Chapter IX
Basically there was a Templar hid in a room with two Assassins… Wow, Eve, once more the odds are in your favour. I was almost praying they would not see me and I even held my breath for some time and started breathing slow so they would not hear me. I shared that small space with the dust and some old boxes I silently decided I should analyse later… If I got out of that mess, of course.
Achilles walked in the room with his cane and sat on the bed under which I was hiding. Connor's feet appeared on the door not long after and he stood there, leaned against a wall.
"Achilles, the ship will leave without you." Connor complained, his voice tone seeming upset.
"You need to start speaking to me, Connor." Achilles' voice answered.
"What I need is to find Pitcairn."
He was after Jonathan… Of course. It was the most logical thing to do in my opinion as well. But he could not get another Templar…
After a few seconds of silence, Connor sighted and began to walk around the room. Achilles remained sat.
"How old were you when…" Connor began, almost murmuring. "When you… met Abigail?"
A few seconds of silence followed, denouncing Achilles had been caught by surprise with that question.
"So this is about a lady?" Achilles asked.
For some reason Achilles did not seem like he wished to speak of whoever «Abigail» was. I should likely do some searching on that matter as well… Again, if I made it out.
"When we were in Boston, Evelyn…" Connor started and I held my breath to the sound of my name being spoken. "…insinuated that I had feelings for Dobby."
"Dobby, the Assassin?" Achilles asked and Connor must have nodded. "Well do you?"
"No! I mean… Not in that way…" Connor said.
"You do not seem sure…" Achilles said in an amused tone.
"Evelyn heard Dobby telling me it was strange that I was not courting anyone and asking if I intended to be a father."
"To which your answer was…?"
"That I was waiting for calmer days. The Order keeps me busy. Perhaps one day when things are calmer…"
There were a few seconds of silence and then a deep sight from Achilles.
"Sit, boy, we need to speak." He said.
I rolled my eyes even though no one could see it. Now both the Assassins were sitting in the bed I was using as a hiding space and I just wanted to leave the damn house.
"I understand that, at the moment, all you think of is revenge and Templars and Charles Lee." Achilles began. "But you must see that there are other things outside the Assassin tasks. You need to enjoy your life; you need a woman by your side, you need to spend time with friends. Or later you will look back and see nothing but a wasted youth, a shadow of the man you could have been."
There was a sort of groan made by Connor.
"I… I will…" He said. "When things calm down."
"Connor, you put your life at risk every day. Enjoy the few good things in life while you can. One day it may be too late."
Connor sighted once more. I made absolutely no move in the silence, afraid one of them would hear even a breath from me. Silence continued for few extra moments.
"Tell me something, Connor…" Achilles said. "Is there anyone that, as small as the feelings may be, has captured your special attention?"
Connor got up nervously and began to walk around the room once more, moving quite fast. This should be interesting. Finally something I'd like to know the answer to.
"No." He simply said after a few seconds.
Why was he like that? So cold, so «taste-less».
"There must be someone…" Achilles insisted.
"There isn't." Connor said.
"Dobby is indeed quite the unusual lady…"
"I do not care for her like that…"
Connor stopped walking by the window and stood there, facing the outside instead of Achilles.
"What about Ellen? I noticed the looks you give her at times…" Achilles said, almost laughing.
Thank you, Achilles! I knew I was not the only one.
"What?" I watched Connor's feet turn around. "She is much older than me."
"So? So is Dobby."
"You are wrong. This conversation is pointless."
"It was bound to happen. I have been seeing in your behaviour lately that there is something you need to let off your chest, Connor."
"We should go now. The ship awaits, old man."
"What about her daughter, Maria? She is as beautiful as her mother…" Achilles said.
Connor turned back to the window. I wasn't expecting this turn of events.
"I do not have that sort of feelings for Maria either."
Some silent moments followed and then Achilles began to slowly get up, applying his weight on his cane.
"I tried…" He murmured very quietly as he did.
He got up and gently straightened the quilt of the bed. He started walking towards the door and Connor stood exactly where he was, by the window. I sight of relief came out of me, realizing I was finally to be left alone. When Achilles was a few inches from the entrance, Connor spoke.
"Do you think…" Connor started and Achilles stopped walking.
Are you serious?! They were so close to leave!
"Do you think…" Connor repeated, not leaving his position. "…Evelyn has that kind of feelings for someone?"
My whole body froze and I felt my heart beating everywhere. Me?
"Oh…" Achilles murmured and walked back into the middle of the room. "I do not know. Have you asked her?"
"No. How could I?" Connor said. His feet did not turn, but by the voice I could tell he faced towards the old man.
"Well, she is very nice. And she seems to have something more to her than a usual girl."
He had a keen eye, that man.
"She… She said that she did not find herself… pretty." Connor spoke. "Is it strange that I think otherwise?"
I smiled from where no one could see. Achilles laughed out loud.
"All the ladies say that, Connor! Even if they are attractive, they will say otherwise just so we, gentlemen, tell them they are beautiful. It is just how it works."
There were more silent moments.
"If you fancy her, you should tell her." Achilles broke the silence.
"No one said I fancied her." Connor said.
"You are so stubborn, boy!" Achilles said. "Why do you keep insisting…"
"I just mentioned this because she said she had an arranged marriage in England. Forget it, I will leave without you, old man."
Connor walked out the door even faster than how I'd walked in and Achilles followed at his own pace.
"One of these days, boy…" Achilles murmured.
