*NOT MY FIC*

WARNING: Lemon… My face is redder than a strawberry by the way… Just so you know. Enjoy!

Ready to Fall

Part III: Against All Odds

Alleys of Darkness


1775

Davenport Manor


My mouth was dry and I gulped hard under the pressure of Aveline's rebellious gaze as it locked with mine. Shifting awkwardly from one boot to the other, I crossed my arms and stared down at her, trying to gauge whether or not she actually wanted me to kiss her, or if she only wanted to tease me. My eyes drifted to her mouth every so often to find that her irresistible lips were opened slightly in anticipation for my next move.

"Kiss me…" She said again with an uncertain voice. My stare snapped up to look her in the eye. It seemed the longer I waited, the more vulnerable and uncomfortable she became.

I gruffed a bit to dislodge the lump forming in my throat and said, "I-I've… kissed you before, Aveline."

I happened to recall there being plenty times in our relationship where I had pecked her forehead in a friendly way, or even, more lustfully, I had peppered a trail of kisses over her thighs. She too had imparted similar gestures to me… Only we had never truly kissed, mouth to mouth.

"Not exactly…" Replied Aveline, still looking up at me with a strange, hesitant, facial expression.

Weighing my options, I tentatively leaned forward to comply to her whim but jerked to a halt after her hands came up to fist against the anterior flap of my robes. Her grip was firm as if she was afraid I would run off into the night without a word – without giving her what she wanted. But I wasn't going anywhere – not now that I had the Hellcat's permission to do precisely what I had longed for, for so many years.

With her lips yet again drawing my gaze, I leaned in very slowly – fearful that I would somehow upset her if I rushed through this with my inexperience and anxiety. And then, somewhere between bliss and hell, I brushed my lips carefully across hers, determining whether or not she was going to nip at me. With our mouths drifting teasingly across one another's, I finally decided that she was not going to bite, and pecked her with a barely-there-kiss before pulling away with a hot blush crawling up my neck.

Now positioned upright, I sleeved my mouth as if her lips where still grazing mine and tried to remove the tingling sensation lingering there… "How was that?" I asked quietly, keeping my gaze cast to the side, for I had lost the nerve to look her in the eye after what just occurred between us.

"I'm not sure…" She answered almost regretfully, causing my now worried stare to pin her in place. "It was a little too brief for me to really decide. Try again..."

With an uncertain smile, I leaned in again… I should have known she was still playing her games and was not actually disappointed with my performance. Either way, I was just glad to finally see a break in our relationship. Even if it was only for a moment or two.

Closing in again, I made sure to force myself to drop my guard by gaping my mouth a bit to capture her bottom lip between mine. Vulnerability be damned, I made sure to enjoy it knowing that with Aveline, this could be my only chance to get this close. And with a delicate suck against her shapely mouth, I pulled away again, only this time, I kept my face close to hers and waited quietly for her next order.

"Again." She droned softly as her eyes shuttered to a close and her body pressed into mine.

I obeyed and tilted my head before allowing my hand to wrap around the back of her neck and pulled her towards me once more. Her palms, which had flattened against my chest, slid up my torso until her fingers found their desired destination and twisted against the loose tresses in my hair… Her lips were softer than rose petals. I savored her every move as her mouth grated pleasantly against mine and prayed that somehow, this didn't have to end – that I could kiss her everyday for the rest of my life.

But unfortunately, the caress slowed and Aveline pulled away before resting her forehead against mine, panting, as if she had forgotten to breathe…

"Again…?" I whispered slowly, hoping that it wasn't over. I was not ready to let her go and go back to the way things were before all this had ever happened… I needed more.

Her dark eyes glinted in the moonlight as she looked up to me again and replied, "Never stop."

With that, I was kissing her again being sure to pour everything I felt into her, and trying to relay through my actions that I loved her more than she would ever comprehend. I didn't just kiss, I claimed ownership. Her arms tightened around my neck to keep me close and the next thing I knew, my self-control was rapidly diminishing. I had wanted this for so long that the swift and unexpected change had caused everything inside to break free in a maelstrom of emotions. The only thing I could register was her. The feel. The taste. The scent... Everything.

My hands absentmindedly found their way to her hips before I began guiding her backwards, towards the bed. There was this repetitive drive that screamed at me from every direction to get her on her back and at length I had succeeded. The back of her knees hit the mattress and without a single protest, she followed my silent direction and lowered herself down before scooting back to make room for me. Instinctually I settled the weight of my hips between her thighs and lower my mouth to her collarbone to run my tongue up her throat which caused her nails to dig into my scalp a little too hard and her legs to lift and tighten around my waist. Of course, remembering the way she had bit and scratched me over the years, my hands shot to her wrists before ripping her away from my hair and pinning her arms above her head. I pulled myself away and hovered above her with one hand shackling both of her wrists and the other gripping her hip. My air intake was deep and labored. My body tight. I felt so wild and alive as my grasp tightened uncomfortably around Aveline's arms. And then, experimentally, I pushed my hips forward, keeping my gaze locked with hers, waiting for her to stop me. When she said nothing, I did it again to silently confirm what I wanted from her.

She blinked with worry and said, "N-No, Connor." Her wrists twisted against my grip trying to break free and I quickly released and pressed my palm next to her head to support my body and keep my weight off of her stab… Was she backing down? Aveline then smiled after seeing how my brows had furrowed and lifted a hand to my cheek. "Not like that… Not this time."

Understanding her meaning, I lifted off of her and started at the buttons and straps on my robes. Just like any other woman, Aveline didn't want me to hold her down and unceremoniously pound away. What she wanted was to participate and do so without feeling like this meant nothing to either of us…

Either way, I couldn't seem to get my mind off of her last phrase… This time. It may have been unintentional but the words assured the concealed promise that this turn in our relationship was going to recur.

At that, I shrugged my robes off and tossed them to the floor before ripping my shirt up and over my head and leaning forward to fall back down to my palms and linger above her once more. She smiled cautiously at my eagerness and slowly lifted her leg until her foot was pressing flat against the top of my thigh before hooking her toes in the band of my trousers to tug at the belt. I smirked, getting the idea, and quickly commanded a hand to undo the buckle before pulling it away from my body and flinging carelessly to a more forgotten side of the bed.

Everything was starting to become real… I was hanging over Aveline with my palms resting on either sides of her hips and looking down at her with a solid expression to impart my seriousness. I wanted her more than anything. But it wasn't just about a momentary one-off… I wanted so much more than that. Even if she didn't realize it, she was my world.

Her fingers went to the button in my trousers and without a word she unfastened it and pulled the covering down enough to reveal my hipbones. Immediately after, my mouth fell to her neck where I bit, sucked, and kissed, making up for all the time she and I had spent arguing about trivial matters. My hand instinctually found their way to her hips before they slid up her curvy torso and stopped at the lowermost hem of her bandeau. Fortunately, most of her clothes were already discarded, leaving me with only her breast binding and bottom covering.

