Hello dear readers! Well the time finally came, I'm a College Girl! Yay! I will try to write during the weekends, and on my free days during the week. I'm finally going to be moving in the direction to my dreams, I'm so happy, and nervous! But enough about me!
Eve's Cloak is not a thing that Ubi. made up, this is me being a nutty, fantasy, nerd. Assassin's Creed belongs to Ubisoft, but if it belonged to me—well you're reading what it would be. And the song Hunter's Moon belongs to Celtic Thunder.
P.S. I was going to make them play Finish my Sentence but my ideas weren't funny enough to make it.
1/11/16 entry-I just got home from school, and man am I tired. The day started good, went to all my class. But I just walked in circles, and felt like a cat on an island. As I waited for Dad to pick me up, I acutely started to cry because I felt so alone and lost. I'm not accustom to being out like that on my own. And I started to wonder if this was a mistake. But I talked to my Father, and he said the first day is the worst, and that I'll get it. Sorry if I'm rambling, and boring you all! I thought it would be nice to share my first day of college.
Enjoy the chapter!
Connor had always been a light sleeper; he could wake up in an instant if there was even so much as a creak of wood, and he could awake easily as well before the sun even showed her crown. It was the letter in which he opened his eyes to the wood rafters of the barn overhead. And turned to the source of the light snoring that was more of a hum.
Elinana lied peacefully curled up in the fetal position with his blanket cucked up to her nose. Bits of straw stuck out from her hair like quills. But it was the gentle rhythmic sound of her breathing, the rising and falling of the blanket, and the softness of her partly hidden face that made him simply gaze at her. But dawn was approaching, and there was a long road to travel on with danger on the other end. So he rose slowly and gently gripped and shacked her shoulder.
"Elinana." Connor softly called to her, and she hummed in reply much like in the manor of a cat when awoken.
"It is time to prepare for the road." He informed to the drowsy Elinana.
"What's the time?" she grumbled as she sat up, and rubbed her eyes.
"An hour to sunrise." He replied.
"Five more minutes." She grumbled, and lied back down.
"Come on, we have to leave before the sun rises." He pressed.
"Fine," She grumbled. "I'll rise, but I refuse to shine."
Once on her feet, Elinana followed Connor out into the dark, early morning. She yawned closing her eyes, then bumped into Connor's back when he stopped.
"Good morning you too," greeted Jamie who stood leaning by the open door with Jacob standing next to him.
"Had a pleasant night in the barn together?"
"Yes it was nice and quiet," Elinana drowsily replied, not getting at what Jamie was referring to—neither did Connor. "The animals where the only ones snoring."
"Well, Clipper and Dobby will be a bit disappointed if they hear about this."
"Wait, what?" Elinana asked with her drowsiness fading quickly.
"Nothing like that happened!" Connor stated, also now catching on and tried to clear their names. "Elinana was troubled, and I comforted her. Nothing more happened!"
"Alright, alright!" laughed Jacob then whispered something as they went back inside. Elinana then touched her head, and felt the bits of straw.
"Ah dang." Elinana murmured as she tried to pick and brush away the straw. "That was the last time I sleep in hay!" She grumbled as Connor helped pick straw from her hair.
"I apologize." He murmured to her.
"It's not your fault." She replied, and the last bits was picked away, then she picked some from his own hair.
"And Altaïr wondered why I hate straw." Elinana joked, but a sadness flickered in her eyes. "Doesn't matter, let's get some breakfast!" she smiled and joined the others.
"There you are Elin!" greeted Dobby with a smile. "Where have you been?"
"I couldn't sleep so I went to check on Hercules, and fell asleep in the hay."
"You're a silly little kitty cat." Dobby chuckled, and shook her head then returned to eating her breakfast.
The morning meal went quickly, and soon they all where saddling the horses as Wilhemina packed a little bit of extra food for them all. As Elinana checked the straps to make sure Hercules was not in any discomfort, she saw Ralf gazing dreamily at Hercules once again.
"Hay Ralf," she addressed, and he turned to her. "If I ever come visiting again, perhaps your Father will let the three of use go for a ride."
Her proposal made Ralf's face lighten up with a great grin.
"Wirklich?" he asked excitedly.
"I don't know what that means, but yea." She smiled, then was wrapped in twiggy arms.
"Dankeschön!" he thanked, then let her go to walk Hercules out.
The sun's plum and pink crown was beginning to show, and the city of New York was only stirring lightly with the conversion of the night crowd to the day crowd. Dew covered every blade of grass, and decorated the spider web on the wood fence.
Connor mounted his black mare, then waited for the others to be mounted as well. He watched Jacob kiss Wilhemina farewell, and told his son to protect his mother, then embraced him before mounting. Lightly kicking the sides of his horse, Connor lead the way back to the gates with Stephen beside him. Then the band of eight ventured out into the sea of trees.
