"Eden."
"Yes?" I replied absently.
"That can't be healthy."
I just sighed.
"I'm serious."
"Ezio, I want to know what the hell this thing is."
"I know," he leaned his back onto the desk, his arms tightly crossed. "I'm curious too, yet I don't spend hours in front of it."
"Would you calm down?" I quietly ordered, still concentrating on the Apple in my hands, not even bothering to glance up. The warm glow of the metal demanded my attention completely, making it difficult to really even know where I was. But it just felt as if I was about to finally understand, have it all laid out in front of me, my every question answered... "And I'm not obsessed."
"You've been completely ignoring me for the entire day. I think that's a sure sign that you're obsessed." I almost wanted to smile at his pout.
"You give yourself too much credit."
"That hurts."
"Cry me a river."
"Maybe I will."
"You do that."
A full minute of silence passed.
"Alright, that's it!"
With a flashing movement, the artifact was gone from my hands, and I jumped to my feet, nearly throwing the chair to the floor. "Ezio, what the hell?" I growled. Somewhere in the back of my muddled, unfocused mind, I was worried about my nearly hysterical reaction. But the images within the Apple seemed to push that all away.
"Do you seriously not see what's going on?" he asked, the worry creeping into his voice. The Apple grasped firmly in his hands, he moved it further away from me. I spread my arms in a frustrated shrug of confusion. "This Piece is used to control people's minds, Eden. It's not something that should be looked upon, even lightly."
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm in perfect control here!" I nearly snarled, though I was surprised at myself - why was I reacting this strongly? After all, it was just a device. A device that could potentially tell me everything I wanted to know. And the fact that Ezio was trying to keep it away from me suddenly seemed like a personal offense.
"Oh really?" He raised a skeptical eyebrow, and hid the Apple behind his back, away from my sight.
"What are you - Ooohh." My head swam for some reason, and the entire room seemed to shift. I felt a strange weight removed from me, as if some foreign pressure I didn't even realize was there suddenly disappeared.
"Whoah."
"Hey, are you alright?" his voice became concerned as he crossed the room towards me again. My hand found the table for support.
"What on Earth-?" I shook my head, trying to clear the remains of the lifting fog. Lifing my hand up to his chest and blinking rapidly, I was grateful to find his sturdy support. "I…I need a moment."
"I realize."
As he was about to bring the Apple back into my sight to set it down onto the table, however, I nearly shouted, "Keep that thing away from me!" His eyes widened in surprise, but he complied. My mind finally returned to its proper state, no longer trained on the presence of the artifact, and I became more aware of my surroundings. We were in our room in the Palazzo della Seta. But I didn't even remember coming inside, like I didn't remember watching night falling outside already. A candle that I definitely did not register before stood on the desk, its distant glow even and nearly unmoving.
I felt strange. As if…I lost the entire day floating around the Piece of Eden, looking for something inside of it. It was like I'd spend all day walking along shelves and shelves of material, looking for the right book, which remained constantly out of reach.
"How come you aren't affected by it?" I finally asked, still rubbing my forehead.
He seemed to think about it for a moment. "I really have no idea. But there's got to be a reason why you were so drawn by it. What were you looking for?"
"Just...answers." I recalled it all; the hours that I spent with the Apple now seemed as if something from a dream. The whispers coming from it first made me ask Ezio if I could see it, voices that sounded familiar, and yet for some reason only heard by me. When the artifact was in my hands, the voices grew louder, but were too jumbled for me to make anything out. I did, however, catch the voices of my family, Jake, Larry, Ezio, the Assassins, Templars, and strangely, guards and merchants I heard on the streets...as if it was bringing forth my memory. Like an archive, containing every single moment of the life that would not be created for another five hundred years...
"To...?
"Urg," I made a little noise, sitting down to the bed. "Alright, you know how we think that one of these Pieces made me go back in time?" He nodded slowly. "Well, if they can do that, there must be so many more things they can do! I'm not interested the whole control thing, as that's for Templars. But there's just..." I trailed off with uncertainly.
"You think it could make your life easier somehow?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Well, it just sounds stupid when you say it like that, but in essence, yes."
"So you aren't thinking about your family now, are you?"
And we roll down to this. Damn him.
I stayed silent, but the slightly guilty look on my face must have given me away. He sighed, and moved over to the bed as well, reaching for the casing he found for the Apple, and tucking it away. Then, he sat down beside me. "Eden, you of all people should know that the dead have to stay that way, even when it doesn't seem fair."
"I know," I pulled my legs up to myself, hugging them. "And I don't think it's possible to bring back the dead, artifact or no. It's like I said, I want answers. And I suddenly feel as if I have almost none…it feels like I know nothing of how anything went down."
After a moment, something seemed to click inside his head. "Your father?"
"Not just him. Everything that led up to it, and everything in between. I just wish I knew what I missed. Don't you…aren't you even a little curious of what your father really did all those times he left your house?"
By the way he was suddenly rendered speechless, I realized I'd asked the right question. Understanding and empathy appeared on his face.
"What happened to you, anyway?" I looked over him, suddenly realizing that there was some blood on his neck and cheek, trailing down underneath his collar. He was fully equipped, signaling that he just came around from his run over the rooftops.
"Um, roof guards." he rolled his eyes.
I stared at Ezio with disbelief, and soon, I was stifling hysterical laughter.
"How the hell is it that you can't walk down a freaking street without getting into a fight?" I honestly tried to sound stern, but it just came out in suppressed giggles and breaths.
"Now is really not the time for-" he groaned, glaring at me.
