#like he's a mess but arno is actually a smart man

[peridot-tears]

While we mainly follow Arno's personal conflicts, driven by cynicism brought on by grief over his personal relationships, I think a lot about how he viewed larger French society and the time he was living through.

There's a brief moment where, at the beginning of the revolution, he says something to the effect of, "The people want to be free!" and that's the most explicit indication of how he felt about the Revolution's role in fighting classism. It suggests that he supported the idea of the French people rising up for their rights.

He himself was raised by a nobleman, albeit in a role where he was perhaps a well-treated servant. He personally has a spat with Olivier, the head...servant? Groomsman? Whom he had to answer to.

When he kills King of Thieves, he sees for himself through his memories that François De La Serre -- despite having been a good man who became his surrogate father without a moment's hesitation -- was a pompous aristocrat himself, immediately dismissing the King of Thieves and his "affairs of rats."

Arno strikes me as an intelligent man -- emotionally, intellectually, and strategically -- underneath his shitty, shitty coping mechanisms. Like, this is the kind of person who understands why he's self-destructing and how to stop it, but spirals anyway.

So I wonder what was going through his mind when he saw for himself that François De La Serre, while having great ideals that were struck down by evil men, was in some ways someone whose own arrogance brought him down? I wonder if it was a hard lesson where he had to learn that someone who was good to him was part of the problem in his society, where the working class was underrepresented in politics and dispossessed of basic human needs?

If he hadn't been wrapped up in the Assassin-Templar conflict, would Arno have been a Revolutionary himself? Or at least a supporter?

At what point in the Revolution did he become disillusioned with it? At the start of the Reign of Terror? When the populace started scapegoating other commoners?

We mainly follow Arno's interpersonal relationships, but I think a lot of his cynicism is driven by ideology and massive historical events happening around him. We're all affected by our surroundings, even if we don't consciously feel it. He went from a young, rule-breaking man to someone who was supportive -- even optimistic -- about a revolution that could change his society, only for it to devolve into carnage and just create another system where innocent people have to suffer due to the opinions of a few influential ones.

Also, he owns a cafe where people regularly gather to talk revolution and watch plays made for social commentary. You can't tell me he isn't swayed by what he sees.

[harveywritings92]

You save them/ They save you: Arno, Jacob, Ezio

Jacob (Disraeli's Maid! Reader): He was being chased through the streets by the police, they were very persistent and seem to multiply everytime he looked back, he cussed as more spotted him on the rooftops after accidentally knocking a tile off! he looked around frantically before spotting an open window...

he could hear the officers looking and Jacob didn't think twice he shot a line to the building and zipped over to the window he landed inside the room with a roll and hadn't even had time to catch his when he heard a gasp! The assassin whipped his head in direction and saw Y/n in her under garments getting ready for a bath! which meant he was in the Disraeli's estate!

Jacob had no time react as a pounding from frontdoor echoed throughout the house, followed by muffled yelling and thundering footsteps coming up the stairs! thinking fast Y/n started striping causing Jacob's ears to turn pink he started whispering frantically at her. "Wha... What are you doing?! Y/n,Stop!" she didn't the y/nat woman finished stripping then dunked her head into the tub making sure her hair was nice and wet before grabbing a towel wrapping around her and answering the door get as the police started beating their fist against the door demanding she open it! 

Y/n complied as Jacob pressed himself against the wall out of the sight. "C-Can I help you?" Y/n stammered out there was few moments of awkward silence. "Ahem, I... I'm sorry ma'am but it seems a dangerous man was-" The police was cut off by a new voice. "What's going on here?" Mrs.Disraeli demanded then noticed her maid's state on undress."Y/n! Good heavens child, why are you answering the door in a towel?!" the older woman put herself protectively between the y/ht woman and the officers who shifted uncomfortably under the blond woman's glare.

"I-I just started my bath when I heard commotion, I thought they going to break the door.." The viscountess turned her attention back to the police. "Oh really? what's this about?" the older woman demanded as the officer stammered about a dangerous man was seen in the area, and may be hiding in the house.

