An Assassin's Trust
Summary: Achilles adopted daughter, Beth, is one of the best Assassin he's trained, but her past is dark, so dark neither of them will talk about it. Now, Connor, Achilles' new Assassin – in – training works with Beth but in order to trust her, he wants to know her past. Will she be willing to reveal her past so easily to him? Can he prove to Beth that he can be trusted? Eventually Connor X OC.
Rating: T
Chapter Ten: Snow Is A Dangerous Thing
~ LadyRavenOfTheNight
Winter had set in fast and a blanket of snow had covered the Homestead. Ratonhnhaké:ton's training continued, more inside the Manor than out, and Beth and Ratonhnhaké:ton's friendship was stronger than ever. Ratonhnhaké:ton sat at the table when Beth enter the Manor through the back door. "Morning Ké:ton" she said, taking down her hood and brushing snow from her shoulders. "Good morning to you, Beth" replied Ratonhnhaké:ton. Achilles entered and bid the two teenagers good morning. "Today I want you to get ready for the winter. The snow will only get heavier and we need food and firewood, enough to see use through the winter" explained Achilles. "I'm not very good at hunting Achilles, you know that" said Beth, leaning forward on the table. "I can show you how" said Ratonhnhaké:ton in a quiet voice and both Beth and Achilles turn to him to see if he actually talked. "I mean, if you want" he said, scratching the back of his head, not looking at Beth. "There you go, Bethany. The boy will show you" said Achilles, smiling at Beth, but Beth knew his smile was for from innocent.
Beth and Ratonhnhaké:ton exited the Manor and Beth pulled her Assassin robe around her in an attempt to fight off the cold. "We'll use the trees and try to keep out of the snow" said Beth and Ratonhnhaké:ton nodded. They spend the whole morning and most of the afternoon hunting on the Homestead and the Frontier. "Look, an easy kill" said Ratonhnhaké:ton, pointing to a hare out in the open. He handed his bow to Beth, who looked uneasy. "I don't know, Ké:ton, I didn't do so well with the last hare. How can I kill this one?" questioned Beth. "What makes you think that?" asked Ratonhnhaké:ton. "I'm just not good with a bow and arrow, that's all. Give me a sword or a pistol or a hidden blade any day" said Beth. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled at her and handed her an arrow, giving her his best 'I'm not taking no for an answer' face and she sighed. "Here, I will show you" said Ratonhnhaké:ton, standing directly behind Beth. He placed his hands on hers, one on the bow, the other on the string, pulling the string back. He fixed the bow so she was holding it right. He repressed any feelings he had for Beth by being this close to her. "Have you got it in your sights?" Ratonhnhaké:ton breathed in her ear, trying to keep his voice level. "Yes" replied Beth. "Okay, then release the arrow when you are ready" said Ratonhnhaké:ton. Beth did as he said and released the arrow. It landed in the hare's body and it stopped moving. "I did it" said Beth, sounding surprised. She turned her face and was face to face with Ratonhnhaké:ton who smiled at her. "Well done, Beth" he said and she blushed, looking away. "I wouldn't have been able to do it unless you showed be how. The credit should go to you" said Beth stepping away, putting a bit of distance between her and Ratonhnhaké:ton. Ratonhnhaké:ton skinned the hare and took its meat. They collected a good amount of meat to see them through winter and headed back to the Manor.
They spent the evening collecting firewood and got a fair amount. Both Beth and Ratonhnhaké:ton chopped larger logs into smaller pieces before packing them away for easy access during the winter. "Is that all?" asked Ratonhnhaké:ton. "For now. Will you take this pile of firewood in for tonight and then come back out. I have one more job for you" asked Beth, pointing to a pile of firewood to her right. "Of course" said Ratonhnhaké:ton, taking the firewood into the Manor. When he returned, Beth was nowhere to be seen. "Beth?" called Ratonhnhaké:ton, when suddenly, a ball of snow collided with his shoulder. He looked in the direction it had come from and there stood Beth, stepping out from behind the Manor, doubled over with laughter. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled. "Is that how you want to play it, Beth" he said, bending to make his own snowball. Beth took cover and remade her ammunition and threw it at Ratonhnhaké:ton again. Hers got him in the chest and his got her in the leg. They laughed in excitement as they continued their snowball, unsure of who was even winning. Beth ran at Ratonhnhaké:ton holding a snowball ready to be thrown. Ratonhnhaké:ton dived at her and, being caught off guard, she laughed loudly and dropped her snowball in favour of holding his shoulders as she fell backwards. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled at her delight. He straddled her tights, pinning her to the ground and held a snowball of his own. "Give up yet, Beth?" asked Ratonhnhaké:ton, smiling uncontrollably at the girl. Beth flipped Ratonhnhaké:ton and now straddle him and brought her face close to his. "Do you, Ké:ton?" Beth said, almost seductively and Ratonhnhaké:ton smirked at the girl. Her loose hair hung freely and tickled his cheeks, causing him to reach up and push her hair back out of her face, then rested his hand on the back of her neck. The spent a peaceful moment just looking into each other's eyes before Beth looked away and sat up. "I think we'll call it even for now" she said, helping Ratonhnhaké:ton sit up. They sat cross legged and Ratonhnhaké:ton faced the ocean while Beth faced the Manor. "I want to go visit my village" said Ratonhnhaké:ton, face so close to Beth she felt his breath on her lips. "That's nice. You must miss them" replied Beth, in a quiet voice. "I… I want you to come with me" said Ratonhnhaké:ton, his cheeks reddening slightly. "Oh, really?" asked Beth. They leaned slightly closer, foreheads touching, and Beth's hand found Ratonhnhaké:ton upper arm to steady herself when a snowball collided with their cheek's. They turned to see Achilles, looking like an old man, leaning on his cane, but from under the brim of his hat, they could see he wore the smirk of a young man. "Yes, Achilles?" said Beth, steadying her voice. "You should come in before freezing to death, and boy, if you want to visit you village, you should do it soon. This snow will only get worse" said Achilles, turning and re-entering the Manor. As if on cue, a fresh layer of snow was starting to fall and Ratonhnhaké:ton stood up, offering a hand to Beth.
Ratonhnhaké:ton sat in front of the fire, accepting of its heat. He shivered slightly and smiled when warmth appeared beside him. Beth sat down beside him holding a cup of tea. "Here" she said, offering him a taste. "No, thank you. I do not drink tea" he said smiling at her. "I don't either, but it keeps me warm" said Beth and Ratonhnhaké:ton took the cup from her. He took a drink of the hot liquid and was surprised at how it did warm him up. "Have the rest, I'll go get more firewood" said Beth standing up. "No, I will go" said Ratonhnhaké:ton, attempting to stand up. "No, no I'll go, you stay here and get warm" said Beth with a hand on Ratonhnhaké:ton shoulder as he sat once again.
Ratonhnhaké:ton was standing when Beth came back into the Manor and helped her with the firewood. Beth pulled the hood from her head, breathless from the cold. Ratonhnhaké:ton looked at her and she froze under his gaze. He reached out and ever so gently brushed snowflakes from Beth's cheek. She felt herself heat up under his touch. "You had snow on your cheek" explained Ratonhnhaké:ton, placing his hand back to his side. "I'm going to go to bed. Good night, Ké:ton" said Beth, her fingers brushing lightly against Ratonhnhaké:ton's as she passed him. He looked at the hand he had touched Beth's cheek with and then balled it into a fist, willing away any heightened emotions. Snow is a dangerous thing, Ratonhnhaké:ton thought to himself, left alone to his thoughts.
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