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Chapter 2
"Adding New Wounds"
POV: Haytham
A series of loud shots were heard outside the window near me; I gave it a quick glance and shook my head. Another ship is being destroyed or captured, something I hear almost every day. I decided to ignore the shooting completely, though it was concerning that there was no sound of defense from the poor vessel that was under the attack. I looked down at my journal and cursed seeing a big ink blob slowly spreading in the middle of the page, hiding the written words under its thick black coat. I tore the page out and started all over again; dipping the feather in the ink pot and then pressing it against the pages that slightly turned yellow a while ago.
The shots suddenly stopped and everything became quiet and peaceful once more. I sighed in relief and gazed at the window again after making sure that the pages were not in danger anymore. I saw a Man O' War in the distance slowly sailing away from the port. For a moment, I thought it was James Cook with his men, but then why would they be here and not out in the sea fighting the opposing ships. I shrugged at the thought and lowered my eyes closing the journal and putting it aside. I placed the feather down next to the ink pot and leaned back in my chair with my eyes closed.
"Where is Cormac?" I suddenly asked myself opening my eyes and standing up. I was expecting Shay before the sunset today, yet as I noticed the sun slowly sitting down, worry embraced me. I walked around my desk and grabbed my hat putting it on right away. I put my pistol in the holster and fixed my scabbard on the side sliding the sword in softly. I checked my hidden blades and nodded as if approving the end of my preparation before going outside for a check.
Likewise, Charles was gone for a while now after he told me that he was going to the shop to buy himself a new blade and ammunition. I clearly remember the closest store being near the port, just about 15 minutes from here. I shook my head telling myself there was nothing to worry about; Charles is an adult and caring about him as if he was a baby is absolutely unnecessary. I walked over to the exit last time gazing in the mirror at my reflection. I turned the doorknob and opened door that gave out a dull squeak. Unfortunately, I found myself unable to exit because of Lee blocking the door with a wild look in his eyes. He was panting and trying to say something motioning behind him. I gave him a concerned look and moved him to the side with my hand exiting the quarters.
The first thing I saw behind Lee was Shay's quartermaster, Gist, carrying someone on his back. As I came closer, I realized, that the very Captain I expected today for a visit was pressed against Gist's back and barely breathing. I looked at the man with a questionable look and titled my head to the side. The quartermaster opened his mouth before I could ask to explain the situation.
"Master Kenway, we got attacked by a Man O' War that belong to the Assassins!" He exclaimed coming closer; I nodded my head quickly coming back to the memory of a suspicious ship sailing away after the loud cannons were hushed. "Morrigan is in a horrible condition; half of our crew is killed and wounded. When they fired the cannons one of the cannon balls hit the deck and a sharp wooden piece hit Captain Cormac." I quickly motioned toward the quarters asking for him to continue his explanation after we got Shay fixed up. There was no time to waste; I saw the stick poking out from his front, blood dripping down. Gist thanked me repeatedly and hurried inside the house immediately searching for a bed to put Cormac on. I pointed at the open doors that led to the bedroom and followed the Quartermaster to the room; Charles stayed close behind me.
"Charles," I stopped in the doorway and turned around; Lee slowed down sharply almost running into me. He looked up at me looking very confused; I gave out a half smile and titled my head forward. "How about you bring us some alcohol and bandages for Mr. Cormac, please?" The man gulped and nodded his head a few times before rushing to another big area on the other side of the house.
I walked into the bedroom and found Gist getting rid of Shay's upper clothing; he took off the cloak and the shirt that was soaked in the warm blood of the Captain. The Quartermaster sighed heavily glaring at the stick and apologized before his Captain, who could not hear at the moment. He gently grabbed the end of the wood and pulled it out with one jerk. Shay let out some kind of a dull growling sound letting us know he was still with us and breathing. I sighed in relief and took a step to the side letting Charles pass near me with his hands busy with the things I have asked him to bring.
Gist instantly grabbed the alcohol and cleared the wound washing of the blood, he then asked us politely to leave the room for a reason I did not need to know. As I exited the bedroom with a heavy sigh, I was not pleased with the way things turned out this upcoming evening. I sat at my desk and covered my face with my hand unwilling to even think about a wounded individual in the bedroom. Lee stood at my side and cleared his throat asking for my attention; I nodded my head showing that I was listening.
Charles informed me that after he went out to the weapon store he heard strange cannon shots and saw a Man O' War in the distance firing at someone. The buildings around Lee did not let him see who the receiver of the attack was, but it seemed that they were in no shape to defend their ship.
"As you may know now, that was Shay's Morrigan." I said and received a short nod from Lee as he continued to explain his great "adventure." He told me that when he saw a half destroyed ship drop anchor at the port, he barely recognized Morrigan by its ripped Templar sails.