"Well, I assure you there's no such man here!" the officer awkwardly sputtered seeing a black coat fluttering in the window! Y/n who was shivering at this point opened the door a little wider and showed them a black curtain in the window... the officers blanched as Mrs.Disraeli demanded them out of her house! calling them a colorful array of names as she followed them. 

Y/n slammed the door feeling like she was going faint, all those men had to see her like this! Jacob grabbed her robe off a hook and draped around her shoulders pulling her close to. "Sorry love, I thought they'd give up if they lost sight of me, I didn't think they come in here." His hold tightened It was clear that he was very upset that other men had seen his girlfriends body!

Y/n face flushed as she mustered the courage to look up at him and felt a spark go off when she met his eyes, Jacob who still felt hyped up from his chase started feeling heat pumping throughout his body; and started backing Y/n against the wall and just as they were about to kiss -a knock at the door caused the couple to jump away each other. "Y/n dear, finish up before you catch your death!" Mrs.Disraeli's said from behind the door. "Yes mum." Y/n said remembering that she still needed to bathe. "Also, Mr. Frye? You're free to wait in Y/n's room for the meantime, good-day!" the couple blanched as Mrs. Disraeli's footsteps faded away... 

How he saves you: Two groups Blighters had a disagreement on how to do their jobs, causing a bloody infighting brawl in the middle of the Strand! Police were trying to get things under control, but soon had pull out do to the Blighters outnumbering them.

And Y/n was trapped in the middle of it! she'd been asked to go shopping by the Disraeli's and next thing she knew bullets were flying passed her head! she hissed feeling her cheek get grazed as she duck to the ground and covered her ears praying that someone would realize she's here!

Luckily someone did, Jacob and some of his Rooks were patrolling nearby when they heard the commotion and saw the civilians fleeing, He signaled for his gang to follow him and they went to the roof to see the mess the Blighters were making of themselves!

One Rook suggested they wait this out and let the Blighters off themselves, Jacob hummed actually considering it... Until his eyes caught a familiar glow peek out from behind a damaged carriage, Jacob's heart sank into his feet when he realized Y/n was down there! He started ordering the Rooks to distract the red wearing sods as he made his way down into the war zone.

None Blighters noticed him as Rook tossed a cherry bomb causing Blighters to stop fighting each other focus on the Rooks, Y/n was still huddled behind the carriage when a pair of arms got a hold of her, causing her to struggle. "Y/n, it's me love calm down..." Jacob hissed in her ear causing to blink as she looked up to see her boyfriend staring a her concerned.

she saw his eyes flash with anger when he saw her cheek bleeding, but didn't say anything as he shot a grappling hook towards the roofs. "Hang onto me, tightly now." He said seconds before they were airborne Jacob took most of the impact as they landed unceremoniously on the roof and out of harms way.  

After catching their breaths Jacob examined Y/n's cheek he sincerely hoped that was the only thing hurt as he took out a flask of whiskey and handkerchief and started cleaning the cut, the y/hc woman as soon as the whiskey soaked cloth touched her cut. "Sorry, were you hit anywhere else?" Jacob asked keeping his eyes on her. "No." the hazel eyed assassin relaxed.

Down below he heard the Blighter's fall back; they were outnumbered and too exhausted from fighting amongst themselves, and knew if The Rooks were here? that meant one or both of the Frye's weren't far behind! And they certainly didn't want to fight them right now! Smart move seeing that Jacob wants to kill them for harming his girl, He escorted Y/n home once he was sure they were gone.

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Arno: the marshals were after him he manage to hopped over a wall and hoped there was hay on the other side! there wasn't he heard a yelp and looked down and realized he was top of Y/n!? he mumbled out an apology and helped her up checking to make sure he hadn't hurt her... then he heard the marshals say they saw him go over the fence. "Desole ma belle ami, I need to leave!" He was about to to run when you grabbed his hand. "Wait, Arno! the back garden hide there." He hesitant as he could tell there was party going on "Trust me they won't even see you." Arno took her word for it and went into the back garden.

