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Decisions
Chapter 10: Talk It Out
Haytham's POV
Once in Boston, I head home immediately. I'm eager to tell Ziio about how Connor and I crossed paths. She will be ecstatic to know that he is strong and healthy. I guide my horse past our mansions gates to the trough. After pulling off the saddle and brushing the horse down, I open the front door. My eyes land on Ziio. She sits cross-legged on the floor; she's never been one for chairs. She is making more arrows for her bow, so I assume she went hunting while I was gone. She hasn't noticed me yet so I decide to sneak up on her. I tiptoe over to where she sits, once there I rest my head on her shoulder. She jumps.
"Haytham Kenway! You scared me half to death!"
I smile down at her. Her brown eyes are filled with annoyance and relief. I kiss her cheek.
"Hello, Ziio. I have something extremely important to discuss with you."
She sets down her arrows and tools and turns so that she's facing me. I lift my head from her shoulder and sit down next to her. I cross my legs and look at her before speaking. Her once relief-filled orbs are now worrisome.
"I saw Connor on my trip," Ziio snaps her head up at my mentioning his name. I answer her unspoken question. "He is strong and well."
That seems to quell her nerves a bit. I continue.
"You know he is on the 'enemy's' side. But, now I'm rethinking where I stand. You and I both know how much we miss our son, and he misses us as well. He asked me to revert back to my old ways, Ziio. And I'm completely lost as to what I should do."
I stare at my lap. I am not accustomed to not understanding something, which makes this even harder. I know I love my son and I want to be reunited with him. But, do I really want to stand for those principles again? I thought highly of the Assassins in my teenager years. But, as soon as I was under Reginald's training, he convinced me that all Assassins wanted to create chaos among the world. Being the child I was, I believed him. My anger with him has increased with my son's departure. Do I really want to throw away all my accomplishments with the Templars? In the back of mind I know I should switch sides. It is what must be done. But, it will be nearly impossible to disappear from the watchful eyes of my fellow Templars. Ziio lays her hand on my thigh and I am pulled from the abyss that is my mind. I place my hand on top of hers and look up at her face.
"Haytham, I love you very much and I have a great deal of faith in you. I know you will do what's best in the end. You always have. If you want my opinion, your Order is corrupted. I thought you should've left long ago. But, I know that is not possible. It is one of the things that made me reluctant to marry you. But, I was a fool. I married you anyway."
Her words cut me in half. I tried not to show any outward signs of my hurt, but she noticed immediately. Upon her discovering this, she cupped my cheek and used her thumb to caress my cheekbone. She continues.
"I loved you, and I still do. I loved you so much that I managed to disregard my thoughts, and go through with marrying you. You had a hold on me that no other men did. No one in my village could captivate me like you did. You captured my heart the very day we met on that carriage with the prisoners."
She lowers her hand from my face and leans in to kiss me. I bask in her utter wonderfulness, her wisdom, and her patience. She pulls away, cutting the kiss shorter than I'd like it to be. She offers a small smile and I return it graciously.
"I think you should reunite with our son, Haytham. But, I am in no control of you decisions. I will leave you to think."
When she begins to stand I unintentionally grab her wrist.
"Please, stay."
I pleaded like a child. If not for significant amount of anxiety, I would feel embarrassed. She returns to where she was previously sitting and I pull her by her waist into my lap. She lays her head against my chest and closes her eyes. I feel her body relax against mine as I start to ponder. I will break away from the Templars. I will rise above them. I will be reunited with my son. But, first I must vanish from the Templars eyes. I form a plan.
Tomorrow morning, Ziio and I will take a few possessions and head to the Davenport Homestead by carriage. We will have to lay incredibly low for the next few months.
"Ziio," she tilts her head up so that I can see her eyes. "We are going to see Connor. I have made up my mind to rejoin the Assassins. But, we will need to vanish. Gather everything you wish to keep. We will leave tomorrow at first light."
She smiles and stands.
"I told you that you would do the right thing in the end." She skips up the stairs to grab a few possessions. I stand as well preparing to do the same. This is going to be hard.
Author's Note: Haytham and Ziio fluff! Remember to read and REVIEW! Thank you for your time! I hope you had a Merry Christmas and I wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!