AKS: I do not own Assassin's Creed because if I did I'd have made it so you could run around as Desmond in the first game.

Back Story to this fic: I had just bought a note book (made of 100 percent recycled materials) where the cover page was this beautiful song bird. I wanted the first story written in the notebook to be just a pretty as the cover so I started writing an Assassin's Creed fic that had been bouncing around in my head for a while. I don't know if anyone else has written anything like this but it was fun to write. It stared out as a three page story and ended up taking up almost half the notebook.

Also, if you like Hetalia please see my New Hope story - I'm quite proud of it.

~ Bird Cage: Part One~

Leonardo was on another rescue mission, navigating the maze of shop stands for a bird shop. This was a normal habit of his, collecting song birds every week or so to release them.

It pained him to see such beautiful creatures caged up. He would pick a bird that caught his fancy, sketch it, and set it free.

Leonardo scratched his bronze chin, trying to decide which bird to choose.

There were sparrows, song birds, parrots, and birds of pray. Old birds, young birds, red birds, yellow birds. All of them singing, screeching, crying, and screaming. The noise was deafening - Leonardo could hardly hear himself think!

Then he saw it - the eagle.

There was a powerful eagle kept in a great, silver cage. The raptor was large, but not bulky. Its feathers were mixes of white, brown, and red, his eyes a fierce gold. Along the right side of the beak was a thin crack, like a scar in a piece of pottery. The bird watched Leonardo as a hunter, searching for weakness or imperfections to strike. The bird's gaze was intimidating as it swayed its weight from one monstrous talon to the other.

Leonardo felt chills looking at the bird, but then pity. The eagle was sickly, feathers falling out, looking a little too thin. His color was dull and his fierce intensity fading after a moment.

Eagles were not meant to be caged.

His prison was too small.

. . . He was dying. . .

"That one," said Leonardo, pointing to the eagle.

The store keeper was more than happy to be rid of the bird, having been counting the days to it's death.

"The eagle is stubborn and un-trainable. Better off dead," he told the painter, charging Leonardo more money than the bird was worth. The painter did not comment, happy to be doing something for the animal.

Without another word Leonardo marched away from the market, holding the heavy cage with both hands. The eagle screeched and flapped his great wings - unable to extend them fully. Feathers ruffled in an indignant display.

"I know," Leonardo spoke to the bird with a calm, trustworthy voice. "Just hold on for a bit longer. We are almost to my workshop. Once we are there I will sketch you and set you free."

To the painter's surprise the eagle calmed. It panted as it inspected Leonardo with a curious, still suspicious gaze.

The painter felt small with the look.

So strange, to feel such emotion from the eyes of a caged bird.

Arriving at the workshop Leonardo began to clear a space right away. He moved paintings and prints, designs and sketched to make room on his favorite table. The eagle watched, almost like he was impressed with the art work.

Leonardo chuckled, a kind, heart warming sound.

"Would you like to see my work, amico mio?"

The bird blinked his large eyes and gave an impatient squawk.

"Forgive me, that was a silly idea. Let me get a paper."

Leonardo set the eagle on the desk with gentle care. He grabbed a shallow bowl and filled it with water. The eagle was grateful, dipping his long neck into it, swallowing it down like a drunk then splashing in the bowl like it was a bath. His feathers glistened in the afternoon light that filtered through an open window.

Leonardo laughed and began to sketch.

After a few moments the painter found this to be an impossibility. The eagle was as spirited as a finch, playing in the water, nipping at the silver bars, flapping his wings, getting the feathers caught in the bars since the cage was too small. Leonardo made a chuckling sigh and stopped, resting his chin in his arms.

"Amico mio, will you please stop moving? I can not sketch you when you move."

He spoke out of desperation but the eagle halted his movements, standing in what could only be a pose. The eagle tried to look as intimidating as possible, yet Leonardo knew the look was not real - the eagle was playing.

Surprised, it took Leonardo a moment to act, pulling out a new page and sketching as quick as he could.

He was falling in love with this bird, so powerful, so elegant, so dangerous, so playful.

This eagle had to be his favorite model. Perhaps even better than Salai.

Picture after picture was drawn. Studies of the wings, feathers, talons, eyes, and everything. Leonardo did not stop, even when the sun went down and he was sketching in twilight.

He wanted to paint. He had to paint the bird before he set it free. He wanted to keep the beast but knew he couldn't. There was no way he would keep such a wild bird; it went against everything he stood for. It would be like tying down a dream.

The eagle was getting restless in its cage. He was panting from hunger, thrashing in his cell, biting the bars, pleading for release.

Leonardo's chest felt heavy.

