Assassin's Creed (c) Ubisoft

Concept (c) Sannam

Note: Sorry about the mistakes, I have to get this up quickly so I can do my logic homework. College is a bitch.

Haytham liked school. He liked his friends, he liked his teacher, he liked learning, and the best part about going to school was that he didn't have to deal with his father's quirks. Not that he hated his father or anything; it's just that his quirks got… tiring after a while. Before he knew it, he was in the first grade and top of his class.

It was a sunny day in September, Haytham was leading his group of friends in a game beneath the shade of a huge oak tree. He had brought his bucket of toy soldiers to school that day and they had each divided into six groups, since Shay had decided to play with them today (he didn't want to play house with Hope).

"You can't do that Shay," William whined, pointing to the soldier Shay had moved. "That's against the rules."

"Says who?" Shay asked, frowning. "I wanna move my soldier here, so I am!"

"William's right, Shay," Haytham said. "You can't do that. It's not your turn."

"But I always play the rogue!"

"Not in this game," Haytham hissed, eyes narrowing. "We all agreed by the rules and there was no rule for rogues!"

"You're so bossy, Haytham," Shay muttered, he glared at the other four boys and wondered why they didn't rebel against Haytham.

"Am not," Haytham protested. He didn't think he was bossy. Hope Jensen was bossy, Maria was bossy, even that new girl in their class with the funny name that the teacher couldn't even say was bossy. He wasn't bossy. "Rules are there for a reason, they are meant to be followed," Haytham said.

"Rules can be bent," Shay protested.

"No they can't!" Haytham insisted. "You can't go when there is a red light only when there is a green light."

"What about a yellow light, Haytham? What do you do then?" Shay countered. Haytham frowned, not liking this line of questioning. The yellow light has always confused him. Sometimes his father stopped for it other times he would shout: "hold onta yar seat Haytham! I'm gunnin' it!" and slam his foot on the gas pedal and speed through the yellow light before it turned red, then he'd turn around and tell Haytham not to do that when he started to drive.

"I'm sure yellow lights are important," Haytham muttered.

"See! Rules can be bent!" Shay smirked, triumphant. Haytham realized he lost this round and allowed Shay to play the rogue for their game. That was how far they got, for in the next moment they heard a shout.

"What the freak did you call me?" a shrill girl's voice shouted from the other side of the tree Haytham and his friends were playing under. All six boys turned to stare at the tree, wondering what was on the other side. "I'll teach you the meaning of mucky savage ya jerk!" the girl shouted followed by a clearly boyish yelp as she began to beat him. Haytham and his friends stared at each other. They were in the far end of the playground and none of the yard-aides ever came over here. Haytham knew a lot of bullying went on here because of the secluded nature of the spot, sometimes the big scary second grader Rodrigo Borgia would come here and bully Giovanni Auditore. Haytham had been lucky enough to not cross Rodrigo's path… yet.

"What should we do?" William asked.

"Ignore it," Haytham said.

"Betcha it's that wimpy kid Charlie Lee," Thomas said, with a stupid grin on his face, he took a sip of root beer. "Shay, wanna see me burp the alphabet?" he didn't even wait for Shay to answer before starting.

"We should at least see if we can help," William mumbled.

"I stand by what I said before, we ignore it," Haytham growled and went back to positioning his soldiers. The other boys shrugged, deferring to Haytham's leadership. It still baffled Haytham that he was silently appointed the leader of their little band. They took to calling themselves the Knights Templar, after William had found the name in a history book his father had. It had seemed like a good name at the time, and they all swore to be friends for life and help each other regardless and conquer the world together in their little tree house.

"Help! Help! Someone help me!" came the pathetic shout.

"Someone ought to help," William said and then added in a hush voice, "it could draw a yard-aide."

Haytham and his friends sucked in a breath. A yard-aide was the last thing they wanted over here, because if the yard-aides became aware of this spot, it would forever be ruined. Nobody moved, everyone looked to Haytham instead. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine, fine!" he snapped, standing up and heading to the other side of the tree though he heard his friends shuffle to see around the tree yet not leave Haytham's toy soldiers unattended.

Sure enough, the girl with the strange name was beating the crap out of the wimpy boy, Charles Lee. She had her feet planted on either side of him, holding a fistful of his shirt while she slugged him repeatedly in his stomach and his face whenever he yelped. Haytham swallowed, clearing his throat. "Excuse me," Haytham said, but she didn't hear him. "Excuse me!" Haytham repeated and put his hand on her shoulder.

The girl jerked up, twin black braids whipping around her face. She glowered at him with amber eyes and a fierce snarl on her lips. Haytham swallowed. He never been this close to a girl before and there was something intriguing about her, her ferocity drawing him like a moth to a flame. "What do you want?" she snapped, Charles Lee tried to make an escape. "Hey! Where do you think you're going, squirmy wormy?" she pulled Charles back into prime punching range.

"Can you not beat him up, here? We're trying to play a serious game," Haytham huffed. The girl looked passed Haytham and spied his toy soldiers.

"Yeah, looks to be real serious," she replied cheekily. Haytham flushed.

"Look," he paused, realizing he didn't even no her name.

"Kaneihtí:io," she said and shook Charles, who whimpered.

"Look Kana-gaga-diio—"

"Hahaha, didja hear that Willie? Her name is Gaga!" Thomas snickered, elbowing William in the ribs.

"Kaneihtí:io!" she snapped.

