Author Notes: 8/14/14 Thank you for the support! I was not expecting to receive any so soon, I'll try not to disappoint xoxo
Copyright: Ubisoft own the AC universe and every thing therein. I own the characters that were never mentioned in the franchise and make no profit off this.
Summary: Ever since the Lenape tribe were forced off their land by the redcoats, Kitane could not find peace within herself until she had the head of the man responsible; Haytham Kenway. Connor K. / OC
"Sometimes bravery is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life." - Veronica Roth
Vengeance Guides Us
II
Spring, 1775
It had been roughly a year since Chief Hassun, Kitane's father, had formally given his only daughter permission to depart the clan for revenge against the men responsible of the massacre on the Lenape tribe months prior to the meeting. Yet she found it difficult to go very far from her people for extended periods of time when their welfare weighed heavily on her conscious. They still had not found a safe, suitable plot of land to reestablish and prosper as they once did in their homeland. The one-sided war a man named Haytham Kenway brought with him after the Chiefs of Lenape refused to leave their land had utterly decimated her nation. People lost faith in the Elders, Chiefs and even their way of life, abandoning their own to renounce their culture and join the red devil's society as they felt it to be inevitable – while others had left to merge with other established clans they were familiar with; Pequot, Iroquois, Shawnee and even the reclusive Mohawk tribes to the North. As time went on, their grand numbers had dwindled down to hardly fifty. Only the Wolf clan continued roaming through the Mid-Atlantic, skittering closer and closer to Troy's Woods – another white settlement. To Kitane, every unfortunate event that would happen to the Lenape was Haytham's fault. When she would hear the mere mention of his name whispered in passing, fire would burn through her veins. Generation upon generation of Lenape bloodline had been forced off their lands all for a large home – a plantation – for the redcoats and their master. She had watched in despair from the woods as the tall, magnificent trees her father's father had raised and the tree she grew up under being chopped down. Memories, her childhood, the only link she had to her birth mother was burned down until it was nothing but a pile of ash. The images of huts blanketed in flames would be forever ingrained in her memory. Ever since then, Kitane had vowed she would have revenge for his nefarious deeds. Although she was glad she had implored Kuruk, the Wolf clan's War Leader, to teach her combat and how to take life, it seemed patience was exercised more than any thing as of late.
Cerulean eyes surrounded by crimson ceremonial paint watched intensely the pack of xincòlëpay (buck) and ahtú (doe) grazing on mountain flowers and grass in leisure, oblivious to the lone hunter silently stalking them from bushes nearby. If Kitane managed to return to her clan with even half of this herd, the meat, skin and other valuable parts these animals offered would put the tribe's well-being ahead considerably for the next few weeks. Reaching into the small pack on her leather belt, Kitane tossed out a handful of hay and seeds knowing this to be the favorite of these animals. Crouching lower in the bushes she waited with her dagger drawn, poised and ready to attack. In a few moments, an ahtú came wandering over from the pack, sniffing the ground until it discovered the delicious morsels. Perspiration accumulated on her brow in anticipation, it was so close yet unaware of the human predator lurking just a foot away. Kitane reached forward and snatched it's furry snout, holding on tightly as she plunged her dagger into its delicate chest, piercing its heart for a clean kill. By holding its snout shut, the ahtú could not even release a death throttle to alert the others. The herd continued grazing, none the wiser of a missing pack member.
"Irayo (thank you)," Kitane whispered as she gently placed the ahtú down in the bushes to hide its body for now. 'Just need a few more,' she thought to herself as she glanced at each creature, deciding the next course of action. With a sudden shift of fierce winds blowing towards the herd, Kitane's sky blue eyes widened in panic, 'no.. No.. NO!' her scent drifted through the air and the herd picked up the smell, standing their tall necks up rigid, in fear. If she did not act now, all the tracking she had done this entire morning on this herd would have been for naught. She had to get as many kills as possible before they fled, this was her only chance and her people needed all the help they could get.
In a flurry, her bow with an arrow notched was aimed at the next, closest ahtú. It whizzed through the air and made another clean shot directly in the chest cavity, the ahtú fell down with a final whine, dying instantly. The herd quickly dispersed in all different directions. Kitane's hand moved swiftly to notch another arrow before the nearby xincòlëpay escaped, it turned away at the last second making her arrow embed itself in its ribs. She cursed under her breath as it released a howl of what Kitane recognized as rage and pain, turning to her direction and charged forward. Without fear, she ran at the buck and grabbed the antlers where it met its head; the only safe spot to grab hold, as Kuruk taught her. The force of it sent her sliding back, leaving drag marks in the ground where her knee-high, minnetonka boots dug in. It took all her strength to hold the buck where it was but she knew she could not hold it there for much longer when her stamina was dwindling against this powerful beast. If she did not put distance between them, it could easily stab her with its sharp antlers and she had no plans on dying any time soon.
