face with him? Would he even remember what he had done? What would I say to him?

Auxerre was a much smaller town but equally as beautiful. It was a medieval town and the houses were narrow and tall, the white houses covered in dark wood patterns, the cobbled streets narrow and opening onto small squares with beautiful fountains in the middle. I was staying in an inn not far from the main square as it was the cheapest one that wasn't full of rats, and was busy talking to a man who was telling me about his dislike for Duchateau.

" He is cruel man. " He hissed. " He raped my sister and beat her husband, the man needs to be stopped! "

" He will be. " I assured him. We were sitting at a table in the darkened tavern area of the inn. " As soon as I find him, I will make sure he never hurts anyone again. "

" Fantastique! I have waited years for someone to tell me that! Miracle! " He grinned and tapped me on the shoulder. " Marie, de la bière pour la demoiselle! " He called to the barmaid.

" No, that won't be necessary! " I turned around to call to her. I laughed as she winked back at me and then froze when my eyes fell on the last person I expected to see. I stood up, not leaving those eyes as my feet made their way towards them. I wasn't smiling, I could only stare unbelievingly. " Haytham? " I asked when I was only a foot away from him.

" Eleanor, what are you doing here? " He asked softly, looking as surprised as I felt.

" Oh I've missed you! " I exclaimed, throwing myself into his arms.

" I've missed you as well my dear. " He whispered into my ear as he held me tightly against him. " But why are you here? Who is that man you were with? "

I rolled my eyes, a smile still on my face. " I only met him tonight, he was telling me about Pierre Duchateau. " I explained. " I've been tracking him ever since I received your letter, I'm very close to finding him. "

" Wonderful news. " He smiled.

" All thanks to you! " I grinned and kissed him. " But what are you doing here? I thought you were in the Ottoman Empire looking for your sister. "

" I was, and I have found her. " He told me, indicating the middle-aged woman behind him. She looked at least ten years older than Haytham, her long black hair full of grey and white hairs and her eyes look sunken and tired. " This is Eleanor. Eleanor, this is Jenny and this is private Jim Holden. " He introduced me to both his sister and a man further behind in the shadows, his face tired and pale. He looked deeply sad, as if he had recently learnt the death of someone close to him.

" It's a pleasure to meet you. " I smiled, catching Jenny's gaze.

" Are you a Templar as well? " She asked harshly.

" I'm an Assassin. " I hissed back, offended not only by her tone of voice, but by the insinuation. She was a harsh woman, I could tell. I understood now why Haytham had never liked her as a child. At my words, she raised her eyebrows in surprise and then frowned.

" Yet you are involved with each other? " She looked as us both separately.

" Not everything is as plain as you see it sister. " Haytham ended all possibility of conversation and took my hand to lead me back to the man I had been sitting with earlier. He introduced himself to the man who seemed to be somewhat intimidated by Haytham, and he eventually left us to ourselves. Jenny and Holden had gone upstairs to their room whilst Haytham and I recounted the last nine months of our lives to each other. I learnt that he had found Jenny in a Harem near Damascus, her position diminished to that of a servant girl because of her age. He told me how he and Holden had broken in and freed her, but Holden had been captured by the eunuch guards and taken to their temple to become one of them. The ritual was gruesome, and involved cutting the manhood off and being buried in the sand for ten days with no food or water under the searing hot sun. Only the survivors were deemed strong enough to become guards, and Holden was lucky enough to have Haytham there to save him. But Holden had not recovered from the physical and mental shock and barely spoke anymore. Haytham was obviously saddened by his friend's misfortune, it was clear to see that Holden was a dear friend to him.

The next morning over breakfast, I was preparing myself to say goodbye to Haytham again. He was going to a French castle, what he insisted was called a 'chateau', somewhere near Troyes to find and kill his mentor, the European Templar Grand Master himself, Reginald Birch. He had found out that Reginald was the one to plan the attack on his home when he was only ten years old, and who had his father murdered and his sister sold into slavery. I was glad he finally knew the truth but I was also very worried. His life was a complete lie, full of treachery and deceit and I prayed that he would be able to overcome the pain.

All four of us were sitting at a table in silence that morning when a young girl came to serve us some tea. She seemed to linger next to me once her job was done and I asked her what the matter was. " You are looking for Pierre Duchateau, oui? " She asked in a heavily accented English.

" What of it? " I frowned.

" I served him some tea last week. I overheard him saying he was going to talk to a man called Reginald Birch. I don't know where that is though, I'm sorry Madame. " She whispered quietly enough so that only Haytham, Jenny, Holden and I could hear her.

