A/N: I was actually shocked to how lovely some of your comments were on my first chapter. I was really disappointed on the way it finished but I thought maybe I could help change it in this chapter but I really didn't have any hope of being motivated to ACTUALLY write a second chapter for you. Anyway, Here I am, writing a second chapter because I want to- not because I feel I have to. All of your wonderful comments and votes made me smile- I really do take each one to heart and you all make me smile with your kindness.
So I'm going to shut up now and continue the story - please enjoy :)
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As your (eye colour) eyes hit the doorway, where the two twins were now stood- the first thing you noticed was the polar opposite air about them. It seemed to just emanate out like some kind of radioactive source, you could feel it.
The sister felt more quiet, collected, controlled- but never the less kind, smiling your way in a soft and keen fashion. Whereas the brother of the two was stood there with his arms folded across his chest, a half cocked laddish smile playing upon his lips like a roll on a film reel.
"Hello again Aleck," the girl spoke softly, making her way across the space as you offered a wry smile, her soft blue eyes emulated the same colour you had known on the clear summer skies back home in Kent. "I gather this is your niece...?"
"Ah yes, Evie, this is (name)." Uncle Aleck offered, going to stand at your side as he pushed you towards the pair gently, your feet making small and hesitant steps. "She's going to be here for a month or two as I explained earlier, hopefully I can make her stay most comfortable." he smiled shyly, and you dared to speak up in front of the twins.
"I'm most certain you will, Uncle." you added with a nervous smile, the corner of your lips daring to flicker slightly like a flame in the wind, flickering with uncertainty, before you turned back to face the twins and took a deep breath in, filling your lungs and thought you might as well be brave and relax.
"I'm Evie Frye by the way," the girl introduced, nodding her head your way slightly, her eyes sparkling in a friendly manner as the loose hairs escaping her hair tie fell gently into her view, framing her pretty face.
Brashly, and with the same confident cockiness you had felt coming from the large personality of him, the brother stepped forwards and eyed you up with his eyes narrowed slightly.
"So why exactly is it you have come to stay with your uncle?" he asked, eyeing you up in an evaluating mannerism, like he was trying to suss you out, "You look as if, by those fancy petticoats- you come from some wealthy folks." he explained, a cheeky smile erupting on his lips, "Have you been a naughty girl back at home and mother and father have sent you away as punishment?" he put on this babyish voice that made Evie turn around and give him a fierce glare.
"This is my brother Jacob- if you find it hard to like him, I don't blame you."
"I'm just asking questions." he interjected Evie quickly with a confidently responsive tone, like he was in control of what he was doing and he didn't want to be made a mockery of.
"As a matter of fact, Mr Frye," you began with a short smile that showed him you weren't some kind of joke, "I'm very keenly interested in mechanics and inventing- and it just so happens that my mother knew the best place to send me away for a while." your voice was full of confident poise that made Jacob raise a brow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he watched you carefully, "this current situation of my residence has nothing to do with my behaviour or mannerisms- simply my hobbies and interests." You knew full well your words were nothing but fabrications of reality - it was no secret your mother had sent you here in hopes of wringing this interest right out of your system.
"Lucky for you then, your uncle is the best inventor in the whole of England." Jacob responded sharply before changing the subject, making his way across the wooden shop floor to Aleck's side and patting his shoulder playfully. "So where are these gauntlets you promised us?"
"I'm so sorry Mr Bell- I told Jacob we could wait until the morning but he was just too excited about it." Evie sighed, offering you a look as she rolled her eyes, making you chuckle softly.
"It's quite alright, I have them already prepared for you both." Aleck chirruped, gesturing to the two gauntlets laid out, as both Frye twins picked up their assigned ones and easily fixed them to their forearms with ease. Evie flicked her wrist slightly as blade engaged, and she admired it as she turned her wrist, the metal shining on the light. "It's wonderful Aleck," he flicked the blade back in quickly and lifted her gaze, "My thanks."
"Assassin Christmas number two, ey sister dear?" Jacob chuckled as he smiled with devilish curiosity down at his wrist, "Forget old St. Nick- Aleck and Greenie are the new proprietors of all my future presents." he laughed, his hazel eyes shining as he once again patted Aleck on the back in a friendly manner. "Thanks a lot, mate."
"Are those on a spring mechanism?" you asked, deciding it would be safer to observe the gauntlet on Evie's arm to spare yourself any unwanted comments from Mr Frye. "It's rather a rather curious device."