This was wrong. This was wrong.

He had no meat for the bird, the painter being a vegetarian. The poor thing was half starved as it was.

This was wrong.

Leonardo put down his charcoal and picked up the heavy cage. The eagle was angry with him. He'd been kept too long. Leonardo entered his private patio and set the cage down.

He watched the bird with a long expression, the eagle no longer looking at him. Leonardo felt a bubbling shame, like a child who had stolen. And in essence he had stolen. He stole the eagle's precious time.

This was wrong.

"Forgive me, amico mio. I was careless."

He opened the cage door by the moonlight, the cage's shadows leaning against the wall to make the whole courtyard look like a jail.

"I hope one day we will meet again. I would very much like to see you."

The eagle look at him with a single, penetrating, nerve chilling stare; and Leonardo knew he was forgiven.

The eagle took a careful, cautious step out of the cage. Leonardo's breath was caught.

The eagle flapped his mighty wings and soared through the moon light, casting his dark shadow over Leonardo.

The painter closed his eyes, envisioning what it would be like to fly on the same gust as the eagle.

The bird perched on the roof of his workshop, first gazing at the moon with vibrant longing, then at Leonardo, eyes intense.

"You are welcome my friend," he said to the bird.

Then, with a flap of its wings and a free screech, the eagle disappeared into the night.

~O~O~O~O~

"Where were you all day?" Salai asked with a moody huff. Not that he was worried, he was just nervous that Leonardo was finally kicking him out after stealing a month's worth of money. He figured the only way to keep a place at the great Leonardo's house was to bully the man into keeping him.

The painter walked past his devilish apprentice in a daze, mind still reeling from his encounter with the eagle. He didn't speak to Salai, Leonardo's mind was galaxies away.

The blond huffed again and stomped off, unhappy with being ignored. Any other time Salai threw a tantrum Leonardo dropped everything to comfort the teen. It was unnerving to be ignored, he was unused to it. Even random people off the street paid attention to him.

It was three days later when Leonardo saw the eagle again.

He and Salai were people watching, sketching the crowds when a shadow passed over the painter.

Leonardo jerked his gaze upward, squinting to see the eagle, tiny in the vast sky. Leonardo's gaping lips turned into a smile as he followed the bird's path.

Salai watched his master, frowning but following. Soon they were in a chase, a race to where the eagle would land. Salai was growing irritated. He was getting hot and sweaty, his expensive clothes getting stained and perfect hair plastering itself to his forehead. He had better things to do but was worried for his master - Leonardo was known to get lost, ending up in a district on the other side of town without even realizing it.

After a few more minutes Salai's mind was made up. He hated running and was fed up with his master's unorthodox behavior. He left, telling Leonardo he would see him back at the workshop.

The painter did not hear, too wrapped in his newfound obsession.

A moment later the eagle dropped in a dive, and disappeared behind a building.

Leonardo bolted, breath heavy as he turned the corner, looking for the eagle. The corner ally was empty for but a single man.

The painter's gasp was loud.

The man in front of him was powerful, clothes expensive, pose strong. He held himself with overbearing confidence, eyes hidden by the shade of his hood but smirk unmistakable on his scared lips. Courage and invincibility radiated from the man, intoxicating Leonardo's senses. The painter was becoming drunk off the man's mere presence.

The man tilted his hood to the side, smirk playful. A scar ran down the right side of his right lips, where there was a crack in the eagle's beak.

He stood still, in almost a diving but god-like pose.

"Painter," he said, voice rich as black coffee, and yet soft like cashmere. Leonardo's breath was caught like in a web. "I have come to thank you. Many weeks passed while I was in that prison - death was a constant thought on my mind."

Leonardo blinked, gaping like a dried fish.

"Wh-what?" he gawped. "You - you are the eagle?"

The man smirked again and tilted his head, intense yellow eyes visible. He walked out of the darkness of the ally, reveling his own shadow, a large eagle with his talons scraping against the stone, feathers ruffled in the wind.

"Si," answered the eagle. "And now I must go."

"Wait!" Leonardo cried, panic in his voice. The eagle blinked and watched him, expression uncomfortable. Leonardo felt very shy all of a sudden. Embarrassed he combed his fingers through his messy hair.

"Ehh, We only just met again. A-and I would very much like to paint you, if that is possible. I promise not to cage you and if you get too anxious you could leave at any time, I just want -"

He was babbling. Leonardo felt his cheeks heat with a blush.

"Please," he begged, eyes downcast in a bow. "It would mean the world to me!"

Nothing was said. Leonardo feared the eagle would laugh at him - or worse - would already be gone. He looked up, eyes stained with tiny tears.