" It is of no matter, I know where this man is. Thank you very much little one. " I smiled brightly to her, trying to cover how nervous I had become. I handed her some coins and told her to keep them for herself, and she skipped off with a large smile on her face. " It seems I'm coming with you. " I sighed as I turned back to Haytham.

He didn't reply, and neither did Jenny. I still hadn't heard Holden speak so I wasn't surprised when he only swallowed and looked over at Haytham, telling him something that I couldn't grasp. We headed out not long afterwards and traveled on horseback. We stopped a couple of hours after lunch on the second day, and Haytham told us to prepare ourselves for battle. I changed back into the trousers, shirt and deep red waist coat that I always wore until I traveled to France, and attached my sword to my belt, and hid three knifes on my body. When I came out from behind the bushes, Haytham looked me up and down and frowned. " I preferred the corset and skirt. " He smirked, trying to make light of the situation. It worked of course, because I began to laugh.

" You would, you pervert. " I rolled my eyes and he smiled down at me.

" When are you going to remember that you're a beautiful woman? " He whispered, holding my face between his hands as he grazed my lips with his.

" The day it's true. " I stuck my tongue out at him and he simply kissed me. He then turned to check that his sister was alright, and then took a good look at Holden. " Are you sure you're alright to fight? " He asked him.

" Begging your pardon, sir, but it's my cock and balls they took off me, not my gumption. " He replied harshly, looking rather offended. I felt sorry for the man, and wished I had known him before he was traumatized.

" Sorry Holden, I didn't mean to suggest anything. I've had my answer and that's good enough for me. " I looked over to Haytham as he spoke softly, apologizing to his friend. I realized then that Holden was the only person from his life before America that hadn't betrayed him, other than Jenny of course. And I felt incredibly sad for him. He didn't deserve a life so broken.

As soon as I saw the castle in the distance, my throat tightened and my mouth went try. Pierre Duchateau was surely there, and I still had no idea of what I would say or do to him. Did I want to punish him? Of course I did. But did I want to torture him? I couldn't answer that question. Of course I felt like it, but then again I didn't want to lower myself to such standards. Not only that, but how would I get him to talk? I needed to know why he burnt my family to the ground, I needed to know why he had stolen the family business, and make him give it back to me. But most of all I wanted to know he regretted it. But it scared me. I was scared of finally facing the man who had destroyed my life and on several occasions I very nearly turned my horse around and galloped away. But I couldn't.

" That you, Master Kenway? " The guard at the gate asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

" Indeed it is, and I have three companions. " Haytham replied calmly. But before anything else happened, Haytham had extended his hidden blade and killed him.

" Do you mind telling us what that was about? " Jenny asked, taking the words right out of my mouth as I gaped at him. I thought we were going to walk in there and blend in.

" He was about the whistle. He didn't last time. " Haytham explained, and I scoffed a little.

" That was years ago though. " I protested.

" No, they know we're coming. He would have warned the others and we wouldn't have made it across the lawn before they cut us down. " Haytham shook his head, defending himself from where he stood on the ground. I descended from my horse to join him.

" Whatever. He's a Templar anyway, he had it coming. " I sniffed and ignored the look Haytham shot in my direction.

" How do you know he was going to alert the others? " Insisted Jenny.

" I don't know. " Haytham snapped, making me turn to look at him. " I suspect. I've spent years suspecting, ignoring the obvious. The book you saw in the carriage that night - Reginald has is with him. He'll have it in that house if I'm not very much mistaken. It was he who organized the raid on our house. He who is responsible for Father's death. " Haytham was growing angry, his voice rising as he spoke to his sister. I put a hand on his arm, and he immediately calmed down when he turned to look at me. " I'd refused to believe it before, but now yes, I know. Things have begun to make sense to me. Like, one afternoon when I was a child, I met Reginald by the plate room. I'd wager he was looking for the book then. The reason he was close to the family Jenny, the reason he asked for your hand in marriage, was because he wanted the book. "

" You don't have to tell me, I tried warning you. " Jenny snapped back.

" What book? " I asked, not understanding anything that was being said.

Haytham paused for a moment, looking deep into my eyes. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, searching for his words. " It is difficult to explain. " He sighed. " It is a book about the First Civilization, a race of people who existed before humans. Reginald has always been more interested in that than by anything else, and had me capture a young boy to aid his mother in translating this book. It is supposed to lead to a precursor site which is supposedly hiding a weapon, knowledge or something very powerful. It is why Reginald sent me to America. " He explained briefly.

