Here it is friends, the slightly boring beginning to part two of this series :) And it's all thanks to you! Without your encouragement and feedback I would've quit this a while back. The next chapter will be more eventful I promise! Let me know what you think as always lovely readers.
Over the next two weeks Haytham noticed a change in Adeline's demeanor, she was quiet and introverted, serving her days under the captain in a starched routine. He knew she was ready to get off of the ship, leave all of the sadness of it behind her. Since he had killed Mills she seemed to carry around a dark cloud with her, the little things that reminded her of him bringing that sad loathesome look back into her eyes. It killed Haytham knowing that one, he had directly caused that pain and two, she had feelings for Mills that were more than skin deep. It made him angry with her despite his rationalizations, Reginald had taught him since he was a small boy to master his emotions and rely heavily on logic. And he had it down to the letter until this small woman entered into his life, now it seemed his heart was at war with itself constantly.
Adeline sat with her chin resting in one hand while the other twirled her hair into soft ringlets. It had been roughly two weeks since she dumped Mills' carcass into the cold, unforgiving sea. She wondered at times where his soul was drifting to, was he frightened? Did he know the way? It was a chilly, foggy morning in the yard arms today. Damp and gloomy to fit her mood, she found the only thing she looked forward these days were her evenings with her master. She spent her nights in his quarters, as inappropriate as it would seem to others. They spoke of many things together while laying in bed, all recent of course. Things like her evening with Reginald, what a normal contract entailed, her methods and style of fighting... Trifle things. And he did the same, always keeping the topics slightly unpersonable. They kept their pasts secret from one another, it was the way she would have it for now.
She found herself humming into the dense fog, the clouds of her breath rising into the invisible sky. A subtle touch of warmth spread across her shoulders, upon looking up to find it's source she found nothing, no sunlight could breach this interminable fog. Not yet anyway, it was still only morning though... Her heart felt lighter it seemed, somehow lifted by the mysterious heat. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, sending the little piece of her up into the unknown where her Louis could catch it and keep it for his own. Her heart lurched again at the memory of his impaled chest and his last smile as he slipped out of his body... Damn this disobedient heart! She should have never gotten close, worse yet was that she had known better all along for this exact reason...
"Land!" A voice from above in the crow's nest shouted, breaking her from her sad and angry thoughts. She sprung up and relayed the message from mid mast, climbing down as she did so. The seagulls could be heard from a distance and suddenly her heart was weightless and elated! She hit the deck hard and bounded off to the bowsprit, climbing to the very end of the point and standing on her bare toes. Beyond the ocean and the wind and the gulls she could very faintly hear street noise as they got closer. Adeline was half tempted to damn the ship, dive in and swim the rest of the way.
"Half sail!" She heard the captain yell from the helm. She scurried back to her post, climbing up to the top of the main sail and planting her feet firmly before hauling on the ropes connected to the topgallant bunt lines. She fought the wind for it all the way up, heaving in effort and securing it tightly to the yard arm before calling up James to help with the main sail. She abandoned post afterward, directing a sailor to take her place as she again made her way to the bowsprit. Oh she could see it now! There it was, the city of Boston sitting atop dry LAND! She was giddy with relief, all of the former heaviness gone from her heart.
"Drop anchor!" The captain shouted as she rushed up to main deck, and then down to Annette who was already packing their trunks.
"Ready yourself Annette, we'll make port in around ten minutes!" Adeline rushed into her thick leather boots, throwing on a waist coat and her father's military jacket before running across the small hallway to find her master's quarters, only to find that they were empty.
"Master Kenway?" She called quickly, bolting back up to topside when she was met with no surrounding answer. She found him speaking to the captain, the brim of his hat pulled down against the chill. She jogged over just as the captain had suggested that Haytham climb to the crow's nest to have a proper look at the city. She scoffed, earning a devious look from her commander.
"What are you on about?" He asked in that deep gravelly voice of his, hinting at a challenge,
"Nothing really commander, I simply can't picture you performing such a feat. To climb a mast takes skill and precision..." He frowned down his nose at her, tousling her hair.
