Now or Never
Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
There are no words to excuse how late this is. I was planning on having a Christmas chapter out but my computer had to be taken to Geek Squad multiple times to 'fix' it with it worse than when I took it in in the first place. Not happy about that, but I also started school as a full time college student. Already I had an in class essay that I thankfully passed, a take home quiz that I didn't do so well on and on top of it every time I go to my US History 1 class all I can think about is Connor...and I have a test coming up in that class. So inbetween classes, studying, chores, and trying to catch up with The Walking Dead show, and on top of that watching House of Cards on Netflix (if you have Netflix I highly recomend you watch House of Cards it is surprisingly interesting).
So without further to do, I think you will like this chapter and please don't forget to leave a review even if it's a small one. Also please forgive me for any mistakes I may have made.
Chapter Nine:
"Be still, Anna or I will never get the wood out."
"This is embarrassing," Anna grumbled as Adams continued to clean the cut on her upper arm, "swear on your life that you won't tell Connor how I got this cut."
"I'm not going to be the one to tell him that you tripped on a branch," Sam chuckled as he finished tying off the bandage and tossed the bloody rag into a basin filled with red water, "knowing that he's going to ask anyways will make this night more entertaining…you sure he's going to come here tonight?"
Anna nodded, rolling down her sleeve. It was beyond embarrassing to have trip over a fallen log. Her, an assassin, tripping over a log. It just wasn't herd of. It didn't help that as soon as Connor saw the red stained sleeve he was going to hound her until she broke and spill every cringe worthy second while becoming red in the face. She couldn't wait for that moment. Moving away from the window, Anna leaned against the wall closest to the fire facing the door as it opened revealing Connor and Paul.
Hearing the door open the three men turned around in their chairs. "Paul, Connor, " Sam greeted, "good to see you."
Connor shoved past Paul bluntly saying, "You need to leave. The Redcoats are coming."
Anna couldn't help but shake her head. Blunt as ever her Connor was. "Aye, so William's told us." Sam responded as Anna emerged from the shadows smiled at Connor and nodded her head in greetings to Paul, "Let them conduct their little search. They'll find nothing."
"Sam," Anna spoke up waiting till the man turned away from the fire to look at her, "Pitcairn is planning on killing you, you need to leave now."
Sam turned to Connor and Paul for conformation as his friend nodded gravely, "I'm afraid it's true." Paul answered the silent question on Sam's face.
Standing up Sam said, "I suppose we have no choice then, but to go." He then turned to his other companions and asked, "What of you three?"
"Dawes and I will continue on to Concord." Paul answered before turning to Connor and Anna, "Connor, Anna, it's best you two stay here and help our man John Parker hold the town. It'll give us time to spread the word."
"Good luck Paul." Anna called back to the three men.
"Good luck to you and Connor, Miss Anna." Paul said before closing the door behind him.
"Anna…what happened to your arm?" Connor asked, looking between the suddenly blushing assassin and a laughing Sam.
"Not. One. Word. Sam." Anna growled before stalking towards the back door leaving a confused Connor with a chuckling Sam.
((Sequence 7: Lexington April 19, 1775))
John Parker coughed into his hand before clenching the musket tighter and yelled out to the militia in front of him, "Stand your ground, men! Don't fire unless fired upon!" He paused as his body shook from another round of coughing before continuing in a dangerous tone, "But if they mean to have a war, let it begin here."
"Pitcairn."
Across the field Pitcairn sat on top of his horse dressed in reds, golds, and whites of the British uniform with the red military behind him. "Disperse, you damned rebels" Pitcairn called out, "lay down your arms and disperse!"
Anna heard the first gun fire before a led ball flew past her shoulder. Immediately the men in front of her began to run away in fear, realizing they were outnumbered and outgunned. She felt Connor grab her elbow, pulling her back and tucking her behind the stone wall. For once she didn't argue and peaked around the medium size wall as Connor dragged Parker, raving and frothing at the mouth with anger, to her hiding spot.
"They are not coming back," Connor snapped, "you will have to make do with those who remain."
"Don't you lecture me on how-" Parker growled, about to lay into Connor before realizing that the sound of gun fire tapered off. "Return fire! Return fire!"
The remaining men hesitantly crawled out of their cover and returned fire. Parker turned to the two assassins' next to him and explained as he ducked for cover, "You two need to get to Concord and warn the others." Parker pulled out a letter from his coat and handed it to Anna, "Show this to whomever leads there, should be a man by the name of James Barrett." Anna tucked the letter safely into her belt pocket as Parker coughed before waving them off. "Go on now." Connor grabbed Anna's hand and gently tugged her along as they half crawled half ran away from the main battle.
Lexington was in chaos. Militia men running away in fear, as smoke began to choke the breathable air. Connor found two horses and waited for Anna to mount hers before taking off. It didn't take the two long to reach Concord, Connor growing more worried that Anna hadn't spoken a word since last night. However, he had to put the concern in the back of his mind as he reached Sam and a gray haired man, "Blood's been spilled in Lexington, and there's more to come," Connor warned, feeling Anna slip the letter into his belt, "the Regulars are on the march."
