CHAPTER TEN

Anne's POV

"Such a happy baby." I smiled down at James as I held him close. He cooed up at me happily, making the common but adorable sounds a baby makes. I had returned to Ireland where my parents were. They were confused as to why I had a baby, and I had seen my father's face go cross. Once I explained what happened, they didn't seem quite as concerned since it wasn't planned. Afterwards, my mother took up the responsibility of being a grandmother in making my son clothing to wear, purchasing him different toys, and singing songs to him in Irish. My father didn't pay much mind to my son, but he'd hold him every now and then.
'I wonder how Mary's doin',' I wondered, rocking my child. It had been a long while since I'd heard from her, much less anyone. I had sent a messenger from my family a while back to check on Mary and the others. He hadn't returned though. That was the one problem with moving back home: being isolated from my friends, including Rackham. Sure, I wasn't exactly in love with him, but he was a decent man that sometimes lacked in judgment.
"Anne, come inside! It's gettin' windy out there!"
I sighed softly as my mother pulled me from the lovely pink sunset before heading back into our small home. I laid James back into his crib before helping my mother out in the kitchen. We were making a simple stew out of the vegetables my mother had grown out in our large vegetable garden. My father was outside cutting some of the wood we needed for the heat stove and the fireplace.
"Anne, you've a visitor!" My father called in to me from outside.
I set the knife down before opening the door. It was my messenger finally.
"Please, come in. What did you gather?" I asked, curious. He stepped inside and looked at me with an almost fearful look in his eyes.
"Lady Anne, Mary has found her son. The templars no longer have him."
I sighed in extreme relief, smiling at him. However, his expression didn't change once.
"And? What else has happened? What of Rackham?"
He sighed softly as he spoke.
"Rackham is as drunk as ever. Edward Kenway, however, is nowhere to be found."
I raised an eyebrow at that, confused. Edward was gone? Wasn't that normal of pirates though?
"He's a pirate, lad. It's normal for him to be out at sea plunderin' and defendin' the Assassin name."
He shook his head at me as he continued.
"I spoke with Ah Tabai, Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood to find out this information about them. According to him, Edward was kidnapped and possibly executed for his crimes as a pirate and traitor to the Templar Order."
My eyes widened largely as I gaped at him in disbelief. Edward, executed? That wasn't possible!
"No...you must've heard him wrong. Edward wouldn't die so easily. He survived everyone's assaults on him! He defeated the Templar Order under Torres! How could he have been executed under the Templar Order if they are no more?!"
He placed a hand on my shoulder gently.
"There is another leader, apparently. Someone graver than Torres was. We've no idea who he is, but he's powerful. They are searching for Edward as we speak."
I shook his hand off.
"I have to help them."
"No you are not."
I looked over at my parents, gathering before me. My father narrowed his eyes down at me sternly.
"You just came home, and you're a mother. Do not neglect your newfound responsibilities."
"I have to help them. My son James wouldn't even be here if Edward hadn't saved me! I owe it to him, papa. Mum, you understand, don't you?"
My mother wouldn't look at me, thus her turning away and going back into the kitchen.
"Anne, you will not leave this house to help someone that isn't of your immediate family, regardless of what they did for you. I thought I raised you better than that. That's a man's work. You are a woman, and you have household responsibilities like your mother. Now get back to work, that's an order."
I visibly winced at his words, glaring up at him.
"No. I refuse to follow this damned idea of how a woman should be! I will be who I want to be, with or without you two! Hell, I'm taking James and we are returning to New York. At least there, I can live how I choose to!" I pushed past him and grabbed James, clutching him closely to me as I ran past him again.
"Anne, get back here! Anne!"
I ran out of the house and down the cobblestone path into the city. I would not conform to the ideology of how a woman should act or look or be. I am me, and that's all there is to it.
I hurried onto one of the traveller's ships in the dock. I approached the captain of the ship, looking him in the eye as I paid my fair.
"Take me to New York. It's an emergency."
The man nodded, and after boarding some more passengers with similar destinations, he set the boat in motion. We travelled away from Ireland.
'Hang in there, Edward. I'm comin' to help you!'

