AC Syndicate: Isolated Files [OS]

The Loneliest

[Chapter image by me]

In the early hours of the morning, with the light of day heralding a grey day, a dark-haired woman woke up. She sat on the edge of the bed, keeping the blanket over her upper body, still bare from the night before. She heard a sigh and felt movement beside her. It was a man, as naked as she was under the blanket. She turned her face towards him, tucking her chin against her shoulder. In her peripheral vision, she could see in the half-light part of the peregrine falcon tattooed on his left pectoral. She turned a little more, remaining seated on the bed. She wanted to see him peaceful, one last time, after a fiery and passionate farewell night with the leader of the Rooks.

Indeed, today Jacob Frye's Blackbird was leaving for Cardiff, on an important mission, and one that would last for weeks, perhaps months. Oh, they could always send each other letters. To talk about the mission and how it was going, but also to exchange their feelings. That was a promise she'd made to him the night before, before saying goodbye under the sheets. She leaned over and placed a kiss on his forehead, before getting out of bed and getting ready for the journey.

Jacob woke up too late; she was already gone. He was heartbroken that she hadn't been there when he'd woken up. All he'd found was a folded piece of paper with the name of the recipient. He raised himself to the level of his elbow, planted in the mattress. He took the brief message and read it. As he read the name of the author, Victoria Reid, he laid down on his back, his hand holding the brief letter to his abdomen. He sighed sadly. He missed her already. But he recovered a few moments later. London needed him, and so did the Brotherhood. Not to mention Jack, still a child, who would have to get used to Victoria's absence.

After several weeks of regular updates on the mission, exchanges of words of love and promises — some of which made the Assassin's heart beat even faster — the Blackbird on mission in Cardiff remained silent. Jacob received no more letters from her, whom he was eager to see again. Not to mention Jack, who was also impatient. As the days went by, Evie's brother became increasingly worried, sometimes imagining the worst — which he refused to believe, because he knew her... and she was an excellent assassin. She could get out of the worst, in any way, because her level of combat and stealth was equal to the unstoppable Frye twins. And Little Jack, who kept asking for Victoria. Sometimes Jacob didn't know what to do to console the one he considered his son.

"What if she abandoned us?"

That question had hurt the Master Assassin so much. He knew Victoria better than anyone. And she would never do such a thing. Her loyalty to him and his sister was one of the reasons she was known as "the Fryes' friend." Not to mention her loyalty to the Brotherhood, and the devoted Rooks she was before she became an Assassin. So to hear that, from Jack — who was just wondering too — was a dagger in Jacob's heart. He wondered if he really knew her. But he refused to believe that he didn't know her as well as he thought. Maybe it was denial, maybe not. Whatever it was, he refused to believe that Victoria would do such a thing.

Despite the absence of letters, and the deepening longing, Jacob held out hope that he would hear from Victoria, and that she would return. He kept imagining their reunion. As for Jack, the more the days passed, the more defeatist he became... not forgetting the feeling that Victoria had abandoned him despite Jacob's words, which tried to keep his hopes up.

One afternoon, as the storm raged over London, the Frye twin stood outside his study window. He was watching the heavy rain flood the streets in a small trickle, barely rising above the cobbles. He was surprised by the knock on the door, abruptly interrupting his contemplation and reverie. He allowed his visitor to enter. It was a Rooks holding a letter in his hand. It was folded and bore the name of the gang leader. But it wasn't Victoria's handwriting.