Hazel Pleasures
By: Sailorjj07
4. Chapter 4
A/n: I seriously think I've read every Connorline fic on this website. Come on, guys, we need mooorrreeee!
Disclaimer: I do not own!
"Talking"
'Thinking'
Actions
(Me!)
Aveline could feel his eyes on her. It wasn't so awkward that she felt like he was staring at her - more like paying attention to her actions. If Aveline had to guess, it seemed like Connor was curious about the transformation she made from Assassin to… whatever her position was at the Salon de Rose this evening.
"Shall we dress you up next?" Aveline asked, looking glancing back at Connor's face. The incredulous look that covered his entire face instantly made Aveline burst into a fit of laughter, "Mon ami, you are much too easy to tease!"
Connor finally looked away from her reflection, crossing his arms over his broad chest, "While you are… working, what would you have me do?"
"That is completely up to you, chèr. Yves will need help with surveillance of the Salon or... " Aveline trailed off, biting her bottom lip in thought. Connor glanced her way as he realized she had completely stopped speaking. He tried to ignore the way his gaze kept straying towards her crimson painted lips.
And just like that an idea sparked.
A smile washed over Aveline's face and she turned to face Connor completely. His heart unexpectedly thudded in his chest - there she was again; the breathtaking barmaid that had grabbed his attention in a room full of other women.
"Connor, how good are you at distractions?" The sparkle in Aveline's eyes was one of complete mischief.
Connor couldn't help but return her smile of mischief, "What would you have me do?"
"I have heard that the Patriots have a fondness for fireworks."
"Netta, when everyone rushes outside, stand at the end of the hallway and keep watch," Aveline whispered, as she passed an empty mug to her fellow Assassin. The girl looked at her curiously, and Aveline grinned despite herself.
"Connor," she said simply, laughing to herself as she remember the incredulous look he had given her earlier.
Antoinette just nodded, and went back to taking care of the bar.
"Mademoiselle, it seems we meet again, " Aveline spun on her heel to glance warily at the man standing in behind her. The dark haired captain from the night before grinned back at her, though this time he was without his companions.
"Two nights in a row, monsieur? You flatter me," Aveline replied, with a lifted brow. The man looked her over, from head to toe before taking her hand and pulling her towards him. He wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, leaning into her space to stare down at her with piercing blue eyes.
"Yesterday, you told me that you were only a kitchen girl. Then you went upstairs with that hooded man. Did you lie to me?"
"Non monsieur. I see naught but the kitchens and refreshments." Aveline's lie was smooth, but still the man's eyes narrowed a bit.
"Then tonight, you will witness much more." Ignoring her words of protest, the man took hold of Aveline's wrist, and made a clear path towards the stairs. Aveline knew she had to think quickly.
Another barmaid appeared out of the corner of Aveline's eye and Aveline immediately knew what she had to do, if she wanted to pull this off.
"Monsieur, if we must go, please hurry. The Madam will be upset to see my away from my post."
The man walked faster, pushing through the crowd towards his destination. He never even saw what was coming until it happened.
The barmaid collided with Aveline, and the craft Assassin spun her body towards the girl, yanking the tray from her hands and spilling the contents completely down the front of her body. Wine and mead soaked her gown instantly. The three of them fell in a wet heap just at the foot of the staircase.
"Oh! Ava! I'm so sorry!" The other girl cried, instantly helping Aveline up. She smiled despite her disheveled appearance, and shook her head.
"Please make sure our guest… Mister… Monsieur, I apologize, I never caught your name."
"Rolland. James Rolland." The man grunted out, ignoring the other girl's offered hand to stand on his own. He came out of the collision relatively unscathed.
Aveline's gaze focused in razor sharp on the man. The goddess of luck had smiled on her this day.
With Connor
"Master Connor, my fiancée just put out the lantern by the window. It is time." Yves told him, from behind a golden spyglass. The tall, lanky African American man flashed a lopsided smile at his newest acquaintance.
"Just Connor."
Yves' brown eyes danced warmly as he watched Connor gather his things. Once Connor had his hand on the door, the man turned back to the window, replacing the spyglass over his left eye.
