Again, I'd like to thank RedTitanAlpha for all the help with ship selection and his marvellous extensive knowledge!
Deciding to follow Adé's tale of the Jemima, Edward called upon Iain to help him find a ship and a crew to sail for the Bahamas in search of the lost legacy.
The Boston docks were bustling, as was expected of this busy area, thriving in transport and shipping of goods. Edward and his wife walked arm in arm as his daughters followed from behind, entranced by the rushed scene. The gulls called above, barely distinguishable over the sound of merchants and sailors, the crash of voices more prominent than the crash of the waves that attempted to climb ashore.
Iain was waiting for them, in conversation with a hooded figure, their back to them. The figure turned first, sensing people approach. Iain followed the gaze, looking over his companion's shoulder and smiled, recognising his friend.
"Iain," Edward shook the man's hand, "it's good to see you again."
"And you," he replied with a polite smile, his eyes darting between each face that watched him.
"This is Eleanor, my wife-"
"A pleasure," she smiled as Iain kissed her hand, delighted at being addressed as a lady.
"And these are my daughters, Anne and Mary."
"What beautiful young ladies," the figure said, pulling her hood down and smiling at the girls, "they take after their mother."
"This is Victoria," Iain introduced her as she shook hands with the couple.
"It's lovely to meet you," Victoria had dark hair that blended into her outfit, a jet black Assassin's uniform with a hood that shadowed her face when up.
Edward noted the differences between Hope's clothing that was very feminine, matching the fashion of the age as well as serving its intended purpose. Victoria's however, resembled a military style with a tight fitting jacket but with enough room to manoeuvre with trousers that equally hugged her muscles. In the daylight, she appeared a smart, well dressed woman but in the night, she was a shadow.
"Shall we?" Edward signalled after the introductions were made to walk along the docks to find the ideal ship for their voyage.
The two men led the way toward an isolated section of the harbour that was under control of the Assassins and dedicated for ships' repair and refitting any vessel that had been captured at sea.
"I have taken a look here before you arrived, there are five ships that are without captains and available to choose from. And here are the the first two ships," Iain indicated to two brigs that were docked each side of a pier.
Staring at the first brig, it reminded Edward of the Morrigan, Shay's ship with her sleek design, her long ram and low freeboard.
"What do you think of that ship?" Edward asked, wanting to hear Iain's opinion and see if it matched his own.
"This is a colony built brig, very fast, manoeuvrable and can be equipped with a good armement for a ship of her size. However she is more fit to travel along the coast and rivers rather than the ocean."
Edward agreed with Iain assessment, that ship wouldn't fit his purpose to travel the ocean toward the Caribbean as it would be vulnerable to the harsh weather of the North Atlantic. On the other hand, he would be closer to his family as he would be consigned to missions near the coast and the Hudson river if he choose this vessel as his ship.
"For your purpose, if you want a brig more fit for ocean travel. I recommend that one." The Scottish sailor pointed toward a larger and sturdier looking brig alongside the first vessel.
"That ship is familiar," Edward commented, it reminded him of the Jackdaw and the Expecto Crede.
"That's a Spanish built brig that came from an era where Spain had the best ships in the Atlantic, very solid, fast and can carry a good forty cannons. The only downside with brigs is that they require a huge amount of crew in proportion to their sizes."
"Right, I'll keep her in mind as a possible choice." Edward nodded as they visited her decks.
They were followed by the women who in turn were followed by the girls. Mary was hypnotised by Victoria, stunned by her dark character, shaped by her pale, almost porcelain like skin and her steely blue eyes. These eyes were as cold and piercing as the icy waters of the North, yet sparkled like the sun caught on the calm sea.
Anne took notice of a ship and her eyes widened as she squealed excitedly.
"Papa look! There is a ship named after us!"
As one, the group reported their attention to where Anne was pointing her finger. A single deck frigate similar in size to the brig they just visited and was named Anne Marie.
"Hey, that's not how my name is spelled." Sputtered Mary indignantly.
"On the contrary, this is how your name is written when translated in French." Victoria said, smiling at the young girl who blushed when her idol adressed her.
"Really?" Mary asked, a happy smile. After a confirming nod, she turned her attention to her father. "Papa! take that ship!" She demanded, jumping up and down excitedly.
Surprised at her behaviour, Edward turned to Iain who sported an uncomfortable expression on his face.
"I am sorry, but that ship belongs to Captain Gabriel Roberge," he lowered his tone so that only Edward and Eleanor could hear him. "He named her after his wife."