"No, no, now is exactly the time for this. Strip, and listen to my lecture until your ears begin to bleed." I pointed to the bed while I retrieved my bag from under it. "You should have told me in the first place. Cuts could get infected, and we need you in a fit shape."
"Well, I was trying to get your attention since I came in, but..." he noted, and I felt a pang of guilt.
"You could at least try not to draw attention to yourself, you know," I replied somewhat defensively.
"Stupid archers," he grumbled, "Any time I'm farther than a roof away from them, they're pretty confident that they can throw me down to hang with the rabble where I apparently belong. But when I get near them, suddenly the need for bloodshed becomes all the more necessary."
"You are such an idiot," I sighed. He obeyed me, undoing his belt, then armor, and then shrugging out of his robes and doublet. His tunic and undertunic went after that, swiftly pulled over his head. I already got the pitcher of water from the window sill, and without hesitation began to wipe the blood off his collar bone, chest and back. He flinched a little at the contact of cold water, but otherwise stayed immobile. "Besides, I'm pretty sure I'd be scared too. It's the middle of the night, I'm all alone on the roof, and then, BAM! Some creepy guy comes out of nowhere. And of course, when I try to scream, he jams a blade right into my throat. Geez, you could be a bit more sensitive than that, Ezio."
"Since when do you have such understanding of city guards?"
"Hmm, good point. Never mind then, but you're still an idiot." He just sighed. When I didn't get a response, I continued to dress his shallow wounds that were apparently given to him by a very stab-happy roof guard. "You also should have taken that thing away from me earlier. It can probably heal you or something."
"It's safer here for now, while I was out in the open. Besides, I don't want to rely on a treacherous artifact."
"Hey, don't blame the artifact!" I pinched his arm, causing him to let out an "Ouch!" in protest. I wasn't sure why I was defending the Apple, but somehow, it just didn't seem quite right. Templars used it for control because they chose to. Assassins kept it safe, mostly, perhaps using it only when necessary, again, because they chose to. It drew me in using my craving for information, unraveling of the mystery that surrounded everything.
"It's just a device," I continued, "It's only as treacherous as the people who hold it. And if I were you, I'd learn to use it, considering it doesn't have such a strong effect on you. You never know when you might need some of this weird mystical defense."
"That sounded a little too wise for you," he mocked, for which he received another pinch.
"Hey, I can be wise. Do you want me to start spewing random nonsense from philosophical passages? 'Cause I can do that-"
"I think I can live without it," he laughed, and I smiled in response. I finished with the cuts, and walked over to the window, opening the frame. The cold breeze entered the room as I squeezed as much blood and water from the cloth as I could outside.
"But I think I sort of figured certain things out. About the Apple, I mean," I stated thoughtfully, chewing on my lip. "It's like...someone created it for the sole reason of control. I don't know who would get the idea, or have this type of material, or how they even made it. But it sort of lures people in with the knowledge it has. Like scholars would be drawn to a famous library, you know?"
"Not all of us are scholars," he pointed out.
"That the thing, though. It gives you what you're looking for. Maybe gives you an...illusion of what you want? I'm not really sure, it's hard to describe."
"Well, now we know where the Creed stemmed for. It's like a principle, to dispel the illusions."
"But you and your Uncle seem a lot...better at controlling it. He was a bit shocked when the little gold holograms shot out, but after a few seconds, he seemed completely normal."
"Maybe it's something in the blood? I mean, he also has Eagle Vision. And Federico knew how to scale the walls and run over the rooftops like nothing I'd even seen." That he was able to mention his older brother without flinching made me give an inward sigh of relief. Though the scars would always be there, they were healing at least. "Even Claudia seems to have a rather astounding sense of balance," he thoughtfully said, "And she's uncommonly fast when training with the mercenaries in the practice ring, back in Monteriggioni."
"You let her do that?" I said with genuine surprise. While I had no doubts that the girl was more than capable, but as a noble woman, she hardly seemed like the type to throw fists around. Then again, looks can be deceiving- I still remembered the little lecture she gave me about what would happen if I ever hurt her brother. I was actually frightened for a moment...
"Why not?" he shrugged. "I can't keep her holed up in the villa like some prisoner. And it lets her get some of her aggression out, which is a good thing…anyway none of that is hardly something you'd call normal."
"But, I have it too, remember? I mean, it's a bit different, but in essence, it's uncannily similar. Maybe it's just your line?" I lingered by the window for a long time, though the rag was almost completely dry. It'd been a while since I'd seen Venice at night, considering my trip to Milan and all the stuff that went down with Borgia. It was utterly stunning, taking my breath away, as though I was seeing it all over again for the very first time.
I'd miss Venezia once we left for Forli, I realized. It was only a matter of hours before the Templars regrouped and sent someone after us. I felt as though we were not out of the hot water just yet. There was little time to waste now, and as soon as the transport was secured, we'd depart. Which meant we were leaving in the morning. And then...frankly, I was not sure what came next.
"So, speaking of answers…" Ezio's voice interrupted my thoughts.
I dropped the cloth out of the window from shock. Swearing, I watched it hurtle to the ground like a heavy stone, before it landed with a loud splat over the fence that bordered the palace. Meanwhile, Ezio continued.
"You haven't given me one yet."
I slowly turned around, filling up with dread. I did not need to ask him again to understand what he meant. He was pulling on his white undertunic, watching me intently.
"Why, Ezio, I think it's a great idea!" I plastered an overly-sweet smile, making my voice all high pitched and bizarrely cheerful. "We should, like, totally get married! And then I'll sit at home, burning your meals and likely ripping the laundry, wishing that I could have children! Because, see, that scenario would just make our lives just perfect." He was definitely not expecting that mood swing. I began pacing, throwing my arms around myself in frustration. "And maybe you can retire, and bring home dinner guests, too! And our little non-existent son can become the next assassin in your line! Now, wouldn't that just be freaking wonderful?"
