lemme know the thoughts, anything at all..
listen to Tropical Rain by Remember Summer for this chapter.
-gg.
The horns that erupted in the midday sun were those of simple welcome, telling the villagers and Assassins that a ship of friendly origin was making its way to their shores. Unlike the recent attacks, this was a short conch blast, followed by two long ones.
Liete on the other hand cursed darkly, as the noise woke Michael who had settled down for a nap not two minutes prior.
Now the baby opened his mouth and with a small cough began to hiccup and cry in the way that babies do when they are not quite sure why they are crying but be damned something upset them.
Just having left the healers hut, aiding in final recovery stages of a few assassins from the last attack two weeks prior, Liete had first gone to the lodgings that had been provided to her for a small lunch of fruit and goat cheese, and young sir had nodded off giving her a moment of calm all to herself.
Reaching forward, she rested her hand on his small stomach, willing Michael to quiet, if not to also calm herself. She used her other hand to rock the rope makeshift bassinet a native woman had kindly made for her.
It had been given to her by a woman whose husband had recovered from a musket wound under her care, and it had been one of the first times in Liete's life where she'd been lost in her own skin. She didn't know how to answer to such kindness, when she'd not done the act to expect anything in return. In fact it had been one of the only gifts in her life, save those simply born out of obligation when she'd still been in London, further boon to her healing.
The bassinet swung from the roof of her home put up by Cadmael, at such a perfect height as she was able to lay on her own tick with him at eye level.
Michael continued to fidget, throwing a small tantrum about the loud noise, nearing two years old now, he made an effort that those around him knew his personality. He of course still held the quiet watchful grace, but he'd begun to show the stubborn willful streak that came to things he wanted. If he felt that he should be asleep, or eating, or running about, he made it known whether Liete agreed or not.
Liete smiled to herself as the tantrum settled as Michael became satisfied that his mother knew he didn't like that noise as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep in mere moments once more. Lifting her hand slowly, and with no further movement from her son, stilled as she rested against her own bed watching him for a few moments longer.
The large form of Gerald stretched and once again flopped over to nap along with the young master now that their charge had settled in once more.
It would be an absolute pleasure to watch him grow, to see him become greater than even she could imagine.
Standing, Liete moved through the small hut, slipping outside the thatched door where Cadmael and Drew chatted nearly in whispers. Upon her emergence, both men stilled their conversation and graced her with smiles. Drews friendly and bright, Cadmael's soft and affectionate.
"Drew, could you stay with Michael? He s off to sleep with Gerald but It'll give me a moment to grab some other supplies?"
"Of course Miss Liete." His speech still astounded her and filled her with a soft pride, not that she had a hand in the change but to see her most cherished friend so confident, it held her happiness high.
Not bothering to reference to Cadmael, knowing full well he d follow her regardless of what she said, Liete made to follow the foot trodden path towards the village center.
A calm had settled over her since Anne's coming, as they both began to integrate into the strange and slow culture of those who surrounded them. Liete still held a healthy eye of mistrust, waiting for the payment she'd be asked for, but she took the quiet to mend.
Never in any settlement or town would she be given the same, she had come to realize. British culture, the indies, any modern world would continue to run her ragged. Screaming and clawing at her for a pound of flesh, and she only had so much to give.
Now, well, she felt a purpose fill her, and it gave her something akin to peace of mind.
Caught in thought and blind movement along a known path, a welsh accent cut through her mind, and brought her to an abrupt stop.
Frozen in place, Liete watched as Death hesitated just to her left. Facing opposite her, he hesitated as he approached Adewale who d returned with the last attack. His movements were slower, calm. As he spoke to the Trinidadian, his demeanor was smaller and humbled. His words now, no longer boisterous and cocksure.
"I'm not an easy man to call friend am I? Is that why you're here?" Adewale scoffed, and his answer although clear with his voice, was lost to Liete as Cadmael moved into her view obscuring the men off in the clearing near the healers set-up where healing men and women sat about.
No trace of a prisoner brought so low, Edward was freshly washed, trimmed scruff, although thinner than last she d seen him some years ago. Still here stood the man that haunted her day dreams, her quiet moments of longing.
He wore the outfit of black she'd sewn for him.
Cadmael looked at her now with quiet concern in his face, holding a hand out to her in case she needed it.
"You are well?"
