Fist

In Assassin's Creed the fists are the weakest form of fighting avaliable to you, but using them will attract much less attention. Your fists are also the only way you can fight in an interrogation without killing or causing the target to run, even though you almost always murder the target anyway. When you fail to pick-pocket throwing knives a thug will generally start a fist fight. You can choose to punch back, or you can draw one of your swords and he will immediately flee. The latter will attract the attention of nearby guards if you don't put it away immediately. As weak as fists are they are your only weapon as a novice but don't get used to them because you are only a novice for one mission. It is still useful if a beggar annoys you though some prefer grabbing.