"Eden, there was no need to do that," he raised his eyebrows, his voice cool, though it wasn't hard to miss the steel beneath it. With regret, I realized that I hurt him in my little tirade. But I continued anyway, my usual method of plowing onward, despite the blaring warning signs.
"No, Ezio, you don't seem to really get it. I am not a woman anyone in their sane mind would marry. Besides the fact is, I can't cook for crap, I prefer a knife to a fan and my uniform to a dress, and I'm barren. Instead of a ring I have the Assassin's seal on my finger. I am in no way willing to sit somewhere in safety with my hands folded, waiting for you to come back from some mission, not knowing whether or not you'll even return."
"I never said-"
"Because isn't that what marriage is?" I interrupted, "Because ever since my first kill, I didn't want any part-!"
"Eden, stop!" he finally jumped to his feet, his hands in the air as I stuttered on the last word. I crossed my arms, watching him. For some reason, hurt was replaced by understanding, as if he was onto something. "I think I know what the problem is."
"Good. Considering I just laid it right out in front of you, I'd be a little worried if you didn't!"
"No, I meant-" he took a deep breath, "It's because of your parents, isn't it?"
"-how on Earth did you get there? This is about us and your mental problems…my parents have nothing to do with-"
"But they do," he pressed. "I had some time to think while you were in Milan, you know-"
"Good on you."
"Stop interrupting!" he finally snapped, loosing patience. Though I think he deserved a round of applause at holding it together this far, considering I'd just been openly mocking his proposal since the beginning. But guilt was just not a strong enough emotion for me to comply with something I thought was a stupid idea. "Just. Listen," he nearly ordered.
I crossed my arms, and nodded tightly. He waited for a few moments, before starting to speak again.
"I realize that with the past you have, it's only natural that you'd still dwell on it like this." I was about to say that I was not dwelling on anything and that this was my choice only. But he stopped me with a glare, before continuing. "And I think you're right, you do need a few answers." I narrowed my eyes in confusion.
What?
"Because you obviously haven't moved on from anything that happened to you."
"So what do you propose?" I forced a laugh, "Go through my memories? See what I missed? Maybe figure out how my father died, and get vengeance? Or perhaps you'd arrange a visit to my dead parents, give us some time to talk things out? Ezio, I don't see how or what this would accomplish. My family doesn't exist anymore, there's nothing that can be done about it. And I still don't see the connection between you asking me to marry you and my parents."
"These things don't go away, Eden." He spoke as if he knew what he was talking about.
"There's nothing that can be fixed." I snapped. "It's like you said, the dead were meant to die."
"But closure isn't a bad thing, is it? Maybe there was something you missed, maybe that's why you're so confused now! Wouldn't you want a chance to go back and see?"
"Again, what you're talking about is im-"
I stopped dead once I noticed the fact that the Apple was shining brightly through its casing, illuminating the walls and Ezio's stern expression. But once he realized what I was staring at, he looked at the artifact with surprise.
"Uh- alright, whatever the hell you're doing, please stop," my voice changed dramatically, suddenly small and slightly scared, as if I was standing in a room with a ticking bomb.
"I'm not doing that- I don't think..."
"You don't think? Ezio, I swear the god, don't you dare-"
But, of course, when does anyone listen to me?
"I'm going to kill you!" I growled, charging at him with force. He was distracted, looking around in stunned silence at the small place that I spent the majority of my life in. His absolute shock at the completely foreign surroundings allowed me to easily tackle him to the ground. He yelped, catching my wrists in mid-motion as I tried to punch him. "What in the heavens did you just do?" I nearly screamed
"I am trying to help," he snapped - my knee was in a place that the slightest movement was enough to make him nervous. "You strange woman, stop attacking me!"
"No! Do you realize that we could get stuck here? We have to go back, now! Whatever it is you did with that stupid Apple, undo it this freaking second!"
"I can't!"
He finally had enough of my struggle. Snapping his legs around mine, before I could blink, he moved like lightning, shifting his weight and snapping me over to my back. Before I could let out a gasp of retort, he had me properly pinned down, stopping my attempts to claw at his face. For a split second, it proved utterly frightening. The speed and ease with which he'd incapacitated me was like nothing I'd ever witnessed from him. Reinforcing the fact that he was indeed a rather deadly assassin, by inheritance and skill, it took me a few seconds to speedily brush off my fear.
I immediately froze, though for an entirely different reason, for he stammered, "I don't have the Apple!"
"What did you even do?"
"I- I was just thinking how I wanted to help you move on. I didn't know the artifact would take it so literally!"
"What came over you? I don't need help moving on because there's nothing to move on from!" My voice was desperate and strained, my heartbeat roaring in my ears. And none of it was helped along by the fact that he still had my arms securely pinned on either side of my head. "What the hell are we supposed to do now?"
"I'm not sure."
We'd just got zapped to god knew where, and this- this- this assassin is nonchalantly telling me "I'm not sure?"
"You jackass," I whispered, stunned. "Ezio, I don't want to be here. What if I can't figure it out? What if there is nothing to figure out at all? I've been trying to get something out of that artifact for hours!"
"Would you just calm down?" he breathed, "Everything will be alright."
"It was going just fine until you decided to play therapist!"
"Che cosa? What's a therapist?" he arched a confused brow.
"See?" I snorted, "You don't even belong in my time! I can barely get you to-"
"Answer the question, Eden," he rolled his eyes.
