Connor had met Ezio when he'd been six hundred years old, and they had all been sent to Briarwood. At the time, Connor hadn't understood what Briarwood was, or why he was being sent there. He didn't understand why the 'doctors' looked at him as if he were pitiable, or why the strange men and women came around and leered at him through the bars of his cell. He didn't understand until he met Ezio, who had been twice his age and ready to take on the world. He and his brothers, Altair and Desmond had shared a cell, and out of all of them, Ezio was the biggest threat at the time. Altair was a quiet soul, and Desmond was like Connor - young, too young to understand the hows or whys of Briarwood's influence. He only knew that they'd been sent there for some reason, and that the doctors came in four times a day to give them little pills that made them groggy and obedient.
Connor had been raised by Haytham for most of his life, but when Haytham had gone off to court, he'd been left by himself. The only relatives he had left to take him in were his cousin's family, and they didn't like him. They said he was strange, that his ways were unholy and he needed to stop. They said HE was unholy, and they needed to cast him from the house because he was the one causing all the mayhem. It was because of him that his cousin got beat up, that his father lost his job, and his mother caught a hard-to-cure disease and nearly died. Connor didn't understand how all of that could be his fault, but he wanted to be helpful, so he let them send him away with nothing but the clothes on his back and the locket his father had given him for his last birthday.
Briarwood was a pretty poison; it slowly sucked the life out of him the longer he stayed. He was molded to be whatever the doctors wanted him to be, although in his more lucid moments he tried to fight off the little white pills, tried to stay sane and less obedient. The doctors chastised him for his rude behavior, saying that the pills would make him better, that he would be cured of his problems. Connor had responded that he didn't want to be cured, and that was when the first bad man came, and Connor met Ezio.
Back then, Connor had just finished his Birthright Ceremony, and received his first Jewel. It wasn't very strong, but it was pretty and it sparkled in the light, and its power felt nice, so Connor hung on to it. His father had said it was an Opal Jewel; the dividing line between light and dark Jewels and it could be considered either. Connor didn't understand that either, and hadn't had a chance to ask his father more about it. The only thing he remembered about the Jewel besides it being the dividing line was that when his father had touched it, something inside of him had warmed and purred, like a contented cat. His father had said he had felt the same thing when Connor had touched his Birthright Jewel (his father wore the Sapphire, which was also very pretty) and it meant that the person was good. If someone touched the Jewel and it felt like a growl, then it meant the person was bad, and he needed to tap into the Jewel's power and use it to get away, no matter what it took. If it meant blood being spilled, then that was fine.
Connor hadn't liked the idea of killing someone just to free himself, but he had nervously agreed with his father's words. Later that evening after he refused his medication though, he began to realize that his father had not said it to be cruel, but as a wake up call to what the world was like. A man had come into his cell - Charles Lee, Connor recalled, and had grinned at him in a way that hadn't been nice. It had been the same sort of grin the other men and women that came near his cell had given him, the ones that made him feel tingles up and down his spine. Lee had ordered him on his hands and knees, and when Connor had refused, he had attacked him and tried to rape him. Connor had screamed, his Jewel blazing, and lashed out. But instead of striking the man like he'd seen his father do, he'd hit a 'wall'. Lee had informed him that he wore the darker Jewels, which meant that any attempts to defend himself on Connor's end would result in pain. Connor hadn't cared, and kept attacking. But the more he attacked, the more he began to panic and realize that his father wasn't going to save him, and he didn't know anyone who could stop Lee. The doctors wouldn't - they had let the man in. So Connor had gathered up the last of his energy in one defiant ball and let it loose in the loudest scream for help he could possibly make.
And Ezio, who had been right down the hall from him, had roared back.
Ezio had called it an Eryien war cry, and told him that it was what the adult males did before going into battle. Sometime between Lee getting his hand between Connor's legs and Connor breaking down in fear, Ezio had kicked the door in and slaughtered Lee where he sat. The warm caress of blood had made Connor open his eyes, and he had met the impossibly emotionless, utterly cold gaze of the young Warlord Prince who would later become his clan brother. He had trembled, believing that Ezio would kill him, but warmth and love had seeped into the other's eyes so quickly it made him dizzy, and before Connor could say a word Ezio had scooped him up and carried him back to the 'nest/den' where Altair and Desmond were and burrowed in after him.
