Year: 1801, Age: 23
Venice, Thieves Guild
In the past two years, Ethan and I have been working side by side with Oliver and his thieves. We had to deal with some traitors and we freed several groups of thieves all across the district who weren't as lucky as Rose and didn't manage to escape.
My leg is fully healed, and Rose has been challenging me from time to time to see if my climbing skills are getting better than hers.
Rose and Mark, her lover, are treating me like their sister and Ethan and I are growing stronger and stronger together. Closer and closer too. Being together has helped us overcome our problems a lot easier.
We were there for each other before but we wouldn't always tell the full truth about what was bothering us, we would always hide something. At least, I would...
Now, however, we are like open books when it comes to our lives and I couldn't be more grateful to have him by my side.
Even now, as I lay in my bed in his arms and think about how much our relationship has changed since our first encounter back in 1796 in the Piazza della Signoria, and then in Manford when he caught me in the Sanctuary...
I can't help but smile. I remember the nights at the beginning of our relationship, when I would cry in his arms late at night about my mother, when in reality I should've been comforting him about his father and brothers... He has such a kind soul.
I sighed and I felt him lift his head up.
"Are you awake?" He asked in a sleepy voice and I flinched.
"Yes, my love. You should get some more sleep."
"I'm sorry, I did not mean to scare you."
I turned to look at him and he gently pulled me in for a kiss, resting his hand on my cheek afterwards.
"It's okay, I just thought you would be asleep."
"I have been awake for a while. I thought you were sleeping and didn't want to wake you up."
I chuckled and he smiled. God, I love that smile so much...
"I am very much awake."
"Well then. There is still plenty of time until our mission. So why not do something... productive?" He leaned in my ear and whispered in a seductive voice.
I laughed and lightly pushed him away.
He lay on his back, then pulled me up on his lap.
"What would you have me do, if my girlfriend is so beautiful?"
I blushed and looked down. He lifted my chin up with his thumb and index finger before placing a peck on my lips. Damn, his lips taste so good. Temptation in its finest form...
"I'm still not used to you calling me 'your girlfriend'."
"Like you're the one to talk."
"What do you mean?" I said while pulling away and frowning.
I wanted to sit back down on the bed but he placed his strong arms around my waist and kept me in place. He started chuckling, which only made me more confused.
"You're still not used to me calling you 'my girlfriend' while I still can't believe you are my girlfriend."
"My God, it's been four years and we're still acting as if it's only been a day."
I chuckled again and lay my head on his chest, feeling his heart racing, which only made me chuckle more. I wrapped my hands around him and he held me tight.
"Why are you holding me so tight? I'm not going anywhere."
"I'm afraid you'll get up and leave. And I don't want to see you leave. Not yet at least."
Fuck him and his seductive voice, he knows it's my weak spot. I started laughing and he looked at me confused.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Because you're 25 and still acting like a kid. Why is your heart racing, hm?"
"Because of you, my dear. I'm crazy about you and can't think straight when I'm around you."
"Damn that seductive voice... You know exactly how to get me to do what you want..."
He started laughing and I felt his chest move up and down.
"So I guess that's a 'yes'?"
"Missions first, dear. We can relax later."
"Davis can wait. And who said I'm letting you relax...''
Before I had time to object, I was thrown onto my side and then pinned down on my back, with my hands above my head.
I chuckled before he stopped me with a kiss then pulled away in an attempt to catch his breath.
"For a very skilled Assassin, your reflexes are very slow."
"You make me that way. I'm crazy about you and can't think straight when I'm around you."
He laughed and then kissed me again.
"You like to quote me. Real or not real."
"Real. You're very wise so I like to listen."
I winked and he laughed again. He kissed me more passionately then before and pulled the sheets over us.
______________________________________
Ethan knocked on Oliver's door and walked in. He was accompanied by Mark and Rose.
"Please, enter! Your good work has restored us to our former strength. We are ready to strike."
"Just tell us what needs to be done and we'll see that it is." He said while
looking down at me and giving me a soft smile.
"Actually, Ethan, I wanted to go to Leonardo's workshop to give him the Codex pages we found yesterday and see if he needs my help with something. You will be on your own for this one. You'll find me there once it's all done, though."
He nodded then looked back at Oliver.
"So, what's the plan?"
"You'll approach from above, under the cover of night. Davis has posted archers around the Palazzo. Kill them, but do so quietly. As they fall, my men shall replace them"
"What about the guards?" I asked. Ethan looked at me as if he was about to ask the same thing.
"I thought you weren't taking part in this mission."
"I am not, but that doesn't mean I can't listen to the plan and maybe offer ideas." I said smiling.
"Then, Helen, what ideas do you have?" Oliver motioned for me to come and take a look at the district's miniature layout he had on his desk.