The xincòlëpay suddenly released howls of agony until it finally fell to the ground. Kitane panted for air, sweat dripping down her face from the struggle. Three more arrows other than her own were lodged in its neck, blood oozing out from the wounds on to the ground below. Although exhausted, she drew out her dagger and searched all around for the person who had.. saved her.. Some thing she was not accustomed to. Had Kuruk or someone from the clan followed her here to keep an eye on her? Surely not, they had more chores and duties that were imperative. Was it.. a white settler? Perhaps a solider?
"Whose there?" Kitane called out in English, her eyes scrutinizing every leaf that moved as she strained her ears to hear any noise out of the normal. Bushes to her right begun to shuffle as a man in a white and blue uniform with a red sash tied around his waist, appeared with his hands raised. Kitane raised her dagger in a defensive poise, on reflex.
"I mean no harm, I saw you were in trouble-" he continued approaching her.
"Stop!" The man ceased his movements, not realizing he was effecting the woman he had saved, negatively. "Stay where you are – who ever you are.." Kitane eyed the hooded man up and down. He looked similar to the redcoats and regulars she's seen in her travels but there were very large contrasts that made her think otherwise. The most obvious was the tomahawk shinning in the sunlight on his hip; he also had decorative armbands and feathers on his gear, all things that were traditional to Indian tribes.
"My name is Connor," the man offered first, pulling down his hood to reveal he too, was a Native. His skin was kissed by the sun, with short onyx locks that reached his shoulders. A strong, facial structure that reminded her of Kuruk with a bodily physique that would suggest he was also a veteran to battle; a warrior. "I mean no harm," his voice was gentle and soothing, a distinct difference to what she knew how warriors to talk. "You looked like you needed help."
The statement rubbed the independent, fiery woman the wrong way; making her perceive he thought as weak because of her sex. "I was fine. And since you killed the xincòlëpay - lätxayn.." she explained the phrase after seeing his perplexed expression, "you keep what you kill." Kitane could not lie, she was irritated. A herd that would have brought a bountiful loot to her clan had escaped and all she had were two small ahtú while the stranger, Connor, had the large xincòlëpay. She still had much work to do to hone her skills and strength to be able to take on a buck on her own without help. The pair silently began the task of skinning the buck and does, neither one offering conversation.
She began working on the second doe leaving nothing but a carcass behind of the first one. After some time, she glanced over her shoulder at Connor. He was completing the tedious tasks of removing the antlers and placing them in his buckskin knapsack. Concentrated, he did not noticed a pair of sky blue eyes watching him. "Kitane."
Connor glanced up, confused. He had not expected the young girl to speak to him,"Pardon me?"
"My name is Kitane.. um.. " she timidly glanced around to assure herself a clan member was not around, "thank you for saving my life." She refocused her eyes on her bloodied hands as she skinned the ahtú, opting not to see his reaction. It was embarrassing to admit but her conscious implored her to, as he was right.
"You belong to a tribe, do you not? The painting on your face displays a high rank." Connor was beginning to be an enigma to Kitane. Despite looking Native he dressed in the British style, had a British name, yet seemed to be fluent in the Indian culture.
She threw a surreptitious glance over to Connor, assessing if she should divulge information about herself with a stranger. Although, her ceremonial painting does it on its own to the right pair of eyes. "I am the daughter to the Chief of my tribe and the translator when it comes to foreign affairs. And you? You look Native but you talk, dress and act like them." The word rolled off her tongue with disdain.
"That's the pot calling the kettle black." Kitane looked at him oddly, not understanding what he meant. "And what about you? You look like them, you even know English too but you dress and act Native." Strange how opposite they were yet managed to meet on neutral grounds.
At the mention of her looks, Kitane stabbed in her dagger harder than what was necessary as she continued peeling the skin off the doe. "I was told I look exactly like my mother. She was a white settler who left her society to join my people."
Judging from her choice of words, Connor surmised she never had the blessing of knowing her mother. Although his own had died when he was young, he remembered her clearly like it was yesterday she was giving him a soft, stern expression as she watched him play from afar. The subject was a tender matter, for both, so he decided to change it. "I don't see many tribes other than my own in this region, are your people traveling somewhere?"
"I am unsure," Kitane muttered, genuinely not knowing the answer. "We were forced off our lands and were searching for a new home. Somewhere where the redcoats and regulars won't disturb us ever again – if such a place exists any more. More and more just keep coming from across the sea."
Connor weighed the options in his mind. "How large is your group? Perhaps we can make a deal."
Kitane's brow rose inquisitively, "Roughly fifty."
"I am the Master of a large plot of land to the North East of here – land that is prohibited of redcoats and regulars to enter other than to trade. It leads out to the Atlantic ocean and is where the Aquila is stationed."
