XXVI. Heartbreak

It was just before sunset when they pulled into port, the ship gliding gracefully into its usual space. At the docks, waited two women, anxious for the people on board the ship to disembark, trying not to run forward. A boarding plank was slipped between the ship and the docks. A few men that they knew walked off first, most of them wounded, some limping.

Finally a man came off the ship, his hood covering his blonde hair. He held one arm tight against his chest and limped off the ship, step by step, as if it were very painful. He couldn't say it, it would make it too real, but it was very painful to walk down that plank, back to his wife and waiting daughter. It had been well over a year since he had seen them, closer to two in fact and he missed them. He had failed them however. He had failed them in the worst way.

"Edward" He heard his sweet Mary's voice and he looked up at her. He was at the bottom and she was coming towards him. She threw her arms around him and he stumbled, groaning in pain. "Where are you hurt? What happened?" her hands were instantly patting him, trying to find the source of his pain.

"Let us sit. We can talk then"

"Where are the children?" She asked. Edward didn't answer. "Where are our children, Edward?"

He motioned behind him, where both Jenny and Eva stood on the ship. Eva's face was still bruised, but much less than it had been. They had found the quickest of currents and the most blessed of winds on their way back. It took nearly three months for him to get to England when he went but it only took five weeks on their return. It was clear why their return had to be speedy.

Jenny's stomach was only slightly rounded, but it was enough to tell that she was indeed expecting a child of her own. She was only twenty-three herself and while that was plenty old enough to have a child, Edward was saddened to know why she was having the child.

"What…What happened?" Mary very nearly screamed at him. He knew it was not him she was angry with. She was angry with the Templars, for taking their children, for doing this to them.

"Sit, Mary. Let us sit. Please…I am so tired…" Eventually they all moved to the Tavern which was empty of all patrons. The men were still getting off the ship but they paid no mind to the family sitting in a tight circle.

"Where is Haytham? Where is our son?" Mary asked, as soon as Edward had sat down. He groaned and closed his eyes.

"I don't know" He whispered.

"What…?" He could hear the fear in Mary's voice and he hated to have to repeat himself.

"I said that I don't know. He was separated from Eva and Jennifer. We couldn't find him and to linger with Jennifer in the condition she is in…" He opened his eyes and looked at his oldest child. She didn't look happy, sitting there. In fact, she looked like she was about to cry.

"What happened?" Mary asked again. This time it was more of a wail. "Where is my son? What happened to my children?" He looked towards Mary and saw she was crying. Tears were running down her face.

"Mother!" Eva stood and embraced her. Mary hugged her close and didn't say another word. Jane sat, looking shell-shocked.

Edward couldn't force himself to move. It ached him to not comfort his wife, but to stand again seemed an impossible task that he was not sure if he could undertake. Another moment went by before Mary looked up again, gently letting Eva go. Eva stepped back, tears on her own cheeks. Edward could hear Jenny sobbing gently beside him. He rubbed her shoulder gently.

"What happened? What happened to our children, Edward?"

He looked at Jenny and Eva. "Eva, take your sister back to the manor. Both of you wash up, treat your wounds and get a change of clothes. Rest. You need it. Jane, you should go back with them. You don't need to hear this" Eva took Jenny's shoulders and helped her stand.

"Come on. I'll help you" Eva's voice was gentle. Jenny only nodded and Edward watched as they walked away slowly. How did he ever fail them so? He looked towards Jane who was still rooted to her seat.

"I'm staying. I want to hear what happened. I won't ask them. I can't. Whatever happened…" Jane's voice trailed

"Jane, this isn't something you should hear" Edward was exhausted but he knew he had to tell Mary at least. Jane didn't have to hear it though. It was so terrible…

"I'm staying!" She snapped. Edward looked at the daughter who looked so like him.