"It's…it's someone who listens to your problems…they study the mind and how it works, and you pay them to deal with your insanity," I snapped. "So basically, if we don't get out of here, I'm going to need a lot of expensive therapy! And it's all your fault!"
"Listen your problems?" he repeated. I tried to wrench my wrists out of his hands. But apparently, despite being distracted, he maintained a firm grip on them. Great, out of all the assassins in the world, I had to be stuck with the best of the best…"I see," he slowly said. "Oh, so your nightmares have stopped, then?"
"...yes."
"Liar," he rolled his eyes. Then he sighed. "Come now, it's like you said, the Apple gives you exactly what you want. This is possibly just another illusion. So all we need to do is figure out a way to break it or get through it." Seeing that I would not fight any more, he pulled me up along with him as he stood, taking a swift step away just in case I decided to attack him again. "Can you trust me?"
I humphed. "After this little stunt? Hardly!"
I could hear... cars. The sounds of traffic that I haven't heard for years, and yet still easily recognized. Just as I recognized where we were. It was a small living room with slightly battered furniture, thick curtains that were shut over the window, patterned yellow wallpaper and carpet...this was my old apartment. In New York.
In the future.
"Where are we?" Ezio asked, looking around as well, but I wasn't listening anymore. I began to walk through the apartment, easily side stepping all the scattered magazines, books, dolls and clothing, making my way to the familiar door. Down the short corridor on the right, passing under the many pictures and children drawings, towards the transparent door where I could see light...
And I froze under the frame, studying the scene, almost unwilling to believe it.
"How was work today?" A happy, cheerful, female voice sounded. The woman put a bowl down in between the man and two young girls that were sitting on ether side. The kitchen was very small, with the table and fridge taking up most of the space. One large window was overlooking the streets, a single tree growing outside.
"Oh, it was alright. One of our clients declined our offer, but we insisted," the man said, forking his potatoes and popping them into his mouth. He had dark hair and green eyes with laugh lines in the corners. One of the girls whispered something to the other, and they both giggled lowly, as the younger one blushed and pushed the older one gently. They were as different as you could get, while still being sisters. One had short, gently waving chestnut hair, and wore bright colors and a skirt, while the older one wore a simple t-shirt with jeans. Her hair was almost black, pulled back into a tight, but slightly ruffled braid, reaching down a lot lower.
"What is it?" the man asked, raising his eyebrows at the girls.
"Eve was just so worried about your business meeting today," the older one proclaimed, stifling laughter. "Really, it has nothing to do with that boy in the next building." Eve nearly pushed the laughing girl off her chair, her cheeks the color of tomatoes. The parents laughed quietly.
A charming visage of a perfect family.
"Is that-" Ezio's voice hovered over my ear. I pushed Ezio back down the corridor, and dragged him out of the front door, opening and closing it as quietly as possible.
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, this can't be happening! Why here?...It's just-" I finally began to mutter, breaking out of my silence, fingers flexing with disbelief as I nearly rocked back and forth on my heels.
"Shh, calm down," he whispered soothingly. I wanted to sit down, though the landing of the building was hardly the best place for that. "Who was that?"
"That was my family – t-this is my…house," I explained breathlessly. "It's New York..."
"Wait-" realization finally dawned on his face. "The girls in there-"
"That was Eve and me - I- I don't remember this-" I gripped my head. "I was young..."
"Va bene! Eden! Calm down! Take a deep breath," he gripped my shoulders gently, his attitude a big change from the cool, hurt voice he used while I was shouting at him.
"Right. Calm." I tried to get my hyperventilation under control long enough to actually think. "What are we going to-"
The scene around us changed before I could finish, though. We were back in the apartment, I noted, though the transition was almost unnoticeable. My dad was kneeling beside the bed the young Eden, carefully inking the design into the skin of my arm.
"Why do I need it?" the little girl asked. Her voice was clear and trusting, inquisitive and bright with wonder as she watched him work. That was the sing-song voice I had lost a long time ago, the one that my mother missed so much. Her little nose wrinkled at the sting, but didn't protest.
"Because it's cool?" he laughed as I gave him a skeptical glare. "Don't worry, I won't spell anything embarrassing out on you," I giggled softly, allowing him to continue. It was so strange watching from the outside when I didn't even remember when this happened. I noticed Eve peeking inside the room a few times with curiosity, but she didn't intervene.
He finished, and kissed the girl's forehead as he stood up, and picked her up in the air with surprising ease. I squealed with excitement, quite happy. The scene was heartwarming, but foreign somehow. I realized that behind the laughter, there was worry in my dad's eyes.
Things changed again. We were back in the kitchen, my mother sitting opposite of my dad, the two arguing quietly. I definitely didn't remember this, as I was not present.
"I don't approve of this, you know," she spoke seriously.
"I know," he reached for her hand, caressing it with his. "But we are on to something big, Alice. I think we finally pinned one of their branches down."
"Big?" she asked suspiciously. He nodded.
"Huge. That drug company, Absergo. We had our eye on it for a long time, and they finally made the mistake. Listen, they're experimenting with something. And all we know is that it's nothing good, and that they are using live humans to test it."
"Live humans?" Mom's eyes widened.
"That's right. We have to stop it before it grows. God knows how many lives we can save. The tick is, they have a lot more resources and power than us. I think there was an agent planted on the inside, but a company as big as that... I assume it's just a scouting mission right now, we need a lot more preparations before we can root it out." I listened closely, even though I felt that it had little to do with any of my life, but rather, the reason of my father's departure.
"So where are you going?"