Easy enough…

I rocked myself back until my weight was resting on my knees and ankles before slipping a finger impishly under the section bandeau between her breasts with a smirk. Immediately, understanding what I was trying to do, she sat up and raised her arms above her head, giving me every opportunity to remove the cloth. Gingerly, I slipped the binding off her body, moving both hands up and running my fingers over her slight rib cage until the bandeau was finally discarded and thrown to a disregarded corner of the room. But before I could even touch her, Aveline covered her breasts with one arm and took a deep shivering breath, which caused me to look at her through the darkness. She was biting her lip and staring at me as if I was about to viciously and mercilessly attack her. I understood, somehow, that this was not easy for her. So to give what little comfort I could, my hands went to her thighs, which were still draped over my hips, and I began touching them with light but determined strokes. Then I leaned forward and pressed my mouth to her neck while palming my way up her body in an agonizingly slow pace. As I bent lower to kiss down her dark shoulder, the fingers of her free hand hesitantly danced up my forearm and gripped my bicep. Her body was tight with expectation, which would not do if we truly intended to go through with this.

"Relax," I whispered, hoping she would obey. But my voice was rough with lust, which triggered her to tense instead.

My neck curved and I started dotting a line of searing kisses towards her chest until my lips met the fortification her arm provided across her front. And no matter how gently I nudged at her with my nose, Aveline would not budge. Once my hands finally made their way up her body, one arm wrapped around her back while the fingers of the other enveloped her protective limb to lightly pry it away from her chest.

I was not going to force her if she did not want to, but I was going to do everything in my power to get to her breasts. "You are so beautiful," I uttered without thought, which proved to be my ticket. The resistance in her arm slackened and she allowed me to pull it away.

Kissing one nipple, I rubbed circles into her wrist before helping her lie back against the pallet. Aveline's hands were running along my shoulders and biceps as if memorizing the shape and I pulled away from her chest to look her in the eye one last time. We were nearing the point of no return and I wanted to see if she truly wanted this – wanted me. This was not going to be a one-time performance for me. For I was a selfish and jealous person and would not be sharing or letting her go after this. She needed to be absolutely sure… My eyes met her warm, lustful stare, and I knew she understood the ramifications of what was about to transpire.

I lifted off her body once more to finish what we started and pulled her lower covering down her perfect legs before dropping my own trousers the rest of the way and allowing myself to spring free. I cast the garments aside and fell forward carefully to continue running my tongue over her breasts and, if her whimpers were any indication, leaving her to feel like she was going to explode. Her fingers left my shoulders and bent under my chin to bring my mouth towards hers. To my surprise, she kissed roughly - tongue demanding – lips hard. Then her hips jumped up into my erection, asking me to take this to the next step. And much as I wanted to, I was not ready. The feel of her naked body pressed against mine was far too comfortable. I did not want to pervert that sensation with anything else, even if it meant release. But after her thighs tightened around my hips and my arousal was pressed against her heated center, I could not think of anything I would rather do than be inside her.

Aveline moved under me and aligned her body with mine before reaching between us to grip my erection. Before I knew it, I was growling with clenched eyes and involuntarily thrusting against her palm. She smirked, clearly relishing in the control she had over me in that moment. And almost as if she hadn't known what my reaction would be, she began pumping her fist around my member, causing my breath the hitch with every upstroke. She moved her hand faster and tightened her hold with each pass until I felt her bring the length into line with her entrance. I paused the movement in my hips and breathed with difficultly…

Just one drive.

I bowed and kissed the nape of her neck before pushing forward and urgently shoving into her. The motion was not quick but it was by no means slow. It was forceful and determined. And as prepared as we both were for it, I could not seem to grasp the reasoning behind her sudden yelp, or the way her nails bit maliciously into my shoulders. The rapid rise and fall of her chest. The way her heart thrummed in panic against mine. Her tight body, pulsing around mine. Then it hit me…

"Damn it…" I gruffed quietly.

I hurt her…

Warily, I lifted up on one elbow to regard her. Her teeth were grinding, eyes clenched, and she was gripping me as if her life depended on it. I had to bite back the urge to look between us and confirm my suspicion. There was no need, what with Aveline acting the way she had.

I curved forward, being sure not to move my hips and kissed her forehead soothingly. "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked gently.

"I-I… Don't…" She started, but due to the pain of loosing her virginity she was fighting back the inclination to cry.

I set my jaw and said, "I am sorry." And I meant it. Nothing in this world was more painful than the knowledge of hurting someone you cared for. "I am so sorry." I repeated, pressing my cheek to her temple, and wishing she had said something prior to this. I could have been so much easier.

"Don't be." Aveline said as her fingers gingerly stroked the damaged skin where she had previously dug her nails. "I was…" She began in a low, shy voice. "I was waiting for you."

I looked at her, almost shocked to find that she was serious.

With that, I was very aware of how tight Aveline felt and how badly I wanted to snap my hips. It was as if, suddenly every sensation had come to life with burning intensity. The consciousness was so powerful that I was thankful I was lying down because the feeling of entering her would have surely brought me to my knees.

I lowered my face next to her ear and whispered my warning, "I'm going to move now." She nodded and gripped my shoulders for leverage as I slowly pushed in as far as she would allow, halting at every gasp or sharp intake of air. I was careful to rain a trail of kisses along her cheek and jaw, hoping that in some small way, it would make up for any pain. "More…" I implored with strain once I was hilted.

She nodded against my neck.

Drawing out, I ran a hand over one of her breast and relished in her throaty groan. It was not a painful noise, like they had all been up to this point, but was pleasurable and vigorous. I pushed in once more and begged, "Again…"

She replied by grating her hips into mine, causing me to move a little faster and before I knew what I was doing, my mouth was covering hers, making her moan even louder. I moved against her, grinding my hips in a steady, repetitive, pattern – progressively shifting my pelvic back and forth.

Unsure how to handle the desire scorching through my body, my teeth sunk into her neck just to feel her pulse accelerate under my tongue. Everything about her was perfect. Her body. Her voice. Her smell. And oh, she was so tight. A thick, hot, need pooled in my chest and lower stomach indicating the inevitable end to our connection and I groaned heavily with need. My teeth clamped harder over her throat, trying in vain to distract myself from what I would consider to be a sexual failure. If I came before she did, I would not only be disappointed in my own willpower and stamina but would also be forced to suffer her wrath.

Both arms quickly slid under her back and I used them to pull her upright and onto my lap. She gasped at the new position and stared at me with wide eyes. I smirk and slid her towards me, effectively bringing her back down on my erection, ripping a moan from both of us. With my knees shoved under her backside, I arched my arousal away and then plunged forward, my pelvis brushing firmly against her receptive bud. At that, Aveline sighed and allowed her head to fall back. As inexperienced as I was when it came to sexual activity, I knew enough about the female body to ensure she find her release… All the credit going to Ezio and his little book of conquests. The man was a genius when it came to seduction and pleasure.