"Kana-gaga—"

"Just call me, Ziio."

"Diio."

"Ziio! Jeez are you deaf as well as dumb?" she growled.

"Look, I don't want to get a yard-aide but if you—" Ziio pulled back her fist aiming right for Charles' nose. She swung, but Haytham grabbed her wrist, "don't stop beating up my friend, I will!"

"Oh," Ziio let go of Charles Lee. "So, he's your friend." Haytham swallowed and glanced at the cowering six-year-old then back at the cute tomboyish girl. He glanced at his feet and mumbled something. "Speak up, I can't hear ya!"

"Y-Yes!" Haytham said, staring into her amber eyes. "Yes, he is my friend, right Charles?" Haytham looked at the boy. Charles blinked rapidly, then looked between Ziio and Haytham.

"That's right, only reason I wasn't hear earlier Haytham was because Thomas told me we were meeting at the jungle gym!" Charles said.

"What? I said no su—OW! Willie, whatcha step on m'foot for?" Thomas said.

"See, now. We're sorry for—"

"Oh? Sorry is it?" Ziio said, getting right up into Haytham's face, forcing him to lean back a bit. "He called me a mucky savage!"

"Charles, apologize to her," Haytham hissed. Charles began to protest, but Haytham shouted, "Now Charles!"

Ziio grudgingly accepted the apology before staring at Haytham. "If he ever calls me a mucky savage again, I'll beat him proper, and then I'll sock ya in the jaw for being friends with a jerk face like him," she hissed, poking him in the chest with each word she spoke. She walked off.

"Hey, wait—" Haytham called, Ziio turned around and showed him only the middle finger of one hand. Haytham frowned, not really sure, what that meant and only ever seeing his father use it when he's really mad at someone while driving. Edward would always turn to him and tell him not to do that otherwise Aunt Mary'll tan his hide.

"Wow," Thomas said, "she gave you the bird Haytham! That's gutsy."

"The bird?" Haytham frowned. "That didn't look like a bird at all, that looked like her middle finger, but I'm not driving, so why is she mad at me?"

Thomas snickered before singing loudly, "Haytham and Ziio sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes lo—"

"Thomas stop that!" Haytham shouted and would have tackled his friend if it weren't for a hand on his shoulder.

"Uhm, thank you," Charles said. Haytham blinked. "For saving me back there. She is a mucky savage, Pa said so."

"Regardless," Haytham muttered, "you shouldn't say that. It's not nice and you're welcome." Haytham turned to go.

"Can I really play with you?" Charles asked.

"Only if you never say that to her again or anything else your father says about her," Haytham stipulated.

"Alright," Charles agreed.

"We can bring him into the Templars this weekend Haytham," William said.

"No," Haytham protested, "he has to prove that he'll keep his word first. Then he can be a real member of the Templars."

Haytham pushed the door to his house open that afternoon, tossing his backpack into the wooden box by the door. "Father, I'm home!"

"Hey sea urchin!" Edward called from the kitchen. Haytham walked in, and smacked his forehead.

"That apron, Father?" Haytham asked.

"What?" Edward looked at his son, "I like it," he said, pointing to the lettering on it. "I'm Captain Awesome."

"It's a sight for sore eyes, Kenway," Mary Read said, sipping a beer as she leaned against the counter. "Hey, kiddo."

"Hi Aunt Mary," Haytham greet, "you babysitting me tonight?"

"Sure am, we'll get your homework squared away and then watch M*A*S*H* afterward."

"I can't believe you don't like my apron, Mary," Edward grumbled, plucking at the red garment he wore.

"Cool, oh and I have a question Father," Haytham asked.

"Shoot, sea urchin," Edward said.

"Don't call me that, I'm six," Haytham growled. "Anyway, my question is this," he curled back all his fingers on his right hand save for the middle one, "a girl at school showed me this today, Thomas called it the bird, but it doesn't look like a bird. So… what does it mean?" Haytham asked. Mary's eyes grew wide and Edward paled noticeable.

"God damn it Edward!" Mary shouted, slapping Edward. "How many times have I told you not to flip people off while driving! Do you want him to grow up swearin' like a bloody damn sailor? You're a father now! You have to mind your go damn language! You can't just swear in front of your kid!"

"Uhm… Aunt Mary?" Haytham breathed, watching his father rub his cheek.

"Mary, I—" Edward began.

"No!" Mary snapped, before turning to Haytham. "Haytham, that is a very bad bit of sign language. Never use it."

"Yes, but what does it mean?"

"You don't need to know, and your father," Mary glared at Edward, "shouldn't be using it while he drives."

"Mary, damn it, he said some girl—"

"Mind the stove Haytham, while I'll go tan your father's hide," Mary growled, grabbing Edward by the bicep and dragging him away from the stove. Haytham snatched the spatula from his father before pushing over the step stool and began to slowly stir the contents of what will eventually be dinner.

"And she gets mad at Father for swearing," Haytham muttered as he listened to his Aunt Mary slap his father and cuss him out.

Over all I like this chapter. I think it's really cute and I got to work in Mary Read. Hahah. Everyone fears the wrath of Mary Read! Muwhahahaha!

It's so cute how they call themselves Templars. :3

Haytham's a smart boy, he knows not to repeat his Aunt Mary's foul language.

What do you guys want to see next? I want to do a couple of happy ones before the sad arch comes.

Save an author; leave a review!

Again, I'm just going to assume all those people that don't review hate this story.

-Nemo