A/N: Very old story that I'm re-uploading. Thanks to everyone who still reads this!

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Chapter Eighteen: Time Will Remember Us

The Seven Bells tavern was well and truly alive, but it wasn't filled with customers drinking and eating. The place had turned into a temporary medical centre. Cloths and pillows were laid out on the ground for the wounded to sit upon whilst Rooks rushed back and forth from the kitchen to fetch supplies. Yesterday had been full of action; today was a recovery day. He would rather have been training his Rooks, but Evie insisted a day of rest was essential.

All day long he had been helping the new recruits settle in their new home. He hadn't had the chance to converse with them all directly, but he hoped he'd have the chance in the future. After all, if he wanted to lead them all, he had to form relations with them and earn their trust. It was night fall now - a chance to relax and reflect on their victories of the past few months.

"We can't possibly look after all these people," Paul said. "This is a tavern – not a hospital."

"Not 'these' people, Paul. Our people," Jacob corrected. "They work for us now." The past hour had been the most stressful ever according to Paul. He could fill empty stomachs within an hour, but to treat so many at once was something else.

Paul's expression did not change. "But where are they going to sleep? I can't turn this place into a hospital overnight! It's bad for business."

"You don't need to worry about customers, Paul – these are your customers now. And look – they'll be here every day, all day long," Jacob said, giving the man a grin.

"These people will have to find someplace else. I can't accommodate for so many people, nor can I afford to pay all their wages. I'm sorry, but they're just going to have to leave."

Jacob leaned back in his seat, holding back a chuckle. The poor bartender looked like he was going to be sick for a week. The man didn't seem to be afraid of Templars, but the thought of having to provide for all these people terrified him. "We'll think of something. For now, they're staying until they've recovered."

Paul seemed to relax a little – at least, the vein on his right temple wasn't so visible anymore. He drew in a deep breath and sighed. "It's not the people I'm worried about. Bloody Nora dropped by yesterday while you three were both out and about."

"Bloody Nora?" Evie repeated.

"Did you tell her to piss off?" Jacob said.

"And you didn't mention it last night?" Henry added.

Paul shook his head. "You all looked busy, and I didn't want to ruin the mood. She came here looking for an Indian man," he said, tilting his head towards Henry. "My daughter didn't give her a straight answer. Before you ask me why, no I don't know why she was interested in someone of your description," Paul added, just as Henry opened his mouth to speak.

"What did she want?" Evie said. Paul fell silent, averting his gaze. Evie tried again. "You can tell us, Paul. We're all allies here."

The man drew in a deep breath and exhaled. Hands gripping the edge of the table, he opened his mouth to speak. "I haven't been entirely truthful with you lot."

Jacob narrowed his eyes. "What do you know we don't?"

Paul turned to face him. "I pay Bloody Nora a monthly fee. In exchange, she leaves my customers alone."

"Did you tell her about us?" Jacob said, voice rising in volume. "Because if y-"

Evie silenced him with a glare then turned to Paul. She nodded. "Carry on."

His eyes shifted from Evie to Jacob then to Evie again before he continued. "She wanted to make a deal." He cleared his throat. "Nora wanted me to send you three to Whitechapel on a Saturday morning."

"An ambush," Jacob concluded. "How ironic would that be for an Assassin to be assassinated by a Templar?" He laughed, but there was no humour in it.

"She promised a truce," Paul said. "Said she didn't want history to repeat itself. I'm just saying maybe it's worth it trying. War doesn't always have to end in blood."

Henry shook his head. "The truce between Assassins and Templars failed a decade ago. Never trust a Templar to uphold their end of the bargain." Evie looked at him with an expression Jacob couldn't decipher. Her brows were furrowed, concerned. Henry continued. "What did she offer in exchange, Paul?"

Jacob activated his hidden blade. Paul paled. "She said I wouldn't have to pay her the fee anymore. All of my profits would be mine and Clara's to keep. We'd be one of the wealthiest people in London. My daughter would be able to receive an education. She'd end up with a good job."

"You know that's her polite way of saying 'I'll fucking kill you'," Jacob corrected. "You're right – wars don't always have to end in bloodshed, but when a Templar is involved, that's unavoidable." He made a fist and brought it down on the table. "But no matter. We'll go to Whitechapel on Saturday."

"You said it yourself – this could easily be an ambush," Henry countered, giving him a bewildered loo, as if he had suddenly lost his mind. "Why would you face her on the open streets with no place to hide?"

