• Published 3rd Nov 2015
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Harmony's Creed: Brotherhood - Gapeagle



During one of Equestria's golden ages, a cellist is thrown head first into a secret war between the Assassins and Templar.

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Prologue Chapter 1: Build Up

Harmony's Creed: Brotherhood

Chapter 1: Build Up.

by Gapeagle


Octavia hummed with the music she was creating. Her eyes watched her hands carefully with each pressing of the cello's string and each stroke with her bow. There was much to see around her, but she kept focused on her task: to keep the jovial people entertained. Her right hand touched each worn string with trained tenderness. Her left hand floated whimsically to guide the bow. Her song was quick and unsubtle. A song to keep the people awake and participating in merriment. Her greatest ally in this was the beverages they were drinking, but she was not grateful for it. The people, all in their cheery masquerade attire, did not heed her song, no matter how much she tried. The cello kept her sitting, kept her trying, no matter how frustrating.

The cellist risked a glance upwards. Her own white-laced pink mask forced her to raise her head higher than she would have wished. Nobles, commoners, and those in between laughing and cheering one another on. A Crystal prince with his royal weight jiggling with delight, a Royal Guard chattering with a fair woman in each arm, a bear-tamer showcasing his beast to some frightened children, and a distant loner muttering on a bridge railing. Each one could be seen clearly in the Canterlot moonlight.

She sighed through her nose and lowered her head again which invited a few strands of her silky black hair to impede her sight. I even had the perfect dress, she thought. A frock of grey layers and laughing pink lacing. It may not have been the fanciest dress at the masquerade, but it was the first dress she made herself. Her mother used to sew, but that was when Octavia knew her.

"Mother..." Octavia whispered with disdain.

The thought made her cease her playing. The air became heavy without the sweet cello's music. The musician leaned back in her chair with a frown that ruined her rosy lips. The pink in her eyes darkened almost to the black eyelashes that surrounded them. The bow in her hand slowly touched the cobblestone. She did not want to play, but that did not mean she could damage her instrument.

The crowd turned and glanced at her for a moment of temporal confusion before resuming their activities. They had indeed known that she was playing her cello and Octavia grumbled upon realizing this.

"Of course," the musician sighed. "Of course they knew. They only knew I was playing when I stopped. Change always attracts their attention."

Octavia gently leaned the cello on the chair and off her legs. The hour was late and she was done. Usually a musician would stay and interact with the people, but Octavia mentally and physically refused to do so. None of them were her friends. None of them cared about her. She was a commoner among nobles and arrogant merchants that wished to be nobles. They never sweated. They never worked for the bread they receive. This land was of the unequal, where the lower worked harder for far less. Octavia stood up with her frown only deepening.

"Going somewhere?" asked a motherly voice.

The cellist quickly glanced at the voice. The woman who stood there before her was truly a sight for her tired eyes. With rejuvenated life, Octavia jumped out of her chair quicker than a scared cat.

"Empress Celestia!" Octavia gasped before falling to her knees.

"Sorry I did not announce my arrival to you, Octavia. Oh, get up! You do not need to grovel," Celestia playfully gestured for the musician to rise.

Octavia rose quickly but hesitantly. Her heart raced as the calm and pleasant ruler doted on her. The Empress was in bright white robes that contrasted with the yellow fires and the silver light. She was like a misplaced angel in the night's darkness.

The musician placed a hand on her bosom. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I was-"

"Leaving? Yes, I can see that. I assume it was due to not being noticed?"

"How did you-"

"I have my ways. I am the Empress of Equestria for a reason," she giggled. "Come, the party here is dull to me as well. My Sister Dearest is by the river, let's go see her."

"Empress Luna?" Octavia gasped again. "How...How has she been since her accident?"

Celestia placed a warm hand on Octavia's arm. "She's been getting along fine. There is much for her to adapt to yet, but I know my sister. It won't stop her."

Celestia gestured subtly for Octavia to follow before slowly walking away. Octavia picked up her cello, placed it in its case, and then gave a short chase to reach the Empress' side. Octavia knew she was privileged to chase after an Empress, and thus did so with obvious caution. Canterlot was not the safest of places, and so the royalty had special protection. The city held its share of hooded thieves and murderers and not to mention assassins. Octavia looked about to see if she was being watched. Like always, she could not tell.

The joyous sounds of the party grew faint as they walked away. Celestia's slow and methodical stride made Octavia impatient. The Empress was old and had been ruling for long years, but she lacked the signs of aging. No wrinkles, no thin fingers, and no white hair was present on her. However, she radiated with motherly affection. The Empress always had a bright and delicate smile on her thin, pale lips and her tear-shaped eyes glowed with experience. Her long and thick hair shone with the beauty of the evening sky; a glaring contrast to Octavia's ebony coiffure.

