I met with a few of the people on the Homestead. A doctor, a miner, a huntress, lumbermen and a farmer with his wife… I believe their names were, White, Norris, Myriam, Terry, Godfrey, Warren and Prudence. They were a kind folk and I wished I met them sooner. They spoke highly of Ratonhnhake;ton. They say he had helped them out of plenty of binds and gave them a place to stay on the property… much like what happened with me. Only, the first time they met him, they were being attacked by others. When I first met Connor, I attacked him. If he still held a grudge on me over that, I would not be here…
Connor was called for someone. He invited me to come along and I agreed to go. Though not without laughing a bit. The poor man looked like he did not want to go on the mission. He told me that these people, the "Sons of Liberty," had thought that he was a close ally to them. They were planning something. Like I said, I laughed. Still, I am glad that Connor invites me to his missions now. I wonder what will be our adventure. He said that we will wait until the sun begins to set.
That time has come.
"You never told me your answer." Connor loomed over Crenepo. She was sitting by the creek, leaning her head in her hands and staring at the water. She looked up at Connor through her bangs as he crouched down to her level.
"My answer?" Crenepo asked, confused.
"To your name?"
"Oh! I had forgotten about that!" Crenepo pushed herself onto her knees and covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm so sorry, Connor!"
"There is no need to be sorry." Connor reassured the Taino as he stood to his full height. "Whenever you are ready to go."
Crenepo watched him go. She pushed herself off the gravel and dusted off any loose pebbles before following the man. Crenepo lightly scratched her face, still discolored from the bruises, but healing up. She caught up with Connor, who had already mounted his horse, and got on hers. They galloped off the Homestead property and into the Frontier.
"We're going to Boston."
Nighttime had fallen as Connor led Crenepo through the Frontier and into Boston. She felt a bit disappointed that she could not explore the new city as duty called. If she remembered the way to Boston and back, she would be able to wander around the city. The two assassins got off their horses, Connor taking the lead with Crenepo trotting behind him.
"Who are these 'Sons of Liberty?' " Crenepo murmured to herself, hoping Connor did not hear her. She did not want to annoy him with her habit of asking too many questions.
"Pardon?" Connor asked.
"Oh… Nothing. Never mind." Connor paused to look at her.
"Are you sure?" He looked concerned.
"Yes."
"You should say what is on your mind, Crenepo. It is better than staying quiet."
With that, Connor continued onward leaving Crenepo behind. She thought about his words for a moment before catching up with him. He stopped in front of a building and opened the that she would have to stay outside again, Crenepo leaned against the side of the building.
"Do you wish to come inside?" Connor offered. Crenepo stared at him for a moment. She slowly entered the building, closing the door behind her as Connor ventured deeper into the house. He opened another door and a voice echoed in the hallway.
"AH Connor! What a relief! You came!" An excited voice made Crenepo jump. She peered into the door, just to see Connor flinch when a man touched his shoulder. "Allow me to introduce you to William Dawes and Robert Newman."
The men stood up from their chairs, nodding their greetings. Connor turned his gaze back to the other man while Crenepo silently closed the door. She tried to make herself less known, but failed as the two men took notice of her.
"Your letter said Pitcairn was here?" Connor inquired.
"Aye. He's readying an assault on Lexington, where Adams and Hancock have taken shelter." Who is this man? "After that, he will march on Concord - hoping to destroy our weapons and supplies. You must help us."
"Only tell me where to find him and I will put a stop to this."
The man began to pace around the room, dramatically waving his hands. "He has dozens, if not hundreds, of soldiers at his command. You cannot hope to match him by yourself. But fear not - for you will not have to! We have an entire army of our own - merely awaiting the order to take up arms."
Connor stepped close to the man.
"Then you must call upon them."
"Indeed." The man agreed. He put his hand on Connor's shoulder. When he turned his head towards it, the other man removed it quickly, continuing his chatter. Crenepo noticed the look of disgust on Connor's face. She moved out of the way of the men who walked out the door. The man turned his attention to Crenepo.
"Ah, and who is this?" The man pointed towards Crenepo. She shyly covered her face with her hood. Even though there were two men, Crenepo felt plenty of eyes boring onto her. It was very unpleasant to be at the center of attention.
"Don't be so bashful. Come forward." The man reached for Crenepo's arm and she flinched slightly, backing herself against the wall.
"She is a friend who I asked to accompany me here." Connor replied, saving the young woman. "She is a woman dedicated to the same cause as I am."
"Oh! Marvelous. My name is Paul Revere." He took her hand and shook it gently. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Connor's is a friend of ours."
"I see." Crenepo squeaked. She slipped her hand out of Paul's grip. The man turned and headed towards Connor.
"No time for dawdling, my friend." Paul placed his hand on Connor's shoulder again. The Assassin grabbed it, taking it off of him. Paul seized his wrist. "We have lives to save. Come on!"
