hp772222: It's hard for me to write such young children so I'm glad you liked it! And little Mary's so important :) Thank you! :3
Victory Goddess: Yes it's a huge crew! I sometimes regret having introduced so many OCs because it's a pain to squeeze them all in XD But I love them all to much to drop them! Thanks for your support, I hope this chapter meets your expectations :)
AssassinsGurl2012: Mouahahahaha yes! :D Two little love birds! Ooooh yes, Eleanor is very bossy when she wants to be XD I did think of having her and Nakoma be rivals but I decided against it, Eleanor needs a girl friend! She only knows men really XD
edgaryg: Oh don't worry, uni's been doing the same to me as well. It's a pain But yeah, Nora is a brave little girl, I love her so much! I love writing her, I can so easily picture her in my head! And thank you once again for your support, makes me happy that you havn't given up on me yet!: 3
MsNevermind: Hahaha I can just imagine you scaring your mum like that XD I'm glad you're enjoying this, and my story loves you! *Big hug* Thank you! :3
LurkingLady: One of the best, seriously? Thank you! :3 I wanted to put so much into it that I kept having to cut bits of it out. And with all the characters it was a pain to give them all some importance from time to time Haha yes they are really cute, I love writing them! (OMG YES AN AC MOVIE! But I'd be scared to death to see which actors they choose! They should just make an animation one like the trailers!)

1763

We turned south just after Mary's third birthday because Nora had decided that she wanted to spend her eighth birthday in the Southern part of America. I couldn't say no to her, especially as she had practically begged me on her knees for us to head south. And anyway, new land meant new adventures to live, so I was excited about it. The two things I loved the most about this new life of mine was being with family, and the adventures. I couldn't believe I had lived thirty years without this kind of excitement, without the thrilling sense of the open ocean and not knowing what lies ahead. Being an Assassin was boring, in essence. Of course, the actual fighting was fun and exhilarating, but I lived in the same place, walked the same streets and saw the same people all the time. But out here, in the middle of the ocean, nothing was ever the same. The wind was ever changing, the currents of the ocean, the weather… It was never the same, always another adventure. But I still needed to find a way to push Khan and Nakoma together. One evening I was standing at the helm watching them as they were leaning over the edge of the ship, watching the beaches and cliffs that we passed in the distance. Their arms were touching and Nakoma rested her head on Khan's shoulder as they spoke quietly to each other. " What are you thinking, ma belle capitaine? " Kevin asked from beside me.

" Maybe I could lock them in a cabin together. " I muttered.

" They already sleep in the same bed mon amie, I don't think that will work. " He chuckled lightly. " I think something more… Osé. " He smirked darkly.

" Osé? " I repeated, not understanding the word.

" Euh… " He frowned. " Daring. They need to be pushed into more seedy activities. "

" Kevin! " I laughed. " I'm not forcing them to do that! "

The ginger man shrugged. " Dommage. " He winked, walking off.

We never got to southern America for Nora's birthday but we did by early April and we docked at a city called Lima, a large Spanish settlement. It was unusual being among so many people once again, watching people rush around town, hearing merchants shout out to passers by as they attempted to sell their produce. Nora and Nakoma took off together, muttering something about 'girl shopping'. I shook my head and held Mary's hand as she insisted on walking by herself through the busy streets. I had always thought she was a female version of Haytham but the more she grew, the more I saw myself in her because she was already stubborn and wanted everything done her way, having a hard time admitting she was wrong. Charlie would sigh and say it was only because she was a woman, because all women were difficult, but Catherine, Nakoma and I would team up on him when he did this.

Lima was an unusual city. The few Spaniards I had in my crew said it was perfectly normal for a Spanish city, but I found that the newly constructed cockfighting coliseum and bullring were rather distasteful. The city was in an economic downfall, the reforms causing the city to loose it's monopoly in overseas trade and because of this there were quite a few beggars wondering the streets. I would feel bad about their situation and I wanted to help, sometimes buying them some food or getting my crew to build them a small shack to live in, but I couldn't save them all. I felt bad, still having a ridiculous amount of money whilst so many had nothing, but Kevin would remind me that it was the way of the world and that we couldn't do much about it. And I had to agree, because not only was I not in a position to help them, I was also an outsider, no one of note, and some even called me a pirate. That in itself came as a shock, being called a pirate. But I suppose that's what I was now - the captain of a ship that roamed the seas with no particular purpose, stealing from other pirate ships and travelling the world.