"When you've finished with the archers, you can regroup in front of this building here, and discuss next steps. It's not far from the Palazzo, but it's far enough so that the guards won't know who killed the archers, in case they discover their bodies."
Oliver chuckled and looked at Ethan.
"You should really let her come up with plans more often." Ethan rolled his eyes and then looked at the building I just pointed out.
"Not a problem. I'll take care of the archers and return to you."
"Then it's settled. Good luck." Oliver said while reaching a hand out to Ethan.
"Likewise." He replied, grabbing his arm.
We both walked out of Oliver's office and into the courtyard where two years ago we learned the climb leap technique.
Time flies by so fast...
We left the Guild's area and before I could head towards Leonardo's
workshop, I felt Ethan pull me into a hug.
"Be careful, please." He lay a kiss on my forehead then looked at me with a soft smile painting his beautiful face.
"I should be the one to tell you that."
"If everything goes right tonight, I have a gift for you."
"Everything will go right tonight. I have faith in you. You're one of the most skilled Assassins I know."
He chuckled. "I am the only Assassin you know."
"Not true. There's Mario as well."
"Fine, fine... Just promise me you'll be careful?"
"I promise. You better come back to me in one piece or I'll never forgive myself for not coming with you. I love you."
"I love you very much." He said before pressing his soft lips on my own.
I watched as he walked away, then climbed onto the safety of rooftops. I sighed and started heading towards Leonardo's workshop, hoping he would be there and not somewhere in the city.
I knocked on the door and upon seeing me, he opened his arms and hugged
me.
"Helen! What can I do for you?"
I took out the Codex pages from my belt and handed them to him.
"Aha, you found some more pages!"
"I hope I'm not bothering you with my presence here."
"Never, you know you and Ethan are always welcomed here. Speaking of which, where is he?"
"He has some... business in the city. He'll come to take me after it's done."
I didn't want to tell Leonardo too much about our missions because I feared it would put him in danger. I don't know how much Ethan told him but it's better to be safe than sorry.
I watched as he unrolled one of the Codex pages and started working on it, checking an old book that was on his desk from time to time.
"It looks like it's a design for the blade on your wrist." He said without looking up from the page.
"What does it do?"
"It looks intriguing and challenging and it seems to be a firearm, but as small as a hummingbird."
"Is that even possible?" I asked in shock. He looked at me and smiled.
"Only one way to find out. Please, make yourself comfortable. From the look of things, it's going to take a while."
"I have all the time in the world." I said then sat down in the chair next to his
desk.
I watched as his eyes trailed off from the page back to the book.
"Hey, you don't happen to have some of that drink Oliver gave me and Ethan a while ago, do you?"
"You mean coffee? Of course I have, I get paid in that stuff sometimes! Oliver even stops by sometimes and gives me a bag or two." He chuckled and continued. "So, Mr. Sugar and Milk didn't like it, but you do?"
"Mister Sugar and Milk?" I asked while he left the workshop area and headed towards his bedroom.
"Uh, yes." he chuckled again.
"When Oliver gave me the first bag of coffee he told me about Ethan's reaction. I sometimes reffer to Ethan like that when he's not around. But don't tell him, he'll kill me."
I laughed and he handed me a cup of coffee, along with a plate of biscuits.
"Oh, you didn't have to." I said while taking the plate from his hands.
"Please, I want you to feel comfortable. This place is your home as well, you don't have to be shy."
"Thank you." I said with a soft smile.
He went to his desk and started preparing the tools and materials necessary to craft the update.
"Uh... I'll need your blade."
"Oh, right." I said while standing up and unbuckling the leather straps that were holding the vambrace on my arm.
I put it on his desk then sat back down. He took out the hidden blade from it and studied it for a while before putting it back and studying it as a whole.
"So, how are things going with Ethan?"
"Things are going very well." I said between laughs.
"It's funny though, because two years ago I was standing where I stand now and I threatened to kill you for saying that I'm in love with him."
"Well, tonight you're going to kill me for making a confession."
I looked at him confused and he stopped for a few seconds, as if he was thinking how to say what he had to say.
"I was asking because I wanted to know if he's available."
I opened my mouth to say something but no words came out. After the shock had passed, I was finally able to form a sentence.
"Wait, so you're-"
"Mhm."
"No way!"
Upon seeing my face covered in surprise he started laughing and shook his head.
"Why are you so shocked? Many artists are and Ethan is a good-looking man. And you can't deny that!"
"Hey, he's my man! Not yours! Stand down!"
He put his hands up in surrender and we both started laughing. I always had a good time with Leonardo and I was proud to call him my best-friend.
"On a serious note now, you have nothing to worry about. Ethan is a domain of the past and I moved on. I'm glad he's with you now, you have no idea how much good that did to him."