It turned out the three brothers had been put in Briarwood by their mother, who believed Warlord Princes were demons that needed to either be perfectly obedient or put away. They had all been older than him, and had gone through their Birthright Ceremonies as well as training in what it meant to be a Warlord Prince. They had explained Briarwood to him, told him what those men and women were looking at him like that for, and taught him what it meant to be a Warlord Prince. Because of Ezio, he had remained intact both inside and out, and grown to become one of the most deadly males walking the Realms. Eventually Haytham and William (Altair, Ezio and Desmond's father) had gotten word of where their boys were and pulled them out. Connor knew for a fact that they'd all gotten out - which is why it didn't make any sense to hear that Desmond had been forced to go back.
Seeing his brother on the floor, weaving a seduction spell while Death whispered in his ear had finally driven it home. Watching the spell breaking and everyone going wild around him, the cacophony of sounds emerging as the women began to fuck the person nearest them and the men assaulted the women... it was horrible. But it made him realize that when Altair had told him one dark quiet night that the Council had forced William to make Desmond go back... it had turned Desmond into a predator among predators. He walked, acted and spoke like he did because he was twice as dangerous as any of them. He knew the games that were being played before even the Queens did, and he had a counter available for every single one. It was a terrifying realization, and it made Connor wish he had known sooner.
The worst part was that when he had asked, "Why did they make him go back?" Ezio and Altair had looked at each other, as if debating whether or not to tell him. They must have agreed on it, because they told him why.
"He's Father's heir. Father wears the Black, and is one of the most influential existences out there among the Realms. The Council can't beat him - but they can stop another one from growing. That's why they sent him back," Altair had told him, completely stone faced. "I wear the Black as well, but I don't have the talent Desmond does to handle people. I can't do what he and Father do. So instead, I protect him, keep him sane in other ways. We keep him grounded, so that he can do what he does."
Connor felt sick as he watched Desmond pick himself up off the ground and dust himself off before smiling at them and gesturing to the door. But he followed, understanding just how much of a mistake the Council had made when they had sent Desmond back. They had wanted to keep him from becoming a threat, but in the process they had created a monster. And now that monster was heading straight for them, like a dark storm cloud overhead. He would eradicate them, Connor knew, and then he'd go back home and play with Altair and Ezio's kids like he wasn't a nightmare wandering around the Realms.
"Walk softly when you walk among us..." Connor murmured as they took the Red Wind towards Kaeleer, where William and Haytham were waiting. "I always wondered what that meant."
FILL: Brothers of the Shadow 5/6
Connor had been raised by Haytham for most of his life, but when Haytham had gone off to court, he'd been left by himself. The only relatives he had left to take him in were his cousin's family, and they didn't like him. They said he was strange, that his ways were unholy and he needed to stop. They said HE was unholy, and they needed to cast him from the house because he was the one causing all the mayhem. It was because of him that his cousin got beat up, that his father lost his job, and his mother caught a hard-to-cure disease and nearly died. Connor didn't understand how all of that could be his fault, but he wanted to be helpful, so he let them send him away with nothing but the clothes on his back and the locket his father had given him for his last birthday.
Briarwood was a pretty poison; it slowly sucked the life out of him the longer he stayed. He was molded to be whatever the doctors wanted him to be, although in his more lucid moments he tried to fight off the little white pills, tried to stay sane and less obedient. The doctors chastised him for his rude behavior, saying that the pills would make him better, that he would be cured of his problems. Connor had responded that he didn't want to be cured, and that was when the first bad man came, and Connor met Ezio.
Back then, Connor had just finished his Birthright Ceremony, and received his first Jewel. It wasn't very strong, but it was pretty and it sparkled in the light, and its power felt nice, so Connor hung on to it. His father had said it was an Opal Jewel; the dividing line between light and dark Jewels and it could be considered either. Connor didn't understand that either, and hadn't had a chance to ask his father more about it. The only thing he remembered about the Jewel besides it being the dividing line was that when his father had touched it, something inside of him had warmed and purred, like a contented cat. His father had said he had felt the same thing when Connor had touched his Birthright Jewel (his father wore the Sapphire, which was also very pretty) and it meant that the person was good. If someone touched the Jewel and it felt like a growl, then it meant the person was bad, and he needed to tap into the Jewel's power and use it to get away, no matter what it took. If it meant blood being spilled, then that was fine.