Aveline suddenly began helping me move by using her legs to pull herself up and down my swollen member. I growled in appreciation, thrusting one hand into her hair and the other far enough under her hind to feel where we were connected with my index finger - wet and hot. The hand buried in her tresses tightened and I pulled hard, bearing her neck to me. "You are mine." I buzzed heatedly against her throat. She whimpered, her fingers digging into my shoulders once more. She may have nodded in agreement but the hold I had in her hair made it difficult for her to move her head. "You…" I started again, between each slow, deliberate, painfully calculated thrust. "Are…" My voice turned into a shallow rasp. "Mine…"

My words seemed to be Aveline's undoing. She let go – incoherently calling out and convulsing around me. I followed with a few sharp thrusts later before freezing with my back curved, pressing myself as far in her body as possible. My breath stopped and I felt myself overheat.

When it was over, my forehead fell to her sweaty shoulder and I pushed my torso forward, persuasively forcing her back down to the pallet below. Still painting, I placed my head over her chest and pushed my mouth to her neck, laying a gentle kiss there and closing my eyes.

Only a few short minutes flew by before I heard, "Connor?"

"Hmm…?" I replied tiredly.

"Do you love me?"

My eyes popped open and I hesitated before lightly chuckling against her collarbone. Was she insecure? It seemed a little late to be asking me that question since we had already taken our relationship to it's furthest point. But then again, this was Aveline. Like I said before, she was rash, impulsive, and reckless… Her hasty decision to jump in bed with me might have finally caught up with her and now that the flare of the moment along with the rousing sensations had passed, she was worried I did not return her affections – that I had used her.

"What do you think?" I hummed against her skin as I dragged my lips up her neck to rest under her jaw.

"I don't know. You never said it." Her voice was guarded and terse.

I smirked, finally seeing my opportunity to tease her. "Said what?"

"You know what!"

"Revenge..." I muttered under my breath with success.

"Revenge for what?" She bit. "That's not fair!"

"I disagree. You have tortured me, quite ruthlessly, over the years and now that I have a chance to pay you back, you call it unfair?"

"I never did anything this cruel."

I smiled, running my hand up her rib cage and asked, "Have you ever noticed the scar on my right cheek?"

"Yes." She confusedly replied as her thumb lightly brushed over the permanent mark.

"You put it there when we were children." I paused allowing the revelation to sink in. "I would say you were very cruel. But even so, I love you, Hellcat."

Aveline smiled and craned her neck to kiss me before saying "I hope you understand that this doesn't change anything. I'm still going to be very much the Hellcat I have been over the years."

I smirked and lowered my head back on her bare chest, peppering an unhurried line of sensual kisses from her collar to her curved breasts, all the way down to her stomach. "I wouldn't have you any other way…"


A Few Hours Later…


It was dark and would have been impossible to see if it hadn't been for the moon glimmering off the waters surface. Aveline and I were bent awkwardly behind a fallen tree truck near the harbor, and readily staring out towards the dock to insure the way was clear. We could not just sail away… The Davenport's ran the homestead and being an honorary son of Achilles himself, everyone who had staked claim in the neighboring properties knew that the Aquila was mine. And sailing off in the middle of the night was not exactly the wisest option to choose. King would no doubt be watching the harbor like a hawk. But still, I needed to get word to Mister Fulkner.

I glanced over to Aveline and whispered, "Stay put."

She nodded and hunkered lower behind the trunk. With her nested safely behind our cover, I warily raised and hopped over the log before sprinting towards the dock houses. At the way the moon was glistening against my pale robes, I felt like I stuck out in the night like a white drop of paint on a blackboard. Even so, I sprinted on until I was at the backside of Mister Fulkner's house. I slowed and turned slightly, leaning my back against the wall and slid against the pallets towards the closest window. Leaning over, I peered through the dusty panes to look into a dark and dirty one-roomed house. A very small and unleveled table was sitting in the middle of the tight space with a rug thrown haphazardly under it. A gun rack with rifles, flintlocks, and even a sword was nailed crookedly against the wall. The bed, which had been what I was searching for, was shoved against the wall furthest from the door and windows… It was dark and quiet, except for Mister Fulkner's lurid snores. Even being outside, I could still hear him very clearly.

I tapped the window, which caused him to roll onto his side and throw and arm over the pine-filled mattress and dangle towards to floor. Rapping against the glass again, this time a little louder, he finally sat up, rubbing his eyes and blinking tiredly through the darkened house. I watched as he reached under his pillow for a loaded flintlock. Warily, I knocked, demanding his gaze to snap towards the back window and the barrel of the weapon to aim at my face. I bit my lip and removed my hood before pointing to my face and mouthing It's Me. Fulkner was confused, obviously… He held the gun in my direction a few seconds longer before he silently said, Oh, and jumped off the bed. He quickly replaced the firearm under his pillow and turned on his heel to make for the window.

Once it was open, he started in a sleep-rough voice, "What are you doin' out so late, lad? I could have killed you."

"Something happened." I told him seriously. "The Templars know about the Manor."

To this, he said nothing; only he stared at me, his face creased in hard lines.

"Aveline and I need to leave. Tonight."

"The Aquila is at your service, Captain."

"That is why I am here." I reached in my pocket and pulled out an envelope. He quickly took it and pulled the parchment from the casing before looking up at me through his lashes. "We are not running." I growled. "The enclosed has coordinates. Meet Aveline and I there as soon as you are able and make sure the Aquila is not followed."

"What are you planning to do?"

"We are going after Haytham and Lee." I said through clenched teeth. "It ends."

"Is that wise?"

"They threatened my home and my family. I have no other choice. They started a war and I intend to finish it."

My fist clenched involuntarily. A war indeed… It started with Lee threatening Aveline – stabbing her and jumping ship like a coward. And it will end when I see that both she and Achilles are protected.

"First thing in the morning, set sail." I ordered.

He nodded and said, "Be careful, boy."

"I will."

At that I turned and headed back for Aveline.


Dawn

The Frontier


Making our way to the small, well hidden, mouth of Achilles' cave refuge, I gripped Aveline's hand protectively and held her at my side as we walked. Thing were different now… Templar's were after us and it was not only because we were Assassins, but because we had something they wanted. If the history between our Orders was any indication, they would stop at nothing until they had what they sought. No matter what the cost, they would come after us until the Ring was in their grasp.

Up ahead, I could see the hollow and very faintly, see an indicative light of a fire flickering out of the mouth. I frowned, wishing Achilles would have made the fire a little further away from the entrance to help secure his whereabouts, but even so, I was relieved… He made it. Being old and crippled had not made him any less durable, for which I was glad.

Aveline's hand slipped from mine moments before we emerged in the entry. Then, we stepped inside… For being an old forgotten cave, Achilles knew how to make it feel like home. The fire was inviting and the shadows from the flames danced across the grotto walls – bright and warm. There was a dusty bookcase shoved against a nook by the inner lip of the cave, infused with his many scrolls and journals. A chest with blankets had been unsystematically torn through in search of a thick green quilt that was thrown at the foot of the cots near the furthest wall. Directly across from it, on the other side of the fire were two more cots that our mentor had setup, clearly anticipating Aveline and I to show up at some point.

"Connor…" Achilles acknowledged, as he looked up from a box of his possessions sitting on an old bureau near his cot. "I didn't expect you." Glancing towards the other two cots he quickly added, "At least not so soon."