"I rushed toward the port and found a true massacre on the ship." Lee said turning to look in the window; his eyes showed sorrow as he gazed toward Cormac's ship painfully glowing in the distance like a ghost as the sun touched it with its last rays. "I saw Mr. Gist pulling someone up and rushing toward the city yelling for help. I then recognized Captain Cormac on his shoulders and hurried to catch up with him." Charles tilted his head a little to the side gazing at me secretly; he tried to hide his fleeting look, but I clearly felt it on the back of my head.
"I called a doctor," he suddenly said after a long pause hung in the air between us. "He should be here very soon." He smiled feeling very accomplished, even though he did not get a chance to upgrade his weapon. I turned my head to look at him and nodded taking my hat off.
"Thank you Charles, you are a good man in helping our brothers." I said putting the hat on the table and covering my journal with it. I did not want anyone read my own thoughts that I put on the fragile pages of my life. I then felt Lee's hand on my shoulder and tilted my head to the right to look at the man. Our eyes met in silence that was shortly broken with a knock on the door. Charles blinked interrupting our little awkward staring contest and walked over to the door opening it.
"Good evening." He said stepping aside and letting an elderly gentleman walk in with a leather brown bag in his hands. He wore a pair of big round glasses and slightly hobbled on his left leg. I stood up greeting the man and pointed at the doors leading to the bedroom. The doctor nodded his head and made his way to the room where Gist openly invited him in thanking his presence. Gist smiled at me and nodded his head before shutting the doors and sinking me and Lee into silence again.
Charles closed the entrance door and locked it to be sure that no one would have a chance to randomly enter. He leaned over to the wall and frowned stroking the collar of his cloak thoughtfully. His blue eyes searched for something around the room, his quick glimpse at me could not escape my eyes. I held my hands to the side catching his attention completely.
"Is there anything bothering you, Charles?" I asked with my cold but soft voice. Lee uncomfortably shifted from one leg to another and after a pause came up to my desk putting his hands on near the edge. He leaned over to me making our eyes meet in another long stare. I widened my eyes at the man with a question playing in my gaze like fire.
"I think it is Cormac's fault for the attack." He said surprising me with a sudden statement. I arched my eyebrow and asked to explain; Charles leaned a bit closer forcing me to tilt a little back so his face would not be so close to mine. "His sails are yelling about his place in the Templar Order, of course it is going to attract an undivided attention from the Brotherhood." He whispered almost hissing like a vicious snake ready to strike its target. I shook my head at him and crossed my arms on my chest.
"Mr. Lee," I started. "It is not his fault in proudly displaying the Order's symbol." Charles pushed back standing up straight and glaring at me unhappily with my answer. "Shay is still a novice in sailing, even though he had enough experience to truly call himself a Captain. Morrigan was not in the condition to fight back, the Assassins took them by surprise and escaping was probably their best choice." I felt amused watching Lee's face turn slightly red from the anger that was boiling inside of him. At this moment he looked like a great volcano ready to erupt in any second; I managed to hide my smile, but chuckled.
"Master Kenway, I feel like this boy is going to bring us a lot of trouble." Charles said glancing at the bedroom door where Gist and the doctor worked on Shay's wound.
"I will be the judge of that." I said standing up and locking my hands behind my back while looking up at Lee. The man felt my gaze and slowly turned his head to face me.
"Of course," he nodded; his eyes glowed in the gloomy room that was only lightening up by a lonely candle sitting on my desk. "You are the Grand Master after all; your choice will be always supported by me." He slightly bowed his head and received a pleased smile from me. Lee seems to become brighter for just a slight moment each time I let myself slip a barely visible smile. Sometimes my curiosity made me think about what exactly Charles was thinking at that vivid moment.
I heard the bedroom doors slowly open and turned my head toward the sound. In the corner of my eyes I could see Lee tense up a bit and cross his hands and waiting for the doctor to come out with a verdict on Shay's health situation.
The first one to exit was Gist; the man already took off his jacket and his hat looking very exhausted. The doctor followed after him, sweat droplets crawling down his wrinkled forehead. He closed his aid kit and left it hanging on his left arm as he wiped his hands off with a green handkerchief that slowly darkened from the blood. Gist excused himself and rushed out the back door to find clean water where he could at least wash his face and hands. The doctor nodded his head at me and Charles and smiled a little.
"The boy is stronger than he seems. There was a lot of blood loss, yet surprisingly he survived and now is slowly coming back to life. He is sleeping right now, but make sure to give him lots of water to drink and food to eat once he wakes up. He needs to regain his strength, please do not let him out of bed for at least a week." Charles threw his eyebrows up in surprise hearing that Shay is going to stay in the house for a good week under my watch. He glanced at me showing obvious discontent, but said nothing as I half smiled again and nodded my head thanking the doctor.