On our last night in the city we all went to a tavern to celebrate our departure. I grabbed hold of Khan's hands, placed them on my hips and started to sway to the music. Nakoma joined us quickly, wrapping her arms around my waist as she stood behind me, trapping me between them. I made sure the dance was rather… sexual, so to say, and then ducked out from between them, claiming to be thirsty.

" I'll come too. " Khan said, following me.

" No it's okay, stay with Nakoma. " I insisted, groaning that my plan wasn't going to work.

" I'm thirsty. " He protested, walking towards the bar. I sighed heavily, shaking my head disappointedly as I passed Kevin and Charlie as they chatted in a corner. The two rolled their eyes, shrugging. They also wanted Khan and Nakoma to get together.

" That man is too much of a gentleman. " Kevin joked, watching Khan as he patted another man on the shoulder in a friendly manner.

Before leaving the city, Nora and Nakoma returned from their 'girl shopping' and Nora was now dressed in an expensive pale pink dress, the sleeves coming down to her elbows, the hem of the dress trailing on the floor and the bodice tightened around her waist. The pale pink fabric was covered in white lace and had ruffles around the neckline. She had tied her hair up in braids and she looked so much older. But I suppose she was eight years old now, almost a woman. If she lived in the traditional manner, she would be expected to marry in three to four years but I couldn't bare to imagine my little girl doing such things. It was unacceptable, and seeing her dressed like that hurt. Of course, she was every bit as beautiful as I knew she would be, her bright golden hair making her look like a queen, but her age made me realise just how long I had been away from Boston. I wondered what Haytham was doing, if he had found someone to replace me with, if he was happy. Nora broke me out of my thoughts when she handed me a large box, telling me it was time that I became a woman as well.

Inside the box was an expensive red dress. But it wasn't the traditional long, large dresses that rich women wore. No, this was a deep red dress with no lace, and it only came down to just past my knees. It was sleeveless, the neckline very low and decorated with a golden hem line, the bustier the same red as the dress with large golden buttons and two golden strips lined the bottom of the dress. The box also contained knee-high leather boots with high heels and a short coat that only came down to my waist, the sleeves tight and wolf skin covered my right shoulder. I immediately put it all on and could only gawk at myself in the mirror. The red and gold matched my ginger hair perfectly and made my thick gold necklace stand out beautifully.

We then left Lima and travelled even further south, heading for the southern tip of America. On the way we had to fight off some more pirates as well as three Spanish warships who attacked at the same time. I never found out why they had attacked us, but we fought to the death and scraped through it. My ship was rather badly damaged, one of the masts having snapped and a gaping hole at the tip of the ship. From that day on I bore a large, unsightly scar that crossed my right eye, from just above my eyebrow down to my cheek. The doctor patched me up and said that I was extremely lucky to have not been blinded but I didn't care at that moment. I sat impatiently in the sick bay until he had finished and ran back up in search for my daughters, hoping and praying they hadn't been touched. I found them huddled on either side of Catherine, sitting on my bed. My office had received a cannonball and my desk was shattered, but my bedroom was left unscathed and so were the three women inside. They were scared, but alright, and I sighed in relief as I held them in my arms.

Soon afterwards I went looking for Khan and found him by the fallen mast ordering people around, his shirt torn and bloodied as it hung pointlessly from his chest, his hair stuck to his face as it was matted with dried blood. But before I could reach him, Nakoma ran past me at full speed and flung herself in his arms, nearly knocking him over. She desperately pushed her lips against his as his muscular arms tightened around her small waist and the two shared a deep, passionate kiss in the middle of the chaos and rubble. I grinned to myself and took a step back. Finally, my best friend had found someone worthy of him, and he could at last be happy. I couldn't think of anyone better than Nakoma, the young, lively native with whom he shared the same philosophy and way of living.