"Alright…" He sighed again and closed his eyes. He felt someone's hand wrap around his and he saw Mary. Here she was, sitting next to him. She was the mother of his children. They had raised these children together. She was the Mentor of the West Indie Assassins. She was a strong woman. "We were going to break them out at night…It had taken me months to even locate where they were being held…"


May 1736

Edward, Jon and Ben stood at the edge of the cliffs. Edward knew that he and Ben were not feeling as young as they once were This was where his daughters were being kept, according to their very best soruces. Both of them. He heard they were common servants for a Templar Lord. He wondered what horrors they had survived since their capture. They were both known Assassins and it was a wonder they weren't just killed. Of course, the Assassins had found "evidence" several times that almost led them to believe that Eva and Jennifer were dead. Of course, they always picked up on their trails once more and once Edward had arrived, he managed to track them down in a few months.

He had told Mary a week as he had once told Caroline two years.

He was going to save the girls and he was going to kill the son of a bitch who dared to take his daughters from him. He hoped he would also find Haytham within the walls or at least information on where his young son was. No one could seem to find a lick of information about where Haytham was. It worried Edward.

He should have never let him. He should have kept him home. Fates be damned. This was his son. Mary would never forgive him if anything happened to that boy. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to that boy.

"I suppose we begin climbing?" Ben suggested. He sounded tired by the very idea. Jon began scaling before Edward could even reply. Something more fueled that boy.

"Aye" Edward agreed. He two of them began to scale the cliffs, silently, moving like ghosts up the rocks. Thy could have just burst in, but the place was heavily guarded and they didn't want to risk getting hurt or them trying to move Jennifer and Eva out of the castle before they could get to them. If they did that…it would be all for naught. He couldn't let them down.

It was the early hours of the morning when they got to the top and slipped into the guard's tower, behind a stack of shields. Ben was tired, he could sense it in the man's movements. Edward, Jon and Ben had decided to go in on this alone, figuring a small group would be best. Jon was supposed to stay behind originally, but they could not convince him to. He had been damn sure that he needed to go with them. Edward couldn't fight it, so he allowed it. Anything that would get Eva and Jennifer out safe.

There were only two guards in this room though. Lightly guarded, not expecting an attack. He and Jon each took one. They dumped the bodies out the window. There was nothing but cliffs below it. They would not be found anytime soon.

They slipped on some extra uniforms they found within the room and slipped into the hall, keeping their heads down. They didn't know exactly where the girls were so they'd have to guess. Edward and Ben agreed they'd have the best luck finding them in the servants quarters, but something nagged at Edward. It was almost as if he knew they weren't going to be there, it was as if instinct was driving him. So as they went to make the turn that would leave to the servant's quarters, Edward hesitated.

"What are you doing?" Ben hissed. "Let's get them and get out"

"I know, I know but…"

Just then there was a shout, coming from where they would go to the servant's quarters. "Shit!" Jon cursed and despite their disguises the three of them turned the other way and hurried along, slipping into the first room they came upon. It was a bathroom and luckily very empty. Jon held the door and Edward and Ben were both ready to leap upon anyone who tried to come into the room.

There was the sound of footsteps running past – at least four sets. They all waited, wondering if the guard somehow knew they were in here already or not. Edward's heart was hammering as he thought of his children and the danger they could be in if they were discovered. Danger he would be putting them in. They waited another two minutes – Edward counted the seconds in his head – and finally Jon backed away from the door.

"Think we're good?" He asked.

"Let's just hurry and get the hell out of here, right?" Ben hissed.

Edward didn't reply, he only grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, slowly opening it. No one was outside and when he peeked around outside, he saw no one. He stepped out into the hall with caution and found they were empty. He wondered why there had been people running about in such a late hour. Suddenly there was a yell from down the hall and without thinking, Edward turned towards it.

"Wrong way!" He heard Jon say after him but whatever was happening, he knew it was a fight. He could hear the clash of steel against steel. As he got closer, her could almost smell the coppery blood in the air. He turned another corner to find the men that must have run by, dead upon the ground. In their midst stood Eva and Jennifer. Jennifer was splatted with more blood than he cared to see on his daughter, armed only with what appeared to be a kitchen knife. Eva had a dagger but that wasn't much better and against four guards armed with swords…?