The dirt road that laid before the party of Assassin's vanished into the green shadows of the trees and undergrowth. The only sounds aside from Clipper and Jamie sharing stories of resent bar fights was the songs of chirping birds hidden in the trees, and the alarmed yelp of a fox that got Elinana's attention, and watched it's red and white form vanish into a bush. Connor looked back to see her smiling after the fox, and this wasn't the first time she'd smiled at a wild animal. He then wondered just how much she has seen of the wild. She certainly has adapted well to her new surroundings, but what of the future?
"…some things never change…" Elinana had stated the day before. But what hasn't changed, and what has? Connor wanted to ask her this, but couldn't with the others around. So he kept his silence, and simply led the way under the reaching branches of the trees, and through a babbling brook with smooth moss blanketed rocks.
Soon the trees grew taller, and the undergrowth grew thicker. Mosquitoes buzzed around, and bothered the others but not so much as Elinana. The tiny annoying insects would fly close to her, but would not touch her. Which struck her because mosquitoes had bothered her in the Caribbean, but then they would die like her blood was poison. And now they avoided her altogether.
"Odd." She thought. "But I'm not complaining."
The day stretched out like the road before them, and after hours of traveling night was closing so they found a small clearing to make camp. Connor and Jacob collaborated to find stones for the fire as Clipper and Dobby went to gather wood. Elinana and Duncan went to find some tinder and kindling as Stephane and Jamie where to be in charge of cooking. Not long later they were sitting around a warm fire with the smell of cooking venison.
Sparks from the fire danced up, but died before they reached the darkening sky with glittering stars. The crickets sang along with the frogs and toads as an owl hooted somewhere beyond the light of the fire. Elinana's and the other's shadows danced behind them with the waving of the licking tongues of the fire.
"It's a quiet night." Clipper pointed, or complained.
"Aye, it's a shame none of us are good singers." Dobby agreed as she poked the fire as Stephane turned the meat.
"Elinana can, she can even—" Connor informed, and received a wide eye look from Elinana. "Play the violin quite beautifully." He finished carefully to not incur her wrath—well not any more of it at least.
"Now there is an idea," Jacob exclaimed. "Singe for us Little Sister!"
"I-um…" Elinana stammered.
"If you don't, I will!" proclaimed Jamie, but Dobby slapped her hand over his mouth and glared at him.
"If you sing even one tone Jimmy you'll wake up with a snake on your belly." She warned.
"Deborah," Connor addressed. Taking her threat seriously. "Leave him be."
Dobby took her hand away and gazed at the fire.
"Okay I'll sing, just give me a moment." Elinana stated as she went to Hercules to fetch her violin, only agreeing to defuse the tension. She returned, and puzzled over witch song would be appropriate to sing as she took the violin out of the case, and set it aside. She didn't know what their music preferences where, so she went by what Connor might like. And there was one that she thought he would like that she had learned just before being sent back in time.
Elinana stood and placed her violin to her shoulder, then began to play hunting music and soon sang with the air whistling through the trees. Her voice was at first soft and timed, but it grew in strength and passion as the song went on.
"I'm moving on now
No more to say
Time I was gone now
Why would I stay?
Don't rake the ashes
I'll take the lashes
You go now
I'll walk away
No cause to wonder
No one's immune
I kissed you under
The hunter's moon
You wander free now
Don't look for me now
You go now
Before you find your dreams are strewn
Beneath that icy hunter's moon
Dying all to soon
Beneath the hunter's savage moon
Time I was gone now
Anchors aweigh
I'm moving on now
Just one more day
I'll let you go now
How do we know though?
Who hunted?
Who was the prey?
You and I
Flew too high
Now we're falling free
Though the night
Burning bright
And colder than the sea
Now our dreams are strewn
Beneath that icy hunters moon
Dying all too soon
Beneath the hunter's savage moon
Souls are out of tune
That kiss beneath that hunter's moon
Harsh and out of tune
And cursed to wander
Here and there forever
Like the lonely moon."
Elinana sang the last line to the rising face of the moon, as if to call to it like the wolves. Funny thing was, Connor was more wolf like then her, but she still felt a sort of kinship with him that she couldn't quite see. But she turned to him, and her ears rang with the applause from the others. Her shyness returned and she sat down quickly while hugging her violin.
"I'm glade one among use now can sing." Dobby stated.
"Yes, now we don't have to listen to Jamie's howling." Jested Jacob.
"Oy!" Jamie growled.
As the others chattered on, and Elinana looked to see Connor gazed at her with the corners of his lips turned up just slightly. And they shared a secret smile and message, then turned their attention back to the others.
They arose early again the next morning and let Dobby and Jacob lead the way. Cold mist made the dark forest eerie to Elinana, and made her shiver. The others didn't speak a word, perhaps because they sensed the same thing that Elinana did; the danger that laid ahead hanged over the party of Assassin's like the mist that surrounded them.
After what seemed like an hour to Elinana, Jacob and Dobby motioned for them all to dismount, and tie up the horses. Jamie was left in charge to watch them as the rest of the party continued on, on foot.
The mist began to lighten as the sun started to mount the tree hidden horizon. Elinana fallowed the other's example by taking care not to make a sound as they pressed forward through the undergrowth, and weaving through the thick trees that reached and tugged at Elinana's blue robes. Though she made more sound then Connor—who walked through the trees like a white ghost—she managed to keep up toward the back with Duncan.