"Language of gangs, Henry. I wouldn't expect you to understand." He looked at Evie who sat directly across from him. She looked a bit tired, as if she had been awake the previous night. Where exactly had she been? But right now that didn't matter – he needed her support. Surely, she would understand.

"Let's hear it," she said.

"This is an invitation – an invitation to a challenge. She's testing us – will we run or will we fight?" He drew his arm back from the table. "If we run, she'll come after us and we'll lose the element of surprise. We won't know when she plans to attack and such. If, however, we agree to go Whitechapel then we'll have a chance of planning ahead. She didn't say we had to come alone."

Evie ran a finger across her lower lip, contemplating his words. "In other words, you want to go to war."

He gave her a rueful smile. "The war has already begun. We killed her Templars, and two of her commanders. This is another chance to cut down her army by a sizable amount. Less Templars, less control she'll have. She'll be weakened. People aren't going to respect a gang leader who continuously loses."

"This is complete madness," Henry exclaimed. "What do you hope to gain by fighting her forces in the open streets? It will be a slaughterhouse." He turned to Evie. "Evie please, you can't be considering this. There is a better way of defeating the Blighters, and an all-out battle in Whitechapel isn't the answer."

Evie was watching him intently, as if trying to read his mind. Now more than ever he needed her to trust him in the plan. To stand by his side and wholly support his decision no matter what the others thought. They were the words she had told him earlier in the week after his abrupt decision to take over borough. If she wanted to steer him right, then he had to be convinced she could help. "My brother's right. A war has begun, and it won't end on peaceful terms. What I saw at the factory was a sign of the future if Nora is not stopped. More people will continue to suffer, and we will not be able to save them all."

"Evie, I expected madness from your brother, but from you?"

"I trust my brother, Henry."

Henry buried his face in his hands. Jacob placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "You don't have to take part, you know. You can stay here and help Paul prepare the celebratory drinks for our victory." He withdrew his hand, smirking. Did Henry have that little faith? "Haven't we proved already that we can take them? We are a force to be reckoned with. Templars quake in fear at the mention of our names. This will be no different to the battles we've already faced."

"Chasing after a handful of Templars on your own is a little different from leading men and women into battle. This isn't a borough takeover – this is a battle on a much larger scale," he scolded. "As their leader, you will be held responsible for any deaths that occur. Are you sure you will be able to carry that weight on your shoulders for the remainder of your life?"

"You speak as if you know from experience," Jacob countered, angry now. "I don't see you offering an alternative solution on the matter – what do you expect us to do? Sit back and wait? Time is running out. If we hadn't made a move against the Blighters, then the people in this tavern would all be dead. We saved lives the other day – the people living under this roof are alive because of us."

Evie raised her hands. "Let's not fight between us." She paused, the continued. "We'll meet the Blighters on the battlefield. My brother will lead the Rooks, and I'll come from behind while they're distracted and take out their leader. The British Brotherhood was driven out – now it's time for the Templars to leave."

"This is a bad idea…" Henry murmured.

"It's our chance to end this and make things right," Jacob said. He stood up. "I'll go and tell the Rooks. Paul, ready the drinks! They deserve one after their efforts yesterday."

Before Evie could tell him to sit back down, Jacob stalked off to summon the Rooks. The Rooks were in the main dining area still hurrying around tending to the wounded. They appeared to be in good spirits. That was good. This was a morale boost. The victory at the factory would inspire them to fight harder knowing their actions would lead to a better future free of tyranny and oppressive laws.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Jacob started, turning to address the crowd. "Today we have reason to celebrate!" The crowd threw their fists into the air and cheered. "Today you celebrate your freedom from oppressive masters!" Again, the crowd cheered. Jacob raised his hands in the air calling for silence. "But my brothers and sisters, this war has not yet been won. The Blighters are running scared, but they have not yet surrendered. Whilst they still stand, they are a threat that must be eliminated."

"Death to the oppressors!"

Thunderous applause met his words. To be standing in a room full of smiling faces was truly memorable. These people had come from nothing and here they were now united as one. All they had needed was a push in the right direction to turn that anger into a positive force. Under his direction, the Rooks had become quite the threat. "In two days time we end the Templar threat once and for all. We will paint the ground red with their blood. We will make them suffer the same pain inflicted upon the working class for decades. The events of tomorrow will be remembered for centuries to come. History will remember how we fought for our freedom."

"End to tyrannical leaders!"