Barrett gave a condescending smirk as he replied, "You don't say? Why do you think I have men up here?" Anna frowned as Connor remained silent. "Go home," Barrett said, "'fore you get yourself killed. I've enough to worry about without some green boy looking to play hero for his lover."
"I can vouch for him, and Miss Connolly, she can hold her own just as any man." Sam stepped in seeing the dangerous glint in Anna's brown eyes. Barrett glanced at Sam before turning to Anna who only tilted her chin up and allowed her hidden blade to slide out, silently daring the older man to make another sexist comment.
"John Parker as well." Connor stated, pulling out the letter and held it out for Barrett to take. The man accepted the letter and turned away from Connor and Anna. Connor turned to Anna seeing the barely contained rage. Without even thinking about it he reached out and grasped her clenched hand, giving it a comforting squeeze before letting go and walked over to Sam. "Where's Revere?"
"Captured."
"What?" Connor questioned in shock.
"Fear not," Sam answered, "that man's no stranger to sticky situations. He'll be fine, I'm sure of it."
Barrett cleared his throat, stepping into the conversation "You ladies finished gossiping?" He turned to Connor and Anna and said, "Parker seems to believe you two are not completely useless. So I suppose there's a thing or two you might be able to help with. When the fighting starts, we'll need to hold those positions there. They're critical to the defense of Concord." Barrett turned to look at Connor, "Good boys, not used to soldiering. They need someone with experience to direct them. That something you can do?"
Connor nodded.
Barrett stepped closer to Connor almost growling, "You'd best be telling the truth."
"You have my word."
Anna had left Connor on the ground, finding a perch in one of the trees close to the river. She could hear faint marching in the distance as Connor began to get the men in some semblance of order. Something was itching at the back of her mind, telling her that something was off but she couldn't figure out what it was. As far as she knows this piece of history was going according to what was written in the books. So what was wrong? Anna reached out grabbing onto a limb to swing down when she noticed that the branch was shaking. Letting the branch go she looked down at her gloved hand and saw the tremors.
Anna Lyn Connolly was terrified.
Over the course of her eighteen years Anna had felt a lot of things, love, anger, self hatred, and even hopelessness but never had she felt as terrified as she did now. Here she was an assassin out of time fighting to stay alive in a war that will make the history books and falling in love with the assassin that started it all. Anna almost fell off the branch she was perching on when that thought passed her mind. Was she really falling in love with Connor? The emotion was there, yes, and she got that fuzzy feeling every time they touched. Her mother often said that whenever she looked at her husband it was like the world just disappeared and it was the two of them in their own world.
It happened from time to time. When she looked at Connor it felt as if that there wasn't anything else in the world that could possibly matter. Then the illusion broke and she was back in reality where the chance of dying was greater than the chance of living to an old age. There was time when Anna disliked being an assassin but she would rather know the cruel reality of the world than believing that the world was mundane and safe.
"Anna?" Anna looked down seeing Connor looking up from his position on the horse, "What are you going to do?"
Anna looked up seeing the red coats beginning to line up. She looked down and answered, "I'll scout the edges and make sure that there aren't any Regulars trying to sneak around."
"That is a good idea," Barrett said watching Anna disappear into the trees, "Sam has told me what she can do. She'll be fine."
Connor nodded and turned his horse to watch the incoming soldiers. The battle lasted all day but was eventually won; amidst the cheering men Connor tried to find Anna but the female assassin was nowhere to be found. Dismounting, Connor moved through the cheering militia to where Anna disappeared. She made it easy to track her and he quickly found her finishing off a red coat. Her back was to him making it easy for him to watch her just standing there. Her fists clenching and unclenching as she stood amongst the dead tremors wracking her body. Stepping out of the shadow of the trees he waited for her to turn around, when she didn't he walked up till he was standing right behind her. "Anna?" Connor questioned softly hesitating before letting his hand rest on her shoulder. A little shocked when arms were wrapped around his neck, unsure what to do he just wrapped his arms around Anna's waist.
Eventually the sobs calmed and the tremors stilled. Anna pulled back but didn't step away which made a not so small part of Connor happy as he wiped away the stray tears that remained. With a bold move and the high of battle still running through his veins he pressed a kiss on Anna's forehead. "I'm glad you are alright." Connor whispered his forehead resting against hers.
"I was terrified." Anna whispered taking comfort being in his arms, "Look at me, I'm out of my time and taking a part of a war that I could be killed in."
"I won't let that happen."
Anna smiled tracing his jaw line, "I know," she whispered, "but you can't control what will happen in this war or what the Templars will do. We live in a dangerous world Connor and we will try to do whatever we can to stay alive but that's all we can do is try."
"I promise you." Connor said looking Anna in the eye, "I will do everything I can to keep you safe. I can't lose you. I won't lose you to this war or to my father." Then he kissed Anna on the lips.
I bet you didn't see that coming now did you? Again please don't forget to leave a review...you know you want to.