"If I didn't know better, I'd have thought she was right as rain!" Gist pointed out to Shay, watching the brunette on the railing below them. The Irishman took in the comment and watched the woman look out over the coastline. His first mate was right; how Ms. Hale could look so healthy was a mystery. 'Mrs. Langdon, and don't you forget it.' He reminded himself. She wasn't the same girl he'd met those years ago, and nor was he the same man. Sophia Frederike wasn't the giggling, flirtatious young lady he had encountered in Albany, and nor was he the naïve, rash young assassin he had been. Times had changed them, and hardships even more so. The sheer fact she was looking so put together after the nasty wound she'd received only days prior was impressive, and spoke of her fortitude.
"She's excited to get back to land, Gist. Can't say I blame her after what happened." He responded, looking specifically at the woman's back. While covered by her dress, he knew of the bandages that covered the nasty gash on her shoulder. He had only seen it briefly; the woman was proud and stubborn even more so about the whole thing. The ship's doctor had barely been able to get her to cooperate. He frowned a bit at the memory, wishing she had let them help her more. But from what he'd been told by General Munro and her father, since the beginning of her training Sophia Frederike had been adamant about self-reliance to an almost ridiculous point. While something he respected, he wished sometimes she'd open up more. "She's probably got a horse waiting to take her home as well." His first mate snorted at the thought. Colonel Hale always seemed to set this up after his daughter returned from a mission, much to her chagrin.
Sophia seemed to sense they were talking about her, and turned a bit to meet his eyes. Her lips turned into a glimpse of a smile before reverting to her usual "professional" mask, something she'd never had until now. He supposed it made sense, given her case. Her willingness to succeed and prove herself was admirable, but he missed the overly friendly version of her he knew first. While Shay hoped she would be comfortable enough to show that again, but it would take time, he was sure.
The coastline was opening up more and more, and Sophia Frederike's grip on the side rail tightened. Was she so anxious to get off? Just after she was warming up to the Morrigan too. She had reluctantly expressed her displeasure with sea travel shortly after their first mission together, though made it clear she was not going to complain about it. Shay, sailing practically in his blood, had been doing his best to change her opinion on the matter, and for the most part besides the occasional seasickness, he had appeared to be succeeding. Shaking his head, the man fixed his attention on the New York docks, calling orders to his men to prepare for landing. The woman quickly moved out of their way, though there was a curious anxiousness in her face that was very unlike her.
Finally the Morrigan was tied up to its moorings, and Sophia Frederike all but jumped off, a feat given her attire. Up until now she had worn her professional clothes, a rather masculine number with feminine dashes here and there. But for the oddest reasons she had switched that out this morning for a dress, even though her stay clearly pressed against her wound. It wasn't bleeding through fortunately, but she had winced once or twice. The whole situation was confusing the man more and more, though the shrill squeal of a child broke him out of his thoughts.
"MUTTI!" A little girl cried, untangling herself from a woman walking out towards the docks, and sprinting at full speed towards Sophia Frederike. All at once the woman's entire demeanor changed, so much so Shay had to almost do a double take. Her face broke out into the biggest of smiles, catching the toddler and spinning her around. Sophia Frederike quickly joined the child in laughter, and Gist seemed just as surprised as Shay.
"Would you look at that? I had heard she had a daughter, but I never expected this!" Shay could only nod, slowly descending the ship and stepping onto the dock as well. He watched as the women started to converse with the other that had brought the little girl with her, realizing it had to be her sister by how similar they looked. Now that his first mate mentioned it, he almost couldn't believe the child and she were related. The toddler's hair fell in fiery ringlets around her chubby face, with thin lips and a button nose. However when the girl seemed to notice him, he stared into the same hazel eyes of her mother. Sophia Frederike seemed to notice her daughter's staring as well, and turned to face the man.
"Liebling, say hello to Master Cormac." She prodded softly, amusement in her voice. She set the girl down, who looked up at the man with a mixed expression. Her little hand slowly went to her mother's dress, as if to make sure the woman was still there as she faced down this giant in front of her. Realizing she was intimidated, the Irishman quickly got on one knee, and threw the girl a smile. Seemingly better now that the man had shrunk down to her level, the redhead did a clumsy curtsy, and Shay couldn't help but chuckle.
"My name is Louisa…güten tag, Master Cormag." The german greeting mixed with the incorrectness of his name made the man smile even harder, taken with the girl. A giggle from above made him finally look up, and the man was treated to one of the warmest smiles he'd ever seen.
"I apologize, Master Cormac. She's still learning to form her c's correctly. Even worse so she's garnered my habit for mixing languages!" The brunette finally picked up Louisa, who curled into her mother's warmth almost immediately. Softly petting her daughter's hair, Sophia Frederike looked uncharacteristically vulnerable for a moment.
"I regret that I must spend so much time away from her, but my sister is kind enough to rear her while I am away…." She locked eyes with Shay, and once again he was taken back a bit by the fondness in her eyes and smile. "I must remember I work to protect her, she is my everything….danke schon for bringing me home to her, Master Cormac…Shay." The sound of his name off her lips sent warmth through the man's veins, and the sight of the mother and child before him almost felt like something out of a painting.
"Of course, Mrs. Langdon…Sophia." He ended with her name, hoping that her earlier use of his meant they were on a first-name basis now. The reaction she gave made his insides feel strange; dropping her gaze quickly from his and squeezing her daughter just a little bit closer to her.
"I…I am taking a small break to stay with my sister and Louisa for a few weeks, so I will not be able to see you." She started, though seemed to be at a loss of where to go next. Instead of letting her finish, the man smiled at her.
"Until we meet again, then?" He offered with a hand out, and the phrase seemed to sit well with the brunette. She beamed at that, and the warmth of her hand followed Shay all the way back to the Morrigan.
"So," Sophia Frederike looked to her sister, and groaned at the sight of the smirk that had wormed its way onto the older women's face, "THAT is Shay? Father had told me he was a good-looking fellow, but now I feel he under exaggerated!" The woman teased, garnering an exasperated look from her sister.
"Lass den Mann sein, Henrietta-" Sophia Frederike warned in german, though the older woman only laughed at the words.
"Ohja, natürlich! Letztendlich scheint er ein großes Interesse an jemanden Bestimmtes haben...~" The words should have made the mother cross and bite back, but Sopha Frederike couldn't help but smile like a fool, and looked back to watch the man as he took to the wheel of the Morrigan once more. His handsome visage made her sigh, and little Louisa looked up at her mother in confusion. Taking her little hands to his mother's cheeks, she investigated Sophia Frederike's face carefully.
"Mutti…stop staring, you said is not polite." She commanded in her best "grown-up" voice, and Henrietta had to put a hand on the cargo next to them to keep from falling over in laughter. The girl's mother looked positively scandalized, and realized most of the people on the docks were now staring at them. Face flushed and feeling too exposed, the woman quickly retreated towards the town, child in arm and snickering sister in tow. For a moment, she wondered if Shay was staring at her as well, and the thought made her heart thump terribly against her chest. This man wasn't good for her health, she was certain of it. Though instead of feeling embarrassed anymore, she couldn't help another delighted grin from gracing her face.
Translations for the fic:
1. Mutti-Mother
2. Liebling-darling
3. Güten tag-hello/good morning
4. Danke schon-thank you
5. Do leave the man be, Henrietta
6. Of course, of course! After all, he seems to already be QUITE taken with someone~