Lee showed how "grateful" he was by paying the doctor with a double. The doctor thanked him and left the quarters disappearing into the night. As the door closed Charles walked up to me and pouted a little.
"I cannot imagine this trouble maker staying here." He rained complains on my head one after another. "I wonder what kind of a new surprise he will bring us during this week." He said turning and walking around the living room.
"Or longer." I smirked watching Charles suddenly stop and stare at me with a shock as if I came back from the dead.
"Master Kenway, could you explain yourself?" He said his voice almost cracking due to the high note he decided to take in order to ask me the question.
"Even though it will take a week for Mr. Cormac to regain his strength to stand up from the bed, it will take him a while to completely heal and climb the trees like a panther again." I started taunting Lee and enjoying his face becoming paler by seconds. "The full restoration of the ship will take good three weeks, I haven't seen the damage, but can imagine how horrifying it is." I said bringing my hands behind my back again and walking up to a couch.
"So…" Charles gulped looking like he needed to sit down more than I did. I silently motioned him to come to the couch and continue. "How long are you planning to keep Shay here in New York?" He asked obeying my silent order and plopping on the soft couch. I sat next to him and pretended to think very hard, even though I knew the answer all along.
"I might take a whole month, two at the most." I said holding back laughter as Lee reached over to grab a glass decanter and fill a small goblet with crystal cold water with his trembling hands. He emptied the glass with one gulp and poured himself some more; I watched him in silence slightly tilting my head. "After that, I and Shay will sail off to River Valley to visit a place where we will get information about Assassins' location and sail to Arctic before they can make their next move." I said leaning my back on the couch's soft surface and closing my eyes letting Lee to calm down before he could receive a heart attack. The man always acted strange around me when I mentioned Shay in my conversation during our meetings, but now he was not being himself completely.
"Master Kenway, I hope you are making a right choice." He whispered putting the glass aside and sighing. He glanced at me and sat in silence; I felt his eyes crawling from my face down my neck and chest. My eyes half opened barely visible in the darkness away from the candle. I could clearly see Charles studying my body as if I was inhuman, I was about to say something but Gist entered the room forcing Lee to jump up on his feet. Both men startled me and I opened my eyes completely looking over to the Quartermaster. He wished us goodnight and said that will be back tomorrow to check on his Captain. He refused my invitation to spend the night here and stay with us for dinner; he said that guarding Morrigan was his first priority. I could not do anything, but to respect his choice. And so we said our goodbyes and sent Gist out into the chill night without asking him any other questions; poor man had a lot happen to him today, it was for the best to let him do his own thing.
"Master Kenway," Charles said fixing his sleeves that seemed to be suffocating his wrists. "Since you mentioned dinner, I propose to go out and dine at this fine place I found in the very center of Greenwich. " He said trying not to look annoyed, but my next comment completely broke him down.
"I cannot leave Mr. Cormac alone; after all, I am taking care of him the whole week before he can stand on his feet." I said standing up from the comfortable couch and untying my cape, carefully placing it on the low cabinet that stood near the entrance to the bedroom. Next followed my jacket, the scarlet ascot and my hidden blades; Charles silently watched me get rid of those articles of clothing and then turned around to leave with annoyance occupying the air around him.
"I will bring some food for you and, of course, for Mr. Cormac." He said opening the entrance door after he unlocked it. I nodded my head gratefully and waited for him to finally disappear into the streets before going into the bedroom to check on our wounded guest.
Shay slept in the bed with the white sheets covering him completely; for a second I thought I came into a room before a funeral and Cormac was the sorrowful corpse. I walked closer to the bed and slowly pulled down the blanket just enough to see how the wound was doing. Unfortunately, the wound was hiding under the layers of bandages and I could not see anything. I fleetingly looked over Shay's chest taking a notice that climbing trees and exploring the rooftops greatly impacted Cormac's body build. I shook my head away from those odd thoughts and threw the blanket back over the man causing him to grimace in his sleep and whisper something.
I leaned over and touched his forehead making sure he did not have a fever. At the same moment Shay suddenly turned on his head forcing my hand under his face; he slightly stroked my palm with his cheek and whispered something again. I arched my eyebrow looking very puzzled and leaned over hoping for him to repeat what he had said.
"Haytham…" He whispered my name in the same monotone voice and snuggled his face to my hand. I quickly drew my hand back and rubbed it with my other; I took Shay's odd behavior as just a simple effect from the wound and the shock and decided not to give it much attention.
I exited the bedroom and sat down on the same couch where not a long time ago Charles was observing me with interest and some hunger in his eyes. I closed my eyes slowly feeling sleep creeping over me slowly and embracing my body with its soft claws.
"Sorry Lee, it seems like you have to dine by yourself tonight." I whispered into the darkness still feeling odd warmth in my hand that was accidentally pressed against Shay's cheek seconds ago.