It felt like the first night with Connor all over again. We sat on opposite sides of the fire, avoiding each others eyes the best we could. We hadn't said anything the whole ride. He only spoke to tell me we were stopping and from then on it had been just as silent. He had made the fire and even trapped and skinned a rabbit which had been our dinner. Now, we were waiting for sleep but it wasn't coming for either of us. The horses were tethered not too far off, rooting through the melting snow for any last traces of grass. I watched Connor. He was staring at the flames, his eyes unfocused. I was mentally kicking myself for not seeing that something was wrong before. I'd been so tangled up in myself I hadn't really looked at him until earlier at the church. He looked even worse now. He was pale and his eyes were dull. When he thought I wasn't looking he would let himself shiver slightly. I could see the pain he was in even if he kept his face neutral.
"You didn't tell me what happened. How you got hurt." I said, my voice quiet. He looked up and frowned, finding my eyes. He looked sad.
"You shouldn't worry yourself Ava."
"I still want to know."
"I do not think it is appropriate for you to hear."
"Connor, please."
He looked conflicted but finally Connor sighed and shook his head . "Fine. Kanen'to:kon betrayed me and my people. He is the reason Haytham found and captured you. He stole the Apple from the Clan Mother and gave it to him. He thought he could save the village. He was wrong, and it cost him his life."
I gasped. "You killed him?"
"Yes." He answered flatly.
I was surprised at how unemotional he sounded. From their meeting I could tell the two had once been close. How could a friendship turn sour so quickly? It was this nature of this war between the Templars and Assassins, it changed people.
"Is he the one who hurt you?"
Connor nodded. "He stabbed me right as I killed him. But, I survived, though I fear the Clan Mother was right. I shouldn't have left the village while the wound was still raw."
"Holy shit, what?" I snapped. "You left when you were supposed to stay? What the hell? Why?"
He frowned. "To save you."
That shut me up. To save you. It was stupid and girlish but his words sent by heart fluttering. He risked so much to save me. I tried to tell myself that it wasn't me he was so concerned about, but the information that I could give his enemies, that he only went after me because he was supposed to protect the innocent from people like Haytham. It wasn't actually me he wanted to save. But no matter what reasons I came up with I couldn't shake his words.
To save you.
"Thank you." I whispered.
Connor didn't respond. He went back to staring at the fire and I went back to staring at him. He was shivering constantly now, he didn't even try to hide it anymore. He looked so tired but something was keeping him awake. I found my legs unfurling themselves and I walked around the fire until I was standing in front of him. He gazed up at me curiously but there was nothing hostile in his eyes like I was accustomed to. I shrank down and pressed myself close to his uninjured side. Connor stiffened and his breathing hitched in his throat.
"I'm not making a move." I whispered. "You looked cold."
He relaxed slightly and shifted. I felt his arm gently lay itself across my shoulder and I snuggled closer into him. Slowly, every one of his muscles uncoiled and he let out and sigh that almost sounded like relief. I buried my face in his coat and breathed in his smell. It made me feel sleepy and I closed my eyes. Even through his many layers I could feel how hot he was, and with combined with the heat from the fire I was sweating in minutes. I'd never been happier in my life. Maybe this night was a little different from our first time together.
I must have fallen asleep because suddenly I wasn't so warm anymore. I opened my eyes and sat up, yawning and stretching. My back hurt and my muscles were screaming but I was otherwise happy. I wasn't waking up in the green room in Haytham's house. The sun was slowly rising in the clear sky and the cool air felt good in my lungs. The fire had died and Connor was sitting on the opposite side fiddling with something. He looked more rested than last night but he was still a little pale.
"Good morning." He said, glancing up for a moment before looking back down at whatever was in his hands.
"Good morning to you." I smiled. My body still felt tingly from being so close to him the night before. Maybe nothing had happened and it was only for warmth, but damn had it felt good!
"We'll leave after you eat. I think we can make it back to the Homestead by tonight if we push through the day without any stops."
