I apologise for the wait. I had a lot of university things to get sorted... finance applications and accommodation applications... too many forms asdfghjkl X_X
The person did not step forward enough for Ratonhnhaké:ton to see who they were from his position behind the door.
"I don't think he's here," the person- a man- hissed, and his voice sounded familiar. He wasn't one of the men from earlier, though. Someone else swore quietly in French. Unless Ratonhnhaké:ton was very much mistaken, that was Stephane! What was he doing here?
Ratonhnhaké:ton thought hard for a moment. Why would there be people following him and searching for him? Even if what Haytham had told him was true, that he was a criminal, then surely his ex-colleagues ought to simply let him be. After all, he could not remember anything. Unless this was some sort of attempt on his life, to ensure he would never be able to remember their past crimes and go to the gendarmerie and the city watchmen? But that made no sense, they could have killed him earlier. Perhaps this was some sort of interrogation attempt?
Stephane had mentioned, back at the inn, that he'd arranged their meeting in lieu of a kidnapping. So… the meeting earlier today (or was it yesterday? There wasn't a clock in the room) hadn't gone as Stephane had hoped, and this was either some sort of ill-thought-out rescue attempt or he really was being kidnapped.
Ratonhnhaké:ton gritted his teeth. All this lying and hiding things… it was getting ridiculous.
"Check the windows, he might've left that way. I shall tell the others of our misfortune."
"Yeah," the man on the other side of the door said, and Stephane left, soft footsteps padding away. As soon as the intruder stepped forward enough that he was clear of the door, Ratonhnhaké:ton closed it softly, and held the sword so the tip rested threateningly against the nape of the man's neck. He stilled immediately.
"What is your name?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked, quietly.
"Clipper," the man said, with a moment's hesitation. "Connor, you-"
"Ssh," Ratonhnhaké:ton said. "Why are you here?"
"We came to save you. You're in terrible trouble."
"From what?" Ratonhnhaké:ton resisted the urge to laugh. This was insane. There were two groups of people, each trying to 'save' him from the other, and he didn't trust either of them.
Clipper hesitated.
"Please, sir, not now. Please let's just get out of here and go and then we'll answer all your questions, no lies or half-truths or anything. I promise, swear on my life, sir."
That certainly did sound tempting. And he did want to trust Clipper, something about him seemed honest, and, as with Stephane and Smithy, he gave off a 'blue' sort of feeling. On the other hand, he wasn't suicidal. Running off with a complete stranger while completely weapon-less was a stupid idea at best, especially if they were part of his less-than-legal past. But… if he were to play along a little, Clipper might slip up and tell Ratonhnhaké:ton what he wanted to know.
"Let me get my boots on," he said, removing the sword. Clipper visibly relaxed. Ratonhnhaké:ton watched him as surreptitiously as possible while he buttoned his boots. Clipper was young, possibly younger than Ratonhnhaké:ton himself, though his face was marred by anxiety. He put his coat on and scooped up the still-sleeping Achilles. The breathing and snoring of Benjamin and Charles stayed even, and he could hear the beginnings of a light rain outside.
Clipper didn't look surprised at the sight of the kitten, and quietly opened the door. He lead Ratonhnhaké:ton downstairs, to the bar. There was a sleeping drunk and a tired-looking barman still awake. The barman nodded to them, politely, and Ratonhnhaké:ton nodded back.
"The others'll meet us just outside," Clipper said. "Should only be a minute or so."
"I want answers," Ratonhnhaké:ton replied. Clipper looked torn.
"All right," he said, after a moment. "You probably noticed your father's friends and us don't really get on."
Ratonhnhaké:ton nodded.
"We're sort of… different political ideologies," Clipper said, slowly. The words fell from his mouth clumsily, like he was used to words less complicated. "We are the Brotherhood. We believe in freedom and equality. They are the Order, they believe in order and equality."
Ratonhnhaké:ton raised an eyebrow. That seemed a trite difference. Surely it would be better to simply work together for the common goal? Clipper noticed his expression, and winced.
"I know… it sounds stupid. But they're dangerous. Ruthless. The ends justify the means. And we're not. I mean, we do kind of horrible things sometimes, but because we have to."
"Horrible things like attempting to kidnap men with amnesia?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked. Clipper sighed, sadly.
"I'm real sorry, sir. And I know I haven't properly answered your questions but please trust me. That's all I'm asking. If you hear us out and decide you don't want to be part of it, we won't be upset. Please, I am begging you, trust me. Just 'til dawn."
Ratonhnhaké:ton nodded. He'd get his answers, and decide what to do afterwards. With any luck, he could be back here before his father realised he was gone. Clipper looked relieved, and opened the front door.
