Elise awoke to the rising sun shining through the window of the carriage Connor used to get them to the spot Connor spoke of beforehand. She looked across the carriage to see Arno nowhere in sight.
We must've arrived at our destination, Elise thought, as she looked down to see Francois laying his head on her left shoulder, with his eyes closed. Elise gently patted Francois on the shoulder, which woke the young boy.
"Come, Francois. Let's go look for Connor and your father."
Francois groaned. "Alright, mother."
Elise smiled, and opened the carriage door. Elise's thigh stung as her left foot hit the ground, causing her to grab her stitched up wound until the pain subsided. The first sound to enter Elise's ears was the pummeling sound of rushing water. Francois heard the roaring sound as well, and pointed out Connor and Arno sitting near the edge of a cliff. As Elise and Francois walked towards Connor and Arno, the sound of rushing water grew. Upon joining the side of her husband, Elise's jaw dropped to see a horseshoe shaped waterfall before them. In the distance to her left was another larger waterfall, with a smaller one to the right of it, both on the other side of the mighty gorge.
"Beautiful." Elise whispered, as she took in the beauty of the falls.
"Truly is a wonderful sight." Arno stated, as he hoisted Francois onto his shoulders, so he could get a better view.
"These are the Falls of Niagara, according to the local tribes of the area." Connor informed the pair of Assassins. "I came across these falls shortly after the death of my father. I would come here from time to time, and reflect on where my journey had taken me."
"I can see why." Arno replied over the rushing water. "This spot has quite a charm to it."
Francois was still awestruck by the scenery.
"You are the first people from France to lay eyes on these majestic falls." Connor told everyone, as he got up from the ground. "I'll let you take them in some more. I'll be right back."
Elise turned around to watch Connor walk back to the carriage. She turned around to see Francois sitting in between his father's legs, watching the water pour down the waterfall.
"What causes the water to go down the waterfall, Father?"
"There are tunnels underneath the falls, with trolls live. They spin wheels underneath in those tunnels, causing the water to flow over the cliff." Arno replied humorously, pointing at the falls. Elise shot her husband a bewildered look, and got Francois to sit between her legs. Francois heeded her command, and sat with her.
"The river is following its path, Francois. Much like the Seine back home." Elise replied, pointing at the rapids below them. "It is the current of the river that leads the water over the edge of the cliff, leading to the creation of this gorgeous waterfall."
"Wow!" Francois exclaimed. Arno returned a half smirk to his wife.
"God you are so smart." Arno told Elise, as the two shared a quick kiss, before Connor returned. In his hands were three bows, each with a wolf tail on them at the bottom. Elise held her hand up to her mouth and covered it. Arno returned a confused look to Connor. Francois looked just as confused as his father.
"A gift, for the Dorians of France, who assisted me in stopping Shay's plans." Connor stated, as he handed Elise and Arno their bows. Elise and Arno each examined the wolf tail at the bottom of their bows.
"What do the wolf tails mean?" Arno inquired, scratching his head.
"The wolf is a representation of family valours, fidelity, and loyalty." Connor replied, as he handed the smaller bow to Francois. "The wolf can help you find harmony in your relationships with family and friends, much like we did on our adventure."
Connor rustled Francois' red hair. Elise smiled, and gave Connor a one-armed hug. Connor returned the hug politely, patting Elise on the back. Arno approached Connor, and extended his right arm. Looking down at Arno, Connor returned his handshake. Elise looked over to Francois, who was pulling back on the drawstring of his newly acquired bow, pretending to fire invisible arrows.
"Momma look! I'm Connor! I'm Connor!" He exclaimed. Elise smiled and chuckled at her adventurous son. Connor and Arno turned around to see Francois still firing invisible arrows, this time at his mother. As Francois fired arrows, Elise pretended they hit her, and she fell to her knees, and then to the ground. Francois hurried over to his mother, and jumped on her stomach. Arno and Connor laughed as Francois sat on his mother.
"Got you! Got you!" Francois exclaimed gleefully, as Elise wrapped her hands around his waist. She lifted him off of her stomach so she could get up from the ground. Elise brushed the grass off of her black breeches, and let out a deep breath.
