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

Chapter 12 : A New Friend

Rosalie did not know where she was going. She just kept running across the streets for a moment, letting her tears fall down her cheeks and ignoring the passers-by staring at her, wondering what was wrong with her. She felt used, like a doll made to replace someone else. She doubted about Arno's intentions, his heart, everything. But the way he looked at her today, in this dress for the first time, and when he said those words awakening the butterflies in her stomach, it sounded so real.
That was because he did not see her. He saw... her.
Once she realized that she was far enough from the estate, Rosalie slowed down to catch her breath. Even though the weather was quite warm at day, it was now freezing cold. The young woman looked around, while her teeth were chattering slightly, to figure out where she was. She only realized that she was inside Le Ventre de Paris when she noticed people staring at her because of the way she was dressed. Since the Revolution, noble people usually did not walk around here. Even if they did, they were never on their own, scared that they would be attacked on sight.
But then, she recognized the streets. The woman used to use this same path to go to the marché. As she dried her tears and sniffed, she started to walk and ignore the crowd around her. A few streets away, there was Louis' tavern, or at least what remained of it. She wanted to see what it had become since she left it. Someone probably bought it and turned it into God knows what. And all that remained were the memories Rosalie cherished deep inside her heart.
But when she approached the tavern, the young woman was surprised to see that it was open. A few people were entering and lights were shining through its windows, picking Rosalie's curiosity. As she was getting closer, the noise coming from inside was getting louder. Once she finally reached the entrance, she glanced around with astonishment. The tavern did not even change a bit. The mix of different smells of alcohol that was invading the entire room then was still present now. There were new employees, a man behind the bar counter and another one serving drinks like Rosalie used to. Many customers, some of whom she recognized, were drinking, laughing very loudly and having a good time all together like if it was a casual day. Like if Louis was still alive and she was still working here.
"But how ?" The young woman murmured to herself.
She gathered that the person who now owned this place decided to keep it intact. The problem was that she did not know who was behind this. But then, she frowned as something that was not here before caught her attention. A golden plaque was fixed on the wall behind the bar counter and Rosalie approached to analyze it properly. Once she was close enough, she could read those words engraved on the plaque : "À la mémoire de (In memory of) Louis Meunier, 1737 - 1794".
At first surprised, the young woman then felt her eyes getting teary again, but this time, it was because she felt happy. Instead of destroying the tavern, the new owner reopened it and payed homage to Louis. They were surely a friend of his, but as he had many acquaintances, Rosalie could not tell which one of them it was. She wished she did, to speak with them and thank them for this meaningful gesture.
While she was staring at the plaque, the young bartender working at her front placed a glass of red wine on the counter for the young woman, making her frown instantly.
"I... I did not order anything." she told him.
"I did." A female voice next to her replied.
Rosalie turned her head and met a young and very well-dressed woman sitting on a tabouret and sipping a glass of wine next to her. She was gracious and wore a typically noble hat matching with her red dress and gloves. Her black hair was tied up in an elegant bun, showing off her crystal red earrings and teardrop necklace. She seemed so rich and confident, that Rosalie gathered she was the new owner of the tavern.
"Do I know you ?" she asked.
"Oh non..." the noblewoman slightly chuckled. "But I know you. At least visually." she then added proudly. "I am Anne Michel. Or, more commonly known as the Marquise De Marbeuf. I used to come and drink here sometimes. I know that you work here."
"I worked here. Not anymore." Rosalie then blankly observed her from her head to her toes before she responded. "I think I would've noticed you if you came here."
"I usually do not come dressed like... this. I do not want to grab people's attention, especially not during those days and when I am alone." she then leaned towards Rosalie to whisper. "But, I have taken some precautions tonight." she designated the two robust men wearing uniforms and sitting a little further at a table, staring at them.
Rosalie could not help but feel intimidated by them. "Wonderful..."
"Please, my dear, take a seat." Anne then proposed her.
The young woman hesitated at first, but then sat on the tabouret, facing the noble lady and putting her right elbow on the counter with silence. The marquise started to scrutinize her while she took another sip of wine.
"You are not drinking ?" she then asked.
"I hate alcohol." Rosalie replied, looking inside her glass with disgust.