I mentally sighed. Despite our little snuggle last night, he went straight to business. I really shouldn't have expected anything more. One friendly cuddle moment wasn't going to change anything.
"Hopefully the roads will dry up during the day a little."
"That's what I'm hoping as well." He said. We both looked in the direction of our tethered horses. One was a gray, but you could only tell if you looked hard enough. He was covered in so much mud he looked more like a bay.
Connor didn't say anything else. I watched him carefully wrap up whatever was in his hands in a little piece of cloth before stuffing it in his pocket. He rose, a little more unsteadily than normal, and grabbed his bag. I looked down at the ground and plucked a blade of dead grass, twirling it in my fingers.
"And once we reach the Homestead? Then what?"
Connor didn't say anything at first. He walked closer to me, something in his hand. Bread. He stopped at a good distance and held it out. I had to stretch to reach it.
"We find you a way to get home."
"And how do you expect to do that?"
"I'll figure it out."
"How?"
He looked frustrated. "Do you ever stop asking questions?"
"Don't be a dick. I think what I'm asking is legitimate."
Connor frowned. He let out a long sigh and slowly dropped into a crouch, falling back until he was sitting crosslegged in front of me. He pulled back his hood and I was able to get a good look at him. Rarely did he ever let it down.
"I've tried to keep my mouth shut around you but it seems you either more know more than me or you eventually find out what I've been trying to hide. It's useless to keep you in the dark."
"And?" I felt a little smug. I'd done something right to gain a little of Connor's trust.
"I have no idea how to return you home. I have no idea where to start. Achilles and I discussed it a little before you disappeared. He wasn't sure either."
"Well, if my opinion matters any, we should start with the Apple. It's the most powerful object in the world. We have it, we'll figure out some way to use it. I know first hand what it's capable of."
Connor winced. I could tell the topic of my kidnapping rubbed him the wrong way. I just wasn't sure if it bothered him for the reasons I wanted. The close encounter we had yesterday had proven that he did feel something, but I was still skeptical that his affection could go very far.
"I agree. It is the most logical place to start. But our knowledge of how to use it is very limited."
"How much of Altair and Ezio's writings do you have?"
Connor shook his head. "Very little. Many of their documents have been destroyed or are still overseas. What has made it to the Americas belongs to Achilles but like I said, it is a limited collection."
"Damn," I hissed.
"I can speak to the Clan Mother and a few others, but they will know little. If anyone knew what we needed, it would be Altair and Ezio." Connor frowned. He rubbed his hand down his face, looking tired. I could tell he was fading fast already. I hoped we could make it through the day, we hadn't even started yet.
"Yeah. If only they hadn't died maybe the ball would be-" I stopped. Wait...they weren't dead. "Holy shit."
"What is it?" Connor perked up a little, his eyes searching the woods around us for a hidden enemy.
"We can talk to them! Altair and Ezio! Well, maybe you can't but I can! With the Apple! I'm sure there's some way I can access their past just like Desmond did through the animus. There's got to be some relative of mine that spoke to them or something! It's a hit and miss kinda thing. I've never tried to look at the past before but just maybe I can-"
"No!" Connor snapped suddenly, cutting me off. "That is not an option!"
"What? Why?" I asked, surprised. "It's our only chance at ever seeing life through their eyes. If they know anything, this is our only chance at getting me out of here. I know you want me gone, Connor. I kinda ruined everything around here."
Connor's face fell. "What?"
"What? I'm not dumb. I know when I'm not wanted." I laughed hesitantly. He looked pissed.
"I don't want you gone. When you leave, I will never see you again."
It took me a second to register what he said, and even then I couldn't be sure I'd even heard correctly. Did he just say he wanted me here?
"W-What?" I breathed.
Connor glanced away, his shoulders going stiff. "I didn't mean to say that."
"Do you actually mean that or...?"
