Embracing The Light (Arno Dorian x OC), an Assassin's Creed Fanfiction

Chapter 30 : Bitter Truth

Rosalie's eyes were tearing up and she remained speechless as she heard Shay say her name for the first time in years. Once he was close enough, the man slowly grabbed her right hand to rise it and put his valid hand around her waist. Rosalie came back to earth once he touched her and she tried to angrily get rid of his grip.
Shay shook his head in negation and whispered. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Rosalie then stopped when she felt something pricking her waist. She lowered her gaze to look at what it was and noticed the man's hidden blade against her dress, ready to pierce her skin at any moment. She was going through so many emotions at the same time that she did not even question herself about why a Templar would use a hidden blade in the first place.
The young woman held her breath and looked back at the old man, keeping a straight face under her mask despite how afraid and mad she felt.
"What do you want ?" she hissed.
"I've told you already." he responded innocently. "A dance."
Shay then started to lead the waltz and soon enough, the duo was spinning in synchronization with the rest of the dancers. It was the very first time that Rosalie was dancing with another man, and she would never have expected it to be him.
"I know what you and your partner are doing around here." Shay then added. "I'm impressed."
"We're here to get back what is ours." Rosalie responded firmly and the man smirked.
"The Assassins love to think that they own the Apple. What you don't realize it that the Apple owns you. The power that comes out from it cannot be manipulated so easily, and even if you do manage to use it, it will end up possessing you, making you do things you can regret..."
"...and I suppose you are the only one who can manipulate it." Rosalie scoffed him.
"No." Shay sincerely responded. "I'm not. I was actually not planning to use it in the first place, but after the French Revolution, it became a necessity."
Rosalie frowned. "What does that mean ?"
"The Revolution was a mistake, and the artefact will help us to fix it."
"I thought the Templars were behind the Revolution."
"Unfortunately, it is true. The Revolution was made to show people that living with no ruler is a guarantee to fall into fear and chaos. But now, it is time to end it all for good."
"We won't let that happen." the young woman answered back. "We maybe don't have the Apple in our possession right now, but the Assassins still have many ressources and they will do anything to stop you."
A little smile grew in the corner of Shay's lips. "I'm sure they will." he said. He then asked in a lower voice. "But what about you, Rose ?"
The woman's face fell when she heard him call her by her name again. Everytime, she was plunging into this painful memory and she hated herself for being so vulnerable because of it.
"Will you do anything to stop us ?" Shay asked.
Rosalie understood that the man was testing her. "I will" she responded with a lightly shaky voice, revealing how unsure she sounded.
"The Assassins might want you to be heartless, but I don't think you want to be this way," Shay responded, "which is why I want you to think carefully."
The man then graciously made Rosalie turn around and look at what was behind her. She noticed Arno across the room, finally coming back from upstairs and walking inside from the main entrance. He was supposedly searching for the young woman with a frown on his face. Soon enough, he met her eyes and his mouth slightly opened when he noticed Shay standing right behind her.
The old man, still holding her hand, leaned towards her ear and continued. "There are people you love and who love you back. Do you actually want to put their lives at risk, just because the Assassins told you so ? Will you sacrifice those you love to save France, or will you sacrifice France to save those you love ?"
Rosalie broke her eye contact with Arno and stared ahead instead as she held her breath and thought about what Shay was telling her. She had to face it, he had read her like a book. Of course she wanted to carry on her parents' legacy by protecting the Apple and defending the Creed. She was even ready to risk her own life to do so, but Arno was her redline. He was the only person that remained by her side and she would never trade his life for anything, even if it meant that the Templars would rule the entire world.
The music eventually ended and, with it, the waltz. Rosalie came back to reality and Shay made her turn one last time to face him.
"Here is a wise advice." he said, "Leave this land as soon as possible. Forget all of this, say to your mentors that you've deceived them." A shadow crossed his face as he finished threateningly. "For you won't get anything here. But you can lose... a lot."
