A game, or real life? (Ezio x reader)

Troubled winds; Resilient eagle

That night had to be the harshest night we had ever been through. Not only were we not given any privacy whatsoever (two armed soldiers watched over us at all times), but the coldness of the winter winds made it impossible for us to lay comfortably, as they cooled down the stones on which we lay upon. We remained in each other's arms that night, trying to fight the cold and exhaustion that clawed at our very beings. We didn't eat. We didn't drink. We didn't sleep. Not because they weren't considerate enough to give us food – no, they did hand us...something, whatever that brownish blob was, to eat – along with fresh water. We hadn't eaten all day, so thank goodness that food looked everything but appetizing. Ezio feared they had spiked the food and water, in order to make us weak for the execution. And to be honest, he wasn't wrong. It was just...such a weird behavior on their part, to arrest two highly skilled Assassins and not kill them on the spot. Instead, wait until dawn to execute them. But, in a way, I understood their reasoning. They had just captured the two most famous Assassins of our entire Brotherhood, a couple, to make things better. Of course they wouldn't give us a simple death. No, their ego was too big for that. They'd have our death be a warning to any other Assassin who would try to stop them. Our deaths would become a symbol of fear, and though Assassins were supposed to live without fear, I knew better. No one truly lives without fear, we simply choose to ignore it. Should we die, should our deaths be used as a warning...god, I could hardly imagine the consequences it'd bring not only to the Brotherhood, but also to Aurora and Leandro. They already felt bad enough to let us leave like that unprotected. But if we were to die? Oh god, I can't even bear myself to finish that thought.

To pass the time, I began to tell Ezio stories. Things that I knew about Altaïr, things I had seen through the eyes of Maria...but I eventually ended up telling the beginning of his story as I knew it: An Assassin who lost his way, and had to learn from the very beginning. "They managed to retrieve the artifact, but at the cost of Kadar's life and Malik's arm. Malik kept yelling, accusing Altaïr's arrogance of killing his younger brother. But before al-Mualim could pass judgement, a man ran in and alerted them of Robert de Sable's troops waiting by the village gate. They had an Assassin hostage, who they cold-heartedly murdered. But they had a plan. Altaïr met up with two other Assassins at the top of Masyaf tower, and waited for their mentor's signal to jump. Basically, Al Mualim wanted to show that his men were so loyal to him that they'd jump to their deaths without hesitating. He said "go to God" before the three Assassins jumped, and successfully landed in haystacks several meters below."

"Under Al Mualim, they were but machines void of fear." Ezio said softly.

"Yes. He only fed his men lies, with the purpose to take the Apple for himself and create a perfect, united people. Honestly, he made me sick." I sighed. "But fortunatamente (fortunately), it all changed with Altaïr as Mentor. His Codex pages prove it. I honestly spent so much time reading them, studying them, that I know some parts by heart. "Though I ask my brothers now to abandon their rituals, I do not ask that they abandon the creed. THIS is what makes us Assassins. Not the removal of a finger. Not a false promise of paradise. Not the prohibition of poison. Our duty is to the people, not to custom. If we must sneak, we shall sneak. If we must use poison, we shall use poison. If our blades can be used without removing fingers, we shall not demand they be taken. And we shall not manipulate our initiates with lies and parlor tricks. We shall speak plainly and honestly. We shall be made anew.""

"It is thanks to him that we are who we are now." I could feel Ezio crack a smile. "His sacrifices, his hard work, his continuous study of the Apple..."

"Si...sacrifices, most of all. Maria wasn't very pleased with having him devote his time to the Apple. Though most of the visions I have are mostly peaceful, happy moments, I can feel that there were fights between them. Big fights." I explained softly. "But she never left him. She remained by his side until the end...until she let out her final breath in his arms."