The seconds ticked by so slowly without an answer. I wanted to leap across the distance and strangle him until he choked out an answer.
"Yes," He finally said. "Yes, I did mean that."
"W-Why?"
Connor looked sheepish. "I don't know why."
It was my turn to be silent. I was speechless. Even the little voice inside my head had shut up. I had to be hearing things. There was no possible way that I could have correctly heard that Connor Kenway would miss me. After everything that had happened in the past few days, I was finding this harder to believe than Assassins being real.
"So...you don't hate me?" I finally said.
He cracked a small smile. "I do not hate you, Ava. Far from it."
True to Connor's word, we traveled hard and throughout the day with little breaks. Connor would often turn away when we stopped to rest and I knew it was because he didn't want me to see how hard it was on him to keep going. If I hadn't know he was injured though, I couldn't have ever guessed something was wrong. He rode hard and fast, testing my riding skills in a way my trainer had never tested me before. I'd done a little cross country in the past, but this was a whole different ball game. This...this was hell.
"We're going to have to stop again," Connor called from over his shoulder. "The horses need a break. We only have a hour and a half ride left though. We are close to the Homestead borders." He turned his horse off the path abruptly and I followed him. In the distance I could hear the trickle of water. We traveled until we could no longer see the road before finally dismounting.
"You know these woods well." I commented as I walked around to the front of the horse. He was sweating hard despite the last remnants of winter's chill, evidence of how hard we were pushing the beasts. They hadn't been in good shape when Connor snagged them from a lone patrol of soldiers back near Boston. I hoped they could make the journey.
"I grew up in Kanien:keh, where my village is, but I often wandered the surrounding forests. When I left to train with Achilles, I went even farther and discovered places I hadn't known existed." He said. "Past these trees is a little stream. We can water the horses and take a short rest. We will ride without further stops after this."
I looked up at the sky. It was late afternoon. We would have to ride hard again to reach the Homestead by nightfall.
We led our horses through the underbrush for a few more yards until we came across the stream Connor spoke of. We let them drink and bathed their chests and neck in cool water before tethering them and finding places to rest ourselves. Connor stayed near the horses, his back away from me. I could hear the shrill sound of metal as he sharpened one of his many blades. I just stared off into the distance, thinking about home and what I would do if I could never get back. Would I stay with Connor or go out on my own? I didn't think I could survive very long without him. Honestly, if I had to stay here forever, I would be killed before the year was up. There was too high a price on my head. Someone would slip up and they would deliver me dead to Haytham.
But there was little chance I would be here forever. The real question was how was I going to get home. The Apple seemed like a good idea, but Connor wasn't willing to look into it. I wondered if Achilles would agree to it, but I really had no clue. He was so hot and cold, I really couldn't guess his decision. If Connor didn't come up with a better way, I would find a chance to touch the Apple without him ever knowing.
"Ava?"
I turned around. Connor was calling to me. He wasn't where he had been moments ago. He had crossed the stream and climbed a tree. He was a good ten feet off the ground, standing perfectly balanced on a limb.
"What?" I asked, wondering how in the hell I could have missed him climbing a tree.
"Do you hear that?"
I didn't say anything else. Instead I listened. At first I didn't hear anything, just the wind rustling the trees and the distant call of a bird, but after awhile I heard something that didn't sound so natural. It was a scraping noise, similar to the sound of Connor sharpening his blades. A grating noise that was so faint, but obviously not something any animal could make.
Connor descended quickly and crossed the stream to where I was sitting on a rock. He grabbed my forearm and hoisted me up and dragging me down into the bushes. He crouched beside me and I snuck a look at his face. His dark eyes were focused ahead and I knew he was listening intently for any sounds of attackers.
"It's probably nothing." I whispered, hoping for the best. The journey to the Homestead so far had been easy. Too easy. I'd been constantly waiting for something to pop out of the bushes. We were bound to run into someone unfriendly at some point.