Paul gestured in the direction of the door. Connor glared at him a bit before heading towards it. He motioned with his head for Crenepo to follow him, to which she did very eagerly. She pushed past him and went outside. Air… She breathed in the cool air and calmed herself down. Why am I like this? Stop it!
"Crenepo?" The woman jolted, her eyes searching for who called her. They fell on a broad chest and travelled up. Connor… "If you wish to go back, you can. I am not keeping you here."
"N-no… I-" Crenepo stammered. She swallowed, feeling her muscles tense up. "I wish to finish this. No need to be concerned about me."
"You are scared of-?"
"No no!" Crenepo shook her head. Why can I not I concentrate? Maybe I should go back… But I do not want to leave. I want to help.
"Is there something the matter?" Paul asked the two Assassins. Connor was about to answer, but Crenepo cut him off.
"Nothing is wrong, sir. We were… uh… simply disagreeing over some little thing." Crenepo smiled lopsidedly.
"Well, good to see you can talk. I was worried a cat may have gotten your tongue." Paul teased.
This was going to be a long ride.
Crenepo sat behind Connor on the floor of the rowboat. Her legs were crossed and she was hunched over, making her look smaller than she really is. Her anxiety had cooled down, but her hands still shook slightly. Crenepo kept mentally cursing herself over it. She was an Assassin… She had to be braver than that. Easier said than done. Crenepo played with her fingers, not listening to Paul Revere's conversation. With how loud he was talking, it came as a surprise that the Regulars have not yet found them.
The three of the arrived in the Frontier. Crenepo helped Connor drag the boat onto shore.
"Ah. They've only left a single horse. We'll have to ride together."
"I do not think all three of us can fit on top of a horse." Crenepo grunted as she heaved the boat up with Connor. They left it on the sand and turned to Paul Revere, who had already mounted the horse.
"Ah, you take the reins. I'll navigate." Paul Revere ordered. "Quickly, Connor and Connor's friend! Get on the horse. I'll guide you towards those we need to alert! Follow my directions and we'll be done in no time!"
"I do not think he heard me." Crenepo whispered to Connor who was exasperated at the man already.
"What do you wish to do?" He asked her.
"I will see if I can find myself another horse. There should be a town close by. You and Revere go on ahead."
Connor thought for a moment before he headed up the bank to the horse. Crenepo trailed behind him and stopped beside the horse.
"Be careful. Do not lose yourself in the forest." Connor warned. "Will you know where to find us?"
"You the same. As for finding you two, leave a trail for me to follow."
Crenepo waved them away and they galloped off into the night. She turned in the opposite direction and followed the trail up. She passed over a bridge and by a few Regular patrols. Crenepo avoided them by hiding in the shrubs. She smirked to herself, praising her decision to dye her coat black. Those soldiers could never find her. Crenepo waited for them to pass by before continuing onward. She found a small town and located the stables. She snuck inside and nearly startled the horses. Crenepo soothed one of them and gently patted his face. He snorted and shook his mane. Crenepo searched for the saddle and bridles, finding them hanging on the walls. She placed them on the horse, the same way Achilles had shown her and tied them.
Crenepo snuck out of the stables, guiding the horse by the reins. The fence made a loud creaking noise. The lights of the house beside the stables lit up. Crenepo jumped in surprise. A woman opened the door and ran outside in a nightgown and oil lamp. She spotted Crenepo and the horse.
"THEIF! THEIF!" She cried. Crenepo leaped onto her horse and roused him into a gallop. She hissed in pain as a rock hit her square in the back. The woman kept screaming and tossing rocks at Crenepo's disappearing form. Several Regulars started to give chase, but by then, Crenepo was long gone.
After putting enough distance between her and the town, Crenepo slowed the horse down to a trot and let out a sigh of relief.
"That was close." She whispered. Now she had to find Connor and Paul Revere. Hopefully Connor left behind a subtle trail. Crenepo retraced her path back to the river. She spotted the boat on the riverbank and followed the horse tracks in the mud. It was helpful, but soon the tracks veered off the path. Crenepo growled in frustration and tried to look for any sign of Paul Revere and Connor.
After what seemed like hours of searching, Crenepo spotted a tree with its bark unusually scraped off. She inspected it, finding knife marks in the middle. Her horse nickered as the young woman gently patted the horses neck. Crenepo tried to look for more clues. She found another tree with its bark cut off. In the middle, there was an arrow pointing in the direction of another town close by. Crenepo followed it.
Connor and Paul Revere were not there, but a few men were. They held muskets, but were not dressed as formally as the Regulars. Crenepo assumed that they were the army that Paul Revere was speaking of. She hoped that that would be enough to take down the enemy. Following the clues that Connor had left behind, Crenepo came across another town. It was the same deal as the first. Frustration was building in her stomach.
"They could not have gone far." Crenepo whispered to herself. She tried to trace them again and found a few horse tracks leading into the woods. She roused her horse, passing over a small creek and back onto the path.
