Hello,

A/N I haven't updated for a while as I started studying and just didn't have a chance to. Sorry for the delay. I'll try to update more often :)

! AC3 Ending Spoiler Alert ! Disclaimer: All characters (except Annora and Marie) belong to Ubisoft, as do the cover images.

Ann leaves to train with Connor, but not exactly because she wished to...

Enjoy! ^^

XIV

'Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood.'

"Connor... Why so angry?"

The native turned hastily towards Norris, a resident of the Davenport Homestead who was a good friend of his. The man seemed worried about the Assassin's unusual behavior.

"Remember that story I told you some time ago... About that girl I rescued when I was a child?"

"Yes, you seemed very enthusiastic about finding her."

"Well, I believe I have done so. However she does not seem to return my feelings."

"You can't expect a woman to fall for a man she barely met, she might not remember you. So don't be so unnerved if she doesn't seem eager at first, eh?"

"It's not that, I could see that she had someone else on her mind, yet the moments we spent together were the happiest of my life."

Norris, the miner of the local community, who also fancied a woman, Myriam – a skilled hunter who Connor once saved – gave the man a compassionate smile, feeling sorry for him already.

"Well, she may already have someone, have you asked her? Maybe she is married-."

"No, I haven't asked her," Connor said quickly, "but I'm sure she is a maiden, she was so innocent."

"I think its great news that you have found someone to be fond of, but don't rush things, she might not be the person she appears to."

"I understand, but I cannot stop thinking about her."

"Oh! Look! An unfamiliar face," Norris shouted, pointing towards the figure approaching them from the forest, it may have been a stranger to Norris himself, but to Connor she was nothing close to unfamiliar. Her hair was tied back into a high ponytail while she wore a shorter dress than usual, shorter than what deemed proper among the local townsfolk. It was a dark shade of royal purple, while she wore her corset on the outside, the patterns matching the skirt.

"It's her!" Connor announced in astonishment, while the miner stared in wonder at the girl who was getting closer and closer to them. Connor began to run to meet her instead of waiting, his breathing quickening as he never anticipated such a turn of events. He thought she hated him, but such a meeting was his only chance to clear up the misunderstanding, and he felt like the luckiest man in the world to have that chance.

The Previous Day

"It was Connor," Haytham spoke up and she nodded in disbelief. "Connor was your saviour."

Ann sighed and took her hands out of Haytham's grasp, her eyes pleading him not to go on.

"He must remember you from that time, explains why he took such a liking to you. Can you imagine? He must have been in love with you the whole time."

"Stop it Haytham, I don't want to hear you say such things."

"But they are true are they not? You must go to him Ann."

"What? What are you suggesting?"

"He is the only man who will willingly train you, how are you planning to defend yourself from Charles without the proper training?"

"I can't, I don't want anything to do with him, not after what happened!"

"You will have to! I'm not telling you to seduce him, only to use him. I don't want you going there as well, but we have no choice. We might even be able to lure Charles out and give Connor the chance to kill him like he himself desires."

"I won't use someone like that, I can't play around with his feelings-."

"He killed me Ann!"

"But he saved me! And I can't bear to betray anyone ever again."

"These are my orders, I'm only caring for your safety, nothing else, so you will do as I say," he shouted. She looked away, but suddenly felt his warmth near her as his lips found the rim of her ear.

"Please, I will survive a few days without you, as long as you promise me you will learn to defend yourself," he whispered and heard her breathing hasten in an attempt to keep up with her heartbeat which seemed out of control the moment she felt his breath against her skin. She nodded, discovering how she was unable to deny her need for his touch. Maybe staying with Connor would give her the time she needed to get a grip on the situation and learn to defend herself and the man she loved. But most of all, it would be enough time to grieve and come to terms with Haytham's relation to her Father's death, and decide whether she really loved the man who killed her beloved Father. The one who would have taught her and nurtured her if he had not been brutally murdered.

"I promise," she replied after a while and felt as his hand reached under the thin fabric of her dress and softly caressed her thigh, her skin burning in all the areas he touched.

"Promise me one more thing," he whispered again, "that your body will belong to me alone."

"I thought I promised that already..."

"I want to hear you say it this time."

She gasped as everything around her blurred, feeling Haytham's weight push her down onto the creaking mattress until she rested in a mess under his power. Her eyes opened to see his staring right down into hers, possessive, like a predator observing his pray before the last blow.

"I promise... My body belongs to you, and only you," she breathed out. Her fingers traced the rim of his shirt, her orbs shining with surprise and fear, how was she supposed to resist the one man who made her feel such emotions? Such extreme hunger which no liquor nor delicacy would satisfy... It was impossible. She felt completely submitted to him. He smiled for a while, lifting her leg up in the air slowly to avoid hurting her, and she felt hot air sizzle against her flesh as the remaining fabric slid down to her waist. He leaned down, all while balancing her limb in the air with his arm, and before she knew it his lips were on hers, and it felt so much better than Connor, than Charles, than any man she ever knew or dreamed of. It was better than a fantasy, it was better than reality itself. For a sweet moment of bliss, it felt like nothing around them existed, and she felt her whole heart scream out with ecstasy. For if a kiss bought such joy and satisfaction, she wasn't able to imagine what it would be like to give Haytham all of her, every inch, given up to him to do what he pleased. Such a thought was a faraway song yet was as close as the man himself at that moment. She broke away, remembering.