"Europe, likely. I'll join with one of the other groups, and we'll assess the situation around it."
"Europe? That's a long way."
He squeezed her hand. "I know."
A silent moment passed between them. Then Mom spoke again. "Just promise me you won't do anything too risky. You still have two daughters that expect their father to come home."
"I'll come home, don't you worry. But in case I don't-"
"Max-"
"In case," he pressed on, "I don't come home... In a few years, tell her what the symbol means, who I was, where to look for it. There's some things I've already taken care of for Eve, too."
"Eden is hardly the type to become one of you." Mom pursed her lips in worry. "Even if she knew, she won't want it. I mean, so far she's a perfectly normal teenager. She didn't receive the training that the others give their kids."
"I know. Living in a city like this made it a little hard to actually teach her anything, but don't paint her white. I'm sure she knows how to pickpocket by now. Hell, most of the kids around this place do. Both of them must have already picked up a few things in that school aside from math and history-"
"Then why didn't you mark Eve, as well?"
"Eve is meant for other things."
"I hate it when you speak in riddles, you know."
He smiled, reaching out and drawing her into his arms. "I know."
"And I also hate it when I don't know whether you'll come home or not."
The words sounded awfully familiar to my ears - were they not the same ones I said to Ezio in my fit of frustration?
Dad laughed quietly as he stood up, kissed the woman on the cheek, and buried his nose in her dark hair for a moment. Then he walked away, through the corridor. Mom remained in her spot, chewing on her lip as she stared out of the window with sorrow in her hazel eyes.
"Dad, where are you going?" the fourteen-year-old me asked with confusion, tearing away from the crappy old game console that seemed brand new back then.
"I'm going on a…business trip, I won't be back for a while."
This, I remembered. There was snow on the ground that day, slushy and wet, and the stars seemed dim with all the smoke and vapor. Some kid tried to bully me that day only to get a swift kick in the crotch. I skipped half the day to recover from the "mental scarring" that the incident brought, to hang out with my friends at the nearest fast-food restaurant. But the reason I remembered that day was because that was the last time I ever saw my father. His sad, farewell smile and a short salute, and then his back walking out the door, his large duffel bag packed tightly.
But seeing this, I remembered other details of the night. Like the way I ran up to him a moment before he left, hugged him tightly, and kissed him on the cheek. Now I saw the expression or adoration and sadness that I missed back then. Now I remembered that he told me to to be good, and not get into too much trouble.
Why did I forget just how important he was to me? Because I was trying to block everything out? Because I was convinced that he abandoned us?
"There was no call or mail," I whispered to Ezio, so quietly that if anyone else could hear us, they still wouldn't be able to catch it. "Everyone just sort of knew what happened. My mom started crying at night. Eve became detached, out of it. I didn't lose hope until months later, though. I never knew what really happened to him, I didn't even know where he went."
I was almost surprised when I felt Ezio wrap his arms around my waist from behind, holding me tightly to his chest. It gave me some comfort, though the reopened wounds still throbbed painfully.
"You're worried I'd walk out of you like your father did?" he muttered into my ear.
"Why not? History does have its way of repeating itself."
"You're right, but you're forgetting a very important fact."
"Whats that?"
"You're an assassin too, and as far as I know you, you would never let me leave you behind, safety be damned."
I blinked, and the setting changed just as I did so.
My father was speaking to someone quietly, his face cross and worried, his hands fiddling with his own buttons, as if he received very bad news. The man he spoke to, however, was almost unfamiliar to me. His face faded from my memory even if his name rang in my ears during my nightmares - Tyler Beck, the very first blood on my hands.
"You're sure?"
"Absolutely positive."
"So Eden becomes an assassin after all," Dad mumbled. At the mention of my name, my ears perked up and I listened more intently. "I'm just sad its for the wrong reasons."
"I'll arrange for her to come after me."
"And then?"
"Then the artifact will be passed along to its next guardian, your other daughter. As soon as it's in her hands, it'll be safe."
"I'm sorry you have to die for this to happen."
"Life hardly matters in this, does it?" the man shrugged. "It's only the first step. The girl will have to go through a lot more, but this is just the way things are written."
My dad took a deep breath, rested his forehead on his palm for a moment, and then nodded. "She's not ready."
"Are we ever? I understand that this is your family, but there is always the greater good. And perhaps things will play out for the best. After all, nothing is true."
"Everything is permitted," Father echoed, and stood up. How he calmly talked about my sister's and my future, I couldn't understand. But then again, perhaps they didn't know of my father's own death, or my mom's, or the fact that I would join a gang...
I looked around the new scene, trying to figure out where we were. It was a backstreet of some sort, during night time. So even up above us you could see only darkness the street lights were far away, where the cars ran.
"What is that?" Ezio asked, turning his head towards another noise that was happening just behind the corner from us. My eyes widened as I distinguished the yelling and taunting, and grabbed Ezio's hand to keep him from going there.
"You don't want to see this, trust me." I nearly begged. I didn't want him to see one the most humiliating moment of my life.
"Eden, something is going on there." He, being stronger than me, managed to practically drag me over to it. I gave up the struggle, just crossed my arms and turned away, my teeth clenching painfully. "Is that you?"
"Yes. That's me," I ground out.
Unable to fight back, hurting, and knowing that I agreed to all of it. I didn't remember the whimpering screams that I let out, though, as if trying unsuccessfully to hold them back. Or there being so much blood on the concrete ground. All I remembered of that moment was the start, the finish, and all the pain in between.
There was a low thud, and the screaming stopped. That was the moment one of them kicked my throat, ridding me of my voice for a week, and when it came back, it was wrecked.
