"She recognized the crest" Jacob said when the door had closed.

"I believe you are right" Henry said, "but where would she have seen it? That orphanage has been under Templar administration all the while she was there. It is not likely she would have come across it."

Jacob looked at him, "Then she must have seen it before she came there. If her parents were Assassins…" he started, but Henry cut him off.

"If her parents were Assassins, she would not have been put in an orphanage. She would have been raised within the order."

Henry walked over to the table and sat down. Jacob was still standing in front of the sign, not able to let go of the thought. A gut feeling told him he was onto something. When it came to him he turned to face Henry, and said "…unless they died without our knowledge; unless her name is Elisabeth Cole." Jacob rubbed a hand down his face as the implications unravelled in his mind.

"He never mentioned anything about a child." Henry said faintly, trailing Jacob's line of thoughts, "however, he could have kept her a secret in order to protect her."

"He would also have been able to teach her how to answer, if questioned," Jacob said. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. "It explains why the Templars were keeping her; they think she knows where that information is. Moreover and it means they haven't found it yet, or they would not have cared if she left." After finishing, Jacob fell silent. His empty stomach was derailing his concentration.

Henry was lost in thoughts for a moment, before turning to face Jacob.

"This changes the situation, Jacob. If she knows anything about that information, we need her to tell us. You saw how she shuts down when you get near the truth. The Templars have already tried to force her to talk, with little success. She even withstood that beating last night without talking. She has to tell us where it is, by her own choice." Gravely, he turned to face Jacob. "This will be a challenge, Jacob. You will have to win her trust."

Jacob's spirits fell. This morning he had been ready to kill her when he drew the throwing knife. Then he had chased and hauled her through London making her terrified and desperate. Winning her trust seemed an impossible task. At least he had been honest with her; he would not let her leave now he knew whom she was. "Then we need a plan," Jacob said flatly, "and some food" he added.

/

Jacob walked down the corridor to the room where Elisabeth was held. He and Henry had eaten whilst putting together a plan, and now they were ready. The light coming through the window suggested evening was fast approaching outside. Jacob had lost track of time, they had talked for a long time, discussing different strategies. Moreover, they had talked about how to break the news to Evie, and get her to go along with their plan, but that was a task for the next morning. First, he would have to try and convince Elisabeth to stay. Jacob turned the key in the lock and opened the door.

Elisabeth had risen from her seat and was standing beside the bed, the same defiant look on her face as before. He could see she had found little rest while she had waited. The fatigue of the day's ordeal and the pain of her wounds had drawn lines in her face and made dark circles under her eyes. She was trying her best to hide it, but he saw right through her façade and knew she was worn out.

The fire flickered lazily in the grate, illuminating the room in a low light. Just beside the fireplace, a small table was set where a plate of food still stood, untouched. It showed him her level of distrust. She had not eaten anything since the poor excuse for breakfast in the orphanage, and still she would not touch the meal put in front of her. A clean shirt had been provided for her, but she had not touched that either.

Silently he stood back and gestured her to exit the room. She threw a longing glance at the stairs behind him. He was blocking any chance to access it, and resigned she turned and walked in front of him, down the hall and into the office.

Jacob closed the door behind him and led her to the crest hanging on the wall.

"You know this sign, don't you?" he said. Feigning disinterested, she looked away and did not answer. When she did not respond, he continued:

"You know it because your father, Nathan Cole wore this sign." She drew in a quick surprised breath, and looked at him, panic-stricken. Jacob kept his face neutral, but his insides made a leap. He had been right.

"Relax," he said, seeing her frightened look, "no harm will come to you while you are here." His voice was low and soothing, but his words did little to calm her. He could see her pulse racing on the skin of her neck as he continued.

"This is the crest of our order, the Assassins, an order your father was member of. To us that makes you family." Elisabeth let out a disbelieving snort and turned away, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jacob led her to the table and drew out a seat for her. She was still wary when she sat down, her body tense and her eyes watching his every move, as he put down a tankard ale, filled a plate with cheese, bread and cold meat and put it down in front of her.

"We will ask no further questions tonight." Jacob said sitting down. "You will eat, and Greenie here will tell us a story. Please help yourself."

She was sitting straight, keeping her back away from the spindle, looking at the plate suspiciously, and made no sign to touch the food or drink in front of her.

Jacob rose heaving a sigh.

"Look;" he said. "I know you are hungry, and you are not leaving this room until you have eaten and heard us out. We are not trying to drug you." He demonstratively took a sip from her cup and sat back down, and then added with a wry smile "However, the ale might be stronger than you are used to".

Henry shot Jacob a stern look as he sat back down, which he ignored, then coughed slightly and started on the tale.

"Your father was stationed in India for many years. We know little of his time there other than, that he spent his time alone, tracing clues for old artefacts. Somewhere in India, Mr. Cole came across information vital to the London branch and our cause. About seventeen years ago, we had words that he was bringing the information to England."