When the man finally let go of her and walked away, Rosalie took a deep breath as she felt alive again. Only then she realized that her eyes got tearful and she hurried to calm herself down internally now that the danger was mostly gone. She hated herself for being so vulnerable in front of Shay, but she could not help herself : her trauma awoke severely this time and he was to blame for it.
Arno finally reached the young woman and his sudden touch made Rosalie flinch. She calmed down when she recognized her partner and looked down, still shaken up due to what she just had lived.
"Rosalie !" he called her in a low voice in case people around were listening. "What happened ?!"
The man noticed the upset expression she had and the tears in her eyes, worrying him even more.
"I want to leave..." Rosalie weakly responded.
"What did he do ?!" Arno asked as he started to feel mad. "Did he hurt you ?!"
The young woman raised her eyes to look at his face and repeated tiredly. "Arno, I just want to leave. Please..."
The man's boiling anger dissipated when he stared at Rosalie and he now was only feeling sadness. He decided not to insist further and sighed.
"D'accord (Alright). Let's leave." he whispered.
Arno then gently put his hand on her back and they both led towards the entrance in order to leave the Hofburg for good.
But before they could, they both heard a female voice addressing them from behind.
"Madame Victor," she called Rosalie, "are you leaving already ?"
The duo turned around and Rosalie was surprised to see Marie Dorian, whom she completely had forgotten about.
"Who is she ?" Arno then asked his partner with a frown.
Rosalie remained speechless as she glanced at both of them.
"We have met earlier, Anne and I." Marie explained, referring to Rosalie. "I am Madame Dorian, Marie Dorian."
The young woman hesitantly looked at Arno to see his reaction and was quite surprised to see him expressionless. The man was rather impenetrable or he did not realize who Marie was.
"Quoi (What) ?" he finally said.
"Arno..." Rosalie softly called him and instantly noticed the mistake she made by using Arno's name out loud when she saw the confused look on Marie's face.
"Wait... Arno ?" she said with an impeccable french accent.
A shadow crossed the man's face as he heard Marie call him by his name.
After he gazed at her, he eventually broke his silence. "Let's go, Rose."
Arno then started to walk away and Rosalie watched him with confusion. She did not know how she expected him to react, but it was certainly not this way.
The young woman hesitantly glanced at Marie who had her mouth slightly open as if she was about to speak. "I should go." Rosalie said as she started to follow Arno but the noblewoman stopped her.
"Attendez (Wait)." she hurriedly said.
Rosalie obeyed and glanced at her, waiting for her to continue.
"Is he... ?" Marie began to speak about Arno and Rosalie instantly understood what she was insinuating.
The young woman quietly looked behind her and noticed that Arno had left the building already. With embarrassment, she turned back at Marie and slightly nodded to confirm. The old woman then took a deep breath as she tried to process what she had learned.
"I have to speak with him." she then added spontaneously.
"I don't think he wants to." Rosalie then responded with a timid voice as she looked away.
Marie then calmed down and agreed as she gazed at her with a sad look. "I suppose you are right..." But her face illuminated and she added. "...but he would talk to you."
At first surprised, Rosalie stared back at her and, before she had the time to contest, Marie insisted.
"Please... maybe he will hear you out."
Rosalie felt bad for the old woman but, on the other hand, she did not know how she was going to convince Arno to speak with her. Besides, she did not want to get involved in this quarrel any more since she considered that it was none of her business.
Marie then tried to convince the young woman again. "Or why don't you visit me tomorrow ? My estate is located south of the neighborhood. It is a white little house, only a few feet away from here, you cannot miss it." she quickly added.
Rosalie was now even more uncomfortable. As she started to silently shake her head in negation, Marie insisted.
"Please..." she repeated and pityingly added. "I only want to talk. I've been waiting this moment for so long."
Rosalie took a deep breath as she was feeling like she was suffocating again. All she wanted was to leave this building and this whole country for good. But what she had found out here was begging her to stay a bit longer.
"I'll think." Rosalie responded to finally break free but it was not enough for Marie.
"No..." she desperately said. "Promise me that you will come."
At first surprised by the old woman's request, Rosalie then thought for a moment before she blankly responded. "I promise."
"Merci (Thank you)." Marie replied with a wistful smile as she let go of the young woman. "I'll be waiting."