He saw they were hurt but he also realized that the way that the blood was splattered across Jennifer's face, and he realized she had done something to alert the guards herself. He took in the sight of her and realized her gown was torn and ripped by what looked to be hands.

"Jennifer! Eva!" He called to them and they both turned. Their eyes got wide and despite their age, he saw them both begin to cry.

"Papa!" Eva cried.

"Father!"

Before he knew it they had both run to him. He wrapped his arms around both of them kissing the tops of their heads. "Girls, girls, its okay. We're going to get out of here."

"You found them!" He half turned to see Ben and Jon behind him. Ben looked tired. He had been sick for months but he had recovered and insisted on coming with him to save his daughters. He almost wished Ben had stayed behind but he was happy to have his old friend here with him.

"Let's get out of here" Jon suggested.

"Come on girls, can you run?" Edward turned back to his girls. Jennifer and Eva both nodded.

"Father, there is something you should know about the Lord who lives here before we go" She said, in a hurried voice. Eva gave her a sharp look but said nothing.

"What is it?" He urged.

"Guards are coming! We need to leave!" He heard Ben call and as he looked, the man was far down the hall. Jon was too, waiting though, looking back urgently. His hidden blade was extended and at the ready.

"He's dead." The knife trembled in Jennifer's fingers. "He…"

"We have to go now" Shouted Ben. Edward looked and saw Ben was holding off three guards by himself. Jon was off to help him the moment he saw. Eva squeezed Jennifer's shoulder and was running as well. Edward looked at his daughter.

"What is it?" He asked, urgently, hoping she'd just say it.

"I'm pregnant" Her words were rushed. They merged so that he almost didn't understand her. He did though and it filled him with rage when he understood what she was telling him. He pressed his lips together, knowing the man he wanted to lash out at was dead.

"We have to go" He told her. She nodded but he saw the tears in her eyes. He took her hand, squeezing it, hoping she could stay strong just a little longer. As he looked at her, her reddish hair, her bright eyes, filled with tears, she was his little girl again. She was a splitting image of her mother and she always would be. He tugged on her and she followed as he ran down the hall, his hidden blade glinting on his wrist.

He slashed through the men blocking their exit and with the help of the others, soon the guards lay dead. They moved on, planning to leave the building almost the same way they came in. There was no water beneath the cliffs, but there was a system of caves that one could hide in and that was their plan. They would hide until the morning and then leave. If anyone tried to stop them…

They halted suddenly.

Before them were guards, ten of them, guns loaded and pointed towards their group. Edward cursed and stepped in front of his girls. He was not going to let them rob these girls of their life. No way, no how. He would never forgive himself if he did. He saw Jon and Ben ready their own guns, two in each hand but even as Edward drew two guns as well, that was six against ten. The men seemed to lock on the two women behind Edward's back and readjust where they were aiming to avoid them. Edward realized that they wanted the girls alive.

"Take the girls and go" He said softly to Ben. If they ran and he distracted them, perhaps it would give them a chance.

"If I show up without you, Kidd will skin me alive" Ben replied and from the corner of his eye, he saw a smile flicker across his old friend's face.

"Still calling her that after all this time?"

"No other name fits a woman as fearsome as her. I've seen her when you and her argue. I don't know how you keep from pissing yourself sometimes." He glanced over at Edward. "You have to go, mate. I can't. You have children."

"Ben…"

"Kidd would kill me! Just go!"

Edward looked at the guards, and knew they were out of time. They were moving steadily closer. "Dammit Ben!" Edward shot his guns, killing two of the guards. Ben shot and so did Jon. Five of them went down and Edward dropped his guns, turning to run after the girls and Jon. Ben drew two more guns from his holsters. Edward drew a third gun himself, turning in time to watch them shoot in return. They scrapped by him and the girls but by some sort of luck one hit Ben straight in the forehead.