"It seems it's not uncommon," Edward remarked, thinking of his father's ship before he knelt down and explained the ship already had a captain.
Anne pouted and folded her arms as her sister grumbled furiously.
"How about this? When we are done here, I'll ask Captain Roberge and say that the two ladies his ship is named after want to visit her. I am sure he would be happy to let you see his frigate." Iain tried to wipe off their defeated expression which succeeded, much to Eleanor's amusement as she coughed to hide her laugh.
Victoria for her part was openly grinning at Iain antics as he tried to make them happy again which apparently worked as Anne thanked Iain with a smile and clapped her hands while Mary was squealing in delight.
Edward was glad to see his friend getting along with his children and was also amused at how the girls charmed him with their pout. If he wasn't careful, the Scot was going to be at every beck and call of the manipulative young girls.
With a small cough, the children's father indicated that they should carry on with the ships' inspections.
Iain, resuming his tour, indicated two ships of similar shape and design. Two dedicated gun deck and three masts. The only difference were their size. Edward estimated one vessel to be the size of the Aquila while the other was significantly bigger.
Other than the lack of decorations or other customisation, they were in perfect condition.
"We have here a sixty cannons third rate frigate and the other is a eighty cannons second rate man'o'war. The reason why both look alike is because they have been designed by the same naval architect." The Scottish sailor commented, waving his hand toward the two ships.
"That's a man'o'war?" Edward said with a surprised expression.
Although he knew that technically speaking, any ship with sixty guns or more were considered a ship of the line. In other words, a man'o'war but in his mind, when he heard the word man'o'war, he thought big ship bristling with cannons on three dedicated decks. To know that this ship carried eighty cannons on two decks caught him off guard.
"I know, the French build their second rates in a two decks configurations, unlike the English who build both second and first rate on three dedicated cannons decks." Iain confirmed and carried on his explanation. "The advantage of having a man'o'war with a two decks configuration instead of three, beside being underestimated or overlooked is that they are very stable in rough seas. Thanks to their weight distribution."
"And in your opinion, which ship is the best?" Edward asked his friend.
"Neither, they are equally good. The French made very good progress in ship building. Both have similar manoeuvrability which is excellent for ships of their size. A smaller vessel would have a hard time trying to out turn them. One ship is faster in straight line while the other has better armour and more cannons. So in the end, it's up to you if you want more firepower or speed."
"Interesting, let's go aboard."
Edward inspected the third rate frigate with a critical eye and could see for himself the quality build along with her armements. A total of sixty four cannons, including four chase cannons, two at the stern aimed aft plus two mortars each side. The English Assassin didn't linger as long on the second ship as she had a similar layout and was in the same good condition as the first.
"You mentioned a fifth vessel?"
"Yes, however, I am not sure you should take that ship," Iain said, uncomfortable as he led the group past the two decked man'o'war.
As the fifth vessel came in view. Eleanor gasped while Victoria's eyes widened, both Mary and Anne had their jaws hanging open and Edward blinked owlishly at the sight that greeted him.
"Woah! That is one big ship!" Mary said in awe, Anne nodded in agreement.
Looming above the group was an even bigger man'o'war than the previous one they visited. The hull was painted in black with gold lines running the length of the ship. But what caught Edward's attention was the sheer number of cannons disposed on four decks.
"How many cannons does this thing has!? Two hundred?" Edward asked in disbelief. This was certainly the biggest ship he had ever seen and probably dwarfed even the Sceptre, formerly knows as the Death Hand.
Iain Keith looked at the Young family with an impish smile and hid a snigger at the various expressions of awe and disbelief on their faces until his gaze met with Victoria who stared at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Right," Iain said, flustered as he answered Edward's question.
"She carries one hundred and forty cannons and if you include the mortars, this raises that number to one hundred and fifty two. But like I said, as impressive as this ship looks, I don't think you should take that vessel unless you plan to defend, blockade a specific place or wipe out a city on the coast."
The Assassin could see what the Scot meant, the four decks configuration made Edward wonder how that ship would fare in rough weather and how manoeuvrable it would be or rather how it lacked in that area. His opinion was confirmed by Iain as he gave his explanation.
"A Spanish ship built in Havana that was captured while moored. The wood used for her construction is solid and no doubt it would be resistant to enemy fire but it is very heavy. And she was built in a time where Spain declined in power, the result is a ship that is very backward in design. The cannons that equipped her were of very poor quality and had a tendency to jam after few shots."
Iain paused in his description, making sure Edward understood what was being said. The Englishman directed his attention to the Goliath of a ship and nodded in confirmation as the Scot continued.