We docked in Sao Polo in July to get the repairs done on the ship. It was the first port we came across since leaving behind the Spanish claimed lands, now entering the Portuguese dominion. No one bothered us, the repairs costing a lot of money but it wasn't as if I didn't have enough - I could still buy half a dozen warships if I wanted to. When I wasn't wearing the dress Nora had bought me, I would still wear the grey-blue waistcoat, matching coat and brown breeches, but I purchased a deep red piece of fabric which I attached around my waist like a belt, coming down to the my mid thighs and I attached small gold coins to the bottom, having them dangle around making it look like a proper skirt. Well, I thought it did even though Khan laughed when he first saw it. He said it made me look like a real pirate and suggested I wear a black piece of fabric in my hair and cover one of my eyes with it. He, on the other hand, still refused to wear anything but a large baggy white shirt and brown breeches, wearing his long brown coat over the top when he was cold. He didn't care about what he looked like.

The repairs took three months, during which time Nora learnt to climb buildings and trees, running across rooftops despite me shouting at her to get down. The older she was, the more she wanted to break away and do her own thing, and I continued to worry about her. I felt like I couldn't keep her under my wing, and I was scared that I was ruining her life. Khan and Nakoma's relationship blossomed during their stay in the Portuguese city, and Kevin fumbled around with various whores. It seemed I was the only one to be alone, and Mary would ask me why.

" Are you waiting for dada? " She asked me one afternoon as we sat on the beach.

" Maybe I am. " I shrugged, feeling more and more nervous as our voyage around the world took us nearer and nearer to Boston once again.

" You love him? " She asked as she patted the sand with her hands, making a castle.

" Yes, I love him very much. " I nodded. " And I miss him terribly. "

" You have to tell him! " She exclaimed, looking up at me as he black hair billowed in the sea wind. " We have to go Boston and tell him you love him! "

" It's not that easy sweetie. " I shook my head, brushing her hair out of her face as she stood up, looking down at me with a stubborn look in her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

" Yes it is. " She snapped. " He is my dada. You are my mama. You have to. " She ordered, before her face softened and she wrapped her arms around my neck. " Please. " She whispered.

We left São Paulo in early October, and started the last stretch of our voyage. We stopped in the French Guiana, where a French woman joined our crew after falling in love with Kevin in only two days. At first I had thought it crazy, but when I saw the two together it was obvious that they were made for each other. Kevin's usual aggressive and bold nature calmed to a soft, sensual one when he was with her and he became extremely protective of the woman. She was shy and reserved, wearing no makeup and looking young and innocent, with long brown hair and brown eyes, her skin tanned from the south American sun, but they were well and truly in love and it brought a smile to my face. Kevin was a very good friend to me and I owed him everything I had at that time - he had been the one to teach me how to sail, he had been the one that had ordered the ship and hired the sailors, and he had been the one to teach me how to be a captain. I couldn't see myself sailing the seas without him.

We thought about stopping in either Porto Rico or Cuba but decided against it when we spotted several Spanish warships in the distance. We didn't want to risk another open sea battle, not after the last time, so we stayed at sea and continued due North until we hit British soil once more. Our first stop was in Charleston, south Carolina, and Mary and Nora took off into the city with Kevin and Khan, playing in the snow. They were both hugely excited about the white coat that covered the city, running around in their dresses - the pink one that Nora had bought in Lima, and a green one that Mary had asked me for as soon as we docked on British soil.

1764

We headed north in late February and after three weeks, the shores of New York were visible. My crew was excited to see the city they had all heard so much about. Charlie and Catherine were also glad to be back, having lived there most of their lives, and Khan and Nora were also happy to be back near where they had been born. We docked on the second of April, a warm, sunny day and most of my crew immediately took of into the city in search of wine, women and who knew what else. Charlie and Catherine decided to visit the place they had met, celebrating twelve years of marriage, and Nora asked for permission to discover the city with Kwasi and Baako, the two African boys she spent a lot of her time with who were now thirteen and sixteen. I left Mary with Khan and Nakoma, who decided to stay on the ship while I walked into town in the search of some new reading material, enjoying the feeling of walking in a town that I knew and recognised. It had been a long four years since I had left the shores of New York in a state of grief and despair that I no longer felt.