Elinana and Duncan broke through the tree line and saw that the others were on their stomachs crawling toward at steep cliff. Lowering down to their stomach's, Elinana and Duncan joined the others and looked out to the mining sight.
Two mine entrances flowed with the traffic of the darkened, raggedy African slaves. The workforce wasn't limited to men, but the elderly trudge along, along with children who were as short as a grown man's hips. Women also trudged along, and all looked as though one lash from the whip could shatter them all.
Elinana felt many things seeing people treated this way; disgust for the Templers handy work, sadness for the innocents that where suffering, but most importantly: anger, and the pull to rise her blade to the men that struck a child for falling and dropping his load of heavy rocks. Elinana's kind, Christion heart was shoved back to make room for the fiery anger. Her hand curled into a fist, aching to activate her hidden blade, or grip her knife.
"What's the plan?" Elinana whispered toward Connor who continued to gaze fixedly down past the wood spiked walls that stretched to the river and mill, and around a warehouse that most likely housed the slaves.
"Connor?" she hissed, and got his attention. He gazed at her and she saw her anger mirrored his eyes—if not quieter and more heated.
"Back," Connor turned away, and ordered. "Back to the horses."
Elinana and the others did as he ordered with him hanging back just a second, then follow at the rear. They soon returned to Jamie and the horses, and Connor sat down to think up a plan. Jamie and the others conversed, but Elinana paced thinking of a plan of her own. She glanced at Connor to see him cutting the ground to make a map of the mining sight and marched up to him.
"I am still thinking of a plan Elinana." he informed without turning to her.
"It shouldn't be so hard," she replied with her anger tensing her voice, and Connor looked up at her. "One of us sneaks in by the mill, kills the Overseer, and destroys the warehouse so that the imprisoned can escape.
"Elinana," Connor said her name in a firm voice as he rose.
"It can work."
"Perhaps, but the days of needles risk is over."
"You agreed with Dobby's recklessness!" she angrily gestured, gazing hard at him.
"Dobby has years of experience—"
"You don't think I could do it! Sure I've faltered and stumbled, but that was before!"
"Elinana—" Connor growled.
"Are you afraid I'll let myself get captured by the Temperas a third time?"
"Yes!" he replied gazing fixedly in her storming eyes. "And not only could you perish, you would also take God knows how many with you!" Connor echoed his old mentor's words, realizing just how much she is like him just some years past.
She gazed hard at him, and he at her as she breathed heavily out of anger. Then she turned way and marched to Hercules, and sat at the base of a tree with her arms crossed. Connor sighed, and as he turned he saw that the others had watched them argue but quickly returned to their own topics of discussion. And he turned back too forging his own plan, sneaking glances at Elinana to make certain she was still there.
After a short while Connor—with the help of the others—forged a plan, but he noticed Elinana wasn't among the faces. Rising to his feet, he looked over to Hercules to see Elinana petting Hercules's muzzle. Felling some relief that she wasn't doing anything riskless, he walked past the others toward the girl.
"Elinana," he softly called, and she looked up. Her anger had vanished, and in its place was shame.
"We have a plan?" she asked in a mouse like voice.
"Yes," he replied, crouching down to her level. "Will you join us as we go over it one last time?"
"Yea." She murmured, and rose with him. "Connor, I'm sorry. I—I was just upset after seeing what was being done to those people."
"We all are, Elinana."
"Yea but you managed your anger better then I, and it was unfair of me to take it out on you, and step out of line."
"Elinana, you need not explain yourself." He softly stated. Elinana gave a small nod, and together they joined the others.
"Alright," Connor began as he crouched before the map if the mine with important marks here and there. "The hole at the mill will not do for all of us to get in through. I can get in that way, get Eve's Cloak and kill the Overseer if I can. And set fire to it to get their attention. As for you all, we will ambush a patrol and take their clothing so you all can simply walk in. Dobby, Duncan and Stephane will prepare the carriages for the enslaved to escape in as Jacob, and Jamie will take potion at the two entrenches to be sure the enslaved will make it to the carriages. It is important that we work quickly, and if something go's array kill any guard that gets in your way, and keep moving. Once the enslaved are in the carriages, take each in a different directions to confuse any of the guards following, and make for your assigned cities."
"What about me and Clipper?" Elinana asked.
"You both will take potion here," Connor pointed to the 'x' right of the front gate. "Clipper will keep an eye on our backs, but he'll need you to reload his muskets quickly."
Elinana nodded, and they all rose to prepare for the fight.
"Alright boys, let's go hunting!" Dobby exclaimed. "Watch our backs you two!" she called to Elinana and Clipper as they descended the slope.
"And keep your eyes on us Lad!" Jamie called back to Clipper.
"It's hard not to miss your big ugly rear!" Clipper jested back.
"Don't make me come back up there!"
Elinana fought the urge to laugh, but she couldn't keep from smiling at her Brother's banter.
"Elinana," Connor addressed softly to her side, and she turned to see him holding his hands. "I wish to explain why I am making you stay back—"
"You don't have to." She interrupted.