"We need to get somewhere safe," he explained, at Ratonhnhaké:ton's quizzical expression.
"Safe?"
"Well… neutral, at least. Away from your father." Clipper glanced back, and gave him a pleading look. "You want answers, right?"
Ratonhnhaké:ton nodded, and Clipper lead him to an already-saddled horse. Ratonhnhaké:ton stowed Achilles in a large inner pocket of his coat.
"We'll need to share, I'm afraid. I only got ten minutes notice to come here, and the others had a hard time following you here with so little time and resources." Clipper climbed up, and offered Ratonhnhaké:ton a hand to pull himself up with.
"Where are we going?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked. He took the hand gingerly.
"Duncan's set up camp west of here, near Valley Forge. It's a couple of miles away, but it'll be secure enough 'til we get back to-"
"Ah! You found him! We need to go!" Stephane shouted, bursting through the door. "Dobby and Jamie left out the back! I'll catch up!"
Clipper spurred the horse into action, and Stephane dove out of sight. Ratonhnhaké:ton almost lost his balance, and had to grip Clipper tightly about the waist to avoid falling off the horse.
"Oi!" Thomas' voice echoed loudly, behind them. Ratonhnhaké:ton chanced a glance behind him- Father was there, too, half-dressed and mounting another horse. A musket ball hit the ground just left of the horse, and the sound of the gun firing was deafening in the peaceful silence. They rounded a corner and sped over a bridge.
It took a few moments for Ratonhnhaké:ton to fully process what happened, and longer still for him to find his tongue. Achilles was squirming in his pocket, obviously frightened. He winced at the terrified whines the cat made, though Achilles did settle down a little when he stroked through his coat reassuringly.
"We ought to stop," Ratonhnhaké:ton said. "Explain ourselves."
"Your father ain't exactly a diplomat, sir," Clipper replied, driving the horse into the forest. Ratonhnhaké:ton glanced back again. Haytham was nowhere to be seen, though that was mostly because of the trees rapidly obscuring his view.
"He will listen to me," Ratonhnhaké:ton said, desperately. He'd wanted answers, yes, but the look of desperation on his father's face as he'd climbed into the saddle- well, he hadn't wanted that, even if Haytham was a liar and a fraud.
"He won't, sir," Clipper said, grimly. He swerved past a large outcropping of rock and into a field of full-grown wheat. The horse neighed in protest, and Clipper patted it in apology.
"He will!" Ratonhnhaké:ton argued.
"With all due respect, sir, you don't know what's going on. I do. So please just trust me, like you promised!"
They emerged from the wheat dishevelled, bits of broken stalk and loose kernels in their hair and clothes. Clipper drove the horse toward a large hill, dotted with trees, curving their path to the north. The rain began to fall faster and harder, muddying the ground.
"Where are you going? You said we were going to Valley Forge!"
"Sir, I ain't much of a frontiersman," Clipper sounded frustrated. "I don't know this bit of land well, but I was planning to navigate after we lost your father."
"We have lost him!" Ratonhnhaké:ton said. "He is nowhere to be seen!"
"All right, we'll stop," Clipper replied, slowing the horse gradually. "I have a map in the saddlebag, get it out for me, will you? Darcy needs a rest, anyway."
Ratonhnhaké:ton complied, and they came to rest near a small cliff overlooking a waterfall. There was a small pool that the horse gladly drank from. He took Achilles from his pocket, and put him on a large rock beneath a tree that provided adequate shelter from the rain.
"If we head… uh… that way-" Clipper pointed east. "We should come to Valley Forge…. or Packanack."
"You will reach the sea," Ratonhnhaké:ton said, flatly. He perched on the cliff edge and looked down at the river rushing below. It was beautiful. When he'd left his village for the first time, it had been terrifying. But now it helped to calm him, to make him think. "West is the other direction."
"Oh…" Clipper said. "Uh… is that your memory coming back, or…?"
Ratonhnhaké:ton shrugged. All right. He remembered leaving his village for the first time. Now, why had he done that? Where had he been going? How long ago had that been?
…Wait. From Haytham's stories, he had come to live with his father when he was very young, about four or five. But he'd been older than that- he couldn't remember how much older, but older all the same- when he'd first left the village.
He gritted his teeth. Why would Haytham lie like that? What would it gain him?
"Found you!" Charles Lee's breathless voice came from behind him. Ratonhnhaké:ton spun around. "So I can find you!" Cold eyes like ice boring into his soul hands too tight around his throat savages dirt animals can't breathe
Found you…
Ratonhnhaké:ton stumbled backwards at the sight of those same pale eyes, though this time wide with worry than narrowed in hatred. He barely had time to register that he was falling before he hit the water of the plunge pool, and everything dissolved into darkness and bubbles and a suffocating pressure.