When I got back to the ship, I added the pile of books into an open box on the docks among the dozens of other carts that needed to be stocked on the ship when the crew got back from their rounds. Nakoma was on the side of the ship, dealing with the merchants and vendors from whom we bought our supplies, and also dealt with some people from the public who would ask us for passages from one port to another. We rarely ever took on these people, as we didn't often know where we were going to dock at next, but it had happened a few times. I started looking over the produce in the boxes - tins in one, potatoes in another - when Nakoma tapped me on the shoulder. " These men want to pay us to track down another ship and blow her up. " She frowned unhappily. " I told them we don't do that, so they asked to see the captain. " She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

" Fine. " I waved my hand in the air, sighing. She lead me over to where she had been standing and when I lifted my head up, I came face to face with William Johnson and Haytham Kenway as they stood unhappily among all the carts.

" These are the men. " Nakoma indicated them, cursing under her breath as she picked up the list of produce we needed to buy and went back to ticking off what we had.

" Miss Eleanor! " William said, his eyes wide in surprise. " My, what a surprise. " He smiled whilst Haytham barely even moved, staring at me with his piercing grey blue eyes.

I blushed, biting my lip. " Yes. " I breathed, unsure of what to say. " You err, wanted something from me? " I asked, changing the subject nervously, watching Haytham hesitantly as he still had his arms crossed over his chest, his jaw clenched tightly as his eyes bore into mine. He still wore the same grey blue coat as before, and I realised that it was the same shade as mine. Or rather, I had unconsciously bought a coat the same colour as his. Thankfully I wasn't wearing it at that time, my red dress blowing around my legs in the wind reminding me of it. He had aged a little, but not much. He looked harsher though, his eyes full of a sadness that hadn't been there before, but he still held himself proudly, making him look imposing and dominating. I desperately wanted to jump on him, to wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face in his hair, to feel him against me, to hear him talk softly in my ear. But he kept his arms crossed over his chest as he stared coldly at me, making me feel uncomfortable.

" We need a ship to track down Donato Mancini. He's a traitor to both the Templar order and to the crown. He also deals in slavery. " Haytham spoke calmly, his British accent still ridiculously obvious, his voice deep and husky just how I remembered it. It sent shivers down my spine. But his attitude had completely taken me by surprise, and I didn't know how to react.

" We aren't mercenaries. " I frowned, crossing my arms over my chest, watching him carefully as he sighed ever so lightly. Was he happy to see me? Angry? Or did he not care at all?

" What will it take for you to agree? " He asked, his voice much softer than before.

I looked from Haytham to William, and then turned around to watch Nakoma mumbling under her breath as she searched through the boxes on the dockside. " Where is he? " I sighed, unable to deny the man I loved. At least if he joined my crew, even for a short while, I would be able to talk to him.

He smirked in success, uncrossing his arms. " He left only this morning. If we leave soon, we shall be able to catch him by tomorrow. He was headed north. " He explained.

" Fine. " I groaned. " There is someone I want you to meet anyway. " I mumbled, thinking of my daughter. Our daughter.

" Oh? " He frowned, taken aback.

" Nakoma? " I called, ignoring Haytham. " Find Kevin for me, tell him we're headed out for a few days. And make sure we have enough gunpowder. "

She nodded, smiled briefly and set off down the streets in search for the ginger Frenchman. " We'll be leaving in a few hours. " I said, turning back to the Templars. " Make yourselves at home, I need to find my crew. " I told them, indicating they should get on board as I headed down the streets.

" Eleanor! " I heard Haytham call after me, and I turned around, nervous.