Y/n took a breath and walked to the front where she was greeted by her employers butler who seemed confused why she wasn't with the children? when the Marshals barged in demanding if they've seen a man in blue? the y/nat nanny and elderly man looked at each other bemuse then back at the soldiers.

"You're going have more descriptive." the butler stated as he led them to the back garden to reveal everyone in the party was wearing blue! "The madame likes to throw theme parties, This theme is: Lune bleue de Paris." the marshals eyes scanned the entire party, but he couldn't tell or remember what shade of blue Arno was wearing and all this blue was starting to make his eyes hurt!

He ordered search off and they left... the butler eyed Y/n suspiciously she noticed and shrugged, before returning to where she left the children who were still napping like nothing had happened. Arno showed up a few moments later and thanked her before leaving again, then she heard a commotion in garden apparently one of the guests was killed...       

How he saves you: Sequel to how he fell asleep on you: He'd been looking for Y/n since he'd returned to Paris. After the council reinstated him back to his old rank for stopping the artifact from falling into Rose and Napoleon's hands, Before he left he had asked Axel keep an eye on Y/n in case someone ever found out you and him were connected and tried to harm or use her against him.

Unfortunately the Axeman had updated Arno on what happened since he left, How her employer's son had used and tossed her away the second his family found out! after that Axel lost sight of the h/c woman and hadn't been able to find a trace of her since. 

Arno stomach knotted as he took this in and asked where's the last place Axel had seen her? near Arno's cafe but that was months ago! and the Frenchman started from there, it was around winter when he finally got a break he'd seen this rather feminine looking man walk around the streets at night. he asked his staff about him and was told that was fake/n they don't know much about him and hadn't bothered to ask.

Arno wasn't so sure F/n was who they appeared to be and decided to follow him one night; using eagle vision to find y/ht man's trail which led him to a icy snowed in alley, where his heart briefly stopped then sped up when he found a person curled up trying to sleep Arno quickly pulled their toque off to reveal Y/n! her light was fading fast! He held the y/ht woman's hand she was freezing! 

They weren't far from the cafe, Arno scoped her into his arms and made his way back, he changed her out of her clothes and into his, and piled almost every blanket he had in his room on her, he felt himself relax as color started return to her face, she was still cold... Arno started taking his gear off and joined Y/n in his bed holding her close to him as possible and rubbing her hands. The next morning he was woken up by a shocked yelp and thud he looked over the side of his bed to find Y/n on the ground gawking at him stunned... Guess he has a lot of explaining to?

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Ezio (Set in AC:II/how he also found out you were a girl): You were both being chased by the guards in a place that didn't seem to have to many people or hiding spots to jump into, Ezio was snapping at Y/n to hurry! wondering how in the world is this pudgy man a mercenary? when the y/ht saw a small alley coming up and quickly led the assassin down it and saw a hay pile! they shoved Ezio into it, he silently cussed as there wasn't any room for Y/n who he was going to snap at 'him' to run, only for him voice to die down when he watch, Y/n quickly untuck his shirt and all that pudge had dropped out reveal it was a skirt?!

They pulled the sleeves out from under their vest slipped they're arms through then pulled their bandanna down around their neck letting their y/hl & hc flow as making sure every thing was in it's right place, Y/n fell to the ground just as the guards rounded the corner. "You woman did you see to two men head this way?" one of the guards demanded the y/hc woman nodded and pointed farther down the alley. 

"Yes, they knocked me down and went that way." the guards ran into the direction she pointed in, after a few moments of silence she got off the ground and Ezio pulled himself out of the pile and gawked at you! "A woman?! you were a woman this entire time?" he bellowed surprising Y/n at his sudden anger needles to say Ezio certainly wasn't a fan of yours when you returned to Monteriggioni much to everyone's confusion.

How he saved you: a rogue mercenary working for the Templar had kidnapped Y/n! he had her captive on a boat that was set for Spain threatened to toss you overboard sink if he saw even one hood in the crowd, he made point by showing you tied up to the plank and with rocks weighed to your feet, no one went near that boat as guards tried to negotiate with the man, promising him pardons, money, women anything!