The eagle was still there, just as surprised as Leonardo was. He chuckled; it was deep but not cruel laugh. The eagle looked away, scratching the side of his cheek.

Was he embarrassed?

Leonardo couldn't tell, the eagle's skin was too dark to see a blush.

"You have saved my life. I owe you this much at least."

Oh yes, a dusty blush was evident over his large nose, so like his true form's beak. Leonardo felt a rush of confidence, nerves warmed by the emotion. The painter was dizzy with happiness, and took a few heavy steps to the eagle.

"But a warning," said the eagle, raising a hand. Leonardo felt his heart stop. "No one else may know of my presence. It could be dangerous for me otherwise.

Dangerous? How could it be dangerous? It didn't matter, he'd do anything the eagle wanted.

"Si, si!" Leonardo replied, grin vibrant and enthusiastic. He could take on the world, he was so happy. "No one will know you are there. I will make sure of it."

The eagle smiled and gave a curt nod, saying "I will meet you there. " before disappearing.

Leonardo blinked and searched for the bird.

The painter spotted him, soaring in the sky again. The transformation so swift - Leonardo didn't even see it!

The eagle landed on a perch to watch the painter, eyes so playful Leonardo felt the bird was laughing at him.

Determined, Leonardo set off to his workshop, the eagle following close behind, soaring through the sky.

The painter was so giddy it took Salai three tries to get his attention. The young apprentice was haggard, hair a mess and eyebrows constricted in bitter rage.

"Did you watch the eagle, Leonardo?" Salai asked again, crossing his arms. The boy was dressed in a simple white shirt and slacks, boots still covering his perfect sculpted feet. A few buttons on his shirt were undone, the boy's face flushed.

Leonardo inspected his apprentice for but a moment. Was it really that muggy in here to make Salai so disheveled?

One of Salai's elegant hands scratched his thick golden mane as he pouted.

He walked up to Leonardo, lips parted as he demanded an apology for leaving him, his own way of saying sorry to the older man.

Leonardo's mind was too frazzled to understand the complexity of his apprentice's implications.

"What?" he asked, trying to move away to set up an easel and some paint. Salai put a tight hand on the elder's forearm, squeezing it in a loving but warning embrace. He wanted to remind Leonardo of who was in control.

"Are you alright? You are more distracted than usual."

Salai stood on his tiptoes to graze a kiss over Leonardo's scratchy chin but the painter pulled away.

"Forgive me poco diavolo, I have an urgent commission."

Leonardo pulled away and rushed to the art studio, his parting words a rushed sentence of "Do not disturb me under any circumstances. I need to concentrate."

Salai's glare could kill a Spanish bull.

How dare he!

How dare he ignore Salai!

The young apprentice buttoned his shirt and pulled on an over coat, snarling like a venomous snake. He stormed out of the building, cursing out Leonardo the whole way for ignoring his advances. Many Street urchins and passer-by stared at the angered teen, huffing and puffing like a cheated woman.

The painter did not hear, too focused on preparing everything.

When at last everything was ready and the door was locked, Leonardo entered the private courtyard, fingers trembling as he searched for the eagle.

The bird circled in the air, swooping and reappearing in the form of that man, landing with a graceful thud as his boot hit the stone with a muffled clack.

Nervous but happier than a bride on her wedding, Leonardo led the man/eagle to the studio. Again the eagle searched the room with curious eyes, studying the various works strewn about the room.

Embarrassed, Leonardo pulled at his bronze locks. The eagle watched him, his movements indicating stress. The bird was fighting urges to attack, to kill the distracted rabbit in front of him to make a quick and easy meal.

"How do you want me to pose?" he asked, distracting his own dangerous thoughts. Leonardo jumped at the noise.

"Oh! Forgive me, I was . . .eh. . .sorry."

The eagle rolled his eyes, striding over to a stack of papers and filing through them.

"You apologize too often; stop." The eagle smirked, eyes strong. "These are nice. Where are the one's of me?"

"Here," said Leonardo after searching for the stack of papers. He held them out to the eagle, hands shaking. "Sorry."

The eagle took the stack, gaze scrutinizing. "I told you to stop apologizing."

As he looked over the sketches of himself the eagle's anger ebbed in an instant, a smile playing over his lips. He laughed, another rich sound.

"Theses are great I think if you continue to sketch me I will become so full of myself I will no be able to fly any longer." He stuck a playful pose, smirking with a taunt. Leonardo felt himself blush.

Such a scandalous pose. . .

The eagle continued smiling, setting the pictures down when he was satisfied.

"So, where do you want me?"

On the table, on the bed, on the floor. Leonardo didn't care; he'd take the man/eagle right there.