"Your dress is lovely. Did you make it yourself?" Celestia tenderly inquired with barely a turn of her head.

"Indeed. I had to play at a few parties for Sir Toity in order to buy the materials." Octavia answered in a rather matter-of-fact way.

"Ah, that man," Celestia giggled. "Always shoulder high in his fashion. Sometimes he has to swim through it to get anything remotely done."

The two crossed a bridge over a winding stream. The city was filled with man-made rivers and canals to keep the river that came down the mountain from overflowing in the spring. It also allowed a new means of travel throughout the massive capital. Gondolas spotted the stone shores here and there. In the daytime they would be occupied with people, but in the moonlight they floated absently next to their docks.

"Am I walking too slow for you?" Celestia asked.

"Of course not," Octavia lied with a shake of her head. "I can enjoy a relaxing walk once in a while."

"That is well," Celestia nodded before quickening her step. "Ah, here we are."

Celestia practically skipped the short distance to the dark woman stiffly gazing out into the vast realm of Equestria. Since Canterlot rested upon the side of a mountain, the west end of the city overlooked the green valleys that stretched all the way to the Fog City of Cloudsdale which could not be seen in the night. The west side was often referred to as the "World's Balcony" due to its overhanging properties. It was an attraction to all who visited and lived there. Even Octavia spent many evenings watching the sun sink below the Western Mountains.

The woman did not turn her head upon their arrival. Her rich blue hair and royal purple cloak flowed with the wind. Her hands rested behind her back and her head was raised to face the large moon directly. Every small movement of the woman was relaxed to almost a sleepy state. However, Octavia knew the woman was not tired as her stern jaw hardened with the grinding of teeth. Her dark blue lips parted slightly and she acknowledged them.

"Is that you, Sister Dearest? Yes, I thought so. I heard your footsteps, but did not sense you like the one you brought to me. Hm, is it Octavia?"

"Yes, it is Octavia. How has to night fared Luna?" Celestia stopped next to her sister.

"Quiet, even by my standards." Luna answered abruptly without turning her head. "Though Equestria is safe tonight, I'm not sure if I could say the same about the Gremlin Hordes across the sea. The Griffin Hussars ride upon them. They may be already conquered."

Celestia sighed. "Do not wander on such thoughts Luna. The Griffin Kingdom is across a vast sea. We should not worry about them. You have much more pleasant things to talk about."

Octavia walked up to Celestia's side. Luna huffed in annoyance but remained fixed upon the moon. The musician shuddered at the sight of Luna's eyes as they were covered by a thick blue ribbon that was tied in the back, leaving the excess ribbon to glide down to her square shoulders. The younger Empress' jaw finally relaxed and she took her gaze off of the moon and to the cobblestone.

"How does it look, Celestia? Is she still there?" Luna asked with a slight tremble.

"Don't worry, the moon is still there," Celestia answered warmly. "She shines the brightest tonight."

"If only I could see her again," Luna sighed heavily. "If only they did not take my sight from me."

"You're fortunate you made it out of there alive, Sister Dearest. They weren't aiming for your sight alone."

Luna instinctively placed a hand on her chest and clutched it fearfully. Octavia felt awkward for standing among the Sisters' conversation. She rubbed the back of her neck and looked off into the dark streets behind them. The movement alerted Luna of the musician's presence and she finally shuffled her feet.

"We do not wish to bore you with our sisterly sympathies, Octavia Melody. I know my sister thinks highly of you and whoever she respects, I respect. Besides, my lack of sight does not hinder my ears. I still have the blessing of listening to your music."

"Thank you, Empress Luna," Octavia bowed. "I fear the nobles do not share your opinion though."

"Hmph!" Luna huffed. "They hold such music without gratitude. The nobles of past have been far more dignified than these...snobs. Do not fear their judgement Octavia, they are not worth your time."

The younger Empress revealed a confident smile to the musician. From Celestia's beaming expression, one could tell she was pleasantly surprised by her sister's words. Empress Luna was by far the lesser ruler when it came to public affection and that was often due to her stern and unforgiving manner. As Celestia was the kind and loving mother of the Empire, Luna was the hard and disciplining. She had often been referred to as the "Nightmare" by residents of the capital.

"The hour is late," Celestia spoke up, mainly to Octavia. "I'm glad you could be with us tonight, even for so small a time. I believe it is time to retire. Would you like a Guard to escort you to your home?"