"Maybe. But more often than not it usually is something." He unhooked his tomahawk from his belt and held it in a sturdy grip. I couldn't hear the noise anymore. I couldn't really hear anything. Everything was silent except for the stream trickling past. Not even the wind blew through the trees. Connor didn't move, he was so still I almost believed he turned to stone. We both waited. And waited. Nothing appeared. Everything was quiet. Connor still didn't move.
"It was probably just an animal." I hissed. My knees were hurting for holding a squatting position for so long. Connor didn't respond. His attention was focused on the tree branches above us. I glanced up too but I didn't see anything. Had he heard or seen something I hadn't?
More silence. More waiting. I was getting impatient and worried that Connor was going to be frozen in this position forever. I was ninety-nine percent sure there was nothing out there. I tapped him on the shoulder and he looked sharply in my direction.
"What?" He snarled.
"I don't think there's anything out there. Let's just go." I nodded towards the horses. Even they looked bored.
"Ava-" He paused, something else catching his attention. He looked out across the stream and I followed his gaze. Three men had appeared, all holding muskets. One wore a tricorn hat and the other two had red bandanas over their mouths.
"I stand corrected." I breathed. My limbs were rigid with fear. I barely registered Connor's grasp on my arm and his slight tug as he tried to lead me deeper into the forest.
"Do as I say and everything will be fine." He whispered in my ear. The three hadn't noticed us yet but they soon would. One was already crossing the stream and heading for our hiding spot. Connor didn't seem in any hurry though. We crept as low to the ground as we could at a steady pace. My heart was beating so loudly I was sure the man heard. He stumbled through the bushes, blindly poking around. Whoever these guys were, they weren't very enthusiastic about their job. They acted like they didn't even want to find us. The other two were heading towards the horses, just like us. I glanced at Connor but he still didn't seem concerned.
I was about to jump out of my skin.
"They're here somewhere." The largest of the three snarled. He was poking around in the saddlebags of Conor's horse. The chestnut was weaving nervously. He obviously liked these strange men about as much as I did.
"Yeah. Maybe we can just bring back something in those bags. Say they're dead. Would save us the trouble and we'd get the money." The one poking through the bushes called over his shoulder.
"They're mercenaries." Connor whispered in my ear. His grip on me tightened and he pulled me closer to him. Our bodies were touching. Any fear I had was quickly replaced by a feeling of safety.
"No, that won't do. We need the girl. He was specific about the bringing the little bitch back whether she be dead or alive. What was his name again? Henry? Haymitch?" The third was poking through my own saddlebags but he looked bored and soon turned away from the others.
"Does it matter? Let's just find the girl." The one in the bushes turned around and started back towards the stream. Connor's warmth disappeared from my side and I froze up again. He was moving through the undergrowth towards the man's retreating figure. The other two were turned away. They would notice anything.
Connor unfurled himself, almost to his full height. It was over in less than a second. I saw one hand wrap around the man's mouth and another was brought up, the hidden blade flashing in the dying sun. There was the soft sound of flesh being torn and then the two disappeared into the bushes.
I couldn't move. The air was thick. I was waiting for one of the other men to scream and point but they continued with their own business. They hadn't even noticed their companion go down. There was no trace of Connor either. From where I was crouched I could just make out the dead man's body curled up among the brush. There was no flash of white and blue, Connor had disappeared as well.
I sat still and tried to calm my breathing. I felt dizzy. The world was spinning and black dots were exploding in my vision. I'd just watched him kill another man. Maybe the guy had wanted to send me back to Haytham, but I couldn't help but wonder if he had a family waiting for him back in Boston. They would never hear from him again, and no one would look for his body.
"Hey! Where's Johnny?" The one with the hat said. He was still looking through Connor's saddlebags, but the disappearance of his friend had caught his attention. He waited for an answer but he didn't receive one. I hadn't even noticed the other man had vanished as well.