"So we had to replace the old cannons with better weapons and the fourth gun deck was apparently added in a refit before her capture by the Assassins which increased her weight at the top of the hull and reducing her stability in rough seas. All these flaws combined resulted in a ship so unmanoeuvrable that you would have a hard time lining your shots and is so slow that by the time you reach the Caribbean, you will have grey hairs and your daughters would be happily married by then."
Despite the pained look on Iain's face for speaking of a ship like that, his blunt words made Eleanor and Victoria giggle and both daughters in question turned a bright shade of red at the thought of marriage.
Edward wasn't sure if he should feel horrified or happy at the thought of his daughters eventually marrying but chose not to dwell on it as Iain spoke again.
"Honestly, you would be disappointed, particularly in comparison to the Sceptre Chevalier made you command and you haven't seen the Storm Fortress yet. One of our state of the art man'o'war that is almost as big as this giant and is as fast and manoeuvrable as a third rate frigate."
"Thank you for the advice, I have already chosen my ship. I will be taking the third rate frigate we visited earlier." Edward confirmed, getting a node of approval from Iain.
Seeing for herself as the Scotsman demonstrated his wide knowledge in ships of all kinds, Eleanor was amused by the occasional dry wit he displayed as he conversed with her husband.
As the group walked back the docks toward the frigate, Eleanor noticed the way Iain looked at Victoria. In between conversation, he would turn and smile at her.
Like a young girl, colour would rush to her cheeks and she would bow her head, trying to hide her face before she began to grin. Eleanor smiled at this display but said nothing. What she had heard of Iain was that he was a truly experienced sailor devoted to the sea. Eleanor's eyebrow raised as she put two and two together, her naturally refined observation skills detecting the deep attraction they had between them. She saw it in Victoria's eyes. Eyes that resembled the sea.
Her musings were interrupted when Mary addressed the Scot in question.
"Say Mister Iain, you promised you would make us visit the Anne Marie!"
The small girl stared at the sailor with huge eyes while her sister nodded expectantly much to their father's dismay at the rather bold request from his daughter.
Iain looked at Eleanor who granted her permission before the group walked toward the small frigate. As the four left the women, Edward's wife had started a conversation with Victoria. She at first appeared reserved, her cold expression giving signs of a woman with no tongue for gossip, stories or small-talk but the gentle Eleanor, with her kindly aura encouraged the Assassin to open up.
The woman, an English Assassin born in Peterborough, who later moved in London, spent most of her youth in the company of and learning the way of the Assassins.
She didn't press for details but from what Eleanor had learned, the Assassin had lost her mentor, a father figure and eventually moved to the colonies. She wondered if it was the same mentor that instructed her husband and his father during their time in London.
"How do you know Iain Keith?" Eleanor continued the brief interview.
Victoria's gaze softened as she turned her attention to the Scottish man giving a run down of the ship to the girls. Standing next to him was a short but elegantly bearded man that she assumed was the captain of the Anne Marie.
"That was about two years ago, when the Storm Fortress was being built in France." Victoria said, her voice almost a sigh as she began to recount the story. "He was part of the crew that was assigned for the sea trials. The French branch Assassins uncovered a Templar spy, they feared for the ship and ordered for her to sail earlier than planned with a skeleton crew."
"I've heard stories of that vessel, she was ambushed by Templar controlled ships when she left port and escaped through a storm. That was when she was renamed from Fortress to Storm Fortress." Eleanor said and the English Assassin confirmed her words with a nod and went on.
"The Fortress captain was killed and the first mate grievously injured by a mortar shot from what Iain calls, a man'o'war. Being the most experienced crewmember alive, he was forced to take command of the ship. He fired the incendiary mortar on the nearby man'o'war and set full sail to escape the threat."
Victoria gaze alterned between Eleanor and the Scottish sailor who said something that made Anne giggle.
"The pursuit lasted two hours or so until they met a storm. Iain took the decision to brave the storm and survived a rogue wave that sunk the few pursuers that were crazy enough to follow him. Once the storm was over, Iain went to see the first mate who gave him a key to a secret safe in the captain's cabin before he passed away."
"What was in that safe?" Edward's wife asked as she became enthralled by the tale.
"The captain had the order to open the safe only when at sea, it contained the secret directive that consisted of sailing directly to the colonies in response to the spy the Assassins uncovered."
Victoria took a breath and spoke again.