Octavia quickly shook her head. "That would not be necessary, Your Highness. My home is not far from here. Good night."

"Good night," The Empresses said in unison.

With a quick bow, Octavia turned and headed towards her home. She had just realized that she was still wearing her pink mask and promptly removed it. With her cello on her back and her bow being tossed in the air by her hand, she whistled a tune as she moved through the darker streets and corners.

It did not take her long to reach her small apartment that sat between to larger abodes. Despite its massive size, Canterlot was still tight and crowded when it came to buildings. There were no houses that sat alone as they were built in rows and blocks. The roofs of each home were not flush and quite uneven. Some were much higher than others, but even the tallest buildings were looked down upon by the spires and minarets that made the Canterlot skyline. One of these towers covered Octavia's home in its long and narrow shadow.

The musician reached for the handle on her door before stopping. She held her breath as she heard light footsteps approach her. The footsteps ended right behind her and she knew someone was looking at her. She slowly removed her hand from the handle and turned around, her hand clutching her bow aggressively.

"May I help you?" Octavia asked in false politeness.

The questioned person stood there silently. Octavia could not make much out of the figure in the pale moonlight, but from the movements and shape of the body, she could tell it was a woman. The woman was garbed in bright white robes with several red and blue sashes stretching from the shoulders and wrapped around the waist. Her sleeves and trousers were loosely fitted, much like one of the desert. Her wrists were adorned with armored braces that ended abruptly before her hand. Octavia could not see the woman's hands as they were covered by her arrogant and confident pose. She shifted slightly to the right which rattled the rifle that rested on her back and the pistols that were snug in her red sashes. A silk hood covered the woman's hair, but some electric blue strands of it flowed onto her collarbone. The feature that dominated the woman the most was the black and featureless mask that had two purple lenses for the eyes, giving the woman a soulless appearance.

"Yeah, I think ya can," the woman said in a gruff and boyish voice.

"Well, what is it?" Octavia asked harshly.

"I'm jus' wondering why the Empresses would treat ya like ya one of them. Never seen it before," the figure ventured a step forward.

"It's a long story, now I need to be heading inside for the night. Goodbye!" Octavia turned and opened the door.

The woman swiftly moved to the door and shut it before Octavia could enter. The musician was shocked by the speed of the woman and jumped back in fright. The woman chuckled loudly.

"Ya ain't going that easily. Ya see, I've been watching you for some time. Not by my own orders, the Grandbearer does that. She finds it curious that ya talk with them like you do. She knows the Sisters too, so the fact that they don't mention ya confuses her. So I've been following to see who ya really are."

"I'm just a normal cello player. Nothing more."

"Ya sure? I don't see many cello players who go around with royalty like they are a princess," the woman guffawed.

"Ugh. I told you, it's a long story. Now, would you be so kind as to leave? I wish to speak no longer of whatever you are talking about," Octavia persisted.

"Fine. I'll let ya go for now. This won't be the last you see me. If you told me the reason you are talking with the Sisters like you're their daughter, I'll let you go. But see ya around I guess," the woman sighed and turned around.

"You are so bold! It's personal and I do not wish to give it to some hooded and masked stranger."

The woman chuckled. "Then I'll wait 'til I'm ya friend. See ya, Tavi!"

"The name's Octavia!" the musician corrected with a hiss.

The woman walked off with a careless wave back. Octavia growled before shutting the door. Finally, some quiet, she sighed. It had been a rough night for her. She slid the cello to its usual resting place on the scratched wall. Her footsteps around the small home were loud and obnoxious in the peaceful quiet of the tight corridors and small square rooms. She whisked her bow in the air a couple of times before laying it gently on the small table next to her long and narrow bed. She then gazed lazily at her bed and noticed a foreign object on the covers.

"She's been in here," Octavia growled.

The disgruntled musician reached down and picked up the object. In the beam of light from the window, she could see that the wooden tablet only had a center symbol in it and no words. Not that Octavia could read the words if they were there. The symbol was triangular with the bottom open and a swiping line curving underneath it. She had seen the symbol before when she was with Celestia in the Grand Royal Palace. The Empress told her it had no meaning and that she should forget about it. But here it was in her palm. She clutched the tablet and threw it aside in a dark corner of the room. It was probably some empty threat, she concluded, as she prepared to retire.

~

Author's Note:

This is gonna be a long one folks, so get ready. I will tell you now that this Assassin's Creed crossover is a humanized AU. No AC characters will ever be present.

Any old readers, I say welcome back! And new ones I say hello!

-Cheers for That!