The sun had begun to rise. The inevitable was coming and the blood roared in her ears. Crenepo and Connor raced through Lexington in search of John Parker. They found him behind a line of rebels. He looked to be a sickly, scared, old man, hunched over and holding his musket rifle close to him for dear life. He coughed a few times as Crenepo and Connor approached.
"Stand your ground, men! Don't fire unless fired upon!" He rasped. "But if they mean to have a war, let it begin here!"
"Pitcairn!" Connor growled. Across the battlefield, a man on a horse led lines of British troops. He sat upon it proud and with dignity.
"Disperse, you damned rebels!" Pitcairn ordered. "Lay down your arms and disperse!"
"Does he mean to fire upon these men?" Crenepo whispered to Connor. Her questioned was answered when gunfire was exchanged. Several of the rebels, scared out of their wits, ran off. The lines were broken.
"What the deuce are you doing?!" Parker yelled. Connor dragged him behind cover to avoid the bullets, Crenepo following behind him. "Hold your positions! Cravens! Traitors!"
"They are not coming back." Connor stated. "You will have to make do with those who remain."
"Don't you lecture me on how-" The Soldiers began to advance on the rebel position."-Return fire! Return fire!"
Gunfire echoed through the town. The pop of the musket balls hitting flesh, rock and bark was enough to send some more of the rebel forces away.
"You need to get to Concord and warn the others!" Parker handed Connor a piece of paper. "Show this to whoever leads there. Should be a man by the name of James Barrett. Go on now."
Connor inspected the paper before standing to his full height. He motioned for Crenepo to follow him. The both of them took off running. The town burst into chaos with people and rebels forces running in panic. They screamed as the friends and family were shot down in front of them. Connor jumped on a horse and Crenepo leapt up and sat behind him. He roused it into a gallop following the path towards Concord.
"To Concord, lads!" A Militiaman yelled.
"Get moving, men! We've little time!"
"Get out! Everyone, run!"
Crenepo felt her heart pounding in her chest. There was so much destruction and bloodshed laying around; everything was a blur. She heard a bullet whizz past her ear causing her to gasp. The Assassins were not going to stop however. Both of them had to get to Concord.
"They're taking prisoners! Run!" A civilian screamed. Crenepo noticed a small patrol of Regulars taking people hostages at gunpoint. Something in her clicked and she leaped off the horse, rolling on impact.
"Crenepo!" Connor called and he stopped the horse.
"Don't worry about me!" She hollered. "Get yourself to the next town! I'll take care of the civilians!"
Without another word or checking to see if Connor was following her, Crenepo sprinted to the Redcoats. She unsheathed her tomahawk and sliced the throat of the first soldier she grabbed. The remaining five surrounded her and the hostages took their chance to escape.
"A little one wants to be a hero! Show him what we do, boys!" The commanding officer jeered. Crenepo snarled in his direction. One of the men attacked with his musket. Crenepo dodged his attack and grabbed his weapon, wrenching it from his grasp. She jumped up and pushed the musket forward, jamming the bayonet into his chest. Once she let go of the rifle, Crenepo turned to the last four. Two of them charged her, jabbing their weapons in Crenepo's direction. She spun to right, grabbing the first soldier by neck and cutting his throat with the bit of her tomahawk. Three more to go. You can do this! RUN!
"You little wretch!" The soldier spat. The leader removed his pistol from his waist and pointed it at Crenepo. She dived and rolled away as he fired. She sprang to her feet only to meet a bayonet to her back. It sliced at her coat, cutting her skin. Crenepo hissed in pain and tried to block another attack, but the blade cut deep into her side. She collapsed to the ground holding her wounds.
It is better to run from the enemy than to fight them. Connor's words echoed in Crenepo's mind. She gritted her teeth and shook away her thoughts. Mustering up her energy, Crenepo got back to her feet and into her battle stance. Without hesitation, she made her move and attacked. She grabbed the musket by the blade and pushed it down with her foot. Crenepo pushed her left arm forward and stabbed the man in the stomach with her hidden blade.
Two left.
Get them!
Crenepo rolled forward towards the last remaining soldier. Just like he taught you. She buried her tomahawk in the back of the man's legs. He yelled in pain and collapsed to the ground. Crenepo turned to the leader and leapt up. The man grabbed her arm, surprising the young woman. He smirked and head butted Crenepo. Dazed, she backed away, holding her head.
"Missed me! Missed me!" The leader taunted. Crenepo growled angrily and swung her tomahawk. She missed again and the officer backhanded her straight to the jaw. She staggered away while rubbing her jaw. Crenepo glared at the officer.