He had her attention before but now her interest was peaked, "Ocean? And rivers too – large ones?"
"Yes? The game there is bountiful as well -"
Game did not interest Kitane or her people, "My people are masters of hunting in rivers and oceans! If I can check out the land, I suppose we can work out an arrangement of trading with you before others." The hope of finding a new home for the Wolf clan was making excitement bubble in her chest.
"That would be perfect!" Connor smiled causing the infectious grin to spread to Kitane. "You can find the Homestead if you head directly North East that way." He pointed to his right. "It's at least a day of traveling on foot from here, if you find it to your liking speak with a man named Achilles Davenport at the manor and let him know I sent you."
Kitane nodded as she lifted her knapsack, loaded with meats and skins of her game; does, hares and the pelt of a fox. "Thank you, Connor. I hope to see you soon."
That evening, Kitane had summoned the tribe's council once again. The last time she had done this, she had effectively stepped on every toe of an Elder with her request of coming and going from the clan without even a proper escort her station demanded. Perhaps with this offer she would bring to them, it would rectify her transgressions against the tribe's laws and even give her the peace of mind she needed before embarking on her journey for revenge. Similar to the last meeting, she sat across the large fire pit, Elders from the highest rank sitting closest to Chief Hassun while Kuruk stood quietly in the back, observing the affair.
"Oel ngati kame (I see you)," Kitane greeted bowing her head deeply to show respect. The Elders and Chief Hassun returned the greeting with a small bow of their head. "I've summoned you all here for I could have found awaiei (paradise)."
The Elders immediately glanced between each other to inspect if any one understood what was going on. Chief Hassun held what looked to be a sense of relief buried within his deep brown orbs, any one else would have missed. Not Kitane though. It silently gave her the strength to speak with authority. "I will travel North East come dawn and investigate the land that was offered to our tribe. A place where no red devils tread and can take from us."
"Preposterous, no such place exists any more! We've seen for ourselves how much land these people take for themselves." Elder Askook voiced his opposition, once again. Always he looked to undermine Kitane's decisions, and she always wondered to what purpose. Perhaps he still had qualms with the color of her skin. Her pale complexion had caused a commotion throughout the early years of her life despite also having Lenape blood in her veins. It was closed-minded old people like Elder Askook that had issues with her, others out grew it or just didn't care.
"That is why I'll be investigating the land first, to see if it is suitable for our people," her retort earned her a evening glare from Chief Hassun, warning her of her tongue. She dully noted it and reigned in her irritation, not to save herself from social embarrassment but for her father. "I was told the land also connects with the major rivers to the Atlantic ocean with no hunters fishing the waters."
At the mention of rivers and oceans, the cornerstone of what made the Lenape prosper in the past, the Elders looked excitedly between each other. Next, Elder Taregan spoke, "And who is this person you spoke to? He must be British to own such lands."
Kitane shook her head, "No, he is also a Native. He introduced himself with the English name Connor."
This strange information caused a stir amongst the council. A Native who willing takes on an English name? Elder Taregan spoke up once more, raising his hand for attention, "This Connor, how exactly did you meet him?" Even Kuruk was interested on hearing the answer to this question. The thought of another man around Kitane secretly sent coils of protectiveness to turn in his gut. As it was his duty to protect his people.
Kitane bit the inside of her cheek, fighting the heat rising in her face. Unfortunately due to her pale complexion, it was obvious when she was blushing. "He killed an xincòlëpay that was.. attacking me, earlier today during a hunt."
The news sent the council into a disapproving roar. This was the very thing they feared when Kitane requested to leave the clan without an escort. She was the only child of Chief Hassun, her health was important to the people as they would soon need her bearing sons. "See! This is why we should have said no!" Elder Askook shook his ceremonial short-staff in the air, disgruntled.
"Silence!" Every one in the hut instantly ceased chatter at the command of Chief Hassun. He sat up regally, with an air of authority, "I would ask you tread more carefully when you are out there, Kitane. If you were to be harmed, your privilege of coming and going will be revoked." Kitane slightly winced at the warning, albeit the fact that she loved her people she would feel utterly trapped here if she was not allowed to leave when ever she pleased. "If these lands are deemed worthy of the clan, we will be indebted to you. And the man, Connor. May the Great Mother bless your travels." The meeting was rather abruptly adjourned as Chief Hassun stood from his seat and slowly made his way out the hut, with Kuruk in tow. This was becoming a usual occurrence lately so the Elders dismissed it and spoke among themselves about the news.
Feeling the need to speak privately with the Chief, Kitane followed him out the hut. He had begun to meander up the small stream, his slow, steady pace allowed Kitane catch up to Kuruk with ease.
"Oel ngati kame, tsmukan (I see you, brother)," Kitane greeted quietly to which Kuruk responded with a deep bow of his head, respecting her station. "How has he been lately?"