"We were worried about you." Aveline said as she stepped through the mouth and onto the woven rug our mentor had knowingly placed at the entrance to keep us from tracking in. She wiped her feet and stalked towards him. Achilles frowned at her words, clearly disappointed with our lack of faith in the old man.

"Yes," He sighed. "Well, here I am. Safe and sound." He finalized with a newfound smile as he held his hand out to the Hellcat. "And how may I ask, are you?" His eyes skidded to her stomach wound.

"She's fine," I interjected impatiently. The fact that he would even ask, irked me. I did not want him thinking I failed in anyway to keep her safe.

"So I see…" He answered slowly, deliberately pinning me with his scolding eyes. I set my jaw and glanced to the chilled stone below, realizing my tone was unnecessary, but after my encounter with King, my nerves were on the threshold of panic. Everything made me uneasy. "If you were always planning on stopping by then what took you so long?" Achilles asked with what seemed to be false innocence.

Aveline's posture straightened uncomfortably, while I forced myself to hold his gaze. I felt the heat rising in my face, hoping that somehow my blush along with Aveline's would go unnoticed by our mentor. But the playful smirk in his voice was distinct… Even so I remained calm, telling myself that he was none the wiser to our, earlier dealing with one another.

"We stopped by the pier," I shrugged with honesty.

"Oh!" He beamed, turning back to his box of essentials atop the bureau. "Docking your ship?"

"I… Uhh…" I bit the inside of my cheek and suffered through the long, teasing, pausing he created for Aveline and I. Docking my ship? I glanced towards the Hellcat and did not fail to notice how visibly red she had become even through her dark visage. "We… We were just... Um-"

"We informed Mister Fulkner of our plans." Aveline cut in, glaring at me for my lack of eloquence.

Achilles looked up, suddenly appearing very serious. "Which are…?"

"We are going after my father." I bit purposely as I stepped towards him. "Along with Lee and King."

He blinked. "And you find this to be… Wise."

"I find it to be just."

"Just?" He snipped. "Connor, justice would have been killing King the moment he revealed himself to you! Not gallivanting around the northern colonies with an ill-thought-out strategy to end your father's Templar reign!"

I rolled my eyes, "To end a Grand Master's reign is justice!"

"And just how do you expect to do that?" He asked with forced patience. "Hmm? Did you think walking up and hilting your blade into his heart would be enough?" He scoffed and glared at me. "Boy… I doubt you could even get in the vicinity without him being ready for you."

"Do you really think me so incompetent?!" I bit, tossing my gripsack onto the floor.

"No!" He barked. "Your training is nothing less than lethal but going after Haytham, along with Lee and King - you are provoking a pack of voracious wolves. And what makes it worse, you intend to drag Aveline to be slaughtered with you!"

I glared hotly and met his molten stare. "I can keep her safe!"

"That's not the point!" He howled, slamming his fist against the bureau. "In your anger you have failed to exercise all your options! Don't do this, Connor!"

I pitched towards him, now completely angered, "What would you propose we do? Sit and watch while Templars take control? They will burn through the Homestead in search of the Ring! Or have you forgotten we are sworn to stop them?!"

"Assassins are meant to be quiet, precise – not running into battle unconcealed and unashamed!" He finalized as he shook his cane in my direction. "So King threatenedyou! So he and your father are after you! Then wait for them to come! Be ready!"

"Who are you to lecture anyone!?" I growled. "You locked yourself away in that crumbling Manor and gave up on the Brotherhood entirely. Even now, look at yourself – hiding in a cave! Since the day I arrived you have discouraged me, and on the rare occasions you have chosen to help, you have done so little you may as well have done nothing at all!"

"How dare you!" His voice was malicious. He stepped forward, his posture strict, and his eyes holding the intent to reprimand me.

But before he could, I spoke first, "Then tell me! On who's watch did the Brotherhood falter?! Who's inaction allowed the Templar Order to grow so large that it now controls a nation?!"

"If I sought to dissuade you," He started bitterly. "It was because you knew nothing!"

I set my jaw, narrowed my eyes, and remained silent, allowing him to continue.

If I was reluctant to contribute," He resumed. "It was because you were naïve! A thousand times you would have died and taken, God knows, how many with you!"

"With no thanks to you, I have survived on my own and gotten myself out of countless situations due to Templar schemes. This will be no different!"

"Let me tell you something, Connor." He snarled wickedly. "Going after them is bullheaded and reckless. You will fail…! Life is not a fairytale and there are no happy endings!"

"No…" I said silently as I turned to exit the cave. "Not when men like you are left in charge." With that I stepped out of the opening and stomped arrogantly into the forest, left only with Achilles lingering words to bounce in my head…

"In your haste to save the world, boy, take care you don't destroy it."


Early Morning

The Frontier – Achilles' Hollow


I steered clear from Achilles for the next few hours hoping to avoid another dispute. I said things I was not proud to remember and was not overjoyed to drag myself back to the cave and either face him again, or sit in awkward silence. But to my delight, by the time I forced myself to return, both he and Aveline were asleep on their cots…

I stepped carefully into the mouth, discarded my boots to avoid the slapping sound the soles would create against the rock floor and pushed my way through until I landed on my cot. As cautious as I was not to wake either of them, the wooden bars of my bed bent loudly under my weight and I cringed before snapping my gaze across the dying fire to regard Achilles… He was leaning against the stone wall at the head of his cot with an open book in his hands, still fast asleep, and somehow oblivious to my careless racket.

Letting out a reassured sigh, I reclined, rolled to my side and absently mindedly glanced to Aveline's cot to see that she was staring at me. Had I woken her? She was facing me - using her bent elbow as a pillow – and stroked Patriot lazily as he purred and nuzzled against her midriff. The light from the fire pit in the middle of the cave illuminated her face, making her skin shimmer and glow a striking gold. Her eyes darted slowly from my face to my neck, chest, and arms then back up to my jaw and lips. It was as if she was looking for something – perhaps an imperfection… All my senses screamed at me to cover my body or glare at her as a silent threat to make her stop staring. But after a small smile curled the edge of her mouth, my lips too, quirked in return and I found that I liked it when she watched me. Besides, at this point, I had nothing to hide.

Propping myself up on one arm, I looked across the dying embers to see if Achilles was still sleeping. Once I found him, to my satisfaction, snoring lightly, I turned back to Aveline and patted the small space on my cot, beckoning her silently to lay with me. Her gaze widened considerably and with a frown, she shook her head vigorously. My eyes narrowed slightly at her unwillingness to be with me but regardless of the rejection, I held my hand out to her and mouthed, Come Here…

Again, she juddered her head from side to side.

At that, I reached a little further and clutched her wrist before I dragging her towards me. She struggled and writhed to escape my grasp, which did nothing but disturb her kitten from his much enjoyed slumber, what with the way he began to flick his tail and glare at the pair of us.

After pulling her halfway off her cot, Aveline harshly whispered, "Connor, no!" Her eyes darted to our mentor, clearly unsure as to whether or not he was really sleeping or just pretending.