Ah Tabai came upon the two men, and Edward moved farther away and a tug came so potent she took a step forward inadvertently drawing closer to her worried bodyguard.
She wasn't ready to see him, face him.
A part of her wanted to run up and punch him square in the nose and break it. Another wanted to turn and grab Michael to run off. Steal a dingy and drift off to sea rather than deal with the coming trails.
She'd been so strong and cold before, but with the healing had come a softness in Liete. She could not harden her heart at the rushing and panic now.
Mind, she did none of the things she thought of. She simply stood in front of Cadmael, chest heaving softly as he continued to try and figure out what had happened.
Taking a deep breath, fighting for calm as her heart screamed for her to follow the men as they ascended towards the ruins of the village, Liete shook her head splaying her own hand out in a show of steadiness.
"Simply seeing ghosts." Her words didn't bode well for the highly superstitious Taino man, as he turned to glance out into the forested areas around them and between the huts.
When he found nothing out of ordinary to her mind, he turned to her once more and very slowly turned his hand over to rest it underneath the one she d held out in a show of steadying herself. Cadmael kept his hand open, just keeping their hands palm to palm as his mouth turned into a small frown of concern.
"We'll walk you back, anything you need I'll grab." His words were murmured and deep, sending a shiver through her calming body as Liete watched him carefully. He was taking liberties, he treated her like a skittish cat but he calmed her in this moment. The fire that Kenway brought, doused by the cool waters of Cadmael.
Silver slid back and forth within her eyes, as she stood for a few more moments unmoving as she tried to decide if she should meet Kenway once more on her terms by following after the men.
You've waited long enough, her mind whispered to her soft and sweet, and her feet listened in an instant.
She moved to brush past Cadmael, their hands pulling away from each other as her breath hitched with the loss of contact, even as she sought another deep breath needing the calm for the meeting her heart demanded.
Yet again, with only a few feet to her intent, a single long wait of the conch came through the Caribbean forestry signaling an attack.
The second such attack this month, Liete turned away from her intent wide eyed as Cadmael cursed in his native tongue as they both set off at a run back towards her hut.
The assassins in the village came alive in mere moments, as men and women alike emerged into the clearings, strapping muskets, swords, daggers and wrist-blades alike to their bodies as they moved towards the pathway to the shores.
As they came up on the hut, Drew stood with Michael in his arms and Gerald at his feet in full alert right outside the door agitated and staring towards where the warriors now disappeared to defend.
Liete pulled Michael from Drew's arms less delicately than she meant as her son gave off a squeak of pain, turning for a moment to bark at the Taino following behind.
"Off with you now!"
Cadmael came up short right in front of her, nodding to Drew in an acknowledgment of transferring, before reaching with the gentle slowness once more to rest the fingertips of his right hand against her hand that held her fussing son.
Barely a touch, his long lashes sweeping towards his cheeks as he blinked once, twice, his amber eyes seemingly taking her in with content. Then he was gone, his hair cropped to his ears flipping up in the breeze as he disappeared after his comrades within moments.
Liete had no time for his actions, instead streaking past Drew who held the thatched door open for her as rushed towards her tick, pulling the sling for Michael from beneath his bassinet juggling it as she forced the fussing child into her and across her back. As her son began to whimper, confused and agitated, she then reached underneath her own bed pulling a satchel stashed underneath the bed as well as a small box with weapons. Stuffing a pistol into the small waist belt that held the long skirt she wore tight, she then picked up a sword and hilt tying it quickly to the other side of her.
It felt fluid and routine as she took one more look about the hut, steadying herself in case the Assassins couldn't hold the attack of the Templars off this time.
"Liete!" Anne's voice filled with a panic came from the entrance to the hut, snapping Liete out of the moment reprieve.
Rushing out now, she met Anne s eyes with a nod of relief passing between them, as Anne stood each hand leading with pistols drawn and ready.
Drew stood with a single pistol and his sword in his other hand drawn.
"Come Misses, Off ta' tha' bluff." Drew's words were calm, and he began to jog off to their right towards their usual path that lead up and out towards their cliff. Gerald gave off a grumbling woof, before leading the way sniffing the air for any new scent of danger.
Liete followed behind as Anne brought up the rear, all at the ready for any sign of the enemy or of the wary Jaguars that may catch them off guard in the jungle with all of the commotion.
Other women & children followed far off behind, those who couldn't outright fight with those trained, on alert in case they needed to escape.