Only after hearing the main door close downstairs, I felt comfortable enough to leave my hiding spot and sight with relief. I looked through a window on another room and saw Connor heading for the stables. Achilles stood by the carriage that was outside, so I guessed Connor had gone to the stables to grab a couple of horses for the carriage.
I couldn't waste any time thinking about what I heard. I searched the house, forcing myself not to think of the words Connor had pronounced regarding me. I couldn't…
I stared at the back of the staircase for almost a full minute. I knocked on the wall and felt a hollow space behind it. There had to be something there! Only after a while I realized the candelabra by its side, on the left wall. I attempted to lift it and shake it, but only when I pulled it down, a secret passage opened behind the staircase, leading to a basement. I smiled to myself and went down the stairs, looking carefully at what surrounded me.
The basement was huge and contained a practice dummy, a lot of outfits (Assassin outfits), some painting and an armoury on one of the sides. Of course what caught my special attention was the wall with the paintings, dedicated to Templars. There were six paintings: one of Nicholas Biddle, one of Thomas Hickey, one of William Johnson, one of Charles Lee and one of my own master, Haytham Kenway… Connor's father. Johnson's painting had a white cross over it, the way of saying he had been 'eliminated'. I sighted deeply. The paintings had notes by them. I read them quickly and continued the search.
I could not deny the Assassins had good taste in outfits. They were so interesting I felt a will to try them on myself. But I held it inside me as I watched them carefully, one by one. They were elegant, yet too obvious. They had been keeping that same hood and white robes since the beginning of their Order. It was too known to us, they ought to change the outfits.
Then again… Just look at them.
20th of June 1775
A letter arrived that day. Finally! Haytham had written to me. I ran to Ellen's home and told Maria I would sit outside while reading it. I sat on a rock a few meters away from the house and began to read it.
18th of June 1775, New York
Dear Evelyn,
It seems like an eternity, the time in which we have not spoken. It is a shame that this letter was written to pass some terrible news. I am sorry to inform you of the loss of another important man: Jonathan Pitcairn. He was murdered yesterday, in Charlestown, on the battlefield. This happened by the hand of our Assassin, Connor. I cannot help thinking that if we had remained in touch, you could have warned me, that we could have helped it.
But let us speak of other matters. I can only imagine how tiring your stay there has been. I will be spending the next week in Boston and I would love for you to join me so that we may discuss our next move. If you are not able, write me to the Green Dragon Tavern and I will read it once I arrive there. I met that pirate you sail with, William Jackson, here in New York. I told him of the situation and he agreed to go there and bring you to Boston if you are able. I still do not comprehend what you see in that man…
Well I hope to see you soon. Unfortunately, I do not have any time left to write.
My regards,
Haytham Kenway
I almost felt sick. Jonathan was dead… By the hand of Connor… Once more I wanted to punch him and tell him a piece of my mind, that the Templars were not the 'bad guys' as he thought… But how could I? That was not the mission! Then again, my mission also consisted in predicting his moves and I seemed to be failing at it. How could that man move so fast? I knew he wanted Pitcairn gone but… How? At least thanks to the hideout in his home I knew who his man targets were. I should inform Haytham!
My thoughts were yet scattered away by the sight of a man followed by a bunch of redcoats. I felt the smell of alcohol many meters before he was next to me and got up, holding my long dress.
"You know someone named «Ellen»?" The man asked.
Wow, what a gentleman… Not even a «Good morning».
"Why do you ask?"
He sighted with a groan and rolled his eyes. As he did, he focused on something behind me, in the direction of Ellen's home. I turned around and saw Maria walking in the house with a bucket of water, many meters away.
"Maria…" The mysterious man murmured.
He made a gesture to the redcoats and the group ran to Ellen's house, yelling for her to come out and how «Maria was still his daughter». I barely had time to think. The man was the drunk father Maria had told me of and he was back to haunt them? I yelled for them to leave them alone, but they wanted to bring the damn house down. I fought a huge will to take care of them myself, since he was going to hurt Maria, but didn't want to ruin my disguise. I ran on the opposite direction and called Godfrey, the closest man around. It did not take long until others had joined us and I told them what was happening. To our surprise and relief, Connor himself appeared not long after and together we ran to the house. All of them fought, but of course Connor's moves stood out. I started a fight myself, even in a dress, but Connor didn't let me finish it and took the man I was fighting.
In the blink of an eye, the only thing each of us could see was Connor holding and threatening the man, making sure he would not disturb Ellen or Maria once more.
"You can have them" Was his answer.
He and the others practically crawled away from there and Ellen came out of the house at last. I ran inside looking for Maria as she thanked the others. Maria had her hands on her face and was sitting on a chair. I ran to her and hugged her.
"It is me, Maria. They are gone." I said.
The tears fell down her face. I do not think I had ever seen my best friend sad.
"I thought I would never see him again…" She cried.
"He will not return, Maria. Connor made sure of it."
"I thought we would kill my mother… or me…"
"Nothing will happen to you or your mother as long as you are here. Everybody came to help you! You will be fine."
"Thank you Eve…"
After comforting Maria for a while, we went outside and only Connor and Ellen remained there. I poked Maria when we saw them both together and she rolled her still moist eyes. I put my arm around her and she leaned her head against my shoulder. What a situation that was… I wished I could just follow that damn man and teach him a lesson myself. How dare he hurt my friend as such?
Instead, I had to inform Ellen and Maria I wanted to leave to Boston…