I smirked and raised a finger to my lips to silence her before whispering, "He won't wake up if you stop making noise…" There was a thin hint of concealed meaning in my voice and she glared.

"I'm warm and so is Patriot." Was her feeble reasoning.

"I will keep you warmer. Him too." I said, glancing towards the little tom, who was still glaring at me. "Come here."

My longing had seemingly radiated from my eyes, and with defeated sigh, Aveline stopped trying to pull away and got up carefully before tiptoeing across the space between our beds and lying down on my cot. The second she was down, my arms encircled her, my hands gripped her back and my mouth was on her neck, gently laving around her collarbone. She fidgeted a bit, uncomfortable with me kissing her when our mentor was in plain sight, no more than ten feet away but I continued heedlessly. Absentmindedly, my thumbs hooked in her trousers and I began to slid them down her shapely hips but her nails shot to my wrists before digging them in my skin with severity. I halted immediately…

"Just a little bit." I pleaded.

"No!" She bit quietly.

"Please…"

"We just did tha-"

"Hours ago." My voice was rough with need – almost strained. "Please…"

"No!"

"Aveline…" I started with a purr. "Come on-"

One of her hands ripped away from my wrist and went to my skull where she fisted into my hair, tilting my head back to demand my gaze. "Not. Here." She growled.

I glared at her, for I was not looking forward to having her body so close to mine and not being allowed to touch it. She was beautiful, even when she was angry, which made it that much harder to keep my hands to myself. Inwardly I gruffed in annoyance, and removed my hands from her waistband.

"Now what, then?" I asked dully, trying in vain, to think of anything but how good she felt lying there with her delectable body pressed against mine.

"Now, we sleep." She chimed sardonically as she wrapped her arms around my neck and placed her head on my shoulder.

Rolling my eyes, my gaze accidently landed on Achilles… I froze. He was watching me with a cocked head and a wicked little smirk, his eyes where filled with mirth and something teasing. There was something unspoken in them, like he was holding himself back from tormenting me for failing to seduce the Hellcat. How long had he been awake? I open my mouth to say something – either explain what he had just witnessed or even apologize for our earlier disagreement, but before I could say a word, he shook his head with a soft smile and turned to the opened book on his lap. Without pressing his implied forgiveness, I blinked and then lowered my head to the pillow of Aveline's soft hair before closing my eyes, resting my chin on her forehead, and inhaling her scent…

It was a good thing the Hellcat refused or else Achilles would have been treated to quite the show…


Afternoon…

The Frontier – Achilles' Hollow


I woke sometime during the afternoon… There were no clocks in the cave but I knew I slept much later than I would have liked. Without opening my eyes, I reached to the warm spot next to me and buried my fingers in a soft pile of fur. I frowned and my eyes popped open to confirm my displeasure. Aveline was gone and in her place, was Patriot. He was curled into a tight ball, actively biting between the toes of his left paw to repress an aggressive itch. I rolled my eyes and sat up, shoving him gently until he was off my cot. With a yawn, my gaze danced lazily around the hollow to find, aside from Patriot, I was alone.

Swinging my legs over the cot, I stood and stalked to the other side of the grotto to eye the papers splayed out over Achilles' dusty bureau. My fingers mauled over a few aged sketches of the Ring – some of them dated nearly three hundred years previous – signed Leonardo da Vinci. My brow puckered… Even that long ago, the Ring was a threat. Or at least sought after.

My eyes skated across the desk surface to find the device sitting in an old, cracked, mug. Looking around to make sure I was actually alone, my hand fell to the jewel to fish it out of the dish and I leaned against the bureau with the trinket in my palm. Achilles would have had my hide if he knew I was messing with it and I scoffed at the thought. He tended to treat me like a child on a day-to-day basis even though, if it weren't for me, we would never have had the Ring in our possession in the first place. Warily, I took my finger and prodded around the dark onyx nestled in the center of the metallic wings before experimentally weighing the object in my palm. It felt normal enough – much like any other hefty, chunk, of jeweled metal.

I humphed

Achilles had disclosed nothing. We were still at square one. We knew so little about it. From all appearances, Aveline and I, along with the Templar Order, had been chasing a myth all over the colonies… It was nothing more than a worthless antique. And we had sacrificed so much for it. The Manor. My sanity and well-being. And Aveline – she could have been killed.

I glared down at the useless charm with gritted teeth. This thing, was ruining my life. Even if it had brought Aveline and I together, it was not worth the risk of loosing her to Charles Lee. I would rather her hate me and be alive somewhere in New Orleans, rather than continuously putting her in harms way just to keep her with me and aid my protection of the Ring.

As I continued glowering down at it, the onyx in the center seemed to glisten tauntingly at me. The damned thing… I was going to prove, once and for all that this, Ring, was worthless. Defiantly I closed my fist around the trinket and clenched my eyes. My teeth were clamped together and grinding in a circular pattern against each other. At that, I quickly slipped the band around the middle finger of my left hand and stared, waiting for something to happen…

Nothing

I smirked triumphantly… I was now one step ahead of our enemies. For I knew the Ring was powerless and now, could easily set a trap, luring them here under false pretense of gaining authority.

I continued watching the Ring as it awkwardly slid around my digit. Clearly the band was meant for a man with overweight fingers and therefore it did not fit me. With a sigh, I went to remove the object but just as I was pulling it off, the steel wings extended and then swiftly clamped down and around my finger. For a short moment I stared in shock. Had it really just moved?

My eyes widened in panic and I hastily gripped it and started trying to rip it off. The band, which was far too large in the first place, had tightened and now fit me perfectly as if it was made for me to wear. And to my chagrin, it wouldn't budge. It was like the wings were holding onto my finger.

Shit!

It was stuck and no matter how hard I pulled it would not come off. Uttering a string of curses, I wrenched at the band until my finger was red sore from the pressure I dealt against the skin. And then, I heard voices – Achilles and Aveline were back from whenever they had gone and there I was, getting myself into trouble. I could almost hear Achilles scolding tone and he had not even seen the error in my actions yet. Just how was I supposed to explain this…?

"Good Afternoon, Connor." Achilles said politely.

I squirmed a bit and shoved my left hand into my pocket before turning towards the mouth of the cave, grinning ridiculously. "Good afternoon."

My voice was and octave higher than normal and after living under the same roof with Achilles for the past seven years, he was no stranger to my behaviors and knew when I had done something wrong. He raised an eyebrow at me but did not question why I was standing there, looking so guilty.

"Aveline and I had a little talk…" He said with a smile. "I see you've finally confessed your feelings for one another."

He looked to me, waiting for me to expand on the thought but I shrugged and nodded. To be painfully honest, I was not listening. Instead, I continued fumbling the Ring around in my pocket, still trying to wriggle it away from my finger. After a short period of silence, he eyed me quizzically with a pursed mouth.

"Something the matter?" He asked with his suspicion raised.

"Uh… Not exactly…" Damn it.

"Not exactly…" He repeated. "Which means…?"

"No." I said firmly. "Nothing is wrong."

Achilles hummed doubtfully to himself and hobbled towards his workspace. "While you were sleeping, I uncovered a few thing about your Ring."