"That's enough." I flinched violently, my head turning against my will to the man who spoke. Shrinking away from the voice, I instinctively hid behind Ezio, even though I knew the man couldn't see either of us. "Eden Cleare is one of us now. If she doesn't bleed out in the next five minutes, get her patched up and take her to the hideout."
"Who's that?"
"That's the man who taught me how to kill. And even forced me to enjoy every moment of it."
The young boy that I remembered with much more happier feelings, Jake, began to do as he was told, taking a lot more care than any of the others would have given me.
"Oh, and do take some care. That mark on her shoulder...hmm." Larry seemed thoughtful, and hearing that almost made my head snap around.
He knew...?
And it was bright again, but this time, it was my well-lit apartment again. My mother, shaking violently on the bed, dying, Eve flashing back and forth, trying to do something, at least. And fifteen year old Eden stifling tears and bloody bandages.
As for the real me? Well, I was about to watch it all go to hell a second time. But even if I could, what would I do? It was too late too save Alice Cleare. She needed a hospital right away. She barely had the strength to drag herself to the house, and not one person on the streets could be bothered to help her. I found her on the stairs as I was coming down to throw the garbage out, collapsed, unconscious, muttering some nonsense, her clothes torn and bloody.
I shut my eyes against it, turning around and immediately crashing into Ezio's chest. I didn't want to see any of it - I didn't need a refresher course. If the Apple wanted to show Ezio my life, I couldn't stop it, but I didn't want to see it. Not again.
I heard my own screaming behind me, the animalistic snarls and the yelling of my sister, as I clenched my fists on Ezio's shirt harder, gritting my teeth to the point where my entire jaw went numb. He seemed to be frozen by the events of my life that happened before his eyes, my bloody history recounted for god knew what reasons. Hesitating, his hands slid up to my back in a more mechanical gesture rather than comforting.
The beeping of a machine. Doctors throwing complicated phrases back and forth. Surprise - they were trying to understand how I was still alive. I heard them through my pain and grief induced delirium back then.
And the drop of, "There's a... complication. The operation that was done to save your life, and the damage before it left irreversible scarring on the tissues. In plain, it's likely that you won't be able to ever bear children. There was nothing we could do. There's still a chance, but it's very slim. I am so sorry." There was no actual regret in his voice- who in their right mind would trust a gang member with a criminal record, broken family and possibly murder on her hands? He didn't even feel one bit sorry for me...
Music blasted over my ears, slurred suggestions, shot glasses being slammed down. I dragged myself through nearly every bar in the entire city, and New York was large enough for the process to take years. And I did exactly that. Became just like every other criminal in the gang: a broken life, twisted mind, cold blood and nothing to live or die for anymore. Just the raw survival instinct that pushed us all forward.
Suddenly, the music stopped, the beat no longer jumping in my stomach, and it was silent. "Where are we?" Ezio's voice was quiet, distant. I lifted my head up from his chest, and looked around. It was dark again, and we were in an alleyway. "Or, when...?"
"My nineteenth birthday," I whispered, finally letting his sides go. I didn't even feel anything anymore, all of the sudden stuck in a state of numbness that was likely brought by the change in the pace of the memories. "Urg, I hoped the Apple would skip this part, but I guess it's going for the full effect. Just...watch."
"Watch for wha-?"
The back doors of the nearest building flung open, briefly letting out the music, and three people lumbered outside, two of them dragging the third. I watched almost passively now, as they laughed, and flung my body down to the ground.
"Time to pay up for those drinks, sweetheart!" one of them slurred to me as I stirred in a drunken haze, groaning and clutching at my head. For the noise, I received a swift kick in the ribs from one of them, while the other continued to laugh, getting his hands on me. I felt disgust at the scene, as I nearly gagged. Somehow, watching from the outside made it even more horrible than being inside that drunken body.
He was about to begin to pull my clothes off, as I weakly tried to fight him off, my hands trying to find a knife or a gun. But the men made sure to get those off of me before they dragged me out. I was so pathetic, it made me want to cry now. I barely even cared what happened next after that.
"Hey!" someone tore through the exact same door that the two men brought me out of. "Get your greasy hands off of her!"
"What do you care?" one of them bared his teeth in what could pass for a smirk. "She took advantage of our... hospitality! We gave her a good evening, now it's our turn."
"I said get off of her." The newcomer snarled. He was not as big as the men, but still impressive with his broad shoulders and confident stance. And he was obviously not nearly as intoxicated as everyone else present.
The glaring contest lasted all but five seconds. Finally, one of them gave. "Bah, it's not worth it. Let's go find a whore or something."
With that, they stalked off. I was lucky they were not in the mood for a fight. And so was he, though I have no doubt he could have taken them. But people like them never play fair...
The man knelt beside me, fixing my unbuttoned shirt. "Hey, lady, you still with me?"
"Pl-" with that, I turned away from him on my side, with some effort, and vomited into the corner of the alley.
"I'll take that as a yes. Let's get you home. Where do you live?"
"Like... hell-" the younger-me mumbled. Even as drunk as that, I was mechanically careful with my name and address. The man sighed.
"Don't make this difficult. I just want to help."
"Whatever-" With that, I think I passed out. He sighed, and picked me up with a bit of effort, and set off to the main street.
The next time the scene changed, I was lying in a less familiar place, on someone else's couch. The man was sitting in an armchair beside me, watching the disturbed sleep quietly. My eyes shot open and I was awake within moments of realizing that I was not at home.
"Morning," he greeted me, and I stared at him with confusion, trying to remember who the hell he was and if he meant harm or not. "I never did catch your name yesterday."