"I was there when the ship arrived at the homestead six weeks later. That was when I saw him for the first time. I was standing there with Achilles and Liam watching an exhausted crew getting off the ship, I saw Iain disembarking last. He walked toward Achilles, gave him the log book and said 'Everything you need to know is in there,'" Victoria imitated the man's accent, making both women smile at her terrible attempt. "He then walked away."
"How did Achilles react?" Eleanor asked.
"I am not sure but I don't think he appreciated it. I understood Iain's actions as he looked like he would collapse at any moments. Achilles ordered Liam to keep an eye on him but I asked to be given this task instead."
"So you went and introduced yourself?" The woman questioned Victoria, making sure to keep the eagerness out of her voice.
"Not quite, I sort of kept an eye on him from a distance. The poor dear, he was plagued with nightmares and was spending a lot of time brooding at the docks. Eventually, I introduced myself, well, I sort of forced him to talk to me."
The darkly dressed Assassin said softly with a sheepish smile before she turned to gaze at Iain with a sad look.
"The incendiary mortar shots that Iain had fired completely consumed the enemy man'o'war. Iain could hear the screams of the sailors as they jumped out in the water trying to escape the carnage. It shocked him because his first fiancée died in a similar way years ago." She blinked, realising she was spilling the man's life story. "I won't say anymore as it's not my story to tell. So please don't bother him with that unless in absolute necessity."
Victoria finished her tale with a stern look that promised retribution if she betrayed that confidence. The English Assassin knew however this was not needed as Eleanor said in a solemn tone, "his secret is safe with me." The woman refrained from smiling at the protective look Victoria had in her huge blue eyes.
"You like him, don't you?" Eleanor couldn't help but ask, her inquisitive nature getting the best of her.
Victoria pale face bloomed scarlet and she bowed her head slightly. She rose her chin back and spoke softly.
"I don't like him, I love him."
It took a few days to prepare the yet unnamed vessel and while Edward excitedly packed for the voyage, like a young child ready to go on holiday, his wife watched from the doorway with an almost mournful expression.
"I can't believe it," Edward laughed, stuffing a third shirt into his trunk, "I'm going so I get the chance to see the ship my parents sailed upon, that I sailed upon!"
Eleanor tried a smile, but it was unconvincing.
"Darling, what's wrong?" He asked, sighting her unenthusiastic face.
"It's nothing," she tried the same unconvincing smile and waved him off but her husband approached her and wrapped his arms around her.
"Don't lie to me, Eleanor," he said softly, "tell me what the matter is."
Eleanor sighed and looked away. Edward could see her eyes begin to water.
"It's just... It's another..." She tried to speak her mind but only a jumble of words came out her mouth. She winced and tried again. "You were gone two years. You missed our daughters birthday. You missed my birthday. We missed yours."
"Is it just birthdays I've been missing?" Edward asked, jokingly but sympathetic.
"I need you. I need your help when controlling Anne. I need your judgment when teaching and training Mary. You saw the way she idolised Victoria. She wants to be an Assassin, Edward. Like her father."
"I trust you're judgement better than anyone else's," he smiled and kissed her forehead. "If you think Mary should train to become an Assassin, why not let her?"
Eleanor found a smile creep into her lips.
"You think so?"
He nodded.
"Why the sudden change of heart? I thought you didn't want your daughters to become Assassins?"
"It will give her the life lessons she needs and although I pray she'll never need those skills, I hope it'll protect her in the future. And if it's what she wants, then I say let her follow her dream. I want the best for my daughters."
"So do I," she grinned and kissed her husband.
"And if Anne is still being troublesome, you can decide what man she should marry."
Eleanor's smile vanished, drew her head back slightly and she glared at Edward despite still having her arms wrapped around his neck.
"Not again, Edward," she sighed, "you know how I feel about this."
"But if you had first choice, you'd know Anne was loved and cared for."
"But I want her to choose herself!" Eleanor exclaimed. "I want her to have a marriage like ours. I don't want her to 'learn to love' her husband. I want her to love him, unquestionably, irrevocably and eternally." She raised her hand and with a smile, stroked his cheek. "And he would love her unquestionably, irrevocably and eternally."
"Alright," he said, taking her hand and kissing it, "I'll say no more of the matter as long as you stop complaining."
"Agreed," she laughed and let him retract his arms from around her as he continued packing.
Her laugh faded as her husband absentmindedly stuffed another shirt into the trunk before searching for trousers. With a quiet sigh, she rested her head against the door frame. Once more, her husband, her soul mate, was leaving for such a long time. She could barely handle it.
"Hurry back," she whispered.