"You did?" I asked, now very interested in what he had to say.

"Yes," He took up one of da Vinci's sketches and reached for the reading glasses in his coat pocket.

While he was busy settling them on his face, I turned away and looked to Aveline. There was alarm in my eyes that she did not fail to notice. Her head cocked immediately and I pulled my hand from my pocket to show her how the ring had clamped around my finger… Stiffening her posture, she glared at me and stepped forward before taking my wrist in her hand and yanking my arm towards her. Her nails dug under the band to help pry it off but predictably enough, it did not move.

Achilles cleared his throat, causing Aveline and I to freeze in place. We both turned to him, relieved to see that he was fully absorbed in the sketch and not watching us. "The Ring, although I'm still unclear on its usage, is actually a living organism."

At that, Aveline and I locked eyes for a brief moment – my panic stricken, gaze buried into her angered stare before she tried again, to pull the Ring away from my digit…

"It's no alive, per se, but it has evidences that makes it appear to be of the living." He continued. "For example, it chooses its holder. From what I understand, once the Ring has chosen, the wings attached to the band will fold over the holder's finger and will only let go once the holder dies…"

I clenched my eyes… There had to be a way to get it off. I gently shoved Aveline's hands away and starting tugging the Ring again, thinking that somehow, my efforts would work this time. They had to, or else Achilles was going to kill me.

"Another way to remove the ring would be to sever the holder's finger."

"Not an option…" I muttered quietly. "What about buttering it?" I asked him, being sure to keep my back toward him. "Would it slip off then?"

He paused and even though I was not facing him, I could feel his eyes burning holes into the back of my skull. "No. It doesn't work that way." He answered before clearing his throat once more to continue his thoughts. "Once the holder dies, or the finger is removed, the Ring perishes and becomes powerless for an extended period of time before it can be reactivated. It is only reactivated when the next chosen holder has been born. It could take years. Therefore, if it ever fell into the wrong hands, it would be useless to them unless the Ring chose them to be its master." He finalized as he placed the sketch back over the bureau. "All the more reason to keep it out of the Templar's clutches. If they're able to activate it, who knows what sort of hell they could unleash."

Dejected, I sighed, realizing that there was no way to remove without killing myself or losing a finger. "Achilles," I uttered in defeated, ashamed of my stupidity.

"Also," He started, completely ignoring me, "It acts as some kind of security system to it's host and will burn the wearer's finger when danger is nearby. The burning isn't bad, but it does sting-"

"Achilles!" I tried again, this time louder. "There is something you should see."

I turned around and held my hand out to him. Instantly his sights set on the Ring and the way the platinum-like wings were grasping my finger. With widened eyes, he drew in a long breath and boomed, "OUT OF ALL THE DAFT- IRRESPONSIBLE… DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!"

"Achilles please! I… I …" I stuttered. "I thought-"

"You thought what?!" He growled. "That vexatious is welded onto your finger! And by no means can you get it off!"

"How was I to know-"

"Whether or not you knew, it was foolish for you to obliviously toy with a Device of Eden without concern for what it could mean for you!"

I opened my mouth to utter my defense but before I said anything, Achilles stormed past me as fast as he move with his bum leg and exited the hollow…


"You know, he's just worried about you…" Aveline said, drawing my attention away from the cave wall that I had, apparently, found interesting for the last few minutes.

"I know." I replied drearily, now looking to her. At my mentor's request, I was sitting on my cot, with my left limb erected towards the roof of the cavern. He said elevating my arm could cause the blood to flow down, draining my hand and making it possible to slip the Ring off my finger.

After Achilles calmed down and came back to the cave, he instantaneously buried himself in his books, looking for an alternative measure. He too hoped there was some way to remove the charm but hours had passed and still, he came up with nothing. He even put my butter idea to good use, which turned out to be a failure. Dipping my hand in cold water, also did nothing… After all his tricks and methods, the Ring would not budge. In fact, trying and failing to force it off, ended up making my digit swell uncomfortably and impossible to remove it at all. Which is how I ended up holding my arm to the ceiling.

"How could you have been so stupid?" Aveline bit.

My head jerked to her and my eyes narrowed. I meant to say something – a comeback or anything snappy that would aid in my defense but instead, I sat there quietly, glaring. Nothing I could say would help me out of the situation. In hindsight, I should have left it alone but still, I was so sure it did not do anything.

Finally lowering my hand, I again, tried to pull it off but unsurprisingly it was still stuck… What was I supposed to do with it now?

"We shouldn't be here." I growled.

"What do you mean?"

"We should be meeting Mister Fulker in Boston… He is probably waiting for us right now."

"You're not going anywhere, boy." Achilles grumbled from across the cave, causing me to glare over at him. "Not until you get that Ring off."

"So we just sit here? And allow the Templars to wreak havoc on the Homestead while we hide away?"

"That is not," He snarled. "What we are doing. Due to your ignorance, the situation has changed. You can't just ride off into the sunset and risk everything… The Ring was the target and now that you are its host, you're the new objective."

Biting the inside of my cheek, I stared, trying to think of some way to convince him that we could do so much more. "I won't hide like this forever." I warned.

Achilles blinked. "I know." He answered honestly. "Just give me another day, and then the decision is yours."


The Next Day…


I stared at my mentor with a tight jaw, waiting for him to try and stop me. Nothing could change my mind, not even now that I had foolishly gotten the Ring stuck on my finger. I had a reputation to uphold and a family to protect. And nothing was going to take it away…

I had lost my home and my family once, and it was not going to happen again. Not now that I was grown, and able to defend what was mine. Achilles, Aveline, and even Patriot, were my family now. And no Templar was going to threaten them and get away with it.

"Is there nothing I can say to make you forget this fool's errand?"

I shook my head and readjusted the satchel leash around my shoulder. Achilles eyes softened greatly before he reached out and patted my arm lightly, keeping his gaze trained to the ground.

"Be careful, Connor." He said, looking up to me with a forced smile. It was as if he was frightened. Habitually before a mission, he would remind me to exercise caution but this time was different – like he feared I wouldn't return. He glanced to Aveline, who was sitting – ready and waiting on her mare, patting the animal's wide neck. "And take care of that girl."

"I will." I answered sternly. There was nothing I did better than protect Aveline… "We will come for you as soon as Lee, King, and my father are dead."

There was a hint of sorrow in his face. "I'm sorry you have to do this."

"So am I." I admitted. I never knew Haytham but it did not make taking his life any easier. He was still my father.

"Stay together, and don't be stupid – if you need to flee, then by all means, do so." He said sternly. "Your lives are more important than some damned Ring."

"I understand." I started to turn for the horses but Achilles quickly caught me by the wrist, causing me to look towards him.

"Connor," He chimed softly. "I… I've never told you before, so listen well." Clearing his throat he said, "I love you. I know I haven't always been there for you but, both you and Aveline have been like children to me and I-"

"Achilles, please…" I replied with a smile. "We know."