"Perhaps you ought to put your money where your mouth is, I am Grand Master for a good reason you know." She kept her tone light and teasing, spurring her master on .
"I do not wish to hurt your pride Master Kenway." She swiped her thumb across her nose to further drive her point.
"Do you fancy a race then dear Adeline? You shouldn't judge a book by it's cover you know." She chuckled at his stern tone, raising a skeptical eyebrow,
" Aye Master, it is true. But there are few traits I pride myself of possessing, speed being the greatest. I simply can't be be beaten..." She smiled, absolutely confident of herself. As strong and sturdy as her commander was, he was bulky and heavy and thick with muscle. She saw his body tense in a split second and she took action, bolting up the shrouds to the first yardarm then taking to the masts, climbing up the small ladder leading to the second platform. Upon looking down she quite literally saw her commander on her heels, so she hightailed it straight up the mast, locking her fingers into the small protrusions of wood. It was tough, and her fingers were aching something terrible when she reached the crow's nest but she had beaten him just as she'd known she would.
He leapt up onto the crow's nest like a spring hare only seconds later, startling her momentarily before wrapping an arm around her waist. The view of the city was spectacular, breathtaking even as the sun broke through the fog to shine on the busy city of Boston.
"I gave you that one dear. Next time you're mine..."He spoke quietly into her ear, wrapping his other arm around her. "There it is... Our new home." He sighed. The word home struck a sad chord in her heart... This whole trip she had thought of it as exactly that, a trip... They were to live their lives here then? Never to sail back to London? The ache in her heart shadowed over her excitement for a moment, that his until the deck bell rang three times. They had made port, it was time to unload the cargo! She grabbed a nearby rope that hung free and leapt from the crow's nest, swinging down the second level platform and smiling up at her commander who wore a scowl on his ever handsome features as he looked down at her through the manhole of the crow's nest.
"You're going to kill yourself Adeline!" He shouted, hopping over the edge and grabbing the shroud beneath it.
"Have some faith in me commander, I've lasted this long!" She giggled, sliding down another set of riggings and rolling onto the deck with a great thud that knocked the wind out of her. She gained her feet and looked slyly over her shoulder at her winded commander, wondering if he'd seen her clumsy landing. It seemed he was preoccupied with other things though. Like their trunks being unloaded onto the dock, she wasted no time getting to them, Haytham following suit.
"Annette!" Adeline called for her bright haired maid who was surely still below deck. Her little maid had grown quite used to her independance it seemed, sad that she now had to take from her once more.
"Master Kenway! Master Kenway, over here sir!" Adeline's eyes locked onto the tall bristly man fast approaching them, resting her palm against the smooth hilt of her dagger. It was more of a comfort and a habit than fear or threat.
"Yes, may I help you?" Her commander replied politely as the man grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously.
"Charles Lee sir. A pleasure to make your acquaintance And Lady Adeline, of course!" He grabbed the calloused palm of her hand and bowed lightly to it, "A pleasure to meet you." She nodded in response, incredibly uncomfortable by their shared physical contact. Were all Americans this way?
"Iv'e been asked to introduce you to the city, help you settle in." Haytham began to bend over and reach for his luggage, but before his hand could touch the wooden handle of his trunk Charles intervened "Oh no need sir! I've arranged for your bags to be delivered to the inn." Annette reached them then, hurrying down the gang plank and to her mistress' side in a huff.
"Ah, there you are little one, I'd thought you'd gotten lost. Stay close to me." Adeline's voice held a soft scold and Annette blushed deeply,
"A thousand pardons mistress.." She nodded, giving her shoulder a reassuring pat before following her commander through the bustlings streets of Boston. The sun was out and her eyes were roving every inch of space around her, so much movement! It was a little over whelming at first, the strong stench of nearby trenches and animal manure This certainly wasn't the cleanest of cities. She scanned the buildings around her, observing the small protrusions and windows the clung to their sides. The scanty architecture would prove challenging to maneuver should she need to get to the rooftops in a hurry...