"I can't say I can take all the credit either," your uncle chuckled lightly as he came to your side, "The mechanism for these ancient blades has been around since the 1200's- ever since there has been assassins' there have been hidden blades."
"It just so happens that your uncle is a trick for fixing them." Jacob winked, smirking at you. You returned a gentle smile, before looking back at Evie's gauntlet again and only beginning to wonder what a time you would have taking such a device apart and trying to put it back together again. It was then you realised you had been looking for a little too long, and you let go of Evie's wrist with an embarrassed laugh.
"I'm sorry I get carried away with these things..." you sighed gently, imagining all the things your mother would be thinking if she were present. 'Oh (name) stop being so embarrassing! Our guests really do not want to know about clockwork!' or 'Stop it and act like a proper young lady!'. The words of your mother swirled around your head in torment.
"Not to worry." Evie's kind laughter broke through the sad haze that was clouding your mind, "Keenness is a wonderful, passionate quality- a flame that shouldn't be simmered."
"-Aanndd for once she's not quoting father! That lovely philosophical one liner if a product of her own mind!" Jacob cried in a pantomime surprised voice, making his older twin sister shake her head in annoyance. The pair of them just seemed to react off of one another, it made you wonder how on earth they managed to be able to work together.
"Anyway we must be off- I've got some leads to follow up and I'm sure my brother has something of major importance to destroy!" Evie cried sarcastically, making her twin brother scoff.
"I'll have you know that train that derailed- it just tore of the tracks. Wasn't my fault the line was blown to bits." he defend haughtily, still arguing his points as the pair disappeared out onto the London streets. As they were passing the window you caught sight of Jacob looking up at you and smirking, before looking away again with hazel eyes that fell back to the pavement under his feet, and you didn't even have enough time to return any sort of proper smile so now you feared you looked stupid and snooty.
"Ah they don't fail to provide me with things to do and things to laugh at. " your uncle sighed, laughing softly to himself as he cleaned up passively around the shop, humming a little tune to himself, before once again continuing to pick up your cases and continue the path upstairs. "Sorry for that interruption, I was showing to the guest bedroom wasn't I?"
When you reached the summit of the beautiful dark oak stairs, the wood covered with a royal blue carpet runner, your uncle opened the ornately detailed door to a warm, snug room with a hearth, a large bed and a beautifully big bay window that overlooked the streets and various sets of identical houses lining the edge of the road.
"It's probably not a lot to what you have at home-" he tried to cover himself, constantly worried. You got the impression your mother's sharp tongued comments and unwanted opinions had made him incredibly self conscious over the years as well. You wanted to let him know how truly grateful you were.
"Uncle Aleck it's wonderful, don't worry so much." you thanked, gently taking your cases from his hands and setting them down on the bed ready for unpacking. "May I have some time settle in whilst I unpack and things?" you queried politely, your (eye colour) eyes shining softly in the low light.
"Of course, I'll call you when dinner has been prepared, (name)." he replied, bowing his head gently and he closed the heavy door behind him and for the first time you found yourself able to stop thinking madly and just slow down- take in the fact you were in London, you'd made it- and you looked forward to time to do what you loved without fear of judgement of your mother- but you knew deep down that whatever hope she had of you returning to Kent with a hatred for mechanics and inventing and wanting to be a 'young lady' would never come true- in fact if anything this experience would just make you want to do it more, you could feel it tingling in your bones.
Firstly, you set about getting out your various sets of dresses and nightwear for the stay put away in the wardrobe and set of dressers- your mother had packed all of these fancy and posh over the top dresses, much like the one you had arrived in, and you knew you would only dress the down, it could be easily done by not layering on the various extra layer of petticoat and stuffing yourself into a corset. You didn't care about being shapely and beautiful anyway, you didn't come to London to impress anybody anyway.
Once that task was out of the way, you slipped off your kid boots by the side of your bed on the hardly worn red and gold rug, laying on the bed and getting out your inkpot and fountain pen, before reaching into the bottom of the case and pulling out your leather backed red diry, already so many entries from the year entered in. You felt this experience was like a new chapter, and so you skipped a few of the pages before you set about popping the lid open on the ink, dipping your pen in, and taking your time to write exactly what was on your mind.
October 15th, 1868
Dear diary,
Today was my first day in London, and I met my uncle for the first time in my life- it's been awfully odd to think that I have been walking this planet for 19 years not knowing my uncle- and better yet, not knowing he was of the most esteemed inventors in the country! I am certain my mother just doesn't want me to know these things.