It is better to run from the enemy than to fight them. The last of his men were gone and the civilians were saved. Crenepo hesitated for a moment before taking off. The man fired a round, hitting Crenepo in the arm. The impact of the bullet caused her to fall on her side. She screamed in pain and grasped her injured arm. Warm blood oozed out through her fingers. The woman struggled to get back on her feet. She took hold of a musket and pointed it in the guard's direction.
"Haha! Do you even know how to shoot that, boy!?" The man sneered. "Look at you all tough! Put that down and surrender. I may let you live."
"No." Crenepo said defiantly. She readied her weapon and pointed. The man's face twisted in surprise. "And I am no boy."
Crenepo fired the musket and dropped it, gritting her teeth at the sudden wave of pain from the butt of the musket hitting her shoulder. She looked at the officer. The bullet grazed his throat, leaving a deep wound. He gargled and coughed for a moment before dropping to the ground dead. Crenepo held her injured arm and took off running. Connor had left, but there was an extra horse. She got on and smacked the reins, sending him into a run. Her horse pelted across the town, leaping over corpses and rushing past civilians and soldiers.
A few miles down, Crenepo found Connor speaking to a man. He held up a piece of paper in front of the man's face. He took it and read it. Crenepo got off her horse and approached Connor.
"-He'll be fine. I'm sure of it." Dawes reassured. He noticed Crenepo and nodded his head. Connor turned his head towards her.
"Missed me friend?" Crenepo chirped.
"You are hurt…" Connor lightly touched the wound on Crenepo's arm. She winced and moved away from him.
"It's nothing. I can still fight."
"Ahem! You ladies finished gossiping?" A man walked up to them, dressed in a red suit. Time was not on his side. Crenepo assumed him to be James Barrett. "Parker seems to believe that you're not completely useless. So I suppose there's a thing or two you might be able to help with…"
Barrett noticed Crenepo. He pointed at her. "Who is this? The letter never spoke of them."
Crenepo was about to answer, but Connor cut her off. "A friend of mine. I assure you that she is as capable fighter as I am."
"She?! Women are incapable of being on this battlefield."
Connor stepped closer to Barrett. "I will vouch for her."
"And so will I." Dawes piped in. Crenepo let out a soft sigh of relief, but anger broiled in her stomach. Barrett backed away slightly.
"Very well. I won't be the one dragging her body off the battlefield." Barrett snarled. He then pointed to a few points by the bridge. " When the fighting starts, we'll need to hold those positions there. They're critical to the defense of Concord. Good boys, not used to soldiering. They need someone with experience to direct 'em. That something you can do?"
Connor nodded his head.
"You'd best be telling the truth. For both your friend and your skill."
"You have my word."
"Then I suppose all that's left to do is wait…"
Barrett turned and walked away. Crenepo rubbed her injured shoulder and the cuts on her side. She ambled towards Connor, her hood blocking her face.
"You should have let me defend myself." Crenepo said to Connor. He looked at her. "At least if he did not believe me, I could have been the one to prove to him wrong. Now it is on you."
"You should stay behind. You are in no condition to fight."
"Did you not hear what I said?" Crenepo whimpered.
"I did hear you and I am sorry." Connor replied. "However, I am more concerned about your injuries than your need to prove yourself."
"My wounds are of no need for worry." Crenepo hissed. "If I have to dig out the bullet to keep going, then I will."
Connor stared at her for a moment before spun on his heel and mounted her horse. He rode past her and she glared at the back of his head, her lips coming up into a snarl. He does not respect you. You should go… Crenepo turned away and was about to take shelter when…
"SIR!" A militiaman yelled. He pointed across the river at the approaching army of Redcoats.
"MAN THE BARRICADES!" Barrett ordered. Connor was about to cross the bridge when Barrett stopped him. "No! Ensure my men hold those positions! If the Red Devils break through, we're finished!"
"What would you have me do?" Connor asked.
"Listen carefully. The Redcoats will form firing lines. Order the men to shoot just before the line is ready. Too soon and they'll miss their targets. Too late and the enemy will open fire first."
"Understood."
"And if any of those bastards make it through, engage them! You must keep my men alive!"
James Barrett headed off, grabbing a musket and taking shelter.
"CRENEPO! Get back here!" Connor hollered. The woman, surprised at him, obeyed. "Get a rifle and get behind the front lines! Wait for my signal!"
Crenepo followed his order. She picked a rifle off a dead militiaman and reloaded it, while jogging towards the bridge. Connor followed raising his arm up. Everyone in the squad aimed their rifles at the advancing troops.
"FIRE NOW!" Crenepo pulled the trigger, wincing at her throbbing shoulder as the butt of the rifle tapped it. The men fired after her and the Regulars dropped to the ground. Crenepo noticed another squadron advancing by the river. They fired on the rebels, hitting only the rocks that they coward behind.