The tricorn hat guy spun around. He slung his musket over his shoulder and pulled out a sword. I looked for Connor but he had all but dissipated. The last remaining guy kept spinning on his heels, looking up and down and left and right for the assassin, but he was chasing a ghost.
Suddenly something dropped from the trees, tackling the mercenary and sending him tumbling forward. Something went wrong though. I'd seen this move a hundred times before in previous Assassin's Creed game. It was the classic air assassination. It was quick and easy and relatively quiet, but this didn't look right at all. Connor either lost his balance or faltered or something. He rolled off the man's back like he was doing one of those hook roll things Ezio did in Revelations. Connor stumbled, barely keeping to his feet as he landed. The mercenary was just the same, stumbling but staying upright. The assassin drew his sword and the two began to circle.
"You think that little trick can take me down? You're mistaken assassin!" He hissed, lunging forward. Connor parried his blow then struck out, which was also in turn blocked.
"It killed your other companion." I caught a glimpse of Connor's smirk from under his hood. Oh, he was definitely enjoying this.
"Where's the girl, smartass? I'm not leaving here without her!"
"You won't be leaving here at all." Connor growled, striking out again. The mercenary blocked him, but just barely. The two exchanged blows but were equally matched. I had a feeling if this was any other day, the man would have been dead by now, but Connor was tiring quickly. I could see it in his sluggish blows.
Hat man managed to poke through Connor's defenses and he just barely leaped to the side to avoid a blade through the stomach. I was getting frightened, it was taking Connor too long to kill this man. I wanted to help but I couldn't even move. My feet were rooted to the ground. All I could do was watch as Connor struggled to keep up with the mercenary's lunges and jabs. It would have to end soon or I'd be heading back to Haytham. But it didn't last much longer. The mercenary made a misstep and it was major enough to leave a gaping hole for Connor to make the final move.
Time slowed as the blade pierced the man's chest. A button from his coat popped off, flying up then landing somewhere in a remaining patch of snow. The tip of the sword protruded from the man's back. He went still, his arms still up as if he was trying to strike again. His own weapon slowly tumbled to the ground and his body went slack, sliding off the end of the blade and slumping over on the ground. There was blood everywhere. It dripped from Connor's sword and flowed from the wound in the man's chest. The snow turned red and the wet ground turned even blacker. My stomach turned flips but I couldn't look away, no matter how sick I felt.
Connor swayed where he stood as he wiped his sword clean with the hem of the man's coat. He stood upright and was still for a moment before dropping to his knees. Once again the air was thick with anticipation. I still felt cemented to the spot but the gears in my head began to turn again. Connor was hurt. I needed to reach him.
I stood up and my sluggish legs began to move. I stumbled through the underbrush like I was learning to walk for the first time. All I saw was Connor now. I didn't even notice the dead man as I fell to the assassin's side.
"Connor?" I whispered, grabbing his arm and shaking him. He was bent over on all fours, breathing heavily. Through his robes I could see a red spot blooming on the side where Kanen'to:kon had stabbed him.
"I'm fine," He gasped back. "I'm fine."
"You don't look fine!" I blurted. I wasn't sure what to do. We needed to get to the Homestead before night fell. He obviously was not well at all. He needed a doctor.
"We need to get you out of here. There might be more." I tugged on his arm but he didn't budge. I knew he wasn't really capable at the moment to get up and climb up on a horse, but I needed him to and I think he knew as well.
Connor stirred slightly. He rocked back a little so he was resting on his feet. I grabbed his arm and put it over my shoulder. I was a tiny person and there wasn't much I could do to support him, but I would sure as hell try. He leaned on me but it wasn't his full weight. Together we slowly stood. I didn't want to start walking immediately otherwise I knew he would go down again. Under his hood he was deathly pale and he struggled to keep his eyes open. He was leaning on me more heavily now and I was sure it was only the massive amounts of adrenaline pumping through my veins that was helping me keep him upright. I knew he wasn't going to give in though, he would fight the pain until we reached the Homestead.