"Yes, I do," he replied. "It is not because I doubt you—I know you can hold your own—I know how easily things can turn bloody, and I don't wish you to jump into the field like this."
"Connor I know. I know you want to protect me, and I know that you're basically putting the lives of our Brothers in my hands, as well as Clipper's. Just make sure you come back to keep that promise."
"I will." Connor nodded, then turned to Clipper. "Aim true Brother."
"Always do!" he smiled, and they both watched Connor follow the others.
"Okay, little Sis," Clipper addressed Elinana. "We should get in potion, and do you know how to load a musket?"
"More or less, but I think you should show me before things get hectic."
Connor and Jacob dragged the last corpse of the guards into a bush to conceal it as the other Assassins started to put on the guards clothes.
"You best get changed." Connor advised once the body was concealed.
"And you better find this Cloak, and Overseer." Jacob replied, and they parted ways.
Connor followed the wall from the cover of the tree line, leaping over rocks and fallen trees to the river side. He continued to follow it, then leaped into the water once there was no more ground.
Dobby had warned him that the current was strong, and it was but he kicked hard against the chilly water till he finally found the hole. Kicking and stroking harder he finally slipped through, and swam beneath the deck of the mill. Connor easily found a hatch and listened for any movement. But all he heard was footsteps from the second floor. Carefully opening the hatch, he glanced around then heaved himself up.
Dripping wet, Connor lowered the lid and glanced around the mechanics of the mill. Quietly making his way to the stares, he crept up to the second floor taking care not to make a sound. Peering into the room he saw the Overseer looking out a large window to the forest as he drank from a clean tin cup. Connor quietly stepped into the office only to halt when he heard a door open below. Silently darting to the curtain concealed closet, he placed his hands on the curtain to make them still.
"Sir!" called a man below. "We found something!"
"Bring it here!" replied the Overseer, and footsteps marched up the stairs into the office. "on the desk." He ordered.
Connor peered through the slit between the curtain and closet frame, and saw a dirt coated metallic box with precursor designs. The Overseer stroked the boxes' edges, and placed his hands on the sides as if to open it, but didn't. He stepped away and turn to one of his men.
"Open it." He ordered coldly, his black eyes gazing hard at the man. The man looked nervous, but did as ordered. He stepped up to the box, and placed his hands on the sides and tried to open it but it proved harder than expected. Another man stepped up to help with a blade, and together they stripped away the hardened dirt till a sucking pop made every man jump—including Connor. They both heaved it open with the cracking of old mud and stone.
Inside the box was untouched by dirt, and it glowed as if the sun shine on it. Suddenly a light waved over the two men closeted to it, then a red flash struck them both and they turned to ach instantly.
All the men yelped and drew back before a white glowing form appeared. The man was hooded with strange robes, and was transparent like a thin cloth.
"Who among you is the Daughter?" the form inquired, still as stone.
The men looked to the Overseer for guidance, but he didn't budge.
"Is it a girl you wish for?" the Overseer replied.
"Who among you is the Daughter?" the form repeated, and Connor arched an eyebrow in puzzlement. "Come forth Son of Adam." Ordered the form. Connor stiffened to the name, oddly feeling that the form was speaking to him. But a foolish man took this as a cue to step forward. Again a light waved, then death by the red flash.
Connor didn't like the situation, but he had to act now if the others where to free the slaves. Drawing his tomahawk, he stepped out and silently cut the throat of the nearest man. Blood spurted and flowed out as the man slowly fell to his knees. His wet coughing got the attention of the others and Connor quickly cut more men down with a few swift movants. His back was turned to the box when a light waved over him. And the three men—including the Overseer—looked past him fearfully at the box. He quickly turned to face the red flash, but it didn't come. Instead the form turned into another man, one that bored a certain familiarity but couldn't quite place it.
"Son—or rather my descendent," began the man and Connor and the others where transfixed, forgetting bloodshed entirely. "Take heed; the box can only be opened by Arora, your youngest sister." A sadness shown in his pale glowing eyes.
"And with great reason. It drove any who used it—aside from Eve and I—into madness, like Mella and her eldest daughter. Only you and Arora's line may use it, and suffer little. And lastly, do not hinder, or harm her for the future rests on her blood."
Suddenly the form vanished and the outer box dimmed to revile a smaller box with a hand print in the center. Connor took a slow step forward, then heard the sound of metal scrapping leather behind him. He spun and raised his tomahawk to deflect the sword of the Overseer.
"Get the box!" the Overseer ordered to his men, but Connor activated his Rebel Blade and slashed the man's stomach before he took another step toward the box.
While killing the man and fighting the Overseer, the other man got the box and ran from the office. Connor shoved the Overseer aside and chased after the man. He leaped over the stairs and tackled the man before stabbing him in the back, into his kidney. Quickly grabbing the box, Connor rose and turned to the Overseer.
"You're him aren't you?" asked the Overseer blade raised level with Connor's tomahawk. "The famous Connor Kenway, Shay is looking forward to meeting you, you filthy half breed."