After making my way through the amazing Whitechapel station and reaching Uncle Aleck's shop- I was introduced to the Frye twins- Evie and Jacob. Uncle tells me they are legendary assassin's, dedicated to fighting crime and freeing the people of London- which I think is very admirable. Thy both appear very kind, although Jacob seems very cheeky- I don't know what to make of him. Being as this is my diary I would go as far to say he is rather handsome- but I'm certainly not falling in love for the man- it's been a day! Besides, his mannerisms- well some of them - appear very pig headed- either that or I am reading his character wrong and just have a terrible perception of people.
Tomorrow I shall write again- I wonder what tasks I will be set to do? Perhaps Uncle Aleck will show me some invention blue prints! That would be amazing- but I honestly do not mind what I do as long as it's what I love. Overall, I am more than delighted to be in this amazing city.
"(name)! Dinner is served!" Uncle Aleck's voice called from the bottom of the stairs, and you couldn't help but commend your uncle for the great timing, not only had you finished your diary entry but your stomach was beginning to growl a little with hunger. You closed up the ink pot and set down your pen and diary, slipping your boots back on as you headed down the wide set oak staircase, the beautiful smells of roasted potatoes and what appeared to be gravy and chicken, filled your senses and practically had you gliding to the dining room. You took your seat at the end of your long table, your uncle at the other end with a smile on his face.
"You can begin of course, my meals tend be rather informal anyway- it's usually only me." he chuckled, yet still there was a little pain of loneliness behind his voice.
"Did you never marry Uncle?" you asked, taking a forkful of meat as you looked keenly across the table at him, "I feel terrible that you've been alone all this while."
Aleck shook his head softly, a half cocked reminiscent smile on his face.
"I courted a very long time ago, when I was about your age," he began, "But then I started to get more involved with my work- and in the end she faced with an ultimatum. I don't regret my decision in any way, as horrible as it sounds."
"I understand." you answered, after swallowing a bit of chicken, "I don't understand the whole fuss about the need for people to get married these days- people act as if you don't have a life if you're not married. Has anyone ever considered I might not want to be married? Why be tied down all your life when you can make decision yourself-" you realised you were ranting at this point before stopping. "I'm sorry I get carried away."
Uncle Aleck was laughing at this point, smiling at you, "I think you rather take after me (name), I feel exactly the same way." he chuckled, taking a sip of his drink before sighing conclusively on the topic.
"Did you enjoy today then? What do you think of the Fryes'?" he asked intently, cutting into a potato as you paused for a moment.
"They're very interesting- their line of work is both very alarming but also very curious and interesting. I think what they're doing for the people of London is incredible."
"They have to be that way, the oppression on this city keeps getting worse, especially since the gangs and those bloody blighters." your uncle said sourly, making you tune in with more alarm.
"Gangs? What are blighters?" you asked, you had no idea this sort of thing was going on.
"Evie and Jacob fight an enemy order, who introduced these gangs to the city. They believe in total control on all the systems. From the factories to the pubs- enslaving the people is the complete goal." your uncle informed, sighing deeply, "They've approached me a few times asking for the blue prints for my inventions in hopes to recreate them- Jacob and Evie have saved my skin more than I can count. I don't know how I'll ever repay them."
Suddenly dread filled your body, you didn't know what to say. Of course, you weren't naïve enough to believe that everything going on in London was all milk and roses, but still, you didn't know about the assassin's or this 'enemy order' alike, and the sounds of the gangs and these blighters seemed like bad news.
"I had no idea..." you mused quietly, suddenly the delicious food seemed to sour in your mouth as your uncle smiled over apologetically.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't of told you should I?" he said with an apologetic tone, and you felt bad for making him feel that way. You'd rather know and have some idea than have no idea and be completely blind to everything that was going on around you- like your mother had been making you live like in Kent.
"No, I would rather know Uncle." you smiled wryly, taking a deep breath in as you tried your best to finish your meal. Standing up, you thanked Uncle Aleck for the meal, before making your way quietly up the candlelit oak staircase, feeling a little sleep from the heavy meal. You padded into the en suite bathroom sweeping your (hair colour) hair over your shoulder as you yawned, filling the basin with water ready to wash your face for bed.
Cleansing your face over the bathroom sin gave you time to think, time to think about classes you were previously unaware of- the working classes- how were they affected from the blighters? The gangs? Who were the enemy order the Assassins' were fighting?