" It is a relief to see you alive. " He said softly, and I could only nod before running away in search of my crew, my mind full of questions and insecurities. What did he mean by that, he's glad I'm alive? Did he think I was dead? If so, why had he not even flinched when he saw me, why had he ignored me? Did he not care anymore? I cursed the man for making me ask so many questions, he was infuriating. And right now he was on board MY ship, about to embark on a mission with MY men, MY crew. And he was just going to sit there and talk to MY friends and - Oh dear god. Mary was still on the ship, she hadn't gone into town with Nora. I didn't want the two to meet without me being there, how would they react? Would Mary hate her father? Would Haytham deny that she was his, would he think her disgusting? Would they hate each other? Would Haytham hate me forever for not having told him?

" Jian, Gui! " I called, finding the two Asians buying some fruit on the market. " Head back to the ship, we have a short errand to run. We'll only be gone for a few days and we shall come back here. " I informed them. " Where are the others? "

" They went to the tavern just down the road. " Gui said. " What is the errand? "

" We need to track down a ship and blow it out of the water. " I shrugged. " I'll see you two back a the ship. "

I headed down the street only to find Nakoma walking by herself, and she smiled when she saw me. " I've already informed the men in the tavern. " She said. " Who were those men? "

" Haytham Kenway and William Johnson. " I mumbled, feeling scared and nervous.

" Haytham? Mary's father? " She asked, whistling. " I never imagined he would be so good-looking. " She laughed to herself while I only stared at the ground as we made our way back to the ship. " That's why you agreed to their silly voyage then. "

" Nakoma! " I scolded her, not wanting her to bother me at the moment. " I don't know what to say to him. He barely registered my presence, and now I have to tell him we have a daughter! "

" What do you want to say to him? " She inquired.

" That I love him. " I groaned. " That I missed him so much that I felt like I was going to die. That I thought about him every second of every day. " I shrugged.

" Then tell him exactly that. " She winked, then ran off towards the ship. She was crazy.

" Set the sails! " I shouted from the helm, my crew back in order. I left ten men in New York so that the equipment and provisions that we had left at the docks wouldn't be stolen. It wasn't like we needed them all anyway, I had more than enough men and women on board to sail the ship and man the cannons without them. Haytham and William stood behind me, both of them looking around at the various men and women of different coloured skins and different languages, their eyes wide as if they could barely believe it all.

" Ella? " I heard Nora ask me and I turned around to find her dressed in her pale pink dress, brandishing the wooden sword she played with. " Is that Haytham? " She whispered, indicating the man with her head. " I remember him from when I was young. "

" Yes it is princess. " I nodded. " Don't tell Mary, I want them to meet properly. "

She winked and strode over to him, extending her hand. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder when she stood up on tip toes, but she didn't seem at all intimidated by him, even when he looked down at her questioningly.

" Nora Moore. " She grinned. " I wonder if you remember me. This ship's named after me. "

Haytham cocked an eyebrow and looked over to me as I pushed back laughter. " What is the name of this ship? " He asked, confused.

" The Warrior Princess! " Nora exclaimed, outraged that he didn't know.

" The Warrior… Nora? The young child of - Oh! " He realised, chuckling as he took a good look at her this time. " You have certainly grown since I last saw you. "

" I'm older now. " She winked. " Nearly old enough to become a fighter! "

" That is still your life long ambition? " Haytham smirked, mocking her.

Nora stuck her tongue out at him and ran off, swishing her wooden sword through the air, pretending to battle invisible enemies as she did so. " I do try. " I sighed, coming to stand next to him. " But she's decided that she will grow up and save the world. There's no changing her mind, no matter what I say or do. " I laughed, watching her pretend to kill several of my crew members, who played along with her and fell to the floor rather dramatically.

" Is she the person that you wanted me to meet? " Haytham asked, watching me carefully as I shook my head.

" I have a lot of explaining to do. " I sighed, trying to find the strength to look directly at him. But I couldn't and instead I continued to watch Nora. " It's been a long time. "

" It has. " Haytham agreed, whilst William turned around to watch the coast line of New York slowly disappear behind us. " I have all the time in the world to listen. " He smiled softly, finally resembling the Haytham I had fallen in love with, giving me the courage to look at him.

