Arlette quickly locked the front door, preventing the harsh chilly winds from entering the already cold residence. Shuddering a bit, the girl placed her bag on the floor and slipped the shawl off her shoulders to fold it on her small hands. The house was quiet, but she could hear the maids chatting on the kitchen in a quiet tone, whispering things to each other that made Arlette rise one eyebrows in questioning.

"Miss Arlette?"

Arlette looked over her shoulder, actually surprised that Sophie wasn't with the other two in the kitchen, normally she'd be the one who'd start the conversations. The plump maid offered Arlette a shy and warm smile, soon telling her that her bath was ready, "I even added those herbs you like so much, Miss Arlette." she said, referring to the peppermint leaves and chamomile flowers that were floating above the hot water. Arlette smiled, nodding appreciatively towards the plump maid, a quiet thank you left her lips as she made her way up the staircase.

Closing the door in the bathing area, Arlette sighed in relief as the delicious aroma from the herbs at the bathtub entered her nostrils, making her eyes flutter closed before she snapped them open again. With her hands behind her back, Arlette undid the buttons that closed the upper part of her dress, quickly slipping her slim arms out of the sleeves. The dress pooled at her feet, Arlette picked it up and placed it on a small chair, now seeing that Sophie placed a light yellow one on the hanger by the door.

"Ugh!"

Arlette groaned, tugging at her corset's ribbon harshly as it got stuck in one of the holes, "Just what I needed." she mumbled. The goose bumps started to form on her pale skin, the steam coming from the bathtub didn't helped her getting any warmer, even if she was just two or three steps away from it. The damned corset was thrown on the floor. Arlette's triumphant's smile disappeared as the chilly atmosphere on the room touched her now bare chest. Yelping in surprise, the red haired girl quickly removed the lower part of her undergarments and entered the warm hot tub.

A long, pleased sigh left her parted lips while the blue orbs disappeared under her eyelids that closed blissfully. Arlette smiled calmly, feeling the peppermint leaves gently brushing against her arms and legs, while the chamomile flowers floated close to her neck and chest, "Oh God, this is so good..." she whispered, her tense muscles seemed to melt as the hot water made contact with them, for a moment Arlette felt relaxed.

Her eyes fluttered open and she locked her gaze upon the ceiling, seeing the steam disappear as it touched the wooden boards above her head. Arlette sighed through her nostrils, imagining figures on the boards' natural markings, as if she was a young girl again. For a moment her mind seemed to slip away and was sent back to the past.

Arlette ended up napping on the warm water, head touching the edge of the tub as she breathed quietly in her sleep. Inside her brain, images from her past were coming back at her and all of them had her mother. Arlette smiled on her almost uncomfortable nap, but the pain on her neck simply subsidized into a small throbbing on her muscles, and the dream continued.

She was once again a seven years old, Robert was fourteen and was playing with their grandfather's Irish Wolfhound, their father was on the porch of that old wooden house that seemed to creak every time you breathed. Helaine was close to Arlette, the two were walking along the shoreline bare feet, enjoying how the sand felt on their toes, giggling together as they marched close to the sea. Arlette's eyes widened as she stared at the great blue in front of her, bouncing on the balls of her feet before looking up at her mother.

Helaine smiled, tucking a strand of her daughter's bright red hair behind her ear, a gentle smile appearing upon her face as those blue eyes locked with her daughter's in a loving gaze.

Then, Helaine disappeared, leaving a seven years old Arlette completely alone in the middle of the shoreline.

Arlette's eyes popped open and she sat up straight on the now cold tub, her heart was beating fast against her ribcage, faster than the wings of a hummingbird, "Oh my God..." that was when the tears came back. The fat tears slid down her cheeks and mixed with the water covering her naked body, the sobbing shook Arlette's slim body like a leaf.

It was hard to take it that your mother would no longer be with you.

"Connor, when are you planning on introducing your little girlfriend to me?"

Connor growled under his breath, sending his 'beloved' father a glare before giving him the silent treatment. Haytham smirked, placing his hands behind his back as he appeared right next to Connor, arching one eyebrow, "I won't embarrass you, you know?"

"Can we focus on the mission?!" the young Mohawk snarled, stomping his feet over the thick snow and almost losing his balance. The Grand Templar smirked, noticing how Connor got embarrassed while the mentioning of that pretty red head. Was she Irish? She had a bit of Irish drawl on her tongue, from what he could hear of the young lovebirds conversation on the graveyard. As much as a part of him truly desired that Connor stopped being such a savage towards him and his manners, Haytham was somewhat proud that the boy had managed to get someone to look under his thick skull.

"What's her name?"

The Assassin sighed, ignoring his father's question while looking ahead. This was truly bothering him to his core, what was it now? His father never wanted anything with him and Connor did NOT wanted him near Arlette in any reason at all. Who knows what that old man was planning after meeting Arlette? Kidnapping her? Or even worse,making her a Templar? Connor knew Arlette was too shy around people and she'd probably say yes to everything Haytham would say if he managed to slip some thoughts inside her little mind.