Growing tired of the man's chatter, Connor parried the sword and darted forward as he raised the tomahawk. The Overseer dodged to Connor's right to escape him for a moment. Connor spun around as he swung his red gleaming weapon. Dodging again, the Overseer deflated Connor's relentless attacks. He kept being pushed back till his back found a support beam with a still burning lamp just overhead. He swung but the Overseer dodged and his deadly blow hit the lamp, and sent it flaying to a small barrel of gunpowder.
Connor had intended this move, but little to his knowledge was that more barrels of gunpowder lied hidden behind the mechanism of the mill.
Connor and the Overseer continued to fight as the flames slowly ate at the wood of the barrels and floor. The Overseer was a good fighter, but not even he could deflect every slash from Connor. Leaning against the wall, the Overseer clutched his bleeding wound on his side, and glared up at Connor.
"What does Shay want with Eve's Cloak?" Connor demanded without merit.
"He is a fool," the Overseer spat blood from the blow he suffered from Connor's knuckles to his face. "An old fool like all the others, including your Indian loving Father."
"What does he want with the Cloak?" Connor growled. He and his father may never have agreed, but he still had a certain love for Haytham.
"You think you and your friends won the war?" continued the Overseer, and he shook his head with a red smirk. "The war is far from done—bang!"
Wood, and the bone rattling force of the explosion sent Connor tumbling and rolling to his back, with his head banging hard against a beam. He didn't stir, and nor did the Overseer as flames started to eat, and creep along.
Elinana's heart pounded hard in her chest as the thunder of Clipper's musket echoed all around, like her heart beat as she hastened to reload the next musket. Over and over for what seemed like hours, reloading as she shook.
"How are they doing?" she called loudly to Clipper as they pasted muskets.
"They gut the slaves in the wagons," he replied quickly. "We've got 'a give them just a bit more time!"
"Do you see Connor?" the question slipped from her without meaning to.
"No!" Clipper replied and fired. "One more El then we're getting out of here!"
She quickly handed him the loaded musket, and glanced at the mill that was half burning and sending black smoke into the marble blue sky. Activating her sight as Clipper fired once more, the mining sight came alive with the fleeting blue and white forms from the scurrying red forms. Clipper rose and tugged at her hand, but she stood as still and fixed as stone.
"Elinana come on!" he ordered, but his voice was distant to her.
Elinana saw a dim gold form being dragged by two red forms to some horses. Then she looked to the mill, and her heart sank to the realization of her friend and new mentor. She tore away from Clipper, and flew down the slope to the wide open gate as her vision reverted back. Shooting past men, and leaping over dead bodies Elinana ran to the mill and peered into the flames.
"Connor!" she called as she searched around for a way in, and a water source. "Connor! Damn it all!" she cursed and tore strips from her robes and dipped them into the river before ting one over her nose and mouth and the other loosely around her neck. Flinging her hood back up, she took two deep breaths then leaped through the burning doorway.
Leaping into the burning building was like jumping into a Devil's pit; heat, and reaching tongues of flames threatened to choke and eat her alive. But she kept her head low and looked around for Connor.
"Connor you better be in here or I'll kill you!" she called, then coughed. "Connor?"
But soon she saw him lying beneath a fallen beam with flams slowly inching toward him. She leaped over flames, and darted to his side.
"Connor?" she called to him, and took the wet cloth from her neck and tied over his mouth and nose. "Connor come on, wake up!" she lightly slapped his face. His eyes opened just a bit, and Elinana sighed with relief.
"Come on big guy, let's get you out of here!" Elinana stated, and stood to get better leverage to lift the beam. She gripped beneath the beam, then tried to lift it, but it wouldn't budge. Trying again, she made groaning sounds from her efforts.
"Come on," she panted to Connor that gazed at her through barely open eyes. "I can't lift this on my own!"
Instead of trying to help her lift it, he gripped her wrist and shoved the box in her hand.
"Go." he rasped.
"No, I'm not leaving you here!" she replied, and stuffed the box in her robes to try to lift the heavy beam again.
"Elinana, leave me!" he ordered angrily then had a coughing fit.
"I'm not going, so you better move that big arse of yours!" she cursed, growing impatient with his stubbornness.
"Move!" he yelled to her, and she looked up just in time to see, and flinch away from falling wood. Elinana now lied on her stomach under a heap of heavy, lightly burning wood.
"Elinana?" Connor called to her. "Elinana!"
"I'm fine," she called back, coughing. "More or less."
"Can you move?"
"Ah!" she yelped as she tried. "No, I can't!"
Looking at Elinana pinned under burning rubble brought the memories of the day his mouther's death to his mind. He remembered being weak as he was now, and couldn't lift the rubble that pined her down, to ultimately burn to death in their own home.
"Ista…"
"Connor," Elinana snapped him back by showing her fear "I can't get us out of here on my own."
"That is not your job," he thought. Taking deep breaths, he placed his hands on the beam then started to slowly pouch it up over himself. Gritting his teeth, Connor grounded from pain and effort.
"Connor?" Elinana asked, unable to see him. But he gave a grunt as he flung the beam over his head and sighed once it landed heavily less than a foot away from his head.