If he just let you and the crew go, yeah he had them too! They were tied up with an explosive barrel which he threat to set off if they tried anything! what he didn't take into account how much Ezio had improved in a short time, he'd already taken out the traitor's men, and freed the crew who quietly made their way off the boat until one of them accidentally stubbed his toe causing him cuss out! 

The Mercenary to whirl around and look at them wildly, before cutting you loose and flee with the guards after him, Ezio wasted no time diving in after you he found and got a hold of you and used his hidden blade to cut the weights off your legs, and swam you both to the surface you both let gasps for air one breaking to the surface.

Ezio pulled you up on to the shore caught his breath and undid the rest of your restraints. " Are you okay?" he croaked swallowing as you winced nodding He hugged you tightly vowing if that traitor was still alive the guards will be the least of his worries...     

[janiklandre-blog]

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

9:40 a.m. - rainy   I should be downstairs on the stationary bicycle - nyt lately overwhelmed with health issues, experiments - enormous benefits from stationary bicycles - more than committing laments to this here computer? run, bicycle, lift weights, swim - ignore politics - and you may live forever - but do I want to live forever and then you do read obituaries of people who did nothing by stay healthy - and suddenly died. So - who knows.

My life has entered hectic stages - this here sitting at the computer is getting away from it all - a respit - yes, I should be upstairs cleaning - somebody who stayed at my apartment recently pointed out how dirty it was and promised to clean but has not come yet - and now a friend and his friend plan to stay a few days and I can see how urgent some cleaning is - and after the cataract op I'm likely to see even more dirt - women have written on the topic - for one thing I am among the fairly neat ones and at first sight my apartment looks clean. Also - much as I miss beautiful wooden floors that I've had - this patterned plastic I have now really does not show dirt that much and I do not have rugs. Sadly having an apartment giving on the busy Bowery   often with bumper to bumper traffic and much diesel exhaust - the worst - I shudder at the black soot on my window sills - and shudder what my lungs must look like. - better not to think too much about it and escape to the computer.

There is more and more mention on how lucky my generation was - those of us in Europe who survived the war - in America, where I came in 1951 I'm now reading that "we" were the last to realize the American dream - and for a while I did - and even when I was no longer living that dream I still could fashion for myself a pretty good life on very little money. I was lucky to have grown up, as my mother phrased: We have no money. After 1933 my father's earnings were small - not long before he got his job in Collogne as manager of a branch of a bookstore chain a chancellor called Bruening had advocated austerity and cut salaries - and my mother was unable to start her job as a teacher, paying three times as much as my father was making. Then after we were in Prague and Hitler invaded in 1939 neither of my parents were allowed to work - we lived on the charity of wonderful Czech men. The little money we had was precarious - I never ever got a penny in pocket money. After the war, back in Germany, my mother had to fight for teaching job that made her miserable, my father found a little work here and there - and then inadvertantly my mother hooked me up with Arno, in 1947, whose father was a money maker - and my mother was appalled and said I was learning all the wrong things, and probably I was - never, ever developed the right attitude to money - only made enough to keep above water - and above water I still am in a city where the loft we once had at $200 now goes for $6000. Should I start sinking I do hope my small family will come to the rescue - I'm afraid we live in dangerous times - and I should be now on this stationary bicycle to keep as fit as possible - if I want to survive.

So, what is happening. I am nervous, have been nervous for a long time - fear the cataract op next Monday - struggle with the few drops in my eyes now - how grateful I must be to have had until now so few bodily struggles in my life. Once again - a thank you to my parents. I described my visit on Sunday to my so severely disabled park friend - he admits to costing the "system" more than a million - at this moment an amazing survivor - and I hope we meet in Central Park again - Bill with a dog.