These were all the questions you took bed with you.
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Clattering and loud, intrusive footsteps were the first thing you woke up to at Sunrise the next morning. Your (eye colour) eyes shot upon, lifting your head slowly from the pillow as your (hair colour) hair tumbled down past your shoulders.
"I told you! I'm not giving you anything!"
That was very clearly your uncle's upset and defensive voice, and you immediately shot out of bed, the first thing entering your head being horrible thoughts of gangs and these so called 'blighters'.
"We can do this the easy way or the 'ard way, Mr Bell." a cockney voice spat downstairs followed by a series of dark chuckles from another male. You felt awful that there were two people clearly trying to pressure your uncle into giving them the plans.
Bravely, you got dressed , tied your hair in a low ponytail with a ribbon and slipped on your shoes, pacing cautiously down the stairs in the hope that your presence might make them leave for a while, thinking your uncle has guests.
Upon reaching the base of the staircase, you lingered for a moment in the doorway of the hall, and you filled with a sense of realised dread when your uncle's eyes widened in fear for you. A lump formed itself in your throat.
The two men looked over their shoulders at you, both dressed in red. One man looked much like a troll, his form and build very big and bulky, and he had a sort of vaguely stupid look on his brutish face, the other was more slightly, looking the type to be quite quick on his feet- probably best in his line of work.
"Oi Oi, who's this?" the more broader man chuckled, a seedy sneer capturing his face, sending a terrified shiver down his spine.
"(name), go to the carriage-" Aleck insisted with a firm voice, controlling the fear that was evident in his dark brown eyes. You knew not to argue with him.
"Of course-" you answered quickly with little hesitation, keeping your eyes down as you headed to the hallway door again, your heart hammering loudly in your chest when the pair of men had suddenly diverted their attention to you.
"Don't be leaving on our accord, love." he smiled sickeningly, eyes lewdly scanning over your body as for a moment you felt awfully exposed in front of the pair of them, and alarm bells were ringing madly in your head as your sense of fear heightened by each passing second.
"Yeah, we'd quite like to get to know yer'." the other added on the end, leaning in the doorway so you had no way of getting out. Your uncle couldn't do much either, he would be more than beaten by these two- they were carrying knives and revolvers.
Until that moment you didn't believe in this coincidental amazing moments- but you were certainly more than glad and relieved when you saw a newly familiar face stand behind the two men.
"Ah Miss Bell," Jacob smiled politely over between the shoulders of the two men from the hallway, as they turned to face him, a wolfish snarl on their faces. "Weren't you just about to accompany me on a trip?" he asked, and you could read the signs enough to know this was the best route out.
"Yes of course." you smiled falsely, wondering how you hadn't of passed out due the speed of which your heart was racing in your chest. Hoping to keep up the act, Jacob gently linked your arm through his own and guided the pair of you out of the hallway, and into the bright daylight, helping you into the carriage and taking up the reins himself as he coaxed the horse on into a trot, setting off down the street.
"Thank you ever so much..." you managed to say from inside the carriage once you had clamed down, "But what about Uncle Aleck?" you queried, your heart stopping again once you remembered he was still in there with them. Jacob chuckled confidently.
"Don't worry- I had been stood in the hall long enough to hear what was said- which is why I managed to get you out without rousing much suspicion." the assassin replied, "It's a simple case of leaving you in the carriage just a way up here, safe and out of harms way, and going back and dealing with those pricks."
"What? No! I have to come with you!" you retorted quickly, feeling the carriage roll to a halt as the horses whinny at each other. You didn't want to be sat here helplessly at the side, you wanted to atleast try and help.
Suddenly the side door of the carriage opened, and Jacob greeted you with a overtly sweet smile.
"No, you stay here- where I know you won't be killed." he smirked sarcastically, before shutting the door on your again. You leaned towards the window and watched as he sauntered casually back down the street, with a clear confidence that he knew he cold resolve the situation. You sighed in a frustrated manner, you didn't know whether you should be grateful or frustrated at the man.
For now, slumped back in the seat, you could simply sit and wait and question every little possible situation, hoping that Jacob would come back to get you with good news - and not not come back at all.
A/N: So this is a wowowowowo really long chapter and I'm sorry yet again it felt like it got a bit of a mess at the end and yeah sorry if my characterisation is shit but thank you very much for reading and I love you all :) x