Michael sensing the urgency and danger, quieted finally, watching the whirling people around him in wonder with only small whimpers as he reached to take handfuls of Liete's hair that lay limp against her shoulders now.
As they finally came upon the large cliff overlooking the invaded beach and path to the village, the three of them watched as the battle ensued.
Both women stood tall and agitated, as below men and women fought for their lives, hating the helplessness of the moment.
Anne, since she d come with Ah Tabai, had been fragile in her movements and although she could have joined the fighting below now healed from her still birth physically she'd found herself very close to Liete throughout her day. Whether it was for familiar company or the therapeutic moments of Michael's presence, it was an unspoken truth. It was also in this way, a way for her to protect an innocent life which she d been unable to do in her own mind.
Liete on the other hand would never leave her son to join the fighting. She carried the weapons now to protect them in case anyone should make it to her before she d be able to make her way to the other side of the open shore and get away.
As the fighting raged, and the Templar s soldiers looked as if they were gaining an upper hand, suddenly a large group of fighters erupted from the forest.
Gasping softly, her eyes turning in panic, Liete unconsciously moved closer to the ledge as Cadmael & Kenway fought side by side. Just behind them, Adewale and Ah Tabai took on four men at once.
Kenway moved just as she remembered with determined grace, his attacks effortless as he fought like a man possessed.
The tide turned quickly, as Cadmael used a rope blade weapon to string a soldier up within the tree s before moving to run further into the shoreline to take on the wavering Templar troops.
Kenway switched between his swords, pistols, and even a clunky attempt at a rope blade himself as the Templar numbers faded quickly. Suddenly he took off at a run as he sunk into the sand before moving from rock to rock into the blue water diving under when he could no longer hop about.
Looking out further to where the enemy ship anchored, she could just see a man waving about with a captains garb and instantly understood Kenway s intent. A small smile, twisted in its giddiness. Her death hadn't changed that much then surely, going for the largest challenge upfront. She knew how this was going to end without having to watch, as the exhilaration she used to feel flooded into her stomach tightening against her muscles there.
Kenway swam under the surface, the bumbling captain and his panicking crew none the wiser. Only surfacing at the keel of the ship, Edward climbed the wood careful of the barnacles as he came to the railing within mere seconds.
She watched as he very slowly swung along the railing till he was nearly parallel with the captain who stood against a portion of it in absolute terror clearly reading the battle to know he'd lost.
"Oh, don't be nasty now." Liete spoke under her breath, her words dripping with sarcasm as Anne who heard let out her own chuckle.
Launching himself over the railing of the ship to impale the captain with a wrist blade, the rest of the crew aboard stopped wide eyed as their leader fell dead and death stood poised and haunting ready for their attack.
One by one, the enemies laid down their arms, falling to their knees in surrender. Surrender rather than face the man whom personified Death.
The cheer that rose from the beach as those Templars still alive there too surrendered, was triumphant and righteous.
They'd won once more, at what loss they'd know soon, but Liete only watched as Kenway made his way back to the shore as other Assassins swam to overtake the large frigate.
She watched as he stood near to Adewale and Cadmael, who bled from a wound Liete could not see, calm in his movements.
Gone was the braggart who enjoyed the kill, saw it for sport. Now, he understood it seemed the necessity but didn't welcome the taking.
Michael gave off a scream of excitement in his own addition to the cheer from below, drawing a woop from Anne to match him as she giggled at the silly baby.
Seems prison hasn't dulled Kenway in the least. Anne's words were matter of fact, as Liete might have smiled if she hadn't been so preoccupied watching as Kenway began to approach each surrender man, offering quarter, death or to renounce the Templars and join their cause.
He was respectful, giving each man a fair choice as some chose death with no hesitation and it was him who dealt the strike. Quick and clean.
Change had come to Kenway as it had come to Liete.
They were strangers in this world now, and it scared her.
"Come Liete, we are needed."
Following behind Anne, they trekked back back to the village, stopping only at her hut for a moment for her to drop her satchel and weapons before heading towards the village center and the healers even as the brotherhood past them with the wounded and dead.
Gerald followed at Liete's hip until they reached the healers, where he moved to lay at the door where he could rest and watch as she worked about the area.
Drew on the other hand broke away from them and moved towards where the dead were being lain out further into the center.