"Adeline!" She stopped short at her commander's distant voice, unaware that they had come to a stop on the corner a few blocks down from her. She jogged over to them quickly, blushing lightly at her careless behavior. "Follow Charles, he is to fetch us horses. I will be with you shortly, do your best not to stray." He smiled in a teasing manner. She nodded firmly, directing her discerning eyes over to her guide. He was tall and hefty, bearing a soldier's posture. His eyes were as blue as her's, something she found strangely off putting.
"Right this way my Lady!" He beckoned her over with an enthusiastic wave as they set off down the street. "I must admit I am surprised by you miss Adeline, you are in britches and carrying a double barreled flintlock in your holster..." She rolled her eyes at his cheery banter,
"Did you expect me in a dress? Quite unconventional those things, I can't very well stalk the streets in a hoop skirt and frills now can I?" He blushed lightly at the sharp tone in her voice. Adeline did not like the fact that she had only just arrived and her guide saw it fit to point out her strangeness. She never liked being the butt end of jokes,
"My apologies Lady Adeline, I did not mean to offend you." He kept his voice light and cheery to her annoyance. She grumbled in response, folding her arms over her chest and glaring daggers at all who saw it fit to stare at her as they walked a few blocks down. Charles handed a boy a small bag full of shillings and ordered four horses be brought outside of the general store on the corner of Queen and Purchase. With that they headed back in the same direction, which was also annoying. Gods! She had only been on American soil for half an hour and she was incredibly agitated by it all. Charles came to a stop across the street from the general store her commander was in and leaned against a dingy brick wall, folding his hefty arms over his chest.
"Are we simply to wait here then?" She had only just gotten off of that damnable ship which held her prisoner for nearly three months! She wanted to run, jump, climb and explore all there was to be explored. Perhaps after a bath... She had dreamed of a long luxurious bath filled with her collection of herbs and oils since she had boarded the Providence, the thought nearly made her salivate.
"Indeed my Lady, once Master Kenway arrives I shall escort you to The Green Dragon inn." Her face twisted up into a scowl, was she cursed to forever wait upon her Master. What a sour mood she was in! She scouted the wall Charles leaned against, it was two stories tall and lined with windows and shutters, a gutter and four small ledges were the brick jutted out decoratively. And just down the street was a conviently placed pile of stacked cargo...
"Excuse me moment, would you Charles?" She asked, smiling as his cheery expression turned into one of bewilderment.
"My Lady?" She did not answer him, only bolted down the street and up onto the cargo, ignoring his protests completely. Her momentum propelled her up the wall and to the first shutter where she swung up and over to the little protrusion of brick, it was barely enough to hang onto. She used her feet to climb up to the second story window, grabbing the sill of it and leaping up to the edge of the roof, the shingles digging painfully into her palms.
"Lady Adeline I beg of you, come down from there!" Charles shouted beneath her, "Master Kenway will be most displeased!" A devious smile found its way to her lips as she peered over the edge of the buildings, scoping for guards or other forms of inconvenience. Nothing, the roof tops were empty here for the most part. She hoisted herself up and strolled over to the other side of the building, examining the hectic streets of Boston from her vantage point. The air was fresher up here, cooler too.
"My Lady!" Charles distant voice reached her from somewhere below, she noticed four horses tied to the hitching post across the street. With one last look at the city she sighed and walked over to the edge where Annette and Charles stood accompanied by Master Kenway who looked perturbed from beneath his hat as Charles was frantically explaining something to him. She had an idea as to what it was about and hastily leapt from the roof down to the iron sign hanging above the doorway beneath her, dropping onto the street next to her commander.
"Ah, there you are..." She peered up at him through her eyelashes, hunching her shoulders to display a form of submission. The hard flinty look disappeared from his eyes and he sighed, "I thought I told you not to stray..." The sight before him melted his heart slightly, though he would never admit it. She was far to powerful with those eyes, no doubt she spent most of her life mastering that look.
"A thousand pardons Master, I only wanted a quick look before you returned." Her lips puckered slightly and her face grew anxious at the possibility of truly upsetting him.
"We best be on our way. Stay close to Adeline, I mean it." She nodded hastily, relieved when he smiled and tapped her chin with his thumb.
"Right, to the inn..." Charles enthused, staring curiously at the two of them before setting off...