The young woman came across another town. Crenepo's heart nearly stopped when she heard the sound of gunfire. She looked around frantically. Her horse nervously squealed and began backing away. Crenepo tried to calm him down. A flash of white darted in front of her. She looked up from her horse to see Connor and Paul Revere running off. She searched for what they were running from: Regulars. Crenepo gritted her teeth and smacked the reins. The Regulars skidded to a halt as the horse darted towards them. He reared, neighing loudly. Crenepo nearly fell off, but she held fast.
"This is a distraction! After them!" The officer yelled. Before he could continue, Crenepo's horse kicked him in the back, sending him forward into the mud. Knowing she was outnumbered, Crenepo turned her horse around and galloped in the direction that Paul and Connor ran off to.
"Make ready!"
Oh no!
"FIRE!"
Gunfire echoed in the night. Crenepo's horse reared up and collapsed to the ground. The woman struggled to get the horse off of her as the patrol advanced. The horse kicked and writhed, rolling around. Crenepo covered her face to keep the hooves from hitting her. The horse rolled off of her and ran off. The patrol closed in on Crenepo. She unsheathed her tomahawk as they surrounded her. One swung his musket at Crenepo's neck, but she dodged it. The bayonet glinted menacingly in the moonlight. Run! Do not fight them!
Do you not want to get stronger? Fight them!
Not now!
WEAK!
"Damn!" Crenepo cursed as another soldier swung his musket in her direction. She grabbed it and pulled him towards her, unsheathing her hidden blade. She stabbed the man's throat and pulled the musket from his grasp as he fell. She brandished the weapon, snarling. She was about ready to attack when someone pulled her away by her shoulder.
"Run, Crenepo!" Connor yelled. She did not listen. Crenepo attacked the nearest soldier with the rifle and butted him in the jaw. He wants you to fail. Do not let him be the one to rescue you.
Connor grabbed Crenepo by the arm and ran into the woods. She dropped the rifle as she was pulled out of the fight. They kept running until they were clear of the soldiers and caught up with Paul Revere. Crenepo wretched her arm from Connor's grasp and held it close to her.
"That was much too close for comfort. Let us take care to avoid any further surprises…" Paul suggested. Crenepo hunched over and rested her hands on her knees, panting heavily. Connor glared at her for a moment before following Revere. The woman trudged behind them. Her thoughts began to race as the three of them made their way to a house on the hill. Paul knocked on the door. He waited a few moments.
"Where the devil is he?" Revere muttered exasperated. He knocked on the door again.
"Are you sure we are in the right place?" Connor questioned the man.
"Sure I'm sure! Prescott?" Paul began to walk around to the back of the house. Connor and Crenepo trekked behind him. A woman came running out in her undergarments and covering her bare chest. The two Assassins stared at her retreating form.
"Evening, gents." Prescott greeted. He was wearing a shirt and a pair of undergarments. Crenepo covered her eyes and shook her head slightly.
"What an adventure…" She whispered.
"Listen, the Regulars are out." Paul informed Prescott. "You need to rally your men… and put on some trousers!
"At once." With that, Prescott saluted Paul, Connor and Crenepo and headed back into his house. The three of them headed to the horse stables. Crenepo got on one while Paul and Connor shared another. They rode into one last town.
"Welcome to Lexington, Connor and Connor's friend." Crenepo rolled her eyes. "Now let's find Hancock and Adams."
The three of them searched the town for the house.
"Hmm… No sign of Dawes. I hope he's alright."
They find the house that Hancock and Adams were hiding in and enter it. However, Crenepo stayed outside. She leaned against the building a slid down, burying her face in her knees and tucking her arms underneath her. Her face felt hot and her heart pounded in her chest. Do I miss her? Do I miss my mom? It was a long moment. Connor stepped outside and spotted Crenepo curled beside the building. She saw his boots in front of her and buried her hands in her hood, covering her ears.
"What were you thinking, Crenepo?" Connor crouched in front of her. "You could have gotten yourself killed!"
"I was going to distract them and keep them off your tails." Crenepo explained as looked up and glared at the man. "It seemed like something smart to do."
"It is better to run from the enemy than to fight them." Connor retorted.
"Running from the enemy is cowardly and stupid." Crenepo spat. "I would rather die fighting than die running!"
"That is the exact thought that will get you killed!" Connor exclaimed. "Think for a moment, Crenepo! Would you rather be dead? Would you rather not fulfill whatever it is that you want to do?"
"I-" She began.
"Is there something on your mind?" Connor's voice was softer and more gentle now. It did nothing to ease the young woman.
That is what he would do, right?
Your mother's husband would always speak like that to you.
"I can help you."
"Nothing is on my mind. I am perfectly fine." Crenepo growled. She stood up and walked past Connor. "Where to next?"
"We will stay here and hold the town. The others will march to Concord."
"Then we would best prepare ourselves then."