Elisabeth had slowly started eating. Jacob could see she was restraining herself from wolfing down the food, and suspected it was the first decent meal she had seen in months, maybe even in years. He had noticed every time he had grabbed her, how little muscle there was to her. She was as thin as a rake, and after the day's ordeal, her body relished at the resources finally available. She cringed slightly under his stare, and Jacob changed his focus to the flames in the fireplace, their silent dance casting its flickering glow through the room while Henry continued telling his tale.

"For a long time we awaited his arrival, but he never came. At first, we presumed he was delayed by storms, or other trouble faced on a sea voyage, but at his continued absence, we started making inquiries. We found that he had landed in Blackwall almost six months earlier, but there was no trail after him from there." Henry took a pause in the story to empty his cup. Jacob filled it, and topped off Elisabeth's and his own. He could see the girl was still uneasy, sitting tense and avoiding his eyes. However, the food was doing her good, and the ale giving her cheek a rosy taint. Jacob sat back down as Henry continued the story. "The Templars must somehow have gotten word of his arrival, and that he was bringing something important back to England. We suspected your father was ambushed and killed, somewhere along the way from Blackwall to London."

Elisabeth kept her focus on the plate in front of her and avoided to meet their eyes, but when Henry mentioned her father's demise Jacob saw her brow tighten in sorrow.

"For a while, we thought the Templars had gotten hold of the thing he was carrying, but there was never any rumours of it. What happened to Mr. Cole has been a mystery to us all these years." Henry paused a moment. Believing the tale finished the girl looked up and Henry caught her eyes.

"We never knew he had a daughter. Had the order known, you would not have been left in an orphanage. You would have been raised amongst us," he said. His words made no impact with her. She had no faith in them to see it was a better option than living in an orphanage.

It did not deter Jacob. He was still going to confront her with what they knew and make her stay.

"You are Elisabeth Cole," he said, "daughter of Nathan Cole. The Templars were keeping you in that orphanage because they think you know where the information is."

Elisabeth moved on her seat, clearly uneasy about where this was leading.

"You are in danger from the Templars, and you know it. It is why you were trying to escape. It is also, why we cannot let you leave. We need to keep you safe, for our cause, and for your sake."

She met his eyes, a flame of silent protest burning deep inside. Jacob knew he could not back down, and met her gaze firmly.

"I know you do not trust us, but I hope you will learn to, in time."

She made no reply, just averted her face. Her posture had gradually sunk as Henry and Jacob had talked. She was full for the first time in weeks, and the ale she had consumed was mulling the pain on her back. Although fatigue was slowly eating away at her, there were still things to be said and Jacob could not let her rest.

"I will give you a choice, Elisabeth. If you swear to stay with us, you will be free to go where you will inside the compound. You will partake in the daily life and chores, and we will treat you like one of our own. No one will hurt you while you are here."

He paused.

"If you do not swear to stay, I will have to lock you up again." He leaned back on his chair, watching her and awaiting her answer.

Jacob could see she was trying to think, but the alcohol was getting to her head, unaccustomed as she was to good ale. The offer had her surprised, and was probably more than she had hoped for. There really was not much of a choice. She had no place to go, and desperately needed to rest.

"I will stay," she said quietly," I swear."

Jacob studied her face as she answered. He would not trust her as far as he could throw her, yet. The conditions under which she had been living had taught her to take any opportunity that presented itself. She would break her oath if she could find a way out, but he had gotten her to swear, as was his intention.

"I will hold you to your word", Jacob said. "The property is under guard, day and night, for our safety as much as for yours. If you try to leave, the guards will stop you. If you do escape, I will find you."

Still her eyes burned with silent protest. Jacob took a key from his pocket and held it out to her.

"You will have the key to your room. The guards will knock on the door during the night to check that you are there, but as long as you answer, no one will enter your room."

He noted the surprise in her eyes before he continued.

"I have a spare key. If you do not answer when they knock, we will know if you have left. If you break your oath, I will take away the key and lock you up again."

As her hand coiled slowly around the key, clutching it tightly, Jacob could see some of the tension leaving her body. The key meant safety. It meant she could rest, that she could sleep without fearing that anyone would creep up on her. To Jacob it was a leverage to keep her there. It was a thing of value to her that he could take away.

"I think that is enough for tonight," Jacob said, stretching. "I will introduce you to the rest of the household in the morning."

Outside it was darkening, twilight settling on the yard. The sounds of the house were fading as the residents were settling for the night. Jacob followed Liz down the now darkened corridor, back to her room. When she entered, he bade her good night and left. As he walked off, he heard the key turn in the lock behind him. A satisfied smile spread across his face.

/

It was dark when the guard shook Jacob awake. "The girl is not answering," he said. Jacob rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Cursing under his breath, he found the spare key in a drawer. He had been sure she would stay, at least this first night. Walking down the dark corridor, he was already planning a search in his mind, whom to bring, where to search, directions she might have taken. Turning the key and opening the door he expected to find the room empty.

She was still there, lying on her side, sleeping. Jacob watched her for a minute, evaluating her deep breathing and level of relaxation, making sure she was really asleep before quietly closing the door and locking it. Then he turned to the guard: "She is just too exhausted. Let her sleep through the rest of the night," he said before leaving to turn in.