"I best get you three to Boston." Connor smiled, as he began to lead the Dorians to his carriage. Arno crouched down, and let Francois climb onto his shoulders. Francois still continued to fire invisible arrows from his bow, much to the delight of Connor and his parents. Connor opened the door, and held it for Elise. Elise smiled and nodded her head as a sign of thanks before entering. Arno spun around at the open door, and let Elise take Francois off his shoulders, and place him beside her. Arno entered the carriage, and sat across from Francois and Elise. Arno banged on the side of the carriage to indicate to Connor that they were ready to get going. Connor heeded their words, and got the carriage moving in the direction of Boston. Elise looked out the window to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic Falls of Niagara, just before they escaped her sight, possibly for the last time.
The carriage driven by Connor arrived at the Boston Port early in the morning. Elise looked over to Arno, who was still sleeping soundly. Francois, who was wide awake, wanted to go outside with Elise. Elise smiled at her son, and opened the door quietly. Setting foot on the wooden docks, Elise saw Connor standing at the edge of the dock, looking out into the port. Elise scooped up Francois, and joined Connor at his side. Elise looked out into the port as well.
"Connor, did you play a role in the Boston Tea Party of 1773?" Elise asked, eager for an answer. Connor turned to Elise, and smiled.
"I did indeed Elise. As a matter of fact, it happened over at that dock over there." Connor replied, pointing over to an empty dock on their left. "Samuel Adams, Stephane Chapeau, Paul Revere, and myself threw several crates of tea off of the Dartmouth, a ship docked in the port, to resist the Tea Act placed upon the colonies by the British."
"Stoking the fire for revolution." Elise added. "I remember hearing tales about the Tea Party when I was a girl. My father spoke of it frequently to his British colleagues whenever they visited our estate."
Francois looked up at his mother and Connor, confused about what they were talking about. Elise turned her head to see a ship with a French flag on it coming for their dock. She examined it until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Arno, grinning.
"Arno, stop it!" Elise scolded her husband. The three Assassins watched as the ship's crew members lowered a ramp down to the dock. A captain walked down from the ramp and onto the docks.
"Hello, monsieurs and mademoiselle." The captain greeted, bowing before Elise and Arno. "I am Captian Josephe Lacoste, ready to escort you to France at your command. Just name the port and we can be on our way."
Arno looked over to Elise. Elise returned a stern look towards her husband.
"Cherbourg." Elise replied, with a curt nod of her head.
"Very well." Josephe replied, before returning on board his ship. Elise and Arno turned around to see Connor bowing to them.
"I must thank you again for all you have done." Connor stated, as he stood upright. "Shay's search for the Pieces of Eden has stopped for now, thanks to your actions. I could not have done it without you."
Elise and Arno returned bows to Connor. Francois walked up to Connor and extended his hand, in an effort to shake Connor's hand. Connor smiled, and shook his hand. After the handshake, Connor picked up Francois' small bow, and handed it to the young boy. Francois smiled, and scurried over to his mother. Elise grabbed his hand gently, and walked up to the deck of the ship. Elise caught her son just before he was about to walk onto the ship with his left foot. Elise scolded her son, and walked onto the ship right foot first. Elise turned around to see Arno bidding Connor farewell before boarding the ship himself. Elise, Arno, and Francois joined Captain Lacoste at the helm of the ship, and watched as he got his crew to get the ship's sails full. Arno places his elbow on the railing, and looked out to the ocean.
"Welcome aboard the Lacoste!" Josephe exclaimed, as Elise looked around the ship. His crew were joking among themselves after getting the sails full, and playing cards out on the deck. Josephe looked down to see the bows Elise, Arno, and Francois had received from Connor.
"Where did you get those bows from, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Gifts, from a friend." Elise informed Josephe, telling him no more. Josephe nodded his head, and returned his focus to the ocean ahead of him.
Francois was reaching for the rail, just beside the captain's wheel. Elise grabbed him by the waist, and sat him down on the rail, with her hands still firmly around his waist. Francois turned around to meet his mother's eyes.
"I wanna be a captain one day, momma!" Francois exclaimed happily, pointing at Josephe. Elise smiled at her son.
"One day you may, my young man." Elise reassured her son. "One day you may."
Francois smiled, and turned his head around to watch the morning sunrise with his mother, who was hoping that the journey back to their home of Paris would be a safe and quick one for her family.