After another few moments we took a few hesitant steps. He looked more alive than he had moments ago but I was still carrying a lot of his weight. I wasn't sure how he was going to mount a horse but I'd figured we'd cross that bridge once we got there. Slowly we took one step at a time. Connor was gaining his bearings and soon we were walking a bit faster. I honestly couldn't believe hadn't passed out by now. He was tough as nails.
"I will have to mount on my own. Let me go." He said suddenly, pushing away. I did as he said and let him go. I was prepared to catch him even if I knew that would end up with both of us on the ground. But he somehow didn't collapse. He staggered along the last few feet, reaching his horse and gripping the saddle like it was the only thing keeping him up. Which it probably was.
"Maybe we should ride together. I don't think you can ride on your own." I said, coming beside him. His head was resting on the pommel, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
"No," He choked out. "I can ride on my own."
"Connor I don't think you-"
"No!"
"Connor!"
He didn't respond. I watched him. His lip twitched and his grip tightened but he wasn't going down. He was just pissed, which wasn't really anything new.
"Just ride with me. That way you can hold on. If we ride seperate then we'll only be able to go no faster than a walk. Didn't you say we only have an hour and a half left? It isn't long."
"Fine." He snapped.
"I'm sorry to wound your pride." I muttered, moving to untack my horse. He would follow us the whole way, not wanting to be alone in the wilderness. Connor's horse was the bigger of the two and would be easier to stay on. I untacked him, leaving on the bridle before leading him over to a rock so it would be easier to mount. Connor climbed on first. He moved as quickly as he could, not wanting to seem weak. I got on in front of him, taking up the reins and finding a more comfortable position. I was glad the horse wasn't too bony, but this ride wasn't going to be very comfortable.
"I am ready when you are." He said, his hands timidly moving around my waist. I leaned back into him slightly despite my better judgement I gritted my teeth and urged the horse on. He moved hesitantly. I hoped he would accept our weight for the short remainder of the journey. If he bucked us off, we'd have to walk back to the homestead.
"Do you want to stick to the road or keep to the woods?" I asked.
"Road. We don't have time to weave our way through the trees. I'll lead you in the right direction." Connor said. He was fading again, I could hear it in his voice.
I picked up a faster walk and it wasn't long before we broke out of the trees. The road here was empty and obviously not used as often. That was a good thing. For awhile I kept to a walk, not wanting to test the already tired horse too much. My own walked behind us quietly. I had to pick up the pace though and a few miles down the road I picked up a slow canter. As the sky darkened the road led us deeper into the mountains.
Night had fallen a good hour ago. Connor was in and out but he had managed to stay awaked the entire ride. His body was hot against mine, and not in a good way. The fight had made his wound even more angry. There was obviously infection and all I could think about was how easily people died in this time and how hard it was to fight sickness. Connor alerted me as we crossed into the territory of the Homestead. I wasn't sure how he could tell. Everything looked the same to me, but I was thoroughly happy we had finally made it, even if according to him we still had a ways to go.
The horse trudged down the narrow mountain paths at a slow pace. We slowly wound down, crossing a few streams and following different paths. In the distance I heard the roar of rapids and I knew there was a river close by. Connor said there was a bridge that crossed if we followed this path and so I headed his word.
Before long I could see glimpses of the water rushing by ahead of us. There were also tiny pinpricks of light peeking through the trees and I wondered if were growing close to the manor. Connor hadn't said anything though which made me nervous.
"Are we almost there?" I asked.
"We must pass the river then we have a good mile or two to go."
"So we wouldn't be able to see lights then?"
"No-"
"Oy! Who goes there!"
The horse made a squeal and I pulled back on the reins. From the darkness the pinprick of light was growing bigger and bigger until I could make out the shape of a man carrying a lantern. He didn't look anything like the mercenaries from earlier but his sudden appearance had me nervous. That and the musket he had in one hand.