The pair glanced ahead to the Chief, with a twinge of worry. "He has grown weary of the travel, and his soul has grown weary of loss. We've lost another family today, they left to head West with a group of Shawnee hunters back to their tribe."
Kitane heaved a deep sigh, at the rate people were leaving there would hardly be enough to call a clan come next season. "Why won't they just have patience, were doing all we can to find a new home!"
Kuruk gave a small smile at the young woman before him, taken back by how much he's seen her grown in their lives; he was only her senior by four years; putting him at twenty-one and her, seventeen. "Do you really think that man Connor can give us what he promises?"
"Do we even have another choice at this point?" her cynical tone in her voice was apparent. Kuruk felt sympathy for the small woman walking next to him. She carried many burdens on her shoulders with little thanks and kept a strong facade for her people in times of strife. Had she been a man, she would have made a a fine Chief.
Hitting her shoulder playfully with his elbow, Kuruk stated, "There are always choices, always different paths for us to take. Some times it is veiled by darkness and only with the Light of the Great Mother can we see the other options."
Kitane smirked, "Perhaps you should have been a priest, oh wise one."
Kuruk grinned, knowing the jab she was making. The Wolf's clan War Leader was the only son to the clan's uniltìranyu (dreamwalker / high priest[ess] ). "Perhaps you should have been a man, with your tongue and will."
Kitane threw back her head and laughed joyously, Kuruk smiled inwardly at the site. Chief Hassun paused in his tracks and turned sideways, glancing at the pair behind him a few yards, "Kitane, approach alone."
Her laughter died down as she threw her childhood friend one last glance, 'Wish me luck,' before walking ahead to join her father.
"Yes, my Chief?"
Chief Hassun paused once they had walked a reasonable distance from Kuruk so he was out of range of hearing their conversation. "No need to address me as such, no one is watching."
Kitane smiled, "Yes, father?"
Hassun placed his arm around his daughter's shoulders comfortingly, "It has been a long time since I heard you laugh, it brings joy to this old heart.. Tell me, how do you see Kuruk?"
Kitane was confused, "He is like a brother to me. Always have treated me equal, taught me how to fight and defend myself. Why, father?"
"If these lands are suitable, must you continue with your mission of revenge?"
Kitane's eyes lowered to the ground, watching the small, clear stream ripple over the rocks and stones. She had thought this matter every night she could not sleep, tossing and turning on her cot. The inner turmoil inside her brewed with resent and the only plausible solution she saw was killing Haytham Kenway. "Yes, father. I must."
"Then allow me to beg of you – not as a Chief but as a father.. when you complete your mission, it would bring me great joy to see you married to Kuruk and give me grandsons. That is my final wish before I depart this world and join Sokanon in the arms of the Great Mother's awaiei (paradise)."
The mention of Kitane's mother brought a heavy feeling in her chest. Swallowing her emotion down, she spoke, "Father.. I.. Kuruk's like a brother to me! I don't love him!" she lowered her voice as she glanced back to Kuruk. He was staring off in the distance, hearing nothing of the conversation; thankfully, in Kitane's opinion.
"Love happens over time, 'evi (child). Please, think on the matter. I don't have many more years in this world left."
"Don't talk like that!" Kitane chastised her father. She did not have the strength to even think of losing her father, the last thing dear to her heart. "There is still time, father. But I promise I'll marry a man.. and.. give you grandchildren. After I complete what I must do." She grumbled out as heat crept to the roots of her hair. Her and Kuruk? Married? Children? The thought sent her emotions to run amok but nothing like the sweet, nervous feelings she would always overhear the older women gossip about during chores.
"Good, now go. You have much to prepare for tomorrow. I wish to speak alone with Kuruk."
Kitane blushed in embarrassment, wondering if her father was going to reveal his wishes of their marriage to Kuruk. "Kìyevame (Goodbye / see you again soon), father." Heading towards the direction of where her clan was camping for the next few nights, she passed Kuruk with hardly a glance to his face, staring at the tattoos marking him as a warrior on his chiseled chest instead. "He wishes to speak with you," Kitane darted away like a fleeing hare before Kuruk could respond, leaving him utterly confused on her behavior.
Once she had safely escaped to the camp site, she took a deep breath and willed the blush to go away before some one else and questioned what was wrong.. She had no time to think of marriage or kids! More important matters were on her mind. When her people were safe, Haytham Kenway dead, maybe she could amuse the thought of settling down. But with who would she marry? IF she ever did..
Author Notes: Translation of the Native American Algonquin names used goes as following: (War Leader) Kuruk - Bear; (Elder) Taregan - Crane..
Phrases such as "Oel ngati kame, tsmukan (I see you, brother)" are languages of the Na'vi (Avatar) by James Cameron. All rights belong to him.