Men and women already worked, laying dead assassins out side by side to gain last rights, cleansing and cataloged. The wounded were lined along the healers hut, full of inhabitants already, where those with the ability began to work on the wounded.
That is where Liete headed, while Anne moved towards the dead.
They'd discovered after living through the first few attacks where they were best needed or better yet best used.
Anne was gentle but firm with the dead and the steps needed. She was good at taking names, weapons stripped as well as any goods, getting everything cataloged and distributed. She'd stay up till the late morning writing sympathies to those who had family to mourn them.
Liete had no patience for the tedium of after death.
She had no kind words to share with people she d never known. Death was final and silent to her.
At the healers tent, she could help. Quieting the dying, sewing simple wounds, cleaning and attempting as best to splint, wrap. Even Michael did his part, bringing smiles and company to those around. Comfort to the wounded as more often than not they'd coo and reach to hold his small hand even through their pain.
Liete was received with a kind sad smile by the head healer, working to splint a mangled leg. Starting on the opposite end, Liete dove into the work, beginning first to clean and sew a deep gash left by a sword in a mans forearm.
Michael babbled all the while behind her, throwing out words here and there as he gave a grand speech; sea, red, momma, there.
She worked mindlessly, all thoughts of Kenway and her fear gone, till she came upon Cadmael sat and calm waiting with a gunshot to the shoulder. It was a clean wound, in one side and out the other.
"Why am I not surprised to see you here?" Her words were clipped as her eyes daggered him, but just there underneath was quiet concern. Every battle Cadmael ran off in, he returned with a wound. He fought viciously and brave, yet now he grinned at her sheepishly his eyes lighting on her.
"Didn't do it to ourselves." His words were cheeky, and Liete shook her head as amusement rose within her.
Putting down the thread and hemp bandages Liete helped him pull the lightweight robes from his chest and strip his shirt till he was bare from the waist up.
This could be said, Cadmael was a specimen of a man. Unlike Kenway who was thick and muscular, he was lean and showed every muscle he did own.
Setting back to work, Liete couldn't help but soften her gaze as Cadmael offered Michael a finger one which the baby gripped and instantly slathered with his tongue. The Taino didn't move or make a face, instead smiled and spoke to him quietly.
"You are not shy, little one. How did you come by such, when your mother is so quiet?"
Even as the needle pierced his flesh, the man didn't falter in his amusing the baby. Instead he began to play a game of twiddling fingers.
Liete finished sewing the wound, dousing it with a quick splash of rum, beginning to wrap his shoulder. Cadmael gingerly raised his arm as she ran the wrapping under his arm and around his shoulder. Just as she tied off the bandage, Cadmael caught her hand, holding it gently for a moment, once more not closing his fingers but simply for the contact.
"Are you well?" Just like earlier, the question was calm and sweet, amber genuinely concerned. Liete's own eyes seesawed back and forth, her hand clammy and hot but she didn't pull away just yet.
"Of course. You might not be if you don't stop that." The threat was shallow, surprising for them both, and the man closed his fingers one at a time until he held her hand and gave her a soft squeeze before letting go with almost reluctance in his bearing.
He never stopped looking into her eyes, and Liete found she couldn't break it for just a few moments as she stood to back away slower than she should. Finally stooping to gather her bandages and thread tucking them into the large pocket of her skirt, Liete turned sharply to escape the man who left her feeling flustered to come face to face with eyes so like her sons.
All breath left, all sense.
It might as well have been a hammer to her lungs.
Staring into Edwards eyes, filled with regret, filled with relief, filled with affection.
Liete was the first to move, stalking forward to inspect a shallow gash across Edwards throat, hands jerky and clumsy as she reached back into her pocket for a fresh bandage and the flask with rum to disinfect the wound.
As she pressed the damp cloth against his throat, a small bloom of blood formed causing her to huff and reach for another dry bandage shaking all the while.
Kenway reached forward and grasped both her hands, as the extra bandage and flask fell to their feet.
"Liete."
Just her name crossing his lips took the use of her knees, as she crumbled to the dirt path, hot tears flooding her face. The pain, anger, betrayal, every up and down that had brought them to this point erupted within her as the carefully patched walls made of love and peace held it all at bay.
Kenway fell to his knees still holding her hands, leaning forward to press his lips to her temple the silent language of grief passing between them even as a small voice called from her back.
"Momma?"