"You have a very kind heart, Leonardo. Many would die to call themselves an acquaintance of yours, let alone your lover."
He nodded then went back to work on my blade. We kept talking about what we have been up to recently and about the Codex.
Leonardo noticed the map underneath it as well - much to my surprise - and said that the first time he saw the Codex glowing red he was drunk.
I had a good laugh upon hearing this and then explained how it works and how he can control it.
"At first, when I first discovered it, I was very tired after using it - and I was using it for only five minutes at a time." I said, trying to remember how it felt back then.
"I guess using all your senses at once can tire someone out. How old were you when you discovered it?"
"It was shortly after my mother died, so I think five or six."
"There's your answer. Children are supposed to have a lot of energy but they get tired so easily in reality."
"It reminds me of an eagle's vision, you know? They have such good sight and their senses are well developed in general."
"Then why not call it like that?"
"What? Eagle vision?"
He nodded shortly and I stopped to think about it for a moment.
"You know, that's not a had idea, actually. Eagle Vision. I like how that sounds. You can now say you have superpowers when you're drunk."
"Oh, shut the fuck up." He said unamused and I started laughing again.
About an hour later, the pistol was done and he sent his assistant to set up some dummies in the small yard from across his workshop.
"Here. In order to use it you need to twist it first. Whoever designed it was smart enough to add a safety mechanism so you don't shoot your own hand."
Altair was indeed a smart one. Maybe the smartest Assassin that will ever exist, I thought while looking at the new upgrade.
"Here you have some bullets to reload the gun." He handed me a small pouch that I tied on my belt.
"I will come back after I test it."
I headed out of the workshop and crossed the almost empty street - it was pretty late so I wasn't that surprised that there weren't many people outside anymore.
I saw the yard Leonardo was talking about, but a wall stood tall between me and it. How the hell did Leonardo's assistants get past this?
I climbed up to the roof of the nearest building then climbed down its side that led to the yard. I saw three dummies placed along the canal - one above me and two on my level.
I twisted the Hidden Gun, just like Leonardo showed me, then aimed. I put my finger on the trigger and inhaled. I missed and my eyes shut tight because of the noise.
I reloaded it, aimed again and shot, this time hitting the dummy closest to me. My arm flew backwards and I hit myself in the face. Guess now I know I need to keep it flexed because damn, this thing is powerful.
I shot the last two dummies, missing once again when I aimed for the one farthest away, but I quickly learned how it works and I couldn't stop a smile from forming on my lips.
Thank God for Altair studying the Apple and finding ways to improve our weapons and ways because this thing makes things easier now.
I climbed on the wall that was standing between the yard and the now empty street, wanting to get more bullets from Leonardo to practice more.
Just as I hit the ground, I felt eyes on me but when I stopped and looked around, I saw no one so I continued to make my way towards the workshop. Guess it was just my imagination.
How I wish I would've been right... I heard footsteps behind me but before I could turn around and see who it was, everything went dark.
______________________________________
Ethan's POV
After I killed Davis, Oliver took control of the Palazzo and turned it into the thieves' new guild.
They gave me some money for helping them, and just as I was about to leave and go to Leonardo's workshop where Helen is waiting for me, I saw him come through the front door and into the pavilion.
"Ethan! Thank God you're here!"
"Leonardo? What are you doing here? And why are you panting? Did you run all the way over here?"
"Yeah. I ran all across the district, hoping to run into you and instead I came across one of Oliver's spies. They told me I would find you here."
"What's happened? Where is Helen?" I asked looking behind him, hoping to finally hold her. My hand found the little pouch that was hiding my gift attached to the belt.
"That's what I came here to tell you. A courier knocked on my door and gave me this."
He looked at me with his eyes full of apologies and only then I noticed the letter he was holding. I pulled the letter from his hands and started reading it.
If you stop hunting the Templars down, we'll return your precious lover back to you unharmed. But if you fail to respect our terms, the only way you'll ever see her again is by looking at her headstone. It is your decision. Let's see what you value more, her life or your revenge?
-The Arthurs
I put my hand over my mouth to stop a gasp and gave the letter back to Leonardo. I put both my palms on my head and crouched down, burying my head deeper and deeper in my hands, feeling my eyes fill with tears of anger and sadness at the same time.
Oliver and Rose saw my reaction and Leonardo's full of worry face. Then, they both come to me.
"What is it Ethan?" Rose asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.
I violently pushed her hand away and stood up. Leonardo gave the letter to her and Oliver moved closer in order to read it as well. After they were both done, they looked at each other and then at me, sighing in despair.
"Those bastards have Helen." I said as I punched the nearest wall.
I felt my blood boil inside me.
Things just got a whole lot more personal.
______________________________________
Oooohhh, kidnapped moments.
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