He choked, seeing is friend fall to the ground, his skull cracking on the stone floors. He felt tears pool in his eyes and he shot, killing the man that killed Ben. Hoping he killed the man who killed Ben but his eyes were to slow to truly see who had pulled the trigger.

"Father!" He heard Jennifer shout and he focused on running once more. His chest felt heavy though. He couldn't even grab Ben's body-! He felt useless. He hadn't been able to save him. He hadn't been able to save him. But he had to save the girls. He had to.

They skidded around a corner and saw the entrance to the castle, though they knew that would be dangerous, they were out of options. Edward had to keep the kids, his girls and Jon, safe. Ben…The thought was painful. While he had at one time slayed Ben, this time around, Ben had been on his side. If he had the luxury of time, he might have gotten sick to his stomach but he had no time. He had this moment to save his daughters.

They saw the men guarding the exit; only four, greenboys all of them. They balked at the sight of four Assassins charging them. Two of them got out of the way and two stood their ground. They managed to gore Edward in his shoulder. He felt the blade twist, but his own blade found a point in the young boy's neck. He heard Eva scream and saw Jon fall, a blade sticking out of his side. The man who had gotten him was down but Jon was hurt, badly.

"Go!" He shouted at the girls and he grabbed Jon, throwing the younger man over his shoulder.

"Leave me, Kenway" He heard him whisper. "Get the girls to safety."

"I already lost Ben. Anne will have my balls if I leave you besides"

"The Missus will have a fit if you die" Edward knew he had a point. He wasn't young or as strong anymore but he moved as quickly as he could anyway, hurrying through the door. The girls were already dashing away, towards the wooded area, quick as bullets. They would be in the trees and gone in a moment. He saw Eva stop, linger, waiting for them. Jenny was gone though. She'd wait within the trees though, hidden like a predator among the leaves.

He was just to the dirt road and about to give the last of his energy for a burst to the trees when pain exploded in his left leg. He fell, hitting his bad side, still sore from his injury all those years ago. He knew he screamed, he heard Jon scream too as he hit the ground. Eva was running back towards them, yelling for them to get up. They were hurt though and she wouldn't make it. Edward saw the man lining up the shot and Edward felt as if he were staring down his end.

He was going to die.

He prayed Mary would forgive him.

And then a knife struck the man in the neck, the gun slipped from his fingers and he went down, gagging and choking on his own blood. Edward turned and saw it had been Eva who had thrown her dagger. She ran towards him and Jon.

"Help Jon first. He's hurt worst. Get him to the trees. Go, Eva, go" He saw Jennifer coming anyway. He dragged himself to his feet and began to limp forward. Eva was half-dragging Jon and soon enough Jennifer reached him, putting her arms around him and helping him. They made their way into the trees together, a broken crew, disappearing into the darkness; blood and all.


Mary was silent, but Jane was openly sobbing. Edward's eyes felt dry, he had cried his tears. They had not had time to try and locate Haytham after rescuing the girls. His youngest child just gone. He knew that others were looking in his stead but it killed him to not be looking himself. Mary stood and wrapped her arms around him, he looked up at her, draping one arm around her, his other had been injured when he fell after being shot. Her brown eyes were filled with tears, her face with sadness, with the burden of losing a child.

She understood, because of course she did. He loved her and she loved him and they both loved their children more than the entire world. Now one was gone, perhaps lost, perhaps dead.

Perhaps they would never know.

She surprised him though, though it was a rare day when she didn't.

"Oh Edward, you could have died" A single tear rolled down her cheek, tracing her scar, falling onto his face. "We'll find Haytham. We will. Together"

"Of course, Mary, of course" He promised, though his heart felt hollow. He wasn't sure why. He had an awful feeling though, one that wouldn't go away. To ignore it, he buried himself in his wife's arms. He would not think about tomorrow. Not right now. They would find Haytham.

They would.