"Well that is ironic." De Marbeuf answered back before she grabbed the young woman's drink. "More for me, then." she added. "Speaking of, you've said you do not work here anymore."
The other woman shook her head in negation. "Louis, the ex-owner of this tavern... passed away."
"I have heard of it." she said with a serious face. "Poor man, he always looked so joyful. I wish I could have spoken to him, just for once."
Rosalie looked down with a sad smile. "Yeah, I wish everyone had the chance to know him the way I did."
"You seem like you have known him well, indeed."
"I've spent six years in here." she responded, becoming nostalgic of the old days. "We lived together. He's been like a father to me. When he died I've not only lost him, but also my job and my house, as I haven't inherited this place."
The marquise frowned and observed Rosalie's clothing. "You do not look very homeless to me."
The young woman understood what she was talking about and said. "Oh, a friend of mine proposed me to stay in his estate."
"Lucky you." she replied with a little smile, and Rosalie smiled back awkwardly. "And do you know who owns this tavern now ?"
"Well I thought you..." she then stopped. "I don't. I wish I did, to thank them." she then pointed the plaque.
But then, Anne called the bartender who was cleaning up a dish behind the counter. "Jeune homme (Young man), can we ask you a question ?"
The man turned his head and approached the two women. "Oui, Madame (Yes, Madam) ?"
"Could you tell us who your boss is ?"
He glanced at both of them with embarrassment. "I'm sorry Madame, I can't."
"S'il-vous-plait (Please)." Rosalie begged him. "I used to work here, I only want to speak with them."
The bartender stayed stubborn and shook his head. The marquise rolled her eyes with annoyance and took out a little brown bag full of money which she put on the counter, in front of the man. He did not hesitate for too long, quickly grabbed it and looked around him to see if anyone is watching them, before he leaned closer towards the women.
"Monsieur Arno Dorian." he whispered. "You did not hear it from me."
He then walked away to serve other customers as Rosalie stared blankly in front of her, thinking. Of course it was Arno, who else could it be ?
"Do you know him ?" De Marbeuf asked her, making her come back to reality.
"Oui." she sighed. "He's the friend I've told you about earlier."
"Well I guess we all need friends like this... Arnaud."
After a few seconds of silence, Rosalie announced. "I should go."
"Wait !" The marquise exclaimed. "You are not planning on going home all alone this late and dressed like that, are you ?" The young woman looked at her clothing while the marquise added. "Let's take my carriage together."
Rosalie refused. "It's not too far from here, really, it's unnecessary."
"I was not asking." Anne replied before she drank her second glass of wine right down and put another money pouch on the bar counter.
Rosalie was surprised to see her standing still as De Marbeuf demanded the guards to join her. The noble woman then held Rosalie by her left arm and the four of them left the tavern to get inside the marquise's carriage right away after Rosalie gave the address of the estate to the coachman. Inside, it was a little bigger and more comfortable than Arno's vehicle. The travel was brief and lasted in silence, Rosalie kept observing the streets, thinking about what she was going to say to Arno now. He surely was mad at her for being so selfish and not putting herself in his shoes, she had been so cruel towards him earlier, she did not know if he was even going to let her in.
Or maybe Rosalie was just overthinking.
Once the carriage completely stopped, she turned at the marquise with a polite smile. "Thank you."
When she was about to go, the noblewoman said. "You haven't told me your name."
Rosalie raised her eyebrows first, wondering how she could have forgotten to present herself. "Rosalie." She then responded.
"Rosalie... who ?"
"Joseph. Rosalie Joseph." she repeated.
"Well, Rosalie Joseph, I hope we will meet again soon." Anne calmly told her.
"Me too, Madame De Marbeuf." she replied. "Bonne nuit (Good night)."
Rosalie then left the carriage to lead inside the estate. She glanced over her shoulder and De Marbeuf was completely gone. As soon as she walked inside, Célestine appeared from the hallway on her right stressfully.
"Made... Rose." she corrected herself. "Where have you been ?"
"Outside." she answered.
"This late ?"
"It's fine, Célestine. Look, I'm here now." Rosalie responded to calm the maid. "Is Arno sleeping ?"
"I don't know. Possibly not."