After she glanced at her one last time, Rosalie turned around and led towards the exit. She could still feel the noblewoman's gaze on her back until she left the building completely.
As soon as she walked outside of the palace, she took her mask off and noticed that Arno was approaching with his eyes on her.
"Did you get the Apple ?" Rosalie asked him, trying to act normal after what happened, in vain.
The man discreetly showed a brown little box that was inside the pocket of his coat and her eyes widened when she instantly recognized it. "Oui." he replied as he hid it back and glanced around. "Even though it has costed Gabrielle de Lévis her life."
Rosalie gazed down as she understood that the woman was no more. Arno then stared at her and his expression eventually darkened.
"What did you do in there when I was upstairs ?" he directly asked her.
Rosalie froze and was surprised by the man's sudden question. She was unsure whether he was accusing her of something or if she was being grounded like a child. "I..." she started as she stared at him with a confused look. She did not quiet know what to say. "Nothing."
"Nothing ?" Arno echoed with an unimpressed tone. "Rose, I've left you there for fifteen minutes only, and when I found you back, you were dancing with that Cormac in person ! And then... whoever this woman was," he added with an upset look and glanced away as he mentioned Marie, "she says that you two have met..."
"It was purely coincidental." Rosalie found the courage to cut him off. "Believe me... But I'm afraid I can't explain you how Cormac has recognized me."
"Your wound." Arno responded directly. Rosalie first frowned, then glanced at her hand as the man added. "The Templars knew that we would come to the ball in order to get the Apple back. I've seen in Gabrielle's memories that she saw your hand injury before she fled the Burgtheater ten days ago." he explained. "So she told the guards who were checking the invitations at the entrance to warn her whenever they would notice a young dark-haired woman with a scar on her right hand."
The young woman looked down with a bit of shame. "So, that's my fault then." she murmured.
Arno's face relaxed as he approached her. "That's not what I meant." he softly said, then gently made her chin up with his finger. When their eyes met again, he saw the sorrow in her eyes, and remembered.
"What did Cormac tell you ?" he calmly asked. "Why were you so upset back there ?"
Rosalie broke the eye-contact once again and swallowed. "He threatened me. Mostly." she murmured. "I wouldn't care if he was yet another Templar trying to scare me, but Arno... I know this man..." she added as her eyes clouded with tears. "I know what he's capable of... and I'm terrified..."
Arno frowned with a worried look on his face. He then grabbed Rosalie's arms as he plunged his gaze into hers. "Who is he ?" he insisted with concern.
Rosalie sighed. "His name is Shay... Shay Cormac and he's not just the Templars' Grand Master." she announced as she stared back into Arno's eyes. "He is also the man who killed my parents."
The man's face fell as he realized what that meant.
"He's probably your father's murderer as well." Rosalie concluded in a lower voice.
Arno remained speechless for some moment. "Are you sure ?" he finally said.
"I've recognized him as soon as I've heard his damned voice..." she responded as she gazed down, not daring to look at Arno. "There's not doubt. It's him."
The man's attention was no longer on her anyway. He was staring at the palace where the Grand Master currently was. After all those years, he finally could put a name on the murderer of his father. Shay Cormac. He now knew how this man looked like, his voice, who he was, everything he needed to know. Tonight was the end of eighteen years of mystery, of suffering and torment for Arno. It was also a golden opportunity for him to avenge his father for good.
His face darkened as he said. "I could kill him."
Those words made Rosalie quickly gaze at him and her eyes widened. "Arno, no !"
The man glanced back at her with a frown.
"This place is heavily-guarded, you will be killed as soon as you will try to approach Cormac." she explained. Then, she softened and added. "Besides, we already have the Apple. Let's not take any more risks and leave."
Arno tried to internally calmed himself as he listened to Rosalie. He knew that she was right : it would be a suicide to try to kill Cormac now, when the archduke was also present.
When he understood that he was not going to be able to murder the Templar tonight, he said. "Let's not stay here any longer then."
Arno then led towards one of the carriages waiting alongside the road, followed closely by his partner.