"Who the hell are you?" I asked. Connor hadn't made a noise but he had stiffened. The man was a few feet away now, close enough for me to see what he looked like. He was on the shorter side but skinny. His face was rounded and half his face was covered in an orange beard. He was such a stereotypical Scottish guy I almost laughed. His accent was priceless.
"Is that...Connor?" He asked. "What's wrong with him? And who the hell are you?!"
His comment caught me so off guard I couldn't manage words.
"Terry?" Connor said, his body relaxing. "Is that you?"
"Aye! Yes it's me!"
"Do you know each other?" I asked.
"Of course," Terry said. "I live here! Godfrey and I own the lumber mill."
Connor hadn't mentioned there were other people living on the Homestead but I figured it made sense.
"Where is Godfrey?" Connor asked. His voice sounded breathless and it worried me.
"He should be coming along now. We were just headed down here to unhitch the mule from the cart-"
"Have you unhitched it yet!?" I asked. I didn't think Connor could stand riding for much longer. Not if there were two or three miles left.
"No, why?"
"Connor's been hurt. We need to get back to the manor as quickly as possible."
Terry lifted up the lantern a little and took a step forward, squinting. His eyes then snapped open even wider as if he just realized what Connor looked like. He bobbed his head and stepped back.
"I'll go grab Godfrey and tell Diana to fetch Doctor White. Don't move, I'll be right back!" Terry turned and dashed back down the road, he and his lantern disappearing in the darkness.
"I don't know how you've lasted this long." Connor said after few moments of silence. It was so dark out here I couldn't see my hand in front of my face.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"How you've helped me. How far we've ridden like this. You're stronger than I thought Ava."
I swallowed and tilted my head back. Maybe I couldn't see him, but I knew exactly what look was on his face at the moment. "You scared me back there. I thought I was going to lose you. I don't know what I would do if you..."
"Died?" He chuckled. "I'm not going anywhere."
"But your wound-"
"I have had worse. It is only painful. I will survive with little damage. Do not worry."
"I know I've said it a thousand times, but it's hard not to worry."
I could almost see his smile. "For you, I know it is. But you must promise me that you will not worry any longer. It hurts to see you so distressed."
"I promise." I breathed.
At that moment the sound of wagon wheels and the clip clop of hooves broke our moment. I turned back around to see lanterns swinging from a wagon, lighting up path and illuminating the faces of two men. Terry and a larger man who I presumed was Godfrey leaped from the seats as they neared.
"Connor!" Godfrey bellowed. "What have you done?"
"It isn't terrible. But I must get to the manor." Connor answered.
The two men helped me down first then stood on either side of the horse. Connor refused their help and he slowly dismounted. He was unable to keep upright though and Terry had to help him to the cart. I followed a few feet behind with Godfrey.
"And who are you little lass?" He asked, looking down at me. He was another stereotypical Scottish guy with the beard and extremely thick accent, but I liked him. There was a kindness in his eyes that made me relax a little.
"My name is Ava Torry, sir." I said politely.
"I'd ask about what you were doing with Mr. Connor, but I don't think there's a short answer. Never is with that one." He smiled.
I didn't say anything. Godfrey left my side to help Terry with Connor. I watched from a distance as Connor slouched against the side of the cart, his eyelids drooping. The two men whispered in hushed voices before Terry climbed in the back.
"Girl!" Godfrey bellowed. "You're sitting with me up front!"
I hesitated. I wanted to sit beside Connor. I didn't want to leave his side. But Godfrey was waiting and I reluctantly climbed up. He clucked and the tired mule began to walk. I looked behind my shoulder at Connor. He had his head thrown back, looking up at the stars. As if he could sense me, he turned his head and our eyes found each other. The edge of his lip twitched as if he was about to smile. I knew what he meant. It was a thank you, the best he could muster in this state. I nodded and turned back around, feeling a little better. Through the trees the lights of the manor could be seen, and for the first time in awhile, I felt safe.