Not that Arlette was stupid, he knew that under those long dark red locks a smart brain was hidden.

But she was way too naive and nice.

"Her name does not matter to you." Connor said firmly, sending Haytham a glare that could kill a bear but the Templar remained unfazed, only with a little smug smile upon his face, "Now let's get going,I just want to leave you as fast as I can."

Haytham smirked, "As you wish."

Arlette walked down the staircase with the candlestick on her hand, she was wrapped on a robe that covered the long camisole. She slowly walked to Her father's office, seeing him completely passed out, his cheek resting upon the piles of papers on the desk and the bottle of whiskey on his left hand was touching the floor.

"Daddy?"

The red haired girl frowned when her father only snored loudly, the bottle slipping from his nimble fingers and clanking against the wooden floor. Arthur woke up with the loud sound, rising his head from the table and confusedly looking around the room. The bloodshot eyes landed on Arlette, who was currently clutching the robe right above her heart.

Arthur didn't saw his nineteen,almost twenty years old daughter anymore.

He saw his little six years old girl, with scared eyes and a confused face.

"Daddy?"

Arthur ran a hand over his face, taking a deep breath, "I am alright." he whispered, trying to get comfortable on his chair, leaning his head back to look at the ceiling. Arlette nibbled on her lower lip, as much as she knew her father needed some space, she was afraid of what he'd do completely alone, drunk as a sailor. "Daddy you should try to sleep..." she whispered, picking the bottle from the floor and throwing it on a trash can, looking up when her father made a quiet sound on his throat.

"I don't see a point on sleeping on a bed that now means nothing to me." Arthur said meekly, his eyes shining with tears as he looked to his left side, trying to hide his expression from Arlette's view. The young Cunningham frowned even more and was about to leave when Arthur had said something that would change Arlette's life forever.

"I don't want you to marry James."

Arlette put a halt on her steps, widening her eyes when she heard those words, she had to lean against the door frame so she wouldn't fall, "W-What?" that was her quiet question towards what her father had just mumbled. Maybe it was because he was drunk, he was just saying that because...because he felt like it! Yes, there was no way at all that Arthur would prevent the wedding because he liked James.

Right?

"I've been thinking about it..." he paused, leaning on his hand, "And I remembered something your mother told me...you know what was it?" his daughter shook her head gently, with eyes still wide as saucers. "She said that sometimes, the heart should decide for us, not the contrary." Arthur smiled gently, standing up to walk to his daughter. He noticed she had tears on her eyes and he quickly wiped them away before embracing his daughter on a hug, pressing a gentle kiss upon her head. Arlette pressed her face on her father's chest, whimpering a bit before letting out a sob, "T-Thank you daddy..." she hiccuped, moving her head away from his chest to wipe the tears. Arthur smiled, kissing her forehead sweetly, "I don't care about status. I care about you and yourhappiness, darling."

Arlette smiled even more, her eyes glinting with joyful tears as her father wrapped an arm around her and the two walked to her bedroom. Arlette lied on the bed and smiled when her father tucked her in, kissing her forehead once more before sitting on the edge of the mattress.

"What about James,daddy?"

"What about him?" He was really serious, he just shrugged at the sound of James' name. Arlette fumbled with her fingers absently, biting her lower lip while staring at her father with big blue expecting eyes, "Are you going to tell him?"

"Yes." he said gently, cleaning his throat, "Things won't work well now, darling, also." he smiled fondly, touching her cheek with the tip of his index finger, "My little girl won't leave this house so soon, that I promise." he said gently, chuckling when Arlette blushed a light pink.

Arlette giggled, snuggling on the bed and smiling at her father, "Good night daddy, I love you." she whispered, receiving a loving kiss on the cheek. Arthur smiled, standing up from the bed to blow the candle out before leaving the room, "I love you too." and with that he closed the door shut. Adrik poked his head from under the bed and purred pleasantly as Arlette picked him up, "You naughty kitty." she whispered, letting the cat curl against her legs and flick his golden gaze at the door then back at the girl. She just smiled at him, the biggest smile in months and sighed deeply minutes before Sandman made her fall asleep deeply, being lulled by the sound of the tree branches moving against her window.

Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Adrik flicked his tail from side to side, somehow a feline smile formed on his snout before he fell asleep.

And in the silent night, snowflakes fell, covering the ground and announcing the beginning of winter.

Finally! Some daddy/baby love/hate moments in this chapter. And yes, Arthur did said he doesn't wants Arlette to marry James.

But that will develop some...problems in the future.

Now,I dunno if you guys notices but 'Winter Winds' wasn't chosen only for fun. It's actually on Winter that many, many things will happen!

Well!Enjoy! :D

Reviews are love and you get a muffin!