" But that's nonsense. " I retorted. " Even if such a civilization had existed, of which I highly doubt, then why would we want to own it's leftovers? Surely it's dangerous. "

" That is of no matter to us. What matters is that it is the sole reason Reginald had my Father murdered. Did Father know that Reginald was a Templar? " He asked, turning to his sister again.

" Not at first, but I found out and told him. " She answered.

" That's when they argued. " Haytham seemed to realize. " I heard them one day, and then Father employed the guards afterwards - Assassins no doubt. Reginald told me he was warning Father "

" More lies Haytham. " Jenny said sternly.

I stopped listening to them for a while as they spoke about the attack on their house. Of course I was interested but I had also realized something. Something I had forgotten until now, something so insignificant next to the murder or my family. Father had once found a very old book, one that he couldn't decipher, and he was about to throw it away when Pierre Duchateau found it. He seemed to recognize it immediately and said it was of extreme importance, relating something about an ancient civilization. Father thought him mad but the next day, a tall man entered the house and asked to purchase it. He paid a handsome amount of money for it and Father didn't understand why anyone would part with so much money for something that was unreadable.

" My father sold the book to your father. " I suddenly blurted out, catching the sibling's attention. " He found it one day and was going to through it out when your father bought it for a lot of money. " I explained briefly.

" You're sure it's the same book? " Haytham asked.

" I think so. If I see it, I will recognize it. I drew a flower on the back page once. " I nodded.

There was a pause, and then Holden spoke for the first time that night. " What do we do, sir? "

" We do what they did the night they attacked us at Queen Anne's Square. We wait until nightfall. And then we go in there, and we kill people. " Haytham decided, and I nodded, more than happy to do just that.

So we waited until nightfall, which wasn't long as the October sky soon turned dark much earlier in the day than the summer months I had spent traveling through France by myself. I now had even more questions for Pierre Duchateau, and grew angrier than before. He hadn't murdered my family for a book had he? For some reason it hurt me less to think they had died so that Renault could steal the family business rather than for a book. But at least it explained why he was now with Reginald Birch inside the castle. Chateau I mean, Haytham kept telling me that it was called a chateau.

" It's a bit of a coincidence isn't it? " I asked Haytham as we watched the sun set. " Our father's killed for the same reason, both murderers now working together? "

" Not when you think about it. " He replied softly. " If they had been working together before this even started, then it's no surprise that the book was tracked from your father to mine. "

" So much death for a book. " I sighed. " Do you believe in this civilization? "

Haytham shrugged. " I mocked Reginald's belief for years. Yet when I read the translated book, I started to believe. But now I don't know, I don't think I want to know. Is it worth believing in something if it costs countless lives? " He sounded profoundly sad and it broke my heart. I rested my head on his shoulder as we sat in the grass and held onto his hand.

" You don't need to believe in anything except in yourself. " I told him. " I learnt long ago that belief is what causes war and grief. It serves no purpose. Humanity is the only thing I believe in. "

" I guess you are right. " He sighed.

Not long afterwards, we were ready to attack. Three men were sent out to look for the guard Haytham had killed at the gate, which they found quickly. Jenny had stayed back because she couldn't fight, but Haytham, Holden and I had climbed trees, ready to pounce on them. Jenny started screaming for help as we had decided, and the search party went to look for her. As soon as the first man was underneath me, I jumped from where I was perched on the tree and landed with my dagger in his head.

" Good screaming Jenny. " Haytham said to Jenny as she emerged from her hiding place.

" Pleased to be of assistance. " She said happily. " But I'm not staying in the shadows when we get there. I want to deal with Birch myself. " She frowned, gripping her dagger tightly. " I'll repay him kindly by taking his cock and… " her voice broke off as she looked over to Holden. " I'm sorry. "

" That's alright Miss. Make sure you do take his cock and balls before you finish him. " He growled, and I admire the poor man.

" We need to go. " I ushered them, walking off by myself, hoping they were following. We crept pass the guard at the gate and paused at a fountain where we caught our breath after all the silent running. I saw eight more guards at the front porch, looking round to try to spot us. So much for a quiet entrance I thought, but never mind. We were going to kill them either way - or at least I was. I couldn't see Renault among the men but then again I wasn't surprised. He wasn't a guard, just a low-life piece of scum, he was probably hiding upstairs in his room.

On Haytham's signal, we jumped out from out position and cut down the guards quickly. Within a couple of minutes all eight of them lay dead at our feet but we had been seen and were now being shot at from inside the castle - chateau sorry. I ran straight for the front door, not looking back to see if the men were following me or not. I didn't care anymore, I only wanted Duchateau.