"Connor?" Elinana called again with worry in her voice.
"I am fine," he replied, and slowly rose uneasily to his feet. "I will get you out of there soon. Where is the weight heaviest?"
"My lower back and right ankle."
"Move as soon as you are able," he softly ordered, and bent his knees and gripped a board that had a majority of the rubble over it and near the hot liking flams. "And if the weight increases inform me at once."
"Okay." Was all she said in reply.
Connor took a deep breath, then slowly heaved up the rubble. His head hurt and felt as though it was spinning, and his left side pulsed with pain. But he lifted the rubble from Elinana and she crawled out as fast as she could.
"I'm out!" she inform, and he dropped the rubble to see it crash down with sparks flying.
"Are you alight?" he asked, once she slightly limped to his side.
"I'll be better if we get out of here," she replied. "And stay low to keep from choking!" she advised, and they both crouched with his right arm around her as they looked for a way out. The burning rubble blocked the way to door that was a flaming wall. He looked back to the hatch, but saw that the floor was giving way there, and he didn't want to risk Elinana's life even more.
"This way." He said and made for the stairs. They quickly crawled up the stairs to the office, coughing was they went. And when Elinana saw the window she knew what he was thinking. Wight out a word being spoken, they ran together for the window and leaped through it. Cool air greeted them as they fell into breath stealing chilly water. Together they kicked to keep their heads above the water as it carried them down, and swam to the riverside as they coughed from breathing smoke. Once on land they lied side by side, and removed the cloth from their face. They coughed as they breathed the fresh air that smelled of burning wood from the mill, and the freshness of the hemlock around them.
Connor turned to his side, and gently gripped Elinana's shoulder.
"Elinana?" he said her name then coughed.
"I'll be fine, my ankle is just a bit sore," she coughed. "I don't feel any burns, and might have some scraps, and bruises. But all in all; I know what smoked meat feels like!" she jested with a small smile, then had a coughing fit.
Her face suddenly grew serious when she looked at his side and her hands flow to his side that sent a stab of pain through him. He gave a small grunt of pain, and looked down at her hands to see that his robs around her hands was crimson from his blood.
"Dang it," she lightly cursed as she rose to her knees, and shivered. "First Pet, and now you."
Connor looked up to her blanched face clearly showing her fear. He tried to rise but she pushed him down.
"No you don't!" she warned with a quivering voice.
"I've suffered worse—" he began, but Elinana cut him off.
"I don't care, you will do as I say!" she glared at him. "I won't see another friend die under my hands, so you better do what I saw, when I say it!"
Her outburst struck him unlike Achilles's orders use to scold him, or Faulkner's, but it he could see that she had been shaken deeper then she let on in her journal. But there was more than just that, he sensed that she was angry at him for what happened back at the mill.
"Elin!" called the voice of Clipper. "Connor!"
Soon their brother-in-arms burst through the trees, and darted to their side when he saw Elinana holding Connor's wound.
"Clipper, get the satchel in my saddlebag, it has my medical supplies, hurry!" she ordered and he quickly nodded before darting back for the horses. Elinana still shivered and gazed hard at his wound beneath her hands, trying to think on what to do.
"Elinana," Connor broke her self-placed spell, and she looked to him as he gently placed his hands on hers. "Let me rise."
She looked like she would object, but after a moment she gave a small nod and helped him rise, keeping presser on his wound.
Clipper soon met them with the horses, and Elinana rode behind Connor as they fled to a safer place away from the mine, and burning mill with the wheel still turning yet.
The warm sun sat at the top of the dome sky, like a queen overlooking her subjects. A wind rattled the britches and the young leaves hissed, and made a green canopy, and cast shafts of light to the dead leaf and pinecone covered dirt ground.
It was a secluded area like this that the three Assassins stopped for Elinana to treat Connor's injury—to much of her demanding.
"Sit here," she ordered as she walked Connor to a fallen log. "And don't move unless I say. Clipper open my satchel, and be ready give me the things I need."
"Aye ma'am." Clipper replied.
Elianna began to undo the buckles of Connor's gear to get to his shirt, but he tried to shove her hands away.
"I can undress myself Elinana, stop fussing." He nearly growled.
"Fine!" she snapped. "Strip off your gear and robes on your own, but I will get to that wound even if I have to sit on you, and cut off your shirt!"
She stormed to Clipper and demanded for a bottle of alcohol as Connor gazed after her with an arched eyebrow, and relived himself of his belt.
"Why is she angry?" he thought as he placed his bow and quiver down beside him. "I listened to her, and did what she wishes. So why is she still angry?"
"We may learn battel strategies, and how to fight our enemies with many assortment of weapons," He remembered Achilles once telling him. "But when it comes to women, you cannot run, or hide. It is best to do as they wish, and let them give you a tongue-lashing—even if you think you don't deserve it."
Connor sighed, and removed his robes—save for his red sash and trousers—as Elinana watched him with a bottle of alcohol in her hand hanging at her side. He uneasily tried to take off his shirt, and Elinana advanced back on him to help lift it over his head with pain stabbing at his side. Now that the aria was clear, Connor could see the blood covered wound, and a bit of wood imbedded just beneath the surface in his side.