Ah Tabai's POV

"Anne asked about you, Mary."
Mary looked over at me in surprise, sitting on the bed as she breastfed her son. She blinked for a moment.
"Anne? How is she?"
I smiled softly at her before looking out the window, giving her the privacy she may have wanted for her child.
"She seemed good. She had sent a messenger out to gather information on how we all are doing. She's back in Ireland with her son James and her family."
Mary sighed softly.
"That's good. What did you tell her about us?"
"Everything."
There was a pregnant silence that filled the room. I knew exactly why: everything meant about Mary's son and Edward's dire situation.
"You know that she will be coming back here now, right?" Mary raised her voice some as she spoke, trying to sound mad but only coming off as fearful and worried.
"She may. However, that will be her choice entirely. She is your friend, Mary. You can't exclude everyone from how you're really feeling on the inside. You need to be able to share yourself with others."
I turned from the window and looked at her before walking over to sit beside her on the bed.
"You need to find someone that you trust enough to tell everything to. I know how you are. You like to bottle things up and never directly say what's on your mind. You like to hide. Ironic, since you are an Assassin taught in the way of stealth."
She smirked slightly at that and looked down at her son.
"I know. I'm working on it. That can't be my priority right now though. Oliver and Edward are my priorities."
I sighed softly as I looked at her. The poor woman hadn't been able to get any amount of rest into her body. I pitied her and her difficult position.
"Mary, if you do find Edward and he's alive, what will you say to him?"
She looked up at me, searching my face for answers.
"Will you tell him how you really feel? Seriously this time? He may have been greedy in the past, but thanks to you, he has been taking on more responsibilities as a true man. He's been beside you for quite some time. You speak highly of him, and he thinks the same of you. Can you put your pride aside long enough to be vulnerable for just one moment? What have you got to lose from confessing?"
Her eyes waivered slightly as she looked away from me.
"Everything...you have no idea, Mentor. I love Edward, that's no doubt. But...he has my heart. Only he has the ability to tear it in half and toss it away like a destroyed ship. Everytime I'm around him, I am constantly on alert. Love is a confusing, fearful thing. Anyone can easily tear you down for loving them the way you do. I don't want to go through that. I know that if Edward knows and doesn't feel the same way, I'm done. I'll go through such a bad stage of depression. I wouldn't be surprised if one day after, I end up slitting my wrists just to escape it."
I shook my head and put a hand on her shoulder gently, causing her to look me in the eye.
"If he breaks your heart, I'll be there to pick up the pieces and put it back together. Oliver will do that too. You aren't alone in this Mary. You have supporters all around you. Besides, Edward may not be 'the one', but I honestly believe that he loves you too, Mary. The looks you exchange, the way he gazes at you when you aren't looking...they are the tell-tale signs of the heart."
Her eyes watered slightly before she exhaled heavily.
"Damn you...fine...maybe I will...it depends on his condition…"
I nodded and stood back up.
"I'll let you get some rest. Please don't hesitate to ask for me. I will be right across the hall from you."
She nodded. I walked over to the door and slipped out of it, heading into my own room. I sighed heavily as I plopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Mary, have more faith in yourself. Don't sell yourself short."

Adéwale's POV

The tunnel seemed endless to me as Emilianna and I searched them. It had been about four days now, and still no sign of Edward. Even I started to become worried. The man was a stupid one, always getting involved in matters that didn't concern him as long as he was getting paid. He didn't seem to care a whole lot about his crewmates. Sure, that wasn't true now, but that didn't make much of a difference at the time.
"Emilianna, I don't think he's underground here."
She wiped at her sweat before looking over at me.
"Where else can we look?"
I sighed.
"I hate to say it, but I think we should stop and come up with a different plan. Searching here isn't going to get us much farther than where we are at now."
She sighed and reluctantly nodded.
"I know. I hate to admit it, but you're right. Let's get back to Ah Tabai and figure out what to do."
I nodded and led the way out of the tunnels we were in. After about ten minutes of walking, we made it to the surface closest to the motel we were staying in. We walked up the stairs and went to the end of the hall where our section of rooms were located. I knocked on Mentor's door before walking in with Emilianna.
"Where's Mary?" Emilianna asked, glancing around the small room.
"She's resting across the hall."
He sat up on his bed and walked over to us.
"No luck?"
I shook my head.
"No. I figured we'd come back here to see if you knew of where else to look."
He shook his head slightly, though clearly still in thought.
"I'm afraid I don't know. I suppose I could send my Assassins out searching worldwide, but it might be too late for that. We might have to call the search off. Edward has been gone for what, almost three weeks? There's no way he survived that long under the new Templar Order."
I bit my lip, thinking back to my own times with Edward. It started a while back, when I was loaded in the deck of a slave ship hoping to sell me off to a slaveowner in America. Edward had somehow gotten caught up in the mix, imprisoned beside me with the use of cuffs and a pole connecting us. The damned fool was really cocky, smirking at me.
"Was it good for you?"
I had chuckled at him, thinking him an idiot. Together, we slid the pole out of it's refrains. Once we were free, we snuck around the deck to regain our weapons. Together, we escaped the cruel fates that had awaited us and ended up sailing together. Ever since, I hadn't left Edward's side. I was his Quartermaster, his equal, and his brother. I owed him for saving my life. If he hadn't taken the initiative, I might not be here today.
"I can't give up on him just yet, Mentor. He has to be here somewhere, we just aren't looking in the right places."
Ah Tabai nodded at me.
"So be it. We can scout the surface areas tomorrow morning. For now, get some sleep."
Emilianna was the first to leave, knocking on Mary's door.
"You too."
"Mary? Mary!"
My eyes widened slightly at the worried sound of Emilianna's voice. Mentor and I quickly rushed into the room, looking for her.
"Mary's gone!"
I looked around, only finding her son in the cradle alone. The window was open, pushing the curtain away from it.
'Mary, what the hell are you thinking?!'