The young woman climbed up the stairs and walked towards the man's room. Once she reached his door, she stood in front of it for a moment, trying to prepare herself mentally to whatever was about to happen next. She then raised her hand, knocked with the back of her index finger and waited for an answer.
"Go away, Célestine. "Arno sounded tired.
Rosalie's heart flinched as she opened the door and looked for Arno. She entered inside the bedroom and froze when she found the young man sitting in front of the fireplace which was enlightening the entire room. She could not see his face, but she noticed the glass of wine he was holding. She then thought that he might be drunk.
As he felt the presence behind him, Arno sighed in exasperation and started to turn his head. "Why do you never do as I..." he stopped when he recognized Rosalie, standing in the middle of his bedroom and staring back at him.
The man immediately put the glass on the table next to him and stood on his feet. He was not wearing his casual uniform. Instead, he had a simple white shirt and black breeches. He looked like he had had more than just one glass.
As he was observing the young woman in disbelief, she shyly started. "Can I sit with you ?"
"Of course." he responded with no hesitation and watched Rosalie slowly take a seat on the armchair next to his, inhaling the smell of red wine that had filled the entire room. Arno took his place back, not taking his eyes from her while she was looking at the fire burning inside the chimney breast.
"Arno, I... I wanted to apologize." she murmured as her smile faded. "For my behavior. earlier. I've overreacted, you did not mean any harm and I've turned it into a big deal."
"I hurt you." he remarked. "It seems like a big deal to me."
"I just thought that you were using me to..." she stopped when she was about to designate the portrait and noticed that it was gone. With confusion, Rosalie looked back at Arno and asked. "Where is it ?"
"I removed it." he said with a sad look.
"Arno, you did not have to do this."
"I had to. For myself." The man whispered. "For months I've been wandering around like a ghost. I thought I was grieving but no, I just was keeping myself from living."
His gaze got lost somewhere inside the fire as he started. "I've never known my mother, my father died when I was eight years old. It's Élise's father, Monsieur de la Serre, who adopted me, but she and I never really saw each other as siblings." A sad smile grew on Arno's face as memories of him and Élise awakened in his mind. "We've spent a part of our childhood together in Versailles but then Élise kept traveling around for her studies, so I could only see her a few times a year. But we still kept sending each other letters."
His face became darker as he added. "Five years ago, his father was killed. By my own eyes. I felt like losing my own father again. And I was partly responsible for his death." he paused to sigh. "Everything I've done since then was to find redemption. Élise managed to forgive me only years after. We then tracked down together the one who planned Monsieur de la Serre's murder." The man then plunged into silence.
"Did you find him ?" Rosalie hesitantly asked in a low voice.
Arno slightly nodded. "A few months ago. But Élise did not make it."
The young woman felt her heart get heavy as soon as he pronounced those words. "Arno, I am so sorry..."
"So am I." he murmured. The man then closed his eyes and took a deep breath to erase those painful memories from his head. "I was in a dark place since she left. I've spent my time getting drunk to forget, even though it was always ephemeral. I was only torturing myself." he then finally looked back towards Rosalie and slightly smiled. "Then I've found you. Or you've found me, I'm not quite sure." The woman started to smile as well. "And you appeared like this... enlightened doorway, inside this dark place I was in for so long. My way out."
Rosalie could tell that the man was drunk, but she still appreciated what he was saying, because he sounded sincere. For the first time, he was talking about himself, his deepest secrets, his darkest memories to her. Rosalie felt like she knew him a little better now, even though his story was completely heartbreaking.
Arno then started to seem more serious as he turned back his gaze towards the fire. "When Louis died," he started and Rosalie's smile faded away, "the first thing I thought about was the look Élise gave me after Monsieur de la Serre was killed. I knew that you considered Louis as your father." Their eyes finally met again. "Yet you did not blame me. Why ?"
She was looking at him with quite disbelief. "Because you were not to blame." she murmured. "Arno, you could not have known !"
"Maybe." he answered. "I'm still grateful that you're here. But I have to admit that when you left tonight so brutally... I thought I had lost you for good."
Rosalie shook her head and covered his hand lying on the armrest with hers. "You will not lose me. Promis."
Arno's face softened and he tenderly smiled at the young woman who imitated him, as both of their bodies were illuminated and warmed by the crackling fire.