Connor hadn't liked the idea of killing someone just to free himself, but he had nervously agreed with his father's words. Later that evening after he refused his medication though, he began to realize that his father had not said it to be cruel, but as a wake up call to what the world was like. A man had come into his cell - Charles Lee, Connor recalled, and had grinned at him in a way that hadn't been nice. It had been the same sort of grin the other men and women that came near his cell had given him, the ones that made him feel tingles up and down his spine. Lee had ordered him on his hands and knees, and when Connor had refused, he had attacked him and tried to rape him. Connor had screamed, his Jewel blazing, and lashed out. But instead of striking the man like he'd seen his father do, he'd hit a 'wall'. Lee had informed him that he wore the darker Jewels, which meant that any attempts to defend himself on Connor's end would result in pain. Connor hadn't cared, and kept attacking. But the more he attacked, the more he began to panic and realize that his father wasn't going to save him, and he didn't know anyone who could stop Lee. The doctors wouldn't - they had let the man in. So Connor had gathered up the last of his energy in one defiant ball and let it loose in the loudest scream for help he could possibly make.
And Ezio, who had been right down the hall from him, had roared back.
Ezio had called it an Eryien war cry, and told him that it was what the adult males did before going into battle. Sometime between Lee getting his hand between Connor's legs and Connor breaking down in fear, Ezio had kicked the door in and slaughtered Lee where he sat. The warm caress of blood had made Connor open his eyes, and he had met the impossibly emotionless, utterly cold gaze of the young Warlord Prince who would later become his clan brother. He had trembled, believing that Ezio would kill him, but warmth and love had seeped into the other's eyes so quickly it made him dizzy, and before Connor could say a word Ezio had scooped him up and carried him back to the 'nest/den' where Altair and Desmond were and burrowed in after him.
It turned out the three brothers had been put in Briarwood by their mother, who believed Warlord Princes were demons that needed to either be perfectly obedient or put away. They had all been older than him, and had gone through their Birthright Ceremonies as well as training in what it meant to be a Warlord Prince. They had explained Briarwood to him, told him what those men and women were looking at him like that for, and taught him what it meant to be a Warlord Prince. Because of Ezio, he had remained intact both inside and out, and grown to become one of the most deadly males walking the Realms. Eventually Haytham and William (Altair, Ezio and Desmond's father) had gotten word of where their boys were and pulled them out. Connor knew for a fact that they'd all gotten out - which is why it didn't make any sense to hear that Desmond had been forced to go back.
Seeing his brother on the floor, weaving a seduction spell while Death whispered in his ear had finally driven it home. Watching the spell breaking and everyone going wild around him, the cacophony of sounds emerging as the women began to fuck the person nearest them and the men assaulted the women... it was horrible. But it made him realize that when Altair had told him one dark quiet night that the Council had forced William to make Desmond go back... it had turned Desmond into a predator among predators. He walked, acted and spoke like he did because he was twice as dangerous as any of them. He knew the games that were being played before even the Queens did, and he had a counter available for every single one. It was a terrifying realization, and it made Connor wish he had known sooner.
The worst part was that when he had asked, "Why did they make him go back?" Ezio and Altair had looked at each other, as if debating whether or not to tell him. They must have agreed on it, because they told him why.
"He's Father's heir. Father wears the Black, and is one of the most influential existences out there among the Realms. The Council can't beat him - but they can stop another one from growing. That's why they sent him back," Altair had told him, completely stone faced. "I wear the Black as well, but I don't have the talent Desmond does to handle people. I can't do what he and Father do. So instead, I protect him, keep him sane in other ways. We keep him grounded, so that he can do what he does."
Connor felt sick as he watched Desmond pick himself up off the ground and dust himself off before smiling at them and gesturing to the door. But he followed, understanding just how much of a mistake the Council had made when they had sent Desmond back. They had wanted to keep him from becoming a threat, but in the process they had created a monster. And now that monster was heading straight for them, like a dark storm cloud overhead. He would eradicate them, Connor knew, and then he'd go back home and play with Altair and Ezio's kids like he wasn't a nightmare wandering around the Realms.
"Walk softly when you walk among us..." Connor murmured as they took the Red Wind towards Kaeleer, where William and Haytham were waiting. "I always wondered what that meant."
And now, he knew.