After a few suspicious, disoriented glares, I finally spoke. "Tricia-"
"Let's be honest. I did save your life, after all," he called my bluff easily. I humphed.
"Fine. Eden."
"That's better. I'm Alex. It's nice to meet you. You should really be careful with accepting drinks from men you don't know, by the way."
"How about help from men I don't know? I'm alive so far," I argued.
"Not for long if you continue like that. Now how about you just say thanks, go into the bathroom, and clean yourself up while I make some coffee?" he suggested with a light smile. After another few moments, tentatively, almost disbelievingly, my own lips stretched into a clumsy smile, as if they forgot how to do it already.
Five weeks later, he left, but soon returned. Then left again. And then returned. And then...
"I wish you didn't have to leave," I muttered sadly.
"I have something for you. As a... promise."
"Hm?"
"Here," Alex reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet case, and slipping it into my hand. I stared at it with confusion, and then realization. Ezio's hands clenched on me, making me jump slightly.
"Is that what I think it is?"
He smiled reassuringly as I opened the case, my hands trembling visibly. A thin golden band appeared in my fingers. Looking back, I noticed the slightly manic gleam in my eyes as I assessed the ring's worth automatically, but thankfully, Alex missed that expression.
"It's an engagement ring," I stated bluntly.
"Actually, more of a promise ring. I thought I'd give you some reassurance that I'll be back before you know it."
I held that ring for a long time, not putting in on my finger yet. Hesitating. And then I swallowed, and shook my head. "Don't make promises that you aren't certain you can keep."
Everything blanked out again, and suddenly, we were in my apartment, and more specifically, in my kitchen. It rang no more memories except for one dominant thought- it was nearly exactly how I left it those years ago when I appeared in Florence from the rooftops of New York. The place was empty and dark. I, no longer caring for any consequences, dropped into one of the chairs.
After what seemed like an eternity that I spent getting used to the sounds of cars outside again, and the air that was so much different from what I breathed in Italy during the Renaissance, Ezio finally spoke. There was a movement, and he sat down opposite of me, in the chair that was usually absolutely useless as I lived alone.
"You never told me that," he whispered.
"I didn't want to talk about things in that much detail." I shrugged. "You knew most of it, any way. I told you everything about my life."
"Except for the fact that he proposed to you!"
I glared. "Look around you."
Slowly, he did. He threw a glance around the cluttered kitchen I rarely bothered to clean that went in great contrast to the neat, sparkling room that my mother kept. It was complete with unwashed floors and tables, shards of a broken cup were all over the counter, and food that was likely spoiled by now, just sitting out at random. A lone spider had long since settled in the corner of the ceiling. Besides the general disorder, there were also signs of destruction. Like bullet holes in the fridge and walls, shredded and hanging wallpaper, a cracked window, broken doors on the cabinets and dents in the walls….
Not the most pleasant and welcoming of homes.
"This nice little kitchen is in exact same state as the rest of the apartment," I raggedly sighed, "And a rather accurate reflection of how I felt back then. Even with Alex, I was a cold-blooded killer without any hope for the future. I was always lying to him, and I could not accept a ring that bound me to a man that didn't even know anything real about me. It was never even about the fact that he might not have come back, because he didn't go into open conflict often." I took another breath. "Ezio, as you may have gathered from all that, I was not a good person. I was broken, I was violent and depressed, I was loosing my mind, and I was an alcoholic that just wanted to forget everything. Not someone you'd want to promise anything, something I realized back then just as I realize it now."
We sat in silence, until I couldn't stand it pushing on my ears any longer. I stood up, and went to the cupboards, pulling out a dusty, tall bottle of vodka and set it onto the table. I could feel his eyes following my movements as I unsealed the cap. But just as I was trying to take a swing, he reached out and yanked it away from me.
"Hm, good thinking. I need a shot glass," I muttered, preparing to look for one.
"No, you don't. You quit on the strong stuff, remember?" he reminded me sternly.
"I'm allowed ale and wine, but I'm not allowed vodka? That's a lot weaker than what you're used to, believe me." I dropped back into my seat.
"I think getting drunk is the last thing you need right now." He made sure the bottle was out of my reach, before he finally asked me the question I knew was coming. "Can you tell me about that last bit?"
I didn't respond for a few moments, and then gave a resigned huff. "Like I said, it was my nineteenth birthday. I went to a bar, alone. And not the most respectable one, let me tell you that. The two men clung to me, offering company. I was too far gone to care about their intentions. Next thing I know, they drag me out into the alley, trying to get under my clothes. Then it's all a haze. I woke up in Alex's apartment, he made me breakfast, we talked. He gave me his phone number in case I decided to 'go on another insane adventure,' and let me go home. I was going to just forget about it, but he was always on my mind. Eventually I just caved and called him."
Ezio listened to me quietly, letting me recount the memories - it was the beginning of my short spell of happiness, and thinking about it still brought a smile to my face. "He turned everything around," I muttered with affection.
"But you still wouldn't accept the ring?" There was accusation and confusion in his voice. He didn't seem to understand what was wrong with me.
"Like I said. I loved him, but I didn't trust him enough to be honest, much less accept something that tied him down to me. I mean, come on! He was about to make a promise to someone who's money came from the drugs she sold and the people she killed. Not to mention, someone that couldn't even give him a proper family without even knowing about it."
"But I know about it."
"Alright, I see where you're going with this, and-" I suddenly froze, as I could think of no more reasons as to why our situation was the same as the one back then. They were two completely different...
Ezio didn't push me farther. "And then what happened?"