"Down the Blighters!"

"Hail Jacob and Evie Frye!"

Jacob grabbed a drink of a nearby table then raised it in the air. "To our victory!"

The crowd reciprocated by raising their mugs of ale up high. "Time will remember us!" they chanted. Soon, the entire crowd was cheering the same four words. He wouldn't be half-surprised if the entire city central heard their cries. Whilst the crowd distracted themselves with cheering and singing, Jacob looked in Evie's direction only to find she wasn't there anymore. Henry was absent as well.

"Boss, come join us!"

"Drinking contest!"

Well, he couldn't say no to that. "All right, lads. But you'll regret it," he smirked, as he walked over to join his Rooks in a contest.

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"Do you have any idea what is going to happen?" Henry said. They were standing outside now in the crisp cool air. The sun had dipped beyond the horizon hours ago, giving way to the night sky. It was another brilliant night – not a single cloud to be seen. A good omen perhaps? "This is going to end in blood."

Evie pressed her back against the wall, arms folded over chest. Carrying on the conversation indoors was almost impossible due to the noise. The Rooks had broken out into song, making it almost impossible to hear himself speak. At least out here they could block out some of the noise. "You don't believe he's capable."

"There are always causalities in war."

"And you know this because you've been in one before, haven't you?"

Closing his eyes, he rubbed both temples in an attempt to calm his nerves, but the action did little. He reopened them and glanced at her face, looking at the bridge of her nose rather than her eyes. "Yes," he said softly. Here it was, the big confession, the moment he wished would never happen. However, secrets couldn't remain hidden forever. Perhaps the truth would help her see.

"Never trust a Templar to uphold their end of the bargain," Evie said, recalling his earlier words. "You were there, weren't you? During the time the British Assassins left the city."

He turned around, unable to face meeting her eyes. A decade ago the city had been torn apart by a war he himself had started. "Yes, you know that I served the British Brotherhood for a time," he replied, gazing up at the night sky. He remembered it as if it his joining had happened yesterday. His father had sent him to Britain to infiltrate the ranks of the Templars to learn what their plans were. Apparently, the Templars were searching for a powerful item. A Piece of Eden called the Shroud.

"What was your role exactly within the Brotherhood?" Evie started, moving to stand in front. Her chin was tilted to the side, her brows furrowed. "We came here to London hoping to make contact with the Brotherhood, but we found no one else but yourself. The Assassins didn't leave, did they? They all died. You're the sole survivor, and the only remaining Assassin who knows exactly why this war started in the first place."

He met with her gaze directly for the time during this conversation. Never had she looked at him like she did now – he could see the anger and confusion, but it was the hurt she injected in her tone that pained him most. "I couldn't tell you."

"Lucy Thorne said something about a double agent. Someone who was obtaining Templar secrets and giving them to the Assassins…" Her eyes were narrowed. It was hard to tell exactly what thoughts were running through her mind, but he imagined they were anything but positive. "That was you, wasn't it? That's why you never spoke of your time during the peak years of the Brotherhood because you were trying to cover something up. That's why you tried to dissuade me from tracking Lucy Thorne."

"It was better that way." He stared off into the night sky for a few moments then turned to face her again. "Templars were looking for something powerful, something that would make them indestructible. You were right – they were hiding a Piece of Eden. That's why the Templars came to Britain, and my father sent me here to uncover the truth. Yes, I served the Templars but I only did it to know if they were telling the truth."

"And what is the truth exactly?"

He sighed, turning away once more, discomforted. "Bloody Nora's father, the grandmaster of the order at the time, located a Piece of Eden. At least, he made us believe that he had. I lured him into the tunnel we had created together and killed him." He sighed again, ashamed. "I wasn't proud of the man I was then. I was impatient, overconfident and self-assured. Had I taken a step back and thought of the situation better, then the British Brotherhood would still be here today." War had broken out the following day. The Templars demanded vengeance, and the Assassins acted in kind.

Evie's expression softened. "That's why you didn't want us forming a gang of our own."

"I didn't want to see history repeated, but your brother is a hard one to dissuade."

"He's stubborn to the core, I admit, but you can't assume things are going to play out the same way they did then. Things are different now, Henry."

He looked at her again. "I thought the same thing. I thought I could lead the Assassins against the Templars, but I was proven wrong. We were overwhelmed and outnumbered."