"Drat," Elinana lightly cursed as she poured alcohol on her blood smeared hands. "It's not going to be fun digging that out, and any bits of wood. Then there's your intestines and blood vessels to think of. Then again, you're still up right and don't look that pail." She stated more or less to herself, then sighed. "Clipper do you have brandy or something of the kind?"
"Is there something wrong with that one in your hand?" he replied.
"Yes, it's not for drinking." She replied. The tone of her voice showing him not to question her, so he went to his horse.
"Do you think it wise to drink at a time like this?" Connor asked her.
"Only to take some edge of the pain for you, and might just help me stay a little more focused." She replied, as Clipper came back with a flask. She took it then handed it to Connor who took a reluctant swig, then handed it back to her. She was not reluctant—only because she wanted to get to the job, and get it done.
Elinana handed back the flask then poured some of the alcohol on the wound. Connor hissed in pain, but remained still.
"Clipper get me the tweezers." She ordered him not looking away from the wound.
"This thing?" he held up the tiny tool.
"Yes." She replied and took the metal tool and pored the alcohol on it, before handing the bottle to Clipper. Taking a deep breath, she placed a gentle hand on Connor's chest then carefully moved the tweezers into the wound. He remained still, and clenched his jaw and fists in pain.
"I got a grip on it," she informed, and glanced up at him. He gave a small nod, and she gritted her teeth, and winced in sympathy before carefully pulling out the splinter of wood. The only reason she did it slowly was because she didn't want to damage anything while removing the splinter. Connor groaned only once, and his breathing was deeper.
Once it was out, they both gave a sigh of relief. Elinana quickly pleased the thin finger long, and inch and a half wide splinter next to Connor. Then grabbed the alcohol from Clipper to clean the wound again and look to see if any more bits of wood was still in the wound. She activated her sight to see if she could find them that way, and they did. One gold glowing splinter was just to the left of the wound, and two more was to the bottom right.
"Just three smaller ones then I'll stich you up." She informed then gently worked to get the three small slivers.
"There," she proclaimed after removing the three small splinters. "Give me the alcohol, and get out the sutures."
Clipper obeyed. And Elinana cleaned the wound, then the needle and silk thread made for sealing tissue inside the body.
"There," Elinana sighed wiping the sweat from her brow with her robe sleeve, now that the job was nearly done. "Clipper hand me the bandages." She requested, then looked up to Connor's face that looked slightly pale, though his skin tone was still darker then fare. His head was bowed toward the wood she had pulled out of him. She studied his profile and saw some of the Kenway features; the lips, and big nose that was broken. But not the chin, or kind deep eyes. Her eyes involuntary traveled down his neck to his broad, muscular shoulders, to his chest that was also muscular.
Warmth grew in her like a small fire, and made her face feel warm. She swallowed a lump of saliva, and forgot what she wanted to say or ask him.
"Was it something to do with one of his scars?" she wondered. Gazing at the many lumped lines, and bullet marks of past injuries; even what appeared to be a dog bite on his forearm.
"Elin," Clipper snapped her out of the spell, and nervously took the bandages and nodded.
"Thank you!" she stated a little higher than intended then cleared her throat, and set to work on bandaging Connor's wound.
"Are you alright, you've gone bright red?" Clipper pointed. Connor looked at her, and she bit the inside of her cheek and looked at her work.
"It's hot." Was all she could say to justify herself. "How are you holding Connor?"
"I am holding." He replied. "But another drink of brandy would be welcome."
"Aye," she chuckled, and kept at it. "Me too"
"What is so humorous?" Connor asked.
"I never was one to drink. Now here I am playing Doctor, and asking for a drink!" she laughed and the two men looked at her as if she's gone mad. But she was laughed more out of exhaustion, and worn nerves.
"I'll give you the drink Brother, but I think she's had enough." Clipper stated to Connor.
"But I only had the one!" she replied, no longer laughing.
"Exactly!"
"Pff!" she huffed, and continued to carefully bandage Connor as he drank from the flask, then handed it to her. She accepted it, and took a swig then cringed and coughed to the strength.
"How people can drink a bottle at a time of that stuff, I will never know." She coughed.
"It's a skill learned with practice, Little Sister." Clipper replied, then Elinana finished bandaging Connor.
"There, but I'll have to keep an eye on it and you at least till we get back to the Homestead. So take it easy or I'll make you my new pincushion, understood?"
"Yes," Connor replied, and Elinana nodded.
"Good!"
"But I cannot make it a promise."
"Oh yes you will!" she replied. "Did you bring any spare robes? This are wet, stained, and in need of mending."
"These are still fine, and they are not that wet now Elinana."
Elinana gazed at him, and crossed her arms and felt the form of the forgotten box beneath her robes. She stiffened as if she had felt a snake in her robes instead of a box. Connor saw this change in her after pulling down his shirt, and so did Clipper.
"Elin?" Clipper asked with concern.