I left the helm under Kevin's control and took hold of Haytham's hand and tugged, indicating he follow me. I lead him down the few steps onto the main deck and lead him to my cabin. I opened the door enough to pop my head inside and saw Catherine and Mary reading at my desk. The elder woman looked up and I indicated that she leave, opening the door enough for her to see Haytham behind me. She immediately nodded, said something to Mary and stood up.

" Call me if you need me. " She smiled as she opened the door to leave.

" Thank you. " I nodded, taking a deep breath. " Come on. " I said, taking Haytham's hand again and pulling him inside. Mary didn't even look up as she read out loud. She still had difficulty reading, though she was determined to overcome it quickly. I felt Haytham tense by my side, still not understanding the situation.

" Eleanor… " He muttered, letting go of my hand.

" Mary? " I called, and the girl's head shot up, a large smile on her face.

" Yes mama? " She grinned, and then her face fell when she saw the man behind me. She immediately stood up and made her way over to us, never letting her sight stray from the man. " Is that…? " She asked, frowning deeply.

" Yes. " I breathed, nodding though she couldn't see me as she stepped further towards Haytham as he looked from her to me, then back to her.

" Hello father. " She smiled up at him, lifting her dress lightly as she curtsied, making me smile. Haytham's mouth fell open as he looked at her, and then back up at me again.

" E - Eleanor? " He questioned me, his eyes wide with something I couldn't quite place.

" Haytham, this is Mary. Our daughter. " I smiled nervously, resting a hand on her shoulder as I stood behind her.

" Our daughter? " He repeated, looking down at her again. " I have a child. " He muttered to himself, kneeling before her. " Good afternoon little one. " He smiled nervously. " You certainly inherited your mother's beauty. "

Mary giggled. " Are you going to kiss and make up now? " She asked him. " Mama's missed you lots even if she pretends she didn't. I know better though, because I'm clever. "

I blushed heavily as Haytham's lips turned up into a smirk. " Yes well, your mother is a stubborn one isn't she? " He smiled, ruffling her hair in the exact same way I always did.

" People say that I am as well. " She frowned. " Is that bad? "

" It's quite charming actually. " Haytham smirked, and she giggled again.

" You're funny! " She laughed, turning to face me with a large smile on her face. " I'm going to go outside now. Remember to tell him you love him! " She smiled before rushing to the door then pausing suddenly, and facing us again. " It was a pleasure meeting you father. " She curtsied again, rather ungracefully as she nearly tripped on her dress, and then shot off outside.

" I'm sorry I took so long coming back. " I whispered, hoping he wouldn't turn around and shout at me. " I know I should have come back straight away, but I was scared - I never expected to be gone for so long, I - Please forgive me. " I blurted out as he watched me silently.

" Eleanor. " He smiled slightly. " We have a daughter. " His voice was barely audible, his eyes shining with what I knew was sadness and happiness, relief and joy, all at the same time. It was rare to see him betray so many emotions but I was immensely glad that he was taking it so well.

" We do. " I smiled and he suddenly launched himself at me, wrapping his arms around me so tightly I could barely breathe. But I honestly didn't care, wrapping my arms around him just as tightly, pushing my body against his, burying my face in his neck and breathing in his scent as my tears started to fall. I closed my eyes tightly shut as I revelled in the moment, crying of happiness. I couldn't believe I had spent four years without him, four years far from his warmth and kindness. He was everything to me, and at that moment I felt like I had finally come home. Because that's what he was. He was home, he made me feel complete, happy, at peace and for the first time in four years, I felt my body relax as I brushed my cheek against his, feeling his soft skin against mine. He lifted his arm up so that his large hand brushed my hair out of my face, settling at the base of my neck as he looked into my eyes. His grey blue eyes were so full of relief and happiness that I could barely look at them. I suddenly felt terribly guilty for having disappeared without a word and I bit my lip, pushing back more tears.

" I missed you. " I whispered against his lips.

" And I you. " He muttered, before placing a soft, delicate kiss on my trembling lips. It felt like everything was in place, exactly how it should be. Mary and Nora were safe and happy, Khan had found love, my crew was free and at peace, and I had Haytham back. What more could I have asked for?