"Please, stop, I will not throw away what I said before because of desire."

"I hope you understand what agony I'm in when having to force myself to resist you," the man said and the spell was broken. He noticed how her eyes pleaded with him, so she looked away, not wanting him to find out her true intentions. "However I will respect your decision."

With those words, he let her body go, and she never felt such longing in her life. It was unbearable.

They stood there staring at each other until he spoke out eagerly.

"I thought I would never see you again."

"I came Connor, because I have a big favour to ask of you and I wanted to apologise for my behaviour the last time you saw me."

"It's nothing, don't worry about that, I rushed things and made it uncomfortable for you, I'm the one who should be apologising," he replied, brushing her apologies away with his hand, the only thought on his mind being the fact that she needed him. That she came to him because she needed him. That was the most exhilarating news he heard since forever.

"I wanted to stay here for a few days, for I need training, fast."

"Is something wrong? I don't know if I'm able to teach you everything I have learnt in the span of a few days Ann, it took me months, years even."

"I will work hard I promise, I just need to learn all the basics, like how to use a sword and-."

"But why the rush? Is someone posing a threat to you? You should tell me Ann..."

"No, I just have to, Father would have wanted me to, just please. I beg of you, don't ask me why. Will you be able to help me or not?"

"I will! Of course, you know I'm always here for you."

"Also... I know its very selfish of me to ask such a thing but, will you be able to organise a passage for two people, to England?"

"England?"

"It's for my sister and her husband," Ann lied, pursing her lips with guilt.

"I will immediately send a letter, I have a friend in the Revolutionary army who will be able to help you, there are not many passenger vessels these days..."

"I...They do not mind the vessel as long as the journey is safe and with haste."

"I understand, I will sort it out as quickly as I can."

"Thank you so much Connor, you're literally saving my- their lives," Ann muttered and gave him a soft smile. He grinned back at her, completely love-struck.

"I'm so glad you are here Ann, I feel like the happiest man in the world."

Something shattered in her heart when she heard those words, so she never gave him a reply, instead she began walking towards the Manor, while hearing his footsteps against the dirt right behind her. She felt like the week ahead would be long and tiring, but she nevertheless felt somewhat of a privilege, being able to finally follow in her Father's steps. However a pain accompanied the feeling hand in hand, the pain of being away from Haytham, of having to lie to Connor – who was such a kind-hearted man – and knowing that soon she would have to tell him that his affection was in vain. That she believed that every inch of her heart was already taken, by his own Father.

"This will be your room, for as long as you please," Connor said as they entered the spare guest bedroom. It was large and well-lit, with a large window on the back wall providing a beautiful view of the forest. There was a wardrobe on the other side and opposite stood an over-sized single bed with four posts. There was a pair of carved armchairs in the corner of the room next to the window and a small oak desk with a matching chair. The walls were ivory and the floors didn't creak, so the room must have been renovated a while ago.

"It's wonderful, thank you," the woman replied while she rested her duffel bag against the wall.

"If you ever need anything, my room is right opposite. The bathroom is at the end of the hallway."

"Anything else I need to know?"

"I'm usually gone by the time the sun rises so prepare breakfast when you see fit, I usually eat when I hunt in the forest."

"I see, what time does training start then?"

"When I return, some day I might take you hunting with me."

"Hunting? Poor animals..," Ann mumbled worriedly, despite being able to bring herself to kill a man, she hated the idea of killing innocent creatures with her own hands.

"We'll avoid the rabbits for your sake then," Connor said and then chuckled at how adorable she sounded when she defended the little lives he took out in the frontier, however he always gave back to Mother Nature, like he was taught when he was young, unlike some hunters who killed thoughtlessly for sport.

"It's already getting dark, do you want something to eat?"

"No, thank you for the offer but I've ate a lot on the journey here." If two slices of bread, an apple, some cooked meat and water to drink could be considered a lot.

"Well, good night then," he replied before bowing his head and stepping out of the room.

"Good night Connor," she said before giving him another smile and closing the door quietly when she was sure she heard his footsteps dim as he descended the stairs. It surely seemed that the week would drag, especially when Haytham made her leave so suddenly, while she longed for him after their previous encounter. He still thought of her as a pure woman in need of preserving, like an angel or a saint, yet her thoughts and her lust for him were far from what could be described as pure. Love must have taken stages when it came to her, first she lusted for him, then she fell in love with him, and then she lusted again, but more than ever. If only he was there with her, if only she had one more day, she would have forced him to take her whether he wanted it or not.

"I feel like such an abomination right now, thinking these things," she whispered to herself and collapsed on the bed, suddenly tired, and wanting to dream of the man she left back home. The man who she thought she needed time to figure out, when everything was crystal clear in front of her already. She wanted him, loved him, no matter who he was or what he did, and she was ready to escape the only life she knew, all for the grand prize of winning Haytham Kenway's love. A prize which was indeed priceless.

More chapters coming soon! :) Please leave a review/fave/follow if you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you! ^^

Till next time!

AssassinSuzy