There was a man just inside the front door and I stabbed my dagger through his neck before he could react. I ran straight upstairs and started opening various doors, finding them all empty. I could hear Haytham and Holden fighting the remainder of the guards downstairs and I opened the last door. Inside, there was a guard who threw me backwards and I fell back against the balustrade which broke under my weight. My dagger fell out of my hand and shot down to the ground floor and I grunted in pain as the man wielded his sword ready to strike me down. I kicked him in the knee but he barely took a step backwards. I took out my second dagger which I had hidden inside my boot and rolled over to avoid being sliced in half as the sword came down and embedded itself in the wooden floor where I lay not two seconds before. I swiveled around and stabbed the large man in the thigh from my position on the floor and he howled in pain. But he didn't waste time and took out his own dagger from his belt, abandoning his sword that was stuck in the floor.

At the same time, Haytham appeared from behind him and held him by the neck. " John Harrison. Did you know? Did you help take my father and corrupt my life? " He snarled.

The man nodded slightly and Haytham went to kill him but I stopped him. " Wait! " I cried. " Where is Pierre Duchateau? " I demanded, but the man only sneered and swung his dagger at me again. " Where is he? " I seethed.

" So you're the girl who's been tracking him. " He laughed as I blocked his assault. " He was told about you, and took no chances. He's long gone now you little wrench! "

Frustrated I ducked once more as he swung his dagger at me and embedded mine into his stomach. " I. Am. Not. A. Wrench! " I spat at him as I watched blood pour out of his mouth. I then removed the dagger and slashed his neck and watched him fall to the floor at my feet.

" You destroyed our family. Did you think I'd never find out? " I heard Haytham shouting from the room John Harrison had came out of. Reginald Birch's answer was too quiet for me to hear and I waited a moment as I caught my breath, trying to understand Harrison's words before he died. Duchateau knew I was following him? How?

Jenny passed me and entered the room Haytham and Birch were in, and I entered behind her. " There speaks the Assassin in you. " Birch mocked Haytham for whatever he had just said.

" I'm not ashamed of my roots. I've had years to reconcile my Assassin blood with my Templar beliefs, and I have done so. " He replied and I couldn't help but smile somewhat. Haytham had told me long ago that his father had been an Assassin and though I often wondered how he could go against his heritage as he had, I was now proud of him as he faced the man who destroyed his life.

" Ah, so this is it. You consider yourself a moderate, do you? " Birch mocked him again. " And you think you can change things by allying yourself to an Assassin wrench? " He continued, nodding in my direction but without leaving Haytham's gaze.

" I'M NOT A WRENCH! " I cried angrily, taking a step towards him but Jenny held an arm out to stop me.

" Killing you is to take revenge for what you have done to us. " She said, and Birch's gaze drifted to her for the first time.

" And how are you, Jenny? Time as not withered you, I see. " He smirked. " And your life as a concubine, was it a rewarding time for you? I should imagine you got to see so much of the world, so many different people and varied cultures… "

Before he could finish, Jenny had launched herself at him, ready to strike him down but Birch had been ready for her, and was now holding her against him with a knife to her throat, her dagger fallen on the floor. She kept struggling in his grip, not caring that she was cutting herself on his dagger. " Keep still woman! " Birch told her, but she didn't listen.

" Do as he says. " Haytham warned her, looking scared for his sister.

" For the love of god, stay still! Do you want to die here? " Birch cried as she continued.

" Better that and my brother put you to your death than allow you to escape. " She hissed, and I began shaking my head.

" No, I need him alive. " I ushered.

" Oh, you need information on Duchateau? " He grinned. " Well you won't get it. "

" I think I will. " I growled, gripping my dagger in my hand, waiting for the right moment to strike. " You don't know how good I am with a knife. "

At the same time, Jenny managed to trip Birch up and he fell to the floor, landing on her dagger as he howled in pain. I wasted no time in pouncing and held my dagger to his neck. " Where is he? What do you know of him? " I questioned him.

" He left here two nights ago. " He said, blood trickling out of his mouth as the wound on his back was slowly seeping the life out of him. " But he told no one where he was going. He's a clever man with good contacts. That's how he knew you were coming after him. " He laughed. " What do you want him for anyway? "

" He murdered my family. " I hissed, punching him in the groin before standing up to leave his fate in the hands of the Kenway siblings.

" I tried to do what was right Haytham. " Birch muttered from the floor. " Surely you can understand that? "

" No. " He answered, looking down at him with emotionless eyes. Jenny decided at the same time to slit his throat and he died almost immediately.