"Master Connor, you've told me that for the last hour, and still, I'll say the same. But you'd best be running off! Give us a good show!"
Connor fought the urge to roll his eyes and made his way out of the barren apartment. He had to make sure the fireworks went off without a problem.
With Aveline
"Monsieur, Émilie will take you to one of the sitting rooms upstairs while I change into a new dress. Please, wait for me," Aveline finished her words with enticing flutter of her eyelashes.
Captain James Rolland nodded, entranced by Aveline's long eyelashes and hazel eyes, "Do not take too long."
"Oui," Aveline said simply. Aveline waited until the girl had escorted Rolland away before turning towards Antoinette, being sure to hold her stained clothes away from her body.
"Netta-"
"Cinq… quatre …trois… deux…"
BOOM!
A beautiful burst of blue light filled the night sky.
The two Assassins grinned at each other for only a moment before Aveline dashed out of the room. By the time she had reached the outdoor dressing rooms, the Salon's guests were already filing outside into the courtyard.
"Oh look, fireworks!" Antoinette cried in excitement. At her words, whoever remained in the building had headed out towards the front of the pleasure house. Aveline was sure she had never changed donned her Assassin's clothes so quickly in her life.
She scaled the building quickly and in an instant, was on the roof. She smirked when she found Connor standing there, bathed in the red and white flashes of light. A fluttering in her chest reminded her of just how handsome he looked, even with his face half-concealed under his Assassin's hood.
"Follow me, cher," was the only warning Aveline gave him before she bolted towards the staircase that would lead them to the fourth floor.
Connor ignored the sounds of pre-occupied patrons as he followed Aveline. He had studied the layout of the building already and was sure that the Madam's office was somewhere on the exact floor they were on. Aveline led him directly to it, and quickly picked the lock. The door swung open with ease.
The two of them took opposite corners of the office and proceeded to search every nook and cranny.
"I ran into one of the five today. He apparently has an interest in tanned barmaids, " Aveline told him as she searched through the desk.
"He is here?" Connor asked, from his position near the window.
"Oui, waiting patiently for his little courtesan to return."
Connor smiled ruefully, "Please do not torture him too much."
Aveline's airy laughter twinkled in the air, "I make no promises."
The wide bookshelf along the wall was the only place that remained untouched. Both Aveline and Connor walked over to it at the same time, and in unison, they both spotted a glowing object.
"There!" They both said, reaching for the book in sync.
Aveline turned to look at Connor quizzically, as he removed his hand from atop her's quickly as if she had burned him. He briskly moved away, pointing at the footsteps on the floor that glittered in the same manner as the book Aveline was currently reading the title of.
"You have the sight?"
"Yes. It appears you have it as well." Connor felt just a little bit of happiness about that. When he had mentioned his talent to Dobby, she had tried, and failed, to see what his eyes could.
"Master Ezio has said it is what defines us as Assassins." Aveline pulled on the book and, as expected, the entire bookcase shifted away from the wall. A staircase opened up in front of them, heading downwards, "I still do not know why they insist on hiding things behind a bookcase. If I had a coin for every time I have encountered these things…"
Connor chuckled as he reached for the lantern behind them, "Aveline, you should say hello to your visitor. I will follow the path and see where it leads."
"That is a sound plan," Placing a hand on the doorknob, Aveline listened for any noise in the hall. The silence of the night greeted her, "It seems our diversion has ended. Shall we convene at my Father's warehouse?"
Aveline received no answer. Connor had already taken off down the stairs. Laughing to herself, Aveline resealed the hidden passage and left the room as well. She had a captain to visit.
With Connor
The path led downwards and then flattened out to a straight, narrow walkway. There was nothing of note to be seen, though Connor mentally prepared himself for anything. Soon, he heard the sounds of dripping water. The path began to vanish and open up into something else entirely.
The sounds of the sea came rushing on him as he continued onwards.
"HEY!"
Connor pressed himself against the wall, shuttering the lantern before any light could be seen. He continued to creep forward as the path opened up into a sizable cavern. At the mouth of the cave was enough space to fit at least two small ships. One such vessel sat anchored at the makeshift doc, waiting. Men milled all about, some armed and others carrying crates.