I sighed. "And then he died, like I should have known he would. He always promised me he's come back, but then again, they all did. All promises are broken by death. That ring would have lost its value anyway, becoming just more clutter in this apartment."
I shut my eyes and dropped my head on my hands in exhaustion. I was tired of the emotional storm that I was forced to relive in just minutes. Not to mention, we were suddenly in the place that I definitely never wanted to be in. "Ezio, I'm confused. Why are you so...persistent in this? If I was in your place, I'd likely just turn around and say, 'This just isn't worth it,' and walk away."
"I like how you say how imperfect you are all the time, as if it's some kind of excuse," he sarcastically replied. "Really, do you seriously hold such a low opinion of me?"
"Like it or not, it's the solid truth." I picked my forehead up just so I could drop it again onto the wood. I wanted to sleep...
"Eden, look at me." Somehow, I missed the creaking of his chair and his movement, but suddenly, he was kneeling beside me. I turned my head, and met his eyes, feeling too weak to actually respond in any way. "Come now, I knew all this about you before. Whatever it is that you were before, you've changed in so many ways now."
"Like how?"
"You're kind, charming, intelligent, skilled...should I continue?" His hand gently stroked my hair, and for the first time in my life, I actually wanted to cry from relief.
"Haven't you heard that flattery doesn't get you anywhere?" I asked quietly.
"Lies," he grinned taking my response as a sign that it was safe now. "I just really wish you'd start seeing the difference between the Eden we just saw throwing up in some alley, and the one I'm asking to marry me."
It took me a full minute to realize the weight of those words. And when they did...
"Besides," he continued, "Ever thought how hard it would be for me?" I glanced at him with surprise. He was smiling warmly, as if sure he had already convinced me in everything. "Three years ago, the very thought of getting married to anyone was a thing of nightmares."
"Oh, yes. I remember your womanizer habits...God, it gave me so much grief back then, I never knew one person could make me that jealous," I fleetingly grinned, "Especially some pretty-boy like you."
"Yet, I haven't even been able to look at another woman quite the same way since the first time you kissed me."
I knew he was not lying - he, almost uncharacteristically, stayed faithful to me for almost two years. I was never concerned that he did something behind my back, as I could always tell if he was lying to me or not. If at first I was worried, those fears evaporated quickly. I grinned at him with a sudden rush of adoration for the man, for a moment forgetting all the things the Apple showed us.
It was almost strange, I realized. We were focusing on our argument mainly, almost forgetting the threads in the tapestry that I'd never seen before. Everything to do with the Assassins and my father was the last thing on my mind.
Ezio leaned forward to kiss my forehead, straightening and pulling me up in one smooth movement. "So let's just not fight anymore, okay?"
Following a completely random urge, I hugged Ezio's middle, almost as a child would, pressing my smile into his chest. "You know I love you, right?"
"Of course." He sounded absolutely sure of that, despite everything, the arrogant flirt...
"And that I wouldn't make a good wife?"
"I don't want a good wife. I want you. Eden," he steadily declared, hands coming rest at my waist. "Do you honestly think I haven't thought of everything before I proposed?"
"And what did you come up with?" I raised my eyebrows, the adoration in his voice making all my organs melt and my heart flutter somewhere in the middle of the mess.
"That we never were and never will be a normal couple, and our mental health is definitely questionable, so nothing will ever change that. So is it really so horrible that I want you to know that I wouldn't have it any other way?"
That stumped me momentarily. I pulled away from him to stare at his face, slightly confused. His voice was surprisingly light, but his eyes reflected an almost foreign vulnerability. "I haven't - thought of it that way. Marriage was always an abstract concept…you know, dutiful housewife with three children on her hands, and a cheating, chubby husband. I-I just couldn't really see it with us." I mumbled.
"Yes, I definitely do not fit that description of a 'chubby husband,' while you are hardly a 'dutiful housewife.' So I can see where you'd have problems imagining it. Wait, 'Couldn't?'" he quoted, putting emphasis on the past tense. His face lit up, and he seemed hopeful.
Did I want a house and proper family?
A thousand years ago, when I was young and innocent enough to consider that a perfect life, perhaps. Basing everything off the only role models I had, my parents were the nearly perfect example. But now, what he proposed seemed far much better than any cliche fantasy I had as a kid. It no longer seemed like a coffin - permanent and breath-restricting. But rather, it slipped into an open-ended commitment.
"So, to clear up. No expectations? I can still be an assassin?"
"I'd really like to see myself try to stop you."
"And you're completely fine with the fact that I can't have children?"
"Isn't Adel enough?"
"She is a handful..."
There was silence that was only interrupted my the gears whirring inside my brain, trying to wrap my head around the idea.
"So? What do you say?"
"I still say you're an idiot," I fought to stop the laughter that was breaking through, and an involuntary grin spread on my lips, "But you're my idiot, so I guess I'll deal."
"Is that a yes?"
"Actually, that's a 'Let's deal with this crap, get back home, and then I'll tell you a formal Yes, I will marry you.'"
And, the next thing I knew, Ezio grabbed me in a heap, lifting me high above the floor. I made a noise of surprise, but then joined in his laughter, as the full thought hit me.
We were engaged. And somehow, the idea did not send an unpleasant shiver down my spine like before. Instead, the anticipation and excitement seemed to bubble up inside me, overflowing until I felt as though I was nearly bursting with sheer elation.
...Sad that we were still in New York, my birthplace and hell. Especially when I would have given a lot to never see it again. But, as the strange hour proved, Ezio was right. It was time to drop an avalanche on this little cave of nightmares.
But first, sleep. Or, you know. Later.
After our little private celebration…