She slowly uncrosses her arms, and reached into her robes with a shaking hand then pulled out the rectangular box with the hand print at the center.
"Give that here Elinana." Connor softly ordered, and she obeyed without hesitation. He took the box in both hands, and remembered what the two specters said about Arora's line being the only one to open it.
"Is Eve's Cloak in that there box?" Clipper inquired.
"Most likely." Connor replied.
"I suppose one just places their hand on that print then?"
Connor glanced up, remembering that Adam said that the cloak drove others mad. And he didn't like the way Clipper was looking at the box; like a starving man gazing at savory food right before him just behind a glass. Connor placed it by his side, then quickly put on his robes then stuffed it against his chest.
"We should move on," he stated with Clipper returning to normal, and started to put on his gear. "If we are to make it to Boston by tomorrow."
"Connor—" Elinana addressed with warning in her voice.
"Rest I know, but we cannot linger this close to the mine with Templers scattered and looking for us."
They locked their gaze on one another for a good minute, then she sighed.
"Fine! But we take brakes, and stop completely before twilight. I will not have you collapsing from exertion!"
They took brakes once every hour for ten minutes. Elinana pressed for longer, but Connor's head was like stone. Twilight was advancing, and they stopped to make camp under a great old, nearly prehistoric looking ash. Elinana and Connor worked to build a fire pit as Clipper gathered wood.
"We have to be careful with it," Elinana stated as she placed a rock down to complete a stone circle. "Clipper is drawn to it, and being drawn to a piece of Eden never ends well."
"I know Elinana," Connor replied, trying to start a spark to the dry grass clump. "Achilles told me about Abb—Abbas trying to take the Appel from Altaïr." he heisted with both names.
"Yea, but we don't know anything about the cloak. How it works, what it does, or how dangerous it really is!"
Connor nodded, the words of Adam still on his mind.
Clipper came back with the wood, and they soon where wormed in its glowing radius. They ate the bread and cheese that Wilhemina packed for them with some smoked Elk meat. With the warmth of the fire, the shelter of the tree, and the night sounds of the children of the moon was a pleasing lullaby. Elinana and Connor started to feel the extortion of the day. And both would have liked nothing more than to fall asleep at the base of the tree, lulled by the courses of crickets and toads, and the occasional hoot of a hunting owl.
"This place seems safe." Clipper stated, rubbing his hands together.
"Indeed." Connor replied reclining against a large root, and the trunk of the tree.
"Seems a good place as any to see if the-the Cloak is still in the box." He suggested, getting Connor's and Elinana's full attention.
"It is a safe place Brother, and I disagree on your thought on opening it here. Trees can have eyes sometimes."
"How do you know if it isn't in the box?"
"Because Clipper, protections where placed on the box. Dangerous protections, ones that reduced men to ashes in less than a secant. No one but I could reach it, and live."
Elinana turned her gaze to Connor as Clipper inched closer to argue.
"If you could reach it—!"
"You do not understand Clipper—!"
"Did you see something?" Elinana cut in. "Or hear something or someone say anything to-do with Adam?"
"Yes," Connor replied. "I do not know what I saw, but I a spirit like form hooded and cloaked appeared asking for 'Eve'. Then another one appeared when I approached, saying that only the line of Arora and his could use it, and probably not go mad."
"They called you Adam, didn't they?" she asked, chest rising and falling fast.
"They called me a son of Adam." Connor nodded.
Elinana turned towered to the fire, remembering the Sage calling each of her mentors 'Adam'—save for Edward, but she was positive that like his grandson, he was a son of Adam. She closed her eyes, and shook her bowed head then turned back to Connor and stretched out her hand.
"Elinana?" Connor asked, eyeing her hand then her.
"Give me the box." She said softly like a mouse and Connor looked like he was about to argue. "Do you trust me?"
"It is not about trust, I do not want harm to befall you, Clipper, or anyone else."
She held her gaze with him, and he with her.
"Trust me." She repeated, and when she thought he wasn't going to hand it over, he hesitantly held it out.
"If anything happens I will throw it into the fire." Connor informed.
"No argument there." She smiled briefly, and took it.
Elinana carefully placed it on the ground before her, and took a deep breath as she said a quick prayer in her head, then placed her hand on the print. It was a perfect fit; each slender finger fell in place as if her own hand had made the mold. A warmth grew beneath her hand, and a small click made her jump out of her skin.
"Elinana?" Connor asked with concern and moved to be ready to dart to her side.
"I'm fine!" she replied.
Slowly opening the box, the two men moved closer to see what lied inside. Inside the box a silver eye of Horus stared back, resting on a folded melt like cloth bed.
"I've never seen a clock like this before." Clipper stated in awe.
"No one has," Elinana replied, slowly reaching out to the cloak. "Not for—" she stopped the moment she touched the cool metal eye and the silky cloth that had designs similar to the ones on Altaïr's Apple of Eden. Before she or the others could react darkness took her mind, and sight. Falling away.
Hi all, sorry it took me so long to get this out. School, home life, plus long chapter idea equals this. I will try to be more regular, but it will be a little bit till chapter 55. So bear with me guys!