He then, abruptly wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a brisk hug. It was initiated almost as quickly as it ended. And then he stepped back and waved me on as if to save face. He typically didn't show emotion and now that he had crossed that line and actually admitted his feelings for us, he was embarrassed.

I smirked, causing him to glare. "Go on, boy." He chided. "Before I take it back."

At that I turned, shaking my head with a slight smile and mounted my horse.


A Few Days Later…

Boston


I peered around the brick, carefully, scanning the darkened streets for movement. We were only a few blocks away from our intended destination – The Black Horse Tavern… If Mister Fulkner had followed the instructions in the enclosed, Bill Tocks would be waiting outside his drinkery, ready with what I hoped would be information on the Templar Order. Even though we left Boston weeks ago, he was still on high alert and collecting information as an eternal favor to Aveline and I for saving his home and family.

"The way is clear." I whispered from the other side of the street, waving the Hellcat on.

Quickly, Aveline tore across the small roadway and crouched behind the brick wall servicing for my cover and placed her hand on the back of my knee. I had been so engrossed in making sure the street was clear that I had not realized her intentions. Her hand suddenly ascended up my thigh before she cupped my hind, causing me to jump and my attentions to snap onto her. I looked down to find her dark eyes pinning me, full of heat and mirth.

"Hellcat," I muttered as I shoved her hands away – just before they could reach my belt. A cat-like sneer flashed across her appealing lips and as a reaction, my hand shot to her jaw before cupping her chin and tilting her head up. Pitching forward, I brushed her mouth with mine and kissed her before whispering, "Come on. We are almost there."

"Then lets go." She challenged as she darted for the next street.


"What have you found?" Aveline asked, as we neared Bill, who was standing in one of the tavern's side streets.

He ran a hand through his dark, burgundy, locks and reached for a small, crumpled, parchment in his pocket. I watched him with a puckered brow, not failing to notice how thin he had become… His once bright, green. eyes were now watery and dull. His skin, which was already pale to begin with, looked ghostly – the moonlight doing nothing to improve the color. And his face had hard, stress lines etched across his brow and temple. Aveline took the paper from him and hastily unraveled it, allowing her eyes to dance from one sentence to another.

"Are you alright?" I asked after seeing the way Bill nervously glanced behind him.

"Fine." He answered shortly, still staring at Aveline.

I frowned in disbelief before trying once more, "Bill?"

He looked to me, knotting his fingers together and shifted uncomfortably. "Connor, they have me family."

At that, Aveline's head jerked up and her mouth fell open. "What?" She riled.

"Who?" I bit purposely as I stepped forward.

"I don't know." He rasped, now running both hands wildly through his hair. "They came in the middle of the night and just, took both Lydia and the babe! They called themselves Elites."

"Can you describe them?"

"No!" He retorted brokenly. "They were wearin' masks!"

Masks… At that I stiffened, allowing horror to creep over me. "Was…" I clenched my eyes and took a deep breath. "Was one of them a woman under the guise of a skull?"

He looked to me, speechless, and nodded.

"We'll get them back." I assured him. "In the meantime-"

"Connor!" Aveline snapped, her hand shooting out to latch onto my forearm.

My gaze flickered to her. She was clutching the paper, shaking it slightly as if the more she jostled it, the higher chance she had of jarring the words right off the page. "What is it?"

"This is it!" She proclaimed eagerly. "Look."

I lowered my eyes to the wrinkled page and read carefully – the line just above Aveline's finger. Bill's flawless ability to collect relevant information, had paid off. For he had overheard redcoats, and other suspicious patrons, speaking of an island a few miles off the New York harbor – a headquarters of sorts. Perfect. My father was there. Of this I had no doubt. Hurriedly, I snatched the parchment from the Hellcat's fingers and read the line again, just to be sure I done so correctly in the first place. Then suddenly, a burning impression shot through my left arm, starting at my middle finger and ending at the base of my spine.

I snarled, dropping the paper, and grabbing my wrist.

"What's the matter?"

I looked to Aveline with my mouth agape. The scorching sensation had lifted and everything was normal again, all except for the Hellcat, who was still eyeing me quizzically with a knit eyebrow. Examining my hand from every angle, I shook my head.

"Nothing." I replied. "The Aquila is docked and waiting. We should go."


The Following Sunrise…

Boston


Barreling over the cobblestone streets, I lowered my body and rounded the corner, tucking through the backstreets and tailing after Aveline. They were after us - the hooded Templars with masks. Dread filled my chest at the sounds of their hurried strides, as they closed in on us and now with the Ring scorching my hand, it did nothing to still my anxieties. After Aveline killed one, without ease, we quickly found we were no match for a herd of them and bolted for the nearest escape. There was at least five and to my pleasure, what little there was to be had, the Skull Witch was not among them.

"Move faster!" I barked to Aveline.

The two of us were running as fast as our feet would allow and it seemed our efforts were in vain. These Templars – the Elites had the stamina of bull elks during the rut period. They never tired, and never ceased. And from what I could tell, they were swarming Boston. It was as If they had been waiting for us – blocking our way to the harbor.

Aveline rounded the corner and I was only second behind her but in my haste to escape our pursuers, I failed to notice that she had stopped dead in her tracks. I ducked around the wall and collided into her with full force, effectively causing the two of us to gracelessly tumble to the ground, rob us of breath, and become tangled in each others limbs. I shot up, ignoring the fact that the air hand been knocked from my lungs and gripped her arm to pull her up with me and then, I heard it.

My eyes widened and my head snapped up to the street before us to see people running and screaming as the shrill lash of a metal chain whipped through the air. Latching onto the Hellcat, I dove on top of her and brought her to the ground moments before a sharp, three-pronged claw, bit into the brick structure behind us. I wrenched my gaze up to see that the Skull Witch was there, retracting her braided-chain and readying to launch it towards us again.

She was going to kill us…

At that I leapt to my feet and ripped Aveline off the street before turning on my heel and yanking her along with me. There was only one way left to escape and a short window to do so. The other Elites were closing in and the Skull Witch was only buying her time, what with that hellish chain. A harsh chink ripped through the air and I felt the gust of the Witch's claw as it belted past me. But to my elation, there was no pain, only that of the Ring as it continued to burn through my body. Then, after hearing Aveline cry out, I halted and turned in terror. The claw had embedded itself into her right thigh and the Skull Witch's leash had coiled around her legs.

"Damn it!" I howled, as I ran and dropped beside her, trying to untangle the chain.

The Skull Witch then bent forward and charged, drawing a dirk from her leg holster. My fingers promptly and deftly worked at the restraint until at length, realizing I was running out of time, swiftly removed the claw, causing Aveline to wail before yanking her pants down, and ripping them away from her ankles. Then I lifted her off the ground and shoved her in the opposite direction of the Witch.

"Go!" I ordered as I jumped to my feet, pulling my hatchet from my belt. "Get away! Now!"

She blinked and with blatant dread lacing her voice, she screeched. "Aren't you coming?!"

"I'll catch up!" A lie she did not believe… "I promise!"

"Connor! I cant-"

"DAMN YOU, AVELINE!" I riled harshly before shoving her again. I was hot with anger at the way she stood there staring at me. "GO! Get the hell away!"

