"The steel used to bind man can become the steel used to end man." -Henry commenting about his hidden blade
Early Life[]
A French-African American born in 1840, Henry was born into slavery on a plantation located in Southern Louisiana. His exact birthdate is unknown due to the lack of slave records being kept. Henry was born to Abigail, a slave woman working in the sugar cane fields of the plantation. Not knowing his father, Henry was raised by Abigail's mother who also took care of all the slave children. There Henry did not spend a rough life, only being used as a servant to go along with the master, Jack Thomas, and his son's on various trips and hunts. Henry was extremely brilliant, had keen senses, and very much athletic for his age. When on hunting trips Henry learned to track certain species and easily traversed through the various woods to retrieve the kill. By the time he was 10, Jack Thomas had grown accustomed to Henry being his personal servant and took him on various trips to New Orleans on business. There Henry picked up on various languages such as french and English.
The Beginning[]
One day when Henry was around 15, Jack took his youngest son Jacob Thomas, a boy around the same age as Henry, and took him out hunting. Henry drove the carriage as the three travelled far into the woods. Jack told Henry to wait at the carriage for him to return and took Jacob into the forest. Seized by curiosity Henry defied what he was told and followed, climbing the nearby trees and following the pair stealthily as he had learned through the various hunting trips. He stopped at a tree and hid behind the leaves of the branches. There he waited and listened in on Jack talk to Jacob. There Henry learned that Jack was once an assassin, trained in the ways of the creed. However as time passed Jack grew to despise the creed and defected into the Templars, the assassin's sworn enemy, instead. Having learned the assassin's techniques he was a valuable asset to the Templars and was now going to teach Jacob the skills he had learned. Henry, not knowing who the assassin's or the Templars were was puzzled by Jack's words, but watched in amazement as Jack climbed trees, swinging through the branches freely and jumping off the highest tree into a giant bush. Henry was confused and amazed at this and quickly rushed back to the carriage before being discovered. When back to the plantation Henry confided to his mother of his findings. There Abigail told Henry the story of his father, stating that it wasn't uncommon for the slave owners to sleep with their slaves and that Henry was the product of this act. Thus Jack Thomas not only became Henry's master but his father as well.
Son of a Defector[]
As Henry grew older he was put into working in the fields but was always requested to go with his father and his brother, Jacob, on their "outings". There Jack continued to train Jacob and Henry continued to watch, changing hiding places each time trying to avoid getting caught. Almost every day Jack and Jacob would train and every night Henry would practice imitating what he saw. When Henry and Jacob reached 18 Jacob was very skilled in the trainings of the Assassins and Henry was fairly good for having not been personally trained. One day of the outings Henry hid in a bush as Jack presented Jacob with his gift for completing his training. Seeing a glimmer Henry leaned in closer to get a look. What he saw was a blade of some sort attached to a brace but before he could register his thoughts a twig snapped beneath his feet. With everyone alarmed including Henry, he bolted away but hearing Jacob and Jack both giving chase above him. Henry knew he wouldn't be able to avoid them much longer when suddenly a figure fell upon him. It was Jacob with his hidden blade poised for the kill above him, but Jack called him off. When back at the plantation Henry was whipped leaving huge scars on his back and was made to be sold the next day.
A Night in Eternity[]
As Henry waited in chains in the stables, slaves had caught word of what happened. One slave felt sorry for Henry and decided to try and have him escape with him through the underground railroad. As Henry was released from chains, Henry and several other slaves made their way towards the meeting place where they would meet the man who would help them. As they sat in darkness giving the signalled bird call a hooded man appeared. He said his name was Toby and Henry noticed that he was a freed black man. Henry was suspicious of the hooded man but felt he could trust him more than anyone else. As they made their way a band of 7 white men appeared toting rifles with bayonets. With a swift motion, Toby was upon them taking down two men seemingly using his wrists. As he lifted up Henry realized they were the hidden blades that Jacob had and that Toby must be an assassin. As Toby swiftly moved between three men killing with each movement Henry saw a man with his rifle aiming at the assassin. Running on instinct, Henry rushed to one of the dead white men and picked a knife off of one. Just as swiftly as he moved he charged at the rifleman. Seeing this the rifleman aimed for Henry but as he got to close shoved the bayonet at him but to no avail. Henry grabbed the rifle barrel with one hand, spun around and stabbed the mans throat with the knife. Henry stood in amazement at what he'd done when he heard a shot. He turn to see the last man fall with his rifle still pointed at Henry and Toby standing with a pistol aiming for the now dead carcass.
Welcome[]
When the group reached the safe house Toby told them another man would guide them towards the north. Henry still dazed from the fight realized that this may be the only connection to the world his father was from and vowed to know more walked towards the seemingly sleeping Toby. Toby was not sleeping and congratulated Henry on saving him. He asked Henry where he learned to do that and Henry confided in him all that he knew and ending his story asking if Toby was an assassin. Toby, amused by the question said yes and again commented on Henry's skill, he extended an offer for Henry to join the assassin's and before he could finish Henry had said yes.