"Ehem, I - I - uh."

Leonardo cursed his pale skin. He was practically lighting the room with his blush.

The eagle cocked his head to the side, curious, sensual -

Wait!

No!

Concentrate, Leonardo! He's not a real man, he's an eagle!

"There," said the painter, pointing to a stool by an open window. "Please sit there. A-and in your other form, please."

He didn't know if he could keep professional friendship if he painted the man in front of him.

The eagle shrugged and swept to the stool, sitting down. Leonardo watched but missed it again. The eagle stood on the stool in his feather form, running his beak over his ruffled feathers, light cascading over them, making the bird glow. He was in better health than the first time they met; fuller, happier, healthier.

He was beautiful.

Leonardo went to work, wetting his brush and not moving for hours later. The eagle had fallen asleep but kept the pose. The painting was not even close to being done when the eagle awoke, stretching and yawning. He watched Leonardo, feathers fluffed around his beak so he resembled a child wearing a scarf. His eyes were still fogged with sleep.

The eagle hopped off the stool, reverting to the human form.

"Amico mio, please," Leonardo said, raising a hand to stop the eagle. "The painting is almost done."

The man/eagle stretched, gaze steady.

He knew it was a lie.

"I am tired and hungry. I have not eaten all day and I need a meal." He crossed the room to stare at the painting.

"Careful, it is still wet!" warned Leonardo as the man/eagle swept inquisitive fingers over it. The paint smeared. Leonardo breathed a sad breath, hours of delicate work ruined.

"Oh!" the eagle was stricken with guilt. He looked to Leonardo, pouting. "I am so sorry!"

Leonardo sighed but could not stay angry at such a face. He massaged his eyebrows and scratched his beard, smearing paint on his chin.

"Do not think of it. I will fix it later," he said, trying not to let his annoyance show. The eagle frowned.

"Still, there must be something I can do for you. . ."

Leonardo smiled. "Your presence is all I need." Really, he did feel better around the bird, like part of him was missing when the bird was gone. He was becoming an avian addict.

"Hmm," the eagle made a contemplative noise. "Then I will return tomorrow to continue the painting."

Leonardo was so thrilled by this statement he didn't realize Salai was knocking until he nearly broke the door down. The eagle had long since departed but Leonardo stayed in front of the painting, gazing with such daze and passion Salai suspected drugs.

When the teen saw the painting he crossed his arms in a pathetic pout Leonardo would have taken advantage of at any other time.

The painter was unresponsive.

"An eagle? Why is that all you can paint?" the apprentice asked, voice a cold snarl. His delicate hands tightened into fists. Leonardo ignored him all day and for what? A bird? Salai knew he was a far better model. He had always been Leonardo's favorite.

The painter blinked and took notice of his furious apprentice like he had only just noticed him. Leonardo's blue eyes shot to stare at Salai's thick, gold woven hair (it was one of the only reasons he kept such a troublesome boy around) before speaking.

"Eagles are beautiful, powerful, elegant, ferocious," he said in defense, labeling off traits on his paint stained fingers. "And this is my commission. It is a very important commission."

"But you never work on your commissions!"

Salai knew he was acting like a child but he was far too upset to care. If Leonardo continued this obsession and got bored of him the master might kick him out. Salai wasn't good at anything. If he was turned out on the streets on the streets he'd stay, a petty thief. And at that he wasn't even a good thief. Leonardo noticed when he stole, and to be kind Leonardo was not the most observant of people, always distracted by half mad ideas of flight and the next great painting.

Leonardo massaged is forehead. He didn't have time for this. He had to fix his painting while there was still light.

"I don not have the time for this now, Salai," he said, returning to the painting. The teen stomped his foot again and yelled at Leonardo but the artis was already sealed away in his mind.

Language - all taken off the internet so if its wrong please tell me

"amico mio" - my friend (masculine)

"Si" - yes

"poco diavolo" - hopefully it means "little devil"; Leonardo called his apprentice Salai meaning "Little Satan" so I tired a nickname myself. Sorry if its REALLY wrong.

Salai was the real Leonardo da Vinci's apprentice. He was a spoiled, devilish child who Leonardo affectionately nicknamed Salai which meant "Little Satin". There is a story of Leonardo buying very expensive leather to hand make boots for Salai but before he could the boy stole it and sold it for candy. Look him up if you care to, his Leonardo's history is interesting. Leonardo left the Mona Lisa to Salai in his will and it was often suspected that he was the object of Leonardo's affection.

My inspiration to write him into the story came from Doubleleaf's picture on deviant art called Salai - please look at her work, it's amazing.