She seemed to register the seriousness in my tone and expression because something in her defiant nature shifted. Reluctantly, and with evident sorrow, she turned and bolted down the still-clear street before disappearing behind the panicked crowd. I turned roughly to find the Skull Witch was swing her braided-leash through the air once more and knowing that I was mournfully inferior to her battle prowess, I tensed and brought my hatched in front of my face, waiting for her to release the claw. At the very least, I could block her assaults until Aveline was safely away.

The Ring was now scalding my finger, making my hatchet-equipped hand unsteady. It trembled under the blistering heat and I winced both due to the pain and the malicious sneer fixed over the Skull Witch's mask. She seemingly saw all of this and filed it away as a temporary weakness. Tossing the metal whip in my direction, I evaded and gripped the chain, yanking her towards me just as I had done the last time I fought her on the deck of the Rosemary. She pulled hard on the other end of the chain but it did no harm to my balance as she had intended. Winding the weapon around my arm, I pulled again, forcing her to be wrenched in my direction. It was down to this, she would either be pulled to me or she would have to let go. And it seemed she was not about to release the weapon.

Before I knew, it, she was running towards me, with her dirk back in her hands. She swung down, aiming for my head only to find that I easily sheathed her wrist in my wide grip. I smirked, relishing in the fact that I had gotten better. I knew her moves and was improving during our battles. It only took one time to realize I was not to underestimate her, no matter how slight-formed she was.

Her knee then drew up without my knowledge, and slammed into my groin, rendering me useless. I growled and teetered to the side giving her the perfect opportunity to plunge her sharp dirk into my vitals. But instead of killing me, as she should have, she simply kicked me backwards into ever waiting arms of our earlier pursuers.

Regaining my strength, I reared back, hoping the butt the back of my skull against my captor's nose but he effortlessly lolled his head and avoided the collision.

"Hold him down!" The Skull Witch commanded as I continued to struggle my way to freedom.

I was then shoved to the ground with abrupt force as two of her minions fell over me, holding my arms behind my back and restricting them with course ropes. After being sure my bonds were tight, the man, who had been pressing my temple into the cobblestone, ripped me up off the ground by the hair and pulled my head back before pushing a sharp blade against my jugular.

"What should we do with him?" He growled to the woman.

"Keep him alive." She answered with little emotion. "Little miss de Grandpre will come running after she discovers we are detaining her precious buck."

I set my jaw at the thought of Aveline unwarily running into their trap at the expense of rescuing me…

"Besides," The Witch continued. "He's got something we want…" Her finger then hooked around my chin, causing her lackey to release the grip on my hair, and allowing her to pull my face at eye level. "Don't you?" She purred.

I could not see her face due to the horrific mask shrouding her features, but her tone was evident enough. She knew

I stared into the darkened eyeholes of the skull before a raw anger flooded into my chest. She had me. And she was going to use me as bait to capture Aveline. The Templars were about to gain it all. The Ring, myself, and Aveline. My eyes narrowed and with a chagrinned snarl, I pressed my body into the man behind me and brought my legs up before kicking as fast and as hard as I could. My feet thrust into the Witch's chest, successfully knocking her away. The collision had been so solid, that her mask had loosened and just as she hit the ground with her palms flat against the street to break her fall, the metal disguise clanked against the cobblestone.

My eyes widened and I drew in a sharp intake of air… Long, blonde, waves fell from the Skull Witch's hood before she turned to me, revealing a pair of the deepest, brown eyes I had ever seen. I was completely shocked.

"Hannah?" I rasped in disbelief.

She bent her pretty lips into a smirk, reached to collect her mask, and stood proudly before me. Staring as if the revelation of her identity had been some sort of self-triumph. "Bring him." She ordered her fellow Elites. "And make sure he doesn't remember anything…"

Hannah turned and sauntered down the street, righting her mask, and leaving me to be dealt with. One of the Elites, drew his flintlock and gripped it by the barrel before rearing back and crashing it against my temple. The man holding me up, abruptly dropped me to the ground and stepped over me to follow Hannah down the street. There was a gloom that encased my vision slowly and before I knew it, everything was dark.


A/N: BOOM! Captured!

I would like to start off by apologizing for the wait. Too long to wait! \('-`)/ I couldn't get anything going for this chapter for some reason. Writers block is a killer… Plus I rewrote my outline slightly because I didn't like some of it. Hence, changing the chapter around, confusing me, and making the wait terrible. I just got really behind on stuff! I'm not sure how this turned out. I feel like it seemed rushed! Your thoughts? Should I go back and expand or fix anything? I really hated this one! I say no... Just no! Terrible!

Anyways

Now that my face is beet-red thanks tothat scene up at the top, may I just say: OMG FINALLY! I know you've all been anticipating their romance and frankly, so have I! You have no idea how many times I wanted to write, "and then they kiss!" like in the middle of some random scene just to get it on with it! But no, patients make for a better romance U_U. I was having trouble waiting for it too but here it is :D… I hope it was worth all the teasing, flirting, fighting, and the waiting… Hopefully ya'll are happy with it! I thought since most of their relationship has been drastically violent and ridiculous, we could use a tender moment where it counted. I'm not sure how I feel about it because of the writer's block and all.

Regardless, you da man, Connor! ー( ̄~ ̄)ξ

And hopefully now that they are a couple, you guys won't leave because that was the only reason you were here in the first place! I have so much more to give in this story! …ヽ(゚Д゚)ノ Hence the cliffhanger again… :3

I was thinking about making a soundtrack for this fiction and putting it up on my youtube channel… Yay or Nay? Or should I just say screw it and try that on the next fiction? Or just leave it alone all together?

IMPORTANT: Lastly, go check out the poll on my profile! And under my RtF section, I have added a link that I would like you to check out. It's just a picture of what the Ring was based after… In case I sucked at describing it ;p

REVEAL TRAILER: I've also released a teaser trailer for an upcoming fiction. The link is in my profile. Yes, it's anotherConnorline that is in progress. That story will be released once this one is finished or almost finished.

REPLIES!

Jk47: I was hoping I wasn't painfully obvious. I really wanted that to be a surprise but was having difficulty on HOW to do that. I knew I would fail anyway haha. It was just too evident! I applaud you all the same! Outstanding prediction!

6Black Key Wings9: Haha you were right, excellent prediction! THEY FINALLY KISSED! And… uh… other things… Oh, I updated btw so prepare to do another double take on your email alerts! I hope you like this! Because this is hands down, my least favorite chapter.

GUEST: Dear guest who read this from 10 am to 9ish pm… That is almost 12 hours… Are your eyes bleeding?! I absolutely love to hear that I've trapped you in my RtF web, but my goodness! Your dedication and ability to read this that long has me flattered! Thank you for reading and reviewing :3

EagleofMasyaf: NOM NOM NOM! Delicious^_^! Haha you read this during class? Don't fail your tests on my account! Although, with my late updates, I suppose its summer now… And you never made me another drawing btw! -_- … Haha that's okay! Just give me another fun-to-read review and I'll overlook that little misfortune… If your up to it :3