"What happened to the Piece of Eden?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I stopped searching for it after the Brotherhood fell apart. The Templars had risen in power, and I didn't have any resources to help me." He rubbed his forehead, feeling a sudden wave of shame pour through him. "I should've told you the truth. I'm sorry, Evie, but I didn't want to see you and your brother become a victim of the past."

"When this Blighter business is dealt with, I plan to find this Piece of Eden, the Shroud, and make things right once more. Perhaps the Rooks could even help out."

"I don't mean to cause any offense, but the Rooks are hardly up to the same standard as the Assassins of the Brotherhood." They were criminals. They had no code of morals to follow. They were driven by promises of grandeur and glory, not driven by doing good deeds for other people. He was wary of them, and he hoped Evie was as well.

"You think the Rooks can't be trusted."

He shook his head. "No. I don't, and you shouldn't either."

"My brother has them under control. Didn't you hear them cheering earlier?"

"Your brother leads them with force, Evie. You came to me one afternoon and you told me yourself in your own words that you were worried that your brother was slipping. The only reason they've stuck around this long is because he baits them with gold. But what happens when the Templars are overthrown? What happens then?" For starters, there'd be no more Templars to take money away from. Boredom would soon follow, and the Rooks would look elsewhere for their thrills. "Don't forget how quickly they were recruited."

Evie didn't respond. The same thought must've crossed her mind too. It did raise an important question – what would happen next? What reason would the Rooks have to continue existing once the Templars were overthrown? The only reason they had even formed was to band together to match the Templars in numbers.

"I worry for your brother, Evie."

"I'll be there to watch him."

"If this fight doesn't turn out as planned, if the result is not what he wants, I fear the Rooks will revolt. Isn't that what happens in gangs?" He caught a brief flicker of doubt in her eyes. Had she been thinking the same thing? "They were raised on the streets, and unlike your brother, they have no Creed. That's what makes them dangerous."

Again, she fell silent. The silence was unsettling. He wanted to say something, anything, to ease her worries, but nothing came to mind. The reality of the situation was that anything was possible. He stood still, watching her, wondering what thoughts were running through her mind. Evie was a hard person to read – she always maintained a neutral expression unlike her brother who did a good job of telling everyone what was on his mind.

"I won't allow my brother to fail," she said finally, after a few moments pause. "We made a pact when we were younger – always and forever."

Another pause. It was unsettling. To cut through the tension, he spoke up. "You're not upset with me then." Better to know now what she truly thought rather than carry on pretending to converse in a formal manner.

There was silence. He hoped his actions hadn't caused her to lose trust in him. The thought of losing Evie because of a past sin bothered him more than it should. "I forgive you, Henry. For what it's worth, you did what you believed needed to be done to protect the Brotherhood." He almost sighed with relief upon her words. "What I don't understand is why wait until now?"

"It seemed like the right time," he said, raking a hand through his hair. "I had hoped you'd be discouraged from going to Whitechapel, but your love for your brother outweighs anything else." It was amazing what lengths Evie would go to save her brother. He wasn't sure how many siblings would do the same. Even though she saw the flaws in his ideas, she chose to support him, no matter what the end result would be. He sighed again. "Forgive me. I do not wish to dampen the mood with my negative talk. Perhaps… Perhaps you will emerge victorious tomorrow."

There was silence once more. Evie gazed up at the night sky as Henry did the same, each both lost in their thoughts. Perhaps he had been wrong to doubt Evie and her brother. Maybe they would succeed where he had failed. His thoughts were broken when Evie grabbed his hand, interlocking her fingers with his. Surprised, he glanced down, eyebrow raised. "We can do this together. This is your chance to fix what you broke a decade ago. Together, at my brother's side, we can rebuild this city, and the Brotherhood can be reborn."

He was too stunned to respond, but what else had he been expecting? Evie was the calm and rational one who listened to the full story before casting judgement. Eventually, his mind recovered from the shock and he answered, "If you had been there ten years ago then perhaps we wouldn't be in this situation."

She gave him a rare smile before pulling her hand away from his. "I'm going to check up on my brother. I can't hear his voice. He's probably passed out on the floor again." Her smile faded. "Goodnight, Henry. I will see you in the morning."

She turned her back to him then walked through the doors leaving him alone outside. Evie's optimism was refreshing, but she had never been involved in a war before. In some ways she was just like her brother – stubborn to the core. He looked down at his hand. As foolish as this idea was, he wasn't going to turn his back on the Frye twins. Perhaps this was the dawn of a new era.