Yesterday. I did head for the church - always do seem to get involved in something before leaving and have to walk as fast as I still can to get there by 12 - have now my usual table next to the Polish television, luckily in mute yesterday - table companions changing - always coats over two or three chairs from people who never materialize - one Chinese woman in a red vest a daily, yesterday two more Chinese and the empty chairs - the skimmed milk, a slice of bread, an orange, pineapple juice, something like pizza, I gave it to the Chinese woman - everybody comes with bags and containers to take things home - soup with noodles - I no longer like noodles, unhealthy - a chicken leg - I never ate, carrots most likely from a can, rice I also don't eat much - not a gourmet meal - I put it in a container and left - it is an outing, gets me out of the house and I may buy the instant pudding powder and make pudding from the skim milk - not very healthy either - well, I read much about the healthy life style, think about it, vaguely try for it and then again marvel how I got to be so old - a bfrief stop at the too expensive super market - the "smart" go to Trader's Joe on 14th street - I never liked that store and now this is far for me, there are also still cheaper stores further East - all the serious shoppers in my house load up there into their shopping carts. On weekends Chines family members come in their fancy cars and take them shopping to China Town and they come back with loads and loads of food. I hope it gets all eaten - and well - they also exercise nonstop - they are incredibly fit. Also use the bicycles.

Reading the nyt before I knew it it was 2 p.m. - and then my friend came trying to put my bedroom into some sort of shape - noticed all the dust - well - my "bed" there was sketchy - actually a large beautiful coffee table somebody had gotten from a grandmother who must have had an apartment of a decent size (Greta Garbo's apartment was descrived, seven large rooms, a balcony oveerlooking the East River - healthier than my apartment) - I had some $20 foam rubber - bought in 2001 - on that old coffee table - well at first I had considered replacing the air mattrass that had rotted - than decided, why not get a decent foam rubber mattrass - I alreedy have one in the living room that I bought some years ago in a store on West 8th street - but stores now close all over the place - while I was looking for it in an old phone book, my friend googled on his cell phone, found a store I also remembered on the corner of Houston, that is where the $20 foam rubber came from - it was advertisaed at lenght - he rushed there - found out it closed 15 years ago, rushed to some old squatter friends, in the meantime I had checked again the phone book, found the 8th street store, called, they still existed, called him, already involved in all kinds of negotiations - at last he returned - I did not like any of the suggestions - called the store, ended up ordering a mattress a lot more expensiver than the once upon a time $20 - it was still holding up - asked for a delivery - now have it - got maintenance to remove the coffee and the cheap foam rubber - a tale to be continued.

I thought my friend and friend were to move in last night - turned out they want to come today - how hard can it be for people to communicate. They have my key now and may they do what they want - clean to their heart's content - I'll be heading back to the Polish church - an outing - at least I do some walking - and by then my super market that only opens at 9 a.m. is open - when I moved here in 1973 everything still opened at 6 a.m. - the change here is truly unbelievable.

Had also wanted to mention a couple of items in the Sunday times styles section - all stories are now first person and intimate details of people's loves - a column called Modern Love that I mostly read - an extremely successful woman, rising to high positions - talking about how little satisfaction she got out of all of her professional success (making somebody like me feel better) - at length bersating herself how bossy she was with men, how insensitive, how hurtful - at long las it took a fireman who had come to live with her to point out her lack of respect for him - she was two hours late and never called - he demanded respect or he would move out - at that moment she woke up - and came to realize what mattered in life. Then on the front page of this section, the large photograph of another highlky successful woman - at long last pregnant by artificial insemination - travels to some stan in former Russia and painfully and messily miscarriages - described in detail -  finally she gives up on having a much wanted baby and also finds happiness with some unlikely man - she writes for the New Yorker and thus has the priviledge of a large audience for the messes in her life. Perhaps my generation was luckier - without any planning and frankly not all that much good sense - I "lucked" into so much these modern strivers begin to want at 40 - discover how pointless much of the striving was - well, I for one have long been dubious of the goals of so many feminists - do have my ideas of striving for a better world - some actually the very strivings of the Catholic Workers. It's 11 a.m. I still do want to read some letters I got - soon my life will be totally disrupted - how will I live if I cannot get to this here computer - I hope I'll survive. Marianne