The Things We Do for Love
A/N: This goes out to @storytimefromthecreed for the names of the Frenchman Four
“Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God!” Arno said in a very panicked voice, pacing rapidly back and forth atop one of the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris, accompanied by Philip, Demetri, and Gérard. “Arno, come on, why did you-” Gérard started, but was cut off by Arno. “I’m sorry for dragging you all up here for seemingly no reason. I just can’t do this on my own!” he sounded very panicked and distressed. “Arno.” said Demitri assertively, planting a hand on Arno’s shoulder. “Take a deep breath and tell us what’s ailing you, brother.” he smiled. Arno took a deep breath and explained in a more quiet, calm tone “It’s mine and Élise’s anniversary tomorrow and, despite being an assassin who gets paid to kill Templars, I have no money to get her anything!” he started freaking out again. Demetri put his other hand on Arno’s other shoulder. “We’ll get the money, Arno, don’t worry.” Arno’s eyes widened as a hopeful grin spread across his face “Y-you’d do that?!” he asked excitedly, putting his hands on Demetri’s shoulders in return. Demetri nodded with a smile “Of course. We’re both assassins here. I look out for my brothers.” Arno suddenly gasped, as if coming to a realization out of the blue. “I have to come with you.” “What? Why?” asked Philip. “It’s my anniversary with Élise. I should at least pitch in somewhat--and besides, what would you all do without me?” he smiled. It was good to see him in a much better mood than the one he was just in. “How shall we accrue whatever sum is needed? Contracts?” Gérard suggested. “Contracts.” the other three parrotted. “How about a race back to the Café Theatre? First one there gets to pick the contract!” Arno said, immediately taking for the viewpoint to perform a Leap of Faith down to street level. Philip, Gérard, and Demetri all followed with enthusiasm in that order. Demetri and Arno both immediately took to the rooftops while Gérard and Philip stuck to the streets. two extremists blocked the street that Gérard and Philip were sprinting through. Gérard simply shoved the extremist blocking him out of the way, causing the extremist to stumble to the ground, while Philip slid under the legs of the extremist blocking him. Once the first extremist got to his feet, they both started chasing after Gérard and Philip. Once the four assassins were about to reach Pont Rouge, which connected Cité to Île Saint-Louis, Arno and Demetri performed a remarkably well-synchronized double air assassination on the extremists and closely followed Philip and Gérard across the bridge. Philip reached the door to the Café just before Arno and Demetri came stumbling through the door and onto the Theatre floor. Gérard came up jogging behind, fresh out of breath. They were all panting heavily. “Philip...picks…” Arno huffed between breaths.
A few hours later, the Frenchman Four arrived at the place that their contract was supposed to be at--Palais de Justice. They all sat on the rooftop on the side, kneeling and watching over the immense crowd. “Some rich bureaucrat, right?” Gérard asked. Arno nodded “Yes. And I don’t suppose we could just walk up and stab him--with our hides intact, at least. nearby, an extremist watcher saw the assassins and yelled “Oi, you there! You aren’t supposed to be up here! Get down - now!” Demetri casually shot him with his Phantom blade, saying, “Oh, shut up already.” the other three chuckled a bit. “Arno, use that Eagle sense thing, you know the one!” Gérard suggested “Yes, yes, I know.” Arno nodded, a bit embarrassed that his ‘talent’ was so relied upon. He took a deep breath and held it for a second, activating his Eagle Sense. he scanned the crowd. Nothing seemed too extraordinary. Guards in predictable positions, an extremist here and there. After a brief moment, finally a yellow figure walked out of the Palais. Arno deactivated his Eagle Sense. “Right there! See him? He’d just walked out.” Philip pulled out his favorite rifle and took aim. “I see him!” Arno put his hand around the barrel and pulled it down “No, Philip. Not at this range, or you’ll surely kill a civilian instead.” he gave him a dead serious look. He scanned around the environment again, reactivating Eagle Sense. “I’ve got a plan.” he said almost immediately.
“Gérard, you go down to the front gate a cause a scene with those four guards.” “Just what I do best”
“Philip, you go over to the rooftop there and assist him so he doesn’t die. Demetri, you stay up and around here and take out anyone that sees me. I will go down into the crowd and take our target.”
Everyone nodded and got into position. Gérard got down to the entrance gate and hardly hesitated to bury his axe into the face of one of the four National Guardsmen there. He continued the scuffle with them as long as possible, even drawing the attention of the two guards at the entrance into the palais itself. Arno descended the wall and swiftly slipped through the crowd to advance closer to the target. Demetri watched the crowd around Arno and the target closely. Arno stopped to let the two guards pass, and continued his advance. He got up behind his target and thrust his hidden blade into the target’s neck, covering his mouth in the same motion so he wouldn’t make a noise. Arno quickly slipped into the scrambling crowd and scaled the same wall and rendezvoused with Demetri. “Shall we go help the other two?” Demetri suggested as more gunshots sounded from the front gate. Arno nodded and they ran to the front gate together. Seeing as there were still 4 guards left, Demetri and Arno air assassinated two of them in sync, and fought off the other two with their sabers. Arno ran one through and Gérard buried his axe into the shoulder of the last. Together, they sprinted back to the headquarters for their reward.
“That Bureaucrat? He’s dead.” Arno informed one of the elders.
“Excellent work, you four. Your payment.” he dropped a portly bag of Livres in Arno’s hands. “Is that enough?” Demetri asked as they left. Arno sighed, in a half-swooning, half-disappointed type of way. “It’ll have to be… God, I hope she won’t be disappointed in me…” Gérard put his hand on Arno’s shoulder. “Hey, it’ll be okay, Arno. Look, we’ll even go with you for moral support.” he offered. Arno gave him an appalled look, “Absolutely not!”
The next morning, Élise met up with Arno at the Café Theatre. “Good morning, mon amie!” she greeted him with a loving smile. Arno gave her a nervous wave, holding a small object behind his back. “Élise, I… got you something.” he said hesitantly, sitting at the same table as her and presenting her a wrapped gift. “Happy anniversary.” Élise’s jaw dropped in a sort of shocked manner. “Arno, you- you remembered???” she asked, genuinely surprised “Oh, you adorable, thoughtful buffoon, you!” she took the gift and unwrapped it. Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth and then put her hand on her chest “Is this...a new copy of Romeo & Juliet by Shakespeare?! You did remember how I lost the other one in the river! Oh, I could just-” she stood up and leaned over the table and kissed Arno passionately on the lips. He felt his cheeks flush with a light pink “You like it?” he asked, to ensure she wasn’t playing a prank. “Like it??? I love it! Thank you so much, Arno! But, you didn’t have to go through so much trouble just to get me a gift--I mean, this must have cost you a fortune and a half!” Arno shrugged, putting his hand on the side of his neck “It did, but… I think you’re worth it, Élise…” he looked at her and smiled. she held the book closely to her chest. “This one isn’t going near any form of river, I’ll say that now.” she swore. Little did Arno know, Gérard, Demetri, and Philip were watching them from the window. “They’re so adorable.” Demetri said. “Agreed” the other two nodded.