"CONNOR! THERE ARE MORE ENEMIES BY THE RIVER!" She shouted at the Native. "I WILL HELP OUT THE MEN!"
Crenepo dashed to the right side of the bride to the men without waiting for an answer. She dove behind the men as the opposition fired upon them. One of the soldiers on her side was hit in the chest. He collapsed to the ground, screaming in agony, clutching his chest. Crenepo lifted herself off the ground.
"Fire under my command!" She instructed.
"We do not take orders from women!" One militiamen growled. Crenepo turned and glared at him. She stalked towards him, grabbing his collar and pulling him towards her.
"You either take my orders or die like the rest of them!" She threatened. "And it will not be by the hands of the Regulars! At this time, you would best be following instruction lest you wish to die!"
Crenepo let go of the man's collar and pushed him away. She shoved past the others and leveled her rifle at the enemy.
"If you all wish to die today, so be it. I am going to live on!" Crenepo raised her arm. The men hesitantly raised their weapons. "MAKE READY!"
A few seconds… Bayonets glinting… The smell of burning gunpowder.
"FIRE!"
One line of men fired and then the next, taking down the enemy line. A satisfied grunt came out of Crenepo's mouth as she raised her good arm again.
"HOLD YOUR FIRE!"
The men finished reloading their rifles and aimed them at the Regulars. The men marched forward, kicking away the corpses. They trained their rifles at the servicemen.
"FIRE YOUR WEAPONS!"
Most of the patrol fell, leaving behind three to continue their assault. Crenepo fired at one of them and hit them in the arm. Another fit of small victory.
The exchange of gunfire went on for a while. Crenepo's voice became hoarse from yelling and some of the men on her side have fallen, but most were alive. Under both her direction and Connor's, the militia held the bridge.
"FALL BACK! FALL BACK!" Pitcairn ordered. He turned his horse around retreated with the rest of the Regulars. The rebels hate their fire and began to cheer.
"We did it!" One militiaman yelled. "They're turning tail!
Crenepo leaned against the rock, smiling and panting. Was this how sweet victory tasted? The woman put her rifle against the rock and stood up, brushing off the undergrowth from her coat. Connor walked up to her, a smile on his face.
"You fought well." He commended.
"It was not my doing. You fared well yourself and so did they." Crenepo held her injured arm which had begun to ache again. Connor inspected it, but he did not touch Crenepo.
"It is best if you return to the Homestead and have Doctor White take a look at you." Connor suggested.
"And leave you here alone, taiuaitiao? (Good friend?)" Crenepo teased, rubbing her throat. "I would never do such a thing, Ratonhnhake;ton. What of Pitcairn?"
"Gone." Connor sighed exasperated. "I should have struck when I had the chance. More will continue to suffer the same fate as the dead if I do not get to him soon."
Both assassins looked around, gazing upon the devastation that had befallen Concord. Corpses of civilians and militiamen laid everywhere, bloody and broken. Crenepo took it all in, stomaching her fear and anger. This is what was going to happen… This amount of destruction… She will come across more of it in her path as an Assassin. If not caused by her, then caused by the orders of others.
"Did you hear me, Crenepo?" Connor's voice echoed in Crenepo's ear. She blinked out of her trance and turned her head to him.
"What?"
"I said I will accompany you back to the Homestead. However, I must leave afterwards."
"Oh… That is fine. Let's go." Crenepo walked past Connor and mounted the horse that Connor had taken from her. He hopped up in front of her and guided the horse home.
"By the way, Connor…"
"Yes?"
"I have made my decision."
Doctor White treated my injuries as soon as I walked in his door. He tried to make removing the bullet as painless as possible by giving me a tonic. I felt strange for a moment and blacked out. When I had woken up, my wounds were patched up and I was back in my cottage. I do not know who had brought me back, but I do appreciate that.
The battle was long and hard. I had not realized that this was the sort of hell that would be brought upon this place by the men that Connor is going up against. Templars are their names, I remember. I hope Ratonhnhake;ton does not throw himself to easily onto the battlefield as I do.
Connor had asked me about my condition. He asked me about my actions in Lexington and during the ride with Paul Revere. I told him… That I could not explain. It was as if there were times that I could act on my own. I could listen, smell, speak, and other things under my control. Then, there were other times where I could not do such things. There was a evil voice in my mind that would always taunt me. I imagined that it was possibly my mother… It would always tell me to run when I should fight and fight when I should run. I could barely explain what was wrong, but he understood nonetheless. I was surprised a few times when Connor called me his friend. He did not answer me when I asked him about it. It is fine.
Thanks to him… I have a new name. I could never thank him enough for it.
Karahkwa.