The voice Connor had heard came from the two men standing closest to him, at the bottom of the steep walkway. Connor stuck to the shadows, hoping that he would remain unseen long enough to hear their conversation.
"Captain Rolland will be back with his whore soon enough. After that, you may ask him whatever you want. In the meantime, I'm in charge here!" The burly man glared at his scrawny counterpart, daring him to say something else.
"He is supposed to be fetching my grandfather, not flittering about with some woman! My, how your Captain neglects his duties! I expect no less from your ilk," the scrawny man in glasses refused to be pushed aside, though if their argument came to blows, he was sure to lose.
"Listen, Tassin! If you continue to speak ill of my Captain, I will drown you in the sea like the dog you are!" The enraged man pointed towards the waters, earning a huff from his companion.
"Your threats fall on deaf ears. You're not even in charge here."
The two men continued to bicker as the walked down the rugged path. Connor wanted to follow them, but knew he couldn't. He would be seen before he had a chance to grab the small one.
Turning back from whence he came, Connor hoped that no one had decided to go into the Madam's office.
With Aveline
"Amour, close your eyes and I will enter. I want it to be a surprise when you see me," Aveline murmured sensually from the other side of the door.
"Ava, was it? What took you so long?"
"I wanted to prepare myself for you, monsieur. I… have never done this before…" She admitted shyly, knowing it would appeal to his manly senses. A pure maiden was always the best temptation for bad men.
"Aye, I will close my eyes then."
Smirking to herself, Aveline entered the room to find that the man had spoken the truth. He truly had closed and covered his eyes in an effort to please her.
If he wasn't a part of the group kidnapping women and children, she may have actually been touched by the gesture.
"Now, open your eyes, if you please," Aveline plopped down lazily on the couch, wrapping her arm around the man's shoulder and pointing her hidden blade directly at his right eye.
Captain James Rolland opened his eyes to find the cold steel mere inches away from his direct line of vision. He attempted to scream but was immediately silenced by Aveline's hand over his mouth.
"Now that we've gotten more comfortable with each other. Let's talk…" Aveline's husky, accented voice betrayed the actual situation they found themselves in. One look in her eyes and James Rolland knew one thing for sure.
He would not live through this night.
"W-What do you want to know?" He asked, eyeing the blade before shifting his focus on the woman behind him.
"You will tell me everything you know. NOW. Or the first thing to be removed will be les yeux. Surely, a man can still speak without his eyesight."
Wanting very much to keep his eyeballs intact, Rolland nodded nervously, "I came here to retrieve Fredrick Tassin's grandfather."
"Fredrick… The grandson of the gardener, n'est-ce pas? Why?"
Rolland looked surprised to see that Aveline knew the man without an explanation, "He wants to move the old man into a nicer house, give him servants. Trivial stuff."
"And how does the man afford such luxury?"
"He's in charge of the books. Keeps track of every girl that comes through the Salon and out to de Ulloa's ships-"
"Which you are the captain of, non?" Aveline shifted the blade smoothly away from the man's eye, tracing the point down to Rolland's throat, "Men like you are utterly despicable."
Fearing the end was upon him, Rolland swallowed hard, gasping for breath, "W-Wait! I can tell you more!"
"Please, feel free to continue."
"The Madam selects some of the girls here, but most of them are scouted by Lady Acard!"
"Lady…?"
"Y-Yes, Lady Acard speaks to the Madam and has girls sent here all the time! B-But I don't really handle them, I just take them to other ports. I follow de Ulloa's orders and-"
Aveline's steely gaze struck fear into the man's heart, "I believe you have given me plenty of information. Thank you for being so helpful."
Aveline felt no remorse for stabbing Rolland cleanly in the throat and watching the life drain from his eyes. She rummaged through the man's clothes and found a dagger, 3 letters, and a document of sorts.
After smearing some of the man's blood on his own dagger and placing it strategically on his chest, Aveline climbed quickly out of the window and bounded off into the night. She did not want to be at the pleasure house when the body was discovered.
End Chapter 4
